By Philip Vidal
After the hectic whirl of the year-end holidays, many assume that January is a slow month for entertainment. But there is in fact plenty going on in Chicago, all of which can divert us from the usually cold and often snowy weather.
Chicago is perennially on the list of the top food destinations in the United States. The 18th annual Chicago Restaurant Week, January 24-February 9, is a great way to support Chicago’s restaurants, a wonderful opportunity to revisit old favorites and discover new ones, and take advantage of prix-fixe menus for brunch and lunch ($30 p.p.) and dinner ($45 or $60 p.p.) offered at more than 470 restaurants in the Chicago area. The First Bites Bash at the Field Museum on January 23 kicks-off Chicago Restaurant Week.
The Banchet Awards for Culinary Excellence highlights originality and talent in the Chicagoland area. Photo by The Banchet Awards.
For many years, Le Français in suburban Wheeling was considered the best restaurant in the United States. Its original proprietor, the legendary French chef Jean Banchet, is the namesake for the Banchet Awards for Culinary Excellence, celebrating the best in Chicago’s restaurant and hospitality industry. This year’s award ceremony is January 26 at VenueSIX10. It’s fitting that Roland Liccioni, chef at Carlos, Le Français and Les Nomades, will be honored at the ceremony for his decades-long and delicious contributions to Chicago’s culinary scene. This year there is a new awards category, “Best Pizza”!
Honoring Martin Luther King, Jr. Day! There are several events in Chicago celebrating Dr. King including Hyde Park Art Center’s January 20th event featuring live music, film screening, creative writing workshops and more! Photo by Hyde Park Art Center.
Illinois was the first state in the union to recognize Martin Luther King, Jr. Day (MLK Day, the third Monday in January). The list of events honoring Dr. King is long, but some of the highlights are: the 22nd “MLK: A Community Celebration concert,” a partnership of the Music Institute of Chicago and Evanston Interfaith clergy and leaders, at Nichols Concert Hall in Evanston on January 19; the MLK Day 2025: Echoes of Freedom event at the Hyde Park Art Center featuring live music, art making, film screening and more on January 20; and the electro-acoustic performance “Black Being” at the Auditorium Theatre on January 20, which features the composer-performer duo FLUTRONIX, Nathalie Joachim and Allison Loggins-Hull.
The Chicago premiere of Christopher McElroen’s “Debate: Baldwin vs. Buckley” will be held at DePaul University’s Cortelyou Commons, January 29-March 2. Photo credit to Ellie Kurttz.
Another civil rights activist and writer, James Baldwin is also celebrated this month. TimeLine Theatre Company in partnership with the american vicarious and The Theatre School at DePaul University presents the Chicago premiere of Christopher McElroen’s “Debate: Baldwin vs. Buckley” at DePaul University’s Cortelyou Commons, January 29-March 2. It’s the 60th anniversary of the historic debate between Baldwin and conservative writer and editor William F. Buckley, Jr., and it’s also the 100th anniversary of The Theatre School at DePaul University. The venue, the beautiful Gothic Revival Cortelyou Commons (1929), brings to mind the Cambridge Union where the original debate took place.
A funny and compassionate view on life, the interactive play ” Every Brilliant Thing” has been extended to January 12 at the Writers Theatre. Photo credit to Michael Brosilow.
Chicago Shakespeare Theater’s one man show “Avaaz,” written and performed by Emmy Award nominee Michael Shayan, celebrates the Iranian-Jewish immigrant experience through traditions and humor. Photo credit to Teresa Castracane Photography.
Solo shows this month include Ronán Noone’s “The Smuggler,” a one-man thriller in rhyme, January 14-25. Andrew Burden Swanson stars and opens Jackalope Theatre’s seventeenth season. Michael Shayan brings his one-person show “Avaaz” to Chicago Shakespeare Theater on Navy Pier, January 21-February 9. Shayan portrays his mother, Roya, who welcomes guests into her home to celebrate the Iranian New Year. Written and performed by Vanessa Severo, “Frida…A Self Portrait” runs January 23-February 23 at the Writers Theatre in Glencoe. Also at the Writers Theatre is “Every Brilliant Thing” starring Jessie Fisher. Chicago Tribune critic Chris Jones lauded Fisher’s solo performance as one of the top ten best in Chicago theater in 2024. The run of the play has been extended to January 12.
In ensemble productions, Kokandy Productions’ sold-out revival of Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine’s “Into the Woods” at The Chopin Studio Theatre made Chicago Tribune’s 2024 “Best in Theater: Our Top 10 in Chicago” list. Its run has also been extended to January 12.
The musical comedy “Shucked” makes its way to the Midwest for a corn shucking limited time at the CIBC Theatre, January 7-19. Photo courtesy of Broadway in Chicago.
Oysters are traditionally served this time of the year, so I thought the Tony Award® – wining musical comedy “Shucked,” playing at the CIBC Theatre January 7-19, had to do with shucking oysters. But it actually refers to something closer to home, shucking corn.
After a pause in programming, I’m delighted that Lookingglass Theatre Company at Water Tower Water Works is back and opens a new season on January 30 with the world premiere of “Circus Quixote” in association with The Actors Gymnasium (through March 30).
Chicago Academy for the Arts’ six departments unite to feature top work at their annual Academy Showcase at the Studebaker Theater, January 31. Photo credit by Thomas Mohr Photography.
The spring edition of Steppenwolf Theatre’s LookOut performance series, which presents the work of emerging and established local performing artists and companies, begins January 24. The Chicago Academy for the Arts Showcase at the Studebaker Theater on January 31 features the top work from all six arts departments at the academy: Dance, Media Arts (filmmaking, animation, creative writing), Music, Musical Theatre, Theatre, and Visual Arts. I recently toured the academy and the enthusiasm and vibrancy of the students there was palpable. Another event showcasing Chicago’s young talent is Pegasus Theatre Chicago’s 38th annual Young Playwrights Festival at Chicago Dramatists, January 5-26.
Manual Cinema’s “The Magic City” provides a fusion of actors, puppets, and live music just in time for Chicago International Puppet Theater Festival, January 25 – February 16. Photo credit to Charles Osgood.
The Chicago International Puppet Theater Festival is back and promises “12 days, 120+ shows & events with puppet artists from around the world,” January 15-26 at various venues. Manual Cinema’s “The Magic City” returns to Chicago Children’s Theatre with actors, puppets, and live music, January 25-February 16.
Get your lists ready! More than 100 shows will go on sale for Chicago Theatre Week, February 6-16. Photo by Chicago Theatre Week.
Discounted tickets to more than 100 shows go on sale for Chicago Theatre Week (February 6-16) starting Tuesday, January 7.
The description for the annual Settle In series at the Gene Siskel Film Center (GSFC) essentially says that TV binge watching is for babies, and offers movies instead. The GSFC tests movie viewing endurance when the series returns January 4, 11, 18, 19 and 25. For example, on January 11, the GSFC screens “The Godfather,” “The Godfather Part II” and “The Godfather Part III.” Tickets include bottomless coffee and popcorn. It is worth noting that January 19 is National Popcorn Day and popcorn is the official state snack of Illinois.
Nova Linea Musica Artists-in-Residence program introduces Chicago to talented classical music stars and new music stewards, their first concert will be held on January 15 at Guarneri Hall. Photo by Nova Linea Musica.
Northwestern University Bienen School of Music’s annual Winter Chamber Music Festival kicks off on January 10 with a performance by the Dover Quartet. Chicago-based Third Coast Percussion with Jessie Montgomery, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra’s Mead composer-in-residence, performs on January 11. The acclaimed musicians of the Nova Linea Musica Artists-in-Residence program perform their first concert at Guarneri Hall on January 15.
The cold, long, dark days of January are a good time to attend a talk or lecture, either in person or online. The Alliance Française de Chicago always has a host of interesting presentations. The Alliance concludes its symposium on French architecture with a lecture by Reed Kroloff, Dean of the College of Architecture at the Illinois institute of Technology, entitled, “Icons: Les meilleurs projets d’architecture contemporaine français,” about contemporary French architecture, on January 22. If your French is non-existent or rusty, no worries, the lecture is in English. On the heels of the re-opening of Notre-Dame de Paris last month, the Alliance presents (on Zoom, in English) a weekly six-part series “World Monuments in Paris,” beginning January 9.
Baseball season is coming! The Cubs and Soxs hold their respective conventions this month with plenty of fun activities for fans. Photo courtesy of Cubs Convention.
The coldest temperature recorded in Chicago was -27 degrees on January 20, 1985, which makes me wish for a milder January as I look for indoor events. The 38th annual Cubs Convention is at the Sheraton Grand Hotel, January 17-10. The Cubs were the first pro team to host a fan convention. For Sox fans, SoxFest Live is at the historic Ramova Theatre in Bridgeport, January 24-25. This year marks the 125th anniversary of the Chicago White Sox organization and the 20th anniversary of the 2005 World Series Championship.
The Chinese Lunar New Year is January 29 (the start of the Year of the Snake, which I understand is a time for transformation and introspection). All the best in the New Year – Chinese or otherwise!
Dates, times, locations and availability are subject to change.
