From delightfully musical evenings to stellar art experiences, here are our must-dos for November.
Hubbard Street Dance’s fall season kicks off with Jardí Tancat by Spanish choreographer Nacho Duato.
SEE Hubbard Street Dance is making a return to the stage, featuring both new, original performances and bold, contemporary favorites we know and love. Season 44, themed RE/CHARGE, is led by newly appointed artistic director Linda-Denise Fisher-Harrell and will showcase three performance series, beginning with its reinvented fall series, RE/TURN, in mid-November. Join Hubbard Street Dance in celebrating 44 years of dance that have not only brought artists and audiences together in venues around the globe, but have also earned countless honors, including multiple Princess Grace Awards. Harris Theater for Music and Dance, 205 E. Randolph St., hubbardstreetdance.com
From footwear to fab fashions, Gucci’s new Oakbrook Center outpost impresses.
SHOP The western suburbs just got that much more chic, as Gucci has arrived at Oakbrook Center. Explore this showroom of Gucci’s hottest lineups, from shoes and handbags to watches and fragrances. Guests are welcomed inside by a dramatic Orobico Calacatta marble facade, then greeted by a harmonious juxtaposition of marble and wood. This decidedly minimalist but elegant styling sets Gucci apart both in brand and wear. 6 Oakbrook Center, Oak Brook, gucci.com
In “Can You Think of Any Laws that Give Government the Power to Make Decisions About the Male Body” (2020), Andrea Bowers explores a quote by Kamala Harris from Brett Kavanaugh’s 2018 confirmation hearing.
VIEW Get inspired by the Museum of Contemporary Art’s newest exhibition featuring Andrea Bowers, a multidisciplinary artist with experience in a wide range of media. Bowers is known for strong pieces that advocate for workers’ and women’s rights, as well as social, environmental and immigration justice. Specific highlights of her exhibition include “Memorial to Arcadia Woodlands Clear-Cut,” a large-scale sculpture produced in 2013, and My Name Means Future, a film featuring Indigenous rights activist Tokata Iron Eyes. These pieces capture the foundation of the museum itself, upholding the provocative and inspiring nature of contemporary art in our collective charge for change. Nov. 20-March 27, 220 E. Chicago Ave., mcachicago.org
Radio Room’s comforting, creative American fare hits the spot.
TASTE Looking for a new place to wine and dine? Radio Room has you covered. Formerly Public House, this reinvented American restaurant from DineAmic Hospitality offers an energized dining experience with live music, vintage light and warm finishes atop exposed brick. Live DJs set the scene while you browse a flavorful menu. Enjoy twists on contemporary comfort cuisine, with highlights such as Nashville hot fries with hot chicken, four cheese fondue, slaw and pickles; Public House wings made Buffalo style; and mac and cheese with your choice of premium ingredients—and that’s just dinner. This lively destination offers guests a specialized menu for every occasion, from football game days to happy hour to weekend brunch with bottomless mimosas. 400 N. State St., radioroomusa.com
Carrie Coon and Namir Smallwood get a serious case of the heebie-jeebies in Bug.
WATCH Steppenwolf Theatre is back with the highly anticipated return of Tracy Letts’s spellbinding Bug. The play is set in a ramshackle Oklahoma bar, where sparks fly between a lonely waitress and a young traveler who find comfort in each other—until the bugs start swarming, that is. This macabre and intense cult classic riffs on traditional psychological thrillers, combining themes of love and paranoia into a production that makes your skin crawl from start to finish. Starring ensemble members Carrie Coon and Namir Smallwood, this emotionally charged performance is one you won’t want to miss. Nov. 11-Dec. 12, 1650 N. Halsted St., steppenwolf.org
Photography by: BY TODD ROSENBERG; COURTESY OF GUCCI; BY JEFF MCLANE/COURTESY OF THE ARTIST AND VIELMETTER LOS ANGELES; BY MICHAEL BROSILOW; BY TIM MCCOY
