Author: katinabeniaris

Moving kinetic sculptures make a stop in Chicago during first major U.S. tour

By Katina Beniaris Video By Qingwei Vivian Chen Inside the Chicago Cultural Center’s newest exhibit, the Strandbeest comes alive with its bone-yellow pipes hitting the floor as it walks toward the visitors. Dutch artist Theo Jansen, the creator of Strandbeests, describes these new life-forms as “beach creatures.” “Hopefully in 20 years, mark my words, these […]

Eastern European theater company incorporates political art into ‘King Lear’

By Katina Beniaris Based in a country formerly allied to the Soviet Union and currently subjected to harsh censorship laws, Belarus Free Theatre remains fearless in their second U.S. visit with a contemporary twist on this Shakespeare tragedy about an aging king. Five years after their Chicago debut, the political theater company returned to Chicago […]

Chicago Shakespeare Theater will bring a new innovative stage to Navy Pier

By Katina Beniaris Chicago Shakespeare Theater has announced a $35 million project that will add a third stage to its home base on Navy Pier. Named The Yard at Chicago Shakespeare, the new venue will open in fall 2017. “It is a quite incredible vision, and as a city that re-imagines theater, this will anchor […]

Jeanne Gang-designed Writers Theatre opens up in Glencoe

By Katina Beniaris A new theater building, designed by acclaimed Chicago architect Jeanne Gang and the centerpiece of a $34 million fundraising campaign by Writers Theatre, opened in the north suburbs on Friday. Writers Theatre officials cut the red ribbon Friday morning in an opening ceremony celebrating the theater’s new center at 325 Tudor Court […]

Chicago Theatre Week brings attention to city’s theater scene with low price tickets

By Katina Beniaris The fourth annual celebration of Chicago’s rich theater scene returns with over 100 theaters offering discounted tickets for 11 days in February. Created by the League of Chicago Theatres, Chicago Theatre Week runs from Feb. 11 to 21 with tickets priced at $30 or less. This year, the weeklong promotion includes special […]

‘Homegrown’ exhibit showcases local artists’ origins at the Art Institute

By Katina Beniaris The Art Institute of Chicago digs through its roots to present artists who trained at The School of the Art Institute of Chicago in honor of the school’s 150th anniversary. “Homegrown: The School of the Art Institute of Chicago in the Permanent Collection” features approximately 120 objects, mainly works on paper, from […]

Disney’s musical ‘Aladdin’ will launch first national tour in Chicago

By Katina Beniaris The Disney Broadway musical hit “Aladdin” is going on a magic carpet ride through North America and its first stop is in Chicago. Based on the 1992 Disney movie of the same name, the musical’s tour will open at the Cadillac Palace Theatre, 151 W. Randolph St., on April 17, 2017 with […]

Halcyon Theatre brings social justice to the stage

By Katina Beniaris Inside a local church in multicultural Albany Park, a small theater company  gives the community free access on a first come first served basis to main stage productions such as “The Wild Duck” and “In Love and Warcraft.” Halcyon Theatre recruits actors and crew from the community to produce live shows as […]