Displaying items by tag: Must See

It wouldn’t be Chicago history without a few mysteries nestled amongst the ivy and six cornered paths. For every historical site or fact about the windy city is a stranger truth than any books or historians can truly capture. That’s one the magical things about this biggest small town, there is always something more than meets the eye, a history as deep and chilling as the great lake it rests against. I suppose that’s why it’s equally surprising and typical to find secrets hidden in its many neighborhoods. And sometimes those surprises are found hidden behind a laundromat in Andersonville.

History has secrets. Master magician David Parr helps uncover them. In David Parr: Time Traveler, you are invited on an extraordinary journey where history, mystery, and magic collide. Blending captivating storytelling with astonishing sleight of hand, Parr explores forgotten legends, remarkable true stories, and unexplained mysteries, where history and folklore mingle in mysterious ways, and the impossible feels just within reach. Every performance is a reminder that the world is still full of surprises and mysteries, and that history is often far stranger than fiction. Join David for an unforgettable hour of wonder, curiosity, and theatrical magic that proves history still has a few secrets left to reveal.

Whether you geek out about magic, watch in a vain attempt at uncovering the trick, or are a die-hard skeptic, David Parr does not seem to mind. Embodying the mystic and aura of a magician pulled straight from the vintage posters that adorn the walls of venue, Parr is not your typical magician. He’s humble, curious, philosophical, and above all an entertainer. Weaving personal stories and historical storytelling, Parr crafts an incredible show that promises no two tricks are the same. It leaves the most skeptical people wondering if his magic was real, some of the tricks defying all logic. Throughout his set Parr poses questions but makes no attempt to answer them, leaving instead a mystery for each person to solve, as unique and complex as the magical tricks he creates. That aura possibly explains how David Parr stumped the famous Penn & Teller on their gameshow “Fool Us” in 2017, a feat few magicians ever mastered. How he did it remains a mystery, one that is now tucked away within the magic-lined walls of Chicago Magic Lounge.

Photo by Sarah Elizabeth Larson.

Chicago Magic Lounge is unlike any venue in the city. Sure, the newly remodeled McCormick mansion boasts a similar style but it pales in comparison to this charming space. Chicago Magic Lounge is a signature speakeasy-style magic theater and performance bar in Andersonville, featuring close-up and stage magic from a rotating lineup of professional magicians from Chicago and around the world. Hidden behind a secret entrance, it offers an intimate night out with live performances, craft cocktails, and shareable small plates. Whether you're planning a date-night, celebrating something special, or looking for a distinctive night out in Chicago, this speakeasy experience is worth returning to. The space offers three unique spaces within its venue, and the real mystery is how this charming place has stayed a hidden haunt for so many years. The prices are extremely reasonable. The staff are some of the most lovely and welcoming people you’ll ever meet, eager to invite you in for a spell and bring you magic potions if you are so inclined. Magic lines the walls, cases of historical magical artifacts encased for viewing, posters of predecessors watching over natural born magicians demonstrating their skills with close-up magic. It’s truly a magical experience and one that can pay homage too but can never truly replicate.

History can often repeat itself but time as we know it is often fleeting. We never know how much time we have to see the things we want to see and experience everything Chicago has to offer. I personally believe I can live one hundred lifetimes and never truly see and experience everything this city has to offer. Perhaps that is why David Parr’s show resonates so deeply. Maybe he is on to something. Perchance time really is the greatest mystery of all. And what better place in the world to experience that than right here in Chicago? Don’t let this magic disappear, stop time a moment and see David Parr at The Chicago Magic Lounge. David Parr: Time Traveler will be presented on Wednesdays through December 16^th. Tickets are available at www.chicagomagiclounge.com/time-traveler.

Sometimes when we reach into the past to resurrect or revive an old story, we find it doesn’t age well. The subject matter could be problematic, the material divisive, the cultural context lost through the fabric of time. Without proper context we tend to view these historical pieces through a modern lens. We’re quick to criticism, condemn, or simply say the story doesn’t resonate with newer audiences. But once in a great while, we reach back in history and find a piece that doesn’t require adaptations, modernization of the old piece simply adding to the allure of the story. Give that narrative to visionaries and dreamers and you might just get a production that future generations will pull from the archives, not to resurrect or revive, but revere. That one is a great while is here today in Chicago with the Joffrey Ballet’s premiere of Liliom.

Joffrey Company Artists Victoria Jaiani and José Pablo Castro Cuevas. 

Inspired by Ferenc Molnár’s 1909 play, Neumeier’s adaptation follows the story of Liliom (performed by José Pablo Castro Cuevas), a charismatic but self-destructive carnival barker (think of the ringmaster-like man enticing people to attend the carnival with an eh ‘come one, come all!’ ‘come on down!’ flare). Liliom falling fiercely in love with Julie (performed by Victoria Jaiani). Their whirlwind romance is eventually unraveled by pride, poverty, rage, and poor choices made under societal pressures. Set amid the dreamlike, faded glamour of an American amusement park during the Great Depression, passion turns toward crime—and ultimately, tragedy. Granted a chance to return to Earth after death, Liliom confronts the consequences of his choices and attempts one final act of grace. What remains is a stark reckoning with guilt and the fragile possibility of redemption.

In the resurrection of this play, and subsequent adaptation of the ballet, conversation, and coverage around Liliom. The history of the origin of the production isn’t all that complicated. The original stage production was written by Hungarian dramatist Ferenc Molnár in the early 1900s. That script became inspiration for Roger and Hammerstein’s 1945 musical Carousel and was made into a major motion picture in 1956 complete with a dreamlike ballet sequence. In 2011 the Hamburg ballet developed an adaptation of Liliom with legendary composer Michel Legrand. Since then no one has staged the ballet. The Joffrey ballet is the first American ballet company to bring the production to life and under the stewardship of choreographer John Neumeier has created a masterpiece that requires no comparisons or ties to its predecessors.

This ballet is unlike anything you’ve seen before. Neumeier and the Joffrey ballet bring a dark yet whimsical artistry to the stage and that duality is carried effortlessly throughout the production; the charismatic yet dark lead coupled with a naïve yet loyal woman, the balloon man symbolizing the ever present death holding colorful balloons that navigate through busy crowds and emerge in dark corners, the amusement park offering escapism and joy juxtaposed against the poverty of the great depression, the soft and classical orchestra contrasted with scatting jazz, the soft and delicate lines of traditional ballets melding seamlessly with the sharp angles of modern contemporary movement, heaven and hell, right and wrong, light and dark, the duality is what draws you in and never lets you go. The choreography, the music (two full bands!) the set designs, the dancing, Liliom is a feast for the eyes and a balm from the banal. The Joffrey Ballet has truly outdone itself and its safe to say it is Neumeier’s most profound artistic endeavors. The emotional depth and theatrical nuance he brings with his staging is articulated and crafted into the smallest details. Everything is intentional, everything is layered and structured and deep, with deeper meanings, foreshadowing, illusion, and mystic that adds to the beauty of this ballet.

There are still some theatergoers that will focus in on a single element of the production and completely write this off. That’s the mistake we can make when we resurrect or reimagine a piece from the past. Hey, even Shakespeare has critics. But when we focus in a single element we dislike, that is there for character and plot development to move the story forward we lose sight of the thousands of other details that make the production unproblematic. Liliom is layered, lovely, and lasting in a way that future generations will look back and admire with awe, not condemnation and judgement. Let’s hope this production does become an annual performance for not just the Joffrey but all ballet companies looking to bring beauty and light into the dark. So come one, come all, and get your tickets for Liliom, now playing at the Lyric Opera (20 N Wacker Dr, Chicago) through September 27th. You don't want to miss this one, folks!