Dialogs: The Unique Genius of John Waters Livens Up a Sunday
The Pope of Trash. The Sultan of Sleaze. The Baron of Bad Taste. These are just some of the sobriquets people have bestowed on filmmaker John Waters, and he proudly […]
Kathy D. Hey writes creative non-fiction essays. A lifelong Chicagoan, she is enjoying life with her husband, daughter and three dogs in the wilds of Edgewater. When she isn’t at her computer, she is in her garden growing vegetables and herbs for kitchen witchery.
Review: Hell in a Handbag’s The Golden Girls: The Cheese Pyramid Parodies a Scam From Rose’s Home Town of St. Olaf, Minnesota
By now, the four women of The Golden Girls have become woven into the fabric of American culture. Dorothy (David Cerda), Blanche (Grant Drager), Sophia (Kelly Bolton), and Rose (Ed […]
Dialogs: Jad Abumrad and Lynda Barry on Creative Energy From Mind to Image at Humanities Festival Event
I took a sentimental journey back to the ’80s recently when.Lynda Barry was featured at the Chicago Humanities Festival in a conversation with journalist and Radiolab founder Jad Abumrad. Barry is an […]
Review: Covenant at the Goodman Theatre Is Black Southern Gothic, Testing Belief with Humor and Hair-Raising Fright
Chicago native York Walker’s play Covenant is filled with stories of superstition, religious fanaticism, and secrets. It is skillfully directed by Malkia Stampley, who keeps the audience guessing and on the […]
Review: Nova Linea Musica Celebrates Jewish Composers and Movements of the Spirit with L’dor V’Dor
In a moving and joyous concert at the acoustically perfect Guarneri Hall, Nova Linea Musica presented its first vocal program, L’dor V’dor, which is Hebrew for “from generation to generation.” […]
Preview: Symphony Center Jazz 2026-27 Will Be a Memorable Tribute to Legacy and Excellence
Symphony Center Presents (SCP) has announced the 2026/27 constellation of Jazz excellence, which will include centennials for past Jazz luminaries. Their vision and skill have landed on the shoulders of […]
Review: Star of the Sea Is a Revelation of Music for the Virgin Mary from Colonial Guatemala
Bella Voce returned to St. Luke’s Episcopal in Evanston for Star of the Sea: Music for Mary from Colonial Guatemala on Sunday. This excellent program featured a Renaissance Mass by composer […]
Review: South Chicago Dance Theatre Dazzles the Audience With Three World Premieres
Chicago was abuzz on Friday, May 1. There were the traditional labor union marches and protests, with helicopters flying over downtown and bordering neighborhoods. The energy was also high outside […]
Review: International Jazz Day Global Concert Crowns Chicago as a Heritage Site for Jazz
I had been waiting for this day since Herbie Hancock announced it at his fifth Chicago Symphony performance. Hancock and Kurt Elling have been lobbying UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific, […]
Dialogs: Three Jazz Masters Celebrate Jazz Composition and Storytelling on Film for International Jazz Day
Chicago is a UNESCO World Heritage Site for jazz music this week. Concerts, exhibits, and various symposia on the art of jazz across the city led up to International Jazz […]
Review: Alvin Ailey Goes Deep Into the Spiritual Realm With New Works and a Beloved Classic
The Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater performed three new works and Ailey’s rousing Revelations at its Saturday matinee performance. Everything about this performance felt fresh, with brilliant colors and powerful […]
Review: At Columbia College Dance Center, Didę Is African Tradition and Spirit Rising Up
Didę by Compagnie Multicorps, a celebration of body and spirit in tribute to Ìyá Nlá, the Yoruba deity of creation, deities, and all of life, was performed last weekend. Ìyá […]