November brings the start of Chicago’s holiday season, from the Magnificent Mile Lights Festival to the Goodman Theatre’s annual A Christmas Carol. Stevie Wonder and Yo-Yo Ma lead a strong month for music, Neil deGrasse Tyson and Ina Garten take the stage for talks, and holiday light displays open across the city and suburbs. Tag us […]
Writers Theatre (WT), a Make It Better Foundation 2026 Philanthropy Award winner, brought together more than 15 faith, cultural, and educational organizations through The Stoppard Series, an initiative inspired by its largest production to date: Tom Stoppard’s award-winning drama, Leopoldstadt, directed by Carey Perloff. The production centers on Jewish identity, family history, and belonging, themes […]
You pick up your phone to check one thing — perhaps the weather, a text message, or the score of a game. A few minutes later, you have read three election headlines, watched a clip from a debate, skimmed dozens of comments, and somehow learned that democracy, the economy, your health care, and the future […]
David Byrne has worn some memorable suits onstage, most famously the oversized gray suit in Talking Heads’ concert film Stop Making Sense. But at Chicago’s Athenaeum Center for Thought and Culture on Oct. 15, there was no giant suit, no band, and no choreography. In a simple blue suit and turtleneck, speaking to a packed house […]
Growing up as an Irish dancer in Denver, Chelsea Hoy was attracted to the form’s rhythms and movement. From a young age, Hoy found an unparalleled power and safety in the precision and control that the art of Irish dance requires. When Hoy was nine years old, her aunt drove her and her sister up […]
Imagine being a parent who does not believe they have the capacity to help their kindergartener learn to read. Or a second-grade teacher who wishes she could motivate a family to surface from chronic absenteeism. Or the librarian of a local library stocked with new resources for emerging readers, but whose community is unaware of […]
October brings some of the year’s biggest events to Chicago, from the Chicago Marathon and Chicago International Film Festival to the opening of Northwestern’s new Ryan Field. Eric Idle, Gorillaz, the Smashing Pumpkins, David Byrne, and Robert Plant are among the major names on a packed arts and culture calendar. And with glowing jack-o’-lanterns, haunted […]
The 62nd Chicago International Film Festival returns Oct. 14–25 with more than 150 films from around the world, including four world premieres, 15 North American premieres, and 21 U.S. premieres. Some of the biggest draws come with the chance to hear directly from the artists behind them. Director and star Jordan Firstman will open the […]
The welcome at Ballet Chicago‘s sensory-friendly performance of The Nutcracker begins before the curtain rises. A visual schedule helps families know what to expect. House lights remain partially illuminated, Tchaikovsky’s score is played at a lower volume, a quiet room is available for those who need it, and audience members are free to move around […]
When the lights came up after a collection of short documentaries about immigration enforcement in Chicago, the audience did more than applaud. Viewers contributed $4,000 to a legal-support fund and stayed to speak with filmmakers, attorneys, and community advocates working directly with affected families. The event was part of Speak Truth, a new initiative within […]
