Arts & Entertainment Recommendations

Dancing for Hispanic Heritage!

Ballet 5:8 Presents ‘Ver la Música, Oír la Danza’

Ballet 5:8 presents a free performance of “Ver la Música, Oír la Danza” at the National Museum of Mexican Art on Saturday, November 12, at 1 and 3 p.m. to continue celebrating National Hispanic Heritage Month and give back to the community. The program features high-spirited and vibrant original ballets including “Día de los Vivos,” “Mi Familia” and other works that directly amplify Artistic Director Julianna Rubio Slager’s voice as a groundbreaking Latina choreographer. “Mi Familia” is drawn from the choreographer’s own personal experiences growing up in a multi-racial family and celebrates the beauty of family and relationships that can be experienced by all people, transcending racial and cultural differences. The work has a fun-filled flavor, utilizing traditional Mexican folklorico movements to create a lively, relatable picture that is sure to have audiences dancing along. Tickets must be reserved in advance at ballet58.ticketleap.com/nmma/

Genre-defying!

Steep Theatre Presents ‘Our Dear Dead Drug Lord’

Join Steep (1115 W. Berwyn Ave.), the quintessential storefront theatre, for a magical, genre-bending play that is sure to leave the audience in awe. Whether you are an avid theatergoer, or seeking a fun, new experience, “Our Dear Dead Drug Lord” is a play you don’t want to miss! In an abandoned treehouse, four teenage girls armed with a Ouija board call to order a meeting of the Dead Leaders Club to summon the ghost of Pablo Escobar, but navigating adolescence may be more perilous than communing with the dead. This performance continues on Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m., and Sundays at 3 p.m. until December 10. Tickets are $30 and can be bought at steeptheatre.com/our-dear-dead-drug-lord

Free Short Films!

Shortcut 100 International Film Festival

The Shortcut 100 International Film Festival is an annual showcase dedicated to promoting the best in independent short film from emerging filmmakers. In the equivalent time of an average feature film (around 100 minutes), audiences have access to up-and-coming voices in independent cinema from around the world. The "short and sweet" three-hour program also features an opening reception, awards chosen by the audience and an after-party with filmmakers. The 9th annual event, by Chicago-based Nebula Creatives L3C, will be at 5 p.m. Friday, November 11 at the Claudia Cassidy Theater of the Chicago Cultural Center, 78 E. Washington St. The virtual viewing will be on Pixquid.com The event is FREE. More information is available at www.choosechicago.com/event/shortcut-100-international-film-festival/

Leaving A Legacy!

‘Riveting’

Wanderers Theatre Company presents its debut production of “Riveting'' by Maria Welser, at the Greenhouse Theater Center (2257 N. Lincoln Ave.) at 7:30 p.m. November 11-13. As we face increasing pressure to leave a legacy, “Riveting” is more relevant than ever. In the play, Anna examines the roadmap of her life, realizing she may not want to follow such a predictable path. As a museum archivist, she reflects on the historical women she’s studied, and laments that her own legacy will be forgotten. In a twist of fate, a ghostly figure from her research comes to her with a proposition: to trade her life for one that will live on forever. Directed by Maria Welser, this production explores the complexity of relationships and their intersection with self-discovery, while also confronting historical immorality, honoring female heroism, and finding meaning in ordinary things. $16 at greenhousetheater.org

Chicago Institutions Collaborate!

CSO & The Joffrey Ballet

Dancers from Chicago’s world-renowned Joffrey Ballet invigorate the Symphony Center stage (220 S. Michigan Ave.) with two newly commissioned choreographies set to “Siegfried Idyll,” Wagner’s glowing birthday gift to his wife, and Rameau’s vivid ballet, composed for a royal wedding at the Palace of Versailles. Ravel evokes Baroque dance in “Le tombeau de Couperin,” with each movement becoming a touching tribute to friends who died in World War I. The program opens with the beguiling elegance of Mozart’s “Symphony No. 34.” The event runs November 10, 11, and 12 and begins at 7:30 p.m. Thursday and 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Stephen Alltop will lead a free, 30-minute conversation in Orchestra Hall 75 minutes beforehand. Tickets start at $49 at cso.org.

Lunchtime Concert!

Dame Myra Hess Memorial Concerts | Danae Doerken, Piano

Classical Music Chicago (formerly the International Music Foundation) presents the Dame Myra Hess Memorial Concerts. The free weekly concert series features extraordinary music by artists who are early in their careers. Enjoy classical concerts in-person at the Seventeenth Church of Christ, Scientist, Chicago, located at 55 E. Wacker. Face masks are optional. You may also view from the comfort of your own home. Join CMC in person or online at 12:15 p.m. November 9 for pianist Danae Doerken in music by Fazil Say, Claude Debussy, Manos Hatzidakis and Felix Mendelssohn. Concerts can be viewed from classicalmusicchicago.org and 98.7 WFMT.

Honoring Our Veterans!

Veterans Day Commemoration Ceremony

The City of Chicago presents a ceremony honoring those who served, in times of war as well as peacetime, Friday, November 11 at Soldier Field, Gate O, 1410 S. Special Olympics Drive. Business attire or service dress uniform are expected for those who choose to attend. Doors open at 10 a.m. and the ceremony begins at 11 a.m. This free event is hosted by the Department of Cultural Affairs, and more information can be found at www.chicago.gov/city/en/ depts/dca/supp_info/veterans_day_.html

In Tune With Nature!

Teen Nature Days

Teen Nature Days provide opportunities for teens to help our planet by taking action for animals and the environment in their local communities. Teens will get to explore local beaches, waterways and forest preserves while helping to restore and protect them and meeting new friends! Programs include removing invasive species from a local forest preserve and observing ecosystems in Chicagoland. All programs meet at Shedd Aquarium, 1200 S. DuSable Lake Shore Drive, and provide transportation to local worksites. FREE! Saturday, November 12 from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Visit www. sheddaquarium.org/teen-nature-days for tickets and more information.

Poetry for All!

Open Door: Arnold Kemp, AJ McClenon, Ayanah Moor, and Isra Rene

Join The Poetry Foundation for an in-person reading with Arnold Kemp, AJ McClenon, Ayanah Moor, and isra rene (pictured). This is a hybrid event, which will also be offered via livestream. All four artists have deep ties and connections to Chicago, because they grew up in the area, or because they live here now. This free event willl be at 7 p.m. November 10 at The Poetry Foundation, 61 W. Superior St. More information can be found at poetryfoundation.org/events

Libations for All!

Koval ASL Tour with Chicago Hearing Society

Join Koval Distillery, 4241 N. Ravenswood Ave., as it partners with the Chicago Hearing Society for a distillery tour accessible to the deaf and hard-of-hearing community. This tour will feature a deep dive into Koval’s history, a look at its grain-to-bottle process, will explain its heart-cut distillation method. Of course, there will be a tasting of some of its most popular products. The tour will feature ASL interpretation provided by the Chicago Hearing Society as well as printed information packets for guests to peruse at their leisure. November 11 and 12 at 6 p.m., $12 at www.koval-distillery.com