—Stacks of Laughter: Gerber/Hart Library and Archives, 6500 N. Clark St.. will host a comedy benefit, "Stacks of Laughter," on Saturday, Sept. 18. At 6 p.m., there will be a VIP reception with local historian John D'Emilio. Also, a tour of the restricted stacks will be available. The main event will take place at 7 p.m. The comedy showcase will feature Archy Jamjun, Ron Popp and Amy Nico Schwartz. Visit www.gerberhart.org/fallbenefit2021.
—Mr. Soul!: Al Green, Stevie Wonder, Patti LaBelle, Gladys Knight, Nikki Giovanni, James Baldwin, Cicely Tyson, Harry Belafonte, Muhammad Ali were just a few of the personalities who were on the '60s-'70s show Soul!, hosted by Ellis Haizlip—who was openly gay. Mr. Soul! is a documentary filmed by his niece, Melissa Haizlip, that looks at the host and the show. The film launches on HBO Max on Aug. 22.
—National S'mores Day: In honor of National S'mores Day (Aug. 10), I/O Godfrey at The Godfrey Hotel Chicago is presenting a S'mores-inspired drink and dessert available throughout August. The S'mores Martini ($15) is made with Bacardi rum infused with banana; cold-brew coffee; chocolate drizzle; crushed graham crackers; and a roasted marshmallow. Similarly, there will be a S'mores Dessert ($12) composed of layers of smooth chocolate mousse, chocolate ganache, graham crackers and toasted crushed marshmallows. Hotel guests can pick up a S'mores To-Go Kit ($75) that serves up to four people.
Also, Travelle at the Langham will have an upscale treat for that day in the form of Cherry S'mores ($15).
—Hell in a Handbag Productions' 20th season: Hell in a Handbag Productions is marking its 20th-anniversary season with new and familiar works, including The Golden Girls: The Lost Episodes, Vol. 5 — SEX!, Christmas Dearest, The Drag Seed and A Fine Feathered Murder: A Miss Marbled Mystery. Tickets for The Golden Girls are currently available at goldengirls5sex.eventbrite.com (and includes a 30-day membership to Leather Archives & Museum); season subscriptions will go on sale shortly at handbagproductions.org .
—Nonnina: Nonnina (340 N. Clark St.; NonninaChicago.com) may have recently experienced a change in leadership—with Executive Chef Tony Priolo and business partner Ciro Longobardo stepping down—but the quality of the dishes remains high, as a couple recent visits confirmed. Nonnina continues to be one of the best Italian restaurants in the city.
