Chicago’s first-ever festival focusing on work created by and about artists with disabilities includes performances, visual art, film and video, lectures, and workshops presented throughout the city and in some suburban locations Thursday, April 20, through Sunday, April 30, with several visual art exhibits running beyond those dates. More than 50 cultural institutions and community groups are participating; all venues are wheelchair-accessible and have accessible restrooms. Many performances include audio description, word-for-word captioning, or sign-language interpretation. Below is a schedule of selected events through Thursday, April 27; for a complete schedule and information on public transportation, parking, accessibility, and accommodations, see www.bodiesofwork.org or call 312-744-6630 (TTY 312-744-2927).
Mutiple Expressions–One Objective
Bodies of Work: A Public Forum
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Members of the Thresholds psychiatric rehabilitation center perform an ensemble-created program of short pieces. Sharing personal recollections and self-affirmation may be therapeutic, and the company’s intense effort is admirable. But the stories barely scratch the surface of what it’s like to feel different or alone, and the production seldom succeeds as theater. (JG) a 7 PM, Chicago Cultural Center, studio theater, 78 E. Washington, 773-435-3536, $15; postshow discussion.
These two troupes present a program of “physically integrated” dance. a 7:30 PM, Duncan YMCA Chernin Center for the Arts, 1001 W. Roosevelt, 312-421-7800, $15-$20.
A Celebration of the Life of John Belluso
