A Satire of the American Psyche and a Must-See Art Institute Exhibit Among This Week’s Arts Picks

“Six Men Dressed Like Joseph Stalin” at A Red Orchid Theatre runs through June 22, 2025. (Jeff Kurysz) “Six Men Dressed Like Joseph Stalin” at A Red Orchid Theatre runs through June 22, 2025. (Jeff Kurysz)

Want to immerse yourself in the sculpture work of a World War II vet? What about a Scottish folk musician who decided watercolor was his medium of choice? That and more in the selections below. 

“H.C. Westermann: Anchor Clanker” – Art Institute of Chicago
Get to know the incredible story and artwork of a great Chicago-based artist. Wooden sculptures show off the craftsmanship of a creative, haunted mind. It’s all informed by the artist’s years in the Marines, when he saw hair-raising combat in the Pacific during World War II. The works can be playful or deadly serious but always engaging. Westermann is a must-see. Through May 2026

“Rory McEwen: A New Perspective on Nature” – Driehaus Museum
He was a successful Scottish folk musician who abandoned his career to devote himself to making botanical art. McEwen applied a kind of minimalism to his work, and his watercolors and drawings of plants look like individual portraits. Over 100 of his works are presented inside the Gilded Age splendor (some would say excess) of the Driehaus Museum. Through Aug. 17

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“Six Men Dressed Like Joseph Stalin” – A Red Orchid Theatre
A wounded Russian soldier is brought to the Kremlin because of his resemblance to Stalin and gets trained to be his body double. An exploration of power and identity with a dose of absurdity, this Chicago premiere stars Red Orchid ensemble member Esteban Andres Cruz and David Cerda, founder of Chicago’s campy Hell in a Handbag Productions. Count me in. Through June 22

“Vivid Creatures” – Morton Arboretum
It’s officially called “Vivid Creatures: Colorful Sculptures as Tall as Trees.” What more can I add? Well, it’s at the Morton Arboretum, which is always pleasant, and there are only five of them, but the larger-than-life sculptures feature animals essential to the Illinois ecosystem. The artists, based in Oregon, take a fanciful look at our Prairie critters. Open run

“The End of Reality” – Theatre Y
Fresh off their Jeff Award-winning production of “Rhinoceros,” Theatre Y got the rights to this acclaimed work by Richard Maxwell. In this hyper-realistic satire, the numbing of the American psyche is explored as characters navigate the brutality of contemporary life. Set in Theatre Y’s truly uncommon space at the edge of Lawndale and Little Village. Through June 15


Marc Vitali is the JCS Fund of the DuPage Foundation Arts Correspondent.


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