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Friday, September 9, 2022

Chicago Magic Lounge Presents Paige Thompson in A Paige in Time Wednesdays beginning October 5, 2022

ChiIL Live Shows On Our Radar

Paige Thompson’s A Paige in Time

Chicago Magic Lounge, Chicago’s home for close-up magic, continues its Artist-In-Residence series with Paige Thompson’s A Paige in Time, Wednesdays at 7:00pm, October 5 – December 21, 2022. A Chicago Magic Lounge favorite, Thompson’s new show is built on the moments in her life that have shaped her unique approach to magic. Tickets for all Chicago Magic Lounge shows are available at the box office, (312) 366-4500 or online at chicagomagiclounge.com.

What can you say about Paige Thompson? She's talented and quirky. She loves the Miami Dolphins and Oakland A's. Sequins and stilettos. And, above all else, Magic. Join Paige as she shares moments from her life that have motivated her to pursue her passion and fuel the inspiration for her unique take on Magic. Fun, interactive, and amazing, A Paige in Time is a Magic show with heart.

Paige Thompson travels the world sharing her distinctive brand of Magic. A resident company member of Chicago Magic Lounge, she has also wowed crowds in Branson, Missouri, Liberty Magic in Pittsburgh, the world-famous Magic Castle in Hollywood, and House of Cards in Nashville, Tennessee.

Her television credits include multiple appearances on the CW's Masters of Illusion and as a featured contestant on FOX's Showtime at the Apollo, hosted by Steve Harvey. Most recently, Paige was featured on Penn and Teller: Fool Us. Her international television credits include the highly acclaimed America's Got Talent and Germany's Das Supertalent, where she can be seen working alongside some of the top illusionists in the game.

A Paige in Time will be presented on Wednesdays at 7:00pm, October 5 – December 21, 2022. Tickets are priced $45 (Main Floor) and $50 (Front Row).


Also Happening at Chicago Magic Lounge

Music & Magic

Mondays at 7:00pm

Tickets: General Admission $30

 

The Showcase

Tuesdays at 7:00pm

Tickets: Standard: $35; Front Row: $40


Artist-in-Residence Series

Wednesdays at 7:00pm

Luis Carreon, La Bestia, Now through September 28, 2022

Tickets: Standard: $45; Front Row: $50

What you see is not always what you get. Beneath Luis Carreon's suave and debonair exterior lies La Bestia (The Beast). In his one-man show, Luis combines his jaw-dropping magical skills, his Latin heritage, and off-the-wall comedy to share his real-life experiences, poking fun at stereotypes, cultural differences, and himself. 

Luis Carreon is a highly sought-after entertainer, performing magic across the country – from New York City's Monday Night Magic to House of Cards in Nashville to the world famous Magic Castle in Hollywood, California. An award-winning and well-respected magician, Luis regularly travels the country teaching other magicians about the art of magic. He is also a regular performer, fan favorite, and co-founding company member of the Chicago Magic Lounge. 

The Signature Show

Thursdays-Sundays at 7:00pm, Fridays and Sundays at 10pm

Tickets: Front Row $85, Premium Main Floor (main floor banquette and main floor cabaret) $72.50, Standard (rail and elevated banquette) $65, Mezzanine $52.50. 

The Signature Show was conceived in 2015 as an homage to the historic, Chicago magic bar scene. Experience close-up magic right at your table during the cocktail hour, followed by an hour of stage magic featuring masters of their craft performing feats of prestidigitation and sleight of hand. Guests who purchase Premium tickets (Front Row, Main Floor Cabaret, Main Floor Banquette) are invited to an exclusive performance of close-up magic directly after the main stage show in our 43-seat close-up gallery, The 654 Club.

 

Holiday Week

Chicago Magic Lounge presents a week of Signature Shows between Christmas and New Year’s Eve.

 

The Holiday week schedule for The Signature Show is as follows:

December 26-30 at 7pm

Thursday, December 29 and Friday, December 30 at 10pm

New Year’s Eve Signature Show, Friday, December 31 at 7pm, New Year's Eve Celebration Show at 10pm

Tickets for performances December 26-30 are (Front Row) $85, (Premium Main Floor) $72.50, (Standard Main Floor) $65, (Mezzanine) $52.50. Tickets to the early New Years Even show are (Front Row) $90, (Premium Main Floor) $77.50, (Standard Main Floor) $70, (Mezzanine) $57.50.

Make your New Year’s Eve extraordinary with a night of magic at The New Year’s Eve Celebration, Saturday, December 31 at 10pm. The evening starts with close-up magic performed right at your cabaret table by our talented house magicians. In between visits, you will have time to socialize with your party and order from our full-service bar and kitchen. Table magic is followed by a 60-minute stage show. Tickets are $80 (Mezzanine); $85 (Standard Main Floor); $95 (Premium Main Floor) and $110 (Front Row). Ticket prices include a champagne toast at midnight and souvenir champagne flute.

Tickets for all Chicago Magic Lounge performances are available at the box office, (312) 366-4500 or online at chicagomagiclounge.com. Chicago Magic Lounge is a 21+ venue. Ages 16+ allowed to ticketed shows with a legal guardian. 





For the health and safety of our staff, guests and community, you must be fully vaccinated to enter the premises. Ticket holders will be asked to present proof of vaccination status upon arrival.


For a complete schedule of performances and more information about Chicago Magic Lounge, resident and guest performers, and more, please visit chicagomagiclounge.com.

Thursday, September 8, 2022

OPENING: World Premiere of Enough to Let the Light In at Steppenwolf’s 1700 Theater September 21-October 23, 2022

ChiIL Live Shows On Our Radar

TEATRO VISTA PREMIERES PALOMA NOZICKA’S PSYCHOLOGICAL THRILLER 

ENOUGH TO LET THE LIGHT IN

DIRECTED BY GEORGETTE VERDIN, STARRING MELISSA DUPREY AND LISANDRA TENA, SEPTEMBER 21-OCTOBER 23 AT STEPPENWOLF’S 1700 THEATER, PART OF 5TH DESTINOS FESTIVAL

The performance is presented in English. Runtime is 85 minutes


Melissa DuPrey (left) and Lisandra Tena star in Teatro Vista's psychological thriller Enough to Let the Light In

Teatro Vista opens its 2022-23 season with Enough to Let the Light In, a world premiere drama about love, truth, and the ghosts that won't let us go by Mexican-American actor/playwright/ filmmaker/director Paloma Nozicka.

It’s co-presented at Steppenwolf’s 1700 Theater, September 21-October 23, 2022, as part of the 5th Destinos, Chicago International Latino Theater Festival. I'll be out for opening night, September 23rd, so check back soon for my full review. 

Enough to Let the Light In is a riveting psychological thriller about girlfriends Marc and Cynthia, who start an evening together celebrating a milestone. But the night quickly devolves into chaos as buried secrets are revealed and lives are irrevocably changed. 

(from left) Playwright Paloma Nozicka, director Georgette Verdin, and actors Melissa DuPrey and Lisandra Tena

Chicago’s own Melissa DuPrey, known for her role as Dr. Sara Ortiz on ABC’s Grey’s Anatomy, plays Marc. Lisandra Tena, who trained at the Theater School of DePaul and played Lola Guerrero on AMC’s Fear The Walking Dead, is Cynthia. Georgette Verdin directs.

“Enough to Let the Light In is a taut, poignant and startling exploration of love and loss,” said Verdin. “Audiences will experience one fateful evening in the lives of Marc and Cynthia, two women who are very much in love. But what happens when everything they thought they understood about each other gets thrown into question and their commitment is put through the ultimate test? Paloma’s play will have you leaning in and grasping for solid ground.” 

Nozicka, the playwright, elaborated, “Enough to Let the Light In is, at its core, a love story - albeit a different version than what we’re used to seeing onstage. I wanted to write something that features the characters that I want to see more of in theater - funny, complicated, deeply flawed women who are trying their best to deal with truly strange circumstances. My hope is that this play, and these characters, stay in people’s minds for a long, long time.”  

Teatro Vista’s production team includes Sotirios Livaditis (scenic design), Gregory Graham (costumes), Stefanie M. Senior (sound), Emma Deane (lights), Lonnae Hickman (props), Courtney Abbott (intimacy director), Adelina Feldman-Schultz (casting), Julie Jachym (production manager), Johnnie Schleyer (technical director) and Conchita Avitia (master electrician). Stage manager is Wendye Clarendon. Olivia Ellery is assistant stage manager. Covers are Gaby Moldovan and Sofia Tew. Lorena Diaz and Wendy Mateo are co-artistic directors of Teatro Vista. Cruz Gonzalez-Cadel is artistic producer. 

Previews of Enough to Let the Light In are Wednesday and Thursday, September 21 and 22 at 8 p.m. Press opening is Friday, September 23 at 8 p.m. Performances run through October 23: Thursdays and Fridays at 8 p.m.; Saturdays at 3 p.m. and 8 p.m.; and Sundays at 3 p.m.

Steppenwolf’s 1700 Theater is located at 1700 N. Halsted St., Chicago. Tickets, $25-$45, are on sale now at steppenwolf.org.

Sign up for Teatro Vista’s e-newsletter at teatrovista.org to receive first notice of new shows, episodes, and behind-the-scenes content, or follow Teatro Vista on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram. 

Teatro Vista’s Enough to Let the Light In doubles as the company’s entry in the 5th Destinos, Chicago International Latino Theater Festival. This year’s annual, city-wide event, produced by the Chicago Latino Theater Alliance (CLATA), will showcase top Latino theater artists and companies from Chicago, the U.S. and Latin America for five consecutive weeks, September 14-October 16, 2022. Visit destinosfest.org to purchase tickets and see the full line-up.

Play Description: En Espanol

Una pareja disfruta una noche de celebración, pero rápidamente se convertirá en un caos a medida que algunos secretos vayan siendo revelados y sus vidas cambien para siempre. Enough to Let the Light In es un thriller psicológico sobre el amor, la verdad y los fantasmas que no nos abandonan.

This is a Teatro Vista Joint: In-person show discount opportunities

Student Nights: Thursday nights are Student Nights at Teatro Vista. Students with a valid student ID can get tickets at $15 with the code TVSTUDENT to every Thursday performance. (Please note: one ticket per student ID.)

Teatro For All: Teatro For All is a new initiative to offer affordable tickets to students, artists, seniors or anyone on a tight budget. Teatro For All tickets are available for every performance on a first come first served basis. We trust our community inherently and hope these tickets find the folks who need them most. If you need to access a Teatro For All priced ticket, please use code TEATROFORALL at checkout.

Group Tickets: Booking a group of 10 or more? Group rates are available. To check availability or other details, please send an email to info@teatrovista.org.



Covid-19 Policy: Enough to Let The Light In is co-presented at Steppenwolf 1700 Theater, which, at press time, requires patrons to wear masks. 


Enough to Let the Light In: Playwright, director and actor bios 

Paloma Nozicka (playwright) is a Mexican-American actor, writer and director. TV acting credits include recurring roles on The Red Line (CBS); Proven Innocent, Empire (FOX); Chicago Med, Chicago PD (NBC). She’s worked at some of the country's most prestigious theaters, including Geffen Playhouse, Goodman Theatre, and Steppenwolf Theatre. She's written several short plays, two short films, and currently has a feature film in development. Directing credits include her short film Each Lovely Thing (currently in festivals). palomanozicka.com

Georgette Verdin (director), is a Cuban-American director, arts educator and the current Michael Maggio Directing Fellow at Goodman Theatre. Since 2015, she has served as the Managing Artistic Director of Interrobang Theatre Project. Verdin is also a company member with Rivendell Theatre Ensemble. Select directing credits include Chagall in School (Grippo Stage Company at Theater Wit), Spay by Madison Fiedler (Rivendell Theatre), This Wide Night by Chloë Moss (Shattered Globe Theatre/Interrobang Theatre Project), Tribes by Nina Raine (Western Michigan University), the U.S. Premiere of Out of Love by Elinor Cook, as well as, Utility, the 2016 Yale Drama Series winner by Emily Schwend (Interrobang Theatre Project). Verdin holds a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre Performance from McNeese State University and a Master in Directing from the Chicago College of Performing Arts at Roosevelt University. Verdin received 3Arts Make-A-Wave grant in 2021 and is an associate member of Stage Directors and Choreographers Society. georgetteverdin.com

Melissa DuPrey (Marc) is a multidisciplinary artist with roots from Humboldt Park, Chicago. After earning double Bachelor of the Arts degrees from the University of Houston, she returned to Chicago to join the all-Latina theatre company, Teatro Luna. Her one-woman show, SEXomedy (2012), was developed during their monthly series for women of color in the arts and received a Chicago Reader Recommendation, a Member's Pick, and had a successful debut Off-Broadway in New York. The popular show spurred a progressive sequel, SEXomedy 2.0, which debuted at Steppenwolf Theatre in April 2019. Her second solo show, SUSHI-frito, has also been critically acclaimed as part of MPAACT's Signature Series for solo artists. DuPrey is also a community organizer and spiritualist who also launched The Good Grief Project-an extension of the social justice component from her play GOOD GRIEF where communities of color are connected to local, accessible and multidisciplinary mental and spiritual wellness practitioners of color. In 2021, the New York-based new work development company, ARS NOVA, invited her to develop her fifth solo play, RISE OF THUNDERDOME, to a national digital audience. Her full-length play BRUJAJA was selected as part of 16th Street’s New Play Pop Up Reading Series for 2019 and received its world premiere in 2021 as a digital theatrical release produced by UrbanTheater Company. In 2014, she was selected as a new talent in the ABC Diversity Showcase in New York City. She has performed stand-up comedy in Chicago, New York, New Jersey, Philadelphia, and Los Angeles. She is a featured actor in the Emmy-nominated web-series Brown Girls and has many regional and non regional theater credits in Chicago. She is credited with playing “Dr. Sara Ortiz” on Grey's Anatomy (Season 17 and 18). Other TV credits include a recurring appearance on Empire (FOX), and guest appearances on The Resident (FOX), Chicago PD (NBC), and The Chi (Showtime). Film credits include: Relative (2022), Long Division (2022), Cherry (2020), Two in the Bush (2017), The Way We Speak (2014) and Bromance (2014). As a musician and active member of her community, she is dedicated to the preservation of Puerto Rican culture by way of the folkloric music, Bomba y Plena, with Africaribe and Las BomPleneras. She is currently an Ensemble Member at UrbanTheater Company and Artistic Associate at Sideshow Theater.

Lisandra Tena (Cynthia) graduated magna cum laude from the Theatre School at DePaul University. Stage credits include Mother Road (Goodman Theatre), Crime Scene: A Chicago Anthology (Collaboraction Theatre), Your Problem with Men (Los Angeles Theatre Center), and her self-written one-woman show, Güera (tour included Illinois, New Mexico, and Arizona). Tena has also appeared in numerous films, commercials, and voiceovers. She is best known for her role as Lola Guerrero on AMC’s Fear The Walking Dead. Other television credits include The Good Place, NCIS, Chicago PD and Good Trouble. She is currently based in Los Angeles. 

Coming Soon as part of Teatro Vista’s 2022-23 season

Teatro Vista’s season’s theme is “Shadow Work,” featuring two world premiere live productions and two exciting new digital works intended “to bring to light that which sits in the unconscious mind.”

(from left) Marvin Quijada, Sandra Márquez, Alice da Cunha

Next spring, Chicago will be hailing The Dream King, a silent musical by Teatro Vista ensemble member Marvin Quijada, co-directed by ensemble member Sandra Márquez and Alice da Cunha.

The Dream King is a story of a man who falls in love with the woman of his dreams while in his dreams. A story told using no words. An exploration of the psyche told through movement, circus, projections, puppetry, and a willingness to let go of what one thinks a play should be. Performance dates and venue are TBA.

Teatro Vista digital productions in 2022-23

(from left) Isaac Gómez, Monty Cole


Digital productions dropping this season are La Vuelta, an original Teatro Vista film exploring how our existence in the world has ripple effects beyond us, particularly in times of great crisis and isolation. La Vuelta is written by ensemble member Isaac Gómez, directed by Monty Cole, and devised by ensemble members Charín Álvarez, Cruz Gonzalez-Cadel, Ramón Ybarra, Eddie Torres, Sandra Marquez and Sandra Delgado.  

Gabriel Ruiz

In addition, look for season two of The Fifth World, a serial fiction podcast written by ensemble member Gabriel Ruiz.

Season one, voiced by an all-Teatro Vista ensemble cast, followed Sebastian Reyes as he arrived in the small desert town of Palomas, Arizona to make his name producing a true crime story about a missing child. But things weren’t always what they seemed in Palomas, and Seba found himself in a whole other world.

Rescripted.org called season one of Teatro Vista’s serial podcast “tense, suspenseful, horrifying, gorgeous, and evocative…a must-listen.” Season two will uncover even more mysteries and seal Seba’s fate in a riveting tale rooted in Aztec mythology, set in modern times and influenced by a pandemic.

Get ready by listening to season one of The Fifth World, available to stream for free via teatrovista.org, Apple Podcasts and Spotify.


Enjoy Season 1, episodes 1 & 2 of The Fifth World. If you dare.

“At Teatro Vista, we believe the artists we collaborate with are inherently genius”

Teatro Vista Co-Artistic Directors Lorena Diaz (left) and Wendy Mateo

In a statement accompanying Teatro Vista’s season announcement, Co-Artistic Directors Lorena Diaz and Wendy Mateo wrote, “At Teatro Vista, we believe that the artists we collaborate with are inherently genius. These artists have not always been given the privilege to explore their work through different expressions in spaces where they see themselves reflected. As artists of color, we know what it means to be drawn into boxes we feel powerless to break out of. It is the work of our artists that defies the idea of what we have been known to produce as a Latine theater company and pushes us into greater depths of expression. Teatro Vista’s 2022-23 ‘Shadow Work’ season will explore what healing looks like and how humans are nurtured to fight against their dark unconscious, in a courageous search for the peace of mind of their inner light.”

Sign up for Teatro Vista’s e-newsletter at teatrovista.org to receive first notice of new shows, episodes, and behind-the-scenes content, or follow Teatro Vista on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram. 


SAVE THE DATES: VENUS CABARET THEATER ANNOUNCES FALL PROGRAMMING

ChiIL Live Shows On Our Radar

 Fall line-up to include:

Chicago Gay Men's Chorus presents On the Radio;
Barb Bailey – The Sequel: Hollywood Stories; Tim Murray is Witches!; Hocus Pocus Halloween Bash starring Ginger Minj from Hocus Pocus 2; Carrie 2: The Rage, The Unauthorized Musical Parody; David Fiorello: The Beautiful City Project; With a Twist! featuring Kevin Bishop, Steve Kimbrough, Paul Motondo and Nick Sula and Merry Christmas Darling: Heidi Kettenring sings Karen Carpenter

 
Venus Cabaret Theater, the intimate performance space at Mercury Theater Chicago, under the director of Cabaret Director Honey West, Artistic Director Christopher Chase Carter, Managing Director Kristi J. Martens and Executive Producers Walter Stearns and Eugene Dizon,announces programming for Fall 2022.

Venus Cabaret Theater is Mercury Theater Chicago’s second performance space, offering a unique theatrical experience complemented by specialty cocktails. Tickets for all Venus Cabaret Theater and Mercury Theater Chicago performances are available at MercuryTheaterChicago.com.

Cabaret Director Honey West comments, “As a performer, the Venus Cabaret Theater is one of my favorite places for cabaret. It’s a beautiful and intimate room and we thrilled to share it this fall with so many talented performers, including the Chicago Gay Men’s Chorus, Ginger Minj, Heidi Kettenring, Barb BaileyTim Murray and David Fiorello—and more! I know that performers and audience members, alike, will fall in love with the room, just as I have.”
The Venus Cabaret Theater Fall line-up includes:
 
Chicago Gay Men's Chorus presents On the Radio            
Saturday, September 17 at 7 pm and 9 pm
Tickets: $40 Reserved Seat, $25 General Admission
Tickets available on CGMC website https://www.cgmc.org/get-tickets/
 
On the Radio highlights Orson Welles' radio play "War of the Worlds" in a very CGMC-branded way. 29 chorus members celebrate 32 hits that permeated the airwaves. Whether it's about the radio, happened while listening to the radio, or Donna Summer's hit "On the Radio," the CGMC has it covered. Tune in this September. 
 
 
Barb Bailey – The Sequel: Hollywood Stories
Saturday, September 24 at 7:30 pm
Tickets: $35 General Admission (in-advance), $40 General Admission (day-of)
 
New songs and more stories! A heartwarming and hilarious show about how a baby was found in a cardboard box in West Virginia and how she ended up in the Music Business in Hollywood. That baby was Barb Bailey. Her escapades with famous stars are tell-all; bombshell and unforgettable. With a song list just as eclectic as Barb is - the audience is regaled with Sondheim, Peter Allen, and Ella - and everyone in between. Hollywood is a thrill ride exposing celebs from Burt Reynolds to Lady Gaga to high class call girls. Barb is a gorgeous powerhouse of intimacy and unbridled laughter. And her audiences keep bombarding the box offices for more!
 
 
Tim Murray is Witches!
Saturday, October 8 at 8 pm
Tickets: $20 General Admission (in-advance), $25 General Admission (day-of)
 
Wicked-obsessed stand-up comedian and TikTok gay Tim Murray performs original comedy songs about his favorite pop culture witches! Murray has made a brand out of loving the musical Wicked and now he has harnessed his passion into a super gay Halloween show about his favorite witches from several different movies and shows. Tim is a stand-up comedian, host of Slumber Party Podcast on iHeart Radio and can be seen on The Other Two on HBO Max, The Vivienne Takes Hollywood, the film Swan Song starring Jennifer Coolidge, and all over TikTok with his viral (often Wicked themed) sketch comedy videos. He has appeared in 50 Shades the Musical Off-Broadway (New York Times’ Critics Pick), Voldemort and the Teenage Hogwarts Musical Parody in London, and has toured his hour of stand-up in the UK, US and appeared at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, SF Sketchfest, DragCon UK and DragCon LA.
 
 
Hocus Pocus Halloween Bash
Starring Ginger Minj from Hocus Pocus 2
Featuring Ginger Galore, Aria Hard and Michael Burlow
Presented by Fruit Wine Productions
Friday, October 14 at 8:30 pm and 10:30 pm
Saturday, October 15 at 8:30 pm and 10:30 pm
Sunday, October 16 at 2 pm
Tickets: $40 General Admission
 
It's been 30 years and the Sanderson sisters are back! Join Ginger Minj, fresh off her appearance in Hocus Pocus 2, Gidget Galore and Aria Hard as Winnifred, Mary and Sarah for The Hocus Pocus Halloween Bash! Are you ready to run amok amok amok?
 
 
Carrie 2: The Rage, The Unauthorized Musical Parody
October 17 at 7:30pm
Tickets: $25
 
Since 1976 you've been in love with Carrie White, the telekinetic teen whose catastrophic prom night captivated the nation and led to thrilling adaptations, musicals, and revivals. Since 1999, you've completely missed the fact that Carrie has a legitimate cinematic sequel that tells the story of Carrie's half-sister, Rachel, an angst-ridden rebel whose life seems to be looking up until her mysterious powers take hold. 
 
Now, with Carrie 2: The Rage, The Unauthorized Musical Parody (In Concert), you can relive the magic of Carrie in nearly every way as prom night survivor-turned-school counselor Sue Snell seeks to help Rachel before it's too late, Rachel's hyper-religious mother tries to kill her, and popular high schoolers prove, once again, they are the absolute worst. 
 
 
David Fiorello: The Beautiful City Project
Monday, October 31 at 7:30 pm
Tickets, $25, will be available October 1 at http://www.thebeautifulcityproject.com
 
Join The Beautiful City Project as they present Project Moonfall, a Halloween-inspired evening of some of the darker songs in musical theater. Featuring many of the city's top talent, these shows tend to sell out quickly, so if you haven't seen one of their projects yet, now is absolutely the time!
 
 
With a Twist!
Featuring Kevin Bishop, Steve Kimbrough, Paul Motondo, and Nick Sula
Friday, November 18 at 7:30 pm
Saturday, November 19 at 7:30 pm
Tickets: $25 General Admission
 
With A Twist! is comprised of Kevin Bishop, Steve Kimbrough, Paul Motondo, and Nick Sula. The mixologists of song bring you their concoction of potent arrangements and refreshing mashups celebrating icons. They put their twist on classic and contemporary songs transforming them into unique, fun three-part harmony. They have been performing together since 2011 with numerous hit shows at Davenport’s, Park West, Stage 773, The Skokie Theater and Uptown Underground. Come on and get Twisted!
 
 
Merry Christmas Darling: Heidi Kettenring sings Karen Carpenter
Friday, November 25 at 8:30 pm
Saturday, November 26 at 3:30 pm and 8:30 pm
Sunday, November 27 at 3:30 pm
Tickets: $70
 
Chicago’s favorite leading lady Heidi Kettenring (Wicked, Broadway in Chicago) and her exceptional band present the timeless treasures and holiday hits of Karen Carpenter. A storyteller sure to stir the heart, multi-award-winner Kettenring tenderly chronicles Carpenter’s troubles and triumphs with a familiar angelic radiance. Around the Town Chicago calls the show, “Glorious. An elegant, tear jerking, sing along concert event." Songs include "Close To You," "Merry Christmas Darling," "For All We Know," and "The Christmas Song." Presented by Artists Lounge Live.


COVID PROTOCOL: Mercury Theater Chicago follows the CDC and State of Illinois recommendations about maintaining a COVID safe environment. Any interaction with the public poses an inherent risk of exposure to COVID-19. By visiting Mercury Theater Chicago, it is understood that everyone voluntarily assumes all risks related to exposure.
 
Patrons are highly encouraged to wear masks throughout the performance when not actively eating or drinking regardless of vaccination status.



About Mercury Theater Chicago
The beautifully renovated Mercury Theater Chicago is in the heart of the Southport Corridor at 3745 North Southport Avenue, within a sophisticated neighborhood of restaurants and boutiques just steps from Wrigley Field. A delightful destination, Mercury Theater Chicago is a live-theater seating 280 people, adjoining Venus Cabaret Theater (seating 80). 
 
The building that houses the Mercury opened in 1912 as a silent film nickelodeon, named The Blaine Theatre after actor and former Senator and Secretary of State James G. Blaine. The Blaine became obsolete when talking pictures became popular nationwide in 1928. The building served a variety of uses until 1994, when it was purchased by theater producer Michael Cullen and transformed into a live theatre, named the Mercury Theatre.
 
In 2010 the building was sold again and reopened as Mercury Theater Chicago under the direction of Walter Stearns, a veteran theater director and producer. Mercury Theater Chicago's second performance space, Venus Cabaret Theater, offers a unique intimate theatrical experience complemented by specialty cocktails. Mercury Theater Chicago is thrilled to be part of the city's vibrant theatre community, boasting record-setting long runs, employing hundreds of artists, and recognized with dozens of award nominations. Mercury Theater Chicago's team includes Christopher Chase Carter (Artistic Director), Walter Stearns and Eugene Dizon (Executive Producers), Kristi J. Martens (Managing Director) and Honey West (Cabaret Director). Visit MercuryTheaterChicago.com.

FEST ALERT: Destinos, 5th Chicago International Latino Theater Festival SEPTEMBER 14-OCTOBER 16, 2022

ChiIL Live Shows On Our Radar

DESTINOS
5th CHICAGO INTERNATIONAL LATINO THEATER FESTIVAL, 
RETURNS SEPTEMBER 14-OCTOBER 16, 2022 WITH A WILDLY DIVERSE SLATE OF NEW DRAMAS AND COMEDIES ABOUT THE LATINO EXPERIENCE FROM CHICAGO, THE U.S. AND LATIN AMERICA

Destinos, 5th Chicago International Latino Theater Festival will host (top, left) the U.S. premiere of Blanco Temblor by Puerto Rico’s Teatro Público, a play about mental health featuring Isel Rodríguez, September 29-October 2 at The Den Theatre. The Midwest premiere of Pequeños Territorios en Reconstrucción (top, right), a documentary about a group of Colombian women who built 98 houses with their own hands, from Mexico City’s Teatro Línea de Sombra, is co-presented by CLATA and Goodman Theatre, September 21-25. Mexican TV stars María del Carmen Félix (bottom, left) and Mariannela Cataño (middle) star in the world premiere of La Pájara de San Juan at the National Museum of Mexican Art, September 14-17. Latino favorite Flaco Navaja stars in UrbanTheater’s Midwest premiere of his first solo show Evolution of a Sonero, September 29-October 23. 


Destinos, 5th Chicago International Latino Theater Festival, Chicago’s annual citywide festival showcasing Latino theater artists and companies from Chicago, the U.S. and Latin America, returns September 14-October 16, 2022.

Destinos kicks off Chicago’s Hispanic Heritage Month with five weeks of Latino-centric shows, panels and student performances at downtown venues, neighborhood theaters, and cultural institutions throughout the Chicago area.

The full Destinos 2022 line-up – 13 amazing productions including six world premieres, four U.S. premieres and three Midwest premieres – is set and tickets to most productions are on sale at destinosfest.org

Chicagoans and visitors alike are encouraged to get their tickets now to experience new, vibrant solo shows and large scale productions playing on Chicago’s top stages in September and October, each celebrating the Latino experience.

Visit destinosfest.org to purchase tickets and for full show information. Sign up for CLATA’s weekly e-newsletter for first notice of festival events. Follow Destinos on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, all at @latinotheater. 


Destinos is produced annually by the Chicago Latino Theater Alliance (CLATA), a transformative cultural engine helping drive the city’s local Latino theater community to a more prominent level, founded in 2016 by Myrna Salazar, the National Museum of Mexican Art (NMMA), the International Latino Cultural Center (ILCC), and the Puerto Rican Arts Alliance (PRAA). 


Chicagoans are still stunned by the recent loss of CLATA’s visionary leader, Myrna Salazar, who passed away suddenly on August 3.

“CLATA’s success would not have been possible without a visionary at the helm, a person with the tenacity and passion to bring Chicago’s Latino theater community to a level that had not yet been imagined,” wrote the CLATA staff in a program note dedicating this year’s Destinos to her memory. “Now, in her honor, CLATA is charged with the task of making sure her legacy forges ahead with the same unbridled zeal that Myrna brought to her beloved organization, the Destinos Festival, and her everyday life.” 

2022 festival highlights include three out-of-town productions from Mexico and Puerto Rico: 

The world premiere of La Pájara de San Juan, a Trump-era drama about two sisters, one documented, one not, on a fateful night in Chicago, starring Mexican TV stars María del Carmen Félix and Mariannela Cataño. It is written by Victor Salinas and Sergio Gezzi, and co-presented by CLATA and the National Museum of Mexican Art, September 14-17. Opens Wednesday, September 14 at 7:30 p.m.

The Midwest premiere of Pequeños Territorios en Reconstrucción, a documentary fable about a group of Colombian women who created the “League of Displaced Women” and built 98 houses with their own hands, from Mexico City’s Teatro Línea de Sombra, co-presented by CLATA and Goodman Theatre in the heart of Chicago’s Loop, September 21-25. Opens Wednesday, September 21 at 7:30 p.m.

The U.S. premiere of Blanco Temblor by Puerto Rico’s Teatro Público. This is a dramedy about mental health as told via the story of Marina del Mar, a doctor in quantum astrophysics, a Puerto Rican, bipolar, suicide survivor, with a disease from birth: she could not tremble. Performances are September 29-October 2 at The Den Theatre in Wicker Park. Opens Thursday, September 29 at 8 p.m.

You want new plays by Latino writers? Destinos will see diverse new works by Chicago’s top Latino companies and artists, including:

Las Migas by Colectivo El Pozo, a world premiere drama set on the roof of a Chicago skyscraper as an eerie red moon disrupts city life below, presented at Chess Live Theater in Bridgeport, September 15-October 2. Opens Thursday, September 15 at 8 p.m.

The U.S. premiere of Bruna la Bruja Bruta by Mexican playwright Tomás Urtusástegui, starring Teatro Tariakuri Artistic Director Karla Galván as a modern-day Latina bruja who flies into her theater’s Marquette Park storefront space to get a few things off her chest before Halloween. Performances are Saturdays and Sundays, September 17-October 16. Opens Saturday, September 17 at 8 p.m.

The U.S. debut of Tebas Land by Uruguayan playwright Sergio Blanco, inspired by the Oedipus myth, about a series of meetings in a prison basketball court between a playwright and a young parricide (a person who kills a parent or close relative), presented by CLATA with the National Museum of Mexican Art, at Chicago Dramatists, September 22-October 9. Opens Thursday, September 22 at 7:30 p.m.

The world premiere of Enough to Let the Light In, produced by Teatro Vista and co-presented with Steppenwolf Theatre Company. The playwright is Paloma Nozicka, a Mexican-American actor, writer, director and filmmaker, bred in Chicago, based in L.A. Her newest work introduces us to girlfriends Marc and Cynthia, who spend a night celebrating a milestone, but it quickly devolves into chaos as buried secrets are revealed and lives are irrevocably changed. Performances are September 21-October 23 at Steppenwolf’s 1700 Theater. Opens Friday, September 23 at 8 p.m.

Alma, an American Blues Theatre world premiere about a single mom who has single-handedly raised her daughter on tough love, home-cooked comida, and lots of prayers. But on the eve of her daughter’s SAT, she’s nowhere to be found. Alma, written by 2019 National Latinx Playwriting Award winner Benjamin Benne, runs September 22-October 22 at Rivendell Theatre Ensemble. Opens Wednesday and Thursday, September 28 and 29 at 7:30 p.m.

Poet, actor, singer and Latino favorite Flaco Navaja stars in his first full-length solo show Evolution of a Sonero, a Midwest premiere from UrbanTheater Company. With unabashed love for the Bronx, a gift for crafting memorable characters, and genuine good humor, Navaja and five top-notch musicians bring on the charm, the rhythm, and the soul essential to a Bronx Sonero. Don’t miss this fresh salsa epic about growing up, getting inspired, and staying on track. Performances are September 29-October 23. Opens Thursday, September 29 at 8 p.m.

The world premiere of BULL: a love story by Chicago playwright Nancy García Loza, about a Mexican American ex-con who returns to his old Chicago neighborhood, Lakeview, only to discover how much has moved on without him. BULL: a love story is a Paramount Theater BOLD Series production, October 5-November 20 at the new Copley Theatre in downtown Aurora, Illinois’ second largest city with a 40 percent Latino population. BULL also marks the first-ever expansion of Destinos into a Chicago suburb. Opens Wednesday and Thursday, October 12 and 13 at 7 p.m.

The midwest premiere of Sancocho by Visión Latino Theater Company, written by Christin Eve Cato, directed by Xavier M. Custodio. The play tells the story of two sisters, 25 years apart, who come together to discuss their father’s will while making a traditional sancocho stew that suddenly becomes peppered with revelations about their family history. Performances are October 8-30 at Windy City Playhouse. Opens Monday, October 10 at 7:30 p.m.

The U.S. premiere of Cintas de seda from Aguijón Theater in Chicago’s Belmont-Cragin/Hermosa neighborhood. Set on the eve of the Day of the Dead, this play by Norge Espinosa imagines a painter and nun coming together for an impossible dialogue with ghosts, hallucinations, and images of the past, October 13-November 20. Opens Friday, October 14 at 8 p.m.

The world premiere of The Wizards by Ricardo Gamboa, a supernatural thriller about a Brown and Black genderqueer couple who find a Quija board in their new Pilsen apartment that connects them to a ‘70s Mexican-American Motown cover band. The Wizards, co-produced by the Chicago Latino Theater Alliance at Pilsen’s historic APO Cultural Center, runs October 14-November 26.


About Destinos, 5th Chicago International Latino Theater Festival

Now entering its fifth year, Destinos is the signature program of the Chicago Latino Theater Alliance (CLATA), a transformative cultural engine helping drive the city’s local Latino theater community to a more prominent level. The organization’s goal is to create the country’s leading international Latino theater festival with an emphasis on showcasing Chicago Latino theater artists and companies. 

Visiting companies making their Destinos Festival debuts include Teatro Línea de Sombra (México), Teatro Público (Puerto Rico), and La Pájara de San Juan (Mexico/Washington D.C.). Participating Chicago Latino theaters are Aguijón Theater, Colectivo El Pozo, Concrete Content, Teatro Tariakuri, Teatro Vista, UrbanTheater Company and Visión Latino Theater Company. Presenting partners are Goodman Theatre, the National Museum of Mexican Art and Steppenwolf Theatre. Collaborating partners are American Blues Theater and Paramount Theater. Venue partners are APO Cultural Center, Chess Live Theater, Chicago Dramatists, The Den Theatre, Rivendell Theatre Ensemble and Windy City Playhouse. 

CLATA, which produces Destinos, was founded in 2016 as a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization by Myrna Salazar and Chicago’s three most prominent Latino arts organizations: the National Museum of Mexican Art (NMMA), the International Latino Cultural Center (ILCC), and the Puerto Rican Arts Alliance (PRAA). 

“In Spanish, the word ‘destinos’ has multiple meanings: destinies, destinations or fate,” explained CLATA’s late Executive Director Myrna Salazar, who passed away suddenly this past August, and to whom the 2022 festival is dedicated. “Destinos showcases Latino theater artists from Chicago, across the U.S. and Latin America to present engaging and thought-provoking stories that transcend boundaries, amplify Latino voices, and diversify Chicago stages to encourage cross-cultural conversation.” 

Additionally, CLATA continues to provide local groups ongoing organizational, marketing and financial support, and works diligently to create a permanent home for Chicago’s Latino theater artists. Ultimately, CLATA strives to underscore Chicago’s reputation as one of the most exciting and culturally diverse theater cities in the world.

CLATA gratefully acknowledges foundation support from the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, Paul M. Angell Family Foundation, Joyce Foundation, Ford Foundation, Walder Foundation, Driehaus Foundation, Bezos Family Foundation, Creative Reaction Lab, Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelly Foundation, Shubert Foundation, Chicago Community Trust, a CityArts grant from the City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events, Illinois Arts Council Agency and National Endowment for the Arts. Supporting partners are Allstate, Choose Chicago, Xfinity, 3Arts, ComEd and Wintrust.

For more, visit destinosfest.org or call (312) 631-3112.

OPENING: Paramount and Destinos Festival Pair Up for BULL: a love story by Nancy García Loza Oct. 5-Nov. 20

 ChiIL Live Shows On Our Radar

 BULL: a love story by Nancy García Loza 

closes Paramount’s BOLD Series with a tale about a contemporary Latino family 

Oct. 5-Nov. 20

Paramount’s BULL marks the first suburban production in Destinos Festival history



Bull dealt drugs, got caught, and served his time. After a decade, he is released from prison and returns to an unrecognizable Lakeview. What will it take to really get home? Find out in BULL: a love story, a world premiere play by Chicago writer Nancy García Loza. 

 

BULL: a love story, Nancy García Loza’s (left) world premiere play, directed by Laura Alcalá Baker, wraps up Paramount’s first BOLD Series, October 5-November 20, 2022 in downtown Aurora’s new Copley Theatre.

BULL: a love story has been developed for the past two years through Paramount Theatre’s Inception Project. Now this riveting, contemporary family drama will be brought to the stage as a full production as the finale of Paramount’s first-ever BOLD Series, now bringing a new brand of fearless, thought-provoking and unexpected forms of live theater to downtown Aurora.

Paramount’s new Copley Theatre is a sleek, state-of-the-art, 165-seat theater with a modern new lobby bar and lounge, reopened this past March as downtown Aurora’s newest live theater space following a two-year, $2 million, top-to-bottom renovation. The Copley is located at 8 E. Galena Blvd., in the North Island Center, right across the street from Paramount Theatre, in downtown Aurora.

BULL: a love story, directed by Laura Alcalá Baker, starts previews October 5, including two Pay What You Can Previews: Thursday, October 6, at 7 p.m., and Saturday, October 8, at 2 p.m. Press openings are Wednesday and Thursday, October 12 and 13 at 7 p.m. Performances continue through November 20: Wednesdays at 1:30 p.m. and 7 p.m.; Thursdays at 7 p.m.; Fridays at 8 p.m.; Saturdays at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m.; Sundays at 1 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. Tickets are $67 to $74.

For tickets and information to BULL: a love story at the Copley Theatre, visit paramountaurora.com, call (630) 896-6666, or stop by the Paramount box office, 23 E. Galena Blvd., Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Note:  BULL: a love story is suggested for ages 13 and up for adult language.

BULL: a love story is part of the 5th Destinos, Chicago International Latino Theater Festival, an annual, city-wide event produced by the Chicago Latino Theater Alliance (CLATA) showcasing top Latino theater artists and companies from Chicago, the U.S. and Latin America, September 14-October 16, 2022. Paramount Theatre is proud to be the first suburban theater to be included in Destinos.

Use promo code DESTINOS online, via phone or in person at the Paramount box office to access $35 tickets to BULL: a love story for performances during festival dates, October 5-16. This discount may not be combined with any other offer, and excludes opening nights, October 12 and 13. Learn more about the 2022 Destinos Festival at destinosfest.org. 

Behind-the scenes of Paramount’s BOLD Series production

BULL: a love story was originally presented in January, 2021 as a virtual staged reading as part of Paramount’s new play development program, The Inception Project. “Nancy García Loza has written such a beautiful love story and we are so honored to be a part of the journey of this piece from inception to full production,” said Amber Mak, Paramount’s artistic producer and new works development director.

BULL: a love story features (from left) Eddie Martinez as Bull, Alexandra Casillas as Sadie, Kelsey Elyse Rodriguez as Sol, Jocelyn Zamudio as Emme, Sammy A. Publes as Tio, and Andrew Perez as Otherman, Lawman and G.

For its world premiere staging, Paramount’s cast features Eddie Martinez as Bull, Alexandra Casillas as Sadie, Kelsey Elyse Rodriguez as Sol, Jocelyn Zamudio as Emme, Sammy A. Publes as Tio, and Andrew Perez as Otherman, Lawman and G. 

The production team includes Yeaji Kim, scenic designer; Izumi Inaba, costume designer; Cat Wilson, lighting designer; Jeffrey Levin, sound designer; Aimee Plant, properties designer; Liviu Pasare, projection designer; Ismael Lara, Jr., dramaturg and associate director; Maegan Burnell, stage manager; and Lanita VanderSchaaf, assistant stage manager.

Nancy García Loza is an award-winning self-taught, pocha playwright rooted in Chicago, Illinois and Jalisco, México. She is a two-time alumni of the national Fornés Playwriting Workshop. She has enjoyed residencies with Goodman Playwrights Unit and Future Labs, Steppenwolf Theatre and The New Harmony Project, Oregon Shakespeare Festival Black Swan Lab, SPACE on Ryder Farm Institutional Residency, and more. Her audio drama, Brava, is available on all podcast platforms (Make-Believe Association, 2019). She is currently under commission/development with Steppenwolf Theatre (Ascent), Goodman Theatre (Rust), the National Museum of Mexican Art (NMMA) (Pénjamo: a Pocha Road Trip story; Macha), and more. This year, she received The Joyce Award, as well as the APAP ArtsForward Award, both in collaboration with the National Museum of Mexican Art. She was most recently recognized by the Dramatists' Guild Council (NYC) as the 2022 Lanford Wilson Award recipient. She is the daughter of Mexican immigrants and the eldest daughter of seven children. She lives in Chicagolandia and writes in her kitchen. She is Mexican American, no hyphen.

Laura Alcalá Baker (director, she/her/hers) is a Chicago-based director and new play developer. She served as the Casting Director/Artistic Programs Manager at Victory Gardens Theater from 2016-2019 leading programs such as The Access Project and Directors’ Inclusion Initiative. Baker has developed and directed multiple new works including Isaac Gómez’s The Leopard Play, or sad songs for lost boys (Steep Theatre), The Way She Spoke (DCASE, Greenhouse Theater Center) and Omer Abbas Salem’s The Secretaries (First Floor Theater). She also directed the audio drama Brava by Nancy García Loza (Make Believe Association) which is available on all podcast platforms. Other select works include The Pillowman (The Gift Theatre), There is No Message in the Message, Shamed (The Gift Theatre’s TEN), Project Potential (Broken Nose Theatre’s Bechdel Fest), and Jets, Sharks, and Beckys (Collaboraction's PEACEBOOK Festival). Baker is a Steep Theatre Ensemble Member, a 2021 3Arts Make a Wave Recipient, and a proud member of the Alliance of Latinx Theatre Artists. For more visit, labdirecting.com. 

"Nancy is creating a canon of Chicago narratives,” said Baker. “She paints vividly, urgently to capture these stories while they are still living memory. BULL: a love story is just the first of many to make it to the stage. It is a heartfelt love letter to Chicago’s Lakeview and the people who built a life there. I believe it to be a new American classic."


Special Events

Paramount will offer two Pay What You Can Performances on Thursday, October 6, at 7 p.m., and Saturday, October 8, at 2 p.m.

College Night is Friday, October 21, at 8 p.m.

Church Night is Sunday, October 23, at 5:30 p.m. 


Access Services

Paramount will offer an American Sign Language interpreted performance on Friday, November 9, at 8 p.m.

If you require wheelchair or special seating or other assistance, please contact the box office at (630) 896-6666 or boxoffice@paramountarts.com in advance.

Paramount offers assistive listening devices free of charge at all performances. Check in at the coat room before the show to borrow a listening device.


Paramount Theatre’s Covid-19 commitment to and safety and protocol

Paramount Theatre has followed, and will continue to follow, the requirements of the State of Illinois and the Kane County Health Department. Therefore, Paramount is following the guidance of the State of Illinois and recommends, but no longer requires, masks, proof of vaccination or negative COVID test for patrons. Mask wearing is strongly encouraged, but will be optional. 


Across the street, Dreamgirls kicks off Paramount’s 11th Broadway Series, August 31- October 16

Right across the street from the Copley, Paramount Theatre is kicking off its 11th Broadway series with Dreamgirls, the Tony-winning musical inspired by The Supremes that spawned an Oscar-winning movie. Performances are August 31-October 16, 2022. 

Also playing the big stage during the final weeks of BULL: a love story is Paramount’s second 2022-23 Broadway production, The Sound of Music, November 9, 2022-January 8, 2023.

Paramount still offers the same “Buy Two Shows, Get Two Shows Free” subscription offer, just as it has since it launched its first Broadway Series in 2011. Four-show Broadway Series packages including Dreamgirls, The Sound of Music, plus Into the Woods and School of Rock in 2023 start as low as $56 (fees not included). To subscribe, visit ParamountAurora.com, call (630) 896-6666, or stop by the Paramount Theatre, 23 E. Galena Blvd. in downtown Aurora.













Photos of new Copley Theatre and lobby bar by Thomas J. King


About Paramount Theatre

Paramount Theatre, 23 E. Galena Blvd., is the center for performing arts in Aurora, the second largest city in Illinois. The beautiful, 1,843-seat theater, graced with a strong 1930s Art Deco influence and original Venetian décor, nationally known for its high-quality productions, superb acoustics and historic grandeur, has been downtown Aurora’s anchor attraction since 1931.

After launching its own Broadway Series in 2011, Paramount Theatre grew to be the second largest subscription house in the U.S. Before Covid, more than 41,000 subscribers from all over Chicagoland and the Midwest were enjoying Paramount’s critically acclaimed, 2019-20 Broadway-caliber productions. In addition, Paramount also presents an array of internationally known comedians, musicians, dance troupes and family shows annually.

Paramount Theatre is one of four live performance venues programmed and managed by the Aurora Civic Center Authority. ACCA also oversees downtown Aurora’s newly renovated 165-seat Copley Theatre, home to Paramount’s new BOLD Series, along with the Paramount School of the Arts, RiverEdge Park, the city’s 6,000-seat outdoor summer concert venue, and Stolp Island Theatre, an immersive space opening in summer 2023.

Paramount Theatre continues to expand its artistic and institutional boundaries under the guidance of Tim Rater, President and CEO, Aurora Civic Center Authority; Jim Corti, Artistic Director, Paramount Theatre; a dedicated Board of Trustees and a devoted staff of live theater and music professionals.

For the latest updates, visit ParamountAurora.com or follow @ParamountAurora on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter, and @paramountarts on Tik Tok.

ART BEAT: The National Hellenic Museum announces two new exhibitions

ChiIL Live Shows On Our Radar

Gather Together: Chicago Street Photography

by Diane Alexander White

September 16, 2022 – April 30, 2023

 

Storytelling in Cloth and Light

Open run beginning September 16, 2022

 

Museum’s grand reopening celebration in September also includes

world premiere of Resilience by HRH Prince Nikolaos


Greek Independence Day Parade in Chicago (1980), photo by Diane Alexander White

 

The National Hellenic Museum (NHM) in Chicago’s Greektown neighborhood—a premier museum dedicated to sharing Greek history, art, culture and the Greek American story—announced today two additional exhibitions as part of its grand reopening celebration this September. These exhibitions join the previously announced world premiere photography exhibition Resilience by HRH Prince Nikolaos.

In Gather Together: Chicago Street Photography by Diane Alexander White (September 16, 2022–April 30, 2023), the Chicago-based Greek American photographer presents 80 historic works showcasing Chicago’s Greek American celebrations alongside other ethnic and cultural festivals and parades, primarily from the 1970s and 1980s. Depicted events include the Greek Independence Day Parade, Greek Festival, Bud Billiken Day Parade, Japanese Festival, Chinese New Year Parade, Puerto Rican Festival, Mexican Civic Society Parade, Mexican Festival, St. Patrick’s Day Parade, Jewish Festival, German Von Steuben Day Parade, Polish Festival, Festa Italiana and the Indo-Pak Parade.

“Our mission at the National Hellenic Museum is to share Greek history, art and culture, and the Greek American experience. Diane’s works vividly capture how Chicago’s Greek American community gathers in the public space to show pride in its identity and share its culture. Through her images of other ethnic and cultural celebrations, Diane also explores the universality of how Chicagoans gather together to show pride in their diverse communities,” says NHM Executive Director Marianne Kountoures.

Storytelling in Cloth and Light (open run beginning September 16, 2022) presents a series of textiles and photographs side by side. The textiles, part of NHM’s expansive collection of more than 10,000 Greek American artifacts, were meticulously woven in Greece, largely by women, and brought across the ocean to the United States. The photographs are additional images from Diane Alexander White, which capture the people and landscapes of Greece in 1977, including her father’s village of Poulithra. Together, these artifacts tell stories connecting audiences with the people, places and events of the past—and encouraging viewers to remember their own stories.

These new exhibitions join the previously announced world premiere photography exhibition Resilience by HRH Prince Nikolaos (September 16–December 30, 2022). Prince Nikolaos’ North American debut includes 19 new works exploring Greece’s strong relationship with nature and environmental preservation. The exhibition also features the North American premiere of Together, an immersive scene of life-size illuminated, embracing olive trees accompanied by sounds of Greek nature, which first premiered at the London Design Biennale in 2021.

The National Hellenic Museum (333 S. Halsted Street, Chicago) presents three new exhibitions as part of its grand reopening celebration: the world premiere of Resilience by HRH Prince Nikolaos (September 16–December 30, 2022), Gather Together: Chicago Street Photography by Diane Alexander White (September 16, 2022–April 30, 2023) and Storytelling in Cloth and Light (open run beginning September 16, 2022). Beginning Friday, September 16, museum hours are Thursday-Sunday from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Tickets to the museum are $10 and include admission to all exhibits. Discounts are available for seniors, students and children. For more information, visit nationalhellenicmuseum.org or call 312-655-1234.

 The Resilience exhibition is sponsored by NHM Trustee John S. Koudounis.

 

Artist Bio

Photographs from film begin as negative images which are developed in the darkroom where a positive print is created. As a lifelong Chicago photographer, Diane Alexander White has explored the negative and positive effects of photography since 1972. Her father Angelo D. Alexander, who emigrated from Greece in 1920, became an avid photographer and shared his knowledge of the camera with his daughter, Diane. While attending the University of Illinois Chicago she took her knowledge of photography one step further by learning the ways of the darkroom. Photography instructor Robert Steigler opened her eyes to the art of capturing the street image as he was influenced by Harry Callahan, Arthur Siegel, Aaron Siskind and others at the Institute of Design (IIT). Upon graduating in 1976, she began working in studios and darkrooms and continued with her street photography. In 1983 Diane was hired by Field Museum head photographer Ron Testa to photograph natural history collections and she continues to work there to this day. For more information, visit dawhitephotography.com.

About the National Hellenic Museum

The National Hellenic Museum (NHM) is a premier museum dedicated to sharing Greek history, art and culture, from ancient times to the present day, including the modern Greek American experience. NHM preserves the Hellenic legacy and makes this rich heritage relevant today through its collection of thousands of physical artifacts, oral histories, exhibits, educational programs and special events. Originally founded in 1983 and located in Chicago’s historic Greektown neighborhood since 2011, the NHM provides lifelong learning for the community and sparks inquiry and discussion about the broader issues in our lives and society. Museum hours are Thursday-Sunday from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. For more information, visit nationalhellenicmuseum.org or call 312-655-1234.

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