18 Of Our Favorite Events In Chicago This Week
By Michelle Meywes Kopeny in Arts & Entertainment on Aug 15, 2016 4:06PM
Catch several events at Millennium Park this week including the Summer Music Series on Thursday. Photo courtesy of DCASE.
Continue to soak up the summer with some of these excellent events all week long.
MONDAY AUGUST 15
BROADWAY IN CHICAGO SUMMER CONCERT: Sample many of the productions showing at Broadway in Chicago for free at Pritzker Pavilion at 6:15 p.m. The Broadway In Chicago Summer Concert features performances from Disney’s Aladdin, Beautiful - The Carole King Musical, Andrew Lloyd Webber’s The Phantom of the Opera and many more.
LIVE PODCAST FESTIVAL: Steppenwolf's new 1700 Theater hosts a three night festival featuring live performances of born-in-Chicago podcasts. Nerdette, Pleasure Town and Chewing are just a few of the podcasts featured at Sounds Like Chicago: A Live Podcast Festival. Each night will have three podcasts, a DJ, games, special guests and more. 7 p.m. each night. Tickets are $20.
OAK STREET BEACH DINNER: Spiaggia hosts a Ferragosto celebration at Oak Street Beach at 6 p.m. The Italian holiday dinner will feature an oyster and crudo bar, a whole roasted lamb, live DJ tunes and more. Tickets are $150.
VENETIAN PARTY + FUNDRAISER: Celebrate "The Merchant of Venice" at MK’s Venetian party while raising funds for the Chicago Shakespeare theater from 6 to 9:30 p.m. Purchase food and drink with “borrowed” gold and silver ducat from the Shylock. Admission is $20.
TUESDAY AUGUST 16
Image via Finding Nemo's Facebook page.
SUMMER FILM SERIES: See Finding Nemo Tuesday night on the big Pritzker Pavilion screen as part of Millennium Park’s Summer Film Series. Sit in the theater seats or bring a picnic blanket for the great lawn. 6:30 p.m. Free.
WEDNESDAY AUGUST 17
DANCE: Lucky Plush Productions presents their next full time work, Rooming House, at the Chicago Cultural Center at 6:30 p.m. The dance and theater group’s work is surprisingly funny and thought provoking; we saw in their graphic novel-themed show SuperStrip last winter. Free.
HANDS-ON SUSHI: Learn how to roll your own sushi at Arami’s Hands-on Sushi Class at 6:30 p.m. The one-hour lesson will be followed by a three-course prix fixe menu of sashimi, nigiri, tokubetsu maki and dessert from Chef de Cuisine Nelson Vinansaca. Tickets are $60. For reservations, call (312) 243-1535.
Photo courtesy of Daybreaker.
DAYBREAKER YACHT: Daybreaker brings their early morning yoga and dance party to a real live yacht. The boat party kicks off at 5:30 a.m. (6:30 for dance party only) on the Spirit of Chicago. They’ll also have live music from ShowYouSuck and DJ Lani Love plus free coffee, juice and breakfast treats. Tickets are $40 for the yoga class and dance party or $30 for just the dance party.
SUMMER SOCIAL + BENEFIT: Chefs from Rural Society Chicago, Piccolo Sogno, Mexique and more will cook up something special for Cara’s Summer Social from 6 to 9 p.m. at Loews Hotel. The nonprofit helps people affected by poverty find and keep good jobs and rebuild self esteem, and Wednesday’s event serves as a Toast to Motivations. Tickets are $75.
Photo by Ben Pettey.
TRUTH BOOTH: Get your truth out in The Truth Booth, a public art installation from The Cause Collective in Millennium Park on Wednesday, and at Stony Island Arts Bank on Thursday. The inflatable structure provides a place for people to record their answers to the phrase “The truth is…” and speak out about what is happening in their community. Free.
THURSDAY AUGUST 18
DOWNTOWN MUSIC SERIES: Colorado quintet Elephant Revival and Chapel Hill duo Mandolin Orange are the bands playing this week’s Millennium Park Summer Music Series. Expect an evening of folk music with a twist. 6:30 p.m. Free.
CAMP ADLER: Head back to camp at this month’s Adler After Dark. The adults-only after-hours event at the planetarium will feature a Camp Adler Craft Station, a tent-pitching demonstration and more in addition to all the usual out-of-this-world exhibits. 6:30 to 11 p.m. Tickets are $20 in advance.
FEST ITALIANA: Get a taste of Little Italy at Fest Italiana this weekend. The neighborhood’s legendary restaurants move the feasts outside with other Italian traditions. Musical performances keep with the theme with singers performing performing classic songs from The Rat Pack, the Three Tenors, the Four Seasons and more. Entry is a $5 suggested donation.
The Fly Honey Show, Photo by Megan Lee Miller
FLY HONEY SHOW:This annual burlesque-inspired experimental cabaret/benefit is back for a seventh year at the Chopin Theatre in Wicker Park with sex-positive, feminist and sexy-as-hell dance routines and performance art. Opening night is Thursday, but the Fly Honey Show runs for the next three weeks with a rotating ensemble of dancers, artists and musicians, together known as the Fly Honeys. Tickets are almost all sold out, but you can still purchase $80 VIP tickets in advance of the performance or try your luck scoring a $25 ticket at the door before each show.
FRIDAY AUGUST 19
EDISON PARK FEST: Head to Edison Park for their annual neighborhood fundraiser going all weekend. The fest has it all from a beer garden to a parade, craft fair and more. Entry is a $5 donation benefiting Edison Park Chamber of Commerce.
NPR POLITICS: See a live NPR Politics Podcast at Reva and David Logan Center for the Arts from 8 to 10 p.m. Reporters will talk about about this year’s election and more. Tickets are $25.
Photo courtesy of Tapman.
TAP DANCE: A thrust-style theater is viewed from three different sides at the same time, and Tapman Productions takes the idea to the stage at Stage 773 with the world premiere of Thrust!. The combination tap and modern dance performance features new musical arrangements of popular music and takes advantage of this unique stage design. Show runs through August 28. Tickets are $20.
REPORTING IN THE OPEN: Learn more about the City Bureau and what their reporting fellows have been investigating at a special open house from 5:30 to 8 p.m. Watch presentations, give feedback and enjoy refreshments.