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The women behind ‘Other Paths To God’, a National New Play Network rolling premiere coming to Chicago (left to right): Myesha-Tiara (Perceptions Theatre), Kelundra Smith (Atlanta-based playwright, write r), and India Nicole Burton (Coalescence Theatre Project, producer) Perceptions Theatre and Coalescence Theatre Project are joining forces to bring Other Paths to God, a new play by award-winning playwright Kelundra Smith, to Chicago audiences as part of a National New Play Ne

Westfield Old Orchard, Chicagoland’s premier shopping center and lifestyle destination, will offer a full lineup of seasonal experiences throughout November and December, giving guests more ways to gather, shop and celebrate. With its open-air setting transformed for the season, Westfield Old Orchard offers a unique backdrop for holiday traditions, from festive lights and visits with Santa to Hanukkah celebrations and community events. Seasonal décor will be featured throug

Clairol is celebrating 95 years in the hair color industry with the launch of She Does, a short documentary film featuring four longtime customers who share their personal stories, beauty rituals, and connections to the iconic hair color brand. The anniversary campaign revisits Clairol’s groundbreaking question, “Does she… or doesn’t she?” first introduced in 1956, when coloring hair was often considered a private matter. Nearly seven decades later, the brand is transforming

The art historian, poet, and novelist close-reads images, moving and still, canonical and lesser known, that have shaped her evolving identity as an American “Mulatta” lesbian born at the end of the Civil Rights Movement in this singular blend of life-writing and cultural studies. The daughter of the WASP mother who raised her and a Black father she has never known, J. Vanessa Lyon delivers a candid memoir across thirteen uniquely structured chapters in conversation with endu

Fall event: Boozy Tea at Bar Pendry Hotel Autumn at Château Carbide | October 1-November 7: New this season, Château Carbide will introduce an autumn activation on its 24th-floor rooftop, featuring pumpkins, mums and seasonal décor alongside fall cocktails and a trio of pies against skyline views from the hotel’s rooftop. Boozy Tea at Bar Pendry | Saturdays, 11:00 am-3:00 pm | October 3-December 26: Bar Pendry’s Boozy Tea returns this fall with tiered sweet and savory bites,

Left to right Ashley Tarver and Kiara Poole Chicago is taking center stage in the search for love as OWN’s hit dating series Ready to Love heads to the Windy City for the first time. Season 12 premiered Friday, October 2, 2026, introducing 20 successful Black singles in their 30s and 40s who are ready to explore new connections and find meaningful, lasting relationships. Hosted by comedian and relationship expert Thomas “Nephew Tommy” Miles, Ready to Love: Chicago brings toge

The Drunk Shakespeare Society Brings a Hilarious Holiday Show for One Month Only Drunk Christmas Carol, presented by the Drunk Shakespeare Society, brings a boozy twist on Charles Dickens’ holiday classic to Chicago for a limited run at The Lion Theatre from Nov. 11, 2026, through Jan. 3, 2027 giving audiences a chance to plan a holiday outing filled with comedy, audience participation and festive cocktails. One daring actor takes five shots of whiskey before attempting an e

Hosted by The Widow (Alexis Allotta), the self-proclaimed “Wittiest Witch of the Midwest,” and her sarcastic undead husband Charlie (Adam Michaels) Created by Chicago-area filmmakers Meredith Tummillo and Tony Wash and filmed locally, the YouTube series blends horror trivia, comedy, character hosts, and a Universal theme park vacation sweepstakes A new horror-comedy trivia game show created and filmed in the Chicago area is giving genre fans a weekly reason to test their kno

Photo: Club Athletic Club Athletic, the New York-born social fitness community transforming training into collective pursuit, is making its Midwest debut with the launch of its first two Chicago studios: Old Town Athletic and Lake Street Athletic. The announcement comes shortly after Old Town Athletic officially opened its doors at 1350 N. Wells Street on September 21. Ahead of Lake Street Athletic’s October 12 grand opening at 1035 W. Lake Street, the studio is hosted a two-

Playwright Crystal Roman brings conversations about Black and Latina identity, colorism, cultural history, and representation to the stage. Identity, culture, and belonging are at the center of Black Latina: A Play, a nationally touring production by playwright Crystal Roman that explores the experiences of Black Latina women and the complexities of navigating race, ethnicity, and womanhood in America. Returning to Chicago for a three-day run in partnership with Urban Theater

This September 21–27, Westfield Old Orchard is hosting its first-ever Foodie Week, welcoming guests to seven days of tasting menus, special offers and more across participating food and beverage retailers. With options ranging from Italian and Japanese to Mexican, burgers, coffee and sweets, Foodie Week offers a fun way to gather with friends and family, try something new and enjoy some of the dining options throughout Old Orchard. Participating restaurants include: Bar Sie

Broadway Company of Operation Mincemeat. Photo by Matt Crockett OPERATION MINCEMEAT: A NEW MUSICAL will play Broadway In Chicago’s CIBC Theatre (18 W. Monroe St.) for a limited two-week engagement, September 29 – October 11, on its North American leg of its World Tour. In OPERATION MINCEMEAT: A NEW MUSICAL, it’s 1943, and the Allied Forces are on the ropes. Luckily, they’ve got a trick up their sleeve. Well, not up their sleeve, per se, but rather inside the pocket of a stole

The Queens-born restaurant that earned Michelin Guide recommendations for nine consecutive years brings its celebrated soup dumplings and Shanghainese comfort food to Chicago’s River North Nan Xiang Xiao Long Bao, the Michelin-recommended New York restaurant celebrated for its handcrafted soup dumplings and authentic Shanghainese cuisine, will open its newest location in Chicago this summer at 33 W Ontario St in River North. Founded in Flushing, Queens in 2006, Nan Xiang Xi

Becky Robison is a writer and certified death doula living in Louisville, Kentucky. After her parents died, she created My Parents Are Dead: What Now?—a website documenting her journey through the legal, financial, and bureaucratic aftermath in order to help others do the same.