Arts & Entertainment
6 Chicago-Area Arts and Culture Picks That Take You Beyond Lollapalooza
CatVideoFest runs Aug. 2-3 and 5. (Courtesy of the Music Box Theatre)
You have to admire the chutzpah of Lollapalooza to boast “NO HIDDEN FEES” on a Platinum ticket that costs $2,130. Hooray for transparency! If you’re spending money at Lolla, enjoy yourself and skip this week’s list. But if you plan to avoid the raucous caucus in Grant Park, please read on. Most of the six events below have no hidden fees — especially the free ones.
CatVideoFest – Music Box Theatre
The Music Box’s 70mm Film Fest and Kurosawa Retrospective start soon, so why not scratch out some fun time for meow, myself and I? These mini-movies of mischievous mousers ought to be catnip for the soul — plus, this 73-minute herd of cats is only available in theaters. Besides featuring frisky felines, CatVideoFest benefits local animal shelters. Aug. 2-3, 5
“True West” – Paramount Theatre, Aurora
To see “True West” you have to go due west — Aurora, to be exact. That’s where Sam Shepard’s volatile tale of sibling rivalry fills the stage at the intimate Copley Theatre (on the Paramount Theatre campus). Artistic director Jim Corti directs the play as part of the challenging Bold Series — you won’t find “Mamma Mia” in that series. If you’ve ever wondered, “What’s the deal with Sam Shepard?” this tense, funny, table-turning play is a fine entry point. Through Aug. 31
Free Classes at The Second City
The Second City offers improv classes — and one writing class — to celebrate International Self-Care Day (which was last week, but who’s counting?). These drop-in classes are free, but you must register — a small price to pay to cultivate your sense of play. Could there be a better way to step away from the daily grind than taking a 90-minute class to laugh and connect? Make it a summer of self-love and briefly forget what a horrible person you are. (I kid.) Through Aug. 6
(Courtesy of The Second City)
“The Sweetest Season” – Goodman Theatre
Storytellers, musicians and comedians gather at the Goodman for this fourth annual festival subtitled “A Gathering of Indigenous Creativity.” There’s a special focus on Two Spirit community members — there’s even an Indigenous drag show fit for kings and/or queens. The festival is staged in partnership with the Gichigamiin Indigenous Nations Museum (formerly the Mitchell Museum in Evanston) with an assist from the art-minded folks at the Center for Native Futures. Aug. 1-2
“Trope Chicago: The Loop & Beyond” – Bookstores
This handsome new book highlights the many talented Chicago photographers who showcase the architecture, public art and dramatic vistas of the city. Curated and assembled by the local publishing house Trope, the 200-plus photos step back from the usual tourist attractions to explore neighborhoods — Uptown, Hyde Park, Pilsen and Bronzeville, among others. Available now from Trope, and so are some of the individual prints of photographs.
This image of the St. Charles Air Line Bridge appears in “Trope Chicago: The Loop and Beyond.” (Adam Pearson)
“Parade” – CIBC Theatre
A musical based on the notorious 1913 trial of Jewish factory manager Leo Frank, who was accused of the murder of a teenage employee. Antisemitic prosecutors and publishers fanned the flames to enact a gross miscarriage of justice in Georgia. This is the acclaimed touring production of the Tony Award-winning show with music and lyrics by Jason Robert Brown (“The Last Five Years”). Part of the Broadway in Chicago series, “Parade” opens Aug. 5.
Marc Vitali is the JCS Fund of the DuPage Foundation Arts Correspondent.
