After 17 years with the Lake Forest Preservation Foundation, Marcy Kerr is retiring but not before she shares her thoughts on her time with the organization, why preservation continues to be so vital to our community, and what she looks forward to doing next. pg12
EDITED BY CHEYANNE LENCIONI THE NORTH SHORE WEEKEND
reservations must be made in advance. ragdale.com
AUGUST 10
“QUEEN: WE WILL ROCK YOU” SUMMER MUSICAL THEATER
WHERE: Gorton Center
Join the Gorton Drama Studio for its production of "Queen: We Will Rock You!" These weekday, kid-focused shows for youth ages 7 to 17 offer an optional acting workshop afterward. Performances are August 6 at 11 am, August 7 at 12:30 pm. and August 8 at 11 am. The student cast brings the story to life with passion and energy. From the moment the curtain rises, you’ll be swept away by the dynamic performances, stunning choreography, and powerful vocals that pay homage to Queen’s timeless hits. An adult must accompany children under the age of 7. Kids over the age of 7 must come on their own. Tickets on sale now. gortoncenter.org
10
RAGDALE PUBLIC TOUR
WHERE: Ragdale Campus
Ragdale, the nationally acclaimed artists’ retreat on the former country estate of English architect Howard Van Doren Shaw, offers tours of the historic Ragdale House, visual artist studios, and exquisite gardens. Participants will learn about the Shaw family history and the artists’ residency program that serves nearly 150 artists and authors each year. Tours are from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Admission is $10 per person and online
NOW THROUGH AUGUST 11
LES MISÉRABLES
WHERE: Deerfield Performing Arts Center
Through an exceptional license, Les Misérables is coming to Deerfield. Presented by Uptown Music Theater of Highland Park, this acclaimed production—winner of eight Tony Awards and known as the world's most popular musical—boasts an impressive 44-person cast and a 21-piece orchestra. Renowned producer, Sir Cameron Mackintosh, has personally authorized these performances. A portion of proceeds will support the Highland Park Shooting Response Fund, making this event both a cultural highlight of the season and a worthy cause. Tickets are available now. uptownhp.org
NOW THROUGH AUGUST 28
HIGHWOOD EVENING GOURMET MARKET
WHERE: Everts Park
Highwood’s Evening Gourmet Market has returned, running every Wednesday from 4:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. The market features a variety of 60 incredible food, beverage, and artisan craft vendors alternating each week. In addition, the Highwood Historical Cocktail Tours will be held during the market on August 14 from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Food and cocktails will be available to purchase at each stop. Live music will also be featured during the market. A calendar of musicians and themed nights is available online. celebratehighwood.org
NOW THROUGH AUGUST 29
FOOD TRUCK MONDAYS
WHERE: Kenilworth Park District
Enjoy Food Truck Mondays weekly from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Food will be provided by Billy Bricks & Rio Bamba Food Trucks. Music will be provided by The Heavy Sounds and there will also be cornhole league, bocce ball league, margaritas, and family fun. kenilworthparkdistrict.org
NOW THROUGH SEPTEMBER 7
CIRCUSVILLE: PLAY UNDER THE BIG TOP
WHERE: Chicago Children’s Museum
Bring your kids to the Chicago Children’s Museum to play at the circus! Children can try their hands at all of the vital roles in a circus—star of the show, ticket taker, acrobat, hot dog vendor, and more. Props and costumes for families will be provided. chicagochildrensmuseum.org
NOW THROUGH SEPTEMBER 22
LOST & FOUND
WHERE: Chicago Botanic Garden
Experience plant conservation success stories through art and science this summer at Chicago Botanic Garden. Engage in handson experiences, art installations, After Hour Buzz events, and other engaging activities inspired by restoration stories of plants
once lost and forgotten. Original art pieces will be on display throughout the garden including “A Summer Journey,” “Gleanhouse and Prismatic Landscape,” “Color Writing,” “Rhizomatic,” and “Through The Eye of the Unicorn.” These pieces represent conserving what has been lost over the years through development, natural disaster, and expansions. Tickets are included with the cost of admission. chicagobotanic.org
NOW THROUGH SEPTEMBER 24
SUNSET YOGA
WHERE: Mellody Farm Nature Preserve Immerse yourself in the beauty of Lake Forest
Open Lands Association’s (LFOLA) Mellody Farm
Nature Preserve while relaxing into a gentle, restorative yoga session that will incorporate breathwork and mindfulness. All abilities welcome! Instructor, Ana Holland Krawec, is a certified 200 RYT instructor, a Reiki healing master, and Sudarshan Kriya Breathwork instructor. Her practice focuses on adaptive yoga, incorporating gentle movements, restorative poses, breathwork, and mindfulness to help students work on core strength, flexibility, and balance and to find tools for becoming centered and peaceful. This program is for adults only and takes place in the evenings. lfola.org
NOW THROUGH SEPTEMBER 26 FOOD TRUCK
THURSDAYS
WHERE: Ravinia District Food Truck Thursdays return to downtown Ravinia this summer. A variety of food trucks and vendors will sell their wares from 4:30 p.m. until dusk each Thursday night throughout the summer. These evenings will also include live music, food, beer, and wine tastings from local restaurants. Attendees are encouraged to bring blankets and chairs or dine on a picnic bench in Jens Jensen Park. Each Thursday will feature a different theme of music and its respective performers. enjoyhighlandpark.com
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NOW THROUGH OCTOBER 11
LAKE BLUFF FARMERS MARKET
WHERE: Lake Bluff Village Green
Enjoy the Lake Bluff Farmers Market Friday mornings through October 11. The market will be open from 7 a.m. to noon. A variety of local vendors will be selling their offerings— from food and beverages to flowers and dog treats. There will also be live music and children’s entertainment. business lflbchamber.com
NOW THROUGH OCTOBER 13
“SHTETL IN THE SUN”
WHERE: Illinois Holocaust Museum & Education Center
In the late 1970s, photographer Andy Sweet took numerous photos of Holocaust survivors living hopeful and joyous lives in South Beach, Florida. Through his images, it provides a poignant display of life after tragedy. The Illinois Holocaust Museum & Education Center’s exhibit, “Shtetl in the Sun: Andy Sweet’s South Beach 1977-1980,” celebrates Sweet’s work as a tribute to those who lived during that time. The exhibit will run through October 13. ilholocaustmuseum.org
NOW THROUGH FEBRUARY 25, 2025
“KENILWORTH CENTENNIAL HOMES”
WHERE: Kenilworth Historical Society
Explore the history of Kenilworth’s oldest homes and celebrate their architectural significance with a dynamic exhibit that chronicles the evolution of residential development in the village. The homes featured in this exhibit were built between 1889 and 1924. kenilworthhistory.org
AUGUST 11
VINTAGE CAR SHOW
WHERE: The Lot
From 12 p.m. to 4 p.m., come out and see an exciting lineup of vintage cars, including commercial vehicles, muscle cars, early automobiles, and the Batmobile of Klairmont Kollections Auto Museum. In addition, acclaimed radio DJ veteran Eddie “V” of “The Eddite and Jobo Morning Show” will be on site spinning contemporary hits, hosting giveaways, and announcing the winner of the Best of Car Show at 3:30 p.m. Up to 200 vehicles will be displayed along St. John’s Avenue. enjoyhighlandpark.com
AUGUST 14
CELEBRATE
HIGHWOOD’S GARLIC FEST
WHERE: Everts Park Highwood’s annual Garlic Fest returns for a
stinking good time from 4:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. This fest will be in tandem with Highwood’s Evening Gourmet Market. There will be garlic-infused chocolate, ice cream, cookies, cocktails, sandwiches, sauces, and more. There will also be a competition for the best Sweet and Savory Garlic Creations in the People’s Choice and Judge’s Competitions. Attendees can cast their vote using a QR code ballot until 7 p.m. The winner will be announced at 7:30 p.m. Come check out the many artisan wares both garlic and non while enjoying live music from Bill Pantle and the Tribute to Old Blue Eyes. celebratehighwood.org
AUGUST 14 TO SEPTEMBER 22
THE CHICAGO ALLIANCE OF VISUAL ARTISTS
ANNUAL MEMBER SHOW
WHERE: North Shore Art League
The Chicago Alliance of Visual Artists (CAVA) will hold its annual show on the first and second floor galleries of the North Shore Art League (NSAL). More than 100 works of art will be displayed. During the run of the show, there will be a Show & Tell Salon from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. on August 29 and a Learning Symposium from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. on September 22. The Symposium will feature two speakers sharing their experiences. Everyone is
welcome to attend and an RSVP is required for both events. RSVP emails can be sent to events@wearecava. org. Non-members can pay the $10 admission fee for one or both events through PayPal.
AUGUST 15, 22, & 29
SIT & KNIT
WHERE: Northfield Public Library
Spend the afternoon with fellow knitters in the Community Room at Northfield Public Library. From 2:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. adults of all levels of experience are welcome. Basic supplies will be provided and library staff will be present to assist. Registration is required. wnpld.org
AUGUST 15, 22, & 29
AUGUST SCAVENGER
HUNT: GRAPHIC NOVELS
WHERE: Evanston Public Library
Hunt for some of your favorite graphic novel characters throughout the Children’s Room. Kids can grab a clue sheet at the desk and search around the Children’s Department to find them all. Names and phone numbers can be written on the back of the sheet and turned in at the front desk to be entered into a raffle. The chosen card will win a prize. epl.org
AUGUST 15 TO 25
THE PROM
WHERE: McGrath Family Performing Arts Center
The Highland Park Players present its closing show of the season, The Prom Performances will be held August 16, 17, 23, and 24 at 7:30 p.m. and at 2 p.m. on August 24 and 25. A preview performance will be held on August 15 at 7:30 p.m. Enjoy this seven-time Tony Award nominated musical.
highlandparkplayers.org
AUGUST 16 TO 18
46TH ANNUAL MIDAMERICAN BONSAI EXHIBITION
WHERE: Chicago Botanic Garden
The Midwest Bonsai Society’s August Exhibition will showcase its 46th year with an exhibition that runs from noon to 5 p.m. on August 16, and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on August 17 and 18. It is one of the largest regional shows in the nation. Centered at the Chicago Botanic Garden's (CBG) Permanent Bonsai Collection—which features over 150 world-class trees—it’s a showplace of Bonsai from across the Midwest and beyond. National enthusiasts bring their trees to be judged in the main hall at the Garden's Regenstein Center. There will be 30 vendors selling trees, tools, pots, stands, suiseki, scrolls, soil, fertilizers, and more. The exhibition will include plenty of workshops and lectures, including a Children's Bonsai Styling workshop. The show is free,
but CBG parking and entry fees apply. midwestbonsai.org
AUGUST 16 TO 18
EVANSTON ART & BIG FORK FESTIVAL
WHERE: Downtown Evanston
Enjoy the artistic and food delights the city of Evanston has to offer. From noon to 5 p.m. on Friday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, browse thousands of art pieces from 150 juried artists showing paintings, jewelry, sculptures, mixed media, photography, and more. Take a break at the extensive tasty food area, try a painting class, or visit the Kids Art Zone. Entry is free. amdurproductions.com
AUGUST 17
CELEBRATE PHYLLIS DILLER
WHERE: Northfield Public Library
Celebrate the life and career of stand-up comedienne and actress Phyllis Diller through the presentation of Ellie Presents. From 2 p.m. to 3 p.m., Ellie will give a dramatic performance providing a glimpse at the backstage Phyllis while delighting in her onstage antics as well. Registration is required for this adult program. wnpld.org
AUGUST 18
BLOODY MARY FEST
WHERE: Everts Park
Spend the day trying different concoctions of the classic Bloody Mary from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Vendors will compete for the “Proud Mary” award. Mixologists from competing bars and restaurants have the opportunity to share their one-of-a-kind recipes while creating the ultimate tomato-based cocktail. The public can vote for their favorite until 4 p.m. and the winner will be announced at 4:30 p.m. For those not interested in a Bloody Mary drink, there will be other refreshment options
available, including nonalcoholic drinks. There will also be live music throughout the day. celebratehighwood.org
AUGUST 20
AFTERNOON BOOK CLUB
WHERE: Lake Bluff Library
Join Carol at the Lake Bluff Library for a monthly book discussion from 2:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. August’s book will be The Narrowboat Summer by Anne Youngson. This book club is
an adult program and they will meet in the Spruth Room. lakeblufflibrary.org
AUGUST 22
HABITAT HELPERS AT MALLINCKRODT PARK WORKDAY
WHERE: Mallinckrodt Park
Connect with the earth and get your hands dirty from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. Participants will weed native plant beds at Mallinckrodt Park. Bring drinking water, gardening gloves, and dress for the weather. Trowels and tools will be provided by the Wilmette Park District. wilmettepark.org
AUGUST 24 TO 25
PORT CLINTON ART FESTIVAL
WHERE: Highland Park
From 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., enjoy the weekend with paintings, sculptures, mixed media work, and more. There will be thousands of art pieces from 260 of the best artists in the country.
Kids can check out the Kids Art Zone. There will also be cold beer, specialty coffee, tasty treats, and live music. amdurproductions.com
SEPTEMBER 14
GOODFEST 2024
WHERE: St. John’s Wilmette
From 5 p.m. to 10 p.m., enjoy an evening of music from Antler Chandelier and Tributosaurus while partaking in mouthwatering BBQ. Tickets are $30 if purchased prior to the event and $40 at the door. All proceeds benefit Family Promise, North Shore, a local cause that provides resources for families who are without a home. This is a family fun event and kids under 12 are free. eventbrite.com
SEPTEMBER 14 TO OCTOBER 6
RIGOLETTO
WHERE: Lyric Opera Chicago Partake in an evening
showcasing Giuseppe Verdi’s sensation, Rigoletto. Sung in Italian with projected English titles, the breathtaking piece is based on Victor Hugo’s play. Composer Music Director Enrique Mazzola, a muchacclaimed Verdian, brings astounding intensity to the story of Rigoletto, a court jester who is tragically con-
sumed with the vengeance of his daughter Gilda’s dishonor. lyricopera.org
SEPTEMBER 27
100TH ANNIVERSARY
GALA
WHERE: Community House
Celebrate North Shore
Art League’s 100th anniversary at 6 p.m. with a fes-
tive gala, held on the second floor of the Community House in Winnetka. Enjoy libations, live art, music, and hors d’oeuvres. Tickets are on sale now. northshoreartleague.org
To submit your event for consideration, please email events@nsweekend.com.
#HASHTAG
EDITED BY CHEYANNE LENCIONI ILLUSTRATION BY TOM BACHTELL
For nearly two decades, Evanston resident KERRI SCHOONYOUNG has been at the helm of her own marketing consultancy, Dept. 11, helping businesses large and small navigate the murky waters of search engine optimization, UX design, social media algorithms, and other challenges of the digital age. But as the co-chair of the RUSH Woman's Board’s annual Fall Benefit—scheduled for September 28 at the historic Palmer House Hilton—Schoonyoung, along with her co-chair Meg Morton Leydon, invites guests on a journey to the past—more specifically, to 1893 and the Chicago World’s Fair. Themed “A Night in the White City,” the 2024 Fall Benefit draws parallels between the World's Fair as a catalyst for innovation and RUSH’s own mission of transforming health care for the benefit of Chicago and ultimately the world. “Every day, I’m inspired by the dedicated professionals at RUSH and the impact they have on people’s lives,” she says. “This experience has reinforced my belief that when we come together for a great cause, we create ripples of positive change that extend far beyond any single event.” As she balances her attention between the past and the future, Schoonyoung shares her sources of inspiration in the present.
My bedside table is stacked with aspirational books on everything from entrepreneurship to gardening and reiki. It’s a mixed bag, but I love having options. That said, I typically lean on Audible and podcasts to get my reading fix (and multi-task).
#ON MY MOBILE
I keep tabs on many of my kids’, my clients’, and my industry’s trends online to stay current and in the loop. When I'm not working, I enjoy all things design—it’s a great way to unwind. I’m also constantly researching new travel destinations, satisfying my curiosity about our next getaway.
#IN MY EARBUDS
Podcasts are my go-to, and I can’t get enough of Huberman Lab for its fascinating deep dives into neuroscience and all things health. All In and How I Built This are also staples—both packed with insights and stories brought to life by great storytellers that fuel my entrepreneurial spirit.
When you work with a real estate advisor, you want to know who you are working with and who they are. I was born and raised on the North Shore, attended Highland Park schools and moved back to raise my own family in Highland Park. My husband and I met living in the city and have been married for 15 years and have two middle school girls. We love where we live and take advantage of Ravinia, the nearby restaurants, Botanic Gardens, and all the great North Shore towns.
When I’m not working, you will find me watching Michigan football (GO BLUE!), rooting on the White Sox (I still love them even if they cannot win), Bears, and Bulls. I love to run and spend time outdoors. I’m also an animal lover and love coming home to all my pets. I’m a huge reader and try to read 2-3 books a month. My favorite time is watching my girls do what they love most...one playing soccer and basketball and the other playing volleyball, basketball and being in school plays. I also love traveling with my family and exploring new places, although Hawaii is still a family favorite!
I love my job and combine my knowledge of the North Shore and Chicagoland area with my background as an attorney to help my clients navigate the buying and selling process. I love working as a team with my clients and staying in constant communication so they are kept up to date on the entire process.
BY
Like most good things in life, Marcy Kerr’s origin story with Lake Forest Preservation Foundation (LFPF) began with her taking a chance.
“Out of the blue, Gail Hodges contacted me,” Kerr remembers, having only been settled in Lake Forest with her young family for a few years. “Gail was instrumental in establishing the historic preservation ordinances with the city and was very involved with LFPF. The foundation had just opened an office at Gorton and felt they were prime for growth. They had a new president starting—Art Miller—and he said he would only take that post if he had someone to handle the administrative tasks.
Gail told me the job was very flexible, probably no more than eight hours a week. So, I thought what the heck? This sounds fun and interesting, and I was charmed by Art’s knowledge and humor from the start.”
And so began this Michigan native’s tenure with LFPF. Although Kerr agreed to more of a behind-the-scenes role initially, she was promoted to executive director within just a matter of months.
“To be honest, I didn’t know exactly what I was doing when I started, but I had a good business background, I loved history, architecture, and Lake Forest, and I was a quick study,” Kerr says. “I was also working with a Board of Directors that offered me great support and knowledge.”
“There are so many interesting things and so many different facets of what we do, but the most important thing is educating the community,” Kerr explains. “Everything we do has an educational component—educating people on the importance of what they have and how to preserve it. We have been able to help many families who wanted to make changes to significant homes understand how to be compatible with their surroundings and preserve the historic character of their property. When they learn this, they come to really appreciate preservation and its importance in Lake Forest.”
Under Kerr’s leadership, the Foundation produced more than 50 issues of its vibrant newsletter, redesigned the website twice, and produced a number of guides that have meticulously documented the special historical lore of Lake Forest. Additionally, LFPF has distributed more than 300 preservation awards, an honor given to individuals, businesses, and organizations who have demonstrated a commitment to excellence in the preservation of Lake For est’s architectural heritage.
“I think when I look back on my time with the foundation, one of the things I’m most proud of is our work on the East Lake Forest Train Station,” says Kerr, who played a critical role in helping secure the funding for the restoration project. It was built in 1900 and has been welcoming people to Lake Forest ever since. “The train station is an historical landmark. It’s so important to safeguard exceptional architecture for future generations.”
The Lake Forest Preservation Foundation, established in the mid-1970s, is dedicated to the stewardship, safeguarding, and endurance of Lake Forest’s exceptional architectural and landscape legacy for succeeding generations, through public education, historic preservation, and advocacy. The foundation is independently funded through donations, memberships, and events.
This summer, Kerr has been enjoying some long-overdue quiet time with her husband Stewart at their cottage in Michi gan to sort out how her next chapter will unfold. Some travel and more regular visits to Boston to see her 20-month-old grand sons will be a must.
“I love the mission of the foundation and I hope I made a differ ence in this community that I admire and appreciate so much,” adds Kerr. “I think I’ll really miss it. I’ve learned something new every day. What better job is there to work in a beautiful community and help preserve that? It has been the perfect job.”
To learn more about the Lake Forest Pres ervation Foundation, visit lfpf.org.
Citadel Theatre’s 2024-25 season will feature new plays by writers with Chicago and North Shore ties.
When Lake Forest’s Citadel Theatre opens its 2024-25 season with the comedy The Cottage, it will be a homecoming of sorts for its playwright, Sandy Rustin, who was raised in Glenview and graduated from Northwestern University.
Rustin credits the many opportunities she had in North Shore primary and secondary schools as instrumental in preparing her for successful careers as a playwright and comedian. The Cottage was the first of her plays to be produced on Broadway, and it seems only fitting that its first regional production after Broadway will be back on the North Shore, at Citadel.
Citadel’s season will be bookended with a new play by another writer with ties to the area. Paul Stroili moved to Chicago from the east coast in 1987 because he felt it was the best environment in which to grow as an actor and playwright. His play A Jukebox for the Algonquin, which had its world premiere in 2023 at The Purple Rose Theatre, the Equity-affiliated theatre founded by actor Jeff Daniels, will close Citadel’s 2024-25 season in April and May.
Together, the two writers make a great case for the Chicago area as a community that nurtures artistic talent.
The Cottage’s Sandy Rustin began acting and writing in North Shore schools
Rustin knew she wanted to be a playwright and actress at least since she was in sixth grade and took advantage of the many opportunities the North Shore offered for developing her theater talents. By the time she was 12 years old, she had already played the title role in Annie in a joint production between Marie Murphy School and Sunset Ridge School in Northfield, and Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz at a summer program in Evanston.
At New Trier High School, she began her writing career by contributing to the school’s annual student-written musical, LagniappePotpourri. She later built on that experience at
Northwestern University when she contributed to that school’s annual Waa-Mu Show. She also attended improv, acting, and writing classes at the Piven Theatre Workshop in Evanston.
Rustin credits her family for steeping her in comedy traditions. “My father was really funny,” she explains. “He’d play comedy albums at home all the time and listening to them, I was learning from the greats. Comedy always felt very natural to me to write, and while I’ve written a lot of it, it’s not the only genre I write in.”
She moved to New York shortly after graduation from NU and quickly found work as an actress, getting cast in a national tour of Grease She worked steadily as an actress in New York, in stage shows including I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change, performed regularly with the Upright Citizens Brigade improv troupe, acted in television series, and did voice over work.
Her career started to move in a new direction in 2005.
“I became a parent, and began writing more,” she explains. “The flexibility of being able to work at home on my own schedule was a much better fit to my new demands of parenting.”
She drew on that experience for her musical Rated P for Parenthood, which was optioned by ABC Studios, who developed it into a 30-minute musical comedy pilot. Her stage adaptation of the film Clue, based on the ever-popular board game and beloved film, was one of the most produced plays in the U.S. of the ’22-’23 and has had over 3,000 productions.
A remark overheard backstage in 2014 at the off-Broadway musical Found, in which Rustin was appearing, led to her Broadway debut as a playwright. “After a performance one night, I was speaking to a theatre producer, Victoria Lang, who was lamenting the lack of femalefocused plays, I told her about my script, The Cottage, which I'd written in the style of Noel Coward, but with a feminist twist.
“Lang became interested. It happened that Jason Alexander was looking for a play with which to make his Broadway debut as a director and agreed to direct it. Production was delayed due to COVID, but it all came together when we opened on Broadway in 2023.”
The Cottage is set in an English country manor house and concerns three couples, each of whom are engaged in infidelities. One couple, Beau and Sylvia, are enjoying the afterglow of an illicit night together while awaiting the arrival of their spouses, when Sylvia decides to tell them about their affair. The play finished its Broadway run in October 2023 and is now available for regional productions, many of which will premiere in the ’25 season.
“Citadel jumped through hoops to get rights
right away and to open their season with it,” says Rustin.
The fact that Citadel’s production will be the first in Illinois and will be in the North Shore will be a fitting tribute to all the teachers and schools in the area that helped to develop her young talent and allowed her to achieve her dream of becoming a playwright and actress.
If Rustin is a testament to the Chicago area’s ability to nurture creative talent in youths, Paul Stroili—author of A Jukebox for the Algonquin—exemplifies why so many adults flock to Chicago to pursue careers in the creative arts.
He moved to Chicago from New York in 1987 right after attending the State University of New York at New Paltz.
“I chose to move to Chicago because it was a city with a good arts scene in which you could afford to live, unlike New York City, where you might have to work two or three jobs just to pay the rent,” he says. “How does that leave you time to start a theater company?”
Stroili worked in the Chicago storefront theater scene as one of the original members of the CT20 Ensemble and the Illegitimate Players, a company that created satires of classics, with titles like The Glass Mendacity and Of Grapes and Nuts. He was in the original Chicago cast of the long-running Tony ‘n’ Tina’s Wedding, but in 1996 he left Chicago for Los Angeles, where he did a lot of film and TV work as well as creating and touring in his own one-man show, show, Straight Up with a Twist, which enjoyed over 1,000 performances nationwide culminating in an extended Off-Broadway run.
He returned to the Chicago are in 2016 to direct the revival of Tony ‘n’ Tina’s Wedding and has kept the Chicago area as his home base, currently living in Skokie.
“Chicago has a wonderful Midwestern vibe. The creative community is supportive of each
other. There’s a real sense of building something together—as when artists band together to create a storefront company, just as my friends and I did in the ‘80s and people continue to do today. It doesn’t have the sort of ‘showcase mentality’ you find in some other cities, where many projects are done with the intention of them leading to film or television. Here, people are looking to create theater that will stand on its own.”
Though his residence is in suburban Chicago, and though he continues to do film and TV work in the Chicago area, he’s found an artistic home a few hundred miles away in Chelsea, Michigan, near Ann Arbor. He’s a resident artist at the Purple Rose Theater, founded by stage screen actor Jeff Daniels as a theater dedicated to the development of new American plays. It was there that A Jukebox for the Algonquin received its world premiere and became one of the best-selling and most popular plays in the Purple Rose’s history. Stroili was inspired to write Jukebox, about a group of residents of a senior care center by his memories of a summer job at such an institution back in his school days.
“I had a menial job and I thought it was going to be boring,” he says, “ but I got to know and enjoy the residents so much that the experience stayed with me.” He insists A Jukebox for the Algonquin is not “a play about old people, it’s a play about people who have lived longer.”
Stroili says interest in producing A Jukebox for the Algonquin has grown organically, with seven productions scheduled for the upcoming year. Citadel’s Chicago-area premiere in spring 2025 will have special meaning for Paul, though, as it will be his premiere as a playwright in the chosen home where he began his career and has spent nearly half his professional life.
There’s a certain symmetry to the Chicago area’s role in the career development of these two playwrights.
How Rustin left Chicago for New York at about the same age that the east coaster Stroili left New York State to begin a theatrical career in Chicago. That both have achieved stature in the theatrical world is a testament to the Chicago community’s supportive environment for developing talent.
Citadel Theatre is proud to bring the work of these two artists of whom the Chicago creative community can be justly proud.
Citadel Theatre is in residence in the West Campus of the Lake Forest School District at 300 S. Waukegan Road, Lake Forest. Further information and ticketing is available at citadeltheatre.org.
Susan Sarandon, Megan Mullally, and Bette Midler
star in a misguided film about aging gal pals.
BY REX REED
RUNNING TIME: 1 HOUR, 38 MINUTES
RATING: 1 star
At a time when mature women are making giant strides toward honor, respect, and dignity in every walk of life, progress to gain equal footing is evident everywhere except the movies. Even for accomplished award winners, if you’re a woman over 60 you’re toast. This has led to an alarming trend for aging stars still ready, willing, and able to take their chances, pool their talents, and band together on the same marquee to prove there’s safety in numbers.
The results have so far been a sorry group of star-studded artistic and commercial flops that have failed to raise box-office expectations— ambitious projects such as Book Club (Jane Fonda, Diane Keaton, Candice Bergen, Mary Steenburgen) and 80 for Brady (Jane Fonda, Lily Tomlin, Sally Field, Rita Moreno).
Their eulogies were more interesting than the films themselves.
The latest example of the humiliations lovely seniors desperately seeking employment are forced to endure in order to call themselves working actors is a dismal comedy without a shred of wit, imagination, or originality called
The Fabulous Four
A piddling plot so thin you could write it on a matchbook cover centers on four aging gal pals—friends and roommates through college who vowed to stay loyal and supportive through life.
Lou (Susan Sarandon) is now a renowned heart surgeon, Kitty (Sheryl Lee Ralph) is a suc-
cessful organic farmer who has made a fortune turning her knowledge of plant life into a legal cannabis business, and Alice (Megan Mullally) is a rock star with a passion for booze, drugs, sex with younger men, and Kitty’s endless supply of pot. The fourth member of the quartet is the silly, wealthy, fun-seeking, champagne-guzzling, recently widowed Marilyn (Bette Midler).
When Marilyn announces without warning that she’s going to be married again at her mansion in Key West, Kitty and Alice quickly plan to be bridesmaids, and talk the reluctant Lou into joining them. Lou hasn’t spoken to Marilyn for 40 years since she seduced Lou’s boyfriend and married him.
While Lou would never attend a wedding or anything else if it involved Marilyn, Kitty and Alice convince her to tag along under false pretenses by promising her a cat with six toes from a museum in the former home of Ernest Hemingway. A lot of rage ensues when Lou discovers she’s been betrayed, and they all meander, scene by scene, through what’s left of the contrived screenplay.
In a week tantamount to a reunion in hell, Lou falls in love with a bar owner (an aging Bruce Greenwood) who turns out to be the guy Marilyn is going to marry, Marilyn’s Kitty becomes infatuated with a gay male stripper who turns out to be her grandson, and a lot of time is wasted on moronic dialogue (“Why are you sweating like a cat in a room full of rocking chairs?”) and confusing sex jokes.
Much confusion results from one scene in which Marilyn plants a purple sex toy on a string called a Kegel ball in Lou’s bed. “What are you supposed to do with that?” asks Kitty. “You shove it up your vagina,” Lou answers dryly. So much for the screenplay, written by women.
The action ends in a vicious fist fight between Bette Midler and Susan Sarandon, before it all leads up in a preposterous musical number with the whole cast singing and awkwardly dancing to the 1972 pop tune “I Can See Clearly Now.” So much for the direction, also by a woman.
The movie is an unsalvageable mess, but the most appalling problem is its premise that women will do anything to be admired, respected, and taken seriously, but once they accomplish any kind of stronghold position as equals, they make fools of themselves with any demeaning misstep that will get them into the arms (and beds) of men.
Sarandon’s the intelligent, straight-laced pragmatist in the quartet, but she turns out to be the biggest birdbrain of them all by giving up her lifelong dedication to medicine, staying in Key West, and spending the rest of her life snorkeling.
The way the fragments come together is implausible, but the way they all resolve in time for a happy ending is loopy and downright ludicrous.
There is nothing fabulous about The Fabulous Four
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Curated Audio President Chris Pickering of Evanston sees to it—via premium service, attention to detail, and house calls— that each customer hears music from a top-notch system.
BY BILL MCLEAN ILLUSTRATION BY BARRY BLITT
Chris Pickering was just a kindergartner when he discovered the restorative power of music in his family’s living room in Evanston.
He had come upon his mother, Linda, who was resting and listening to Handel’s Messiah after work. The melodious large-scale work was working its magic right before his eyes.
“Her eyes were closed,” Pickering, 57, recalls. “Mom looked relaxed and happy, all because of the soothing music.
“I’ll never forget the moment.”
Years later, Linda accompanied her son to a local store, where he picked out his first two albums—both by The Beach Boys.
“My first stereo system was a Panasonic boom box connected to a Sony turntable,” says Pickering, whose all-over-the-place taste in music today ranges from punk to chamber music to jazz. “My speakers were Panasonic thrusters.”
His current passion project? It’s audio-centric, unsurprisingly. Seeking music to bring joy, to relax, to relieve stress, or to spark your episodic memory hasn’t decreased a decibel since Pickering’s milk-and-cookies days as a perceptive kindergartner. Born in Cleveland and still living in Evanston, the father of three and former business-to-business marketing executive has been president of Curated Audio in Skokie since March 2023.
Its tagline is “It’s Time For Extraordinary Sound.”
“We want to be your trusted guide and find the best match of equipment for you and install it properly so you get the sound quality and personalized music experience you want in your home for years to come,” says Pickering, a Loyola Academy alumnus who, during his undergraduate (Ohio State University, Class of 1990) and MBA (University of Illinois Chicago) years, worked for the hardworking, inimitable Simon Zreczny at Evanston-based Audio Consultants, which emphasized customer service first, second, and third during its resoundingly successful run from 1967-2019.
Audio Consultants on Da vis Street was the go-to store for North Shore audiophiles for more than 50 years.
“The wonderful relation ships the staff built with customers there lasted for decades,” Pickering notes.
“We all bonded over our shared love of music. Some of the people I met there now work for Curated Au dio. This is what we’re trying to recreate in 2024. You could call our concept of service, in today’s onlineheavy landscape, a throw back. What we do is rare. What customers receive
“They say the seventh row, center (at Orchestra Hall), is the sweet spot for listening there,” Pickering says. “That couple needed to replace a 25-year-old sound system. We learned a lot, working with them and discovering what they valued as people who truly appreciate music. We got better through
“And we got to know nice people along the way.”
As a Journalism major at Ohio State University in the late 1980s, Pickering got acquainted with 60 Minutes correspondent Diane Sawyer while working on an assignment—craft an
We learned a lot, working with them and discovering what they valued as people who truly appreciate music. We got better through that journey.
from us is a fusion of personalized service and the best technology.”
Each of Pickering’s staffers, or music concierges, at Curated Audio has at least 25 years of experience in the field and an immeasurable passion for music. Their commitment to white-glove service—high-level care and attention to detail—is unflagging.
Curated Audio personnel recently made six visits to the abode of a couple interested in purchasing a system that would allow them to feel, while listening to music at home, as if they were nestled in seventh-row seats for a Chicago Symphony Orchestra concert.
Six visits?
Pickering’s team wanted to get it just right, to please the Mr. and Mrs., to maybe even turn the couple from CSO subscribers into CSO unsubscribers because of Curated
CONTRIBUTING EDITORS
obituary on Sawyer’s colleague Mike Wallace, who was alive and well at the time.
“I called CBS in New York and asked to speak with Diane,” says Pickering, who minored in Economics. “I left a message for her, and she called me back. You’ve seen her on TV; she’s smart. Well, she’s smarter off-camera. I told Diane what I was working on, and she could not have been more professional, answering my questions about Mike Wallace. My professor later asked me, ‘Did you really interview Diane Sawyer?’”
The enterprising Pickering—who had held jobs at a golf course (Westmoreland Country Club caddie), a bookstore, a warehouse, and a butcher shop as a teen—later served as a full-time employee at Audio Consultants while earning his MBA degree at UIC. His career in business-to-business marketing
Linda
John Conatser
Jennifer
Gaven Conatser ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE ADVERTISING @NSWEEKEND.COM
Michelle Crowe, Erin Donaldson, Dustin O'Regan, Kemmie Ryan, Sherry Thomas, Megan Weisberg
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Bill McLean, Anne Marie Scheidler
Natalie
PHOTOGRAPHY AND ART
Tom Bachtell, Barry Blitt ILLUSTRATION
Ponce
lasted 24 years, 18 of which were spent with a co-worker named … Linda Pickering.
“She was my colleague and business mentor, all while being my mom, my friend, and a grandmother,” says Chris, whose father, James, worked in educational marketing.
Among Chris Pickering’s many hobbies is cycling. He pedaled his bike across America with a group of 60-70 in 2003. In Texas a cyclist introduced him to his future wife, Holly. They got married a year later and have three children: James, 18, Thomas, 15, and Marilyn, 11.
Holly, a former special projects coordinator and director of resource development for Habitat for Humanity, is a member of the Maryville Foundation board of directors; the foundation champions and funds organizations that protect children and strengthen families. She’s also the director of development at The Academy at St. Joan of Arc in Evanston, where daughter Marilyn attends. Chris Pickering serves on the board of Kids Above All, a Chicago-based nonprofit that ensures youth and young adults who have experienced abuse, neglect and homelessness have stable places to live.
And, somehow, he finds time to coach tackle football to fifth- and sixth-graders. Pickering had coached flag football for 11 years before opting last year to begin guiding youngsters in the helmet-and-pads version of the sport.
“I stress the importance of safety as a coach, making sure the players use the proper techniques in blocking and tackling,” Pickering says. “I also like to emphasize the elements of teamwork, a life skill. The ‘textbook’ happens to be football.”
Father, brother, husband, philanthropist, coach, businessman. Pickering relishes being all of them.
“Just trying to make the world a better place,” he says.
Sound approach, Mr. Pickering.
Sound approach.
Curated Audio is located at 8214 McCormick Boulevard in Skokie. Visit curatedaudio.com for more information.
