Arts & Entertainment Recommendations

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT RECOMMENDATIONS

Compiled by Dave Hamilton & Emma Murphy

Choo Choo!

Pullman Railroad Days 2023

Join Historic Pullman Foundation for its annual Pullman Railroad Days at Pullman National Historical Monument, 610 E. 111th St., 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. on May 20 & 21. This weekend-long celebration is about the important Pullman story: railroad innovation and the people who drive it. In partnership with Metra, and the American Association of Private Railroad Car Owners, visitors will be able to explore historic Pullman rail cars from different eras at the 111th Street/ Pullman Metra Electric station. Included are the 1923 New York Central 3, the 1950 Royal Street Observation car, and the 1949 Colonial Crafts. Railroad Days is a mix of free events and single-ticket entry access to some sites. (Regular Adult tickets are $30. Children under 12 attend free with an adult ticket holder.) Also featured is the Pullman National Historical Monument Visitor Center, activity fair, VR experience and Rail Engineer simulator (hosted by Norfolk Southern), food trucks, live music, and more!

A Chicago Treasure!

Fine Arts Building Celebrates 125th Anniversary Chicago’s historic Fine Arts Building, 410 S. Michigan Ave., celebrates its 125th anniversary this year with two new public exhibits, "Art Alone Endures" and "Staging Ground," a self-guided walking tour of significant sites, and special programming that highlights the artists and companies that have made the building an artists' haven since its founding in October 1898. Open Studios are free to attend on the second Friday of every month from 5-9 p.m., and include gallery openings, special performances and artistic demonstrations. Exhibits and tours are free and open to the public during regular building hours any day of the week. More information at www.fineartsbuilding.com/

A Film Fest Highlight!

'The Pianist from Ramallah'

Four years in the life of Muhammad “Misha” Alsheikh, a talented teenage pianist from Ramallah, who is the son of a Palestinian father and a mother who came from Russia. It takes Muhammad 3 hours to get from his house to a piano lesson with Emma, his Jewish-Israeli teacher who also came from Russia and now lives in Jerusalem, but his dream is bigger than borders. Between checkpoints, auditions and his father’s wish that he become a doctor, he tries to fulfill his dream of becoming a professional pianist – and also stay happy. The film will be followed by a discussion with author James A. Grymes about his book “Violins of the Holocaust—Instruments of Hope and Liberation in Mankind’s Darkest Hour,” at the Illinois Holocaust Museum, May 21, 2:30 p.m., $5 at jccfilmfest.jccchicago.org/calendar/

Historical Exhibition!

‘The Girl in the Diary’

Through historical artifacts and documents, interactive touch screens, documentary videos, and exceptionally rare photographs, “The Girl in the Diary” explores the story of a young girl’s fight for survival in the Łódz Ghetto and reconstructs what might have happened to Rywka Lipszyc after her deportation to Auschwitz. “The Girl in the Diary” is a tribute to the life of a child who will not be forgotten, at the Illinois Holocaust Museum, 9603 Woods Drive, Skokie. Opening presentation is 6:30 p.m., May 18, and the exhibit continues through September 24. Tickets are $18 at www. ilholocaustmuseum.org/exhibitions/the-girl-in-the-diary-searching-for-rywka-from-the-lodz-ghetto/

Impressionists on Display!

‘Van Gogh and the Avant-Garde: The Modern Landscape’

A Living Legend!

Yayoi Kusama at WNDR Museum

Yayoi Kusama, the eminent Japanese artist, is known for her vibrant and hypnotizing installations, from mesmerizing infinity rooms to playful polka dot pumpkins. Her art is an invitation to escape into a world of fantasy, color, and infinite possibility. At the WNDR Museum, 1130 W. Monroe St., you’ll have the opportunity to step into Kusama’s dazzling universe and experience the awe-inspiring beauty of her art firsthand. An end-date hasn’t been set, but it is a limited-time experience, so don’t wait! Tickets start at $32 for adults and $22 for children at wndrmuseum.com

Hips Don't Lie!

‘Chicago’s Legacy Hula’

“Chicago’s Legacy Hula” is a new exhibition within the Regenstein Halls of the Pacific at the Field Museum honoring four Kumu Hula (Master Teachers of Hula) who migrated to Chicago and developed their communities in the Midwest. The exhibit grand opening is 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Thursday, May 26 and the opening celebration is 1-3 p.m. May 27, in collaboration with the Aloha Center Chicago. Included with admission to the Field Museum, 1400 S. DuSable Lake Shore Drive. Tickets available at entrance or at fieldmuseum.org

A Tribute to our Heroes!

Memorial Day Wreath Laying Ceremony & Parade

The Wreath Laying Ceremony will begin at 11 a.m. at Daley Plaza, 50 W. Washington St. The Parade will step off at noon and proceed south on State Street from Lake Street to Van Buren Street. Maj. Gen. Rodney Boyd, Assistant Adjutant General – Army of the Illinois National Guard and Commander of the Illinois Army National Guard, will serve as the parade’s Grand Marshal. Originally from Chicago’s South Side, Maj. Gen. Boyd is the highest-ranking African American officer in Illinois National Guard’s history. The Wreath Laying Ceremony will also be livestreamed at Chicago.gov/live

An Inspiring Journey

‘Beyond Antiquity’

Most of the works in “Beyond Antiquity” were inspired by John Fotiadis’ trips to Greece, during which he searched for meaning in the architecture of antiquity and its relationship to nature. In a series of nearly 40 drawings, paintings and digital artworks, Fotiadis explores classical antiquity in Greece, and takes us into the present and future via the same subjects: architecture, myth and landscape. The exhibit is open 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., Thursday through Sunday, May 12-September 30, at The National Hellenic Museum, 333 S. Halsted St. Tickets are $10 and include admission to all exhibits at nationalhellenicmuseum.org/exhibits

High Heels & High Camp!

Dancing Divas

Now in its 15th year, Dance Divas was conceived as a platform to bring together and highlight the talent of Chicago’s dance community while raising money for and awareness of the critical health issues facing dance industry professionals. Since its inception in 1996, Dance Divas has contributed more than $250,000 to The Dancers’ Fund. This year’s theme is “A Night at the Movies,” featuring leading male professional dancers in full drag honoring the legendary dancing divas from the silver screen. Performances are May 20 at 7 p.m.; and May 21 at 4:30 & 7 p.m. at The Baton Show Lounge, 4713 N. Broadway. Tickets start at $75 at dancedivaschicago.com