Chicago, ah Chicago. Birthplace of Cracker Jacks, Aunt Jemima Pancake mix, the zipper, the Ferris wheel, automatic dishwashers, and Pabst Blue Ribbon Beer, just to name a few. One other trend that began in Chicago is the opulent movie palaces like the Chicago Theater and many, many others that are no longer around.  The first opened in October of 1917, sat 1,780 people, and was air conditioned – quite a novelty for the time.

While most of those gorgeous theaters are now closed, they are a few sprinkled throughout the city that retain at least some of their original glory.  One in particular, the Patio Theater, still shows movies, rather than musicals.  Located on the northwest side, the Patio is the only movie palace still in operation in the community.  Among its other attributes are; the largest single screen in Chicagoland, a state of the art sound system, and a grand neo-Pompeian lobby restored to its original elegance.

One of the best parts – you can see movies for $5.00!  You may have to wait a couple of weeks to see the latest movies and you have to have a car to get there, but it’s worth the drive to sit under the flickering stars and moving clouds.  You can buy your favorite movie-watching treats in the lobby and enjoy the magnificent restoration completed by this now-family-owned theater.  It’s a real treat.  For movie and other information go to: http://patiotheater.net/

Have you ever overheard a conversation not meant for your ears and pretended you weren’t listening?  Imagine being mistaken for a foreigner who speaks no English, yet you do speak English and you understand everything being said.  And what’s being said is juicy gossip at the very least, or could prove life-threatening at the very worst.

The Foreigner is about just that.  A chap from England is rendered speechless in having to converse with strangers.  To make matters worse he is stuck in a cabin in rural Georgia for three days with the hostess and her three friends.  The guise of an even more obscure foreigner is thrust upon the Englishman and due to circumstances he is forced to play the part.  His hapless companions talk freely in the presence of this ineloquent gent providing information that could make the lives of those involved implode.  Hilarity ensues as he becomes further and further involved in the lie he’s created.

The Foreigner was written by Larry Shue and is directed by Timothy Gregory, who is the Founding Artistic Director of Provision Theater.  The show runs through March 18^th, Friday and Saturday evenings, and Sunday afternoons.  For more information and to purchase tickets visit http://www.provisiontheater.org/