Journalist, Author & Syndicated Columnist
After 13 years and 92 stage productions – including the infamous “Real Live Brady Bunch” and “Coed Prison Sluts” – the Annoyance Theatre is closing its doors this weekend.
Temporarily.
When the Chicago Symphony Orchestra implemented its Musicians Residency Program two years ago, its goal was to build bridges through music. The CSO wanted to be accessible to folks who may never have attended orchestral performances before.
By Jae-Ha Kim, Robert Manor, Shu Shin Luh Chicago Sun-Times May 25, 2000 Elliott Gould and a dozen other actors and actresses grabbed the spotlight at AT&T’s annual meeting in Chicago Wednesday, demanding the company support their union’s efforts to […]
A brief statement said the prospective parents “are happy to confirm the rumors that they are expecting a child at the end of this year.” “We would be grateful if the media would kindly allow us some privacy at this special time, and we thank you all for your good wishes,” said Ritchie, director of “Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels.”
In “Scream 3,” the movie’s heroine asks a detective what he knows about trilogies. He answers, “In the third one, all bets are off.” All bets are on that the latest entry in the “Scream” franchise will fare as well as its predecessors. After opening last Friday, “Scream 3” went on to gross $34.7 million in its first weekend–more than all the rest of the films in the top 10 combined.
Remember how you threw out your Partridge Family lunch box when you hit high school? Chances are that if you had held onto it, you’d be up $160. Oops.
“Fatty Drives the Bus” sure sounds odd enough to be the followup to the Annoyance Theatre’s best known production, “Co-Ed Prison Sluts.” But the feature – which hits video stores today – actually marks the Chicago-based improv troupe’s first foray into film.
A good sequel is like money in the bank. But is it also an oxymoron? Not necessarily, as proven by a couple of this summer’s biggest followups. During its first three days of release, “Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me” made $1 million more than the original “Powers” grossed during its entire theatrical run.
People think that teen shows are just for teen viewers. But cop shows aren’t just for cops, just like doctor shows aren’t just for doctors. Between `Party of Five,’ `Dawson’s Creek’ and (the canceled) `My So-Called Life,’ American TV (programmers) have finally discovered that the lives of teenagers make for good television literature.
Carson Pirie Scott’s State Street store was transformed into a TV studio one day last September, when a scene for the hospital drama “Chicago Hope” was shot there. Producers say they like the different exteriors they find while shooting in the Windy City.
What’s wrong with this picture? The reigning single this summer is “The Boy is Mine,” a sultry duet by teen divas Brandy and Monica fighting over a slick, two-timing beau. The tune is catchy enough. But its comparatively moody lyrics and subtle delivery are a far cry from the season’s usual sunny songs.
There were three rules for the 250 or so Hanson fans who finagled their way inside Planet Hollywood Friday afternoon for the popular pop trio’s press conference. No screaming. No standing. No flash photography. All three rules were broken quicker than you could say “MMMBop” when 15-year-old Taylor Hanson announced that his secret, unfulfilled fantasy was “to meet every single person here.”
Whatever happened to three-dimensional films? You know – the kind where you strapped on a pair of goofy glasses, sat in a dark movie theater and squealed as Vincent Price worked his magic in “House of Wax.”
Where have all the “Friends” fans gone? Sure, millions of fans tune in each week to watch the comely sextet sort out their problems in their impossibly spacious Manhattan apartments. But when it comes to the stars’ films, fans seem to prefer staying home sipping cappuccinos.
There’s a lot to be said for staying home and curling up in front of the TV on New Year’s Eve. You don’t have to deal with traffic jams, snooty waiters or drunken strangers puckering up in your vicinity. And, if you happen to get a tad tipsy, you’re already home.
You know their faces and you even know some of their names. They’re the family members, lovers and hangers-on who have littered the Rolling Stones’ lives during the band’s 35-year career. Some, such as Mick Jagger’s ex-wife, Bianca, have survived nicely, and built lives for themselves away from the excesses of rock ‘n’ roll. Others (Anita Pallenberg, Mandy Smith) still are getting used to not being on the world’s most famous guest list.
Sarah McLachlan knew it was time to start a music festival that celebrated female artists when she discussed the possibility of having Paula Cole open for her and a promoter told her that two women on the same bill would be too . . . well, you know . . . female.
If you have MTV, try to catch the exclusive airing of Radiohead’s “Paranoid Android” video. The fully animated clip was drawn by Magnus Carlson, whose animated “Robin” series is a favorite in Great Britain. The band is briefly depicted in a bar at the end of the 6-1/2-minute video, but the music and the stark images are the stars.
After a spectacular concert Friday night at Soldier Field for more than 40,000 fans, U2 hosted an intimate after-show party in the Bears’ locker room. The party celebrated the kickoff of a three-night stand in Chicago, one of the band’s most popular markets.
As U2 comes to Chicago this weekend, the band finds itself in an unusual position: insisting that a tour that has sold 2 million tickets isn’t a failure.