Axios Chicago Weekender

March 19, 2026
๐ Hi friends! We made it to the weekend! Cheer on runners at the annual Shamrock Shuffle (a good sign spring is near?) and experience Madama Butterfly in a new way.
- Plus, Cardi B is performing in Chicago for one night only!
Today's newsletter is 742 words โ a 3-minute read.
1 big thing: Lyric's new "Madama Butterfly" takes flight
๐๐ฝ Hi, it's Monica jumping in with a weekend rec.
Ever since I saw "Madama Butterfly" for the first time at the Lyric in 8th grade, I've had problems with the Puccini opera.
Warning: Spoilers ahead for those who don't know "Butterfly's" ending.
The problem: As a half-Asian woman, I've long taken issue with the opera's central plot of an American sailor marrying a Japanese teen in Nagasaki and abandoning her for three years, only to return and drive her to suicide because he has a new American wife.
- The ending has always left me feeling depressed and demoralized.
Yes, but: Lyric's latest production, directed by Japanese American Matthew Ozawa and guided by a Japanese American female production team, has shifted the lens of this story, creating an exhilarating finale.

Between the lines: Ozawa's production casts the American sailor Pinkerton as a 2026 anime gamer and orientalist fetishizer who delves into Asian fantasies through a VR headset.
- He dreams up Butterfly and his marriage to her in Japan as a game.
- But by the end, it's Pinkerton, not the Japanese teen he's concocted, who is defeated. In fact, "Butterfly's" final act feels more like liberation than death.
If you go: The production runs through April 12 and tickets start at $95.
2. More things to do this weekend
Catch a festival of Asian cinema, sample different coffees and head to the South Side for community building.
๐ค Cardi B
- Snag a last-minute ticket if you can because the New York rapper is coming to town for one night only, but it will cost you.
- Saturday at the United Center on the West Side.
- Tickets start at $350.
๐ด Andersonville Restaurant Week
- Explore the classics and new spots in the North Side neighborhood, including Fiya, Kopi Cafe, Tala House and more. View the full list.
- Now-March 29.
- Restaurants offer $30/$45/$60 special prix fixe menus.
- Sample coffee and small bites while supporting local businesses. Tickets come with a souvenir ceramic tasting mug and complimentary rides on a bike cab through the neighborhood.
- 10am-1pm Sunday, starting at 1409 W Addison.
- Tickets start at $44.
๐๏ธ Asian Pop-Up Cinema
- Screen a variety of Asian films at the 20th edition of the Chicago-born festival. ๐ View the full lineup.
- Times vary, Friday โ April 12 at various locations, including AMC Newcity, Alliance Franรงaise de Chicago and One Rotary Center in Evanston.
- Tickets start at $15.
๐ก Woodlawn Community Summit
- Join elected leaders and local residents to connect, network and discuss ways to improve housing and development in the South Side neighborhood.
- 8am-12:30pm Saturday at Edith Abbott Hall in Hyde Park.
- Free, but RSVP.
- Jam to House music by DJs Mike Dunn, Terry Hunter and Wayne Williams.
- 3-9pm Saturday at Soundbar in River North.
- Tickets start at $19.
3. What to stream this weekend
Here are a few new titles you don't want to miss on streaming this week:
"Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man" โ available Friday on Netflix
- Gang leader Tommy Shelby (Cillian Murphy) returns for the movie after six seasons of the British period drama.
- Situational awareness: The film, which is also screening in select theaters, has a casting update: Murphy's "Dunkirk" co-star Barry Keoghan plays Shelby's son.
"Jury Duty Presents: Company Retreat" โ available Friday on Prime Video
- The unexpectedly sweet show that first followed one regular guy who unknowingly starred on a sitcom with a number of paid actors is back.
"Imperfect Women" โ available now on Apple TV+
- Elisabeth Moss, Kerry Washington and Kate Mara are the titular stars in this thriller that takes off after one of the three friends is found dead.
- Zoom in: The series is based on the Araminta Hall novel that examines the question: Do we truly know the people we love?
"Wicked: For Good" โ available Friday on Peacock
- Fans are saying thank goodness for the ability to stream the blockbuster โ and a sing-along version โ from home.
Thanks for reading! For more things to do follow us on Instagram!
๐โโ๏ธ Moyo is cheering everyone running in the Shamrock Shuffle!
๐จ Share this email with friends and tell them to subscribe.
๐๏ธ And tell us about events that we should highlight. Spread the love.
Edited by Carrie Shepherd.
Sign up for Axios Chicago Weekender







