Henry Godinez, director of the Goodman’s “Inherit The Wind”
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ART
Immense Cicadas Join The Swarming Broods
Cicada Parade, a, a collaborative art project, will hit Chicago this summer, observes WMAQ-TV. “While the traditional cicada is smaller than the length of a human finger, these plaster cicadas will be impossible to miss throughout the city. Cicada Parade, a large-scale collaborative art project organized by The Insect Asylum and Formstone Castle Collective, will be on display in the city beginning in May. The art project is made up of painted plaster cicada sculptures which will be… throughout the city on walls, light poles and signs.”
DESIGN
One Thousand Apartments For LaSalle Street
“Four [projects] are asking for $151 million in TIF funding to overhaul old office buildings under LaSalle Street Reimagined. About a third of units would be affordable,” lists Block Club. Says Crain’s, the “$528 million worth of office-to-residential conversions” are at 111 West Monroe, 208 South LaSalle, 30 North LaSalle and 79 West Monroe, with two more possible at 105 West Adams (the Clark Adams building) and 135 South LaSalle (the Field building). The Sun-Times: “The four projects named by Mayor Johnson’s office stand to create more than 1,000 new apartments.”
Renovations On Lawson House, Former YMCA On Chicago, Completed As Affordable Studios
“Work has officially been completed at the historic Victor F. Lawson House,” reports Chicago YIMBY, “located on the northeast corner with North Dearborn across the street from the massive One Chicago development… The work was led by developer Holsten Real Estate with local design firm Farr Associates.” “The twenty-four-story art deco building at 30 West Chicago, was once the largest single-room-occupancy building in the city, with 583 apartments. It has been transformed into 406 micro apartments for low-income renters,” adds Block Club.
Demolition Begins At Former Sears HQ In Hoffman Estates
“Installation of a perimeter fence and security cameras over the next couple weeks will mark the start of the transformation of Sears’ former 2.4 million square feet of office space into Compass Datacenters’ 273-acre campus in western Hoffman Estates,” observes the Daily Herald. “Demolition of the buildings won’t begin for several more months… The buildings will be torn down one by one, with the clearing out of each one’s interior immediately preceding its demolition. The process is expected to take until mid-2025.”
Retro Gas And Stove Needs A Buyer
“Joseph Oliver said he’s possibly the Midwest’s last and only repairman specializing in vintage gas stoves, but economic hurdles have pushed him to close his beloved workshop,” reports the Sun-Times. “The 1948 Chambers C is the Ferrari of Joseph Oliver’s Evanston workshop. Its cherry-red frame and chrome handles stand out on the shop floor. It even has an appropriately glamorous name: Scarlett. But Scarlett isn’t a vintage sports car. It’s a gas stove weighing about 475 pounds that’s cooked countless meals over the decades. Oliver, owner of Retro Stove and Gas Works, has about 200 working vintage gas stoves at his workshop. He repairs, services and sells retro gas ranges, particularly those made in the late 1930s through the 1950s… For two decades, Oliver, sixty-six, has assiduously collected them to restore and sell. But soon, his antique stock may be destined for the scrap yard. His workshop’s lease ends May 1. ‘I have to get rid of inventory, fixtures, racks, tools and supplies… It will be a mess.'”
DINING & DRINKING
Beard Award Nominees For Chicago Include Lula Cafe, Indienne, Esmé, Elske
Four finalists were chosen from a near-record seventeen Chicago semi-finalists, arrays the Sun-Times. Best Chef, Great Lakes: Sujan Sarkar, Indienne; and Jenner Tomaska, Esmé. Outstanding Pastry Chef or Baker: Anna Posey, Elske. Outstanding Hospitality: Lula Cafe. The awards ceremony will be held June 10 at the Lyric Opera, with tickets on sale April 9 here. The event will also be streamed at Eater. The full nominee list is here.
Food & Wine Global Tastemakers List Includes Chicago Establishments
Among America’s best bars, listicles Food & Wine, are Kumiko, the Violet Hour and After. Chicago takes third place in U. S. Best Cities for Food and Drink via their voters: “No matter your budget or appetite, Chicago’s wonderfully diverse food scene has you covered. Try a Filipino tasting menu at Kasama, a Cambodian fried chicken sandwich at Hermosa’s, tacos at Birrieria Zaragoza’s, or a classic Italian beef sandwich at Al’s or Johnnie’s, for a sample of the endless options.” Kasama is gonged as fifth-best restaurant in the United States.
Solar Eclipse Taste Tie-Ins Include Oreo Krispy Kreme
Krispy Kreme is teaming with Oreo to sell a limited donut-cookie to commemorate the eclipse, reports CBS News. “Sonic Drive-In is selling a Blackout Slush Float, and Frito-Lay’s SunChips has unveiled a flavor that will only be available during the eclipse’s nearly four-and-a-half minutes of totality. MoonPie kicked off a ‘Sun vs. Moon’ smackdown-themed campaign as the chocolate snack maker promotes its ‘eclipse survival kit,’ made up of four mini MoonPies and two pairs of eclipse glasses.” Plus, Southwest and Delta have advertised eclipse-viewing flight paths.
Yum’s Pizza Hut And Taco Bell Call AI Their “Secret Sauce”
“The fast-food giant’s chief digital and technology officer calls data shared by restaurants ‘secret sauce’ for enabling AI and digital sales,” reports the Wall Street Journal. “Our vision,” he says, “is that an AI-first mentality works every step of the way. If you think about the major journeys within a restaurant that can be AI-powered, we believe it’s endless.”
Bird Flu At America’s Largest Fresh Egg Producer
“Cal-Maine Foods, Inc. said that approximately 1.6 million laying hens were destroyed after the infection was found at a facility in Parmer County, Texas,” reports NBC News.
FILM & TELEVISION
The Sundance Partnership As A Validation Of Chicago Film Community
“The news of the Chicago arrival of Sundance Institute x Chicago 2024 from June 28 to 30 is not only exhilarating,” op-eds former Chicago Film Office head Rich Moskal at the Tribune, “but it also further validates, on a national stage, the significance of Chicago’s… cinema culture and filmmaking prowess. It is the first domestic venture of this sort outside of Utah. Sundance is in the business of cultivating talent and building audience. Its choice of Chicago, an option made viable through a thoughtful partnership with the Chicago Film Office at the Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events and Choose Chicago, was not made in spite of the more than fifty local film festivals, industry conferences and talent incubators that have fought hard to flourish here. It was made largely because of them.”
“In a city rich with clever, curatorially savvy, politically astute and highly entertaining festival and art house offerings, we are uniquely fortunate. Few cities can make the same claim. Ours is an increasingly diverse collective, led by the eldest of the bunch, the Chicago International Film Festival, North America’s longest-running competitive film festival soon to be celebrating its sixtieth anniversary this fall. They and their fellow festivals and exhibitors are why Chicago is such a fertile environment for what Sundance has championed in service of independent cinema like no other: heat.”
LIT
Ragdale Gets New Executive Director
Paul Sacaridiz has been appointed as Ragdale’s new executive director. He brings twenty-five years of experience to Ragdale, with a background that includes art making, teaching, administration and leadership in higher education and the nonprofit sector. “His wealth of experience in creative programming, collaborative partnerships and fundraising will ensure the success of Ragdale as it looks towards the future and plans for its fiftieth anniversary in 2026,” says Ragdale. “Most recently, he was the Maxine and Stuart Frankel Director of Cranbrook Academy of Art, where he increased fundraising, increased staff capacity, and set mission and vision for the noted graduate program of art, architecture and design.” More Ragdale here.
MEDIA
WBEZ Cuts Mic On Vocalo, Podcasts; Chicago Public Media Cites “Declining Fundraising, Listenership And Philanthropic Support”
“Nine layoffs affect podcasts including ‘Nerdette,’ ‘Making’ and ‘When Magic Happens,’ according to the union representing WBEZ employees,” reports Crain’s. “I am outraged by this shortsighted decision that leaves a gaping hole at our station. I don’t believe this was inevitable and I’m imploring WBEZ management to change course,” said WBEZ union leader Mariah Woelfel in a post on X/Twitter. “Layoffs at WBEZ will result in the termination of the podcast department and the end of Chicago urban alternative station Vocalo Radio.” The station’s criminal justice reporter Patrick Smith tweets, “WBEZ leadership just announced the elimination of our podcast unit, the end of the Vocalo radio broadcast and the layoffs of fourteen people. It’s only been two years since we were big enough and financially healthy enough to acquire the Sun-Times.”
Dave McKinney at WBEZ: “The move to terminate nearly fifteen percent of sixty-two unionized content creators at WBEZ and four people at the Chicago Sun-Times comes amid declining fundraising, listenership and philanthropic support… The job cuts coincide with the debut of a $6.4 million, state-of-the-art studio at WBEZ’s Navy Pier office and follows a double-digit-percentage pay increase for Chicago Public Media’s top executive.” The financial “upheaval” “raises questions about the long-term viability of the $61 million WBEZ/Chicago Sun-Times merger entering its third year,” although Chicago Public Media CEO Matt Moog is optimistic. “Like many newsrooms across the country, WBEZ and Chicago Sun-Times face similar challenges of declining core legacy audience and revenue in broadcast and print,” he said in response to questions from WBEZ. “We believe that the organizations are stronger together and have the best opportunity to overcome these challenges by collaborating and sharing resources.”
STAGE
Goodman Plots Next Season
The Goodman Theatre’s ninety-ninth year begins in September and includes four world- or Chicago-premiere productions, two classic revivals and a fresh production of a beloved musical—plus the forty-seventh annual production of “A Christmas Carol” and the twentieth annual New Stages Festival. Summer 2025 welcomes the fourth annual “Sweetest Season: A Gathering of Indigenous Creativity” showcase of Native and Indigenous artists, produced in partnership with the Mitchell Museum of the American Indian. The Goodman season in the 856-seat Albert Theatre includes opener “Inherit the Wind,” by Jerome Lawrence and Robert E. Lee, directed by resident artistic associate Henry Godinez (September 14–October 13); followed by Susan V. Booth’s revival of “Betrayal” by Harold Pinter, starring Helen Hunt (February 8–March 16, 2025); and then, Zora Howard’s “BUST, An Afrocurrentist Play,” directed by Lileana Blain-Cruz (April 19–May 18, 2025) in its world premiere; as well as Lili-Anne Brown’s revival of the musical “The Color Purple” (June 21–July 27).
Plays in the Goodman’s 350-seat flexible Owen Theatre include the Chicago premiere of “Primary Trust,” by Eboni Booth, directed by Goodman BOLD producer Malkia Stampley (October 5-November 3); and the Chicago premiere of James Ijames’ “Fat Ham,” directed by Tyrone Phillips, in collaboration with Definition Theatre (January 11–February 23, 2025). The Owen series concludes with a world-premiere production by Jordan Harrison, directed by David Cromer, title to be announced soon (May–June 2025). The Goodman’s forty-seventh annual production of “A Christmas Carol,” directed by Jessica Thebus, stars Larry Yando in his seventeenth year as Ebenezer Scrooge in the Albert Theatre (November 16–December 30). More details here.
What It Takes To Transfer A Show Like “Tommy” To Broadway
“To the audience of a Broadway show, what’s being presented onstage is crisp, harmonious and expertly crafted. But in most cases, the production has had a yearslong journey to that polished final product—a journey that often winds through one or more other theaters,” writes choreographer Sarah Parker at Dance Magazine. “Choreography, especially, often undergoes significant revisions during the transfer process [such as] ‘The Who’s TOMMY,’ a revival staged at the Goodman Theatre in Chicago last summer and is opening on Broadway this spring. While preparing for these transfers, there were a few things we needed to consider: What are the dimensions of the new stage and how will that affect the spacing and movement we created in the regional versions? Were there any parts of our choreography that we weren’t fully satisfied with last time that we now want to update? If we have new set pieces, new dancers, or new costumes, what changes do we need to make to accommodate the updates being made by other departments?”
Theater Programming In High Schools Affected By Anticipation Of Intimidation
American Theater convenes “a dialogue on how students, teachers and parents can push back against a wave of conservative legislation and intimidation that threatens to chill theatrical expression.”
Los Angeles’ Mark Taper Forum Will Reopen
Big news from the Center Theatre Group “is that the Mark Taper Forum, which suspended programming last summer amid a spiraling budget crisis, will be back in business (likely by next winter and possibly as early as the fall). The exact timeline and number of productions are still being worked out, but the idea is to consolidate offerings under one CTG banner rather than spotlight separate seasons at each of CTG’s three theaters,” reports the Los Angeles Times. “This strategy is a sign of constriction, but it’s also an indication that old habits and expectations have to give way to stringent new realities.”
ARTS & CULTURE & ETC.
Higher Prices At Adler Planetarium
“The Adler Planetarium’s admission fees for city residents have increased from $6 to $8 for children ages 3–11, and from $17 to $20 for adults. For non-residents, admission prices will increase from $8 to $13 for children and from $19 to $25 for adults,” reports WMAQ-TV. The Planetarium provides fifty-two admission-free days each year. On Wednesdays 4pm–10pm, Illinois residents get in free. More here.
Donnelley Foundation Provides Chicago Arts Organizations Cash Reserve Challenge Grants
The Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelley Foundation—which supports land conservation, artistic vitality and regional collections for the people of the Chicago metro area and the Lowcountry region of South Carolina—has expanded its commitment to Chicago’s small arts organizations by offering Cash Reserve Challenge Grants of $10,000–$25,000 to eligible arts grantees across the city. This year, the foundation is providing these grants, as well as an additional $120,000 to support establishing or expanding arts grantees’ cash reserves. More here.
Annual Travel Survey From IDOT Is Open
The Illinois Department of Transportation is asking the public to provide feedback on the state’s transportation system and the department’s overall performance through its annual Illinois Traveler Opinion Survey. The survey can be taken until April 26 here.
Now It’s “Cicada-Geddon”; The Bugs Are “Weirdos”
“Trillions of evolution’s bizarro wonders, red-eyed periodical cicadas that have pumps in their heads and jet-like muscles in their rears, are about to emerge in numbers not seen in decades and possibly centuries,” amps WBBM-TV. “An unusual cicada double dose is about to invade… in what University of Connecticut cicada expert John Cooley called ‘cicada-geddon.’ The last time these two broods came out together in 1803, Thomas Jefferson, who wrote about cicadas in his Garden Book but mistakenly called them locusts, was president.” Georgia Tech biophysicist Saad Bhamla: “We’ve got trillions of these amazing living organisms coming out of the Earth, climb up on trees… It’s like an entire alien species living underneath our feet and then some prime number years they come out to say hello.”
AP goes with the craze, headlining “Cicadas are nature’s weirdos. They pee stronger than us and an STD can turn them into zombies.” And “these insects are the strongest urinators in the animal kingdom with flows that put humans and elephants to shame. They have pumps in their heads that pull moisture from the roots of trees, allowing them to feed for more than a decade underground… They spend nearly their entire lives drinking, year after year.” Notes an entomologist, “It’s a hard way to make a living.”
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