ATCA in Chicago, city of theater

ATCA in Chicago, city of theater

Chicago, Tuesday, June 12: What a great city – to arrive in the Loop by train (subway? what do they call it?) on a glorious day like today you discover what a city can be, lively, vigorous, brawny (as the poet says), a real urban city. For me, Chicago always feels like the grownup city that Pittsburgh hopes to grow up to be.

And to find my way to the classy little Club Quarters hotel, right on the north edge of the Loop, looking out over that canal they call the Chicago River, is like coming home to urban essence, just why cities were invented. I had to head out to Jonathan Abarbanel’s home in a farther reach of the city for an afternoon meeting, and after trying to find the right train stop and making a couple of mistakes, I knew I’d be late. But when I called ahead to say so, I was told I had an extra hour. Call it the Phileas Fogg Effect — I hadn’t reset my watch to account for the time zone. Extra time! I love Chicago.

As you can tell, I’m feeling good. Why not, with five days of theater to look forward to, along with old friends from 28 years of ATCA gatherings. Perhaps others will join me here to blog, perhaps even about the plays. But today, it’s all about arriving and the excitement of this great city all around us.

— Chris Rawson

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