Stories by Marc Vitali
More than War Stories
Chicago Artist Paints Pacific Overtures
A onetime sailor and tattoo artist blends adult experiences with childhood memories to create mystical memorials to World War II.
Raider of the Lost Art
Curator of Suburban Museum Has Sixth Sense for Finding Forgotten Artwork
A little-known Chicago artist is finally getting the attention he deserves – in Des Plaines.
Farina City
Local Actor Makes His Mark, Steps Out of Father’s Long Shadow
Joe Farina doesn’t strongly resemble his dad -- the late actor Dennis Farina -- but he shares a similar everyman quality.
Saturday in the Park
Be Part of an Art Party
Don’t read the newspaper death counts this weekend. Go to a free block party on the South Side on Saturday, July 26, to celebrate good news and people doing things right.
Taking a Swing at the New Steppenwolf Show
Can a Raunchy Sex Satire Be Both “Funny and Never Dull” AND “Smug and Vacuous?”
“The Qualms” is the foul-mouthed new play from Pulitzer Prize-winner Bruce Norris (“Clybourne Park”).
"And if that 'Mockingbird' Don't Sing...."
Former Trib writer sticks to her story about author of "To Kill a Mockingbird"
Literary battle lines are drawn as Harper Lee denies willingly cooperating with a new book about her. The author begs to differ.
Forgive Us Our 'Trespasses'
Trio of Photographers Flirt with the Law to Capture Beauty of Beastly Buildings
Three local friends routinely visit abandoned industrial sites in the Midwest, enter the buildings, and take only photos. They don’t carry crowbars or anything that might attract the attention of the police.
Pop Goes Magritte
From The Beatles to “The Exorcist,” the surrealist artist Rene Magritte had a profound influence on pop culture
Paul McCartney is a huge fan of Rene Magritte. And then there are the album covers influenced by Magritte.
The Magic of Magritte
Shooting a Real Story About a Surreal Sort of Guy
An extraordinary look at everyday objects, the Art Institute’s summer blockbuster is “Rene Magritte: The Mystery of the Ordinary.” Don’t miss it.
Rejection in Black-and-White
An Old Chicago Film Studio Knew What They Wanted – and It Probably Wasn’t Your Script
Apparently Chicago's silent film studio received enough unsolicited manuscripts to craft a form letter to silence prospective writers.
Chicago Artist Flying High with Flyboys and Girls
Comics, Pop Culture and Anime Inspire a Painter's "Parade"
You might have seen the name Hebru Brantley in the press last year. The Chicago artist made waves with just one sale when Jay-Z bought a painting of his at Miami’s Art Basel expo.
An Artist in Hiding
One Woman’s Passionate Chronicle of Life During Wartime
Charlotte Salomon’s art is a fantastic expression of her own personal drama. “It is my whole life.”
Blues for the Taking
City’s Largest Free Music Festival Brings the Blues (and the Soul and the Funk and the Folk and the…)
This weekend the 31st annual Chicago Blues Festival electrifies Grant Park with a diverse line-up that expands the definition of the blues.
Richard Pryor, John Belushi and… Maya Angelou?
A Little-Remembered TV Moment from 1977 Blends Comedy and Tragedy
This skit is a reminder of how progressive Richard Pryor could be in pushing the boundaries of storytelling. It's also somewhat shocking by today's standards because of the provocative language used on network TV in the ‘70s.
Modern Sculpture in an Old-Fashioned Setting
Free Art Show Invites Fresh Look at Civic Gem
An 88 year-old war memorial has a new function: it’s the stunning backdrop to a show of contemporary sculpture.
This 'Henry' is Unexpectedly Hilarious
Shakespeare’s Band of Brothers Breached by a Band of Fools
They spar, make obscene gestures, and throw around insults like “egregious dog,” “counterfeit rascal” and “damned and luxurious mountain goat.”
A Mother and Son in Verse
Chicago Family Transcends Tragic Twists of Fate
Gail and Morris Barazani have been married for 66 years – longer than their only son was alive...
That Ellington Elegance
A Mother’s Day Tip of the Hat to a Great Composer of American Music
Celebrating a decade of music and dance, the Harris Theater at Millennium Park hosts a Mother’s Day tribute to Edward Kennedy “Duke” Ellington, who died 40 years ago this month.
Remembering a Movie Star in Park Ridge
Re-acquaint yourself with a Hollywood legend tonight at the Pickwick Theatre
Tyrone Power will be remembered in a double feature on the big screen. Power gets the spotlight for his starring roles in In Old Chicago and....
The State of the Arts
Artists from Illinois– and one from Minnesota – Make Monstrous Magic
Four solo exhibitions from local artists, plus one beast of an installation.
The Mystery and Allure of “White Mystery”
Dynamic Duo of Siblings Brings the Noise and More
Is White Mystery too wild for Chicago Tonight or just wild enough?
Dreaming of an Earthly Paradise
Kashmir and More at The Art Institute
New at the museum -- two solo exhibitions feature a pair of female contemporary Indian artists.
A Chicago Memory from the Writer Who Groucho Marx Called “The Wittiest Man I’ve Ever Known”
George S. Kaufman was One of America’s Funniest Playwrights -- and He Had Self-Doubt and Talent in Equal Measures
It’s funny the way Chicago anecdotes bloom in books about Broadway.
Three Shows to Brighten Your Daylight Savings Time Weekend
Spotlight on Wildly Different Shows that Offer Light, Dark, and the Unexpected
Set your clocks forward on Sunday -- but not before you shine a light on some excellent art opportunities.
When Monty Python Put the Squeeze on PBS Pledge
39 Years Ago, Members of the Famed Comedy Troupe Turned Channel 11’s Membership Drive Into a Flying Circus
“Would you like to subscribe to public television, or would you prefer a knee to the groin?”
The Sting from Another World
Meeting a Pop Star is Like Meeting Royalty from A Distant Planet
Love him or not, people want to know: what was Sting like? Honestly, I was in King Sting’s galaxy for exactly 14 minutes last Thursday in a room with a lot of other people. If you want a real take on his personality, you should ask someone who’s known him for at least 15 minutes.
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