Mary Dixon

Nov 3, 2024 | wbez.org | Mike Davis |Mark Guarino |Hannah Edgar |Mary Dixon

This month, the big theme on Chicago stages is escapism, with theaters across the city mounting magical shows for the kiddos — and adults who want to indulge in fantasy adventures. Disney characters Elsa and Ariel will be front and center in hit Broadway musicals such as The Little Mermaid at Drury Lane and Frozenat the Paramount. A few classics are also getting remounted, like Annie at the Chicago Theatre and the Tony Award–winning musical The Secret Garden up north at Theo Ubique.

Nov 1, 2024 | wbez.org | Mark Guarino |Hannah Edgar |Mary Dixon |Morgan Ciocca

Daylight may end earlier in November and a winter chill may be in the air, but this series of shows throughout the month promise the light and heat you need to get through. 7 p.m. Nov. 15 at the PromontoryFor exactly 50 years, Chicago drummer Kahil El’Zabar has helped lead Chicago’s avant garde jazz scene around the globe.

Oct 31, 2024 | wbez.org | Anna Savchenko |Hannah Edgar |Mary Dixon |Morgan Ciocca

Some say the statue of Inez Clarke disappears from Graceland Cemetery during thunderstorms. As legend goes, that’s because the 6-year-old girl was killed by a lightning strike. It’s one of several stories about Inez circulating online. Other reports claim Inez’s spirit wanders the cemetery and can be sighted by other children.

Oct 31, 2024 | nprillinois.org | Mary Dixon |Esther Bergdahl

Director Steve Pink, a self-described liberal, was an unlikely candidate to make a movie about former Illinois Rep. Adam Kinzinger, often categorized as a “rock-ribbed” conservative. The Illinois native filmmaker’s credits included Grosse Pointe Blank, High Fidelity and not one but two Hot Tub Time Machine movies. Yet Kinzinger was an intriguing character to follow: A prominent member of the House Select Committee on the Jan.

Oct 31, 2024 | wbez.org | Hannah Edgar |Mary Dixon |Morgan Ciocca |Courtney Kueppers

The 1924 true-crime case of silver-spoon murderers — and lovers — Nathan Leopold and Richard Loeb has inspired endless works, from films to plays to novels. But opera? That’s a new one. HindSight, by composer Felix Jarrar and librettist Bea Goodwin, premieres Friday at Chicago Dramatists’ black box theater. The show is a first-time collaboration between two local groups, Chicago Fringe Opera and Kor Productions, that specialize in small-format, cozy productions, often in unconventional settings.