Although the title of one of the Museum of Contemporary Art’s more fascinating current exhibits may enjoy a light-hearted ring, I Was Raised on the Internet proved deeply provocative, startlingly imaginative and characteristically beautiful. Rather than an examination of how the internet has shaped our lives, the artists participating in the show express the myriad …
MCA’s I Was Raised On the Internet a Provocative Beauty Read More »
Fans may still tsk-tsk Chaka Khan’s live performances for their lack of verve but her latest studio project, Like Sugar, unleashes that old funktified black magic with a vengeance. Produced by veteran mix master Switch, the “exuberant” clarion call to the dance floor is a peek into the album he and the doyenne of funk …
Eclipse Theater’s season of Inge continues at the Athenaeum with a mild adaptation of one of his most famous works, Bus Stop. The current production, running through August 19th, captures a sense of the times before digging to find how desperation and hope can sometimes lead to positive outcomes. Debuting in the early 50’s, the …
Two years following the stunning Kerry James Marshall exhibit at the city’s Museum of Contemporary Art, the Art Institute of Chicago has brought a spectacular retrospective of another world acclaimed black artist who also happens to be a Chicago native son, Charles H. White. Marking the centennial of White’s birth, the exhibit is currently enjoying …
Charles White Retrospective at Art Institute a Reflection on Excellence Read More »
American presidents are no strangers to writing books. Usually memoirs, autobiographies or policy reflections, they’re generally thoughtful and well-considered assessments of the past. Until Bill Clinton in conjunction with superstar author James Patterson released their suspense thriller The President is Missing in early June, none have entered the waters of literary imagination and invention. …
Expectations are always high when attending certain performances and Giordano Dance Chicago (GDC) easily counts in that number. Far beyond the city on the lake, the company stands at a pinnacle. Performing a type of dance that marries African and European dance traditions to rhythm, they are now exporting their renowned brand across the globe. …
Giordano Dance Chicago Honors Legacy with Excellence Read More »
Taking a radical approach to experiencing live theater, Southern Gothic now playing at the Windy City Playhouse through July removes the barrier of distance between the action and the audience. It’s not a new idea, but immersive theater remains a groundbreaking concept and one many audiences would love to see emulated. Built around a solid …
Southern Gothic’s Approach to Storytelling Stunning Read More »
Great dance companies share a certain majesty. Founded in 1948 by a now 97-year-old woman with an iron will and unwavering standards in excellence, the National Ballet of Cuba (the Ballet Nacional de Cuba) showered Friday night’s audience at the Auditorium Theater with a performance that epitomized what magnificence means in the world of dance. …
Spiritual, majestic and grand, Terence Blanchard’s music is often meant for listeners to peer into themselves. Expanding on his Grammy nominated 2015 album Breathless, Blanchard continues to score music that delves into the inexplicable and seemingly perpetual cycle of gun violence that ends in the death of (primarily) black men. Indeed, the album’s title, Live, …
Terence Blanchard and the E Collective Live – Expands on a Theme Read More »
By allowing us to better understand others, theater helps us understand ourselves. Lettie, a play that quickly draws you in and keeps your curiosity stimulated throughout intensifies our awareness of released felons; an invisible class of people who is as marginalized as it is huge. A commissioned work for Victory Gardens by playwright Boo Killebrew, …