Sapphire and Crystals, Funeral Potatoes, and more

Sapphire and Crystals, the 36-year-old collective of African American women artists in Chicago, celebrates their legacy of exhibiting and supporting the work of women artists of African descent with “Forward,” an exhibition that closes on Fri 9/2 at the Bridgeport Art Center (1200 W. 35th St.). Since the collective’s first show at the South Side Community Art Center in 1987, Sapphire and Crystals has presented work addressing themes of race, gender, and history while providing a much needed space for their member artists to create and sustain their own networks. “Forward” features work by a long list of both artists newer to the collective and familiar names including Juarez Hawkins and Yaoundé Olu. The center is open 8 AM-6 PM Monday through Saturday, and Sundays from 8 AM-noon. (SCJ) 

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This week’s edition of Monday Night Foodball sees a return from the “great midwestern meal delivery duo Funeral Potatoes,” as Reader senior writer Mike Sula reminded us in his Foodball post last week. Funeral Potatoes prepared a menu inspired by some highlights of recent queer film and television, with recipes like a 40 Orange Cake (in homage to HBO’s Our Flag Means Death) and the Towanda, a plate of pulled pork, fried green tomatoes, and a honey cornbread muffin (inspired by Fried Green Tomatoes, natch). A limited amount of food might be available to order as you walk in, but get there early (MNF typically starts at 5 PM) because preordering started last week and, as Evelyn Couch (Kathy Bates’s character in Fried Green Tomatoes) might say, “Face it girls, I’m older and have more insurance. Because I preordered.” OK, maybe she wouldn’t say that. Judge for yourself tonight at the Kedzie Inn (4100 N. Kedzie). (SCJ)

Reader contributor Hannah Edgar told us last week about Chicago musician and composer Matt Ulery’s new album Become Giant, published this month on Ulery’s own label Woolgathering. Edgar writes of Ulery, “few bassists shape-shift as effortlessly and as often as Ulery . . . a sideman in so many projects that he sometimes seems omnipresent.” You can catch Ulery shape-shifting into a jazz form tonight, appropriately enough at the weekly Music & Magic event at Andersonville’s Chicago Magic Lounge (5050 N. Clark). Music & Magic features food and drink for purchase, tableside magicians, and a performance by a trio including Ulery (with musicians Jon Deitemyer and Ben Lewis). The show starts at 7 PM and tickets and information are available at Chicago Magic Lounge’s website. And if tonight isn’t enough for you, Ulery plays nearly every night this week somewhere in the city: check out his website for a full list of his gigs. (SCJ)

After a weekend of preview performances, tonight is the official opening night for Blank Theatre Company’s production of The Wild Party, Andrew Lippa’s 2000 musical based on the classic 1928 narrative jazz poem by Joseph Moncure March. (This is not to be confused with the 2000 musical version by Michael John LaChiusa of the same poem; see what public domain can do?) March’s tale of a Prohibition-era rent party that becomes grimmer as the night goes on is directed by Jason A. Fleece, marking the first professional local outing for Lippa’s musical since BoHo staged it in 2005. It’s running through 9/25 at the Reginald Vaughn Theatre (formerly known as the Frontier), 1106 W. Thorndale. Tonight’s performance starts at 7:30 PM. Tickets range between $10-30; information and reservations at blanktheatrecompany.org. (KR)

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