Kohl Children’s Museum welcomes children with disabilities and their families for an afternoon of learning and play focused on them. Our Museum campus is designed for universal accessibility with a purpose to encourage linguistic, cognitive, motor and social skills for all children ages birth to 8.
Accessibility: Quiet Spaces, Wheelchair Accessible
Website: https://www.kohlchildrensmuseum.org/outreach-programs/eap/
Travel through The Plant on an art scavenger hunt, witnessing works in progress by disabled artists and their allies. Join us for a dance workshop, bring your crafting projects to craft care with others, or grab a beer in the brewery, and listen to tunes.
Schedule-
Catch performances and events from UDF members and creators, Will Bennet, Maggie Bridger, Erin Compton, Sydney Erlikh, Tsehaye Hebert, Kris Lenzo, Terri Lynn Hudson, Lauren Sheely and Andy Slater. Joined by artists Matt Bodett, Aquil Charlton, Meesh Sara Fradkin, and others!
A tour of The Plant will be held at 2pm sharp; advance tickets are recommended and available at this link: https://bubbly-dynamics-llc.square.site/shop/tour-of-the-plant/20
Stop by The Jungle Taproom at The Plant, a collaboration by Whiner Beer Co. and SomosMonos Cervecería, for good times! Raza’s Pizza will be slinging NY-style pies, burgers, and much more for all appetites and dietary preferences from 2-9:30pm.
If you feel you might need an access tool during this event, but do not have it or the ability to acquire it, please reach out to us at unfoldingdisabilityfutures@gmail.com.
Accessibility: Quiet Spaces, Sensory Friendly, Wheelchair Accessible
Website: https://www.unfoldingdisabilityfutures.com/artsy-antifreeze-at-the-plant
The Chicago Poetry Center presents BLUE HOUR, a free monthly in-person reading series and generative writing workshop. Our February featured readers are Jalen Eutsey and Michelle Peñaloza.
Each event takes place at Haymarket House (800 W. Buena) and includes a brief open mic followed by two featured poets. Pre-registration is free and recommended. The open mic includes five readers drawn lottery-style from a hat that goes out at 7:15. The reading starts promptly at 7:30. Each open mic poet reads one poem or for three minutes, whichever comes first.
FEBRUARY FEATURES:
Michelle Peñaloza is the author of “All The Words I Can Remember Are Poems,” winner of the 2024 Lexi Rudnitsky Editor’s Choice Award and the James Laughlin Award from the Academy of American Poets (Persea Books, 2025). Her debut, “Former Possessions of the Spanish Empire,” won the 2018 Hillary Gravendyk National Poetry Prize. The proud daughter of Filipino immigrants, Michelle was born in the suburbs of Detroit, MI and raised in Nashville, TN. She now lives in Covelo, CA.
Jalen Eutsey is a writer from Miami, Florida. A recipient of the Wallace Stegner Fellowship from Stanford University, his poems have appeared in Best New Poets, The Yale Review, Poetry Northwest, and The Hopkins Review. His chapbook, “Bubble Gum Stadium,” was published by Button Poetry.
EVENT DETAILS FOR February 18:
The workshop (registration required) begins promptly at 6 p.m. and ends at 7 p.m.
Doors open and open mic lottery registration starts at 7 p.m. — the open mic begins promptly at 7:30, followed by our amazing featured readers.
Reading registration is free; the workshop is a sliding scale with a suggested donation of $10.
Register for the workshop here (required, and sells out quickly):
https://BHWorkshopFeb2026.eventbrite.com
And RSVP for the reading here (recommended):
https://Feb2026BlueHour.eventbrite.com
View the livestream here:
https://www.youtube.com/@chicagopoetrycenter/streams
ABOUT THE READING:
The Blue Hour reading features readings by two poets from Chicago and beyond, preceded by a five person lottery-style open mic and followed by community gathering time.
Please let us know if you have any specific accessibility questions; if you use a wheelchair, please contact curator@poetrycenter.org to coordinate use of the ramp.
Accessibility: Professional ASL interpretation is provided for the open mic and featured reading portion of the event. Haymarket House is fully ADA-compliant and wheelchair accessible.
Website: https://www.poetrycenter.org/event/blue-hour-jalen-eutsey-michelle-penaloza/
Kohl Children’s Museum welcomes children with disabilities and their families for an afternoon of learning and play focused on them. Our Museum campus is designed for universal accessibility with a purpose to encourage linguistic, cognitive, motor and social skills for all children ages birth to 8.
Accessibility: Quiet Spaces, Wheelchair Accessible
Website: https://www.kohlchildrensmuseum.org/outreach-programs/eap/
Hands Up! Don’t Go There brings together seasoned performers with and without disabilities to share profound and deeply moving personal stories. The performance explores topics people often avoid—experiences that are difficult, uncomfortable, or rarely discussed, yet essential to name and confront. Through Tellin’ Tales’ unique platform, artists from diverse backgrounds engage in writing, story development, and live performance to illuminate these often-silenced narratives.
Accessibility: ASL Interpretation
Website: https://tellintales.org/
August Strindberg’s Miss Julie is a confrontation of class, gender, and desire at the turn of the twentieth century that’s as relevant today as when it was first written.
Miss Julie wants to abandon her upper-class, aristocratic life and escape the expectations that trap her. Jean, her servant, wants to climb the social ladder and rise through the ranks of society. Over the course of a wine-soaked evening, the two jockey for position, using sex, status, and strategy to collide and combust.
Associate Artistic Director Gabrielle Randle-Bent (A Raisin in the Sun) directs one of Strindberg’s most celebrated works, interrogating the limitations of politics and position, and the tension between who we are and who we want to be.
Open Captioning: Sunday, March 1 at 2:00 pm
Accessibility: Open Captioning
Website: https://www.courttheatre.org/season-tickets/2025-2026-season/miss-julie/
August Strindberg’s Miss Julie is a confrontation of class, gender, and desire at the turn of the twentieth century that’s as relevant today as when it was first written.
Miss Julie wants to abandon her upper-class, aristocratic life and escape the expectations that trap her. Jean, her servant, wants to climb the social ladder and rise through the ranks of society. Over the course of a wine-soaked evening, the two jockey for position, using sex, status, and strategy to collide and combust.
Associate Artistic Director Gabrielle Randle-Bent (A Raisin in the Sun) directs one of Strindberg’s most celebrated works, interrogating the limitations of politics and position, and the tension between who we are and who we want to be.
Touch Tour: Saturday, February 28 at 12:30 pm
Audio Description and ASL Interpretation: Saturday, February 28 at 2:00 pm
Accessibility: Touch Tour, Audio Description, ASL Interpretation
Website: https://www.courttheatre.org/season-tickets/2025-2026-season/miss-julie/
The Bi Wives Club is a comedy showcase for all outsiders who hide in plain sight. The show is a playful, intimate, and reliably hilarious fan favorite. Audiences praise the humor, atmosphere, and the show’s sense of community and connection. It’s both one of the funniest & most energizing shows in town. At this performance on February 1st at 7pm, ASL Interpretation will be provided, use code ASLCLUB to access discounted $10 tickets.
Doors open at 6pm with a one hour happy hour before our show begins at 7pm. Dorothy remains open after the event until 11pm.
Dorothy is 21+ and requires physical or mobile ID for all to enter. Dorothy is also ADA accessible with elevator access on Campbell Ave. If you are a guest who requires elevator access, please wait by the black door on Campell Ave with our logo in the window and call our staff to assist: 773-770-3799
Please note: refund requests are only available until 24h before the event (1/31, 7pm). No other refund requests will be honored.
Accessibility: ASL Interpretation
Website: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-bi-wives-club-a-comedy-showcase-tickets-1979633455957
———————-
ABOUT THE COMEDIANS
DEANNA ORTIZ was voted Best Standup in The Chicago Reader 3 years in a row, and named one of Time Out’s Comics To Watch in 2025, Deanna Ortiz is the host of the podcast ‘Crushes!’, ‘Crime For Bed’ on Hatch+, and The Drunk Cooking Show on Instagram. She has worked as a contributing writer for NPR’s Wait Wait Don’t Tell Me, and her standup has been featured in Vulture, WGN News, FOX Good Day Chicago, and TimeOut Chicago.
“GABBY” GABE SKLAN is a comedian, clown, and award-winning playwright who performs and produces comedy and variety shows all across the city. Their work prioritizes cultivating presence of mind and treating subject matter with all due respect (even when that’s none).
AMBA WALKA is a multi-platform journalist, producer, comedian, and founder of The Crib Comedy Playspace a production house and incubator for Chicago comedic talent to perform, connect and create. Follow her across social platforms @AmbaWalka.
ANNA LUCERO is the bi girlfriend of a British man (not posh British, more like a retired soccer hooligan) and makes her money as a hairstylist. She previously produced The Gogo Show at The Lincoln Loft for 12 years & often performs with Las Locas. You can see when she’s performing next on her ig: @annalu312.
The comedian producers of the Bi Wives Club are three bi wives (not to each other) who perform, celebrate, and promote joke-dense authentic comedy. KRIS LANTZY is a queer comic and hot mom tackling alllll ‘the issues’ through her playful comedic lens, like what to do when everyone thinks your wife is your sister? CHRISTEN MANVILLE has an unmatched ability to inhabit discordant perspectives with ease. She is the ideal date for an X-rated experimental puppet show or your grandmother’s 80th birthday party. KAYLA MCCAFFREY is an actor, comedian, and improvisor as well as a newlywed wife, inner child nurturer, and vegan dog mom. Kayla jumps between her too-many roles with ease and throws her whole heart into everything she does.
Since 2016, A.B.L.E. has been creating innovative theatre and film projects for, with, and by actors with intellectual and developmental disabilities. A.B.L.E. has built a methodology rooted in fostering agency and celebrating the creativity of individuals of all abilities. Join A.B.L.E.’s Founder and Executive Director, Katie Yohe, and our team of Creative Associates to experience our approach first hand in this interactive training. We’ll examine some of the barriers facing disabled and neurodivergent actors in a traditional performing arts setting, and share our top 10 tips for accommodating neurodivergent performers. Participants will come away with a deeper awareness and understanding of the disability community, and practical strategies that can make their rehearsal process effective and welcoming for participants with a variety of learning and communication styles.
This session is ideal for Teaching Artists, directors, performers, and arts educators who want to revitalize their practice and develop tools and techniques for making their sessions more inclusive.
Advanced registration is required and must be received before Wednesday January 28th at 5pm.
Accessibility at this session:
Website: https://ableensemble.com/event/inclusive-rehearsal-feb26/
In this fun murder-mystery play, based on the popular board game and movie of the same name, a mysterious dinner party in 1954 Washington, D.C. turns into a swift-moving whodunit investigation. Scandal, secret passages, and slapstick comedy collide as weapons drop, fingers point, and bodies pile up. As suspense builds and betrayal abounds, motives are unmasked. Clue will be directed by BTG newcomer Anna Rachel Troy (Chicago), with Assistant Direction by Lewis R. Jones (Riverside). This fan-favorite farce for all ages is being produced by Tanya Harasym (Oak Lawn) and Kenneth J. Krajniak (Orland Park).
Enjoy our $50 Dinner and a Show package via our partnership with Jenny’s Steak and Banquets to celebrate Valentine’s Day Weekend!
For more information on group rates, call our Box Office at 773-BTG-TIXS (773-284-8497).
Looking for ASL seating for opening night? Please email us at tickets@beverlytheatreguild.org or leave a message for the box office with your online order number.
TICKETS:
Adults:$25, Active U.S. Military/Seniors/BTG Members: $23. Student and group rates also available! Prices listed do NOT include a $2 online processing fee per ticket. Don’t wait to secure your tickets as we may sell out! Visit beverlytheatreguild.org/btg-tickets today! 🌐
Accessibility: ASL Interpretation
Website: beverlytheatreguild.org/btg-tickets
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. Family members and companions are welcome.
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 low-sensory animal spotlight with American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation
An animal encounter opportunity
Accessibility: Sensory Friendly, Low Lighting, ASL Interpretation
Website: https://www.sheddaquarium.org/plan-a-visit/accessibility/calm-waters
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. Family members and companions are welcome.
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 low-sensory animal spotlight with American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation
An animal encounter opportunity
Accessibility: Sensory Friendly, Low Lighting, ASL Interpretation
Website: https://www.sheddaquarium.org/plan-a-visit/accessibility/calm-waters
Nasty, Brutish, & Short (NBS) is an evening of contemporary short-form puppet and object-based theater for adult audiences. This special late-night edition of NBS, presented as part of the Chicago International Puppet Theater Festival, brings together out-of-town guests and esteemed local for an evening of performance unlike any other.
The performance on Friday, January 23rd at 10:30pm will be live-described via individual headset. Patrons making use of AD should plan to arrive at 10:00pm for pre-show notes, touch-tour, and early seating. Email info [at] roughhousetheater [dot] com or message @RoughPuppets on Instagram for more information and to let us know you’re coming!
Accessibility: Audio Description provided by Claire Saxe, trained audio describer, and Chicago puppetry artist.
Website: https://chicagopuppetfest.org/event/nasty-brutish-short-wknd-1-3/
deCRIPtion is a program done in partnership between Bodies of Work and Access Living that offers monthly poetry and storytelling workshops built by and with disability in mind both in-person and virtually.
Clock Stammer: A Tactile-Acoustic Poetry Workshop (in-person)
“Feel the poem, hear time as it crips- tactile and acoustic storytelling for every bodymind.”
What does time feel like when it slows down, speeds up, or moves in unexpected ways? Clock Stammer is a hands-on poetry workshop where we use touch, sound, and everyday materials to explore how our bodies and minds experience time differently, shaped by our disability, mental health, or daily life in general. Together, we’ll make tactile “clocks” or mosaics that map our moods, energy, and daily rhythms. Using simple materials like fabric, foil, or string, we’ll create and share poetic pieces that can be touched, heard, and felt. Open to everyone; no prior art or poetry experience needed.
In addition to kinds of access listed in our event tags, deCRIPtion trains and works with Access Doulas and fosters a space of interdependence. If you need assistance writing, reading, speaking, or with other aspects of a workshop, there will be someone who will do their best to assist you. During the registration process, please let us know what other access needs or barriers you have and we will do our best to ensure you are able to come be fully in community with us. We routinely create image descriptions, larger font materials, or other access tools when requested with enough notice and where appropriate to the workshop.
Registration and more information at the link below:
Join us at the Nature Museum for a sensory friendly morning event for guests with disabilities and Veterans to explore our exhibits and experiences in a relaxed and accepting environment with their family members and companions.
Exclusive access for registrants 9:00am – 10:00am. Free tickets include museum admission for the day. Exhibits and experiences modified to be low sensory until noon.
Modifications for our Sensory Friendly Morning include:
Limited capacity with advanced registration
Exhibits modified for lower light and sound stimuli
Sensory friendly critter connections & first flight butterfly release
Accessibility supports available year-round:
Sensory kits
Quiet room for sensory breaks
And more
Accessibility: Sensory Friendly
https://tickets.naturemuseum.org/events/2373ee15-add0-fe29-d3bc-ae36ed2b0d9a
Ballet Chicago presents a Sensory-Friendly performance of The Nutcracker.
This show features:
No intermission, the show will run just over an hour, with a 3-minute pause between Act 1 and Act 2.
House lights will not go dark for the show, just dimmed a bit
Music track will be moderated to diminish louder parts
Flashing, quick-changing lighting effects will be eliminated
Attendees may come and go to their seats as needed during the show
Alternate “quiet space” will be provided as needed for attendees during the show (the Theater’s Donor Room on Level 2)
31 seats are available for those in wheelchairs
All tickets are discounted to $25
The 31 wheelchair seats are also available for our four other public shows that weekend at the Harris Theater, at regular ticket prices.
For more information, contact access@harristheaterchicago.org.
Accessibility: Sensory Friendly, Quiet Spaces
https://www.harristheaterchicago.org/performance/nutcracker-1
The Neo-Futurists are bringing The Infinite Wrench to United Church of Rogers Park. At The Infinite Wrench, you’ll see thirty plays in sixty minutes written and performed by The Neo-Futurist Ensemble. Each play offers something different, be it funny, profound, elegant, disgusting, topical, irreverent, terrifying, or musical; all are original, truthful and tackle the here-and-now, inspired by the lived experiences of the performers. With new plays every week, The Infinite Wrench is The Neo-Futurists’ ongoing and ever-changing attempt to shift the conventions of live performance and speak to this unreached or unmoved by traditional theater.
The United Church of Rogers Park is ADA-Accessible. All tickets are Pay-What-You-Can.
Accessibility: Wheelchair Accessible
https://neofuturists.org/events/tiw-at-united-church-of-rogers-park/
At Best of The Infinite Wrench, The Neo-Futurists will choose thirty of our favorite plays of the year and remount them for one last hurrah. Join the entire Neo-Futurist Ensemble as they take the stage together, turning back the clock in the name of experimental performance art and nostalgia. This performance will have ASL interpretation.
Accessibility: ASL interpreted.
https://neofuturists.org/events/best-of-the-infinite-wrench/
The Chicago Poetry Center presents BLUE HOUR, a free monthly in-person reading series and generative writing workshop. Our November featured readers are Iain Haley Pollock & Keetje Kuipers.
Each event takes place at Haymarket House (800 W. Buena) and includes a brief open mic followed by two featured poets. Pre-registration is free and recommended. The open mic includes five readers drawn lottery-style from a hat that goes out at 7:15. The reading starts promptly at 7:30. Each open mic poet reads one poem or for three minutes, whichever comes first.
The Chicago Poetry Center presents BLUE HOUR, a free monthly in-person reading series and generative writing workshop. Our November featured readers are Iain Haley Pollock and Keetje Kuipers.
Each event takes place at Haymarket House (800 W. Buena) and includes a brief open mic followed by two featured poets. Pre-registration is free and recommended. The open mic includes five readers drawn lottery-style from a hat that goes out at 7:15. The reading starts promptly at 7:30. Each open mic poet reads one poem or for three minutes, whichever comes first.
EVENT DETAILS FOR November 19:
– Workshop (registration required) begins promptly at 6 p.m., ends at 7 p.m.
– Performance space doors open and open mic sign-up begins at 7 p.m.
– Reading (registration recommended but not required) begins at 7:30, followed by community gathering time.
– Reading registration is free; the workshop is sliding scale with a suggested donation of $10.
About the Reading:
The Blue Hour reading features readings by two poets from Chicago and beyond, preceded by a five person lottery-style open mic and followed by community gathering time.
About the Workshop:
The Blue Hour generative writing workshop is suitable for writers and poetry fans of all levels. We will discuss a poem together, then Marty will guide the group through individual writing on an exploratory prompt that draws on themes from the poem.
About the Space:
Accessibility, Health, & Safety:
– All restrooms at Haymarket House are gender-neutral, including single-user and stalled restrooms.
– Each event includes ASL interpretation. Haymarket House is ADA compliant and fully wheelchair-accessible; email curator@poetrycenter.org to ensure ramp access and with any other accessibility needs.
– Masks are strongly encouraged for all indoor events, and the space is equipped with a professional air filtration system.
Join us for a FREE docent-led tour with ASL interpretation designed to ensure everyone can fully enjoy and engage with our exhibitions. This special tour will provide deeper insights into the art and stories on view, while making the experience accessible to our Deaf and Hard of Hearing community.
ASL-INTERPRETED PERFORMANCE!
$30.00 TICKETS AVAILABLE USE PROMO CODE: WTASL2526
If you experience any issues with this promo code, please reach out to the box office at 847-242-6000 or email them at BOM@WritersTheatre.org.
Facing exile at home, Orlando, Duke Senior, his daughter Rosalind and niece Celia seek safety and refuge in the Forest of Arden. Lost amidst the trees, these wounded souls end up finding a community of acceptance and transformational love, where all are welcomed and embraced. Featuring an original folk-pop score by Shaina Taub (the Tony Award-winning composer of Suffs), this musical adaptation of Shakespeare’s classic is an immersive dream-like tale of faithful friends, feuding families and chance encounters.
Accessibility: ASL interpreted, wheelchair accessible, and assisted listening devices.
Following a sold-out run at Chicago Shakespeare Theater this spring, A.B.L.E.—Artists Breaking Limits & Expectations is thrilled to bring their acclaimed adaptation of Frankenstein back to life this fall at Theater Wit for a strictly limited engagement.
Music journalist Roberta Walton (Ryan Foley) has journeyed to derelict punk club The Arctic to cover its demise, but instead finds a disoriented Victor Frankenstein (Marissa Bloodgood and Andrew Kosnik) and a much more interesting story! The neurodiverse ensemble – composed of 9 actors with varying disabilities and a team of facilitators – play multiple characters as they bring Frankenstein and his Creature’s memories to life. This original adaptation blends music, movement, and scenes devised by the group into a provocative and personal exploration of ambition, isolation, and the balance between the head and the heart.
Schedule
Friday October 24th at 7pm
Saturday October 25 at 1pm (Audio Described)
Sunday October 26 at 1pm (ASL Interpreted)
Running time
Approximately 90mins no intermission
Sensory and Content Advisory
Frankenstein includes scenes that depict bullying, threats of violence, and death. The show design incorporates projected animations, some low pulsing light, and loud music. To learn more about what to expect at the show, please refer to our Sensory Advisory Guide.
Accessibility at Frankenstein
All performances are open captioned
All performances are relaxed – you can leave the theatre at any time if you need a break and sensory support tools will be available.
Wheelchair Access
Masks are required for all attendees out of consideration for our immunocompromised community members
The performance on Saturday October 25 will be audio described
The performance on Sunday October 26th will be dual-ASL interpreted
Ticket Tiers:
All tickets are general admission.
A.B.L.E. is committed to removing barriers, and that includes ensuring our work is financially accessible for everyone who wants to attend. Pick the pricing tier that works for you:
$15 – I am ABLE to connect – this level represents ABLE’s commitment to making the arts accessible for all.
$30 – I am ABLE to contribute – this level helps offset crucial production costs like props, costumes, and rehearsal space.
$45 – I am ABLE to create – this level represents the true cost of A.B.L.E.’s programming, and helps to provide access to the arts for those in need.
Cast and Crew:
Co-Directed by: Lawrence Kern & Katie Yohe
The Ensemble: Colleen Altman, Marissa Bloodgood, Rachel Buchanan, Benjamin Collins, Ryan Foley, Erin Harvey, Paige Henderson, Andrew Kosnik, Matthew LaChapelle, Kate McDuffie, Jenna Rapisarda, Haley Schroeck, and Zachary Wandel
Stage Manager: Grecia Bahena
Lighting Design: Billy Murphy
Projection Design: Brock Alter & Alex Sokol
Original Sound Design: Nicholas Pope & Katie Yohe
Makeup Design: MK Papadatos
Prop Supervisor: Anna Katharine Mantz
Audio Description (on October 25th): Jason Harrington
ASL Interpreters (on October 26th): Sabrina Cienfuegos and Mark Motyka
Director of ASL: Peter Wujcik
Key Art Photographer: Joe Mazza/Brave Lux
Production Photography: Vashon Jordan, Jr.
Frankenstein was originally co-produced in partnership with the staff at Chicago Shakespeare Theater.
A.B.L.E.’s 2025-2026 Season is partially supported by The Andrew E. Barrer Trust on behalf of The Chicago Lighthouse, The Chicago Community Trust, Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events, FunFund, Fs Foundation, The Illinois Arts Council, The Paul M. Angell Family Foundation, The National Endowment for the Arts, and generous individuals like you!
Accessibility: ASL Interpreted, wheelchair accessible, and open captions.
Following a sold-out run at Chicago Shakespeare Theater this spring, A.B.L.E.—Artists Breaking Limits & Expectations is thrilled to bring their acclaimed adaptation of Frankenstein back to life this fall at Theater Wit for a strictly limited engagement.
Music journalist Roberta Walton (Ryan Foley) has journeyed to derelict punk club The Arctic to cover its demise, but instead finds a disoriented Victor Frankenstein (Marissa Bloodgood and Andrew Kosnik) and a much more interesting story! The neurodiverse ensemble – composed of 9 actors with varying disabilities and a team of facilitators – play multiple characters as they bring Frankenstein and his Creature’s memories to life. This original adaptation blends music, movement, and scenes devised by the group into a provocative and personal exploration of ambition, isolation, and the balance between the head and the heart.
Schedule
Friday October 24th at 7pm
Saturday October 25 at 1pm (Audio Described)
Sunday October 26 at 1pm (ASL Interpreted)
Running time
Approximately 90mins no intermission
Sensory and Content Advisory
Frankenstein includes scenes that depict bullying, threats of violence, and death. The show design incorporates projected animations, some low pulsing light, and loud music. To learn more about what to expect at the show, please refer to our Sensory Advisory Guide.
Accessibility at Frankenstein
All performances are open captioned
All performances are relaxed – you can leave the theatre at any time if you need a break and sensory support tools will be available.
Wheelchair Access
Masks are required for all attendees out of consideration for our immunocompromised community members
The performance on Saturday October 25 will be audio described
The performance on Sunday October 26th will be dual-ASL interpreted
Ticket Tiers:
All tickets are general admission.
A.B.L.E. is committed to removing barriers, and that includes ensuring our work is financially accessible for everyone who wants to attend. Pick the pricing tier that works for you:
$15 – I am ABLE to connect – this level represents ABLE’s commitment to making the arts accessible for all.
$30 – I am ABLE to contribute – this level helps offset crucial production costs like props, costumes, and rehearsal space.
$45 – I am ABLE to create – this level represents the true cost of A.B.L.E.’s programming, and helps to provide access to the arts for those in need.
Cast and Crew:
Co-Directed by: Lawrence Kern & Katie Yohe
The Ensemble: Colleen Altman, Marissa Bloodgood, Rachel Buchanan, Benjamin Collins, Ryan Foley, Erin Harvey, Paige Henderson, Andrew Kosnik, Matthew LaChapelle, Kate McDuffie, Jenna Rapisarda, Haley Schroeck, and Zachary Wandel
Stage Manager: Grecia Bahena
Lighting Design: Billy Murphy
Projection Design: Brock Alter & Alex Sokol
Original Sound Design: Nicholas Pope & Katie Yohe
Makeup Design: MK Papadatos
Prop Supervisor: Anna Katharine Mantz
Audio Description (on October 25th): Jason Harrington
ASL Interpreters (on October 26th): Sabrina Cienfuegos and Mark Motyka
Director of ASL: Peter Wujcik
Key Art Photographer: Joe Mazza/Brave Lux
Production Photography: Vashon Jordan, Jr.
Frankenstein was originally co-produced in partnership with the staff at Chicago Shakespeare Theater.
A.B.L.E.’s 2025-2026 Season is partially supported by The Andrew E. Barrer Trust on behalf of The Chicago Lighthouse, The Chicago Community Trust, Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events, FunFund, Fs Foundation, The Illinois Arts Council, The Paul M. Angell Family Foundation, The National Endowment for the Arts, and generous individuals like you!
Accessibility: Audio description, wheelchair accessible, and open captions.
The Chicago Poetry Center presents BLUE HOUR, a free, public monthly in-person reading series and generative writing workshop. Our October featured readers are Rhoni Blankenhorn & Alicia Wright.
Each event takes place at Haymarket House (800 W. Buena) and includes a brief open mic followed by two featured poets. Pre-registration is free and recommended. The open mic includes five readers drawn lottery-style from a hat that goes out at 7:15. The reading starts promptly at 7:30. Each open mic poet reads one poem or for three minutes whichever comes first.
EVENT DETAILS FOR OCTOBER 15th:
The workshop (registration required) begins promptly at 6 p.m. and ends at 7 p.m.
Doors open and open mic lottery registration starts at 7 p.m. — the open mic begins promptly at 7:30, followed by our amazing featured readers.
Reading registration is free; the workshop is a sliding scale with a suggested donation of $10.
Register for the workshop here (required, and sells out quickly):
https://BHWorkshopOct2025.eventbrite.com
And RSVP for the reading here (recommended):
https://Oct2025BlueHour.eventbrite.com
View the livestream here:
https://www.youtube.com/@chicagopoetrycenter/streams
ABOUT THE READING:
The Blue Hour reading features readings by two poets from Chicago and beyond preceded by a five person lottery-style open mic and followed by community gathering time.
ABOUT THE WORKSHOP:
The Blue Hour generative writing workshop is suitable for writers and poetry fans of all levels. We will discuss a poem together then Marty will guide the group through individual writing on an exploratory prompt that draws on themes from the poem.
ABOUT THE SPACE:
Accessibility Health & Safety:
– All restrooms at Haymarket House are gender-neutral including single-user and stalled restrooms.
– Each event includes ASL interpretation. Haymarket House is ADA compliant and fully wheelchair-accessible; email curator@poetrycenter.org to ensure ramp access and with any other accessibility needs.
– Masks are currently strongly encouraged for all indoor events and the space is equipped with a professional air filtration system.
OCTOBER FEATURES:
Rhoni Blankenhorn is a Filipina American writer. Her poems can be found in The Slowdown, Asian American Writers’ Workshop’s The Margins, Narrative, and elsewhere. She is the recipient of fellowships and scholarships from Bread Loaf, Saltonstall, and the Sewanee Writers’ Conference. Rhoni’s poetry debut, Rooms for Dead and the Not Yet, won the Trio Award, and was published with Trio House Press (July, 2025).
Alicia Wright is the author of “You’re Called By The Same Sound” (Thirdhand Books, 2025) and the forthcoming essay chapbook “A Coin, A Moth, A Literary Journal” from DoubleCoss Press. Her poetry appears in Kenyon Review, Chicago Review, and The Paris Review, among others. She is the editor of Annulet and publisher of Annulet Editions. She lives in Iowa City, where she works as Managing Editor of The Iowa Review.
ABOUT THE HOST:
Marty McConnell is a poet educator and healer based in Chicago. She is the author of when they say you can’t go home again what they mean is you were never there winner of the 2017 Michael Waters Poetry Prize; her first full-length collection wine for a shotgun received the Silver Medal in the Independent Publishers Awards and was a finalist for both the Audre Lorde Award and a Lambda Literary Award. Her first nonfiction book Gathering Voices: Creating a Community-Based Poetry Workshop is available through YesYes Books. She is the co-creator and co-editor of underbelly a web site focused on the art and magic of poetry revision. An MFA graduate of Sarah Lawrence College her work has appeared in numerous journals and anthologies including Best American Poetry Southern Humanities Review Gulf Coast and Indiana Review.
To learn more about the series and history go here ( https://www.poetrycenter.org/reading-series/)
Accessibility: ASL Interpreted, gender-neutral bathrooms, wheelchair accessible.
Play For All invites children and families with disabilities and Museum members to come and experience CCM’s inclusive, multisensory exhibits and programs. The museum opens at 10 am for Play for All guests to enjoy an exclusive hour of play, before opening to the general public at 11 am. The first 250 children and families with disabilities who register will receive FREE admission! Pre-registration is required for free admission. Guests can come and go all day.
Accessibility: wheelchair accessible, quiet spaces.
Art/Access Lab: Open Lab provides artists in the disability community an affinity space for artists to share emerging projects, test ideas, and gain perspective on their work through community exchange.
Attendees are invited to support the creative process by first experiencing emerging projects that are in the development phase, then participating in a moderated conversation that delves into that work. Guided by the needs of the artist, this conversation may explore the themes presented in the work, invite the audience to ask questions and share critique, or the artist may ask questions to the audience regarding their experience of the work.
*Hybrid Event* Attend in person or via Zoom
Doors at 1:30pm
Event starts at 2:00pm
Event ends at 4:00pm
Accessibility: ASL interpreted, open captions, sensory friendly, virtual or in-person.
https://highconceptlabs.org/events/art-access-lab-october-2025
Our future feels uncertain, yet we are resoundingly called to what matters most: You and me. Us. Humanity, itself. At TEDxChicago 2025, we believe the most powerful force shaping tomorrow is our collective agency, imagination, desire for connection and laughter, dignity, and generosity. This year, our speakers and artists arrive on Chicago’s stage to share their ideas, showcasing their fierce commitment to unify science, technology, and sustainability with the essential principles of compassion, justice, and care. This is our love letter to Chicago.
Join us at TEDxChicago 2025: The Future is Human. Grab your tickets now at TEDxChicago.com
Accessibility
TEDxChicago will have ASL interpreters throughout the experience. Additionally, the Harris Theater offers a range of spaces for wheelchair access. Please notify us of your accessibility accommodations in ticket registration.
The TEDxChicago Experience
Join us on Friday, September 26th at the Harris Theater for the TEDxGlobal Idea Search session, featuring talks selected by TED, and two TEDxChicago sessions featuring talks from nine amazing Chicagoans, a number of incredible performances, opportunities to engage and connect over delicious food and beverage from local artisans and chefs, and become part of this massive celebration of ideas about our shared future.
Included in Every TEDxChicago Ticket
A ticket is all inclusive to the TEDxChicago experience: Including the TEDx Global Idea Search session (you must indicate that you plan to join us for this session), and both stage sessions and all break experiences. You’ll enjoy:
Snacks from a variety local food artisans
Hosted beer and wine and other beverages,
9 TEDxChicago talks
3 live performances from the TEDxChicago Stage
10 TEDx Global Idea Search Talks
and many opportunities to engage local art and fellow Chicagoans.
If you’d like to pre-order a subsidized lunch during the TEDx Global Idea Search session, you will be able to purchase an add-on with your ticket.
Additionally, a premium ticket option is available that includes premium access seating, as well as exciting and exclusive Patron opportunities. You can learn more about the TEDxChicago Patron program at TEDxChicago.com/Patron.
Schedule
Your ticket includes all sessions. Attendees are highly encouraged to attend the TEDxGlobal Idea Search Session in addition to the TEDxChicago: The Future is Human sessions.
11:30 AM: Registration
12:30 PM: Session 1: TEDx Global Idea Search
2:00 PM: Intermission & Late Registration
3:00 PM: Session 2: TEDxChicago The Future is Human
5:00 PM: Happy Hour!
6:00 PM: Session 3: TEDxChicago The Future is Human
7:30 PM: Event Concludes
Please see the current list of speakers, performers, and more details at TEDxChicago.com
Accessibility: ASL interpreted, wheelchair accessible.
Abby Paj Tries to Stay Alive is a solo show written and performed by Neo-Futurist Ensemble Member, Abby Pajakowski.
The doomsday clock ticks 89 seconds to midnight and the world seems to already be ending each day. Some stockpile beans, some stockpile guns, and some bury themselves underground to wait for it to all blow over. Meanwhile, Abby Paj avoids the doctor, stays in bed, and writes “make a go-bag” on every to-do list for a year and a half. Join Abby as they dive into apocalypses, preparation, depression, and maybe doing a bunch of push-ups with a backpack on. Watch as they try to stay alive in any – no, every way possible.
Motherhood, marijuana, and the multiverse collide in this Chicago-set story of family, immigration, and American identity.
Like millions of Americans, Clara is doing her best to hold everything together—working hard, raising her tween daughter Stella, caring for an aging father, and supporting her under-employed ex-husband. But when she applies for U.S. citizenship ahead of a mother-daughter trip to Paris, her application is unexpectedly flagged, exposing minor infractions in her past and threatening the only home she’s ever known. Blending grounded family drama with otherworldly wonder, this Chicago-set world premiere is a moving and provocative exploration of our country’s most fundamental values.
Originally commissioned by the Chicago Park District’s Theatre on the Lake In the Works project, in partnership with The Chicago Dramatists, previous development of Hundreds and Hundreds of Stars included stagings as part of Goodman Theatre’s New Stages Festival in 2018 and Northeastern Illinois University’s thINKtank Series, co-produced in partnership with Teatro Vista, in 2024.
These performances of Hundreds and Hundreds of Stars will be open captioned with a text display of words and sounds heard during the performance. The display is positioned in such a way that it is open for anyone to see in a particular seating area. It is a service you may choose to use or ignore during the performance. Captioning is provided by c2 Inc., www.c2net.org.
Award-winning Russian-American novelist Gary Shteyngart offers an entirely original literary perspective, merging memoir and satire to create contemporary characters informed by his upbringing in Soviet Leningrad, his Jewish heritage, and his marriage and child with a woman of Korean descent. Join us for a conversation featuring Shteyngart’s signature blend of psyche and style as he discusses his new book Vera, or Faith: a poignant, sharp-eyed, and bitterly funny tale of a family struggling to stay together in a country rapidly coming apart.
Motherhood, marijuana, and the multiverse collide in this Chicago-set story of family, immigration, and American identity.
Like millions of Americans, Clara is doing her best to hold everything together—working hard, raising her tween daughter Stella, caring for an aging father, and supporting her under-employed ex-husband. But when she applies for U.S. citizenship ahead of a mother-daughter trip to Paris, her application is unexpectedly flagged, exposing minor infractions in her past and threatening the only home she’s ever known. Blending grounded family drama with otherworldly wonder, this Chicago-set world premiere is a moving and provocative exploration of our country’s most fundamental values.
Originally commissioned by the Chicago Park District’s Theatre on the Lake In the Works project, in partnership with The Chicago Dramatists, previous development of Hundreds and Hundreds of Stars included stagings as part of Goodman Theatre’s New Stages Festival in 2018 and Northeastern Illinois University’s thINKtank Series, co-produced in partnership with Teatro Vista, in 2024.
These performances of Hundreds and Hundreds of Stars will be open captioned with a text display of words and sounds heard during the performance. The display is positioned in such a way that it is open for anyone to see in a particular seating area. It is a service you may choose to use or ignore during the performance. Captioning is provided by c2 Inc., www.c2net.org.
Along with the Chicago River, sway and dance with the wind, light, and grasses, finding symbiotic nature within and around yourself in a city!! Asian Body Therapist Jennifer O”Hara and award-winning dancer/choreographer Ayako Kato will guide you to sense our physicality with the way of nature! This is a part of the Chicago Park District’s Night Out in the Parks program and will take place at River Esplanade Park between 10 am – 12 pm on Sat, August 23, 2025. We gather at the large water fountain (upon registration, you will receive more detailed info). For more information about the event and free registration, please visit Eventbrite: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/noitp-art-of-being-move-with-waterways-river-esplanade-park-ver-3-2-tickets-1360601398409?aff=oddtdtcreator
Ayako Kato URL: www.ayakokatodance.com
“I will honor Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year.”
Rediscover a Dickens’ classic with an adaptation that “makes you believe kindness can win” (Chicago Tribune). Follow Ebenezer Scrooge, a businessman whose disdain for the holidays is transformed on Christmas Eve. Malkia Stampley takes the reins as director, with Christopher Donahue returning as Scrooge after a “historical standout” performance in his 2024 debut (WGNRadio.com). Featuring a “first-rate cast and marvelous staging” (Chicago Sun-Times), this tale remains “the best Christmas story ever told” (Time Out Chicago).
Touch Tour takes place at 12:30pm prior to the performance.
Co-Produced by The Factory Theater and Unheard Of Company, be the first to witness this new devised piece of documentary theater from The Meaningful Action Theatre Company in their debut reading! Despite past rumors of being “unorganized”, “pretentious”, and “Who?”, we have been assured that this New Institution To Watch (2011) will deliver an evening of theatre about Chester Greenwood Day unlike any you’ve seen before. Join us at The Factory Theater for 20 one-night-only presentations that will make you cherish the earmuffs in your life.
ASL INTERPRETED PERFORMANCE! $30.00 TICKETS AVAILABLE USE PROMO CODE: WTASL2526
Performance on Saturday, August 30 at 2pm.
If you experience any issues with this promo code, please reach out to the box office at 847-242-6000 or email them at BOM@WritersTheatre.org.
Having safely escaped Russia during the 1917 revolution, beloved composer and pianist Sergei Rachmaninoff performed all over the world before eventually making his home in sunny Beverly Hills. Privately longing for the Russia that he knew and loved as a young man, a figure from his past continues to haunt him—Tsar Nicholas II. Hershey Felder’s newest musical play will feature the virtuoso actor/pianist in the role of Rachmaninoff alongside British-Italian actor Jonathan Silvestri in the role of Nicholas II. Featuring the composer’s most beloved works, Rachmaninoff and the Tsar promises to be another mystical musical journey in the inimitable Hershey Felder style that audiences have come to know and love.
Accessibility: ASL interpreted.
https://www.writerstheatre.org/events/hershey-felders-rachmaninoff-and-the-tsar-
OPEN CAPTION PERFORMANCE! $30.00 TICKETS AVAILABLE USE PROMO CODE: WTOC2526
Performance on Thursday, Saturday 04 at 7:30pm.
If you experience any issues with this promo code, please reach out to the box office at 847-242-6000 or email them at BOM@WritersTheatre.org.
Having safely escaped Russia during the 1917 revolution, beloved composer and pianist Sergei Rachmaninoff performed all over the world before eventually making his home in sunny Beverly Hills. Privately longing for the Russia that he knew and loved as a young man, a figure from his past continues to haunt him—Tsar Nicholas II. Hershey Felder’s newest musical play will feature the virtuoso actor/pianist in the role of Rachmaninoff alongside British-Italian actor Jonathan Silvestri in the role of Nicholas II. Featuring the composer’s most beloved works, Rachmaninoff and the Tsar promises to be another mystical musical journey in the inimitable Hershey Felder style that audiences have come to know and love.
Accessibility: Open captioning.
https://www.writerstheatre.org/events/hershey-felders-rachmaninoff-and-the-tsar-
A Gathering: Artists Design the Future & Community Of The Arts share the journey to accessible, inclusive ETOD work-live development in South Shore.
Imagine how art and culture build community, wealth and wellness and generate dynamic entrepreneurial zones.
Sisters in Cinema Media Arts Center is a fully accessible venue hosting ADtF for this conversation. Inclusivity and accessibility impact our work to center an arts and culture ecosystem in South Shore.
This gathering celebrates Disability Pride Month, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and innovation in arts and ownership.
Accessibility: ASL Interpreted, wheelchair accessible, all gender restrooms.
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/a-gathering-tickets-1493522860079?aff=oddtdtcreator
Integrated dance for people with and without disabilities, led by renowned educator Douglas Scott (Atlanta, GA).
Friday, July 25 – $30: check-in 3:30, 4:00 – 6:30 pm Community Workshop on Integrated Dance at the University of Illinois Chicago (1640 Roosevelt Rd, Chicago, IL) A workshop introducing Integrated Dance fundamentals for dancers, choreographers, and teachers. ASL and CART are provided.
Saturday, July 26 through Tuesday, July 29 – $120-300: Integrated Dance Intensive at Loyola Park (1230 W Greenleaf Ave, Chicago, IL). Teaching the Full Radius method of Integrated dance for performers and directors.
*Saturday, July 26: check-in 11:30 am, 12:00 – 4:30 pm.
*Sunday, July 27: 11:30 am – 4:30 pm.
*Monday, July 28 & Tuesday, July 29: 4:30 – 8:30 pm.
Wednesday, July 30 – $100: check-in 8:30 am, 9:00 am – 3:00 pm Teacher Training on Integrated Dance at The Dance Center of Columbia College (1306 S Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL). An accredited teacher training for Integrated Dance education techniques. CPDUs: Educators can register for 6 continuing education credits for the teacher training at the event.
Co-presented by Unfolding Disability Futures and Synapse Arts.
Additional accommodations, including ASL and Captioning, can be requested by contacting info@synapsearts.com.
Accessibility: ASL interpreting and live captioning with CART
https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/full-radius-midwest-dance-training-series
Chicagoland DPOCC, UIC Disability Cultural Center, and Center on Racial and Disability Justice Hosts 5th Annual Accessible Juneteenth
For immediate release
2025 Accessible Juneteenth
Wednesday, June 18th, 2025
4 to 7:30 PM CDT
UIC Quad (near the UIC Student Center East Building)
750 S. Halsted St. Chicago, IL 60607
Join the UIC Disability Cultural Center, the Chicagoland Disabled People of Color Coalition (supported by UIC’s Institute on Disability and Human Development), and the Center for Racial and Disability Justice at Northwestern University for the fifth Accessible Juneteenth, where we celebrate the Black disability community! We want to make Juneteenth a fun and accessible experience for all, including disabled people in the African Diaspora. We will have the following at the event:
Food
Performances
Open MicExhibitors
Family-friendly, Non-alcoholic Event
About Accessible Juneteenth 2025
This year, DJ Matt returns to bless us with music fit for our Accessible Juneteenth celebration.
We’ll kick the evening of performances off with Victoria Boateng’s djembe, and Accessible Juneteenth MC Donna will be BACK hosting an Open Mic where you can share your talents in singing, spoken word, playing instruments, and more! Pinqy Ring and J Bambii will headline the performances this year.
Sign up for the open mic now! Sign-ups for spots in person will be limited.Link to sign up for Open Mic: https://forms.gle/vSsJML6wQnXL8CXa8
We are excited to share food from Cook It Mama Café (sandwiches & salads with vegan & gluten-free options).
We’ll have tables where you can meet people from Black-owned and disability-owned/friendly organizations and businesses. If you’re a Black and/or disability-owned/friendly business and organization, and you would like to be an exhibitor, sign up at: https://forms.gle/ECokkvxpo9qqu1UZ9
We are also looking for volunteers to help run many aspects of Accessible Juneteenth; if you’re interested, sign up at: https://forms.gle/rv8thrYGcSxunYcX9
Access Information
ASL and captioning will be provided for the Open Mic and showcase portion. We’ll have tents for shade, and the nearby Latino Cultural Center will be available for a quiet, cool-off space! For the care of immunocompromised people in our community, please wear a mask indoors. We’ll have extras on hand! Accessibility requests, questions, or event inquiries can be sent to dcc@uic.edu
What to Expect
4:30pm Welcome and Announcements
5:00pm Open Mic & Showcase
Throughout: Food! Exhibitors! And more
Getting there
Accessible Juneteenth will be located along the north side of the UIC Quad (behind UIC Student Center East); 750 S. Halsted St., Chicago, IL
From Halsted Street, enter Student Center East, and go to the back campus-facing doors. Continue straight between Lecture Centers C and D to the Quad.
From Harrison Street (near Blue Line west entrances), cross Harrison to the east of the tall white dorm with the Starbucks in it, and continue down the main sidewalk through campus. Go between Lecture Center A and B to enter the Quad.
From Taylor Street, go straight through the covered corridor through the Science and Engineering Labs, and continue straight. Go between Lecture Center E and D to the Quad.
From Taylor and Morgan, follow the path from the corner into campus, and veer slightly left to approach the Lecture Centers. Go between Lecture Center E and F to enter the Quad.
Go to a visual map with these access routes
The best address for scheduling pick-ups or drop-offs is Student Center East, a wheelchair-accessible building at 750 S Halsted St.
TRANSIT
Two blocks away from the West exit of the UIC/Halsted Blue Line train station.
The 7-Harrison and 60-Blue Island/26th CTA buses pick up on Harrison, in front of the Behavioral Sciences Building.
VISITOR PARKING LOTS
Halsted and Taylor Lot
Harrison Street Parking Structure (1100 West Harrison Street)
This event is brought to you by: Chicagoland Disabled People of Color Coalition, The Institute on Disability and Human Development, UIC Disability Cultural Center, and Center for Racial and Disability Justice (Northwestern University)
Contact UIC Disability Cultural Center for more information or if you have any questions about the event: dcc@uic.edu.
Directed by Darren Thornton
Countries Ireland Year 2016
Synopsis
Released after a short stint in prison, Mary finds everything and everyone around her changed. Her best friend Charlene is engaged, but, convinced she’ll never find a date, refuses Mary a “plus one” at the wedding. Incensed, Mary sets out to prove Charlene wrong… but is she? A tough and tender comedy about friendship, first love, and finding your true self.
Language English
Run Time 82 minutes
Directed by Raine Allen-Miller
Countries United Kingdom Year 2023
Synopsis
In this visually vibrant, exhilarating modern romance, a chance meeting between Yas and Dom, two twenty-somethings both reeling from bad breakups, sparks an electrifying day of soul searching in South London. The two form an unlikely connection as they help one another nurse their heartbreak, hoping to restore their faith in love.
A New Adaptation by Mickle Maher
Based on the graphic novel by Jason Lutes
Directed by Charles Newell
Development and Dramaturgy by David J. Levin
Berlin is an unforgettable mosaic of intersecting narratives set amidst the decline of Weimar Germany. This original commission brings Jason Lutes’s exhilarating and acclaimed graphic novel to life.
Fascism is taking hold; revolutionaries are organizing; creatives are trying to capture the ineffable nature of their changing city; and – as everything falls apart – everyone is faced with a choice: abandon Berlin or fight to survive.
May 10, 2025 at 2:00pm (ASL-Interpreted and Audio Description Performance). Touch Tour at 12:00 PM
A.B.L.E.—Artists Breaking Limits & Expectations—a Chicago-based nonprofit that creates theatre and film for, with, and by individuals with Down syndrome and other intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD), is thrilled to return to Chicago Shakespeare Theater with a punk-inspired re-telling of Frankenstein.
The neurodiverse ensemble will transform The Upstairs Studio into a run-down punk club called The Arctic, and trade off playing multiple characters as they bring Frankenstein and the Creature’s stories to life. The production blends music, movement, and scenes devised by the group into a powerful exploration of ambition, isolation, and the balance between the head and the heart. How far would YOU go to chase a dream?
Run Time: Approximately 90 minutes with no intermission
Content Warning: Frankenstein contains scenes depicting bullying, threats of violence, and death. The production design includes recorded music and animated projection.
ACCESSIBILITY: ASL Interpreted, Masks Required, Open Captions, Sensory Friendly, Wheelchair Accessible
A.B.L.E.—Artists Breaking Limits & Expectations—a Chicago-based nonprofit that creates theatre and film for, with, and by individuals with Down syndrome and other intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD), is thrilled to return to Chicago Shakespeare Theater with a punk-inspired re-telling of Frankenstein.
The neurodiverse ensemble will transform The Upstairs Studio into a run-down punk club called The Arctic, and trade off playing multiple characters as they bring Frankenstein and the Creature’s stories to life. The production blends music, movement, and scenes devised by the group into a powerful exploration of ambition, isolation, and the balance between the head and the heart. How far would YOU go to chase a dream?
Run Time: Approximately 90 minutes with no intermission
Content Warning: Frankenstein contains scenes depicting bullying, threats of violence, and death. The production design includes recorded music and animated projection.
ACCESSIBILITY: Open Captions, Sensory Friendly, Wheelchair Accessible, Masks Required
CONTACT: Marty McConnell, Blue Hour curator, marty@poetrycenter.org
The Chicago Poetry Center invites you to this year’s final three editions of Blue Hour, voted “Chicago’s best reading series 2025” by the Chicago Reader! Blue Hour is a free monthly in-person reading series paired with a generative writing workshop.
The next Blue Hour will take place on Wednesday, April 16. The writing workshop will run from 6 to 7 p.m., followed by the open mic and featured readers from 7:30 to 9 p.m. Our features for the night are Ayokunle Falomo and Viola Lee.
Ayokunle Falomo is Nigerian, American, and the author of “Autobiomythography of” (Alice James Books, 2024), “AFRICANAMERICAN’T” (FlowerSong Press, 2022), two self-published collections and “African, American” (New Delta Review, 2019; selected by Selah Saterstrom as the winner of New Delta Review’s 8th annual chapbook contest). He is the recipient of fellowships from Vermont Studio Center, MacDowell, and the University of Michigan’s Helen Zell Writers’ Program, where he obtained his MFA in Creative Writing—Poetry.
Viola Lee graduated from NYU with an MFA in Poetry. Her book “Lightening after the Echo” was published by Another New Calligraphy. She has published poems in literary journals throughout the US, including Barrow Street, Bellevue Literary Review, and Another Chicago Magazine. Her poems were finalists in the Pleiades Prufer Poetry Prize and the 2022 Mississippi Review Poetry Prize. Her manuscript “The Only Home” was a finalist in the 2023 Switchback Books’ Gatewood Prize, Semi-finalist in the 2023 Perugia Press Poetry Prize and finalist in the 2024 X.J. Kennedy Poetry Prize.
Registration for the April edition of the Blue Hour reading is available https://AprilBlueHour.eventbrite.com.
Registration for the April edition of the workshop is available https://april25-bluehour-workshop.eventbrite.com.
The workshop and reading both take place at Haymarket House located at 800 W. Buena in Chicago. The reading includes a brief open mic followed by two featured poets. Pre-registration is free and recommended.
May’s featured poets will be Nadia Alexis and Keith S. Wilson. Information about the series, including upcoming features and the history of the series, can be obtained here.
ACCESSIBILITY: ASL Interpreted, Wheelchair Accessible
Sunday, April 27
8 a.m.–10 a.m.
Lincoln Park Zoo is offering Sensory-Friendly Morning hours to benefit guests of all ages! People with disabilities or chronic illness, or members of the Deaf community, can experience the zoo grounds and animal buildings in a comfortable and inclusive environment. Modifications include limited capacity and muted attractions. This is a free event, but it does require advanced registration.
During Sensory-Friendly Morning, the Gift Shop will be open at 8 a.m. and Eadie Levy’s Landmark Café will sell beverages starting at 8:30 a.m. The Endangered Species Carousel and Lionel Train Adventure will operate with music and noises at lower levels. Not all animal buildings may be open, and some animals may not be in their public viewing spaces.
At 10 a.m., the zoo will be open to the public and begin typical operations.
View the zoo’s accessibility map HERE and its accessibility page HERE to help plan your visit.
Lincoln Park Zoo is certified Sensory Inclusive by KultureCity. Download the free KultureCity app with Lincoln Park Zoo’s social story on iOS or Android
Please enter at the West Gate or East Gate. You must present your registration email to zoo ushers.
Paid parking is available at the zoo’s parking lot located at Fullerton Parkway and Cannon Drive (2400 N. Cannon Drive). The zoo is also accessible by train via the Armitage and Fullerton stations and by bus via the 22, 36, 151, and 156 routes.
All Lincoln Park Zoo events take place rain or shine. You may still enjoy the wonderful animal buildings if it rains, and the carousel is covered.
There is no smoking at Lincoln Park Zoo for the health of the animals in our care. Please refer to our Code of Conduct for additional guidelines.
Pets are not allowed at the zoo, but licensed service animals are welcome.
For more information, email access@lpzoo.org.
Sunday, July 20
10 a.m.–2 p.m.
Sensory-Friendly Day at Farm-in-the-Zoo is a free program for all people who benefit from visiting the zoo without crowds and other sensitive environmental elements. This includes guests with sensory sensitivities, disabilities, and chronic illness. All guests are welcome at Sensory-Friendly Day. This limited-capacity event requires advanced registration.
During Sensory-Friendly Day at Farm-in-the-Zoo, animal buildings may be open—but some animals may not be in their public viewing spaces. Low-sensory activities will be available.
While you may enter before or after your one-hour timed entry window, you are strongly encouraged to come during your assigned timed entry window to help limit crowd sizes. Limited crowd size is one of the most important ways to make this day sensory-friendly. Thank you.
View the zoo’s accessibility map HERE and its accessibility page HERE to help plan your visit.
Lincoln Park Zoo is certified Sensory Inclusive by KultureCity. Download the free KultureCity app with Lincoln Park Zoo’s social story on iOS or Android
Upon arrival, present your registration email to zoo ushers. Please note: This event is only happening at Farm-in-the-Zoo. The rest of Lincoln Park Zoo will operate as usual.
Paid parking is available at the zoo’s parking lot located at Fullerton Parkway and Cannon Drive (2400 N. Cannon Drive). The zoo is also accessible by train via the Armitage and Fullerton stations and by bus via the 22, 36, 151, and 156 routes.
All Lincoln Park Zoo events take place rain or shine.
There is no smoking at Lincoln Park Zoo for the health of the animals in our care. Please refer to our Code of Conduct for additional guidelines.
Pets are not allowed at the zoo, but licensed service animals are welcome.
For more information, email access@lpzoo.org.
Join us at the Nature Museum for a sensory friendly morning event for guests with disabilities and Veterans to explore our exhibits and experiences in a relaxed and accepting environment with their family members and companions.
Exclusive access for registrants 9:00am – 10:00am. Free tickets include museum admission for the day. Exhibits and experiences modified to be low sensory until noon.
Modifications for our Sensory Friendly Morning include:
Limited capacity with advanced registration
Exhibits modified for lower light and sound stimuli
Sensory friendly critter connections & first flight butterfly release
Accessibility supports available year-round:
Sensory kits
Quiet room for sensory breaks
And more
Join us at the Nature Museum for a sensory friendly morning event for guests with disabilities and Veterans to explore our exhibits and experiences in a relaxed and accepting environment with their family members and companions.
Exclusive access for registrants 9:00am – 10:00am. Free tickets include museum admission for the day. Exhibits and experiences modified to be low sensory until noon.
Modifications for our Sensory Friendly Morning include:
Limited capacity with advanced registration
Exhibits modified for lower light and sound stimuli
Sensory friendly critter connections & first flight butterfly release
Accessibility supports available year-round:
Sensory kits
Quiet room for sensory breaks
And more
Beeping eggs are back this year! A fun audio and tactile alternative, these beeping eggs ensure that children who are blind or have low vision can join in on the traditional egg hunt experience. Beeping eggs will be available in the Green Zone during the 8 a.m. and 9 a.m. time slots.
Learn more about accessibility at Lincoln Park Zoo: https://www.lpzoo.org/visit/accessibility/
Egg Hunts at Your Zoo
Saturday, April 19, 7:45–11:45 a.m.
$20 Members/$25 Non-members, Egg Hunts for Ages 1–8
Tickets are going fast for Spring Egg-Stravaganza, but there’s still time to secure your child’s egg hunt spot! Join us on April 19 to create new memories with your little ones.
All tickets include:
• 🌷 Chats with zoo experts to learn more about what spring means at the zoo
• 🎠 Free rides on the Endangered Species Carousel and Lionel Train Adventure
• 🐇 Outdoor activities and games
• 📸 Photos with the Easter Bunny
• 🎶 Live DJ spinning kid-friendly music
Egg hunt tickets (for children ages 1–8) are timed-entry, so you won’t have to wait in line to enter your egg hunt zone. That means you’ll have even more time to have fun with spring-themed activities on the South Lawn and visit your favorite animals at the zoo.
A Tale of Two Cities
By Charles Dickens
Adapted by Brendan Pelsue
Directed by Mikael Burke
It’s still the best of times and the worst of times. In a society where the gap between the rich and poor widens, and the cries for revolution grow louder, one can relate. This bold reimagining of Charles Dickens’s classic tale of revolution shows us that while a story may be 165 years old, some things never change. Or, can they?
Audio-Described and Touch Tour:
Friday, May 23rd at 7:30 pm
(6:15 pm touch tour, 7:30 pm curtain)
Accessibility: audio-described and touch tour
https://www.theaterwit.org/tickets/productions/530/performances
A Tale of Two Cities
By Charles Dickens
Adapted by Brendan Pelsue
Directed by Mikael Burke
It’s still the best of times and the worst of times. In a society where the gap between the rich and poor widens, and the cries for revolution grow louder, one can relate. This bold reimagining of Charles Dickens’s classic tale of revolution shows us that while a story may be 165 years old, some things never change. Or, can they?
Open-Captioned Public Performance:
Sunday, May 25th at 3 pm
https://www.theaterwit.org/tickets/productions/530/performances
New York Drama Critics’ Circle Award winner, Tony Award nominee for Best Play, and the first play written by a Black woman to be produced on Broadway, Lorraine Hansberry’s A Raisin in the Sun is a stunning portrayal of a family’s fight for dignity and the right to dream.
As the Youngers await their recently deceased patriarch’s life insurance check, they allow themselves to imagine a bigger life – a life with room to breathe – until those plans are thrown into jeopardy. Hansberry’s language rings as wise and prescient as ever in her moving answer to Langston Hughes’s question, What happens to a dream deferred?
Staged sixty years after Lorraine Hansberry’s passing, Senior Artistic Producer Gabrielle Randle-Bent (Antigone) brings Hansberry’s masterpiece home to Chicago’s vibrant South Side and Court’s stage for the very first time.
Approximate Running Time: 2 hours 50 minutes, including one intermission
Accessibility: ASL Interpreted
In Hands Up! Forgiveness, seasoned performers bring profound and deeply moving stories to life. Storytellers with and without disabilities share real-life experiences that reveal the transformative power of compassion, wisdom, and kindness in the face of pain and betrayal. These stories illuminate the difficult choices people make to let go of hurt, reminding us that forgiveness is a choice, not an obligation. It is sometimes less about absolving others and more about healing for oneself. The show will incorporate the uplifting and transformative djembe drumming performed by Victoria Boateng. In addition, the theme will be explored through the movement, music, and expressions evoked by the dances of ReinventAbility. This show invites us to see forgiveness not as an act of weakness, but as a courageous, self-nurturing choice that teaches us about the depths of empathy and strength we carry within. Includes Talk Back after the show.
In Hands Up! Forgiveness, seasoned performers bring profound and deeply moving stories to life. Storytellers with and without disabilities share real-life experiences that reveal the transformative power of compassion, wisdom, and kindness in the face of pain and betrayal. These stories illuminate the difficult choices people make to let go of hurt, reminding us that forgiveness is a choice, not an obligation. It is sometimes less about absolving others and more about healing for oneself. The show will incorporate the uplifting and transformative djembe drumming performed by Victoria Boateng. In addition, the theme will be explored through the movement, music, and expressions evoked by the dances of ReinventAbility. This show invites us to see forgiveness not as an act of weakness, but as a courageous, self-nurturing choice that teaches us about the depths of empathy and strength we carry within.
In Hands Up! Forgiveness, seasoned performers bring profound and deeply moving stories to life. Storytellers with and without disabilities share real-life experiences that reveal the transformative power of compassion, wisdom, and kindness in the face of pain and betrayal. These stories illuminate the difficult choices people make to let go of hurt, reminding us that forgiveness is a choice, not an obligation. It is sometimes less about absolving others and more about healing for oneself. The show will incorporate the uplifting and transformative djembe drumming performed by Victoria Boateng. In addition, the theme will be explored through the movement, music, and expressions evoked by the dances of ReinventAbility. This show invites us to see forgiveness not as an act of weakness, but as a courageous, self-nurturing choice that teaches us about the depths of empathy and strength we carry within.
This touch tour will include the opportunity to touch fabric swatches and accessories created to match the pieces on display, which will give tour-goers additional sensory information about select objects in the Dressed in History: A Costume Collection Retrospective exhibition. While this tour can be especially meaningful for visitors who are blind or have low vision, any Museum visitor will enjoy the experience.
DuPage Children’s Museum (DCM) is dedicated to being an accessible, inclusive environment for children to thrive through extraordinary learning experiences. Adaptive Play Time provides a modified environment for families with disabilities and/or those who may need a calmer experience to enjoy the Museum.
At DCM, kids are inspired to be curious, creative, and full of wonder. Designed for children ages 0-10 years, the Museum invites families to explore hands-on exhibits where learning happens through play.
Imagine building towering structures with giant blocks, experimenting with gravity, discovering the properties of air and water, and so much more. From babies crawling through soft play spaces to young inventors problem-solving in engineering exhibits, there’s something to captivate and engage every age.
Plan your visit: dupagechildrens.org/adaptive-play-time/
DuPage Children’s Museum (DCM) is dedicated to being an accessible, inclusive environment for children to thrive through extraordinary learning experiences. Adaptive Play Time provides a modified environment for families with disabilities and/or those who may need a calmer experience to enjoy the Museum.
At DCM, kids are inspired to be curious, creative, and full of wonder. Designed for children ages 0-10 years, the Museum invites families to explore hands-on exhibits where learning happens through play.
Imagine building towering structures with giant blocks, experimenting with gravity, discovering the properties of air and water, and so much more. From babies crawling through soft play spaces to young inventors problem-solving in engineering exhibits, there’s something to captivate and engage every age.
Plan your visit: dupagechildrens.org/adaptive-play-time/
Play for All invites children and families with disabilities to come and experience Chicago Children’s Museum’s inclusive, multisensory exhibits and programs free of charge with pre-registration. The museum will open at 10 am for pre-registered guests with disabilities and CCM members, before opening to the public at 11 am. Guests are welcome to come and go all day.
CCM‘s Play for All initiative creates a community where play and learning connect for visitors of all abilities. For accessible accommodations call (312) 321-6551 or email us at customersupport@chicagochildrensmuseum.org.
How to Be Cool is a solo show, written and performed by Neo-Futurist Ensemble Member Neil Bhandari
Bouncing and shape-shifting from monologue and dance to live music and cultural anthropology, exploring themes of insecurity, idolization, identity-making and self-mythologizing- all in the impossible pursuit of COOL under the artificially-muscled arm and flimsy-yet-ever-imposing specter of American masculinity.
Accessibility: ASL interpretation
Once again, we will spend the Saturday morning before the Academy Awards “digging deeper” into some of this year’s most provocative nominees. This year, Oscar’s ballot aligns closely with ChicagoIFF’s programming, not just by sharing several titles in common but by showcasing a lively diversity of international cinema as well as English-language films that dwell in complex ways on ideas of nation and nationality. After an hour or so of clips and commentary, we will shift into 20 minutes of Q&A. Attendees will vote on their own favorites, with winners announced at the end of the session.
Recommended viewing: The Brutalist (in cinemas), Emilia Pérez (Neflix), Flow (multiple streaming services), or The Girl with the Needle (multiple streaming services)
Please note: The discussion does not include screenings of films.
Accessibility: captioned
https://www.chicagofilmfestival.com/event/diggingdeeper-oscars/
Join award-winning screenwriter and playwright Virgil Williams (The Piano Lesson, Mudbound) in a Master Class on writing for film and television. Moderated by screenwriter Tracey Scott Wilson (The Americans, Respect). Networking event to follow (with cash bar).
A veteran television writer and producer, Williams’ extensive credits include last year’s critically acclaimed adaptation of The Piano Lesson. Other credits include ground-breaking dramas ER and 24, as well as six seasons of CBS’s long-running procedural drama Criminal Minds. In November of 2017, Williams celebrated the release of his feature film debut, Mudbound. He also served as Executive Producer and originally adapted the script from the novel by Hilary Jordan. The critically acclaimed film was named the ‘Best Film of 2017’ by the Los Angeles Times and the Washington Post and has earned numerous awards and accolades, including an Academy Award Nomination for Williams and cowriter/director Dee Rees for Best Adapted Screenplay. He also adapted Pulitzer Prize-winner Dana Canedy’s bestselling memoir A Journal for Jordan for director Denzel Washington and starring Michael B. Jordan. Williams was born and raised in Chicago, and his scripts often draw from his experiences growing up as a bi-racial kid in a city with a long history of racial tension.
Moderator
headshot: Tracey Scott WilsonTracey Scott Wilson wrote the teleplay for MGM’s film Respect; served as a co-executive producer and writer on Fosse/Verdon; and was a co-executive producer on FX’s award-winning series The Americans, where she wrote for five seasons and received two WGAE awards, two Peabody awards, and a Golden Globe. Tracey is also a renowned playwright (Buzzer, The Good Negro, The Story), and has received several distinctions, including the 2003 AT&T Onstage Award, the 2007 Weissberger Playwriting Award as well as the 2007 Time Warner Storytelling Fellowship. Currently, she is the Barbara Berlanti Professor in LGBTQ Writing for the Stage and Screen in the Department of Radio/Television/Film at Northwestern University.
Please note the film following the talk will not feature captions.
Accessibility: captions for the discussion only
https://www.chicagofilmfestival.com/event/cixlab-virgilwilliams/
Written by Kenneth Lonergan
Directed by Nate Santana
It’s the graveyard shift at a high-rise, apartment lobby in Manhattan. A rudderless security guard, his demanding supervisor, a rookie cop, and her self-assured partner are forced to navigate the question of whether doing the wrong thing for the right reason can ever be justified. When they look in the mirror what will they see, and what will they accept about themselves as they figure out what kind of person they want to be in their quest for truth? Charm, romance, and humor abound in this darkly comedic drama by the Academy Award-winning screenwriter of Manchester by the Sea.
Running Time: 2 hours 25 minutes with intermission
Theater Wit is wheelchair accessible, and all patrons with disability needs are invited to purchase access tickets with the code “ACCESS20”* at Theater Wit’s checkout page. Please also email boxoffice@theaterwit.org to make sure we can reserve the right seat for your access needs!
SGT is happy to have both Touch Tour/Audio Description performances as well as Open Caption performances. Please see the individual show pages for more information.
Theater Wit has Assistive Listening devices available. Please see the box office for more details.
Accessibility: Open Captions, Assistive Listening Devices, and Wheelchair Accessible.
https://www.theaterwit.org/tickets/productions/529/performances
Written by Kenneth Lonergan
Directed by Nate Santana
It’s the graveyard shift at a high-rise, apartment lobby in Manhattan. A rudderless security guard, his demanding supervisor, a rookie cop, and her self-assured partner are forced to navigate the question of whether doing the wrong thing for the right reason can ever be justified. When they look in the mirror what will they see, and what will they accept about themselves as they figure out what kind of person they want to be in their quest for truth? Charm, romance, and humor abound in this darkly comedic drama by the Academy Award-winning screenwriter of Manchester by the Sea.
Running Time: 2 hours 25 minutes with intermission
Theater Wit is wheelchair accessible, and all patrons with disability needs are invited to purchase access tickets with the code “ACCESS20”* at Theater Wit’s checkout page. Please also email boxoffice@theaterwit.org to make sure we can reserve the right seat for your access needs!
SGT is happy to have both Touch Tour/Audio Description performances as well as Open Caption performances. Please see the individual show pages for more information.
Theater Wit has Assistive Listening devices available. Please see the box office for more details.
Accessibility: Audio Description, Assistive Listening Devices, and Wheelchair Accessible.
https://www.theaterwit.org/tickets/productions/529/performances
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.
Accessibility & Modifications for Calm Waters Include:
Limited capacity and streamlined entry with advance registration
A low-sensory animal spotlight with American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation
An animal encounter opportunity
Complimentary 4D Experiences during the event
Family members and companions are welcome.
https://www.sheddaquarium.org/plan-a-visit/accessibility/calm-waters
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.
Accessibility & Modifications for Calm Waters Include:
Limited capacity and streamlined entry with advance registration
A low-sensory animal spotlight with American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation
An animal encounter opportunity
Complimentary 4D Experiences during the event
Family members and companions are welcome.
https://www.sheddaquarium.org/plan-a-visit/accessibility/calm-waters
On Friday, February 7, Full Spectrum Features presents a selection of contemporary trans short films from Ireland presented in person by Dublin-based curator James Hudson: from an artist’s self-destructive spiral to giallo-inspired rape revenge by way of a surreal techno-horror, to a multidimensional dramedy starring an up-and-coming stand-up comedian and more.
James Hudson is a Dublin-based programmer at the forefront of trans Irish cinema, both showcasing international trans filmmaking in Ireland and bringing Irish-made trans films to the world stage. He is traveling to Chicago specifically for this one-night-only event, part one of a trans cinema cultural exchange between Chicago and Dublin.
The shorts program will be followed by a post-screening discussion with curator James Hudson, moderated by Henry Hanson.
Accessibility: All films will be presented with open captions. The post-screening Q&A will have live CART captioning.
Note on wheelchair accessibility: The building and theater are accessible via ramps. The bathrooms are accessible via a heavy door, have a larger stall with grab bars, but are not fully wheelchair accessible.
https://facets.org/programs/hard-done-by-contemporary-irish-trans-films/
ASL Performance!!
Use code: WTASL2425 for $30.00 tickets!
If you experience any difficulties with redeeming this promo code, please contact the box office directly at 847-242-6000 or at boxoffice@writerstheatre.org.
Iconic Mexican painter Frida Kahlo was a woman who lived boldly, loved wildly, and painted prolifically in order to see herself and the world around her more clearly. Witness this extraordinary figure come to life onstage through playwright and performer Vanessa Severo, who brings breathtaking physicality and raw honesty to this stunningly creative production. With music and movement, Vanessa cracks open a powerful portal between herself and Frida, uncovering insights into the painter’s physical limitations, complex love life, addictions, and, of course, the beauty in her art.
Open Caption Performance!!
Use code: WTOC2425 for $30.00 tickets!
If you experience any difficulties with redeeming this promo code, please contact the box office directly at 847-242-6000 or at boxoffice@writerstheatre.org.
Iconic Mexican painter Frida Kahlo was a woman who lived boldly, loved wildly, and painted prolifically in order to see herself and the world around her more clearly. Witness this extraordinary figure come to life onstage through playwright and performer Vanessa Severo, who brings breathtaking physicality and raw honesty to this stunningly creative production. With music and movement, Vanessa cracks open a powerful portal between herself and Frida, uncovering insights into the painter’s physical limitations, complex love life, addictions, and, of course, the beauty in her art.
Sound Bath at LaSalle Hotel Chicago
Join us for a transformative and immersive Sound Bath experience led by Christie, certified sound healer at the stunning LaSalle Hotel in Chicago. Step into an oasis of calm as you’re enveloped by soothing sounds and harmonious vibrations designed to quiet the mind, release tension, and rejuvenate the spirit. In this tranquil setting, allow yourself to drift into a state of deep relaxation and healing, as the tones of crystal singing bowls and other sound healing instruments restore balance and harmony.
After the Sound Bath, take time to explore our vendors, showcasing an array of unique, handcrafted products from talented local artisans. It’s a perfect opportunity to find something special, whether for yourself or a loved one, and support Chicago’s creative community.
Held at the beautiful LaSalle Hotel at 208 S La Salle St, this event promises a blissful day of relaxation, connection, and conscious shopping. Mark your calendars and invite friends to share in this experience of peace and rejuvenation!
Vendors will be available from 6:30pm-6:50pm and 7:50pm to 8:30pm
The sound bath will take place promptly at 7:00pm-7:45pm
What to bring:
A yoga mat (if you don’t have one, mats will be made available)
Support for your head and knees
A blanket if you tend to be cold
Water (if you don’t bring one, bottled water is available)
A friend, the more the merrier
Street parking is free after 6pm along with paid options being available at nearby garages. Uber/Lyft or Spot Hero are options to consider. Give yourself ample time for parking.
If you have any questions please feel free to contact Christie Edwards, sound bath facilitator via email christie.r.edwards@gmail.com
Accessibility: For individuals who utilize a wheelchair they can access the space using the side elevator to access the ballroom. They would need to check in at the 21st floor and someone would be able to direct them to the side elevator that leads to the ballroom.
Sound Bath at LaSalle Hotel Chicago + Vendor Pop-Up
Join us for a transformative and immersive Sound Bath experience led by Christie, certified sound healer at the stunning LaSalle Hotel in Chicago. Step into an oasis of calm as you’re enveloped by soothing sounds and harmonious vibrations designed to quiet the mind, release tension, and rejuvenate the spirit. In this tranquil setting, allow yourself to drift into a state of deep relaxation and healing, as the tones of crystal singing bowls and other sound healing instruments restore balance and harmony.
After the Sound Bath, take time to explore our Vendor Pop-Up, showcasing an array of unique, handcrafted products from talented local artisans. It’s a perfect opportunity to find something special, whether for yourself or a loved one, and support Chicago’s creative community.
Held at the beautiful LaSalle Hotel at 208 S La Salle St, this event promises a blissful day of relaxation, connection, and conscious shopping. Mark your calendars and invite friends to share in this experience of peace and rejuvenation!
The sound bath will take place promptly at 1pm-1:45pm
Vendors will be available from 1:45pm-3pm
What to bring:
A yoga mat (if you don’t have one, mats will be made available)
Support for your head and knees
A blanket if you tend to be cold
Water (if you don’t bring one, bottled water is available)
A friend, the more the merrier
Paid street parking is available in addition to nearby garages. Uber/Lyft or Spot Hero are options to consider. Give yourself ample time for parking.
If you have any questions please feel free to contact Christie Edwards, sound bath facilitator via email christie.r.edwards@gmail.com
Accessibility: sensory friendly.
Four Athenians run away to the forest in the name of love (reciprocated and otherwise) and unknowingly find themselves in the crossfires of a war between the king and queen of the fairies. In the midst of this conflict, local workers are attempting (poorly) to rehearse a play to celebrate the upcoming nuptial of Duke Theseus to Queen Hippolyta. All the while, the mischievous Puck is guiding events and creating chaos for fairies and mortals alike.
Join us for an evening that brings the soul of Chicago’s neighborhoods to the big screen! Experience the powerful stories of our community through the lens of three talented Chicago residents from the 2023-24 Community Storytellers program:
Alexie Young
Take 290 (15:53; North Lawndale, Westside)
Directed by Sanicole
Written by George Ellzey Jr.
A defeated artist from the Westside of Chicago finds inspiration in the common ground she discovers through a spontaneous interaction with an art curator from the Southside.
Laura Sáenz
Artista (11:23; Little Village)
Directed by Juan Linares
Written by Christian Mejia
An immigrant child uncovers a world of magic and possibility through the arts at their school.
Brian Herrera
Ask A Punk (15:28; Little Village)
Directed by Kevin Contento
Written by Teri Carson
A non-binary queer teen cultivates community, individuality, and resilience through the subculture of the DIY punk scene in Little Village.
From the spirited journey of an artist finding connection in the city, to the magical exploration of a young immigrant’s discovery of art, and the vibrant resilience within the DIY punk scene, these shorts illuminate the unique experiences and voices that shape our communities.
This event not only showcases these compelling narratives but also fosters a sense of belonging and community connection. Join us for a moderated conversation following the screening, featuring all three Storytellers and key members from their film’s respective casts and crews, including:
Sanicole Young (Director, Take 290)
Dayeliz Richardson (Lead Actor, Artista)
Teri Carson (Screenwriter, Ask A Punk)
Together, we’ll dive deeper into the creative process and the importance of telling stories that reflect our neighborhoods.
Please note: Registration does not guarantee entry. Seats will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. We encourage you to arrive early for prime seating and to engage with fellow attendees, as we celebrate and honor the vibrant narratives that define our community!
Accessibility: The venue entrance has push-button doors. The theater features 3 accessible seats which are paired with companion seats, if needed, and have been set aside next to each wheelchair-accessible area. CART captioning, live English audio description, and Spanish interpretation will be available. For additional accommodation requests, we encourage you to complete your registration at least 72 hours before the event to help ensure we can accommodate them.
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 with American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation
An animal encounter opportunity
Complimentary 4D Experiences during the event
Family members and companions are welcome.
https://www.sheddaquarium.org/plan-a-visit/accessibility/calm-waters
For FREE tickets, us promo code SEAL2024 at checkout.
Join us for a night of still sounds and static lights at ZooLights.
This ticket is for the zoo’s sensory-friendly visit option on Wednesday, December 4, from 4:30 to 9 p.m.
During this special night, all blinking or moving lights will remain static or turned off, while the music will be turned down or off. Nightly capacity is limited to foster a safe and enjoyable guest experience, meaning there’s more space to enjoy the beautiful lights with your family and friends!
All ticket sales support the zoo’s world-class animal care, global conservation, and innovative learning programs.
Lincoln Park Zoo works to minimize barriers and ensure that everyone can fully experience the zoo. We are dedicated to ensuring zoo programs, spaces, and facilities are accessible to all. Please visit lpzoo.org/accessibility for more information.
For FREE tickets, us promo code SEAL2024 at checkout.
https://tickets.lpzoo.org/events/01920b38-2249-dd1a-38f9-ca9050081886
Accessibility: Sensory-Friendly
KCM welcomes children with disabilities and their families for an afternoon of learning and play focused on them. Our Museum campus is designed for universal accessibility with a purpose to encourage linguistic, cognitive, motor and social skills for all children ages birth to 8. -16 hands-on Museum exhibits. -One-on-one interactive activities with trained, registered therapy animals and other partners. -Quiet room for stimulation breaks. -Museum staff providing play support and guidance. -A free family pass for 4 to return to the Museum.
Accessibility: Sensory Friendly
KCM welcomes children with disabilities and their families for an afternoon of learning and play focused on them. Our Museum campus is designed for universal accessibility with a purpose to encourage linguistic, cognitive, motor and social skills for all children ages birth to 8. -16 hands-on Museum exhibits. -One-on-one interactive activities with trained, registered therapy animals and other partners.-Quiet room for stimulation breaks. -Museum staff providing play support and guidance. -A free family pass for 4 to return to the Museum.
Accessibility: Sensory Friendly
https://www.kohlchildrensmuseum.org/outreach-programs/eap/
Halloween Creepy Crawlies is a family friendly dance production that explores the mysteries of Halloween through a lost ghost’s search for her haunted home. On her way, she is helped by Ballerina Witches, Jazzy Vampires, Modern-Dancing Mummies and even a Jack O’ Lantern named Jake! Join us on October 12 + 13 at Dovetail Studios for this Halloween adventure!
This project is partially supported by an Individual Artists Program grant from the City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events and is a part of the Dovetail Studios 16×2 performance program. It is presented in an ADA compliant venue.
This production was created by Mariah Eastman, artistic director of Darvin Dances, a Chicago based modern/contemporary dance company. Along with six professional dancers, there are two young dancers from the Chicago community participating in this production (dancers are based at Dovetail Studios and Dance on Broadway). The choreography was created by Mariah Eastman with Alicia Wilson choreographing for the young dancers. Illustrations were created by Nat Thomas (https://natthomas.work/work) with lighting design by Richard Norwood.
Accessibility includes: wheelchair accessibility, all gender restrooms, and digital documents available.
ASL performance of Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812 at Writers Theatre!
$30.00 Tickets! Promo Code: ASLNatasha
(Please enter code before selecting seat. If you run into any issues please give the box office a call at 847-242-6000)
“There’s a war going on somewhere out there, and Andrey isn’t here.” Young and impulsive, Natasha Rostova arrives in Moscow to await the return of her fiancé from the front lines. But when she falls under the spell of the roguish Anatole, family friend Pierre must push through his existential crisis to help Natasha pick up the pieces of her shattered reputation. Based on a scandalous slice of Leo Tolstoy’s epic novel War and Peace, this innovative musical spectacle took Broadway by storm with its “electropop opera” score, earning 12 Tony Award nominations. Katie Spelman and Matt Deitchman, the inspired creative team behind WT’s hit production of Once, reunite to bring this modern spin on a literary classic to Chicago for the first time.
Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812 is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals. www.concordtheatricals.com
Accessibility: open captions, ASL interpretation, assistive listening devices
https://www.writerstheatre.org/natasha-pierre-and-the-great-comet-of-1812
Expect unfiltered stories and insights as these two friends and collaborators take the stage to discuss their rise in New York’s alt-cabaret and improv comedy scene to starring roles in HBO’s Peabody Award-winning, critically acclaimed comedy series, Somebody Somewhere. After a short screening of the Season 3 premiere episode, Everett and Hiller will share behind-the-scenes stories from the new season and career anecdotes with the witty charm for which the series is known. Don’t miss this opportunity to see these larger-than-life personalities and stars up close and personal in an intimate, no-holds-barred discussion.
Accessibility includes wheelchair accessibility and assistive listening devices.
https://chicagohumanities.org/events/attend/bridget-everett-jeff-hiller/
The New York Times bestselling author and adored comedian Randy Rainbow has a few things on his mind that he wants to talk about in his newest essay collection, Low-Hanging Fruit. As a savvy social commentator who is keenly attuned to the public discourse, Randy’s unfailing intuition tells him that the perspective everyone in America is clamoring for is that of a privileged white male complaining about a bunch of stuff. So join Chicago Humanities as Randy tackles the most pressing issues facing the U.S., from dancing TikTok grandmas to Elon Musk, the GOP, and Donald Jessica Trump.
Accessibility includes wheelchair accessibility, open captioning and assistive listening devices.
The Curator Presents, a solo show by Madeline Esterhammer-Fic, is a one-woman play that explores the feelings of isolation, fear, and hope experienced during the height of COVID. Madeline will be playing the Curator, a character who works at the fictional World COVID Museum of Chicago. By providing a platform for discussion and incorporating humor into the narrative, the play seeks to offer a space for healing and reflection on the challenges faced during the pandemic.
Accessibility includes ASL Interpretation.
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-curator-presents-tickets-984271441377?aff=oddtdtcreator
MILO IMAGINES THE WORLD is a musical odyssey of imagination. Through vibrant song, expressive dance, and a whole lot of imagination, this magical, musical journey takes us through the mind of a child, as he learns to see the world as it really is. A journey from house to home, this play is a real ride!
Adapted for the stage by Terry Guest
Music by Christian Albright & Christian Magby
Based on the book by Newbery-winning children’s author Matt de la Peña & illustrator Christian Robinson
Directed by Mikael Burke
MILO IMAGINES THE WORLD runs 65 minutes and is recommended for ages 6 & up.
Accessibility includes Audio Description and a Touch Tour.
https://chicagochildrenstheatre.org/event/milo-imagines-the-world/
MILO IMAGINES THE WORLD is a musical odyssey of imagination. Through vibrant song, expressive dance, and a whole lot of imagination, this magical, musical journey takes us through the mind of a child, as he learns to see the world as it really is. A journey from house to home, this play is a real ride!
Adapted for the stage by Terry Guest
Music by Christian Albright & Christian Magby
Based on the book by Newbery-winning children’s author Matt de la Peña & illustrator Christian Robinson
Directed by Mikael Burke
MILO IMAGINES THE WORLD runs 65 minutes and is recommended for ages 6 & up.
Accessibility includes ASL interpretation and Open Captions.
https://chicagochildrenstheatre.org/event/milo-imagines-the-world/
It has been twenty-five years since publication of bestseller, The Tipping Point. Let’s join Malcolm Gladwell as he reveals a fresh reframing of his groundbreaking first book in a startling new light. Hear the always provocative Gladwell revisit the phenomenon of social epidemics and the ways in which we have learned to tinker with and shape the spread of ideas, viruses, and trends—sometimes with great success, sometimes with disastrous consequences. Don’t miss this thought-provoking discussion skating on the double-edged sword of viral phenomena in our world.
This event will have Open Captions and ALDs onsite.
https://www.chicagohumanities.org/events/attend/malcolm-gladwell/
Spend the day with us at UIC Forum! Check out the event link to see the full festival lineup. Please note that ticket prices and accessibility offerings vary by event; visit our event pages or call our box office for specific details.
https://www.chicagohumanities.org/events/?sort=venue&view=day&fromDate=2024-10-05
Join us for a thrilling evening with two-time Emmy Award-winning comedian Kate McKinnon as she unveils her debut novel and a new series for quirky tweens and young adult readers aged 8-12, The Millicent Quibb School of Etiquette for Young Ladies of Mad Science. The former SNL cast member, no stranger to creating wonderfully wild characters, digs into her creative process and how her childhood love of adventure and the natural world inspired this years-in-the-making imaginative literary expression. Don’t miss this uproarious opportunity to witness Kate’s hilarious intersection of maniacal genius and proper etiquette!
This event will have open captions and ALDs onsite.
https://www.chicagohumanities.org/events/attend/kate-mckinnon/
Join Abra Berens in conversation with Greta Johnsen for delicious insights into innovative recipes with simple and sustainable ingredients. With a background in Midwestern farming, the celebrated author and chef shares her farm-to-table approach with tips for the climate and your own kitchen. Walk away with a packet of seasonal recipes and inspiration to start conversations around your own table!
This event will have ALDs onsite at the Box Office.
https://www.chicagohumanities.org/events/attend/abra-berens-x-greta-johnsen/
The Neo-Futurists present an ADA-Accessible and ASL-interpreted performance of The Infinite Wrench in partnership with Free Street Theater at Pulaski Park.
At THE INFINITE WRENCH you’ll see thirty original plays in sixty minutes, written and performed by The Neo-Futurist Ensemble.Each play offers something different, be it funny, profound, elegant, disgusting, topical, irreverent, terrifying, or a song; all are truthful and tackle the here-and-now, inspired by the lived experiences of the performers. With new plays every week, THE INFINITE WRENCH is The Neo-Futurists’ ongoing and ever-changing attempt to shift the conventions of live performance and speak to those unreached or unmoved by traditional theater.
The Infinite Wrench will be preceded by a performance from the Free Street Youth Ensemble. Free Street will present a short excerpt from one of their recent works. Since 1969, Free Street Theater has been at the forefront of creating inclusive & accessible theatre in Chicago. Free Street is a femme-led arts and culture organization that centers original performance work by Black, Brown, and Immigrant communities; queer artists; youth artists; and work that is committed to the thriving and well-being of people on the South and West Sides of the city. We believe in the theater as a space to uplift joy and justice, especially racial, economic, and environmental justice in Chicago.
Tickets to this performance are pay-what-you-can. Please reserve them in advance. Masks are required.
Accessibility: ASL Interpreter
Acclaimed author Jesmyn Ward is a MacArthur Genius Grant winner and the first woman and Black American to win the National Book Award for Fiction twice. Join moderator Natalie Moore for an evening with this literary powerhouse as she dives into her latest novel, Let Us Descend. Set in the antebellum South during the early 1800s, the story describes a haunting journey of a young slave girl from the rice fields of the Carolinas to the slave markets of New Orleans. Landing on Oprah’s Book Club and several best book of 2023 lists, Ward’s lyrical prose and unflinching narrative confront the brutal realities of enslavement. Join a rigorous discussion on Ward’s contribution to the African American literary canon.
Accessibility: Assistive Listening Devices, Open Captions, Audio Description
Summer Screenings is Cinema/Chicago’s annual free film series that casts a spotlight on a different country’s national cinema each week all summer.
These shorts, all featured at past Festivals, display the brilliance and variety of our city’s incredible filmmakers. They explore a friendship in crisis (A Real One), the sisterhood bonds (Video Funeral), the inherent comedy of an overprotective mother (Grizzlies), a meditative cab ride (Saya), the meaning of success (Winning in America) and a supernatural animation (Step Into the River).
DIRECTED BY McKenzie Chinn, Linh Tran, Fawzia Mirza, Anam Abbas, Alex Heller, Weijia Ma, and Amrita Singh
Accessibility includes open captions and wheelchair accessibility.
Synapse Arts turns 20! The Birthday Bash is a celebration of Synapse Arts in a welcoming, festival-type environment.
All attendees will get a cupcake and have access to our open events: performances, dance films screenings, games.
But when you donate at the level of your choice, you can add some additional flair to your Birthday Bash experience, including a Interactive Museum tour, pre-registration for dance classes, and more!
Please see accessibility features available at the event:
– Sensory considerations
– ASL events
– Front desk people trained on welcoming service animals
– Spaces accessible for wheelchair users and people with mobility assistance devices
– Rest area (with Maggie Bridger, a sick and disabled dance artist, scholar, and access worker interested in re-imagining pain through the dancemaking process)
– All gender restrooms
– Masks available and encouraged but unable to require due to park
For additional assistance, questions, or to request specific accommodations, please contact info@synapsearts.com or text 947-2CREATE (947-227-3283).
Orientation video with captions: https://vimeo.com/984444567
Birthday Bash – Access and Location Information, also known as “wayfinding”: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1qaBNxVdcxQ6lv4MqhQGTsBgXLvW4ASyXqLqgrGm-HJY/
Accessibility includes sensory considerations, ASL events, wheelchair accessible, rest area, all gender restrooms, and sighted guide.
The Chicago Poetry Center and The Green at 320 S. Canal are proud to reintroduce this free, weekly reading and open mic series co-curated by CPC’s Poets in Residence Tarnynon Onumonu and Timothy David Rey.
Join us on certain Monday nights in July at 6pm. in this beautiful setting to hear outstanding featured poets perform their work in this partnership between Chicago Poetry Center and The Green at 320 S. Canal. After every poetry performance, there will be an open mic for any individual that would like to share poetry of their own!
https://www.poetrycenter.org/poetry-the-green-at-320-summer-2024/
Summer Tuesdays come alive on the MCA terrace with free concerts highlighting artists from Chicago’s internationally renowned music community. Enjoy live music while relaxing on the lawn with your own picnic, or savor snacks and drinks available for purchase. Then head inside to catch the MCA’s summer exhibitions—we’re open late on Tuesdays and free for Illinois residents.
In conjunction with the Guatemalan Consulate, this Tuesday we will be joined by Jorge Morataya-Marimba, whose band will grace the MCA stage to serenade us with the sounds of the Guatemalan national instrument: marimba.
Lineup:
Jorge Morataya
Zuleika Díaz
Carlos Ortiz
Ángel de Leon
Please note that this event will be taking place inside the Edlis Neeson Theater and seating will be limited.
https://visit.mcachicago.org/events/tuesdays-on-the-terrace-jorge-morataya-marimba/
Missy Mazzoli and Royce Vavrek, the renowned composer/librettist team, tell the story of Claire, who is driven nearly mad by an unending, low-frequency hum that she hears. In desperation, she joins a community organization, “The Listeners,” formed to discover the origin of the noise and destroy it. The group becomes frighteningly cult-like, ultimately leading to catastrophic consequences.
Audio Description and Sound Shirts will be available.
Touch tour will begin at 12:00pm before the performance at 2:00pm.
https://www.lyricopera.org/shows/upcoming/2024-25/the-listeners/
In the setting of Count Almaviva’s castle, his servants, Figaro and Susanna, conspire to get the better of their willful employer, joined by his long-suffering wife, the Countess. Also on hand is opera’s most lovable pageboy, Cherubino.
Audio Description will be available at this performance and a touch tour will begin at 12:00pm before the performance at 2:00pm.
Sound shirt will also be available at this performance.
For more information go to lyricopera.org.
https://www.lyricopera.org/shows/upcoming/2024-25/the-marriage-of-figaro/
Rigoletto, tragically obsessed with avenging his daughter Gilda’s dishonor. The score’s highlights are unforgettable, from Rigoletto’s hair-raising denunciation of the Duke of Mantua’s courtiers, “Cortigiani,” to the immoral, philandering Duke’s “La donna è mobile,” to Gilda’s ecstatic “Caro nome.”
Audio Description & Sound Shirts are available at the performance – more information at lyricopera.org.
Touch tour will begin at 12:00pm before the event at 2:00pm.
https://www.lyricopera.org/shows/upcoming/2024-25/rigoletto/
Co-produced by Lyric, The Glimmerglass Festival, and Washington National Opera, the opera presents the moving story of a Black middle-class family in Harlem whose hopes and dreams for their teenage son are shattered when he is shot by a white police officer.
Audio Description will be available and a touch tour will begin at 12:00pm before the event at 2:00pm.
Sound Shirt will also be offered on this date.
Please visit lyricopera.org for further information.
Co-produced by Lyric, The Glimmerglass Festival, and Washington National Opera, the opera presents the moving story of a Black middle-class family in Harlem whose hopes and dreams for their teenage son are shattered when he is shot by a white police officer.
Lyric Opera will be offering American Sign Language interpretation as well as the use of Sound Shirts. Please visit lyricopera.org for further information.