Sandman The Rappin' Cowboy LIVE at Facets all Weekend

Shots of ChiIL Mama, Sagezilla & Sandman and filmmaker, Elizabeth Lawrence at Facets last night at Roll Out Cowboy premier.


Sagezilla and ChiIL Mama had a ton of fun last night at the opening of the film, Roll Out Cowboy at Facets Multimedia.   We were surprised and impressed with the documentary by local Chicago filmmaker, Elizabeth Lawrence and with Chris Sand, The Rappin' Cowboy.    

This movie is a funny, quirky look at a slice of pure Americana.   It takes the viewer into Dunn, the depressed small town in North Dakota that Chris calls home, and then beyond as we follow him on tour and into a new day job as a trucker.   


We love that he was able to buy a home in Dunn for $1,000, and dug hearing about it's colorful history of 2 prior male musician owner who both killed themselves there.    Sandman plans to turn the tide of this home's checkered past with his new wife, Hana Kasm.    They're expecting a new baby Sand in 6 months.   Maybe we can expect a newbie in the kindie community, too?    We haven't seen any full sized CD, rappin' cowboy, kids' indie music yet.   Hint hint.


We don't want to give too many spoilers, but Chris has gone from wrecking an 18 wheeler full of fish on his first run, to still being gainfully employed as a trucker and producing prolifically as a musician.    In fact, his trucking partner that he tandem drives with dropped him in Chicago for his film premier weekend and will scoop him back up on his run to Canada after Sunday's show.   Sandman, the rappin' cowboy is a colorful cult character who is endearing and genuine and deserves to get noticed. 


This makes for a better parents night out, but my 8 year old enjoyed it.   There is some language and minor adult themes, though nothing that would freak your kid out and scar them for life.    We happened to think the Sandman's more irreverent, wild stuff was hilarious!  


And I can honestly say, he has the first merch table I've EVER seen selling pillowcases!!    You can actually rest your melon on a Sandman silkscreened pillowcase while you play his CDs.   Pretty cool.   Check him out.


  


Chicago's premiere of Roll Out, Cowboy this month at Facets: runs July 22-31 only!

Buy tix here or at the door: http://rolloutcowboy.eventbrite.com/.    Last night's 9pm show was a full house.

The Rappin' Cowboy will be there through Sunday's showings (singing live songs!), along with the doc's dynamic director Elizabeth Lawrence and fab producer Warner Boutin.

Check out Chris Sand's blog HERE.

This is his latest excerpt:

Friday, July 22, 2011

Greetings from Chicago! Roll Out, Cowboy begins its theatrical release tonight, and lot's of press is coming in.

Chicago Tribune just gave it 3/4 stars and a lovely review which I'll post a link to when I find it online.

NPR (WBEZ locally) did this super-pro job: http://www.wbez.org/episode-segments/2011-07-21/roll-out-cowboy-roams-and-raps-across-midwest-89464

Check out Roll Out Cowboy's home page for reviews, news and upcoming showings.

The Sandman gave us a copy of Rough Notes From Otter Cove, one of his CDs that has a few kids tunes on it as well as more mature material, which we'll be checkin' out and reviewing.

Also check out Facets Multimedia.   We've volunteered here monthly since 1990 and the kids can often be seen helping out with tickets and concessions.    Facets features a wide range of multicultural and indie films in the cinema and have one of the largest video rental libraries in the nation.    You can join for a minimal monthly fee (varies depending on the number of DVDs you want at a time).   The monthly video membership then gets you two free tickets to anything showing.    

Play Locally: Art In The Park, Marbles Clue Hunt, Ladies Rock Camp Showcase at Schubas, Wicker Park Fest, Babes With Blades, and BONEdanse

Van Ghost from the photo pit at HOB 6/11/11

Check 'em out at Wicker Park Fest at 6:15 this Sunday

We've had several hundred new subscribers join us recently.    Woo hoo!    So here's a quicky little recap of what we're all about, here at ChiIL Mama.    We're not a giant list serve or comprehensive guide to 300 things going on each weekend.    

What we do is pick a hand full of fun stuff that we would actually go to (and often do).    We tend toward Chicago urban events and heavily cover theatre and music for families and for just adults as well.   We also feature the arts, multicultural events, eco-friendly activities, and quirky fun.    Not to say you won't ever see a burb event or location, and we do travel quite a bit, but Chi, IL is our first love.    We do run loads of monthly give aways for Chicago  events tickets and for CDs/DVDs nationwide.   We tend toward kindie (kids' indie, alternative, and punk) and music based & independent DVDs for the big kids, AKA:   adults.    

We will be providing press coverage at Kidzapalooza/Lollapalooza and North Coast Music Fest again this year, and offer up our street fest favs all summer, so check back in like we vote in Chicago.....early and often.

Saturday:

We went to the first Art in The Park last year and it was rockin' awesome!    It was a beautiful melding of the arts community and the people of Avondale/Logan Square.    Free and open to all ages.    Check out our photo filled feature HERE.

ART IN THE PARK  at  Unity Park
(2700 N Kimball at Schubert)
Saturday July 23  10 am - 2 pm

"Experience live painting in Logan Square's Unity Park. All our neighbors are invited! The Unity Park Advisory Council volunteers will have everything you need for an afternoon of painting fun including FREE paper, boards and canvases, paints and paint brushes, music and snacks and drinks. Please feel free to bring a sack lunch. You can take your works of art home with you or donate them the Unity Park and let them be shown and possibly sold during the Milwaukee Ave Arts Festival. Please visit www.unityparkchicago.org for more information, to volunteer or to become a member."

The park's water spray pool is running to keep young kids cool.Check out UNITY PARK website for events, volunteering, and updates!    http://www.unityparkchicago.org/project-updates

Join Marbles: The Brain Store For Its First-Ever Chicago Puzzle Hunt!

WHAT: Marbles: The Brain Store invites Chicago friends & families to challenge their wits – and fellow citizens – during a fun puzzle hunt across downtown Chicago!

WHEN:  Saturday, July 23 at 10:00 a.m.

WHERE:  Meet at Marbles: The Brain Store, Lincoln Square, 4745 N. Lincoln Avenue, Chicago, 312-494-7769

FEE:  $25 per team – HOWEVER, if you are able to solve the puzzle on the brochure (linked here), the $25 entry fee is waived:

http://www.marblesthebrainstore.com/blog/2011/07/07/attention-puzzle-hunters/

WHAT ELSE: You can recruit your own team of up to five members - or meet up at Lincoln Square to join other puzzle-hunters.

Check out Marbles Blog Link for more details.    Space is limited!

Saturday July 23, 6-10pm

Babes With Blades put the fun back in fundraiser with a swing dance themed benefit tonight!

Swing for Swash  ...a swing dancing fundraiser for Babes With Blades Theatre Company and THE DOUBLE  WHAT?  Dancing galore, food, beer, wine, prizes, swashbuckling entertainment, and much, much, more! Arrive by 6:30 for a free dance lesson from Jeff Sterner of the Chicago Swing Dance Society ! Take a break from dancing at 8:15 with "Swing into Violence," a stage combat-meets-swing mini-class led by John McFarland!

WHERE?

The Charnel House (3421 W. Fullerton, Chicago) - minutes from the Logan Square blue line stop

  

HOW MUCH?

$25 for 1 or $40 for 2.  Buy tix online NOW!  (You can also pay at the door - cash or check only please)

Sunday:

Admit it: When you first heard about Girls Rock! Chicago, you thought, "Why didn't that exist when I was a kid?" That's why we created Ladies Rock Camp. 

This weekend grown-up aspiring rockers will take a crash course in music making—they'll learn an instrument, form a band, write a song, and perform it onstage. And what our Girls Rock campers do in seven days, Ladies Rockers will cram into just three. 

Join us on Sunday to cheer on the graduates of 2011 Ladies Rock Camp as they hit the stage at Schubas with their new bands. 

Schubas Tavern (http://www.schubas.com/)

3159 N. Southport

Doors 5pm / Show 6pm 

$6 / kids 8 and under FREE

Advance tickets:

http://schubas.com/Shows/0 7-24-2011+Ladies+Rock+Show case

All Weekend:
Check out ChiIL Mama's Wicker Park Fest recommendations HERE along with lots of great photo pit shots of Van Ghost with Allie Krawl from Cornmeal, playing House of Blues 6/11/11. 

http://www.wickerparkfestchicago.com/


Save the Date:

Check out Milwaukee Arts Festival's Web Site for all the great details.    This is one art, music, film, food and fun filled fest.   Highly recommended.    Here's their eclectic band line up, arranged by the fine folk at Elastic Arts.

If you catch nothing else, we highly recommend Sunday's line up.   Black Bear Combo and Sidewalk Chalk are some of our favorites!

Sunday, July 31st

• 8:00pm - The Hood Internet
• 6:30pm - Sidewalk Chalk
• 5:00pm - Papo Santiago
• 3:30pm - Beaba Do Samba
• 2:00pm - Black Bear Combo

Check out Sidewalk Chalk's site for a free download and cool contest.   

The band shares some members with Great Divide who rocked HOB on 6/11/11 with Van Ghost, How Far To Austin and a host of great bands.   You can see ChiIL Mama's photo pit coverage, band interviews, and more at ChiIL Live Shows http://chiilliveshows.com/ and on our Vimeo and YouTube ChiIL Mama Channels.

Here's ChiIL Mama's photo filled coverage from Milwaukee Arts Fest last year.   Check it out HERE.


Want your kids to grow up with smart, mighty female role models in the arts community?   Check out Babes With Blades and BONEdanse. No toddlers in tiaras here.

BreakBONE is now BONEdanse!    These guys are some of our absolute favorites in the Chicago dance community.   Their productions are intelligent, creative and powerful.   Follow BONEdanse on Facebook and check out their web site for upcoming performances and classes.

 Babes With Blades has a new show opening August 13th.   


ON STAGE:

THE DOUBLE by Barbara Lhota
August 13-September 24, 2011

Tickets on sale now: CLICK!
For more information: CLICK!

The Adventures of Pinocchio Family 4 Pack Ticket Winner

Big congrats to Magally M.    You have won 4 tickets to Chicago Shakespeare Theater's production of The Adventures of Pinocchio.   We'll send you an e-mail with reservation instructions and contact info.   

*This family 4 pack is good for your choice of dates throughout the run, pending availability.  

We still have family 4 packs of free tickets for two lucky winners which will be announced this coming Tuesday 7/25, on ChiIL Mama's Free Ticket Tuesday.    Enter HERE for your chance to win tickets to School of Rock All Stars at Schubas and Little Miss Ann & Charlie Hope at The Beat Kitchen.   

Get out and see Chicago's award winning Shakespeare Theater's production, The Adventures of Pinocchio.   

The traditional Italian story of a wooden puppet yearning to be a real boy springs to life with inventive and awe-inspiring puppetry, transforming CST's Courtyard Theater into a larger-than-life, European marionette stage. Carved out of wood by the lonely toymaker Geppetto, Pinocchio tumbles from one disastrous situation to another in search of adventure—only to discover that, in the end, all he really needs is an unselfish heart and the love of his father. Based on Carlo Collodi's classic tale, this world premiere CST Family musical illuminates the bond between parents and children in a magical performance that is sure to enchant audiences of all ages!

Check out Chicago Shakespeare Theater's website for show times and details as well as behind the scenes fun. 

Kindie concert ticket winners are picked on the Free Ticket Tuesday preceding the show.   Mama says sharing rocks.   Remember, you can enter to win multiple times, with every documented social media share, until each give away closes.   Early and often..

Schubas and Beat Kitchen Shows: 

• School of Rock presents:
• THE ROCK THE HOUSE TOUR FEATURING
• THE SCHOOL OF ROCK ALL-STARS
• Proceeds to benefit Ronald McDonald House Charities

• SATURDAY 07/30/2011 2:00 PM  |   ALL AGES   |   $20.00   

The AllStar Program is the highest level of achievement for a School of Rock student and is comprised of the top 2.5% of our students nationwide. The AllStars tour each summer with the best kids from each local school from all around the USA. 

Past students have toured worldwide and have shared stages with such notable acts as Jon Anderson (YES), Perry Farrell (Janes Addiction), Slash (Guns and Roses) and countless others. The AllStars are simply the best of the best kids from over 7000 School of Rock students nationwide. This year , students from across the country will be celebrating 50 years of Rock and Roll with the "Rock the House Tour"

All proceeds from this tour go to Local Ronald Mcdonald houses and Local Ronald McDonald House Charities.

With more than a decade of successful experience teaching music, School of Rock is the national leader in music education for kids from age 7 to 18. Students learn from professional musicians in an interactive environment combining weekly private lessons and structured group rehearsals with the ultimate goal of performing live in front of real crowds.

Check out these amazingly talented under agers, rocking out for a great cause!

Beat Kitchen Concerts for kids

Sunday, July 31st EARLY SHOW

CHARLIE HOPE

LITTLE MISS ANN 

Doors: 12:00 pm | Show: 12:00 pm

Tickets: $5.00 | All Ages

West Side Story Retro-Updated Wonderful

We checked out opening night of West Side Story and were amazed and impressed.   The Puerto Rican Sharks actually speak Spanish to each other now, and the cheesy, extraneous 50's lingo is gone!    Yet the costumes, sets and classic choreography place this production firmly in the historical, true to the original, revival category. This Grammy award-winning, Broadway smash hit is playing for just 4 weeks at Cadillac Palace, and it's well worth seeing.   The cast earned a rousing, almost unanimous standing ovation last night.  





"I Feel Pretty" and "Gee, Officer Krupke" were particularly excellent.    I'm still impressed at just how adeptly this production managed to be simultaneously raunchy and innocent.   The sexual innuendo came mostly in the form of hilarious gestures, and yet the characters had a sweet naivete that was pure 1950's.    Gangbangers today, at least in Chicago, don't bother with war councils or try to duke it out in fair fights with skin.   They go right for the guns and bystanders beware.   Yet the timeless tragedy of lives cut short, racism, and violence springing from fear ring out as loud and true today as ever.
  



There wasn't a weak link in the powerhouse vocals, big dance numbers or acting.   Yet Anita, played by Michelle Aravena, was a stand out across the board.   The cast's energy was also palpable and believable in all the machismo posturing scenes


This production is unique in that 50 years after its birth, the two remaining living creators, Arthur Laurents and Stephen Sondheim were the ones to revive and revise it.    Although under 15% of the total show is in Spanish now, it lends a welcome air of authenticity to this production for The Sharks dialogue between themselves to be in their native language.   The lines and lyrics aren't even just a straight Spanish, but were painstakingly translated into Puerto Rican street dialect, a hybrid of Upper West Side Manhattan street English and Spanish.    


Broadway in Chicago gave the show an equivalent of a PG13 rating, yet I didn't hesitate to take my 8 year old daughter, who thoroughly enjoyed the big dance numbers, the world class singing, and the drama of the story line.   


We met a 6 year old girl, a few rows away, who loved the show, too.   They had seen the movie, prior to the musical, and her mom happily exclaimed that they'd be buying the soundtrack so they could dance and sing along at home.    We'd prepped by discussing the similarities to Romeo and Juliet, gang culture and conflict, and the historical time frame when the show was first created and how it's still timely and relevant today--all in an accessible to 3rd graders way.


As we've said before, know your children, familiarize yourself with the production, revisit the movie and soundtrack after bed time,  and know your own comfort levels before you take your young children.   Kids under 4 are absolutely not admitted, but we thought the production was pretty innocent on the shock scale.

For video clips, ticket info and show details, click HERE.

Pinkalicious Turns Gender Stereotypes On Their Heads

News Flash.  Pink is A-OK for boys and dads to love, too.   Think pink this summer for family fun.   Broadway in Chicago has teamed up with Emerald City to present their hit musical, Pinkalicious, downtown at the Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place through September 3rd.

production photo 

Sagezilla and I checked out opening day, Friday, and were both tickled pink by the colorful costumes and sets, catchy tunes, and open minded gender message.  Pinkalicious is The Hairspray Musical for the kindie set, with a larger than life, wild haired heroine, bucking convention and signing autographs.

Emerald City's Pinkalicious compels kids to eat their greens as a cure for pinkititis, and we're all about encouraging fresh, healthy veggies.   But there is a deeper and more colorful theme we really dug.   Men and boys can love pink, too, and girls can love a host of colors beyond pink.   Wow!    Thank you.    


It seems so straightforward, but this is a pretty radical concept for mainstream children's theatre.    It's also one dear to our hearts.   In high school, my husband was the rebel skate punk with the pink trimmed board while I wouldn't be caught dead in such a girly girl color.   We've both mellowed with age, but the sentiment still stands.


I'll be honest with you, we skipped Pinkalicious when it first played at Emerald City's home base, The Apollo Theatre.   Their productions tend to skew young and I thought the world needed another pink pushing, pastry tasting excuse for little girls to embrace a monochromatic existence like I need a pointy toed, anorexic Barbie Doll as a role model for my daughter.


Sagezilla is somewhat of a self proclaimed "anti-princess" and not a big fan of the color pink, just because every other little girl in her 2nd grade class universally picked it as their favorite.    But we are big fans of literature based theatre and Sagezilla had read some of the Pinkalicious books at school and she surprised me by really wanting to see the show.   The message turned out to be a pleasantly unconventional one, encouraging individuality and expanding beyond gender stereotypes.

My little rebel without a clue is the one who horrified her conservative, suburban Grammy by belting out, "MY FAVORITE COLOR IN THE WORLD IS BLAAAAAACCCCKKK," at the tender age of 3.    She still loves black at age 8 and was quite happy at the Pinkalicious premier, to be the ONLY punk in head to toe black and all black Chucks high tops in a sea of poofy pink girls (her wardrobe choice).   The only hint of hot pink she conceded to were the skull laces on her shoes.    No Pepto Bismol hued princess tote for this grrrrl.   The pink polo wearing theatre boys adored her!  

One of them even recommended we check out this book, Not All Princesses Dress in Pink which I'm looking forward to.

Like I said before, we're big fans of book based theatre.   When shows encourage kids to read or books spark a love of theatre, it's a win win situation. 


  


A number of books by sisters Elizabeth Kann and Victoria Kann, who co-wrote Pinkalicious, are available in the lobby.    They come in a whole rainbow of colors beyond pink, too, in case the show's message sunk in, that girls can love a wide range of hues.   Check out the books, Purplicious, Goldicious and Silverlicious.

Kids can meet the cast and collect autographs in the lobby after the show.   One thing we've always enjoyed about Emerald City Productions is their play bills.    The adults get one version and the kids get a smaller version that's big on fun, with pre-show games and show related questions.


Check out Pinkalicious and make a whole, fun, downtown day of it.   We went to The Cheesecake Factory for lunch after the show, to rest our eyes from all that pink in their golden, cave like, spiral filled space.    While you're at Water Tower Place drop by American Girl Place, The LEGO® Store and Marbles:  The Brain Store for kid centered shopping fun.


Pinkalicious runs Thursdays through Sundays at 10AM with alternating Thursdays and Sundays.   For an exact performance schedule visit Broadway in Chicago.

We're working out the details, but ChiIL Mama may have exclusive video interviews with members of the cast for you in the next few weeks, so check back in early and often.

Blues Brothers A Nostalgic, Rockin' Good Time

Hidey high tail it downtown.   There are just 5 days left to see Joliet "Jake" and Elwood Blues rock the Auditorium Theater.    Check out the details HERE.    Du-Jay and I checked out the opening night show and had a blast.


LONDON’S SMASH HIT SHOW “THE ALL NEW ORIGINAL TRIBUTE TO THE BLUES BROTHERS™” IS JUST PLAYING THROUGH JULY 24.


The show is a whole event.    These boys know how to make an entrance!    The choreography is fresh and new, with enough nods to the Second City's famous duo's signature songs, slapstick schtick and funky moves, to make for a great, nostalgic trip down memory lane.    Introduce your littles to this slice of their Chicago heritage.


We loved that the ticket takers all got in the spirit of the evening, donning their Ray Bans and porkpie hats, and so did a number of audience members!    The concession bar even sold Orange Whip, Orange Whip, Orange Whip.


You can't fully call yourself a Chicagoan until you've seen the Blues Brothers rappel onto the stage while police lights illuminate the composers names that line the ornate Auditorium Theatre walls.    Of course, you may be doomed to weeks of your littles belting out non sequiturs like "Rubber Biscuit!" and "Ricochet Biscuit!" at odd times.   And you may find yourself scouring YouTube for the original sketches or renting the movie again.    For the record, I've had far worse things stuck on auto play in my brain than The Peter Gunn Theme and Minnie the Moocher!    


All in all, “THE ALL NEW ORIGINAL TRIBUTE TO THE BLUES BROTHERS™” is a rockin' good time and highly recommended.   Check out some of ChiIL Mama's past coverage and show details HERE.

West Side Story Opens Tonight at Cadillac Palace Theatre

On Sale Now 

as part of the 2011 Season Series!

We can't wait to check out opening night, tonight!   Sagezilla and I are going to have a Broadway in Chicago girls night out at the theatre.    We'll have a full review up for you tomorrow.    It's hard to believe West Side Story is over 50, and still such a timeless and timely tale.   Just because something's old, that doesn't make it a classic, but West Side Story is just that.    Don't miss your chance to see and share this amazing production.   West Side Story is only in Chicago through August 14th.

More than fifty years ago one musical changed theater forever. Now it's back, and mesmerizing audiences once again. From the first note to the final breath, West Side Story soars as the greatest love story of all time. 

Directed by David Saint, using Tony Award-winning librettist Arthur Laurents’ Broadway direction, West Side Story remains as powerful, poignant and timely as ever. 

The new Broadway cast album of West Side Story recently won the 2010 Grammy Award for Best Musical Show Album. 

The Bernstein and Sondheim score is considered to be one of Broadway's finest and features such classics of the American musical theatre as "Something's Coming," "Tonight," "America," "I Feel Pretty" and "Somewhere." 

“So exciting IT MAKES YOU ACHE WITH PLEASURE” –John Lahr, The New Yorker 

Ticket prices are $32 to $95. 

GROUPS OF 15 OR MORE ON SALE NOW! 

CALL (312) 977-1710