Politicians, tourism officials and arts leaders gathered outdoors Tuesday morning at the gateway to Navy Pier in an event designed to signal the return of live shows to Chicago and to highlight the need for audience support.
© Terrence Antonio James/Chicago Tribune
Navy Pier in Chicago will host the free, two-day festival “Chicago LIVE Again” in September to celebrate the return of the Chicago arts.
Navy Pier will host a series of outdoor performances on Sept. 24-25. Dubbed “Chicago LIVE Again,” the two-day festival, which will be free, is slated to include performances produced by Broadway in Chicago, Chicago Children’s Choir, Chicago Shakespeare Theater, Porchlight Music Theatre Chicago, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Mercury Theater, Northlight Theatre, Black Ensemble Theater, the Joffrey Ballet, Puerto Rican Arts Alliance and other local cultural institutions and artists.
Tuesday’s event featured brief live performances by Chicago Shakespeare and Blue Man Group, which recently reopened at the Briar Street Theatre.
“Your creativity kept us together while we were apart,” said Marilynn Gardner, the CEO of Navy Pier. “And you will lead our city in the recovery.”
Video: Navy Pier announces Chicago Live Again (ABC 7 Chicago)
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Other speeches praising the vitality and resilience of the arts in Chicago were delivered by a variety of people, including Chicago first lady Amy Eshleman; Mark Kelly, the retiring commissioner of cultural affairs and special events; and Eileen LaCario, vice president of Broadway in Chicago.
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“The arts must be at the center of bringing Chicago back,” said Eshleman, “both downtown and in all 77 neighborhoods.”
Performances (which are mostly musical) will run continuously on the two main stages within Polk Bros Park at the Pier from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Sept. 24 and from noon to 9:30 p.m. Sept. 25. The festival, which was funded by the Pritzker Foundation and the Illinois Office of Tourism, is designed for standing audiences, although attendees are welcome to bring blankets and lawn chairs.
At 9:45 p.m. Sept. 25, the Navy Pier fireworks, funded by an anonymous donor, will be themed around the return of Chicago theater. More at navypier.org.
Chris Jones is a Tribune critic.
cjones5@chicagotribune.com
