Chicago Humanities Spring Fest 2023: Ruth E. Carter, Rainn Wilson, Stacey Abrams and plenty of music

The Chicago Humanities Spring Festival has announced its lineup of presenters and performances for the fest running April to June. Headliners include folk musician and activist Joan Baez, Broadway actor Andrew Rannells and Ruth E. Carter, the costume designer for the “Black Panther” films who on Sunday became the first Black woman to win a second Academy Award. Her presentation in June at the Music Box will take us behind the scenes on some notable films.

Actor Rainn Wilson (“The Office”) will speak about his new book “Soul Boom: Why We Need a Spiritual Revolution.” Filmmaker Miranda July will be in conversation with comedian Carrie Brownstein about art. Politician and author Stacey Abrams will talk about everything from books to voting rights. And physicist Michio Kaku will speak on emerging technologies.

In addition, there will be music performances by The Bangels co-founder Susanna Hoffs, singer KAINA, Chicago band Joan of Arc reuniting to perform their score to the silent film “The Passion of Joan of Arc,” Chicago saxophonist Isaiah Collier and his quartet The Chosen Few, folk musician Robbie Fulks and others.

Three weekend days will feature multiple presenters in the Loop, in Lincoln Park and at the Epiphany Center for the Arts. Tickets go on sale when the full schedule is posted at 10 a.m. March 21 at chicagohumanities.org.

Chicago Humanities Spring Festival

Susanna Hoffs conversation and performance, April 13 at the Chop Shop, 2033 W. North Ave.

Rainn Wilson: “On the Importance of Spirituality,” April 21 at Francis W. Parker School, 330 W. Webster Ave.

Comedian Lane Moore with actor Mara Wilson, April 26 at the Chop Shop

Festival Day in the Loop on April 29

• Congresswoman Katie Porter: “Championing Change,” at Venue Six10, 610 S. Michigan Ave.

• The photography of Ralph Ellison, at Venue Six10

• Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison on police brutality, at Venue Six10

• A conversation with Farah Jasmin Griffin, at Venue Six10

• “The Supreme Court’s New Era” with Joan Biskupic, at Venue Six10

• “Surprise: Reading Jane Austen Again” with Rachel Cohen, at the Chicago Temple, 77 W. Washington St.

• Ayad Akhtar and Eboo Patel: “On Offense,” at Venue Six10

• Scott Aukerman: “The Hilarious World of Comedy Bang! Bang!” at Venue Six10

• Miranda July with Carrie Brownstein, at First United Methodist Church at Chicago Temple

Festival Day in Lincoln Park on April 30

• “Plinths for the People,” at Chicago History Museum, 1601 N Clark St.

• Community bookmaking with artist Regin Igloria, at Chicago History Museum

• “From Reagan to Trump: American Conservatism,” at Chicago History Museum

• PARA.MAR Dance Theatre: “Empowering Diverse Voices,” at Chicago History Museum

• “On the Injustices of the American Criminal Justice System,” at Chicago History Museum

• “How Chicago Became a Latinx Metropolis,” at Chicago History Museum

• Performance: Zacbe Pichardo and Mexican harp, at Chicago History Museum

• Playwright V (Eve Ensler) and author Rebecca Makkai at Francis W. Parker School

• Hebru Brantley in conversation, at Chicago History Museum

Festival Day at Epiphany Center for the Arts (201 S. Ashland Ave.) on May 6

• Adam Gopnik “On the Art of Mastering A New Skill”

• Alan Lightman on spirituality and science

• Physicist Michio Kaku “On the Quantum Computer Revolution”

• Aleksandar Hemon

• “A Black Guy’s Guide to the Constitution”

• Chicago artist Claire Ashley

• Poems While You Wait

• “From the Lab to the Page”: Brandon Taylor

• Kid Koala: Creatures board game event

• Isaiah Collier and The Chosen Few Jazz Quartet

• Experimental musician Joe Rauen: “Making Music in the Catacombs”

• “Just Like Me”: short documentary screening

Sound Opinions Live and Robbie Fulks in concert, May 8 at Park West, 322 W. Armitage Ave.

Phil Elverum and Song Exploder, May 9 at the Old Town School of Folk Music, 4544 N. Lincoln Ave.

Jonathan Eig “On the Life of Martin Luther King Jr.,” May 11 at the Chop Shop

“A Night Out With Andy Cohen,” May 12 at Park West

“A Night Out with Andrew Rannells,” May 18 at the Music Box Theatre, 3733 N. Southport Ave.

“An Evening with Gigi Gorgeous and Gottmik,” May 21 at the Chop Shop

Elif Batuman in conversation, with performance by Macie Stewart, May 23 at the Epiphany Center for the Arts

“Joan Baez: Art, Music, and Activism,” May 25 at the Old Town School of Folk Music

Joan of Arc presents “The Passion of Joan of Arc,” May 30 at the Music Box Theatre

“Stacey Abrams: Rogue Justice,” June 1 at the Vic Theatre, 3145 N. Sheffield Ave.

KAINA in concert, June 9 at the Salt Shed

“Costuming Black History” with Ruth E. Carter, June 11 at the Music Box Theatre

dgeorge@chicagotribune.com