Learning Series | The Impact of Food Apartheid in Education Part 3 at Museum of Contemporary Art

Learning Series | The Impact of Food Apartheid in Education Part 3 at Museum of Contemporary Art

Gardening, not Architecture
Throughout the year, the MCA hosts high-quality professional development programming, open to teachers of all subjects, grade levels, and disciplines. These events are educator-specific, skills-based, training on contemporary art integration. Programs are designed in connection with the cultural assets of the MCA and the needs of the Chicago area educators. In keeping with addressing issues of relevance, the 2023-24 Learning Series is a four-part series exploring on “The Impact of Food Apartheid in Education”.

The term “apartheid” is used as it acknowledges the existence of economic and racial segregation systems. And as history has shown us, apartheid systems can be dismantled through collective action.

For Session Three, Eric “Manny” Von Haynes and Ramon “Radius” Norwood, core organizers of Love Fridge Chicago, conduct a workshop titled “Gardening, not Architecture,” which delves into the impactful work of Love Fridge. Love Fridge Chicago is a mutual aid network that aims to combat food apartheid and provide essential resources to the Chicago community.

The workshop covers the strategies and practices this mutual aid network uses to address systemic challenges and addresses initiatives to create sustainable systems that empower individuals and communities. This interactive session include group discussions, hands-on activities, and a creative writing exercise to promote collaboration and understanding.

ASL is available upon request, email  BoxOffice@mcachicago.org

https://visit.mcachicago.org/events/learning-series-the-impact-of-food-apartheid-in-education-part-3/

Laura Ortman, Smoke Rings Shimmers Endless Blur at Museum of Contemporary Art

Renowned composer and multi-instrumentalist Laura Ortman performs two evenings of live, solo, multimedia concerts. Informed by her practice as a sculptor and installation artist, Ortman bridges the gap between music and fine art in her performances, describing her musical approach as “sculpting sound.” An accomplished violinist, her work encompasses a variety of textures and atmospheres created with the Apache violin, effects pedals, piano, guitar, and voice. In the MCA’s Edlis Neeson Theater, Ortman’s original music is presented alongside her video work.

This performance is part of On Stage: Resonance, organized by Tara Aisha Willis, former Curator in Performance, with Laura Paige Kyber, Curatorial Associate.

Runtime: approx. 45–60 min

Content Warning:

This performance includes the use of theatrical haze, moving images, and loud, sometimes abrupt, sounds.

Assess Information:

Ear plugs are available upon request for all performances. If you need wheelchair seating or have limited mobility, staff members are available to assist you.

The performance on Saturday, April 27, features ASL interpretation and Audio Description.

https://visit.mcachicago.org/events/laura-ortman/

Samita Sinha, Tremor at the Museum of Contemporary Art

Tremor is artist and composer Samita Sinha’s latest performance work. In the piece, Sinha explores what she describes as “the practice of attuning oneself to the raw material of vibration and its emergence in space, as well as unfolding the possibilities that arise from encounters between this sonic material and other individuals.” Tremor is born from Sinha’s practice of decomposing, distilling, and transforming Indian vocal traditions through the body, employing sound as a vessel that harnesses and liberates energy through oneself. Through this practice, what emerges is a new language with the potential to challenge our thinking, reconfigure our relationships, and open new forms of collaboration. In Tremor, Sinha asks how we might reactivate our relationship to life itself through our sense of vibration, despite the numbing and distorting effects of coloniality and modernity. How can our voices be vessels to repair the fabric of our interconnection and open generative possibilities? How can we relearn to listen?

Performed in relationship to a live sonic environment created by composer Ash Fure, and within a space designed by architect Sunil Bald, Sinha is joined on stage each night by a rotating cast of sound-and movement-based collaborators. The casting schedule will be announced in the coming months.

Tremor was co-commissioned by Western Front (Vancouver, CA) and Danspace Project (New York).

This performance is part of On Stage: Resonance, organized by Tara Aisha Willis, former Curator in Performance, with Laura Paige Kyber, Curatorial Associate.

Run time: 60-75 min

Content Warning:

Seating for this performance is general admission and on stage. A limited number of cushions are available for sitting on the floor, and provide the closest proximity to the performance. If you require a chair, please speak with a staff member who can assist you. The performance includes the use of theatrical haze. Some loud sounds may occur throughout. There will be intervals of very low light, including complete darkness at times.

Ear plugs are available upon request for all performances. If you need wheelchair seating or have limited mobility, staff members are available to assist you.

The performance on Saturday, April 20, features Audio Description.

FORCE! An Opera in Three Acts at the Museum of Contemporary Art

This is an opera, but what is an opera? If opera is defined simply as “big work,” what could be blacker? FORCE! features a live band that blends gospel, folk, pop, and jazz, with experimental dance, song, and the spoken word. As the work unfolds, characters reveal layered interiors creating a strange sisterhood with the power to disintegrate walls that blooms in the shadows of the prison industrial complex. As the artists manifest the free worlds of which they dream on stage, their voices resound with collective power. A meditation on often-overlooked spaces—prison waiting rooms—FORCE! travels through silence, sound, and rhythm to dissipate borders between performers and audience members and question who truly controls how their time is spent.

Comprised of a Chicago-based cast, FORCE! is created by Anna Martine Whitehead alongside co-music directors, Ayanna Woods and Teiana Davis; co-composers, Phillip Armstrong and Angel Bat Dawid; and is devised in collaboration with performers Zachary Nicol, Jenn Freeman, Rahila Coats, Eva Supreme, Nexus J, Daniella Hope, Brittany Brown, Kai Black, and Wyatt Wadell; with extra help from Tramaine Parker and Jasmine Mendoza.

Since late 2019, FORCE! has developed as an iterative re-imagining of performance practice, constantly re-centering care, consent, queer divergence, and rest. The creative team re-imagines rehearsal protocols and releases disciplinary categories to build an abolitionist feminist theater practice. This project gathers lessons from lichens and other emergent strategies, direct actions, and mutual aid societies and leverages sound and movement as vectors for processing state violence and racial capitalism. Using the prison as a particular prism through which we can bear witness to the ways carceral systems replicate themselves. FORCE! is also an attempt to abolish the Prison Industrial Complex in the audience and artist’s heads, hearts, and houses.

Libretto by Anna Martine Whitehead. Composed by Ayanna Woods, Anna Martine Whitehead, Angel Bat Dawid, and Philip Armstrong.

This performance is part of On Stage: Resonance, organized by Tara Aisha Willis, former Curator in Performance, with Laura Paige Kyber, Curatorial Associate.

Run time: 90-100 min

Content Warning:

This performance begins in the theater lobby. Audiences will take a behind the-scenes route to their seats with the performers as their guides. All seating for this performance is on stage. A live band plays in close proximity to the audience. The performance includes the use of theatrical haze. It also features loud sounds and bright, moving lights throughout.

Ear plugs are available upon request for all performances. If you need wheelchair seating or have limited mobility, staff members are available to assist you.

The performance on Saturday, March 30, includes CART captioning and Audio Description.

https://visit.mcachicago.org/events/anna-martine-whitehead-force-an-opera-in-three-acts/

LITTLE BEAR RIDGE ROAD at Steppenwolf Theatre Company

Ensemble Member Laurie Metcalf comes home to Steppenwolf to star in Little Bear Ridge Road, a comic, cosmic and intimate world premiere, penned by MacArthur Fellow Samuel D. Hunter and directed by Tony Award winner Joe Mantello.

In the outer limits of rural Idaho, the last two members of the Fernsby family tree, an estranged aunt and nephew, reunite to sort the mess left behind after a troubled father’s passing. They now face an uncomfortable and universal question: how do we deal with other people? And is connection more trouble than it’s worth? As their relationship begins anew, the two reluctant Fernsby’s—separated by age and experience—​start to understand the joys and perils of letting someone else into your own story, even if only for a moment.

Little Bear Ridge Road will be performed in Steppenwolf’s Downstairs Theater.

 

ASL Interpretation, Audio Description, Open Captions, and Touch Tour will be available.

A Year with Frog and Toad at Chicago Children’s Theatre

Children’s author and illustrator Arnold Lobel’s beloved characters hop from the page to the stage in the Tony-nominated musical A Year With Frog And Toad, based on his popular children’s book that follows two best friends – the cheerful, popular Frog and grumpy, but lovable Toad – through four fun-filled seasons.

A YEAR WITH FROG AND TOAD was originally presented on Broadway by Bob Boyett, Adrianne Lobel, Michael Gardner, Lawrence Horowitz and Roy Furman. The play had its world Premiere at The Children’s Theatre Company Minneapolis, Minnesota.

ACCESS Weekend |Sat, April 27th (9:30am: Sensory Friendly, 11:30am: ASL & Open Captions) and Sun, April 28th (9:30am: Sensory Friendly, 11:30am: Audio Description & Touch Tour – must confirm attendance two weeks prior to performance)

A Year with Frog & Toad

 

The Next Cup of Tea at Steppenwolf Theatre Company

Copresented with the Steppenwolf LookOut Series

The Next Cup of Tea is a solo dance-theater performance by Anjal Chande that investigates how to make sense of the never-ending impulses that run through our hearts, our everyday moments, and our contradictory experiences. Through improvisational dance and storytelling, Chande reflects on money, her grandfather, the politics of art, and more. Zigzagging between the gnawing inner world and daily physical routine, The Next Cup of Tea traverses through all that is ordinary, appalling, and enchanting.

This performance was originally scheduled as a part of the MCA’s 2023 Chicago Performs series, organized by Tara Aisha Willis, former curator, with Laura Paige Kyber, Assistant Curator.

Special Thanks from the Artist
Gratitude to all the collaborators who have contributed to previous iterations of this work across seven years of process. Shout out to the following individuals who shaped recent versions during the pandemic (2021) and a live showing at Tanztage in Berlin (2019): Gina Hoch-Stall (dramaturg), Jesse Hunter (musician), Karl Olson (musician), Josh Anderson (cinematographer), Emese Csornai (lighting design), David Ofori-Amoah (material design), Jorge Rodolfo De Hoyos Jr. (dramaturg), and Sophia New (mentor).

Accessibility: ASL interpretation, audio description

https://visit.mcachicago.org/events/the-next-cup-of-tea/

Mean Girls Jr. AD/Touch Tour Performance at Theatre at Meiley Swallow Hall

Cady Heron may have grown up on an African savanna, but nothing prepared her for the wild and vicious ways of her strange new home: suburban Illinois. How will this naïve newbie rise to the top of the popularity pecking order? By taking on the plastics, a trio of lionized frenemies led by the charming but ruthless Regina George. Cady and her friends devise a “revenge party” to end Regina’s reign with Cady going undercover as an aspiring plastic. When the lines between the real Cady and her plastic-self get blurred, she must find her way back to herself and her true friends.

Audio-described performance on Saturday, March 16 at 2 pm, preceded by a Touch Tour at 1 pm. Admission to this performance is free for visually impaired patrons and their parties with code AUDIO.

Ticket prices are $20 for adults and $15.00 for students.

Book by Tina Fey, Lyrics by Nell Benjamin, Music by Jeff Richmond

Directed by De Haddad

Choreography by Amanda Vinson

Music Direction by Meghan Kessel

Stage Management by JJ O’Connell

Brightside Theatre

The Next Cup of Tea at Steppenwolf Theatre Company

Copresented with the Steppenwolf LookOut Series

The Next Cup of Tea is a solo dance-theater performance by Anjal Chande that investigates how to make sense of the never-ending impulses that run through our hearts, our everyday moments, and our contradictory experiences. Through improvisational dance and storytelling, Chande reflects on money, her grandfather, the politics of art, and more. Zigzagging between the gnawing inner world and daily physical routine, The Next Cup of Tea traverses through all that is ordinary, appalling, and enchanting.

This performance was originally scheduled as a part of the MCA’s 2023 Chicago Performs series, organized by Tara Aisha Willis, former curator, with Laura Paige Kyber, Assistant Curator.

Special Thanks from the Artist
Gratitude to all the collaborators who have contributed to previous iterations of this work across seven years of process. Shout out to the following individuals who shaped recent versions during the pandemic (2021) and a live showing at Tanztage in Berlin (2019): Gina Hoch-Stall (dramaturg), Jesse Hunter (musician), Karl Olson (musician), Josh Anderson (cinematographer), Emese Csornai (lighting design), David Ofori-Amoah (material design), Jorge Rodolfo De Hoyos Jr. (dramaturg), and Sophia New (mentor).

Accessibility: ASL interpretation and audio description

https://visit.mcachicago.org/events/the-next-cup-of-tea/

Notes From the Field at TimeLine Theatre

Witness the powerful stories of 19 individuals fighting to overcome and transform America’s education and criminal justice systems.
THIS STRIKINGLY INTIMATE PIECE presents snapshots from a variety of real people, documenting their intersections with the American dream and the obstacles that work to block them from it. Utilizing verbatim dialogue pulled from more than 250 accounts from students, faculty, prisoners, activists, politicians, and victims’ families, Notes from the Field takes audiences on an emotional journey through the faults and injustices of an American criminal justice system that seems more focused on incarceration over education. Deeply human, profoundly moving, and full of moments of humor, compassion, and resilience, it’s a masterful work that asks you to observe, be present, and join the call for urgent and necessary change.

Originally performed by creator Anna Deavere Smith as a one-woman show, in TimeLine’s Chicago premiere, three actors weave together narratives of change makers, activists, and those caught within the system for an evening of theatre unlike anything you’ve experienced before.

CONTENT ADVISORY: Notes from the Field contains frank descriptions and depictions of racial violence, police brutality, and incarceration, as well as some instances of insensitive language.
If there are certain themes or topics you know may cause you distress, please reach out to the Box Office at 773.281.8463 x6 for more specific information.

Accessibility: audio description

Audio Described Performance of NOTES FROM THE FIELD

MOTHERS by Anna Ouyang Moench, presented by The Gift Theatre at Filament

SYNOPSIS

This performance will include audio description with a touch tour before the show and captions.

MOTHERS by Anna Ouyang Moench

 

 

Calm Waters at Shedd Aquarium

Calm Waters is an exclusive event for guests with disabilities and Veterans to explore Shedd Aquarium’s exhibits and experiences in a comfortable and accepting environment. Modifications for this event will include limited capacity and streamlined entry with advance registration.

Modifications for Calm Waters Include:

-Limited capacity and streamlined entry with advance registration
-A sensory friendly app
-A low-sensory animal spotlight
-An animal encounter opportunity
-Complimentary 4D experiences during the event
-Family members and companions are welcome.
-Audio description for the Animal Spotlight

Cost

Adults (12+)
Chicago Residents – $19.95
Non-Residents – $39.95

Children (Ages 3-11)
Chicago Residents – $14.95
Non-Residents – $29.95

Transportation to Shedd
Take CTA’s 146 Museum Campus bus to our door, or parking will be available for $30 in the surface lot between Shedd Aquarium and the Field Museum.

Drop-off is available at Shedd’s bus loop on the south side of the building.

Be sure to check for traffic and parking alerts.

Accommodation Requests?
Please contact us (312-939-2438) at least one week before the event.

Visitors with severe disabilities may be accompanied by paid personal care attendants (PCA). Please call 312-939-2438 to request complimentary companion tickets for a paid PCA.

Additional information available at: https://www.sheddaquarium.org/plan-a-visit/accessibility/calm-waters

The Penelopiad at Goodman Theatre

An unexpected remix of Homer’s The Odyssey, told by the celebrated and subversive author Margaret Atwood (The Handmaid’s Tale).

It’s her turn. Penelope has waited 20 years for her husband to return from the Trojan War. Now, as authorial control shifts to Odysseus’ long-suffering wife—and the 12 faithful maids who have long tended to her—we discover a new perspective on the domestic vigil. This ancient tale told anew by “one of the most admired authors in North America” (NPR) gives voice to those left behind.

Recommended for ages 14+

Audio Description will be provided at this event.

https://www.goodmantheatre.org/show/the-penelopiad/

What’s Your Like at Malarkey Comedy

“What’s Yours Like” is inspired by a theme developed by the audience at the start of each show. Then, improvisers with and without disabilities leap into action and develop humorous and unpredictable narratives in real time. This time stand-up comics with and without disabilities open for us! Sponsored by Bodies of Work.

Accessibility: audio description

https://malarkeycomedy.com/tellin-tales

New York City Ballet’s 21st Century Choreography at Harris Theater

The Harris Theater’s 2006 presentation of New York City Ballet (NYCB), one of the foremost ballet companies in the world, marked the beginning of Harris Theater Presents. Now under the leadership of Artistic Director Jonathan Stafford and Associate Artistic Director Wendy Whelan, NYCB returns to Chicago as part of its 75th anniversary season in two distinct programs celebrating past, present, and future. NYCB highlights a new generation of iconic choreographers in 21st Century Choreography: Justin Peck, Christopher Wheeldon, Pam Tanowitz, and Kyle Abraham.

21st Century Choreography Program
Caroline Shaw / Justin Peck — Partita
Arvo Pärt / Christopher Wheeldon — Liturgy
Caroline Shaw / Pam Tanowitz — Gustave le Gray No. 1
James Blake / Kyle Abraham — Love Letter (on shuffle)

Audio Description will be available for this performance.

https://www.harristheaterchicago.org/performance/21st-century-choreography

Live Arts | Wu Tsang: MOBY DICK; or, The Whale at Museum of Contemporary Art

About the Event
In MOBY DICK; or, The Whale, award-winning filmmaker and visual artist Wu Tsang embarks upon a feature-length, silent-film telling of Herman Melville’s great American novel. The film features original orchestral music composed by Caroline Shaw and Andrew Yee with Asma Maroof, which is performed live by the Chicago Sinfonietta.

This adaptation, written by Sophia Al Maria and directed by Tsang, follows the white whale above and below the surface of the water, developing a visual cosmology that resists the exploration and exploitation of the earth under imperial colonialism. Tsang’s approach pairs the classic story of the whaler’s ”floating factory” with the beginnings of the film industry. MOBY DICK; or, The Whale was shot entirely on a soundstage combining silent-era filmmaking techniques with Virtual Production, a virtual reality game engine projecting surreal ocean environments.

The narrative is interwoven with extracts by the Sub-Sub-Librarian, a character played by acclaimed poet Fred Moten, and tackles the novel’s subterranean currents, encountering the resistance of the ship’s hydrarchy, or organizational structure, and collectives of “mariners, renegades, and castaways,” as described by historian C.L.R. James. Exploring overlapping histories of industrialism, extractivism, colonialism, ecological and spiritual crisis, the film creates a multilayered surreal filmic adaptation of the 1851 novel.

The MCA’s presentation of MOBY DICK; or, The Whale is organized by Nolan Jimbo, Assistant Curator.

Accessibility: audio description, CART captioning

https://visit.mcachicago.org/events/live-arts-moby-dick-or-the-whale/

Black Grace Family Matinee at Harris Theater for Music and Dance

Age Recommendation: PNC Family Series is recommended for children and adults ages 4 and older. However, children of all ages are welcome!

New Zealand’s leading contemporary dance company comes to Chicago for the first time.

Founded by Neil Ieremia, ONZM, Black Grace performs works that draw from Ieremia’s Samoan and New Zealand roots, reaching across social, cultural, and generational barriers. Rich in the storytelling traditions of the South Pacific, the works are highly physical and expressed with raw finesse, unique beauty, and power.

Black Grace brings its unique approach to movement and storytelling to the PNC Family Series with a special matinee performance for young audiences, narrated by Ieremia.

This afternoon is designed to offer a safe and welcoming experience for all, with additional resources available to patrons who may have sensory sensitivities. We are thrilled to foster an informal, judgement-free atmosphere where all audience members can respond to the performance in their own way: clap, dance, make noise, or observe quietly, it’s completely up to you!

Sensory-friendly services include:

1. A designated quiet play area located on Level 2 if you need a break from the performance
a. Need help find this quiet play area? Harris Theater staff are happy to direct you.
2. A Welcome Guide and sensory-friendly maps are available to help you understand what you will see and hear during your visit
a. Need to find a paper copy of these resources? Harris Theater staff on at our Welcome Table on Lobby Level 5 can help you!
3. Friendly faces of trained staff and volunteers, here to help guide your visit

ASL interpretation and Audio Description will be provided.

https://www.harristheaterchicago.org/performance/black-grace-family-matinee

Jazzmeia Horn Family Matinee at Harris Theater for Music and Dance

Age Recommendation: PNC Family Series is recommended for children and adults ages 4 and older. However, children of all ages are welcome!

Jazzmeia Horn is a vocalist and composer, author, activist, educator, multi-GRAMMY Award nominee, and winner of the 2015 Thelonious Monk Institute International Jazz Competition. Praised by The New York Times as “among the most exciting young vocalists in jazz, with a proud traditionalism that keeps her tightly linked to the sound of classic figures like Nancy Wilson and Betty Carter, but a vivacity of spirit and conviction that places her firmly in the present,” Horn makes her Harris Theater debut with performances on the Mix at Six and PNC Family Series in 2024.

Horn, who will publish her first children’s book — based on her forthcoming album Messages — in 2024, is creating a special storyteller-style program for the PNC Family Series that will premiere on the Harris Theater stage. Blending works from her GRAMMY-nominated albums and stories from her life and career, the program will engage audiences of all ages in Horn’s unique sound and musical influences.

This afternoon is designed to offer a safe and welcoming experience for all, with additional resources available to patrons who may have sensory sensitivities. We are thrilled to foster an informal, judgement-free atmosphere where all audience members can respond to the performance in their own way: clap, dance, make noise, or observe quietly, it’s completely up to you!

Sensory-friendly services include:

1. A designated quiet play area located on Level 2 if you need a break from the performance
a. Need help find this quiet play area? Harris Theater staff are happy to direct you.
2. A Welcome Guide and sensory-friendly maps are available to help you understand what you will see and hear during your visit
a. Need to find a paper copy of these resources? Harris Theater staff on at our Welcome Table on Lobby Level 5 can help you!
3. Friendly faces of trained staff and volunteers, here to help guide your visit

Accessibility: ASL, audio description

https://www.harristheaterchicago.org/performance/jazzmeia-horn-family-matinee

A HOME WHAT HOWLS at Steppenwolf Theatre Company

A coyote howling. A home in disarray. A young woman alone. In Matthew Paul Olmos’ world premiere, Soledad Vargas is in the city, fighting for her family’s right to live on their land. When hope starts to dwindle, how far will she go, and what will she be forced to leave behind? A modern myth drawn from the real life struggles of displaced communities around the globe, a home what howls is a lyrically-rendered quest of youth activism standing against forces of injustice.

Touch Tour begins at 1:30pm.

Audio Description will be provided for this event.

https://www.steppenwolf.org/tickets–events/seasons-/202324/a-home-what-howls/

THE THANKSGIVING PLAY at Steppenwolf Theatre Company

Four (very) well-intentioned theatre people walk into an elementary school. The work at hand: a Thanksgiving pageant that won’t ruffle any feathers. What could possibly go wrong? In MacArthur Genius Larissa FastHorse’s skewering and satirical comedy, well, just about everything. Rambunctious, thorny and not altogether politically correct, The Thanksgiving Play serves up the hypocrisies of woke America on a big, family-style, platter. Come get ya some.

Touch Tour will begin at 1:30pm.

Audio Description will be provided for this event.

https://www.steppenwolf.org/tickets–events/seasons-/202324/the-thanksgiving-play/

Live Arts | Wu Tsang: MOBY DICK; or, The Whale at Museum of Contemporary Art

In MOBY DICK; or, The Whale, award-winning filmmaker and visual artist Wu Tsang embarks upon a feature-length, silent-film telling of Herman Melville’s great American novel. The film features original orchestral music composed by Caroline Shaw and Andrew Yee with Asma Maroof, which is performed live by the Chicago Sinfonietta.

This adaptation, written by Sophia Al Maria and directed by Tsang, follows the white whale above and below the surface of the water, developing a visual cosmology that resists the exploration and exploitation of the earth under imperial colonialism. Tsang’s approach pairs the classic story of the whaler’s ”floating factory” with the beginnings of the film industry. MOBY DICK; or, The Whale was shot entirely on a soundstage combining silent-era filmmaking techniques with Virtual Production, a virtual reality game engine projecting surreal ocean environments.

The narrative is interwoven with extracts by the Sub-Sub-Librarian, a character played by acclaimed poet Fred Moten, and tackles the novel’s subterranean currents, encountering the resistance of the ship’s hydrarchy, or organizational structure, and collectives of “mariners, renegades, and castaways,” as described by historian C.L.R. James. Exploring overlapping histories of industrialism, extractivism, colonialism, ecological and spiritual crisis, the film creates a multilayered surreal filmic adaptation of the 1851 novel.

The MCA’s presentation of MOBY DICK; or, The Whale is organized by Nolan Jimbo, Assistant Curator.

The film contains brief nudity.

Audio Description and CART captioning are provided for the February 16 performance.

https://visit.mcachicago.org/events/live-arts-moby-dick-or-the-whale/

Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblins: Audio Description with Strawdog Theatre Company

Strawdog Theatre Company in partnership with Chicago Loop Synagogue presents Hershel & The Hanukkah Goblins. In this musical adaptation of Eric Kimmel’s Caldecott Honor-winning book, a traveling troupe of actors comes to town to find no one celebrating Hanukkah. To save the holiday, they must tell the tale of Hershel of Ostropol & his quest to outwit the goblins who haunt the old synagogue!

Audio Description will be available for this performance in-person and via the live stream. Audience members must RSVP for in-person audio description by emailing accessibility@strawdog.org. There will be an in-person Touch Tour at 10:15am. Those tuning into the live stream will be able to watch a pre-show Audio Description.

Accessibility: Audio Description, Touch Tour, Sensory Friendly

https://www.strawdog.org/hershel

 

Jungle Book Reimagined at Harris Theater for Music and Dance

Run Time: 2 hours, including intermission

Child Policy: Recommended for ages 8+. To help determine whether this performance is appropriate for your child, we encourage you to seek additional information about the themes in this program. All children attending a performance must have a ticket and be seated next to an adult.

Audio Description will be available on Saturday, November 11 / 2:00PM

Choreographer and director Akram Khan’s eponymous dance company makes its long-awaited Harris Theater debut with the Chicago premiere of Khan’s Jungle Book reimagined, a deeply personal interpretation based on the original story of Rudyard Kipling’s classic tale. Khan, whose background is rooted in classical Kathak training and along with contemporary dance, reinvents the journey of young Mowgli and her animal friends.

In a near future world, a family is torn apart as they escape their homeland, devastated by the impact of climate change. Arriving alone in a deserted modern city, and with wild animals claiming the streets as their own, Mowgli soon discovers unlikely allies in this strange new jungle.

Featuring an original new score and state-of-the-art animation and visuals, Jungle Book reimagined is a compelling and vital piece of storytelling about our intrinsic need to belong and bond with others while connecting with and respecting the natural world around us.

 

https://www.harristheaterchicago.org/performance/jungle-book-reimagined

POTUS at Steppenwolf Theatre Company

It’s just another (omg, wtf, lmfao) day at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. When a White House PR nightmare spins into a legit sh*tshow, seven brilliant and beleaguered women must risk life, liberty, and the pursuit of sanity to keep the commander-in-chief out of trouble. POTUS: Or, Behind Every Great Dumbass Are Seven Women Trying to Keep Him Alive is a bawdy and irreverent look at sex, politics and the women in charge of the man in charge of the free world. Who knew that global crisis is always just a four-letter word away.

SANCTUARY CITY at Steppenwolf Theatre Company

Newark, NJ. Post-9/11. Two teenagers, brought to America as children, now face an unlikely foe: unexpected, unreciprocated love. Their friendship is no longer enough (for one of them) and their adopted country doesn’t love them back. Pulitzer Prize-winner Martyna Majok brings light to the sacrifices made by DREAMers, lovers and life-long friends in the heart-stirring and hopeful Sanctuary City—a story that fractures and transcends—crossing boundaries, borders and genres in search of a place to call home.

Sanctuary City will be the first Steppenwolf production that includes both a full membership series run, as well as a full run of student matinees as a part of the Steppenwolf for Young Adults series, providing a synergistic opportunity to cultivate more intergenerational audiences.

Audio-Described and Touch Tour:
Sunday, October 8 at 3pm 
(1:30pm touch tour, 3pm curtain)

Open-Captioned Public Performances:
Thursday, October 12 at 7:30pm
Saturday, October 21 at 3pm

ASL-Interpreted Public Performance:
Friday, October 13 at 7:30pm

Relaxed/Sensory Friendly Public Performance:
Saturday, October 28th at 3pm

ASL-Interpreted Student Matinee:
Friday, November 3 at 10am

Spanish Language-Captioned:
Saturday, November 4 at 3pm

https://www.steppenwolf.org/tickets–events/seasons-/202324/sanctuary-city/

Rachel Maddow in Conversation with Kathleen Belew at UIC Forum

MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow returns to Chicago Humanities to expose the shocking truth behind subversive attempts to undermine democracy and the inspiring tales of those who rose to challenge the insurrectionists. Inspired by the research for her #1 Apple podcast, MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow Presents: Ultra, Maddow’s latest book PREQUEL: An American Fight Against Fascism tells the World War II story of a committed group of public servants and courageous private citizens thwarting the far-right’s attempts to align our nation with the Nazis. Join Maddow as she sits down with historian, author and Northwestern University professor Kathleen Belew to explore the rise of this wild strain of American authoritarianism, the profoundly relevant insights about America today that can be drawn from its history, and her take on our own unprecedented times.

This event will have open captions, audio description, asl interpretation and assistive listening devices with t-coil available at the Box Office.

To buy tickets, press on this link below: https://www.chicagohumanities.org/events/attend/rachel-maddow/

Jonas Becker, New Normal at the MCA

Jonas Becker’s New Normal explores how we, as individuals in society, adjust to large-scale cultural trauma, environmental deterioration, the loss of civil liberties, and increased financial precarity. As conditions erode over time, expectations shift silently for some, for others violently. The performance follows an improvisational score in which six trans-masculine performers respond to the slow violence of our current moment through endurance and illusion, struggle and support. Rocks that appear heavy are made of paper, and gestures where performers entangle each other oscillate between aggression and care. Importantly, some radical bodies resist normalization, while for others, the new normal is nothing new. The performers test their limits, adjust and readjust, responding physically to diminishing environmental standards and political conditions. This presentation expands on an In Progress showing of the work in the MCA’s main atrium in 2019, with an emotionally resonant arrangement of motion, sound, and lighting.

Run time: 45 minutes

Chicago Performs is organized by Tara Aisha Willis, former MCA Curator, with Laura Paige Kyber, Curatorial Associate.

Access Information:

Prior to the performance the lights will be set low. Please let a staff member know if you need assistance to your seat.

Audio Description and CART captioning are provided for the performance on Sunday, September 10.

The Rise and Fall of Little Voice

Blown fuses, real and metaphorical, punctuate the action with flashes of pent up energy in this acclaimed play. The diminutive heroine frequently plunges the dilapidated house she shares with her alcoholic mother into darkness by playing her dead father’s records at a volume matched only by the soulful power of her vocal impressions. Little Voice has a hidden talent: she can emulate every chanteuse from Judy Garland to Edith Piaf. She hides in her room, crooning and dreaming of love, while her disheveled mother mistakes a seedy agent’s interest as affection rather than enthusiasm for the gold mine buried in her daughter’s throat. This is an engaging fairy tale of despair, love and finally hope as LV finds a voice of her own.

This performance includes captioning, audio description and a touch tour (tentatively scheduled for 2pm.)

All gender, accessible restrooms are available on site.

Lucha Teotl at Goodman Theatre

Pro wrestling bursts onto the stage in a high-octane, immersive, 90-minute thrill ride.

It’s a night in the theater that you’ll never forget. Experience the heart-pumping action ringside, as the Goodman transforms into a professional wrestling arena—a perfect backdrop for the high drama and rich cultural history of lucha libre. Originally developed with Prism Movement Theater and produced in partnership with CLATA as part of 2023 Destinos Festival, actors and luchadores (wrestlers) in masks representative of Aztec gods play out an exciting wrestling story about family, honor, tradition and redemption.

American Sign Language-Interpreted Performance
Friday, October 27 at 7:30pm
Use code SIGN for $30 tickets

Touch Tour and Audio-Described Performance
Saturday, October 28
12:30pm Touch Tour & 2:00pm Performance
Use code AUDIO for $30 tickets

Spanish Subtitles Performance
Saturday, October 28 at 7:30pm
Use code SPANISH for $30 tickets

Open-Captioned Performance
Sunday, October 29 at 2:00pm
Use code OPEN for $30 tickets

Large-print programs, Braille programs, and assistive listening devices available upon request at our guest services desk. Visit the link here to a webpage of comprehensive Access information.
https://www.goodmantheatre.org/show/lucha-teotl/

Black Sunday at TimeLine Theatre Company

A startling look at conflicts of climate change, race, and gender in the days leading up to an infamous dust storm in 1930s Texas.

IT IS APRIL 1935 IN THE DUST STORM-RIDDLED PLAINS OF TEXAS and a family farm is struggling to keep afloat amidst a mounting series of environmental disasters. As Jesús, a new field worker, arrives in their midst, stubborn Pa refuses to believe his land is no longer viable, young Sunny dreams of a new life in bountiful California, and Ma starts having mysterious visions of the future. Developed through TimeLine’s Playwrights Collective, this world premiere by Dolores Díaz offers a startling look at the conflicts surrounding climate change, race, and gender in the days leading up to an infamous dust storm known as Black Sunday.

This world premiere play was developed through TimeLine’s Playwrights Collective—the fourth play developed through the Collective to receive a full production, following Brett Neveu’s To Catch a Fish (2018); Tyla Abercumbie’s Relentless (2022, Jeff Award for Outstanding New Work); and Will Allan’s Campaigns, Inc. (2022). Black Sunday received its first public readings as part of TimeLine’s First Draft Playwrights Collective Festival in December 2021.

Accessibility: open captions, audio description, touch tour

https://timelinetheatre.com/events/black-sunday/

Black Sunday runs May 16 – June 30, 2024 (previews 5/8 – 5/15) at TimeLine Theatre, 615 W. Wellington Ave.

Notes From the Field at TimeLine Theatre Company

An innovative documentary piece that shines a spotlight on the stories of those caught in America’s school-to-prison pipeline.

HAILED BY THE NEW YORK TIMES AS “A SEARING AND URGENT WORK that confronts some of the most pressing issues of our time with honesty, intelligence, and compassion,” this innovative first-person documentary piece shines a light on the stories of those caught in America’s school-to-prison pipeline. Utilizing verbatim dialogue pulled from more than 250 real accounts from students, faculty, prisoners, activists, politicians, and victims’ families, Notes From the Field takes audiences on a powerful and emotional journey through the faults and systemic injustices of the American criminal justice system. Deeply human, profoundly moving, and full of moments of humor, compassion, and resilience, it’s a masterful work that makes it impossible to look away from the urgent need for change.

Originally performed by creator Anna Deavere Smith as a one-woman show, this 2017 Obie Award-winning production was hailed by The Guardian as “captivating political theatre, a devastating document of racial inequality and the most rousing of rallying calls. Everyone should watch it, at least once.”

Accessibility: open captions, audio description, touch tour

https://timelinetheatre.com/events/notes-from-the-field/

Notes From the Field runs February 8 – March 24, 2024 (previews 1/31 – 2/7) at TimeLine Theatre, 615 W. Wellington Ave.

The Lehman Trilogy with TimeLine Theatre Company at Broadway Playhouse

TimeLine presents the Chicago premiere production of the 2022 Tony Award winner for Best Play!

Told in three parts over one evening, The Lehman Trilogy is the quintessential story of western capitalism, rendered through the lens of a single immigrant family. On a cold September morning in 1844, a young Jewish man from Bavaria stands on a New York dockside dreaming of a new life in the new world. He is soon joined by his two brothers, and an American epic begins. 163 years later, the firm they establish—Lehman Brothers—spectacularly collapses into bankruptcy, triggering the largest financial crisis in history. Weaving together nearly two centuries of family history, this theatrical event charts the humble beginnings, outrageous successes, and devastating failure of the financial institution that would ultimately bring the global economy to its knees.

Throughout its production history, The Lehman Trilogy has been met with extraordinary international acclaim. The Guardian proclaimed the original production “a kaleidoscopic social and political metaphor” and “an intimate epic about the shifting definition of the American Dream.” The Chicago Tribune praised it as “a masterwork” and The New York Times as “a vivid tale of profit and pain.” Vanity Fair raved that it is “true blockbuster theatre that will hold you captive until the final curtain call,” with Time Out New York saying “it leaves you dazzled.” And the Wall Street Journal declared that The Lehman Trilogy “surpasses all praise.”

For more information on access programming at Broadway in Chicago visit https://www.broadwayinchicago.com/tickets/accessible-information/

Accessibility: audio description, open captions

https://www.broadwayinchicago.com/show/the-lehman-trilogy/

STOKELY: THE UNFINISHED REVOLUTION at Court Theatre

WORLD PREMIERE BY NAMBI E. KELLEY
DIRECTED BY TASIA A. JONES

Civil rights activist Kwame Ture, born Stokely Carmichael, was a towering icon; a man of immense domestic and international importance. But he was also just that: a man. Blending the historical and the personal, Stokely: The Unfinished Revolution asks: how can you trust someone with a movement when you can’t trust them with your heart? Tasia A. Jones makes her Court directorial debut with playwright Nambi E. Kelley’s evocative world premiere.

This event will have ASL interpretation, assistive listening devices, audio description, and wheelchair accessible seating.

Touch Tour will begin at 12:30pm.

Stokely:The Unfinished Revolution

 

ANTIGONE at Court Theatre

BY SOPHOCLES
DIRECTED BY GABRIELLE RANDLE-BENT,
ASSOCIATE ARTISTIC DIRECTOR

As Antigone mourns her brothers, she must decide if she will sacrifice her life to balance the scales of justice. Associate Artistic Director Gabrielle Randle-Bent’s interpretation of Sophocles’ masterwork – featuring Aeriel Williams in the titular role and Timothy Edward Kane as King Creon – renders Antigone electrifyingly alive, situating this tale in our modern conversation about the price of democracy, and asking – crucially – if it’s a price we’re willing to pay.

This event will have ASL interpretation, assistive listening devices, audio description, and wheelchair accessible seating.

Touch tour will begin at 12:30pm.

Antigone

Aida at Lyric Opera of Chicago

Aida presents a riveting love triangle, which unfolds in an alluring Egyptian setting. At Lyric Opera of Chicago, each of the five principal artists boasts not only a sumptuously beautiful voice, but also the charismatic presence to bring these characters vividly to life.

This event will have audio description, braille programs, large print programs, assistive listening devices, and is wheelchair accessible.

https://www.lyricopera.org/shows/upcoming/2023-24/aida/

Cinderella at Lyric Opera of Chicago

Cinderella (La Cenerentola) tells the story of the downtrodden daughter of a selfish father, Don Magnifico. When Prince Ramiro (disguised as his own valet, Dandini) meets her, they fall instantly in love, leading — after a few complications — to a heartwarming happy ending.

This event will have audio description, braille programs, large print programs, assistive listening devices and is wheelchair accessible.

https://www.lyricopera.org/shows/upcoming/2023-24/cinderella/

The Daughter of the Regiment at Lyric Opera of Chicago

Marie, the lovable, irrepressible spirited heroine — a foundling, raised by soldiers — loves handsome Tonio. Things get complicated when the Marquise carts her off to refine her with a “proper” education. In one exhilarating number after another, Marie throws off coloratura flourishes like shooting stars, while her tenor sweetheart pops out nine high Cs in a single aria!

This event will have audio description, braille programs, large print programs, and assistive listening devices.

https://www.lyricopera.org/shows/upcoming/2023-24/daughter-of-the-regiment/

The Flying Dutchman at Lyric Opera of Chicago

The Flying Dutchman is the story of a young woman’s obsession. Senta dreams of the Dutchman, who’s cursed to wander the earth. He comes ashore every seven years, searching for a woman who will be faithful to him until death. When she meets him, Senta’s fate is sealed. This new-to-Chicago production at Lyric Opera of Chicago will bring to life some of the composer’s most magnificent and emotional music, including thrilling, spectacular choruses.

Sung in German with projected English Titles.

This event will have audio description and assistive listening devices.

https://www.lyricopera.org/shows/upcoming/2023-24/the-flying-dutchman/

DisFest at Chicago Cultural Center

A celebration of the disability arts with some of Chicago’s best disabled artists and performers! Join us after the parade for short-films, live music, dance, art activities, and a fun photo op in the magnificent and air-conditioned Chicago Cultural Center!

https://www.reinventability.com/disfest

Accessibility: ASL interpreted, audio description, captioning, quiet space, sensory friendly, wheelchair accessible

The Women Who Discovered How to Measure the Universe at Raven Theatre

The Harvard Computers worked by daylight at the observatory, studying photographic plates of the night sky. The play follows Annie Jump Cannon and Henrietta Leavitt through their groundbreaking discoveries that changed the field of astronomy and shaped how we understand the universe. This performance brings the science of space to life through movement, music, and light. A celebration of friendship, curiosity, and the never-ending search to find our place in the universe.

2pm Touch Tour

3-5pm Audio Described performance

http://www.raventheatre.com/stage/universe/

The SoundShirt at West Side Story at Lyric Opera

Lyric Opera is prototyping an innovative new experience for audiences who are deaf or hard of hearing called the SoundShirt, built by CuteCircuit. While the orchestra and artists perform on stage, microphones capture the sound. Computer software transforms the sounds into touch data, and the data is broadcast wirelessly to the SoundShirts. SoundShirt wearers experience the feeling of music rendered on their upper body through haptic actuation in real-time in a fully immersive way.

We’re prototyping the experience during our summer musical, West Side Story, and inviting a few outside guests who are hard of hearing and deaf to participate and experience it. There will be a follow-up survey seeking feedback. Seats and shirt sizes are limited, and tickets are free.

For questions, please write to [bdunn@lyricopera.org](mailto:bdunn@lyricopera.org).

https://www.lyricopera.org/shows/upcoming/2022-23/west-side-story/

 

Talk | Barak adé Soleil with SHIFT Community Participants at MCA

Please join us for a communal dialog with award-winning artist Barak adé Soleil and members of the local Black and Brown neurodiverse and disabled community who are part of adé Soleil’s newly commissioned work SHIFT.

SHIFT, a multidisciplinary project for the MCA’s Frictions series, has two components:

An installation located on the first floor of the MCA during the performance’s run, intentionally next to a spiraling staircase that goes up to the museum’s fourth floor. Barak is creating a film that will be installed and projected onto a diamond-like platform. In this dreamlike video installation, bodies both at rest and as they shift are visible onscreen at life-size and larger-than-life scale. The presence of Black neurodiverse and disabled bodies is amplified from many angles, infiltrating the architecture of the museum’s iconic public stairwell. Whereas these bodies might otherwise be violently misinterpreted as either lazy or near death, adé Soleil offers rest—and the intimacy of everyday gestures—as forms of political resistance for Black people.
A gathering on Saturday, May 6, where members of the Disability community will join adé Soleil in a “promenade” throughout the museum’s public areas; at times they will ascend the staircases and take up space to make visible and apparent the power of community presence. The use of the word promenade is intentional, drawing from its definition: “to take a leisurely public walk, ride, [wheel] or drive so as to meet or be seen by others.”
SHIFT is curated by Tara Aisha Willis, Curator of Performance & Public Practice at the MCA.

Access Information
ASL interpretation, CART captioning, and live audio description are provided. AD devices are available at the museum, and audience members may also use their personal devices to access the audio description through a URL provided on-site.

This event has relaxed viewing protocols and sensory-friendly lighting.

ASL provided.Audio description available.Haptic elements used.

https://visit.mcachicago.org/events/talk-barak-ade-soleil-with-shift-performers/

A.B.L.E. presents A Midsummer Night’s Dream at Chicago Shakespeare Theater

This spring, A.B.L.E. returns to the stage and our classical roots with a multimedia version of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, updated for our social-media obsessed times. Our modern adaptation by A.B.L.E. teaching artist Emma MacLean focuses on the themes of connection and disconnection. The king and queen of the fairies are fighting, the mechanicals are rehearsing a play but no one knows their lines, and the Athenian teens keep changing their relationship status. Join ABLE’s ensembles – 34 actors with intellectual and developmental disabilities as we miss texts, drop calls, and wander love struck in the Athenian forest.

This multimedia production will weave Shakespeare’s words with original scenes, monologues, songs, and dances devised by our ensembles, as well as animated film sequences from VFX designer Brock Alter. The virtual ensemble will narrate the tale for us as the in-person ensembles take the stage Upstairs at Chicago Shakespeare Theater.

With your ticket, you have the option of participating in a 45 minute interactive workshop led by A.B.L.E.’s team of Creative Associates and Teaching Artists. Audiences can experience some of the games and activities A.B.L.E. used to bring their ideas to the stage, get a touch tour of key costume pieces and props, and try A.B.L.E.’s signature “dropping in” method. This exclusive opportunity is only available to 20 ticket holders each day – reserve your spot when booking your ticket.

Event Details:
Sunday June 11th at 2pm (pre-show workshop & touch tour at 12:30pm)

Upstairs at Chicago Shakespeare Theater
800 East Grand Avenue
Chicago IL 60611

Tickets: All tickets are Pay-what-you-can, general admission
Online: ableensemble.com/events
Phone: 312.595.5600
In person: at the Chicago Shakespeare Theater box office

Access: Performances will be open captioned and dual ASL interpreted.

COVID Policies: To ensure A.B.L.E.’s immunocompromised performers and community members feel safe and welcome, all audience members must remain masked for the duration of their time in the theater complex.

https://www.ableensemble.com/events

A.B.L.E. presents A Midsummer Night’s Dream at Chicago Shakespeare Theater

This spring, A.B.L.E. returns to the stage and our classical roots with a multimedia version of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, updated for our social-media obsessed times. Our modern adaptation by A.B.L.E. teaching artist Emma MacLean focuses on the themes of connection and disconnection. The king and queen of the fairies are fighting, the mechanicals are rehearsing a play but no one knows their lines, and the Athenian teens keep changing their relationship status. Join ABLE’s ensembles – 34 actors with intellectual and developmental disabilities as we miss texts, drop calls, and wander love struck in the Athenian forest.

This multimedia production will weave Shakespeare’s words with original scenes, monologues, songs, and dances devised by our ensembles, as well as animated film sequences from VFX designer Brock Alter. The virtual ensemble will narrate the tale for us as the in-person ensembles take the stage Upstairs at Chicago Shakespeare Theater.

With your ticket, you have the option of participating in a 45 minute interactive workshop led by A.B.L.E.’s team of Creative Associates and Teaching Artists. Audiences can experience some of the games and activities A.B.L.E. used to bring their ideas to the stage, get a touch tour of key costume pieces and props, and try A.B.L.E.’s signature “dropping in” method. This exclusive opportunity is only available to 20 ticket holders each day – reserve your spot when booking your ticket.

Event Details:
Saturday June 10th at 7pm (pre-show workshop & touch tour at 5:30pm)

Upstairs at Chicago Shakespeare Theater
800 East Grand Avenue
Chicago IL 60611

Tickets: All tickets are Pay-what-you-can, general admission
Online: ableensemble.com/events
Phone: 312.595.5600
In person: at the Chicago Shakespeare Theater box office

Access: Performances will be open captioned and dual ASL interpreted.

COVID Policies: To ensure A.B.L.E.’s immunocompromised performers and community members feel safe and welcome, all audience members must remain masked for the duration of their time in the theater complex.

https://www.ableensemble.com/events

Lucy and Charlie’s Honeymoon at Lookingglass Theatre

Hooray! Lucy and Charlie just got hitched…and they’re embracing the worst of the American dream. They do what they want. Take what they want. They’re First Generation Asian American Renegades. In love. And on the run.

Featuring original country western and folk songs, directed by Amanda Dehnert (Peter Pan (A Play), Eastland), Lucy and Charlie’s Honeymoon tracks a young couple as they rev it down quintessentially American highways and across stereotypic borders, fleeing expectation and trawling up trouble along the way.

Direct from his Broadway debut in Almost Famous The Musical, Artistic Associate Matthew C. Yee’s world premiere musical romp gives a nod to America’s past, takes tally of its present, and blows its future wide open.

Touch Tour will begin at 12:30 PM CT.
Audio Described Performance begins at 1:30 PM CT.

Please contact our Box Office to reserve your seats!

https://lookingglasstheatre.org/event/lucy-and-charlies-honeymoon-2022/

London Road Access Night at Theater Wit

Our Audio Description and Touch Tour Date for London Road is Friday, May 5. The Touch Tour begins at 6:45 pm, and the show will be at 8:00. Use the code “ACCESS20” for $20 tickets if you plan to take advantage of these accessibility offerings!

Determined and tenacious, the residents of Ipswich, UK mobilize to overcome the immense fear and media circus that unfolds following the serial murder of 5 sex workers in their small town. This experimental and innovative new musical is based on a true story, using verbatim dialogue recorded during interviews with the people of Ipswich. Brought to the American stage for the first time ever, London Road is an uplifting story that reveals how a devastating tragedy can spark empathy and engender community resilience.

This musical is 2 hours 15 minutes, with one intermission.

Masks are mandatory for all patrons for the entire duration of the performance, except when actively drinking beverages.

https://sgtheatre.org/london/

ANOTHER MARRIAGE at Steppenwolf Theatre Company

You meet. You marry. You have kids. That’s the way it always goes. Or is it? What if your story changes? What would it cost? Another Marriage is an intimate and beautifully rendered portrait of an ever-evolving relationship that may never be quite finished. Ensemble member Kate Arrington’s playwriting debut upends time and the typical romantic comedy to explore the liabilities of falling in and out of love.

Accessibility: audio description, touch tour

https://cart.steppenwolf.org/17769/17907

LAST NIGHT AND THE NIGHT BEFORE at Steppenwolf Theatre Company

Monique and her daughter Sam are on the run. From what, they will not say. Showing up on their family’s doorstep in Brooklyn, the surprise visit raises more questions than it answers. As the specter of their abandoned life in Georgia creeps back into focus, the family is forced to consider what must be sacrificed to raise a child in an often-cruel world. Donnetta Lavinia Grays’s heartbreaking and poetic portrait of love–Black, queer, familial–is a bold tribute to the enduring promise of tomorrow.

Accessibility: audio described, touch tour

https://cart.steppenwolf.org/17307/17388

Secretary Hillary Rodham Clinton at The Riviera Theatre

A native of Park Ridge, Secretary Hillary Rodham Clinton’s middle-class upbringing taught her the value of hard work, determination, and the importance of public service. Now, she’s returning this spring to talk about how Chicago provided the foundation upon which she built her life and career. Join her for a far-reaching, intimate conversation about her work advocating for civic engagement through Onward Together, her thoughts on current affairs, and her connection to Chicago’s own beloved local activist, Joanne Alter.

This event will have ASL Interpretation, audio description, open captions, and ALDs.

https://www.chicagohumanities.org/events/venues/riviera-theatre/

A Night Out with Andrew Rannells at Music Box Theatre

Does a job, a home, and a killer wardrobe make you a true adult? Andrew Rannells isn’t so sure. If he’s so successful in his forties, then why does he still feel like an anxious twenty-something? Were the triumphs of his life actually failures? And were his failures his real triumphs? At Chicago Humanities, the Tony-nominated actor will sit down for a witty, fun, and poignant conversation that looks back over his career– from the Broadway stage (The Book of Mormon) to the silver screen (Girls, Big Mouth)–to ask what success and “adulting” really mean and whether he will ever feel like he has enough.

A book signing will follow this program.

This event will have open captions, audio description, and ALDs.

https://www.chicagohumanities.org/events/attend/andrew-rannells/

A Night Out With Andy Cohen at Park West

New York Times bestselling author, beloved TV host, and executive producer of The Real Housewives, Andy Cohen is the busiest man in show business. Now, he’s taking on the most important role of his life: dad. With a three-year old son and a baby girl born in May, late-night parties have been replaced by late-night feedings. Join Chicago Humanities for a lively evening with this Watch What Happens Live! host as he reflects on his year filled with housewife drama, a mayoral feud, and a renewed understanding of how family really changes everything.

This event will have open captions, audio descriptions, and ALDs.

https://www.chicagohumanities.org/events/attend/andy-cohen/

Jonathan Eig on the Life of Martin Luther King Jr at Chop Shop

There’s no better biographer working right now than Chicago’s own Jonathan Eig. He has helped us understand some of the most monumental lives of our times, such as Jackie Robinson, Lou Gehrig, and Al Capone. Eig’s newest subject is one of the most important figures in U.S. history: Martin Luther King Jr. But what is new to say about MLK? Plenty, it turns out. Join Eig and The Interview Show’s Mark Bazer for a conversation that will shed new light on this extraordinary American life. Following the conversation, Chicago jazz group The JuJu Exchange performs selections from their latest project, JazzRx, and share the emotional journey they and their fans took together to bring this healing music to life.

Come enjoy dinner and drinks at Chop Shop before or after this event.

This event will have open captions, audio description and ALDs.

https://www.chicagohumanities.org/events/attend/eig-jujuexchange/

Stacey Abrams: Rogue Justice at The Vic Theatre

#1 New York Times bestselling author, voting rights advocate, and history maker Stacey Abrams returns to Chicago with her latest thriller novel, Rogue Justice. Join Chicago Humanities for an evening with this political leader as we delve into the art of fiction, current issues affecting our democracy, and how we can all use our voices to impact our communities.

This event will have open captions, audio description, ASL interpretation, and ALDs.

https://www.chicagohumanities.org/events/attend/stacey-abrams/

What the Constitution Means to Me at TimeLine Theatre

What the Constitution Means to Me is a “slyly crafted piece of persuasion and a tangible contribution to the change it seeks” (The New York Times) and a “singularly charming, politically urgent and cathartically necessary play” (Los Angeles Times) that shows “how broad concepts of law and governance effect individual lives in the most intimate ways” (The Guardian).

Fifteen-year-old Heidi earned her college tuition by winning Constitutional debate competitions across the United States. In this hilarious, hopeful, and guttingly human debate-meets-play, she resurrects her teenage self in order to trace the relationship between four generations of women—all while grappling with the founding document that, for better and worse, shapes their lives.

What the Constitution Means to Me became a sensation upon its premiere at New York Theatre Workshop in 2018 and went on to a five-month Broadway run with Schreck in the leading role, garnering Tony Award nominations for Best Play and Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play. A national tour—launched in 2020, paused due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and resumed in 2021—followed. The play has been filmed, again with Schreck performing, for Amazon Prime Video.

TimeOut New York declared: “Here is something that every citizen must see: It’s theater in the old sense, the Greek sense, a place where civic society can come together and do its thinking and fixing and planning.” On the heels of the reversal of the foundational Roe v. Wade ruling, What the Constitution Means to Me is bound to feel even more relevant, profound, and searing than during its original run and Broadway debut. In the end, Shreck’s personal stories reflect our own, as does her passion, her laughter, and her outrage at a document that deserves to be challenged as much as it is upheld.

Accessibility: audio description

https://timelinetheatre.com/calendar/?month=June+2023&event=27464

Chicago Inclusive Dance Festival at Mayor’s Office for People with Disability Field Office

Join us anytime throughout the day for accessible dance events! Have fun while earning how to be more inclusive in your practice. We’ll be moving together, enjoying a showcase of works in progress, watching a short film, engaging and building community that includes dancers with disabilities.
FREE events with adjacent free parking and CTA nearby.
10:00-11:45 Everybody Can Dance inclusive movement workshop.
12:00-12:20 Informal showing of 3 works in progress.
12:20-1:45 Lunch with DIY Access stations open to provide hands on instruction for providing AI captions online.
1:45-2:30 AccepDance workshop (based on Autism Movement Therapy)
2:45-3:00 Film Showing “JMAXX and the Universal Language.”
3:00-3:30 Panel Discussion with JMAXX and the filmmaker
3:30-4:30 Adaptive Hip Hop workshop

Accessibility: ASL interpreted, audio description, captions, wheelchair accessibility

Barak adé Soleil, SHIFT at Museum of Contemporary Art

On May 6, Barak adé Soleil premieres a new work, SHIFT, that amplifies the presence of Black neurodiverse and disabled bodies by occupying the museum’s spaces both digitally and physically.

SHIFT is a new commission comprised of a video installation in one of the MCA’s public stairwells, accompanied by a live performance. In the dreamlike video installation that runs from May 2nd through June 19, the presence of Black neurodiverse and disabled bodies infiltrates a spiral stairwell within the museum, where they are shown from many angles and at multiple scales, both at rest and as they shift. adé Soleil’s installation offers rest, and the everyday gestures of these bodies, as forms of political resistance for Black people—challenging the media’s often violent interpretation of these bodies as lazy or near death. In the live event on May 6, a promenade of performers traverse inaccessible staircases, recalibrating the flow of activity within the museum and challenging simplistic depictions of Black disabled bodies in real time.

This performance is durational and will move through different areas of the museum, including the MCA Plaza and front steps, the northwest spiral staircase, and both public lobbies. The majority of the performance will take place in the spiral staircase on the west side of the museum’s first floor, and will be visible from various angles on multiple floors. The available space for viewers will change based on the location of the performance as it moves through the museum, and MCA staff will be available to facilitate the audience’s movement to maintain access to elevators, passageways, and stairwells. Portable stools will be available for visitors who wish to use them, where possible. ASL interpretation will be provided. Designated areas for wheelchair and mobility device users will be available on the staircase landings. The MCA Commons, on the museum’s second floor, will display a livestream of the performance as it takes place for visitors who wish to stay in one location. The livestream will also be available for visitors to join from their mobile devices from elsewhere in the museum. Live audio description will be provided: devices will be available at the museum and audience members may also use their personal devices to access the audio description through a URL provided on-site.

Accessibility: ASL interpreted, audio description, touch tour, wheelchair accessible

https://visit.mcachicago.org/events/barak-ade-soleil-shift/

Alonzo King LINES Ballet Family Matinee at Harris Theater for Music and Dance

Alonzo King LINES Ballet returns to the Harris stage for the first time since 2015. The celebrated contemporary ballet company, whose mission is to nurture artistry and the development of creative expression in dance, through collaboration, performance, and education, will perform in a matinee program for children and families.

Accessibility: ASL interpreter, assistive listening devices, large print programs, sensory-friendly, quiet spaces, wheelchair accessible

https://www.harristheaterchicago.org/alonzo-king-lines-ballet/family

Will Rawls, [siccer] at Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago

Will Rawls presents a new interdisciplinary work, [siccer], that addresses the relationship between blackness and image-making through a live performance accompanied by a video installation on the museum’s first floor.

Encompassing dance, photography, and sound, [siccer] experiments with stop-motion, a filmmaking technique in which subjects incrementally shift positions between photographs to produce the illusion of movement. Throughout the performance, an automated camera snaps an image every few seconds while the intervals between shutter clicks offer brief interludes when the camera fails to capture the dancers’ movements. As the performers improvise during these gaps between photographs, they rescript the terms through which blackness and queerness are made visible. [siccer] is also being presented as a video installation on the museum’s first floor throughout the duration of the Frictions suite, beginning on April 6.

Accessibility: captioning, ASL interpreted, audio description, assistive listening devices

https://visit.mcachicago.org/events/will-rawls-siccer/

Shamel Pitts | TRIBE, Touch of RED at Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago

Shamel Pitts and the Brooklyn-based arts collective TRIBE debut an electrifying new live performance in their ongoing Red Series exploring Black multiplicity and human connection.

The new work, titled Touch of RED, is a duet for two Black men set inside a contemporary boxing ring—a space that might traditionally suggest an aggressive competition between male athletes for entertainment purposes. Yet in Touch of RED, the two dancers imbue this boxed-in site with an intense energy drawn from the power of vulnerability, effeminacy, and the healing that occurs when Black men are allowed to soften, together. During the performance audiences will be seated around the four sides of the ring, which strategically conceals or frames the action. Transforming the space into a pulsing night club dance floor, Touch of RED invites the audience to experience the anticipation, energy, and collective softening that accompanies a good party—and reframe their expectations of time, space, and normative identity.

Accessibility: ASL interpreted, assistive listening devices, audio description, captioning

https://experience.mcachicago.org/overview/5786?queueittoken=e_mcageneral~q_6b855690-c319-4e86-a696-709882d1dd35~ts_1679853767~ce_true~rt_safetynet~h_601a46034f377ef96c08bcd1e98d78ea6c5c8b005d357659c1f90efb3399ab1b

The Kelly Girls at The Factory Theater

Belfast, 1960s: As conflicts between various political factions threaten to tear Ireland apart from the inside, sisters Fianna and Regan Kelly feel compelled to engage in the fight for their homeland. But when they join the ranks of The Provisionals, and find themselves committing acts of brutal terrorism and guerrilla warfare, both young women are forced to question how much they’re willing to destroy in the name of unity. Playwright Shannon O’Neill follows up her critically acclaimed “May the Road Rise Up” with this story of political upheaval and taking a stand.

This show will include audio description and a touch tour.

The Kelly Girls

Extra Yarn at Lifeline Theatre

The pre-show touch tour will begin 90 minutes before the show and the performance directly after the touch tour will offer live audio description (touch tour at 9:30am, show at 11:00am). This event is FREE and open to the public, but reservations are strongly encouraged.

About Extra Yarn:
While her parents work tirelessly at the local factory, Annabelle discovers a small wooden box in the snow filled with yarn that seemingly never ends. Armed with her love of friends and family, and her grandmother’s knitting needles, she effortlessly knits sweaters for the whole town! But the Archduke isn’t too pleased and will stop at nothing to get that never-ending yarn for himself. Bundle up with the discovery of family, friendship, and fighting for what’s right in this world premiere musical by the team that brought you We Found a Hat.

Touch Tour, Audio Description, and Free

https://ci.ovationtix.com/36647/production/1147131

Radial Gradient with Shattered Glass Theatre at Theater Wit

Audio Description and Touch Tour for Shattered Globe Theatre’s production of Radial Gradient by Jasmine Sharma. Touch Tour is at 6:45 PM and the Curtain for the production is at 8 PM on March, 3, 2023.

Touch Tour and Audio Description

https://sgtheatre.org/GRADIENT/

Annual Day of Remembrance & Short Film Premiere “Resettlement: Chicago Story” at Chicago History Museum

Signed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt on February 19, 1942, Executive Order 9066 led to the incarceration of 120,000 Japanese Americans during WWII. Every year, the Japanese American community in Chicago comes together to commemorate E.O. 9066 as a reminder of the fragility of civil liberties in times of crisis and the importance of remaining vigilant in protecting the rights and freedoms of all.

The film “Resettlement: Chicago Story” tells an intergenerational story of the Yamamoto family several years after camp, as they struggle to rebuild their lives and make ends meet through their family dry cleaning business.

The film screening will be followed by a presentation of the companion learning website and Q&A. There will be a reception with complementary food and beverages following the program. The program will have ASL and CART/Live Captioning provided, the film will be presented with Open Captions and Open Audio Description.

Reception: ASL interpreter and CART

Film: Open Caption and Audio Description

https://7615a.blackbaudhosting.com/7615a/Day-of-Remembrance

Antonio’s Song / I Was Dreaming of a Son at Goodman Theatre

A poetic journey of a dancer/artist/father questioning the balance of his passions—art, culture, family.

From the streets of Brooklyn to Russia’s ballet training studios, Antonio struggles to reconcile multiple ethnic identities. He wrestles with the legacy of stereotypes of masculinity while discovering the beauty of becoming a father. Powerful poetry is intermixed with original movement, music and projected imagery to create an evocative, wholly unique performance.

This is an audio described performance with touch tour.

https://www.goodmantheatre.org/Antonio

The Who’s Tommy at Goodman Theatre

The groundbreaking pop-culture musical sensation is reimagined in a new production.

Myth and spectacle combine in a fresh reinvention of The Who’s exhilarating 1969 rock concept album, Tommy—including the unforgettable anthems “I’m Free,” “See Me, Feel Me,” “Sensation” and “Pinball Wizard.” After witnessing his father shoot his rival, the young Tommy Walker is lost in the universe, endlessly and obsessively staring into the mirror. An innate knack for pinball catapults him from reticent adolescent to celebrity savior. Tony Award-winning composer Pete Townshend and Tony Award-winning original director Des McAnuff find powerful resonance reexamining this classic story for today.

https://www.goodmantheatre.org/show/the-whos-tommy/

Accessibility: audio description, touch tour

The Porch on Windy Hill at Northlight Theatre

A young violinist and her song collector boyfriend flee the confines of their Brooklyn apartment to the mountains of North Carolina, where the Appalachian music of Mira’s childhood is just the authentic inspiration they’re searching for. When they descend on her old family home, and an estranged grandfather she’s never mentioned, the unexpected complexity of past pain, prejudice, joy, and discovery reveals itself through the music that binds them. Featuring bluegrass favorites and the foot-stomping, hand-clapping finest of American roots music.

This performance includes audio description and open captions. A touch tour will begin 2 hours before the show at 12:30pm.

To purchase tickets, use the promo code NACCESS by phone 847.673.6300 or online to receive discounted tickets at a flat rate of $40 each (standard fees still apply).

If no audio description tickets have been reserved 48 hours before the performance, the audio description service will be canceled for that performance. Please contact Ruben Carrazana at rcarrazana@northlight.org or 847-324-1615 to confirm that the audio description service is still available.

https://northlight.org/events/the-porch-on-windy-hill-a-new-play-with-old-music/

Accessibility: audio description, touch tour, open captions

Marie and Rosetta at Northlight Theatre

Hailed as the “Godmother of Rock ‘n Roll,” Sister Rosetta Tharpe influenced rock icons from Elvis Presley to Jimi Hendrix. Bringing fierce guitar playing and sizzling swing to gospel music, Rosetta was a trailblazer, a young Black woman singing at church in the morning and the Cotton Club at night. This play with music chronicles Rosetta’s first rehearsal with a young protégée, Marie Knight, as they prepare for a tour that would establish them as one of the great duet teams in musical history.

This performance includes audio description and open captions. A touch tour will begin 2 hours before the show at 12:30pm.

To purchase tickets, use the promo code NACCESS by phone 847.673.6300 or online to receive discounted tickets at a flat rate of $40 each (standard fees still apply).

If no audio description tickets have been reserved 48 hours before the performance, the audio description service will be canceled for that performance. Please contact Ruben Carrazana at rcarrazana@northlight.org or 847-324-1615 to confirm that the audio description service is still available.

https://northlight.org/events/marie-and-rosetta/

Accessibility: audio description, touch tour, open captioning

The Cherry Orchard at Goodman Theatre

A family verges on bankruptcy while their country stands on the brink of revolution.

Endings and beginnings. Bittersweet departures. The comedy of life. When Madame Ranevskaya returns to her heavily-mortgaged estate on the eve of its auction, the aristocratic widow finds that the fate of much more than her beloved orchard hangs in the balance. Anton Chekhov’s canonical masterpiece is an exploration of loss, love and how to live in a society that’s changing fast. Following his critically-acclaimed productions of Three Sisters, The Seagull and Uncle Vanya, director Robert Falls takes on the last of Chekhov’s four major plays.

Please note there is a touch tour starting at 1230pm prior to the performance.

Audio description is available for this performance.

https://www.goodmantheatre.org/Cherry

Boulevard of Bold Dreams at TimeLine Theatre

Set on the night in 1940 that Hattie McDaniel made history at the Oscars, a story of dreamers striving to overcome considerable obstacles and fighting for recognition amidst the racism and inequity of Hollywood.
IT IS FEBRUARY 29, 1940, the night of the Academy Awards in Hollywood, California. Bartender Arthur Brooks, an ambitious Black man from rural Alabama, dreams of becoming a movie director. His best friend, Dottie Hudson, is a maid at the Ambassador Hotel who finds herself to be a cynic of all dreams. But when the actress Hattie McDaniel stops in at the bar and decides not to attend the biggest event in show business, Arthur and Dottie must do everything in their power to convince her to go and claim her historic win—all while confronting their dark past and making their own dreams come to life.

This play about race, class, gender, and the ever-changing landscape of Hollywood has previously had public readings at The Echo Theatre Company (featuring TimeLine Company Member Mildred Marie Langford) and Morgan-Wixson Theatre’s New Works Festival. TimeLine’s production will be its world premiere.

Boulevard of Bold Dreams runs February 9 – March 19, 2023 (previews 2/1 – 2/8)

This event includes audio description.

https://timelinetheatre.com/

The Factotum – Audio Description & American Sign Language

A new work inspired by Rossini’s The Barber of Seville that has grown into an original piece all its own, commissioned by Lyric. Updating the action to a Black barbershop on Chicago’s South Side, the creators have made an irresistibly upbeat work that celebrates the strength of community. The Factotum blends diverse musical styles with boundless imagination to create a soul opera, moving from gospel and funk to rap, hip-hop, classic barbershop quartet, and R&B. Those styles connect brilliantly with classical singing in a very human comedy that redefines everything that opera can be.

This event includes ASL interpretation and audio description.

https://www.lyricopera.org/shows/upcoming/2022-23/the-factotum/

 

Trouble in Mind at Timeline Theatre

A cutting yet humorous behind-the-curtain drama that examines pervasive racial dynamics within the American theatre and the tolls of superficial representation on stage.
ACCLAIMED BY THE NEW YORK TIMES as “a rich, unsettling play that lives up to its title [and] lingers in one’s memory long after its conclusion.”

At a Broadway theater in New York City in the mid-1950s, a group of actors has gathered for their first day rehearsing a new play called Chaos in Belleville, an anti-lynching Southern drama. But as the cast rehearses, tensions flare between Wiletta, the Black actress in the starring role, and her white director about his interpretation of the play. What emerges is an explosive investigation of interracial politics and the need for a cultural shift in theatre and America.

Written by Alice Childress—the first Black woman to have a play professionally produced in New York City—Trouble in Mind recently enjoyed an acclaimed Broadway production nominated for four 2022 Tony Awards, including Best Revival of a Play. The critics raved that this “masterpiece of astonishing power” (New York Magazine) is “the play of the moment” (The New York Times) and “will take your breath away” (Associated Press).

This performance of Trouble in Mind. will be audio described, featuring narration about visual elements of the production around the dialogue. Audio Description can be accessed by patrons via a headset loaned out from the Box Office before the show.

If you have any questions or would like to request any specific accommodations, please contact the Box Office at BoxOffice@TimeLineTheatre.com or (773) 281-8463 extension 6.

Full price tickets begin at $47 (including fees). To access a $27 ticket, please use code AUDIO22 at check-out or call the Box Office.

https://timelinetheatre.com/events/trouble-in-mind/

 

The Notebook

The Notebook is a new musical based on the bestselling novel that inspired the iconic film. Allie and Noah, both from different worlds, share a lifetime of love despite the forces that threaten to pull them apart, in a deeply moving portrait of the enduring power of love.

Broadway directors Michael Greif (Dear Evan Hansen, Next to Normal, RENT) and Schele Williams (Aida, Motown the Musical) team up with multi-platinum singer-songwriter Ingrid Michaelson on music and lyrics, book by playwright Bekah Brunstetter (writer and producer on NBC’s This Is Us), and choreography by Katie Spelman.

Book online with promo code “ACCESS” or call 312.595.5600 during regular Box Office hours (Tuesday–Sunday, noon to 5:00 p.m.). Be sure to mention “Access Shakespeare” tickets so that we may provide the best seats and service. For additional assistance, please email access@chicagoshakes.com.

https://www.chicagoshakes.com/plays_and_events/notebook

The Locusts at Theatre Wit

The Gift Theatre presents the world premiere of The Locusts at Theater Wit.

When a serial killer frightens Ella’s small hometown of Vero Beach, Florida, she’s called down from FBI headquarters in Washington D.C. to come help. At home, she’s confronted by the life she left behind: her struggling family and the dark events of her childhood. A play that explores how lost souls manage their fear, and their desperate search for a way to survive in a world that threatens their existence.

Performing at Theater Wit-1229 w. Belmont, Chicago, IL 60657

Tickets available at theaterwit.org or by calling 773-975-8150

https://thegifttheatre.org/shows-events/the-locusts

Tickets: Previews $25. Regular run $38 – $45. Students $25. Seniors $35. Tickets are currently available at www.thegifttheatre.org, by calling (773) 975-8150 or in person at the Theater Wit Box Office.

Sensory-friendly performance: Saturday, November 19 at 7:30 pm

Audio-described performance/touch tour & conversation with the cast: Saturday, November 19 at 7:30 pm (touch tour begins at 6:45 pm)

Layalina at Goodman Theatre

A surprising new play about how families fall apart—and find each other again—amidst turbulent global and social change.

In 2003, newly-wed Layal and her family prepare to immigrate from Baghdad, Iraq, to a Chicago suburb. Seventeen years later, Layal’s life looks unimaginably different from what she had envisioned two decades prior, as she and her siblings explore queerness, face their grief, and discover what it takes to make home in a new place. Don’t miss this moving, powerful new play’s world premiere on the Owen Stage—fresh from Goodman’s New Stages and Future Labs programs.

Audio description and touch tour are available.

https://www.goodmantheatre.org/Layalina

Toni Stone at Goodman Theatre

Play ball! The sensational true story of the first woman to play professional baseball knocks it out of the park as a can’t-miss theatrical event.

Toni Stone is an encyclopedia of baseball stats. She’s got a great arm. And she doesn’t understand why she can’t play with the boys. Rejected by the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League because of her race, Toni sets out to become the first woman to play in baseball’s Negro Leagues. Challenges on and off the field—from hostile crowds to players who slide spikes-first—only steel her resolve to shatter racist and sexist barriers in the sport she’s loved since childhood. An original play inspired by the book Curveball, The Remarkable Story of Toni Stone by Martha Ackmann, this New York Times Critic’s Pick will have you cheering along.

Audio description and a touch tour is available.

https://www.goodmantheatre.org/Toni

Andy Warhol in Iran at Northlight Theatre

In 1976, the artist Andy Warhol, having re-invented himself as the portrait painter of the rich and famous, travels to Tehran to take Polaroids of the Shah of Iran’s wife. Amidst taking in the Crown Jewels and ordering room service caviar, Warhol encounters a young revolutionary who throws his plans into turmoil, and opens the pop icon’s eyes to a world beyond himself.

This performance includes audio description and open captions. A touch tour will begin 2 hours before the show at 12:30pm.

To purchase tickets, use the promo code NACCESS by phone 847.673.6300 or online to receive discounted tickets at a flat rate of $40 each (standard fees still apply).

If no audio description tickets have been reserved 48 hours before the performance, the audio description service will be canceled for that performance. Please contact Ruben Carrazana at rcarrazana@northlight.org or 847-324-1615 to confirm that the audio description service is still available.

Social Media and Young Mental Health (The Verge Program 3)

It’s often said that social media is bad for our mental health, and while that can be true, the full story isn’t so cut and dry. At CHF, Nicole Wetsman, Health Tech Reporter for The Verge moderates a panel between Dr. Megan Moreno, a leading researcher on adolescent social media, and Margot Lee, a high-profile young adult influencer about how curating public images affect our well-being.

Open captions and assistive listening devices are available.

https://www.chicagohumanities.org/events/attend/verge-social-media/

The Future of the Feed (The Verge Program 2)

You probably know that algorithms play a huge role in what we see online, but what happens to society when this type of curated content begins to influence our real lives? Join The Verge Deputy Editor Alex Heath and a special guest for a conversation about how personalized and relatable content on social media is redefining our feeds and creating a new lens through which millions view the world.

Open captions and assistive listening devices are available.

https://www.chicagohumanities.org/events/attend/future-feed/

How Social Media Rewired Our Minds & Our World with Max Fisher (The Verge Program 1)

We’ve all been told too much social media is bad for us, but why is that? At CHF, New York Times investigative reporter and author of The Chaos Machine Max Fisher explains how, through the pursuit of unfettered profits and maximum engagement, Big Tech has rewired our minds, and instigated a cultural shift toward polarization and misinformation. Join him and David Pierce (editor at large at The Verge) for a behind-the-scenes look at how social networks prey on psychological frailties, driving people to extreme opinions and actions.

A book signing will follow this program.

Open captions and assistive listening devices are available.

https://www.chicagohumanities.org/events/attend/max-fisher/

Reza Aslan on an American Martyr in Persia

Join Reza Aslan (No god but God and Zealot) for the spellbinding tale of a martyr for democracy. Howard Baskerville was a 22-year-old missionary who went to Iran in 1907 and died fighting in the Persian Constitutional Revolution. Was he the “American Lafayette of Iran” or a naive “white savior”? In this talk, Aslan explores what Baskerville’s story illuminates about how seriously we take our democratic ideals and whose freedom we actually support.

Pre-order your book and gain access to a book signing and meet and greet with Aslan following this program.

Open captions and assistive listening devices are available.

https://www.chicagohumanities.org/events/attend/reza-aslan/

Marianne Williamson on Love & Politics

In the wake of the midterm elections, join former presidential candidate, political activist, and spiritual thought leader Marianne Williamson for an intimate conversation with Sen. Nina Turner about the state of American politics. In an era of divisiveness, Williamson comes to CHF with a new vision for American politics built on social responsibility, democracy, and deep human values.

Open captions and assistive listening devices are available.

https://www.chicagohumanities.org/events/attend/marianne-williamson/

the ripple, the wave that carried me home

A family responds to injustice and a daughter reckons with her political inheritance in this new play by “a poet, a playwright to pay attention to” (Variety).

Janice’s parents are prominent activists fighting for the integration of public swimming pools in 1960s Kansas. As injustice penetrates the warm bubble of her childhood, Janice grows apart from her family and starts a new life far away. When she receives a call asking her to speak at a ceremony honoring her father, she must decide whether she’s ready to reckon with her political inheritance—and a past she has tried to forget.

A Co-Production with Berkeley Repertory Theatre

https://www.goodmantheatre.org/ripple

A Christmas Carol at Goodman Theatre

Chicago’s favorite holiday tradition for four decades.

Nearly two million theatergoers have experienced Chicago’s must-see annual holiday tradition, Goodman Theatre’s A Christmas Carol. With first-rate performances— starring award-winner Larry Yando as Ebenezer Scrooge for the 15th year—and “amazing sets, gorgeous costumes and eye-popping effects” (Chicago Reader), the heartwarming story of generosity’s triumph over greed comes to vivid life. Don’t miss this 45th anniversary production of “the best Christmas story ever told” (Time Out Chicago).

A Christmas Carol is appropriate for ages 6 and up. The production contains loud noises, bright lights, and images that may frighten very young children. Children under 5 are not permitted in the theater. For more information contact the box office at 312.443.3800

https://www.goodmantheatre.org/carol

The Island at Court Theatre

THE ISLAND
BY ATHOL FUGARD, JOHN KANI, AND WINSTON NTSHONA
DIRECTED BY GABRIELLE RANDLE-BENT
Nov 11, 2022 — Dec 04, 2022

“[The Island] has the rough majesty of a classic… this short but potent play has lost little of its force” -The Guardian

John and Winston are political prisoners on South Africa’s infamous Robben Island, spending their days toiling at grueling, futile tasks in the prison’s quarry. At night, they secretly rehearse a two-man version of Antigone and find solace and strength in their burgeoning friendship. The Island is at once a sobering glimpse into the social, physical, and psychological wounds of Apartheid; a lesson in the complex work of liberation; and a testament to the transformative power of theatre.

Frequent collaborator Gabrielle Randle-Bent makes her solo directorial debut at Court, bringing her vision of resistance and resilience to the stage.

Accessible performances:

December 3, 2022 at 2:00pm/Touch Tour at 12:30pm (Touch Tour/Audio Description)
December 4, 2022 at 2:00pm (Open Captioning)
December 4, 2022 at 7:30pm (ASL Interpretation)

CounterBalance 2022

12TH ANNUAL COUNTERBALANCE

SEPTEMBER 24TH & 25TH, 2022
presented by Access Living, Bodies of Work, MOMENTA, and ReinventAbility.

IN-PERSON PERFORMANCES
(A virtual viewing option will be available in October)

Hoover-Leppen Theatre
CENTER ON HALSTED
3656 N. Halsted

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 24
7:30pm
Doors open at 7:00pm

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 25
2:00pm
Sensory Friendly Performance
Doors open at 1:30pm

ACCESS FEATURES
Wheelchair Accessible, ASL Interpretation, Open Captioning, Audio Description, All Gender Restrooms

SAFETY PROTOCOLS
Masks Required
Proof of Vaccination
or Negative Covid Test

Swing State

It’s hard to know who your friends are in a world that’s more divided than ever.

Tony Award-winner Robert Falls and his longtime collaborator, Pulitzer Prize finalist playwright Rebecca Gilman, team up again for their sixth Goodman production—a contemporary portrait of America’s heartland in a time when it feels like everyone’s way of life is in danger of disappearing.

Swing State is suggested for ages 14 and up. Please be aware that this production contains a gun shot and depictions of police violence and suicide. For more information contact the box office at 312.443.3800

https://www.goodmantheatre.org/SwingState

BWBTC Shakespeare: Richard III

Aligned with the mission of representing marginalized voices, BWBTC has partnered with UIC’s Disability Cultural Center to tell the tale of the malicious Richard of Gloucester. Casting both non-disabled and disabled actors, this production will not only examine stage combat as a storytelling tool, but interrogate the divide between “regular” theatre and “theatre for the disabled”.

For more information and to purchase tickets, visit https://babeswithblades.org/summer-2022-bwbtc-shakespeare-richard-iii/

Use coupon code (Access) for 20% discount!

Please note:
– Live captions will be available for all performances.
– A pre-show Touch Tour will be available at 1:30pm prior to the October 9 performance.
– The October 9 performance will be followed by a talkback after the show with representatives from the UIC Disability Cultural Center

BWBTC Shakespeare: Richard III

Aligned with the mission of representing marginalized voices, BWBTC has partnered with UIC’s Disability Cultural Center to tell the tale of the malicious Richard of Gloucester. Casting both non-disabled and disabled actors, this production will not only examine stage combat as a storytelling tool, but interrogate the divide between “regular” theatre and “theatre for the disabled”.

For more information and to purchase tickets, visit https://babeswithblades.org/summer-2022-bwbtc-shakespeare-richard-iii/

Use coupon code (Access) for 20% discount!

Please note: Live captions will be available for all performances.

Arsenic and Old Lace

Mild-mannered sisters Martha and Abby Brewster live in their spacious Victorian home in a quiet neighborhood in Brooklyn with an eccentric nephew, Teddy. Famed for their hospitality, Martha and Abby are adored by their neighbors and frequently entertain guests. But when their other nephew, Mortimer, discovers his aunts’ macabre secrets, a hilarious chain of events ensue in this character-driven farce.

Resident Artist Ron OJ Parson directs this beloved American classic, bringing much-needed humor and healing laughter to the stage in Court’s 2022/23 Season opener.

 

https://tickets.courttheatre.org/Online/mapSelect.asp

The Island

THE ISLAND
BY ATHOL FUGARD, JOHN KANI, AND WINSTON NTSHONA
DIRECTED BY GABRIELLE RANDLE-BENT
Nov 11, 2022 — Dec 04, 2022

“[The Island] has the rough majesty of a classic… this short but potent play has lost little of its force” -The Guardian

John and Winston are political prisoners on South Africa’s infamous Robben Island, spending their days toiling at grueling, futile tasks in the prison’s quarry. At night, they secretly rehearse a two-man version of Antigone and find solace and strength in their burgeoning friendship. The Island is at once a sobering glimpse into the social, physical, and psychological wounds of Apartheid; a lesson in the complex work of liberation; and a testament to the transformative power of theatre.

Frequent collaborator Gabrielle Randle-Bent makes her solo directorial debut at Court, bringing her vision of resistance and resilience to the stage.

Accessible performances:

December 3, 2022 at 2:00pm/Touch Tour at 12:30pm (Touch Tour/Audio Description)
December 4, 2022 at 2:00pm (Open Captioning)
December 4, 2022 at 7:30pm (ASL Interpretation)

https://www.courttheatre.org/season-tickets/2022-2023-season/the-island/

Georgiana & Kitty: Christmas at Pemberly

The beloved characters from Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice return for a third and final installment of the Pemberley trilogy (Miss Bennet, The Wickhams). The youngest Darcy and Bennet sisters have become fast friends, and eagerly await the arrival of Georgiana’s secret correspondent. Mixups of manners and overprotective big brother Mr. Darcy keep romance from unfolding easily. But music, ambition, friendship, and sisterhood lead to happiness… and a love story that spans a lifetime.

This performance includes audio description and open captions. A touch tour will begin 2 hours before the show at 12:30pm.

To purchase tickets, use the promo code NACCESS by phone 847.673.6300 or online to receive discounted tickets at a flat rate of $40 each (standard fees still apply).

If no audio description tickets have been reserved 48 hours before the performance, the audio description service will be canceled for that performance. Please contact Ruben Carrazana at rcarrazana@northlight.org or 847-324-1615 to confirm that the audio description service is still available.

https://northlight.org/events/georgiana-kitty-christmas-at-pemberly/

Clyde’s

“Feisty comedy is on the menu” (Washington Post) in two-time Pulitzer Prize winner Lynn Nottage’s latest Broadway triumph.

Creating the perfect sandwich is the shared quest of the formerly incarcerated kitchen staff of Clyde’s, a truck stop cafe. Even as the shop’s mischievous owner tries to keep them under her thumb, the staffers are given purpose and permission to dream—finding that “sometimes a hero is more than a sandwich” (New York Times). This stirring, masterful play from the team of two-time Pulitzer Prize winner Lynn Nottage and director Kate Whoriskey (Ruined, Sweat) makes its Chicago premiere after its Tony-nominated run on Broadway.

For tickets and more information, please visit https://www.goodmantheatre.org/Clydes

ShakesFest: A Chicago Shakespeare Community Cabaret

Chicago Shakespeare in the Parks presents ShakesFest: A Chicago Shakespeare Community Cabaret with FREE pop-up performances in neighborhood parks. Performers, musicians, and dancers take center stage in this exuberant musical revue of songs riffing on familiar (and not-so-familiar) lines from Shakespeare! From pop to musicals, hip hop, and the blues, Shakespeare’s words find joyful new life in unexpected ways.

This FREE, fun-for-all-ages event celebrates community-building, connection, and the magic of experiencing live performance together with family, friends, and neighbors.

Featured arts partners include: Jose “iasEL” Gonzalez, DJ Jeremy Heights, James Heitz, Emma Lyons, Noelle Klyce, Move Me Soul, Segundo Ruiz Belvis Cultural Center, and Yin He Dance.

https://www.chicagoshakes.com/plays_and_events/explore_season/parks2022

Now in its eleventh year, Chicago Shakespeare in the Parks is an important component of the Theater’s Community Practice, a year-round community connectivity program rooted in engagement with neighborhoods and collaborations with local artists.

Chicago Shakespeare in the Parks is following the health and safety guidelines of Chicago’s Night Out in the Parks program. For any weather-related performance delays or cancellations, check @chicagoshakes on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram

Chicago Shakespeare is committed to making its performances accessible to all patrons. ASL Interpretation and Audio Description are available for select performances. Assisted Listening Devices and large print programs are available at all performances.

It Came From Outer Space

A new musical comedy adapted from the ‘50s cult classic sci-fi film from Universal Pictures! Amateur astronomer John Putnam encounters an alien spaceship in the desert and becomes the laughingstock of his small town—until the extraterrestrial visitors make their presence known and he must convince the gathering mob that they have come in peace. A clever musical score and creative physical humor puts a new spin on Ray Bradbury’s flying saucer tale, examining society’s fear of outsiders as it simultaneously embraces the wonder of what lies just beyond the stars. Commissioned and developed by Chicago Shakespeare with Creative Producer Rick Boynton, the production reignites an artistic partnership with creators Joe Kinosian and Kellen Blair, following the triumph of their Jeff Award-winning musical, Murder for Two, which went on to an acclaimed New York run.

Book online with promo code “ACCESS” or call 312.595.5600 during regular Box Office hours (Tuesday–Sunday, noon to 5:00 p.m.). Be sure to mention “Access Shakespeare” tickets so that we may provide the best seats and service. For additional assistance, our Customer Service Portal is also available anytime day or night.

https://www.chicagoshakes.com/plays_and_events/space

West Side Story at Lyric Opera of Chicago

Tony and Maria are wide-eyed teenagers from two communities in conflict, who fall in love. As their friends and family battle with one another, Tony and Maria long for “a place for us…somewhere.”

Accessibility: Audio Description, Touch Tour, ASL Interpreted

https://www.lyricopera.org/shows/upcoming/2022-23/west-side-story/

Proximity

Proximity is a gripping, powerful trio of new works that confronts head-on some of the greatest challenges affecting us as a society: yearning for connection in a world driven by technology; the devastating impact of gun violence on cities and neighborhoods; and the need to respect and protect our natural resources. As the story zooms in and out from the individual to the community to the cosmic, we find ourselves in a compelling snapshot of 21st century life, with all of its complex intersections and commonalities.

https://www.lyricopera.org/shows/upcoming/2022-23/proximity/

Carmen

The immortal tale of the restless, free-spirited heroine (Carmen) and Don José, the soldier who’s drawn to her in a truly “fatal attraction.”

https://www.lyricopera.org/shows/upcoming/2022-23/carmen/

Hansel and Gretel

This rivetingly modern, astonishingly inventive view of the Brothers Grimm’s fairytale features an eye-popping production that does full justice to Humperdinck’s glorious score.

https://www.lyricopera.org/shows/upcoming/2022-23/hansel-and-gretel/

Don Carlos

Don Carlos masterfully reveals the private turmoil of very public personalities. In 16th-century Spain, King Philip II is torn apart by his own jealous suspicions that his son, crown prince Carlos, and Queen Elisabeth — Philip’s young wife and Carlos’s stepmother — are in love. The drama unfolds and washes over you with unforgettable intensity and thrilling musical splendor.

https://www.lyricopera.org/shows/upcoming/2022-23/don-carlos

Le Comte Ory

High jinx ensue when Countess Adèle sequesters herself in her castle while her valiant brother is away on a crusade. In his absence, the amorous Count Ory stops at nothing (including disguising himself as a nun!) to gain entry to the castle and woo the virtuous Countess.

https://www.lyricopera.org/shows/upcoming/2022-23/le-comte-ory/