The Five
Don’t-miss picks for Wednesday, August 13 through Tuesday, August 19
1 Buddy Guy and Mavis Staples
Music: The blues legend invites the gospel singer to be his special guest at what’s sure to be a memorable concert.
8/19 at 7. $33–$90. Ravinia Pavilion, 200 Ravinia Park Road, Highland. ravinia.org
2 Stupid Fucking Bird
Theatre: Aaron Posner’s “sort of” adaptation of Chekhov’s The Seagull takes an irreverent, potty-mouthed approach to the themes of love, longing, and artistic creation found in the original.
8/16–9/21. $20–$25. Victory Gardens Richard Christiansen Theater, 2433 N. Lincoln. sideshowtheatre.org
3 Albany Park World Fest
Festivals: Taking advantage of the incredible diversity within the North Side hood, Albany Park Neighbors mounts this inaugural fest, featuring a carnival, music acts ranging from Japanese drumming to West African folk tunes, and ethnic dishes from all around the neighborhood.
8/16–17. $5 suggested donation. Lawrence and Kimball. chicagoevents.com/event.cfm?eid=298
4 The Marrow
Literature: The folks behind local indie press Curbside Splendor host this relatively new live lit series at Thalia Hall every third Sunday. This month, Story Club Magazine editor-in-chief Dana Norris, Essay Fiesta co-host Karen Shimmin and DNainfo reporter Darryl Holliday are among the featured readers.
8/17 at 7:30. Free. Thalia Hall, 1807 S. Allport. curbsidesplendor.com
5 Noon:Thirty
Comedy: The producers of the Logan Square standup showcase, Congrats on Your Success, mount this outdoor brunch/comedy show on the patio of Runa Japanese. Lincoln Lodge cast member Ricky Gonzalez headlines.
8/16 at 12:30. Free. Runa Japanese, 2257 W. North. congratsonyoursuccess.tumblr.com
What I’m Doing This Weekend
Up next in our series of weekend plans from notable, in-the-know locals—a.k.a. people we like: Jen Bosworth, comedian and writer. Why Not Me runs from Thursday, August 14 through Sunday, August 17.
“Friday, I have an audition for a play, so I’m going to get my hair did. I go to this amazing salon called Trixie Girl Blowdry Bar. They do your hair and there’s no frilly stuff and then you get out. Then I’ll go to Dollop Coffee Co. The best drink there is The Honey Badger. It’s honey chai with almond milk. After my audition, I always go to Pockets. I get a delicious falafel pita with all the trimmings.
“Then I will head to my show at Theater Wit. It’s a solo show mainly about my life in LA, working for Nicolas Cage and then realizing that I needed to go home and care for my parents. They both passed away and I fell in love and the show is about that journey. It’s a comedy, but it also has some serious stuff. This is its third run; it opened at Stage 773 in 2012 and then last summer we were in New York for the Fringe Festival.
“After the show, I will go to Cooper’s across the street. Cooper’s has the best pulled pork sandwich; I’m a pulled pork nut. Then I’ll go to Ricochet’s Tavern and Bar with my friend and hang out. I like dive bars.
“Saturday, I’ll hang out all day with my niece and nephew. We’ll probably go to Humboldt Park. They love to swim and my sister usually hooks up a badminton net and we spend the day there. My sister gets empanadas from 5411 Empanadas—both the sweet and the savory. The blue cheese and mushroom is my favorite.
“On Sunday, I will have brunch at Victory’s Banner; the staff are the sweetest people. It’s American cuisine but it’s owned by people of a certain Indian faith. Then I’ll probably have coffee with friends at Lovely. It’s this huge coffee shop that looks like a farmhouse and they have delicious pastries. Then to celebrate the end of my show, maybe I’ll go to Evanston Movie Theater and see Guardians of the Galaxy.” —As told to Tomi Obaro
Freebie of the Week
Summer Shorts
Art: Sometimes a backyard is the perfect site for a summer outdoor theatre. This intimate new series showcases a curated selection of art films and literary reading performances by Chicagoans. (Rain date is 8/17).
8/16 at 8:30. Free. Richmond Manor, 1625 N. Richmond. summershortschicago.tumblr.com