Hey Columbian Exposition Fans!

I will be going out of town in a blaze of Historical Lecturing Glory with three Columbian Exposition presentations (at three separate Mather’s More Than A Cafe locations) set before I depart:

June 29 at 2:15 PM. (3225 N. Central)
The Midway Plaisance (Part 2).

July 10 at 1 PM (33 E 83rd St)
The Columbian Exposition Virtual Tour (Part 1)

July 13 at 1 PM (7134 W. Higgins)
The Foreign Buildings (Part 4)

I’ll also be posting about them individually as the dates approach. Also doing three more Hollywood On Lake Michigan, 2nd Edition Presentations that I’ll be flogging as well.

BTW- I’ll give a Special Rate if anyone wants to host Part 3 (The State Buildings) in their apartment! 

That would actually be pretty easy if you have a computer-enabled TV and PowerPoint on your system. Have a Chicago History Party!!!

Time For The June Hootenanny!!!

Bring A Live Performance* & A Dish To Pass!!!

FRIDAY, June 12 at 8 PM

The Roots Room, 5203 N. Kimball

 One Of The Last Chances To See Me Perform Before I Flee The Country!

I’ll Be Bringing My Internationally Acclaimed Hummus. Feel Free To Bring Whatever Tasty Treat You Wish.

*This Hootenanny Will Have The Theme Of DREAMS:

Dreams Literal & Figurative, The Dream World, Sleep & Wakefulness, All Meanings And Connotations Encouraged.

(But Don’t Fret If Your Performance Doesn’t Conform To The Theme)

Time To Let It Out!!!

ATTENTION CHICAGO MUSICIANS, POETS,
STORYTELLERS, STAND-UP COMICS, MAGICIANS, AND PERFORMERS OF ALL KINDS!!!

I’m Hosting The Next Open Mic/Variety Night At The RootsRoom!!!

FRIDAY, June 12 at 8 PM

The Roots Room is a great space and this night is perfect for working out new material and expanding horizons as an Artist/Performer.

When I host Open Stages I create an atmosphere of respect for all genres of performance where Artists can feel safe and secure. [No stylistic cliquishness OR DISRESPECT allowed!]

My greatest joy comes from seeing someone perform for the first time or watching an Artist try out a new genre: a Musician doing Storytelling, a Storyteller doing Stand-Up, a Poet playing Music, a Stand-Up reading a poem…

The Place Where The Boundaries Meet & Overlap Is Where True Magic Happens.

And there is nothing like the feeling of opening a door into a new room in the mansion of your soul— SO COME ON DOWN & GO ON UP!!!

The Roots Room is BYOB & All Ages.
$10 Suggested Donation (or pay what you can).

WHEREAS:

As those who’ve known me for a long time are aware of, I generally have tried my best throughout my life to “walk it like I talk it.”

AND WHEREAS:

As those who know me on social media are aware of, I have been doing a LOT of talking in the last few years.

AND WHEREAS:

I have grown tired of “liking” memes about following your dreams, doing that thing which scares you, following your bliss, living your art, embracing your destiny, becoming your best possible self, going where you are celebrated and not staying where you are tolerated etc. etc. etc. etc. etc…

AND WHEREAS:

I have grown REALLY tired of seeing jets flying overhead out of O’Hare and wishing I was on them.

THEREFORE:

Last week I purchased a one-way plane ticket to Berlin and will be leaving in late July to fully consummate my lifelong love of The World.

I give my deepest thanks and love to everyone I have known in Chicago. It’s been a wonderful 27 Years!!!

But the same irresistible forces that impelled me to move here in 1987 on the strength of three months of Stand-Up Comedy Club Bookings are calling me to bring what Chicago has given me and taught me to the People Of Earth.

I am filled with equal parts Joy and Terror as I begin to take Life Inventory over the next two months and prepare for this next chapter in my Story.

I can only hope it will be as Epic as the one that is now coming to an end…

ATTENTION CHICAGO MUSICIANS, POETS, STORYTELLERS, STAND-UP COMICS, MAGICIANS & PERFORMERS OF ALL KINDS!!!

I’m Hosting An Open Mic

  Friday, May 8

It will also be a Celebration Of My Birthday

(3 days off but close enough)

And (OF COURSE) I’ll be bringing my Internationally Acclaimed

Homemade Hummus!!!

LET IT ROAR!!!

The Roots Room is a great space and this night is perfect for working out new material and expanding horizons as an Artist/Performer.

When I host Open Stages I create an atmosphere of respect for all genres of performance where Artists can feel safe and secure. [No stylistic cliquishness OR DISRESPECT allowed!]

My greatest joy comes from seeing someone perform for the first time or watching an Artist try out a new genre: a Writer reading their work in front of others for the first time, a Musician doing Storytelling, a Storyteller doing Stand-Up, a Poet playing Music, a Stand-Up reading a poem— The Place Where The Boundaries Meet & Overlap Is Where True Magic Happens.

And there is nothing like the feeling of opening a door into a new room in the mansion of your soul— SO COME ON DOWN & GO ON UP!!!

The Roots Room: 5203 N Kimball

BYOB & All Ages.
$10 Suggested Donation (or pay what you can).

In Case Ya Missed It:

Much fun was had at the Roots Room last night! Began the night with a brilliant singer named DeWayne and had a contingent of poets and writers do some fantastic work. Stann Champion displayed his guitar mastery.

And I got to do some poems, standup (very rusty but I had my moments), a long story piece, and just generally get my shamanic jibber-jabber on— which felt tremendous after a long Winter of Hermitude.

I always hope for what I call a “Triumphant Moment” in my Open Stages- that moment where someone feels comfortable and/or bold enough to stretch themselves as a Performer/Artist (or to perform/read for the very first time).

Last night’s Triumphant Moment: When Writer/Actor Robert Strasser got up on stage (again) and borrowed Stann’s guitar to do a heartfelt rendition of Long Black Veil.

The next Open Mic at The Roots Room shall be on May 8 (a mere 3 days after my Birthday).

Please Stop By And Be My Triumphant Moment!!!

Sometimes Ya Just Gotta Let It All Hang Out. And This Is One Of Those Times!!!

ATTENTION CHICAGO MUSICIANS, POETS, STORYTELLERS, STAND-UP COMICS, MAGICIANS, AND PERFORMERS OF ALL KINDS!!!

I’m Hosting The Next Open Mic/Variety Night At The Roots Room?!!!

FRIDAY APRIL 10

The Roots Room is a great space and this night is perfect for working out new material and expanding horizons as an Artist/Performer.

When I host Open Stages I create an atmosphere of respect for all genres of performance where Artists can feel safe and secure. [No stylistic cliquishness OR DISRESPECT allowed!]

My greatest joy comes from seeing someone perform for the first time or watching an Artist try out a new genre: a Writer reading their work in front of others for the first time, a Musician doing Storytelling, a Storyteller doing Stand-Up, a Poet playing Music, a Stand-Up reading a poem— The Place Where The Boundaries Meet & Overlap Is Where True Magic Happens.

And there is nothing like the feeling of opening a door into a new room in the mansion of your soul— SO COME ON DOWN & GO ON UP!!!

The Roots Room: 5203 N Kimball

BYOB & All Ages.
$10 Suggested Donation (or pay what you can).

I am EXTREMELY pleased and honored to announce that I will be the Featured Author in the Lt. Governor’s Tent at the Illinois State Fair from 11AM-1PM on Friday, August 8!!! I’ll be doing an interview, reading excerpts from Hollywood On Lake Michigan, 2nd Edition, and signing free copies to be raffled off to attendees.

Stop on by if you are at The Fair that day. It’s going to be HUGE fun!!!

You might call my appearance The Unofficial Opening Ceremonies. 😉

In another incredibly huge honor, Hollywood On Lake Michigan, 2nd Edition has been selected to be one the books included in the 2014 Illinois Reads Program!

Illinois Reads is a statewide program to promote reading amongst all Illinois citizens. It is under the auspices of  the  Illinois Reading Council and in conjunction with the Illinois State Library, State Librarian and Honorary Chair Jesse White (whose Secretary Of State Office funds the literacy effort under which I volunteer tutor).

I can’t begin to state how excited I am by this development. As a volunteer ESL/ABE tutor, Universal Literacy is a cause near and dear to me, so this is an especially heartfelt honor. It is also wonderful for the book itself, which I had hoped would become a textbook of sorts, and this definitely puts it well on the way to that status.

Many thanks to The Illinois Reading Council, my co-author Arnie Bernstein, my publisher Chicago Review Press, the State Library and Librarian, and anyone else who had a hand in the section process. I’m greatly looking forward to the festivities and kickoff ceremony on Wednesday, March 12 down in Springfield!

Part 2 of my ABC 7 interview segments aired last month, and it features even more of my waxing rhapsodic about Chicago Film:

And here is Part 1 in case you missed it:

It has been such a thrill to be a part of such fantastic tributes to the Chicago Production Industry. I sincerely hope these segments bring even more recognition to what a wonderful place Chicago is to make a film or television show. Please share with everyone you can and help once again make Chicago the worldwide production hub that it was in the early 1900’s (when 1 out of every 5 films was made here)!

Oh Yeah— And BUY MY BOOK!!! 😉

I am extremely honored to announce that I am speaking at Chicago Book Expo. It is a major gathering of Chicago Writers and Independent Publishers and I can’t begin to describe how pleased I am to be a part of it.

Chicago Book Expo

Sunday, November 24

St Augustine College, 1345 W Argyle.

 The event starts at 11AM and I’ll be presenting from 2:30-3:30

It will be such a kick to do my HOLM 2 presentation in the old Essanay Studio Buildings- which were the site of one of the first movie studios on earth. And to be in the company of such fine authors and publishers makes it an even bigger thrill.

You really ought to stop on by because I will be in Full Expounding Mode!!!

Arnie Bernstein will be there as well talking about his fantastic new book, Swastika Nation: Fritz Kuhn and the Rise and Fall of the German American Bund.