MORGAN PARK — WGN Morning News anchor Robin Baumgarten will be among a group of five readers at The Frunchroom, a quarterly reading series in Morgan Park.
The upcoming storytelling event will be held at 7:30 p.m. Jan. 19th at the Beverly Woods Restaurant. The audience will gather in the Caravan Room, the largest banquet hall in the establishment at 11532 S. Western Ave.
“Our goal from the beginning has been to explore all aspects of the South Side, but specifically to talk about the stuff that doesn’t make headlines,” said Scott Smith, the host and producer of the live-lit event.
“We’ve done this by mixing together reporters and business owners, poets and DJs, lawyers and teachers. As different as each story is, it all feels familiar. And I think we need some of that right now,” said Smith, a Morgan Park resident.
Baumgarten is a three-time Emmy award winner. She is a long-time South Side resident who now lives in the southwest suburbs.
Other featured readers for the eighth edition of The Frunchroom include:
L.D. Barnes, a resident of the area of Morgan Park commonly known as Beverly Woods. She's a member of the Longwood Writers Guild and the Mystery Writers of America. Her work includes "The 107th St. Murder," "The Canyon Clinic Murders" and the forthcoming "The Fine Art of Murder." Her story titled "My Mount Greenwood Home" is included in the 2016 edition of the Tallgrass Writers Guild Anthology from Outrider Press.
John Chatz, the author of It’s Never Just Black and White, a blog about his bi-racial marriage, the South Side and other big family as well as big city issues. Chatz is a Bevelry resident as well as a lawyer and technology consultant advising justice agencies.
Eric Charles May, an associate professor in the fiction writing program at Columbia College Chicago. He's also the author of the novel "Bedrock Faith," which was named a Notable African-American Title by Publishers Weekly. The 2015 recipient of the Chicago Public Library Foundation’s 21st Century Award, May is former reporter for the Washington Post and former South Side resident who now lives in Lincoln Park.
Jamie Nesbitt Golden, a Hyde Park resident as well as a wife, parent and journalist. Her work has appeared on Chicagoist, xoJane, Salon and Time.com. She also co-hosts a weekly podcast at Nerdgasm Noire Network.
The Frunchroom works in partnership with The Beverly Area Arts Alliance, the organization responsible for local art events like the Beverly Art Walk, the Uprising Craft Market and Local Art on Tap.
Members of this group will dress up the room at Beverly Woods with retro-inspired and arts-driven decor. The banquet facility dates back to 1954. And Lizzy Benner, an Alliance board member and manager at Horse Thief Hollow will be behind the bar serving unique cocktails for the event.
The Frunchroom will mark its second anniversary in April with an upcoming podcast series, Smith said.
For more neighborhood news, listen to DNAinfo Radio here.
