Arts & Entertainment Recommendations

Coming Into His Own!

‘Antonio’s Song / I was Dreaming of a Son’

Milwaukee Repertory Theater’s production of “Antonio’s Song/I was Dreaming of a Son” is a poetic journey of an artist/dancer/father questioning the balance of his passions: art, culture, and family. From Brooklyn to Massachusetts to Russia, Antonio struggles to reconcile multiple ethnic identities. He wrestles with the legacy of the various stereotypes of masculinity, while recognizing the beauty in manhood and becoming a father. Powerful poetry is intermixed with original movement, music, and projected imagery. Performances will be in the Goodman's Owen Theatre, 170 N. Dearborn St., from April 28 - May 28. Tickets are $15+ at www.goodmantheatre.org/show/antonios-song

Row Away!

2023 Dragon Boat Race for Literacy

Chinese dragon boat races date back over 2,000 years and the sport is still popular among Chinese communities all over the world. The Chinatown Chamber of Commerce has hosted the “Dragon Boat Race for Literacy” for over 20 years, to promote its culture and to help neighborhood literacy programs. The June 24 event is 8 a.m. - 5 p.m., and begins with dance and music performances. Admission is free. May 5 is the application deadline to participate. Register at www.chicagochinatown.org/dragonboat2023

Jamboree of Discovery!

‘The Porch on Windy Hill’

When a young classical violinist and her folk song collector-boyfriend need an escape from quarantine, their search leads the biracial Mira back to her old family home, where she reconnects with an estranged grandfather. An unexpected combination of joy, discovery, past pain, and prejudice comes to light in this story of an Appalachian family's varied roots, and the music that binds them together. Performances are Wednesdays at 1 and 7:30 p.m., Thursdays at 7:30 p.m., Fridays at 8 p.m., Saturdays at 2:30 and 8 p.m., and Sundays at 2:30 p.m. April 13 - May 14 at Northlight Theatre, 9501 Skokie Blvd., Skokie. Tickets are $35+ at northlight.org/ events/the-porch-on-windy-hill-a-new-play-with-old-music

All About That Bass!

Third Coast Percussion presents ‘Metamorphosis’

Third Coast Percussion joins forces with Los Angeles-based group, Movement Art Is, for a performance about the transformation that are possible when two worlds collide and people become able to learn from one another. The Chicago premiere, a one night-only event, includes a vast range of music styles from classical minimalism to EDM, with the concert weaving four works by three composers into one dynamic piece. The concert will feature live street dance at the Joan W. and Irving B. Harris Theater for Music and Dance, 205 E. Randolph St., Tuesday, at 7:30 p.m. May 2. Tickets are $18+ at www.harristheaterchicago.org/performance/metamorphosis

Proper Job, Right Work!

‘IN THE BACK / ON THE FLOOR’

The world premiere of “IN THE BACK/ON THE FLOOR” examines the issues that minimum wage workers face through the lives of several employees at a big-box retail store. Though paid the least, these workers are asked to bear the heaviest burden for the good of profit. W hen one worker with ambition sees his dreams of advancement within the organization stunted, the forbidden word "union" is raised. Performances are 8 p.m. Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays and 2 p.m. Sundays, April 28 - May 28 at the Chicago Dramatists, 1105 W. Chicago Ave. Tickets are $25+ at www.stagelefttheatre.com/intheback-onthefloor

Take A Look, Read A Book!

Chicagoland Bookstore Crawl

The annual Indie Bookstore Crawl will be on Independent Bookstore Day (IBD), Saturday, April 29. Participants pick up their #ChiLoveBooks passport from the participating store of their choice. A small initial purchase is required to get the passport and the first stamp, then participants will get a stamp at each additional participating store they visit that day. If bookstore crawlers visit 10 to 15 of the 40 stores, they will receive 10 to 15% off purchases there for a year, plus a limited edition pin. More information is at www.chilovebooks.com

B-I-N-G-O!!

‘Bible Bingo’

Now in its 13th year, “Bible Bingo” is a long-running comedy about the Catholic culture of fundraising and bingo, featuring the character Mrs. Mary Margaret O'Brien, a former nun who now heads a fictitious archdiocese fundraising department. The interactive show gets the audience talking about everything from Adam & Eve to modern sins with Bible trivia, improvised moments, and the funniest quiz about the Holy Family you’ve ever seen. The show runs at 8 p.m. April 28 and 29 at the Greenhouse Theater Center, 2257 N. Lincoln Ave. Tickets are $35+ at www.greenhousetheater.org/tickets-showings

Multimedia Performance!

‘[siccer]’

Will Rawls presents a new interdisciplinary work, “[siccer],” that addresses the relationship between Blackness and image-making through a live performance accompanied by a video installation at the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago (MCA), 220 E. Chicago Ave. Performances will be at 7:30 p.m. April 27 - 29 and 2 p.m. April 30. The video installation is available until June 18. An artist talk with Rawls and the current curator of the California African American Museum, Taylor Renee Aldridge, will be at 2 p.m. April 29. Tickets are $10+ at visit.mcachicago.org/events/will-rawls-siccer

Art for All!

‘The Other Art Fair Chicago’

Art should never be elite. Art isn’t confined to convention or rule, and how you enjoy it shouldn’t be, either. The Other Art Fair combines affordable and original artworks and 140 independent artists with immersive installations, performances, DJs, and a fully stocked bar. The event is 6 - 10 p.m. April 27, 4 - 10 p.m. April 28, 11 a.m. - 7 p.m. April 29, and 11 a.m. - 5 p.m. April 30 at Artifact Events, 4325 N. Ravenswood Ave. Tickets are $15+ at www.theotherartfair.com/chicago/tickets

Food Fundraiser!

Mother’s Day Lox Box

The Glenwood Sunday Market is raising funds to make sustainable, regionally produced foods available to all community members. Each Lox Box is $45 and includes 4 bagels, 1 lb. total cream cheese (1/2 plain, 1/2 artisanal), 1/2 lb. hand-cured and hand-cut lox, and garnish. Orders can be placed at www.urbantableschicago.com by April 28 for pickup or delivery on May 13 from noon – 4 p.m. and May 14 from 8 a.m. – noon. Pickup is available at Urban Tables, 6958 N. Clark St. More information at www.glenwoodsundaymarket.org

Compiled by Emma Murphy