The day after Thanksgiving is touted as the biggest shopping day of the year, but skip the mobs at the department stores this year. Instead, head to the National Museum of Mexican Art in Pilsen for a new take on holiday shopping. This Friday through Sunday, from 10am-5pm, visitors will have the chance to peruse shelves of authentic Mexican folk art, a perfect opportunity to find home decorations and gifts for family members and friends.

Mercado Navideño, translated as “Christmas market,” harkens to the street markets found in Germany and Austria in celebration of the holiday. While it will be held inside the museum’s confines rather than the thoroughfares of Pilsen, it nonetheless promises the same variety found in any Christkindlmarkt. Past Mercados Navideños have showcased colorful weavings and fabrics, delicately painted figurines, sturdy pieces of pottery, intricate carvings, gorgeous jewelry, and books on Mexican food and culture. This year promises a unique collection of goods crafted by regional artists in Mexico, guaranteeing a collection of offerings that will make an impression to gift buyers and recipients alike.

Entry to the museum and the market is free, and as an added bonus, members of the museum can receive 30% off on all purchases on Friday between 10am-12pm and 25% off on the other days and times. Even if holiday shopping is not high on your to-do list right now, a quick visit will still leave you with an inside look at a rich and diverse collection of crafts and wares. Plus, those still hungry for more Mexican art can stop by the museum and take a stroll through the museum’s current exhibition, especially Claro y Oscuro featuring Chicago artist Elsa Muñoz and closing the same day that the market opens.

In one visit, you can get a helping of beautiful things, burn some calories, avoid the crazy mobs, and find the gifts that will make your gift recipients the envy of every holiday party. What better way to start of the holiday shopping season and digest your Thanksgiving meal than to dive into Mercado Navideño?

National Museum of Mexican Art, 1852 W. 19th St. (312)738-1503. Free. nationalmuseumofmexicanart.org

Courtesy of University Theatre

It has suddenly become winter- there are no leaves left on any of the trees because the cold winds blew them off one day last week, when Chicago’s weather just decided to give up and slide into frigidity. But not to worry—there’s still some time to catch the end of the autumn theatre season here on the South Side. I’m going to get out and see University Theater’s “The Homecoming” this Saturday, as many of you should.

Harold Pinter is absolutely one of the greatest of modern playwrights, and “The Homecoming” is perhaps his greatest work—therefore, it is well worth seeing. The story focuses on a family: one of the sons brings home a wife, much to the jealous rage of his brothers and father, who immediately plot his downfall…and perhaps the seduction of his bride. Strange! Yes. But full of dramatic possibility. This production is directed by Will Bishop, who directed the successful “Red Light Winter” last winter quarter with UT. We can only hope that he keeps a similarly poignant and surprising style with “The Homecoming”.

Courtesy of University Theatre

This production will be top-notch. The set looks pretty fantastic, the cast is talented. Tickets are only $6. You read that absolutely right, SIX DOLLARS! You can reserve them online by clicking on the link below in The Log.

There’s not much time left before winter strikes! Due to the holidays beginning, Thanksgiving being next Thursday already, I won’t be posting a blog. Enjoy your holiday and look for the next post coming the week of the 28^th of November.

-Eric Shoemaker

Because many shows are closing and the winter season is beginning, The Log has been updated to include shows for early next year- look forward to those while catching the final performances of shows this year!

The Log…

The Homecoming @ UT: Nov17-19

Henry V @ UT: Nov 30- Dec 3

The Violet Hour @ UT: Dec 1-3

Coriolanus @ CES: Dec 1-4

An Iliad @ Court Theatre: Nov10-Dec11

Broke-ology @ eta Creative Arts: Nov3-Dec18

It’s a Wonderful Life: The Radio Play @ Beverly Arts Center: Dec 2-4, 9-11

A Grand Night for Singing @ JPAC: Jan 13-38

Downward Facing @ Dream Theatre: Jan27-Feb20

Bittersweet Love: Two One-Act Plays- Glory in the Flower & The Strains of Triumph @ Hyde Park Players: Feb 10-12

As another day begins I’m proud to say I’ve survived until 8^th week as a UChicago student. My brain, although fatigued, is mostly still ready to fight but I’m really not sure if my stomach can take it. That’s why I’m passing on dining hall food this Thursday and heading over to Cedar’s Mediterranean Kitchen for an event that will allow me to revive my stomach until I get to gobble down turkey on Thanksgiving and help out some genuinely needy people in the process.

This Thursday, November 17, Cedar’s Mediterranean Kitchen, located at 53^rd & Woodlawn, will donate 15% of their proceeds from customers with a special flyer to help fight homelessness in a nearby south side Chicago neighborhood.  The event is part of the Student Public Interest Research Groups’ campaign to raise awareness and fight the problems of hunger and homelessness and even falls during National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week which runs from November 12-20, 2011. This money that is raised during this event will be donated to the Maria Shelter, which functions as both a homeless shelter and domestic violence center in Englewood. The Maria Shelter provides safe and secure housing and food for women and their children, as well medical and psychological treatment, counseling, and educational opportunities for both mom and her kids.

Remember, to have 15% of your bill benefit the Maria Shelter you must have a flyer. You can either print out a copy of the flyer here or they will be available at the Hunger and Homelessness Awareness table in the Reynolds club Monday and Tuesday afternoon from 1:45 – 4:00pm. At the table you can make a monetary donation if you wish (no pressure) directly towards the Maria Shelter and learn more about hunger and homelessness in the Chicago area.

I’m definitely passing on breakfast burritos, greasy pizza, and questionable soup, but even if you’re sitting down to a nice home cooked meal I hope I’ll see you at the event.

For more information about the Maria Shelter: http://www.instituteofwomentoday.org/iwtPrograms.php

Courtesy of Gordito1869/Wikimedia Commons

Three days ago in our very own Chicago, a grand event took place. One that had been widely publicized, even garnering an event page on the prestigious Facebook. What am I talking about? Did Obama come to Hyde Park? Not exactly. I’m referring to Una Noche de Paella, at which Mexican Consul Eduardo Arnal Palomero indeed played chef for the day at the National Museum of Mexican Art (NMMA), cooking up some of his delicious paella.

Let’s first get down to the facts. A rice dish (in simplest terms), paella is traditional to the Valencia region of Spain, and generally contains vegetables, seasonings, seafood, meat, beans…and obviously rice. It is famous for being cooked in a large, round, shallow pan—an all-too important fact since the dish got its name from the Latin term patella meaning pan, although many Arabic-speaking nations take the credit, citing their own بقية (baqiyya), meaning leftovers (which they would essentially mix together in a Moorish dish similar to the paella), as paella’s real etymological ancestor.

To my own knowledge, Palomero has not won any prizes in paella-making. The official Guinness World Record holder for the world’s largest paella is still Juan Galbis, who made a dish that fed roughly 100,000 people back in 1992 (picture above). Galbis then broke his own record in 2001, that time feeding 110,000 people. It should be noted that this accomplishment was entirely self-proclaimed by Galbis on his website and not supervised by any Guinness specialists. Maybe Palomero was trying to bring the paella back to the global spotlight, perhaps even claim Galbis’ unrivaled title? It would make sense, seeing as the paella has lost its competitive charm over the years. It is commonly considered merely a delicious main course dish without any competitive appeal. Even hot dogs have a better competitive reputation than paella!

With NMMA’s emphasis on Palomero’s “delicious” paella, they could have also been trying to put out the message that not only can paella last as a competitive art, but it can also prosper in the sphere of subjective competitions, up there with Iron Chef and the UK’s National Chili Awards’ Amateur Sauce Contest. Or “delicious” paella, rather than “average” paella or just “paella,” was a better business move to get more people to attend. Who wants to pay $125 for “average” paella? You better be getting something “delicious”! Since the NMMA is “a first voice institution for the Mexican community,” perhaps this event was Mexico’s way of challenging Spain in claiming the better tasting dish. But Palomero simply could have wanted to spend some quality time with and befriend Chicago residents. As the saying has it, the way to someone’s mind is through their belly.

Uh-oh! Looks like Palomero has some competition, as professional chef Ayo makes what Top Chef host Padma Lakshmi calls “the best paella”:

I would have done some hardcore investigative journalism on this story, but how awkward would it have been to call the NMMA and say: “Hello. I would like to inquire as to why Mr. Eduardo Arnal Palomero has been invited to cook me and my friends his ‘delicious’ paella? What exactly are his qualifications to act as chef? And what makes his paella so ‘delicious’?” So I’ll leave it a mystery—plus, who doesn’t love a good mystery? Why was the Mexican Consul brought to cook his special paella? Was it simply an act of altruism?  Were there other intentions?  I guess we’ll never really know.

Courtesy of the Court Theatre

Court Theatre’s “An Iliad” opened this week- Thursday, precisely! Court states, “Directed by Artistic Director Charles Newell, An Iliad illuminates an ancient classic by taking a harrowing look at the human cost of war.” Of course, we all know the story of Homer’s Iliad, but have we ever heard it from the perspective of Homer? No! And have we ever seen any one person try to take on the retelling of the entire epic by himself? No! And have we ever witnessed the double-Jeff-Award-winning-talents of Charlie Newell wrassle with Homer’s classic poetry? Well, I haven’t. It’s been a while since Court put on a classical work- since “Thyestes” in ’07-’08. In my opinion, it will be a treat to see the classical retake Court’s stage.

Here’s an Interesting Video on the design behind “An Iliad”: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MzyhJ7tL3pw&feature=player_embedded

In related news, UChicago’s Classical Entertainment Society (who will soon be putting up Shakespeare’s “Coriolanus”) is sponsoring a Homerathon of the Iliad! This means that, for a full 24 hour period, the Iliad will be read aloud on Court’s stage, in celebration of the opening of the play. Various players, from Classics professors to University Theater students to walk-ins (yes, people who walk in can participate) will have the opportunity to read from the perennially entertaining work. Sounds cool, eh?

Equally cool are two plays closing this week, Jedlicka’s “Wait Until Dark” and Filament’s “From the Circle”. From here until December, the darkness will get longer and the number of productions will flux- so get out and see one.

-Eric

The Log:

Wait Until Dark @ Jedlicka Performing Arts Center: Oct28-Nov12

From the Circle @ Filament Theater: Sept 30-Nov 13

An Iliad @ Court Theatre: Nov10-Dec11

Broke-ology @ eta Creative Arts: Nov3-Dec18

The Homecoming @ UT: Nov 17-19

Courtesy of mlk.uchicago.edu

Some may think the beginning of November is too soon to start thinking about the upcoming holidays in December, let alone Martin Luther King Day, a whole two months away. UChicago begs to differ. In anticipation of the MLK Day Celebration, scheduled to be held at Rockefeller Chapel on January 12 (for those early planners out there), the University has created the Dream Wall

Last Monday, the Dream Wall made its first appearance on the Quad. Resembling a moveable chalkboard, it attracted plenty of visitors of all ages. After a few hours, the board was covered with Post-Its with handwritten sentiments. From now until December 7th, the Dream Wall will appear in various locations and offer the opportunity for anyone who is passing by to share an aspiration (or ten), from the goals and hopes for yourself or the world at large. As the Dream Wall makes its rounds, the accumulated notes will be collected and eventually displayed at the MLK Day Celebration.

Those who miss the Dream Wall on campus can still participate by submitting their dreams online through Twitter (#MLKDream) or on dream.uchicago.edu. If sending dreams via the internet is not quite your style, submissions will also be accepted by mail. All contributions sent in by December 23rd will be included in what will sure to be an exceptional display.

For more information about the Dream Wall and submissions, see http://mlk.uchicago.edu/page/voice-your-dream

Courtesy of America: Now and Here

The truck parked outside of the Smart Museum yesterday was not there to make a delivery – at least, not the kind of delivery one would expect.

“LOOK FOR THE MOMENT WHEN PRIDE BECOMES CONTEMPT,” and a quote attributed to H.G. Wells, “HUMAN HISTORY BECOMES MORE AND MORE A RACE BETWEEN EDUCATION AND CATASTROPHE,” read some of the statements printed along the length of the truck. The large, capitalized block letters boldly demanded the attention of the passerby.

The tractor-trailer is part of the touring art installation “America: Now and Here,” led by artist Eric Fischl. The culmination of this project is planned for fall 2012, when a convoy of six 18-wheelers will journey cross-country. The trucks will stop in eight yet-to-be-determined regions, linking together in each location to serve as a gallery and event space. Along with this mobile museum of art, the installation will include programs to involve the public in a mission of creating dialogue about America.

The current Chicago installment, featuring the tractor-trailer whose exterior was designed by artist Barbara Kruger, is a precursor to the 2012 road trip. The truck has been traveling through the city since November 4^th, and is spending its last day here today at the Hyde Park Art Center, on view from 8am till 9 pm.

The unadorned design of the text on the Kruger truck lets the statements themselves be the viewer’s focus. The back of the truck reads, “PLEASE KEEP YOUR DISTANCE;” while reminiscent of the standard safety warning on the back of trucks, it clearly invited further implications and interpretations. True to the installment’s mission, these statements provoke the viewer to think critically about what they mean in the context of America’s current state.

The truck delivers not commercial goods, but an innovative artistic vision coupled with a challenge to engage in discussions about the world in which we live.

For more information on America: Now and Here, visit www.americanowandhere.org

Courtesy of the Chicago Arts District

It’s Friday! Friday! Gotta get down on Friday. I realize I’ve just committed a cardinal sin of blogging because I’ve probably just alienated all of my readers by starting a post with Rebecca Black lyrics, but for those of you who are still reading this, hear me out. Miss Black may have made some mistakes in her time (namely deciding to make music) but we should all take her nasally words of wisdom to heart—when this Friday rolls around everyone should be partyin’, partyin’.

This weekend, the Chicago Arts District Neighborhood (previously named Pilsen East) will once again host its monthly 2nd Fridays Gallery Night. As the name suggests, on the 2^nd Friday of every month galleries and receptions open their doors to display unique artwork of all mediums, including paintings, sculptures, live performances, poetry and short story readings, and more. The event spreads across 30 locations around the Halsted and 18^th Street area and showcases the work of artists from Chicago neighborhoods and beyond. Plus entrance to all of the galleries, receptions, and performances is completely free.

The 2^nd Friday Gallery Night for November will be held this Friday the 11^th from 6-10pm. If you do find the time to visit the event you’ll have the opportunity to explore an array of studios including Mambo Marilyn’s, which features Haitian Art in the form of Vodu altars and beaded work; The Bad Grammar Theater Chicago where authors will read published work every half hour; and a gallery featuring the work of Brian Manci. Not only will this night highlight very unique and interesting artwork but there’s also a chance you could meet and talk with creators of some of your favorite pieces as many of the artists attend the event and remain in their galleries for the night.

Upon arriving in the neighborhood this weekend, make sure to stop at 1821 S. Halsted Street to pick up a map to help you find your way around the area and from one gallery to the next. Also if you’re looking for more information about the event and the other artists featured that night visit the Chicago Arts District website at http://www.chicagoartsdistrict.org.

Courtesy of UCDancers

With the UCDancers’ annual Winter Show audition tonight from 7:00-9:00pm at the Bartlet Arts Rehearsal Space (BARS), I thought I would shed some light on the UofC’s oldest dance organization.

Unlike many dance groups on campus, UCDancers focuses on contemporary and modern technique while emphasizing student choreography and improvisation. Approximately three times a week, the student organization holds free jazz/modern classes for all levels of experience. In the beginning of the fall quarter, interested students can sign up as prospective choreographers, which gives them the chance to teach one of the group’s weekly classes and possibly choreograph a routine for the Winter Show—the culmination of each and every dancer’s hard work. The event this year, titled Wanderlust, will be held March 2-4, 2012 at BARS and will feature student choreography and one professionally-choreographed piece.  But no worries—all dancers don’t have to be in the show. They can just easily take the weekly classes for some fun exercise if they don’t want too much commitment.

The always-handy YouTube provides some UCDancers back in 2009 practicing for their show:

Video courtesy of jesshester88 on YouTube

To keep up to date with UCDancers read their blog at http://ucdancers.blogspot.com/ and keep your ears open for more info on the Winter Show.

On Friday, November 4^th, Trinity United Church of Christ will be hosting a free screening of the documentary “Hip Hop Rev,” sponsored by the 20 Something Ministy and the Trinity Justice Watch Team.

“Hip Hop Rev” (official trailer below) focuses on Lennox Yearwood Jr., a Louisiana-born civil rights and environmental activist, the founder of the human rights organization Hip Hop Caucus, and a Christian minister. It follows the reverend to his birthplace, specifically to post-Hurricane Katrina New Orleans, the birthplace of Hip Hop Caucus. The documentary shows a year in Yearwood’s life, during which he also embarked on a national Clean Energy Bus Tour under the Alliance for Climate Protection, the brainchild of former Vice President Al Gore. Yearwood has earned his respect among circles of both politicians and activists for his persistent determination and for choosing to work amongst the people instead of from within a church.

Video courtesy of HipHopCaucus on YouTube

The hour-long film was commissioned by Discovery Network’s Planet Green channel, a platform that focuses on the progress in the sustainability movement.

After the screening there will be a period of bible study and a social justice panel featuring the night’s sponsors. They plan to discuss the prison industrial complex and economic justice, among other issues.

Fellowship Hall, Trinity United Church of Christ, 400 W. 95th St. November 4. Friday, 7pm. (773)962-5650

Although mention of refugees may conjure images of foreign conflicts and far-away lands, an upcoming charity dinner aims to bring the issues to the forefront of minds here in Chicago.

Partnership for the Advancement of Refugee Rights, an UChicago student organization, is hosting the November 19^th event. The Eat So They Can charity dinner aims to raise community awareness of refugee issues in Chicago and worldwide, with all proceeds going to local nonprofits.

The two beneficiary nonprofits, RefugeeOne and Heartland Alliance, will use the funds to provide food vouchers or direct meals to refugee families in Chicago in need of assistance. RefugeeOne is a refugee resettlement agency that provides assistance in areas ranging from finding housing to obtaining medical care to approximately 2,500 people a year. Heartland Alliance is a human rights organization with a wider scope, though it likewise provides crucial services to refugees in the Chicago area.

The event will include a buffet of multi-ethnic food, and PARR hopes to welcome a speaker from each of the nonprofits to give more information on the refugee issues in which they are involved in Chicago. PARR will also be sharing information on refugee situations worldwide.

The event is co-sponsored by a number of other RSO’s, including SJP, UCIRR, the Human Rights Program, ACLUofC, and UCDems. Tickets will be on sale for $5 in advance in Reynolds Club from November 14^th-18^th, or may be purchased at the door for $6. Eat So They Can will take place Saturday, November 19^th from 6:30pm to 8:30pm in the Library and Library Lounge of Ida Noyes.

Mehves Konuk

Last year, we published a feature story about the lack of a trauma center on the South Side. Here’s an update on that issue.

Today (October 31) at 3:30pm, members of Fearless Leading by the Youth and Students for Health Equity will lead a march from 61st Street and Cottage Grove Avenue, the site of youth activist Damian Turner’s August 14, 2010 fatal shooting, to the Quad, as part of an ongoing effort to establish a South Side trauma center at the U of C Medical Center.

The event closely follows a teach-in hosted on October 20 by the two groups (along with South Side Solidarity Network), intended to educate the public about the “feasibility and necessity” of a UCMC trauma center. Turner’s memory was close at hand through the discussion, where several panel members spoke to his case directly, and his sister sat on the panel as a community representative. Much of the information was geared towards those less acquainted with the bureaucratic situation, as it has stood more-or-less unchanged for many months.

But one panelist, Dr. Marie Crandall of Northwestern, had some new information to share which has changed the timbre of the trauma center debate. Crandall shared with the audience the results of a forthcoming study she conducted which focused specifically on trauma facilities which receive a ‘high’ volume (> 40% of total cases) of gun- and knife-wound victims–a similar proportion of total trauma to what the South Side generates. Statistical analysis of this suggests that the link between geographic distance from trauma care and survival is not only intuitive in these cases but is likely actual; in her opinion, the sooner a facility is reached, the better. The state of Illinois currently requires trauma patients to be less than 30 minutes from a level 1 (i.e. 24-hour, surgery-ready) trauma center, but this law fails to take clinical differences within the designation of “traumatic injury” into account. Dr. Crandall concluded that a trauma center at UCMC, although it would incur about 15 million dollars in annual net losses, would save, on average, 7 lives a year.

With such a stark articulation, how UCMC chooses to proceed will be a judgement between the lives of seven South Side residents and a fifteen million dollar annual institutional loss. What is really at stake has now been made clear, but Dr. Crandall knows this information won’t bring any solutions on its own: “Is it worth it? I don’t know. I think that’s a philosophical question more than anything.”

Courtesy of Hyde Park Union Church

When my alarm clock went off yesterday at 7:45am, I started to rethink my plans for the day. My eyelids refused to open, my body ached, my pillows were invitingly fluffy, my plush blanket perfectly warmed me. Why in the world should I leave this temporary heaven? Maybe I could send the organizer an email saying that I “woke up with a sudden flu and can’t make it.” But then again, that would mean I’d have to get up and turn on my laptop, defeating the purpose of not waking up.

At this point about five minutes had elapsed. I dragged myself out of bed and by 9:00am, I was standing outside the Reynolds Club with four very-fatigued UChicago Quest Scholars. The five of us embarked on our approximately three-block journey to the Hyde Park Union Church on 56^th Street and Woodlawn Avenue, where the weekly food pantry takes place. This event precisely is why we willingly chose to wake up so early on a Saturday morning. Of course at the time it sounded like a great idea.

Our quintet was assigned to package bags, unpack boxes, help people outside with their bags, and handle paperwork. For the next three hours, I put four cans of chicken noodle soup into each of what seemed like 300 paper bags. As I was opening the plastic of the soup containers, I couldn’t help but be saddened thinking that these tiny soup cans were what some people survived on for weeks at a time. Of course the bags contained an assortment: spaghetti sauce, vegetables, pasta, fruits, peanut butter, macaroni and cheese, and saltine crackers. Yet still, I couldn’t fathom a three-member family living on twelve cans of soup for a week, in which normally 21 meals are consumed. This is not to say that the food pantry wasn’t doing a good job—that couldn’t be farther from the truth. Sadly, this is the reality of all food pantries across the world. But the Hyde Park Food Pantry promises: “We will not run out of food, and we will never turn a person away. That’s what a safety net is.”

The Hyde Park Union Church Community Food Pantry, along with the Open Kitchen (a soup kitchen) and the Health Clinic, is part of a service initiative called the Hyde Park & Kenwood Hunger Programs, started in 1981 to help local residents in need. 2007 marked the first year the Hyde Park Union Church participated as administrator of the Hunger Programs, after a few years of economic inefficiency. The food pantry receives monthly donations from food distributors around Chicago and is essentially run by volunteers from the neighborhood. One day a month, a soup kitchen is set up at one of various churches to serve a free hot meal. Four weekly meals are prepared by local volunteers. The Health Clinic allows for residents to see a publicly-funded nurse practitioner every Monday and volunteer nurses every Friday, for discounted appointments. Although these programs are run by churches, the work is nonsectarian.

By 1:30pm, I was exhausted from endlessly carrying heavy bags up stairs. At the same time, I felt accomplished. Seeing people thank me whole-heartedly for giving them food was enough to get my tear ducts working.

To volunteer with the Hyde Park & Kenwood Hunger Programs, visit the following website: http://www.hpuc.org/Other/Hunger%20Programs.html

Do you love stand-up comedy? Do you tell jokes in the mirror while your roommate is gone? Do you just like laughing over a cup of coffee? If you answered yes to any of these questions, then don’t miss The Coffee Shop Comedy Show. ORCSA is hosting the event for all of the burgeoning comedians on the UChicago campus, as well as anyone who wants to stop by for a laugh.

In the past, ORCSA has hosted comedy nights headlining professional talent, but this time the spotlight’s open for the taking. There’s no experience necessary, so if you’ve been secretly dreaming about landing a spot on Comedy Central one day, now’s the time to start practicing your routine in front of someone other than a showerhead.

The event will be held in open mic format at Hallowed Grounds Coffee Shop on the second floor of Reynolds Club, so it will be super casual. And if you’re still nervous, you can always relax afterwards with a nice cup of coffee. The show will be on Tuesday, November 1st at 7pm, and it is definitely not one to be missed!

Hallowed Grounds, Reynolds Club, 5706 S. University Ave. For more information, e-mail suzannawsso@uchicago.edu

One week from Monday night, every self-respecting haunt in America (and beyond) will emerge from their rotten tombs to feast upon the living- or to feast upon the delicious morsels that the living so kindly give out at their doors. Yes, it is almost one week from Halloween, my friends, and this reporter is ready. An example of my readiness:

Eric Shoemaker

Angela, the happily wedded corpse bride that dangles above my writing desk. No pallid bust of Pallas for me, my friends; I go all out.

In light of the festivities and to prepare myself for the perfect holiday that is All Hallow’s Eve, this week’s writing features the second installment in this blog’s spooky series: The Hyde Park Players present An Evening of Classic Horror and Suspense!

To mention: first of all, that the existence of the Hyde Park Players is, in the first place, a most glorious occasion worthy of recognizing. The itty-bitty troop in their wee storefront theater over at 6100 Blackstone Avenue is truly the rip-rap band of dramophiles it should be- mostly men and women over the age of thirty, but still, ripe in the mind and voice, able to easily portray several distinct and typed characters. A round of applause for the Players.

Their performance tonight was enjoyable, if a bit long- running around two and a half hours. BUT do not let this dissuade you, lovers of the macabre- if you enjoy listening, let me emphasize that again, listening to radio show style stories, this is the show for you. It is truly an exercise in using one’s ears. I recommend going and closing your eyes for a bit; you get a different experience.

It is rather fun to watch this enthusiastic group of theater geeks fully invest in what they are saying, and it is equally fun to hear from some of the great storytellers of all time- Ray Bradbury, Guy de Maupassant, and Charlotte Perkins Gilman, plus a few more. But it is most gratifying to realize all of the work that this troupe put in- from mixing the sounds to adapting the works. It is truly a labor of love.

Go see this show, if you have the time. Adieu, until next weekend.

-Eric Shoemaker

An Evening of Horror and Suspense, The Experimental Station: 6100 S. Blackstone Ave. Tickets $8 presale, $10 at the door, 7:00 pm. hydeparkcommunityplayers.org

The Log

An Evening of Classic Horror and Suspense in the Old Time Radio Tradition* @ The Experimental Station: Oct 21 & 22

Flow* @ eta Creative Arts: Sep15-Oct23

Audience Annihilated @ Dream Theater: Oct 20-31

A Weekend of Workshops @ University Theater: Oct 27-29

The Physicists @ University Theater: Nov 3-5

Wait Until Dark @ Jedlicka Performing Arts Center: Oct28-Nov12

From the Circle @ Filament Theater: Sept 30-Nov 13

Broke-ology @ eta Creative Arts: Nov3-Dec18

*Ending Soon

Matt Montequin

On my way to Little Village on Saturday to cover Numero Group’s A.V. Club-hyped record sale, a mix-up in my bus transfer caused me to see more of the South Side than I had originally planned.  Walking along 55^th Street from Western to Kedzie to find the route I should have taken, I caught a glimpse of a few yard sales taking place on the lawns adorning the sidewalks.  My decision to sleep late that day had left me with less than an hour until the record sale was set to close—not enough time to browse anywhere else—so I passed them up and caught a bus north to the event as soon as I could.

What I arrived to was an apartment building that looked like all the others on Marshall Boulevard.  In front, a hodgepodge of LPs, old roller skates, and Jawbreaker t-shirts sat on tables and in cardboard boxes at what really didn’t appear much different from the yard sales I had passed by earlier.  Had I not known what was going on, I wouldn’t have expected to be looking at the face of a record label, let alone one that received a Grammy nomination this past year, falling short to The White Stripes for the award.  Then again, Numero Group isn’t the most expected label in the music industry.

An archival label dedicated to resurrecting forgotten music of the ’60s and ’70s, Numero Group is in large part the project of Ken Shipley, whom I met at the sale.  Shipley was working at the Rykodisc label when he decided to take things in a different direction, joining Tom Lunt and Rob Sevier to form Numero Group.  Since its start in 2003, the label has released over sixty titles, garnering national attention and critical acclaim from such outlets as CNN and Pitchfork, all while running most operations out of the group’s Little Village apartment.  Surprising?  I was told the group didn’t even have the full apartment until recently.

The sale on Saturday showcased most, if not all, of the label’s records.  Interested myself in what Numero Group had to offer, I asked Ken where a good starting place to the Numero canon would be.  He directed me to the label’s first issue, Numero 001, a compilation of “Eccentric Soul” coming out of Columbus, Ohio between 1967 and 1974.  The label that had originally released the music, Capsoul, had been defunct since the mid-70s, pushing most of the music into obscurity for decades until Numero tracked the music down for reissue in 2004.  Not knowing what to expect but aware that this was probably my only chance to get the album, I purchased it to support independent music on the South Side.  After a few listens, I couldn’t get “You’re All I Need To Make It” (below) out of my head.  Overall, it’s an album that has the substance of its Motown contemporaries blended with the complexities that marked some of the time period’s most innovative music.  As I was promised, it got me ready for more of the Numero collection.

Video from ossopalatino on YouTube

At the heart of the event, though, was the community spirit behind cleaning out the closets, putting up some signs, and having a yard sale.  Numero Group’s employees and associates had their own items out as part of the sale as well.  While resisting the urges typically associated with finding a $2 pair of shoes and a $20 Nintendo 64, I did walk away with three used CDs and a copy of David Foster Wallace’s Infinite Jest.  But maybe the most significant thing that I took back to the UofC campus was an assurance of why I am blogging for the Chicago Weekly this year: to absorb the less-written about culture that Numero Group and others contribute to the city, which I will be hopefully be covering more in the coming weeks.  I’d say experiencing that is definitely worth taking the wrong CTA directions here and there.

To learn more about Numero Group, check out this story we published about the label last year, their website at numerogroup.com, or their blog at numerogroup.wordpress.com.

Last Thursday, I woke up earlier than usual to spend the morning browsing for books at the International House where the University of Chicago Press was hosting its Great Chicago Book Sale. I had tacked the flyer on my desk weeks ago. In colorful fonts, it promised two days of good deals and good literature with “over 10,000 new books, hardcovers and paperbacks, in many subjects” for only five dollars a piece.

Inside the Assembly Hall, tables with printed signs mounted on crisp construction paper formed aisles. Above and below these tables were cardboard boxes, each one containing a stack of untouched titles, some still individually wrapped. The address of the book sale had been stamped on the side of every box. “I’m not sure how the Press chose these books,” one of the employees commented, “but there are many titles in many disciplines.”

It was easy to make several laps around the room and find those intriguing titles. Fashionable Foods detailed “seven decades of food fads,” including a brief history and recipes. There were translations of philosophical and Greek texts. The book with the plainest cover was The City by Robert E. Park and Ernest W. Burgess, which sat in the sociology section next to Paul Lewis’s Cracking Up: American Humor in the Time of Conflict whose cover featured a collage of hand-drawn laughing faces. There were books about rhesus macaques, new historicism, Norman McClean, urban education, and love poems. What I thought was a forest green calendar turned out to be the Atlas of Cat Anatomy. In the history section, a 4.5’’ by 6’’ pocket guide, titled Instructions for American Servicemen in Iraq during World War II, contained a reprint of the exact text given to soldiers in 1943, complete with original illustrations. The book sale felt less like a marketplace and more like a private showing of someone’s eclectic library.

It was no surprise to see many people walking with stacks of books in their arms. In fact, it was almost impossible to find anyone who had not stopped to examine a cover or flip through a few pages. The Great Chicago Book Sale delivered exactly what it promised on its flyer, providing plenty of new additions to book collections around Hyde Park.

It’s time to christen the Chicago Weekly blog anew, and inaugurate a new flock of dedicated reporters, just begging to give the South Side of Chicago the news it deserves.

This reporter’s Manifest Statement: To provide South Siders with a taste of what their backyard offers in the forms of performing arts and entertainment; to entice others to experience the beauty of theater and it’s dramatic take on the living that we do every day; to ask other South Siders to inform on events occurring on our turf; and to generally entertain with wild notions of what “performance” can be.

Let’s kick things off right with a great example of strikingly odd performance art: Dream Theatre’s Audience Annihilated Part One: Women Only Train, tagline: “All that happens, happens to YOU!” Sounds pretty terrifying with just the title, but get the premise—one to four audience members will play the lead role in a horror play, themed as “the most unexpected horror experience you will ever witness.” When buying tickets, one has the option of buying a “lead role” ticket or an “Observation Gallery” ticket. Personally, I will only be observing. But I cannot imagine making it through the Halloween season without taking a trip to Dream Theatre to see this, surely, unique event, in which the actors attempt to terrify and generally scar the audience members who ask for it.

Video from no4thwall on YouTube

Here’s a short promo clip for the production. The Dream Theatre’s website also has ticket information and an online ticket sales booth. Tickets are only $13, which sounds like a steal to me—would you rather pay to walk passively through a haunted house, or be the center of attention in a play fully prepared to make you scream and shiver?

That being said, some of us (myself included) are a bit less… courageous in the face of almost certain terror, and would prefer to watch others be scared, or act scared, or act in general. This brings me to the final addition to this blog: The Log (for lack of a better term). This is the final portion in which I will list South Side events and performances going up or running in the near future. If you are aware of a performance going on south of Roosevelt that you’d like to tell South Siders about, be sure to let us know.

Watch for weekly updates to The Log and this CW blog series from yours truly. Now get out and enjoy some of these fall performances!

-Eric Shoemaker

The Log

eta Creative Arts Foundation’s Flow: September 15-October 23

Jedlicka Performing Arts Center’s Wait Until Dark: October 28-November 12

Dream Theatre’s Audience Annihilated Part One: Women Only Train: October 20-31

Filament Theater’s From the Circle: September 30-November 13

The Hyde Park Community Players’ An Evening of Classic Horror and Suspense in the Old Time Radio Tradition: October 21 & 22

Courtesy HHW

Just in time for the holidays, the Henry Hendricks Weddington School of the Performing Arts arts will be holding a special Thank You performance downtown this Tuesday December 21st.

HHW is a school without walls dedicated to three branches of performing arts: music, theater, and dance.  High quality instruction and talented performers make HHW groups some of the best in the city.  Jean Hendricks and the directors of HHW originally intended for the performance to be a fundraiser. After considering the immense contributions and support from the community, the group decided it would be most appropriate to use the event as a thank-you to their supporters. You can read more about HHW in our past coverage here.

Come and show your support and witness the talent of young Chicago performers, interact with the community, and nosh on some homemade goodies– either way, you will be in for a treat.

Gallery 37 Center for the Arts, 66 East Randolph Street, 5th floor.  December 21st, Tuesday 6:00-7:30 p.m. Free. Please RSVP at (312) 772-3449 or (312) 772-3449

DV Team: Siobhan Strong, Valencia, Law Roach, Rukey Styles, Christopher Adams. All Photos by Charles Young

Two words describe the scene at Deliciously Vintage this Wednesday evening: pure glam. With the launch of a revamped website, the Pilsen clothing boutique had an excuse to celebrate…and to do so in style.  I was fortunate to find myself on the guest list and dropped by to join the revelry.

The room throbbed with hip-hop beats and loud champagne-induced conversation.  Clothing racks formed vibrant walls and flukes of pink champagne hovered about the room on silver platters.  Guests were kids in a candy store—a chic candy store.  One woman tried on a vintage studded motorcycle jacket.  Upon examining herself in the mirror, she turned to me “Too bad it’s already sold.” She shrugged with a pout.  Dressing room curtains would burst apart and revelers emerged decked out in prospective purchases: dresses, furs, and blouses. “I got this at DV about two years ago,” said one party-goer in a ocean-blue kimono-style cocktail dress.  Another guest worked the room in a cropped snow leopard coat, streaked hair, black leggings, and studded footwear.

I spied co-owner Siobhan Strong on the opposite end of the boutique, obviously the center of attention amongst a plethora of stylish guests.  I spoke with Strong about the new site, speaking loudly over the festive din.  Said Strong: “At first we struggled with the idea of an online store—we wanted to maintain the client-stylist relationship that comes with visiting our actual boutique.”  The clothing featured on the website will be a handpicked collection, shot as high-fashion editorial, and mirroring current trends.  So what’s on DV’s style radar? Strong responds without batting a lash: “The cape. This season is all about the cape and the cloak. Very much town-and-country with lots of tweeds.”  Strong herself looked dazzling in a vintage beaded mini-dress, vintage Diane von Furstenberg blazer and sky-high pumps.

Deliciously Vintage’s new home page features a video, which fuses print editorial and video advertisement.  A demure girl with doe-like eyes and blond Marilyn Monroe coif lounges on sofa in a pink dress and then lingerie. Eartha Kitt’s “I Want to Be Evil” plays in the background.  Steamy? Yes.  Good girl gone bad? More like, good-girl-trying-to-edgily-expand-her-closet.  I asked Co-owner Law Roach to comment: “The ad just felt right and is just how we want to show the perfect Deliciously Vintage girl,” He paused to great a guest with la bise. “Yeah, some people say it’s a little sexy, but that’s what we wanted. Now let’s get you a drink, girl.”

In addition to the new website, DV is starting a blog, has hired a publicist and is poised for success while dressing the part.

Check out Chicago Weekly’s previous coverage of Deliciously Vintage here and the boutique’s new website here