Play set at Catholic school starts next week in Western Springs
The first Forum production of the 97th season of the Theatre of Western Springs will feature “Doubt, a Parable” by award-winning playwright John Patrick Shanley, directed by Jean Gottlieb.
Performances start Sept. 25 and continue through Oct. 5 in Cattell Theater at the Theatre of Western Springs, 4384 Hampton Ave. Evening shows are at 7:30 p.m. Thursdays through Saturdays and matinees are at 2 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays.
The play, set in 1964 in the fictional Catholic school in the Bronx, features a beloved progressive parish priest, a conservative nun who is the school’s principal, and what happens after a one-on-one meeting between the priest and the school’s first African American student is revealed.
“‘Doubt, a Parable,’ is a complex play that invites us to examine our beliefs about power, accountability and moral responsibility,” Gottlieb, a playwright herself, shared in a news release. “Shanley is quoted as saying, “The last act of the play takes place when people leave the theatre and begin to talk about it.’ I have no doubt that this play will spark some interesting discussion on the car ride home.”
Tickets cost $28 for all performances for adults and $15 for students 18 and younger. E-tickets have no additional fee; print and mail tickets cost $3 per order. Call 708-246-3380 or visit www.theatrewesternsprings.com.
Dam removal boosts biodiversity on Salt Creek
The removal of the Graue Mill dam in Salt Creek has led to confirmed sightings at Fullersburg Woods Forest Preserve in Oak Brook of fish freely swimming upstream in the creek.
The nonprofit scientific organization Midwest Biodiversity Institute, which recently completed its first round of fish sampling after the dam was removed, documenting eight native fish species formerly found only downstream. They include emerald shiner, roseyfasc shiner, smallmouth bass, blackside darter, northern pike, hornyhead chub and logperch.
Removing the dam was one aspect of restoring more than a mile of Salt Creek, thanks to a partnership between the DuPage River Salt Creek Workgroup and the Forest Preserve District of DuPage, funded mainly by the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago.
“Fish that were blocked by the dam are now moving freely, and the stream is on a solid path to recovery,” Erik Neidy, director of natural resources for the forest preserve district, noted in a news release.
The work continues, as 50,000 native wetland plugs were added to areas where invasive plants had been removed. Those plantings will support pollinators and help stabilize the wetland. Eventually more than another 15,000 plugs and more than 350 trees and shrubs will be added at the preserve.
League of Women Voters focuses on Supreme Court decisions
The League of Women Voters of the LaGrange Area will highlight recent decisions made by the US Supreme Court, and area residents are invited.
The free session is set for 7 to 8:30 p.m. Sept. 25 at the Brookfield Public Library, 3541 Park Ave.
Jan Goldberg will provide information on religious education in Oklahoma Charter Schools v. Drummond, health care choices in Medina V. Planned Parenthood and birthright citizenship in Trump v. CASA, among others.
The public is welcome. Details are at 708-485-6917 or www.lagrangearedalw.org.
Cantigny hosts vintage car show
Car buffs and those who admire vintage cars are invited to the Cantigny Car Show, set for 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sept. 21 in the south parking lot at Cantigny Park, 1s151 Winfield Road in Wheaton.
Entertainment and food and beverage options are part of the show, which features a variety of vintage cars. The first 200 attendees get a free T-shirt.
Car registration, which can be done even on that day, costs $28. The event is cashless, so bring electronic payment options. Parking for spectators costs $21 for vehicles or $30 for limos and RVs. To buy parking or register a car, visit cantigny.org/event/cantigny-car-show-2/.
‘Treasure Island’ cast includes Western Springs native
Western Springs native Em Adam Rosenberg is portraying Squire Trelawney in “Treasure Island,” presented by the Children’s Theatre Company in Minneapolis.
The show, based on the classic novel by Robert Louis Stevenson, continues through Oct. 19.
Fall Fest kicks off Sept. 21 in Oak Park
Families will find plenty to do during the Park District of Oak Park’s Fall Fest, set for 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sept. 21 at Rehm Park and Oak Park Conservatory.
Carnival rides, games, giveaways, food vendors and music will be offered at Rehm Park, 515 Garfield St. Live animal encounters with skunks and bats, fall bulb and mum sale, a scavenger hunt and arts and crafts, including a pumpkin-carving demonstration, will be found at the Oak Park Conservatory, 615 Garfield St.
Information is at 708-725-2000 or pdop.org.
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