MOVIES
MICHAEL WILMINGTON
James Dean Lives
The perfect way to observe the 50th anniversary of James Dean’s death by Porsche and the release of his first two great movies– Elia Kazan’s 1955 film of John Steinbeck’s “East of Eden” and Nicholas Ray’s 1955 juvenile delinquent masterpiece, “Rebel Without a Cause”–is to peel out and catch this double feature of both at the Music Box. Even though “Rebel” and “Eden” came out recently in one of the year’s top DVD boxed sets, this is how you want to see and remember J.D.: in this perfecto Music Box double feature, on the huge screen, with two new 35mm prints of the ultimate teen star’s incredible double-whammy debut. “Rebel Without a Cause” is showing at 2:20 and 7 p.m. Sunday, 5 and 9:40 p.m. Monday and Wednesday and 7:20 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday. “East of Eden” is showing at 4:40 and 9:20 p.m. Sunday, 7:20 p.m. Monday and Wednesday and 5 and 9:40 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday. Music Box Theatre, 3733 N. Southport Ave.; 773-871-6604.
ARCHITECTURE
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BLAIR KAMIN
The Graham Foundation presents a lecture by architectural historian Kristen Schaffer on Daniel Burnham and Edward Bennett’s 1909 Plan of Chicago. Titled “Seductive Images and Abandoned Text,” the lecture will delve behind the powerful renderings in the plan and examine what Schaffer calls its “clear social agenda” and the idea that “good citizenship is the object of good city planning.” 6 p.m. Wednesday. $8, reservations required. Graham Foundation, 4 W. Burton Pl.; 773-368-7137; e-mail: sah(underscore)[email protected].
ART
ALAN G. ARTNER
HYUNG JOO KIM INSTALLATIONS
The first exhibitions in the United States for the noted Korean fiber artist; “Spirit of Korea–Humanity” opens Saturday at the Chicago Cultural Center, 78 E. Washington St. Free. “Spirit of Korea–Harmony” and “Spirit of Korea–Freedom,” through Aug. 26. Free. Zhou B. Center, 1029 W. 35th St.; 773-523-0200.
‘MANDALA’
Tibetan Buddhist monks from a monastery in India will create a sand drawing called a mandala as a form of prayer for Chicago.11 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday (final viewing), 5:30 p.m. Monday (closing ceremony). Free. Chicago Cultural Center, 78 E. Washington St.; 312-744-6630.
CLASSICAL
JOHN VON RHEIN
‘THE EMPEROR OF ATLANTIS’
Viktor Ullmann’s powerful operatic fable, composed at Terezin in 1943, a year before he was murdered at Auschwitz, will have a rare Chicago performance under James Conlon, who’s conducting it as part of the Ravinia Festival’s “Breaking the Silence” survey of works lost to the Holocaust. Paired with the Sextet from Richard Strauss’ “Capriccio,” it is not to be missed. 8:30 p.m. Thursday. $30-$50. Temple Sholom, 3480 N. Lake Shore Drive; 847-266-5100.
JUILLIARD STRING QUARTET
One of America’s great chamber ensembles continues to reinvent itself in all sorts of stimulating ways. It is back at Ravinia to present string quartets by Haydn, Bartok and Dvorak. 8 p.m. Monday. $10-$50, free lawn admission for children under 5. Martin Theatre, Ravinia Festival, 200-231 Ravinia Park Rd., Highland Park; 847-266-5100.
JAZZ
HOWARD REICH
WINARD HARPER
Though Chicagoans may remember him best from his shows with the Harper Brothers band about a decade ago, the explosive drummer now leads a mighty sextet that merges post-bebop and Afro-centric impulses. Tuesday through July 3. $20. Jazz Showcase, 59 W. Grand Ave.; 312-670-2473.
ALFONSO PONTICELLI
An acolyte of the great Django Reinhardt, Chicago guitarist Ponticelli leads his Swing Gitan band in an ebullient and credible exploration of gypsy jazz. 9 p.m. Wednesday. $6-$7. Green Mill Jazz Club, 4802 N. Broadway; 773-878-5552.
ROCK
GREG KOT
AMERICAN MUSIC FESTIVAL
The 24th annual event remains a celebration of musical Americana in all its cross-cultural glory (see www.fitzgeraldsnightclub.com for complete lineup). Thursday-July 3. $20-$25. FitzGerald’s, 6615 Roosevelt Road, Berwyn; 708-788-6670.
JOHN MELLENCAMP, JOHN FOGERTY
Two of rock’s finest songwriters from different eras are ex-pected to join forces for a few songs. Friday. $23-$68. Tweeter Center, 19100 Ridgeland Ave., Tinley Park; 312-559-1212.
RACHID TAHA
Combining Algerian rai music with punk-rock, this Paris-based maverick is both protest singer and dance floor instigator. Friday. $20. Logan Square Auditorium, 2539 N. Kedzie Ave.; 800-594-8499.
SANTANA
The legendary guitarist has plenty of experience playing to festival-size audi-ences, and his majestic tone should reign on the lakefront. Saturday. Free. Petrillo Music Shell, Grant Park, 235 S. Columbus Drive; 312-744-3315.
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STEVE WINWOOD, DR. JOHN
The mastermind of Traffic and Blind Faith shares a bill with one of New Or-leans’ greatest pianists. Friday. Free. Petrillo Music Shell, Grant Park, 235 S. Columbus Drive; 312-744-3315.
THEATER
MICHAEL PHILLIPS
‘ENDGAME’
Vividly atmospheric and often inspired, director Christopher Bayes imagines Samuel Beckett’s desolate souls as denizens of what may be the last carnival on earth: Hamm and Clov, master and servant, taunt and wheedle and rail at the universe underneath a rickety roller coaster. It’s a beautiful scenic conception, beautifully brought off by designer Michael Sommers, and aside from a still-developing performance from Allen Gilmore as Hamm, this production of Beckett’s daunting 1957 masterpiece comes remarkably close to full fruition. Sometimes close is close enough. Joe Foust, Maury Cooper and Anne Stevenson Whitney complete a supple ensemble; through Sunday. $26-$50. Court Theatre, 5535 S. Ellis Ave.; 773-753-4472.
CHRIS JONES
‘ALL THROUGH THE NIGHT’
Shirley Lauro’s intensely moving new play is a very smart and yet strikingly sympathetic probing of an age-old socio-political question: When totalitarian and/or authoritarian regimes–with their attendant disregard for human rights–rise to power, why do most ordinary people do nothing to stop them? Drawing from interviews, the all-female “All Through the Night” interweaves the experiences of a small group of women in Germany during the rise and fall of the Third Reich. None of them is Jewish. A couple of them join the Nazis and play an active role. One actively rebels. The rest swallow the swastikas when necessary, keep their heads down and try not to draw unnecessary attention. Such, argues Lauro, are the struggles of women in war. Greg Kolack’s simple but stellar storefront production–which features a very capable ensemble of mainly very young Chicago actresses–does this premiering script proud; through July 10. $25. Chicago Jew-ish Theatre, 5123 N. Clark St.; 773-728-0599.
‘THE LION KING’
In “The Lion King” (now back in Chicago for the summer), Julie Taymor used a theatrical language born in Asia to graft South African music and ecologically ori-ented iconography onto Elton John ballads and the kinds of cute two-dimensional characters you shoot for at a carnival game. Yet even on a fifth viewing, when a measure of cynicism sets in, you still can’t discern much of a seam. Taymor’s beautiful show, a feast of creativity, ingenuity and theatrical innovation (and some sil-liness), is theatrical work for the ages. Suffice to say that anyone who hasn’t yet had the pleasure really should make the effort this time. The tour being the proverbial well-oiled machine, rest assured that “The Lion King” is in very fine shape with Gugwana Diamini’s Rafiki being the highlight of the current touring cast; through Sept. 4. $21-$85. Cadillac Palace Theatre, 151 W. Randolph St.; 312-902-1400.
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For complete listings, go to metromix.com