Fall of Freedom Play Reading: Earworm by Shualee Cook

This Friday, November 21st we will be participating in the Fall of Freedom activation for creative resistance. Please join us for a play reading of Earworm by our very own Shualee Cook. This event will also be a fundraiser for Midwest Immigration Bond Fund. Either show us your recent donation to Midwest Immigration Bond Fund or we will collect donations at the door.

About Earworm:

Candles Out is a decade-old punk rock break up song seeking closure with five people whose lives they're entwined with in very different ways - Sasha and Jory, the two band members that wrote them; Trevor, the guy they wrote them about; Elise, Trevor's sister; and Kess, a music journalist who sets them all on a collision course with a past they may not be ready to deal with.

How it applies to Fall of Freedom: Authoritarianism functions by stoking fears about our diverse present and inventing an imaginary glorious past to return to. Earworm, in a personal way, is about fully coming to terms with the reality of our past - the hurt and trauma we've caused, the hurt and trauma imposed on us by others - looking both of them in the face, and calling them by their names. Fittingly for a weekend of arts actions, it also focuses on how art can assist us in facing hard truths and finding catharsis.

Fall of Freedom is an urgent call to the arts community to unite in defiance of authoritarian forces sweeping the nation. Our Democracy is under attack. Threats to free expression are rising. Dissent is being criminalized. Institutions and media have been recast as mouthpieces of propaganda.

This Fall, we are activating a nationwide wave of creative resistance. Beginning November 21–22, 2025, galleries, museums, libraries, comedy clubs, theaters, and concert halls across the country will host exhibitions, performances, and public events that channel the urgency of this moment. Fall of Freedom is an open invitation to artists, creators, and communities to take part—and to celebrate the experiences, cultures, and identities that shape the fabric of our nation.

Art matters. Artists are a threat to American fascism.

Accessibility: This event is hosted at the bookstore, which is a wheelchair accessible space. Masks are required. Seating is on a first-come, first-serve basis. To request ASL interpretation for this event, please email ZXZlbnRzIHwgd29tZW5hbmRjaGlsZHJlbmZpcnN0ICEgY29t by no later than 14 days before the event. For other access needs please email .

Also check out other Arts events in Chicago, Nonprofit events in Chicago, Music events in Chicago.