Friday 19
There’s a new place to buy third-world books in the north-Bucktown, lower-Logan Square area; El Yunque Bookstore promises to stock Puerto Rican and other Latin American titles, and material on the third world generally. It’s having a free open house today from 3 to 6, at 2665 W. Fullerton. Call 235-9901.
Best of Chicago voting is live now. Vote for your favorites »
The Citizens Utility Board was formed to represent consumer interests in the state’s regulation of Peoples Gas, Commonwealth Edison, and their ilk, the traditional state regulatory agencies having been less than enthusiastic about the chore over the years. The group’s sixth annual meeting will include a rally and a raffle as well as rabble-rousing: on the agenda are some back-patting–for the $400 million refund and $235 million rate reduction won from Com Ed this year–and strategizing against newly requested hikes by both Com Ed and Peoples Gas. Things get under way at 2 PM at Alvernia Place, 3900 N. Lawndale. It’s free. Call 263-4282 for information.
Fresh from its centennial celebration over the past year, the Chicago Society of the Archeological Institute of America is presenting a lecture jointly with the Art Institute’s Classical Art Society: Pytheos, Priene and Pergamon: Early Hellenistic Sculpture in Asia Minor focuses on a recounting of a famous 1868-’69 excavation of the Sanctuary of Athena Polias at Priene in what is now Turkey. The speaker is Joseph Coleman Carter, from the University of Texas at Austin, who’ll talk about the sculpture and bas reliefs found, using some of the earliest photographs ever made of an excavation. It’s at 5:30 in the Trustees’ Dining Room of the Art Institute–use the Columbus Avenue entrance, at Columbus and Monroe. Call 443-3697 for more information. It’s free.
The story of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Starlight Express involves a cross-country train race–think of it as The Little Engine That Could, only with lasers. Fifty tons of equipment, including nearly 12,000 lights, banked curves, and a 44-foot skating ramp that extends out into the seating area, are the centerpiece of the show, which has been billed as the most lavish stage presentation ever. (It’s also known for having amassed a boffo BO–the highest one-week gross in Broadway history.) The show opens at 8 PM tonight, and runs through a 3 PM matinee Sunday, October 28. Tickets range from $30 to $44.50 tonight, with a $15 balcony ticket; except for the balcony, tickets are three bucks more on Friday and Saturday evening. It’s at the Chicago Theatre, 175 N. State; call 559-1212 for tickets.
