Events

Alleys & Ruins

Fri, 24 May 2013 19:00:00 GMT

04-18-2013 to 07-08-2013 -

Alleys & Ruins is a photographic exploration of urban decay in America. The project, begun in 1991 by artist Xavier Nuez, is now in its 21st year and has lead to journeys into dangerous neighborhoods, at times resulting in trouble. The photographs are taken at night, using a 50 year old Hasselblad film camera. During the 10 to 30 minute exposures, Nuez walks around with various (colored) lights and shines them on different parts of the scene, adding color and texture to the typically drab locations.

Photo: © Xavier Nuez

Amalia Pica

Fri, 24 May 2013 19:00:00 GMT

04-27-2013 to 08-11-2013 -

Amalia Pica's work consists of photographs, sculptures, interventions, and installations that explore metaphor, communication and civic participation. This exhibition includes two works that engage museum visitors: a collaborative in-gallery performance in which two strangers hold a bunting for a specific duration; and Grayscale, a stack of posters that viewers can take with them.

Photos: Robert Wedemeyer, courtesy of the artist and Marc Foxx Gallery, Los Angeles

American Icons of the Great War

Fri, 24 May 2013 19:00:00 GMT

03-28-2013 to 04-30-2014 - Drawn exclusively from the Pritzker Military Library's extensive collections of posters and other printed material, the six-part, 27-image exhibition tells the story of the role that art and artists played in persuading everyone in America, not only the men in uniform, to join the fight for victory during World War I.

Animal Inside Out

Fri, 24 May 2013 19:00:00 GMT

03-14-2013 to 09-02-2013 -

See animals inside and out at this unique exhibition from Dr. Gunther von Hagens, the creator of BODY WORLDS! More than 100 animal specimens have been preserved to allow you to compare the anatomical systems of the animal kingdom in great detail and help you understand the evolution of animals and the natural world. This exhibition explores:

Skeletal foundations
Muscles, tendons and ligaments
Internal circuit of the nervous system
The birds and the bees
Breathing and eating
Wildlife conservation and preservation

Exhibition Highlights

Peering up at a giraffe, the tallest mammal in the world
Witnessing an ostrich outlined entirely in its dense network of blood vessels
Peeking inside a rabbit's brain
Examining the giant squid, with its huge eyes, designed for picking up light in ocean depths
Seeing a massive bull, with a heart five times the size of a human's
and much more!

Asian American Showcase

Fri, 24 May 2013 19:00:00 GMT

05-17-2013 to 05-30-2013 -

The Gene Siskel Film Center and the Foundation for Asian American Independent Media (FAAIM) present the 18th edition of Asian American Showcase. See the best in Asian American talent on both sides of the camera in this year's selection.

The Films

Art Exhibit

The art exhibit Next Generation, exploring the future of Asian American art in a digital age of flexible and hybrid cultural identity, will be on view in the Gallery/Café from May 10 through July 29.

Barbara Crane and John Miller

Fri, 24 May 2013 19:00:00 GMT

05-03-2013 to 06-09-2013 -

Chicago Photography Center presents the world of the illustrious Barbara Crane and John Miller in this special exhibit. Crane has explored photography as a vehicle for creative expression for over sixty years, using many formats and materials ranging from the intimate to the large scale. Miller combines gestural abstraction with rich, intense color in his paintings--and more recently in monumental digital works on paper.

Photos courtesy of Chicago Photography Center

Barnum

Fri, 24 May 2013 19:00:00 GMT

03-27-2013 to 06-16-2013 - The Mercury Theater presents Barnum, a colorful musical filled with high flying acrobatics. Barnum tells the story of America's greatest showman and bursts with toe tapping melodies; ballads, marches, and ragtime tunes.

Best Laid Plans

Fri, 24 May 2013 19:00:00 GMT

03-01-2013 to 05-29-2013 - The Murder Myster Company, the nation's number one interactive theater troupe, presents their new show Best Laid Plans. You'll be transported to the 1930s world of old Hollywood in this popular Murder Mystery show!

Between Heaven and Earth

Fri, 24 May 2013 19:00:00 GMT

10-16-2012 to 07-28-2013 -

Walk into a lush bird habitat filled with videos of birds flying overhead and the sounds of birds calling to each other at this special exhibition. It explores the impact that birds had on ancient Egyptian religion, design and the conception of the state and includes forty artifacts.

Fun fact: this is the first American exhibit devoted to birds in the Nile Valley.

Beyond Influence: The Art of Little City

Fri, 24 May 2013 19:00:00 GMT

05-10-2013 to 08-31-2013 -

Intuit: The Center for Intuitive and Outsider Art in conjunction with the Little City Center for the Arts presents Beyond Influence: The Art of Little City. This exhibit features 11 artists, who over the past 20 years, have been creating work at the Little City Center for the Arts (Little City) in Palatine, Illinois. Included are pieces from artists who have exhibited both nationally and internationally, including Harold Jeffries, Tarik Echols, and Wayne Mazurek. The broad scope of work being created by these artists ranges from paintings to multimedia collages.

Photo credit:

Tarik Echols
Open58
Watercolor, crayon on paper
20 x 26 inches
Courtesy of Little City Center for the Arts Tarik Echols

Wayne Mazurek
Mission to Uranus
Marker on paper
12 x 20 inches
Courtesy of Little City Center for the Arts

Sailing 94
Watercolor, crayon on paper
24 x 36 inches
Courtesy of Little City Center for the Arts

Harold Jeffries
Three Angels in Heaven on a Wonderful Vacation in the Sky
Acrylic, pastel on paper
22 x 28 inches
Courtesy of Little City Center for the Arts

Big Love

Fri, 24 May 2013 19:00:00 GMT

04-21-2013 to 05-25-2013 -

Strawdog Theatre Company presents Big Love, a production that gives the term "battle of the sexes" a whole new meaning! When a group of brides-to-be are on the run from the altar, they face down their jilted grooms at an Italian villa.

Photos by Chris Ocken

Bilal

Fri, 24 May 2013 19:00:00 GMT

05-24-2013 to 05-24-2013 -

See Bilal live with special guests PJ Morton and Avery Sunshine May 24 at House of Blues Chicago!

Photo courtesy of House of Blues Chicago

Blood and Gifts

Fri, 24 May 2013 19:00:00 GMT

05-09-2013 to 07-28-2013 -

TimeLine Theatre presents the Chicago premiere of Blood and Gifts. This spy thriller goes deep inside the secret U.S. intrigue that powered the Soviet-Afghan War of the 1980s. As alliances shift and the outcome of the Cold War appears to hang in the balance, he and an Afghan warlord find that the only one they can trust is each other.

Fun fact: Blood and Gifts was named one of the Top 10 plays of 2011 by The New York Times!

Blue Man Group

Fri, 24 May 2013 19:00:00 GMT

06-01-2012

Experience a multi-sensory show that fuses theatrical spectacle and original music with comedy, art, vaudeville and science!

Photo: Ken Howard ©BMP

BMO Harris Bank Chicago Works: Jason Lazarus

Fri, 24 May 2013 19:00:00 GMT

03-19-2013 to 06-18-2013 -

This Chicago-based artist uses a deeply personal, nuanced approach to art-making. He presents a number of different projects that investigate and confront shifting notions of the public and private in society today.

Photos courtesy of the artist and Andrew Rafacz Gallery, Chicago

Bodies of Work Festival

Fri, 24 May 2013 19:00:00 GMT

05-15-2013 to 05-25-2013 -

Celebrate the work of artists with disabilities during the Bodies of Work Festival. This multi-venue Chicago event features cutting-edge theater, dance, literature, poetry, spoken word, film, and visual/performance art. It also includes free public panels and talks in conjunction with many of the events.

Participating Institutions

Festival Schedule

Click here for the complete BOW festival schedule.

Brighton Beach Memoirs

Fri, 24 May 2013 19:00:00 GMT

05-02-2013 to 06-29-2013 -

The final production in Raven Theatre's 30th Anniversary season is Neil Simon's Brighton Beach Memoirs. Based on Simon's memories of growing up in Brooklyn just before WWII, this comedy incorporates themes of love and struggle as a family fights through the hard times and sometimes each other.

Photos by Dean LaPrairie

By the Way, Meet Vera Stark

Fri, 24 May 2013 19:00:00 GMT

04-27-2013 to 06-02-2013 -

This comedy shows a glimpse into the life of Vera Stark, an African American actress who begins a career in the 1930s. Written by Pulitzer Prize winner Lynn Nottage, By the Way, Meet Vera Stark is funny, poignant and paints a lively picture of what she might have been.

Reimagination is what the Goodman does best: even if you've seen a particular play before, you've never seen it like the way you will at the Goodman Theatre.

Photo credit: by Kelly Rickert

Chaz Bojórquez

Fri, 24 May 2013 19:00:00 GMT

11-09-2012 to 06-30-2013 -

The National Museum of Mexican Art presents this special exhibition featuring the works of L.A. artist Chaz Bojórquez. He's developed a unique style, inspired by the "Cholo" graffiti writing of his neighborhood, which is widely respected by street artists, writers and tattooists.

Photo credit: Graffiti Mandala, 1999; courtesy of the National Museum of Mexican Art

Chicago Farmers Markets

Fri, 24 May 2013 19:00:00 GMT

05-11-2013 to 10-31-2013 -

Our city's neighborhoods host annual farmers markets May to October! With each location offering various fruits, vegetables, plants, flowers and more, there's a market for everyone to enjoy. Check the Seasonality Chart to see when your favorite produce is available!

Downtown Markets

Federal Plaza
Thursdays (May 16 - October 31)
Daley Plaza
Tuesdays (May 21 - October 31)
Willis Tower Plaza
Tuesdays (June 27 - October 31)

Weekly Markets - Tuesdays

Columbus Park
June 25 - October 29
Lincoln Square
June 4 - October 29
Museum of Contemporary Art
June 4 - October 29

Weekly Markets - Wednesdays

La Follette Park
June 26 - October 30
Pullman
July 10 - October 30

Weekly Markets - Thursdays

Hyde Park
June 6 - October 31

Weekly Markets - Saturdays

Austin Town Hall
June 29 - October 26
Bridgeport
June 15 - October 5
Division Street
May 11 - October 26
Lincoln Park
May 11 - October 26
North Center
June 15 - October 26
Printers Row
June 15 - October 26
Southport Market
June 22 - October 5
West Humboldt Park
June 29 - October 26

Weekly Markets - Sundays

Beverly
May 12 - October 27
Garfield Park Conservatory
June 23 - October 27
South Shore
June 23 - August 25
Wicker Park & Bucktown
June 2 - October 27

Monthly Market (New!)

Devon Community Monthly Market
July 7, August 4, September 1, October 6

Night Markets (New!)

New for 2013, the Farmers Markets program will offer two "spinoffs" this summer featuring night markets in two different locations. The new stand-alone Night Markets will happen weekly and include some vendors from the City's other farmers markets, as well as having live performances and arts & crafts, with local artisans and local restaurants participating.

Logan Square Night Market
Wednesdays (June 26 - September 4)
Argyle Market
Thursdays (June 27 - September 19)

Photo credit: City of Chicago, Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events

Chicago Landmarks Before the Lens

Fri, 24 May 2013 19:00:00 GMT

12-08-2011 to 12-31-2020 - This ongoing exhibition presented by the Commission on Chicago Landmarks features 72 black and white photographs of 24 landmarks and historic districts by Richard Nickel, Barbara Crane, Bob Thall, and Stephen Beal.

Chicago Symphony Orchestra 2012/13 Season

Fri, 24 May 2013 19:00:00 GMT

10-18-2012 to 06-23-2013 -

See the Chicago Symphony Orchestra practically any night of the week! Their 2012/13 schedule is packed with shows, mixing classic and more contemporary works by various composers. Visit the CSO website for a complete schedule and to purchase tickets.

Other Programs

The Symphony Center also features a variety of events and series throughout the year.

Afterwork Masterworks
Beyond the Score
MusicNOW
CSO Chamber
SCP Orchestra Series
SCP Piano Series
SCP Chamber Series
SCP Jazz Series
Friday Night at the Movies
Civic Orchestra
Family

Chicago White Sox v Miami Marlins

Fri, 24 May 2013 19:00:00 GMT

05-24-2013 to 05-24-2013 - Chicago's legendary MLB AL team hosts at The Cell!

Cirque Shanghai: Dragon’s Thunder

Fri, 24 May 2013 19:00:00 GMT

05-22-2013 to 09-01-2013 -

This spectacle show features performers direct from China who are leaders in their craft of tumbling, juggling, balancing and more! You'll see an incredible line up of awe-inspiring acts, including "The Chinese Flex Bar," the heart stopping "Gravity Swings," and the awesome sounds of the traditional Chinese "Dragon Drums." For the first time in Cirque Shanghai's North American engagement, the traditional Chinese drums will be an integral part of the production. Back from last year's show is the fate tempting "Wheel of Destiny," and China's finest daredevil motorcycle troupe, "Imperial Thunder," returns with not two, not four, but five motorcyclists riding at break-neck speeds within a steel globe.

Fun fact: with a total of 36 troupe members, Dragon's Thunder is the largest Cirque Shanghai cast to ever visit the U.S.

ComedySportz

Fri, 24 May 2013 19:00:00 GMT

02-23-2012

Watch two teams of improvisers compete against each other for the audience's approval and a trophy by performing an array of scenes, songs and games based on audience suggestions.

Core of the PUDEL

Fri, 24 May 2013 19:00:00 GMT

04-26-2013 to 06-01-2013 - Trap Door Theatre presents Core of the PUDEL, the last show in its 2012/13 season. Core of the PUDEL guts an ancient German legend to discover the heart of the matter. The legend is familiar - Faust and his overwhelming obsession to know everything drives him to sell his soul to Mephistopheles in exchange for complete intellectual enlightenment. He believes he gets the better end of the bargain, but when he loses his heart to the beautiful Gertrude, the devil convinces him otherwise.

Cosmic Wonder

Fri, 24 May 2013 19:00:00 GMT

05-17-2013 to 04-01-2014 -

Take an exciting journey of discovery as the world's most technologically advanced dome theater transforms into a virtual observatory! In Cosmic Wonder, you'll literally look up and see a night sky that reveals the mysteries of the Universe in the most immersive space environment ever created.

What makes this show unique is that it's a live show! An Adler staff member tells the story of how, through time, we've pieced together an understanding of the cosmos, inviting you to ask questions and help scientists unlock modern mysteries of the unknown. Plus, because of the structure of the Grainger Sky Theater, you feel like you're moving in your seat as you enjoy this marvelous voyage!

Photo: © Adler Planetarium

Creatures of Light: Nature's Bioluminescence

Fri, 24 May 2013 19:00:00 GMT

03-07-2013 to 09-08-2013 -

You may ask yourself, "what is bioluminescence?" It's the chemical reaction by which certain species generate light, and this exhibit gives you a close look into this natural phenomenon. Experience this glowing, magical wonder with recreated environments, live animals and interactive models.

Fun fact: deepen your experience by interacting with iPads, which offer engaging videos, animations, photographs and additional in-depth content.

Exhibit Highlights

Introduction: be welcomed by a variety of bioluminescent mushrooms growing on decaying wood
Summer's Night: demonstrates how fireflies use unique patterns of flashing light, including large-scale models and interactive stations
Myserious Cave: peer into New Zealand's Waitomo cave system to watch sticky "fishing lines" strung by glowworms trap prey, bioluminescent millipede species, the railroad worm, and a larval beetle
Sparkling Sea: activate the bioluminescent Mosquito Bay on Vieques Island in Puerto Rico
Night Dive: see a large-scale, day-and-night interactive image of the Cayman Islands' Bloody Bay Wall
Altered Light: encounter the crystal jellyfish that combines blue bioluminescence with biofluorescence to emit flashes of green light
Borrowed Light: examine flashlight fishes and a large-scale model of a male golden ponyfish
Deep Ocean: go into the dark, deep ocean where up to 90 percent of animals at depths below 2,300 feet are bioluminescent
Deep Sea Theater: see the diversity of animals that marine biologists have captured on camera, including a jellyfish, as well as large-scale models of a female anglerfish and a vampire squid

Photo credit: ©AMNH\D. Finnin; ©AMNH\J. Sparks; ©Tsuneaki Hiramatsu, digitalphoto.cocolog-nifty.com

Destroy the Picture: Painting the Void, 1949-1962

Fri, 24 May 2013 19:00:00 GMT

02-16-2013 to 06-02-2013 -

This exhibition focuses on the artist's literal assault on the picture, which is one of the most significant developments in contemporary, abstract painting. You'll see pieces created during the aftermath of of the postwar period, including artists from Europe, the U.S. and Japan.

Photos: © Lucio Fontana, © John Latham, © Yves Klein

Dinosaurs Alive!

Fri, 24 May 2013 19:00:00 GMT

04-06-2013 to 10-27-2013 -

Dinosaurs Alive! returns in 2013 to Brookfield Zoo. See your favorites like the Triceratops, as well as some more obscure dinosaur species, up close at this special exhibit. You can also roam a winding wooded train with 24 life-like, life-size animatronic prehistoric creatures! Also swing by the Dino Dig Station to learn how palentologists find dinosaur bones.

Photo credit: Jim-Schulz, Chicago Zoological Society

Dust in Their Veins

Fri, 24 May 2013 19:00:00 GMT

10-26-2012 to 05-31-2013 - Dust in Their Veins: A Visual Response to the Global Water Crisis is an installation of mixed media art works. This exhibition brings discussion and action to the plight of women and children who are adversely affected by the lack of rights to clean water.

Ebony Fashion Fair

Fri, 24 May 2013 19:00:00 GMT

03-16-2013 to 01-05-2014 -

The Chicago History Museum presents Inspiring Beauty: Ebony Fashion Fair, an exhibition of an American story that explores the show's legacy, vision and creativity of Eunice W. Johnson. You'll see priceless garments collected over the fashion show's 50-year history, including works from fashion icons Oscar de la Renta, Christian Dior, Stephen Burrows, Yves Saint Laurent, Patrick Kelly, Christian Lacroix, and more! The exhibition is presented in three sections modeling the traveling show's format: Vision, Innovation and Power.

Fun fact: this world-renown show was the first to showcase the fashion and beauty sense of African American women.

Vision

This section explores Eunice Johnson's role as the creative force behind the Ebony Fashion Fair. It features 30+ costumes including some of the most revered names in 20th century fashion (Pierre Cardin, Courreges and more).

Innovation

This section looks at boldness and experimentation of the Johnson Publishing Company story. It features media installations, supporting objects and two costume groupings. Looks by Balizza, Emilio Pucci and Angelo Marani are included.

Power

This section features the exhibition's most elaborate, luxurious and dramatic ensembles. Nineteen garments reflect glamour and showmanship, with pieces by Valentino, Bob Mackie, McQueen and more.

Photos courtesy of Chicago History Museum

Fashion and The Field Museum Collection

Fri, 24 May 2013 19:00:00 GMT

09-14-2012 to 06-16-2013 -

This stylish exhibition features pieces designed by Maria Pinto. They're made from pretty unique materials. Would you ever wear a translucent raincoat made of seal intestines? How about a vest of crocodile skin? Perhaps a chic evening gown of rubber-coated thread will catch your eye.

Photos: John Weinstein © The Field Museum

Fight Girl Battle World

Fri, 24 May 2013 19:00:00 GMT

05-16-2013 to 06-16-2013 - InFusion Theatre Co. presents the Midwest premiere of Fight Girl Battle World, an action-packed sci-fi saga that blends video production, puppetry, stage combat, parody and more. You'll watch as E-V, the last known female human in the galaxy, battles to survive.

Food: The Nature of Eating

Fri, 24 May 2013 19:00:00 GMT

03-23-2013 to 09-08-2013 -

This special exhibit explores Chicago as a hub for the transportation of food and how the environmental choices we made more than a century ago continue to have consequences to this day. And the choices we make today will have consequences more than a century from now. Guests of all ages will become fascinated by this highly interactive journey that begins with an immersion into Illinois' vast, native Prairie that once dominated the state, with stops at the Union Stockyard Gates and present-day Chicago.

Exhibit Highlights

Immerse yourself in a native Illinois prairie
Plow through history using a replicate of a 19th century John Deere hand plow
Discover the family traditions of historic and present day Chicagoans
View a life-sized bison
Discover alternative farming methods
Walk through a replica of the iconic Union Stockyard Gates

Photos courtesy of Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum

Forlesen

Fri, 24 May 2013 19:00:00 GMT

04-28-2013 to 06-23-2013 -

The Renaissance Society presents a new installation by Chicago-based interdisciplinary artist William Pope.L titled Forlesen. In this project, Pope.L uses multiple media, including an installation of walls, drawings, and a video room, to further explore how difference is demarcated economically, socially, culturally and politically.

Photo credit:
William Pope.L, "skin set drawings: the space between the letters" (2013); ballpoint, coffee, and correction fluid on white art paper; 9 x 11.5 in
William Pope.L, "skin set drawings: the space between the letters" (2013); ballpoint, correction fluid, marker and pencil on white art paper; 9 x 11.5 in
Photo by Lydia Grey. Courtesy of the artist.

Geoffrey & Carmen: A Memoir in Four Movements

Fri, 24 May 2013 19:00:00 GMT

02-09-2013 to 07-14-2013 - The DuSable Museum of African American History in association with the California African American Museum (CAAM) presents Geoffrey and Carmen: A Memoir in Four Movements. This exhibition includes more than 90 paintings, sculptures, photographs, costumes, books and designs by the Tony Award winning director/choreographer/ artist/actor/author Geoffrey Holder and his award-winning wife, dancer/actress/choreographer Carmen DeLavallade. It will be divided into four sections: Family, Art, Dance and Theatre.

Gigi Scaria: City Unclaimed

Fri, 24 May 2013 19:00:00 GMT

01-19-2013 to 12-08-2013 -

Indian artst Gigi Scaria's site-specific installation City Unclaimed combines a large photo-based mural of an imaginary cityscape with a working fountain that stands as both a monument to a glorious past and also a reminder of bubbling societal tension. Covering the central wall of the Smart Museum's reception hall, the immersive mural is manipulated and stitched together from photographs Scaria has taken around his home city of Delhi.

Photo credit: Gigi Scaria, installation view of City Unclaimed, 2013, Mixed media including epoxy, digital print, motor system, paint, plastic, polyerethane, and water. Courtesy of the Artist. Commissioned by the Smart Museum of Art.

Head of Passes

Fri, 24 May 2013 19:00:00 GMT

04-04-2013 to 06-09-2013 - Steppenwolf ensemble members Tarell McCraney and Tina Landau team up again for this world premiere drama. Set at the Mississippi River's mouth, Head of Passes is about a woman whose family and friends plan a surprise birthday party, but the festivities are overshadowed by a troubled family secret. Head of Passes is the recipient of a Joyce Award.

Steppenwolf consistently delivers dynamic and exciting theater that will hit you hard. Prepare to be moved by superb writers who deliver a high level of drama and emotion to their productions.

Photo by Sandro

Henry VIII

Fri, 24 May 2013 19:00:00 GMT

04-30-2013 to 06-16-2013 -

This play, which is "saucier than an episode of The Tudors and as violent as a Tarantino film," tells the definitive story of England's most notorious king and the sordid tale of Anne Boleyn's rise to power, Queen Katherine's removal from her throne, and the political machinations and exploits of the King's reign.

Photo credit: Chicago Shakespeare Theater

Images of the Afterlife

Fri, 24 May 2013 19:00:00 GMT

06-08-2012 to 06-09-2013 -

Two ancient Egyptian mummies from Field Museum collections had CT scans, and the latest 3D imaging revealed the mummies' age-old secrets to Museum scientists. Then an artist created hyper-realistic sculptures portraying how these two individuals looked in life, thousands of years ago. You can also look inside coffins and wrappings of ancient Egyptian mummies in this special exhibit.

Recommended for kids (6-12), teens (13-17), and adults (18+).

In the Company of Men

Fri, 24 May 2013 19:00:00 GMT

05-16-2013 to 06-30-2013 -

Profiles Theatre presents the World premiere of Resident Artist Neil LaBute's revised stage version of In the Company of Men. Two frustrated young executives vent their rage via a chlidish prank and end up paying a price in this psychological dark comedy.

Fun fact: this was an acclaimed film released in 1997 starring Aaron Eckhart!

International Mr. Leather

Fri, 24 May 2013 19:00:00 GMT

05-24-2013 to 05-27-2013 -

International Mr. Leather (IML) is an international conference and contest of leathermen held annually in May since 1979 in Chicago. IML spans several days, and includes the International Mr. Leather competition, as well as other events, such as speakers, socials, themed dance parties and a large leather vendor market.

Friday

Leather Market
Marriott Chicago Downtown Magnificent Mile
IML Opening Ceremonies
The Vic Theatre

Saturday

Leather Market
Marriott Chicago Downtown Magnificent Mile
IML Pecs & Personality (Physique Competition)
The Vic Theatre

Sunday

Leather Market
Marriott Chicago Downtown Magnificent Mile
35th Annual International Mr. Leather Competition
The Harris Theater
IML Victory Celebration Party
House of Blues Chicago

Monday

Leather Market
Marriott Chicago Downtown Magnificent Mile
Black and Blue Ball
The Castle

It’s All-Right To Have A Good Time

Fri, 24 May 2013 19:00:00 GMT

04-25-2013 to 06-23-2013 - It's All-Right To Have A Good Time (The Story of Curtis Mayfield) is Black Ensemble Theater's first tribute of the season. Known as a master songwriter of his time, Curtis Mayfield's music is known and celebrated all over the world.

This production is part of Black Ensemble Theater's 36th Season of Excellence, titled Treasures and Tributes.

Photo credit: City of Chicago, Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events

Ivywild: The True Tall Tales of Bathhouse John

Fri, 24 May 2013 19:00:00 GMT

05-03-2013 to 06-16-2013 - The exciting team that created Burning Bluebeard & the Daredevil series at Neo-Futurists now tackle adapting a piece of Chicago history from 1908. With the help of his best friend Hinky Dink and a deformed nosed alcoholic elephant named Princess, Bathhouse John is determined to build an amusement park in the mountains of Colorado. Based on the actual true story from Chicago's early 1900's, Ivywild is a theatrically staged amusement, a spectacle of delight made for dreamers, boodlers and drunken elephants named Princess.

Jodi Alempijevic Final Exhibit

Fri, 24 May 2013 19:00:00 GMT

05-03-2013 to 06-09-2013 -

Chicago Photography Center presents the final exhibit for CPC Certificate Student Jodi Alempijevic. Her photos portray a small piece of her journey of breaking out of the box. "When I take a photo it is for one of three reasons: to journal my story, make a beautiful soul see themselves the way I do or to show the people living in the box how beautiful the world can be outside of it."

Photo courtesy of Chicago Photography Center

Juicy J

Fri, 24 May 2013 19:00:00 GMT

05-24-2013 to 05-24-2013 - 1833 Presents the Stay Trippy Tour with Juicy J and special guest A$AP Ferg May 24 at Metro!

Photo credit: Metro/Smart Bar

Lascivious Something

Fri, 24 May 2013 19:00:00 GMT

05-04-2013 to 06-08-2013 -

Signal Ensemble Theatre presents the Chicago Premiere of Lascivious Something. Inspired by Greek tragedy, this play combines evocative language with symphathetic yet deeply flawed characters straight out of Euripides.

This production is part of their Tenth Anniversary 2012-2013 season.

Late Roman and Early Byzantine Treasures

Fri, 24 May 2013 19:00:00 GMT

11-11-2012 to 08-25-2013 -

This special exhibition of more than 50 incomparable works of late Roman and early Byzantine art were lent by the British Museum. It's located in the Art Institute's new Mary and Michael Jaharis Galleries of Greek, Roman, and Byzantine Art, which opened on Nov. 11, 2012. Late Roman and Early Byzantine Treasures from the British Museum features luxurious yet portable items such as silver vessels, carved ivories, and gem-encrusted jewelry, reflecting wealthy households and important ecclesiastical sites between A.D. 350 and 650.

Photo: The Lycurgus Cup, 4th century a.d. Roman. The Trustees of the British Museum. Purchased from Lord Rothschild with a contribution from the National Art Collection Fund. © Trustees of the British Museum.

Legends, Myths and Truths: Jun Kaneko

Fri, 24 May 2013 19:00:00 GMT

04-12-2013 to 11-03-2013 -

Explore works by artist Jun Kaneko in Millennium Park's Boeing Galleries! The installation Kaneko created represents his past and present artist practices. In the South Boeing Gallery, signature Dangos (meaning "rounded form" or "dumpling" in Japanese) are featured. The North Boeing Gallery showcases a new body of work, drawing upon the myths and legends of the Tanuki figure (a symbol of fertility; in present day: prosperity and economic growth).

Photo credit: City of Chicago, Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events

Let Them Eat Chaos

Fri, 24 May 2013 19:00:00 GMT

02-26-2013

For better or worse, we're someone to everyone. Sometimes the title is friend and sometimes the title is enemy - unfortunately, we can't always dictate our role nor can we control our path through the world. The cast of The Second City Mainstage's 101st revue invites you to grab the people that mean the most to you and take a journey with them from the high seas of the Atlantic to the bohemian home of Panamanian poets. Let's leave the rest and let them eat chaos.

Jeff Award-winning director Matt Hovde (Studs Terkel's Not Working, Sky's the Limit (Weather Permitting)) returns to The Second City's legendary Mainstage Theater to lead a veteran cast including Edgar Blackmon (Jeff Award-winner - Best Actor - Revue), Holly Laurent, Tawny Newsome, Katie Rich, Steve Waltien and new cast member Ross Bryant. Julie N. Nichols returns to the keys (and mandolin, gong and Wurlitzer) for Let Them Eat Chaos and Craig Taylor returns as Stage Manager.

Photos by Clayton Hauck

Life in Space?

Fri, 24 May 2013 19:00:00 GMT

07-25-2012 to 09-30-2013 -

This exhibit showcases potential answers to big questions like did Mars ever harbor life? And could humans live on the moon? It features a full-scale model of the Curiosity Mars Rover named Dusty. You'll learn how food could be grown on the moon as well as touch samples of Earth minerals similar to those found on Mars.

The Lunar Greenhouse is also featured in the exhibit, a prototype of a self-contained, automated environment with the potential to provide water, oxygen and one-half of the daily amount of food for a single person to survive. (Note: The Lunar Greenhouse will be at MSI through January 27, 2013.)

Photo credit: J.B. Spector, Museum of Science and Industry

LunchBreak Series

Fri, 24 May 2013 19:00:00 GMT

12-04-2012

Enjoy live music in the Chicago Cultural Center's Randolph Café on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays! Click here to see a complete schedule.

Wired Fridays

On Fridays through May, you can dance to the sounds of DJs and electronic music!

Photo credit: City of Chicago, Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events

MCA DNA: Chicago Conceptual Abstraction

Fri, 24 May 2013 19:00:00 GMT

05-18-2013 to 09-29-2013 -

The minimalist and conceptual art movements of the 1960s had a definite impact on many Chicago-based artists who emerged in the late 1980s and early 1990s. MCA DNA: Chicago Conceptual Abstraction, 1986-1995 features a group of artists working in painting, photography, sculpture, and installation, who use diverse modes of abstraction.

Photo credit: Nathan Keay, © MCA Chicago

Millennium Park Greeter Tours

Fri, 24 May 2013 19:00:00 GMT

05-24-2013 to 10-14-2013 - Learn all about the dazzling art and architecture of Millennium Park during a free 45-minute guided walk with a knowledgeable Chicago Greeter! Groups depart from the Visitor Information Center at the Chicago Cultural Center. No advanced reservations are required.

Million Dollar Quartet

Fri, 24 May 2013 19:00:00 GMT

12-08-2011 to 09-01-2013 - See the smash hit musical inspired by the famed recording session that brought together rock 'n' roll icons Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis and Carl Perkins for the first and only time.

Model Railroad Garden

Fri, 24 May 2013 19:00:00 GMT

05-11-2013 to 10-27-2013 -

The Model Railroad Garden returns for a 14th season to Chicago Botanic Garden! This year's theme, Landmarks of America, features eighteen model G-scale trains running on 17 tracks, winding over bridges and trestles and around nearly 50 models of American landmarks.

New for 2013

Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C.
Lumberyard/Railroad siding prop for the Pacific Northwest area
Refurbished White House that will be updated and made to look white in color

Photos: © Chicago Botanic Garden

Modernism’s Messengers

Fri, 24 May 2013 19:00:00 GMT

05-18-2013 to 08-27-2013 -

The Chicago Rooms on the second floor of the Cultural Center will feature the exhibit Modernism's Messengers: The Art of Alfonso and Margaret Iannelli - 1910 to 1965. In this show, one discovers not only the love they both had for modernism, but also the love that they had for each other.

NCAA Men’s & Women’s Tennis Championships

Fri, 24 May 2013 19:00:00 GMT

05-16-2013 to 05-27-2013 -

See the nation's top collegiate tennis players take over the Khan Outdoor Tennis Complex on the campus of the University of Illinois for the NCAA Men's & Women's Tennis Championships. Competition will include team play May 16-21 and singles/doubles play May 22-27. Don't miss your chance to see the best collegiate athletes compete for a National Championship!

Next Fall

Fri, 24 May 2013 19:00:00 GMT

04-25-2013 to 05-25-2013 - Following its critically acclaimed Broadway run, AstonRep Theatre Company is pleased to present the Chicago premiere of the Tony Award-nominated Best Play Next Fall. It portrays the ups and downs of an unlikely couple's five-year relationship with sharp humor and unflinching honesty, asking the hard questions about commitment, love and faith.

No Gods No Masters

Fri, 24 May 2013 19:00:00 GMT

05-10-2013 to 05-30-2013 - This special exhibition features HATCH Projects artists Jesse Butcher, James T. Green and Christopher Meerdo. Sourcing material from social media, countercultures, and the Internet, these artists employ the animated GIF, print, paint, and sculpture in multivalent ways.

Not About Bombs

Fri, 24 May 2013 19:00:00 GMT

03-09-2013 to 09-29-2013 -

This featured exhibit at the National Veterans Art Museum addresses how a female perspective can fit into the modern context of turmoil and conflict. It features contemporary art by Iraqi women to deliberately explore and challenge expectations.

Featured Artists

Sama Alshaibi
Dena Al-Adeeb
Julie Adnan
Tamara Abdul Hadi
Sundus Abdul Hadi

Photos courtesy of the National Veterans Art Museum

Othello: The Remix

Fri, 24 May 2013 19:00:00 GMT

03-13-2013 to 06-15-2013 -

This hip-hop adaptation of William Shakespeare's Othello returns home after an acclaimed world premiere in London and successful tours in Germany and Edinburgh. It's spun out and lyrically rewritten over original beats by The Q Brothers (Funk It Up ABout Nothin', The Bomb-itty of Errors). This intense, high energy show is an experience like no other!

Other Modernisms: Serge Charchoune (1889-1975)

Fri, 24 May 2013 19:00:00 GMT

05-07-2013 to 08-25-2013 -

The achievement of Franco-Russian painter Serge Charchoune (1889-1975) is among the least widely known or understood in twentieth-century European art. Discover his work and its relevance to painting today in this exhibition of works, most of which are paintings.

Photo credit: Serge Charchoune, Grossissement, 1927, Oil on canvas.

Pal Joey

Fri, 24 May 2013 19:00:00 GMT

04-20-2013 to 05-26-2013 -

Porchlight Music Theater presents the O'Hara, Rodgers & Hart masterpiece Pal Joey. The story, based on the book by The New Yorker columnist John O'Hara, focuses on the dirty deeds done by the charming cad Joey Evans.

Photos by Brandon Dahlquist

pHlip Cup

Fri, 24 May 2013 19:00:00 GMT

11-16-2012

pH Productions, a local comedy theater, takes on the fascinating underworld of competitive Flip Cup in this weekly improv show. At the end of pHlip Cup, the pH team challenges a Flip Cup team from the audience to join them on stage and try to beat them. If the audience team wins, they get prizes!

pHrenzy

Fri, 24 May 2013 19:00:00 GMT

11-23-2012

pH Productions, a local comedy theater, presents their own take on Survivor. Featuring eight improvisers, pHrenzy puts the power in the audience's hands. You'll choose a member of the pH Ensemble who you feel will be that night's funniest performer. Random rules knock people out, and in the end, the audience decides who wins!

Ploughed Under: An American Songbook

Fri, 24 May 2013 19:00:00 GMT

04-19-2013 to 06-09-2013 -

House Theatre of Chicago presents Ploughed Under: An American Songbook, a concert of folk tales. Composer Kevin O'Donnell's original compositions come front-and-center as The House weaves American folk stories and tall tales into a rich tapestry of all-original music. This theatrical concert is carefully focused on vocal and rhythmic dynamics, echoing the clarity and power of African and Native American folk music.

Puertas Abiertas

Fri, 24 May 2013 19:00:00 GMT

03-01-2013 to 08-25-2013 -

The National Museum of Mexican Art presents this special exhibition featuring works by Sergio Gómez. The series of paintings show you the depths of the Spirit.

Photo courtesy of the National Museum of Mexican Art

Ready, Pet, Go!

Fri, 24 May 2013 19:00:00 GMT

05-22-2013 to 10-20-2013 -

What do you get when you cross a best friend with four legs, a beak, gills, floppy ears, scaled skin AND a curly tail? Pets, of course! Ready, Pet, Go! is dedicated to the special animals in our lives. At this special exhibit, you can:

Become your favorite animal
Crawl in, out and around a child-sized pet home
Share stories about the pets in your life
For Mom and Dad, learn the benefits of pets and pet play, and access resources for choosing appropriate family pets

Reality Check

Fri, 24 May 2013 19:00:00 GMT

04-19-2013 to 06-02-2013 -

MPAACT presents Reality Check, a production about how our world has been blurred by being constantly plugged into technology. Through the art of sketch comedy, this show takes a look at what we now call reality, including its absurdities.

MPAACT (Maat Production Association of African Centered Theatre) exists to develop, nurture, and sustain Afrikan Centered Theatre (ACT), an artistic expression grounded in the many cultures and traditions of the Afrikan continent and its Diaspora.

Reflections

Fri, 24 May 2013 19:00:00 GMT

01-11-2013 to 06-30-2013 - See the photography of Terrence A. Reese in this special exhibition at the DuSable Museum of African American History. The documentary-style photograpy series of black and white photos showcase personal living spaces of renowned individuals whose lives and careers have addressed the fundamental political, economic and social realities of the 20th century and beyond.

Rising Up: Hale Woodruff’s Murals

Fri, 24 May 2013 19:00:00 GMT

03-23-2013 to 06-16-2013 -

This special exhibit features six monumentally-scaled murals painted in 1939-42 by African American artist Hale Woodruff. Works in Rising Up: Hale Woodruff's Murals at Talladega College are newly restored to their original, vibrant colors and are accompanied by paintings and prints that document Woodruff's work.

Photo credit: City of Chicago, Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events

RIVERS: Nature. Power. Culture.

Fri, 24 May 2013 19:00:00 GMT

05-09-2013 to 06-09-2013 -

Inspired by Music Director Riccardo Muti's passionate concern for the environment, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra Association (CSOA) convenes a multi-week, multi-genre festival entitled RIVERS: Nature. Power. Culture. During the festival, the CSOA will lead a conversation among nearly 20 Chicago institutions examining the significance of rivers in music and culture, the impact they have had throughout history and their importance. CSO concerts, chamber music performances, jazz and other presentations comprise the musical basis for this festival, which aims to delve deeply into the conversation about the connections between our natural environment and our cultural heritage.

Highlights

May 11: Chicago River Day
May 18: RIVERS Symposia
June 9: Shall We Gather At The River?

Photo by Todd Rosenberg

Roadkill

Fri, 24 May 2013 19:00:00 GMT

05-11-2013 to 05-26-2013 -

Following sold-out runs in London and Paris, Roadkill makes its American premiere in Chicago. Based on the real life experiences of a young woman trafficked from Nigeria, this theatrical and multi-media event from Scotland explores the terrifying complexities of human trafficking.

Audience Notice: The production contains adult themes, hard language, depictions of violence and sexually oriented nudity. Roadkill is not recommended for young or sensitive audiences.

This is part of Chicago Shakespeare's World's Stage series, wherein they bring the best theater from around the world to perform in our city.

Photo credit: Chicago Shakespeare Theater

Santa Ana Condition: John Valadez

Fri, 24 May 2013 19:00:00 GMT

04-25-2013 to 08-11-2013 -

The National Museum of Mexican Art presents this special exhibition featuring works by John Valadez. He depicts the people and places of Southern California in pastels and richly hued canvases, showcasing qualities of reality and imagined potential.

Photo courtesy of the National Museum of Mexican Art

Scenes from the Stone Age

Fri, 24 May 2013 19:00:00 GMT

03-20-2013 to 09-08-2013 -

The cave paintings in Lascaux cave in southern France are recognized as the world's premier example of prehistoric art. The Field Museum's exhibition Scenes from the Stone Age: The Cave Paintings of Lascaux features a monumental re-creation of the cave with full-size replicas of paintings, including some shown for the first time to the public!

Fun fact: The Field Museum is the first North American venue for this highly-anticipated exhibition.

Exhibition Features

Lifelike stone-age family sculpted by Elisabeth Daynès
Rare stone-age artifacts from the Museum's collections
Multi-screen video explaining how Paleolithic people lived, hunted, ate and clothed themselves
Virtual tour of the entire Lascaux cave

Shalom Chicago

Fri, 24 May 2013 19:00:00 GMT

10-21-2012 to 09-02-2013 -

The Chicago History Museum presents Shalom Chicago, an exhibition exploring Chicago's diverse Jewish community from the 1840s to today. Using personal stories, over 300 artifacts, and engaging multimedia programs, the exhibition explores how a small but dynamic community helped shape modern Chicago. Shalom Chicago is presented in collaboration with Spertus: A Center for Jewish Learning & Culture.

Photo courtesy of Chicago History Museum

Silk Painting: Window into summer

Fri, 24 May 2013 19:00:00 GMT

05-10-2013 to 05-31-2013 - This special exhibit by artist Oleg Chuyko showcases paintings that speak to the viewer in a language that needs no translation - the universal language of beauty. You'll be pleasantly surprised with the diversity of the themes included this exhibit. The beautiful architecture of ancient castles and the narrow, unforgettable streets of Lviv, the Carpathian Mountains in their rich shades of emerald greens, the vibrant hues of spring blossoms as they unfold, and the sparkling blue of the mountain rivers that spring to life.

Smokey Joe’s Café

Fri, 24 May 2013 19:00:00 GMT

03-07-2013 to 06-30-2013 -

Smokey Joe's Café, originally presented, in its pre-Broadway engagement as Baby That's Rock n Roll, the Songs of Leiber and Stoller at The Royal George Theatre in 1994, returns to its roots at The Royal George with the 2012 critically acclaimed Theo Ubique Cabaret production. This production features nearly 40 of the greatest songs ever recorded, covering the classic themes of love won, lost and imagined, blended with hilarious set-pieces and slice-of-life emotions.

Photos by Anthony Robert La Penna

Speech & Debate

Fri, 24 May 2013 19:00:00 GMT

05-10-2013 to 06-23-2013 -

American Theater Company presents a revised remount of Stephen Karam's Speech & Debate. This quick-witted and timely comedy tells the story of three misfits who team up to expose their teacher's online secrets while forming their high school's first Speech and Debate club.

Fun fact: this play made its Chicago Premiere at ATC in 2008 to critical and popular success.

Spontaneous Interventions

Fri, 24 May 2013 19:00:00 GMT

05-24-2013 to 09-01-2013 -

Spontaneous Interventions: Design Actions for the Common Good, a temporary exhibit at the Chicago Cultural Center's Michigan Avenue Galleries, is devoted to the growing movement of architects, designers, artists and everyday citizens acting on their own initiative to bring improvements to the urban realm, creating new opportunities and amenities for the public.

In conjunction with the exhibition at the Chicago Cultural Center, Spontaneous Interventions will include a pop-up "outdoor living room" in Millennium Park. The space will serve as an outpost for the exhibition and a venue for exhibition-related programs, including talks, panels, tours, workshops and more. The pop-up will feature a colorful canopy and seating made of salvaged lumber.

Fun fact: Chicago is the first destination of the installation, which represented the U.S. at the 13th International Architecture Exhibition at the Venice Biennale (2012).

Photo credit: City of Chicago, Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events

Stella & Lou

Fri, 24 May 2013 19:00:00 GMT

05-03-2013 to 06-09-2013 -

Northlight Theatre presents the world premiere of Stella & Lou. On a quiet night at Lou's bar, two kindred spirits seek solace as they navigate changing times and relationships past.

Fun fact: it stars Emmy Award winner Rhea Perlman!

Photo credit: Michael Brosilow

Stingray Touch

Fri, 24 May 2013 19:00:00 GMT

05-17-2013

Explore the underwater grace and wonder of stingrays in this hands-on, outdoor exhibit! You'll be able to see and feel the texture and movement of these gentle gliding animals. The new 18,000-gallon pool, located under a tented structure on the aquarium's south terrace, will be home to approximately 40 cownose rays and yellow rays.

Photos courtesy of John G. Shedd Aquarium

Superheroes Unite!

Fri, 24 May 2013 19:00:00 GMT

04-01-2013 to 05-31-2013 -

Zap! Pow! Whoosh! Dust off that cape and embrace your inner superhero! Exhibit highlights include:

Superhero Capes - Make a cape that represents your superhero identity. Decorate your cape to announce your unique powers and personality!
Super Power Challenge - Test your superpowers throughout the museum. Complete the eight challenges on your Power Card, and you'll be ready for action!
Pledge Your Powers - Do you promise to have fun and do good? Take our pledge and earn a gold "Official Superhero" sticker.
Make It Fly! - What makes something fly? What makes it soar, dip, plummet, sail and crash? Explore flight with one of our Tinkerers-in-Residence.
Gadget Power - If you're up for the challenge, make yourself a pocket-sized mini-gizmo to boost your superpowers!
Super Sidekicks (Artabounds Studio) - Even the most powerful avenger needs a hand now and then. Assemble a super sidekick finger puppet out of fabric and other super stuff.
Super-Secret (and Super-Small) Superhero Lairs (Artabounds Studio) - Every defender of truth and justice needs a break once in a while! Whether it's a cave, fortress or satellite orbiting the moon, create a model superhero lair using beautiful buttons, recycled mini-materials and other super stuff!

Photos courtesy of Chicago Children's Museum

Tea with Edie and Fitz

Fri, 24 May 2013 19:00:00 GMT

04-26-2013 to 06-09-2013 -

Dead Writers Theatre Collective presents Tea with Edie and Fitz, a production chronicling the tempestuous meeting of literary icons Edith Wharton and F. Scott Fitzgerald in the 1920s. This play imagines what may have happened in that meeting that led them to never speak again!

Photos by Anthony La Penna

The Book of Mormon

Fri, 24 May 2013 19:00:00 GMT

12-11-2012 to 10-06-2013 -

Don’t miss this chance to see Broadway’s hottest production - winner of 9 Tony Awards® and the show Ben Brantley of The New York Times calls “the best musical of this century.” From South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone and Avenue Q co-creator Robert Lopez, this musical will have you in tears, from laughter.

Helpful tip: the best availability for tickets is Wednesday matinees in January and February.

Photo credit: The Book of Mormon on Broadway

The Brig

Fri, 24 May 2013 19:00:00 GMT

04-18-2013 to 05-26-2013 -

Mary-Arrchie Theatre Co. presents The Brig by Kenneth H. Brown, a Marine veteran who served in a military prison in Camp Fuji, Japan. Given an innovative environmental staging that invites the audience into the world of the Marine prison, this production is highly physical and challenging-both for the 15 actors recreating a relentless brutality, and for viewers, who will come to question what it means to be part of a successful military unit, and to be an individual stripped to his essence.

Photo Credit: Ashley Rose

The Electric Baby

Fri, 24 May 2013 19:00:00 GMT

05-16-2013 to 06-22-2013 -

Rivendell Theatre Ensemble (RTE) presents the Midwest Premiere of The Electric Baby, a production mixing folk tales and folklore. When a young man is killed in a car accident, a group of fractured souls come together to care for a magical glowing baby. This powerful and moving new play examines sad endings, strange beginnings and the unlikely people you meet.

Fun fact: RTE is Chicago's only Equity theatre devoted to the work of women theatre artists.

The Elephant & The Whale

Fri, 24 May 2013 19:00:00 GMT

04-10-2013 to 05-26-2013 -

The Chicago Children's Theatre's seventh season will conclude with the world premiere of The Elephant & The Whale. This new family fable features sea shanties, wild mechanical objects, theatrical clowning, hand painted imagery, exquisite shadow puppets and innovative sound design. It's a love story spanning species, time zones and nautical miles!

The Glass Menagerie

Fri, 24 May 2013 19:00:00 GMT

05-23-2013 to 06-30-2013 -

Following its critically acclaimed, sold-out run at Angel Island this winter, Mary-Arrchie Theatre Co. presents The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams. In this re-imagining, a homeless man is living on the streets of St. Louis, post-WWII, navigating through the gritty back alleys of his imagination to the events that lead to his ultimate demise.

Photos by Emily Schwartz

The Knowledge

Fri, 24 May 2013 19:00:00 GMT

04-18-2013 to 06-22-2013 - Steep Theatre Company's third production in its 2012/13 season is the U.S. Premiere of The Knowledge. This darkly funny and bracing play tells the story of a teacher's fight for survival in a broken school system.

The Lake Effect

Fri, 24 May 2013 19:00:00 GMT

04-23-2013 to 05-26-2013 - Silk Road Rising presents the world premiere of The Lake Effect. This play sets in motion a complicated web of relationships and conflicts that challenge our perceptions of race, gender and success as an Indian American brother and sister are reunited by the sudden death of their father.

The Misanthrope

Fri, 24 May 2013 19:00:00 GMT

05-09-2013 to 06-09-2013 -

In a society where social graces reign supreme, a cynical man causes a scandal when he refuses to play his part in the charade. He must decide his destiny in this funny and droll comedy of manners set in the French Baroque.

The Misanthrope is part of The Molière Festival along with its production of Tartuffe.

The Miss Neo Pageant

Fri, 24 May 2013 19:00:00 GMT

05-16-2013 to 06-22-2013 - The women of The Neo-Futurarium get "dirt in the skirt" with The Miss Neo Pageant. This show smashes the traditional American beauty pageant form with real stories of fully-grown girls stumbling into womanhood. The delightfully offbeat contestants walk the fine line between female rivalry and alliance, vying to become fully-realized adults in a world without winners.

The Robbers

Fri, 24 May 2013 19:00:00 GMT

04-25-2013 to 05-26-2013 - Strangeloop Theatre presents an original adaptation of Friedrich Schiller's The Robbers. In the play, murder and thievery fan the flames of conflict between two ambitious siblings, fighting for inheritance and the power to remake the world in their own image. Strangeloop's all-female cast plays the roles of sons, fathers, kings and knaves, in this modern retelling of the revolutionary German classic.

The Sahmat Collective

Fri, 24 May 2013 19:00:00 GMT

02-14-2013 to 06-09-2013 -

The Sahmat Collective: Art and Activism In India since 1989 introduces the work of Sahmat, a Delhi-based collective. Animated by the belief that art can propel change and that culture can reach across boundaries, Sahmat offers a platform for an expansive group of artists and collaborators to present works of art that defend freedom of expression and battle intolerance.

Fun fact: iPads are available in the exhibition to watch a series of videos that discuss Sahmat's history and its impact on contemporary art-making in India!

Photo credit:

Pushpamala N., Motherland with Om Flag and Trishul, 2009, digital print, dimensions variable.

Documentary photographs of Slogans for Communal Harmony, 1992, hand-painted auto-rickshaws with poems about brotherhood.

Atul Dodiya, B for Bapu, 2001, Exterior: oil and enamel paint on grilled metal roller shutter; interior: acrylic and varnish on canvas with thread and lock. Collection: Lekha and Anupam Poddar, Delhi.

The Silent Language

Fri, 24 May 2013 19:00:00 GMT

04-19-2013 to 06-09-2013 -

This U.S. premiere by a Serbian playwright is highly musical and darkly comedic. The Silent Language is an adaptation of an old Serbian folk tale which follows the journey of a young village servant as he gains the ability to understand the language only animals can speak.

Photos by Anthony Robert La Penna

The Universe: A Walk through Space and Time

Fri, 24 May 2013 19:00:00 GMT

07-13-2012

Adler Planetarium's newest exhibition teaches you all about the Universe. Featuring various multi-media interactive stations, The Universe: A Walk through Space and Time is a mix of fun and education.

As you walk through, you'll first learn about the history of the Universe. You're invited to explore the big questions - how large is the Universe? Are we alone?
Next you'll see the wonders of the Universe thanks to spectacular overhead projection. You can zoom from one location to another, viewing high resolution images from the world's best telescopes.
Your kids can play in interactive stations too. They can look like an astronaut on the moon. They can also send electronic postcards to themselves from galaxies, traveling at the speed of light.

The Universe: A Walk through Space and Time is located in the Adler's newly renovated Pritzker Hall of Cosmology.

Photo credit: Adler Planetarium

Theaster Gates: 13th Ballad

Fri, 24 May 2013 19:00:00 GMT

05-18-2013 to 10-06-2013 -

Chicago-based artist Theaster Gates' 13th Ballad is a further development of his 12 Ballads for Huguenot House. This exhibition is a large-scale installation, comprised of objects and materials from the historic Hugeuenot House building as well as pews from the University of Chicago's Bond Chapel.

Image courtesy of Kavi Gupta CHICAGO I BERLIN.