What’s New

Chicagoans can find a range of plays, musicals and dance shows at local theaters large and small. Our guide has the latest on what’s on stage in the city.

Welcome to our highlights of events and entertainment on stage at Chicago’s theaters. From local productions to Broadway hits, our guide has the latest on shows in the city. Bookmark this page and check back for updates and ticket information.

Interrobang Theatre Project

Interrobang Theatre Project

What: Interrobang Theatre Project’s season closes with the online world premiere of Susan Chenet’s “Dingleberries,” directed by Georgette Verdin. The dark comedy, based on actual events, follows the story of a middle school theater teacher whose playwriting dreams begin to come true when a regional company selects her avant-garde play as its next production.

When: The play streams June 24-July 18

Tickets: $15

Visit: interrobangtheatreproject.org

Courtesy of Neil Verma

A Red Orchid Theatre

What: A Red Orchid Theatre’s experimental audio book, “American Bottom.” Collectively conceived by Brett Neveu, Neil Verma (who also directs), Matthew Muñiz, Ele Matelan, Rich Sparks and Frankie Pedersen, the multi-disciplinary piece is inspired by the area of Southern Illinois called American Bottom. It’s the fictional story of a man who disappeared near the site of the Cahokia Mounds as told by the people who knew him.

When: streams through June 27

Tickets: $15

Visit: aredorchidtheatre.org

American Blues Theatre

Alonzo Zamarro Photo

What: American Blues Theater presents Ada Cheng performing her new work “Loving Across Borders” Cheng explores how one learns womanhood, love, and abuse in different sociopolitical and cultural contexts through personal stories.

When: 7 p.m. June 25

Tickets: $25 suggested donation

Visit: americanbluestheater.com.

Summer in the Parks

What: Brightside Theatre and the Naperville Park District present “Summer in the Parks: The Music of Rodgers & Hammerstein.” The free hour-long revue features tunes from the iconic composers’ musicals including “The King and I,” “South Pacific,” “Oklahoma,” “The Sound of Music” and more.

When: Performances are at 7 p.m. June 30, July 21 and Aug. 11

Where: Wagner Family Pavilion in the 95^th Street Community Plaza, 3109 Cedar Glade Dr., Naperville.

Visit: brightsidetheatre.com

Hubbard Street Dance

Film still courtesy of Kevin Michael Briggs

What: Hubbard Street Dance Chicago’s season concludes with “Greener Grass,” a full company work choreographed and directed by former company dancer Jie-Hung Connie Shiau with original music by Jerome Begin and videography/editing by Kevin Michael Briggs. The piece is Shiau’s response to reports of “re-education camps,” used to forcibly contain Uyghurs, Kazakhs and other traditionally Muslim minority groups in China’s Xinjiang Autonomous Zone. “Of course, I will never be able to fully understand the pain of the Uyghurs and Kazakhs,” Shiau says, “but I’d like to use my voice as an artist to draw attention to these issues and encourage people to take action.”

When: Performances livestream at 7:30 pm. June 24, 26 and 2 p.m. June 27.

Admission: free

Visit: hubbardstreetdance.com.

Lucky Plush

Alan Epstein

What: The dance-theater ensemble Lucky Plush Productions, in partnership with the Harris Theatre for Music and Dance, Steppenwolf’s 1700 Theatre, Links Hall and the Logan Center for the Arts, presents “The Map of Now,” an interactive digital festival that pairs the aesthetics of ‘80s retro video games with dance, theater, music and comedy. After creating their own avatar, participants navigate to and inside virtual recreations of the four venues where they click on icons for a variety of performances. Performers include BAPS, Donnetta Jackson + Bril Barrett, Chloe Johnston, Lucky Plush, Jeremy Owens, Darling Shear, Sam Trump, avery r. young, Sojourner Zenobia and more.

When: 7:30 p.m. June 25-26

Tickets: $5-$50

Visit: luckyplush.com/map-of-now.

Steppenwolf Theatre

Joan Marcus/WP Theater

What: The final entry in the Steppenwolf NOW virtual season is “Where We Stand,” a storytelling tour-de-force about community and accountability written and performed by Donnetta Lavinia Grays. Through poetic verse and music, the drama challenges our ability to forgive and our ideas of mercy and who might deserve it. The filmed play captures a performance originally presented at Baltimore Center Stage co-produced with WP Theater.

When/tickets: A $75 ticket includes all six of the productions in the NOW series available online through Aug. 31

Visit: steppenwolf.org/now

Goodman Theatre

What: The Goodman Theatre’s “Live” series, which brings together technology, videography and stage production, continues with Adrienne Kennedy’s “Ohio State Murders.” Directed by Tiffany Nichole Greene, the drama is the story of a student who arrives at Ohio State University in 1949 and soon discovers there is no safe haven in academia. Years later she returns as an accomplished author to speak about her work and unravel a chilling mystery.

When: Livestreams at 7:30 p.m. June 17-18, 2 and 7:30 p.m. June 19 and 2 p.m. June 20.

Tickets: $25

Visit: goodmantheatre.org/live

Writers Theatre

Michael Halberstam

What: In Reginald Edmund’s “Ride Share,” a co-production of Black Lives, Black Words and Writers Theatre, everything in Marcus’ (Kamal Angelo Bolden) life is going smoothly until he’s laid off from his job. To make ends meet, he becomes a ride share driver. Edmund says the drama, directed by Simeilia Hodge-Dallaway, “takes us on a journey into the depths of the Black male experience in America.”

When: Streams June 23-July 25

Tickets: $40-$100

Visit writerstheatre.org

Court Theatre

What: Court Theatre presents an online staging of Owen McCafferty’s “Titanic (Scenes from the British Wreck Commissioner’s Inquiry, 1912),” directed by Vanessa Stalling. The drama tells the story of the sinking of the HMS Titanic using verbatim testimonies from a court investigation of the wreck that probe the causes of the catastrophe, the value systems that enabled it and if indeed it was actually preventable.

When: Streams on-demand June 14-July 11

Tickets: $20-$30. Visit courttheatre.org.

Summer Nights with Northlight

What: Summer Nights with Northlight is a cabaret series held at Evanston restaurants to benefit Northlight Theatre. The performers are Alexis J. Roston and Kelvin Roston Jr. (June 10, Good to Go Jamaican, 711 W. Howard), Linda Solotaire (July 27, Sketchbook Brewing Company, 4901 Main, Skokie) and Heidi Kettenring (Aug. 24, Peckish Pig, 623 W. Howard).

When: Performances times are 6 p.m.

Tickets: $60 includes light dinner and select drinks. Visit northlight.org.

Labyrinth Arts and Performance Collective

What: Labyrinth Arts and Performance Collectivepresents “Emerge,” a new cabaret series featuring music, drag performance, comedy and spoken word First up at 10 p.m. June 11 is the retro blues trio Improper Behavior featuring vocalist Sharon Waltham, guitarist Keith Fort and upright bass player Gregory Redfeairn.

When: every second Friday of the month

Where: Porkchop, 1132 W. Grand

Tickets: $20. Visit labyrinthartsperformance.com.

Ghostlight Theatre

Ghostlight Ensemble

WHAT: Ghostlight Theatre’s “Make/Believe,” its annual festival for young audiences, takes place virtually this year. Featured are six new short plays that run the gamut from “Sunshine and the Sea of Lost Things,” about a child with no memory lost at sea to “It’s Poppin’,” about a balloon afraid of soaring through the clouds, to “Splash of Magic,” about a young Black girl trying to conquer her fear of swimming.

WHEN: The festival streams live at 2 p.m. June 5-6 and on demand to July 4

TICKETS: $1-$10

INFO: ghostlightensemble.com.

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For fans of any genre, live music isn’t hard to come by in Chicago. Check out our highlights for concerts, festivals and live performances in and around the city.

Welcome to our highlights for concerts, festivals and live music in Chicago. From free shows at Millennium Park to large festivals like Ravinia and Lollapalooza, and intimate shows at small local venues, our guide has all the latest music entertainment. Bookmark this page and check back for updates on concerts and events.

Ida Mae

Joe Hottinger

What: Nashville-via-London duo Ida Mae (husband-and-wife Stephanie Jean and Christopher Turpin) perform songs from their new record “Click Click Domino.” From a studio in the wilds of the English countryside, the performance offers track-by-track insight on each song along with never before seen behind-the-scenes tour footage. Rounding out the band are Ethan Johns on drums and Nick Pini on bass.

When: livestreamed concert at 7 p.m. June 24. From a studio in the wilds of the English countryside, the performance offers track-by-track insight on each song along with never before seen behind-the-scenes tour footage. Rounding out the band are Ethan Johns on drums and Nick Pini on bass.

Tickets: $10, $25.

Visit idamaemusic.com.

Denise La Grassa

Courtesy of Denise La Grassa Music

What: Singer, songwriter and keyboardist Denise La Grassa performs an evening of original jazz accompanied by guitarist John Kregor with visual artist Sholo (Cheryl Beverly) who, inspired by the song lyrics, paints during the performance. La Grassa unveils new songs written through the eyes of Lady Liberty in a 21^st century marked by the confusion over the role of American democracy and original identity.

When: 7 p.m. June 26 and July 10

Where: New Rhythm Arts Center, 1772 W. Lunt

Tickets: $10. Visit deniselagrassa.com

Chicago Philharmonic

Courtesy of AdrianDunn.com

What: Chicago Philharmonic returns with a three-concert outdoor chamber series at North Shore Center for the Performing Arts parking lot, 9501 Skokie Blvd, Skokie. The opening performance at 7 p.m. June 27 is “Chicago Phil Brass: Brass with Sass” and features Edward Elgar’s “Chanson du Matin,” Astor Piazzolla’s “Oblivion,” Fats Waller’s “That’s a Plenty,” Bob Dylan’s “Forever Young” and more. There’s also a free streaming concert “Redemption” (June 29-Aug. 27), which features spirituals and gospel songs conducted by Adrian Dunn.

When: Subsequent concerts are July 25 and Aug. 5.

Tickets: $36-$42

Visit: chicagophilharmonic.org

Summer Nights with Northlight

What: Summer Nights with Northlight is a cabaret series held at Evanston restaurants to benefit Northlight Theatre. The performers are Alexis J. Roston and Kelvin Roston Jr. (June 10, Good to Go Jamaican, 711 W. Howard), Linda Solotaire (July 27, Sketchbook Brewing Company, 4901 Main, Skokie) and Heidi Kettenring (Aug. 24, Peckish Pig, 623 W. Howard).

When: Performances times are 6 p.m.

Tickets: $60 includes light dinner and select drinks. Visit northlight.org.

Labyrinth Arts and Performance Collective

What: Labyrinth Arts and Performance Collectivepresents “Emerge,” a new cabaret series featuring music, drag performance, comedy and spoken word.

When: every second Friday of the month

Where: Porkchop, 1132 W. Grand

Tickets: $20. Visit labyrinthartsperformance.com.

‘Raices to Roots’

Marlon Taylor

WHAT: The Chicago Puerto Rican experience is celebrated in “Raices to Roots.” Using “home” as a theme, a cast of artists embody stories of pride, struggle and resilience through original Afro-Latin dance, spoken word and music. The performers are poet Luis Tubens a.k.a. Logan Lu; dancers Maria Luisa Torres, Alyssa Harslton and Angela Townsend; and musicians and performers Peter “Maestro” Vale, Natalie Land and Lester Rey.

WHEN: June 5-6, 24-27

WHERE: Segundo Ruiz Belvis Cultural Center, 4048 W. Armitage.

TICKETS: $30-$50. Visit segundoruizbelvis.org.

Tuesdays on the Terrace

Copyright MCA

When: 5:30 p.m. Tuesdays June 1-Aug. 31

Where: Museum of Contemporary Art’s outdoor sculpture garden, 220 E. Chicago

What: Tuesdays on the Terrace returns to the Museum of Contemporary Art’s outdoor sculpture garden. The popular jazz concert series features an array of Chicago jazz musiciansFirst up on June 1 is Alexis Lombre’s Ancestral Awakenings. Free with advance reservations. Visit mcachicago.org.

Lollapalooza

When: July 29-Aug. 1

Where: Grant Park

What: Lollapalooza returns to Grant Park July 29-Aug. 1 with Foo Fighters, Post Malone, Tyler, the Creator, Miley Cyrus, Dababy, Marchmello, Journey, Megan Thee Stallion, Roddy Ricch, Kaytranada and more. $375+/festival pass. Visit lollapalooza.com.

Pitchfork Music Festival

When: Sept. 10-12

Where: Union Park, 1501 W. Randolph

What: The Pitchfork Music Festival returns to Union Park, 1501 W. Randolph. Performers include Erykah Badu Phoebe Bridgers, St. Vincent, The Fiery Furnaces, Angel Olsen, Kim Gordon Waxahatchee, Flying Lotus, Thundercat and more.

Tickets: $90/day, $195 festival pass. Visit pitchforkmusicfestival.com.

Riot Fest

When: Sept. 17-19

Where: Douglass Park, Chicago

What: Riot Fest is back, this year with Nine Inch Nails, The Smashing Pumpkins, Run the Jewels, Pixies, Faith No More, Devo, Lupe Fiasco and more.

Tickets: $125+/day $155+/festival pass. Visit riotfest.org.

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Today’s update is a 5-minute read that will brief you on the day’s biggest stories.

Good afternoon. Here’s the latest news you need to know in Chicago. It’s about a 5-minute read that will brief you on today’s biggest stories.

This afternoon will be cloudy with showers and thunderstorms likely as well as a high near 80. The rain is expected to continue on and off into the weekend with a low of 71 tonight and a high near 82 tomorrow.

Top story

Taylor demands apology from Lightfoot, likens mayor to schoolyard ‘bully’

Ald. Jeanette Taylor (20th) today likened Mayor Lori Lightfoot to a schoolyard “bully” and said she would stand up to the mayor by refusing to speak to her until she apologizes for “disrespecting” Taylor.

“Who stands up to her? This is not the first time she did this to somebody. She does this all the time and people let her get away with it,” Taylor told the Sun-Times.

“It’s a ‘no.’ How many times do you keep letting a bully bully you? Clearly, this is bullying.”

Taylor drew a political line in the sand one day after a bizarre confrontation that saw Lightfoot recess yesterday’s City Council meeting and march to the back of the Council chambers, where she had an angry confrontation with Taylor while pointing a finger in the alderman’s face.

Notoriously thin-skinned, Lightfoot could not contain her anger after Taylor joined Ald. Ray Lopez (15th) in using a parliamentary maneuver to delay Lightfoot’s appointment of Celia Meza as corporation counsel.

They did it to protest the Law Department’s treatment of Anjanette Young, the woman who was the target of a botched raid by Chicago police officers who had the wrong address.

Fran Spielman has the latest after yesterday’s chaotic City Council meeting.

More news you need

1. Twenty-two aldermen have also co-signed a letter to Lightfoot demanding that she “honor and consistently follow” the rules of procedure during City Council meetings. The letter cites “numerous occasions,” not just yesterday, when the mayor made parliamentary rulings that contradicted those rules.
2. The on-again-off-again compromise to rename Chicago’s most iconic roadway Jean Baptiste Point DuSable Lake Shore Drive could be back on again, according to Ald. David Moore. The Black Heroes Matter Coalition is offering to accept the hybrid name if it will be voted on during tomorrow’s Council meeting, Moore said.
3. Barry Lee Whelpley, a retired Minnesota welder recently charged in the 1972 stabbing death of a Naperville teen, pleaded not guilty today at an arraignment hearing. Police said advancements in DNA testing and genealogy helped them bring charges against him.
4. Hundreds of Cook County Health nurses went on strike today, citing their concerns of chronic staffing shortages. Nurses, who are planning a one-day protest, have said they are at the “breaking point.”
5. The man suspected of fatally stabbing a Maryland grad student in the Loop over the weekend is also wanted for attacking two other women in downtown Chicago this month. Anat Kimchi, 31, had been working on her doctoral degree in criminology and criminal justice and was visiting friends in the city.
6. County officials yesterday laid out their preliminary forecasts for the remainder of the 2021 fiscal year and projections for the upcoming budget year. No layoffs or new taxes are in the mix at this point.
7. While the city is closing the United Center’s mass vaccination site at 6 p.m. tomorrow, shots are still readily available to Chicagoans. You can now set up a shot at home — and get a GrubHub gift card.
8. Billed as one of the largest touring art exhibitions in the world, the “Art of Banksy” exhibit is heading to Chicago starting in early August. Tickets, ranging from $29.99-$99.99, are on sale now.

A bright one

Every member of this Englewood family graduated this year, including mom

Alisa Perry Johnson, 50, recently graduated from Richard J. Daley College with the associate’s degree in early childhood education she had pursued on and off the past 32 years.

The same weekend, her 22-year-old son, Malik Johnson, graduated from Georgetown University with a bachelor’s degree in anthropology.

Three weeks later, her 18-year-old daughter, Makaela Johnson, graduated from Lindblom High School, now headed to Tuskegee University on a full-ride president’s scholarship.

And Makaela’s graduation was days before Mia Johnson, 14, the Englewood mother’s youngest child, who graduated from Jesse Sherwood Elementary School — valedictorian of her eighth-grade class, just as Malik and Makaela had been when they attended Sherwood.

Provided

Just your ordinary family, says this mother who, like more and more students nationwide — newly graduated from high school or returning adult learners — took advantage of low tuition offered by the community college system, against rising national student debt.

“I didn’t do anything different than any other parent. I just basically was there,” Perry Johnson said.

“I am extremely proud of my children, but I don’t want myself or them to be so proud that they can’t help somebody else to achieve their goals. I always tell them, ‘If you can’t help solve the problem, don’t talk about it until you find a solution.’”

Maudlyne Ihejirika has the full story.

From the press box

• Cubs breakout slugger Patrick Wisdom hopes he can be more than a flavor of the month on the North Side. Wisdom told our Russell Dorsey that pitchers are already starting to attack him differently, and it’s going to be up to the third baseman to adjust.
• With Zach LaVine set to play for Team USA at the upcoming Olympics, could this be a chance to recruit some of the NBA’s top players to Chicago?
• The Sky’s Stefanie Dolson will also represent Team USA this year as part of the Olympics’ first 3×3 basketball competition.

Your daily question ☕

Say you have a friend visiting Chicago for the first time — where will you take them to get the full experience? Tell us why.

Reply to this email (please include your first name and where you live) and we might feature your answer in the next Afternoon Edition.

Yesterday, we asked you: What’s your favorite Chicago neighborhood to visit? Here’s what some of you said…

“In the Wrigleyville neighborhood, there is a block named Alta Vista Terrace. The architecture is very nice with a twist — the buildings are identical on the opposite side. A nice street to stroll down and admire the homes.” — Denise Ramirez

“Armour Square/Bridgeport for the Sox. Then Mt. Greenwood.” — Dustin Thurston

“Andersonville is where I spent my early 20s. Lots of bakeries, restaurants and bars in the area. I took a walk through the area not too long ago and still happy to see that the restaurants survived COVID-19.” — Neline Opt

“Pilsen — great food and childhood memories.” — Jose N Gabriela Ruiz

“Old Irving Park. I love looking at all the buildings.” — Cindy Schoop O’Brien

“Bronzeville. I took a community group from Detroit years ago on a tour and found historical Black culture that I didn’t know existed. The soul food there was some of the best!” — Arlene Carter Kimbrough

“Lincoln Park, many places to frequent. Also Uptown for Vietnamese food.” — Rigo Banuelos

“Lakeview/ Lakeview East — lots of shops, good access by CTA and very walkable. I grew up in Madrid, Spain and, to me, it has sort of a homey feeling.” — Laura Starr

“Old Town, just a great area — restaurants, shops and so close to the Loop.” — Louise Basetich Stempora

“Hyde Park — chill vibes. South Side hidden gem where everyone gets along.” — Russell Arnold Jr.

“Rogers Park, because of its diversity, proximity to the lake and great variety of food options.” — Haynk Jean-Baptiste

Thanks for reading the Chicago Afternoon Edition. Got a story you think we missed? Email us here.

Sign up here to get the Afternoon Edition in your inbox every day.

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Bow Wow and Soulja Boy are also a part of the recently announced “Millennium Tour 2021” that’s coming to Chicago’s Wintrust Arena Oct. 29.

Rappers Bow Wow and Soulja Boy are the latest creatives to add their names to the Verzuz battle lineup.

Their battle, scheduled at 7 p.m. Saturday via Instagram, the Triller app and the Fite TV app, aims to showcase the talents of two artists with divergent paths.

In terms of modern day hip-hop/rap, Soulja Boy took an unconventional road to prominence. A Chicago native who later moved to Atlanta — and then Mississippi — Soulja Boy was ahead of the curve when it came to being an artist/influencer, personal branding, production and business.

Instead of waiting for music industry gatekeepers to pluck him from obscurity, Soulja Boy uploaded his music and immediately burst onto the scene in 2007 with “Crank That,” a Grammy-nominated song, which garnered several million downloads, spending seven weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

Standout tracks from the Mississippi-based rapper include “Gucci Bandana (with Atlanta rappers Gucci Mane and Shawty Lo),” “Pretty Boy Swag” and “Turn My Swag On,” among others.

Getty Images

Bow Wow, who initially went by the stage name “Lil’ Bow Wow,”which was given to him by rap legend and previous Verzuz contestant Snoop Dogg, appeared on his debut album “Doggystyle” on the track “”Gz and Hustlas.”

Bow Wow, who made a successful transition to films, reprised his role from “The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift” — the third film in the blockbuster movie franchise — with “F9,” which hits theaters Friday. His other acting credits include “Like Mike,” and the Chicago-filmed “Roll Bounce.”

The duo is also a part of the recently announced “Millennium Tour 2021” that’s scheduled to kick off Oct. 1, making a Chicago appearance Oct. 29 at the Wintrust Arena. The tour includes previous Verzuz battle participant Ashanti, Omarion, Ying Yang Twins, Lloyd, Pretty Ricky and Sammie.

Upcoming Verzuz battles include a yet-to-be-announced July 1 battle sponsored by Essence, the African American women’s lifestyle magazine.

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My favorite mix tape doesn’t include any artists, at least not musical ones. It contains Blackhawks radio highlights, 8 minutes and 47 seconds of bliss. Providing the vocals is Pat Foley.

During the era of dual cassette stereos, I became adept at dubbing. I made mix tapes of music cassettes and songs off the radio. I couldn’t download songs from Spotify. I had to record an hour of Z-95 and hope the DJ played the ones I liked.

But my favorite mix tape doesn’t include any artists, at least not musical ones. It contains Blackhawks radio highlights, 8 minutes and 47 seconds of bliss. Providing the vocals is Pat Foley.

With the help of the website Hockey Reference, I traced the highlights to the seasons from 1988 to ’90. Foley became the Hawks’ voice in 1980, and I began listening a few years later. Once I did, I didn’t stop. Before I fell asleep on game nights, the last person I heard wasn’t my mom or dad — it was Foley.

Like a mix of my favorite songs, I needed a mix of my favorite voice. So I would record snippets of home games off the radio and pray for three sounds: Foley yelling “He scores,” the crowd erupting and the goal horn blaring.

When the Hawks announced Wednesday that next season will be Foley’s last with the team, I was glad I had kept the tape intact. It’s already a technological relic, and it’s soon to be an audial one.

I don’t have any data to support this statement, which, in the age of analytics, might disqualify it from your consideration. It’s based solely on what my ears and mostly working brain have deciphered from listening to countless Chicago sports broadcasts in the last 40 years:

Of all the announcers whose voices have echoed through this city, Foley is the best. Full stop.

No, I never heard Bob Elson, Lloyd Pettit or Jack Quinlan live, another fault line in my statement. And, yes, I didn’t include Foley in my Mount Rushmore of Chicago TV sports broadcasters three years ago. On it were Jack Brickhouse, Harry Caray, “Hawk” Harrelson and Pettit. The first three transcended sports, and Foley holds such reverence for Pettit, a Blackhawks predecessor, that I deferred to Foley.

But from a purely announcing perspective, I’m confident that none of them could call their games better than Foley calls his.

Words sound as though they’re rolling off Foley’s tongue, which is impressive given the speed of hockey. And he uses words so well. I was lucky to be recording on Jan. 3, 1990, when Denis Savard scored a highlight-reel goal against the Oilers that sent Foley and the Chicago Stadium crowd into euphoria:

“Savard back in over the line, dancing around a check, right in, he scores! Denis Savard, as only he can do it! ‘Savoir faire’ turned the defenseman inside-out. Made him look like a turnstile. He walked through him, and in on [Bill] Ranford he buried it.”

And this goal from April 8, 1989, in a Norris Division semifinal series against the Red Wings and goalie Glen Hanlon.

“Here’s Troy Murray in on right wing over the line, shooting, he scores! Troy Murray, from the blue line, right between the pearly gates!”

Other goals on the tape aren’t as poetic, but they have the same excitement. And that’s what Foley brings to broadcasts in abundance. His voice rises as the Hawks mount a rush, grabbing your attention. If a shot just misses, you can tell without seeing it when he emphasizes “HE missed the far post.”

If a shot finds the net, Foley finds another octave, though that has become much harder in his later years. He’s not yelling “Bannerman!” anymore like he did when goalie Murray Bannerman stopped a breakaway by the North Stars’ Keith Acton on April 30, 1985, in the Norris finals.

Foley is authentic. He feels what the fans feel, whether it’s jubilation or frustration. His rant during a game on March 11, 2004, about former Blackhawk Alexander Karpovtsev, in which he bid “good riddance” to the traded defenseman and called him “a disgrace to the uniform,” deserved an Emmy.

He calls fights like a ring-side announcer – not that I’m condoning fighting in hockey … OK, I am. He’s a wonderful storyteller, and he has been able to tell more since moving to TV, where he isn’t as beholden to the action. But he still calls it with great description, as though he was still on radio.

Granted, his words have come back to bite him a few times, but those instances have been few and far between. I have no doubt he could continue calling games at a high level. He certainly did this season, despite the challenges brought on by the pandemic.

The last time Foley wasn’t in the Hawks’ TV booth was from 2006 to ’08, the two seasons he called Wolves games while in exile. Dan Kelly took over, and it did not go well. Kelly was replacing an icon who was gone too soon, and he didn’t click with fans.

Foley returned in time for the greatest period in Hawks history, and the team appears to be more sensitive to giving his successor a chance by having the person share the mic with Foley next season, much like the White Sox did when Harrelson gave way to Jason Benetti. It’s a good move.

But there won’t be another Foley, just like there haven’t been duplicates of so many other broadcasters. Chicago fans are conditioned to seeing players come and go, but not broadcasters. They often last longer than popes, and their followers can be just as devoted.

Hawks fans will move on from Foley, just as they will from Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane, just as they did from Stan Mikita and Bobby Hull. And though their roles in Hawks history are different, their impacts are similar. They were at the top of their game, whether they played it or called it.

For Foley, I have the tape to prove it.

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Kick off the summer with these events.

We’re open! While most of the state and the city has returned to business as usual in some ways, masks are still recommended for many public situations (and required sometimes, including when riding on the CTA).…Read More

It’s not often that a restaurant makes it past its first five years, let alone spans half a century. That’s why when Lettuce Entertain You, one of Chicago’s most venerable restaurant groups, hit its 50th year this June, I wanted to learn more about its reasons for its success. Many notable chefs, bartenders, and managers … Read moreRead More

Chicago Bulls: History begs patience with Coby White’s development by Anish Puligilla

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Chicago Bulls (David Banks-USA TODAY Sports)

It has been a few years since the Chicago Bulls have been a steady playoff threat in the Eastern Conference of the NBA. They feel like they are getting closer to being relevant again but there is a lot of work to do before that happens. They started by hiring a new President of Basketball Operations, General Manager, and Head Coach before the 2020-21 season started.

The Chicago Bulls are going to keep trying to make big moves as an organization.

Last season, they hit the fourth overall pick in the lottery and made a big trade to acquire Nikola Vucevic. It was good times but it didn’t lead to them making the playoffs. In fact, they played themselves out of playoff contention down the stretch of the season.

Their 2021 draft pick was top-four protected but they didn’t win any of the spots. Now, the Orlando Magic will make the 8th overall selection with their pick. That leaves the team in an interesting spot as they try to take the next step which is being a better team on the court. Over the summer, you can expect them to be involved in a lot of different rumors.

There are plenty of names out there that could be considered. Lonzo Ball could very well get traded. The Bulls were in on him during the season before the trade deadline but nothing came of it. Now, after the stunning playoff loss by the Philadelphia 76ers, Ben Simmons’ name has become a hot topic. There are some people in favor of it and some that are strongly opposed. If the Chicago Bulls were to consider a trade like that, it might look something like this:

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Major League Baseball stripped 40 teams of their affiliation in a drastic shakeup of the minor leagues this winter.

Bert Parsley’s vision was bold and unusual — a 35,000 square-foot restaurant and event area adjoining a Harley Davidson dealership.

The space would only work in the right location, and the one he found on Port Charlotte’s El Jobean Road seemed perfect.

“We’re right in front of Charlotte County Sports Complex,” the Twisted Fork restaurant owner recalled thinking. “How could this go wrong?”

Before the eatery even opened, the minor league team that called the stadium home was gone.

When Major League Baseball stripped 40 teams of their affiliation in a drastic shakeup of the minor leagues this winter, most were compensated with an alternative high-level club, such as a college summer league team.

Port Charlotte, Florida, was among a handful of exceptions. The Charlotte Stone Crabs — formerly a Class A affiliate of the Tampa Bay Rays — were forced to close entirely, and there’s no plan to replace them. Their departure has left businesses, nonprofits, youth baseball leagues and others in the community seeking ways to replace the revenue and revelry the ball club provided.

“It became a part of the fabric of our organization,” said Lynn Dorler, head of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Charlotte County. “We miss that.”

Parsley had hoped fans filing in and out of the ballpark would provide big business for his unusual space, but since Twisted Fork finally opened last September, he’s had to adjust expectations for the reality that minor league ball might be gone forever from this town on Florida’s Gulf Coast.

“I can only imagine what the games would have done for us,” he said.

The Stone Crabs’ community ties were big and small. Some losses are regrettable but hardly crushing — the Port Charlotte Little League, for example, used to be provided with the baseballs left over each season in the Stone Crabs’ batting cages.

“They were generous,” league President Lou Agosto said. “We miss them in a lot of ways. I wish they didn’t make this move, but it’s something we have to live with.”

Dorler’s Boys & Girls Clubs leaned heavily on the Stone Crabs. The Florida State League team hosted games as early as 10 a.m. to accommodate kids attending the Boys & Girls Clubs’ summer camps, and players were frequent visitors to the organization’s headquarters. Two Stone Crabs general managers even served on the nonprofit’s board of directors.

“Our kids knew Blake Snell before Blake Snell was even in the major leagues,” Dorler said of the 2018 AL Cy Young Award winner. “Willy Adames, when he was in the minor leagues, he was so good with our kids, playing catch with our kids on the field. He just went above and beyond to be friendly to kids in our community.”

The sides coordinated to host a major fundraising gala for the Boys & Girls Clubs each spring, known as the BaseBALL. The Rays big league team was also involved in the event, and Dorler is optimistic it will continue with help from Tampa Bay. And with the Rays still holding spring training in Port Charlotte, kids in the area aren’t entirely without baseball.

But Dorler knows there will be a void for the summer months — and the lost chance for kids to see up close what it looks like as someone pursues their ambitions.

“It’s priceless,” Dorler said. “It’s an opportunity to see a dream or set a goal, to say, ‘I want to be like that, I want to be successful.’

“To interact with baseball players, it helps them dream,” he added. “It helps them see something for their future.”

While Rays spring training will keep pro baseball at Charlotte County Sports Complex, other cities that lost minor league franchises are exploring ways to repurpose their stadiums.

Officials in Lancaster, California, are trying to figure out what to do with The Hangar, the 7,000-seat former home of the Lancaster JetHawks. Lancaster city manager Jason Caudle told The Los Angeles Times the city is researching options, which could include converting the park into an amphitheater.

Jackson, Tennessee, has taken a similar approach after losing the Double-A Generals. The team’s license for The Ballpark at Jackson terminated May 31, and city officials have begun soliciting proposals on ways to utilize the 6,000-seat stadium.

Mayor Scott Conger told The Associated Press he sees significant financial opportunity for the city in finding a new use for the city-owned facility.

For starters, Conger said, baseball’s biggest impact on his community never came from the Generals, but instead from the youth travel tournaments held on the 17-field sports complex nearby. Those tournaments are still bringing families to the area in droves.

The city had been paying around $1.3 million annually in stadium operations as part of their agreement with the Generals, and Conger said “the return on investment annually was not anywhere near where it needed to be.”

“We have a prime and fantastic asset for the city of Jackson right in a prime location on Interstate 40, and people want to be a part of it and utilize the stadium,” he said. “I think for us, it’s really the first time that we’ve been in charge of our own destiny with that stadium. And so we have an opportunity to maximize the stadium usage to its full potential.”

That doesn’t mean there isn’t disappointment. Josh Smith, a 45-year-old marketing manager in Jackson, said the community is missing the Generals dearly.

The Ballpark at Jackson was his family’s favorite gathering space, and he cherished the idea of sharing that with his niece and two nephews. Locals are used to driving to nearby Nashville or Chattanooga for concerts, the zoo and other forms of entertainment, but Smith said they had gotten used to having baseball in their backyard.

“It was what baseball was always supposed to be,” he said. “It’s your whole community having a blast.”

Mark Humphrey/AP

Sad as those who spoke to the AP were about losing their minor league club, all were also understanding. Charlotte, Jackson and Lancaster all ranked in the bottom third of all minor league teams in attendance in 2019.

“I want to believe that minor league baseball will come back to Charlotte County,” said Dorler, the Boys & Girls Clubs executive. “I don’t know businesswise whether that makes sense for MLB.”

Parsley, the restaurant owner, echoed that sentiment. When the Rays hosted 14 spring training games this year, it didn’t matter that COVID-19 restrictions were still limiting capacity — the crowd still spilled out and filled the Twisted Fork, leaving Parsley to wonder what might have been.

“I still wear my Stone Crabs hat and shirt,” he said. “It’d be cool to see another team roll back in here sometime. There is support with the community.”

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Warm weekends in Chicago call for rooftops, patios, and frozen cocktails. Whether it be a day drinking extravaganza with the girls or guys or a swanky date on a gorgeous rooftop, the perfect frozen boozy drink can take things to the next level. Here are 5 of our favorite spots for the best frozen cocktails in Chicago this summer.

PB&J: Pizza, Beer, & Jukebox

Starting next week, the West Loop hotspot is offering diners a variety of frozen cocktails to cool off this summer. Sip on a frozen “Sour Watermelon” featuring Pink Lemonade Smirnoff, Lemon, Red Bull Watermelon Edition. Also available will be the Chi Colada featuring Captain Morgan, Pineapple, and Coconut. Lastly, diners can sit on the expansive patio and soak in the sun while enjoying the best of both worlds with the new “West Loop Vice”, featuring a mixture of both the Sour Watermelon and Chi Colada.

The Smith

Located in River North, The Smith is elevating diners’ cocktail experience by offering a frozen twist on the classic French 75 and turning it into a “French 75 Slushie”. Diners can sip and enjoy this frozen beverage on the expansive Clark Street patio while enjoying light bites or The Smith’s signature Mac & Cheese.

Old Pueblo Cantina 

Nestled in the Lincoln Park neighborhood, Old Pueblo Cantina is “the” spot for frozen margaritas. Featuring fresh fruit, lime, and agave, diners can sip and sit on the patio while indulging in homemade Chips & Guac, sonoran cheese crisps, taco platters, chopped salads, and more.

Recess

Chicago’s largest patio, Recess, debuted the “Aperol Freeze” this summer, a frozen Aperol spritz with similarities to the classic cocktail. The mix includes Aperol, watermelon vodka and sparkling wine — giving it an interesting tingle that has similarities to the effervescence of sparkling wine even when frozen. This summer, the Recess patio is becoming even bigger and better: with more second-floor seating offering amazing views and more street art along the shipping containers.

urbanbelly

Chef Bill Kim’s beloved fast-casual in Wicker Park offers something you don’t see everyday: frozen Kirin beer. The frozen Kirin beer trend in Japan has worked its way into the US, but locating it is still like finding a unicorn. Frozen Kirin drafts can only be found in Disney’s Epcot, New York, California, and now… urbanbelly. Beer lovers rejoice as the frosty top keeps the draft beer below it at the same temperature as it was poured, perfect for sipping on the patio.

The post Where to Find the Best Frozen Cocktails in Chicago This Summer appeared first on UrbanMatter.

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