Bulletin
“Liam’s Table” at Second Presbyterian
Second Presbyterian Church, 1936 S. Michigan Ave. Thursday, November 26, 11am–1pm. Free. (312) 225-4951. 2ndpresbyterian.org
Commemorating the birthdays of their two sons, Jovon and Harpreet Milam teamed up with Second Presbyterian Church to provide the community with a gift of their own. This festive holiday meal will consist of plentiful food, gratitude, and good cheer.
(Sara Cohen)
Free Thanksgiving Dinner at First Lutheran Church of the Trinity
First Trinity, 643 W. 31st St. Thursday, November 26, 2pm cooking and chatting, 5pm dinner. Free. welcome@firsttrinitychicago.com
Whether you bring a dish, drinks, helping hands, friends, or stories to share, you’re a welcomed guest at this annual Thanksgiving Day feast with Bridgeport’s oldest Christian congregation. Prepare to gorge on delicious food with great company. (Sara Cohen)
Cash In: A Black Friday Shopping Alternative
Gallery Guichard, 436 E. 47th St. Friday, November 27, 6pm–10pm. 21+. $30. rebrandchicago.com
Practice mindful consumption this Black Friday with delectable foods, wine, a photo booth, entertainment by DJ Jamal Smallz and Allegra Dolores, and over ten local black-owned vendors at Cash In, Rebrand Chicago’s latest function. Dress in black or black-owned clothing. (Sara Cohen)
Tom Mortenson Higher Education Talk
Harper Memorial Library, 1116 E. 59th St., Room 130. Monday, November 30, 6:15pm. facebook.com/SocioeconomicDiversityAlliance
The Socioeconomic Diversity Alliance at the UofC presents this lecture on how public policy decisions affect access to higher education. Tom Mortenson, a scholar in public policy, will address underrepresented demographics and support systems in and beyond college. (Anne Li)
The Black Panthers: Vanguard of the Revolution
Studio Movie Grill Chatham 14, 210 W. 87th St. Thursday, December 3, 7pm–9:30pm. $6. blackworldcinema.net
What are the Black Panthers to us today? Are they a legend of the past, or a portent of the future? Were they heroes of change, violent radicals, or a tenuous combination of all of these? Discuss these questions and the legacy of the Black Panther Party at the screening of this documentary. (Anne Li)
Community Meeting: Developments on S. Wabash
Columbia College, 33 E. Congress Pkwy, 1st floor. Monday, November 30, 6pm. (312) 409-1700. southloopneighbors.org
Low-rise parking lots in the South Loop were probably never long for this world. Come to this community meeting to weigh in on two South Loop parking facilities and the buildings with which developers would like to replace them. (Adam Thorp)
Visual Arts
Printmaking 101
The Silver Room, 1506 E. 53rd St. Saturday, November 28, 1pm–3pm. (773) 947-0024. thesilverroom.com
With holiday greeting card season upon us, what better way is there to impress your friends than by making your own? This workshop will teach you to customize printing blocks to create personalized ink designs on cards, t-shirts, or paper. (Sara Cohen)
BOLD Studio Visit: JGMA
JGMA, 218 S. Wabash Ave. Ste. 200. Monday, November 30, 6pm–8pm. (312) 742-3165. chicagoarchitecturebiennial.org
Visit the studio of award-winning architect Juan G. Moreno and his associates, whose projects have impacted communities worldwide. Moreno will discuss his proposal for Iker Gil’s collaborative exhibition entitled “BOLD: Alternative Scenarios for Chicago,” prompting participants to visualize the city’s future through an architectural lens. (Sara Cohen)
Rebuild Talk: Remeike Forbes
Rebuild Foundation, 6760 S. Stony Island Ave. Tuesday, December 1, 6pm–7pm. (312) 857-5561. rebuildtalkforbes.eventbrite.com
Remeike Forbes, the creative director of Jacobin magazine and a renowned designer, will present his views on the intersection of black social histories and the discourses of the graphic design world in this talk sponsored by the Chicago Architecture Biennial. (Lewis Page)
Revisiting Reparations: Afro Colombian Communities
Uri-Eichen Gallery, 2101 S. Halsted Ave. Opening reception Friday, December 4, 6pm–10pm. By appointment through January 1. (312) 852-7717. uri-eichen.com
For their fourth annual Human Rights Day show, the good folks over at Uri-Eichen galleries are continuing their series of artistically fueled discussions about reparations for slavery with a collaborative display of art by Michael Bracey, Ruth Goring, and Mary Kelsey. (Lewis Page)
Stage & Screen
Takin’ Place
Gene Siskel Film Center, 164 N. State St. Friday, November 27, 5:30pm; Saturday, November 28, 8pm; and Sunday, November 29, 5:30pm. $11, $6 for members. siskelfilmcenter.org
Talk about the talk of the town! This 2015 film, directed over four years by Hyde Park native Cyrus Dowlatshahi, chronicles the day-to-day lives of people living on the South Side. Come hear both what they hear and what they say, as this documentary comes back to its birthplace. (Anne Li)
By/Of
High Concept Labs Studio A, 2233 S. Throop St. Saturday, November 28, 8pm–10pm. Free. highconceptlaboratories.org
Nothing follows up Thanksgiving weekend like an exploration of how architecture affects emotional memory, self, and community. Sponsored by Mana Contemporary Chicago and High Concept Labs, this large-scale work of Chicago-based musician and artist Jenna Lyle will be accompanied by Nudie Suits, the Creepers, and electronic duo Eric Fernandez and Misha Shuster. (Clyde Schwab)
Midday Wordplay
The Silver Room, 1506 E. 53rd St, Saturday, November 28, 4pm–7pm. $10, or $5 to participate in open mic. (773) 947-0024. thesilverroom.com
Poems, prose and puns will be on display at Midday Wordplay. Hosted on the last Saturday of each month by spoken word artists Royal R’Kitec and Just Mic, the open mic offers a surefire way to brighten up a lazy afternoon by enjoying a lineup of poets, singers, comedians, and musicians. (Alexandra Epstein)
After the Revolution
ACRE TV. November 10–30. Free. acretv.org.
Architecture might bring to mind houses and skyscrapers, but it actually belongs as much to collared shirts and commas as it does to buildings—at least according to architect Xavier Wrona. Follow this architectural revolution through his television series After the Revolution, which ACRE TV will stream online, one episode a day. (Jena Yang)
They’ve Got a Mouth on Them: How to Get Away with Laughter
The Revival Comedy Theatre, 1160 E. 55th St. Tuesday, December 1, 7pm–9pm. Free. (773) 702-9936. gendersexuality.uchicago.edu
Should a topic be taboo if it can be funny? Three comedians take on risqué subject matter and politically difficult issues as they explore the boundaries of what it means for something to be humorous. A discussion facilitated by UofC professor Lauren Berlant will follow. (Ada Alozie)
Viewpoints of Black Diaspora Architects screening in conjunction with Self + Otherness: Fall Filmmaking Workshop
Stony Island Arts Bank, 6760 S. Stony Island Ave. Wednesday, December 2, 5:30pm–7:30pm. Free. (312) 857-5561. rebuild-foundation.squarespace.com
As fall winds down, escape the snow at Black Cinema House’s latest weekly workshop, which will incorporate a screening of Viewpoints of Black Diaspora Architects, a film featuring the perspectives of architects of African heritage on their experience in the field. Carolyn Armenta Davis, the documentary’s producer, will present and discuss the film. (Lily Zhou)
Agamemnon
Court Theatre, 5535 S. Ellis Ave. Through December 6. $38, discounts available for seniors, faculty, and students. (773) 753-4472. courttheatre.org
In the mood for tragedy? Renowned scholar Nicholas Rudall’s world premiere translation of Aeschylus’s Agamemnon brings back Sandra Marquez and Mark Montgomery from last year’s Iphigenia in Aulis as Clytemnestra and Agamemnon for Court’s “groundbreaking” second installment of the Greek Cycle. The gods invite our witness. (Rurik Baumrin)
Repairing a Nation
eta Creative Arts Foundation, 7558 S. Chicago Ave. November 13–January 3. Friday and Saturday, 8pm; Sunday, 3pm. $35, discounts available for seniors and students. (773) 752-3955. etacreativearts.org
In 1921, riots leveled the “Black Wall Street” neighborhood of Greenwood, in Tulsa, Oklahoma, one of the most successful black communities in America. Nikkole Salter’s play Repairing a Nation uses one family’s complex relationship with the riots as a window into themes of race, reparations, and family. (Christopher Good)
Music
Next Generation Jazz Orchestra
Mo Better Jazz, 2423 E. 75th St. Friday, November 27, 7pm–11:30pm. (773) 741-6254. mobetterjazzchicago.us
This extremely prestigious group of high school jazz musicians, recruited every year through auditions at the Monterey Jazz Festival, is currently on a cross-country tour in preparation for its tour of Japan this summer. Come out to watch a group of kids who are already better at playing instruments than you will probably ever be at anything. (Jake Bittle)
DJ Three K & DJ Dee Money
The Promontory, 5311 S. Lake Park Ave. Saturday, November 28, 9pm. $20 in advance, $30 at door. (312) 801-2100. promontorychicago.com
Nothing screams Thanksgiving weekend—or any weekend, for that matter—quite like the thumping beats of Afro-house. Get your low-frequency needs fulfilled on Saturday at the Promontory, courtesy of a few South Side deejays. (Will Cabaniss)
Temika Moore
The Promontory, 5311 S. Lake Park Ave. Tuesday, December 1, doors 7pm, show 8pm. $15-$35. All ages. (312) 801-2100. promontorychicago.com
Soul artist Temika Moore and jazz keyboardist Marcus Johnson perform a night of soul, jazz, folk, R&B, and gospel. Moore holds a high belief in music as an instrument of organic vocal and lyrical freedom, and promises to produce an unforgettable night of grooves. (Jonathan Poilpre)
Ryan Leslie at the Shrine
The Shrine, 2109 S. Wabash Ave. Saturday, December 5, doors 9pm, show 10:30pm. $25-$32.50. 21+. (312) 753-5700. theshrinechicago.com
Producer Ryan Leslie’s resume is impressive—graduating from Harvard at nineteen, he’s written and produced tracks for Britney Spears, Beyoncé, and New Edition and broke out in 2006 with Cassie’s hit “Me&U.” The crooning R&B and hip-hop artist will warm up Chicago on December 5 at the Shrine. (Clyde Schwab)
Johnnyswim
Thalia Hall, 1807 S. Allport St. Wednesday, December 9, doors 7pm, show 8pm. $25 standing room, $37 seats. (312) 526-3851. thaliahallchicago.com
The well-traveled modern singer-songwriter duo Johnnyswim will be performing their home-recorded album Heart Beats at Thalia Hall. Johnnyswim will raise you to your feet with their anthem-like melodies and break you down with their heart-wrenching ballads. (Margaret Mary Glazier)
Justine Skye
The Shrine, 2109 S. Wabash Ave. Friday, December 11, doors 9pm, show 10:30pm. 21+. (312) 753-5700. theshrinechicago.com
Singer-songwriter Adam Ness will open for Justine Skye, a twenty-year-old musician and model most noted for collaborating with Tyga on their would-be hit “Collide,” and also for her stunning purple hair. Her EP Emotionally Unavailable was released by Atlantic this past June. (Jake Bittle)
The Wizards of Winter
Thalia Hall, 1807 S. Allport St. Sunday, December 20, doors 6:30pm, show 7:30pm. $34 seated, $39 seated balcony. (312) 526-3851. thaliahallchicago.com
There is perhaps no more exciting way to start your Christmas holiday than with an innovative performance by The Wizards of Winter, alongside four original members of the Trans-Siberian Orchestra. Come feel the TSO-influenced style interwoven with classical and progressive rock. (Lily Zhou)
Tink
The Shrine, 2109 S. Wabash Ave. Thursday, December 31, doors at 9:30pm. Early bird $40, general admission $50. 21+. (312) 753-5700. theshrinechicago.com
Tink, a Calumet City rapper and songwriter, has made a name for herself by releasing six mixtapes within the past three years. Having collaborated with a range of artists from Lil Durk to the Pentatonix, the Lauryn Hill-inspired artist will bring a tasty blend of rap and R&B to kick off the New Year. (Jonathan Poilpre)