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Unveiling the Magic: Love’s Healing Touch Through Storytelling

Candid photo of two people laughing together.

Kristen Kaza and Felton Kizer at #OTVTonight 2023 Afterglow

Photo: Jaclyn Rivas

By Elijah McKinnon

May 13, 2024


In a world often tangled in chaos, there exists a profound force capable of unraveling knots of despair and fostering hope in even the darkest of moments: Love. It’s not merely a sentiment confined to romantic ballads or fairy tales; rather, it’s a dynamic energy that permeates every aspect of existence, transcending barriers and binding us together. What makes love truly extraordinary is its remarkable ability to heal, mend broken spirits, and ignite the flames of resilience within us. In this remarkable journey of healing, storytelling emerges as a potent catalyst, weaving threads of love into the fabric of our lives.

Unveiling the Magic: Love's Healing Touch Through Storytelling video still

#OpenTVTonight Trailer

About the Event

Candid photo of an audience in a darkened theater.

Audience from #OTVTonight: A Return to Fellowship, hosted at MCA Chicago, 2023

Photo: Jaclyn Rivas

On May 28, 2024, Open Television (OTV) returns to the MCA with #OTVTonight: A Window into Love, a night dedicated to unlocking our humanity and celebrating the nuance needed to dismantle division and nourish empathy. For the sixth year, we're presented with the huge responsibility and expansive opportunity to unveil the storytelling magic of artists from all over the United States who are reimagining the role that media plays in healing ourselves and each other.

Explore the four selected titles and featured artists below. Through storytelling, we embark on a voyage of awareness, stepping into the shoes of characters who mirror our own joys and sorrows. We witness their triumphs and tribulations, their laughter and tears, and in doing so, we discover fragments of ourselves reflected in the narrative; it’s a profound reminder that beneath our differences lie common threads of humanity, woven together by the timeless thread of love.

Four people's portraits edited into one image.

Featured artists from left to right: Shoog McDaniel, April Maxey, McKenzie Chinn, and Rraine Hanson

Courtesy of Open Television

Conclusion

As we navigate the twists and turns of our own stories, let us remember the transformative power of love and the healing balm of storytelling. For in a world hungering for transformation, repair, and hope, these timeless treasures stand as beacons of light. We invite you to open a window into love during #OTVTonight, our beloved intersectional, late show-styled program featuring the premieres of How to Carry Water, Work, A Real One, and Mooncake; dynamic interviews with artists Shoog McDaniel, April Maxey, McKenzie Chinn, and Rraine Hanson; and the divine, sonic stylings of Chicago-based performance artist and DJ Mister Wallace—all hosted by yours truly. Make sure to grab a free ticket, available while supplies last.