The late Christina Ramberg’s paintings, drawings, and quilts are showcased in a gorgeous and long-overdue retrospective at the Art Institute, on view until August 11. Rather than explore Ramberg’s trenchant themes of gender and the body, I’d like to focus on her personal archive, pieces of which are displayed here. As an artist who also […] The post For the late Christina Ramberg, collecting was part of her practice appeared first on Chicago Reader ..read more

In the first scene of Mothering the Movement, seven members of Free Street Theater’s youth ensemble riff on what mothers mean to them. On opening night, it was clear that some had their own mothers in the audience, giving special meaning to their tributes. It’s a touching, personal way to begin a play about Hazel […] The post <i>Mothering the Movement</i> connects past and future appeared first on Chicago Reader ..read more

It’s amazing that this play about old souls moves along at such a brisk pace.  Theatre Above the Law’s new production of Craig Lucas’s romantic comedy/drama Prelude to a Kiss is intentionally staged with no props or scenery. Director Tony Lawry’s notes say that’s to let the audience “dine on the sustenance inside this story.” […] The post <i>Prelude to a Kiss</i> highlights old souls in a fresh package appeared first on Chicago Reader ..read more

“Jerry, just remember, it’s not a lie, if you believe it.” Jason Alexander doesn’t repeat this famous George Costanza line from Seinfeld in Rob Ulin’s morality comedy, Judgment Day, now in a world premiere at Chicago Shakespeare Theater. But he may as well. So much else in this play (directed by Moritz von Stuelpnagel), which […] The post <i>Judgment Day</i> is amusing but slight appeared first on Chicago Reader ..read more

Chicago Danztheatre Ensemble and CIRCA-Pintig’s collaborative piece, Panther in the Sky, written by Lani T. Montreal and directed by Mignon McPherson Stewart, tackles difficult subject matter. Through its one-hour production, Panther grapples with gun violence, its victims, and the families (specifically the mothers) they leave behind, from the perspective of BIPOC moms and their sons. […] The post <i>Panther in the Sky</i> tackles gun violence appeared first on Chicago Reader ..read more

When photographer Lawrence Agyei saw the South Shore Drill Team for the first time over a decade ago, he was enamored by the entire group—but knew he wasn’t yet ready to capture their electrifying energy. It was early in his photography career and capturing the team and what it represents for Chicago would be a […] The post Lawrence Agyei pays homage with ‘DRILL’ appeared first on Chicago Reader ..read more

On May 10, CalicoLoco’s debut album, I Love Myself, finally makes its way from their downloads folder into the world. Over the past two months, these indie rockers have released three singles in anticipation of the album, dropping hints about the territory they’ll be covering—poppy emo grounded in heavy guitar tones.  Dani Robles and Zeke […] The post CalicoLoco finally sound as big as their shows on their debut album appeared first on Chicago Reader ..read more

Chicago mayor Brandon Johnson, in conjunction with a group of majority Black women alders, is calling for the creation of the Mayor’s Task Force on Missing Women. A resolution, filed with the City Council in late April, recognizes the disproportionate impact the issue of missing persons has had on Black women in Chicago. The resolution […] The post Chicago mayor, alders propose missing women task force as CPD continues to sideline families appeared first on Chicago Reader ..read more

Hamid Dehghani remembers when he took the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language). “After the exam, I just walked for miles,” the Iranian director says. “I felt so light, like I lost 20 pounds. I was so happy.”  English, now in a local premiere at the Goodman Theatre (in a coproduction with Minneapolis’s […] The post Goodman Theatre’s <i>English</i> reminds us that we’re more than our words appeared first on Chicago Reader ..read more

Few Chicagoans know that a living guitar legend is hidden away in the wilds of Skokie. Charlie Schmidt isn’t a blues firebrand or a metal shredder, but everyone who loves fingerstyle guitar should know his name.  Schmidt was a friend and sometime student of the late John Fahey, pioneer of the “American primitive” steel-string acoustic […] The post Charlie Schmidt keeps John Fahey’s flame burning appeared first on Chicago Reader ..read more