Chicago Lifestyle Podcast & Video Blog
What if robots take over the world? What would be their relationship to humans? Would it be a carefree utopia with happy automatons cheerfully laboring away while people enjoy a life of leisure or will the robots develop ideas and aspirations of their own, eventually …
Trap Door Theatre presentation of “Galileo,” stays close to the heart of Bertolt Brecht’s script but is a revised challenging and thought-provoking interpretation. Fragments of the original dialogue featuring translation by Charles Laughton are there but the production has been reshaped and reimagined by director …
Goodman Theatre’s GeNarrations program is a FREE storytelling program that engages adults aged 55 and over in writing and performance workshops that nurture the creative spirit.
This cohort was invited to attend Goodman’s current production of Betrayal starring Helen Hunt after which participants were then encouraged to write their own stories based on themes of lies and betrayal.
I was invited to attend this event by my friend Eva McCann who is a participant.
The groups take place online via zoom as well as in-person at several locations around the city.
This podcast was recorded at a reading of participants from the Wille Whyte Park location on the 1600 block of Howard Street in Rogers Park.
***
Links:
https://www.goodmantheatre.org/engage-learn/for-community/genarrations/
Joy Loverde elderindustry.com
‘The Premiere’ is a new feature-length comedy written and directed by Jon Silver. Find more info at showpup.com/the-premiere/
Long term friendships can be complicated and messy. Honesty can be dangerous and revealing. A fourteen-year friendship between three friends explodes over the purchase of an expensive modernist painting. Art, presented by Remy Bumppo Theatre Company is at the Wit Theater, 1229 W. Belmont, Chicago …
Berlin is a case study of how things can go wrong when a country has suffered losses and trauma. As its citizens and leaders slowly turn away from collaborative solutions and towards stark divisions in power and a dark fascist vision, slow motion disaster unfolds. …
A group of bridesmaids find reasons to bond in “Five Women Wearing the Same Dress” produced by Saint Sebastian Players. The bonding ritual begins with the common agreement that the dress chosen by the bride is perfectly ridiculous.
The bond is further forged by the realization that they don’t even really like the bride that much. As each woman reveals something of herself they traverse a range of emotions; infuriated, anxious, remorseful, exasperated, frantic, exhausted, flirtatious, but overall hilarious.
Cast List: Frances (Kayla Erpenbeck) – Meredith (Hannah Green) – Trisha (Alexandra T. Cross) – Georgeanne (Claire Rutkowski) – Mindy (Laura Peterson) – Tripp (Trey Sorensen)
Highly Recommended. Details: “Five Women Wearing the Same Dress” produced by Saint Sebastian Players at St. Bonaventure Church, 1625 W. Diversey, Chicago, IL runs through May 18, 2025. Running time is 2 hours including a 10-minute intermission. For tickets and information visit saintsebastianplayers.org
Also check out fellow Chicago podcast “The Hangover Series” where you can peek into the life of a 23-year-old girl who is simply just figuring it all out.
This well-conceived stage version of “A Tale of Two Cities,” Charles Dickens’ expose of the French Revolution by Brendan Pelsue and directed by Mikael Burke is cleverly performed and seems a little too close to home in today’s political climate.
Across from Millennium Park on Michigan Avenue between Washington and Randolph Streets on land donated by Civil War Veterans in 1893 stands what used to be Chicago’s Main Public Library. Re-imagined in 1977 as the Chicago Cultural Center it is host to more than 1,000 …
Be sure to enjoy the podcast and the accompanying photos at the bottom of the page.
You don’t need to be an architectural expert to simply look around and enjoy the various styles and building materials that combine to make up Chicago’s diverse urban landscape.
There is probably no better place to begin your observation than the Old Town / Gold Coast area with its abundance of 19th Century wood and brick buildings harkening back to the the city’s roots side-by-side with glass and steel modern, post modern, late modern, and millennium modern examples both large and small.
In these two neighborhoods in the heart of the city you will easily find single family homes and multi-family structures ranging from two to over two hundred units, as well as a myriad of commercial structures some of which were built for their specific purpose and others that have been redeveloped to meet the changing needs of a growing metropolis.
This activity was inspired by Open House Chicago which takes place every year in October and according to their website featured more than 150 sites in 20+ neighborhoods across Chicago and nearby suburbs. My choices were selected from a list of suggestions that were part of this year’s Open House Chicago Program.
As a result my tour is in no way a comprehensive look at the area but instead is an opportunity to take a peek at some of the often overlooked gems that are lurking under our nose on a daily basis.
During the weekend event visitors are treated to some special access and information provided by onsite experts however there is no reason not to follow my tour at any time during the year. In addition I have included a few bonus items not on the suggested list of venues that I spotted along the way.
So lace up some sturdy shoes, put on your earbuds and join me on my podcast walking tour or review the pictures below then sit back in a comfy chair to enjoy my three and a half mile stroll around the Old Town / Gold Coast area observing some of its lesser known features.
UPDATE NOTE: Architectural Artifacts (NOW CLOSED – Moved to Texas) So if you follow this tour simply skip that part.
[Photos and tour by Reno Lovison]
“Hala” is an indie film shot in Chicago that, if you’re like me, you might have missed. Sadly it was on my list for the Chicago International Film Festival but got scratched due to some scheduling conflicts. I finally got to see it and at …
You’ve probably seen ’em. Signs like Throop, Goethe, Paulina and Devon but how do we say them in Chicago and why? Here is a short video from WBEZ that at least tries to tackle the “why” as well as some of the “how.” My friends …
“The Whole Seamus Thing” at Bramble Lofts in Andersonville through April 19, 2025
Review by Reno Lovison – Highly Recommended
Playwrights: Ben Auxier and L.C. Bernadine | Director: Spencer Huffman
Cast: Alexander Attea, Ben Auxier, Gabriel Fries, Olivia Lindsay, Lydia Moss
Publicity photo by George Hudson
Ticket and information at bit.ly/seamusthing
You must be logged in to post a comment.