Tag: Feature Story Sidebar

Mayor Daley’s favorite alderman: Burt Natarus (42nd Ward). Watch Daley light up when Natarus rises to speak. He loves this guy, thinks his shtick is hilarious. He also trusts Natarus to shepherd all the big downtown zoning deals through the council. Mayor Daley’s least favorite alderman: Ed Burke (14th). You’d think a couple of south-side […]

Charna Halpern Called the “Comedy Mother” by former student Adam McKay, director of Anchorman and Talladega Nights, Halpern has nurtured the careers of countless comedians as the manager of I.O. (formerly ImprovOlympic), which she founded in 1981. Halpern and the late Del Close revolutionized improvisation in 1983 when they developed I.O.’s signature long-form technique. Her […]

Rob Sadowsky As head of the Chicagoland Bicycle Federation since July 2004, Sadowsky has led community-building and outreach programs, such as the annual “Bike the Drive” ride. Lee Ravenscroft A longtime humanitarian who worked in Central America in the late 80s and 90s with the National Engineering University, Ravenscroft founded the Working Bikes cooperative in […]

Carrie Hanson of the Seldoms often stages site-specific pieces in gloriously challenging spaces: a former reading room at the Chicago Cultural Center (the city’s first public library), a cavernous architectural antiques store, and, last fall, an empty Park District pool. Next week she goes small, with a new piece set in a gallery against the […]

Tracy Baim Publisher of Windy City Media Group, the local gay media conglomeration that includes Windy City Times, Nightspots, Identity, and Windy City Queercast, Baim is also co-vice chair of the Chicago Gay Games. C.C. Carter Slam poetry champion and queer-arts organizer extraordinaire. Rick Garcia Ever since his days as one of the “Gang of […]

Ken Dunn One of the city’s earliest recycling advocates, Dunn founded the Resource Center, which has long run the kind of effective programs the city hasn’t. He’s also a leader in the more comprehensive field of sustainable development. Rebecca Stanfield An environmental attorney and the state director of the research and advocacy group Environment Illinois, […]

Anthony Fleming III stars as slave-rebellion leader Denmark Vesey in Charles Smith’s new drama Denmark, opening October 14 as the inaugural production of Victory Gardens Theater’s new space in the historic Biograph Theater. Frank Galati One of the city’s most eminent directors (Steppenwolf member, Goodman associate director, Northwestern University professor, and Tony-winning Broadway director) is […]

The Oprah Winfrey Show Call the audience reservation line (312-591-9222) for tickets or check at oprah.com to see about being a guest. This page also has information about last-minute e-mail reservations. The Jerry Springer Show For tickets call 312-321-5365, fill out the application at jerryspringertv.com or write the show at 454 N. Columbus Dr., Chicago, […]

Melissa Turner The first-ever director of fashion art and events in Chicago, Turner is charged with supporting and publicizing the city’s nascent fashion industry and acting as a liaison with designers. So far she’s had her hands full with Fashion Focus Chicago, now in its second year, but future projects reportedly include developing an online […]

A selection of some but not all not-to-be-missed Chicago books, with apologies to Saul Bellow (The Adventures of Augie March), Theodore Dreiser (Sister Carrie), James T. Farrell (the Studs Lonigan trilogy), Studs Terkel (Division Street), and a multitude of other contenders. American Project: The Rise and Fall of a Modern Ghetto | Sudhir Venkatesh | […]

New in town? Criminal defense attorney John Yetter says he makes good money off college students who’ve gotten in trouble for drunken antics. The “dumbass” plea usually works, he says: if the offense isn’t too serious and you apologize for being a dumbass, there’s a good chance your case will be discharged. Parking yourself on […]