Festivals

Chicago Live – Navy Pier – September 21, 2024

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I heard that they moved the Sunday performances indoors because of the rain. I wished they had done that on Saturday because of the heat – 90 degrees and blazing sun less than 24 hours before the autumnal equinox. Don’t wait, buy your new winter getaway home in Chicago while they last.

Last year I saw a dozen different acts and planned to do much the same this time around. I wanted to see Black Ensemble Theater and Dee Alexander again and catch Second City, which I haven’t gone to in years, even though I can tell you, from personal experience, that comedy is hard and outdoor comedy in front of mobile audiences, near impossible.   

After enjoying the Porchlight Music Theatre presentation that highlighted their forthcoming 2024-25 season, I began my quest for shade, to reenergize, before my next selection. (Unlike Superman, I don’t get my strength from the sun, just my Vitamin D, and I’d already gotten my required dosage for the day, based upon the new portable body monitor I’m envisioning but haven’t yet invented.)  

Unfortunately, going inside the building that once upon a time (1945-1965) housed the University of Illinois Chicago campus (or as it was known at the time, no joke, Harvard on the rocks) brought no relief, as I was now subjected to overexposure, not to the sun, but rather to children, suburbanites and toxic aromas from fast food restaurants, more burden than anyone should have to bear. 

Same time next year.    

Printers Row Lit Fest – September 7, 2024

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I started with the Sisters in Crime, represented by four women mystery writers, including Sara Paretsky. As there had been when I saw her there in 2018, a minute mystery competition was promoted. But I was so bored after listening to the first writer read from her forthcoming book, that it was no mystery that I left after 10 minutes to wander around, thereby missing the contest.

At last year’s Lit Fest I recorded a 10-second sound bite for the Get Lit Podcast, As I still haven’t received my imaginary royalties from that appearance, I decided to forego treating them to further words of wisdom this year.

I came across a tent selling t-shirts with messages like “The book was better” and “I’ll stop when I finish this page, chapter, book.” Tempting, but no sale.

For all you Wordle addicts, I came across a book of Wordle limericks, written by a retired oncologist from Fresno (please note, not a single five-letter word in that sentence, or this one).

Deciding to actually listen to a speaker, I dropped in on Thomas Maier, who thoroughly engaged the audience with stories about his career in journalism; his book and later Showtime series Masters of Sex; the recently-released Paramount+ docuseries entitled Mafia Spies: The Inside Story of the CIA, Gangsters, JFK and Castro, based on his 2019 book of the same name; and his newest book, Montauk to Manhattan: An American Novel.

I forgive him for the self-important addition of “An American Novel,” as it was undoubtedly the publisher’s idea.

Raviv – Around Town – June 8, 2024

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I wanted to see the trio Raviv, for my my first time seeing electric cello players (two brothers, one in college and the other in high school, which hasn’t stood in the way of them getting bar gigs), at the Old Town Art Fair, but wasn’t sure I could get there in time, so I decided I’d see them later in the day instead at the Wells Street Art Fair, which is less crowded and closer.

But there was the expectation of rain in the afternoon (appropriately Raviv translates as rain or raindrops), so, despite running late, I rushed to see some of their set at the OTAF.

Of course, the weather then started clearing up, so I decided to double up and see what I had missed of them at the WSAF, where my hand stamp from the OTAF would do me no good whatsoever in terms of entry. I went home first and changed shoes so they wouldn’t recognize me and think I was some kind of stalker.

There was no cowbell, but there was loud drumming, which, though good, I would have turned the volume down on to better highlight the cellos. I’ve heard drums before.

The brothers played the cellos like electric guitars, if those had only four strings, and were planted on the ground and played upright, with bows, in a way that put Jimmy Page’s bowing with The Yardbirds to shame.

Grant Park Music Festival – 2024 Festival Season 
Highlights Presentation – February 22, 2024

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Even in winter, with the glass doors closed the Pritzker Pavilion stage at Millennium Park is warm and cozy. As is my wont, I hung out near the back, near the food, in a spot probably inhabited by a percussionist during a summer concert.

As to the hors d’oeuvres, who decided long ago that kabobs were the way to go at such events? They’re really not finger food. Eating off a stick just doesn’t measure up to eating off the bone. They don’t slide easily off the holder, perhaps because they’re usually too dry unless you dip them in some messier than tasty sauce, and you risk impaling the inside of your mouth with the sharp end. But the wine and cheese were good.

The program was better. Christopher Bell, Director of the Grant Park Chorus, walked around in a natty hat, looking a lot like a Truman Capote impressionist, and gave us a rare insight to a normally well-guarded secret, of which we were not sworn to secrecy, so here it is.

During last year’s Chicago Nascar event, Bell became aware of, and fascinated by the fact that, a driver of the same name was competing in the race. One thing led to another, and Nascar will be sponsoring this year’s 4th of July concert and Chicago’s Bell will be wearing (this part’s the usual non-reveal) a special Nascar racing suit with the number 1 on it (also with, I assume, some red, white and blue).

Two musicians from the orchestra performed beautifully, one on the double bass (sorry, I didn’t get her name) and new orchestra member  Josh Jones, who lit up the room playing  the marimba.

Carlos Kalmar spoke about his upcoming final season as the orchestra’s conductor, aided by some recorded selections from this year’s lineup, and one that was inserted accidentally, not that any of us would have noticed had he not pointed out the faux pas. He was very pleased to tell us that his final concert will include a Vienna children’s choir directed by his daughter.

After the bassist played a second short piece to close the program, and the audience rose to clap, I made my quick exit (first one to the coat rack!), walking past Kalmar, who was standing in the wings. I expressed my surprise that my departure had been greeted with such applause, which brought a smile to his face, so I guess we’re buddies now.

Airplane! Behind the Scenes of a Comedy Classic – Chicago Humanities Festival – October 21, 2023

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David Zucker was the only one of the three creative forces behind Airplane! to be there is person, his brother Jerry and Jim Abrahams appearing briefly via previously recorded segments. Zucker’s remembrances about the writing and making of the movie were interesting and funny.

I never knew that it was a parody of the 1957 drama Zero Hour! (including the exclamation point in the title). Apparently, though, the Zuckers and Abrahams were told that it was closer to plagiarism than parody and had to get permission from Paramount, the studio for the original, to proceed. Now I need to find Zero Hour! and watch it.

As for funny, the biggest laugh of the program was produced by a clip of Leslie Nielsen from the movie:

Striker: “Surely you can’t be serious.”
Rumack: “I am serious … and don’t call me Shirley.”

In 2005, the American Film Institute ranked this as 79th in all-time movie quotes. Given that one of the criteria was “Cultural impact: Movie quotations that viewers use in their own lives and situations; circulating through popular culture, they become part of the national lexicon” I would have rated it higher, around 50th on the impressive list.

Nowhere on the list, although shown to attendees, was Peter Graves saying “Joey, do you like movies about gladiators?” According to Zucker, Graves originally turned down the part and had to be convinced by his wife and daughter to do it, in part because he was leery about playing what seemed to him like a leering part on the page.

Keegan-Michael Key and Elle Key – Chicago Humanities Festival – October 5, 2023

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Before Keegan-Michael and Elle Key even stepped out on stage, we were reminded by a member of the host committee that there was still an actors strike going on, so the guests wouldn’t be able to discuss any of the TV shows or movies they had worked on.

This could have been deflating, but I looked upon it as an opportunity, given that the topic of the presentation related to their new book, The History of Sketch Comedy, and they had the chance, unfortunately not taken, to create a sketch right before our eyes wherein they portrayed two people dancing around mention of their work.

She did most of the talking at the event, and I believe, most of the writing in the book, which made me wonder whether Danny Kaye was mentioned in the book. Huh? In fact, there is the briefest of references to him as being in White Christmas. My connection is that Kaye’s wife, Sylvia Fine, wrote songs for him for at least five of his movies, the writing spouse behind the comic.

Upon request from his wife, Keegan did a mean impression of Tracy Morgan, but otherwise pretty much just sat back, smiled and enjoyed her storytelling. Clearly, the key to a happy marriage.

Chicago Live – Navy Pier – September 23-24, 2023

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Navy Pier, it’s not just for tourists. Well, maybe most of the time, but not at Chicago Live.

Important information I picked up.

From Theo Ubique Theatre – how they pronounce Ubique. Their presentation of Sondheim songs, including Not Getting Married Today, led me to watch again, online, the great rendition by Katie Finneran.

From the Filament Theatre two-person presentation of something (I don’t what, I was just passing by the stage when they caught my attention) that “It’s hard to balance on invisible legs.”

From the young lady at the Hot Tix booth with an acting degree who currently works as a carpenter at local theaters, that the Nacirema (Society), in the name of the current play at the Goodman, is American spelled backwards. Doh!

Also, it sounds like Hot Tix is considering a membership that would allow you to pick your seat, something I could get behind.

From the marvelous Lucy Darling, that she is going to be the emcee of the new Teatro ZinZanni show opening in October. Lucy did a standard empty bag trick, while insulting audience members in a way that would make Don Rickles proud. The contortionist, Ulzii Mergen, also appeared, being attractive, impressive and cringeworthy all at the same time.

Other stuff I saw.

Porchlight Music Theatre promoting its upcoming Cole Porter Festival, which, I am excited to say, will feature Meghan (Big Red) Murphy in the role of Reno Sweeney in Anything Goes. I have it on good information that playing this part has been on her bucket list. I liked Porchlight’s rendition of Now You Has Jazz better than Bing Crosby’s in High Society, though, I admit, having Louis Armstrong playing the trumpet did work in Crosby’s favor.

Lots of percussion – from third Coast Percussion and from a Chicago Philharmonic trio, whose sound was such that I kept waiting for dancers wearing big construction boots and carrying large trash cans to appear.

Dancers did appear for me at Culture Shock Chicago and Chicago Tap Theatre (as my readers know, you can never have enough tap).

Victor Garcia giving a master class on the use of the trumpet mute.

A DJ at a classic show tunes stage presenting a geographical music tour – I heard Kansas City (Oklahoma), Iowa Stubborn (Music Man), and Ohio (Wonderful Town).

Chronologically, the American Blues Theater’s road trip had me from the 50s opening Chuck Berry guitar riff of Johnny B. Goode (though sadly no duck-walking) and cemented my interest with the 60s CCR hit Down on the Corner (which was the song that sustained me while poring over the course catalog junior year of college looking for a new major). I’ll skip ahead to the 2000s to mention Taylor Swift’s Shake It Off because her appearance at the Bears game was apparently the biggest news in the NFL Sunday and thankfully overshadowed the high school team wearing their jerseys against Kansas City.

I love the Black Ensemble Theater but I have to say that I would have liked to hear the performance of Piece of My Heart emulate, not Janis Joplin, but rather the original Emma Franklin version.

Dee Alexander was new to me, but smooth as could be (with a great band behind her). I’ll watch for her in the future and be back at Chicago Live for more next year.

Printers Row Lit Fest – September 10, 2023

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Among other things, Jena Friedman has been a field producer at The Daily Show and written for Late Show with David Letterman. She was at the Fest promoting her book, Not Funny: Essays on Life, Comedy, Culture, Et Cetera.

She actually is funny, but the most interesting thing she had to say about her book was that you can find a couple publications on Amazon that appear to want to steal her thunder, including Jena Friedman: The Biography of Jena Friedman and Her Rule to Success, which was written by someone (something) named Justice Wall, who supposedly has written 107 biographies, all published in 2023, sold by Amazon Asia-Pacific Holdings Private Limited. According to Bloomberg.com, that company’s line of business includes providing computer programming services, which provides some insight into how it can be so prolific.

When it was suggested to Friedman that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, she countered that, in fact, payment is the sincerest form of flattery, and so the writers are on strike over, among other things, the threat posed by artificial intelligence.

From a discussion of AI’s potential for taking bread from writers’ mouths, I went to a program on Taking a Bite Out of the Heartland, with Monica Eng and David Hammond, (Made in Chicago: Stories Behind 30 Great Hometown Bites) and Big Jones Chef Paul Fehribach (Midwestern Food: A Chef’s Guide to the Surprising History of a Great American Cuisine, with More than 100 Tasty Recipes).

They discussed pizza, ribs, and tamales, but most importantly, when questioned about hot dogs, the chef voted for Super Dawg (also my pick).

On my way out I paid my annual visit to the popular Vintage Graphic Art vendor and did a 10-second sound bite for this week’s Get Lit Podcast, my first radio appearance in years.

World Dumpling Fest – Logan Square Park – September 9, 2023

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Except in passing on my way somewhere else, I haven’t been to Logan Square in almost 50 years, at which time I was coaching a church league basketball team of high school freshman in a game at the local boys club (which I believe has since been torn down and replaced by an apartment building), my primary responsibilities being to drive the players to the game in the church van (without getting into an accident), buy them something to eat at Jack in the Box after the game (win or lose), and hold onto my star player’s switchblade during the game (to avoid any accidents).

So it was not just the lure of eight different food vendors, representing as many different cultures, that lured me to the neighborhood, but also the appeal of walking around without a deadly weapon in my pocket. If anything was going to kill me, it would be deep fried dumplings.

As it turned out, I didn’t need to worry about that either. By the time I got to the fest, a little over an hour after it opened, they were already sold out of food tickets, which was just as well, as each booth had a very long line of people waiting to gorge themselves, and, as we know, I don’t do lines.

But the trip wasn’t a total loss. A couple blocks away I happened across the Chicago Citywide Classic Car Club (or so their t-shirts read) hanging out by dozens of unique, shiny vehicles, which they probably wouldn’t have wanted me to approach with a leaky dumpling in hand.

Chicago Jazz Festival – Millennium Park – September 3, 2023

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In some year before I started writing this blog I saw Petra’s Recession Seven somewhere, I think. And I’ve seen clips of them on YouTube, I think. I liked their music, I think.

Probably good enough, when combined with their promotion as performing traditional jazz and swing from the 20s, 30s and 40s, for me to brave the heat and potential crowds to go see them. And then, surprise, I read that bandleader and singer Petra van Nuis is married to guitarist Andy Brown, whom I have enjoyed and written very favorably about on several occasions, I know.

So, it was off to the Von Freeman Pavilion for an hour of smooth nostalgia, with a seat in the shade, including songs from Louis Armstrong, Fats Waller, Billie Holiday and Cole Porter and appropriately finishing with King Oliver’s Doctor Jazz, a song I fondly remember hearing the Ezra Quantine Ragtime Memorial Band play many times in local clubs in the 1970s, I think.