Valentine's fun at Park District
Enjoy a Valentine Talent Show at Clarendon Community Center, 4501 N. Clarendon Ave., (312) 742-7512, on Friday, Feb. 11, 7 - 9 p.m. The cost is $1 adults, children free.
This is called "the greatest show in Uptown"! Whether you want to participate or enjoy the entertainment, don't miss this holiday favorite, fun for the entire family. Come out and show off that great sounding voice, rhythmic moves or poetry reading to a full-house crowd. See neighborhood talent come to life at this annual talent show.
Try the Mommy, Daddy & Me Valentine Dance at Lake Shore Park, 808 N. Lake Shore Dr., (312) 742-7891, on Friday, Feb. 11, 6-7 p.m. This is for ages one-and-a-half to 12, accompanied by a parent. The cost is free, with advance registration. Families can begin an early Valentine celebration with great music and party games at Lake Shore Park. Light refreshments will be served.
The Cupid's Corner will be offered at Lincoln Park Cultural Center, 2045 N. Lincoln Park West, (312) 742-7726, on Friday, Feb. 11, 6 - 8 p.m. The cost is $5 per family. Families with children under 10 are invited to join the dancing and the making of Valentines! Enjoy the annual Cupid's Corner Valentine's Day dance featuring refreshments, a bubble machine, a mirror ball, games and of course, lots of dancing for the entire family. Bring your loved ones, dress in red and make your sweetheart a Valentine.
The Daddy Daughter Dance will be held at Loyola Park, 1230 W. Greenleaf Ave., (773) 262-8605, on Friday, Feb. 11, 6:30-8 p.m. The cost is $5 per person. Daddy, this Valentine's Day take your best girl out for dinner and dancing at your favorite park. Enjoy great food and good music provided by DJ Jose as he spins the hits new and old. Party the night away, while celebrating the holiday with the biggest heart. Be sure to stop by the picture center to receive a memento of this very special occasion
For more information about the Chicago Park District, please visit chicagoparkdistrict.com or contact (312) 742-PLAY.
Songs, humor, fun
"What's Love Got to Do with It? Oh, Just About Everything," is a one night event perfect for singles, couples and friends. It features Chicagoan singer/ songwriter Megon McDonough, widely known as a founding member of the Four Bitchin' Babes, her Jeff Award Nomination for her portrayal of Patsy Cline at the Northlight and her several recordings; Maggie Gautier, a humorist and commentator who recently emceed the Robert Altman tribute with Martin Mull; and special guest, singer/ songwriter, humorist Jana Stanfield, who performed at Carnegie Hall on Jan. 29. The event takes place at Transitions Learning Annex, 1750 N. Kingsbury St., Saturday, Feb. 12, 8-10 p.m. (Doors open at 7:30 p.m.)
The cost is $25 in advance, $30 at the door. Tickets can purchased on-line at tigasa.com.
Who says love on the run can't be fun?
Fleet Feet Sports is offering a unique event for Valentine’s Day, Monday, Feb. 14. It is the “Love Your Feet” Fun Run, which is fun and different—and over the past eight years, eight couples who’ve met at Fleet Feet fun runs have gotten married. Not a bad track record, huh? A few of these married couples who met at previous Fleet Feet fun runs will be present at this event.
Racy singles, fun-loving couples, and anyone else who can’t run from love will meet at 6:30 p.m. at Fleet Feet, 210 W. North Ave, and at Fleet Feet, 4555 N. Lincoln Ave.
In addition to the 3-to-6 mile fun run, Love Your Feet runners will enjoy mini pedicures, foot massages, foot scans by a doctor, and sexy music, as well as a lovable spread of food such as heart-shaped bagels with strawberry cream cheese and chocolate covered strawberries, paired with sumptuous champagne. Raffles and give-a-ways of Nike FREE footwear and foot massage and pedicure gift certificates will take place throughout the night. Participants will also have a chance to learn all about Nike FREE and try out a pair of the shoes on the fun run. This event is free and open to the public. For more information, call Fleet Feet at (312) 587-3338 or (773) 271-3338.
Free performance of love songs of world
Five acclaimed vocalists sing the international language of love as part of Love Songs of the World on Wednesday, Feb. 16, at 6 p.m. in Preston Bradley Hall of the Chicago Cultural Center, 78 E. Washington St. Featured artists in this stellar line-up are Baimei, Issa Boulos, Paulinho Garcia, Michaela Marchi and Joe Reilly, and Bobbi Wilsyn. Their diverse repertoire of contemporary and traditionally inspired music includes Brazilian bossa nova, Arab maqam, Chinese pop, American Indian blues and African American jazz.
For more information on this free program, call (312) 744-6630 or visit chicagoculturalcenter.org.
Beimei is an internationally acclaimed vocalist and songwriter from China. In Chicago, Baimei has hosted a TV music show and anchored the news for Chinese Television. She recorded original songs for the Museum of Contemporary Art audio presentation "Divided We Stand" and has performed locally at the Park West. A graduate of China's National Institute of Traditional Performing Arts in Beijing and DePaul University, she has extensive training in both vocal music and opera.
Issa Boulos is a Palestinian 'ud player, singer, composer and teacher who is trained in singing Arab classical maqam repertoire. His recent work is a blend of tradition and innovation that incorporates Western musical practices with Palestinian sensibility. Boulos has composed hundreds of instrumental and vocal pieces and performs regularly. He is currently a lecturer at the University of Chicago and director of its Middle East Ensemble.
Paulinho Garcia was born in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, and began his musical career at the age of nine as a singer. Since his 1979 arrival in the U.S., Garcia has performed and recorded two albums with the band Made in Brazil, and currently performs with his own band Jazzmineiro, and with saxophonist Greg Fishman (Two for Brazil) and singer Grazyna Auguscik. He is the recipient of the 2001 "Best Jazz Entertainer Award" by the Chicago Music Awards.
Michaela Marchi began her formal artistic training at the age of 14 at the Chicago Academy for the Arts focusing on voice performance, piano and composition. In college, she specialized in ethnomusicology, language systems and education. Marchi is of Italian, Filipina and Isleta Pueblo heritage and performs regularly as a vocalist in various genres including opera, jazz, R&B, musical theater, blues, alternative folk and world fusion.
Joe Reilly has been performing and collaborating on creative projects for the past year with Michaela Marchi. Reilly is of Italian, Cherokee and Irish American heritage and has been playing guitar since age 14. His repertoire as a singer/ songwriter includes blues, folk, rock and traditional Native American singing with the drum group Treetown.
Bobbi Wilsyn is a veteran Chicago vocalist known for her glamour and ultra polished vocal style. Her versatility as a singer and entertainer comes from nearly 25 years performing for all occasions in various Chicago clubs, churches and concert halls. After touring with Milt Trenier in the '70s, she settled in Chicago where she currently is an artist-in-residence on the music faculty of Columbia College and regularly performs with the Chicago Jazz Ensemble. She also performs with her all-female jazz combo She and the contemporary jazz group Bobbi Wilsyn & Co. She will be accompanied by Miguel de la Cerna on piano and Jim Cox on bass.
Dating, love, marriage
Love is in the air at "I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change," and Chicagoans have caught the bug. The hit musical that celebrates dating, love and marriage is now playing in an open ended engagement at Chicago's Royal George Theatre, 1641 N. Halsted St. The production officially opened at the Royal George on Oct. 22, 2002.
ray over 60 roles in a collection of scenes and songs scaling the spectrum of the elaborate male/female relationships, revealing the difficulties and joys of connecting with another person, no matter what age. Actors Matthew Amador, Sophia Hinshelwood, Ron Rains and Jacquelyn Ritz take on these delights, fears and uncertainties of relationships.
Performances are scheduled for Tuesdays through Thursdays at 7:30 p.m.; Fridays at 8 p.m.; Saturdays at 5 and 8:30 p.m. and Sundays at 3 and 7 p.m. There will be an additional performance on Monday, Feb. 14, at 7:30 p.m. and there will be no performance on Tuesday, Feb. 15.
Tickets range in price from $38.50 - $49. Tickets for the performances Feb. 11 - 14 are priced at $70. Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased at the Royal George box office, by phone at (312) 988-9000 or Ticketmaster at (312) 902-1500, Ticketmaster.com or all Ticketmaster ticket centers. Tickets for groups are available by calling (773) 857-7741.
'West Side Story' at Lane Tech
Lane Tech High School will present the hit Broadway musical "West Side Story" Feb. 9-12 in Lane Tech Auditorium, 2501 W. Addison St. Enter through Parking Lot Door M. Advance tickets are $5, tickets at the door at $6. The show schedule is Wednesday, Feb. 9, at 3:45 p.m.; Thursday, Feb. 10, at 3:45 p.m.; Friday, Feb. 11, at 7 p.m.; and Saturday, Feb. 12, at 7 p.m.
The musical is based on a conception of Jerome Robbins, with Book by Arthur Laurents, Music by Leonard Bernstein, and Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim.
Do your heart good
Here's a way to benefit the American Heart Association while getting rid of jewelry that your heart no longer desires. Sell your unwanted, previously worn estate jewelry to H. Horwitz Jewelry Co., 845 N. Michigan Ave., Water Tower Place, Suite 900E, from Monday, Feb. 7, through Monday, Feb. 14, and they will donate 10 percent of the purchase price to the American Heart Association. The hours are Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Why not turn unused treasures into cash, and warm your heart by doing good? For information, call (312) 337-3500.
Traditional Irish music, free
The Irish American Heritage Center, 4626 N. Knox Ave., continues its Sunday Afternoon Music Sessions in the Fifth Province Pub. The free sessions will take place on the second Sunday of each month from 2 to 5 p.m. February’s session will take place on Feb. 13.
Some of Chicago’s finest Irish musicians will be on hand playing traditional Irish music. Students of Noel Rice’s Academy of Irish Music will be frequent guest performers. For more information on the sessions, call the Irish American Heritage Center at (773) 282-7035, ext. 10.
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