SEPTEMBER
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In 1909, Italian futurism hit Russia like a sack of spuds, and within no time cutting-edge writers and artists in the major cities were painting their faces, giving confrontational performances in cafes, and creating outdoor spectacles while wearing flamboyant outfits. Their manifesto, “Why We Paint Ourselves,” explained that “art is not only a monarch but also a newsman and a decorator. The synthesis of decoration and illustration is the basis of our self-painting. We decorate life and preach–that’s why we paint ourselves.” Tonight at 7 a group of actors, musicians, artists, and others will re-create Saint Petersburg’s Stray Dog Cafe–a basement dive that was a nucleus of the movement–as part of the Chicago Cultural Center’s “Moscow Is Burning” series. The free readings and performances (complete with costumes and clowns) start at 7 in the Cultural Center’s Sidney R. Yates Gallery, 78 E. Washington in Chicago (312-744-6630).
The recent Bollywood blockbuster Josh has a lot in common with West Side Story–only its two warring gangs live in the state of Goa. “The dancing is somewhere between Michael Jackson, Busby Berkeley, and Alvin Ailey,” says a fan. The film’s star, Shahrukh Khan, will re-create one of the scenes at tonight’s Wanted Live: Best of Bollywood Bash. He’ll be joined by film stars Sanjay Dutt (“the Indian Sylvester Stallone”), former Miss Universe Sushmita Sen, comedian Johnny Lever, and two former Miss Indias-turned-actresses–Juhi Chawla and Namrata Shirodkar. They’ll perform scenes from Bollywood blockbusters with a live band at 8 at the UIC Pavilion, 1150 W. Harrison, Chicago. Available tickets range from $35 to $55. Call 773-465-3344.
3 TUESDAY They’ve danced at the Hollywood Bowl with Placido Domingo and Gloria Estefan, performed with over 150 symphony orchestras, toured the U.S. five times, and been called “the finest Spanish dancers we have in the world today” by Dance Magazine. Pascual Olivera and Angela Del Moral are also life partners, and they use their own story as the basis for their new two-act “dansical,” Te Amo. They’ll perform a version of the work in progress, created with the New Tuners Theatre, tonight and tomorrow night (and October 10 and 11) at 7:30 at the Theatre Building, 1225 W. Belmont in Chicago (773-327-5252); tickets are $15.
