ARTS & (HOME) ENTERTAINMENT RECOMMENDATIONS

Since being stuck inside, which shows have you been watching? Which movies? Have you read any good books lately? Any new music releases have you dancing in your living room? StreetWise vendors, readers and staff are sharing what is occupying their attention during this unprecedented time.

To be featured in a future edition, send your recommendations of what to do at home and why you love them to Creative Director / Publisher Dave Hamilton at dhamilton@streetwise.org

The Stars Align!

A Night of Covenant House Stars

More than 50 powerhouse stars will team up for A Night of Covenant House Stars, to benefit Covenant House's work providing care and support to homeless and trafficked young people in 31 cities across 6 countries. The concert will be co-hosted by 6-time Tony Award-winner Audra McDonald (CBS' The Good Fight) and CBS 60 Minutes correspondent John Dickerson, both members of the Covenant House Board of Directors and will feature performances and appearances by Jon Bon Jovi, Meryl Streep, Rachel Brosnahan, Morgan Freeman, Stephen Colbert, Dolly Parton, Dionne Warwick, Tony Shalhoub, Charlie Day, Vanessa Williams (pictured), Ryan Reynolds, Robin Roberts, Laurie Metcalf, Jon Hamm, Broadway Inspirational Voices, Covenant

House youth and more! A Night of Covenant House Stars will include performances from across the country by Covenant House youth with the support of Broadway Inspirational Voices. The event will be streaming on Amazon Prime Video, Broadway on Demand, Broadway World, iHeartRadio Broadway, Facebook, Twitch, YouTube, and Stars in the House on May 17 at 7 p.m. CT. Details and FREE RSVP available at www.covenanthouse.org.

Youth & Literature!

6th Annual ChiTeen Lit Fest

Chicago Public Library (CPL) invites teenagers ages 13-19 to virtually attend the 6th annual ChiTeen Lit Fest (CTLF), running now through May 22. Designed for-teens-byteens, ChiTeen Lit Fest is an all-genre storytelling festival that connects Chicago’s youth to hone their unique talents through literary arts. For free registration and a complete program schedule, visit chiteenlitfest.org. Registration closes 30 minutes before each program begins. CTLF empowers teens to lead peer-driven and authentic self-expression in a safe space. Throughout the festival, participants learn from their peers as well as local literary professionals, organizations, and festival headliners. The 2021 headliners are activist and multigenre rapper, Ric Wilson, and 2019-2020 National Youth Poet Laureate and singer/songwriter, Kara Jackson. Festival programs will take place on Zoom and YOUmedia’s YouTube channel.

A Gay Classic!

‘Jeffrey’

Jeffrey, a gay actor/waiter, has sworn off sex after too many bouts with his partners about what is “safe” and what is not. In gay New York, though, sex is not something you can avoid. Whether catering a ditzy socialite’s “Hoe-down for AIDS” or cruising at a funeral; at the gym or in the back rooms of an anonymous sex club; at the annual Gay Pride Parade, or in the libidinous hands of a father-confessor, Jeffrey finds the pursuit of love and just plain old physical gratification to be the number-one preoccupation of his times—and the source of plenty of hilarity. Suddenly, just after he’s reconciled himself to celibacy, Jeffrey’s flamboyant friends introduce him to the man of his dreams, who also happens to be HIV-positive. W.hat follows is an audacious and moving romantic comedy with a difference—one in which the quest for love and really fabulous clothes meet, and where unflagging humor prevails even when tragedy might be just around the corner. By Paul Rudnick, directed by David Belew, streaming at Pride Arts Center, $10, May 18 at 7 p.m. at pridearts.org

A Safe Place!

Girls Mini-Summit: Secure Your Self + Rights

Secure Your Self + Rights will provide an opportunity for young women, girls, trans, and gender nonbinary individuals ages 13-24 from across Chicago to share their concerns around threats to their safety. They will have the opportunity to ask panelists how they can protect their rights to an education, to a future free from discrimination, inequality, and abuse. Featured panelists are: Commissioner of the Mayor’s Office for People with Disablities Rachel Arfa, Owner & CEO of Asutra Stephanie Morimoto, Chairwoman of the Cook County Young Democrats Chakena Perry, U.S. Senator Tammy Ducksworth, 17-year-old activist Zoe Weinstein, Vice President - State and Local Government Affairs at Verizon Nina C. Mathis, and moderator Sophia Eisenberg. May 18, 5 p.m. Register for FREE at chigirlssummit.com

One-on-One Play!

‘Where the Air Meets the Water”

"Where The Air Meets the Water" by Alexander Utz is a pair of intersecting one-on-one walking plays for one actor and one audience member on the Chicago lakefront. It's the third anniversary of AJ and Cara's friendship, and they've reached a fork in the road. Taking the form of conversational monologues about memories, aspirations, and art, the audience will walk with Cara or AJ through Chicago as they prepare to confront the future, whatever it holds. This intimate, one-of-a-kind theatrical experience, concluding at the shore of Lake Michigan, is live performance reimagined for a post-pandemic world. The last block of shows are May 20, 7 p.m.; May 21, 5:30 & 8 p.m.; May 22, 2 & 7 p.m. $30 at avalanchetheatre.com

Unigue Voices!

‘Tellin Tales Theatre presents: Divercity’

Nine writers, actors and advocates with a range of disabilities tell their stories, ranging from touching to hilarious, in "Tellin’ Tales Theatre Presents: Divercity" which is being presented virtually through May 23 at tellintales.org/divercity-2021. Closed captioning and audio description will be available. “Though Tellin’ Tale has had to pivot due to the pandemic, the virtual platform works well for performers with disabiliites. It also creates an intimacy that facilitates going deep within to share our experiences,” said director Tekki Lomnicki. The stories were developed and directed in a six-week Zoom Master Class taught by Lomnicki. The performers come from Chicago and suburbs, northwest Indiana and Georgia and include Brian Heyburn, Brianne Coleman, Jack Gehringer, Whitney Hill, Michele Lee, Ben Saylor, Terri Thrower, Molly Wiesman and Nate Woogen. Ticket prices: Regular: $15; Disabled: $10; I love Tellin’ Tales ticket/donation: $20; add $2 ticket fee for each. Links will be sent to ticket holders for the show and the Zoom talkback, which takes place after each performance. The mission of Tellin’ Tales Theatre is to shatter the barriers between the disabled and non-disabled worlds through the transformative power of personal story. (Photo from 2019 show.)

Helping Howard Brown Health!

'Belting for Life'

Jeff Award-winning director and HIV+ activist Christopher Pazdernik presents the 6th annual “Belting for Life” (formerly known as “Chris’ Birthday Belt Fest”), an annual benefit concert for Howard Brown Health, one of the nation’s largest LGBTQ organizations. “Belting for Life” will be available to stream through Monday, May 31. This performance is suitable for all ages and runs approximately 100 minutes with no intermission. Tickets are available with a tax-deductible donation of $20 at HowardBrown.org. Belting for Life features 30 award-winning musical theatre artists performing music theatre and pop songs with music direction by Jeff-award winning music director Dr. Michael McBride.

Adventurous Performances!

Pivot Arts Festival

A celebration of contemporary performance in theater, dance, music, video/film, puppetry and multi-genre events. The 2021 Pivot Arts Festival theme is “Reimagining Utopia” with a mixture of live performances presented safely for the pandemic, in-person video installations and streaming events all responding to the need to create a better world post-pandemic. Multiple performances with tickets ranging from $10 – $30 will be held May 21 - June 6. Check website for complete listings pivotarts.org/festival.

-Compiled by Dave Hamilton