. . . so-LAZE around or choose a To-Do!
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Greetings!
Initially, I thought I'd do a special newsletter addition filled with Black History Month To-Dos. However, it's kinda always Black History Month at www.so-LAZE.com, as there are a number of Chicago organizations that present events addressing our history year 'round. So, for the next several weeks, I'll highlight a few To-Dos that you might want to check out. If you know of a Black History Month event that ought to be a To-Do, send it on it!
In the spirit of President Obama's election and his message that true change will require our participation, I am making a commitment to do a better job of obtaining information from community organizations and sharing information with you regarding volunteer opportunities and events. Look for Ought To-Do It, both online and in the weekly newsletters, to discover big and small ways that you can participate in making change happen!
This week, we are joined again by Sydney, Founder of The Tofu Chitlin' Circuit Theatre Company. Sydney will share some thoughts on a couple of current productions, along with "Audience 101" - thoughts and questions to help you have a more enriching theater experience.
Congratulations go out to the following, each a winner* of a pair of tickets:
Even if you didn't win tickets, you can still get $10 off Living Green tickets with the promo code "Friend" and $10 off Po Boy Tango tickets with the promo code "Soleil!"
Make it a fabulous weekend!
Soleil@so-LAZE.com
*All winners will receive a separate e-mail with prize claim instructions.
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FEATURED TO-DO: True West & Topdog/Underdog |
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| OUGHT TO-DO IT: Windy City CARES Mentoring Orientation |
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Change Can Come If You Care Enough to Participate!
In these tough economic times, nonprofits need your support more than ever. But, money isn't the only way that you can give. On January 31st, at the Windy City CARES Mentoring Orientation, you'll be introduced to what it means to be a mentor and organizations that need your assistance!
 Please join the Chicago chapter of the National CARES Mentoring Movement as we close out National Mentoring Month and look forward to you becoming a mentor to a vulnerable Black child. At this event, you will attend an Orientation where you will learn: What it means to be a mentor, Organizations that are looking for mentors, How to get started, Representatives from several mentoring organizations in the city will make presentations about their programs and tell you how you can join with them to make a difference in the lives of our imperiled children. You will leave with a commitment to make that difference and next steps needed to make it happen! Please join Windy City CARES as we honor our responsibility to the children of our village to let them know that they are loved, valued, cared for, and that we are here for them. Feel free to bring other caring adults who would like to become mentors, A child in need is waiting to hear your voice! |
| THEATER REVIEW: Audience 101 |
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Po Boy Tango, by Kenneth Lin
 Seoul vs. Soul
Playing with Food at Northlight Theatre
In Northlight Theatre's production of Po Boy Tango, the ingredients are all on the table to make a great feast. Mix, in a bowl, Richie Po (Ken Narasaki), a Taiwanese immigrant who turns to his estranged friend Gloria B (Jacqueline Williams) an African-American hospice worker and amateur cook, to help him recreate his mother's (Jeanne Sakata) "Great Banquet." If Gloria B can make the meals just right, then Richie Po will partner with her to build her own Soul Food restaurant. Add in a sprinkle of humor, a dash of conflict, one part character, pour into a pot and turn the heat on high. Quite an unlikely pairing for a play now-a days, but simmering is a tenuous relationship about race, class, and culture. [more]
Audience 101: As an audience member, think about why you don't see the food at all. Is this to bring the characters together or to draw you into their own biases? How did you feel after watching Richie Po reveal his true feelings about Gloria B? Does Gloria B play the "victim?" Share your thoughts.
Po Boy Tango continues at Northlight Theatre through February 15, 2009.
Sophisticate Special! $10 Off per Ticket! Use the code "SOLEIL" when you purchase your tickets to receive this discount. (Subject to restrictions.)
Stage Black, by Lydia Diamond
 An Actor's Dream, a Playwright's Nightmare
Characters come alive in Lydia Diamond's latest play, Stage Black. Stage Black is a self-described "dark" comedy. The play questions the "playwright" (the character not the actual playwright, that is), should she write the great American play or try to get "paid?"
The characters are the figment of the "playwright's" imagination and take over the play in order to add more "drama" (whether acceptable or abominable) to her play that speaks to the "people" it is trying to serve, or, speaks to the "people" that could ultimately make her rich, i.e., the producers. The characters are familiar, stock characters that you would find in a typical "couch drama": a catatonic mother, a promiscuous grandfather and a couch - all of which set up as the writings of the "playwright" unfold before our eyes. [more]
Audience 101: The concept of the play extends beyond the stage with a broken fourth wall and actors portraying characters portraying audience members sitting in the house with you. Whew! How did it feel to be apart of the "audience" as the play was being performed? Do you feel that "making it" is defined as "Tyler Perry" status? Do you find his plays more enjoyable? What is a turn-off for African-American plays that don't adhere to the same style as the "Urban Theater plays"? Join The Tofu Chitlin' Circuit as we discuss these similar themes at our next A La Carte; The Candied Yams Edition in February.
 Stage Black continues through March 1, 2009 at the Greenhouse Theater Center.
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| BLACK HISTORY MONTH: Cutting a Figure |
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Friday, February 6, 2009, 6 - 8pm
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6:00 p.m. Conversation with the author
7:00 p.m. Question-and-answer period
7:30 p.m. Booksigning and reception
Space is limited. RSVP by January 30, 2009 to Erin Gilbert at egilbert@artic.edu.
Examining portraits of black people over the past two centuries, Cutting a Figure argues that these images should be viewed as a distinct category of portraiture that differs significantly from depictions of people with other racial and ethnic backgrounds. The difference, Richard Powell contends, lies in the social capital that stems directly from the black subject's power to subvert dominant racist representations by evincing such traits as self-composure, self-adornment, and self-imagining. |
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Richard Powell
Richard J. Powell received his Ph.D. from Yale University. His research and teaching interests lie in American art, African American art, and theories of race and representation in the African diaspora. He is also interested in the media arts and conceptualizations of the "folk" in world art and culture. His books include Homecoming: The Art and Life of William H. Johnson and Black Art: A Cultural History. |
Miscellaneous Info: RSVP required by January 30th to EGilbert@artic.edu!!
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| TO-DOS! |
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As always, I invite you to visit www.so-LAZE.com for the most current listing of To-Dos, along with really nifty calendar features!
 Thursday, January 29, 2009, 6 - 7pm
Exhibit Ongoing through March 11, 2009
You are cordially invited to meet the artist at a reception. For 20 years Cheryl Toles was devoted to raising a family in addition to other interests and art was placed on the back burner. After having come full circle, she returned to art with renewed passion. Currently, she is focusing on mediums such as watercolor, pastel, charcoal, acrylic, pencil, and textiles. Ms. Toles received a BA in Art Education from Southern Illinois University and an MBA from Colorado Technical University. She is a member of Chicago Artists Coalition (2008), Creative Artist Association (2005) and Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority (1977).
 Thursday, January 29, 2009, 6 - 7:30pm
White supremacy and its troubling endurance in American life is debated in these personal essays by two veteran political activists. Arguing that white supremacy has been the dominant political system in the United States since its earliest days--and that it is still very much with us--the discussion points to unexamined bigotry in the criminal justice system, election processes, war policy, and education. The book draws upon the authors' own confrontations with authorities during the Vietnam era, reasserts their belief that racism and war are interwoven issues, and offers personal stories about their lives today as parents, teachers, and reformers.
 Thursday, January 29, 2009, 7 - 11pm
Mix, Mingle and Network. Enjoy live music, delicious feed & beverages while enjoying the wonderful art within our gallery.
The Powerhouse Diva:, A Powerhouse in the music industry, Nanette is always busy working on material for "Live" and studio. She's a songwriter, vocal arranger, and producer in the studios. Feature spots on Brian Culbertson critically acclaimed, "Secrets" and Steve Cole debut CD "Stay Awhile." Nanette's renditions of "Everlasting Love," and "Seven Whole Days" from Michael Manson, "The Bottom Line" CD received extensive radio play . . . Yeah, She's Got It Like That! Nanette toured with Miki Howard, Stanley Clarke, Herbie Hancock, Alex Bugnon, The Jazz Crusaders, Warren Hill, Jon Lucian and many more. One of the highlights of her career was a special performance with the legendary, Stevie Wonder. Her "Live" appearances at "The African Festival" set the vibe of the evening opening for the likes of Donald Byrd, Jean Carne, Ronnie and Hubert Laws, Lonnie Liston Smith, John Lucian to a SRO crowd. Whether she's performing on the UPN Bandstand at The Taste Of Chicago or any number of high profile charity and social events, Nanette's unique blend of R&B and Soul with a healthy mix of Jazz, draws record crowds and "Turns out the house" wherever she performs. YEAH...She's Got It Like That!
 Thursday, January 29, 2009, 8 - 10pm
Ongoing through March 22, 2009
Written by Shay Youngblood Directed by Runako Jahi, Choreography by Rueben Echoles, Directed by Runako Jahi, "Talking Bones" is a richly poetic work that focuses on three generations of women who own and run Ancestor's Books and Breakfast, a magical bookstore; and a daughter who ignores the wisdom and spiritual yearnings of her mother by refusing to be a vessel to connect with the ancestors. The cast includes Felisha McNeal, Delicia Dunham, Rhonda Marie Bynum, Darren Jones and Mark H. Howard. Shay Youngblood (Playwright) is a poet, playwright and fiction writer who is the author of The Big Mama Stories, a collection of short stories, the novels Soul Kiss and Black Girl in Paris and the award-winning plays, "Shakin' the Mess Outta Misery" and "Talking Bones," which was honored in 1993 with the Kennedy Center's Lorraine Hansberry Award.
 Thursday, January 29, 2009, 8:30 - 10:30pm
Ongoing through March 1, 2009
Maat Production Association of African Centered Theatre (MPAACT) presents the world premier of Stage Black, by Lydia R. Diamond; directed by Mignon McPherson Nance. Stage Black is about a well respected but under-produced African-American playwright who wants to write a "black play" that appeals to both black and white audiences. But, as she begins to script the play, her subconscious leaps to the forefront and her characters rebel. The rest, well, you'll just have to see for yourself.
 Friday, January 30, 2009, 5 - 10pm
Milton Bowens, Wesley Clark, Andre Guichard and Bryan Keith Thomas, When it comes to telling the story of the African-American, one must not be afraid to delve into themes of race, class, injustice and loss, yet be brave enough to showcase truth & perseverance, faith and hope that shaped our history. Live music by Chicago's own, DJ Jack.
 Friday, January 30, 2009, 5:30 - 8pm
Again, back by popular request. Taste 20 wines for $20. This event does well with friends. Light appetizers provided by Yolk Restaurant and live music. Please RSVP by Thursday, Jan. 29.
 Friday, January 30, 2009, 8 - 11pm
Saturday, January 31, 2009, 10pm-1am
Close Up (CU2) is a smooth jazz club which features live smooth jazz, in a contemporary upscale environment with an ethnic diverse professional clientele. CU2 is a wonderful place to relax after a stressful day, listen to great smooth jazz, network or participate in stimulating conversation. CU2 is located in the heart of downtown Chicago's financial district, one block from the Board of Trade. CU2 is the only live smooth jazz club in Chicago. CU2 features the best of local and nationally recognized smooth jazz artists. Street parking is allowed after 6pm and a self parking lot is available on a first come first serve basis at the end of the block.
 Friday, January 30, 2009, 8 - 10:30pm
The Benny Golson Jazztet, Benny Golson, tenor saxophone, Eddie Henderson, trumpet, Steve Davis, trombone, Mike LeDonne, piano, Buster Williams, bass, Carl Allen, drums, Mulgrew Miller Trio, Mulgrew Miller, piano, Ivan Taylor, bass, Rodney Green, drums, This season's Jazz Icon Benny Golson is a legendary composer, arranger and musician. His tuneful gems like I Remember Clifford, Whisper Not, Killer Joe, and Blues March are enduring favorites in the Great American jazz songbook. Golson will lead an all-star version of his Jazztet, the legendary band he founded in 1959 with the late Art Farmer. Opening the program, pianist Mulgrew Miller, one of the most distinguished artists of his generation, will put his own spin on Golson's works with his trio. A Great Day In Harlem , Pre-concert film presentation in Grainger Ballroom
 Saturday, January 31, 2009, 9am - 1pm
Please join the Chicago chapter of the National CARES Mentoring Movement as we close out National Mentoring Month and look forward to you becoming a mentor to a vulnerable Black child. At this event, you will attend an Orientation where you will learn: What it means to be a mentor, Organizations that are looking for mentors, How to get started, Representatives from several mentoring organizations in the city will make presentations about their programs and tell you how you can join with them to make a difference in the lives of our imperiled children. You will leave with a commitment to make that difference and next steps needed to make it happen! Please join Windy City CARES as we honor our responsibility to the children of our village to let them know that they are loved, valued, cared for, and that we are here for them. Feel free to bring other caring adults who would like to become mentors, A child in need is waiting to hear your voice! Thank you again and we look forward to seeing you on Saturday!
 Saturdays, January 3 - May 30, 2009
Written & Directed by Runako Jahi, Choreographed by Rueben Echoles, An educational and fun-filled tribute to Black Music, performed by eta's Youth Performance Workshop.
 Saturday, January 31, 2009, 6 - 10:30pm
On the Menu: Enjoy Gourmet Cuisine by Chef Ving, Decadent Chocolates, Sip & Mingle Wine Tasting, Haute Naughty & Nice Demos, Indulge in Pampering, Raffles, ** jaw dropping**.
sweets. massage. sip. manicures. shop. mingle. simply. sassy. soiree.
 Saturday, January 31, 2009, 6 - 10pm
The Bronzeville Diva" invites you to bring in the New Year with the music you love every Saturday thru February 28th. Musicians, Vocalist, Spoken Word Poetry. Come in and enjoy the warm atmosphere of creation with tasty treats, coffee, tea, sandwiches and vegetarian specials.
Soleil's Take: I first met Senebella in Cancún in 1992, where she was performing with Back In Time, and while this Diva hasn't aged a bit, her vocal stylings get better and better. Senabella's performance typically runs the gamut from jazz standards to R&B. KISS FM New York Radio DJ, Ken Webb, says "Senabella is a talent to be reckoned with." Earl Calloway of the Chicago Defender, writes: "Senabella, has developed a mastery of chirping that reminds one of legendary female singers who have been active on the stage since the second decade. In so many ways, she is a sorceress of song who takes the melody and conjures up a delivery that brings unsurpassed enjoyment."
 Sunday, February 1, 2009, 4 - 10pm
Game/Contest Registration 4:30pm. Fun, Food, Music and Dance. Steppers Contest at Half-Time - Grand Prize: Carnival 3-day cruise; bid whist tournament; poker tournament; Super Bowl Raffle. The biggest, the baddest, the best Super Bowl Party in the City of Chicago. Free food, cash bar, 2 7-foot big screensFor information, call (32) 239-0435 or visit www.friendsofdorothybrown.org.
 Sunday, February 1, 2009, 6:30 - 8pm
BIN School - Wine 102 Can you tell the difference between thin and fat wines? How about round and luscious? Or, lean and austere? This class will help to define the language used to describe wine.
 Monday, February 2, 2009, 6 - 7:30pm
"This is our moment. This is our time," Barack Obama declared in his victory speech on November 4, 2008. Such a moment is an opportunity to explore who we are, where we've been, and what the emergence of a leader like Obama can tell us about our culture, our politics, and our future. In What Obama Means, Jabari Asim, author of the acclaimed The N Word, provides the context needed to understand what the Obama presidency means to Americans of all backgrounds. Asim moves easily from the contemporary to the historical, showing how performers and athletes, such as Michael Jackson and Michael Jordan, laid the groundwork for Obama as much as did leaders such as Frederick Douglass, W. E. B. DuBois, and Martin Luther King Jr. [more]
 Tuesday, February 3, 2009, 6 - 8pm
Your business plan should be complete and you will be able to compare your plan to an "ideal" plan which includes the following segments: Goals and Objectives, Market & Industry Analysis, Marketing Plan, Sales Forecast, Business Description, Strategies, Products/Services, Organization, Staffing, Management Team, Financial Plan and Projected Financial Statements. This is the final step in ensuring that you have a fully executed business plan.
 Tuesday, February 3, 2009, 7:15 - 9pm
This To-Do will be updated as information becomes available. Choose "Notify me of changes" on the Other Event Action toolbar menu to receive automatic e-mail or mobile text updates about this To-Do!
The Gap Community Organization is more than 25 years old. The GAP is located in Chicago, Illinois, in the far south loop. The boundaries of the GAP are 35th Street to the South, 31st Street to the North, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive to the East, and LaSalle Street to the West.
 Wednesday, February 4, 2009, 6 - 10pmThe Heartbeat of Chicago's networking scene. A free weekly networking event. Creatively connecting businesses to the resources they need to be successful. Featured entrepreneurs every week!
ONGOING TO-DOS
 Ongoing through February 15, 2009
A celebration of the human spirit and the joy of cooking, Po Boy Tango tells the story of Richie Po, a Chinese immigrant who turns to his estranged friend Gloria to help him recreate his mother's "Great Banquet." Despite the challenges of shark fin soup, duck po boy sandwiches and underlying cultural tensions, Richie and Gloria find common ground through their shared humor and the blending of traditional Taiwanese cuisine and African American "Soul Food." Helped by lessons from Po Mama's television cooking show, the two discover a deeper understanding of food, culture and the nature of friendship.
Discounts: $10 Off per Ticket! Use the code "SOLEIL" when you purchase your tickets to receive this discount. Subject to restrictions.
 Ongoing through March 1, 2009
The Green Revolution isan interactive experience that explores the contributions of African Americans to ecology, conservationism and other environmental issues. The exhibit allows guests to investigate green technology and the African Americans supporting the green movement including: architects, designers, engineers, plant geneticists, business entrepreneurs and other newsmakers. The exhibit will open as part of the Museum's annual Black Creativity celebration-a six-week program that highlights the achievements and heritage of African Americans. As guests journey through Green Revolution, they will encounter fun and interactive workstations that will allow them to investigate the methods, materials and technology that are fueling the green industry, test soil samples to determine [more]
 Thursday, January 29, 2009, 7:30 - 9:30pm
(Ongoing through March 1, 2009)
By Gloria Bond Clunie Directed by Andrea J. Dymond
A World Premiere The year is 1995. The Freemans, an upper middle class black family in an affluent, predominantly white Chicago neighborhood are contemplating selling their home to fund their daughter's college education When the men in the family return from the first Million Man March, the Freemans grapple with where to resettle their two children: another "safe" white community, or back to "the old neighborhood?" A modern-day homage to A Raisin in the Sun, this timely new work by ensemble member Gloria Bond Clunie (North Star, Shoes) asks "What happened to our families as we "moved up" and fled the black communities that once nurtured us?"
Discounts: Save $10 with Promo Code - FRIEND!!
 Ongoing through March 8, 2009
Topdog/Underdog and True West, A collaboration between American Theater Company and Congo Square Theatre Company, American Theater Company and Congo Square Theatre Company team up to present one of Chicago's most intriguing theatrical projects. Artistic Directors Derrick Sanders and PJ Paparelli engage their Ensembles in two of America's most visceral plays about sibling rivalry. In addition to the plays alternating nightly, the actors playing the brothers will switch between productions. Audiences can see two versions of each play on one set at ATC. True West, written by Sam Shepard, directed by PJ Paparelli, Sam Shepard's most produced play tells the story of two brothers: Austin, an ambitious Hollywood screenwriter working on a potential million-dollar deal and Lee, a vagabond thief with a compulsion for six-packs and toasters, face off for control while venting demons from their dysfunctional past. Topdog/Underdog, written by Suzan-Lori Parks, directed by Derrick Sanders, Suzan-Lori Parks' Pulitzer Prize-winning masterpiece explores two brothers: Lincoln, ex-"3-card" player, now legitimate entertainer, and Booth, a petty thief who wants to learn his brother's game, struggle to make a new life that will finally lead them out of poverty.
Thursday, January 29, 2009, 8 - 10pm
Ongoing through March 8, 2009
Topdog/Underdog and True West, A collaboration between American Theater Company and Congo Square Theatre Company, American Theater Company and Congo Square Theatre Company team up to present one of Chicago's most intriguing theatrical projects. Artistic Directors Derrick Sanders and PJ Paparelli engage their Ensembles in two of America's most visceral plays about sibling rivalry. In addition to the plays alternating nightly, the actors playing the brothers will switch between productions. Audiences can see two versions of each play on one set at ATC. True West, written by Sam Shepard, directed by PJ Paparelli, Sam Shepard's most produced play tells the story of two brothers: Austin, an ambitious Hollywood screenwriter working on a potential million-dollar deal and Lee, a vagabond thief with a compulsion for six-packs and toasters, face off for control while venting demons from their dysfunctional past. Topdog/Underdog, written by Suzan-Lori Parks, directed by Derrick Sanders, Suzan-Lori Parks' Pulitzer Prize-winning masterpiece explores two brothers: Lincoln, ex-"3-card" player, now legitimate entertainer, and Booth, a petty thief who wants to learn his brother's game, struggle to make a new life that will finally lead them out of poverty.
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Advertise with Soleil's To-Dos!
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