From Mark Singer’s engrossing 1993 profile of Ricky Jay: “The playwright David Mamet and the theatre director Gregory Mosher affirm that some years ago, late one night in the bar of the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Chicago, this happened: Ricky Jay, who is perhaps the most gifted sleight-of-hand artist alive….”
Tag: Vol. 39 No. 2
Issue of Oct. 1 – 7, 2009
Kobie Watkins Steps Out as a Leader
Drummer and Chicago native Kobie Watkins has released his debut as a bandleader, and he celebrates on Monday at the Jazz Showcase.
When Bill Ayers says he loves you, check it out
Bill Ayers makes a funny to the Backyard Conservative. Dennis Byrne, Jonah Goldberg unfamiliar with concept of lulz. Not laughing with you, etc.
“Surprise” Events Downtown
“Flash mob performances” at Water Tower Place and two other locations, Thursday afternoon.
Tonight: more interesting (and mostly free) lit events than I can possibly sum up in a headline
* 57th Street Books hosts a launch party for Sara Paretsky’s latest V.I. Warshawski novel, Hardball. “Now Warshawski’s starring in her 13th mystery, and both she and her maker are at the top of their form,” writes Kathie Bergquist. * Kathy Griffin signs her memoir at Borders on Michigan. * The veteran literary journalist Tracy […]
Yet another attempt to prevent a parking meter redux
A group of aldermen float a new proposal requiring that privatization deals receive more scrutiny before they’re voted on. Others wonder why the City Council needs a new law to help it do its job.
The world may just be Tucker Maxed out
One of the things I constantly heard during the Great Tucker Max CTA Dustup of 2009 was that admitting to taking offense at the misogynistic ad campaign was all part of his most geniusist plan to get everyone to see his movie and become the Tyler Perry of spoiled white man-children – no, really. (Kyra […]
Mayor Backsies
September 2008: We don’t need more cops. October 2009: We need more cops.
Goodman Uses Nontraditional Casting in Animal Crackers
Gender- and color-blind casting helps the Goodman Theatre production of Animal Crackers avoid stereotypes that were accepted when the musical premiered on Broadway in 1928.
Barbara Crane retrospective at the Chicago Cultural Center
“It’s an interesting time for the history of photography. The ‘greats’ are entrenched in the textbooks, but It feels like we’re searching for new heroes, late-career folks whose work bridges the gap between, say, Walker Evans and right now. Barbara Crane is one of those photographers.” That’s Luke Strosnider on Barbara Crane, subject of a […]
Who Is Thane Ritchie…
…the hedge fund manager who says he wants to explore a bid on the assets of the Sun-Times Media Group?
Underpants gnomes demand underpants!
Nominally this Beachwood Reporter list is about how little Jim Tyree may end up paying for the Sun-Times Media Group (isn’t Ebert’s blog worth that alone?), but the people who really end up looking silly are, in order: 1. TribCo underpants gnomes 2. Milton Bradley.
One bite: the jicama slice
The jicama slice MArio 773-540-9723 last name?Mejia brothers?invented it?how did you learn how to do it?knife skills?go back to Mexico hwen? wehre?variaitons on jicam slice?hoe much isitweekend days and weekenights after 5?
Fiction Issue: Call for Submissions
The Reader’s annual fiction issue comes out in December. We’re taking submissions for another month.