Kris Vire (1977-2024)
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A highly respected arts and culture journalist, Kris Vire passed away on November 18 after a years-long battle with cancer. Kris moved to Chicago in 2001 and was a founding member of Gapers Block, then began his blog “Storefront Rebellion” before joining Time Out Chicago, where he worked his way up from staff writer to the core editor over the course of a decade. In recent years, he served as the Arts and Culture Editor for Chicago Magazine, with additional freelance contributions to American Theater Magazine, the Chicago Sun-Times, Fodor’s Travel, The Guardian, PerformInk, and the New York Times.
In other mediums, Kris was a regular guest on WGN Radio’s Dean Richards’ Sunday Morning, the leader of a regular segment on ABC 7 Chicago’s 11am newscast, and an on-camera personality for Fox 32 Chicago and CBS 2 Chicago, with additional radio segments on WGN and WBEZ. He continued publishing reflections on theatre and the culture space until a month before his death. Kris was born and raised in Fayetteville, Arkansas, studying at the University of Arkansas before moving to Chicago. Initially, his intention was to be an actor, but after appearing in a few shows, he realized his true talent was in writing and critique. He was a particular advocate for Chicago’s storefront theatre scene. His professionalism, integrity and craft were hallmarks of his career. After his diagnosis, Kris tackled his cancer treatment head-on and navigated his way through all the challenges and side effects—all while maintaining a freelance writing and editing career, most recently in his role as Arts and Culture Editor for Chicago Magazine. Along with his partner Joe Torres, Kris is survived by his parents Keith and Jan Vire, his sister Julie Weegens (Aaron), nephew Jonah Weegens, grandmother Nelda Farthing, and many aunts, uncles, and cousins, along with his found family: Kelly Gilbride-Loris, Jeremy Loris, Brooke Allen, Jeremy Owens, Andy Fine, Julie Starbird, and Neal Starbird. Joe Torres said about Kris: “I accompanied Kris to countless theater productions across the city from large-scale touring shows to small, scrappy storefront theater productions. I witnessed the diligence and care he dedicated to his craft, the long hours spent poring over reviews and features. As a staff theater writer and editor for Time Out Chicago for over a decade, Kris was a singular voice in support of Chicago theater. That voice extended to national publications with contributions to American Theater Magazine and the New York Times. To the Chicago theater community: he was proud of his career and advocacy for Chicago theater over the past nearly two decades." |