Many people do not know that you can see New York’s Broadway shows here in Chicago! Including many Tony Award winners. A number of new musicals and theater shows are coming to Chicago in 2010 that shouldn’t be missed. Here is a list of the theater I think should not be missed while it has a short run in Chicago this year: 

Billy Elliot The Musical: This is the best feel good musical with dance that you will see this year in Chicago. Check out the uplifting against-all-odds story that all the critics have been raving about at the Ford Center for Performing Arts/Oriental Theater 24 West Randolph Street Chicago, IL on March 18 through 2010. Hopefully Billy Elliot will be here for a long run since Chicago likes uplifting musicals and supports them for a long time (like Wicked).

Dreamgirls: This is a musical turned into an Oscar Winning Movie turned into a Musical again. Why? Because the music is so moving it can go between stage and screen so easily. See it live to experience the drama yourself at the Cadillac Palace Theater 151 W Randolph Street in Chicago, IL. January 19-31, 2010. Tickets are $18-$85 each and selling out fast.

August Osage County: I saw this show in preview performances a few years ago before all the awards came in. I was floored by the roller coaster ride and yet I think most people identify with a family spinning out of control because we hold ours together by threads some days. Yet nobody has a life this messed up. Experience the extremes that family can bring at the Cadillac Palace Theater 151 W Randolph Street Chicago, IL from February 2-14, 2010  Tickets are $25-$80.

An Evening with Patti LuPone & Mandy Patinkin: At the Cadillac Palace Theater, 151 W Randolph Street Chicago, Illinois on March 2-7, 2010 Tickets are from $18-$90 each. Both of these powerful broadway singers have a lot to offer. This is a rare show where they just get to sing their favorites and talk to the audience about them. What an intimate view into the well known music of Broadway shows.

Chicago Broadway Theatre Tickets can be purchased Online through box offices or reseller sites.

This is a great weekend to spend time downtown in Chicago. The Michigan Avenue Lights Festival is happening, which leads us right into Thanksgiving on Thursday and then the Black Friday Sale Madness on Friday. Millennium Park’s Ice Skating Rink also opens and the Museum of Science and Industry has their annual Christmas Tree Exhibit open too. There are plenty of events to attend fun family events and celebrate the holidays in Chicago before it gets too cold. 

The Magnificent Mile Lights Festival – Time: 11 AM Saturday November 21. The Michigan Avenue  Lights Festival is happening on Saturday. You can see the parade and fireworks along the stretch of Avenue from the Chicago River, north to Illinois Street.  At least that is the area I can see that has been decorated and has road blocks up. I know that Michigan Avenue is amazing with all the lights and many families come downtown to see this and then visit the Lego or Sanrio stores in the Nordstroms Mall and some people also go to the American Girl store also. I also see that the The Plain White T’s will be playing a free concert at 401 N Michigan Avenue(former Equitable Building next to the River). For more details call their Seasonal Event Hot-line at (312) 409-5560. The parade will also be broadcast on ABC channel 7 in Chicago live at 6pm.

Museum of Science and Industry Christmas Around the World Christmas Tree Exhibit – It has been a tradition to decorate Christmas Trees all over the Museum of Science and Industry’s main lobby/atrium with ornaments and decorations from countries all over the world, since I was a kid.

We used to go see this beautiful decorative display and be amazed that there were people somewhere in Poland and the Ukraine (our heritage) who celebrated Christmas just like us. Now that we know that not every country celebrates Christmas, (some don’t celebrate the religious side or the consumer side) we think this may be a little to ethnocentric and idea to promote.  Yes, the European countries mainly do celebrate, but in a world and country that is becoming more religiously diverse and mixed together, can we really still enjoy this?

Ice Skating is open until around 8 pm except Saturdays open to 10pm.

Millennium Park Ice Skating Rink

- This is a great fun time for kids and adults alike and it is free if you bring your own ice skates. There are ice skate rentals on site if you need to rent them, but many people prefer skating their own skates. Afterwards the Park Grill has many tasty dining options, although it is an upscale restaurant that the kids may not be into. Millennium Park is right next to the Art Institute on Michigan Avenue, so you can make a trip downtown to see both!

The Tony Award Winning Musical Theater Show Jersey Boys will be leaving Chicago and the LaSalle Bank Theater in 2010. The last block of tickets are on sale now for the first week in January, and selling quickly. I can’t stress enough that if you have not seen this musical, you should soon because there is nothing else like it. The true behind the scenes story of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons is more dramatic than anything someone could write and the amazing songs tell a lot of the story.

I saw this show during its preview run back two and a half years ago. My life was completely in flux then but the show and the actors that play the Four Seasons drew me into their performance so much that I bought tickets to give to family as Christmas gifts that year so everyone else could go see it. Most of the people there were baby boomers when I saw the show (it probably has even more meaning since they remember the songs from their own lives growing up) but I thought it appealed to younger generations as well with the reality of the struggles the singers faced and the behind the scenes look at the group over the years. And I think they re-aranged the music even better than the originals with better technology this time around. (Usually Broadway ruins original music like in the Swing era, but I was pleasantly surprised here)

I am sorry to see the Jersey Boys go and sorry I could not go see the Broadway show again. It was an incredibly moving show and one I won’t soon forget. If you want to get tickets to these last few shows before they leave the Theater District in Chicago, check out Ticketmaster today.

Ira Glass ready for the show.

This American Life has gone on the road again to produce 2 live stage shows, one in Chicago at the Chicago Theater and one in New York City which will be taped and beamed live via some fancy newfangled satellites to a bunch of movie theaters (400!) across the country so you can see the show as it happens from where ever you live. The two live shows have sold out instantly so if you want to get tickets to this yearly event you can only get tickets to the movie theater beamed shows now. See full list of This American Life Live Movie Theaters below.

I like that even though This American Life has gotten more popular and more widely known in the last 10 years they haven’t forgotten that people still like live shows on stage and seeing the personalities firsthand. I am also glad that  they haven’t forgotten their Chicago peeps since they went out and made it big in NYC, and are willing to still do a show in the Chicago Theater as a dress rehearsal of sorts.

The Chicago Theater from a past This American Life Show Live.

The show is said to include a radio show taped live with Ira Glass (as we would expect from past live shows) and include their local contributors: Dan Savage, Starlee Kine, Mike Birbiglia, David Rakoff and Dave Hill. They also mentioned an appearance by Joss Whedon, creator of Buffy the Vampire Slayer?? (am I msising something?) The live show should last around two hours.  I am planning on attending one of the movie theater beamed shows in Illinois, since that is what is available. If you get tickets to the Chicago Theater version of the show, let me know how it goes. Things are rather unpredictable in live shows.

If you would like to find out which cities the live This American Life Show will be instantly beamed, here is the list that I found: (hopefully they won’t be pissed that I copied it from their site, but I like info to be all in one place when I’m researching it, and it was a few pages buried into the site. It seems like all the states are represented, way to go!

Illinois: 7 PM Tickets are $20.00 each.

Addison – Addison 21
Barrington – AMC South Barrington 30
Batavia – Randall 15 with IMAX
Bloomingdale – Century @ Stratford Square
Carbondale – Carbondale Showplace
Chicago – AMC River East 21
Chicago – Chicago City North
Chicago – Chicago Webster Place
Crystal Lake – Showplace 16
Deer Park – Century 16 Deer Park
Edwardsville – Edwardsville Stadium 12
Elgin – Elgin Fox Theatre
Evanston – Evanston 18
Gurnee – Gurnee Cinemas 20
Lincolnshire – Lincolnshire 20 plus IMAX
Lombard – AMC Yorktown 17
Naperville – Naperville Showplace
New Lenox – New Lenox Showplace
Niles – Niles Showplace
Orland Park – Orland Park Cinemas 14
Pekin – Pekin Showplace
Peoria – Willow Knolls 14
Rockford – Rockford Showplace
Savoy – Savoy 16
Springfield – Springfield West Showplace
Warrenville – AMC Cantera 30
Woodridge – Cinemark Woodridge 17 with IMAX
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Alabama: Birmingham – Trussville 16
Gulf Shores – Cobb Pinnacle 14
Huntsville – Hollywood 18 – Huntsville
Mobile – Stadium 18
Tuscaloosa – Hollywood 16
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Arksansas: Little Rock – Breckenridge Village
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Arizona: Glendale – AMC Arrowhead Town Center 14
Glendale – AMC Westgate 20
Mesa – AMC Mesa Grande 24
Mesa – Cinemark 16 – Mesa
Oro Valley – Century – Oro Valley Marketplace
Phoenix – AMC Ahwatukee 24
Phoenix – AMC Desert Ridge 18
Scottsdale – Sonora Village 10
Tucson – El Con 20
Tucson – Park Place 20
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California: Alhambra – Alhambra Renaissance 14
Arcadia – AMC Santa Anita
Bakersfield – Bakersfield Stadium 14
Burbank – AMC Burbank 16
Chico – Cinemark Chico
Chula Vista – AMC Otay Ranch 12
Cupertino – AMC Cupertino 16
Daly City – Daly City 20
Dublin – Hacienda Crossings 20 plus IMAX
El Centro – Cinemark Imperial Valley Mall 14
Elk Grove – Laguna 16
Emeryville – AMC Bay Street 16
Fresno – Fresno Stadium 21 plus IMAX
Hayward – Century – Hayward
Huntington Beach – Huntington Beach 20
Irvine – Irvine Spectrum 20 plus IMAX
La Jolla – AMC La Jolla Village 12
Long Beach – Long Beach 26
Los Angeles – AMC Century City 15
Los Angeles – The Bridge
Manteca – Showplace 16
Merced – Mainplace Stadium Cinema
Mill Valley – Mill Valley Cinearts Sequoia 2
Milpitas – Milpitas Great Mall 20
Monterey – Monterey 13
Mountain View – Mountain View Cinemas 16
Ontario – AMC Ontario Mills 30
Orange – AMC The Block 30 @ Orange
Orange – Orange Stadium Promenade 25
Palm Springs – Palm Springs Courtyard Stadium 9
Pleasant Hill – Pleasant Hill Downtown 16
Redding – Movies 10
Redwood City – Century 20 Downtown Redwood City
Riverside – AMC Galleria at Tyler 16
Roseville – Roseville 14
Rowland Heights – AMC Puente Hills 20
Sacramento – Natomas Marketplace
Sacramento – Sacramento Downtown Plaza 7
Sacramento – Sacramento Greenback Lane 16
Sacramento – Sacramento Stadium 14
San Bruno – Century Theatres at Tanforan
San Diego – AMC Mission Valley 20
San Diego – Horton Plaza
San Diego – Mira Mesa 18 with IMAX
San Francisco – Century 9 San Francisco Centre
San Jose – AMC Eastridge Mall 15
San Jose – Cinearts Santana Row 6
San Jose – San Jose Oakridge 20
San Mateo – San Mateo Downtown
San Rafael – San Rafael Regency 6
Santa Barbara – Arlington Theatre
Santa Clarita – Valencia Stadium 12
Santa Rosa – Rialto Cinemas Lakeside
Stockton – Stockton City Center Stadium 16
Tracy – Movies 14
Tustin – AMC Tustin Legacy 14
Union City – Union City Union Landing 25
Ventura – Ventura Stadium 16
Walnut Creek – Walnut Creek 14
Woodland Hills – AMC Promenade 16
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Colorado: Aurora – Southlands 16
Boulder – Southlands 16
Broomfield – AMC Westminster Promenade 24
Castle Rock – Castle Rock Stadium 12
Colorado Springs – Cinemark Carefree Circle with IMAX
Colorado Springs – Hollywood Theaters 14
Colorado Springs – Tinseltown
Denver – Pavilions 15
Englewood – Greenwood Plaza 12
Fort Collins – Cinemark Fort Collins
Greeley – Cinemark Greeley Mall
Highlands Ranch – AMC Highlands Ranch 24
Lakewood – Bel Mar 16
Lakewood – Colorado Mills Stadium 16
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Connecticut: Branford – Branford 12
Fairfield – Quick Center for the Performing Arts
Manchester – Buckland Hills Showcase Cinema
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DC: Washington – AMC Mazza Gallerie 7
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Wilmington – Brandywine Town Center 16
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Florida: Altamonte Springs – AMC Altamonte Mall 18 with IMAX
Aventura – AMC Aventura Mall 24
Boca Raton – Shadowood 16
Brandon – AMC Regency 20
Coral Springs – Magnolia Place 16
Delray Beach – Delray Beach 18
Fort Myers – Belltower 20
Ft Lauderdale – Cypress Creek Station 16
Gainesville – Gainesville Cinema 14
Jacksonville – AMC Regency Square 24
Jacksonville – Tinseltown USA
Lake Buena Vista – AMC Pleasure Island 24
Lakeland – Lakeside 18 Cinemas
Merritt Island – Merritt Square 16
Miami – Dolphin Cinebistro
Miami – Movies @ The Falls 12
Miami Beach – South Beach Stadium 18
Miami Lakes – Miami Lake 17 Cinemas
Naples – Hollywood Stadium 20-Naples
Oldsmar – AMC Woodland Square 20
Orange Park – AMC Orange Park 24
Orlando – Pointe Orlando with IMAX
Orlando – Waterford Stadium 20
Palm Beach Gardens – Downtown At The Gardens 16 Cinemas
Royal Palm Beach – Royal Palm Stadium 18
Sarasota – AMC Sarasota 12
Sarasota – Hollywood Stadium 20-Sarasota
South Miami – AMC Sunset Place 24
Tampa – Citrus Stadium Park Mall 20
Vero Beach – The Majestic
Wesley Chapel – Grove 16 Cinemas
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Georgia:Alpharetta – North Point 8
Atlanta – Perimeter Pointe 10
Augusta – Augusta Exchange 20
Chamblee – Hollywood 24 @ North I-85
Kennesaw – AMC Barrett Commons 24
Lawrenceville – AMC Discover Mills 18
Lithonia – AMC Stonecrest Megastar 16
Morrow – AMC Southlake Pavilion 24
Savannah – Savannah Stadium 10
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Hawaii: Honolulu – Dole Cannery 18
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Iowa: Ames – Movies 12
Cedar Falls – College Square 12 Theatre
Council Bluffs – Star Cinema 17 with IMAX
Davenport – Davenport 53 Showcase Cinemas
Dubuque – Star Cinema 14
Iowa City – Sycamore 12 Theatre
West Des Moines – Jordan Creek 20
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Idaho: Boise – Boise 21 plus IMAX
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Indiana: Bloomington – Bloomington Showplace East
Evansville – Evansville Stadium 16
Fort Wayne – Coldwater Crossing
Indianapolis – AMC Castleton Square 14
Indianapolis – Galaxy 14
Indianapolis – Indianapolis Showplace with IMAX
Lafayette – Eastside 9
Michigan City – Michigan City Showplace
Mishawaka – Movies 14
Muncie – Muncie Showplace
Noblesville – Hamilton 16 with IMAX
Portage – Portage 16 with IMAX
Schererville – Schererville Showplace 16
Terre Haute – Terre Haute Showplace
Valparaiso – Valparaiso Commons
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Kansas: Lawrence – Southwind 12
Leawood – AMC Town Center 20
Merriam – Cinemark 20 (Merriam)
Olathe – AMC Olathe Studio 29 with IMAX
Topeka – Hollywood Stadium 14
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Kentucky: Florence – Showcase Cinemas De Lux Florence
Lexington – Hamburg Pavilions 16
Lexington – Lexington Green Movies
Louisville – Stonybrook Cinemas
Louisville – Tinseltown Louisville
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Louisiana: Baton Rouge – Citiplace 11
Baton Rouge – Perkins Row
Covington – Hollywood Stadium 14
Harahan – AMC Elmwood Palace 20
Harvey – AMC Westbank Palace 16
Shreveport – Tinseltown
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Massachusetts: Boston – Fenway 13
Braintree – AMC Braintree 10
Burlington – AMC Burlington 10
Dennis – The Cape Cinema
Foxboro – Patriot Place
Framingham – AMC Framingham 15
Great Barrington – The Mahaiwe Theatre
Hadley – Hampshire Mall 12
Lowell – Lowell Showcase Cinemas
Marlborough – Solomon Pond Mall 15
Millbury – Blackstone Valley
Randolph – Randolph Showcase Cinemas
Revere – Revere Showcase Cinemas
Swansea – Swansea
Wellfleet – Wellfleet Harbor Actors Theatre
West Springfield – West Springfield Showcase Cinemas
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Maryland: Abingdon – Bel Air Cinema 14
Bowie – Bowie Crossing 14
Columbia – AMC Columbia Mall 14
Columbia – Snowden Square 14
Germantown – Germantown 14
Owings Mills – AMC Owings Mills 17
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Maine: Brunswick – Brunswick 10
Ellsworth – The Grand
Rockland – The Strand Theatre
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Michigan: Ann Arbor – Quality 16
Battle Creek – West Columbia 7
Canton – Canton Cinema
Flint – Flint West Showcase Cinemas
Grand Rapids – Celebration Cinema – Grand Rapids North
Holland – Holland 7
Jackson – Jackson 10
Kalamazoo – Kalamazoo 10
Lansing – Celebration Cinemas Lansing
Lansing – Lansing Mall Cinemas
Livonia – AMC Livonia 20
Mount Pleasant – Celebration Cinema Mt Pleasant
Oxford – Oxford 7
Port Huron – Krafft 8
Saginaw – Saginaw 8 / Quad
Sterling Heights – AMC Forum 30 with IMAX
Traverse City – State Theatre – Traverse City
Walled Lake – Commerce Township 14
Ypsilanti – Ann Arbor Showcase Cinemas
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Minnesota: Duluth – Duluth 10 Theatre
Eagan – Eagan 16
Eden Prairie – AMC Eden Prairie 18
Mankato – Movies 8
Maple Grove – AMC Arbor Lakes Megastar 16
Minneapolis – Brooklyn Center 20
Minneapolis – Kerasotes Block E
Oakdale – Oakdale Cinema
Roseville – AMC Rosedale 14
Waite Park – Parkwood 18 Theatre
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Missouri: Cape Girardeau – Cape Girardeau Town Plaza
Chesterfield – AMC Chesterfield 14
Columbia – Forum 8
Hazelwood – St. Louis Mills 18
Joplin – Northstar 14
Kansas City – AMC Barrywoods 24
Kansas City – Cinemark 14, The Palace
Kansas City – Kansas City 18 Cinemas
Saint Joseph – Hollywood Theaters 10
Saint Louis – AMC Esquire 7
Springfield – College Station
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Mississippi: Pearl – Tinseltown Jackson
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Montana: Bozeman – Gallatin Mall Cinema 11
Helena – Great Northern 8
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North Carolina: Asheville – Hollywood 14 Asheville
Charlotte – Stonecrest 22 @ Piper Glen
Concord – AMC Concord Mills 24
Raleigh – Brier Creek Stadium 14
Raleigh – North Hills Stadium 14
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North Dakota: Bismarck – Grand Theatre
Fargo – Century 10 Theatre
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Nebraska: Lincoln – South Pointe Cinemas
Omaha – AMC Oakview 24
Omaha – Village Pointe Cinemas
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New Hampshire: Portsmouth – The Music Hall
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New Jersey: Clifton – AMC Clifton Commons 16
Edgewater – Edgewater 16 Multiple Cinemas
Hamilton – AMC Hamilton 24
North Brunswick – Commerce Center 18
Paramus – AMC Garden State 16
Parsippany – Parsippany Cinema 12
Rockaway – AMC Rockaway 16
Voorhees – Showcase at the Ritz Center
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New Mexico: Albuquerque – Albuquerque Downtown 14
Albuquerque – Cottonwood 16
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Nevada: Las Vegas – Century 16 South Point
Las Vegas – Colonnade 14
Las Vegas – Orleans 18
Las Vegas – Sams Town 18
Las Vegas – Village Square 18
Reno – Riverside 12
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New York: Albany – Crossgates Stadium 18 – Albany
Bronx – AMC Bay Plaza 13
Brooklyn – BAM – Brooklyn Academy of Music
Buffalo – Elmwood Center 16
Farmingdale – Farmingdale Multiplex Cinemas
Holtsville – Island 16 Cinema De Lux
Hudson – Time and Space
Ithaca – Ithaca Mall 14
Loch Sheldrake – Sullivan County Community College
New Rochelle – New Roc Stadium 18 plus IMAX
New York – Chelsea Cinema
New York – First and 62nd Cinemas
New York – Union Square Stadium 14
Port Washington – Port Washington Cinemas
Potsdam – Roxy Theatre
Rochester – Tinseltown 17 with IMAX
Syracuse – Carousel Mall Stadium 17
Victor – Eastview Mall 13
Westbury – Westbury Stadium 12
White Plains – City Center 15 Cinema Delux
Whitestone – College Point Multiplex
Williamsville – Transit Center Stadium 18 plus IMAX
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Ohio: Akron – Montrose Movies 12
Cleveland Heights – Severance Stadium 14
Columbus – AMC Easton Town Center 30 with IMAX
Columbus – AMC Lennox Town Center 24
Columbus – Crosswoods Cinema 17
Columbus – Georgesville Stadium 16
Dayton – Hollywood Stadium 20 @ Fairfield Commons
Mason – Deerfield Town Center
Maumee – Maumee Showcase Cinemas
North Canton – Tinseltown USA 290
Pickerington – Pickerington Cinemas 16
Springdale – Springdale Showcase Cinemas
Valley View – Cinemark 24 Cleveland
West Carrollton – Dayton South Showcase Cinemas
Westlake – Crocker Park Stadium 16
Zanesville – Colony Square Mall
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Oklahoma: Norman – Spotlight 14
Oklahoma City – AMC Quail Springs 24
Oklahoma City – Tinseltown USA
Tulsa – Cinemark Tulsa 17 with IMAX
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Oregon: Beaverton – Cedar Hills Crossing 16
Bend – Old Mill Stadium 16
Happy Valley – Clackamas Town Center
Medford – Tinseltown
Portland – Lloyd Center 10
Springfield – Cinemark 17 (Springfield)
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Pennsylvania: Bensalem – AMC Neshaminy 24
Erie – Movies 17
Harrisburg – Susquehanna 14 Harrisburg
King Of Prussia – King of Prussia 15 plus IMAX
Lititz – The Penn Cinema
Moosic – Cinemark 20 Moosic
Philadelphia – Riverview Plaza
Philadelphia – The Bridge – UPenn
Pittsburgh – Pittsburgh West Showcase Cinemas
Plymouth Meeting – AMC Plymouth Meeting 12
Reading – R/C Reading Movies 11 & IMAX
Tarentum – Cinemark 17 Pittsburgh Mills
Warrington – Warrington Crossing 22
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Rhode Island: Warwick – Warwick Showcase Cinemas
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South Carolina: Columbia – Sandhill Stadium 16
Greenville – Hollywood 20-Greenville
Myrtle Beach – Cinemark 14 at Coastal Grand
Summerville – Azalea Square Stadium 16
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South Dakota: Sioux Falls – Sioux Falls Stadium 14
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Tennessee: Knoxville – West Town Mall 9
Nashville – Green Hills 16
Nashville – Opry Mills 20 plus IMAX
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Texas: Amarillo – Hollywood USA
Arlington – AMC Parks At Arlington 18
Austin – Cinemark Southpark Meadows
Austin – Metropolitan 14
Bee Cave – Cinemark Hill Country Galleria
Burleson – Movies 14
Cedar Park – Cinemark Cedar Park
Dallas – AMC Northpark Center 15
Dallas – Cinemark 17 with IMAX
Dallas – Galaxy Theatre
El Paso – Cinemark Cielo Vista
Fort Worth – Fossil Creek
Grapevine – Tinseltown Movies 17
Harker Heights – Harker Heights
Highland Village – AMC Highland Village 12
Houston – AMC Gulf Pointe 30
Houston – AMC Willowbrook 24
Houston – Houston Marq*E Stadium 22
Houston – Memorial City Mall
Humble – AMC Deerbrook 24
Killeen – Stadium 14
Lewisville – Vista Ridge Mall
Longview – Hollywood Stadium 14 Theatres
Lubbock – Movies 16
Mesquite – AMC Mesquite 30
Midland – Tall City
Pflugerville – Tinseltown USA Pflugerville
Plano – Cinemark 24 (The Legacy)
Plano – Tinseltown USA Plano
San Antonio – Cielo Vista 18
San Antonio – Fiesta 16 Theatres
Spring – Cinemark at Market Street
Sugar Land – AMC First Colony 24

Waco – Jewel 16
Webster – Cinemark 18 Webster
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Utah: Midvale – Union Heights 16
Ogden – Tinseltown Newgate
Provo – Cinemark 16 Provo
Salt Lake City – Salt Lake City 16
West Jordan – Cinemark 24 W. Jordan
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Virginia: Alexandria – AMC Hoffman 22
Arlington – Ballston Commons 12
Fairfax – Fairfax Towne Center
Glen Allen – Virginia Center 20
Hampton – AMC Hampton Towne Centre 24
Mclean – AMC Tyson’s Corner 16
Norfolk – Mac Arthur Center 18
Virginia Beach – AMC Lynnhaven 18
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Vermont: South Burlington – Palace Cinema 9
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Washington: Auburn – Auburn 17 Theatres
Federal Way – Century Theatres Federal Way 16
Kent – AMC Kent Station 14
Lynnwood – Alderwood 7 Theatres
Olympia – Capital Mall 14
Port Townsend – The Rose Theatre
Redmond – Bella Bottega 11 Cinema
Seattle – AMC Pacific Place 11
Spokane – Northtown 12
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Wisconsin: Appleton – College Avenue 16
Appleton – Hollywood Cinemas 14
Ashwaubenon – Bay Park Cinemas
Brookfield – The Majestic – Brookfield
Kenosha – Tinseltown Kenosha
Madison – Point Cinemas 16
Mequon – North Shore Cinemas 11
Oak Creek – South Shore Cinemas 16
Oshkosh – Oshkosh Cinemas 12
Sheboygan – Sheboygan Cinemas 13
Sturtevant – Cinema at the Renaissance
This show is one night only. Thursday, April 23rd, on these select movie screens nationwide.

Delaware:

The Odyssey Dinner Boat Cruises on Lake Michigan in Chicago are well known for providing an elegant evening on the lake with a spectacular view of the city of Chicago. When we got a chance to take one this weekend and have a night out we jumped at the chance. My fiance and I couldn’t remember the last time we had been out on a date night since we got engaged. The Chicago Odyssey Dinner Cruise was just what we needed among the crazy wedding planning we are managing right now. Here is a review of our experiences on the Odyssey Dinner Cruise this past Saturday night in Chicago.

Boarding Time: 6:30 pm

Cruise Starts: 7:30 pm

Dinner: 8PM

Jazz Music/Dancing: throughout

View of Chicago: the entire night until 10:30 pm when we got back to Navy Pier in Chicago.

Cost:  Saturday Night Dinner Cruises start at $92. This may seem like a lot of money, but there are many restaurants in the city that cost a lot more than that and don’t provide this kind of unique experience.

The weather started out rainy so we were not sure we would have much of a view on the Chicago Odyssey Cruise ship that evening, but we drove to Navy Pier anyway in hopes of a romantic evening away from everything stressful happening right now. We read that the dress code was somewhat formal and Steve actually pulled out a suit jacket to wear. The location was easy to find, we parked in the Navy Pier garage and the Chicago Odyssey Boat was docked right on the other side of the pier from where we parked by the #5 doors.  The cruise ship looked just like the pictures, big white modern looking boat with black windows. 

The rain was disappointing but when you are on a large boat for 800 people you don’t even know it’s raining outside. The interior was surprising, no communal tables or big buffets. The level we were set up on was a very elegant restaurant setting with individual tables and we sat right by the window to see the view perfectly. The meal was a 4 course meal which was very good. The appetizers, salad, main course and desert were all very good. The chicken I had as the main course was a bit heavy but Steve really enjoyed his steak and the cobbler for desert was amazing. I don’t think that people view the Odyssey or any of the Chicago Skyline Cruises as a big floating four star full service restaurant, but they really are.

The cruise started out with a champagne cocktail hour while people were boarding. Then we switched to diet pepsi so we would stay awake since we live sleep deprived lives at this point. The coffee later in the evening was also a welcome perk of caffeine. There was a full bar available though with all the amenities you would expect from a restaurant of this caliber.

The dining room on the Odyssey is really as nice as a fine dining restaurant.

The Chicago Odyssey Boat Tour Cruise also had a very nice 3 piece jazz band playing sets on the boat during the entire time we were there. They covered everything from smooth jazz to classic Sinatra standards and finished out the evening with an energetic rendition of Sweet Home Chicago. I think they are wise to have good quality music on a cruise of Chicago’s skyline. People in Chicago know their music and jazz and the couple next to us was commenting how the music was genuine jazz played well.

Our server was very attentive and the service all around was very good the entire time we were on the ship. We were still invited to go upstairs and view the skyline from the top deck of the ship even in the poor weather and the server even offered an umbrella if we needed it. I think having separate levels and rooms on this ship is a key to it’s success. There was a college honor society party on the 2nd level and a high school party on the 3rd and we never really came in contact with any of the immaturity you would expect from those younger crowds during the trip. I am sure that all the couples that were in that dining room were happy to be in a separate room also. 

We were surprised at the variety of events that people were celebrating on the Odyssey Cruise Ship that night. They make a special effort to find out what event you are celebrating and make it special. They announced people’s anniversaries and birthdays as well as had special birthday desert cakes with candles. They try and go out of the way to make your 3 hours on the lake a special and memorable experience.

We found that the Odyssey Ships don’t go far from the shore on to Lake Michigan (which is nice for the view), they initially turned south to view the city and then looped back north a few times cycling back and forth from the museum campus to Navy Pier. We did go up on the top deck and saw a beautiful view of Chicago (under a light fog) and of Navy Pier. Some HS kids were smoking up there but were just hanging out.

I can imagine how cool it must be for a high school or college student to take a date, or have a dance on Lake Michigan on a boat like this, especially if you’re from the suburbs.  It is like their first night out as adults and most of the kids looked like they took it pretty seriously. The rest of the crowd seemed like they were a mix of young couples celebrating birthdays and mid-aged people on anniversaries. One group was a girls night out all the way from Tennessee. I could see this as a great way for people traveling from other cities to really get to see Chicago and have an elegant dinner at the same time. I can also see the appeal for couples with kids to get away for the evening and go on a cruise like this just to relax and enjoy each-other’s company.

My overall experience surpassed my expectations on the Chicago Odyssey Dinner Cruise on Lake Michigan andI can confidently recommend the experience for anyone looking for an elegant night out in Chicago or someone looking for tourist suggestions for enjoying a vacation in Chicago. The spring-summer-fall seasons are probably better weather than the first week in March but it is possible to go on these scenic dinner cruises almost any time of year and we’re glad we got to get away this weekend regardless of the weather.

Have you had an experience on an Odyssey Dinner Cruise that you would like to share? Comment below…

The Chicago Sketchfest has been a great event to see the top comedy sketches in Chicago(and from across the country) for the last 8 years. Brian Posen does a great job with the team he has working on the event and they really find some creative and inventive new comedy sketch acts to showcase. I have been to the sketchfest for the last 2 years and always end up laughing my arse off. I am also impressed by sponsors ways of showing unique support like the redbull sketchfest sign made from red bull cans and the giant Chipotle burrito that is about 10 ft long hanging from the celing.

There are schedules posted for the performers and shows now, so check them out and buy your passes early because they always sell out. The best deals are usually the weekend passes. This year the event is at the Chicago Theater Building again and the individual shows are $12.50 each for tickets and the full all-sketchfest pass is $150.00.That really is a good deal if you can spend 8 nights of your life in the Chicago Theater Building laughing at comedy. Even if you don’t have that much time on your hands it is still worth going. Especially since it is so f-ing cold, what else can you do in January? Its pretty much see original new comedy at the Sketchfest or see reruns on cable every night? I’d go see Sketchfest.

One of my favorite shows is always Big News, but they aren’t listed for this year nor are they listed on IO’s schedule where they launched a Chicago version of the show earlier in the year. This event is really about discoveringnew shows and new talent so I will go pick something I have never heard of before and be suprised at how random and funny it can be. Maybe I will laugh as hard as I did at the space musical I saw last year.

You may also be asking: “what is the difference between Improv and Sketch comedy?” That is a good question. There are many flavors of comedy in Chicago and the sketchfest specializes in written material that uses some props, video, music and costumes if needed, although it is somewhat low tech compared to SNL or other sketch based comedy shows. Improv is well, improvised on the spot. There is no script, so you make it all up as you go. The Chicago Improv Festival is the home of the Improv fest yearly and both fests are worth attending.

Yet you see a lot of the same people at both events. Both performers and audience members. I think a lot of people learn to create and write great comedy through improv as a process so the worlds overlap and collide in these festivals as well as in the permanent shows around town. You never know who you will see that will end up on SNL in a few years. We have almost too much talent in this city, it is impossible to see it all.

Additionally there is a new sketchfest kids day this year. This is always great for kids who like the performing arts or are just into laughing at wacky stuff. I am sure that these performances have been monitored for language and such so they are clean humor and safe for kids. Think more silly slap stick comedy. The details are:

Sketch Day for Kids presented by the Chicago Sketch Comedy Festival on Sunday, January 10, 2009
1PM – Unintentionally Hilarious & 2PM – Bri-Ko
Location: Theatre Building Chicago, 1225 W. Belmont
Adult Tickets - $12.50 each, or $20 for both shows
Kids Under 12 Tickets - $8 each, or $12 for both shows.
Website: ChicagoSketchFest.com or Call (773) 539-4596 for tix

There is just one word of warning about the Sketchfest. (And I hate to mention it since everything else about the fest is so good) The sketchfest is way to big for the Chicago Theater Building. It outgrew it’s venue about 3 years ago and there is not enough room for people to enter and exit each set of shows on the hour and there is absolutely no parking. The valets don’t even have any parking spaces most nights. I sat outside in the cold for a 1/2 hour waiting for someone to leave last year so we could have the valet park our car. So, you *must* take public transportation and walk outside in -20 degree weather to get there, it is the only option. Or take a cab. That would work too. Somehow though, these tickets are always sold out despite the hassle of getting there and maneuvering between theaters in the mobs of people in line out the door and down the sidewalk. Make sure to get your show tickets at least a few weeks in advance.

I saw the ad in the Daily Herald for “Turn of the Century” with Jeff Daniels at the Chicago Goodman Theatre a few days ago and the first thing out of my mouth was ” Jeff Daniels? the guy from Dumb and Dumber?” I have to see this… So I got tickets online from the goodmantheatre.org website with their swish little seat chooser web interface and guess what? It was almost sold out. In order to see the play soon and without having to sit in the rafters it will be a Wednesday night show on September 24th. The Turn of the Century show opens at The Goodman Theatre a week before that on Friday September 19th.

It seems that The Goodman Theatre has been a little jealous of the Steppenwolf Theater’s success this year with August: Osage County winning Pulitzers, Tony awards and all the press in Chicago. I did see one play at The Goodman Theater a few years ago and while it was good, although most of the shows I see promoted at the Goodman look like older themes I would not be interested in. Steppenwolf Theater across town seems to have younger edgier fare and is more identifiable for someone like me in my 30′s. But that said I do like a good Musical and loved Jersey Boys and Wicked.

My guess is that The Turn of The Century is a bigger musical with large dance numbers and tries to use the classic music that made many musicals a hit in the past 100 years. Plus it was a nostalgia boost for the core audience at the Goodman that likes that era. I think bringing people like Tommy Tune and others from Broadway in New York means they were really serious about the project and wanted some big guns to make an impact and getting Jeff Daniels seems to be a draw also because people outside the traditional theater crowds know who he is. Plus people never seem to tire of hearing the songs in the Great American Songbook from composers like Irving Berlin, Rodgers and Hart, Rodgers and Hammerstein.

The thing that I noticed from the backstage footage that the Goodman has online is that it is pre-WW1 music. Like ragtime, player pianos, and even before the 1920′s dance styles. (think long dresses and lots of parasols) It makes me think of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers ballroom dancing (although that was 1920′s – 1940′s) yet can anyone live up to a dance legend and musical immortal like that? How will they make this story in a time that offers no similarity to today, relate able and edgy enough to capture the minds and hearts of Chicagoans? Lots of singing synchronized dancers in period costumes probably won’t do it alone. It will need to tie emotionally to something we care about and something we understand. Most Chicagoans don’t know hoey about dancing nor do they care much about history 100 years ago.

Many of us also did not know that Jeff Daniels had a range beyond quirky-goofy-funny-guy but maybe we are all wrong about that.  From the behind the scenes footage he looks like he does know what he is doing and enjoys being in a musical even if it is in Chicago rather than New York.

The other interesting part of this musical is that they say it is an original musical never performed anywhere before and not written based on someones life or book. That could mean that it is really different from what we expect or not quite as good. It remains to be seen. They elude to some dramatic time travel in the Goodman’s ads and interviews and maybe that is the hook it needs. I will update this post in a few weeks when I see The Turn of the Century at The Goodman Theatre and let you know what I think.

Update and Review 9.25.08:

I saw “Turn of the Century” last night at the Goodman Theatre and it was a very nice theatrical work. The sets, costumes, dancing and singing are all top notch and worth going to see alone. Jeff Daniels fills his role with some of the quirkiness we would expect from him but it is much more of a straight role that most people have seen him in before. (A long way from Dumb and Dumber) He captures the essence of this character in his singing, dancing and acting. (yes, he can sing!) Rachel York is truly stunning in this show, looking amazing in the most impossibly tight corseted dresses, singing a wide range of songs and styles and really conveying the feelings of her character in a very believable way. There is a large supporting cast which means this really is an expensive production. They create mood and setting with some very good dancing and chorus singing that is historically correct and executed well. They also have about a million quick costume changes.

The set uses a white backdrop and white floor and lighting with a grand piano and minimal furniture to create settings for scenes. The stage has a catwalk that wraps around the orchestra pit and allows the actors to interact with the audience more and lets the scenes have an inside and outside divided space. There is also a large conveyor belt on one side that some scenes roll in on, but I’m not sure that is necessary considering how tricky it must be to install. The outside of the stage is wrapped in a circular scrolling electronic sign from floor to ceiling that sends messages around it from left to right. It is used before the show to scroll historical events from different times and during the show to list where and when they happen because the plot jumps around somewhat and there isn’t always more of a cue than a scene change. And of course they surpriseus all with a real live orchestra under the stage complete with a conductor that pops his head up occasionally. Even more people in this complicated production in a small theater.

Overall, I enjoyed the play although I can’t help thinking there are still some areas that need a little refinement and there are some plausibilityholes. The main one is this time travel thing. It is never explained or justified in a believable way although the characters fully accept it. (almost too quickly) The scenes change without any special effects or even an attempt to show that time is changing. They time this jump back in time with the millennium changeover in the beginning which could be understood as some time continuum weirdness but at the end they are back to present day with no reasoning whatsoever. (I think there is one sentence meant to explain why but it just doesn’t do it and can be easily missed) It seemed like they just went on this fantastic voyage to prove that the mid-level artists now would be capable of wowing millions back 100 years ago and that those songs and stories were the best ever told on Broadway so lets go have a nostalgic moment. 

The singing and dancing was flawless but sometimes it seemed like the songs were used just to reminisce about the good old days and had no ties to the emotions of the characters. Some did tell the story and emotions but maybe only 1/2 of them. And for a musical I always thought that was the point. The plot relies on the old standby of making a musical about making a musical. I feel like the people developing this just wanted to go back in time personally to re-live these songs, stories and possibly their youth. This may have also been evident that at 32 I may have been one of the youngest people in the sea of grey haired audience members. So, at least it appeals to the Goodman’s target demographic and will continue to sell out. (but don’t expect to attract many newcomers to the theater like Wicked or Jersey Boys does)

There are some technical difficulties they should work out also to refine things to the best level possible. (considering this is the Goodman) The first scene’s singing is drowned out by the clapping because of the mics the actors are wearing. There is a scene near the end where a clock bell tolls and you can’t hear what is being said there also. The piano is a little weird in that it just has a light-up keyboard since no one in the show actually plays piano. (I am sure finding a Harry Connick Jr Piano playing, singing, acting pro can’t be easy so you can understand why they do this) Sometimes though, I feel like it is better to have the piano turned away from the audience as to improve the believability that he is actually playing it.

All those things aside Turn of the Century is an enjoyable hour and a half show if you like music from the first 40 years of the last century. If you are under 30 you may be like my boyfriend and have never heard the songs used in this show and don’t know that they are out of place being performed in a 1900 style. For those people it won’t really be that compelling, but for the over 50 set it is probably a really nice night at the Goodman theater downtown. My parents would love it.

There are a lot of very affordable (cheap) entertainment and (family) fun options this weekend in Chicago. Whether you live in the suburbs or are planning on getting a hotel room and vacationing in Chicago for the weekend, there is lots to do. If you haven’t gotten tickets to see the award winning show Wicked (the musical) or Jersey Boys, get them quick, the last block of tickets is on sale now. Also, in perfect timing with the Olympics on TV, Circqe Shanghai: Gold is in town performing at Navy Pier. The Museum of Science and Industry also has a new exhibit on Glass Making called The Glass Experience that is a lot of fun for the family. The Chicago Shedd Aquarium also has a new exhibit also called Lizards & the Komodo King. Here are my recommendations and best picks this weekend in Chicago:

1. Everyone knows that the Opening Ceremonies for the 2008 Beijing Olympics will begin on NBC Channel 5 at 6:30 pm Friday evening. You can also see Cirque Shanghai: Gold at Navy Pier’s Pepsi Skyline Stage this weekendin between watching Olympic TV events from China. They will be performing there through September 1st so get tickets for later in the month if you are already booked. Tickets are very affordable from $15.00 to $30.00 and it is a fun family event. If you re coming in from the suburbs, take the metra and then a cab or bus from the train station to avoid traffic and the high cost of parking the car.

2. The Museum of Science and Industry has a new exhibit on Glassmaking and Glassblowing that is a lot of fun for the family while also being a learning experience. The Museum of Science & Industry is located at the address: 57th Street & Lake Shore Drive Chicago, IL 60637. Call 773-684-1414 for more information. The Glass Experience, runs through September 1 and this interactive exhibition reveals the science, craftsmanship and beauty from the world of glassmaking. There are live glass blowing demonstrations, Dale Chihuly glass bowls artwork, Tiffany glass shaded lamps and Frank Lloyd wright stained glass windows. Admission is 8.50 for kids and $13.00 for Adults. the Museum of Science and Industry and the Glass Experience is open from 9:30 am to 4pm daily.

3. The Chicago Shedd Aquarium has a new exhibit also called Lizards & the Komodo King through September 1. The John G. Shedd Aquarium is located at the address 1200 S. Lake Shore Drive (Museum Campus) Chicago, IL 60605. Call 312.939.2438 if you have questions for the Shedd Aquarium. This exhibit is neat because the world’s largest lizard is making his first-time appearance in Chicago and they have brought out all the lizard creatures he is related to for show also. Lots of great fish and amphibious creatures are always viewable at the Shedd Aquarium (penguins!) also. Admission is $27.00 for an adult day pass which includes this exhibit.

4. The award winning show Wicked is ending it’s Musical Theater run in Chicago at the Ford Center for the Performing arts (formerly the Oriental Theater) in January. The last blocks of tickets to the shows through December have gone on sale now. They won’t last long, plan tour trip to Chicago and book your hotel rooms now before it sells out. Get your tickets to see Wicked from Broadway in Chicago before it leaves Chicago whether you have seen it many times or have never seen the show before. I saw it 3 times and loved it. Ticket prices range from around $30.00 to $100.00 per seat.

Have a happy and safe Olympic weekend in Chicago!

The 4th of July is almost here and everyone is heading out to their favorite restaurants with outdoor patios and putting on the sunblock to go to the beach in Chicago. It is that rare time of year when we forget that Chicago is really a cold and desolate place the rest of the year and we enjoy the outdoors. But we also like our air conditioning because Chicago is humid in the summer, so you have to balance your activities between indoors and outside. This weekend there is a bevy of new restaurant openings, events and concerts to go to. So enjoy your weekend and plan for next week on July 4th also.

1. The Grant Park Music Festival is going on all Summer long from June 11 through August 16th. They have found sponsors to cover the costs of the musicians and facilities so that the city can offer free classical music concerts to the public all summer. This weekend they have 2 concerts scheduled, one on Friday at 6:30 pm and one on Saturday at 7:30 pm both at Harris Theater. (which may not be free, but there is no note about ticket costs on the booklet they sent me in the mail) The classical music concert is featuring 20th Century Masters played by the Grant Park Orchestra. The Harris Theater is a very box-like uber-modern concrete structure at the northern most edge of Millennium Park.

2. C-House Restaurant opens at the Affinia Chicago 166 East Superior Street Downtown. (312.523.0923) Expect a high class experience with a nautical theme. I wonder what the draw is for bringing high quality seafood to Chicago when transportation and fuel costs are so high. Anyway, I am sure the food is divine.

3. The (BAM) Belmont Arts and Music Fest  is on this weekend with plenty of indie bands to delight the senses. As they say it is “2 days of Beats, Art & Eats” (and drinks) The Belmont Arts and Music Fest is open from 12pm noon until 10pm on Saturday and Sunday this weekend. Check it out on Belmont Avenue between Damen and Leavitt in Roscoe Village. The music lineup includes (in reverse order):

Saturday: Cursive @ 9:00 pm, The Redwalls @8:30 pm, Maritime @ 7:55 pm, Waco Brothers @7:00 pm,
Sybris @ 6:45 pm, Dot Dot Dot @5:30 pm, Unwed Sailor @ 5:40 pm, Steepwater@4:00 pm; Parlor Mob @ 4:35 pm Rockit @2:30 pm, Mark Rose @ 3:50 pm, Hey Champ @1:00 pm, Everthus The Deadbeats @ 3:00 pm,

Sunday: American Music Club @ 9:00 pm, Smoking Popes @ 8:30 pm, Johnathan Rice @ 7:55 pm, Justin Townes Earle @7:00 pm, Maria Taylor @ 6:45 pm, Air This Side Of Caution @5:30 pm, Casiotone For The Painfully Alone @ 5:40 pm, Ezra Furman and the Harpoons @4:OO pm, Nik Freitas @ 4:35 pm, Anne Harris Band @2:30 pm, Yourself and The Air @ 3:30 pm Cavashawn @1:00 pm 

4. Cirque du Soleil has a new show in the parking lot around the United Center called KOOZA. The concept of highly trained acrobats with lighting and special effects and clowns is getting a little old, they have been pushing it since the Albertville Olympic Games in 1992. I am really tired of it and most of us realize it’s still just a bunch of circus performers. Yes it can be awe inspiring to see once in a while, but not anything new, exciting or ground breaking. Hence all the advertising they had to do in order to sell tickets. If you love the circus, this is for you, if not, skip it.

5. The Joffrey Ballet  is selling tickets to their new home location opening coming up this September, so if you really miss having a local Ballet Company downtown, book these dates. 

• Thursday, September 11th, 2008 – 6:00pm Joffrey Ballet Performance at Millennium Park
• Friday, September 12, 2008 – 7:00 pm The Opening Night at the Joffrey Tower. A Black Tie Dinner and Performance Limited Seating is available.
• Saturday, September 13, 2008 – 3:00pm Joffrey Tower: Community Open House
• Monday, September 15, 2008 – 6:30pm Couture and Cocktails Fashion Show by Maria Pinto

6. Of course on Sunday the Gay Pride Parade in Chicago is going on from noon until around 2 in Boystown and Wrigleyville. It is always a light hearted fun time with lots of flamboyant costumes, rainbows and skin. I have to say that it can be an eye opening experience if you have never been there before but everyone is really nice and very cool so it is always a fun time. It is really a chance to celebrate openness in society and realize that while we aren’t all the same we are pretty similar (we all like beer!) and can all get along.

7. The Randolph Street Market Festival has all you can possibly imagine in the way of decorative furnishings and vintage antiques. (over 200 vendors from all over the country selling all eras of “vintage”) It is kind of like a cross between those fancy shmantsy antique shows at the merchandise mart and the flea market on the Kane County Fair Grounds. But on Randolph Street instead. The Randolph Street Market festival is open on Saturday from 10am to 5pm and on Sunday from 11am to 5pm. 

8. If that isn’t enough to do just wait, The Taste of Chicago Starts Friday June 27th at 11 AM!

Have a great weekend!!

I just heard about this discount from the Hard Rock Chicago Hotel at 230 N Michigan Avenue and wanted to share it. The Hard Rock Hotel in Chicago is an elegantly restored art deco style historic hotel downtown in the loop. It is located almost across the street from Millennium Park and very close to Grant Park, Theaters, The (Field and Shedd) Museum Campus and the Art Institute of Chicago as well as many fine dining restaurants. (Morton’s, McCormick & Schmick’s and Lawry’s Steakhouse) Usually this is a very expensive luxury hotel aimed at either baby boomers that love a little rock and roll edge or younger generation X and Y age groups who really love the rock and roll and want a unique and cool hotel stay experience in Chicago. The rooms are well appointed with luxury beds and linens and the decor is very hard rock hotel with guitars and mood lighting throughout. The rooms also have many exciting views of the skyscrapers in Chicago that you can’t see from anywhere else.

Usually the rooms at the Hard Rock Hotel run over $200.00 per night in the summer travel season. (they are less in the winter) But, right now they have a $179 a night special promotion sale running right now with the discount code PROGOT when you book your hotel room through their web site online. The catch is that the rooms must be booked by July 22, 2008. This is most likely in response to the slower travel season this summer because people are cutting back on travel and other non-essential costs since gas and food is getting so much more expensive. If you are one of those people who can still afford to travel, come see Chicago. The Hard Rock Hotel Chicago web site is: hardrockhotelchicago.com  They also have a promotion listed on the home page saying you get a $15 iTunes gift card with check-in also. Double bonus.

Besides being an elegant and ultra hip hotel in downtown Chicago, they have many extra amenities you would expect of a luxury hotel:

• Spa services
• Valet parking
• Business center with computers and internet access
• 24 Hour Room Service
• Laundry & valet services
• 24 Hour Fitness Center
• Complimentary coffee, served daily in the lobby
• Complimentary High-speed Internet access in the rooms
• Feather top bedding
• Coffee maker in the rooms
• Daily newspaper delivery
• Aveda bath products
• Mini-bar
• On-demand movies

Check out the Hard Rock Hotel in Chicago if you are looking for a good deal on a luxurious and cool place to stay in Chicago this summer. Also consider Chicago for your travel plans, it is cheaper than going to Europe or out of the country and Chicago has all the cultural, arts and sights you can enjoy that are just as much fun as across the Atlantic.

UPDATE 1/22/09 - There is a winter special going on now at the Hard Rock Hotel where deluxe king rooms are available for $129 plus a free room upgrade in January and February 2009. I guess business and recreational travel is down in the recession so why not offer better rates? Then maybe some local people can afford to go downtown for a night in the city and stay there. The Hard Rock Hotel is a very upscale hotel and very well designed in a historic building. And $129 a night is like the cost of a Best Western room. Use the cupon code “email rate” when you book online or with a reservation specialist by phone. (“PROLOY” on the “Discount Codes field)

I am so excited to see that August Osage County has won 4 Tony Awards this year since it is an amazing play that had it’s start right here in Chicago at the Steppenwolf Theater. I saw this shocking and yet riveting play last summer in 2007 in it’s run at Steppenwolf Theater on the north side of Chicago.  What is interesting is that there are so few new plays being written and performed these days and this one competes with the classics and really is a gripping quality piece of theater.

When I saw August: Osage County was transfixed for 3+ hours as the lives of this extended family unraveled right in front of our very eyes. It is somehow relate-able in the beginning of the play but by mid-play you know something very different is going on here and you buckle your seat-belt for a bumpy ride.

Anyway, I know it’s not regular for me to post 3 times in a day, but I wanted to post this since it is from a local great writer Tracy Letts who has another play running right now at Steppenwolf Theater. Check out Steppenwolftheater.org for more info and to buy tickets to the new play.  The Tony Awards that they won are listed below. Congratulations to the entire cast and crew as well as Steppenwolf Theater and Tracy Letts!

• August:Osage County won Best Play Tony Award the Author is Tracy Letts. The play has already won a Pulitzer this year as well.
• August:Osage County with Deanna Dunagan won a Tony award for the Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Play
• August:Osage County with Rondi Reed won a Tony award for the Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Play
• August:Osage County with Anna D. Shapiro won a Tony award for the Best Direction of a Play
• August:Osage County and Todd Rosenthal won a Tony for the Best Scenic Design of a Play

Also a Regional Theatre Tony Award was given to the Chicago Shakespeare Theatre.

It seems like Chicago is back on the map for great original works and great quality theater again.

In case you haven’t already heard, this year’s most eagerly anticipated concert is coming to the Chicago Theater this week. The Swell Season with Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova will be in Chicago on their national Tour following their Oscar win for the songs from the Movie Once. (song: Falling Slowly) And I have found from the first time I saw this movie (spring of 07) I have slowly fallen for this talented duo and the group Glen Hansard was originally with, The Frames and coundn’t be more excited to see them at the Chicago Theater Wednesday night. (The show review is listed at the end of this post)

Their individual stories are almost fairy tale like since they both rose from obscurity to fame after years of work and experience locally. Glen Hansard dropped out of school at 13 at the urging of his principal to go start his career since he was talented at music and uninterested in traditional subjects. He has been making music ever since and a part of The Frames for 17 years, which is a band very popular in Ireland. Marketa Irglova is the daughter of a concert promoter and grew up learning all spects of music and the business among other things. She met Glen years ago while he was on tour with the Frames in Eastern Europe. So, when Glen was approached to see if he knew an Eastern European girl that could sing and play piano he knew the perfect person.

The movie Once was originally written with a well known Irish actor in mind and when things fell through with him, (and with financing, making it a small indie film rather than big budget) they asked Glen Hansard to play the lead role since he had written the music and would be the best person to perform them. Plus parts of the movie were based on ideas he submitted from his experiences busking as a teenager in Dublin. Glen suggested Marketa for the role and she got the part and then they spent a week in the studio recording songs for the movie. The movie itself was shot for something like 100K and with 2 cameras in 2 weeks in mostly public places. The rest is history as people seeing the film fell in love with the movie, the songs and the actors. The Oscar win was the icing on the cake making the small indie film into a major success. I heard that it made 9 million dollars before it was picked up for distribution in the US, but who knows how much it has sold since then. And all these concerts are selling out across the US also.  

Glen and Marketa filmed the movie Once and then even though in the film they go their separate ways, in real life they really did start dating. Their chemistry comes across so well in their music. I have been listening to The Swell Season and The Frames concerts from NPR in All Songs Considered online and downloaded the Atlanta concert from this tour on PlayedLastNight.com. They have a relaxed conversational way of hosting a concert and as experienced performers we are curious to hear the songs from the movie and about more of their music.  They are actually surprisingly funny and Glen likes to go into stories and analogies often on stage that are pretty interesting.

Marketa was a great compliment to Glen’s voice, music and writing skills. Their sound is much lighter and softer together than Glen Hansard was with the Frames, but since The Frames are on tour with them the songs are backed up by a much richer sound than in the movie with a violin, drums and possibly additional pianos and guitars.  They do some Frames songs together also and Marketa can really rock too.

The thing about the music in The Swell Season and in the movie Once is that it seems so real. Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova’s music is simple enough to make you want to sing along even if you have never sung before and harmonized beautifully in a complex way at the same time. It is completely open, vulnerable and emotional in ways we tend to normally keep to ourselves but somehow are more comfortable exploring with their help. Personally, I identify with them when Glen says things like “when you tend towards the darkness, its important to repeat these things”.  (the lyrics in Thread the Light) I raise my hand here in the office building I work in on Michigan Avenue while I am listening on my ipod during the work day.

I am overall very excited to see this show since it sold out so fast and you had to know a yuppie hipster or Irish culture fan to even know tickets were going on sale. (I got lucky I work with hipsters) Even though I only got nosebleed seats at the top of the Chicago Theater, it will be a treat to see them live and experience the magic in person.  Tickets are all sold out, so if you really must go to this concert at any cost, you might be able to find a few on Craigslist, although I don’t advocate the reselling of tickets at high prices. If you are more modest in means, check out itunes, NPR’s all songs considered or playedlastnight.com to download and purchase the soundtrack from the Oscar winning Movie Once, The Swell Season album and The Frames albums.Or just rent the film Once from Netflix. It’s a great movie for an evening in at home. 

Picture/Photo linked from VenusZine.com and their review of the Sunday June 15 show.

Update: June 18th Show Review (written 6/19/08)

I saw this show last night and it was a dynamic and inspiring musical performance. The show started at 8 with a opener also from Ireland and he played guitar and told a few stories about living in Chicago in the late 80′s.

Then at 9 The Swell Season started. Glen Hansard opened the show by coming out with the acoustic guitar and no amp or microphones and playing acoustically to the audience and singing “Say it to me now” with no mic. It worked well and we were able to hear him way up in the balcony seats without a problem. I was a little dissapointed though that the audience was not that supportive and just politely waited to clap at the end rather than cheering throughout when he had moments of crescendo and projected to the back corners of the theater.

He then introduced Marketa and the band and went into playing the first few songs from the movie that people knew but without much introduction or explanation like I had heard in the concerts online. They played “Lies” with an amazing lighting effect where the 6 spot lights behind them on the stage projected their beams up over the musicians and together up into the theater dome on the ceiling. Then the light reflected back down on the audience in a “heavenly” way. It’s hard to describe, but the nature of the song being about telling lies and then the beam of light from above made a compelling atmosphere for the song. They used these lights again later on in the show too.

About the 4th song in, they sang “Falling Slowly” and Glen Hansard briefly told of how that one song changed everything for them. Then in the song he missed a cue somehow, spun around from the mic and then at the next point he started apologizing for that and explaining that he got into his head a bit. Somehow he has a great sense of humor without really being like a standup. Anyway, he explained that he was thinking that they should dedicate the song to a special guest they had that night. Barack Obama was there. He pointed to mid floor on the ground level of seats, but from where I was sitting you couldn’t see him. Glen made a brief comment about the song being dedicated to Barack Obama and that it would be great if he won the election and made this country great again. I think he hit the sentiment of the crowd on the head with so many people frustrated with so many things in the USA these days. It wasn’t a political statement, it was more a reflection of the feelings and mood of the people in the US right now and a hope that they can get a better life back again and weather the storm of sorts.

After that announcement the show and the audience seemed to warm up considerably. I heard from 3 people who went to the Tuesday night show that Glen talked a lot and the intros were longer than the songs. And that a boy named Ethan was called out of the crowd to sing the Hoover Fixer Sucker Guy song. (he has 29,000 views of him singing it on YouTube and has sung it with Glen Hansard before) On Wednesday though the crowd sensed some reserve in Glen and wasn’t as cheery and supportive until he loosened up after the Barack Obama in the audience announcement. Then the heckler stopped and the crowd was behind him all the way.

I also thought it was interesting that Glen and Marketa each both play guitar and piano and for some songs they switch. I did not know that before seeing this performance. Marketa has the confidence and presence on stage of someone older than her years and Glen just exudes emotions and happiness when he plays and sings. Like he says all these years he has just been playing his guitar and hoping people like him.

One review of a show last week cited that Marketa just sits by the piano and looks to Glen for direction but I never saw that. They keep in eye contact when they are playing together but that isn’t looking to him for direction. Marketa was an active participant in running the show with Glen and they share the stage and the spotlight. After each song they seemed to confer about what to play next and she would stand with hand on hip and chat for a minute with him between songs as if the set list was flexible. She also introduced her songs and the interlude played by the violinist. Anyone who thinks Marketa isn’t as involved in the show just plain wrong.

There were also about 5 songs they invited the crowd to sing along with, which I loved, since it is such singable music within the range of what I am guessing is comfortable for most people’s voices. Or maybe I am over thinking this, but I have been singing along to the swell season in my car for months now and I love it for that. I think the crowd was tentative about the audience participation portion of the program at first (and my seat neighbors may have been annoyed at my singing) but then they concluded the show with an Irish Drinking song singalong called The Auld Triangle that went over well. Glen even went as far as picking an older gentleman out of the audience to sing it along with him on stage like an old Irishman would. The guy sang along a few verses and then retreated back to safety at his seat when Glen wasn’t looking. I guess not everyone would think going up on stage would be fun (like I would) but it was a nice touch to be so open with your audience to invite them on stage with you. This song did end up getting everyone in the 3,000 seat packed house singing, I even nudged my boyfriend to sing and he did.

Overall, I thought the show was great because their voices are always so “on” and the instrumental band members are also so good at this. The violin player was very popular getting many applause when he added his instrument to songs. They can play the songs spot on like the CD and play such a depth of music beyond it because of the depth of their experience and skill. Even the songs that aren’t from the movie have the characteristics we love about the Swell Season and Glen and Marketa’s work and the audience received them warmly.

After the show ended we walked around to the side of the Chicago theater to see if the group of fans would get their wish and get to meet Glen and Marketa after the show. But after a crazy/drunk/homeless guy ranting at us for a 1/2 and hour and the information from the security guy that they didn’t come out until 2am the night before (and a lot of beer went in through that door) we decided to just go home. It was late and the L stops running at a certain time so we had to get back, but we were overall very happy with the show and I would definitely see them again in concert if they came to Chicago. If you were at the Swell Season concert, you can post your comments below also.

Update 6/20/08I just read on Time Out Chicago’s Blog that Barack Obama was not there, they checked with the Chicago Theater directly on that. How weird. Glen, what’s up with saying he was?