Fox News Channel’s Chief Political Correspondent and New York Times bestselling author, Bret Baier comes to Chicago Humanities to talk about his groundbreaking new biography of America’s first president. In To Rescue the Constitution: George Washington and the Fragile American Experiment, Baier explores Washington’s remarkable decision to come out of retirement to preside over the Constitutional Convention and sacrifice himself to save the country. At Chicago Humanities, Baier sits down with Chicago Tonight’s Paris Schutz for a conversation about our country’s gritty past and the extraordinary divisions of early America that shed new light on the divisions and conflicts still haunting us today.
A book signing will follow this program.
This event will have open captions and assistive listening devices with t-coil available at the Box Office.
To buy tickets, press on this link below: https://www.chicagohumanities.org/events/attend/bret-baier/
Naperville native and award-winning actor and comedian Bob Odenkirk has teamed up with his talented daughter, illustrator Erin Odenkirk, as they share original poems Bob wrote with his children when they were young, as well as dozens of new ones–beautifully brought to life by Erin’s whimsical drawings. Join Chicago Humanities for a hilarious and heartwarming night of laughter and nostalgia as this father-daughter duo sits down with the host of Wait, Wait, Don’t Tell Me! Peter Sagal to take us on a journey through Bob’s legendary career, how his daughter felt about her father’s comedy and life in Hollywood and the imaginative and playful pages of Zilot and other Important Rhymes.
A book signing follows this program.
This event will have assistive listening devices with t-coil available at the Box Office.
To buy tickets, press on this link below: https://www.chicagohumanities.org/events/attend/bob-and-erin-odenkirk/
Why does the United States, one of the richest countries on earth, allow one in every eight of its children to go without basic necessities, permit citizens to live and die on the streets, and continue to pay poverty wages? Pulitzer Prize-winning sociologist Matthew Desmond uses vivid storytelling and rigorous research to delve into the heart of wealth inequality in America and to call on all of us to become poverty abolitionists, ushering in a new age of shared prosperity. Join Chicago Humanities to learn about Desmond’s startlingly original and ambitious case for creating a more equitable society.
A book signing will follow this program.
This event will have open captions and assistive listening devices with t-coil available at the Box Office.
To buy tickets, press on this link below: https://www.chicagohumanities.org/events/attend/matthew-desmond/
Since the NFT (Non-fungible tokens) exploded into the art world a few years ago, artists, collectors, arts professionals, art lovers, and museumgoers are still trying to understand what NFTs are and what they mean for the future. Author, Amy Whitaker, takes readers through the origins of NFTs, the connection to the history of artmaking and art collecting, and their potential to change the art world. Join the writer, artist, and researcher for a conversation on the age of digital records and how we build collaborative and equitable structures for the future.
This event will have assistive listening devices with t-coil available at the Box Office.
To buy tickets, press on this link below: https://www.chicagohumanities.org/events/attend/nft-art/
Comedian Sarah Cooper rocketed to fame during the pandemic with her lip-synched videos of Donald Trump’s speeches. Her face, his voice–it was social media magic. In her hilarious and honest debut memoir, Foolish: Tales of Assimilation, Determination, and Humiliation, Cooper tells witty and heartfelt tales of growing up as the youngest in a Jamaican family, disastrously using the internet as a marriage counselor, and overcoming a lifetime of oppressive perfectionism to throw herself headlong into the world of comedy. At Chicago Humanities, join Cooper, alongside Chicago Today co-host Cortney Hall, for an evening of uproarious laughter and heartfelt revelations as this iconic comedian proves once and for all that being foolish is actually the smartest thing you can do.
A book signing will follow this program.
This event will have open captions and assistive listening devices with t-coil available at the Box Office.
To buy tickets, press on this link below: https://www.chicagohumanities.org/events/attend/comedian-sarah-cooper/
How does cancel culture impact our social, cultural, and political lives? With The Atlantic’s Caitlin Flanagan leading the discussion, join Johns Hopkins’ Yascha Mounk, out with his latest book The Identity Trap; and FIRE President Greg Lukianoff and journalist Rikki Schlott, co-authors of The Canceling of the American Mind, for a captivating conversation about the complexities of our current cultural landscape.
A book signing will follow this program.
This event will have open captions and assistive listening devices with t-coil available at the Box Office.
To buy tickets, press on this link below: https://www.chicagohumanities.org/events/attend/cancel-culture/
During our era of COVID, many of us felt as if we were living through “unprecedented times,” but was our experience really that unique? Pandemics have been around as long as people. Join esteemed historian and bestselling author Simon Schama with author and Richard W. Leopold Professor of History Deborah Cohen for a conversation exploring the profound impact of pandemics on human history. From bubonic plague to COVID-19, Schama uncovers the intricate relationship between disease, vaccines, and the collective health of nations and shares the often-unheard stories of people whose pioneering work has changed the face of modern healthcare in the face of one of our most deadly enemies: the pandemic.
A book signing will follow this program.
This event will have open captions and assistive listening devices with t-coil available at the Box Office.
To buy tickets, press on this link below: https://www.chicagohumanities.org/events/attend/simon-schama/
As one of the most historical buildings in Chicago, the Governor’s Mansion has hosted many legendary people, including Abraham Lincoln, FDR, and the current First Family. First Lady MK Pritzker and former interior designer for the Obama White House, Michael Smith, have teamed up to restore this iconic building and bring Chicago history to life, a project that is detailed in their book, A House that Made History. Join Chicago Humanities for an inspiring conversation with this duo and hear about their journey to transform the Governor’s Mansion into a timeless symbol of Illinois pride.
This event will have open captions and assistive listening devices with t-coil available at the Box Office.
To buy tickets, press on this link below: https://www.chicagohumanities.org/events/attend/mk-pritzker/
How can art engage people on climate change and environmental issues that are impacting our city and neighborhoods? Join Uzma Noormohamed, Program Director of the Illinois Science & Energy Innovation Foundation, Mike Dimitroff, Manager of Art initiatives at the Chicago Park District, and Cynthia Weiss, Delilah Salgado, and Citlalli Trujillo of the artist collective Rio de Bienvenida, as they discuss Earth Art Chicago, a new city-wide initiative that seeks to harnesses the power of public art as a means to raise awareness about issues related to environmental justice in Chicago while centering voices often left out of the climate conversation.
This event will have assistive listening devices with t-coil available at the Box Office.
To buy tickets, press on this link below: https://www.chicagohumanities.org/events/attend/environmental-justice-chicago/
In her long career in literature and teaching, Sandra Cisneros has shared her passion for creative writing and expressing her experience as a Mexican woman. After a 28 year break from poetry, she returns to her roots with her most recent collection of songs, elegies, and declarations that chronicle her pilgrimage toward rebirth and the recognition of her prerogative as a woman artist. The acclaimed writer takes the Chicago Humanities stage for conversation on her search for home—in the Mexico of her ancestors and her heart.
A book signing will follow this program.
This event will have open captions and assistive listening devices with t-coil available at the Box Office.
To buy tickets, press on this link below: https://www.chicagohumanities.org/events/attend/sandra-cisneros/
Oliver Jeffers is an acclaimed storyteller and visual artist. His latest picture book, How We Got Here and Where We Might Go – Our Human Story. So Far., is written for adults and is an artistic exploration of humankind’s impact on itself and our planet. The renowned artist and writer takes Chicago Humanities audiences of all ages on a multimedia storytelling experience that follows humankind on its journey through history, sharing profound, sometimes poignant commentary on our present, while posing the question: Where do we go from here?
A book signing will follow this program.
This event will have open captions and assistive listening devices with t-coil available at the Box Office.
To buy tickets, press on this link below: https://www.chicagohumanities.org/events/attend/oliver-jeffers/
From the author of Steve Jobs, Leonardo da Vinci, Einstein and more, Walter Isaacson returns to Chicago Humanities with the astonishingly intimate story of the most fascinating and controversial innovator of our era—a rule-breaking visionary who helped to lead the world into the era of electric vehicles, private space exploration, and artificial intelligence—and took over Twitter. For two years, Isaacson shadowed Musk, attended his meetings, walked his factories, and spent hours interviewing him, his family, friends, coworkers, and adversaries. Join Chicago Humanities as David Axelrod, CNN contributor and host of Thee Axe Files, leads a live taping on Musk’s turbulent journey to the top of three worlds: science, business, and the public square. The result is the revealing inside story, filled with amazing tales of triumphs and turmoil, that addresses the question: are the demons that drive Musk also what it takes to drive innovation and progress?
This event will have open captions and assistive listening devices with t-coil available at the Box Office.
To buy tickets, press on the link below: https://www.chicagohumanities.org/events/attend/walter-isaacson/
A botanical journey of beauty and botany, myth and mayhem: Bestselling author Jonathan Drori takes a gloriously illustrated trip across the globe, bringing to life the science of trees by revealing how their worlds are intricately entwined with our own history, culture and folklore. His journey includes self-mummifying monks, entrepreneurial resin diggers and the Venetian navy. From the seemingly familiar birch and beech, to the exotic moojar, kauri and gutta-percha, his stories are sometimes poignant, often funny, and always surprising. After the talk, explore the beauty of trees with specially curated a self-guided tour of The Morton Arboretum.
A book signing will follow this program.
This event will have open captions and assistive listening devices with t-coil available at the Box Office.
To buy tickets, press on the link below: https://www.chicagohumanities.org/events/attend/morton-arboretum-trees/
Based on their critically acclaimed podcast of the same name, Keegan-Michael Key and Elle Key are excited to share their new book with the Chicago Humanities audience: The History of Sketch Comedy: A Journey through the Art and Craft of Humor. This book will take readers on a delightful and hilarious journey through the evolution of sketch comedy, stories of other comedic legends, and insights into the creative process behind crafting some of comedy’s most beloved masterpieces. Join Vice President of Second City, Kelly Leonard, for a live taping of his podcast “Getting to Yes, And” as he leads a masterclass in humor alongside the Keys.
A book signing will follow this program.
This event will have open captions and assistive listening devices with t-coil available at the Box Office.
To buy tickets, press on the link below: https://www.chicagohumanities.org/events/attend/keegan-michael-key/
Literary powerhouse Zadie Smith is back with a new, highly-anticipated historical novel, The Fraud, which centers around the unforgettable Eliza Touchet and a real-life, explosive trial that divided Victorian England and asks who deserves to tell their story and who gets to be believed. Join Chicago Humanities and experience Smith’s iconic voice in person as this beloved novelist and essayist with novelist and poet Chris Abani discuss the relationship between truth and fiction, fraudulence and authenticity, and the mystery of “other people.”
A book signing will follow this program
This event will have open captions and assistive listening devices with t-coil available at the Box Office.
To buy tickets press on the link below: https://www.chicagohumanities.org/events/attend/zadie-smith/
According to renowned social critic and author Naomi Klein, our world today is like a hall of mirrors, made up of conspiracy theories, AI-generated content blurring the lines between truth and fiction, and elusive digital doppelgangers. In this conversation about her newest work, Doppelganger: A Trip into the Mirror World, Klein offers a map to this untethered moment in history by combining chilling political reportage, piercing cultural analysis of our modern world, and stories from her own life. Join Klein and award-winning playwright V (Eve Ensler) on a white-knuckled ride into the dark heart of our hyper-individualized culture, and get her thoughts on how we might escape this mirror world and chart a path beyond despair.
This event will have open captions and assistive listening devices with t-coil available at the Box Office.
To buy tickets press on the link below: https://www.chicagohumanities.org/events/attend/naomi-klein/
Emmy-nominated actress Millie Bobby Brown can now add author to her list of accolades with her debut novel, Nineteen Steps. Set against the backdrop of World War II London in 1942, Brown’s main character, Nellie Morris, grapples with a world constantly threatened by conflict. Her chance meeting with American airman Ray broadens her horizons, yet tragedy strikes during an air raid, shattering her world. Brown sits down with Greta Johnsen (of WBEZ’s Nerdette podcast) to talk about her creative process both as an actor and writer, her evolving beauty brand florence by mills, and her new novel about a brave young woman who proves the enduring power of love in the face of adversity.
This event will have open captions and assistive listening devices with t-coil available at the Box office.
To buy tickets press on the link below: https://www.chicagohumanities.org/events/attend/millie-bobby-brown/
On Sunday, September 24 from 8-10am, Lincoln Park Zoo is offering Sensory-Friendly Morning hours for guests with disabilities, chronic illness, or Deaf to 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.
Sensory-Friendly Morning 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, autism, PTSD, and dementia to name a few.
During Sensory-Friendly Morning, Gift Shop will be open at 8am and Landmark Café will sell beverages starting at 8:30am. AT&T Endangered Species Carousel and Lionel Train Adventure will operate with music and noises muted. Not all animal buildings may be open, and some animals may not be in their public viewing spaces.
At 10am, the zoo will be open to the public and begin typical operations.
View the zoo’s accessibility map HERE and accessibility page HERE to help plan your visit.
Lincoln Park Zoo is certified Sensory Inclusive by KultureCity. Please download the free KultureCity app with Lincoln Park Zoo social story. iOS Android
Guests may only enter at West Gate and East Gate, and they need to present their registration email to zoo ushers.
Paid parking is available at the zoo’s parking lot located at Fullerton Parkway and Cannon Drive (2300 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. We have some wonderful animal buildings you can still enjoy 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.
Pets are not allowed at the zoo, but licensed service animals are welcome.
For any questions, please email access@lpzoo.org.
Accessibility: sensory friendly
https://sensory-friendly-morning-at-Lincoln-Park-Zoo.eventbrite.com
Pro wrestling bursts onto the stage in a high-octane, immersive, 90-minute thrill ride.
It’s a night in the theater that you’ll never forget. Experience the heart-pumping action ringside, as the Goodman transforms into a professional wrestling arena—a perfect backdrop for the high drama and rich cultural history of lucha libre. Originally developed with Prism Movement Theater and produced in partnership with CLATA as part of 2023 Destinos Festival, actors and luchadores (wrestlers) in masks representative of Aztec gods play out an exciting wrestling story about family, honor, tradition and redemption.
Touch Tour and Audio-Described Performance
Saturday, October 28
12:30pm Touch Tour & 2:00pm Performance
Use code AUDIO for $30 tickets
Spanish Subtitles Performance
Saturday, October 28 at 7:30pm
Use code SPANISH for $30 tickets
Open-Captioned Performance
Sunday, October 29 at 2:00pm
Use code OPEN for $30 tickets
A comedic showdown between truth and fact set in the world of non-fiction publishing.
JIM FINGAL IS AN EAGER YOUNG INTERN at a high-profile magazine hoping to impress his demanding editor-in-chief, Emily Penrose. When assigned the job of fact-checking legendary writer John D’Agata’s essay about the city of Las Vegas, Jim discovers a huge problem: many of the essay’s details were made up. As the publication deadline looms, a battle between truth and fact ensues in a gripping and fast-paced comedic showdown.
Drawing from true events surrounding real-life Jim Fingal’s fact-checking of the John D’Agata essay “What Happens There,” The Lifespan of a Fact has been praised as “a smart and engaging exploration of the nature of truth and the role of the media in society,” (Chicago Tribune) and “a tightly written and expertly crafted play that keeps the audience riveted from start to finish” (The New York Times). The book on which the play is based, The Lifespan of a Fact, received critical attention from national media including NPR, The New York Times, and The Los Angeles Times. It was subsequently named a “Top 10 Most Crucial Book” by the editors of Slate, a “Best Book of the Year” by The Huffington Post, and an Editor’s Choice by The New York Times Book Review. The stage adaptation opened on Broadway in 2018, starring Daniel Radcliffe, Bobby Cannavale, and Cherry Jones.
Accessibility: open captions
https://timelinetheatre.com/events/lifespan/
The Lifespan of a Fact runs November 9 – December 23, 2023 (previews 11/1 – 11/8) at TimeLine Theatre, 615 W. Wellington Ave.
WORLD PREMIERE BY NAMBI E. KELLEY
DIRECTED BY TASIA A. JONES
Civil rights activist Kwame Ture, born Stokely Carmichael, was a towering icon; a man of immense domestic and international importance. But he was also just that: a man. Blending the historical and the personal, Stokely: The Unfinished Revolution asks: how can you trust someone with a movement when you can’t trust them with your heart? Tasia A. Jones makes her Court directorial debut with playwright Nambi E. Kelley’s evocative world premiere.
This event will have ASL interpretation, assistive listening devices, audio description, and wheelchair accessible seating.
Touch Tour will begin at 12:30pm.
BY SOPHOCLES
DIRECTED BY GABRIELLE RANDLE-BENT,
ASSOCIATE ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
As Antigone mourns her brothers, she must decide if she will sacrifice her life to balance the scales of justice. Associate Artistic Director Gabrielle Randle-Bent’s interpretation of Sophocles’ masterwork – featuring Aeriel Williams in the titular role and Timothy Edward Kane as King Creon – renders Antigone electrifyingly alive, situating this tale in our modern conversation about the price of democracy, and asking – crucially – if it’s a price we’re willing to pay.
This event will have ASL interpretation, assistive listening devices, audio description, and wheelchair accessible seating.
Touch tour will begin at 12:30pm.
Sensory-Friendly Morning is a free program for all people who benefit from visiting the MCA without large crowds and other sensitive environmental elements. This includes visitors with sensory sensitivities, disabilities, autism, PTSD, dementia, and more. On these mornings, lighting at the museum is dimmed, sounds from artworks and environmental noise is kept at a minimum, and a quiet space is available to visitors for breaks. During Sensory-Friendly Mornings, preregistered individuals and their families can visit the museum to explore exhibitions at their own pace, and join a Chicago-based artist for a sensory-friendly art-making experience. The museum is closed to the general public until 11:30 am; at that time, the lights and artworks return to usual operations.
Sensory-Friendly Morning aims to be a welcoming space to experience contemporary art in a judgment-free environment.
Accessibility: sensory-friendly, ASL interpreted, captioning, low lighting, quiet room, Spanish captioning, wheelchair accessible
https://visit.mcachicago.org/events/sensory-friendly-morning-6/
Kohl Children’s Museum was specifically designed to be inclusive of all children and adults regardless of ability. The Museum’s 17 exhibits and 2 acres of outdoor explorations are designed for play with a purpose and encourage linguistic, cognitive, motor, and social skills for children ages birth through 8.
Accessibility: sensory-friendly, quiet spaces, wheelchair accessible
On Sunday, July 30 from 10am to 3pm, Lincoln Park Zoo will host Sensory-Friendly Day at Farm-in-the-Zoo. Modifications include limited capacity. This is a free event, but it does require advanced registration.
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, autism, PTSD, and dementia to name a few.
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. There will also be low sensory activities.
Timed Entry Window: While registered guests will be let in before or after their one-hour timed entry window, guests are strongly encouraged to come during their timed entry window to help limit crowd sizes. Limited crowd sizes is one of the most important ways to make this day sensory-friendly. Thank you.
View the zoo’s accessibility map HERE and accessibility page HERE to help plan your visit.
Lincoln Park Zoo is certified Sensory Inclusive by KultureCity. Please download the free KultureCity app with Lincoln Park Zoo social story. iOS Android
pon arrival guests need to present their registration email to zoo ushers. This event is only happening at Farm-in-the-Zoo. The rest of Lincoln Park Zoo will have typical operations for the day.
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.
Pets are not allowed at the zoo, but licensed service animals are welcome.
For any questions, please email access@lpzoo.org.
Accessibility: Sensory-Friendly
KCM welcomes children with special needs 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: sensory-friendly, quiet spaces, wheelchair accessible
DIRECTED BY Uberto Pasolini
SYNOPSIS
Thirty-five-year-old window cleaner and single father John has dedicated his life to raising his son. Given only a few months to live, he traverses Belfast, visiting homes of the working class and wealthy alike. He has a singular goal: to find the perfect family to raise his toddler Michael. How can he carry out this impossible task? Inspired by true events in the UK, Nowhere Special is a tender tale of pure love, profound heartbreak, and parenthood.
https://www.chicagofilmfestival.com/film/nowhere-special/
Accessibility: ASL interpreted, assistive listening devices, captioning, large print program, wheelchair accessible
DIRECTED BY Joseph Amenta
SYNOPSIS
Three friends fall in love with summertime Toronto’s lively nightlife. Young, queer, and unapologetically self-confident, the trio spends their days holding court and plotting to sneak into a nightclub. When one of their caregivers goes missing under suspicious circumstances, reality comes crashing in and their seemingly unbreakable bond is tested. Featuring remarkable performances from its young actors, Soft is a tender portrait of youth, friendship, and life on the city’s margins.
Accessibility: ASL interpreted, assistive listening devices, captioning, large print program, wheelchair accessible
Lyric Opera is prototyping an innovative new experience for audiences who are deaf or hard of hearing called the SoundShirt, built by CuteCircuit. While the orchestra and artists perform on stage, microphones capture the sound. Computer software transforms the sounds into touch data, and the data is broadcast wirelessly to the SoundShirts. SoundShirt wearers experience the feeling of music rendered on their upper body through haptic actuation in real-time in a fully immersive way.
We’re prototyping the experience during our summer musical, West Side Story, and inviting a few outside guests who are hard of hearing and deaf to participate and experience it. There will be a follow-up survey seeking feedback. Seats and shirt sizes are limited, and tickets are free.
For questions, please write to [bdunn@lyricopera.org](mailto:bdunn@lyricopera.org).
https://www.lyricopera.org/shows/upcoming/2022-23/west-side-story/
Accessible Juneteenth 2023
Place: the UIC Quad (behind UIC Student Center East); 750 S. Halsted St., Chicago, IL
Date and Time: Saturday, June 17th, 2023 from 1pm to 5pm (Open mic livestream from 2:15pm to 3:15pm on Zoom and Chicagoland DPOCC Facebook page)
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Come and celebrate our second Juneteenth where we celebrate the black disability community and the victories we accomplished! We want to make Juneteenth a fun and important accessible experience for all, including disabled people in the African Diaspora.
RSVP at https://go.uic.edu/2023_AccessibleJuneteenth_RSVP to get event notifications!
This year, we will have a DJ who will bless us with music fit for our Accessible Juneteenth celebration. There will be food, giveaways, and resources given out by vendors also, including from Black-owned and disability-owned/friendly organizations and businesses.
We will host an open-mic where you can share your talents in singing, spoken-word, playing instruments, and more! Sign up at https://go.uic.edu/2023_AccessibleJuneteenth_OpenMic_Signup by June 9th at 11:59pm CT, or sign up in-person at the event. But hurry, because spots are limited!
If you’re not able to attend the celebration in person, that is okay! You can join us virtually; we will host a livestream of the open mic portion of the event. Register for the livestreams at https://go.uic.edu/2023_Virtual_AccessibleJuneteenth_Stream, or watch the livestream on Chicagoland DPOCC’s Facebook page on June 17th.
ASL will be provided for open mic portion; live captioning will be provided for the livestream of the open mic portion
More event details TBA as we get closer to the day; stay tuned for updates.
This event is brought to you by:
Chicagoland Disabled People of Color Coalition
The Institute on Disability and Human Development at UIC
Access Living
UIC Disability Cultural Center
Chicago Disability Pride Parade
Whole Foods
SYNOPSIS
In Sydney, Gabi and Patricia train to compete in Destructive Steps, Australia’s largest street dance competition. Both are pushing themselves mentally and physically in hopes that winning the contest will open new doors and possibilities for a better life. The film spans seven years and provides viewers with intimate access to the breathtaking artform of street dancing. Keep Stepping illuminates the multicultural, passion-filled subculture and tells a moving story about love, obsession, and the transformative power of dance.
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. DIRECTED BY Luke Cornish
Cinema has always been fascinated with the city as a “character”— a living, breathing organism that shapes the world around it. This program showcases the myriad ways in which cities are depicted in cinema and how people live, love, move through, and seek connection in urban spaces.
Featuring stories set in cities all around the globe—from the bustling cafes of Bogotá to the seaside cityscapes of Gothenburg and Galway to glittering black and white portraits of Taipei and Seoul to the streets, skyways, rivers, and trains right here in Chicago—these films express the rich, diverse personalities of cities on screen and how they mold and influence how we live.
Films are unrated. Viewer discretion is advised.
Tickets are available to claim 2 weeks before the screening.
SYNOPSIS
Thirty-five-year-old window cleaner and single father John has dedicated his life to raising his son. Given only a few months to live, he traverses Belfast, visiting homes of the working class and wealthy alike. He has a singular goal: to find the perfect family to raise his toddler Michael. How can he carry out this impossible task? Inspired by true events in the UK, Nowhere Special is a tender tale of pure love, profound heartbreak, and parenthood. DIRECTED BY Uberto Pasolini
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.
Cinema has always been fascinated with the city as a “character”— a living, breathing organism that shapes the world around it. This program showcases the myriad ways in which cities are depicted in cinema and how people live, love, move through, and seek connection in urban spaces.
Featuring stories set in cities all around the globe—from the bustling cafes of Bogotá to the seaside cityscapes of Gothenburg and Galway to glittering black and white portraits of Taipei and Seoul to the streets, skyways, rivers, and trains right here in Chicago—these films express the rich, diverse personalities of cities on screen and how they mold and influence how we live.
Films are unrated. Viewer discretion is advised.
Tickets are available to claim 2 weeks before the screening.
This spring, A.B.L.E. returns to the stage and our classical roots with a multimedia version of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, updated for our social-media obsessed times. Our modern adaptation by A.B.L.E. teaching artist Emma MacLean focuses on the themes of connection and disconnection. The king and queen of the fairies are fighting, the mechanicals are rehearsing a play but no one knows their lines, and the Athenian teens keep changing their relationship status. Join ABLE’s ensembles – 34 actors with intellectual and developmental disabilities as we miss texts, drop calls, and wander love struck in the Athenian forest.
This multimedia production will weave Shakespeare’s words with original scenes, monologues, songs, and dances devised by our ensembles, as well as animated film sequences from VFX designer Brock Alter. The virtual ensemble will narrate the tale for us as the in-person ensembles take the stage Upstairs at Chicago Shakespeare Theater.
With your ticket, you have the option of participating in a 45 minute interactive workshop led by A.B.L.E.’s team of Creative Associates and Teaching Artists. Audiences can experience some of the games and activities A.B.L.E. used to bring their ideas to the stage, get a touch tour of key costume pieces and props, and try A.B.L.E.’s signature “dropping in” method. This exclusive opportunity is only available to 20 ticket holders each day – reserve your spot when booking your ticket.
Event Details:
Sunday June 11th at 2pm (pre-show workshop & touch tour at 12:30pm)
Upstairs at Chicago Shakespeare Theater
800 East Grand Avenue
Chicago IL 60611
Tickets: All tickets are Pay-what-you-can, general admission
Online: ableensemble.com/events
Phone: 312.595.5600
In person: at the Chicago Shakespeare Theater box office
Access: Performances will be open captioned and dual ASL interpreted.
COVID Policies: To ensure A.B.L.E.’s immunocompromised performers and community members feel safe and welcome, all audience members must remain masked for the duration of their time in the theater complex.
This spring, A.B.L.E. returns to the stage and our classical roots with a multimedia version of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, updated for our social-media obsessed times. Our modern adaptation by A.B.L.E. teaching artist Emma MacLean focuses on the themes of connection and disconnection. The king and queen of the fairies are fighting, the mechanicals are rehearsing a play but no one knows their lines, and the Athenian teens keep changing their relationship status. Join ABLE’s ensembles – 34 actors with intellectual and developmental disabilities as we miss texts, drop calls, and wander love struck in the Athenian forest.
This multimedia production will weave Shakespeare’s words with original scenes, monologues, songs, and dances devised by our ensembles, as well as animated film sequences from VFX designer Brock Alter. The virtual ensemble will narrate the tale for us as the in-person ensembles take the stage Upstairs at Chicago Shakespeare Theater.
With your ticket, you have the option of participating in a 45 minute interactive workshop led by A.B.L.E.’s team of Creative Associates and Teaching Artists. Audiences can experience some of the games and activities A.B.L.E. used to bring their ideas to the stage, get a touch tour of key costume pieces and props, and try A.B.L.E.’s signature “dropping in” method. This exclusive opportunity is only available to 20 ticket holders each day – reserve your spot when booking your ticket.
Event Details:
Saturday June 10th at 7pm (pre-show workshop & touch tour at 5:30pm)
Upstairs at Chicago Shakespeare Theater
800 East Grand Avenue
Chicago IL 60611
Tickets: All tickets are Pay-what-you-can, general admission
Online: ableensemble.com/events
Phone: 312.595.5600
In person: at the Chicago Shakespeare Theater box office
Access: Performances will be open captioned and dual ASL interpreted.
COVID Policies: To ensure A.B.L.E.’s immunocompromised performers and community members feel safe and welcome, all audience members must remain masked for the duration of their time in the theater complex.
Children of all abilities can play and explore nature through accessible activities in The Morton Arboretum’s lush 4-acre Children’s Garden during this special Nature Play for All weekend event, organized in collaboration with Benedictine University and SEASPAR, the South East Association for Special Parks and Recreation. Activities include Painting with Nature, Planting a Seed, American Sign Language Storytimes, Pond Exploration, Sensory Hikes and Nature Scavenger Hunts. Nature Play for All will occur Saturday, June 10 and Sunday, June 11 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The Children’s Garden is supported by International Paper. For more information, visit mortonarb.org.
Accessibility: ASL interpreted, quiet spaces, sensory friendly, wheelchair accessible
https://mortonarb.org/explore/activities/childrens-family-programs/nature-play-for-all/
Sensory-Friendly Morning is a free program for all people who benefit from visiting the MCA without large crowds and other sensitive environmental elements. This includes visitors with sensory sensitivities, disabilities, autism, PTSD, dementia, and more. On these mornings, lighting at the museum is dimmed, sounds from artworks and environmental noise is kept at a minimum, and a quiet space is available to visitors for breaks. During Sensory-Friendly Mornings, preregistered individuals and their families can visit the museum to explore exhibitions at their own pace, and join a Chicago-based artist for a sensory-friendly art-making experience. The museum is closed to the general public until 11:30 am; at that time, the lights and artworks return to usual operations.
Sensory-Friendly Morning aims to be a welcoming space to experience contemporary art in a judgment-free environment.
Accessibility: Sensory-Friendly. ASL Interpretation
https://visit.mcachicago.org/events/sensory-friendly-morning-5/
Burning Red: Tribute to Taylor is the premier Taylor Swift tribute act, by Swifties and for Swifties. Burning Red brings the iconic music of Taylor Swift to life with an energetic performance and detailed Taylor-themed event, serving up the best Taylor sing-along party you’ll ever find! Every Burning Red show is a journey through all of Taylor Swift’s “ERAS.” If you couldn’t get tickets to Taylor’s ERAs tour, OR if you got tickets to the Friday or Sunday shows and want to extend the fun, we have the party just for you!
DOORS 7 PM | SHOW 8 PM
18+ | Minors permitted with a parent/guardian
GENERAL SALE: $22
VIP PACKAGE: $29 (includes admission and exclusive merch, while supplies last)
DOOR SALES: $25
Category: Live Music | Concert
Writing Care Scenes: A Workshop & Skill Share with 2023 3Arts/Bodies of Work Residency Fellow, Kennedy Dawson Healy
Thursday, May 4th, 4:30pm to 6:30pm (Or join us virtually at 5:00pm!)
Haymarket House
800 W Buena Ave, Chicago, IL 60613
Join us for a workshop on writing play scenes about care. Learn about how Kennedy found grounding in writing about issues surrounding care through her in-progress project Care: The Musical. Then take time to develop your own scene that volunteers can share back to the group.
RSVP: https://writingcarescenes.eventbrite.com/
Program:
4:30 – 5:00 pm: Light refreshments and creative printmaking & zine stations* will be available outdoors.
5:00 – 6:30 pm: Workshop & skill share will be hosted in door.
*Creative printmaking & zine stations will be presented by Soph Schinderle (they/them) and Lizzy Dixon (they/them), who have collaborated with Kennedy during her residency. Schinderle and Dixon are both graduate art therapy students in the Community Practice and Helping Relationship Class, department of art therapy and counseling, School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC).
Access Information: Haymarket House is located in Uptown on the corner of Buena and Clarendon. Please enter through the parking lot off Clarendon where there is a ramped side entrance. ASL interpreters, CART, and a Personal Assistant will be available at the event. Masks are required for all who are able to wear them. There are two accessible bathrooms and the large event space has an air filter. For any other accessibility requests, please reach out to Beth Bendtsen at bbendtsen@accessliving.org at your earliest convenience.
Host Information: This event is part of the 2023 3Arts/Bodies of Work Residency Fellowship. Bodies of Work is a part of the Department of Disability and Human Development within the College of Applied Health Sciences at University of Illinois-Chicago.
Supporter Information:
This program received generous support from the Arts and Culture Project at Access Living, an independent living center for people with disabilities, Shirley Ryan Abilities Lab and Disability Culture Activism Lab at SAIC.
The contents of this event were developed under a grant from the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR grant number 90RTCP0005). NIDILRR is a Center within the Administration for Community Living (ACL), Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The contents of this event do not necessarily represent the policy of NIDILRR, ACL, or HHS, and you should not assume endorsement by the Federal Government.
This program is partially supported by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council Agency, as well as grants to 3Arts from the National Endowment for the Arts and The Joyce Foundation.
Image description (attached flyer): Pastel pink and purple watercolor background with black, purple and blue text. There is a small circular photo of Kennedy, a white, fat, disabled femme, who smiles with their head turned slightly to the right. The back of their power chair is visible over their shoulder. Overlaid on the back ground is text with event information, including the bullet points: Outdoor refreshments, Creative printmaking & zine stations, and Scene writing workshop & sharing. Along the bottom are the logos for the event sponsors.
Our Audio Description and Touch Tour Date for London Road is Friday, May 5. The Touch Tour begins at 6:45 pm, and the show will be at 8:00. Use the code “ACCESS20” for $20 tickets if you plan to take advantage of these accessibility offerings!
Determined and tenacious, the residents of Ipswich, UK mobilize to overcome the immense fear and media circus that unfolds following the serial murder of 5 sex workers in their small town. This experimental and innovative new musical is based on a true story, using verbatim dialogue recorded during interviews with the people of Ipswich. Brought to the American stage for the first time ever, London Road is an uplifting story that reveals how a devastating tragedy can spark empathy and engender community resilience.
This musical is 2 hours 15 minutes, with one intermission.
Masks are mandatory for all patrons for the entire duration of the performance, except when actively drinking beverages.
Join LYNX Project for the most-anticipated event of their 2022-23 season: the World Premieres of the 2022-23 Amplify Series. The Amplify Series commissions classical composers to set texts by autistic poets, who are primarily nonspeaking, to music. LYNX has commissioned over 40 writers and composers, generating over four hours of new music. The Amplify Series World Premiere Concert celebrates this year’s powerful and poignant new works, featuring the following poets, composers, and performers:
Poets:
Amelia Bell
Sofia Ghassaei
Matthew McGrath
John-Carlos Schaut
Parker Scheu
Composers:
Eugenia Cheng
Shane S. Cook
Corinne Klein
Paul Novak
Matthew Recio
Performers:
Veena Akama-Makia, mezzo-soprano
Pauline Tan, mezzo-soprano
Samuel James Dewese, baritone
Florence Mak, pianist
Michael Tran, clarinetist
Kimberly Jeong, cellist
Accommodations:
Relaxed performance atmosphere (movement, fidgets, stims welcome in our space)
Sensory-relief space outside concert hall
No clapping — handwaving and snapping for applause
For additional information about accommodations, or to make a request, please contact Michelle Ravitsky at michelle@lynxproject.org.
The exhilarating work of Chicago’s next generation of filmmakers is showcased in this eclectic collection that celebrates the vast array of creative expressions emerging from our city. These films will screen with Open Captions, and the Q&A will feature Live Captioning.
Note: Films in this program contain themes or language that may not be suitable for all ages.
Accessibility: open captions, live captions
https://www.chicagofilmfestival.com/film/cineyouth2023-chicagoland/
On Sunday, May 14 from 8-10am, Lincoln Park Zoo is offering Sensory-Friendly Morning hours for guests with disabilities, chronicle illness, or Deaf to 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.
Sensory-Friendly Morning 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, autism, PTSD, and dementia to name a few.
During Sensory-Friendly Morning, Gift Shop will be open at 8am and Landmark Café will sell beverages starting at 8:30am. AT&T Endangered Species Carousel and Lionel Train Adventure will operate with music and noises muted. Not all animal buildings may be open, and some animals may not be in their public viewing spaces.
At 10am, the zoo will be open to the public and begin typical operations.
View the zoo’s accessibility map HERE and accessibility page HERE to help plan your visit.
Lincoln Park Zoo is certified Sensory Inclusive by KultureCity. Please download the free KultureCity app with Lincoln Park Zoo social narrative. iOS Android
Guests may only enter at West Gate and East Gate, and they need to present their 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. We have some wonderful animal buildings you can still enjoy 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.
Pets are not allowed at the zoo, but licensed service animals are welcome.
For any questions, please email access@lpzoo.org.
Accessibility: sensory-friendly
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/sensory-friendly-morning-at-lincoln-park-zoo-tickets-617752734057
We are delighted to be hosting Maggie Bridger on April 15 as part of her Crafting Care series. In anticipation of her performance “Scale”, Maggie is holding open crafting sessions centered around collectively creating objects of care—including masks, blankets, and cushions. The culmination of our care work, made visible in the items we craft together, will likely be put to use in the performance of “Scale” in May! Feel free to come by Curb Appeal from 2:00-4:00pm on 4/15, and bring any crafting projects you might want to work on.
Additionally, this is the second-to-last week to experience Molly Joyce’s “Perspective” a sound and video work that grapples with the myriad ways in which people experience disability. The work is open captioned. Sound descriptions and image descriptions accompany the video, too.
Curb Appeal is wheelchair accessible. We also have a gallery dog (Momo) who will be present at this program. We’ll continue to mask inside, in consideration of one another. Email us for address and access information: info@curbappeal.gallery.
Limited capacity. Advanced registration is required.
Masking is required for this performance.
Using the pain scale as a primary source material, Scale places medicalized methods of quantifying pain in conversation with alternative ways of reading and attending to pain emerging from the disability community, ultimately proposing new ways of caring for the bodymind in dance. These complex interactions between medicalization, care, and community are explored through movement, video, and the use of access tools for both performers and audience members. Scale invites audience members to attend to their own embodied experience of the piece, offering pillows, blankets, and other care objects as tools for curating the way they engage with and experience the work. Scale poses questions around the ways that we perceive pain, ultimately reaching toward a more compassionate and disability-informed way of creating and performing dance.
Each performance is followed by a Crafting Care event that serves as a sort of informal “talk back” with some of the artists, as well as an opportunity to join in the crafting practice that informed much of the work of Scale. Audience members are encouraged to bring their own crafting projects, participate in a group embroidery project, or simply share space and chat about Scale in community with the artists and other audience members.
COLLABORATORS
Performers: Maggie Bridger, Jordan Brown, Joán Joel, Alex Neil-Sevier, Robby Lee Williams
Costumes and Visual Art: Reveca Torres
Sound Design: Shireen Hamza
Crafters: Margaret Fink, Sandy Guttman, Alison Kopit, Ashley Miller
Access information
ACCESS DURING PERFORMANCE
Captions, American Sign Language, audio descriptions, opportunities to rest, and sensory notes are incorporated into the performance in ways that we hope generate a unique, thoughtful experience for each audience member. The methods we’re using to incorporate these elements into the performance are experimental and may differ from the ways these tools are encountered in other arts spaces. We are continuing to learn, develop, and experiment alongside our community and welcome feedback on these elements, particularly from members of the community that rely on these various tools to access performance.
COVID Protocols:
Masking is required in the performance space. Mana Contemporary, though, is a shared building that does not require masking and there may be unmasked people outside of the performance space. You are welcome to bring your own mask or grab one of the high quality masks available to audience members in both adult and child sizes at the building’s entrance. All performers will be masked, though there is a moment in the work where performers layer masks one on top of the other, which may cause their masking to be less effective for a short period of time.
Arriving at Mana & Wayfinding:
All audience members will enter the ramped entrance to Mana Contemporary located on the west side of the building near the Throop street entrance to the parking lot. Audiences will then be guided through the building to the performance space by the performers, two of whom use ASL and will be able to guide Deaf and hard of hearing audience members. The first 30 minutes of the performance time is dedicated to audience arrival and getting situated in the performance space, so there is no need to rush or worry about arriving precisely on time. There is time to rest, chat, and get settled.
A library around the corner from the performance space will be used as a “quiet space” that folks can use to get a break from the performance, if needed.
Access Tools and Sharing Space:
The show runs about an hour and a half with the first half hour dedicated entirely to audience members arriving and getting settled for the performance. Upon entering the space, audience members will be offered access devices and care tools to help them feel as comfortable as possible throughout the performance. Some of the tools we have available are:
4 blankets
3 small weighted blankets
9 pillows
2 large beanbags
Yoga mats/exercise mats
Instant hot and cold packs
Stim tools
3 ear defenders
In addition to these, you are very welcome to bring your own tools/devices. We invite you to move, stim, rest, and generally make yourself comfortable during the performance. Our tools/devices will be cleaned with scent-free detergent/cleanser between each performance.
We ask that audience members refrain from wearing any scented perfume, cologne, lotion, etc. However, Mana Contemporary is a shared space where tenants will sometimes burn incense or use other scented products. Unfortunately, we cannot guarantee a fully scent-free environment.
Pulitzer Prize Finalist Elif Batuman is one of the biggest names in literature. Her newest work Either/Or continues the story of her first book, following Selin Karadag, a young woman exploring adulthood. Join this decorated author in a conversation about Kierkegaard, literary beauty, and the journey of life. Following the conversation, Chicago composer and multi-instrumentalist Macie Stewart will perform a suite of her poetic, baroque-tinged folk songs with saxophonist Dustin Laurenzi. The evening concludes with a special presentation of DJs Brian Case’s and Bobby Burg’s legendary and long-running Smith’s Night at Danny’s Tavern.
A book signing will follow this program.
This event will have open captions and ALDs.
https://www.chicagohumanities.org/events/attend/batuman-stewart/
James Beard Foundation Award-winning chef, Sarah Grueneberg knows a thing or two about great ingredients. Drawing on her long love affair with Italian cooking and the methods she uses at her renowned restaurant Monteverde, Sarah begs us to feature veggies as the main attraction in her new cookbook, Listen to Your Vegetables: Italian-Inspired Recipes for Every Season. Join Chicago Humanities as we sit down with this award-winning chef and chef Rick Bayless for an intimate conversation and tips on how to up our vegetable game.
This event will have open captions and ALDs.
https://www.chicagohumanities.org/events/attend/sarah-grueneberg/
A native of Park Ridge, Secretary Hillary Rodham Clinton’s middle-class upbringing taught her the value of hard work, determination, and the importance of public service. Now, she’s returning this spring to talk about how Chicago provided the foundation upon which she built her life and career. Join her for a far-reaching, intimate conversation about her work advocating for civic engagement through Onward Together, her thoughts on current affairs, and her connection to Chicago’s own beloved local activist, Joanne Alter.
This event will have ASL Interpretation, audio description, open captions, and ALDs.
https://www.chicagohumanities.org/events/venues/riviera-theatre/
Youtube star, author, transgender activist and advocate for the LGBTQIA+ community, Gigi Gorgeous, and American drag performer, actor, make-up artist, and the first transgender male to compete on RuPaul’s Drag Race, Gottmik are ready for real talk about their transition journeys. Join these two queer icons as they discuss their newest book, The T Guide: Our Trans Experiences and a Celebration of Gender Expression―Man, Woman, Nonbinary, and Beyond, and discover the knowledge you need to be the best ally you can be and better understand what it means for those who embark on this journey.
Come enjoy dinner and drinks at Chop Shop before or after the conversation with Gigi Gorgeous and Gottmik. A book signing will follow this program.
This event will have open captions and ALDs.
https://www.chicagohumanities.org/events/attend/gorgeous-gottmik/
Does a job, a home, and a killer wardrobe make you a true adult? Andrew Rannells isn’t so sure. If he’s so successful in his forties, then why does he still feel like an anxious twenty-something? Were the triumphs of his life actually failures? And were his failures his real triumphs? At Chicago Humanities, the Tony-nominated actor will sit down for a witty, fun, and poignant conversation that looks back over his career– from the Broadway stage (The Book of Mormon) to the silver screen (Girls, Big Mouth)–to ask what success and “adulting” really mean and whether he will ever feel like he has enough.
A book signing will follow this program.
This event will have open captions, audio description, and ALDs.
https://www.chicagohumanities.org/events/attend/andrew-rannells/
New York Times bestselling author, beloved TV host, and executive producer of The Real Housewives, Andy Cohen is the busiest man in show business. Now, he’s taking on the most important role of his life: dad. With a three-year old son and a baby girl born in May, late-night parties have been replaced by late-night feedings. Join Chicago Humanities for a lively evening with this Watch What Happens Live! host as he reflects on his year filled with housewife drama, a mayoral feud, and a renewed understanding of how family really changes everything.
This event will have open captions, audio descriptions, and ALDs.
There’s no better biographer working right now than Chicago’s own Jonathan Eig. He has helped us understand some of the most monumental lives of our times, such as Jackie Robinson, Lou Gehrig, and Al Capone. Eig’s newest subject is one of the most important figures in U.S. history: Martin Luther King Jr. But what is new to say about MLK? Plenty, it turns out. Join Eig and The Interview Show’s Mark Bazer for a conversation that will shed new light on this extraordinary American life. Following the conversation, Chicago jazz group The JuJu Exchange performs selections from their latest project, JazzRx, and share the emotional journey they and their fans took together to bring this healing music to life.
Come enjoy dinner and drinks at Chop Shop before or after this event.
This event will have open captions, audio description and ALDs.
https://www.chicagohumanities.org/events/attend/eig-jujuexchange/
In his new book Quantum Supremacy: How the Quantum Computer Revolution Will Change Everything, Kaku attests that this technological breakthrough could allow humanity to do everything from create nuclear fusion reactors that create clean, renewable energy without radioactive waste or threats of a meltdown to unravel the fiendishly difficult protein folding that lies at the heart of previously incurable diseases like Alzheimer’s, ALS, and Parkinson’s. Join Chicago Humanities as we sit down with this renowned scientist as he simplifies this important yet complicated topic in a way only Michio Kaku can.
A book signing will follow this program.
This event will have open captions and ALDs.
https://www.chicagohumanities.org/events/attend/michio-kaku/
Longtime New Yorker writer Adam Gopnik investigates a foundational human question: How do we learn—and master—a new skill? In his newest book, The Real Work, Gopnik apprenticed as an artist, a dancer, a boxer, and even a driving instructor to understand the process of mastering new skills, how it happens, and if anyone can do it. Join Chicago Humanities as we sit down with this brilliant writer, for a conversation that seeks to answer the ultimate question about why and how we humans relentlessly seek to better ourselves.
A book signing will follow this program.
This event will have open captions and ALDs.
https://www.chicagohumanities.org/events/attend/adam-gopnik/
Real Life by Brandon Taylor (National Book Foundation’s 2023 Science + Literature Selected Title) asks what it means for a queer Black man to pursue a career in academia and science. Join Taylor and award-winning author Weike Wang for a conversation presented in partnership with the National Book Foundation about the real science within Real Life, and the possibilities for better representation—both in science and in fiction.
A book signing will follow this program.
This event will have open captions and ALDs.
https://www.chicagohumanities.org/events/attend/brandon-taylor/
You don’t need to be a legal scholar to understand your legal rights. Elie Mystal, The Nation’s legal analyst, justice correspondent and frequent MSNBC guest, makes it easy to digest what rights we have, what rights are being taken away, and how we can protect those rights. Join author Brandi Collins-Dexter (Black Skinhead: Reflections on Blackness and Our Political Future) for an enlightening one-on-one conversation with Mystal who brings his trademark humor, expertise, and rhetorical flair to explain why the Constitution is trash but doesn’t have to be.
A book signing will follow this program.
This event will have open captions and ALDs.
https://www.chicagohumanities.org/events/attend/elie-mystal/
#1 New York Times bestselling author, voting rights advocate, and history maker Stacey Abrams returns to Chicago with her latest thriller novel, Rogue Justice. Join Chicago Humanities for an evening with this political leader as we delve into the art of fiction, current issues affecting our democracy, and how we can all use our voices to impact our communities.
This event will have open captions, audio description, ASL interpretation, and ALDs.
Ruth E. Carter is one of the most renowned and celebrated costume designers working today having designed more than 40 films over the course of 3 decades and winning Oscars for Best Costume Design for her work on Black Panther and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. At Chicago Humanities, Carter will explore the passion for history that inspired her period pieces and her journey into Afrofuturism, as well as what it’s been like working with such film legends as Denzel Washington, Eddie Murphy, Chadwick Boseman, Angela Bassett, Lupita Nyong’o, and more.
A book signing will follow this program.
This event will have open captions and ALDs.
https://www.chicagohumanities.org/events/attend/ruth-e-carter/
The preeminent African American pop artist of his generation, Chicago-born Hebru Brantley straddles the worlds of fine art, street art, and hip-hop, while he’s name-dropped in rap songs and collected by the likes of Jay-Z and LeBron James. Join Chicago Humanities for an upbeat, life-affirming chat about the work of this painter, sculptor, and designer whose work attempts to restore innocence to depictions of Black youth, normalize images of Black children at play, and suggest an entirely new mythology through the creation of Black superheroes.
A book signing will follow this program.
This event will have open captions and ALDs.
https://www.chicagohumanities.org/events/attend/hebru-brantley/
Tony Award-winning playwright of the theatrical phenomenon The Vagina Monologues, V (formerly Eve Ensler) sits down for an unflinching conversation about her newest, deeply personal work, Reckoning. On her travels from Berlin to Oklahoma to the Congo, V has spent her life spearheading global movements to end homelessness, the climate disaster, and especially violence against all women and girls. At Chicago Humanities, V will sit down with author Rebecca Makkai (I Have Some Questions for You: A Novel) to help us all learn how to create change, survive love, and connect to our greater purpose. The conversation will address the meaning and critical importance of personal and political reckoning in a country that is being controlled and destroyed by its past.
A book signing will follow this program.
This event will have open captions and ALDs.
https://www.chicagohumanities.org/events/attend/v-eve-ensler/
In the second half of the 20th century, Chicago has grown into a Latino metropolis, boasting flourishing neighborhoods such as Pilsen and Little Village. Despite Mexican Chicagoans facing intersecting forces of wealth-driven gentrification and anti-immigrant policies, Chicago has become a city of refuge, mutual aid, and economic power. Join Professor of History at Georgetown University Mike Amecua and Ivón Padilla-Rodríguez for a conversation on Chicago as Latino metropolis.
This event will have open caption and ALDs.
https://www.chicagohumanities.org/events/attend/latino-metropolis/
As the former Cook County public defender, Allen Goodman has dedicated his life to defending his clients against routine police abuse, prosecutorial misconduct, and unjust sentencing. We are excited to welcome him to the Chicago Humanities stage for a conversation with Rudi Batzell, assistant professor of history at Lake Forest College, on Goodman’s memoir Everyone Against Us and the human suffering that is at the heart of the American criminal justice system.
A book signing will follow this program.
This event will have open captions and ALDs.
https://www.chicagohumanities.org/events/attend/allen-goodman/
When most people think of the history of modern conservatism, they think of Ronald Reagan. This leaves out the current ideals of conservatism, the recent presidency of Donald Trump, and the ambiguous future of the Republican party. Co-founder of The Washington Free Beacon, Matthew Continetti (The Right: The Hundred-Year War for American Conservatism), American Journalist Mary Katharine Ham, and former aide to Vice President Mike Pence, Olivia Troye, sit down for a conversation led by author and senior writer atThe Dispatch David Drucker (In Trump’s Shadow: The Battle for 2024 and the Future of the GOP) on the state of the conservative movement – where it started and where it’s going.
A book signing will follow this program.
This event wll have open captions and ALDs.
https://www.chicagohumanities.org/events/attend/american-conservatism/
Miranda July has gained a cult following over the span of her award-winning career as a filmmaker (Me and You and Everyone We Know and Kajillionaire), writer (No One Belongs Here More Than You), and artist (her latest project, Services, is both a sculpture and a book). Chill with July and acclaimed musician, actor, and comedian Carrie Brownstein (Portlandia, Sleater Kinney) for a chat about art in all of its many forms.
A book signing will follow this program.
This event will have ALDs available at the Box Office.
https://www.chicagohumanities.org/events/attend/july-brownstein/
Writer and comedian Scott Aukerman’s weekly podcast, Comedy Bang! Bang!, is filled with zany characters, celebrity interviews, and chaotic improv. It’s now available as a book, Comedy Bang! Bang! The Podcast: The Book, and features brand-new anecdotes and opinions from characters of the iconic show. Join Aukerman and Mark Bazer, host of The Interview Show, on the Chicago Humanities stage for a hilarious behind-the-scenes conversation about his new book.
A book signing will follow this program.
This event will have open captions and ALDs.
https://www.chicagohumanities.org/events/attend/aukerman-bazer/
Jane Austen is famously a writer of comedy, but many readers turn to her work in times of difficulty and sorrow, not merely to escape, but because Austen, with her wonderful capacity for surprise, seems to make room for these darker times. So author Rachel Cohen found during the period of ordinary joys and sorrows when her children were born, her father died, and she read nothing but Austen. Join Cohen for a conversation about her latest work, the Austen Years: A Memoir, as she explores the surprise mingling of sorrow and joy – in Jane Austen’s life, in Sense and Sensibility, and in what draws us back to Austen through reading and films of our own day.
A book signing will follow this program.
This event will have open captions and ALDs.
https://www.chicagohumanities.org/events/attend/rachel-cohen/
One of the greatest tensions in American society exists between preserving freedom of speech and respecting the sensitivities of marginalized communities, and it has been manifesting increasingly in academics, business, and the arts. Ayad Akhtar, the Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright, novelist, and President of PEN America, joins Interfaith America Founder and President Eboo Patel in conversation to explore how to hold space for intellectual liberty and creative expression without sacrificing the dignity of individual identities and beliefs.
This event will have open captions and ALDs.
https://www.chicagohumanities.org/events/attend/akhtar-patel/
With the nominations of Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh, and Amy Coney Barrett, and the subsequent reversal of Roe v. Wade, the Supreme Court has taken a dramatic turn to the right. Gain insight into how we got here and the changing judicial landscape with a panel of experts: CNN senior legal analyst Joan Biskupic, whose latest work Nine Black Robes examines the historic consequences of the Supreme Court’s drive to the right, law professors Aziz Huq and Joyce Vance, and Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Eric Foner.
A book signing will follow this program.
This event will have open captions and ALDs.
https://www.chicagohumanities.org/events/attend/supreme-court/
Democrat Beto O’Rourke rose to national prominence with competitive campaigning in Republican Texas. Now, the former El Paso Congressman is turning his energy toward voting rights, an essential part of a productive democracy. In his new book, We’ve Got to Try: How the Fight for Voting Rights Makes Everything Else Possible, O’Rourke connects voting rights and democracy to the major issues of our time, sharing what he saw, heard, and learned while campaigning throughout the 254 counties of his home state during his Senatorial and gubernatorial runs. Join Chicago Humanities as we sit down for a conversation on just how essential it is that the sacred right to vote is protected and that we each do our part to save our democracy for generations to come.
This event will have open captions and ALDs.
https://www.chicagohumanities.org/events/attend/beto-orourke/
As Minnesota’s Attorney General, Keith Ellison prosecuted the police officers in the murder trial of George Floyd and grappled with how to deliver justice to the Floyd family while putting an end to police brutality once and for all. Now, in the face of new stories of police abuse filling the news once again, Ellison joins Chicago Humanities to ask the key question: how do we break the wheel of police violence and finally make it stop turning?
This event will have open captions and ALDs.
https://www.chicagohumanities.org/events/attend/keith-ellison/
In April 1952 Ralph Ellison published Invisible Man, his first and only finished novel and a work that is regarded today as one of the most important American literary works of the twentieth century and a stark account of America’s racial divisions. Alongside Ellison’s notable written works survives an archive of photographs he took throughout his life, spanning the 1940s–90s. Now 29 years after his death, Ralph Ellison: Photographer is the first book dedicated to Ellison’s photography practice. Join editors Michal Raz-Russo (Gordon Park Foundation), John Callahan (Lewis & Clark College), Bethany Collins and writer Adam Bradly (UCLA) in a conversation on Ellison’s photography, career, and creative.
This event will have open captions and ALDs.
https://www.chicagohumanities.org/events/attend/ralph-ellison/
Congresswoman Katie Porter is known for challenging those in power and using her iconic whiteboard to demand answers on behalf of the American people. However, few know of her journey from Iowa farm girl to a single mom who had never run for office defying expectations by winning her seat in a historically conservative district in Orange County, California. Join Porter for an intimate conversation about her family, career, her new book, I Swear, and her upcoming run for the US Senate.
This event will have open captions and ALDs.
https://www.chicagohumanities.org/events/attend/katie-porter/
Comedian Lane Moore wrote the book on How To Be Alone but building real, healthy friendships as an adult is ten times more difficult! In her new book You Will Find Your People: How to Make Meaningful Friendships as an Adult, Moore shares everything she’s learned about how to finally make friends as an adult, how to identify your attachment style, choose better friends, become a better friend yourself, and how to handle friendship breakup grief, which can be even more brutal than most romantic breakups. Join Lane Moore and writer/actor Mara Wilson (Where Am I Now?: True Stories of Girlhood and Accidental Fame, Matilda) for a fun-filled evening full of stories, advice, and sharing as we try and figure out a better way to find our chosen family.
Come enjoy dinner and drinks at Chop Shop before or after the conversation with Lane Moore and Mara Wilson. A book signing will follow this program.
This event will have open captions, ASL Interpretation and ALDs.
https://www.chicagohumanities.org/events/attend/moore-wilson/
Rainn Wilson–beloved comedic actor, producer, writer–brings his unique perspective and humor to the traumas of our modern world. Wilson is calling for a Soul Boom, a spiritual revolution that could help us solve some of today’s biggest issues, including mental illness, racism, sexism, climate change, and economic injustice. The Office star will sit down with the Vice President of Second City, Kelly Leonard, in Chicago for a chat about spiritual thinking and profound healing, peppered with plenty of Kung Fu and Star Trek references, as only Rainn Wilson can.
A photo opportunity with Rainn Wilson will be available only for audience members who pre-order or purchase on-site pre-signed copies of Soul Boom.
This event will have open captions and ALDs.
https://www.chicagohumanities.org/events/attend/rainn-wilson/
Susanna Hoffs is a legend in the music industry. As the co-founder of the Bangles, she produced three platinum-selling albums and is the voice behind indelible pop hit after pop hit. Now, this famed songwriter has ventured into a new kind of writing with her debut novel, This Bird Has Flown, a story of music, secrets, and sex. At Chicago Humanities, Susanna will take the stage with the host of The Interview Show, Mark Bazer for an in-depth conversation about her new novel, the music business, and her illustrious life. Following the conversation, Susanna Hoffs will be taking the stage for a brief solo performance.
Come enjoy dinner and drinks at Chop Shop before or after this event.
This event will have open caption and ALDs.
https://www.chicagohumanities.org/events/attend/susanna-hoffs/
On May 6, Barak adé Soleil premieres a new work, SHIFT, that amplifies the presence of Black neurodiverse and disabled bodies by occupying the museum’s spaces both digitally and physically.
SHIFT is a new commission comprised of a video installation in one of the MCA’s public stairwells, accompanied by a live performance. In the dreamlike video installation that runs from May 2nd through June 19, the presence of Black neurodiverse and disabled bodies infiltrates a spiral stairwell within the museum, where they are shown from many angles and at multiple scales, both at rest and as they shift. adé Soleil’s installation offers rest, and the everyday gestures of these bodies, as forms of political resistance for Black people—challenging the media’s often violent interpretation of these bodies as lazy or near death. In the live event on May 6, a promenade of performers traverse inaccessible staircases, recalibrating the flow of activity within the museum and challenging simplistic depictions of Black disabled bodies in real time.
This performance is durational and will move through different areas of the museum, including the MCA Plaza and front steps, the northwest spiral staircase, and both public lobbies. The majority of the performance will take place in the spiral staircase on the west side of the museum’s first floor, and will be visible from various angles on multiple floors. The available space for viewers will change based on the location of the performance as it moves through the museum, and MCA staff will be available to facilitate the audience’s movement to maintain access to elevators, passageways, and stairwells. Portable stools will be available for visitors who wish to use them, where possible. ASL interpretation will be provided. Designated areas for wheelchair and mobility device users will be available on the staircase landings. The MCA Commons, on the museum’s second floor, will display a livestream of the performance as it takes place for visitors who wish to stay in one location. The livestream will also be available for visitors to join from their mobile devices from elsewhere in the museum. Live audio description will be provided: devices will be available at the museum and audience members may also use their personal devices to access the audio description through a URL provided on-site.
Accessibility: ASL interpreted, audio description, touch tour, wheelchair accessible
Alonzo King LINES Ballet returns to the Harris stage for the first time since 2015. The celebrated contemporary ballet company, whose mission is to nurture artistry and the development of creative expression in dance, through collaboration, performance, and education, will perform in a matinee program for children and families.
Accessibility: ASL interpreter, assistive listening devices, large print programs, sensory-friendly, quiet spaces, wheelchair accessible
https://www.harristheaterchicago.org/alonzo-king-lines-ballet/family
To commemorate Women’s History Month, the Arts & Culture Project at Access Living is partnering to host a virtual film screening and panel discussion of the My Girl Story documentary on Saturday, March 25 from 12-2pm.
This event will explore the importance of mental health care among Black girls and resources available to them and their families.
My Girl follows the lives of two Black girls from Detroit, Monay and Shokana, who are fighting to become the girls they want to be. The documentary aims to give context to what Black girls across the country are experiencing today and to challenge the institutional and systemic barriers that prevent black girls especially those with disabilities from achieving their potential.
Register via Eventbrite to get the Zoom link:
Access Information:
Live CART captioning and ASL will be provided during the panel discussion.
Partners:
My Girl Story
Chicagoland Disabled People of Color Coalition
Access Living
Empowered Fe Fe’s
Sponsor Information: This event is brought to you by the Arts and Culture Project at Access Living, an independent living center for people with disabilities, Bodies of Work: Network of Disability Art and Culture, Shirley Ryan Abilities Lab, and the Disability Culture Activism Lab (DCAL), a teaching lab housed under the department of art therapy and counseling at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.
Bodies of Work is a part of the Department of Disability and Human Development within the College of Applied Health Sciences at University of Illinois-Chicago. The contents of this film were developed under a grant from the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR grant number 90RTCP0005). NIDILRR is a Center within the Administration for Community Living (ACL), Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The contents of this film do not necessarily represent the policy of NIDILRR, ACL, or HHS, and you should not assume endorsement by the Federal Government.
This program is partially supported by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council Agency.
Don’t miss the 24th annual festival of the best independent films created by Irish filmmakers celebrating diversity and creativity through short, documentary and feature films.
The Chicago Irish Film Festival proudly presents our Opening Night feature “The Sparrow” at Theater on the Lake on March 2, starting at 6:30pm. Enjoy other films at AMC New City from March 2-5 with director chats, and virtual tickets available from March 6-16, 2023.
All virtual films will have subtitle options. In-person captioning will not be available, however is available depending on the theater.
Opening reception for Voices Embodied
Highlighting a relationship between disability and community, Voices Embodied: Uplifted is boldly displayed throughout the Design Museum of Chicago. The work of fourteen artists is displayed to reconsider the space in a way that is moody, engaging and vulnerable. Colorful work, visible in the large public-facing windows engages the community while the dark vault space located in the back of the museum becomes a place of contemplation where viewers are close in proximity to the pieces. All the selected works come from individual perspectives but are displayed in such a way that the work begins to relate and support one another.
While being bold and colorful, and expressing pride, the work is invitational. The pieces in Voices Embodied: Uplifted demonstrate the strength of a supportive community.
The interior of the Design Museum of Chicago is wheelchair accessible. There is a ramp that leads to the entry but the entrance door is not automated. Restrooms are located in the basement, accessible by an elevator. For individual access requests, please visit saic.edu/access.
Belfast, 1960s: As conflicts between various political factions threaten to tear Ireland apart from the inside, sisters Fianna and Regan Kelly feel compelled to engage in the fight for their homeland. But when they join the ranks of The Provisionals, and find themselves committing acts of brutal terrorism and guerrilla warfare, both young women are forced to question how much they’re willing to destroy in the name of unity. Playwright Shannon O’Neill follows up her critically acclaimed “May the Road Rise Up” with this story of political upheaval and taking a stand.
This show will include audio description and a touch tour.
Curb Appeal Gallery is pleased to announce their inaugural exhibition and the Chicago debut of Molly Joyce’s Perspective. Begun in 2019, Perspective is a sound and video work that captures perspectives of the disability experience. Created through interviewing over 40 participants around topics that encompass elements of disability—including care, interdependence, weakness, and cure—Joyce has composed and performed a work that invites audiences to consider the kaleidoscopic and nuanced experiences that inform what it means to be disabled. Created with disability aesthetics and accommodations in mind, Perspective features open-captioned videos, lending a sense of visual primacy to the stories of the disabled participants and their valuable perspectives. In addition to screening Perspective, Curb Appeal is delighted to host a brief conversation between Joyce and one of the project interviewees, Chicago artist Andy Slater (from 7:00-7:30pm).
Accessibility: Curb Appeal is wheelchair accessible. In addition to open captioning on the video work, we will provide ASL interpretation and CART-captioning for remarks and a brief conversation between Molly Joyce and Andy Slater. Masks are required for entry and will be provided if needed. Please note, Curb Appeal is an apartment gallery and doubles as a home to our gallery dog.
Join us in person for a lecture by distinguished alum Athena LaTocha followed by an audience Q&A.
Location: The Art Institute of Chicago, Fullerton Hall, 111 S. Michigan Ave.
Athena LaTocha (BFA 1992) is an artist whose massive works on paper explore the relationship between human-made and natural worlds. The artist incorporates materials such as ink, lead, earth, and wood while looking at correlations between mark-marking and displacement of materials made by industrial equipment and natural events. LaTocha’s process is about being immersed in these environments while responding to the storied and, at times, traumatic cultural histories that are rooted in place.
Presented in partnership with SAIC Alumni Engagement.
This event is free, non-ticketed and open to the general public.
This event will be live captioned by Communication Access Realtime Translation (CART) services. The auditorium is wheelchair accessible and hearing assisted devices are available. For additional access requests, visit saic.edu/access.
Accessibility: live captions, assistive listening devices, wheelchair accessible
Hands Up! Misunderstood Minds is performing lived at the Northeastern Illinois University Stage Center (3701 W. Bryn Mawr) on Saturday, March 11 at 8:00 pm. Tellin’ Tales Theatre’s Hands Up! Misunderstood Minds explores shared experiences around mental illness. Personal stories intertwine into a beautiful and heartwarming account of individual journeys with mental health. The goal of the performance is not to lead people to conclusions, but to give them a more informed perspective on the topic. The show will incorporate video images of Project Onward visual artists with mental and developmental disabilities. Learn more and order tickets at TellinTales.org
Accessibility: ASL interpreter, all gender restrooms, wheelchair accessible
Join us in person for a lecture by artist Torkwase Dyson followed by an audience Q&A.
Location: The Art Institute of Chicago, Fullerton Hall, 111 S. Michigan Ave.
Working in painting, drawing, and sculpture, Torkwase Dyson combines expressive mark-making and geometric abstraction to explore the continuity between ecology, infrastructure, and architecture. Dyson deconstructs, distills, and interrogates the built environment, exploring how individuals—particularly Black and Brown people—negotiate, negate, and transform systems and spatial order. Throughout her work and research, Dyson seeks to confront issues of environmental liberation, envisioning a path toward a more equitable future.
This event is free, non-ticketed and open to the general public.
This event will be live captioned by Communication Access Realtime Translation (CART) services. The auditorium is wheelchair accessible and hearing assisted devices are available. For additional access requests, visit saic.edu/access.
Join us for an intimate look at the painter Alex Katz’s extensive collaborations with poets, followed by a poetry reading by his son, Vincent Katz. This event will feature the premiere of a video dialogue between Alex and Vincent, looking closely at some of the works on view in this exhibition. Spanning works created over the past 60 years, the exhibition includes print portfolios, editioned books, portraits of poets and unique cutouts, all centering on poets and poetry.
Organized by the Poetry Foundation with guidance from the artist and his son, and with support from GRAY, the exhibition offers a unique opportunity to experience Katz’s deep interest in an art form whose forms and tactics he considered “more stimulating than painting.”
Alex Katz Often associated with the Pop Art movement, Katz began exhibiting his work in 1954; since that time he has produced a celebrated body of work that includes paintings, drawings, sculpture, and prints. His earliest work took inspiration from various aspects of mid-century American culture and society, including television, film, and advertising.
Vincent Katz is a poet, translator, curator, and critic. Katz is the author of numerous collections of poetry, including Broadway for Paul, Southness, Swimming Home, and Rapid Departures . He is also coauthor of Fantastic Caryatids, a collaboration with Anne Waldman, and his book collaborations with artists include Alcuni Telefonini with Francesco Clemente and Judge with Wayne Gonzales, among others. Katz also edited and wrote the introduction to Poems to Work On: The Collected Poems of Jim Dine.
In-Person Attendance
All guests over the age of two must wear a mask inside the Poetry Foundation building. Guests over the age of five must show proof of vaccination and booster up to the level to which they are eligible for their age group. Guests over the age of 18 must show ID alongside their proof of vaccination. If you cannot meet these requirements, you will not be granted entry to the event. Please note that some performers may choose to perform without a mask. Guests are encouraged to register in advance.
Livestream Attendance
The livestream link will be shared with registered guests on the day of the event. In order to receive the livestream details, please register in advance here.
Poetry Foundation’s events are completely free of charge and open to the public. This event will include CART captioning and ASL interpretation. For more information about accessibility at the Poetry Foundation, please visit our Accessibility Guide.
Join LYNX Project for a performance celebrating the unique styles of our commissioned composers for this year’s Amplify Series, a project setting the poetry of primarily non-speaking autistic individuals to music. Snapshots of Every Voice celebrates what artists want to share through art song. Performances in this series showcase the diversity and richness of art song repertoire, allowing us to experience music that deeply resonates within us.
This performance will feature music by the season’s Amplify Series composers as well as a Q&A session following the performance:
Eugenia Cheng
Shane S. Cook
Corinne Klein
Paul Novak
Matthew Recio
The program will also feature a performance of Michelle Isaac’s 2020 commission from LYNX Project, “Hope”, with text by Benjamin Smidt.
Performers:
Quinn Middleman, mezzo-soprano
Samuel James Dewese, baritone
Florence Mak, piano
Accommodations:
Relaxed performance atmosphere (movement, fidgets, stims welcome in our space)
Quiet space outside concert hall
No clapping — handwaving and snapping for applause
For additional information about accommodations, or to make a request, please contact Michelle Ravitsky at michelle@lynxproject.org
https://www.lynxproject.org/calendar/2023/3/5/snapshots-of-every-voice-composers
Chicago Opera Theater (COT) kicks off their 50th year with Albert Herring by Benjamin Britten and a libretto by Eric Crozier.
The ~Vibe~ – Finding oneself, indie film comedy, breaking societal expectations
This comedic coming-of-age story celebrates COT’s rich history of presenting Britten works including the Chicago premiere of this piece in 1979. Coming back to Chicago after 33 years, this new production will be conducted by the world-renowned Dame Jane Glover and staged by leading musical theatre director Stephen Sposito.
Envisioned by Sposito as an indie film in the vein of Wes Anderson and the Coen Brothers, we invite you to the town of Loxford, England where none of the young ladies live up to Lady Billows’ inscrutable moral standards to be crowned May Queen. In a strange twist, it turns out the grocer’s son, Albert Herring, fits the bill and a May King is crowned instead! After being mocked by his friends for receiving the honor, Albert takes his first steps into independence by embarking on a night of debauchery.
Sung in English with English subtitles.
An interactive touch tour will begin at 1 PM on the stage
COT will no longer require patrons attending performances to provide proof of full vaccination. Masks are no longer required for audience members to wear, but we strongly recommend your use of masks throughout the theater.
Captions and Touch Tour
Signed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt on February 19, 1942, Executive Order 9066 led to the incarceration of 120,000 Japanese Americans during WWII. Every year, the Japanese American community in Chicago comes together to commemorate E.O. 9066 as a reminder of the fragility of civil liberties in times of crisis and the importance of remaining vigilant in protecting the rights and freedoms of all.
The film “Resettlement: Chicago Story” tells an intergenerational story of the Yamamoto family several years after camp, as they struggle to rebuild their lives and make ends meet through their family dry cleaning business.
The film screening will be followed by a presentation of the companion learning website and Q&A. There will be a reception with complementary food and beverages following the program. The program will have ASL and CART/Live Captioning provided, the film will be presented with Open Captions and Open Audio Description.
Reception: ASL interpreter and CART
Film: Open Caption and Audio Description
On February 10th & 11th, Three Brothers Theatre will present open captioned performances of MUFFED by Zack Peercy. This text-display service is provided for any d/Deaf, Hard of Hearing, or “Captions On” audience members interested in seeing a new mockumentary comedy about Maine, community, and earmuffs. The theatre space is ADA accessible and the captions are displayed to the left of the playing space, visible from all seating areas. The production runs about 90 minutes with no intermission.
Open Captions
Join us for a celebration of University of New Mexico Press’s landmark anthology Latinx Poetics: Essays on the Art of Poetry, featuring editor Ruben Quesada and poetry readings from ten contributors. This is a hybrid event, which will be offered in-person and via livestream.
Latinx Poetics: Essays on the Art of Poetry collects personal and academic writing from Latino, Latin American, Latinx, and Luso poets about the nature of poetry and its practice. At the heart of this anthology lies the intersection of history, language, and the human experience. The collection explores the ways in which a people’s history and language are vital to the development of a poet’s imagination and insists that the meaning and value of poetry are necessary to understand the history and future of a people. The Latinx community is not a monolith, and accordingly the poets assembled here vary in style, language, and nationality. The essays not only expand the poetic landscape but extend Latinx and Latin American linguistic and geographical boundaries.
Ruben Quesada is a poet, translator, and editor. He is the author of Revelations and Next Extinct Mammal and the translator of a collection of selected poems by Luis Cernuda titled Exiled from the Throne of Night. He has served as an editor and coordinator for The Rumpus, Kenyon Review, AGNI, Pleiades, and the National Book Critics Circle board. He lives in Chicago, Illinois.
Daniel Borzutzky is a poet and translator who lives in Chicago; his most recent book is Written after a Massacre in the Year 2018. Borzutzky’s 2016 collection, The Performance of Becoming Human won a National Book Award in Poetry. He teaches in the English and Latin American and Latino Studies Departments at the University of Illinois at Chicago.
Blas Falconer is the author of three poetry collections, including Forgive the Body This Failure, and a coeditor of two essay collections, The Other Latin@: Writing Against a Singular Identity and Mentor and Muse: Essays from Poets to Poets. Falconer’s poems have been featured by Poetry, Kenyon Review, and The New York Times, and his awards include fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts, the Tennessee Arts Commission, and Poets and Writers.
Sean Frederick Forbes is an assistant professor-in-residence of English and the director of the creative writing program at the University of Connecticut. Providencia, his first book of poetry, was published in 2013. He serves as the poetry editor for New Square, the official publication of the Sancho Panza Literary Society, of which he is a founding member. In 2017, he received first place in the Nutmeg Poetry Contest from the Connecticut Poetry Society.
Raina J. León, PhD, is Black, Afro-Boricua, and from Philadelphia. A poet and writer, she is the author of Canticle of Idols, Boogeyman Dawn, sombra : (dis)locate, and the chapbooks profeta without refuge and Areyto to Atabey: Essays on the Mother(ing) Self. León has received fellowships and residencies from Cave Canem, Obsidian Foundation, and Vermont Studio Center, among others. She also is a founding editor of the Acentos Review, an international online quarterly journal devoted to the promotion and publication of Latinx arts.
Sheryl Luna’s Magnificent Errors received an Ernest Sandeen Poetry Prize from University of Notre Dame; her other collections include Seven and Pity the Drowned Horses. Luna has received fellowships from Yaddo, Anderson Center, and CantoMundo, and she has received an Alfredo Cisneros del Moral Foundation Award, and was inducted into the Texas Institute of Letters.
Carlo Matos is the author of twelve books, including As Malcriadas or Names We Inherit and We Prefer the Damned. Matos has received grants and fellowships from Disquiet ILP, CantoMundo, Illinois Arts Council, Sundress Academy for the Arts, and La Romita School of Art. He is a founding member of the Portuguese American writers collective Kale Soup for the Soul and a winner of the Heartland Poetry Prize.
Orlando Ricardo Menes is professor of English at the University of Notre Dame, where he teaches in the MFA program and edits the Notre Dame Review. Menes is the author of seven poetry collections, including The Gospel of Wildflowers & Weeds, Memoria, and Fetish. His poems have appeared in several prominent anthologies and in such literary magazines as Poetry, Southern Review, Prairie Schooner, Yale Review, Harvard Review, and Hudson Review, among others.
Tomás Q. Morín is the author of several books, including the poetry collection Machete and the memoir Let Me Count the Ways. Morín’s work has appeared in The New York Times, The Nation, Poetry, Slate, and Boston Review. He is a Civitella Fellow and a National Endowment for the Arts Fellow, and teaches at Rice University and Vermont College of Fine Arts.
ire’ne lara silva is the author of four poetry collections, including furia and Blood Sugar Canto, two chapbooks , and a short story collection, flesh to bone, which won a Premio Aztlán. silva coedited Imaniman: Poets Writing in the Anzaldúa Borderlands with Dan Vera. Her awards include a 2021 Tasajillo Writers Grant, a 2017 NALAC Fund for the Arts Grant, a Alfredo Cisneros del Moral Award, and the 2021 Texas Institute of Letters Shrake Award for Best Short Nonfiction.
Born in Mexico, Natalia Treviño grew up in South Texas, and is the author of the poetry collections VirginX and Lavando la Dirty Laundry, which has been published in a dual-language edition in Albanian and Macdonian. Treviño’s honors include an Alfredo Cisneros del Moral Award, a Dorothy Sargent Rosenberg Poetry Prize, and a Menada Literary Award. She is a professor of English and an affiliate Mexican American studies faculty member at Northwest Vista College.
In-Person Attendance
All guests over the age of two must wear a mask inside the Poetry Foundation building. Guests over the age of five must show proof of vaccination and booster up to the level to which they are eligible for their age group. Guests over the age of 18 must show ID alongside their proof of vaccination. If you cannot meet these requirements, you will not be granted entry to the event. Please note that some performers may choose to perform without a mask. Guests are encouraged to register in advance at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/latinx-poetics-anthology-launch-celebration-tickets-470342827057
Livestream Attendance
The livestream link will be shared with registered guests on the day of the event. In order to receive the livestream details, please register in advance at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/latinx-poetics-anthology-launch-celebration-tickets-470342827057
Poetry Foundation’s events are completely free of charge and open to the public. This event will include CART captioning and ASL interpretation. For more information about accessibility at the Poetry Foundation, please visit our Accessibility Guide https://www.poetryfoundation.org/visit/accessibility
Join us for an Open Door reading with José Olivarez, Britteney Black Rose Kapri, Vic Chávez, and Raych Jackson, celebrating the launch of Olivarez’s book, Promises of Gold. The Open Door series highlights creative relationships in Chicago, including mentorship and collaboration. This is a hybrid event, which will be offered in-person and via livestream.
José Olivarez is a writer from Calumet City, IL. He is the author of Promises of Gold and Citizen Illegal.Citizen Illegal was a finalist for the PEN/ Jean Stein Award and a winner of the 2018 Chicago Review of Books Poetry Prize; it was named a top book of 2018 by The Adroit Journal, NPR, and the New York Public Library. Along with Felicia Chavez and Willie Perdomo, he co-edited the poetry anthology, The BreakBeat Poets Vol. 4: LatiNEXT. His poems are featured alongside photographs by Antonio Salazar in the multi-disciplinary poetic work, Por Siempre.
Britteney Black Rose Kapri is a semi-retired teaching artist, writer, performance poet, and playwright from Chicago. She has been published in Poetry, Vinyl, Day One, Seven Scribes, The Offing and Kinfolks Quarterly. She is a 2015 Rona Jaffe Writers Award Recipient. Her debut book Black Queer Hoe was released in 2018 through Haymarket Books.
Rachel “Raych” Jackson is a writer, educator, and performer whose poems have gained over 2 million views on YouTube. Jackson continues to instruct workshops through the Poetry Foundation, InsideOut Literary Arts, and more. She pushes educators to implement culturally relevant poetry within their curriculum using her five years of experience teaching in Chicago Public Schools. Jackson’s work has been published by many— including Poetry, The Rumpus, The Shallow Ends, and Washington Square Review. Her debut collection Even the Saints Audition won Best New Poetry Collection by a Chicagoan from Chicago Reader in 2019. Jackson currently lives in Chicago.
Vic Chávez is a queer Mexican poet from the Chicago suburb of Berwyn. They have a BA in Creative Writing from Columbia College Chicago, where they were an assistant editor for Columbia Poetry Review and an assistant copyeditor for Hair Trigger. Their work has been published in Southside Weekly, Breakbeat Poets Vol. 4: LatiNEXT, and in Columbia College’s Poetry Review and Allium Journal. Find Vic on Twitter and IG at @_vichavez.
In-Person Attendance
All guests over the age of two must wear a mask inside the Poetry Foundation building. Guests over the age of five must show proof of vaccination and booster up to the level to which they are eligible for their age group. Guests over the age of 18 must show ID alongside their proof of vaccination. If you cannot meet these requirements, you will not be granted entry to the event. Please note that some performers may choose to perform without a mask. Guests are encouraged to register in advance at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/open-door-jose-olivarez-britteney-kapri-vic-chavez-raych-jackson-tickets-488760745547
Livestream Attendance
The livestream link will be shared with registered guests on the day of the event. In order to receive the livestream details, please register in advance at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/open-door-jose-olivarez-britteney-kapri-vic-chavez-raych-jackson-tickets-488760745547
Poetry Foundation’s events are completely free of charge and open to the public. This event will include CART captioning and ASL interpretation. For more information about accessibility at the Poetry Foundation, please visit our Accessibility Guide at https://www.poetryfoundation.org/visit/accessibility
ASL Interpretation is available.
In honor of International Holocaust Remembrance Day, gather with us on-site at the Museum for a live opera performance of the first act of Two Remain: Out of Darkness, in partnership with Chicago College of Performance Arts, Roosevelt University.
Her Jewish identity hidden, Krystyna Zywulska was a political prisoner at Auschwitz-Birkenau. In secret, she composed lyrics to inspire fellow prisoners, even as she carried out her harrowing job in the Effektenkammer (storage room) cataloging the personal effects of thousands of prisoners before they were murdered in the gas chambers next door. Many years after the war, a journalist asks Krystyana to share her stories, hoping to record them on a tape player. Haunted and helped by the ghosts of her past— Zosia, Edka, Mariola and her younger self, Krysia — she struggles to find the words.
Join us for this unique and compelling commemorative performance that will exhibit the power of art to uplift the heart and cradle of the soul, and the strength found in the fight for survival.
Cast: Aaron Hunt, Stage Director; Andrea Jones, Soprano; Alexis Neal, Mezzo-Soprano; Dana Brown, Conductor; Pianist; Raphael Chou, Daniel Zhao, Mezzo-Soprano; Kaleigh Watkins, Soprano; and Tanya Landau, Soprano.
There will be a post-performance Q&A with Roosevelt University featuring Dana Brown, conductor and Associate Professor of Opera, Roosevelt University; Tanya Landau, M.M. Voice Performance Candidate; David Kjar, Moderator and Associate Professor of Music, Roosevelt University
Please reserve your spot here: https://www.ilholocaustmuseum.org/events/ellen-v-philip-l-glass-holocaust-commemorative-series-international-holocaust-remembrance-day-two-remain-out-of-darkness-act-one/
Community Partners: Congregation Kol Emeth; Consulate General of the Republic of Poland in Chicago; Consulate General of the Federal Republic of Germany Chicago; The Consulate General of Israel to the Midwest
PLAID AS HELL is an honest, slightly raunchy, queer comedy which introduces us to Cass, who is hoping her annual camping trip will go well this year. But with her best friend Emilie sniping at Cass’s new girlfriend Jessica, not to mention the serial killer on the loose, the weekend is off to a rocky start.
https://babeswithblades.org/fall-2022-plaid-as-hell/
Lincoln Park Zoo’s Sensory-Friendly ZooLights will be on Tuesday, November, 29 from 4:30-10pm.
During Sensory-Friendly ZooLights music will be muted or played at low volume, lights will be static, and crowd size is very limited.
CLICK HERE to purchase tickets via Eventbrite. Tickets are $5 each.
The Eventbrite page does contain more information about the event. For general ZooLights information check Lincoln Park Zoo’s website. For more information about accessibility at Lincoln Park Zoo, check-out the accessibility page.
ZooLights Sensory-Friendly Night tickets (promo code SensoryFriendly):
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/zoolights-sensory-friendly-tickets-nov-29-tickets-443603017567?aff=lpzwebsite2022
ZooLights general information:
https://www.lpzoo.org/event/zoolights/
Accessibility at Lincoln Park Zoo:
https://www.lpzoo.org/visit/accessibility/
For any further questions, please email access@lpzoo.org or bgreen@lpzoo.org or call 312-742-2067.
Join us in person for a lecture by art critic Holland Cotter followed by an audience Q&A.
Location: The Art Institute of Chicago, Fullerton Hall, 111 S. Michigan Ave. (doors open at 5:45pm)
Holland Cotter is co-chief art critic and a senior writer at the New York Times. He has received the Pulitzer Prize for Criticism, the Distinguished Lifetime Achievement Award for Writing on Art from the College Art Association, and the inaugural award for Excellence in Criticism from the International Association of Art Critics. Cotter is a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
This event will be live captioned by Communication Access Realtime Translation (CART) services. For additional access requests, visit saic.edu/access.
Patti Smith is one of America’s most acclaimed singer-songwriters, and she is also a beloved photographer and poet. In A Book of Days, Smith shares over 365 photographs – inspired by her wildly popular Instagram – to take readers through a year in the legendary life of this visionary poet, writer, and performer. Join Patti Smith for an intimate performance and conversation charting Smith’s life, music, and passions.
Open captions and assistive listening devices are available.
https://www.chicagohumanities.org/events/attend/patti-smith/
It’s often said that social media is bad for our mental health, and while that can be true, the full story isn’t so cut and dry. At CHF, Nicole Wetsman, Health Tech Reporter for The Verge moderates a panel between Dr. Megan Moreno, a leading researcher on adolescent social media, and Margot Lee, a high-profile young adult influencer about how curating public images affect our well-being.
Open captions and assistive listening devices are available.
https://www.chicagohumanities.org/events/attend/verge-social-media/
You probably know that algorithms play a huge role in what we see online, but what happens to society when this type of curated content begins to influence our real lives? Join The Verge Deputy Editor Alex Heath and a special guest for a conversation about how personalized and relatable content on social media is redefining our feeds and creating a new lens through which millions view the world.
Open captions and assistive listening devices are available.
https://www.chicagohumanities.org/events/attend/future-feed/
We’ve all been told too much social media is bad for us, but why is that? At CHF, New York Times investigative reporter and author of The Chaos Machine Max Fisher explains how, through the pursuit of unfettered profits and maximum engagement, Big Tech has rewired our minds, and instigated a cultural shift toward polarization and misinformation. Join him and David Pierce (editor at large at The Verge) for a behind-the-scenes look at how social networks prey on psychological frailties, driving people to extreme opinions and actions.
A book signing will follow this program.
Open captions and assistive listening devices are available.
Join Reza Aslan (No god but God and Zealot) for the spellbinding tale of a martyr for democracy. Howard Baskerville was a 22-year-old missionary who went to Iran in 1907 and died fighting in the Persian Constitutional Revolution. Was he the “American Lafayette of Iran” or a naive “white savior”? In this talk, Aslan explores what Baskerville’s story illuminates about how seriously we take our democratic ideals and whose freedom we actually support.
Pre-order your book and gain access to a book signing and meet and greet with Aslan following this program.
Open captions and assistive listening devices are available.