By Laura Bluett

Lakeshore Theatre on the city's North Side may be only 8 months old, but its owner, Chris Ritter, has gone "all in" to make it a top spot for comedy. Its mission is to book lesser-known artists with big talent and expose them to new audiences.

"You know how in poker you shove all of your chips into the center of the table? " Ritter said.

The long hours, sometimes 120 hours a week, and emptying out his pockets to keep the theatre running has been a challenge Ritter was willing to face.

"This is my living room," said Ritter, "A living room with a bar and lights that are far too expensive."

Ritter isn't speaking metaphorically when he refers to the theatre as a living room. He and his wife, Jessica, and son live in a one-bedroom apartment above the theater. Their hospitality shows in many ways, including their habit of inviting strangers in from outside to see a show "on the house."

By Jason Porterfield

An oral history project undertaken by members of the Albany Park Theatre Project will soon find a new audience. The community theater group plans to help educate the public about the horrors of Cambodian dictator Pol Pot's reign from the stage.

On Jan. 6 and 10, the group will present "Voices of the Killing Fields," in which cast members recount survivors' stories of atrocities committed under Pol Pot's rule that took place between 1975 to 1979 and claimed approximately 2 million lives.

Performances take place at the Laura Wiley Memorial Theater in Eugene Field Park, 5100 N. Ridgeway Ave., and are accompanied by live traditional Cambodian music.

By Kaitlyn McAvoy

Singers ranging in age from 19 to over 60 filled the basement of Lake View Presbyterian Church for rehearsal this holiday season. As the Chicago's Gay Men's Chorus practiced an untraditional parody of "Santa Clause is Coming to Town," they belted out sharp notes and held fierce expressions.

"I need you to be more threatening. You've got a switchblade in your pocket!" said Patrick Sinozich, chorus director, who says the song is about a Santa who isn't that sweet and jolly man of childhood, but instead "a threatening purveyor of justice."

Besides the scary Santa song, which the Chicago Gay Men's Chorus performed at its annual holiday concert at the Athenaeum Theatre in Lakeview, they also included a comedic take on "We Three Kings," and a song about "Fruitcake."

By Ashley Molitor 

The snow blundered down as the wind pelted the customers. The air smelled grubby and the sky was muggy and dull. The gray slush was pushed up against the curb with tire marks forced in. Bundled up people bobbed in clumps outside of Toys R Us in Vernon Hills desperately waited for the doors to open.

"I arrived at five this morning," said a senior at Columbia College Chicago, Patrick Smith. "Wearing a lot of layers is important, but I don't know what I would do without this folding chair, coffee and blanket."

Half of the line was sat in folding chairs while others stood with blankets wrapped around them, all waiting to buy the Wii, a new gaming system that has been on the market for more than a year, and is still sold out.

This holiday season the Wii is one of the "hot items" that people go to extreme lengths to put under the Christmas tree. In the past, it's been Tickle Me Elmo, iPod, Xbox, and the iPhone.

Rita Boland

“The old God is making a comeback,” at least off-Broadway in Chicago.

The award-winning musical Altar Boyz reopened Oct. 7 at the 533-seat Drury Lane Water Tower Theatre, 175 E Chestnut St. The show, which debuted in New York in 2004, returned to Chicago after a year hiatus in much smaller venue than the previous site, the 1,950-seat LaSalle Bank Theatre.

Set up like a concert, the 90-minute show takes the audience through the trials and tribulations of religious identification seen through the eyes of a Christian boy band. Spoofing performers from N’Sync to Michael Jackson, the audience is immediately drawn in with the humorous lyrics (“Jesus called me on my cell phone, no roaming charges occurred”) satirizing Catholicism and the syncopated dance moves reminiscent of ‘90s music videos.

“It’s short, there is no intermission, it’s quick and fun. For the 90 minutes we are up there it is song after song with fun dance moves,” said Devin DeSantis, Northwestern University alum who plays Altar Boyz leader Matthew. “I think everybody loves those 90’s boy bands.”

Walgreens and True Star Magazine invite area teens to participate in the Expression Against AIDS Art & Literacy Contest for a chance to win a $1,000 scholarship. True Star works with Chicago teens interested in magazine writing and publishing.

Contestants submit an essay, poem, photograph or other artwork that represents respect, sexual responsibility and/or awareness of HIV/AIDS. A single winner will be chosen from each category and winners will be featured in True Star Magazine

Please find the details below:

- Contest is open to all high school students (grades 9 - 12)
- Contestants may enter only one of the 4 categories
- Entry MUST focus on respect, sexual responsibility, and/or awareness of HIV/AIDS.
- Deadline: December 15, 2007

To enter, log on to
www.TrueStarMagazine.com/Walgreens/ and download the contest details & entry form.

If you're new to the city and looking for things to do and places to go, check out these web sites:

1. www.colum.edu
- look up phone numbers
- electronic library
- student groups to join
- u-pass info
- OASIS (to register for classes, run your advising guide)

By Dan Selecman 

   For the next month, residents of Chicago's 48th Ward will be able to help complete a work of art that's been more than a year in the making.

   The underpass of Bryn Mawr Avenue at Lake Shore Drive in Edgewater is the site of a bricolage mural now under construction.

   "A bricolage, simply put, is something made from disparate parts," said Tracy Van Duinen, the lead artist for the project. In this project, the parts are pieces of tile and mirror, and the pieces are then attached to the wall of the underpass by a cement-like mixture.

   The mural was commissioned by Ald. Mary Ann Smith (48th) as part of an effort to beautify the North Side ward. Ernie Constantino, who serves on Smith's staff, said the alderman contributed $15,000 to help pay for the project. The money came from the yearly allowance that each of the city's 50 aldermen receive in equal shares from the city. In total, more than $50,000 has been raised for the project, said Constantino.