where she will not only take on the role of executive producer but will also star as legendary singer Etta James. No word yet on when she will actually arrive, but we’re certain well know as soon as her private jet lands, as Beyonce buzz travels fast. The film will mainly be shot in New Jersey and Mississippi, but may shoot in Chicago for a few exteriors.
Last week the Polka King, Walter "Li'l Wally" Jagiello, passed away in Miami. Li'l Wally is known for reviving the true sounds of polka with his slower tempo reminiscent of the Eastern European sound. He was the first musician inducted into Chicago's Polka Hall of Fame and his album Polish Feelings was nominated for a Grammy in 1985.
Biographies adapted for the stage are rarely subject to the same scrutiny as literary bios or memoirs. It’s hard to imagine any playwright getting the James Frey treatment, discredited on national television and the blogosphere for bending the truth. And why should they? We go to the theater to understand the world but also to enjoy ourselves and find some degree of escape. To visit (or revisit) a fascinating life set to song can be a joy, and starting this week three theaters give us this opportunity.
Two pieces of good news this morning for anyone hoping that Chicago becomes a nationally-known mecca for fans of live music:
Bringing a movie about Mississippi blues to Chicago may seem a bit like bringing coal to Newcastle. We Chicagoans are a boastful lot so we’ll be happy to tell our Mississippi friends about our excellent blues scene (that serves both the tourists and the purists) and inform you that we’re the home of one of the premier blues labels—Alligator Records. Of course, your Mississippi friends might just as well turn around and point out that...
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