I'm sure the majority of us don't remember a time before "talkies". The silent film era of the…read morelate 1800's and early 1900's was full of a different kind of visual quality and audience participation. Showings of silent films almost always featured live music by either a pianist or an organist. Such is the case with the Silent Film Society of Chicago. Thanks to this organization I have been able to relive the birth of motion pictures. They started out at the Gateway Theater and showed films at places such as the Pickwick Theater in Park Ridge and The Arcada Theater in St. Charles. The recently refurbished the Portage Theater and stated showing films once again. Did you love Phantom of the Opera? Well you haven lived until you've seen the original with Lon Chaney. Most of us have seen films with Buster Keaton and Charlie Chaplin. Now introduce yourself to others actors such as Roscoe Arbuckle (aka Fatty Arbuckle), Louise Brooks, and hotties like Rudolph Valentino and Gloria Swanson. Like any movie theater they have concessions in the lobby but also sell other items from "The Age of the Silver Screen". They have post cards, movie posters, photos, and more. This past summer they had a silent summer film festival for six consecutive Fridays. Hopefully they'll do is again this summer. Oh and not let's forget the monster film festival. That's about the time Phantom of the Opera comes out. So get off the computer and see an oldie but not necessarily moldy. The society has a mailing list which offer advance ticket sales and notify you of up coming events. You can also call or contact them on their website. Trust me; this is a fun thing to do especially with the one you love.

This is a group with a great mission. And I love silent films and have attended many of the…read morefestivals. But from my experience the organization is poorly managed. Some examples: 1) Some silent films have been rescored with gorgeous music by the composer Carl Davis. Other films - such as Metropolis - have wonderful original scores. Typically the society has live accompaniment from a shrill sounding organ or worse - someone playing the saw. Really ruins the experience. 2) The website typically doesn't typically work. 3) Last year I paid for a membership and received - nothing. No emails, no newsletters, nothing. Its a hard enough road to get people to appreciate silent film without these types of roadblocks. Can't compare to San Francisco's silent film festival.

A passionate, Chicago based theatre company. Halcyon is dedicated to producing works by women as…read morewell as other underrepresented communities. Halcyons casts, crew, and productions are as beautiful and diverse as the Chicago. Halcyon Theatre was formed in 2006 to connect people, transform our borders and ascend toward a more just union. Halcyons mission is "to be fiercely committed to making the stage as diverse as the city of Chicago--presenting new voices from inadequately represented communities and recasting classic works to showcase their contemporary relevance". Halcyon believes that no artist can fully represent a community; however, a community of artists can. Halcyon works continuously to connect artists and organizations from across all of our communities to accomplish their mission. I have seen Halcyon continue to grow over the past four years and respect that they have not lost site of their mission. Halcyon has a radical hospitality program -- which means that a portion of tickets for each performance are set aside for FREE first come first serve seating. For many a $20 ticket is a huge barrier to entry and Halcyon has made sure that anyone who wants to come and experience theatre can and is welcome to do so. Halcyon Theatre has their own space on the third floor of Christ Lutheran Church (Wilson and Spaulding) in Albany Park. Two blocks west of Kedzie Ave and two blocks north of Montrose Ave. For performances, use the side entrance on Spaulding Ave. Theatre is one block south of the Kedzie Ave. brown line station (exit at the Spaulding Avenue side.) It is also within two blocks of the #78 Monrose bus, the #81 Lawrence bus and the Blue Line via the #82 Kimball/Homan bus.

Visited Facets for the first time a few weeks ago and love having an indie movie theater so close…read moreto home. Service was super friendly and the concessions were affordable. They offer weekly movie trivia and even have offer dvd and vhs rentals that remind me of Blockbuster. I will definitely come back to support this local theater.

Was supposed to see a movie but they decided LAST minute to cancel the event. Great customer…read moreservice...NOT Ruined the whole night.

I must say that this review is long overdue, but it must be done…read more I visited Chicago for the first time ever back in May and did all the touristy things like taking my photo in front of the Bean in Millenium Park and going on an architecture boat tour along the Chicago River. One of the best experiences, though, was a local gem lesser known to tourists and quite possibly even Chicagans - the Albany Park Theater Project. I had my taste of APTP on what was their second to the last performance of "Feast," a play about something Yelpsters can appreciate - FOOD! All I can say is that you need to see it for yourself to understand how amazingly talented this youth theater ensemble is as they sing their hearts out and tell delicious stories about one's first memory of food from the perspective of immigrants, working class Americans and urban teens. Loved it! "Feast" was simply captivating. It brings on all sorts of emoticons like :) and :( and :') and :D. I don't know if there's an emoticon for hunger out there, but I probably had a drool-face/nom nom nom look going on for the most part. If you ever get the opportunity to watch, participate and/or sponsor APTP, I'd highly recommend it. It looks like they're performing "Feast" again this October and November. GO SEE IT! APTP is like the best thing since, well, the Chicago-style hot dog!

It took me a while to write this review but I wanted to make sure everyone knew about the…read morebreathtaking theater from APTP. I've seen a few APTP productions and they are awe-inspiring to say the least. The true raw talent, the attention to historical facts, the captivating music, song, and movements. I was lucky because I learned about APTP almost a decade ago when they first started out in Eugene Field School. I happened to see the last performance of "Homeland" at the Goodman Theater and it was one of the best shows I've ever seen (this includes Broadway in NYC). The stories are real... I think that makes it even more captivating. APTP is very accessible to all as it has tickets for a very reasonable price. This is a true hidden gem. Okay enough raving :) Go check it out, you'll know what I'm talking about then.

The Comfort Station has an exhibition program gives Chicago artists an opportunity to showcase…read moretheir works of art. Gallery hours are on Saturday from 12 pm to 2 pm. There is a list of the 2020 Artists listed online. The day that I visited the exhibition closed early and I missed the big event but I enjoyed walking the property and admired the historic building. In addition to exhibitions the Comfort Station also offers Comfort Music, Comfort Society, Comfort Film and more. Their mission is "Comfort Station activates a historic building with public, community driven programs that foster vibrant connections at the intersection of art and life."

Lucky to have such a cool place for public events!read more

Only came onna Sunday this year. When I arrived it was a little after a bunch of rain and intense…read moreweather. It was humid. Saw Emily Blue sing some songs, got a drink from a cocktail stand. I heart the Whistler!! I left for a few hours and came back just before Speedy Ortiz took the stage. They rocked!! Was kinda flabbergasted when I learned they'd be performing at a neighborhood festival they're kinda a big deal!! Thought the sound when they performed could have been better. Something with the mixing and volume. It was too loud for me. Enjoyed the fest though.

A new/revised tradition…read more This used to be the Milwaukee Arts Festival but was switched up a bit this year. It is now centered around the grassy strip in Logan Square by the Illinois Centennial Monument. https://www.facebook.com/LoganSquareArtsFest This was a nice festival as it caters to all. Music stages were located on the west and east sides of Milwaukee. The main stage closest to the monument. All of the food vendors lined the street and the art/shopping points were lined across the park grass. In and out was controlled and a $5 donation was requested. I personally liked this set up and think it does more for those attending. The monument area provides plenty of fun space for kids to play and parents to sit and enjoy the music.

Bass-Schuler has a fantastic staff and is a top notch agency! They represent a wide variety of…read moreentertaining acts. From the artist side of the industry, they are the best when it comes to communication and they are great at meeting each artists's needs. Its clear they care about making sure your event runs smoothly. They are great about following up and making sure everyone is happy with the event. I would recommend any artist to seek Bass-Schuler for representation, and I would also recommend any college (or any organization hosting an event) to browse the Bass-Schuler roster for an entertainer for their event!

Bass Schuler is a wonderful resource for finding the perfect talent for events big or small,…read moreeducational and fun, informative or exciting. I've dropped by the office on the Northside of Chicago and seen them working a NACA showcase out of town. Regardless of if you're working with them on the phone, over email or in person, you've got a group of creatives who love what they do and connect their talented roster with the right event on campus. They have had some big stars involved as well and have grown as a company, but never lost sight of what makes entertainment so fun in the first place. Highly Recommend! Especially their one woman looping band. ;)

It was a beautiful day for an art fair. Located in the middle of a neighborhood there were over 100…read moreartists showcasing a variety of prints, jewelry, pottery, mixed media , woodworking and much more. There was a variety of food trucks, entertainment, a dog parade and and beer tent. It is a wonderful event to enjoy time outside . It is different than many art fairs because it it very neighborhood focused.

For starters, I love art festivals. I have never been to this fest, and one of my favorite artists…read morewas going to be in attendance so I had to make my stop and I don't regret it. So much to pick from and see. I covered most of the artists area, the volunteers I encountered during my visit made it a even better experience. Thank you Bucktown Arts Festival, till we meet again.