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Chicago Tribune
24-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Chicago Tribune
Of Notoriety: Listen to Your Mother, Big Band sounds and ‘Lost in Yonkers'
Director and Producer Carrie Bedwell is ready for her seventh annual Northwest Indiana staged presentation of 'Listen to Your Mother,' a 90-minute plus one 20-minute intermission journey of diverse true stories about motherhood. 'Listen to Your Mother' launched 15 years ago in Northwest Indiana and it continues to entertain, energize and bring communities together with heart, humor and the heroics of motherhood. This year's event is at 3 p.m. Sunday, April 27, on the mainstage of Hobart Art Theater at 230 Main St. Tickets are $25 available at the door or call 219-942-1670 or A portion of funds raised this year benefits Meal on Wheels Northwest Indiana. This year's themes include parenting the parent, the many roles moms play, generational trauma, leaving a legacy, domestic violence, not being sure about motherhood, not letting family move on, a mother's unconditional love, adoption, losing one's mom, being a pet mom, gaining a daughter via marriage, suicide/don't always listen to your mother, and grandparenting a spirited 8-year-old-teenager. In addition to poet Nancy Hejna, other presenters this year are Buffy Adams, who works for IYG, North America's longest-running LGBTQ+ youth organization, Mary Lu Cowley, a grandmother and recent widow, Bennett Gallivan, a financial aid advisor at Ivy Tech, Erin Higy, a behavioral therapist, Eunice Jarrett, a retired elementary teacher, Chris Kamstra, an underground singer/songwriter, Amy Lavalley, a lifelong journalist and editor for The Post-Tribune and Chicago Tribune Media, Leena Meisberger, the founder of Light The Way, Gloria 'GoGo' Morris, a technologist and social cause advocate, Alexandra Shloss, a high school teacher and mental health counselor, Marquita Tigner, owner of Super Scholars Learning Academy Childcare Center and Heidi Van Howe, blogger at Ryan Elinkowski, CEO of Meal on Wheels of NWI, will serve as the afternoon emcee. Big Band concert Enjoy an afternoon of Big Band music of the 20s, 30s and 40s with the tunes that once defined the sound of American culture throughout the eras, including some of the greatest love songs on the charts. From the crooning of Frank Sinatra and the Rat Pack to the unforgettable sounds from radio days and ballroom orchestra showrooms of yesteryear, the audience will enjoy the return of concert favorite Jim Bulanda backed by the 18-piece Midwest Big Band on the Theatre at the Center stage at The Center for Visual and Performing Arts, 1040 Ridge Road in Munster 3 p.m. Sunday, April 27. The afternoon includes a salute to great band leaders of yesteryear – Duke Ellington, Desi Arnaz, Count Basie, Harry James, Artie Shaw, Guy Lombardo, Lawrence Welk, Benny Goodman and Glenn Miller. These iconic maestros drew crowds and bridged racial divides through the love language of swing. For more than 80 years, Midwest Big Band has been a Chicagoland favorite. Sinatra tribute favorite Jim Bulanda is in the spotlight as lead vocalist during this celebration of big band music. Bulanda and Midwest Big Band's last visit in March 2024 was a concert sellout. Tickets are $40 at or call 219-836-3255. Brothers in 'Yonkers' Marian Theatre Guild's Spring 2025 production is Neil Simon's 'Lost in Yonkers,' winner of the 1991 Pulitzer Prize for Drama and four Tony Awards, including Best Play. Directed by Jayma Kay Emerson, it opens this weekend with a Saturday, April 26, dinner performance with a 5:30 p.m. meal, followed by a 7:30 p.m. curtain and a Sunday matinee performance only without meal option at 3 p.m. It is the same schedule the following weekend with a dinner theatre option on Saturday, May 3 with dining starting at 5:30 p.m. and show curtain at 7:30 p.m., and final closing performance 3 p.m. Sunday, May 4. Set against the backdrop of 1942, 'Lost in Yonkers' unfolds in Grandma Kurnitz's apartment, with Grandma played by Leslie A. Evans. The family home is perched above their family-owned candy store in Yonkers, New York. At its heart, the play explores family dynamics through the lives and eyes of two young boys, Jay and Arty, played by real-life stage actor brothers Julian and Gabriel Solis of St. John, who find themselves living with this formidable grandmother as their father Eddie, played by Tony Vivacqua, is forced to leave them to repay debts. The boys must navigate the challenges of their new environment and living with both stern grandmother and loopy Aunt Bella played by Olivia Rhodehamel, with an occasional visit by gangster Uncle Louie played by Ray Huntington and an excitable Aunt Gert played by Susan Bobos. Dinner and performance hosted at Marian Memorial Auditorium, 119th Street and Lincoln Avenue in Whiting. All seats are general admission with tickets priced at $20 for adults and $18 for students and seniors. Visit or call 219-473-0713 for required dinner reservation and an additional payment of $38 for 'family style' served menu of fried chicken, roast beef, green beans, potatoes, dinner rolls, salad, drinks and all the sides and dessert included.
Chicago Tribune
28-03-2025
- General
- Chicago Tribune
From the Farm: Fascination of Titanic tragedy a survivor stage play and recipe recollection
When the Titanic set sail in 1912, the 'onboard storage pantry' had 40,000 eggs. Today, in 2025, we've had much murmuring about the price of eggs being as costly as $8 a dozen or more because of the avian bird flu. Of course, a dozen eggs in 1912 cost around 37 cents. Other amazing food supply figures for the Titanic to feed the 2,240 passengers, which includes about 900 crew members, were 36,000 apples in the galley as well as 1,000 bananas (very exotic for the time), 34,000 oranges, strawberries, and 'hot house-grown grapes.' To wash much of this down, the cargo inventory included 15,000 bottles of ale and 63 cases of fine champagne. Much of the 'behind the scenes' insight we know about the Titanic comes from the ship's manifest paperwork and inventory logs, and the information provided by the few crew members who survived, including first-class cabin maid Violet Jessop. Violet was a career woman rarity at the turn of the century, working as a female cabin maid crew member of luxury steamship ocean liners for the White Star Line for passage to cross the Atlantic Ocean. Before her death at age 83 in 1971, she found later life fame and was best known as having survived both the sinking of the HMHS Britannic and her sister ship the RMS Titanic. As a first-class maid, one just 23 years old, she was one of the few female staff members to secure a lifeboat seat. She wrote about her experience in great detail in a memoir, which was later published around the time of her death. I've spent much of my week with actress and historian Leslie Goddard, who has returned to the Theatre at the Center stage in Munster to share this true account of the twin nautical disasters Violet survived in vivid and fascinating detail with audiences in her one-woman play 'Violet Jessop: Titanic Survivor,' which concludes with weekend performance at The Center for Visual and Performing Arts, 1040 Ridge Road in Munster. Drawing from her theatrical background and experience as a researcher and historian, Goddard previously presented her one-woman performances at Theatre at the Center as Julia Child in September 2023 and Amelia Earhart last summer in July 2024, having earned standing ovations. Audiences of all ages have spent the past week learning the incredible accounts of Violet portrayed by Leslie as she tells the unforgettable stories of these terrifying disasters and gives a fascinating glimpse at life behind the scenes on the most glamorous luxury liners of their day. Tickets are $40 and available at the box office by calling 219-836-3255 or visit For an additional $30, guests can add a pre-show Titanic-themed meal inspired by the final dinner served on that fateful night, as presented by 10Forty Banquets and Catering Inc. before the 3 p.m. performance on Sunday and hosted under the chandeliers of the elegant ballroom at The Center for Visual and Performing Arts. Call for reservation and meal payment at 219-836-1930. For the 3 p.m. Sunday show, doors for dining open at 12:30 p.m., with lunch served at 1 p.m. This historic and delicious multi-course themed dinner includes Beef Barley Soup, Roast Chicken Breast Lyonnaise, Château Potatoes, Creamed Carrots, and an elegant dessert of French Custard Éclair with Berries. 'Of the 2,200 people on the Titanic, only 705 people survived the tragedy as the Carpathia arrived several hours later after responding to one of the last distress signals,' Leslie reminds. Also aboard the ship were 12 dogs, only three of which survived since they were small lapdogs of first-class passengers who brought their prized canines with them into the lifeboats. Millionaire John Jacob Astor, age 47, whose family built the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York City and whose worth at the time was more than $2.2 billion in today's dollars, was aboard the ship. He opted not to board a lifeboat, staying behind on the ship with his purebred Airedale terrier 'Kitty.' But he assured that his pregnant second wife and new bride, Madeleine, just 18 years old, did find her way to a lifeboat, along with her private nurse and personal maid. Leslie said it is known that just before the Titanic sank, someone went below deck to open all the dog kennel cages to free the animals to make their way to the upper deck. She said it is widely believed that it was John Jacob Astor who freed the dogs. Passenger Ella Holmes White of New York brought four roosters paired with hens, likely housed in or near the first-class galley, with the fowl imported from France, to improve her poultry farm in the States. Elizabeth Ramel Nye brought her yellow canary, which required a 25-cent ticket for passage. Believed not to be aboard the Titanic? The ship's mascot and expert rat exterminator, Jenny, a tabby cat that lived in a basket near the stove area of the galley. Before the final fateful voyage of the Titanic, Jenny had a litter of kittens. In her published book, Violet says that before the ship left the dock in Southampton, England, crew members witnessed Jenny removing the kittens, one by one, from the ship and to the safety of the docks and 'dry land.' This was thought to be a foreboding omen, which caused some fears among the crew. It's not believed Jenny was on the ship the night it descended below the surface. Leslie's one-woman play at Theatre at the Center includes a stage recreation of the first-class deck and dining areas of the ship, as well as the crew areas and third-class steerage. Among the unique props showcased in this production are fresh orchids, white roses and fragrance 'bon voyage' floral sprays, and complete replica sets of the Titanic's elegant china and tea service sets. Among the decadent desserts served to first-class passengers on the Titanic was a baked Waldorf Pudding, not to be confused with Waldorf Salad, the latter recipe that later became popular in the 1920s. shares a tribute recipe for baked Waldorf Pudding that would be similar to what was likely served on the Titanic and as reimagined by John Weatherly, the executive pastry chef at Cullen's restaurant in Houston and as originally published in Hearst Publications' Houston Chronicle newspaper. Titanic Tribute Baked Waldorf Pudding Makes 8 servings 2 large apples, diced into 1/4-inch cubes (use a good-flavored baking apple, such as Granny Smith, MacIntosh or Braeburn) 2 tablespoons butter 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, plus 1 cup granulated sugar, divided use 4 large croissants, cut into 1/2-inch pieces 1-quart heavy cream 8 eggs 1 tablespoon vanilla extract 1 cup golden raisins Directions: Heat oven to 350 degrees and while the oven is heating, sauté the diced apples with the butter and 2 tablespoons sugar. Place apples in the refrigerator to chill. Cut croissants into 1/2-inch pieces. Heat cream slowly to a boil and mix eggs, remaining cup of sugar and vanilla in a bowl. Add hot cream slowly, while continuing to stir; set custard to the side. Spray 8 individual 8-ounce ramekins with cooking spray and fill ramekins half full with cut croissants, add apples and raisins. Cover with more croissants but do not pack bread tightly in ramekins or it will make the pudding too heavy and dense. Pour custard over croissants and let set for 10 minutes to let bread absorb custard. Finish filling remaining ramekins with croissants and custard. Place ramekins in a deep pan with 1/4-inch of hot water. Place in oven and bake for 45 minutes and stick a knife in custard to check doneness.
Chicago Tribune
27-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Chicago Tribune
Of Notoriety: ‘Titanic Survivor' play in Munster and ‘Anastasia' rules the stage at VU
Violet Jessop was a career woman rarity at the turn of the century, working as a female cabin maid crew member of luxury steamship liners crossing the Atlantic Ocean. At her death of age 83 in 1971, she also found later life fame and is best known as having survived both the sinking of the HMHS Britannic and her sister ship the RMS Titanic. As a first-class maid, just 20, she was one of the few female staff members to secure a lifeboat seat. Actor and historian Leslie Goddard has returned to the Theatre at the Center stage in Munster to share this true account of the twin nautical disasters Jessop survived in vivid and fascinating detail and facts with audiences in her one-woman play 'Violet Jessop: Titanic Survivor,' playing now through Sunday. Audiences learn the incredible accounts of Jessop as she tells her unforgettable stories of these terrifying disasters and gives a fascinating glimpse at life behind the scenes on the most glamorous luxury liners of their day. Tickets are $40 and available at the box office by calling 219-836-3255 or visiting For an additional $30, guests can add a pre-show Titanic-themed meal inspired by the final dinner served on that fateful night, as presented by 10Forty Banquets and Catering Inc. on Sunday before the matinee performance. This historic multi-course themed dinner includes Beef Barley Soup, Roast Chicken Breast, Lyonnaise Château Potatoes, Creamed Carrots and a dessert of French Custard Éclair with Berries. 'Killing Monsters' Chicago Street Theatre will take audiences on a quest to the farthest realms of the imagination April 4 through 19 in its production of Qui Nguyen's 'She Kills Monsters.' A stage face-to-face encounter with courageous heroes, dark villains, swords and dragons, it is inspired by the game series 'Dungeons and Dragons.' The story of 'She Kills Monsters' revolves around sisters Tilly and Agnes Evans who were never really close when Tilly was alive but after she died in a car crash, Agnes discovers her notebook and her love for D&D. Immersing herself in fantasy gaming, she finds a way to escape her real-life struggles of fitting in at school and bullying over her sexuality. Debuting off-Broadway in late 2011 and later winning the American Alliance for Theatre and Education's Distinguished Play award in 2013, 'She Kills Monsters' has grown enormously popular with teenagers and young adults and has been a favorite performed at many high schools and colleges in a version known as the 'Young Adventures Edition.' It runs for nine performances; Thursday, April 17, will be a costume night for audience members to wear their favorite Dungeons and Dragons attire. Tickets are $22 for adults, $20 for seniors 62 and older and students under 21, as well as military members with ID, and $17 each for groups of 10 or more people. Chicago Street Theatre is located at 154 W. Chicago St. in Valparaiso. Call 219-464-1636 or visit A royal performance Valparaiso University's Department of Theatre has 'Anastasia' for the spring 2025 musical April 3 to April 5 at the Center for the Arts on campus. The historical nod and tale of adventure, identity and perseverance is directed by Keri Burman Castro with musical direction by Daniel Evan Castro. Based on the animated 1997 film by Tony Award winners Terrence McNally, Stephen Flaherty, and Lynn Ahrens, and adapted for the stage, 'Anastasia' follows a young woman searching for her past, set against the backdrop of post-revolutionary Russia and 1920s Paris. Along the way, she finds herself pursued by a Soviet officer while forming unexpected alliances with a dashing con man and an ex-aristocrat. Featuring a sweeping musical score and visually stunning design, the production captures the magic and emotion of Anya's journey. Tickets for the two-hour and one 15-minute musical are $15 for adults and $10 for senior citizens and $10 for non-VU students and are available online at or by calling 219-464-6950. Something funny George Wallace, J. Anthony Brown, Ted Carpenter, and Michael Colyar bring their trademark humor and timeless wit to the stage for one night only 7 p.m. March 29. It's an unforgettable night of laughter as four of the most iconic comedians in the industry come together for their 'Legends of Comedy' show playing center stage at Hard Rock Northern Indiana Casino at 5400 W. 29th Ave. on the Hard Rock Live main stage. Led by Colyar, the veteran comedian, actor, and motivational speaker, he boasts a career spanning more than three decades. Known for his unique blend of comedy, storytelling, and heartfelt messages, Colyar spans stand-up comedy, television and film. Tickets start at $55 by calling 219-228-2383;
Chicago Tribune
28-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Chicago Tribune
From the Farm: Lake County Literary Tea No. 23 stars Julia Child and Gourmet Goddess
In April 2006, I was asked to be the guest presenter for the Lake County Public Library Foundation's 6th Annual Literary Tea charity event. Nearly two decades ago, the event was held in the lower level solarium of the Lake County Library Main Branch in Merrillville, with Tiffany's Tea Room of Crown Point as the caterer. Guests were encouraged to wear hats since the topic I was asked to speak about was Hollywood gossip columnist of yesteryear Hedda 'the Hat' Hopper. A few years later, I was invited back with my parents and older sister Pam, and this time, the themed topic for the 2010 event was 'Alice in Wonderland,' with the tea party connection an easy given. This was also the same spring as the release date for the live-action 'Alice in Wonderland' film starring Johnny Depp as the Mad Hatter. Here we are in the year 2025, and next month will mark the Lake County Public Library Foundation's 23rd Annual Literary Tea at 1 p.m. Saturday, April 12, still held at the Lake County Library Main Branch on U.S. 30 in Merrillville. This year's theme is based on the cookbook icon Julia Child, as portrayed by actor and historian Leslie Goddard. Tickets are $40 and available by calling 219-769-3541, Ext. 315. In September 2023, Goddard, in the guise of Child, brought her 'Behind Julia Child's Apron' to cook up fun, fascinating career facts and personal life stories of the kitchen icon for a one-week run of performances on the Theatre at the Center stage. As Child, Goddard discusses everything from her relationship with her husband Paul to the mishaps of cooking on television. Her now beloved and famed TV cooking show 'The French Chef' first premiered 62 years ago on PBS on Feb. 11, 1963. During Goddard's performances, audiences enjoy a close and intimate stage visit with legendary cookbook author, television star and champion of French cooking Child, who died at age 91 on Aug. 13, 2004. Goddard is an award-winning historian, author, actor and lecturer who has been presenting on topics in American history and women's history for 20 years. She holds an interdisciplinary Ph.D. from Northwestern University as well as master's degrees in both museum studies and theater. A former museum director, she currently works full-time as a public speaker and author. Her presentations have been seen by audiences in more than thirty states, including scores of universities, museums, libraries, festivals and civic organizations. Born in Illinois, Leslie is known nationally for her work of bringing women's history alive. Her repertoire of famous women also includes aviatrix Amelia Earhart, first ladies Eleanor Roosevelt and Jackie Kennedy, film star Bette Davis, novelist Louisa May Alcott, Titanic survivor Violet Jessop, and modern artist Georgia O'Keeffe. The caterer for next month's charity tea is Katie Sannito of Munster, who is best known as her kitchen alter-ego The Gourmet Goddess, which is perfect branding for this culinary wiz. This year marks her third time catering the library tea event. She began her catering business a baker's dozen (13) years ago. And her website includes an emblazoned cherished quote by Julia Child: 'People who love to eat are always the best people.' 'It's always been my goal to make entertaining an effortless endeavor for the host or hostess since so often when entertaining at home, you get bogged down in all the details and miss out on actually enjoying your own party,' Sannito said. 'I love my Italian heritage and refer to it often when sharing stories about making the Christmas ravioli or using the roasting pan from my great-grandfather's restaurant. I was blessed to grow up in a family where it was important to slow down and savor our time together, always with an abundance of incredible food down the middle of the table.' We recently shared the WJOB morning radio airwaves co-hosting behind the microphone, and Katie and I shared stories about Julia Child and both agreed, 'memories made around that table are priceless.' 'I know how rich my life is because of the deep connection my favorite memories have to the food that was on the table,' she said. 'I want to give my clients a taste of the same type of experience because of how important it has been in my life. My service became more than just cooking a meal. Creating memorable moments around the dinner table is what drives my passion for cooking good food and sharing that experience with others.' Among the delectable items served by the Gourmet Goddess at next month's tea will be her flavorful dried cranberry chicken salad with almond slivers, which has roasted fresh diced red grapes as a secret contrasting colorful ingredient. She kindly shared her chicken salad recipe with me, including a standard serving portion size compared to the more than 200 sandwiches she'll be preparing for the library tea event. Columnist Philip Potempa has published four cookbooks and is a radio host on WJOB 1230 AM. He can be reached at PhilPotempa@ or mail your questions: From the Farm, PO Box 68, San Pierre, Ind. 46374. The Gourmet Goddess' Chicken Salad Makes 8-10 servings 1/2 cup mayonnaise 1/4 cup sour cream 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt or to taste 1/4 teaspoon black pepper or to taste 2 breast portions deboned from a rotisserie chicken shredded or chopped. 1/2 cup celery, finely chopped 1/4 cup dried cranberries 1/2 cup halved grapes, roasted 1/4 cup finely chopped sweet onion, optional (place chopped onion in a mesh strainer and rinse under cold water to minimize strong raw onion flavor) 1/2 cup sliced almonds, toasted if desired Croissants for serving Directions: In a large bowl, stir together the mayonnaise, sour cream, Dijon mustard, salt and pepper. To roast grapes, set oven to 400 or no higher than 425 degrees. Place halved grapes on a sheet pan and season with drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of kosher salt and roast until grapes seem to 'burst,' about 15 minutes. Add the chopped rotisserie chicken, celery, almonds, roasted grapes, dried cranberries, and sweet onion (if using). Stir until well combined. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. Serve the chicken salad as a sandwich croissant, bread of choice, or on a bed of lettuce. Store chicken salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days when made with chicken cooked that same day.
