The Ten
Don’t-miss picks for June 21 through June 27, 2018
1 Grant Park Music Festival
Classical:The long-running annual event puts on the most adventurous orchestral programming in town, peppering the whirlwind season with a world premiere or two. Here, after choral openers by Brahms and the otherworldly 20th-century composer Olivier Messiaen, the festival fetes Leonard Bernstein’s centenary with his Chichester Psalms and debuts a new work by contemporary Latvian composer Ēriks Ešenvalds, renowned for his lush choral waves.
FREE 6/20 and 6/22 at 6:30 p.m. Jay Pritzker Pavilion. gpmf.com
2 Make Music Chicago
Classical:The summer solstice means maximum daylight to fill with music, and the goal of the local branch of the French Fête de la Musique is total solstitial saturation. All over town, hundreds of performances, many of them encouraging participation, pop up from early morning until late at night, with only the requirement that all events are free.
FREE 6/21 at 11:30 a.m. Various venues. makemusicchicago.org
3 Cinepocalypse
Film:This film festival presents more than 50 offerings from across the horror genre. Highlights include the world premiere of the housewarming-gift-from-hell film Malicious and the return of a “secret screening.” Last year’s was the giant-ant feature It Came from the Desert.
6/21–28. $12–$15 single ticket; $125–$175 festival pass. Music Box Theatre. musicboxtheatre.com
4 The Seldoms
Dance:The topical company’s 16th anniversary ushers in Marchland, artistic director Carrie Hanson’s 2010 work created with composer Tim Daisy and visual artist Fraser Taylor. It was Marchland—inspired by Taylor’s animated video Crevice—that marked a shift in Hanson toward the political dance that she’s known for today.
6/21–30 at 7 p.m. $15–$30. Links Hall. theseldoms.org
5 The Roommate
Theater:Horror stories of roommates past—we’ve all got them. With Tony winner Phylicia Rashad directing, Jen Silverman’s drama depicts one especially ill-suited duo: longtime leading ladies Ora Jones and Sandra Marquez as apartment dwellers with vastly different sensibilities.
6/21–8/5. $25–$93. Steppenwolf Theatre. steppenwolf.org
6 Gold Coast Greek Fest
Festival:The Annunciation Greek Orthodox Cathedral of Chicago will again partner with Lagunitas Brewing Company for three days of gyros, souvlaki, beer, music, and dancing in this annual celebration of Greek culture. It promises to be a free, family-friendly way to enjoy summer in the city.
FREE 6/22–24. Annunciation Greek Orthodox Cathedral. eventbrite.com
7 Chicago Tap Theatre
Dance:In 2016 this company produced We Will Tap You, a tap-dancing Pride Weekend spectacular featuring the music of Queen. Now it’s putting on another pop-focused show, this time inspired by female ’80s icons such as Madonna, Patti LaBelle, and Whitney Houston. Tapped for the Very First Time celebrates LGBTQ pride in style with appearances by the Chicago Gay Men’s Chorus and live music performed by the JC Brooks Band.
6/23 and 6/29 at 7:30 p.m. $26–$67. Athenaeum Theatre. athenaeumtheatre.org
8 Support Group for Men
Theater:Set in Wrigleyville, Ellen Fairey’s biting comedy about male psyches in distress just might help people understand how tough it is to be (or be with) a guy.
6/23–7/29. $25–$65. Goodman Theatre. goodmantheatre.org
9 I Was Raised on the Internet
Art:The MCA’s summer blockbuster exhibition is a broad survey of how digital technology has changed art-making more than any other tool, giving practitioners access to software and online global communities that have overhauled the way we consume art. Included are interactive, augmented, and virtual reality works.
6/23–10/14. $8–$15. Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago. mcachicago.org
10 Chicago Pride Parade
Parade:In June, Chicago’s calendar bursts with events that celebrate the city’s LGBTQ communities, but this one remains the anchor of Pride Month programming. Expect a crowded route, with marchers in colorful costumes, floats, and spectators.
FREE 6/24 at noon. Montrose and Broadway. chicagopridecalendar.org