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We don’t know about you, but May, for us, marks the beginning of a spring/summer filled with fun activities, cultural events, and spontaneous adventures. So, what are the hottest things to do in Chicago this May that you absolutely should not miss out on? Well, get ready for our editor’s pick of events, lifestyle trends, new shops to check out, and more!

Treat Yourself to a Cruise Ride

The weather is now perfect for us to get on the water. Luckily, Chicago is never short of cruise experiences! Check the seasonal offerings at City Cruises, or try the brand new rewards program from City Experiences. Care about Mother Earth? Get on a yacht with Chicago Electric Boat Company, which also partners with M3 to bring positive changes to our community.

Sunny days and water slides. They may not rhyme, but they vibe! Well, better grab your floaties, swimsuits, and beach towels, because it’s water park season! Raging Waves, the largest water park in Illinois, will kickstart its 2022 season on May 28th. Celebrating 15 years of delivering family fun for all ages, guests will soon be able to experience various attractions including 32 water slides, a wave pool, three kiddie pool areas, relaxing lazy river, 43 private cabanas, and more!

Picnic Under Cherry Blossoms

Cherry blossoms are in full bloom now! There is seriously no better time to picnic under the cherry blossoms than mid/late May in Chicago. So, better add flower watching to your things to do list for this month!

Image Credit: Shore Club

It’s here… Yes, you’ve heard it right. Our favorite summertime pop up, Shore Club, is back again this summer! The wildly popular seasonal restaurant and beach day club will be open from May 21st thru the end of September. With unobstructed views of Lake Michigan and fabulous cocktails, guests are transported to the Mediterranean with an elevated menu filled with fresh eats under the sun!

Your pups want to go out too! From dog-friendly restaurants, patios, to the best dog parks, Chicago is undoubtedly a dog-loving city. So, this May, take your fur babies and go on a date with them. I’m sure they’d super appreciate your time and love. If you don’t want to go by yourself, call up a few friends and make it a puppy group date. The furrier the merrier, right?

Ok. We still can’t believe how quickly it went from freezing to blazing, but this temperature is starting to get to us. Luckily, the newly opened cafe is here to replace the heatwave with freshness! Switch into chill mode at Matcha Cita with their delicious cold drinks, smoothies, and desserts. And don’t forget to post for Instagram in their super cute interior!

Raise your hand if you’re a summertime Rosé drinker! After saving Chicagoans throughout the gloomy weather by bringing the summer vibes to town 365 days throughout the year, Summer House is now starting something new and exciting — their own Rosé! Crispy, light, perfect amount of sweet… We fell in love with this bottle of summer freshness right off the bat. Right now, you can only get a taste through in-person dining, but we’re really hoping the Summer House Rosé would soon become available in the retail world!

Image Credit: Ryan M. Beshel

So many good things are returning as our City reopens — one of them being our favorite farm-to-table restaurant, Eden! While originally planned to open mid-May, based on the latest intel will now officially open for breakfast and lunch beginning Monday, June 6, 2022. Dinner service will open late in the month, currently set to June 22nd. As one of the coolest farm-to-table dining concept in Chicago, Eden sources ingredients from local farms and purveyors and spins the freshest items into unforgettable dishes that will surely light up your spring and summer moods.

Chicago’s rooftop is something you must try every summer, at least for once. Raised, Morgan on Fulton… you name it. The option is honestly endless especially with new places opening up. And that view you’d get looking over the city will for sure turn any long day into a beautiful one. Just make sure you grab a cardigan or a wrap — even on the hottest days, it could get windy and chilly when you’re up high.

TOM remains our favorite remote work day location for a reason. This awesome food hall continues to bring in our favorite restaurants so we really can get everything we want in one spot. This May, Time Out Market has recently added four new vendors: Avli, Big Kids, Evette’s, and Lil Amaru. So, if you’re feeling that WFH dread, hop on the train and head down to TOM. Personally, I’m in love with the Latin street food at Lil Amaru!

Who doesn’t like burgers? From veggie burgers to ones with a foreign cuisine zing to them… Chicago has the most diverse burger collections across town. So, this May, get your foodie personality on and start a burger tasting journey. Let us know where you get your favorite ones, too! Because we’re always down to discovering new burgers.

May is AAPI Heritage month, which means cultural events, art exhibitions, and… yes, food! Chicago is never short of Asian fare, so be brave and step out of your comfort zone this May to try some authentic cuisines from AAPI countries. Hey, you might just have found your new favorite restaurant. This year as part of Chicago’s AAPI Heritage month celebration, there will be an AAPI restaurant week where iconic Asian-Pacific restaurants across town come together to sway you off your feet with unique AAPI foods.

Loverboy Meet n’ Greet at Mariano’s Lakeshore East

Join Mariano’s for a meet ‘n greet, tasting event with Carl Radke From Summer House and LoverBoy! If you’re looking for something fun and delicious to do, check out what’s happening at Mariano’s. On Thursday, May 19th, Mariano’s Lakeshore East is hosting a tasting event with the mastermind behind Summer House, bringing you a night full of delicious treats and fun conversations. Tickets are available via Eventbrite.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CcYcXULuvX5/

Check out the “Reflections” Exhibition

Local fine artist and sculptor René Romero Schuler is opening her next exhibition, “Reflections,” at Chicago’s Zolla/Lieberman Gallery beginning Friday, May 20 (through July 30). The gallery will showcase Schuler’s signature figurine artwork, which is equal parts self-portraiture and depictions of the ranging emotions she’s experienced following a challenging childhood. Schuler’s paintings and sculptures are purposely semi-abstract and textured, rendering them open to interpretation by the viewer.

The Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago never fails to impress. This May, check out the newly opened exhibition Forothermore, featuring Chicago artist Nick Cave. Nick Cave: Forothermore is an ode to individuals who have lived their lives as “others” — the outcasts due to different reasons. May it be racism, homophobia, or other forms of bigotry, Forothermore is a celebration of how creativity and art has and will continue to shape a better future.

Stroll Down State St.

Chicago’s coolest block party is back! Sundays on State, voted the “Best New Event of the Year” by Time Out Chicago in 2021, happens on selected Sundays thru the summer. State Street will close to traffic with an expanded footprint from Lake to Monroe and transform into an open street full of surprises. Neighbors from every Chicago community and beyond will once again unite for this free, interactive block party, while safely enjoying art, culture, active recreation, shopping, food, drinks, and local attractions.

Festivals are back, and we’re all ready to get outside for a day of music. Grab your picnic chairs, blankets, and your favorite seltzer pack, because it’s time to have some fun under the blue sky! There are also outdoor art fairs and street fairs happening throughout summer. The possibilities are truly endless!

The beloved Chocolate Festival will return to the historic streets and parkways of downtown Long Grove for the first time in three years, May 20 to 22. After a long pandemic hiatus, organizers of this season’s Chocolate Fest are stepping things up with three days of live music, family activities, chocolate vendors, and chocolate experiences!

Are you obsessed with Bridgeton yet? Well, we are! That’s why we’ve been so stoked about the Bridgeton Experience finally coming to Chicago. Grab your tickets and dress up, because it is time to join The Queen’s Ball and change your fate. Are you born with loyal blood and ready to shine in the dance hall? If not, you better start practicing your curtsy right now!

Featured Image Credit: Shore Club

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Have you figured out things to do this May in Chicago? Good! Because it’s time to plan for June and the rest of summer. And don’t tell me you’re not putting a waterpark weekend on your to-do list — because that doesn’t make any sense! But if you need just a bit more convincing to get those swimsuits on… Well, the biggest water park in Illinois, Raging Waves, is opening for the summer season within a week and a half!

Located at 4000 N. Bridge St. in Yorkville, Raging Waves is the largest waterpark in Illionis. For the 2022 season, the park will open to the public on Saturday, May 28, 2022. Celebrating 15 years of delivering family fun for all ages, guests will be able to experience various attractions including 32 water slides, a wave pool, three kiddie pool areas, relaxing lazy river, 43 private cabanas, and more. Thrill-seekers will be able to experience the six-lane mat racing water slide, aptly named Aussie Mat Dash. The first Proslide RallyRACER™ in Illinois and one of three in the world, the Aussie Mat Dash can be found at the south end of the park, near The Boomerang, Cyclone and the Hungry Croc Restaurant.

“We are thrilled to kick off our 15th season and invite families back to Raging Waves this summer,” said Randy Witt, Co-Owner of Raging Waves. “Offering guests the very best in family fun has always been at the forefront for our team at Raging Waves, and we cannot wait for guests to enjoy all that our waterpark has to offer!”

Sitting on 58 spacious acres just 45 minutes southwest of Chicago, Raging Waves is the perfect place for a day trip, weekend getaway, birthday party, youth group outing, scout gathering, family reunion, and more. Nominated as one of the cleanest waterparks in the United States, the park takes pride in maintaining a clean facility for all to enjoy.

For more information, daily operating hours, or to purchase seasonal and daily tickets, visit www.RagingWaves.com or call 630.882.6575. Follow the park on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for updates and be sure to tag them when you share your fun moments on social media!

Family-owned, Raging Waves is Illinois’ largest waterpark located 45 minutes southwest of Chicago in Yorkville, Ill. The award-winning waterpark was named “Best of the Midwest” by Midwest Living magazine, USA Today rated it “the top Illinois Summer Destination” in 2009, and “Best Waterpark in Illinois” by MSN in 2017. Raging Waves features 32 water slides including 2016’s “Best New Water Ride, Wonambi.” The waterpark also features a wave pool, multiple kiddie areas, private cabanas, and a quarter-mile-long lazy river. Opened in 2008, Raging Waves attracts more than 300,000 visitors a year. For more information, visit www.RagingWaves.com.

Featured Image Credit: Raging Waves

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It might have taken two months of straight rain and chilly temps, but we have finally arrived at Summertime Chi! Finally, the heat is back, and so is our willingness to venture outdoors for a day spent soaking up the sun, breathing in the fresh air, and indulging in our favorite munchies. However, if you struggle to pack a picnic box, then might as well order some takeout from the best local joints across Chicago? 

1732 N Milwaukee Ave, Chicago, IL 60647

1345 N Wells St, Chicago, IL 60610

When you’re thinking about grabbing takeout, we can bet you’re thinking about the all-time classic combo: a burger and fries. However, at Small Cheval, freshly made burgers and hand-cut fries are their specialties. Here, you get the ease and quickness of takeout without sacrificing quality ingredients and flavor. With two locations to grab food from, Small Cheval is the ideal spot to pick up a mouthwatering meal and head to the park to enjoy it!

 825 W Fulton Market, Chicago, IL 60607

There’s nothing quite like a freshly sliced deli sandwich, and it’s even better when you can grab it and go. At Publican Quality Meats in Fulton Market, you’ll find endless possibilities for the perfect picnic sandwich. Porchetta, smoked turkey, creamy cheddar cheese, and endless toppings… a stop at PQM is sure to start your picnic day with a delicious meal. Bonus? There are small parks around the West Loop to enjoy your order in the summer sun! 

1931 W North Ave, Chicago, IL 60622

If you’re an early bird and your picnic day starts with breakfast, check out Brobagel in Wicker Park. With an expansive menu and a location only a few blocks from Charles Joel (Wicker) Park, Brobagel is the perfect place to start your sunny day adventure. Brobagel has been in business since 1983 and is run by three brothers who take their bagel making seriously, using traditional baking styles like boiling the dough in water and baking them on redwood planks. So if your perfect picnic day combines fresh, warm bagels and a walk in the park, Brobagel is the place for you.

Image Credit: The Hat

1604 W North Ave, Chicago, IL 60622

There’s nothing more classic Chicago than enjoying a Chicago-style dog in one of our gorgeous parks. So if you’re craving a steaming hot dog, Italian sausage sandwich, or dripping beef sandwich, check out The Hat just west of I-94. With all the Chicago classics, you know you’ll find something to sink your teeth into without dealing with the hassle of forks and knives. As we dive headfirst into the summer heat, you can also stop at The Hat to cool off with a homemade, fresh milkshake. You can’t go wrong with flavors like fresh banana, peanut butter, and cherry.

400 N LaSalle Dr, Chicago, IL 60654

Love a good light sub? Then check out Hannah’s Bretzel — where classic subs meet pretzel buns. Compared to regular sandwiches, these Bretzels are far tastier, in our opinion. The little joint also uses the freshest ingredients sourced locally and dedicates itself to sustainable practices. You’ll also find a ton of chocolates, chips, and other condiments to add to your picnic basket.

PS: all proceeds made on Friday, May 20th, will be donated to support Ukraine.

3970 N Elston Ave, Chicago, IL 60618

Sandwiches piled high, crispy, crunchy fries, and refreshing salads. These are just a few things you’ll find on the JT’s Genuine Sandwich Shop menu. While the list seems classic for a sandwich shop, every dish has a JT’s take. With Coney fries with their signature coney sauce, melty grilled cheeses, and creamy, fresh chicken salad sandwiches, no matter what you’re craving for a picnic day, you’ll find it at JT’s. This family-run business features home-style recipes that taste as they came from your own kitchen. JT’s also offers vegetarian options so everyone’s appetite is satisfied!

535 N McClurg Ct, Chicago, IL 60611

Foxtrot Markets are popping up all over the city, but have you checked out what they offer? Featuring grab-and-go foods, a cafe and dining menu, and everyone’s favorite, a curated spirit selection, a quick trip to Foxtrot is the perfect place to start your picnic day. Also, you have to check out the charcuterie selection. With crafted meats and cheeses, a day in the sun will be spent picking at your favorites, savoring every bite. Wine, cheese, and some beautiful summer weather, what could be better?

1512 N LaSalle Dr, Chicago, IL 60610

You can’t say you know Chicago pizzas unless you’ve tried Bob’s. Bob’s pizza, ran by Chef Matt Wilde, offers classics like pepperoni and Margherita, but also a ton of innovative signature pizzas, like the pickle pizza. Trust us. You’d be surprised how the fresh Italian mortadella, garlic, pickles, and dill create the perfect flavor. So, step outside your comfort zone for your next picnic in Chicago, and impress your crowd with Bob’s pizza!

Featured Image Credit: Hannah’s Bretzel

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The NBA on Monday said it’s in the process of gathering more information after veteran point guard Rajon Rondo allegedly threatened a woman with a gun at her house last week.

The woman filed for an emergency protective order against Rondo on Friday in Louisville, Kentucky, a copy of which was obtained by ESPN’s Baxter Holmes. The order was granted later that day.

Her allegations were made in the request for the EPO.

In it, she alleged that Rondo and a child were playing video games on Wednesday when she asked the child to separate laundry. Rondo reacted angrily, according to the woman, ripping the game console out of the wall and smashing several items in the house, leaving the boy and another child there upset.

The woman alleges that Rondo said to her “you’re dead” before leaving the house, only to return shortly thereafter, this time with a gun and demanding to see one of the children. The woman said she grew scared of the situation, so she brought him downstairs, and Rondo pulled him outside, allegedly while still holding the gun, while he yelled at him. He then demanded to see the other child, too, and she also came outside, as Rondo yelled at both of them for being afraid of him, the woman alleged.

According to the EPO obtained by ESPN, the woman called former interim Louisville Metro Police chief Yvette Gentry, who eventually arrived at the house. However, the woman said Rondo wouldn’t allow Gentry inside. The woman said she locked herself in the house with the kids, and Gentry eventually told her Rondo had left, and she had his gun.

The woman filed for the protective order on Friday, saying in it that she feared for the safety of the children and that Rondo has a history of “volatile, erratic (and) explosive behavior.”

The order was granted later Friday, with a judge saying Rondo must stay at least 500 feet away from the woman and the children, and must temporarily surrender any firearms to the Jefferson County Sheriff.

NBA spokesman Mike Bass told ESPN’s Malika Andrews that the league is aware of what allegedly happened and is “in the process of gathering more information.” Messages left by ESPN to Rondo’s representatives weren’t immediately returned.

TMZ Sports, which first detailed the allegations on Monday, reported that Rondo has not been named as a suspect in any criminal report connected to what allegedly happened “at this time.”

Rondo, who is from Louisville and played collegiately at Kentucky, just wrapped up his 16th NBA season. The four-time All-Star and two-time NBA champion played 18 games for the Los Angeles Lakers before a January trade to the Cleveland Cavaliers. In 21 games for the Cavs, he averaged 6.2 points and 4.9 assists.

Information from ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne was used in this report.

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Walking down North Avenue with his bulky Home Depot purchases in tow, George Blakemore sparkled in a glistening metallic-toned ensemble he painted himself. “I think that we all are artists,” he said. “We all use our imagination and we all are creative. There was a Black gentleman that died called Mr. Imagination who would say everything begins with the mind. When you saw me and thought, ‘I would like to take a picture of this gentleman,’ it started from your mind. And so, even though you are a reporter for the Reader, that’s an art too because you are creating. 

“We all are artists because everything comes from the mind. And during the COVID-19 that was good therapy for me, and it would be good therapy for everybody to do something creative. Some people might sew, and might sing, and might dance, and all of that is using your imagination,” Blakemore said, always generously bringing his attention to the person he’s talking to. It is fair to say he interviewed me as much as I interviewed him on that bright Sunday afternoon earlier this spring. 

Activist and artist George Blakemore on North Avenue in Spring 2022. Credit: Isa Giallorenzo

“I paint Chinese umbrellas and I do canvas also. During my birthday party, they had a lot of my artwork there. A lot of people who came over made a purchase, and some of them gave me a little present,” says Blakemore, grateful for the 80th birthday party that the organization Ex-Cons for Community and Social Change (ECCSC) had just thrown for him. 

“I just thought it was wonderful that these young men and women were there to honor me. They are ex-offenders who are free now, and they’re doing good things in the Black community. I like to push positive things because there’s so much negativity that’s going on in our community. This is a grassroots organization whose founder, Tyrone Muhammad, stayed in the penitentiary for 21 years. Now he’s out trying to make positive contributions,” Blakemore explained.

An activist himself, Blakemore reminded me he’d been featured in the Chicago Reader 2015 People Issue, which presented him as “The Concerned Citizen.” That profile by Deanna Isaacs showcased Blakemore’s extensive history of attending meetings of local governing bodies and speaking his mind whenever he could. “The citizens have a responsibility and the elected officials have a responsibility. All of the above have dropped the baton,” he said in the article. 

A jaunty scarf and hat in a similar design complete the ensemble. Credit: Isa Giallorenzo

In his activism, Blakemore—a former civics teacher—fights for Black people to receive goods, services, contracts, and jobs in Chicago and Cook County. He considers those to be reparations that the Black community deserves. Having arrived in Chicago in 1970 at the end of the Great Migration, Blakemore said he has mixed feelings about the city he now calls home. “I’m working to make a better, more inclusive Chicago, where all people can benefit from living in this beautiful global city,” he said.

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Editor’s note: Chicago playwright, novelist, actor, director, and disability rights activist Susan Nussbaum died April 28 of pneumonia at 68. Playwright Mike Ervin, who collaborated with Nussbaum as cowriter on the comedy revue The Plucky and Spunky Show and whose 1999 play, The History of Bowling, was directed by Nussbaum, remembers his friend and mentor.

Everybody should read Susan Nussbaum’s novel Good Kings Bad Kings right now. Drop everything you’re reading or doing. 

Not only will it be one of the most satisfying reads you’ve had in a long time, but you’ll  understand why so many of us in the disability community are so broken up about her recent death.

When you read Susan’s book, you’ll hear clear and powerful voices telling the story of disabled teens in Chicago who have been dumped in a dead-end, state-operated segregated school for disabled youth. In the end, you’ll be sad that there is no more of this writing to come.

What comes through loud and clear in this book and all Susan’s writing about disability is her intense love for the disability community. But she wasn’t a touchy-feely, huggy person in the least. She expressed that love by undertaking projects that were exhilarating to those who participated in them. That project could be a street protest or a mutual support group for disabled girls or any number of other things.

I owe a debt to Susan for a lot of things, but mostly for getting me involved in the Chicago theater scene more than 30 years ago. My impact on Chicago theater may not have been monumental, but its impact has been monumental on me. I’ve met some of the finest, most admirable people I’ve ever known, and had some of the most fun, while doing my theater work.

Susan (and another guy whose name I don’t remember) wrote a disability-themed sketch comedy called Staring Back that was produced at Second City e.t.c. in 1983. Susan performed in it, too. I was jazzed up watching it. I’d never seen disability matters handled with such skewering humor! It was about time! That was the kind of stuff I wanted to write.

A few years later, Susan asked me if I wanted to write her next show with her. Of course I jumped at the chance. The result was another disability-themed sketch comedy called The Plucky and Spunky Show, which was produced at the good old Remains Theatre in 1990. The cast included Susan and another wheelchair user, a Deaf person, and a blind person.

I had never written for stage or been involved in theater in any way before then. Hell, I’d only seen a handful of plays. But I went on to write a play called The History of Bowling and it was produced at Victory Gardens Theater in 1999 and 2000. Susan was the director both times. After that, a play Susan wrote called No One as Nasty appeared at Victory Gardens and I helped with the production. These plays featured protagonists with disabilities. 

I’m real proud of all that. What I enjoyed most about being a theater collaborator with Susan was that our senses of humor were so in sync. We were both big fans of sarcasm, dark humor, and absurdity. Working on a show with her was exhilarating for me because it was a lot of laughs.

I have one more Susan story to tell. It doesn’t have anything to do with theater but it must be told.

Susan proudly called herself a socialist. She once told me that her dream partner who could satisfy her every need would be a “Marxist-Leninist wheelchair repairman.”

So of course Susan was one of the people who arranged for some disabled people from Chicago to travel to Havana to break bread with some disabled Cubans in 1988. Once again I was fortunate to be included in one of her projects. One day we Chicagoans were sitting outside in Cuba having lunch in perfect tropical weather. Susan began dictating a letter to another woman in our group, who was armed with a pen and writing pad.

Susan dictated, “Dear Esteemed Comandante.” The rest of us at the table ribbed her mightily for writing a letter to Fidel, telling him how enamored we are with his country and inviting him to visit us. What a hopelessly gringo thing to do, we all said. Good luck getting that letter to Fidel, and even if you do, fat chance he has time to meet with us. He’ll probably just laugh about what gringos we are.

A few days later, a stop on our itinerary was a rehabilitation hospital in Havana. As we spoke to the head doctor, our tour guide, Lilia, mentioned the letter. And the doctor said, “I’m a member of the Central Committee. I’ll see Fidel this afternoon. I’ll give him your letter.”

On the day we were to head back to the states, Lilia said, “I’m gonna miss you guys. Can we have a little party in the hotel lounge?”

So we all gathered in the hotel lounge and after a few minutes, in walked Fidel and his entourage, which included the rehab doctor. Fidel stuck around for two hours and talked with us about the Bible, public transportation, and a whole lot more. Earlier in the trip, Susan developed lung congestion and spent a couple days in a Havana hospital receiving respiratory therapy. Susan told Fidel about her hospital stay and mentioned that she received a bill for $250. Fidel apologized and said the only reason she received a bill at all was because she wasn’t a Cuban citizen. Susan assured Fidel that she wasn’t complaining about the bill. How much would two days in the hospital with respiratory therapy cost in the U.S.?

Shortly after Fidel left, the rehab doctor returned to the lounge and picked up the phone. He said to Susan, “I’m calling the hospital, Fidel said to cancel your bill.”

Can you see why so many people miss Susan so damn much?

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Several decades after the metamorphic transition from silent to sound, a 1981 article in the New York Times observed that “a live musician is rarely seen at a movie except as a member of the audience.” 

That’s not untrue with regards to one Dennis Scott, who can often be found sitting in the first few rows of the main room at the historic Music Box Theatre. But unlike other audience members, he’s enjoying the movie after playing in between showtimes on the majestic theater organ affixed to the left of the screen, a sonic behemoth that for many is now an essential fixture of the experience.

The aforementioned Times article was about the dearth of live silent film accompaniment, a tradition lost to its heyday but which has since enjoyed periods of revival in limited exhibition venues. Scott has been the Music Box Theatre’s house organist since 1992; in 2011 he started a monthly silent cinema series that continues to this day.

“It was the music,” he says of his deep affection for the pastime. “I always just loved the music, and I loved the sound of a theater organ.”

Scott is one of several musicians in and around Chicago for whom live silent film accompaniment is a regular gig. Another in this cadre is Dave Drazin, who accompanies on the piano and has done so at the Gene Siskel Film Center for nearly 40 years, a job he landed quite fortuitously. 

“They were showing something—I don’t know what—but I just walked in, and there was a piano on the side. I asked the house manager if it would be alright if I played the piano for the movie, and he said he would ask the director. He came back and said OK. So I just played, and then the director said, ‘We need a guy like you.’”

A longtime hot jazz aficionado who studied music in college, Drazin has often utilized his predilection for extemporization, improvising scores on the spot. Jay Warren, president and cofounder of the Silent Film Society of Chicago, takes another tack, the traditional photoplay organist instead referring to his accompaniment as a “compiled score.” 

Warren relies on themes for different parts of the film, a tactic imparted by his “unofficial mentor” Gaylord Carter, a renowned organist, film accompanist, and composer who is credited with having helped revive public interest in silent cinema, leading to its initial renaissance.

“One thing we [learned] is not to overplay the film,” says Warren. “You want to be the background. You want to embrace the film; we don’t want to be the star of the show. You should forget about us.”

For Scott, who for many years worked in advertising and PR and thus knows how to captivate an audience, authenticity is key. He prides both himself and the theater on maintaining high standards of exhibition that honor the nuances of silent cinema.

“In this part of the country, [we do] the most authentic presentation of silent films, because we can do 35-millimeter. We can also do variable-speed 35-millimeter, which very, very few places can do. If a film is shot at 20 frames per second, we can show it at that speed.”

He’s especially proud of the organ itself, which he and his husband spent three and a half years restoring. Soundwise it’s digital, with all the effects viewers would have heard back in the 1920s; the console, however, is from 1929, like the Music Box itself. 

Scott, Drazin, and Warren are the most prolific working accompanists in Chicago, whose names you expect to see connected with a silent film screening; however, they aren’t the only ones. 

For example, Chicago-based musician Maxx McGathey has recently composed and performed original live scores for Robert Wiene’s 1924 film The Hands of Orlac and Alfred Hitchcock’s The Lodger (1927).

A few weekends ago, internationally celebrated musicians Min Xiao-Fen and Rez Abbasi accompanied the 1934 Chinese silent feature The Goddess for an event copresented by the Silent Film Society of Chicago at the Reva and David Logan Center for the Arts.

Comfort Film, a program of Logan Square’s Comfort Station, offers a yearly Silent Film and Loud Music series. Past pairings include Wiene’s The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1920), with music from Kassi Cork, Vince McAley, and Anthony Forgrase; F.W. Murnau’s Faust (1926), with music performed by Mexican rock band Los Black Dogs; and ​​Oscar Micheaux’s 1920 film Within Our Gates, accompanied by Paul Giallorenzo and Ben LaMar Gay.

“[It’s] a way to expose our younger audience to these classic films.” says Comfort Film programmer Raul Benitez. The limitations are none; participants are given free rein both in selecting the film and devising their accompaniment. “Every screening is a surprise,” he says. “We even had a band edit a film.”

Keyboardist Kassi Cork doesn’t consider herself especially well versed in silent cinema, but she was nevertheless drawn to the prospect. “There is a history of music performance, primarily organ and piano, for silent film accompaniment that has always intrigued me as a pianist,” she says. “I grew up in a town that still had an organist play before movie showings, and there has always been something magical about that.”

Though new to it, Cork’s process in imagining an accompaniment is similar to that of seasoned practitioners. “While watching the film I create an outline of the overall plot, including mood and ideas it might give me.”

As far and wide as silent film accompaniment reaches in Chicago, spanning melodies from the silent era to music not yet even conceived during that time, there’s one thing these musicians have in common: the film is the thing, the guiding force behind what they do. 

“People ask me if I look at the screen,” remarks Scott. “I say, I always look at the screen, that’s more or less my sheet music.”

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