DK Travel : Chicago : Performing arts

Page
1
2
3

Gene Siskel Film Center

Tiny by cineplex standards, the Gene Siskel Film Center screens films from the silent era onwards. Cineastes will rave about the cushy rocking chairs, excellent sightlines, and art gallery as well as foreign, independent and experimental films rarely shown elsewhere.
Goodman Theatre

One of Chicago’s leading theater companies, the Goodman frequently spins off productions to Broadway in New York and has earned a Tony award, the theater community’s highest, for its efforts. Noted productions include dramas by Eugene O’Neill and August Wilson and an annual version of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol .
Green Dolphin St.

This slick Northside jazz club offers some of the city’s best sightlines. Named for a jazz standard, Green Dolphin encompasses both a separate fine dining restaurant and an equally spacious showroom that also serves casual café fare. On the musical bill expect the sorts of ensembles that can audibly fill the space, such as big bands and Latin groups.
Green Mill Cocktail Lounge

A former Prohibition era speak easy, Uptown’s landmark Green Mill is a vintage treasure with a sweeping curved bar, vinyl booths, fading murals, and an authentic air of Chicago’s gangster past. The city’s premier jazz talents like Kurt Elling and Patricia Barber regularly play gigs here and Uptown Poetry Slam feature every sunday. It’s out of the way but every cabbie knows how to get there.
House of Blues

Folk art and exotic architectural remnants festoon the funky House of Blues. The vast 1500-seat concert hall presents a variety of national touring acts from hard rock to hip hop in addition to blues. The Sunday gospel brunch with seatings from 9:30am to noon is a must.
James R. Thompson Center

In Running Scared (1986) Billy Crystal and Gregory Hines are Chicago police pals planning early retirement, but first they must thwart a drug kingpin and stay alive. The final chase scene takes place in the Thompson Center where the two swap wisecracks while swinging on ropes through the airy atrium, shooting out glass elevators, and ultimately triumphing.
Joe Segal’s Jazz Showcase

Those reverent about jazz appreciate the cabaret-style Jazz Showcase. There’s no smoking and a lot of shushing from the next table if you attempt to talk during a set. Consequently, musicians love the club, making this the spot to catch a date with Wynton Marsalis, Roy Hargrove, and other stars. As well as standard evening shows, the club offers Sunday matinees.
Kingston Mines

The largest of Chicago’s blues joints, Kingston Mines packs its Lincoln Park locale with students, young professionals, and a broader spectrum of tourists. Two stages provide non-stop musical entertainment from 8pm to near 4am (5am on Saturdays). Acts range from homegrown house bands to national touring headliners. The kitchen serves up beer-sopping barbecue.
Lookingglass Theatre

In 1988, eight Northwestern University students founded Lookingglass, a bold company incorporating dance, circus arts, and live music in its original theatrical productions. Celebrity membership (including Friends actor David Schwimmer) and Broadway bound, award-winning shows have furthered this company’s stardom.
Michigan Avenue Bridge

Chain Reaction (1996) sees Keanu Reeves as a science student at the University of Chicago who is framed for murder. In a nail-biting chase scene, he trys to escape by running up the Michigan Avenue Bridge (see Magnificent Mile) as it’s raised.