Stories by Marc Vitali
Welcome to the World of Mr. Imagination
Meet the self-taught Chicago artist who could make dazzling art out of anything he found. Known as Mr. Imagination, he turned bottlecaps, mirrors, and scraps of wood into delightfully original works of art.
Bass Guitars Homemade in Chicago and Played Around the World
Lakland Guitars has made an impact in their 20 years in Chicago. Their instruments are played in U2 and the Rolling Stones. Chicago Tonight goes behind-the-scenes to find out what it takes to make an electric bass that can bring a bottom-heavy sound to a band's rhythm section.
‘The City Lost and Found’
A show at The Art Institute looks at the transformation of American cities in the 1960s and '70s. We revisit the story.
Photographer Steve Schapiro
As a longtime photographer for LIFE magazine, Steve Schapiro traveled with Martin Luther King Jr. and photographed everything from "presidents to poodles." We revisit a conversation with him about his show at the Ed Paschke Art Center.
Art of the Bizarre
An Artist Confronts His Demons
The Art Institute’s current show is a kind of nightmare before Christmas.
Shaking Up Notions of Shakespeare
We revisit Chicago Tonight’s story about Chicago Public School students participation in an award-winning program at Chicago Shakespeare Theatre.
When “Tennessee” Came to Chicago
Tennessee Williams visited the city at a critical moment in his career
The great playwright came unprepared for two things: rewrites and the city itself. “I can’t find the tranquility in Chicago to write.”
“Burning Bluebeard”
Clowns relate the true story of Chicago's 1903 Iroquois Theatre fire in a stunning and funny revival of a show called Burning Bluebeard at Theater Wit.
60 Years of Sculpture with Richard Hunt
We visit the Chicago Cultural Center and the MCA to discover the steel sculptures of Chicago's internationally acclaimed sculptor Richard Hunt.
From “Citizen Kane” to “The Hunchback of Notre Dame”
Beyond His Outer Space Paintings, Influential Artist Chesley Bonestell also Made Earthbound Art for Hollywood Movies
Before CGI visual effects dominated Hollywood movies, filmmakers often used a painting of a landscape or location to create a non-existent environment.
Kaleidoscope of Color
“Seeing Trees in a Different Light”
An illuminating spectacle brightens wintry nights at the Morton Arboretum.
Hedy Weiss: Theater Reviews
Theater critic Hedy Weiss joins Chicago Tonight to review a roundup of shows to see before the holidays.
‘The City Lost and Found’
A new show at The Art Institute looks at the transformation of American cities in the 1960s and '70s.
Shaking Up Notions of Shakespeare
Chicago Public School students embrace William Shakespeare in an award-winning program at Chicago Shakespeare Theater.
“And the Winner is…”
Spoiler Alert – "Chicago Tonight" Got a Hot Tip about a Group that is Shaking Up Shakespeare
The news about young people in Chicago trends toward the negative, so we’re pleased to share a success story that is positively delightful.
Photographer Steve Schapiro
As a longtime photographer for LIFE magazine, Steve Schapiro traveled with Martin Luther King Jr. and photographed everything from “presidents to poodles.” He tells us about his latest show at the Ed Paschke Art Center.
French Impressions
Vivid Graphics from a Century Ago
New exhibition shines light on the artful illustrations that flowered in France during a dangerous era.
He Was the Voice of Bambi – And So Much More
“Boris Karloff taught me how to play checkers.”
We speak with a one-time actor who worked with Boris Karloff and Walt Disney—and served three tours of duty in Vietnam.
The Sacred Power of Vodou
A new exhibition at The Field Museum looks beyond the Hollywood myths about vodou and gets to the heart of a spiritual and social force that remains an important part of daily life in Haiti.
Wallace Kirkland
We revisit the story of photographer Wallace Kirkland, who started his career as a social worker at the Hull House settlement in Chicago. He took a winding path in an artistic career that led him from Jamaica to India and around the world – all the while photographing Chicago people and places.
‘Fantastic’ Voyage
Globe-Trotting Artist Creates Otherworldly Creatures
From Kenya to Brooklyn – and now Evanston – a red-hot young artist makes mythic collages from the material world.
A Way with Words
New Art Show Sets Sail with a Boatload of Wordplay
A free exhibition explores the artful use of language by contemporary Illinois painters and sculptors.
Art and History Merge in Artist’s Incredible Life Story
The artist Charlotte Salomon raced against the clock to finish a pictorial autobiography as World War II closed in around her.
Mesmerizing Music of the Night
Join a Listening Party as the City of Chicago Pulls an All-Nighter
Chicago’s majestic Cultural Center has no small plans for the weekend. The Cultural Center will stay open overnight this Friday, Sept. 12, as part of the 2014 World Music Festival.
South Side Serenade
'Pulse of the Night' Beats in New Photo Exhibition
Intimate black-and-white photographs document the South Side nightlife of the 1970s in a just-opened show at the Museum of Contemporary Photography.
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