Review: Ava: The Secret Conversations Is Gossipy Fun and a Disjointed Jumble
Elizabeth McGovern. Photo by Jeff Lorch
Kathy D. Hey writes creative non-fiction essays. A lifelong Chicagoan, she is enjoying life with her husband, daughter and three dogs in the wilds of Edgewater. When she isn’t at her computer, she is in her garden growing vegetables and herbs for kitchen witchery.
Review: Carla Gordon and Friends Round Up the Fun at the CheckOut Festival of Music
The art of cabaret has always been a vital part of the musical world in Chicago, and Carla Gordon is a headliner on that scene. Cabaret is more than singing; […]
Review: Black Oak Ensemble Brings A Musical Dimension to Studs Terkel’s Working
The opening festival of the CheckOut continues, featuring a diverse array of Chicago composers, musicians, and those who have documented the inner life of the citizens who live in this […]
Review: Burning Passion and Untamed Hearts in New Production of Carmen by Joffrey Ballet
There are not many names that bring such vivid memories as Carmen. Georges Bizet’s scandalous and groundbreaking opera marked the beginning of a movement in opera that emphasized realism. The […]
Review: The Amos Gillespie Quartet Launches New Classical Music at the CheckOut
The CheckOut opened its doors to a great performance by the Amos Gillespie Chamber Quartet on Saturday night. This abandoned 7-Eleven was formerly an eyesore at the end of the […]
Review: Conrad Tao Opens Season Two of Nova Linea Musica With Echoes and Algorithms
Nova Linea Musica returned for a second season with pianist and composer Conrad Tao leading Echoes and Algorithms on Wednesday night. NLM is a music incubator that provides musicians and […]
Review: Ryan Center Artists Light Up Sunday in the Park With Lyric at Millennium Park
Sunday, September 7, was a memorable evening. The Corn Moon waxed full, hung in the clear over the lake. The temperature was cool with a nip of autumn to come. […]
Dispatch: Chicago Jazz Festival 2025 Ends With Some Southside Funk, Early Jazz and a Cuban Finale
The final day of the Chicago Jazz Festival had some outstanding up-and-coming performers as well as some legends gracing the stage. This year, I managed to get to the Von […]
Dispatch: Day Three of the Chicago Jazz Festival—Jazz Classics and New Orleans in Chicago
It was another fabulous summer day in Chicago with some familiar names on the Pritzker Pavilion stage. First up was Ava Logan, who has been in at least two productions […]
Dispatch: Day Two of the Chicago Jazz Festival Features Music from Brazil, Jamaica and Chicago Favorite Patricia Barber
The second day of the Chicago Jazz Festival veered into the unexpected for me. The Pritzker Pavilion stage featured an international roster of musicians and singers. Opener Sarah Marie Young […]
Dispatch: Chicago Jazz Festival #46 Lights Up the Last Days of Summer at Millennium Park
As the summer days begin to cool, there is still the heat from jazz bubbling in Millennium Park. The Chicago Jazz Festival is in its 46th year and is still […]
Review: Incandescent Performances Highlight How to Transcend a Happy Marriage at Redtwist Theatre
Redtwist Theatre is high-kicking and playing on the edge for Season 21, themed “Defiant Femmes.” It is a timely theme and, in my opinion, needed to bolster the energy and […]