What’s New

Little of consequence happens in Downton Abbey: A New Era, but that’s sort of the point. Fans have never flocked to the long-running British period drama for action sequences or uncomfortable truths. Instead, they’ve found solace in the franchise’s well-worn aesthetic, mild conflict, and charmingly stodgy personalities. It wraps viewers up like hot tea and sensible brown tweed, lulling them into believing that the British class system is somehow romantic.

That easy comfort is certainly there in the new movie, which balances two different storylines. First, the Dowager Countess (Maggie Smith) discovers she’s been left a villa in the south of France. But why would a man she spent just a short time with 60-odd years ago leave her a villa? And what would a young lady have to have done to curry such favor? Half of the house scoots off to investigate, lounge around, and look lovely in the St. Tropez sun. 

Back at Downton, a film crew has moved in and is making a silent movie. The downstairs staff is starstruck, while Lady Mary (Michelle Dockery) strikes up a friendship with the director (Hugh Dancy). Violet isn’t impressed with the movie industry, at one point quipping, “I’d rather earn my living down a mine.”

That’s not the only zinger in A New Era, which seems fairly aware of what fans are looking for at this point. It’s at times self-referential, and all of the actors seem to find it fairly easy to slip into their characters’ tics and traits. A few beloved underdogs get their just deserts this time around, and there a few brushes with actual tragedy. 

Downton Abbey: A New Era is cinematic escapism at its finest and perhaps that’s all it should be. Let other franchises save the world and move art forward. Downton is just here to look pretty. PG, 125 min.

Wide release in theaters

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Looking for some things to do? Consider these options! We found some happenings all over the map this time around, including Evanston, Back of the Yards, downtown, Logan Square, South Shore, and the universe of the internet. 

FRI 5/20

The Unitarian Church of Evanston (1330 Ridge, Evanston) is hosting it’s annual rummage sale today until 6 PM and Saturday from 9 AM-1 PM. In addition to typical rummage sale staples like housewares, sporting goods, and small furniture, there will be clothing and accessories for all ages and genders including a “boutique” section with higher-end and designer items. Also expect a curated selection of decorative wares: pottery, collectibles, and other artier home goods. If you get hungry while shopping, light refreshments such as coffee, soda, and pastries will be on hand. The church has a parking lot, but ample parking is available on neighboring streets, too. Masks are requested while onsite. Go to the church’s website for more information and to find out about volunteer opportunities. (MC)

Elastic Arts (3429 W. Diversey, second floor) is celebrating 14 years of experimental music and other programming tonight at its fourth annual fundraiser. Since the pandemic, Elastic scaled back its programming and skipped hosting a benefit last year altogether. Tonight, the organization invites back both the joy and the support of their community to keep them going another year. There will be the usual fundraising fanfare: food, drinks, awards, and a silent auction (with donors ranging from Pitchfork Music Festival to Astral Spirits Records). Also on deck: a screening of archival footage from Elastic-hosted events, plus performances by Cristal Sabbagh’s Freedom From and Freedom To, Sam Lewis, Hearts and Minds with Chad Taylor, and DJ Major Taylor. The party kicks off at 7 PM, and it’s $50 to join. Whether you want to purchase a ticket or just make a donation, check out Elastic’s Website. (MC)

South Chicago Dance Theatrecelebrates its fifth anniversary with five world premieres in the company’s first appearance at the Harris Theater (205 E. Randolph). The pieces include: HYbr:ID Line by Ron De Jesús, a piece for 12 dancers inspired by by the artwork Unicolor (created by media artists Nibo and Carsten Nicolai) and using work by German musician and visual artist Alva Noto and a synthetic soundscape by electronic music artist Antye Greie; On A Lark by Stephanie Martinez of Chicago’s PARA.MAR Dance Theatre, which follows five dancers “as they flow between the daily monotony of life and escapism provided by entertainment”; Lit-anies by Crystal Michelle, an Ohio-based dancemaker originally from Augusta, Georgia, whose piece explores “rhythm, cadence and the Black American South perspective”; Coeurs Séparés by Wade Schaaf (founder of Chicago Repertory Ballet), a contemporary work inspired by “the tones and moods” of three works by Bach (Andante from Bach’s Organ Sonata No 4, Presto and Adagio from the Concerto in D minor); and In Lieu of Flowers by Kia S. Smith, founding executive artistic director for SSDT, a contemporary duet on grief, sparked by the loss of Smith’s father, south-side jazz legend Jimmy Ellis. The performance begins at 7:30 PM; tickets are $15-$50 at harristheaterchicago.org. (KR)

Somewhere Over the Border, Brian Quijada’s world premiere musical with Teatro Vista (the company’s first live show since the pandemic shutdown and the first under new co-artistic directors Lorena Diaz and Wendy Mateo), mashes up The Wizard of Oz with his mother’s story of her border crossing from El Salvador into the U.S. in the 1970s. The mix of fable and family history uses cumbia, Mexican mariachi boleros, American rock, and hip hop in the score. Quijada, whose 2016 solo Where Did We Sit on the Bus? incorporated hip-hop and spoken word in an exploration of his Latine identity, narrates the show; the cast of six is directed by Denise Yvette Serna. It runs through 6/12 at Windy City Playhouse (3014 W. Irving Park); tickets for tonight’s 7:30 PM performance are still available for $15-$49.50 at teatro vista.org. (KR)

SAT 5/21

Don’t let the gray skies scare you out of a little time outside. Just throw on a light jacket, then head to South Shore Nature Sanctuary (7059 S. South Shore) to help the organization plant 300 native plant seedlings. Getting these guys in the ground is essential to maintaining the Sanctuary’s biodiversity so all life there can continue thriving! The planting party gets popping at 10 AM, and no sign-up is necessary. All ages and abilities are welcome. (MC)

National Tap Dance Day is Wednesday, but you can get a jump on the action with M.A.D.D. Rhythms and Chicago Tap Theatre this weekend at the Harold Washington Cultural Center (4701 S. King). The two companies are teaming up to offer classes and workshops today from 10 AM-3 PM and a live performance of a new work, Bridging the Gap: One Step at a Time, tomorrow at 3 PM. (A virtual viewing of the latter will be available Sat 6/4, starting at 4 PM.) On Wednesday, they’ll be on the north side at the New 400 Theater (6746 N. Sheridan) for a screening of Bojangles (a biopic about legendary tap artist Bill “Bojangles” Robinson starring the late Gregory Hines) and a community shuffle; that kicks off at 6:30 PM. Information and reservations available through eventbrite.com. (KR)

What’s more Chicago than giardiniera? Well, lots of things—but there is a distinctly Chicago way to prepare Italy’s favorite pickled vegetable mix. At 11 AM, Fearless Cooking (4410 N. Milwaukee) is hosting a class on making this beloved regional condiment that’s not only a little “canning 101”: it’s also designed to help students sharpen their knife skills. For $100, participants will walk away with their own jar of homemade giardiniera, a six inch chef’s knife from Hammer Stahl, and expert advice on all things chopping, slicing, and dicing. Sign up through the Fearless Cooking website. (MC)

It’s a busy day at the Trans Chicago Empowerment Center (2753 W. Division). From 12:30-4 PM, the organization is providing free COVID-19 vaccines and boosters to everyone five and older. If you happen to need an HIV or hepatitis C screening, you can get that free today as well. From 2-6 PM, the center hosts Pillars: A Trans & POC Market. This event specifically centers vendors of color who are trans. Clothes, herbal blends, tarot readings, and more will be available for sale from local POC, trans, and nonbinary artists. More information about the center is available through their Facebook page. (MC)

SUN 5/22

Today’s the last day of this weekend’s Anime Central, an annual convention of anime, manga, and Japanese popular culture enthusiasts that attracts like-minded fans from all over the midwest to Rosemont. Expect exhibitors and vendors, a video game hall where gamers can try out the latest as well as cosplay gatherings, tabletop gaming opportunities, and more at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center (5555 N. River, Rosemont). The gathering is open today from 8 AM until a closing ceremony from 4-5 PM, and advance tickets are available. (SCJ)  

Vintage Garage Chicago (at the 1800 Maple Self Park Garage, 5th Floor, 1800 Maple, Evanston) only happens four times a year, and today is the first one of the season. From 10 AM-4 PM, wade deep into one of the biggest vintage round-ups in the area where people will be slinging everything from retro record collections to mid-century modern furniture. Tickets are only $6, and there is ample free parking onsite. (MC)

If you’re looking for a more “support local artists” vibe today, check out Jackalope Coffee’s Springtime Vendor Bazaar (755 W. 32nd). Over 20 vendors will be on hand selling items such as candles, stained glass, plant holders, and more. DJ This Margin Walker will soundtrack the event, which runs from 10 AM-4PM. (MC)

Free Fyre is a collective of artists and performers largely based in Tennessee, and they are currently traveling with the Rebirth Tour, a series of events designed to retell the story of the Harlem Renaissance and discuss the impact of this history on Black culture. On tonight’s Chicago stop for the tour, you can catch Free Fyre cofounders Cameron L. Mitchell and Jazzmin Mitchell performing spoken word and jazz at 21c Museum Hotel Chicago (55 E. Ontario) starting at 6 PM. The evening is free and open to all ages, but registration via Eventbrite is requested. (SCJ)

MON 5/23

Any day is a good day to show some love for the Pilsen Love Fridge. This food drop-off is community run–and conveniently located across from Casa del Pueblo grocery store at 1855 S. Blue Island! Please, no unpasteurized dairy, raw meats (including fish!), alcohol, leftovers, or foods without ingredients labels. Every week, the Love Fridge hopes to be stocked with some combination of produce, dairy, sealed packaged foods, eggs (with a use-by date), pastries, breads, table sauces, juices, and cured meats (also sealed, with a use-by date). Can you help? Check out the Love Fridge’s Instagram for a comprehensive list of do’s and don’ts to keep the fridge stocked safely. If you’re in the area and can’t donate, feel free to check on the fridge and tidy it up–or just help yourself if you need something. There are lots of ways to provide and accept neighborly love. (MC)

Ever had a public situation that made you feel like crawling into the nearest hole and waiting till everyone else went away? I won’t get started on my interpretative performance art addition to my junior high-era music summer camp’s all-camp recital here, but if I ever want to tell you about it, Mortified seems like the perfect place to do so. It’s a storytelling evening hosted by WBEZ featuring everyday people telling stories about their journeys of “personal redemption through public humiliation,” and if you can read that without being triggered, you’ll want to join the audience tonight to show your support to the brave souls who will tell their tales. This event is open to those 21 and up, and starts at 7:30 PM at Thalia Hall (1807 S. Allport). Advance tickets are available here. (SCJ)

TUE 5/24

Bird Show, a porch gallery in the 38th ward, is hosting a virtual workshop on how to “prairie-fy your parkway.” Radical community arts organizer Jen Delos Reyes will guide participants through the process of beginning a prairie patch–wherever you think it’s needed. On Bird Show’s Instagram, Delos Reyes explains, “About 60 percent of Illinois, approximately 22 million acres, once was prairie. Now about 2,500 acres remain.” As a bonus for artists out there: If you’re interested in showing at Bird Show, there will be a quick info session at the end of the workshop. The tutorial starts at 6 PM. To join, enter 873 9584 0959 on Zoom. (MC)

WED 5/25

To celebrate the launch of their new book by the same name, Haymarket Books is holding an online teach-in tonight at 5 PM called Community as Rebellion: Surviving Academia as a Woman of Color. Lorgia García Peña, Latinx studies scholar and the book’s author, will be joined by feminist scholar and activist Chandra Talpede Mohanty and author, activist, and UC Santa Cruz professor Angela Y. Davis to talk strategies for finding (or creating) liberatory spaces for women of color navigating the ivory tower. This event is sliding scale ($0-$25) with a recommended admission fee of $5. After registration, a link will be emailed the day of the event. (MC)

What’s up with redrawing the ward boundaries? Who did it help, who did it hurt, and why did it take so long? At 6 PM, Rachel Hinton of the Better Government Association, Chaundra Van Dyk of CHANGE Illinois, and Alex Nitkin and Erin Hegarty of the Daily Line will be at the Hideout (1354 W. Wabansia) discussing these questions and more. They’ll also discuss the myriad ways this will likely impact Chicago politics in the years to come. Those 21+ can get in on the conversation for $10. (MC)

Free Street Theater unveils its latest collaborative show tonight. In 57 Blocks, the ensembles from the company’s Pulaski Park and Storyfront ensembles in Wicker Park and Back of the Yards joined together to create this immersive play about their neighborhoods and examining education, immigration, and incarceration. Audiences start out at Free Street’s Pulaski Park home base in the fieldhouse, then board a bus to go down Ashland to the Storyfront (audience members who live closer to the Back of the Yards location will be offered a ride before the show to get them to Pulaski Park, and north side audience members can take the bus back to Pulaski after the show). The show features an ensemble of nine under the direction of Katrina Dion and Sebastian Olayo. The ensembles began working together digitally in October 2020, doing research based on personal stories as well as books such as Eve L. Ewing’s Ghosts in the Schoolyard and We Do This Til’ We Free Us by Mariame Kaba. In an interview earlier this spring, Free Street executive director Karla Estela Rivera said, “With our process, we work with our ensembles to identify the stories and the challenges that they face living within our Chicago communities. What emerged was the theme of education and the pathways and the pipelines that are currently existing for them. And then they began reimagining what the world could be in education, if it really serves them.” 57 Blocks runs through 6/18; tickets are free, but limited, with reservations available at freestreet.org. (KR)

THU 5/26

This week our Gossip Wolf columnists highlighted a new solo album from Emma Hospelhorn, who, in addition to her membership in the contemporary-classical group Ensemble dal Niente, has built a reputation as a reliable and prolific multi-instrumentalist by playing on recordings and live performances with collaborators like V.V. Lightbody, Katinka Kleijn, and others. Tonight Hospelhorn celebrates the release of The Carillon Towers, her new “pop-adjacent experimental folk” album under the name Em Spel. Openers Health & Beauty and Elenna Sindler will round out the evening, which starts at 8:30 PM at Constellation (3111 N. Western). Advance tickets are available for $15, and a streaming option will be available through the venue for $5. (SCJ)

Read More

Looking for some things to do? Consider these options! We found some happenings all over the map this time around, including Evanston, Back of the Yards, downtown, Logan Square, South Shore, and the universe of the internet. 

FRI 5/20

The Unitarian Church of Evanston (1330 Ridge, Evanston) is hosting it’s annual rummage sale today until 6 PM and Saturday from 9 AM-1 PM. In addition to typical rummage sale staples like housewares, sporting goods, and small furniture, there will be clothing and accessories for all ages and genders including a “boutique” section with higher-end and designer items. Also expect a curated selection of decorative wares: pottery, collectibles, and other artier home goods. If you get hungry while shopping, light refreshments such as coffee, soda, and pastries will be on hand. The church has a parking lot, but ample parking is available on neighboring streets, too. Masks are requested while onsite. Go to the church’s website for more information and to find out about volunteer opportunities. (MC)

Elastic Arts (3429 W. Diversey, second floor) is celebrating 14 years of experimental music and other programming tonight at its fourth annual fundraiser. Since the pandemic, Elastic scaled back its programming and skipped hosting a benefit last year altogether. Tonight, the organization invites back both the joy and the support of their community to keep them going another year. There will be the usual fundraising fanfare: food, drinks, awards, and a silent auction (with donors ranging from Pitchfork Music Festival to Astral Spirits Records). Also on deck: a screening of archival footage from Elastic-hosted events, plus performances by Cristal Sabbagh’s Freedom From and Freedom To, Sam Lewis, Hearts and Minds with Chad Taylor, and DJ Major Taylor. The party kicks off at 7 PM, and it’s $50 to join. Whether you want to purchase a ticket or just make a donation, check out Elastic’s Website. (MC)

South Chicago Dance Theatrecelebrates its fifth anniversary with five world premieres in the company’s first appearance at the Harris Theater (205 E. Randolph). The pieces include: HYbr:ID Line by Ron De Jesús, a piece for 12 dancers inspired by by the artwork Unicolor (created by media artists Nibo and Carsten Nicolai) and using work by German musician and visual artist Alva Noto and a synthetic soundscape by electronic music artist Antye Greie; On A Lark by Stephanie Martinez of Chicago’s PARA.MAR Dance Theatre, which follows five dancers “as they flow between the daily monotony of life and escapism provided by entertainment”; Lit-anies by Crystal Michelle, an Ohio-based dancemaker originally from Augusta, Georgia, whose piece explores “rhythm, cadence and the Black American South perspective”; Coeurs Séparés by Wade Schaaf (founder of Chicago Repertory Ballet), a contemporary work inspired by “the tones and moods” of three works by Bach (Andante from Bach’s Organ Sonata No 4, Presto and Adagio from the Concerto in D minor); and In Lieu of Flowers by Kia S. Smith, founding executive artistic director for SSDT, a contemporary duet on grief, sparked by the loss of Smith’s father, south-side jazz legend Jimmy Ellis. The performance begins at 7:30 PM; tickets are $15-$50 at harristheaterchicago.org. (KR)

Somewhere Over the Border, Brian Quijada’s world premiere musical with Teatro Vista (the company’s first live show since the pandemic shutdown and the first under new co-artistic directors Lorena Diaz and Wendy Mateo), mashes up The Wizard of Oz with his mother’s story of her border crossing from El Salvador into the U.S. in the 1970s. The mix of fable and family history uses cumbia, Mexican mariachi boleros, American rock, and hip hop in the score. Quijada, whose 2016 solo Where Did We Sit on the Bus? incorporated hip-hop and spoken word in an exploration of his Latine identity, narrates the show; the cast of six is directed by Denise Yvette Serna. It runs through 6/12 at Windy City Playhouse (3014 W. Irving Park); tickets for tonight’s 7:30 PM performance are still available for $15-$49.50 at teatro vista.org. (KR)

SAT 5/21

Don’t let the gray skies scare you out of a little time outside. Just throw on a light jacket, then head to South Shore Nature Sanctuary (7059 S. South Shore) to help the organization plant 300 native plant seedlings. Getting these guys in the ground is essential to maintaining the Sanctuary’s biodiversity so all life there can continue thriving! The planting party gets popping at 10 AM, and no sign-up is necessary. All ages and abilities are welcome. (MC)

National Tap Dance Day is Wednesday, but you can get a jump on the action with M.A.D.D. Rhythms and Chicago Tap Theatre this weekend at the Harold Washington Cultural Center (4701 S. King). The two companies are teaming up to offer classes and workshops today from 10 AM-3 PM and a live performance of a new work, Bridging the Gap: One Step at a Time, tomorrow at 3 PM. (A virtual viewing of the latter will be available Sat 6/4, starting at 4 PM.) On Wednesday, they’ll be on the north side at the New 400 Theater (6746 N. Sheridan) for a screening of Bojangles (a biopic about legendary tap artist Bill “Bojangles” Robinson starring the late Gregory Hines) and a community shuffle; that kicks off at 6:30 PM. Information and reservations available through eventbrite.com. (KR)

What’s more Chicago than giardiniera? Well, lots of things—but there is a distinctly Chicago way to prepare Italy’s favorite pickled vegetable mix. At 11 AM, Fearless Cooking (4410 N. Milwaukee) is hosting a class on making this beloved regional condiment that’s not only a little “canning 101”: it’s also designed to help students sharpen their knife skills. For $100, participants will walk away with their own jar of homemade giardiniera, a six inch chef’s knife from Hammer Stahl, and expert advice on all things chopping, slicing, and dicing. Sign up through the Fearless Cooking website. (MC)

It’s a busy day at the Trans Chicago Empowerment Center (2753 W. Division). From 12:30-4 PM, the organization is providing free COVID-19 vaccines and boosters to everyone five and older. If you happen to need an HIV or hepatitis C screening, you can get that free today as well. From 2-6 PM, the center hosts Pillars: A Trans & POC Market. This event specifically centers vendors of color who are trans. Clothes, herbal blends, tarot readings, and more will be available for sale from local POC, trans, and nonbinary artists. More information about the center is available through their Facebook page. (MC)

SUN 5/22

Today’s the last day of this weekend’s Anime Central, an annual convention of anime, manga, and Japanese popular culture enthusiasts that attracts like-minded fans from all over the midwest to Rosemont. Expect exhibitors and vendors, a video game hall where gamers can try out the latest as well as cosplay gatherings, tabletop gaming opportunities, and more at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center (5555 N. River, Rosemont). The gathering is open today from 8 AM until a closing ceremony from 4-5 PM, and advance tickets are available. (SCJ)  

Vintage Garage Chicago (at the 1800 Maple Self Park Garage, 5th Floor, 1800 Maple, Evanston) only happens four times a year, and today is the first one of the season. From 10 AM-4 PM, wade deep into one of the biggest vintage round-ups in the area where people will be slinging everything from retro record collections to mid-century modern furniture. Tickets are only $6, and there is ample free parking onsite. (MC)

If you’re looking for a more “support local artists” vibe today, check out Jackalope Coffee’s Springtime Vendor Bazaar (755 W. 32nd). Over 20 vendors will be on hand selling items such as candles, stained glass, plant holders, and more. DJ This Margin Walker will soundtrack the event, which runs from 10 AM-4PM. (MC)

Free Fyre is a collective of artists and performers largely based in Tennessee, and they are currently traveling with the Rebirth Tour, a series of events designed to retell the story of the Harlem Renaissance and discuss the impact of this history on Black culture. On tonight’s Chicago stop for the tour, you can catch Free Fyre cofounders Cameron L. Mitchell and Jazzmin Mitchell performing spoken word and jazz at 21c Museum Hotel Chicago (55 E. Ontario) starting at 6 PM. The evening is free and open to all ages, but registration via Eventbrite is requested. (SCJ)

MON 5/23

Any day is a good day to show some love for the Pilsen Love Fridge. This food drop-off is community run–and conveniently located across from Casa del Pueblo grocery store at 1855 S. Blue Island! Please, no unpasteurized dairy, raw meats (including fish!), alcohol, leftovers, or foods without ingredients labels. Every week, the Love Fridge hopes to be stocked with some combination of produce, dairy, sealed packaged foods, eggs (with a use-by date), pastries, breads, table sauces, juices, and cured meats (also sealed, with a use-by date). Can you help? Check out the Love Fridge’s Instagram for a comprehensive list of do’s and don’ts to keep the fridge stocked safely. If you’re in the area and can’t donate, feel free to check on the fridge and tidy it up–or just help yourself if you need something. There are lots of ways to provide and accept neighborly love. (MC)

Ever had a public situation that made you feel like crawling into the nearest hole and waiting till everyone else went away? I won’t get started on my interpretative performance art addition to my junior high-era music summer camp’s all-camp recital here, but if I ever want to tell you about it, Mortified seems like the perfect place to do so. It’s a storytelling evening hosted by WBEZ featuring everyday people telling stories about their journeys of “personal redemption through public humiliation,” and if you can read that without being triggered, you’ll want to join the audience tonight to show your support to the brave souls who will tell their tales. This event is open to those 21 and up, and starts at 7:30 PM at Thalia Hall (1807 S. Allport). Advance tickets are available here. (SCJ)

TUE 5/24

Bird Show, a porch gallery in the 38th ward, is hosting a virtual workshop on how to “prairie-fy your parkway.” Radical community arts organizer Jen Delos Reyes will guide participants through the process of beginning a prairie patch–wherever you think it’s needed. On Bird Show’s Instagram, Delos Reyes explains, “About 60 percent of Illinois, approximately 22 million acres, once was prairie. Now about 2,500 acres remain.” As a bonus for artists out there: If you’re interested in showing at Bird Show, there will be a quick info session at the end of the workshop. The tutorial starts at 6 PM. To join, enter 873 9584 0959 on Zoom. (MC)

WED 5/25

To celebrate the launch of their new book by the same name, Haymarket Books is holding an online teach-in tonight at 5 PM called Community as Rebellion: Surviving Academia as a Woman of Color. Lorgia García Peña, Latinx studies scholar and the book’s author, will be joined by feminist scholar and activist Chandra Talpede Mohanty and author, activist, and UC Santa Cruz professor Angela Y. Davis to talk strategies for finding (or creating) liberatory spaces for women of color navigating the ivory tower. This event is sliding scale ($0-$25) with a recommended admission fee of $5. After registration, a link will be emailed the day of the event. (MC)

What’s up with redrawing the ward boundaries? Who did it help, who did it hurt, and why did it take so long? At 6 PM, Rachel Hinton of the Better Government Association, Chaundra Van Dyk of CHANGE Illinois, and Alex Nitkin and Erin Hegarty of the Daily Line will be at the Hideout (1354 W. Wabansia) discussing these questions and more. They’ll also discuss the myriad ways this will likely impact Chicago politics in the years to come. Those 21+ can get in on the conversation for $10. (MC)

Free Street Theater unveils its latest collaborative show tonight. In 57 Blocks, the ensembles from the company’s Pulaski Park and Storyfront ensembles in Wicker Park and Back of the Yards joined together to create this immersive play about their neighborhoods and examining education, immigration, and incarceration. Audiences start out at Free Street’s Pulaski Park home base in the fieldhouse, then board a bus to go down Ashland to the Storyfront (audience members who live closer to the Back of the Yards location will be offered a ride before the show to get them to Pulaski Park, and north side audience members can take the bus back to Pulaski after the show). The show features an ensemble of nine under the direction of Katrina Dion and Sebastian Olayo. The ensembles began working together digitally in October 2020, doing research based on personal stories as well as books such as Eve L. Ewing’s Ghosts in the Schoolyard and We Do This Til’ We Free Us by Mariame Kaba. In an interview earlier this spring, Free Street executive director Karla Estela Rivera said, “With our process, we work with our ensembles to identify the stories and the challenges that they face living within our Chicago communities. What emerged was the theme of education and the pathways and the pipelines that are currently existing for them. And then they began reimagining what the world could be in education, if it really serves them.” 57 Blocks runs through 6/18; tickets are free, but limited, with reservations available at freestreet.org. (KR)

THU 5/26

This week our Gossip Wolf columnists highlighted a new solo album from Emma Hospelhorn, who, in addition to her membership in the contemporary-classical group Ensemble dal Niente, has built a reputation as a reliable and prolific multi-instrumentalist by playing on recordings and live performances with collaborators like V.V. Lightbody, Katinka Kleijn, and others. Tonight Hospelhorn celebrates the release of The Carillon Towers, her new “pop-adjacent experimental folk” album under the name Em Spel. Openers Health & Beauty and Elenna Sindler will round out the evening, which starts at 8:30 PM at Constellation (3111 N. Western). Advance tickets are available for $15, and a streaming option will be available through the venue for $5. (SCJ)

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Little of consequence happens in Downton Abbey: A New Era, but that’s sort of the point. Fans have never flocked to the long-running British period drama for action sequences or uncomfortable truths. Instead, they’ve found solace in the franchise’s well-worn aesthetic, mild conflict, and charmingly stodgy personalities. It wraps viewers up like hot tea and sensible brown tweed, lulling them into believing that the British class system is somehow romantic.

That easy comfort is certainly there in the new movie, which balances two different storylines. First, the Dowager Countess (Maggie Smith) discovers she’s been left a villa in the south of France. But why would a man she spent just a short time with 60-odd years ago leave her a villa? And what would a young lady have to have done to curry such favor? Half of the house scoots off to investigate, lounge around, and look lovely in the St. Tropez sun. 

Back at Downton, a film crew has moved in and is making a silent movie. The downstairs staff is starstruck, while Lady Mary (Michelle Dockery) strikes up a friendship with the director (Hugh Dancy). Violet isn’t impressed with the movie industry, at one point quipping, “I’d rather earn my living down a mine.”

That’s not the only zinger in A New Era, which seems fairly aware of what fans are looking for at this point. It’s at times self-referential, and all of the actors seem to find it fairly easy to slip into their characters’ tics and traits. A few beloved underdogs get their just deserts this time around, and there a few brushes with actual tragedy. 

Downton Abbey: A New Era is cinematic escapism at its finest and perhaps that’s all it should be. Let other franchises save the world and move art forward. Downton is just here to look pretty. PG, 125 min.

Wide release in theaters

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CHICAGO — Arizona Diamondbacks third baseman Josh Rojas, who had yet to record a home run this season, hit three of them Friday afternoon in a 10-6 win over the Chicago Cubs, becoming the 13th player in team history to accomplish the feat.

It was the first three-homer game of Rojas’ career. He is the fourth player to go deep three times in a game this season, joining Boston‘s Trevor Story, the New York Yankees‘ Anthony Rizzo and Toronto‘s Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

Rojas, 28, homered off Cubs starter Kyle Hendricks in the third and fifth innings, then hit one off reliever Mychal Givens in the seventh inning. He is the second player in Diamondbacks history to tally his first three home runs of a season in the same game, joining Erubiel Durazo in 2002.

The Diamondbacks and Cubs combined to hit 11 home runs Friday, tying the most ever in a game at Wrigley Field. It’s the fifth game in Wrigley’s history to feature 11 combined home runs, and first since 2006.

Arizona’s seven home runs — the last of which came off the bat of Christian Walker, who leads the National League with 10 — marked the most a team has hit in a game this season.

ESPN Stats & Information contributed to this report.

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CHICAGO — The Chicago Cubs unveiled a statue of six-time 20-game winner and Hall of Fame pitcher Ferguson Jenkins during a ceremony outside Wrigley Field on Friday morning.

Jenkins, 79, was in attendance with family as the sculpture was unveiled next to those of other former great Cubs.

“The statue is sitting beside my fellow teammates, Ernie [Banks], Billy [Williams] and Ronnie [Santo],” Jenkins said during the ceremony. “Believe me, I’m humbled.”

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The sculptures are part of a new “statue row,” which resides just outside the third-base gates.

Jenkins played for the Cubs from 1966 to ’73, and then again from 1982 to ’83. He threw 154 complete games as a Cub, as well as a career-high 325 innings in 1971.

He’s one of 11 pitchers in MLB history with 4,500 innings pitched, to go along with more than 3,000 career strikeouts. He finished in the top six in Cy Young voting six times, taking home the award in 1971.

“I was looking at some of his stats, the 20-win seasons, they just jump off the page to me,” Cubs manager Davis Ross said. “What a big deal it was to get one [20-win season] of those in my playing era. Kudos to him.”

Ross noted the innings pitched as well. Jenkins threw 289 innings or more in six consecutive seasons.

“I think about what he might do to me if I took him out in the fourth or fifth inning,” Ross joked.

Of the 70 living Hall of Fame players, five were in attendance for the event: Jenkins, Andre Dawson, Ryne Sandberg, Williams and Lee Smith.

The statues of Santo, Williams, Banks and Jenkins now reside below the Cubs offices.

“I like what they’re doing out there,” president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer said. “I can look down from my office and see all [the] Mt. Rushmore of Wrigley right below me. Couldn’t be happier to see Fergie have his unveiling.”

Jenkins was a multisport athlete who also performed with the Harlem Globetrotters for several offseasons. He played hockey and lettered in track and field in his school years. His best performances, of course, came on the mound, where he’ll forever be a fixture outside Wrigley Field.

“I want to thank the [ownership] Ricketts family for this particular day and the statue,” Jenkins said. “And now my dreams have come true.”

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Last August, I caught up with Jacob Harvey just as he was taking over as the new (and first-ever) managing artistic director of theaters for the Fine Arts Building. At the time, he noted that with the loss of the Royal George as a midsize rental house, the soon-to-be-remodeled Studebaker Theater in the Fine Arts could be a good option for “an in-between place where a small tour or an out-of-town production can happen and sort of help fill that void.”

Earlier this week, I caught up again with Harvey in person to see what’s new at the Studebaker. As he gave me a tour, the crew for Skates, a new musical by Christine Rea and Rick Briskin described as “Grease meets Hairspray with a dash of Xanadu” (and starring American Idol alums Diana DeGarmo and Ace Young) hammered away at the set. (The show begins previews next week.) Skates was six days away from opening at the Royal George before the COVID-19 shutdown of 2020. Then the Royal George itself, a commercial rental house with four venues just across Halsted from the Steppenwolf campus, closed for good in 2021 after nearly 37 years of operation.

So that’s one item off Harvey’s wish list. But Harvey and the rest of the Fine Arts team still have big plans. Right before we met, NPR announced that the popular quiz show Wait Wait . . . Don’t Tell Me! was leaving its longtime home at the Chase Auditorium on South Dearborn and taking up residence at the Studebaker; the first live taping there is scheduled for June 16. (The Studebaker, which used to seat 725, now seats between 600-650; part of the renovation involved expanding legroom for the seats in the balcony.)

Erica Berger of Berger Realty Group, who oversees the Fine Arts Building (she’s the daughter of the late real estate mogul Bob Berger, who bought the building in 2005), was the catalyst for the Wait Wait coup. In an email, she explained, “Almost three years ago, our late building manager received a cryptic call about an NPR show interested in moving into our space. Knowing that I had a history with NPR through being a founding member on their young board Generation Listen (as a journalist and media executive), he called me; I immediately booked a flight home to Chicago to take the meeting. When I walked into the room, to our surprise, I knew the Senior Operations Manager of Wait Wait . . ., Colin Miller. . . . Like a wink from the universe, the synchronicity was hard to ignore.”

The renovations at the Studebaker actually began before Harvey took over back in 2014, but during our tour, he points out that a big part of what they’ve been focusing on is beefing up the technical infrastructure. “The most impactful but not visible portion of the renovation is all audio, video, and lighting and electrical. Berger Realty Group put some money into it as proof of concept six or so years ago, but it really in earnest hasn’t been a live theater since the late 70s.” From 1982-2000, the Studebaker housed the Fine Arts movie theaters. Since the Bergers took over the building, groups such as Chicago Opera Theater and Chicago Jazz Orchestra have performed there.

Harvey asked dramaturg Tanya Palmer, former producer and director of new play development at the Goodman and currently assistant dean and executive artistic director for Northwestern’s theater program, to research the tangled history of the Fine Arts Building and create a timeline. The story begins in 1883, with the purchase of land on Michigan Avenue by the Studebaker brothers of South Bend, with the aim of creating a Chicago branch for their carriage business. Architect Solon S. Beman designed the building, which originally opened in 1886 and expanded gradually over the years, until the building assumed its current footprint in 1898. It quickly became a hub for artists, teachers, musicians and the “little theater” movement of the early 20th century. Today, it’s still home to many creative endeavors, including the Chicago International Puppet Theater Festival, whose workshop looks out over the lovely little open-air Venetian Courtyard nestled in the center of the building on the fourth floor.

The Studebaker Hall itself opened in 1898 with a piano recital by Fannie Bloomfield-Zeisler, but business in the classical world was slow, so building manager Charles S. Curtiss convinced the Studebakers to convert it into a theater. In 1910, the Studebaker hosted the legendary Sarah Bernhardt in a two-week repertory engagement, featuring her signature roles in Camille, Phedre, and Jeanne D’Arc. (Unlikely that any of those performances involved roller skating.) Other big names who have appeared onstage at the Studebaker include Eartha Kitt, Henry Fonda, Peter O’Toole, Rex Harrison, an old Claudette Colbert, and a young Martin Sheen.

Upgrading the technical bells and whistles not only helps NPR (Harvey showed me the private tech booth for Wait Wait . . ., right next to the spacious main booth for Studebaker shows), but also enhances the ability for livestreaming performances—a practice which has become even more important since the COVID shutdown. Harvey points out that there are now three cameras installed in the balcony that provide that capability.

The Studebaker is the crown jewel for the Fine Arts performing venues, but smaller groups will also soon have a potential performing space once the former Playhouse Theater next door completes its renovations. That venue, renamed Carriage Hall as a nod to the building’s origins, will function as a flexible multidisciplinary and event space. Harvey notes that there are ongoing conversations with local theater and dance companies about the possibilities of establishing residencies for that space. 

All of these plans reconnect the Fine Arts Building and its theaters to the vibrant history uncovered by Palmer. The Studebaker’s physical renovations, including art deco-style wallpaper, also provide a vintage throwback feel alongside the new technical improvements. 

But Harvey says he remains committed to the vision of the Fine Arts as a downtown incubator of the nonprofit arts. And he hopes that both the Studebaker and the Carriage House, as well as other spaces in the Fine Arts Building (including the second-floor bookstore, Exile in Bookville, run by Javier Ramirez and Kristin Enola Gilbert and the successor to the former Dial bookshop) can provide an integrated approach to giving Chicago artists of all kinds access to audiences and resources. 

“How does a for-profit entity operate as a mission-driven organization, where we can act in service of the community, we can help build community?” asks Harvey. “We can sort of figure it out on our own terms as to how we can create the most impact and be the most beneficial, while also opening the doors as much as possible.”

Exterior of the Court Theatre in Hyde Park Joe Mazza/Bravelux

Tony time at Court

Earlier this week, Court Theatre found out that they’re joining the growing list of Chicago theaters honored with the prestigious Regional Theatre Tony Award, which is selected by the Tony committee of the American Theatre Wing, based on recommendations from the American Theatre Critics Association. The award will be presented during the Tonys ceremony at Radio City Music Hall on June 12 (though in recent years, the regional award hasn’t been part of the main broadcast).

The regional Tony honors companies outside of New York City (well, and also off-Broadway), and comes with a $25,000 purse, as well as bragging rights. Court is the sixth Chicago company to win the prize. The others are: Steppenwolf (1985), Goodman (1992), Victory Gardens (2001), Chicago Shakespeare (2008), and Lookingglass (2011). By my math, that makes Chicago the city most recognized by the Tonys. 

This weekend, Court opens a revival of August Wilson’s Two Trains Running (the 1960s entry in the late playwright’s Century Cycle of plays about Black American life in the 20th century), directed by resident artist Ron OJ Parson. The company’s 67-year history began with amateur outdoor summer theater at University of Chicago produced by Marvin E. Phillips and Paul Sills (the latter the original director of Second City). Their permanent home on the UC campus was built in 1981. In 2013, current artistic director Charles Newell initiated the Center for Classic Theatre at the university to deepen Court’s ties to the research and academic resources available at UC. 

In a press statement, Newell said, “Since my start at Court in 1993, it has been my life’s joy to be a member of this vibrant, fertile community. This award belongs to them. It belongs to the Court community, the South Side community, and the University of Chicago community. It belongs to everyone who has fought to see themselves onstage and to everyone who has been moved by the power of storytelling. That is why we do what we do. Any recognition for that—let alone recognition of this caliber—is a delightful and thrilling gift.”

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It’s another big sports weekend, and we’ve got your guide to all the essential action, from the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs and the Eastern and Western conference finals in the NBA, to horse racing and UFC Fight Night and plenty of golf to be played at the PGA Championship.

For international flavor, there’s a high-stakes final weekend of the English Premier League with a title on the line, and the first round of the French Open at Roland Garros.

And what’s Sunday night without some baseball? With so many games to watch, there’s plenty of opportunity to make some bets along the way, so we’ve got you covered with the best of our best bets all weekend long.

All lines are from Caesars Sportsbook unless noted

Friday Night’s Schedule

Stanley Cup playoffs: New York Rangers @ Carolina Hurricanes, Game 2, 8 p.m. ET on ESPN

NBA playoffs: Dallas Mavericks @ Golden State Warriors, Game 2, 9 p.m. ET on TNT

Stanley Cup playoffs: Edmonton Oilers @ Calgary Flames, Game 2, 10:30 p.m. ET on ESPN

Saturday’s Schedule

1 Related

PGA Championship, Round 3, 9 a.m. – 8 p.m. ET on ESPN/ESPN+

WNBA: Phoenix Mercury @ Las Vegas Aces, 3 p.m. ET on ABC

Horse racing: 147th Preakness Stakes, 7:01 p.m. ET on NBC

Stanley Cup Playoffs: Colorado Avalanche @ St. Louis Blues, Game 3, 8 p.m. ET on TNT

NBA playoffs: Miami Heat @ Boston Celtics, Game 3, 8:30 p.m. ET on ABC

UFC Fight Night: Holly Holm vs. Ketlen Vieira, 9:15 p.m. ET on ESPN+

Sunday’s Schedule

French Open, 5:00 a.m. ET on NBC

English Premier League: Final weekend, All games start at 11 a.m. ET on NBC

Stanley Cup Playoffs: Carolina Hurricanes @ New York Rangers, Game 3, 3:30 p.m. ET on ESPN

Sunday Night Baseball: Chicago White Sox @ New York Yankees, 7 p.m. ET on ESPN

Stanley Cup Playoffs: Calgary Flames @ Edmonton Oilers, Game 3, 8 p.m. ET on ESPN2

NBA playoffs: Golden State Warriors @ Dallas Mavericks, Game 3, 9 p.m. ET on TNT

Friday Night

New York Rangers @ Carolina Hurricanes
East Second Round, Game 2, 8 p.m., PNC Arena, Raleigh, North Carolina, ESPN

Line: Hurricanes (-175), Rangers (+150)
Puck line: Hurricanes -1.5 (+150), Rangers +1.5 (-175)
Over/Under: 5.5 (-105/-115)

Greg Wyshynski: It took just over 40 minutes in Game 1 for the Carolina Hurricanes to play to their identity: Carrying play, forechecking hard and dominating in shot attempts. Once they did, the game was tilted: 29-10 shot attempt advantage, 17-6 scoring chances advantage and, most important, a 2-0 goals-scored advantage in the third period and overtime for the win. As good as the finish was, they had a bad start. Game 1 marked the first time in the playoffs that Carolina lost the first period. I can’t see it happening twice in a row at home, as the Hurricanes scored in the first period in 5 of 7 games against the Boston Bruins in Round 1. We’re playing it safe with a money line bet, but you wouldn’t be out of line pushing it to a first-period puck line wager for a little more profitability.

Pick: Carolina 1st period money line (-150)

Dallas Mavericks @ Golden State Warriors
WCF Game 2, 9 p.m., Chase Center, San Francisco, TNT

Line: Warriors (-6.0)
Moneyline: Warriors (-260), Mavericks (+210)
Over/Under: 214

Anita Marks: Dallas had one of their worst shooting nights of the postseason (36%) and an uncharacteristic night from Luka Doncic. While the Splash Bros had a strong third quarter, Andrew Wiggins was the X-factor. Wiggins had 19 points, five rebounds, three assists and was just as important on the defensive side of the court containing Doncic. Seven Warriors scored double digits, which shows their depth advantage. I see much of the same in Game 2. With home court advantage, better depth, and Wiggins’ value, I will lay the points, play the under, and expect another big night from Wiggins on both ends of the court.

Picks: Warriors (-6.0), Under 214 points, Wiggins over 22.5 points + assists + rebounds

Edmonton Oilers @ Calgary Flames
West Second Round Game 2, 10:30 p.m., Scotiabank Saddledome, Calgary, Alberta, ESPN

Line: Flames (-175), Oilers (+150)
Puck line: Flames -1.5 (+145), Oilers +1.5 (-170)
Over/Under: 6.5 (-125/+105)

Wyshynski: I’m not sure the books really know how to handle this series after what we saw in Game 1. Maybe there’s a sense that both Mike Smith and Jacob Markstrom will bounce back and Game 2 turns into a defensive struggle. I think there’s a better chance that the Battle of Alberta remains a cuckoo bananas 1980s-style goals fest with the team posting Canadian Football League scores. The Flames have gone over their expected total in three of the past four games.

Pick: Calgary over 3.5 goals team total (-120)

Saturday

PGA Championship 3rd Round
Southern Hills Country Club, 9 a.m. – 8 p.m., Tulsa, Oklahoma, ESPN/ESPN+

Leader after Round 1: Rory McIlroy (-5)

Tournament favorites as of Friday morning: McIlroy (+300), Justin Thomas (+400), Will Zalatoris (+1000), Cameron Smith (+1100), Xander Schauffele (+1400)

David Bearman: I am playing both Thomas and Rory McIlroy, but I am giving the edge to Thomas to win based on his overall body of work this season. McIlroy had an incredible Sunday at Augusta last month, but Thomas has better approach stats and has been more consistent all season.

Pick: Justin Thomas to win (+400)

Phoenix Mercury @ Las Vegas Aces
3 p.m., ULTRA Arena, Las Vegas, ABC

Line: Aces (-10.5)
Moneyline: Aces (-600), Lynx (+425)
Over/Under: 169.5

Trend: Home teams favored by more than 7 points are 4-3 against the spread entering Friday night’s action. –Kyle Soppe

147th Preakness Stakes
7:01 p.m., Pimlico Race Course, Baltimore, Maryland, NBC

Favorites: Epicenter (6-5), Early Voting (7-2), Secret Oath (9-2), rest of odds

Chris Fallica: Epicenter was the horse to beat in Louisville and is the horse to beat here. Only a complete space meltdown and a lot of racing luck got him beat by a hopeless long shot. It’s really about how well he came out of the race. But I don’t think he would be here if he didn’t come out of the race well. Feels like a race with a little bit of vindication for the best 3-year-old in the game. He can go to the front if he wants it, or just sit off Early Voting or Armagnac if he wants a target to run at. And being drawn outside helps that strategy. He’ll be a key in every spot in my trifecta, weighted more heavily to the win and place spots. And if we press it a bunch of times and get something other than the second or third choice in the other exacta spot, it should be a nice payoff.

Colorado Avalanche @ St. Louis Blues
West Second Round Game 3, 8 p.m., Enterprise Center, St. Louis, TNT

Line: Avalanche (-170), Blues (+145)

Puck Line: Avalanche -1.5 (+150), Blues +1.5 (-175)

Over/Under: 6.5 (-115/-105)

Trend: Overs are 21-8-1 when the Blues are underdogs this season. The Blues are 15-12-3 as underdogs this season (+4.05 units). (Data current as of the beginning of the series). More Round 2 betting trends >>

Miami Heat @ Boston Celtics
ECF Game 3, 8:30 p.m., TD Garden, Boston, ABC

Line: Celtics (-6.5)
Moneyline: Celtics (-270), Heat (+220)
Over/Under: 208.0

Picks coming soon

UFC Fight Night: Holly Holm vs. Ketlen Vieira
9:15 p.m., UFC Apex, Enterprise, Nevada, ESPN+

Line: Holm (-240), Vieira (+200)

Reed Kuhn: Vieira matches up reasonably well on paper in terms of pure striking metrics, and she is more accurate than Holm with comparable defense. But the metrics might be a little misleading, considering Holm’s standup includes a rich mix of kicks. Those kicks have lower accuracy when aimed at the head but are more dangerous than punches. Holm’s kicks could also be the opening Vieira needs. She has become more of a headhunting boxer from range, closing the distance for takedowns when she chooses. Getting the fight to the ground would be wise, and Vieira averages over two minutes of control time per takedown. She needs three rounds, where she can tip the scores with her wrestling.

Pick: Vieira to win (+200)

Sunday

French Open: First Round
5:00 a.m., Stade Roland Garros, Paris, France, NBC

Defending Singles Champions: Noak Djokovic and Barbora Krejcikova

Line: Men’s Favorite: Djokovic (+175), Women’s Favorite: Iga Swiatek (-110)
Play: Tennis Major Pick’em Paris

Brad Gilbert: The first thing that jumps out at me after the draw is out unbalanced the top and bottom halves are. The top 3 favorites (Djokovic, Carlos Alcaraz and Rafael Nadal) are all on the top half of the draw. If I am looking for value, I’d head to the bottom half, where Stefanos Tsitsipas (+400) has a much more favorable draw. Tsitsipas made the finals last year and led 2 sets to none before the Djokovic comeback. Danili Medevedev (+2000) is down there as well, but he hasn’t played the big clay court tourneys, so I’d go Tsitsipas.

English Premiere League: Final weekend
Man City leads Liverpool by 1 point for championship
Tottenham leads Arsenal by 2 points for fourth place,
All games start at 11 a.m., EPL Table, NBC

To win championship: Man City (-750), Liverpool (+475)

Top four finish: Tottenham (-4000), Arsenal (+1200)

Game lines: Liverpool (-570) v. Wolves (+1800), Man City (-600) v. Aston Villa (+1600)
Arsenal (-190) v. Everton (+550), Norwich (+1000) vs. Tottenham (-420)

Paul Carr: Man City has a full week’s rest and has been crushing opponents at home lately, winning three straight home games by a combined score of 13-1. It’s difficult to see City losing this game, or even to imagine magic will be necessary, like Sergio Aguero‘s title-winning goal a decade ago.

Pick: Man City -2.5 goals (+130)

Carolina Hurricanes @ New York Rangers
East Second Round, Game 3, 3:30 p.m., Madison Square Garden, New York, ESPN

Series Betting: Hurricanes (-360), Rangers (+280)

Trend: Prior to Game 1’s low-scoring affair (Carolina won 2-1 in overtime), all seven Rangers games this postseason had gone over the total. During the regular season, Rangers games were 46-32-4 to the under, the highest under percentage in the NHL, including 33-18-1 in Shesterkin starts. More Round 2 betting trends >>

Chicago White Sox @ New York Yankees
7 p.m., Yankee Stadium, Bronx, New York, ESPN

Line: TBD
Moneyline: TBD
Over/Under: TBD

Check back for odds and picks later this weekend.

Calgary Flames @ Edmonton Oilers
West Second Round Game 3, 8:00 p.m., Rogers Place, Edmonton, Alberta, ESPN2

Series Betting (before Game 2): Flames (-380), Oilers (+300)

Trend: The home team won all four meetings in the regular season, and Calgary outscored the visiting Oilers 9-6 in Game 1. More Round 2 betting trends >>

Golden State Warriors @ Dallas Mavericks
WCF Game 3, 9 p.m., American Airlines Center, Dallas, TNT

Series Betting (prior to Game 2): Warriors (-450). Mavericks (+350)

Check back later for odds and best bets for this game.

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Last August, I caught up with Jacob Harvey just as he was taking over as the new (and first-ever) managing artistic director of theaters for the Fine Arts Building. At the time, he noted that with the loss of the Royal George as a midsize rental house, the soon-to-be-remodeled Studebaker Theater in the Fine Arts could be a good option for “an in-between place where a small tour or an out-of-town production can happen and sort of help fill that void.”

Earlier this week, I caught up again with Harvey in person to see what’s new at the Studebaker. As he gave me a tour, the crew for Skates, a new musical by Christine Rea and Rick Briskin described as “Grease meets Hairspray with a dash of Xanadu” (and starring American Idol alums Diana DeGarmo and Ace Young) hammered away at the set. (The show begins previews next week.) Skates was six days away from opening at the Royal George before the COVID-19 shutdown of 2020. Then the Royal George itself, a commercial rental house with four venues just across Halsted from the Steppenwolf campus, closed for good in 2021 after nearly 37 years of operation.

So that’s one item off Harvey’s wish list. But Harvey and the rest of the Fine Arts team still have big plans. Right before we met, NPR announced that the popular quiz show Wait Wait . . . Don’t Tell Me! was leaving its longtime home at the Chase Auditorium on South Dearborn and taking up residence at the Studebaker; the first live taping there is scheduled for June 16. (The Studebaker, which used to seat 725, now seats between 600-650; part of the renovation involved expanding legroom for the seats in the balcony.)

Erica Berger of Berger Realty Group, who oversees the Fine Arts Building (she’s the daughter of the late real estate mogul Bob Berger, who bought the building in 2005), was the catalyst for the Wait Wait coup. In an email, she explained, “Almost three years ago, our late building manager received a cryptic call about an NPR show interested in moving into our space. Knowing that I had a history with NPR through being a founding member on their young board Generation Listen (as a journalist and media executive), he called me; I immediately booked a flight home to Chicago to take the meeting. When I walked into the room, to our surprise, I knew the Senior Operations Manager of Wait Wait . . ., Colin Miller. . . . Like a wink from the universe, the synchronicity was hard to ignore.”

The renovations at the Studebaker actually began before Harvey took over back in 2014, but during our tour, he points out that a big part of what they’ve been focusing on is beefing up the technical infrastructure. “The most impactful but not visible portion of the renovation is all audio, video, and lighting and electrical. Berger Realty Group put some money into it as proof of concept six or so years ago, but it really in earnest hasn’t been a live theater since the late 70s.” From 1982-2000, the Studebaker housed the Fine Arts movie theaters. Since the Bergers took over the building, groups such as Chicago Opera Theater and Chicago Jazz Orchestra have performed there.

Harvey asked dramaturg Tanya Palmer, former producer and director of new play development at the Goodman and currently assistant dean and executive artistic director for Northwestern’s theater program, to research the tangled history of the Fine Arts Building and create a timeline. The story begins in 1883, with the purchase of land on Michigan Avenue by the Studebaker brothers of South Bend, with the aim of creating a Chicago branch for their carriage business. Architect Solon S. Beman designed the building, which originally opened in 1886 and expanded gradually over the years, until the building assumed its current footprint in 1898. It quickly became a hub for artists, teachers, musicians and the “little theater” movement of the early 20th century. Today, it’s still home to many creative endeavors, including the Chicago International Puppet Theater Festival, whose workshop looks out over the lovely little open-air Venetian Courtyard nestled in the center of the building on the fourth floor.

The Studebaker Hall itself opened in 1898 with a piano recital by Fannie Bloomfield-Zeisler, but business in the classical world was slow, so building manager Charles S. Curtiss convinced the Studebakers to convert it into a theater. In 1910, the Studebaker hosted the legendary Sarah Bernhardt in a two-week repertory engagement, featuring her signature roles in Camille, Phedre, and Jeanne D’Arc. (Unlikely that any of those performances involved roller skating.) Other big names who have appeared onstage at the Studebaker include Eartha Kitt, Henry Fonda, Peter O’Toole, Rex Harrison, an old Claudette Colbert, and a young Martin Sheen.

Upgrading the technical bells and whistles not only helps NPR (Harvey showed me the private tech booth for Wait Wait . . ., right next to the spacious main booth for Studebaker shows), but also enhances the ability for livestreaming performances—a practice which has become even more important since the COVID shutdown. Harvey points out that there are now three cameras installed in the balcony that provide that capability.

The Studebaker is the crown jewel for the Fine Arts performing venues, but smaller groups will also soon have a potential performing space once the former Playhouse Theater next door completes its renovations. That venue, renamed Carriage Hall as a nod to the building’s origins, will function as a flexible multidisciplinary and event space. Harvey notes that there are ongoing conversations with local theater and dance companies about the possibilities of establishing residencies for that space. 

All of these plans reconnect the Fine Arts Building and its theaters to the vibrant history uncovered by Palmer. The Studebaker’s physical renovations, including art deco-style wallpaper, also provide a vintage throwback feel alongside the new technical improvements. 

But Harvey says he remains committed to the vision of the Fine Arts as a downtown incubator of the nonprofit arts. And he hopes that both the Studebaker and the Carriage House, as well as other spaces in the Fine Arts Building (including the second-floor bookstore, Exile in Bookville, run by Javier Ramirez and Kristin Enola Gilbert and the successor to the former Dial bookshop) can provide an integrated approach to giving Chicago artists of all kinds access to audiences and resources. 

“How does a for-profit entity operate as a mission-driven organization, where we can act in service of the community, we can help build community?” asks Harvey. “We can sort of figure it out on our own terms as to how we can create the most impact and be the most beneficial, while also opening the doors as much as possible.”

Exterior of the Court Theatre in Hyde Park Joe Mazza/Bravelux

Tony time at Court

Earlier this week, Court Theatre found out that they’re joining the growing list of Chicago theaters honored with the prestigious Regional Theatre Tony Award, which is selected by the Tony committee of the American Theatre Wing, based on recommendations from the American Theatre Critics Association. The award will be presented during the Tonys ceremony at Radio City Music Hall on June 12 (though in recent years, the regional award hasn’t been part of the main broadcast).

The regional Tony honors companies outside of New York City (well, and also off-Broadway), and comes with a $25,000 purse, as well as bragging rights. Court is the sixth Chicago company to win the prize. The others are: Steppenwolf (1985), Goodman (1992), Victory Gardens (2001), Chicago Shakespeare (2008), and Lookingglass (2011). By my math, that makes Chicago the city most recognized by the Tonys. 

This weekend, Court opens a revival of August Wilson’s Two Trains Running (the 1960s entry in the late playwright’s Century Cycle of plays about Black American life in the 20th century), directed by resident artist Ron OJ Parson. The company’s 67-year history began with amateur outdoor summer theater at University of Chicago produced by Marvin E. Phillips and Paul Sills (the latter the original director of Second City). Their permanent home on the UC campus was built in 1981. In 2013, current artistic director Charles Newell initiated the Center for Classic Theatre at the university to deepen Court’s ties to the research and academic resources available at UC. 

In a press statement, Newell said, “Since my start at Court in 1993, it has been my life’s joy to be a member of this vibrant, fertile community. This award belongs to them. It belongs to the Court community, the South Side community, and the University of Chicago community. It belongs to everyone who has fought to see themselves onstage and to everyone who has been moved by the power of storytelling. That is why we do what we do. Any recognition for that—let alone recognition of this caliber—is a delightful and thrilling gift.”

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Last season, one of the very few bright spots for a bad Chicago Bears team was the work that veteran pass rusher Robert Quinn put in.

Coming off a franchise record 18.5 sacks in 2021, Quinn enjoyed an enormous bounce-back year. The year prior, Quinn was not himself and fans were wondering whether or not his contract was worth it — and Quinn answered the call.

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