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Conversations featuring authors and influential leaders in the arts, media and business.
As he faced his own cancer treatment in 2003, Jonny Imerman decided that no one should fight cancer alone. Three years later, Imerman Angels was born. Whether you are on or have completed a cancer journey, or have a loved one fighting the disease, our conversation with Imerman CEO & Executive Director Benjamin Bornstein, a three-time cancer survivor, just might be a game changer.
Read MoreCharlottesville, August 12, 2017. Three deaths. Nineteen other serious injuries reported. Many more if you consider the psychological trauma inflicted on the scores of individuals there that day. Historian Arnie Bernstein sees comparisons and contrasts to another troubling time in our history.
Read MoreDeep inside Cirque du Soleil’s white and gold big top tent city at United Center, there is an area bustling with excitement. Coaches work with strap artists on new routines, tumblers tumble as human hummingbirds flutter by. There is a wide array of exercise equipment, lest you think that 10 shows a week is not exercise enough. It may not be the most conducive place to have a conversation -- in and alongside weight lifters, an enormous stallion puppet and yes, the contortionist, who was nailing his stretching exercises as the cactus handlers strolled through.
If only life was a circus!
Read MoreYou will want to make a note that Lizzie Borden is coming to town. The fabled axe madam herself, known for a (disputed) total of 81 combined whacks, will have her story retold by a new professional theatre company making its debut with the Chicago premiere of LIZZIE at the Den Theatre. Stay tuned for more about the show ... but first, Firebrand! Chop! Chop!
Read MoreFirebrand Theatre is preparing for their inaugural production of LIZZIE at the Den Theatre in November. In June, we spoke with Co-Founder & Artistic Director Harmony France as plans were just getting underway.
Read MoreAccording to Tom Dreesen, there's one essential rule for stand-up comedy: be funny. He's quick to add something he learned from Sammy Davis Jr. -- you can't make everyone love you -- which he says, particularly applies to comedians. And, if you are thinking about writing jokes, it helps to know that the setup line has to hide the punchline, that there are no "victimless" jokes, and, according to Mort Sahl, someone is always wrong.
Read MoreA big week with comedian Tom Dreesen who joined us for a fascinating look back at the early days of the Tim and Tom show and a conversation about the finer points of developing a stand-up routine during a recent visit.
Read MoreAs The Joffrey Ballet introduces its 2017/18 season opening with the premiere of Giselle on October 18th, our FTA this week is a memorable conversation with Artistic Director Ashley Wheater this spring. If you did not experience Christopher Wheeldon’s re-imagined The Nutcracker last year, make a reservation today. The Nutcracker returns December 1st.
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When I was growing up in rural Vermont in the early 60's, we had a party line telephone system. Our unique ring was one short and one long, the cue that someone had dialed our number and it was our turn to talk on the line. If you tried to call in when someone was on the phone, you got a busy signal. If you tried to call out, you would sometimes interrupt whoever was talking at the time. Most days, things worked pretty well.
Read MoreIt is a BIG week coming up in and around Chicago for festivals, garden walks, movies and Shakespeare in the Park and some high-flying excitement – namely, Cirque Du Soliel’s Luzia opening July 21st at the United Center.
Read MorePreviews begin this weekend for the Grippo Stage Company's revival of long-time Chicago playwright and actor James Sherman's God Of Issac at the Piven Theatre at Noyes Cultural Arts Center in Evanston. The semi-autobiographical piece centers around a young American Jew searching for his Jewish identity following the threatened 1977 neo-Nazi march in Skokie.
Read MoreFTA CONVERSATIONS with Robert Sims and James Sherman are featured this week along with summertime Chicago events of interest.
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