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Who are the stars of the show? YOU! The 100 Crew! Join TTNL Network’s Draft Dr. Phil and Shayne “The Smartest Man” Marsaw for the Fan Appreciation episode of Keepin It 100 as everything Bears is on the table for discussion – Fields vs Dalton, Trusting Matt Nagy, David Montgomery’s Offseason Workouts, The Potential New Stadium and more!

The post Keepin’ It 100 – The 100 Crew Appreciation Show first appeared on CHI CITY SPORTS l Chicago Sports Blog – News – Forum – Fans – Rumors.Read More

Arguably the most original and electric movie of 2018 was “Blindspotting,” with co-writers Daveed Diggs and Rafael Casal starring in a prose-poem-infused story about the lifelong and often complicated friendship between two Oakland men named Collin and Miles, who are trying to walk the straight line and do the right thing but find that a constant challenge in their gentrifying, polarizing, sometimes dangerous world.

Now comes the Starz half-hour comedy/drama series “Blindspotting,” a sharp and funny and insightful slice of political and social commentary wrapped in some live-wire, spoken-word-fueled musical numbers. It’s a wickedly entertaining work equal parts dreamlike hip-hop fantasy and gritty, real-world drama.

Diggs and Casal are the writers and co-executive producers (along with Jess Wu and Keith Calder) for the sequel series, which is directed by Seith Mann, a veteran and skilled TV director (“The Wire,” “Fringe”). We pick up the story on the New Year’s Eve six months after the events of the film, with Miles in cuffs for drug possession and his longtime girlfriend Ashley (Jasmine Cephas Jones, reprising her role from the film) left holding two bottles of champagne on the front lawn, in a state of shock and despair as the police cruiser pulls away.

When Miles is hit with a brutal sentence that will keep him incarcerated for years, Ashley is faced with some hard financial realities, and she and her young son Sean (Atticus Woodward) have to move in, at least temporarily, with Miles’ mother Rainey in the home where Miles grew up. (In a wise move, the showrunners have made Sean a few years older than he was in the movie, opening the storyline to Ashley’s ongoing dilemma about when to tell Sean his father isn’t really in Montana with his Uncle Collin — he’s behind bars.)

That’s when “Blindspotting” delivers this bit of surprising news:

Miles’ mother is Helen Hunt.

Well, not Helen Hunt the actress; that would be a woefully meta misstep. Helen Hunt PLAYS Miles’ free-spirited, progressive, bohemian mother Rainey, and while Hunt might not be the first actress you’d think of to take on such a role, she knocks it out of the park as a woman of a certain age who has a live-and-let-live attitude about sex, drugs, relationships, you name it — but is fiercely loyal to her grown children and will do anything to protect her young grandson. It’s the finest work we’ve seen from Hunt in years.

With the series pivoting from the movie to tell the story from Ashley’s point of view, we meet two other captivating and scene-stealing characters: Miles’ half-sister Trish (Jaylen Barron), a sex worker who also lives in Rainey’s house, often has her co-workers over for strategy sessions (a.k.a. posting sexy pics and videos on social media) and dreams of running her own empire; and Collin’s sister Janelle (Candace Nicholas-Lippman), who is back in the neighborhood for the first time in five years and is trying to figure out her next life move and also becomes a loyal friend to Ashley — unlike Trish, who loves her little nephew but doesn’t consider Ashley to be part of the family and blames her for Miles’ troubles (which, of course, are Miles’ fault). Benjamin Earl Turner provides hilarious comic relief as next-door neighbor Earl, who walks around with a long extension cord so he can keep his ankle monitor charged. (Like just about every plot element in the series, there are some thought-provoking truths involving race and the system beneath the comedy.)

Starz

“Blindspotting” has the same go-big-or-go-home style as the movie, with stylized elements including Ashley breaking the fourth wall to deliver a powerful spoken-word performance about the challenges she’s facing, and background extras often breaking into body-contorting dance moves that are breathtaking and exhilarating. We get fantasy musical numbers and drastic changes in lighting, and there’s even an element of farcical comedy when Ashley affects an exaggerated British accent for her job as a concierge at a posh and historic hotel.

Everyone in this series has a story to tell, but it’s Ashley who is front and center, feeling broken and brokenhearted because her man will be gone for a very long time — but refusing to drown in her sorrows because she is strong and smart and resourceful, and she has a little boy whose entire world depends on her. It’s great work by Jasmine Cephas Jones.

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A man is charged with attempted murder after allegedly shooting at a CTA bus driver when the driver refused to let him board because he wouldn’t wear a mask.

Fred White, 37, took out a gun and fired several shots as the bus drove away in the 300 block of West 119th Street in West Pullman, Chicago police said.

Two bullets struck the doors of the bus but no one was hit, according to police, who said White was aiming at the female driver who had asked him to wear a mask.

White, of Englewood, was arrested two minutes later, at 10:35 p.m., near 118th and Princeton, police said.

He’s also charged with aggravated discharge of a firearm, unauthorized possession of a weapon and possession of a firearm with a defaced serial number. Police said he was also wanted on two warrants.

Court records show White has two pending aggravated DUI cases from April.

White was expected to appear in court later Thursday.

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Chicago Bulls: 3 reasons team won’t pursue Derrick Rose by Ryan Taylor

Kris Bryant is having a MVP-caliber season for the Chicago Cubs but his true value for the team this season has been about his ability to play multiple positions. It has been nearly two months since Kris Bryant has played third base and that flexibility is reaping rewards for the Cubs’ offense.

Let’s not be mistaken, Bryant’s value for the Cubs is certainly on offense. Entering play on Wednesday, Bryant has a slash line of .307/.383/.575/.959 with 13 home runs and 38 RBIs. However, even with the offensive success, Bryant’s ability to play multiple positions has afforded Cubs’ manager David Ross the opportunity of playing the hot hand offensively.

Over the course of the past month, the Cubs have been plagued with injuries with the likes of Jason Heyward, Jake Marisnick, Matt Duffy, Nico Hoerner, and David Bote all spending time on the injured list. During that time, Ross has routinely penciled Bryant in the lineup as a starting outfielder.

The reason why Ross has penciled Bryant into the outfield is because of the offensive success that the likes of Duffy and, more recently, Patrick Wisdom have found at the Major League level.

Kris Bryant has made the case that is permanent position with the Chicago Cubs should be right field.

Prior to his back injury, Duffy was hitting .278/.377/.356/.733. Meanwhile, Wisdom has exploded on the scene since being recalled by the Cubs towards the end of May. After his home run against the Padres’ in the Cubs victory on Tuesday night, Wisdom is now hitting .375/.432/.1.025/1.457 with 8 home runs in his first 44 plate appearances this season.

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• Chicago Cubs News: Patrick Wisdom named Player of the Week

Bryant’s ability to play the outfield has allowed Ross to play Duffy and, now, Wisdom at third base and thus providing the Cubs with their best offensive lineup. Reason being why that is the Cubs’ best offensive lineup is because Heyward has struggled this season.

Entering play on Wednesday, Heyward is hitting .170/.253/.319/.572 in 150 plate appearances. Offensive struggles have been no stranger to Heyward during his tenure with the Cubs but it would appear that he is now a liability on offense when he is penciled into the lineup.

Where Heyward has generally earned his keep in the Cubs’ starting lineup is in the field and the base paths. While Heyward is still an above average defensive right field, the gap between he and Bryant is minimal. Per Baseball Reference, Heyward has a range factor per game (Putouts + Assists/games played) of 1.73. Meanwhile, Bryant has a range factor of 1.56. Heyward is still the better fielder but the margin is minimal. Meaning, when factoring the offensive possibilities that Bryant affords the Cubs’ lineup when playing in the outfield, the case should be made that he should be the every day right fielder instead of Heyward.

Related Story: Patrick Wisdom named NL Player of the Week

With Duffy, Hoerner, and Bote all still on the injured, there is not an immediate need to supplant Heyward in right field permanently with Bryant. But once IL list clears, the best team that the Chicago Cubs can field is one with Kris Bryant in right field and Jason Heyward on the bench.

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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.

Cerqua Rivera Dance Theatre

Photo by William Frederking;

What: The multicultural company that creates new dance and music to explore personal narratives, unveils new works in a performance. The pieces include “Mood Swing,” a suite of duets responding to the pandemic and the social justice movement; “Identity City,” an exploration of the evolution, acceptance and conflict surrounding gender and identity; and “Root,” an African diaspora suite.

When: 7:30 p.m. June 12

Where: Beverly Arts Center, 2407 W. 111^th

Tickets: $10-$24. Visit beverlyartcenter.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.

Center for Visual and Performing Arts

Center for Visual and Performing Arts

What: “Winchell: On the Air” is a new one-man play, starring Philip Potempa, about the infamous New York gossip columnist and radio news commentator Walter Winchell (1897-1972). Winchell’s biographer Neal Gabler notes his popularity and influence meant, “He turned journalism into a form of entertainment.”

When: Performances are 11:30 a.m. June 10 (includes lunch, show at 1 p.m.) and 6 p.m. (includes dinner, show at 7:30 p.m.).

Where: Center for Visual and Performing Arts, 1040 Ridge, Munster, Ind.

Tickets: $50. Visit cvpa.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.

Chicago Dance Month

Photo by Philamonjaro Studio

When: May 29-June 24

What: June is Chicago Dance Month and it kicks off on May 29 at Navy Pier, 600 E. Grand. Presented by See Chicago Dance, the free live event features performances by Aerial Dance Chicago, Deeply Rooted Dance Theater, Ensemble Español Spanish Dance Theater, Mandala Arts and The Seldoms. The celebration continues with pop-up performances (3 p.m. Saturdays June 5-Sept. 4, Navy Pier), a park-wide dance “scavenger hunt” featuring an eclectic group of artists (4:30 p.m. June 9, 30 in McKinley Park, 2210 W. Pershing) and a virtual event with more dance performances (6 p.m. June 24). All events are free. Visit seechicagodance.com/dancemonth.

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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.

Black Eyed Peas

Nabil Elderkin

What: Grammy Award-winners Black Eyed Peas are set to perform an online show, the first in support of their 2020 album “Translation.” The concert features original members will.i.am, Taboo and apl.de.ap as well as some surprises fans won’t want to miss.

When: Livestreams at 7 p.m. June 11.

Tickets: $10-$80. Visit beplive.com.

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.

WFMT-FM Opera Series

What: WFMT-FM’s “Opera Series,” a Saturday afternoon staple among opera fans, has featured performances from around the world including the Metropolitan Opera, the Royal Opera House and the Swedish Royal Opera. Now Chicago’s adventurous Haymarket Opera Company joins this roster with its acclaimed double-bill of Handel’s “Acis and Galatea” and “Apollo e Dafne.”.Hosted by Lisa Flynn, the broadcast includes interviews with general director Chase Hopkins, Haymarket founder and conductor Craig Trompeter, tenor Michael St. Peter and soprano Erica Schuller.

When: noon June 12

Visit: wfmt.com

Billy Strings

What: Nashville musician Billy Strings has kept busy during the past year first with online performances and more recently in-person shows. He’s currently taking a swing through the Midwest with a handful of outdoor performances. At this year’s Grammy Awards, Strings won Best Bluegrass Album for his acclaimed record, “Home.”

When: June 11-12

Where: Wintrust­ Field, 1999 S. Springinsguth, Schaumburg

Tickets: $49+. Visit wintrustfield.com.

Cerqua Rivera Dance Theatre

Photo by William Frederking;

What: The multicultural company that creates new dance and music to explore personal narratives, unveils new works in a performance. The pieces include “Mood Swing,” a suite of duets responding to the pandemic and the social justice movement; “Identity City,” an exploration of the evolution, acceptance and conflict surrounding gender and identity; and “Root,” an African diaspora suite.

When: 7:30 p.m. June 12

Where: Beverly Arts Center, 2407 W. 111^th

Tickets: $10-$24. Visit beverlyartcenter.org.

‘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.

Philip Glass Opera

WHAT: Philip Glass’ new opera, “Circus Days and Nights,” is a stunning fusion of opera and contemporary circus with a libretto by playwright David Henry Hwang. The opera, a collaboration between Glass and the Swedish contemporary circus company Cirkus Cirkör (artistic director Tilde Björfors directs) and Malmö Opera, brings to life the poetry of Robert Lax and takes audiences on an adventure into the world of the circus and the performers who dedicate their life to this art.

WHEN: The world premiere opera livestreams through June 13

TICKETS: $12

INFO: Visit malmoopera.se/circus-days-and-nights-in-english.

Tab Benoit

Jean Frank Photo

WHEN: 8 p.m. June 4-5 and 7 p.m. June 6-8

WHAT: Blues guitarist Tab Benoit jumpstarts the return to live music with a multi-night stand at City Winery, 1200 W. Randolph. One of the most impressive guitarists to emerge from the bayous of Southern Louisiana, Benoit has found a favorite second home in Chicago where he fits right in with the city’s long held love of the blues.

TICKETS: $65

INFO: Visit citywinery.com/chicago.

Chicago Sinfonietta

WHEN: The concert streams at 7:30 p.m. June 5

WHAT: The Chicago Sinfonietta concludes its season with a program titled “Fusion: Stronger, Together,” which includes the world premiere of “La Lección Tres,” an orchestra commission from collaborator and Grammy Award-winning musician Victor Wooten. Also on the program: an arrangement of the Suite from Astor Piazzolla’s tango opera, “Maria de Buenos Aires,” and Valerie Coleman’s “Suite: Portraits of Josephine,” a musical tribute to Josephine Baker. The concert streams at 7:30 p.m. June 5.

WHERE: chicagosinfonietta.org/fusion

TICKETS: $45

Music Institute of Chicago

WHAT: The Music Institute of Chicago Chorale presents an online performance of Carl Orff’s “Carmina Burana,” in an arrangement for two pianos and percussion. The soloists are soprano Angela De Venuto, baritone Leo Radosavljevic and tenor Peder Reiff.

WHEN: The free performance is at 3 p.m. June 6

WHERE: Virtual, via Zoom

INFO: Visit musicinst.org/chorale

Chicago Symphony Orchestra

When: Live performances May 27-June 13

What: The Chicago Symphony Orchestra returns with live performances May 27-June 13. The first program (May 27-30) conducted by Michael Mulcahy includes Aaron Copland’s iconic “Fanfare for the Common Man” and Samuel Barber’s 20th-century interpretation of a Bach chorale paired with works by Tilson Thomas, Bernstein and Schuller. Erina Yashima conducts (June 3-6) two “Novelettes” by Samuel Coleridge-Taylor, Schubert’s Symphony No. 5, the string orchestra version of Jessie Montgomery’s “Strum” and Kodály’s orchestral “Dances of Galánta”; and Edo de Waart (June 10-13) conducts Mozart’s overture to “Don Giovanni,” Wagner’s “Siegfried Idyll” and Mozart’s Symphony No. 40.

Where: Symphony Center, 220 S. Michigan

Tickets: $29+; cso.org

Shannon McNally

Photo by Alysse Gafkjen

When: Live-streamed show at 8 p.m. May 28 from City Winery Nashville

What: Singer-songwriter Shannon McNally celebrates the release of her new album, “The Waylon Sessions” with a live-streamed show from City Winery Nashville. She’s assembled an all-star band along with special guests Rodney Crowell, Buddy Miller and Kenny Vaughn. On the album, McNally puts a woman’s spin on outlaw classics by Jennings and his cohorts. The result is not so much a tribute but a rethinking of a catalog long considered a bastion of masculinity.

Tickets: $15; citywinery.com/chicago

Henhouse Prowlers

Russ Boxer Photo

When: May 28-June 13

Where: City Winery, 1200 W. Randolph

Tickets: $35. Visit citywinery.com/chicago

More information: Get ready for some furious fingerpicking and perfect harmonies when the Chicago bluegrass band Henhouse Prowlers celebrates the release of a new album “The Departure” with four shows at City Winery.

Illinois Philharmonic Orchestra

When: Streams free May 28-June 13

Where: Visit ipomusic.org.

What: The final online event of the Illinois Philharmonic Orchestra’s season includes Aaron Copland’s “Fanfare for the Common Man” and Eric Ewazen’s Symphony in Brass, Valerie Coleman’s “Portrait of Josephine” and Joan Tower’s “Fanfare for the Uncommon Woman No. 1,” which is often viewed as a feminist counterpoint to the Copland work of similar name.

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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“A year without music venues, without audiences, without seeing other people play has really made me realize how important that is for me.”

Alison Chesley is a cellist and composer who makes music under the name Helen Money.…Read More

Chicago has its share of bands playing country or alternative country, but Thomas Comerford’s lonesome sound is in a category of its own. Comerford straddles the singer-songwriter era of the 1970s and the dusty, deadpan observations of psychedelic iconoclasts such as Bill Callahan.…Read More