Skokie Couple Turns Living Room Into Performance Venue
SKOKIE, Ill. (CBS) -- A name like "The Pig & Weasel" might conjure an image of a gritty indie rock club in Wicker Park or Ukrainian Village, but it's about as far from that image as can be.
As CBS 2's Vince Gerasole reports, the Pig & Weasel is, indeed, a live performance venue. But its location is tucked away on a residential street in Skokie, right in the living room of an area couple.
About twice a month, Todd and Monica Rogers move the couches out of the living room of their home at 8933 Forestview Rd. in Skokie, just across the North Shore Channel from Evanston. They set up a portable stage and host concerts and other live events.
They call the Pig & Weasel a house theatre, a micro-gallery, a mini-conference center, an arts incubator and a salon.
"We just aren't sit-on-the-couch-type people; we'd rather have things like this happening in the home," Monica Rogers said.
"It enables us to connect with creative people who are doing amazing things, and we get to be a part of that in a way," added Todd Rogers.
Vince was treated to a concert by Ami Moss & the Unfortunate at the living room venue Thursday morning. The Pig & Weasel also features art exhibits on their walls throughout the house.
And does having a performance venue operating from one of the houses on the block bother the neighbors?
"This is really great. It really gives a sense of community and it brings everybody together. It's really a nice space," said one of the neighbors, Ed, who was sitting watching Ami Moss & the Unfortunate Thursday morning.
The Pig & Weasel twitter feed shows a vast assortment of events that have graced the Rogers' living room or soon will, including spoken word events, and silent movies accompanied by eclectic jazz.
"Spoken word, we have music, we have dance eventually. We've done a storytelling night for the kids," Monica Rogers said. "So all kinds of things."
