Chicago Dance Crash dancers
Photo: Courtesy of Court Theatre
 

KING OF THE COURT Catch the acclaimed play The Mountaintop at Court Theatre on Thursday.

THE FIVE

Don’t-miss picks for Wed 9.4.13 through Tue 9.10.13:

1

theatre The Mountaintop
Court Theatre mounts this down-to-earth depiction of Martin Luther King Jr.’s last night.
GO: 9/5–10/6. $35–$65. Court Theatre, 5535 S Ellis. courttheatre.org
2

art Julie Blackmon: Homegrown
The photographer turns her camera on her family (she is one of nine children and a mother of three) to create elegantly composed domestic scenes, formally staged like early-modern Dutch paintings.
GO: 9/6–11/2. 300 W Superior. edelmangallery.com
3

rock Hideout Block Party & A.V. Fest
Because Neko Case, Mavis Staples, and obvious millennial grab Young the Giant make this block party worth attending.
GO: 9/6 at 4:30, 9/7 at 12:30. $35–$70. Hideout, 1354 W Wabansia. hideoutchicago.com
4

dance Line of Sighs
Inspired by the movement of a weaver at work, award-winning choreographer Victor Alexander sets Hedwig’s dancers loose to a giant loom to pluck and play its ropes.
GO: 9/5–9/8. $15 for students, $20 for general admission, $50 for 9/7 Benefit for the American Cancer Society. Ruth Page Center for the Arts, 1016 N Dearborn. ruthpage.org
5

classical Beethoven Festival: Love 2013
More kitchen sinkier than ever, Chicago’s ode to the composer returns for a third year with more than 100 events spread out over the nine day affair, including performances from JACK Quartet and ICE, and the world premiere of a recently unearthed Beethoven piece.
GO: 9/7–15, opening reception on 9/6. Most performances at Merit School of Music, 38 S Peoria. Details, prices: internationalbeethovenproject.com

WHAT I’M DOING THIS WEEKEND

Rachel Niffenegger
Photo: Courtesy of the Art Institute

Rachel Niffenegger

Up next in our series of weekend plans from notable, in-the-know locals—a.k.a. people we like: artist Rachel Niffenegger, whose exhibition Flesh Club opens on Friday, September 6 at Western Exhibitions.

“Friday evening, I’m planning on having dinner and cocktails with my mom and my sister before my [reception] from 5–8. We’re going to Paramount Room. Their wagyu beef burger is one of the best in city.

“Then [at 5], it’s my opening, which is free and open to the public. The exhibit is called Flesh Club, and it’s a display of drawings and sculptures that complicate the notion of the performative body.

“Saturday, I’m going to the Hideout Block Party. Girl Group Chicago, who describe themselves as Chicago’s all female 1960s cover band supergroup, are performing at 2. Plus, I love the Hideout—their block party is always super fun and high energy. I’ll also stick around for Aimee Mann and Ted Leo.

“Saturday night, I’m going to Fiesta del Sol in Pilsen with my family. I haven’t been there before but my brother-in-law is Mexican and he’s very particular about Mexican food. It’s one of he and my sister’s favorite places to go.

“Sunday is my husband’s birthday and we’re going to have brunch at m.henry in Andersonville. I’m a big polenta or grits person, so the bacon wrapped baked eggs with polenta and mixed field greens is my go-to.” —As told to Tomi Obaro

FREEBIE OF THE WEEK

opera Stars of Lyric Opera at Millennium Park
Get a preview of Lyric’s upcoming season at the annual Stars of Lyric Opera at Millennium Park, featuring Ana María Martínez from Otello, among others.
GO: 9/7 at 7:30. Free. Millennium Park, 201 E Randolph. cityofchicago.org