Your #StaytheFHome Chicago Curated Weekend: 6/11 and Beyond

Tons of locations are open with limited service but many venues will remained closed for the foreseeable future and we need to remember to continue being safe this weekend and beyond. So let's find something fun to do! Whether you're a teen dressing up for Queer Prom, catching up on TV shows and movies, doing your part in fighting against police brutality, working out, trying out some new recipes, or whatever catches your fancy; you may still have a few hours in your day that need filling up. There are tons of fun ideas highlighted in this week's curated weekend including some from previous #StaytheFHome editions where the editors here at Third Coast Review banded together and suggested a few things you can enjoy while you're at home during these social distancing, self quarantining days! Since we're all still in this together, we encourage you to check out Do312's running list of venues that could use some love! Donate if you can and remember to support them by going to shows once it's safe to do so! Let's stay the fuck inside and enjoy your curated weekend!

THURSDAY, JUNE 11th

Frederick Douglass, ca. 1879. George K. Warren. (National Archives Gift) WHAT: The Agitator Broadcast will feature a reading of Frederick Douglass' memoir, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, An American Slave, published in 1845, by a group of notable writers and creators. SO WHAT: Featured readers are:

• Dr. Haki Madhubuti, Poet, Founder and Publisher Emeritus, Third World Press, Educator and Institution Builder
• Dr. Henry Louis Gates Jr., Director of the Hutchins Center for African and African American Research at Harvard University, Emmy Award-winning filmmaker, literary scholar, journalist, cultural critic and institution builder
• Nora Brooks Blakely, Writer and President, Brooks Permissions; Daughter of Gwendolyn Brooks
• Maudlyne Ihejirika, Columnist, Chicago Sun-Times
• Layla F. Saad, Author, Me and White Supremacy
• Angélique Roché, Cultural Journalist
• Dr. John Stauffer, Professor of English and of African and African American Studies at Harvard University
• Jacqueline Woodson, National Book Award-winning author & educator
• Mikki Kendall, Author, Hood Feminism and Amazons, Abolitionists, and Activists
• Dr. Ivy Wilson, Professor of English and American Studies, Northwestern University
• Colin Johnson, Grandson of Maya Angelou and Activist
• Kenneth B. Morris Jr., Co-Founder and President of Frederick Douglass Family Initiatives and great-great-great-grandson of Frederick Douglass

NOW WHAT: Tune in on Facebook or YouTube on Thursday, June 11, beginning at 12noon. Following the premiere, this reading will all be available on Facebook and YouTube. Special Whitney Show @ Noon Chorus, the most comfortable spot at your home, 7:00pm, All Ages WHAT: Music thanks to one of the best venues in town! SO WHAT: Local favorites Whitney were supposed to have a live stream last week, but in solidarity with the protests against police brutality and supporting Black Lives Matter, they postponed the performance for Thursday night! So don't miss out on this great show that is benefiting some great causes. NOW WHAT: Tickets for the live-stream are $20! Whitney will be donating 100% of their profits from the live stream to Black Lives Matter and My Block, My Hood, My City.

FRIDAY, JUNE 12th

A Midsommarfest Experience & Fundraiser @ Andersonville's Facebook Page, from the comfort of home, 6:00pm, All Ages WHAT: A virtual festival to celebrate Midsommarfest SO WHAT:The Andersonville Chamber of Commerce is taking the Andersonville Midsommarfest experience online for a virtual event and fundraiser. This one-night-only event will celebrate the weekend in which the 55th annual outdoor Midsommarfest was previously scheduled to take place before the postponement last month. Andersonville at Home: A Midsommarfest Experience & Fundraiser will stream on Facebook live with a pre-show at 6PM featuring cocktails to make at home and the main event hosted by Molly Callinan of CATFIGHT beginning at 7PM. NOW WHAT: Head over to their Facebook page and enjoy the show! Donations for the event will be collected through Venmo to the ACC at username @AvilleChamber. While not tax-deductible, all donors will be supplied with a written receipt. Grant Park Music Festival 2020 Virtual Season: Festival Remixed @ Youtube and WFMT, at home with your favorite streaming device, various times, WHAT: Live music for your free time SO WHAT: This year the Grant Park Music Festival is going virtual with plenty of great concerts and events being live streamed online on YouTube and WFMT (both on their website and FM). You can check out our preview of the season here. This Friday will feature the Grant Park Festival Orchestra, led by Carlos Kalmar, in a program of Sergei Prokofiev and Pyotr Tchaikovsky. Young violinist Benjamin Beilman made his debut at Grant Park last summer in a performance of Prokofiev’s Violin Concerto No. 1. The concert will conclude with Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 2, Little Russian. NOW WHAT: Head over to the Festival Remixed website for the full schedule and enjoy!

SATURDAY, JUNE 13th

FitzGerald's Stay-At-Home Concert Series @ Their Facebook Page, Saturdays 4pm-6pm or any time after on VOD, All Ages WHAT: Musicians in the back of a pickup truck playing music and livestreaming it for all! SO WHAT: Fitzgerald's will continue bringing live music to their Berwyn neighborhood and beyond through their new Stay at Home Concert Series. They'll be playing live from the back of a pickup trunk somewhere in Berwyn, encouraging folks to stay home and watch from their porch or through their Facebook livestream. This week will feature two shows from Paul Cebar, one in Forest Park at 2PM and one in Riverside at 4PM. NOW WHAT: Stay home and enjoy the show on Facebook! If you live on the lucky block where the performance is held, watch from your property and maintain quarantine!

THE WHOLE SELF-DISTANCING WEEKEND, JUNE 11th & BEYOND

Food and Supply Drive @ Empty Bottle, Thursday & Friday 1:00pm - 5:00pm, Saturday & Sunday Noon - 4:00pm WHAT: Help the community SO WHAT: Empty Bottle will be opening their space as a food and supply collection center for those struggling to find food, water, PPE, diapers, and toiletries. They will be distributing these donations throughout Chicago wherever needed, taking direction from local bellwethers. Help them out during these hard times! NOW WHAT: Stop buy the Bottle this weekend with some supplies and start making a change! The Infinite Wrench Goes Viral 30 Digital Plays in 60 Analog Minutes @ The Neo Futurists' Patreon, one episode a week, 14+ WHAT: Quick plays online! SO WHAT: The Infinite Wrench Goes Viral! 30 Digital Plays in 60 Analog Minutes is the online adaptation of the Neo Futurists', ongoing, ever-changing attempt to perform 30 plays in 60 minutes for a live audience. Since live audiences are still a no-no, this is the perfect way to experience this fun project from home! NOW WHAT: Join the Neo Futurists' Patreon page for either $3, $5, or $9 a week (with added incentives in the higher tiers) and enjoy the 30 plays in an hour every week!

Virtual Cinema @ Music Box Theatre, unsurprisingly at your home, anytime you want to watch a movie, WHAT: A great way to support another great local theater SO WHAT: The Music Box Theatre is shut down due to the pandemic, but you can still watch great moves and support them online! They are currently screening films via their Virtual Cinema with The Music Box series! Check out films like The Grey Fox, Hail Satan?, I'm Not Your Negro, Lucky Grandma, Mysteries of Lisbon, Mystery of Chess Boxing, Toni Morrison: The Pieces I Am, and Whose Streets? this weekend! NOW WHAT: Digital tickets are $12, so sit back and enjoy! Also, if you need some snacks for your movie watching at home, you can order some directly from Music Box! They're offering a $20 Soda Package which includes 2 sodas, 2 candies, and a huge bag of popcorn. There are also beer and wine options (and a Reader package which includes 3 break books), so head over to the Music Box website o see how to order! Fun Times with Local Museums @ the comfort of your own home, a various collection of websites, whenever you want a little dose of educational fun, All Ages WHAT: A chance to explore and help out some great local museums during these quarantine days SO WHAT: Our incredible Museums editor Mariel Bokor has compiled a great list of interesting programming available from museums like the Art Institute of Chicago, the Field Museum, MSI, the Shedd Aquarium, and the Adler Planetarium during this stay at home time. Check out part one of the round up featuring tons of programming suggestions and then head over to part two where you can see even more great museums and info on how to support them! NOW WHAT: Check out our article and discover something new! The Hideout Online @ Hideout's New online Streaming Home Mixer!, on your favorite streaming device, usually in the evening WHAT: Miss the good times spent at the Hideout? Well here's the digital version of it! SO WHAT: While we may not be able to properly hang at the Hideout just yet, we can still experience all the dancing, bingo, talk shows, music, comedy, and Robbie Fulks we can handle from home! You just jump on over to Hideout Online to join in on the Hideout digital community. You'll be able to "tip" the performers via a virtual tip jar that will be split 80% for the performers, 20% for the Hideout, so you'll be supporting the Hideout community every time you contribute. Check out their schedule below or at their website and get ready for some fun!

• Tuesday June 16 - The Interview Show  – 7:00pm – $10 suggested tip For years, Mark Bazer has performed the Interview Show live at the Hideout, and then edited it for television, so folks can watch it at home. During the shutdown Mark will now live stream his show from his home, and ya’ll can watch it directly in yours!
• Wednesday June 17 – Soup & Bread TV: People Who Feed People – 6:00pm $5 suggested tip Writer, editor, and Soup & Bread founder Martha Bayne hosts conversations with folks on the subject of food during the global health crisis.  Jump in on the conversation and maybe get a few recipes out of the deal!

NOW WHAT: Head to Hideout Online, tip these fine folks accordingly, and enjoy the Hideout vibes at home! Film Center from Your Sofa @ The Gene Siskel Film Center of the School of the Art Institute, your couch or preferred movie watching spot in your place, pretty much any time WHAT: The Film Center at Home SO WHAT:The Gene Siskel Film Center of the School of the Art Institute is continuing their excellent series Film Center from Your Sofa .This is a fun way to stay in digital touch with the Film Center and watch some great films from the comfort of home! Enjoy films like The Booksellers, Shirley, Up from the Street, and more! A few film's availability end today, so head over to their listings and start watching! NOW WHAT: Digital tickets are $12, so sit back and enjoy! At Home with the Auditorium @ The Auditorium Theatre, on any device that can access Facebook or Instagram, various days but usually live at 6:00pm,  WHAT: A huge amount of live streamed shows, talks, and more! SO WHAT: The Auditorium Theatre has set up some great series to help you get some quality entertainment during these quarantine times.

• At Home with the Auditorium Theatre (Sundays at 6:00pm @ Facebook) airs a live performance from one of the talented singers, dancers, and musicians from their community. Past performances are available here!
• #AudTalk (Wednesday at 6:00pm @ Facebook & Instagram) brings insightful conversation with arts professionals, experts, and star performers. Watch past talks with Sarah Illiatovitch-Goldman and Auditorium CEO Rich Regan!
• Facebook Watch Parties (Various days at 6:00pm @ Facebook) let you chat with a crowd of digital friends as you watch some great past performances! This a great way to experience a shared viewing experience #ApartButTogether!

NOW WHAT: Head to their Facebook page, check out their full schedule, and tune in to these great shows on Facebook!

The Quarantine Concerts @ Experimental sound Studios, Your best sounding internet connected device, at various times WHAT:  Experimental Sound Studio, Elastic Arts and the Hideout's Resonance Series come together for a series of amazing livestreamed concerts SO WHAT: The Quarantine Concerts is collaborative series which aims to give artists a space to share their work and continue earning a living during this time when live, in person, performances have been cancelled due to COVID-19. This is a perfect opportunity to unite the community for a few hours of amazing musicians. You can check out their full schedule for the rest of the week here. NOW WHAT: Head over to their Twitch stream and start watching some great shows. There is a suggested donation of $5 per evening. 100% of the donations contributed during each performance go to the artists who played that night.

Reading Events Online @ American Writers Museum, month of April WHAT: The American Writers Museum is offering many programs online, including evening author talks and Saturday morning Little Squirrels Storytime. SO WHAT: Kids can watch Little Squirrels Storytime at 10:30am on Saturdays, with three pre-recorded stories read each time. Watch it on Facebook but videos will also be posted to YouTube and IGTV if you can't tune in live. NOW WHAT: These events are free. Check the events calendar and register for author talks. Registration isn’t required for Little Squirrels Storytime. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K42ZUUBeHSY&feature=emb_title Masque of the Red Coronavirus! @ Black Button Eyes Productions, Any time on your computer or mobile device. For 18+. WHAT: Written by Black Button Eyes Productions producing artistic director Ed Rutherford, this short satirical piece is available online free as a combined script-and-video experience. SO WHAT: In addition to reading the play, you will see various Chicago artists act out portions of the script on video, recorded remotely. The event includes puppets, burlesque, original music, fire dancing and more in a brief, darkly comedic confection. With the Red Coronavirus running rampant across the countryside and a vaccine still months away, what's a Prince to do? Lock himself in a secure bunker in an undisclosed location along with a cohort of his top donors, of course. To prevent him and his rich supporters from becoming bored, the Prince has also brought a few artists into the bunker to entertain the crowd. But as the hour grows later and the night grows weirder, it's clear that something else has also invaded the party. NOW WHAT: Settle down for an evening of magical weirdness. Click here and begin reading and watching the videos. Concerts Live-streams and Local Shows Archives @ Your House, Any time you please, All Ages WHAT: There's tons of concerts from Chicago's yesteryear available online for your enjoyment! SO WHAT: Oh My Rockness and Do312 has done a fantastic job of cataloging some of the upcoming live-streams from the awesome musical acts out there! Check out Oh My Rockness' listings here, Do312's roundup of shows here, and tune in to these great shows from the comfort of home! Do312 have also shared some past Chicago shows that are certainly worth of a watch. There are also so many great local concerts recorded for posterity and what better time to check them all out than during this self isolation period. Audiotree has a fantastic and huge list of sessions with links to band's websites and merch to help support them even more. In addition to our previous recommendations like Fran, Tasha, KAINA, Divino Nino, and The Ophelias, we also recommend ROOKIE, Emily Blue, Sen Morimoto, Beach Bunny, Tennis, and Gia Margaret! Then head over to their record concerts from Lincoln Hall, Schubas, and beyond to check out Orville Peck, of Montreal, and so many more! JBTV is also a fantastic resource for sessions from bands that have come through Chicago! Just take a look at this playlist of Blind Melon's '95 set at Metro! And of course Metro's Twitter is still doling out daily selections of past shows! NOW WHAT: Stay home, watch some live music, and be sure to check out your favorite artists' social media, you never know who might be live streaming next!   Video Archives @ Chicago Humanities Festival YouTube channel, your favorite browser or YouTube's app, any time you want some inspiration, All Ages WHAT: Interesting conversations with interesting people! SO WHAT: Chicago Humanities Festival brings some of the best ideas to the surface with entertaining programming that captures your imagination. All of their events through May and ticket sales have been postponed, but you can dig through their archives of amazing talk with the likes of Tom Hanks talking with Peter Sagal, Lin Manuel Miranda in conversation with Chris Jones, Alicia Garza speaking with Jenna Wortham! NOW WHAT: Take a look at their past events here! Bring the Zoo to You @ Brookfield Zoo's Facebook page, when you want to see some animals besides your pets or specifically 11:00am, All Ages WHAT: A great way to make your kids' time at home entertaining and educational NOW WHAT: Join Brookfield Zoo on Facebook every weekday at 11:00am for a "Bring The Zoo To You" Facebook Live featuring one of their animals as well as plenty of educational, informative insight from one of our Animal Care Specialists. If you can't make it at 11, that's okay. The video will be saved afterward on Facebook as well as on their YouTube channel. SO WHAT: Just jump in to the chat at their Facebook page to learn something new