12/14/07
Late Arrival, Early
For a stage tucked away in the ’burbs, Northlight Theatre (9501 Skokie Blvd., Skokie; 847-673-6300) consistently turns out must-see shows. The roster of talent behind the theatre’s Interplay series—particularly the latest show, Better Late, about a man who moves in with his ex and her new hubby—rivals any in New York. The play, written by Larry Gelbart (M.A.S.H., Tootsie) and Craig Wright (Six Feet Under, Dirty Sexy Money), doesn’t première until April, but you can get a sneak peek at a reading by John Mahoney (Frasier) and Mamet regular Mike Nussbaum at 7:30 p.m. Monday the 17th. Tickets are $15. Best Bets for Things to Do This Week Watch
• Hear the stories behind the vendors at the première of Streetwise: The Movie, a documentary by..
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12/07/07
Voices Carry
Chicagoans have been slammed with a string of bad news lately: tax hikes, CTA service interruptions—not to mention everyone’s favorite weather system, the ice storm. Happy holidays, everybody. But there’s a light at the end of the blizzard. Those who need a gentle reminder why we live here—and love it—can take heart with Voices Project: Chicago Stories.The collaboration between Chicago Danztheatre Ensemble (formerly Adler Danztheatre Project) and the Neighborhood Writing Alliance uses theatre, dance, poetry, music, and film to deliver a narrative of the city’s historical highlights. Blips along the timeline include the Cubs/Sox rivalry and the dancing church ladies of Pilgrim Baptist. The show runs 8 p.m. Friday the 7th and...
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11/30/07
Bailey on the Rocks
All right, so it’s as clichéd as fruitcake; still, It’s a Wonderful Life encapsulates the spirit of the holidays. That doesn’t mean you’re stuck with corny rehashings and cable reruns. This season, two theatres offer creative interpretations of the Frank Capra classic worth catching. American Theater Company (1909 W. Byron St.; 773-929-1031) spins the sentimental fable as a radio play, complete with commercial breaks, live sound effects, and a wholesome snack of milk and cookies after the show. Tickets are $40. Meanwhile, George Bailey sings his sorrows (and triumphs) in Porchlight Music Theatre’s production at Theatre Building Chicago (1225 W. Belmont Ave.; 773-327-5252), adapted from the musical by the Pulitzer- and Tony-winning Sheldon Harnick. Tickets are $35; $34 on Fridays. Both shows run through December 30th. • And a bonus for theatre-goers: We just caught wind of this...
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11/21/07
Laugh It Off
We’re not saying there are proven weight-loss benefits to laughter, but who couldn’t use a good chuckle following the family-and-food marathon known as Thanksgiving? Comedienne Mary Lynn Rajskub, a.k.a. quirky Chloe from TV’s 24, brings her one-woman show Turns Out I’m Funny to Lakeshore Theater (3175 N. Broadway; 773-472-3492) Saturday the 24th at 7 and 9 p.m. Tickets are $22.50. For those who just can’t picture hauling themselves off the couch post-turkey, catch the winner of the 2007 Andy Kaufman Award for...
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11/16/07
Straight from the Factory
Andy Warhol’s contribution to the art world is undisputed, but his films have always occupied a more dubious position in mainstream public opinion. Facets is here to convince you there’s more to those factory flicks than Edie Sedgwick’s pretty face. The cinémathèque’s Warhol and the Film Factory festival kicks off Friday the 16th with Night at the Factory, one of the city’s more imaginative fetes. The gala, which runs from 7 to 11 p.m. at the Museum of Contemporary Art Warehouse (1747 W. Hubbard St.; 773-281-9075), includes a DIY false-eyelash station and...
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11/09/07
15 Minutes . . . for a Fee
And you thought the Do It Yourself Hallelujah chorus was cool. Indulge long-suppressed aspirations for the stage at Victory Gardens’ Casting Auction Benefit. (Hey, your mother always said you stole the show as “townsperson number two.”) Amateur actors—meaning absolutely no experience required—can bid on more than 50 starring, supporting, and children’s roles in The Pajama Game, to be performed February 15th and 16th with a cast composed entirely of auction winners. The party starts 6 p.m. Friday the 9th at Victory Gardens Biograph Theater (2433 N. Lincoln Ave.; 773-549-5788, ext. 2140) with a buffet and open bar. Bidding for supporting roles via silent auction begins at $150; starring roles go on the block for $500 and up in a live auction; prospective actors are encouraged to shout, dance, and generally strut their stuff while bidding. Admission is...
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11/02/07
Cheats and Beats
What do Chicago blues, Polish sausage, and infomercial impresario Ron Popeil have in common? All three got a big boost from the inimitable Maxwell Street Market. The documentary Cheat You Fair: The Story of Maxwell Street covers the outdoor bazaar’s 120-year history, from the working poor who first peddled their wares there, to the famous electrified blues born out of musicians’ need to be heard over the din, to the market’s relocation in 1994 when UIC took over the land. The film premières 7 p.m. Saturday the 3rd at Skokie Theatre (7924 Lincoln Ave., Skokie; 847-677-7761); the evening includes beer and wine, dinner, and...
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10/26/07
Choose Your Own Adventure
Be the master of your entertainment destiny this week and pick from one of two routes to amusement: For the kids at heart, we’ve rounded up a roster of Halloween treats sure to put some “Gotcha!” in your game plan; read on for the spine-tingling rundown. Party poopers who’d rather turn off the metaphorical porch light to trick-or-treaters can find plenty of ghoul-free options below the fold (not that we’re judging). Hallo-wheeeeeeen!
• Perhaps Ichabod Crane would have fared better on a Schwinn than a noble steed. Relive the spirit of Sleepy Hollow—without those inconvenient beheadings—at the Headless Horseman Hunt, a costume party meets bike race meets...
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10/19/07
The Garden-State Path
Jersey Boys, the Tony-winning musical biography of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, follows the group from blue-collar roots to pop fame, bumps in the road (mafia high jinks, gambling, womanizing, heartbreak) and all. Chicago's much-anticipated run is onstage now, but the show's inspiration isn't idling in the wings. A consummate professional who parlayed his trademark falsetto into 25 top-40 hits and counting, Valli just released a new compilation of love ballads, Romancing the '60s, and has an upcoming concert date at the Chicago Theatre. Marquee spoke with Valli recently about his long career...
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10/12/07
Freaky Friday
Here’s a grown-up alternative to the traditional Halloween fare of corn mazes and pumpkin patches: Disturbed II. For the 15-minute play of sorts—organizers describe it as an “inverted haunted house”—the audience stands in a cramped space while the action jumps out from the sidelines. It’s a combination of performance and multimedia special effects that is, to put it mildly, really scary—i.e., no kids allowed. The show runs every half hour from 8 to 11:30 p.m. Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays through Halloween at Oracle Theatre (3809 N. Broadway; 773-244-2980). Admission is $9 at the door, $7 with reservations; last year’s Disturbed sold out, so...
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