Kids drive the Action in "Improv Extravaganza Explosion!"

We caught Second City Theatricals' "Imrov Extravaganza Explosion!" at UP Comedy Club in Chicago city this past Saturday. High energy and hilarious, the show, featuring The Second City's performers, is an hour of interactive, family-friendly improvisation and sketch comedy pulled from ideas straight from the audience, and made up on the spot. So while a part of the audience said their favorite movie to watch was let's say Cars and favorite thing to do was listen to Justin Bieber, the performers came up with a catchy rap right there with just those ideas. There were impromptu short skits, pretend video games played on stage with the audience as the participants, all in all a lot of hilarious fun. Members of the audience were invited on stage too for a couple of items again leading to rip roaring entertainment. Some of the acts were so innovative like this one act where a group of pre-teens were invited on stage to participate as two actors talked about their visit to a history museum and the focus alternated between them and the pictures they took there depicting hilarious scenes acted out by the pre-teens. It was so funny to see those kids barely contain their own laughter as they froze acting out those photographs. Kids starting from 5 to those in their teens seemed to be enjoying it as also the adults. Lunch was available during and after the show for an additional charge (kids and regular menus are available). It was a very fun experience to spend a couple of hours on a Saturday in the city famous for its shows and theater.

The actors on the day we watched the show, actually from a rotating cast of 10 actors, included


·         Ross Bryant

·         Chelsea Devantez

·         John Hartman

·         Hans Holsen

·         Becky Poole

To know more about the very funny and the very talented actors and to catch a video, click here. Also available on the link is ticket information. Second City Theatricals' G-rated "Imrov Extravaganza Explosion!" runs at UP Comedy Club, 230 W. North Ave, 3rd Floor, Chicago, Saturday's at 12 noon now through Dec 29. Tickets are $11. Doors open at 11 am.

Parking info - Metered parking is available on both North Avenue and Wells Street in either direction. Parking is also available for a fee at Piper's Alley Self Park Garage - 230 West North Ave. Other paid options include Treasure Island – 1639 N. Wells St and Public Parking – Corner of North Ave and North Park. We were able to find street parking on North Ave without too much difficulty.

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Have you been to the Cirque Shanghai yet?

..If not, next Wednesday, July 25th may be the day you would want to hit the Navy Pier. Not only is the Cirque Shanghai absolutely stunning this year, in addition Navy Pier will be hosting a wonderful firework display that is dedicated and inspired by Cirque Shanghai: Year of the Dragon. This will take place during Navy Pier’s regularly scheduled fireworks Wednesday, July 25 at 9:30 p.m. The fireworks will be set to the Cirque Shanghai: Year of the Dragon music and incorporate themes from the show.

In addition to the fireworks Navy Pier has a couple of special offers that are a great way to experience Cirque Shanghai, especially the Navy Pier Fun Pack. The package is a great way for a family to get a taste of what Navy Pier has to offer. Since Cirque Shanghai will be at Navy Pier’s Pepsi Skyline Stage until September 3, there is still time left this summer to make great use of this package.

Package Details
The Navy Pier Fun Pack — Includes Cirque Shanghai Emperor’s Court ticket, Ferris wheel ride, Shoreline Sightseeing Skyline Lake Tour and a $5 Pepsi® Skyline Stage concession voucher. Only $26.50 kids/$41.50 adults. To purchase the Navy Pier Fun Pack, visit Ticketmaster.
One (1) Cirque Shanghai Emperor’s Court Ticket. This premium seat gives you an unforgettable, up-close and exhilarating theatrical experience!

One (1) Ferris wheel Voucher. View Chicago’s beautiful skyline from Navy Pier’s 15-story Ferris wheel. Visitwww.navypier.com for more information.

One (1) Shoreline Sightseeing Skyline Lake Tour Voucher. Relax and enjoy all of Chicago’s fabulous lakefront sights with a convenient half-hour boat ride from either of our two Navy Pier docks. Visitwww.shorelinesightseeing.com for more information.

One (1) $5 Pepsi® Skyline Stage Concession. 

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Be ready to gape for an hour...

...at the Cirque Shanghai this year. That's what I did this time, mouth wide open is how Chica saw the entire show and gasps of disbelief is what one heard several times among the audience as the Cirque Shanghai crew continued to amaze and live upto expectations they set last year and in fact go beyond as they defied all gravity and twisted and turned and flew and tumbled and juggled. I mean just look at the picture below and tell me how can one possibly balance all those chairs with a person next to every chair handing out her hand so casually for the next one as if asking for a cupcake to set on a plate. And then performing all kinds of handstands and other gymnastic moves on top of  these chairs. 

My kids felt another of the coolest acts was when these acrobats kept jumping and tumbling through these different hoops, one at a time at first, then in well co-ordinated two's and three's and finally bodies twisted together. Awesome and cool and wow is what was heard all the time!

Very lively stage, dazzling costumes, an affable crew and the breathtaking acts - I recommend the Cirque Shanghai very very highly!

For a preview of some of the acts, check out the following video

PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE AND TICKET INFORMATION

“Cirque Shanghai: Year of the Dragon” performs May 24 – Sept. 3, with regular run performances as follows:

• Wednesday at 2, 6 and 8 p.m.  

• Thursday at 2 and 8 p.m. 

• Friday at 2, 7 and 9 p.m. 

• Saturday at 2, 6 and 8 p.m. 

• Sunday at 2 and 4 p.m.

The schedule on Wednesday, July 4 is 2 p.m., 5:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m, since the Navy Pier fireworks will begin at 9 p.m.There will be additional performances Tuesday, July 3 at 2 p.m., 6 p.m. and 8 p.m., Sunday, Sept. 2 at 8 p.m. and Monday, Sept. 3 (Labor Day) at 2 p.m. and 4 p.m.

Tickets are $15.50 - $29.50 and are available by calling 800-745-3000 or visiting www.ticketmaster.com/shanghai. Discounted tickets for groups of 10 or more are available by calling GroupTix at 773.327.3778 or visiting www.grouptix.net.   

A Tip : With kids' summer vacation on, plan on going on a weekday if possible for considerably cheaper tickets!

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Chagall for Children Opening at Kohl with Cirque Shanghai

On Tuesday June 19, cast members from Cirque Shanghai: Year of the Dragon will be attending the Kohl Children’s Museum opening of “Chagall for Children” for a special performance celebrating Marc Chagall’s famous painting “At The Circus”

I had written about Kohl Children's Museum's one of the most popular exhibits in history - Chagall for Children starting June 18. Seems like a fabulous, very hands on exhibit for children already interested in art and even better to get them more interested with all these interactive, multi-sensory stations.

Also Cirque Shanghai which continues to thrill audiences of all ages at Navy Pier since May 24 and impressed us last year with their charming and amiable crew. My kids can't wait to go back to watch it tonight.

So a rendezvous of the two, to me, sounds like a perfect outing with kids out from school on a hot summer day.

The schedule for the day is as follows:

9:45am – Children are invited to participate in the creation of a large sidewalk mural echoing Marc Chagall’s paintings.
10:00am – Opening of the “Chagall for Children” exhibit.
10:30am – Performance from Cirque Shanghai cast members including Contortion, Juggling and the “Roly Poly.”


“Chagall for Children” runs through September 2.

“Cirque Shanghai: Year of the Dragon” runs through September 3.

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NOW is the time to vote to end Female Foeticide!

Friends, please take a minute and vote for an extremely noble cause! To empower the girl child! To educate them! To empower women to earn a living and their dignity! To raise award money for a dear friend's NGO which does all this and more! Spare a minute for a noble cause!

The Beginning to an End to female foeticide

Impact Award 2012

Help support this entry, The Beginning to an End to female foeticide, in Impact Award 2012.

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Chagall for Children at the Kohl Children's Museum

Kohl Children’s Museum is bringing back one of the most popular exhibits in its history when “Chagall For Children,” a multi-sensory, hands-on exploration of one of the best-known and best-loved artists of the 20th century, Marc Chagall, returns June  18 – September 2.

“Chagall for Children,” is a world-class exhibit that showcases 14 multi-sensory exploration stations, each incorporating a high-quality reproduction of one of Marc Chagall’s works.  Developed by Kohl Children’s Museum, the exhibit features interactive components that offer hands-on activities and an audio description of each work specifically geared to children.  Following its debut at Kohl in 1996, the exhibit has been on continuous tour, visiting children’s museums throughout North America.
“’Chagall for Children’ is one of the best-loved exhibits in our history, and we are tremendously proud of it,” said Kohl Children’s Museum President and CEO Sheridan Turner.  “Chagall’s bold use of color and fantastical imagination make his works particularly compelling to children, providing an introduction to specific art principals including color, light, texture and composition. It is an exhibit that children and adults enjoy equally.”

The exhibit is designed to engage children in the exploration of both art and the artist through interactive, multi-sensory components. The stations include:

• America Windows: Guests explore the effect of light upon stained glass by adjusting the light levels behind the work and creating their own version of Chagall’s “America Windows” by rearranging puzzle-like pieces of the work.
• At the Circus: Utilizing role-play – a key component in the creative development of young children – children see themselves as part of a Chagall painting via a video camera and monitor. They don silk-screened capes to become part of the painting as they pose and play on a circus stage.
• The Birthday: Comparing art forms, visitors examine a reproduction of this oil painting and compare it to the tactile experience of touching the bas relief. Guests can also create a “rubbing” from a steel engraving of the bas relief.
• The Blue House: Studying form and structure, kids and parents can create their own three-dimensional house using blue Lincoln Logs™ against the backdrop of this painting.
• The Concert: Museum attendees select musical instruments represented in this painting and blend sounds the way Chagall artistically blended colors.
• Flowers: Guests create their own flower arrangements inspired by this colorful work and experiment with floral scents.
• The Flying Sleigh: In a digital activity, visitors explore the art of narrative form by manipulating main figures and details of this Chagall piece to tell a different story.
• Green Violinist: This station has two interactive activities; one encourages attendees to listen and choose music they feel best describes the piece; while an innovative computer program focuses on the impact of color as participants capture and alter the color of their face on a computer screen.
• I and the Village: Children learn about the concept of symmetry and explore the different ways people view the world by rotating this painting.
• Job Tapestry: Tapestry provided Chagall with yet another form of artistic expression. Guests cooperatively create their own tapestry by weaving a variety of materials.
• The Juggler: Children explore the role of detail in this work by using a touch screen to animate elements of the painting.
• Paris Through the Window: By experimenting with composition using magnetized pieces, visitors create their own picture of Paris.
• The Poultry Yard: In a creative approach to form and structure, children experiment with brightly-colored, three-dimensional, soft sculptural animals to create fantasy creatures and scenes.
• The Rooster: A rich tactile experience occurs when guests touch and rearrange the beautiful feathers in the tail of a soft sculpture copy of Chagall’s rooster.
Many stations are accompanied with audio descriptions, highlighting information about the artwork upon which the interactive is based.
An extensive selection of books about Marc Chagall is provided to encourage further exploration and to stimulate literacy learning.

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Recycle all those crayons lying around ...

... and make these beautiful pieces that can be used to be worn as necklaces, bracelets or whatever you can imagine them to be.

Super easy steps :

1. Peel the crayons' wrappers.

2. Break them into small pieces and fill muffin trays (fill the molds about halfway) - You can make multicolored or combine a dark and a light color for great effects.

3. Bake at about 200 degrees F for about 10 minutes. Take out the muffin tray and let cool. After cooling for a few minutes at room temperature, the trays can be put in the freezer for quicker results.

4. Once the trays are cool enough, the disc of wax just slips out easily.

5. Heat a pointed knife on a candle to make a hole in the discs and pass yarn/ribbon through it to make into colorful necklaces.

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