The 45th Annual Beverly Art Competition exhibit opening and reception will be held Fri., Mar. 4, 6 to 8 p.m., Beverly Arts Center, Simmerling Gallery, 2407 W. 111th St. The competition is sponsored by Beverly Bank & Trust. The exhibit, curated by Nathan Peck features works by competition winners and finalists and will continue thorough Apr. 16. The competition originated in 1976 when real estate developer Arthur Rubloff and local artists William and Judie Anderson, all original supporters of the BAC, honored community leaders and committed BAC supporters Alice and Arthur Baer, by establishing the in their name. Gallery hours: Mon. through Thurs., 2 to 7 p.m.; Fri., 12 to 5 p.m., and Sat., 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Hibernian Media’s Mike “Houli” Houlihan presents Houli-Fest, a one-day Irish Film Festival, Sat., Mar. 12, 4 to 10 p.m. in the BAC’s Wilcanic Lab Theatre. Screening times are:
4 p.m. — “Goin’ East on Ashland,” Houlihan’s one-man comic memoir of growing up Irish on the South Side. The performance was recorded live onstage at the Beverly Art Center in 1994 and ran for over six years all over Chicagoland.
6 p.m. – “Our Irish Cousins.” This film details Houli’s first family trip to Ireland in 2009. It premiered at the 13th Annual European Union Film Festival in 2013, featuring a cast of thousands and garnering three stars from RogerEbert.com.
8 p.m. — “In Search of Weeping Jim,” the story of the “father of the Chicago flag,” premiered to rave reviews in September at the 7th Annual Irish American Movie Hooley and earned tumultuous huzzahs in County Mayo, Ireland last October.
Tickets are $12 for each film; cash bar.
The South Side Irish St. Patrick’s Day Parade returns on Sun., Mar. 13, and the Beverly Arts Center will be open 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. that day for the pre-parade Family Stage event.
Family Stage event performances begin at 9 a.m. with “Tralee,” an original puppet musical for the whole created by Jean Vanier of Jeannie McQueenie Productions. The show tells the tale of a rivalry between the towns of Tralee and Tralah, and their annual contest to best decorate their town for St. Patrick’s Day.
Guests kick up their heels with a performance by Character Fleadh, a Chicago-based acoustic band featuring traditional Irish and Scottish music.
Family Bundle pricing includes wristbands for up to four people, and a guaranteed spot for a single vehicle in the BAC parking lot with come-and-go privileges and access to restrooms, refreshments and entertainment for $50 ($40 for BAC members). Additional passengers can be added to the Bundle for $10 each, and the single-driver vehicle and wristband ticket is $20.
The BAC Professional Theatre Series presents “Next to Normal,” Fri., Mar. 18 and Sat., Mar. 19, 7:30 p.m., and Sun., Mar. 20, 2 p.m. in the Baffes Theatre. Winner of the 2010 Pulitzer Prize, “Next to Normal” is the riveting story of a picture-perfect family that seems to be living the American Dream. But appearances can be deceiving. Set to an award-winning rock score, the show deftly explores mental health and the collateral damage one family endures as they try to maintain their “normal.” Tickets are $30 or $27 for BAC members.
The Silver Cinema Film Course film series returns on three consecutive Mondays at 1 p.m., featuring classic films, each curated by BAC Artistic Director Kevin Pease and enhanced with a behind-the-scenes look at the making of the films. Movies are “Roman Holiday,” Mar. 21; “His Girl Friday,” Mar. 28; and “The Philadephia Story,” Apr. 4.
Tickets for the three-film series with lectures are $25 or $23 for BAC members. Movie lovers can drop in to any screening for $10 each.
Information about and tickets for all BAC offerings are available at www.thebeverlyartscenter.com or by calling 773-445-3838.
