One of the many great parts of living in the Oak Park area is our easy access to the cultural riches of Chicago. With a quick Uber or train ride, you can be seated at the United Center or the Goodman Theatre without much effort.
As good as those options are, this past week reminded me just how strong our local entertainment scene really is.
In the span of a few days, our family took in the OPRF basketball home opener, the wrestling team’s home opener, and capped it all off with a spectacular musical experience on Friday night.
That final stop was PRISMS, the high school’s annual musical showcase and a true masterclass in collaboration among the band, orchestra, and choir. The level of talent on stage was breathtaking. For any parent or community member who has lovingly sat through an “adorable” first-grade music concert, PRISMS is the capstone you didn’t know you needed. It’s the payoff. The culmination. The hours of work poured into this production by staff members, who are also teaching full time, deserve far more thanks than they ever receive.
We talk a lot about shopping locally. I’d argue we should be just as intentional about spectating locally.
Yes, I enjoy a Bulls game, but I can also sit courtside at an OPRF game and park for free. The Goodman Theatre is fantastic, but I can also catch Hadestown or the Orchesis Showcase and support incredibly talented students in our own community, many of whom also happen to be our kids’ camp counselors.
And this excellence doesn’t suddenly appear at the high school level.
The talent we see at OPRF is built over years. I’ve watched countless standout performances at the Madison Street Theatre by students from BRAVO, CAST, Ovation, and JTF. Each spring, walking through the OPRF Art Show, it’s striking how many of the immensely talented students displaying their work were once early participants at SlowFire, honing their artistic skills long before they ever stepped into a high school studio. One of the top u18 wrestlers in the world currently walks the halls at OPRF, but his journey started years ago in the Little Huskies wrestling program.
The current talent in our village is impressive. The pipeline behind it is even more so. And the future looks brighter still, especially with the work of the Imagine Foundation helping improve facilities and create spaces worthy of the excellence already happening inside them.
Chicago will always be there. But some of the best seats in the house are much closer to home.
Vince Gay has over 20 years of experience in education, ranging from classroom teacher to building administrator. The proud parent of two school-aged children, he has been an active member of the Oak Park community for more than a decade.
