The Firewriters Ensemble at Illinois Youth Center-Chicago (IYC-Chicago) will present a preview performance of Easy Targets, its newest original one-act musical, on October 26 at 5:30 PM. An informal reception with the cast and Storycatchers staff will follow. Admission is free. Reservations are required and can be made at www.storycatcherstheatre.org.

In Easy Targets, you’ll meet JJ and Chicken, best friends who are arrested after “hitting a stain” (committing a robbery) at a classmate’s house. The victims want only one item returned, but it’s the highest value item, one with an important family story attached to it. The show focuses on relationships, family, and trust. A small group of Firewriters created the script over the summer, crafting it from stories written and collected from the Ensemble since January.

Prison, Visit, Riccardo Muti, Maestro, CorrectionsResidents and staff of IYC-Chicago enjoyed a performance by Maestro Muti, Music Director at the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, on Sunday, September 28. With Muti accompanying them on a grand piano, four professional singers demonstrated compositions by Verdi and Bellini. A brass quintet of CSO musicians also performed songs from the show Porgy and Bess.