Look for ChiIL Mama this weekend: splitting time between Kidical Mass, Midsommer Fest, Blues Fest, Metronome Fest and Printer's Row Lit Fest

We highly recommend Kidical Mass on Saturday.

The 4th Palmer/Logan Square Kidical Mass will gather this Saturday, June 12, at 10:30 am. It leaves from Palmer Square's Bunny Park closer to 11am. Kids can ride their own bikes or hop on bike seats or trailers with their parents. The ride is generally in the neighborhood of 1.5 miles long. Helmets are recommended for everyone.


Festcrazy Weekend:   It's one of those weekends where there's far too much of a good thing goin' on.   As I agonize over all the great stuff happening simultaneously, I have to remind myself that's why we live in Chicago!   Everyone may hibernate all winter, but the city comes alive in the spring and summertime.


This Saturday and Sunday, check out 


 
Midsommerfest in Andersonville 11am-10pm 

Metronome Fest in Logan Square noon-10pm

Bluesfest in Grant Park 11:30am-9:30pm

Printers Row Lit Fest 10am-5pm


Hope to see you out there!

ChiIL Mama Friday Recap: Celebrating The Blackhawks with a victory parade & Phishing with the Ultimate Jam Band

Friday:  Celebrating The Blackhawks--Stanley Cup victors for the first time in 49 years

CHICAGO -- Friday we joined an estimated 2 million fans for a ticker-tape parade to celebrate the Chicago Blackhawks' Stanley Cup-winning season. 

The Blackhawks beat the Philadelphia Flyers 4-3 in overtime Wednesday in Game 6 to clinch their first Stanley Cup championship since 1961.

 

Check out the official Blackhawks Website for videos, game recaps, photos and more press.   We'll have our own slide show up soon.  

Friday night we continued the celebration with a Phishing Trip to Toyota Park.   We met up with many old friends who came from out of town for the show (Tim, Danielle, Mel, Deb) and made a few new ones.   Three of our friends are teachers, and though our seats weren't with them, we met a woman behind us who is an elementary school teacher and she excitedly exclaimed that she hopes to take her own kids to Phish shows in 10 years or so, when she has a family. 

We had a tailgate picnic in the lot, and Sagezilla made the rounds with her Sharpies to get her cast signed.   I got a good work out carrying 51 pounds of kid up and down the stairs in a backpack carrier!

It was well worth the extra effort, as our seats were close and the show was lots of fun.

Phish
6/11/10 Toyota Park, Chicago, IL

SET ONE
Down with Disease (9:38)
Wolfman's Brother (10:01)
Possum (10:11)
Boogie On Reggae Woman (5:15)
Reba (13:22)
Jesus Just Left Chicago (8:17)
The Divided Sky (14:25)
Golgi Apparatus (4:41)
David Bowie (11:28)

SET TWO
Light (13:41)
Maze (9:33)
Ghost (15:14)
Limb By Limb (10:43)
Prince Caspian (7:51)
The Horse (1:18)
Silent In The Morning (5:14)
Run Like an Antelope (11:14)
Show Of Life (7:17)

ENCORE
Cavern (4:12)
Julius (8:13)

They played many of our old favorites, for an overall excellent show.   Sagezilla and Du-Jay loved the glow stick wars and the light show.   And they had a blast decorating up and releasing balloons into the crowd and making creative glow stick hats.

It's fun when worlds collide.   We saw some Phish shirts at the Hawks rally, and we saw lots of Hawks jerseys at the concert.   People were even selling hybrid Phish/Hawks tees.  We spotted a Hawks flags and stickers on cars.   One even had the whole back window decorated up to declare WE HAVE LORD STANLEY'S CUP!!!!   We do indeed.

Win-A-Disc-Wednesday: Green Golly & Her Golden Flute plus EIGHT FREE CHICAGO AREA SHOWS: JUNE 14 - 21

Storytelling, is compelling.  Introduce your children to the masters:  Mozart, Mendelssohn, Schubert, Gossec, Elgar, Bizet, Chopin, and Copland in a fun and painless way with the magic of Green Golly. 

This will be the last Win-A-Disc-Wednesday until July 7th.   We'll be taking a break to bring you a special two week feature on Adventures in Sweden with children.

We are thrilled this week, to bring you one of my children's favorite story based CDs, Flute Sweet & Tickletoon in Green Golly & Her Golden Flute.   We're also excited to announce eight free shows in the Chicago area June 14-21st.   Come get classic with Green Golly & Her Golden Flute.   Tour dates and enter to win form are at the bottom of this post.   All entry information is confidential.


Classical music, storytelling, and comedy combine in the children’s CD, Green Golly & Her Golden Flute by Flute Sweet & Tickletoon (otherwise known as Barbara Siesel and Keith Torgan). The album introduces children to the magic of classical music via a humorous and lighthearted embellishment of the traditional tale of Rapunzel. The real experience of this album, however, is entwined in the lovely sound of the flute, an instrument that has enchanted young ears since the time of the Pied Piper of Hamlin.

Rapunzel may have suffered isolation and distress during her days trapped in that big old tower, but her alter ego, Green Golly, has a wonderful golden flute to express her deepest feelings and a large stack of music by the world’s greatest composers to explore. A keen observer of all that whizzes by her window, Green Golly is inclined to rely on her musical abilities to help her unravel the mysteries of life in this funny, engaging tale of romance and rescue, interwoven with works of Mozart, Mendelssohn, Schubert, Gossec, Elgar, Bizet, Chopin, and Copland.

Juilliard trained flutist Barbara Siesel makes music by some of the greatest composers of the 19th and 20th centuries come alive in Green Golly & Her Golden Flute. Storyteller Keith Torgan fairly dances through the voices of the new characters he’s created to grace the beloved old tale, from Vlotek the Gypsy to Mousey Tongue. Green Golly & Her Golden Flute is a wonderful female adventure story, in which the heroine, Green Golly, overcomes many difficulties and uses music and the power of learning to become a great artist and make friends.

Flute Sweet & Tickletoon just released a newly remastered version of Green Golly & Her Golden Flute on May 11.   Please visit Flute Sweet & Tickletoon at their web site for more information and to purchase discs. Be sure to enter below, to win your own copy, in ChiIL Mama's Win-A-Disc-Wednesday give away!


Live and free--how much better could it be?
FLUTE SWEET & TICKLETOON BRING A BREATH OF FRESH AIR TO KIDS’ ENTERTAINMENT WITH MUSIC, STORYTELLING, AND COMEDY

EIGHT FREE CHICAGO AREA SHOWS: JUNE 14 - 21


PLUS FOUR ADULT PERFORMANCES OF NOW WE CAN SING JUNE 13 – 18

The NYC-based husband-and-wife duo of Flute Sweet & Tickletoon (Barbara Siesel and Keith Torgan) will return to the Chicago area to present eight, free, kid-friendly shows this summer in Wauconda, Niles, Wheeling, Algonquin, Skokie, Deerfield, and Waukegan between June 14 and June 21.

Additionally, Barbara Siesel and Keith Torgan will offer four free-of-charge performances of their adult program, Now We Can Sing, centering on music banned to Jewish musicians by the Nazis, in Skokie, Mundelein, Wilmette, and Northbrook between June 13 and June 18.

In celebration of the May 11 release of Flute Sweet & Tickletoon’s Green Golly & Her Golden Flute CD, Siesel and Torgan will perform Green Golly & Her Golden Flute, for ages 4 – 10, on Saturday, June 19 at 2:00 p.m. at the Deerfield Public Library, 920 Waukegan Rd., Deerfield and on Monday, June 21 at 7:00 p.m. at the Waukegan Public Library, 128 N. County St., Waukegan. Green Golly & Her Golden Flute introduces children to the magic of classical music via a humorous and lighthearted embellishment of the traditional tale of Rapunzel.

The remainder of the summer, Flute Sweet & Tickletoon children’s performance tour will focus largely on their Little Kids Little Songs show. A fabulous introduction to live music, comedy, and theatre for children ages 2 – 8, Little Kids Little Songs takes young audiences on journey of story and song -- rolling in mud, climbing trees, flying like an airplane and even getting rid of monsters! This show’s special strength is in addressing the fear of participation.

Through Flute Sweet & Tickletoon’s gentle encouragement, even the most timid of children are sure to join in, playing, laughing, and singing along, well before the performance’s halfway point. Additionally, the duo will offer Sea Side Sillies (an aquatic adaptation of Little Kids Little Songs) and I Hopped Out of Bed & Jumped for Joy!, geared for children 5 and up, a story-and-song performance including a wacky fairy tale with zany characters and a surprise ending in which kids in the audience get to take part.

Siesel and Torgan’s adult offering, Now We Can Sing is a moving and inspiring event centering on music that the Nazis banned to Jewish musicians in 1930s Germany. The performance follows these Jewish musicians through that dreadful era as they ultimately migrate to a new land and establish new lives. Flutist Barbara Siesel and singer/songwriter/storyteller Keith Torgan recreate the times through the music of Bach, Schumann, Hindemith, and Copland, as well as through the cabaret songs of Frederick Hollaender. In this universal work, mastery, passion and self-expression transcend the isolation of hatred, racism and intolerance.

As Flute Sweet & Tickletoon, Barbara Siesel and Keith Torgan present more than two hundred performances of music and story-theatre each year in schools, libraries, theaters and other concert venues across the country. Their company, Tugboat Music, was founded because of a concern that children were not experiencing live performance, classical music, and theatre in their daily lives.


Flute Sweet & Tickletoon/Barbara Siesel and Keith Torgan Summer 2010 Chicago Area Tour

WHAT: Barbara Siesel and Keith Torgan in Now We Can Sing (for adults)
WHEN: Sunday June 13. 3:00 p.m.
WHERE: Skokie Public Library, 5215 Oakton St., Skokie
CONTACT: 847-673-7774. www.skokielibrary.info
ADMISSION: Free

WHAT: Flute Sweet & Tickletoon in Sea Side Sillies (ages 2 – 8)
WHEN: Monday, June 14. 1:30 p.m.
WHERE: Wauconda Public Library, 801 N. Main Street, Wauconda
CONTACT: 847-526-6225. www.wauclib.org
ADMISSION: Free

WHAT: Flute Sweet & Tickletoon in I Hopped Out of Bed & Jumped for Joy! (ages 5 and up)
WHEN: Monday, June 14. 6:30 p.m.
WHERE: Niles Public Library, 6960 W. Oakton St., Niles
CONTACT: 847-663-1234. www.nileslibrary.org
ADMISSION: Free

WHAT: Flute Sweet & Tickletoon in Little Kids Little Songs (ages 2 – 8)
WHEN: Tuesday, June 15. 11:00 a.m.
WHERE: Indian Trails Public Library, 355 S. Schoenbeck, Wheeling
CONTACT: 847-537-4100. http://www.indiantrailslibrary.org/
ADMISSION: Free

WHAT: Barbara Siesel and Keith Torgan in Now We Can Sing (for adults)
WHEN: Wednesday, June 16. 7:00 p.m.
WHERE: Fremont Public Library, 1170 N. Midlothian Rd., Mundelein
CONTACT: 847-566-8702. www.fremontlibrary.org
ADMISSION: Free

WHAT: Flute Sweet & Tickletoon in Little Kids Little Songs (ages 2 – 8)
WHEN: Thursday, June 17. 11:00 a.m.
WHERE: Algonquin Public Library, 2600 Harnish Drive, Algonquin
CONTACT: 847-458-6060. http://www.aapld.org/
ADMISSION: Free

WHAT: Barbara Siesel and Keith Torgan in Now We Can Sing (for adults)
WHEN: Thursday, June 17. 7:30 p.m.
WHERE: Wilmette Public Library, 1242 Wilmette Ave.,Wilmette
CONTACT: 847-256-5025. www.wilmette.il.lib.us
ADMISSION: Free

WHAT: Flute Sweet & Tickletoon in Little Kids Little Songs (ages 2 – 8)
WHEN: Friday, June 18. 11:00 a.m.
WHERE: Skokie Public Library, 5215 Oakton St., Skokie
CONTACT: 847-673-7774. www.skokielibrary.info
ADMISSION: Free

WHAT: Barbara Siesel and Keith Torgan in Now We Can Sing (for adults)
WHEN: Friday, June 18. 3:00 p.m.
WHERE: Northbrook Public Library, 1201 Cedar Lane, Northbrook
CONTACT: 847-272-6224. www.northbrook.info
ADMISSION: Free

WHAT: Flute Sweet & Tickletoon, program TBA
WHEN: Saturday, June 19. 10:30 a.m.
WHERE: Glencoe Public Library. 320 Park Ave., Glencoe
CONTACT: 847-835-5056. www.glencoepubliclibrary.org
ADMISSION: Free

WHAT: Flute Sweet & Tickletoon in Green Golly & Her Golden Flute (ages 4 - 10)
WHEN: Saturday, June 19. 2:00 p.m.
WHERE: Deerfield Public Library, 920 Waukegan Rd., Deerfield
CONTACT: 847-945-3311. www.deerfieldlibrary.org
ADMISSION: Free

WHAT: Flute Sweet & Tickletoon in Green Golly & Her Golden Flute (ages 4 - 10)
WHEN: Monday, June 21. 7:00 p.m.
WHERE: Waukegan Public Library, 128 N. County St., Waukegan
CONTACT: 847-623-2041. www.waukeganpl.org
ADMISSION: Free

Lookingglass Hephaestus--Far From Lame!

We had the extreme pleasure of checking out Lookingglass Theatre's production of the Greek myth, Hephaestus, on Friday night.    When we first read the original myth, in preparation for the show, it described Hephaestus as lame.   Of course, being 21st century kids, Sagezilla and Du-Jay had only heard this word used in the context of boring or uncool.   They were quite surprised to learn that it can also mean someone with an injured leg.


Granted, Hephaestus was indeed crippled, but Lookingglass' production of Hephaestus was anything but 21st century lame.   The fantastic drumming, incredible costumes, aerial gymnastics and gasp inducing wire work, kept everyone entranced.   All of us were mesmerized and completely blown away by this phantasmagorical tale.   Lookingglass expertly brought the ancient myth to life in a vibrant, full sensory show, that we highly recommend for all ages.


Sagezilla's broken ankle, from advanced gymnastics, will be in a cast for a month, so this was a timely production for us to see, since it featured a cast full of accomplished gymnasts, and a main character on crutches, like her!


We were impressed with the actors' circus skills, from the ethereal scarf work of the sea nymphs, to the seductive contortionist dance of Aphrodite, the wire work of Hera, Iris, and Aries, and the funky floor routines of the silver girls and guys.   The music was so great that it took half the show before the kids realized the only one who speaks is the child narrator, who reads and sings the cast out of her mythology book, to drowned out the sounds of her parents' fights.


This is a return engagement for Tony Hernandez, Lookingglass' Hephaestus, who has now played the part 5 times, and is listed as the shows creator.   Each time, the production has evolved and grown.   However, it's the narrative that elevates this show far above a mere circus display of human skills.   Certainly the astounding circus tricks and balancing acts are there, but they all serve the greater god of story telling, and what a story it is.


After Hephaestus' Mother, Hera (worst Mom EVER), threw him off Mount Olympus, he fell so long, that he was grown by the time he hit the ocean.   Instead of feeling sorry for himself, Hephaestus constructed amazing metal pipe crutches to get around and then invented leg braces for himself, and honed his magical, metal forging skills to create an army of solid silver automatons to help him with his metal work.   


He goes on to exact revenge on his Mother, with a throne that imprisons her in shackles.   Once he finally forgives and releases her, he creates elaborate gifts for the gods and goddesses, and eventually regain his rightful seat on Mt. Olympus.   Hephaestus is the only god to be kicked out of and return to Mt. Olympus.

Lookingglass makes fabulous use of the high ceilings at the Goodman space.   In the opening scene, rain drums steadily down and Hephaestus is depicted falling in slow motion from the distant top of the performance space all the way down and through a sizable open trap door.   A short while later, he plummets again, the length of the space, in a lightening fast free fall and splash down.   We were most amazed by the culminating act of the show, a moving seven person pyramid, that advanced across the high wire!  It's impressive on YouTube, but you haven't seen it properly till they're passing  precariously, directly over YOUR head.

Sagezilla's favorite character was the playful, childlike Iris, played by Erendira Vazquez Wallenda.  She performed stomach lurching aerial feats on a high, suspended swing.   Most of the characters were quite serious, but she beamed at everyone from a rainbow of colored lights, as she descended, to bring a message to Hephaestus.

I loved the silverguys and girls with their acrobatics and drumming, that so effectively evoked a forge inside an ancient volcano.   Coincidentally, they displayed yet another, differently pronounced, definition of lame--fabric interwoven with metal.   They were silver from head to toe, with metallic fabric, but again, they too were the antithesis of boring or uncool! 

  

Lookingglass has extended their run, but they must close June 20th.   Tickets are available on their website.   Also, check out their blog and friend them on Facebook for information about discounts, special offers, and occasional ticket give aways.  This Lookingglass Circus link will give you more preview videos and more press.


Shows run June 10-13 and 17-20.   Weeknight shows are at 7:30, Saturdays 3:00 and 7:30, Sunday 3:00 only.   

i ♥ Faces--Play

The contest this week at i ♥ Faces is Play.

 
These 3 little monkeys are friends and 
classmates of Sagezilla and Du-Jay, 
clowning around at the end of year 
school picnic.


Click on this link to see lots more 
playful entries.

Look For ChiIL Mama This Weekend: Hangin' at Hephaestus, Gettin' Wet at Ragin Waves, Rockin' Do Division, & Cheering On The Blackhawks

We're thrilled to announce that the Lookingglass Theatre production of Hephaestus at The Goodman Theatre has been extended till June 20th.   This is one phantasmagorical show you don't want to miss!   We saw it last night and were extremely impressed and blown away, to say the least.   A full review of the show will be up on ChiIL Mama soon.   Catch it while you can.

Saturday  Do-Division Fest runs for the next 2 days.   This is better than the average bear, with music booked by Empty Bottle Presents and Subterranean / House Call Entertainment, a fun kids area, and a 10 block bonanza of booths, food and drink.   Check out their web site for specifics. 

Highlights:   Saturday at 4:00pm on the Damen Stage--our favorite punk rock children's librarian will be rockin' the guitar in her band CoCoComa.   


These guys are really fun!

Then stick around.  At 5:15 Little Miss Anne Band plays the Family Fun Fest Stage.
















Sunday We're heading down to the sunny south...............45 minutes south west of Chicago in Yorkville, that is.   We'll be makin' a splash at Raging Waves, Illinois' largest water park.   

We'll have a full review, chock fulla photos in the next few days.

Finally, The Chicago Blackhawks play their 5th game of the Stanley Cup Finals Sunday night.   We're tied with The Flyers 2-2.  Go Blackhawks!

Win A Disc Wednesdays: Mr. Singer & The Sharp Cookies

Mr. Singer & the Sharp Cookies 
are our win-a-disc-Wednesday 
feature, and are they a tasty treat!


Enter any time from now till midnight next Tuesday.   
Winner will be announced Wednesday, June 9th.  
Information is confidential.


You'll feel a little naughty, like a kid caught with 
her hand in the cookie jar, when you say the 
name of this rockin', folky kid disc,   
"Muddy Water Beaver Dam Band".   We love a 
band with a sense of humor!   Enter here to win 
your very own copy.



If you haven't discovered Mr. Singer 
& The Sharp Cookies yet, you're in for a delightful
surprise. We love to feature Chi Town locals, and 
Neil Firstenleit, that's Mr. Singer to YOU, is one of 
the best.

Mr. Singer is a regular fixture at the Lincoln Park 
Zoo story time, and well worth checking
out, if you still have preschoolers in tow.

STORY TIME

You can also check out the whole beaver 
dam band June 12th, at another one of our favorite 
summer festivals.   Mr. Singer & The Sharp Cookies 
will be at Andersonville's Midsommerfest.

This disc is so much fun.   There are catchy 

originals with creative lyrics, and folk classics with 

new twists.   I was just getting into their sweet 

version of "This Little Light of Mine" when they 

snuck in the lyrics,  "Are we gonna trash our 

neighbor's house?  No." and had me cracking up.

They're a fun mix of punk, snark, and folk and 

they're just silly enough, without being 

condescending or annoying, to have the kids and 

grown ups laughing and singing along.

I've heard rumors that (like our friends, 

The Boogers) they cover The Ramones live, and 

do a rockin' version of "Rockaway Beach".   

It's no wonder they won a children's music web 
award for "Best Album for School Aged Children" 
for "Muddy Water Beaver Dam Band".   


Here's what CD Baby has to say:
Chicago’s favorite new kid’s band has just completed work on an epic, original album involving more than one hundred children singers and forty guest musicians.

The Sharp Cookies’ irrepressibly-delightful, "Muddy Water Beaver Dam Band" is a true concept album, filled with unforgettable musical characters like Ella Gorilla, Rathputin the Rattlethnake, the Singing Strummer, Rudy Rockhopper and The Subway Mouse. The delightful denizens of the Sharp Cookies’ sonic universe are given wonderful visual dimensions in an accompanying sixteen-page booklet by Chicago artist and photographer, Kerry Firstenleit.

In their previous lives as Chicago stage and studio pros, the founding members of the Sharp Cookies worked with everyone from Aretha Franklin, the Temptations to Buddy Guy. Now they are bringing their monstrous chops, technical wizardry and musical passion to the main stages of classic children’s venues.

"Muddy Water Beaver Dam Band" is the culmination of inspired horseplay at the soundstages of Horse-drawn Productions and schools throughout Chicagoland. The Sharp Cookies irrepressible front man, Mr. Singer has an infectious knack for drawing unsuspecting folks into his musical web. Scores of kids, parents, educators and musicians have lent their high spirits and sweet voices to the Muddy Water Beaver Dam Band project. The result is a soaring, eclectic, enduring delight.




Check out the Sharp Cookies web site for future shows, 
photos and press, tee's and CDs.   And don't forget
to enter to win your own dam CD, in 
ChiIL Mama's 
win-a-disc-Wednesdays.

i ♥ Faces--barefoot week

It's barefoot week over at 
i ♥ Faces

This Memorial Day was a rough one for Sagezilla.  
She's not a girl who slows down much, and her 
competitive nature made it xtra rough to watch Dad and
big brother go hiking to a waterfall and climbing quartzite
boulders without her.  

The best I could give her was a funky green and black custom 
manicure, kids Motrin, and a lotta xtra hugs.

We still made it fun with binoculars, bug catchers, a hammock 
and s'mores--none of which require 2 working ankles.  

We even managed to hit some trails with our jogging stroller we 
borrowed back from friends we'd given it to.  

Devil's Lake in Wisconsin was breathtakingly beautiful, and was a 
huge hit, despite our mobility issues. 

 We promised to return soon, when Zilla's back on her feet 
again.


The kids both still managed to complete awesome activities 
books to earn cool Jr. Ranger patches. And we even made 
homemade ice cream in our campsite twice, with a ball you
toss around and shake!  


The kids caught, named, studied and released a zillion 
caterpillars.  And butterflies landed on everyone's head 
but mine, despite sprigs of wildflowers the kids stuck in my 
hair to entice them.

There are a lot worse places to convalesce.

Check out other feet featured on i ♥ Faces by clicking this link.



  
It's a non-competitive week, hence the multiple photos.