Little Women: The Musical An At Home Experience (in collaboration with BroadwayHD) 2 hr 23 min | Musicals | 2022
Louisa May Alcott’s classic story of four sisters growing up in 19th-century Massachusetts made its London premiere in this acclaimed production at Park Theatre. Originally presented on Broadway in 2005 starring Sutton Foster, Lydia White and Savannah Stevenson lead a talented cast in this beloved tale of family, self-discovery, and hope.
Louisa May Alcott’s classic story of four sisters growing up in 19th-century Massachusetts made its London premiere in this acclaimed production at Park Theatre. Originally presented on Broadway in 2005 starring Sutton Foster, Lydia White and Savannah Stevenson lead a talented cast in this beloved tale of family, self-discovery, and hope. Little Women at Park Theatre is directed by Bronagh Lagan with set and costume design by Nik Corrall, musical direction by Leo Munby, orchestrations by Andy Collyer, choreography by Sarah Golding, lighting design by Ben M. Rogers, sound design by Paul Gavin and casting by Jane Deitch. It is produced by Katy Lipson for Aria Entertainment, Hope Mill Theatre and Knockhardy Productions, in association with Park Theatre, and co-produced by Bonnie Comley and Stewart F. Lane. Little Women has a book by Allan Knee (Finding Neverland, The Astonishing Times of Timothy Cratchit), lyrics by Mindi Dickstein, and music by Grammy Award-winner Jason Howland.
This event is made possible by Illinois Libraries Present, a statewide collaboration among public libraries offering high-quality events. Illinois Libraries Present is funded in part by a grant awarded by the Illinois State Library, a Department of the Office of Secretary of State, using funds provided by the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services, under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA).
Join us for a night with critically acclaimed comic artist, Raina Telgemeier! Raina is the author and illustrator of the graphic novels Smile, Drama, Sisters, Ghosts, and Guts, all #1 New York Times bestsellers. She also adapted and illustrated four graphic novel versions of Ann M. Martin’s Baby-Sitters Club series, and has contributed short stories to many anthologies. New in 2024, The Cartoonists Club — a one-of-a-kind graphic novel from Raina and Scott McCloud.
Raina’s accolades include six Eisner Awards, a Boston Globe-Horn Book Honor, a Stonewall Honor, and many Best-of and Notables lists. Raina grew up in San Francisco, then moved to New York City, where she earned an illustration degree at the School of Visual Arts. Raina currently lives and works in San Francisco, CA.
Children’s Librarian Genevieve Grove will join Raina in conversation.
This event is made possible by Illinois Libraries Present, a statewide collaboration among public libraries offering high-quality events. Illinois Libraries Present is funded in part by a grant awarded by the Illinois State Library, a Department of the Office of Secretary of State, using funds provided by the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services, under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA).
Join Chef Art Smith to learn about his culinary journey and bring some culinary inspiration into your holiday season. A two-time James Beard Foundation award winner, Smith believes “The art of cooking, the act of feeding people, is the most engaging, most memorable way to connect with people.”
Smith began his career at the Florida Culinary Institute and honed his skills working with top chefs in France before finding himself in Chicago. Here he served as Oprah Winfrey’s personal chef for a decade and opened his first critically-acclaimed restaurant, Table Fifty-Two, known for its modern Southern dishes and locally sourced ingredients.
Smith is also a prolific cookbook author and TV personality, sharing his passion for Southern cuisine. He has appeared on Top Chef, Top Chef Duels, Top Chef Masters, Iron Chef America, The Today Show, Good Morning America, Entertainment Tonight, BBQ Pitmasters, The Oprah Winfrey Show and more.
Named Chicagoan of the Year by Chicago Magazine and Humanitarian of the Year by the James Beard Foundation, both in 2007, Smith is currently Executive Chef andCo-Owner with restaurants in Chicago, Orlando, Atlanta and Washington, D.C. He is the founder of Common Threads, a non-profit organization teaching low-income children to cook wholesome and affordable meals. Smith will be joined in conversation by Monica Eng, award-winning Chicago journalist and co-host of food podcast “Chewing” w/ Louisa Chu.
This event is made possible by Illinois Libraries Present, a statewide collaboration among public libraries offering high-quality events. Illinois Libraries Present is funded in part by a grant awarded by the Illinois State Library, a Department of the Office of Secretary of State, using funds provided by the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services, under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA).
Welcome Jason Reynolds, #1 New York Times bestselling author, advocate, mentor, and 2020-2022 National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature. The recipient of a Newbery Honor, a Printz Honor, a Carnegie Medal, an NAACP Image Award, and multiple Coretta Scott King honors, Reynolds’ beloved and award-winning titles include Stamped (with Ibram X. Kendi), Stuntboy, theTrack series (Ghost, Patina, Sunny, and Lu), Miles Morales, All American Boys (with Brendan Kiely), When I Was the Greatest, The Boy in the Black Suit, Look Both Ways, Ain’t Burned All the Bright, and Long Way Down. He has appeared on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, The Daily Show with Trevor Noah, Late Night with Seth Meyers, CBS Sunday Morning, and more.
The short documentary “Dear, Dreamer” is a lyrical portrait of Reynolds’ life and work as a rising literary star, as well as a testament to shared experiences and the power of seeing yourself in books. In his podcast, My Mother Made Me, he and his mother, Isabell, explore their shared history and what they’re teaching each other.
Reynolds lives in Washington, DC, where he is on faculty at Lesley University, for the Writing for Young People MFA Program. You can find his ramblings at JasonWritesBooks.com
This event is made possible by Illinois Libraries Present, a statewide collaboration among public libraries offering high-quality events. Illinois Libraries Present is funded in part by a grant awarded by the Illinois State Library, a Department of the Office of Secretary of State, using funds provided by the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services, under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA).
Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month with Illinois Libraries Present and Erika Sánchez, award-winning author of I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter. She will be joined in conversation by Cythia Pelayo.
Erika L. Sánchez is the daughter of Mexican immigrants. Her debut poetry collection, Lessons on Expulsion, was a finalist for the PEN America Open Book Award. Her debut young adult novel, I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter, was a New York Times bestseller, National Book Award finalist, and Tomás Rivera Award winner. Recognized by Time as one of the best YA novels of all time, I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter has also been adapted for the stage at Steppenwolf Theater in Chicago and is being made into a film directed by America Ferrera.
Sánchez’ critically acclaimed memoir-in-essays, Crying in the Bathroom, won the Chicago Review of Books Nonfiction award. Sánchez was a Fulbright Scholar, a Ruth Lilly and Dorothy Sargent fellow from the Poetry Foundation, a Princeton Arts Fellow, a recipient of the 21st Century Award from the Chicago Public Library Foundation, and a recipient of the National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship. She lives in Chicago with her family.
Cynthia Pelayo is a Bram Stoker Award winning and International Latino Book Award winning author and poet. Pelayo writes fairy tales that blend genre and explore concepts of grief, mourning, and violence. She is the author of Loteria, Santa Muerte, The Missing, Poems of My Night, Into the Forest and All the Way Through, Children of Chicago, Crime Scene, and The Shoemaker’s Magician.
This event is made possible by Illinois Libraries Present, a statewide collaboration among public libraries offering high-quality events. Illinois Libraries Present is funded in part by a grant awarded by the Illinois State Library, a Department of the Office of Secretary of State, using funds provided by the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services, under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA).
Join us for a special event with Dr. Grandin, one of the world’s most accomplished and well-known adults with autism. Dr. Grandin has been at the forefront of research and activism for autism and neurodiversity for decades.
This event is made possible by Illinois Libraries Present, a statewide collaboration among public libraries offering high-quality events. Illinois Libraries Present is funded in part by a grant awarded by the Illinois State Library, a Department of the Office of Secretary of State, using funds provided by the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services, under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA).
Kal Penn is an actor, writer, producer, and former Associate Director of the White House Office of Public Engagement. He is known for his starring roles in Designated Survivor, House, Mira Nair’s The Namesake, the Harold & Kumar franchise, and the Christmas comedy The Santa Clauses for Disney+. His first book You Can’t Be Seriouswasreleased on November 2, 2021 from Simon and Schuster/Gallery Books. He also narrates the audiobook.
He was a national co-chair for the Obama/Biden re-election campaign in 2012 and served on the President’s Committee for the Arts and Humanities, focusing on arts education and cultural diplomacy, including the first-ever US Government arts delegation to Cuba. Penn taught courses at the University of Pennsylvania and the University of California, Los Angeles. Originally from New Jersey, he received his undergraduate degree in sociology, theater, film, and television at the University of California, Los Angeles, and received a graduate certificate in international security from Stanford University. He is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
Earlier in the year, Penn wrapped production on the Bloomberg Green climate change docuseries, Getting Warmer, and the Viacom/Paramount + comedy, Surina & Mel. Following the departure of Trevor Noah from The Daily Show, Kal was named as an upcoming guest host.
Kal Penn will be joined in conversation with Bridget Petrites, Evanston Public Library.
This event is made possible by Illinois Libraries Present, a statewide collaboration among public libraries offering high-quality events. Illinois Libraries Present is funded in part by a grant awarded by the Illinois State Library, a Department of the Office of Secretary of State, using funds provided by the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services, under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA).
This event is made possible by Illinois Libraries Present, a statewide collaboration among public libraries offering high-quality events. Illinois Libraries Present is funded in part by a grant awarded by the Illinois State Library, a Department of the Office of Secretary of State, using funds provided by the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services, under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA).
Join us for a special event with Ruth E. Carter, two-time Academy Award-winning costume designer. Carter made history as the first Black person to win an Academy Award in Best Costume Design for the film, Black Panther. She received a second Academy Award in the same category for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.
Ruth E. Carter’s ability to develop an authentic story through costume and character made her one of the most sought after and renowned costume designers today. Best known for turning the Black Panther superhero into an African king, Carter is the first Black woman to win multiple Academy Awards in any category and the first costume designer to win for the first film and its sequel. Carter is known for her research and diligence to the craft of costume design, specifically for her work on films such as Spike Lee’s Malcolm X, Steven Spielberg’s Amistad and Ava DuVernay’s Selma.
In addition to Academy Award nominations and wins, Carter won accolades and recognition from the Costume Designers Guild, Black Reel Awards, Critics’ Choice Movie Awards, American Black Film Festival, San Diego Film Critics Society, among many others. She also received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Ruth E. Carter will be joined in conversation with Aisha Harris, co-host of NPR’s Pop Culture Happy Hour and author of Wannabe.
This event is made possible by Illinois Libraries Present, a statewide collaboration among public libraries offering high-quality events. Illinois Libraries Present is funded in part by a grant awarded by the Illinois State Library, a Department of the Office of Secretary of State, using funds provided by the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services, under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA).
Julia Quinn is the author of thirty-five historical romance novels, including her latest, Queen Charlotte, a prequel to the wildly popular Bridgerton books, the inspiration for the Netflix original series.
Julia is a graduate of Harvard & Radcliffe Colleges and briefly attended Yale School of Medicine before deciding to pursue a full-time writing career. She is the author of nineteen consecutive New York Times bestsellers. In March 2021, all eight Bridgerton novels were on the NYT list at the same time, a record for an adult fiction author. Her novels have been translated into 41 languages, and in the United States alone, there are over 20 million copies of her books in print.
This event is made possible by Illinois Libraries Present, a statewide collaboration among public libraries offering high-quality events. Illinois Libraries Present is funded in part by a grant awarded by the Illinois State Library, a Department of the Office of Secretary of State, using funds provided by the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services, under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA).
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