'The Movement You Need' and More Chicago Goodness

Hello, Dear Readers,

I apologize for the lengthy absence. Life has been so chaotic and busy that this side project has fallen by the wayside. I will do my best moving forward to keep this at least consistent, as best I can.

Thanks for sticking with me,

Amanda

All You Need Is Brendan Hunt

Highly Recommended

Sitting in a flat in London under a trio of sunlights, I can’t stop thinking about Brendan Hunt. Not because I adore Ted Lasso or find him to be the most fascinating actor/creator on the show, but because of how deeply The Movement You Need moved me. It felt apropos to hold off on reviewing this until I was in London, a place he spoke so much of in his one-man show—it also didn’t seem crucial that anyone know my opinion since the show has been mostly sold out.

The one-line summary I would give this show would be: If you have the opportunity to see it, do it.

Hunt’s show, which encapsulates much of his life as it relates to The Beatles, is so blisteringly beautiful. From the moment he takes the stage, Hunt masterfully conducts himself to his audience. Blithely aware of the world around him, his tongue-in-cheek comedy lets us know that he is one of us. A quite literal comparison for Chicagoans as he recounts childhood days in a Rogers Park home or elsewhere around the city. He’s one of our own, returned to let us know how fleeting life can be and how we cling to cherished memories in times of trouble.

Waxing poetic on the ramifications of talking to your idol, Hunt recounts his inability to divulge his heart to Paul McCartney. While I’ve never been tongue-tied around a Beatle, we can feel his anxiety. Hunt is anything but subtle in his storytelling or execution. He makes it known from the jump that he is a person who contains multitudes. As someone who adores his work, it’s heartening to see someone with such a powerful orbit come down to Earth to give us some perspective on his life.

His emphasis may be on the line “the movement you need” in “Hey Jude.” Yet, I implore anyone who sees this show in the future to consider that what we really need is more Brendan Hunt. A true, rare talent.

Chicago A&E News

• A Red Orchid Theatre is concluding its 33rd season with the world premiere of Hanna Kime’s tragicomedy The Targeted, running from May 7 through June 14, 2026, at The Chopin Theatre. Directed by Grace Dolezal-Ng, the production features a cast led by ensemble members Kirsten Fitzgerald, Lawrence Grimm, Sadieh Rifai, and Natalie West. Single tickets and season subscriptions are currently available for the run.

• Motel Bar is a new River North concept from Episcope Hospitality opening this spring at 600 West Chicago, designed to evoke the nostalgic warmth and rich wood tones of a traditional Wisconsin supper club. The menu focuses on classic regional staples, featuring slow-roasted prime rib, Friday fish fries, and complimentary relish trays alongside signature Brandy Old Fashioneds and ice cream cocktails. The space fosters a social, unpretentious atmosphere with vintage Midwest decor, a central bar, and live music from a standing piano on select evenings.

• [producingbody] presents the Chicago premiere of Leegrid Stevens’ Spaceman, a sci-fi odyssey directed by Eric Slater, running from May 19 to June 13 at The Edge Off-Broadway. The production follows astronaut Molly Jennis as she navigates the grueling physical and psychological challenges of being the first human to journey toward Mars. To simulate the profound isolation of deep space, the theater will utilize Yondr pouches to maintain a strictly phone-free, immersive environment for all attendees.

• The Second City welcomes the return of its popular summer hit, No Grown-Ups Allowed, a high-energy sketch and improv comedy show running Saturdays from June 6 through August 29, 2026. This interactive 60-minute experience combines family-friendly material from the theater’s iconic archives with fresh sketches and improv hijinks designed specifically for audiences aged 6–13. Tickets are priced at $29, and families are encouraged to book early via the box office or website for this frequently sold-out production.

• Steppenwolf Theatre Company has announced its Summer 2026 LookOut Series lineup, celebrating a decade of hosting over 1,000 performances and contributing nearly one million dollars to the local artist community. The anniversary season features 18 unique engagements running from June through August, highlighting returning favorites like the variety show Erik and Jessie and Everyone You Know and the storytelling showcase You’re Being Ridiculous. Other marquee acts include experimental collective Mocrep and a new two-week drag parody show headlined by local icon Bambi Banks.

• Steppenwolf Theatre Company will conclude its 50th anniversary season with the Chicago premiere of Mia Chung’s Catch as Catch Can, directed by ensemble member Amy Morton. Running from June 4 to July 12, 2026, the production features the return of actor Gary Cole to the Chicago stage after more than 25 years. He is joined by fellow ensemble members Audrey Francis and Tim Hopper, with tickets currently available.

• TUTORE, Chicago’s premier Italian cooking school, will reopen its doors in West Town at 1629 W. Grand Avenue on May 14 under the leadership of founder Dean Zanella. The school is expanding its schedule to offer hands-on classes Wednesday through Sunday, providing increased opportunities for students to master professional kitchen techniques in an upgraded environment. This move marks an evolution of the school’s mission to empower culinary enthusiasts with mentorship-driven instruction that is specifically designed to be recreated at home.

• Writers Theatre is presenting the semi-autobiographical play Leopoldstadt from June 4 to July 19, 2026, featuring a 29-member ensemble and exclusive script revisions by the late Tom Stoppard and director Carey Perloff. To accompany the production, the theater has launched "The Stoppard Series," a curated program of lectures and community events designed to explore the play's deep historical and personal themes. Tickets for the Glencoe-based production are currently on sale.

  Do you have Chicago-based A&E news to announce?

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