The John Hancock Center is a popular tourist draw, but few visitors know that the land it sits on was where a dangerous criminal hatched his notorious schemes. Using forged documents, Streeter sold property that he had dubious claim to. Police and private detectives tried to oust Cap. He and Maria responded by dousing them with boiling water or firing birdshot at them from muskets. Cap faced the courts several times and was eventually sentenced for the murder of John Kirk....

There are plenty of shows, films, and concerts happening this week. Here’s some of what we recommend: Tue 5/15: “An extraordinary translation of life into art, Chloé Zhao’s drama The Rider fictionalizes the experiences of Brady Jandreau, a Lakota cowboy on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota, whose rodeo career ended in April 2016 after a bucking bronco threw him and stepped on his skull.” —J.R. Jones Various times, various locations...

Late in the action, when a missile hits the hull of Captain Nemo’s submarine, the Nautilus, the lights turn red, dramatic music kicks up in the background, and the actors onstage respond to the impact in slow motion. It’s one of a handful or more of moments that seem off about this Lookingglass production. The sheer scale of the story undermines its ambitions as a work of theater. Playwrights David Kersnar and Althos Low, who adapted the script from Jules Verne’s novel, steer the action through Victorian drawing rooms, the ocean floor, and a deserted island, transitioning so abruptly from one locale to the next that the prerecorded voice of Professor Aronnax (Kasey Foster) has to keep piping in to remind us where we are....

Up to this point, comedian and actor Amy Schumer has been known as a boundary pusher. The best sketches on her Comedy Central series Inside Amy Schumer (2013-’17) called out and rejected the ways in which women are expected to adhere to certain beauty standards and behavioral norms in consumer society. Trainwreck (2015), her first starring feature, was a successful extension of her TV show’s themes and her stand-up persona as a raunchy, unapologetic lush....

In the 19th century, amid social unrest, crime, and infectious disease in the lower Manhattan neighborhood of Five Points in New York City, an American dance was brewing. The source of this new creative energy was a combination of cultures colliding and competition. “Black people and Irish people were on the street corner together, in the music halls together, in the pubs together,” notes choreographer Michelle Dorrance. “And Irish were referred to as Blacks, and Black dancing was called jigging....

Sexual harassment and assault have reemerged in our national discourse, thanks largely to the leaked footage of Donald Trump and Billy Bush bantering about having their way with women. Now, more than a dozen women have come forward, alleging that Trump assaulted them in one form or another. Julia’s father, Derrick Martin, described her as adventurous and ambitious; she had just received her passport for a New Year’s trip to Africa....

Paige Wynne Elaine Glusac Chicagoans is a first-person account from off the beaten track, as told to Anne Ford. This week’s Chicagoan is Elaine Glusac, freelance travel writer. “You have to fall in love with every aspect of this job or you’ll go crazy. I feel lucky that I never have lost my enthusiasm for flying. When I’m in a plane, I’m usually looking out the window, always sort of surprised and delighted....

LA rocker Ty Segall has made a name for himself partly through his prolificacy; over the last decade he’s churned out records in a slew of different contexts. He’s actually slowed down a bit, releasing only one album annually over the last few years (not counting his work as a drummer in Fuzz), and while recently there’s been some backlash about his need to self-edit his output, I don’t buy any of it....

The mayor’s race isn’t the only circus in town. On February 24 voters will also choose their aldermen for the first time since all 50 wards were redrawn in 2012—though we’re pretty sure we know the outcome in six wards where incumbents are running unopposed. Seventh Ward Lawyers, guns, and ballot challenges More than 50 residents applied to the mayor’s office to finish Sandi Jackson’s term, including her chief of staff, Keiana Barrett....

The weirdest, almost psychedelically surreal moment of the campaign season occurred last week when Blago showed up at Trump Tower to rally Black support for President Donnie. Oh, no—I feel a surge of Baby Boomer vote-shaming coming up . . . Black people voting MAGA because of Blago’s endorsement is not even this campaign season’s most self-destructive act. Phyllis—or whoever wrote the script she’s reading—just made that up. Besides, I learned long ago that hate has a strong influence on voting behavior....

Japanese musicians have a long history of fascination with Western kitsch—perhaps they perceive aggressive artificiality as America’s most authentic form of expression. In the 70s, Haruomi Hosono released a number of exotica albums, and two decades later, the Pizzicato Five became famous for their irony-poisoned Bacharach sophisti-twee. Iconic Tokyo singer-songwriter and producer Shintaro Sakamoto advanced that winking tradition for decades as the front man for underground psych-rock legends Yura Yura Teikoku, a three-piece that was very influential in Japan but rarely performed internationally....

Chicago singer-songwriter Gia Margaret makes what she calls “sleep rock.” Its mellow vibes make it well-suited for early-morning or late-night listening, while its catchy melodies and driving beats can get heads nodding—albeit gently. Margaret’s 2018 debut full-length, There’s Always Glimmer, creates inviting atmospheres with crisp production and varied instrumentation: Margaret’s double-tracked vocals glow amid a calming mix of electronic drums, piano, and guitar. She builds upon that foundation on her new second album, Mia Gargaret (Orindal), though unlike its predecessor, it’s largely an instrumental record—she sings only on the closing track, “Lesson,” and occasionally samples voices, including a lecture by British philosopher Alan Watts....

I haven’t poured a drink, chosen a song to play, washed a glass, or greeted a regular at the Skylark since March 15, 2020. It was a Sunday that had an end-of-the-world feel. Nobody knew when we’d gather again. I made stupid-good tips. The next day, all Chicago restaurants and bars were ordered closed and everyone was told to stay home. Within a day or two, a regular e-mailed me an invite to join SkypeLark—the kind of video group chat that is now the primary mode of communication for many millions....

It’s been more than a week since the shelter-in-place order was given. But even before the order was given, art galleries and museums had been connecting virtually with viewers for upwards of two weeks. Most went on hiatus and began canceling events in order to protect those tempted to gather in large crowds (and as we have learned, Chicagoans are very tempted). This unfortunately includes a large number of students who were planning to present their thesis work in student exhibitions....

Those familiar with talk shows know what to expect. Bright lights, a small stage, a comfy couch, a few guests, and a charming host. The audience applauds when instructed, and the production formula is almost always the same. But Super Tasty isn’t your typical talk-show rodeo. In place of current events, famous guests, and network-friendly games, it’s got anatomical lessons, queer voices, and salacious advice. That’s right, it’s all about sex, baby....

The Crowd Theater opened in a Lakeview storefront in November 2015, jokingly branding itself as “Chicago’s only improv comedy theater.” Of course, that’s not true, but the owners have tried to be creative in order to get recognized in an oversaturated community. In October 2016, just before the theater’s one-year anniversary, Crowd adopted a new financial model: monthly subscriptions. Through the crowd-funding platform Patreon guests can pay one monthly fee for access to every performance on that month’s schedule, giving those who frequent the theater a good deal while providing the Crowd with a guaranteed monthly income to fulfill its mission of “diversity, inclusivity, and affordability....

Dear Heron, Are you one or several? You stand still as a statue or stride through the water, limbs sliding through liquid with scarce a ripple. You stalk through the limpid pond, aloof as a reptile, then strike with switchblade speed to emerge, beak snapping and eyes impassive, a living lump wriggling down your throat. I have stood breathless in the thrall of your strut, marveled at your shadowy reflection, observed you stirring less than the blades of grass ruffling in the breeze....

The Dam Keeper This year’s Oscar nominees for the Best Animated Short Film come to about 50 minutes in total, so the touring program of nominees (opening today at the Landmark Century Centre) features an additional four shorts that the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences deems “highly commended.” I wasn’t overly impressed with any of the official nominees, nor was I especially disappointed by the others. The program is consistently, modestly enjoyable—which makes for a better overall time at the movies than a program with one or two standouts amid a field of junk....

Autumn Eytalis, a bartender at Asian barbecue restaurant BellyQ, learned what bonito flakes were a week before Adam Kamin of the Delta challenged her to create a cocktail with them, she says. Coincidentally, she’d ordered brussels sprouts that were served with bonito flakes on top. “They were dancing,” she says. “I was like, what is this weird thing?” Bonito flakes, made from smoked skipjack tuna that’s fermented and dried in the sun for several months, are sliced so thinly that the steam from hot dishes makes them curl and sway, appearing to dance of their own accord....

On last year’s Six Easy Pieces (Odin), the long-running Scandinavian freebop quintet Atomic truly settled into life with drummer Hans Hulbækmo, who replaced founding percussionist Paal Nilssen-Love in 2014. As anyone who’s ever experienced the volcanic, shape-shifting work of Nilssen-Love can imagine, he left some massive shoes to fill. Hulbækmo wisely made no effort to replicate his predecessor’s presence, opting instead for a more gentle, swing-oriented approach. Compared to his first release with Atomic, 2015’s Lucidity (Jazzland Recordings), he definitely sounds more unified with the band on the latest....