Actor, director, playwright, screenwriter, and professor Dr. Frank Galati died on January 2, 2023, but his impact on those he worked with and loved (they were one and the same) and his legacy are imperishable. He won two Tony Awards in 1990 for adapting and directing The Grapes of Wrath, and was a nominee in […]
Tag: Northwestern University
Posted inOn Prisons
Hard lessons
Without education or job training, what hope do people in prison have for rehabilitation?
Posted inStaff notes
The road ahead
“Good things come to those who wait,” the adage goes. Back in the summer of 2009, I found myself in Chicago as an alternative journalism fellow at Medill, and I quickly fell in love with the city, its people, culture, and greasy spoons (if I close my eyes and concentrate hard enough, I can still […]
Posted inMusic
Ben Zucker’s stirring compositions are built on a lifetime of musical curiosity
Born in Pennsylvania, Ben Zucker lived in Berkeley, New England, and London before moving to Chicago for a graduate composition program at Northwestern University. He was excited to come here to study because he’d been a longtime fan of the city’s rich, varied musical scenes, including the jazz stalwarts in the AACM and the adventurous […]
Posted inGhost Light
Mudlark expands its community outreach
The last time I checked in with Evanston’s youth-oriented Mudlark Theater in April 2020, they were in the midst of pivoting to online workshops and creating digital shows. The company has returned to live classes and performances since then. And now, with the help of two grants, they’re poised to further expand their focus on […]
Posted inMusic
What if hearing aids were as easy to get as reading glasses?
When the average person develops vision trouble, they might just pick up a pair of reasonably priced reading glasses at a neighborhood pharmacy. If they require a more customized solution, they could stop by an eyewear retailer to book a professional eye exam and walk away with prescription glasses that same day. But what if […]
Posted inFilm
A celebration of Black filmmakers at Block Cinema
[The program] engages what it means to be a Black body . . . in ways both nimbly tactile and equivocally abstruse as only art can be, specifically vis-à-vis experimental film and video.
Posted inArts & Culture
A mystery on the home front
How do we contribute to making history every day? When we learn history, there’s often a huge emphasis on the leaders who make things happen, whether they are presidents, businessmen, or heads of social and political movements. But what about the people who make these movements happen: the ones who campaign for the presidents or […]
Posted inMusic
Alex Banin mixes pop with R&B—and memory with fantasy
Former college fencer Alex Banin uses her debut EP, Did I Imagine, to make peace with her old relationships.
Posted inMusic
DJ Antonio Cesar keeps finding money to evolve house music
Chicago producer and DJ Antonio Cesar has used tens of thousands of dollars in grants to travel the world, exporting the city’s sounds and importing new influences.
Posted inNews & Politics
Politics of fear: Are youth really to blame for the carjacking spike?
Cops say masked teens with a thirst for violence and joyrides are terrorizing the city. An examination of arrests reveals a narrative built on shoddy data and anecdotal evidence.
Posted inMusic
Ratboys celebrate their tenth birthday in a virtual living room at Schubas
Ratboys celebrate their tenth birthday in a virtual living room at Schubas, Northwestern’s New Music Conference returns in online form, and more.
Posted inArts & Culture
American Music Theatre Project turns 15
American Music Theatre Project unveils three student-created pieces in this year’s online Capstone Festival.
Posted inMusic
CaSera Heining, producer at WGN Radio and DJ Ca$h Era
“For a couple months, I was just DJing for tips. Luckily the community that I have around me, they were pouring into me as much as I give out to them.”
Posted inArts & Culture
Imagine U and Chicago Children’s Theatre find ways to fight the winter blahs
They’re bringing kids and families together through storytelling, crafts—and a viral 80s dance video.