ARTS & (HOME) ENTERTAINMENT RECOMMENDATIONS

Superheroes on Display!

'Marvel: Universe of Superheroes'

The Museum of Science and Industry has opened its doors to the public again, and it’s kicking off the new season with fantastic new exhibits. "Marvel: Universe of Superheroes" celebrates Marvel history with more than 300 artifacts, including original comic book pages, sculptures, interactive displays and costumes and props from Marvel’s blockbuster films. Guests can examine the origins of iconic characters such as Spider-Man, Black Panther, Hulk and Captain Marvel and see how they have evolved alongside society over the past 80 years, making these characters a pop culture mainstay. Available now through October 24, adult admission is $18, child tickets are $14 and members $9 at www.msichicago.org

A True Chicago Original!

'Sun Ra’s Chicago'

Sun Ra (1914–93) was one of the most wildly prolific and unfailingly eccentric figures in the history of music. Renowned for extravagant performances in which his Arkestra appeared in neo-Egyptian garb, the keyboardist and bandleader also espoused an interstellar cosmology that claimed the planet Saturn as his true home. In “Sun Ra’s Chicago,” William Sites brings this visionary musician back to Earth—specifically to the city’s South Side, where from 1946 to 1961 he lived and relaunched his career. “Sun Ra’s Chicago” shows that late 20th century Afrofuturism emerged from a deep, utopian engagement with the city—and that by excavating the postwar black experience of Sun Ra’s South Side milieu, we can come to see the possibilities of urban life in new ways. Sites will be joined in conversation by Larry Bennett on March 15 at 6 p.m. The event is free but registration is required at www.semcoop.com/event

Classic Horror!

'The Cabinet'

An inside-out adaptation of the classic expressionist film "The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari," the show provides a classic horror radio experience. A living nightmare told from the viewpoint of Dr. Caligari’s murderous somnambulist, Cesare, "The Cabinet" takes the listener into a society on the edge of collapse, filled with murder and fear. A world where there is slim difference between dreams and life; love and terror; and science and insanity. W.here the question is pressed: when Death stalks the village, is it better to sleep, or to wake? Tickets are $15 and provide streaming access through March 20. Register at www.cocechicago.com/radio/thecabinet.

Jazz Legends!

'Dark Angels of the Violin: Jazz Legends Eddie South and Stuff Smith'

Violinist and Music Institute jazz faculty member James Sanders discusses how these jazz legends overcame obstacles (including racism) and forever changed the role of the violin in jazz. South (pictured) recorded with Django Reinhardt, Stéphane Grappelli, Milt Hinton, and others. Smith, credited as the first violinist to use electrical amplification, recorded and performed with jazz greats from Louis Armstrong to Sun Ra. This free event starts at 7 p.m. on March 15. Find more information on how to watch at www.musicinst.org.

Free Virtual Festival!

Mandala Makers Festival

Mandala South Asian Performing Arts presents its annual Mandala Makers Festival in a series of digital performances every Friday in March beginning at 7 p.m. This week: Chaitra Agrahar and Lykanthea (pictured). Agrahar is a physics PhD student at the University of Illinois at Chicago. She is a Carnatic vocalist and Veena player. She enjoys music collaborations with artists of many genres, particularly jazz and contemporary music, and hopes to use music and art to illustrate scientific concepts. Lykanthea (Lakshmi Ramgopal) is a multidisciplinary artist based in New York City and Chicago who uses pop idioms to experiment with South Indian sound and movement traditions. Her solo and ensemble performances draw on choreographed and improvisatory techniques and personal family narratives. The festival supports emerging multidisciplinary South Asian artists by providing a space—virtual at this time—to advance and challenge traditions of the South Asian diaspora. The Mandala Makers Festival is free; donations support the participating artists and festival operations. To register, visit mandalamakersfestival.eventcombo.com.

Local Theater!

'Thin Mints'

Slideshow Theatre presents its House Party Series: five readings of plays over the course of the spring and summer. First up: "Thin Mints" follows a troop of Bonfire Girls during a five-day woodland jamboree as they prepare for an important election. At the end of the retreat, one scout will be chosen to take over the troop. The girls use torture, terror, and trauma to claw their way to the top... but who is really pulling the strings? The play scores 100% on the Bechdel Test (which measures the representation of women in fiction) and offers a warped perspective on the consequences of a community governed by abuse and manipulation. Written by Ellen Steves (pictured) and directed by Associate Artistic Director Justin J Sacramone, March 19 at 7 p.m. Find more information at www.sideshowtheatre.org/2021-season.html

Art Imitates Life!

'Tokens of Promise'

Goodman Theatre presents a virtual reading of Ada A.'s “Tokens of Promise” on March 20 at 7 p.m. In “Tokens of Promise,” there's only one open "diversity" analyst position at a start-up and the minorities must duke it out to access the sweet privilege of employment. A wicked satire about the modern-day job search and scarcity mentality, Ada A.'s new play exposes the inherent competition in employment that leads to forsaking our humanity out of necessity and survival. Find more information on this event at https://www.goodmantheatre.org/tokens. This event is free, but registration is required.

Life's a Cabaret!

'Magical Music Around the World'

Experience the artistry of The Patrick G. and Shirley W. Ryan Opera Center Ensemble in a delightfully entertaining, cabaret-style program featuring some of your very favorite bewitching melodies. The Lyric Opera’s talented singers and pianists have prepared a thematic performance of operatic and popular music, led by Grammy-winning Music Director Craig Terry (pictured). Alumni from around the globe will join the evening to share how their careers have benefited from the amazing training and experience they received at the Ryan Opera Center. The Ryan Opera Center's sixth annual gala performance, "Magical Music Around the World," will be available to the public for free beginning Sunday, March 21 at 6 p.m. at facebook.com/lyricopera