Introductions

Hey there, hi there, ho there, readers!

If we haven’t met, I’m Amanda Finn. If we have met, I’m still Amanda Finn.

I’m one of the bylines you’ve probably seen come across your screen or breakfast table over the years. I’ve been an arts journalist for 11 years, seven of those years Chicago-based. During one of those years, I saw over 200 theatrical performances. Suffice it to say, I like theater—my Hamilton quote or giant Dionysius tattoos are not a dead giveaway.

When I’m not writing about theater, I usually write about travel, or living in Chicago, like I did when I co-wrote Chicago Like a Local. (I wrote roughly 40% of the sections, including arts and culture.) Before the pandemic, I was the Chicago editor for the now-defunct Footlights Performing Arts Magazine. Does anyone remember those neat, Midwest-published theatrical programs? I miss those days.

So, why are we here? What’s going on?

Well, Chicago arts and entertainment coverage has been rapidly shrinking. Unfortunately, it’s a common trend in areas big and small nationwide. That’s why, in the last 18 months, I’ve often thought, “Hey, I should launch my own publication for this.” Consider ShowCago a kind of thought experiment. If A&E coverage struggles in the mainstream, why not try a new format?

After all, Chicago’s scene certainly deserves it.

Plus, with recent damning news like the NEA rescinding arts grants, the arts community in particular needs us now more than ever. The more we talk about the offerings in the Windy City and elsewhere, the harder it will be to push the arts back into the Dark Ages.

Part of that conversation also involves cultural/arts criticism, which is crucial for further engagement. Criticism evolves how we discuss the arts, which will be a big part of this newsletter. (More on that below.)

This is all to say, welcome to my one-aman(da) show.

What ShowCago Entails

Chicago is a city with many identities. In the same way, the A&E scene cannot be defined by one mode alone. That’s why this newsletter will cover a little bit of everything, from theater and performing arts to conventions and cinema. One week, you might find a review of a show at The Den, and the next an interview with a profound voice actor or an exciting event happening at a local restaurant.

We can find art and culture in just about any facet of life if we look hard enough.

That’s why this newsletter is an endeavor to do just that through:

• Reviews

• Interviews

• Q&A’s

• Features

• Blurbs

The possibilities are endless. I want to show the world what Chicago has to offer.

In many ways, this newsletter is a love letter from me to the artists of/in Chicago and beyond. Special editions will be available for A&E events I attend anywhere in the world, though the heart of this publication is my home (and most likely your home too)—Chicago.