Chicago Broadcasting Network

Chicago Broadcasting Network in alliance with Inside Publications will provide summaries of articles that have appeared in the Inside-Booster, News –Star, and the Skyline.

For over a century Inside Publications newspapers have made a difference by making Chicagoans aware of issues that impact their neighborhoods.

This is a summary of the news for the beginning of April 2020.

“Don’t Spread It Around” is based on the iconic tune “Chicago (That Toddlin' Town)” and is my humble attempt to encourage my fellow Chicagoans to abide by the stay-inside mandate ordered by the Chicago City government to encourage the practice social distancing during this COVID-19 (Corona Virus) outbreak. Also some musing about why Chicago is a "toddling town" and more info about the original tune.

Up until now her mother’s profession has been a mystery to Vivie Warren who has spent most of her life in boarding schools and in the country home of friends having little personal contact with the woman who provides her financial support.

Julia is a Chicago teenager and aspiring writer struggling to come to terms with the sudden death of her only sister.

Now that she is dead, Julia realizes she did not really know her sister and sets out to understand her better.

Through her investigations she uncovers some of Olga’s “imperfections.”

At Steppenwolf Chicago.

“Mlima’s Tale” presented by Griffin Theatre Company at the Raven Theater, Chicago is a powerful, sensitive, heartrending depiction of greed and corruption associated with the illegal sale of elephant ivory, which results in the slaughter of approximately 100 of the endangered animals every day.

This regionally inspired musical by Christine Rea and Rick Briskin will have its world premiere March 18, 2020 at the Royal George Theatre in Chicago featuring Diana DeGarmo and Ace Young.

Podcast includes comments from the creative team and a sneak preview of one musical number.

John Denver’s music was considered to be more-or-less middle-of-the-road if not downright conservative in the wake of rising stars like Janis Joplin and Jimi Hendrix.

This issue is confronted early in this latest jukebox boomer music revival “Almost Heaven- John Denver’s America” at The Theatre at the Center in Munster, Indiana (only 35 minutes from downtown Chicago).

The popular singer songwriter eventually emerged as the nascent voice of the environmental movement with songs like “Calypso” as well as “Rocky Mountain High,” “Take Me Home, Country Roads,” “Wild Montana Skies” and “Sunshine on My Shoulders” that unabashedly and exuberantly celebrated the magnificence and simple beauty of nature.

In this popular Agatha Christie murder mystery five distinctly eccentric individuals have each booked their stay on the opening week of Monkswell Manor, a country guesthouse owned and operated by Mollie and Giles Ralston. Onstage now at the Court Theatre trough February 16, 2020. Review by Reno Lovison

This exuberant Broadway in Chicago production with Caribbean inspired compositions of Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty is a cautionary love story warning of the dangers of tempting fate, told as a folk tale passed down by the village storytellers to a Little Girl.

Black Button Eyes Production of the Chicago premiere of “Whisper House” is a somewhat touching story of love and acceptance, with an unusual treatment and interesting musical score delivered by a competent cast . . . Theater Review by Reno Lovison.