The newest horror fiction from Rick Reed, Deadly Vision, has hit the stands. Rick, of course, was a longtime theater critic for Windy City Times ( and Outlines before that ) until he moved to Florida in 2006. Jonny hasn't read Deadly Vision, but Rick has supplied Jonny with this short synopsis: What if you suddenly became psychic and could stop two cold-blooded killers? And what if no one believed you? Small-town single mom Cass D'Angelo sees into the deepest secrets of those around her. Some teenage girls have gone missing, and Cass sees their grisly fates. The police are suspicious, the press wants to make her a celebrity and the killers are desperate to know how she found them out. Of course, if Jonny knows Rick, he'd rather top two killers than stop them. You can purchase Deadly Visions through Amazon.com and Barnes and Noble among other booksellers of truly evil horrific stuff.________________
Bradford Newquist.
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Jonny knew it: Those kinky folk in Winnetka are into water sports in a big way. Why else would the Big Noise Theatre Company produce Urinetown: The Musical? Those of Jonny's readers who can chew gum and piss at the same time, or at least sing, can audition for Urinetown Feb. 18-19 at 7 p.m. at the Winnetka Community House ( 620 Lincoln, Winnetka ) . No appointment is required but you need to prepare a humorous song and dress for movement. Call Helga 708-763-0056 with questions. Urinetown is a Tony Award-winning musical comedy that satirizes corporate greed, corrupt government, evil ( is there any other kind? ) totalitarianism and unsustainable consumerism. Well, that covers all the bad people except the Christian Right. Big Noise Theatre Company is a member of the League of Chicago Theatres.
Jonny's readers are very chic, very smart, uniformly attractive and exceedingly well-informed on all subjects ( thanks, in no small part, to Jonny ) , so Jonny's readers probably know that the City of Chicago's big wintertime cultural thing is the Museum of Modern Ice, which isn't a museum at all, although some of it is real ice. In fact, it's a series of indoor and outdoor events—some of which are decidedly hot.
For example, during February the Museum of Modern Ice presents free cabaret performances every Saturday at noon at the Chicago Cultural Center. The kick-off is Feb. 2 with Bradford Newquist and his Red, Hot & Cole performance of Cole Porter songs. Others in the series: Joan Curto and Beckie Menzie ( Feb. 9 ) ; Paul Marinaro ( Feb. 16 ) ; and Kat Taylor doing Broadway ( Feb. 23 ) .
Additional Museum of Modern Ice events will be offered in Millennium Park at the American Express Heated Tent ( between Michigan Ave. and Columbus Drive at Washington ) . The centerpiece of the Museum of Modern Ice will be Paintings Below Zero, a 95' x 12' wall made of boldly colored, abstract paintings in ice by Canadian artist Gordon Halloran, who will also embed an abstract ice painting within the Millennium Park Ice Rink. Details: www.museumofmodernice.com .
Kate the Great's Book Emporium in Andersonville, 5550 N. Broadway, has made a habit of presenting women of comedy the first Saturday of every month, doing stand-up routines among the bookshelves. The next Comedy @ Kate's is Feb. 2 at 7 p.m. and features Sarah Clark, Jennifer Ann Coffeen, Kelsie Huff, Janet Kane, Kendra Stevens and Amy Sumpter, all trying to out-haha one another. There's a suggested donation of $10; free coffee and great book deals.
Jonny's friend of many years, Penny Lane, reminds Jonny that the AFTRA/SAG Radio Players will present All About Eve on Feb. 6, 7 p.m., at the Chicago Cultural Center ( Claudia Cassidy Theatre ) . And it's free! Jonny knows that many of you will want to down a couple of stiff ones ( Jonny means martinis, of course ) and then fasten your seat belts for the show. This is the famous 1950 film, as adapted in 1951 for the Lux Radio Theatre. The AFTRA/SAG Radio Players—all veteran Chicago actors many of whom worked during the era of live radio—use the original script and present it as if it were a live radio broadcast. Details: www.seniorradioplayers.com .
Another of Jonny's friends, chanteuse Claudia Hommel, joins forces with Megon McDonough in A Tribute to the Great Female Voices of Cabaret, this Saturday, Jan. 26, at the Metropolis Centre ( sic ) in downtown Arlington Heights; $37.50. Meanwhile, local jazz mainstay Elaine Dame will be at Pops for Champagne Jan. 24 and 31, 9 p.m.-midnight with pianist Dennis Luxion and bassist Joe Policastro. The Great Dame is at Philander's in Oak Park this Sunday ( Jan. 27 ) , 7:30-9 p.m. ( no cover charge ) .
