Laugh, Cry, and Be Inspired!

Chicago Voices Presents: Stories and Songs of Chicago

In January, Lyric Unlimited invited groups to submit stories about their unique Chicago communities through the Chicago Voices initiative. After a public voting process, three Community Created Performances finalist groups were selected to participate and after a 16-week creative process, they are bringing their stories to life on stage! With the support of a Lyric-hired professional creative team and a $10,000 stipend, these groups have each developed a fully-staged original performance to share their one-of-a-kind, untold stories through music and theater.

Join us for a free, one-night-only culminating  performance event celebrating these unique Chicagoans’ experiences in Chicago Voices Presents: Stories and Songs of Chicago. 

Saturday, September 24 at 7:30pm

Harris Theater for Music and Dance (205 E Randolph, Chicago)


The program includes:

A Circle of Hope

Harmony, Hope & Healing provides music-based programming to homeless and underserved communities, offering emotional and spiritual support to help them prevail over their daily struggles to achieve better lives. Three stories in the City of Chicago: A recovering addict struggles with temptation. An ex-convict resists the call of the streets. An immigrant mother and her young children face homelessness.  Called by the power of music, all three find their way to the Circle of Hope, setting a process of transformation in motion.

Kumovi 

The Kirin-Gornick Band, a group of tamburica musicians, share personal stories of the power and significance of the age-old Eastern European melodies they play. Kumovitakes us on a journey from tiny Croatian villages to the Southwest side of Chicago, describing how and why their ancestors kept this vibrant musical tradition alive. They illustrate tamburica music’s unique ability to unite people across conflicts and cultures, turning strangers into family within the span of a single evening filled with song.

FREEDOM out of order

Tellin' Tales Theatre creates a common bond among people with and without physical and mental disabilities by encouraging them to share their personal stories with the world in a theatrical setting. When eleven Chicagoans discover they are anything but typical, they must navigate their own path through a world of challenges including exams, dating, and job interviews— all while using public transportation. FREEDOM out of order is a musical about the never-ending journey towards self-acceptance and the extraordinary and creative ways we can travel through life. This musical is about people with disabilities. It is for everyone.

To read more about the 16-week creative process that is bringing these three finalists’ stories to life, visit the Community Created Performances blog and follow along with Chicago Voices on Facebook and Instagram at @ChicagoVoices