Gapers Block published from April 22, 2003 to Jan. 1, 2016. The site will remain up in archive form. Please visit Third Coast Review, a new site by several GB alumni.
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Thursday, December 12
Enjoy the warming weather and come see Heroes of Wicker Park, a free art event taking place in, you guessed it, Wicker Park. There will be puppetry, music and art to be taken in throughout the afternoon. When a large-scale mastodon puppet enters the park at 7pm, you'll know that the evening's performance is about to begin. Located at 1425 N. Damen Ave., this celebration is hosted by Manifest Theater. Call 773-297-2122 for more information.
The House Theatre opens their newest original work tonight. Dave DaVinci Saves the Universe is a sci-fi time travel romance. Or something. House shows are hard to categorize. Co-author Jake Minton says it's "the story of a famous Chicago scientist fighting time and insanity to hold his marriage together in the face of a family tragedy. In order to succeed, he must invent a time machine to win back his wife, a famous musician, from the more put together future version of himself, and then travel back to prevent the tragedy from ever occurring in the first place." Wooo, heady. Tonight at 8pm, then Thu-Sat 8pm and Sun 7pm through July 9. $10-19. At the Viaduct, 3111 N Western Ave. Call 773-251-2195 for reservations.
The Neo-Futurists present "Too Much Light Kids!", a family-friendly version of their long-running late-night show Too Much Light Makes The Baby Go Blind. GB's Alejandra Valera reviewed the show when it ran last December; read the review here. Appropriate for ages 6 and up, "Too Much Light Kids!" happens at 2:00 PM on Saturday afternoons through June 25 at the Neo-Futurarium. Admission: kids get in for $1-6 ($1 x the roll of a six-sided die), adults get in for $8-13 ($7 + the roll of a six-sided die). Group rates available; call (773) 878-4557 for details. Neo-Futurarium: 5153 N. Ashland (at Foster). General show details: (773) 275-5255.
The Chicago Park District invites you to come out, meet your neighbors, and help beautify your park at Mayor Daley's Clean & Green 2005, hosted by the City of Chicago. We will be planting flowers, mulching trees, painting, sweeping, raking, and picking up trash. Please dress for the weather and bring work gloves. Tools will be provided. Meet at the fieldhouse at any of these parks.
Andersonville wine shop In Fine Spirits will offer a Free Wine & Beer Tasting today, from 3-6pm. Feel free to drop in anytime during the tasting to sample 3 different wines and 3 beers and check out the cute shop. For more information contact Jill & Shane Kissack at 773.506.9463 or email jill@infinespirits.com. In Fine Spirits is located at 5418 N. Clark Street, Chicago.
Today the University of Chicago is holding the Folklore Society's Annual Fiddler's Picnic and their 1st Annual Fiddle Contest. Lest you worry about being confined to contest rules, there will also be plenty of time for "spontaneous jam sessions," so bring along whatever stringed music-makers -- fiddles, mandolins, guitars, etc. -- that strike your fancy. Entry fee for the contest is $5, with a $150 first prize, and will be judged by fiddlers Jennifer Jeffries and Charlie Walden. Head down to Hutchinson Courtyard, behind the Reynold's Club at 57th St. and University Ave., from 11am-4pm. The contest begins at noon. Call 773-702-9793 for more information.
This is the last day for El Barrio Clocks Beatz N Rhymez Phase III, the current Hip Hop Theatre production at Truman College in Novar Hall Room #3246 (1154 W. Wilson) Billed as a Chicago-rooted journey "fusing the elements of spoken word, urban dance, turntabilsim, social commentary, rhythm, and personal stories... [blending] humor and emotional truth," El Barrio Clocks should be a challenging show. Performances at 1pm and 6pm. Tickets are $10, $5 for student matinees.