Best sellers, Oscar nominees and some of the brightest names in media today—these are just a few of the types of people you can expect to hear from at a Pop-Up Magazine performance.
On October 27, the San Francisco–based storytelling group comes to Chicago with a 100-minute performance at the Athenaeum Theatre, and it will be a show unlike anything you’ve seen before. Never recorded (the only way you’ll see it is if you're there), the series of 10 to 15 stories comes to life through photos, film, illustration and live music, not to mention a little magic and puppetry. Then there’s an after-party. "It’s going to be a fun, fast-moving evening," said Douglas McGray, editor in chief. "There will be moving stories. Funny stories. Lots of surprises."
Pop-Up Magazine has collaborated with everyone from Beck to ESPN in the past, but this tour is all about telling stories, with stops in LA, Seattle and New York City, among others. "This is our first national tour, and our first time in Chicago," McGray said. "I love the city. We’re so excited to come."
All work presented at Pop-Up is new. All stories are true, and most are based on reporting by the contributors.
While the full lineup has not been revealed, the show will include:
Davy Rothbart, author and This American Life contributor
Laurel Braitman, writer and bestselling author of Animal Madness
Matt Black, Magnum photographer
Tracy Clayton and Heben Nigatu, hosts of the BuzzFeed podcast Another Round
Sam Green, Oscar-nominated director of The Weather Underground
Linda Lutton, WBEZ radio producer
Jon Mooallem, New York Times Magazine contributing writer
Jenna Wortham, New York Times Magazine staff writer
David Kwong, magician and crossword puzzle creator
Geoff Manaugh, writer and creator of BLDGBLOG
Magik*Magik Orchestra
Manual Cinema, cinematic shadow puppetry
And special local guests
You can get tickets here.