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

Honoring those Lost

Virtual Juneteenth Commemoration: 100 Years Later: The 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre

The 100th anniversary of the Tulsa Massacre offers a unique opportunity to honor those who suffered in one of the most unforgettable crimes of domestic terrorism and racial violence in US history. On May 31 and June 1, 1921, white mobs in Tulsa, Oklahoma, attacked the city’s Black residents and businesses. They murdered hundreds of people and destroyed 35 square blocks in the city’s Greenwood District, also called "Black Wall Street," which had been the wealthiest Black community in the United States. The Illinois Holocaust Museum is commemorating Juneteenth by paying tribute to victims, survivors, and descendants of the Tulsa Massacre. In this virtual program, Dr. David Gray, professor of American Studies at Oklahoma State University and recipient of the 2017 OSU-Tulsa President’s Outstanding Faculty Award for teaching, will lead a powerful and thought provoking discussion with Phil Armstrong, project director for the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre Centennial Commission, and Carlos Moreno, author of "The Victory of Greenwood," a groundbreaking book that shares perspectives of Greenwood’s most prominent figures, and dispels some of Tulsa's persistent myths and inaccuracies about the events leading up to the Massacre of 1921. FREE. Register online for the June 17 at 6:30 p.m. event at ilholocaustmuseum.org/pages/programs/events.

Theater for all!

‘Romeo & Juliet Remix'

Clashes in the streets, people yearning for connection but being kept apart, a citywide plague…Shakespeare’s 400-year-old tale feels as timely as ever, and even more so when told through the eyes of A.B.L.E.’s ensemble, a group of 39 actors with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Over a 10-week rehearsal process, A.B.L.E.’s actors collaborated with a team of teaching artists and volunteer facilitators to learn Shakespeare’s classic story of love and hate and make it their own. Actors will share roles with 9 different Romeos, 11 different Juliets, 3 Tybalts, and many other citizens of Verona in this unique movie filmed entirely on Zoom. "Romeo & Juliet Remix" will weave Shakespeare’s words with original monologues, scenes, songs, and dances developed by the cast. June 18, 7:30 p.m. Tickets are pay-what-you-can and available at ableensemble.com/remix

Accurate Investigation!

'Titanic (Scenes From The British Wreck Commissioner's Inquiry, 1912)'

A survivors’ story fraught with intrigue, bravery, and human frailty, Owen McCafferty’s "Titanic (Scenes from the British Wreck Commissioner’s Inquiry, 1912)" tells the story of the sinking of the HMS Titanic using verbatim testimonies from a court investigation of the wreck. Presented in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, an ensemble of actors probes the causes of the catastrophe, the value systems that enabled it, and if indeed it was actually preventable. Vanessa Stalling (Jeff Award-winning director of "Photograph 51" and "United Flight 232") brings her singular artistry to McCafferty’s text to craft a lush aural experience that allows audiences to explore the tragedy from multiple perspectives. Leveraging audio technology, she and her team will create an expansive soundscape that allows the testimonies of each individual to resonate with audiences through a heightened, intimate experience that pushes the boundaries of design and theatrical performance. Streaming June 14 - July 11 on demand at courttheatre.org for $20.

Real Life on Film!

Chicago International Film Festival: ‘With Drawn Arms’ (2020)

Tommie Smith is the track-and-field gold medalist who famously raised a gloved fist at the ’68 Olympic games to protest racial inequality in America. "With Drawn Arms" tells the story of that iconic moment and examines its lasting influence on the Civil Rights movement and the ongoing fight for racial equality. Featuring an intimate conversation with Smith himself in addition to interviews with Jesse Williams, Jemele Hill, Megan Rapinoe, and the late John Lewis, the film explores the historical intersections of protest, politics, race, and sports. Available to stream for FREE for 24 hours, starting June 16 at 6:30 p.m., including a livestream Q&A with directors Glenn Kaino and Afshin Shahidi which begins at 8:15 p.m. Register at chicagofilmfestival.com

Art on the Mart!

Art on theMART: Hope is a Light Program

Art on theMART is establishing a new ongoing partnership with Chicago Public Schools and its All-City Arts Program. The first joint project will showcase the artwork of selected CPS seniors as part of a new animated projection entitled "Hope is a Light: Select Works from the Chicago Public School Class of 2021." The partnership is supported by the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events with support by iHeartRadio. Recurring daily at 8:30 p.m. until July 26.

Learn Something New!

The Music Institute of Chicago's Summer Courses

The Music Institute of Chicago is offering a variety of summer programs for all ages and levels beginning June 15. Directed by award-winning Music Institute faculty and artists-in-residence, most camps and classes will take place online, making participation accessible anywhere. Summer camps: opportunities for youth include piano, guitar, ukulele, woodwind and Suzuki camps as well as camps focusing on jazz and musical theater. Camps for adult instrumentalists include Adult Piano, the Art of the Jazz Band, Chamber Music for Winds with Quintet Attacca, the Chicago Suzuki Institute (for teachers), and the Chicago Duo Piano Festival. Summer classes: for youth include early childhood music and movement, as well as instrument-specific group instruction, while adult classes, in addition to instrument-specific group instruction, include music listening clubs, music appreciation classes, music production, and band programs. For more information, visit musicinst.org/summer.