Local Organizations

After selling out all 12 fall and winter performances earning the praise of local theatergoers," Neil Giuntoli’s “Hizzoner” is coming back to the Beverly Arts Center, 2407 W. 111th St. (111th and south Western Avenue), Chicago, for three weekends in June.

The critically acclaimed biography/drama of legendary Chicago Mayor Richard J. Daley, “Hizzoner” is a gripping play that takes a personal look at Daley and his 21 years as Mayor.

The Beverly Area Planning Association’s 31st Annual Ridge Run kicks off on Memorial Day, Mon., May 26, with its new 10K course introduced last year and certified by USA Track and Field.

The 10K run begins at 8 a.m., the youth mile for children ages 6 through 12 begin at 8:10 a.m., and the 5K run/walk begins at 9:30 a.m. All races will start and finish at Ridge Park, 97th and Longwood Drive.

Come out at 7 p.m. Wednesday at the Mt. Greenwood Park Fieldhouse to see the designs that will become a major part of the new playlot. This will be your only chance to see the designs and have any final input on them before they are turned in to the beautiful mosaics.

Elements of the designs came from residents of Mt. Greenwood. We have had many of the area schools get involved, as well as art clubs, a brownie troop, and the many individuals (young and old) that came to the design workshops at the park. We have been very impressed by the amount and quality of the submissions we received.

Sooner than you think school will let out for summer, and parents will be frazzled about keeping their children busy and productive.

The Beverly Arts Center can keep young minds learning, creating and having fun during its Summer Arts Experience, a top-of-the-line interdisciplinary art camp offering music, drama, dance, ceramics, computers, film and visual arts for children age 5 to 12 years in five two-week sessions.

Construction fencing is up at the Mount Greenwood Park playlot, and demolition began Thursday.

Pictures of the construction process will be posted on the park's Web site at www.mountgreenwoodpark.com.

A big thank you to all those who have donated and have helped make this a reality. We can't wait until the new playlot is finished.

In other playlot project news, on March 26th the group will be unveiling the seven designs for the mosaic totems at a community meeting at the park. Come
out to see if your design has been included, or to just see what all the excitement is about.

The Southwest Observer is commemorating its one-year anniversary, kicked off by the annual South Side Irish Parade.

West Beverly native and professional journalist Michael Fielding and Web designer Steve Delmont joined nearly 120 other entrants in the 30th annual South Side Irish Parade, marching proudly down Western Avenue before more than 250,000 onlookers March 9.

The Beverly Arts Center School of the Arts spring session begins the week of March 30, offering nearly 150 fine arts classes for preschoolers through seniors in visual arts, dance, music, theater, digital art, movement, and literary arts. Classes are taught at the center at 2407 W. 111th St., and registration is open.