Rhino Theater Fest: POWER brecht-down 2004

A new Bertolt Brecht revue, adapted by Stefan Brün. Part of the Rhinoceros Theater Festival. "Jenny Magnus and Beau O'Reilly break down power for you in a new revue devoted to this, unfortunately, so timely poet and playwright. POWER brecht-down 2004 includes texts and songs never before translated into English as well as The Beggar or the Dead Dog, Money Medley and an excerpt from Brecht's Training Manual for War. Part of Curious’s Rhino ’04 look back at the masters who influenced us." 7pm, Curious Theatre Branch, 7001 N Glenwood. $12 or pay what you can. Call 773-274-6660 for reservations.

Rhino Theater Fest: White Suit Science

A new piece written and directed by Shawn Reddy for the Rhinoceros Theatre Festival. "From the mind that brought you last year’s Rhino and PAC/Edge hit, My Name is Mudd, comes a super-scientific-y investigation into one of America’s great literary mysteries. Why did Mark Twain wear a white suit out of season? Complete with Mark Twain impersonators, Kentucky Fried Chicken conspiracies, dry cleaning techniques, God’s experiments on little animals, Silas Phelps’s penis, and much, much more in the way of irrelevant supporting material, White Suit Science finally reveals the greatest ancient Chinese secret this side of the Mississippi!" 9pm, Curious Theatre Branch, 7001 N Glenwood. $12 or pay what you can. Call 773-274-6660 for reservations.

Chicago Humanities Festival Begins

The 15th annual Chicago Humanities Festival kicks off today, and runs through November 14th in locations all over town. Most readings, lectures, performances, etc. will only cost you $5 on average (or nothing, on occasion) which is a sweet deal on some good learnin'. This year's festival will focus on a theme of "Time" and "its ongoing impact on our endeavors, passions, and beliefs." Programs include everything from a free tour of a special exhibit at the Adler Planetarium to a discussion of Vermeer in Bosnia led by Ira Glass and Lawrence Weschler, to a presentation of the work of journalist Clive James. Check out the rather huge list of programs, the children's festival, and get your tickets before they sell out.

Haunting History in Evanston

This Halloween, Evanston’s Charles Gates Dawes House will once again take on a spectacularly spooky atmosphere as magician and Halloween expert David Parr returns to lead visitors on eerie interactive tours of the historic mansion. From Oct. 22 through 31, at 7 and 8 p.m. nightly, Parr will lead small groups on dramatic tours of the mansion during which each room offers an encounter with the uncanny and supernatural. Objects move on their own accord, cryptic messages are written by invisible hands, and shadowy forms lurk in hallways. Equal parts history and mystery, Parr’s spooky tours offer visitors a side of the historic home that few ever encounter. The Dawes House, built in 1896, is an essential part of the show. The three-story historic mansion, once the home of U.S. Vice President Charles Gates Dawes, is distinguished by its dark oak woodwork and majestic stained glass. Chosen because of its massive, foreboding appearance to be the home of mob boss John Rooney (portrayed by Paul Newman) in the feature film Road to Perdition, the house’s vast spaces, dim lighting, and shadowy corridors make it the perfect setting for Parr’s type of eerie Halloween event. The Charles Gates Dawes House is located at 225 Greenwood St., Evanston. Performances are at 7 and 8 p.m. nightly, with additional performances at 9 p.m. Oct. 28–31 and at 10 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 31. Spectators attending performances at 8 p.m. or later should park only on Greenwood Street. Tickets are $20 per person. For reservations or more information, call 847-475-3410, email evanstonhs@northwestern.edu or visit Parr's website.

Macbeth @ Newberry Library

The Shakespeare Project of Chicago presents two free readings of Macbeth today: this morning at 10:00 AM at the Newberry Library (60 W. Walton); and this afternoon at 2:00 PM at the Wilmette Public Library (at the corner of Park and Wilmette in Wilmette). There will also be a free reading tomorrow afternoon at 2:00 PM at the Duncan YMCA Chernin Center for the Arts (1001 W. Roosevelt Road). For more information, check out the Shakespeare Project's Website.

I Want a President Who @ Polvo Art Studio

As a part of a series of public artworks inviting people to share their thoughts regarding leadership and creating art in the process, the public art collaborative Anti Gravity Surprise has organized events every Saturday in October in Chicago. The fifth one is today from 1 to 4 p.m. at the Polvo Art Studio located at 1458 W. 18th Street in Pilsen. The afternoon will feature election-inspired artworks, street performances, and an open discussion. At 3 p.m. there will be a presentation by the Reverend Finley C. Campbell, an anti-racism activist. For more information, email AGS@anti-gravity.info.