FESTIVALS
Saint Anthony Hospital Summer Fest
Summer’s a time for carnivals, barbecues, and—according to Saint Anthony Hospital—complimentary immunizations. On Saturday, June 7, St. Anthony will host an afternoon-long Summer Fest on their campus grounds in North Lawndale. Open to the public, they’ll pair dental screenings with DJs, free food with free physicals, family-friendly entertainment with family health education. The hospital promises to supplement the traditional festive docket of music, dancers, and carnival games with wellness workshops, preventative-care tips, and back-to-school check-ups. They’ll also conduct a Cutest Kid Contest and a community-wide car and bike show. Get fit and have fun. Saint Anthony Hospital Summer Fest, 2875 W. 19th St. Saturday, June 7, 11am-4pm. (773)484-4386. sahchicago.org (Stephen Urchick)
Version Festival 14
Urban Operating System. That was last year’s Version Fest theme, and catchy and hip as it is, it captures perfectly what the Public Media Institute aims to do again with this June’s Version Festival 14: The Placemakers. By bringing together gardeners, urbanists, artists, and activists, this annual Bridgeport festival celebrates and promotes the use of underutilized public spaces for cultural happenings and creative expression. Embark on a nine-day journey through minimarkets, music showcases, artist warehouses, and streetscaping projects. Help these placemakers transform Chicago neighborhoods’ cultural ecology, promote economic prosperity, and build a better urban society while preserving and respecting the stories of these rejuvenated spaces. Various locations in Bridgeport. June 21-29. versionfest.org (Maha Ahmed)
Chicago Gospel Music Festival
This June, good shepherds will drive their flocks in droves to two Chicago locations for the city’s annual Gospel Music Festival. Preview events for the main festival will happen at the Chicago Cultural Center in the Loop, but the main fest comes to Ellis Park, at 35th and Cottage Grove, for two days of its three-day run. Stars include Tye Tribbett, VaShawn Mitchell, and Tasha Cobbs, as well as the McDonald’s Inspiration Celebration Gospel Tour, featuring Kurt Carr, the Mississippi Mass Choir, Anthony Brown & group therAPy, Uncle Reece, and Moses Tyson Jr. The festival will also include a tour of Bronzeville, an arts and crafts sale, and a kids activity area. Better yet, the entire fest is free. No alms required.Chicago Cultural Center, 78 E. Washington St., and Ellis Park, 37th St. and Cottage Grove Ave. June 27, 11am-3:30pm; June 28-29, 11am-10pm. cityofchicago.org (Jack Nuelle)
DuSable Arts & Crafts Festival
This July, the DuSable Museum celebrates African-American culture, identity, and history in its fortieth annual Arts & Crafts Festival, offering you a chance to immerse yourself in a collision of traditional and experimental fine arts, performances, crafts, student art, quilting, food, and vendors. Past years have featured spoken word, jazz vocalists, and West Indian folk dances. This year promises to raise the bar as the festival enters its fourth decade.DuSable Museum of African American History, 740 E. 56th Pl. July 12-13. (773)947-0600.dusablemuseum.org (Maha Ahmed)
Chinatown Summer Fair
Experience one of the largest cultural festivals in the Midwest at the Chinatown Summer Fair, a one-day outdoor extravaganza that attracts more than 40,000 people annually. Ride a pony, pet a goat, listen to live music, or watch a traditional lion dance while nibbling on food from one of Chinatown’s many restaurants. You can even bring your baby, or someone else’s, or yourself, to participate in the cutest baby contest. Come witness the mixing of old and new, of Far East and Midwest, as the iconic festival celebrates its thirty-sixth year. Wentworth Ave. from Cermak Rd. to 24th Pl. Sunday, July 20, 10am-8pm. chicagochinatown.com (Maha Ahmed)
Fiesta del Sol
Fittingly named after the sun, this grand outdoor event—which claims to be the largest festival in the Midwest—spans four days and celebrates Latino culture and community of the past and present. With Aztec dance groups preserving traditions and community outreach programs on topics ranging from immigration rights to public health, Fiesta del Sol is an exuberant expression of Latino culture in Chicago. Organized by the Pilsen Neighbors Community Council, the festival is a fundraiser for the neighborhood. 1400 W. Cermak Rd., between Morgan St. and Ashland Ave. July 31-August 3. fiestadelsol.org (Lucia Ahrensdorf)
Taylor Street Festa Italiana
Have you ever wanted to play the wine snob, listening to Andrea Bocelli while having deep discussions about fruitiness? Have you ever wanted to squish grapes with your toes while jamming to Bon Jovi? If any of this appeals to you, then the Taylor Street Festa Italiana is a must. A true festival for the palette, the Festa Italiana will provide for any and all cravings: pasta, pastries, antipasto, wine—and meatballs. If you’ve ever secretly wanted to know how many meatballs you can eat in one sitting, then don’t miss the meatball-eating contest. If you’re hungry for good music, the festival will provide that too. Tribute bands will be covering well-known Italian favorites. The festival will also offer children’s entertainment and cultural activities. Taylor St. at Ashland Ave. August 14-15, 5pm-11pm; August 16, noon-11pm;August 17, noon-10pm. Suggested $5 donation. starevents.com/festivals/
Festival de la Villita
Festival de la Villita, a celebration of Little Village that commemorates Mexico’s independence from Spain, is now entering its twenty-fifth year. The festival’s final day is capped by the 26th Street Mexican Independence Day Parade. Eat delicious food, ride colorful carnival rides, take in art of all sorts, and—if you’re lucky—soak up the presence of famous soap-opera stars. 26th St. and Kostner Ave. September 12, 6pm-11pm; September 13-14, 2pm-11pm. (Lucia Ahrensdorf)
Hyde Park Jazz Festival
Are you climbing up a wall like a spider, in anticipation of the Hyde Park Jazz Festival? Well, join the club. Hyde Park summers are defined by this two-day bash. Featuring local as well as nationally and internationally renowned performers, the festival has earned its place as a summer checkpoint right up there with the Fourth of July. This year, the weekend will close with the legendary piano stylings of Craig Taborn, in his first solo performance in Chicago, at Rockefeller Chapel. Other performers include the JD Allen Quartet, Tomeka Reid in her stunning string trio, Orbert Davis’ Chicago Jazz Philharmonic Chamber Ensemble, and the South Side favorite, the Houston Person Quartet. Dana Hall’s Black Art Movement will also showcase a special project with musical collaboration, featuring Russ Johnson on trumpet and John Wojciechowski on reeds. Various locations in Hyde Park. September 27-28.hydeparkjazzfestival.org (Mark Hassenfratz)
VISUAL ARTS
speculationscapes
During May and June, Jekyll&Hyde in Hyde Park will host “speculationscapes,” a group show focused on critical inquiry about the world in which we live. The exhibition will explore landscape, seascape, and cityscape as the media for intellectual scrutiny by bringing together the architectural expertise and creative vision of a talented group of artists. “speculationscapes” inquires about the role of high-density human impact, relationships between machines and their makers, and light events such as the existence of widespread laser beams in landscapes. Featured pieces will include dark spaces paired with food coloring and leafless flowering stems. “speculationscapes” promises to deliver a unique and speculative approach to the surroundings we inhabit. Jekyll&Hyde, 1227 E. 54th St. ThroughJune 7. Gallery open by appointment. (773)691-9541. jekyllhydepark.tumblr.com (Arda Sener)
Shovel, Spoon, and Braid
What happens when a trio of artists relocates to a rural valley in central Wisconsin? An upcoming show at ACRE, “Shovel, Spoon, and Braid,” answers this question, and explores themes of sustainable living in intentional communities and coexistence with natural environments. Artists Adam Wolpa, Josh Hoeks, and Charlotte Wolf are collaborating for the show: Wolpa and Hoeks will be displaying visual evidence of their radical lifestyle change, including carved wooden spoons and diagrams for rural construction projects, and Wolf will be showcasing her photography, which documents the relationships of women to natural environments. ACRE Projects, 1913 W. 17th St. Through June 9. Sunday-Monday, noon-4pm. acreresidency.org (Emma Collins)
Ruthless Powers
The dead are rising at the antena project space in Pilsen. Artists Liz Born and Victoria Martinez will use dead plants, trash, and roadkill to attempt to answer the question, “How does a body become a monument?” Their works address decayed bodies, both architectural and biological, and the footprints they leave behind in the world of the living: the exhibition will feature portrayals of abandoned buildings, artificially preserved corpses, and the like. Born chiefly makes woodcuts, while Martinez creates found object assemblages that are inherently narrative. Art creates life, death creates life, and life creates art and death creates art.antena, 1755 S. Laflin St. Through June 13. Saturdays, noon-5pm. Free. (773)340-3516.antenapilsen.blogspot.com (Emma Collins)
Model Pictures
Artist Ross Sawyers built and subsequently photographed scale replicas of unfinished model homes, (in)complete with holes in the walls and plastic in the windows. The photographs presented in “Model Pictures,” his first major Chicago solo show, highlight current housing and economic crises through images of these unfinished and empty new houses. Haunting and uncanny, the model model homes bridge the surreal and the (unfortunately) real. Unlike life-sized abandoned model homes, though, Sawyer’s models are swiftly destroyed after their insides are documented. Hyde Park Art Center, 5020 S. Cornell Ave. Through June 13.Monday-Thursday, 9am-8pm; Friday-Saturday, 9am-5pm; Sunday, noon-5pm. (773)324-5520.hydeparkart.org (Katryce Lassle)
Imaging/Imagining
One of three parts of the UofC’s “Imaging/Imagining” exhibition, the Smart Museum presents “Imaging/Imagining: The Body as Art.” Curated by UofC physicians, the exhibition explores anatomical representations as art. Selections from a wide range of places and times come together in an exploration of anatomical accuracy and artistic imagination. Parts two and three are the Regenstein Library’s Special Collections show, “Imaging/Imagining: The Body as Text,” and Crerar Library’s show, “Imaging/Imagining: The Body as Data.” Smart Museum of Art, 5550 S. Greenwood Ave. Through June 22. Tuesday-Wednesday, 10am-5pm;Thursday, 10am-8pm; Friday-Sunday, 10am-5pm. (773)702-0200.smartmuseum.uchicago.edu (Katryce Lassle)
Fault Lines
It’s said that we walk on shaky ground, but sometimes that seems a little hard to remember. This June, the Beverly Art Center will present “Fault Lines,” an exhibition by artists Jennifer Mannebach and Brian Dortmund that makes that shaky ground explicitly visible. The artists take complete, constructed visuals and distort them, revealing the chaos that, through the creative process, gives way to and consequently underlies objects of beauty. For Mannebach this means taking a clean surface, like glass, and adding common detritus like tape and graphite. Dortmund creates landscapes that appear worn by the scars of age. In addressing the chaos of both creation and destruction, Mannebach and Dortmund’s works in “Fault Lines” remind us of the fragility of our constructed world. Beverly Art Center, 2407 W. 111th St. Through June 22. Monday-Friday, 9am-9pm; Saturday 9am-5pm; Sunday 1pm-4pm. Free.(773)445-3838 www.beverlyartcenter.org (Austin Brown)
Continuum
Prospectus, an art gallery in Pilsen that chiefly features Latin American art, will be displaying a collection of works by artist Ginny Sykes, created from 1993 to 2013. Sykes’s approach to art is multifaceted: she makes collections of abstract paintings that are tied together by common color schemes, public murals and mosaics, and even an outdoor sand installation called “Healing Grounds.” Prospectus will curate a selection of her work, in what is sure to be a vibrant and varied show. Prospectus Art Gallery, 1210 W. 18th St. Through June 27.Wednesday-Sunday, noon-5pm; Monday-Tuesday by appointment. prospectusartgallery.
Round Trip Ticket
Ugly Step Sister Art Gallery presents a two-part exhibition featuring works by Kieran McGonnell. McGonnell’s work has taken the art world by storm, gaining an underground following in Chicago, New York, Ireland, and the further reaches of the galaxy. Three years ago, the artist’s life was cut tragically short. Ugly Step Sister Art Gallery has curated a three-month-long retrospective of the late artist’s works: the current installment features his early paintings, while the next will showcase his later and more widely known works. “Round Trip Ticket” highlights McGonnell’s signature use of serious subjects, oil and watercolor, and vibrant use of color, in an attempt to preserve his legacy. Ugly Step Sister Art Gallery, 1750 S. Union Ave. Through July 6. Saturday-Sunday, noon-6pm. Other hours by appointment.(312)927-7546. uglystepsisterartgallery.com (Mark Hassenfratz)
Propeller Fund Project Space Launch
Since 2010, the Propeller Fund has awarded grants to Chicago-based artists to promote art in the city. On May 24, the exhibition for the 2012 Propeller awardees opened to the public at Mana Contemporary. Visit the gallery to see exhibitions by local, Propeller-funded artists and art organizations, like The Franklin, Art Patch Project, and Bad at Sports. Pieces on display include artistic studies of the Constitution, underground cinema, and independent comics. One video installation even utilizes the classic Chicago television programs Studs’ Place andBozo’s Circus. For art that is current, local, and unapologetically entertaining, don’t miss the Propeller Fund launch show. Mana Contemporary Chicago, 2233 S. Throop St. ThroughAugust 31. Monday-Friday, 9am-5pm. Free. (312)850-8301. (Amy Harlowe)
Diverse Expressions
In memory of the Stonewall riots, a seminal moment for gay resistance in New York forty-five years ago, June is now LGBT pride month. HumanThread, a gallery in Bridgeport dedicated to “arts and education for a sustainable human society,” is marking the month by showcasing queer art and artists—a celebration of diverse identities in the local arts community, and a reminder that the struggle for equal rights is ongoing. HumanThread Gallery, Bridgeport Art Center, 1200 W. 35th St., fifth floor. June 5-27. Opening reception June 20, 6pm-10pm. Free.(312)646-0627. humanthread.net (Kalil Smith-Nuevelle)
Special Gentlemen’s Time with Paul Hopkin
“Some might think bathroom salad tossing distasteful, but they will change their minds when they witness [Paul] Hopkin’s delectable vegetable arrangements!” Who could resist such an invitation? Slow, an exhibition space that exists somewhere in the realm between apartment gallery and commercial venue, has a new space. The aptly named “Loo” is located in Slow’s bathroom, and its inaugural exhibition will be “Special Gentlemen’s Time with Paul Hopkin.” The show will feature watercolor and ceramics by Paul Melvin Hopkin. Loo’s curator, Jeffrey Grauel, advises art connoisseurs to bring cash, because the pieces will be priced to sell, and sell fast. As a bonus, there will be a preview of artwork from Slow’s upcoming collaboration with Sideshow Theatre Company, “don’t trust the floor.” Go, enjoy the art, but maybe skip that salad. Slow, 2153 W. 21st St. June 6-July 26. Opening reception June 6, 6-9pm.Saturday, 12-5pm. Free. (773)645-8803. paul-is-slow.info (Wednesday Quansah)
Under the Surface: A Photographic Portrait of the Middle East
Art meets cultural exchange at this exhibition featuring the work of Hossein Fatemi, an Iranian-born photojournalist who was the first Iranian ever to embed himself within the United States military. The mission of the exhibition is to “lift the figurative veil” that shrouds the daily ins-and-outs of life in the Middle East from many in the Western world and to give patrons a fuller and more complex understanding of the region than is usually provided by the neverending footage of bombed out villages and wailing mothers on CNN. Fatemi’s current project was inspired in part by an experience he had with a female friend in Tehran who was detained by police for not being properly covered by her hijab, and his images range from stern-looking clerics gathering outside a mosque to Iranian youth dancing and smoking in the privacy of their homes. In addition to the photographs, there will be a panel discussion featuring prominent members of Chicago’s Middle-Eastern community and a musical performance by Bad Mashadi, whose style is advertised as “a contemporary fusion of Persian and Balkan music that incorporates electronica and urban American dance music.”Chicago Urban Art Society, 600 W. Cermak Rd. June 7, 7pm-midnight. $25 online; $30 at the door; $15 student. chicagourbanartsociety.com (Wednesday Quansah)
Coast to Coaster at Cobalt Studio
That underappreciated object, the coaster, selflessly protects tabletops from the threat of chilled beverages and pesky rings of condensation. How many coffee tables has the coaster rescued from watermarks? How many messes has it stopped in their tracks? Hasn’t this humble guardian earned some recognition? An upcoming exhibit at Cobalt Studio features the coaster as an artistic medium. Pieces made on or out of coasters will be on display, some functional and some, like Chicago-based artist Keith Camion’s work—made with upraised glass shards and metal spikes—quite clearly non-functional. Other artists include Nick Depeder and Antonio Martinez. The gallery is still accepting submissions that meet these simple specifications: must be creative, must involve coasters. Whether you’re interested in designing or you simply need a more aesthetically interesting place to set your mug, join in on Cobalt Studio’s coaster craze in the coming weeks. Cobalt Studio, 1950 W. 21st St. June 13-July 13. Opening Friday, June 13, 6pm-10pm. Free. (773)664-1163.cobaltartstudio.blogspot.com (Rachel Seebach)
Gestos Gráficos: René Arceo and Friends
Welcome to the wonderful world of printmaking. Printmaking extends far beyond simple woodcuts: there are linocuts, serigraphs, and collographs, just to name a few. In an upcoming show at the Bridgeport Art Center, artist René Arceo, along with a large number of printmakers he has collaborated with in the past, will exhibit works that use these mediums in day-glo hues against black backgrounds to create prints that are both striking and surreal. They offer images of mythical creatures contorted into impossible positions or poised for battle, anthropomorphic celestial entities, and eerie dreamscapes. Think Dali armed with velvet coloring posters. Bridgeport Art Center, 1200 W. 35th St. Opening reception June 20, 7pm-10pm. Through August 1. Monday-Saturday, 10am-5pm, and by appointment. Free. (773)247-3000. bridgeportart.com (Emma Collins)
STAGE & SCREEN
M. Butterfly
David Henry Hwang’s Tony Award–winning play, M. Butterfly hits the Court Theatre to close out the season. An arresting reimagining of Puccini’s Madama Butterfly through a post-colonial lens, Hwang’s play chronicles the affair between French diplomat Bernard Boursicot and the male Chinese opera singer Shi Pei Pu. Under the direction of Charles Newell at Court, M. Butterfly takes an aggressive look at sex, espionage, and imperialism. Hwang is a masterful and adventurous playwright and he offers a deconstruction of his source material’s Orientalist angle that is both playfully imaginative and downright powerful. Court Theatre, 5535 S. Ellis Ave. Through June 8. See website for showtimes. $15-$35. (773)702-7005.courttheatre.org (Shanice Casimiro and Meaghan Murphy)
Jacob
“And Jacob was left alone, in his luxurious high-rise in downtown Chicago.” Timothy Gregory, actor, director, playwright, founding artistic director of Provision Theater, and host of HGTV’sNew Spaces, has wondered what every Chicagoan-with-a-luxurious-
Movies under the Stars
Chicago Film Archives and the Black Cinema House will host a series of acclaimed yet often-overlooked films, mostly centered on black musical culture and underrated classics. Themes vary: the show on August 16 will focus on giving context to the upcoming Chicago Jazz Festival, while the offerings on June 21 will include Southern folk tales and music, with Judy Peiser of the Center for Southern Folklore attending. July 19 will feature Juke Joint, directed by and starring Spencer Williams in one of his last feature films before moving into his most well-known role as Andy in Amos ’n Andy. Some of the most exciting films here are a tour movie of Duke Ellington in Japan, an intriguing look at cultural cross-pollination between East and West, and a biopic of jazz drummer Elvin Jones, intertwining his personal and professional life to create a more complete view of the musician as a human being. Join the Chicago Film Archives out in the park this summer for some forgotten films that look back to the past, but still brim with vitality. Black Cinema House, 6916 S. Dorchester Ave. ThroughAugust 16, 8:30pm. Free. (312)243-1808. chicagofilmarchives.org (Austin Brown)
Cabaret
Wilkommen, bienvenue, welcome to a revival of the 1987 revival of Cabaret at the Logan Center. For three nights only, director Dani Wieder and her ensemble of UofC students will bring the grit of Weimar Germany’s nightclub scene to the significantly less seedy Theater West, recreating a time of unrest for both the world and Berlin’s seedy underworld. The musical, currently starring Alan Cumming and Michelle Williams on Broadway (where tickets are a lot more expensive), follows the showgirls and Emcee of the Kit Kat Klub as the song and dance leaks off the stage and mingles with the club’s multifarious clientele. Join this scantily clad troupe on a dimly lit journey filled with love, lust, jealousy, and heavy eyeliner. Remember, don’t tell mama! Logan Center for the Arts, 915 E. 60th St. June 5-7. Thursday-Friday, 7:30pm; Saturday, 2pm and 7:30pm. $6 in advance; $8 at the door. (773)702-2997.arts.uchicago.edu (Bess Cohen)
Redmoon Summer Celebrations
Redmoon Theater’s bringing their flair for big, monumental performances to a block party near you. Paving the way for the city-wide Great Chicago Fire Festival, the spectacle theater company has partnered up with fifteen neighborhoods and thirty-five different community organizations to contribute art, crafts, and tornadic grill-mastering to local ballgames and cook-outs. They’ve refit a horse trailer as an elaborate photo-booth and editing studio. They’ve erected a mobile, motorized, three-storied BBQ Cyclone, rigging it with a sound system, nine Weber grills, and all the cooking necessaries. And they’ll be carting these installations to locales from Uptown to South Shore for the next five months. Because nothing says city-wrecking inferno like a good weenie roast. Summer Celebrations 2014. June 5-October 3. See website for full date and time information. Free. (312)850-8440. redmoon.org(Stephen Urchick)
News From The Service Entrance: Live at Printers Row Lit Fest
Over the last twelve years, Mario Smith has made a name for himself as one of the most distinctive voices on WHPK. On his Public Affairs show, News from The Service Entrance, Smith has developed a reputation not only for his distinctive poetic speech rhythms but also for his reports and polemics on local politics and culture. Now, on Saturday, June 7, you’ll have a chance to see and hear Smith broadcast his show live, outside of the studio walls and up in the Loop. As part of the Printer’s Row Lit Fest, Smith will be joined by blogger and inventor of the “#solidarityisforwhitewomen” twitter thread Mikki Kendall, architecture critic Lee Bey, and “Leave No Vet Behind” activists Rob and Alvin Walker. Printers Row Lit Fest, 425 N. Michigan Ave. Saturday, June 7. apps.chicagotribune.com/
Lovers on Their Own / This Is How the World Ends
What is a play like when it’s experienced outside of the theater? In Tori Telfer and Danny Resner’s latest project, narrative and production both take a perspective-shifting turn as the two artists take their intriguing new short plays to various neighborhoods and all sorts of nontraditional venues. Their DIY theater, self-written and directed, aims to be thought-provoking, accessibly cheap, and unusual; the trailer for the show includes snippets from Telfer’s Lovers on Their Own about “the kind of girls that go to gallery openings alone,” looking “mysterious and vampiric,” and the memorable line in Resner’s play: “And I thought, oh no, as soon as we get on the plane to Johannesburg, this girl’s gonna start speaking in tongues.” Catch their exploration of failures of communication and possible apocalypses while it’s still on the South Side, and you’ll also hear the lyrical improvisations of the bandRooms Trio. June 6, Elastic Arts Foundation, 2830 N. Milwaukee Ave., 9pm. $10. June 7, Chicago Actors Studio, 2040 N. Elston Ave., 9pm. $10. June 12, Co-Prosperity Sphere, 3219-21 S. Morgan St., 9pm. $5. More dates and locations online. irrealplayers.tumblr.com(Olivia Stovicek)
Story Club South Side
You almost drowned but were miraculously plucked from the waves by a good Samaritan. You almost went an entire week without using Facebook but then caved on the final day. Now is your chance to share your tales of close calls with tragedy and nearly missed accomplishments with the world: the theme of this month’s Story Club South Side, a nonfiction storytelling live-lit experience, is “Almost.” “It was so close. But then something else, something unexpected, happened instead,” reads their teaser. “It was definitely more interesting that way.” There will be four featured performers and several slots for open mic performers, who have eight minutes each to spin their yarn. Open mic artists are not required to adhere to the theme, and the only guidelines for stories are that they be “thoroughly true, thoroughly ambitious and thoroughly wonderful.” The event is BYOB and BYOPie in light of the fact that Pleasant House Bakery is just down the street. Co-Prosperity Sphere, 3219 S. Morgan St. Tuesday, June 17, 7:30pm. Suggested $10 donation. storyclubchicago.com(Wednesday Quansah)
Movies in the Park
Every third Saturday this summer, the DuSable Museum of African-American History will sponsor the outdoor screening of an inspirational and family-friendly movie. June’s film is the live-action adaptation of the beloved Fat Albert TV show, in which Fat Albert (SNL’s Kenan Thompson) and his friends leave the animated world in order to help teenage Doris, unpopular and reclusive after the death of her grandfather, Albert. Watch as the Fat Albert gang try to guide her through some of the difficulties that come with losing a family member and with growing up, all while dealing with the troubles of adjusting to their newfound three-dimensional bodies. July features 42, the story of Jackie Robinson’s struggle and eventual success in breaking through racial segregation in baseball. And in August, the critically-acclaimed, Oscar Award–winning documentary 20 Feet from Stardom will be screened. An incisive look into the lives of backup singers, the list of those interviewed includes Merry Clayton, of “Gimme Shelter” fame, and Judith Hill, longtime backup singer for Michael Jackson. DuSable Museum, 740 E. 56th Pl. June 21, July 19, and August 16, 6pm. Free. (773)947-0600.dusablemuseum.org (Austin Brown)
Chicago’s Watershed: A 156-Mile Choreography
Stravinsky’s groundbreaking Rite of Spring comes to life this summer, in Clinard Dance Theatre’s “Chicago’s Watershed: A 156-Mile Choreography.” Diving straight into Stravinsky’s seminal work, Clinard Dance Theatre is stripping the music down and building it back up with Dmitry Samarov’s video-projected ink work and EStrella Piano Duo. With original choreography based in the style of flamenco, the entire work is built around the dissonance and consonance of the Chicago River, the brutal beauty of the city’s landscape. Clinard Dance Theatre aims high for the avant-garde in this multi-disciplinary tour de force. Logan Center for the Arts, 915 E. 60th St. Friday, June 27 and Saturday, June 28, 8pm. $25; $55 VIP (Saturday only). (773)702-2787. arts.uchicago.edu (Meaghan Murphy)
Textured Lives
This summer the Chicago Film Archives and Rebuild Foundation are partnering to present a series of outdoor screenings exploring the spoken and written word. Starting with the family friendly short Fat Albert: Write A Poem, Share Your Feelings, the event then shifts into films that focus on the lives of three distinguished writers. Gwendolyn Brooks has the poet discussing her life while depictions of the environment accompany readings of her verses.Lorraine Hansberry: The Black Experience in the Creation of Drama presents Chicago-born writer Lorraine Hansberry’s growth and vision, tracing her life from childhood to her breakthrough as the first woman playwright to be produced on Broadway. The final documentary in the series, The Writer in America: Toni Morrison, has the writer herself explaining the struggles of being a young novelist and includes readings from her novels. RSVP is recommended, and there is a potluck-style dinner preceding the show at 8pm. Black Cinema House, 6916 S. Dorchester Ave. Friday, June 27, 9pm. blackcinemahouse.org(Shelby Gonzales)
The JOMBA! Initiative
Chicago’s Deeply Rooted Dance Theater and Durban, South Africa’s Flatfoot Dance Company bring three years of cultural exchange to the stage of the Logan Center. Coinciding with American Independence Day, this collaboration and symposium will explore themes of freedom, slavery, and survival. What is the impact that art can have? Artistic directors Kevin Iega, Lliane Loots, Gary Abbott, and company artists will reflect on their experiences collaborating cross-continent, and their own perspectives on dance and the global community. Logan Center for the Arts, 915 E. 60th St. Monday, July 7, 7:30pm. $10. Reservations recommended. (312)795-9777. arts.uchicago.edu (Meaghan Murphy)
A Midsummer Night’s Dream
Chicago Shakespeare in the Parks will be touring Chicago this summer in the interest of bringing their adaptation of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Shakespeare’s classic comedy, to as many theater enthusiasts as possible. One of the bard’s most well-known plays,Midsummer recounts the marriage of Theseus, the duke of Athens, to Hyppolyta, the queen of the Amazons. Most of the plot, though, concerns the love-trials of a group of young Athenians, as they navigate both the obstacles posed by their parents in the city, and the hijinks of the fairies in the surrounding woods. South Side parks that the company will perform in include: Tuley Park on July 22 at 6:30pm, Washington Park on July 27 at 4pm, Gage Park on July 31 at 6:30pm, Hamilton Park on August 1 at 6:30pm, Marquette Park on August 12 at 6:30pm, Ridge Park on August 13 at 6:30pm, and the South Shore Cultural Center on August 14 and 15, at 6:30pm. July 18 through August 17. See website for full date and time information. Free. (312)595-5600. chicagoshakes.com (Austin Brown)
MUSIC
Sunday Evening Jazz
Sunday nights just got a whole lot better. The Hyde Park Jazz Society has settled into their niche at Room 43, providing fantastic jazz entertainment to the South Side with no intention of leaving anytime soon. While the Society is a key supporter of the annual Hyde Park Jazz Festival, why should you have to wait until that comes around for some great jazz? Living up to its mission of the preserving and encouraging jazz performance, the Jazz Society is putting up jazz bands every Sunday at Room 43 this summer. June will feature acts such as the Dana Hall Quintet and the Taylor Moore trio, and the last Sunday of the month will include a jam session with sidemen to be announced. Room 43, 1043 E. 43rd St. Sundays, 7:30pm-11:30pm. $10 for adults, $5 for children and University students with ID. (773)285-2222.hydeparkjazzsociety.com (Mark Hassenfratz)
First Mondays Jazz
Why are South Side summers awesome? Same reason as the rest of the year: jazz. The U of C is sponsoring a First Mondays Jazz Series at the Arts Incubator in Washington Park, programmed by former artist-in-residence Tomeka Reid. The series will take place from now until October. In the past, performers have included Maggie Brown, Ernest Dawkins’ We Free Trio, and Marquis Hill’s Blacktet. In addition to introducing Chicagoans to some of the best and brightest jazz musicians around today, the series will acquaint its attendees with the Incubator. The brainchild of artist Theaster Gates, the Incubator is now home to another series just like this one (which you should totally go to), artists-in-residence, arts education, and community art projects. Arts Incubator, 301 E. Garfield Blvd. First Monday of every month through October. 7pm. (773)702-9724. arts.uchicago.edu (Mark Hassenfratz)
Ravi Coltrane Quartet
Sporting one of the most familiar names in jazz history, Ravi Coltrane comes to the Jazz Showcase with his own take on the instrument his father made legendary. A prolific performer in his own right, Coltrane released his seventh solo album, Spirit Fiction, in 2012, his first on the Blue Note label. Classified as a “post-bop” performer, Coltrane treads the jazz landscape transformed in the wake of his father’s heyday. With his soothing saxophone, Coltrane excels as both bandleader and soloist, leading his quartet as he squeezes out meandering sonic explorations. As one of the new fathers of the present-day jazz scene, Coltrane is not to be missed. The Jazz Showcase, 806 S. Plymouth Ct. June 5-8. 8pm and 10pm. $25; $40 VIP. (312)360-0234. jazzshowcase.com (Jack Nuelle)
Chicago Women in the Blues Festival
A boisterous blues revue comes to Reggies in the first weeks of summer. This show highlights some of the best female blues singers in the city while maintaining a hearty grip on Chicago’s rich blues past. A rotating cast of performers keeps each show different, while special guests abound. These women are a group of powerful voices, instrumentalists, and performers, several of whom have performed with blues greats such as Ike Turner and Jimmy Smith. Billed as an almost mini-festival happening at the same time as the larger Chicago Blues festival, this “bevy of blues-belting bombshells” will be sure to keep things nice and nostalgic in the South Loop. Reggies, 2109 S. State St. June 13. 7pm. $10-15. 17+ (312)949-0120. reggieslive.com (Jack Nuelle)
CyHi the Prynce
Hailing from Georgia, CyHi the Prynce is a hip-hop artist who is currently signed to Kanye West’s record label, G.O.O.D. Music, as well as Def Jam Recordings, Akon’s Konvict Muzik, and Bu Thiam’s BuVision. CyHi first appeared on the hip-hop scene in 2010 after being signed to G.O.O.D. Music and making an appearance on West’s My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy that same year. Since then he has self-released five mixtapes, been included on G.O.O.D. Music’s compilation album in collaboration with Kid Cudi and John Legend, and received writing credits for West’s Yeezus (2013). His latest mixtape, Black Hystori Project(2014), was released this past February and is described as a “conscious hip-hop concept album focusing on the history of black people in America.” It also happens to be a great showcase for this gifted storyteller. The Shrine, 2109 S. Wabash Ave. June 13. Doors 9pm. $30; $300 for VIP table. 21+. (312)753-5700. theshrinechicago.com (Shelby Gonzales)
Black Flag
Without Black Flag, punk rock would not exist. Well, that’s not totally true, but it would be a lot lamer if they didn’t. The band is nothing short of revolutionary when it comes to the creation of hardcore punk, mixing elements of heavy metal into their violent, clangy, anti-authoritarian noise sound. They are also innovators of the punk DIY aesthetic, which they applied to their famous underground recordings. Formed by Greg Ginn in 1976 in Hermosa Beach, California, Black Flag have earned themselves a substantial cult following from constant touring in the U.S., Canada, and Europe. Unlike many punk bands, they managed to break away from the standard three-chord format of punk rock, creating a stylistically diverse discography. And they’re still rockin’. Highly recommended for those who are brought down by the establishment. Reggies, 2105 S. State St. June 17th. 7pm. $20-$25. 17+. (312)949-1020. reggieslive.com (Mark Hassenfratz)
Sounds of History
The DuSable Museum has been celebrating African-American history since 1961, and the upcoming Sounds of History 2014 Jazz Series indicates that the impending summer heat has not hindered their efforts. “We’re jazzing it up on the third Wednesday of the Month,” the tagline declares, and DuSable certainly delivers. The series of performances will come in three parts—the first is a tribute to Max Roach, Buddy Miles, Tony Williams, and Elvin Jones, and will feature Ernie Adams, Charles Heath, and Xavier Breaker. The second, “Celebrating Fifty Years of a Love Supreme,” is a tribute to the legendary John Coltrane, featuring musicians such as Isiah Collier and Ari Brown, among others. The third and final installment of the series is “Funkin with Acoustic Soul-Tribute to Jimi Hendrix and James Brown,” featuring Dee Alexander. DuSable Museum, 740 E. 56th Pl. June 18, July 16, and August 20. 6pm-8:30pm. Free admission with lawn chairs and blankets; $25 for a table of six. Food and beverages provided by Norman’s Bistro. (773)947-0600. dusablemuseum.org (Mark Hassenfratz)
The Afro Jazz Experience with Sean Alvarez
Part of a monthly series (though it appears he’s taking August off), Sean Alvarez brings his expansive appreciation for all things jazz to Maria’s Packaged Goods this summer. In both June and July, Alvarez will spin treasured jazz classics like John Coltrane and Nina Simone alongside progressive and world forays into jazz which include nu jazz, seventies soul jazz, afrobeat, and Brazilian bossa nova. Combining a deep nostalgia for jazz’s rich past with an appreciation for the progressive and ever-changing direction of the genre, Alvarez is committed to its entire musical landscape—from swinging beginnings to groovy future.Maria’s, 960 W. 31st St. June 22 and July 27. 5pm-9pm. community-bar.com (Jack Nuelle)
FARMERS MARKETS
* = accepts Link card
* Beverly
This market features an impressive variety of produce and number of regular attendees. Its best-known item is a specially bred sweet corn that is only available in the summer. The market also has multiple bakers, fresh-cut flowers, and several types of locally raised meat.95th St. and Longwood Dr. Through October 26. Sundays, 7am-1pm. (Sarah Claypoole)
Bridgeport
The Bridgeport market is small, but offers quite a few artisanal goodies, ranging from cheese curds to tomato sauce. It sometimes opens up for pets, so look out for a “Going to the Dogs” day. Midwest vendors include Wisconsin’s Brunkow Cheese. 35th St. and Wallace Ave. Through October 4. Saturdays, 7am-1pm. (Sarah Claypoole)
* Chatham: Seaway Bank Farmers Market
Since 2005, this market has featured organic produce grown by farmers from Pembroke Township, seventy miles south of Chicago. The market aims to provide healthy, fresh food in a neighborhood underserved by supermarkets and overrun with fast food. Farmers are present to answer questions about nutrition and agriculture. 87th St. and Langley Ave., in the Seaway Bank parking lot. July 23-September 24. Wednesdays, 9am-2pm. (773)602-4865.seawaybank.us (Emily Lipstein)
* Englewood/Anchor House
Opening in late June, this new market is the first in Englewood since the closing of an independent market in 2011. In the past year, the neighborhood has gained attention as the epicenter of the city’s Farmers for Chicago Initiative, which may factor into the produce selection offered. 76th St. and Racine Ave. June 28-October 25. Saturdays, 8am-1pm. (Sarah Claypoole)
* Englewood: Wood Street Farm Stand
Founded in 1996, Growing Home works to empower Chicagoans through the establishment of USDA-certified organic urban farms. Over the past nine years, the organization has acquired the rights to this two-thirds-acre plot of land in Englewood and turned it into a wildly successful urban farm. In 2012, they produced and sold 13,000 pounds of organic produce. Produce is sold from April through November at an on-site farm stand. Wood Street Farm Stand, 5814 S. Wood St. Through October 29. Wednesdays, 11am-4pm. (773)434-7144. growinghomeinc.org (Emily Lipstein)
* Hyde Park
Plans are in the works to bring the Hyde Park farmers market to Harper Court, but for now the market remains in its corner of Harold Washington Park, just across the Metra tracks from the growing UofC-led development. 53rd Street and S. Hyde Park Blvd. June 5-October 30. Thursdays, 7am-1pm. (Sarah Claypoole)
* Fuller Park: Eden Place Farmers Market
Located in the middle of the Fuller Park neighborhood, Eden Place Farmers Market sells produce grown by farmers in Eden Place Farms, the final product of the massive Fuller Park cleanup project started in 1997. A perfect example of successful urban agriculture, the farm grows its produce in hoop houses, raised beds, and twenty-five neighborhood lots. Eden Place Farms works to employ local residents (the unemployment rate in Fuller Park is forty percent) and to train urban farming entrepreneurs. The organization also does other public outreach, hosting workshops for adults and children and welcoming volunteers to help out in the fields. Eden Place Farmers Market, 43rd St. and Wells St. Through October 11. Saturdays, 8am-2pm. (773)624-8686. edenplacenaturecenter.org (Emily Lipstein)
*Greater Grand Crossing: Healthy Food Hub
This market, just south of Grand Crossing Park, hopes to help “transform urban to rural communities through education, entrepreneurship, and access to healthy, affordable food” provided by “a just, holistic local food system.” In addition to opportunities to browse and shop, it is also accepting volunteer applications for the summer. 7823 S. Ellis Ave. Through December 20. Every other Saturday, 10:30am-2pm. (Sarah Claypoole)
* Pilsen Community Market
Founded in 2008, the Pilsen Community Market gives Pilsen and the near and lower West Sides access to farm-fresh produce every Sunday, provides education about nutrition and healthy eating, and holds live music events and yoga classes. Produce comes from both local and regional vendors. 1800 S. Halsted St., Chicago Community Bank parking lot. Through October 26. Sundays, 9am-3pm. pilsencommunitymarket.org (Emily Lipstein)
* Pullman
This farmers market in Arcade Park is situated just steps from the Historic Pullman Foundation. It includes gluten-free items and soup mixes, in addition to the standard fare, and offers two dozen vendors and the occasional live music act. 111th St. and Cottage Grove Ave. July 9-October 29. Wednesdays, 7am-1pm. (Sarah Claypoole)
* Roseland Community Farmers Market
Attempting “to create a food oasis in a food desert,” this market is assisted by the Chicago Community Garden Project. The Pullman project gets some of its produce from the Cooperation Operation, which operates a garden in a former toxic waste site. 11400 S. Michigan Ave. Through October 6. Saturdays, 9am-2pm. (Sarah Claypoole)
South Shore–Rainbow Beach Park
Opened in 2013 as a joint effort of the Ashe Park and Rainbow Beach Park Advisory Councils, this market is intended as a response to a lack of healthy food in and around South Shore. In contrast to many of the more regionally focused markets, the South Shore market prides itself on getting the majority of its vendors and produce from Chicagoland. 79th St. and South Shore Dr. June 22-August 24. Sundays, noon-5pm. (Sarah Claypoole)
*Washington Park: Chicago Botanic Garden’s Windy City Harvest Farm Stand
Windy City Harvest trains adults to practice sustainable urban agriculture in a nine-month program, building experience in organic urban farming. Aside from learning about sustainable production, students gain skills essential for starting and running a business. In addition to hosting this program, Windy City Harvest provides public workshops about small-scale sustainable urban farming. 555 E. 51st St.; Little Village location at 3750 W. Ogden Ave. July 9-October 8. Wednesdays, 9am-1pm. (847)835-6970. chicagobotanic.org/
* Woodlawn: 61st Street Farmers Market
Just outside the Experimental Station, a business and cultural center, this outdoor farmers market offers fresh produce along with meat, cheese, eggs, and prepared items from farms around the region. The market also features live music, demos by chefs, an on-site food and sustainability expert, as well as after-school cooking classes for youth and adults. The Experimental Station founded the market in 2008 in order to provide Woodlawn and surrounding neighborhoods with fresh, affordable, and healthy foods, while also working to educate consumers about nutrition. 61st St. between Dorchester and Blackstone Ave. Through December 13; indoors at the Experimental Station, 6100 S. Blackstone Ave., starting in November. Saturdays, 9am-2pm. experimentalstation.org/