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 through Sunday, April 30, with several visual art exhibits running beyond that date. 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; 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).
In and Out of the Institution
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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. A discussion follows the performance. (JG) a 7 PM, Chicago Cultural Center, studio theater, 78 E. Washington, 773-435-3536, $15.
The International Theatre of Chicago presents a staged reading of Irish playwright Kate O’Reilly’s drama, in which three challenged actresses struggle to confront their fears of love, sex, war, intimacy, and personal limits as they perform The Trojan Women. A discussion follows the performance. a 7:30 PM, Storefront Theater, Gallery 37 Center for the Arts, 66 E. Randolph, 312-742-8497, $7.
Afterlife
Fits and Misfits
