Category Archives: Cabaret
Circuit Mom Presents Drag Queen Drive In Fun Oct 16th
And now for something a little different –
Drive in Drag – just in time for Halloween!
2 shows on Friday October 16th, 2020
6pm and 8:30pm
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Circuit Mom Pride Extravaganza June 19th
We hope you have been spending these last few weeks supporting your Black friends and family through protests, petitions, conversations with friends, family, and elected officials, and donations to various causes as we continue to fight for racial equity and equality in this nation. This fight is by no means over, but we have to remember this is a marathon and not a sprint, so it is important to take moments for ourselves.
As a way to facilitate a break (if it feels appropriate to you) we are bringing you a PRIDE edition of our long awaited virtual show celebrating the intersectionality of BIPOC and the LGBTQ+ community from 7-11pm Central Time on Friday June 19th, 2020. Which happens to be the 155th anniversary of Juneteenth, the day Major General Gordon Granger landed in Galveston, Texas with the news that the slaves were free.
This virtual show is filled with some of Chicago’s best talent such as Black Girl Magic’s The Vixen, Dida Ritz, Lucy Stoole, Sasha Love, Bambi-Banks Coulee, and Miss Toto, Ballroom star the Legendary Myah Lanvin, rapper KC Ortiz, pole dancer Ang Hell, Sheeza Woman, Aunty Chan, Joffrey ballet dancer and heels choreographer Fernando Duarte, Trans Chicago’s Valeria Mendez, Ginger Valdez, and Andrea Magia Mendez, Catfight lead singer Molly Callinan, The Baton’s Joan Jullian and Jacky Ireta Couture, DJ Ale Maes, Grammy nominated DJ and Producer Ralphi Rosario, and of course the one and only CircuitMOM.
This online event will be streamed across Twitch, circuitmom.com, and Facebook Live, and in an effort to keep progress moving forward will benefit Black Lives Matter and Trans Chicago from the Puerto Rican Cultural Center. Prepare to pull out your phones and tip these performers down. We appreciate anything and everything you are able to give.
Chicago Gay PrideFest June 20-21
Chicago Pride Fest is BACK ON for June 20-21!
It was previously announced that Pride Fest, the Pride Parade and Market Days were being canceled or rescheduled, due to the Covid 19 restrictions and limitations.
This morning it was announced that plans are underway to put together a 2 night virtual celebration of Pride Fest streaming for Free to Chicago and the world!
Chicago Pride Fest Goes Virtual
Chicago Pride Fest will mark its 20th year with a virtual festival format. On June 20-21, the Northalsted Business Alliance brings Boystown to the world with a streaming Chicago Pride Fest celebrating the love, life and diversity of Chicago’s LGBTQ+ community. Running from 7 pm to 9 pm both nights, the streaming Twitch event will feature a full line-up with entertainment, activism, greetings and more.
Virtual gate donations will benefit Boystown community programming, the Center on Halsted and Howard Brown Health.
Northalsted President Ramesh Ariyanayakam acknowledges how different things will look this year. “Right now our focus is all about planning a Pride celebration for the digital ages. We know this virtual festival will bring much needed connection and hope to our community and beyond and are thrilled to produce this event.”
More details at pridefestchicago . A full programming line-up will be available in June .
Drag Queen Christmas Dec 2nd at VIC
A Drag Queen Christmas
returns to Chicago
Dec 2nd at the VIC Theatre!
(In 34 cities total!)
The Naughty Tour now in it’s 5th year.
Get tickets plus meet & greet at https://www.DragFans.com
The national tour is presented
exclusively by Murray & Peter!
Chicago Premiere of CASA VALENTINA by Harvey Fierstein
You can’t go wrong with a play written by Harvey Fierstein!
I mean, come on! He does no wrong!
Casa Valentina was written by Harvey Fierstein which premiered on Broadway in April 2014 and opened in London in September 2015.
Pride Films and Plays’ Chicago Premiere of CASA VALENTINA, by Harvey Fierstein, one of the giants of gay writing and stagecraft of our time. CASA VALENTINA was nominated for a Tony Award® for Best Play. Pride Films and Plays Artistic Associate Michael D. Graham directs this delightful ensemble.
CASA VALENTINA is set in 1962, in an inconspicuous bungalow colony in New York’s Catskill Mountains that caters to a very special clientele: cis-gender straight men who delight in dressing and acting as women while away on vacation. These white-collar professionals discreetly escape their regular routines to spend certain weekends safely inhabiting their chosen female alter-egos. But given the opportunity to share their secret lives with the world, the members of this hidden society must decide whether the freedom gained by openness is worth the risk of personal ruin.
Read our playbill here! Buy tickets here!
Based on real events and infused with Fierstein’s trademark wit, this moving, insightful, and delightfully entertaining work offers a glimpse into the lives of a group of “self-made women” as they search for acceptance and happiness in their very own Garden of Eden. While the characters of CASA VALENTINA are not men who identify as gay, it continues Pride Films and Plays’ exploration of all things gender related, that are essential viewing for all audiences.
Graham’s cast will include Patrick Byrnes (seen most recently in FROST/NIXON at Redtwist Theatre) as George/Valentina and Nicholia Q. Aguirre (HOME ON THE LAKE with Piven Theatre) as George’s wife Rita, the proprietors of Casa Valentina. Danne W. Taylor, who played “The Playwright” – a character inspired by Tennessee Williams in Pride Films and Plays’ HIS GREATNESS – will be Charlotte. Also in the cast are Kingsley Day (City Lit’s TWO DAYS IN COURT) as Theodore/Terry, Michael Hagedorn (THE LIAR with Promethean Theatre Ensemble) as Albert/Bessie, Robert Koon (FUN HARMLESS WARMACHINE for The New Colony) as Judge/Amy, Micah Kronlokken (HOLDING THE MAN for Pride Films and Plays) as Jonathan/Miranda, Josh Marshall (MACBETH with Saltbox Theatre Collective) as Michael/Gloria, and BethAnn Smukowski (THE FRONT PAGE with St. Sebastian Players) as Eleanor. Jessica Goforth and Casey Coppess are understudies.
CASA VALENTINA By Harvey Fierstein
Directed by Michael Graham.
NOW thru September 29, 2019
Thursdays through Saturdays at 7:30 pm, Sundays at 5 pm.
Premium seats $40, general admission seats $30, student/senior/military $25 (not valid Saturdays)
Pride Arts Center – the Broadway, 4139 N. Broadway, Chicago
Tickets available by phone at 866-811-4111 or 773-857-0222 or online at www.pridefilmsandplays.com
Pride Films and Plays produces a year-round festival of work centered on LGBTQ characters or themes that are essential viewing for all. Since opening Pride Arts Center in 2016, with our two intimate spaces, Pride Films and Plays is in many ways the center of queer programming in the Midwest thanks to our award-winning full productions, cabarets, film fests, new play development and special events. Founded in 2010, Pride Films and Plays has earned 36 Jeff Recommendations and Awards.
Working with a small staff, a great group of dedicated artists, and a devoted board, Pride Films and Plays continues to bridge LGBTQ history to works of the most exciting new writers.
Glitzy Show Bar Restaurant LIPS Chicago Opens!
The ULTIMATE in DRAG DINING has arrived in Chicago!
WOWZA! Gorgeous place and fantastic food and drink! Opulence, darling!
Locations in New York City, San Diego, Atlanta and Fort Lauderdale, now we can experience America’s #1 DRAG SHOW EXPERIENCE for over 25 years at Lips Chicago.
Lips offers nightly drag queen shows and dining experience with full bar. Every night a different drag queen show including celebrity impersonators in Dinner with the Divas, Twisted Broadway, Celebrity Divas and Dragalicious Gospel Brunch on Sunday. Grand Opening Weekend was sold out!
Not only do they offer the best in drag queen entertainment, but an exquisite menu from lobster ravioli, Filet Mignon to our chocolate sin dessert and more!
Little Goat Diner’s Tom J Schmitt is the executive chef! Everything I tasted was wonderful. They offer a VIP Prix Fixe menu option for $39.95 or you can order al carte. – Cover charge and minimums depend on what night you attend.
Lips offers an amazing ALL YOU CAN DRINK Drag Gospel Boozy Brunch in Chicago every Sunday for $30! Reservations for any night, are always required!
Lips is a Las Vegas-style drag wonderland with Four massive eight-foot crystal chandeliers that dangle overhead, offsetting pink leopard tufted walls, velvet curtains, and a bevy of bejeweled mirrors. The venue’s stage features a throne — the performers are queens, after all. The 8,000 square-foot space seats 174, so diners should expect a crowd.
Featuring primarily local talent, Lips’ queens will not only serve up a great show – they will also serve you dinner. Doubling as lively waitresses, the entertainers will take orders and deliver meals with a special side of camp, giving every audience member a front-row seat to the nightly show, which will include lip syncing, live vocals, bawdy humor, choreographed numbers and campy comedy.
2229 S Michigan Ave 312-815-2662!
Penny Arcade at City Winery June 25
Penny Arcade’s one-woman-show Longing Lasts Longer
Tuesday, June 25 at 8:00 pm at City Winery Chicago
JUST IN TIME FOR PRIDE!!! The long-overdue Chicago debut of underground performance legend Penny Arcade and her one woman show Longing Lasts Longer is a rock n’ roll blend of stand-up comedy and memoir in which she offers perspectives on the effects of gentrification. Arcade’s performance is the same week as the 50th Anniversary of the Stonewall Rebellion and PENNY WAS THERE THROWING BRICKS! (Note, she prefers the word “uprising” to “riots.”)
She was on the scene in NYC with Patti Smith, Lou Reed, and Andy Warhol, to drop a few names.
Arcade, also known as Susana Ventura, is an internationally respected performance artist, writer, poet, and experimental theater maker known for her magnetic stage presence, her take-no-prisoners wit, and her content rich plays and one-liners. She is the author of ten scripted performance plays and hundreds of performance art pieces. Arcade’s decade-long focus on the creation of community and inclusion as the goals of performance, and her efforts to use performance as a transformative act mark her as a true original in American theater and performance. The work she does has always focused on the other and the outsider, giving voice to those marginalized by society. Longing Lasts Longer’s street smarts and exuberance open a crack in our planet’s post-gentrified landscape with its razor sharp satire.
Tickets $25-35. citywinery.com/Chicago.
SNEAK PEAK ON YOUTUBE
Chicago Pridefest 2019 Leann Rimes
The 19th annual Chicago Pride Fest®, June 22-23, 2019, is a legendary two-day street festival held the weekend leading up to the Chicago Pride Parade, celebrating LGBTQ+ life, culture and community.
This year marks a milestone as we honor the 50th anniversary of Stonewall and the birth of the Pride movement.
This year features multi-platinum Grammy winner Leann Rimes, Brazilian sensation Pabllo Vittar & Broadway newcomer Alex Newell, and more artists to be announced soon!
Also featuring local favorites: Sixteen Candles – Rod Tuffcurls & The Bench Press – Boy Band Review – Catfight – Don’t Speak – Hello Weekend – Chicago Gay Men’s Chorus – Chicago Spirit Brigade – Miss Foozie’s Pride Pet Parade.
More info on 2019 Performers.
Cirque du Soleil VOLTA Extended
Cirque du Soleil is excited to add two weeks of performances of VOLTA’s Chicago engagement this spring. The show will be presented under its signature Big Top at the Soldier Field South Lot, 1410 Museum Campus Drive, Chicago, May 18 – July 6, 2019. Tickets, starting at $49, are available for purchase by visitingcirquedusoleil.com/volta or calling 1-877-9CIRQUE (1-877-924-7783).
The show
Energetic, urban and contemporary, VOLTA is a captivating voyage of discovery that showcases never-before-seen under the Big Top acrobatics in a visually striking world. Driven by a stirring melodic score and inspired in part by the adventurous spirit that fuels the culture of street sports, VOLTA is a story of transformation. It is about being true to oneself, fulfilling one’s true potential, and recognizing one’s own power to make it possible. Ultimate freedom comes with self-acceptance, and with the liberation of the judgment of others.
BMX & Street Sports
The creators of VOLTA drew inspiration from the spirit of adventure that pervades the world of BMX, street sports and acrobatics. Whether they are on a bike, hopping from rooftop to rooftop, or double dutch rope skipping, urban sports enthusiasts constantly challenge themselves and defy convention.
Sure to be a Chicago crowd pleaser, VOLTA features a full-blown BMX park mounted on stage in front of the audience’s very eyes for the breathtaking BMX finale as riders invade the stage to deliver a jaw-dropping, fast and furious performance of nonstop acrobatics on wheels. The riders go up the jump boxes and perform air tricks before landing and leaping off the ramps again, crisscrossing and spinning their bikes in midair in a spirit of brotherhood.
The name VOLTA refers to a sudden about-face, a change in emotion or idea often used in poetry. It also speaks to the jolt of energy delivered through the show.
The Costumes
The stunning costumes of VOLTA have been designed by Zaldy Goco, famous for his work with Lady Gaga, Michael Jackson, Britney Spears, Gwen Stefany and for TV show RuPaul’s Drag Race.
Ticket Information
VOLTA will be presented under the Big Top at the Soldier Field South Lot, 1410 Museum Campus Drive, Chicago, starting May 18. Tickets can be purchased online at www.cirquedusoleil.com/volta. Discover our VIP package – a cocktail reception with open bar and hors d’ oeuvres inspired by the show, access to the best seats for greater comfort, complimentary parking and more!
I LOVE YOU, YOU’RE PERFECT, NOW CHANGE Feb 9th
CHICAGO THEATRE WORKSHOP PRESENTS PREMIERE, LGBTQ VERSION OF
“I LOVE YOU, YOU’RE PERFECT, NOW CHANGE”
Chicago Theatre Workshop (CTW) with permission from authors, Joe DiPietro and Jimmy Roberts will present a one-night only LGBTQ performance of their long running off-Broadway hit musical, “I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change” as a benefit for the company.
During the show’s nearly 20 year off-Broadway run, audiences celebrated the on stage relationships as a reflection of their own lives. CTW is excited to recalibrate the show’s series of vignettes focusing on the themes of love and relationships with an LGBTQ twist. Characters have now been re-imagined to reflect the lives of the LGBTQ community.
CTW Artistic Director Tom Mullen comments on the uniqueness of this benefit production, “This is a great joy for us, I’ve directed Love/Perfect a couple times before and I’ve always felt that this could really be an exciting version to try to do. It’s a great opportunity to really highlight that when it comes to love and relationships, we are all equal in our wants and wishes. We’ve also assembled an incredible cast and creative team and are so thankful to Joe and Jimmy to allow us to do this.”
Co-Author Joe DiPietro echoed Tom’s message, “When Tom called and asked about doing an all-gay version of I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change (once dubbed the straightest off-Broadway hit ever,) Jimmy Roberts and I readily agreed. I’ve always been a big fan of Tom’s work, and I can’t wait to see his very contemporary and, I’m sure, very hilarious take on the show.”
WHEN: Saturday, February 9, 2019
WHERE: Center on Halsted, 3656 N. Halsted Street, Chicago
TIME: Doors open at 7:30pm show at 8:00pm
COST: $45 General Admission. Tickets for the performance can be purchased on line at www.chicagotheatreworkshop.org. VIP and Sponsorship ticket packages are also available by contacting CTW.
The cast includes: Karl Hamilton, Charissa Armon, Melissa Young, Honey West, Lars Ebsworth, Noah Berman, and Jessica Vann. More are slated to be added. Musical Direction is by Nick Sula with direction by Tom Mullen.
At Chicago Theatre Workshop, we identify promising new works of music-influenced theatre and continually evolve them through live productions. Through our unique model, audiences can experience the life of a single production as it constantly changes and evolves. Risk. Reward.
Photo: Charissa Armon & Karl Hamilton
Barney The Elf Will Make You Laugh
Pride Films and Plays to produce fourth annual production of BARNEY THE ELF
Michael D. Graham’s new production of LGBTQ-focused holiday musical satire opened this past weekend!
( PHOTO-Back row L-R: Joseph Beal, Maggie Ward
Front row L-R: Brooke Emmerich, Thomas Tong, Danika Bone’t, Maggie Cain. Foreground: Roy Samra as Barney.)
Queer holiday cheer filled with laughs and fun music, this holiday show put’s a smile on your face! It’s a bit naughty and bawdy – it’s not for kids! This a grown up show, a contemporary urban fairy tale, loosely based on the 2003 Will Ferrell film “Elf,” that provides a stocking stuffed with equal parts laughs and earnest “accept yourself” messages.
The musical of an elf who must leave the North Pole to find a new home after Santa Claus retires has itself found a new home for its fourth annual incarnation. BARNEY THE ELF, Bryan Renaud and Emily Schmidt’s LGBTQ-themed musical inspired by the ELF feature film, will be staged in the Broadway theatre of the Pride Arts Center through Sunday, January 6. Michael D. Graham will direct the production.
Musical numbers galore in Renaud and Schmidt’s musical satire. They incorporate parody lyrics to popular songs, The musical parodies are great and the lyric changes will make you laugh! You will recognize I Will Survive, Streisand’s Don’t Rain On My Parade and All By Myself, among others.
Barney the Elf finds he must leave his home at the North Pole after Santa’s retirement causes chaos among the community of elves. He makes his way to a nightclub in Chicago, where he is befriended by drag queen Zooey, and learns to embrace his “inner elf.” The musical was developed by Renaud and Schmidt for The Other Theatre Company, with whom Renaud is an Artistic Associate, and was produced at the Greenhouse Theater Center for the past three holiday seasons.
This new production will be directed by Michael D. Graham, former Artistic Director of Piccolo Theatre, and will feature BARNEY THE ELF veterans Dixie Lynn Cartwright, who will alternate in the role of Zooey with Danika Bone’t, and Maggie Cain as Mrs. Claus and Roy Samra as Barney. Cartwright will perform on Thursday and Saturday evening s and Sunday matinees, with Bone’t taking the role on Wednesday and Friday evenings and Saturday matinees. Cartwright and Cain played their roles in all three prior productions of the musical. Samra first donned Barney’s tights for the 2017 production.
Also in the cast for this new production are Jaron Bellar, reprising his 2017 role as Santa Jr., Alisha Fabbi (Cookie), Christopher Sylvie (Drew, Barney u/s), Joseph Beal (Buttons, Tour Guide), Maggie Ward (Pinecone, Kathy), Thomas Tong (Topper), Larry Trice (Twinkle, Bouncer), Brooke Emmerich (Chorus, Swing), Nico Joshua (Chorus, Swing), Claire Hart (Choreographer), Paul Sottnik (Music Director), Shawn Quinlan (Costumes), Hayley Wallenfeldt (Props), Becs Bartle (Lighting), Michael Starcher (Stage Manager), and Christopher Sylvie (Assistant Director).
BARNEY THE ELF will play weekends throughout the holidays, through Sunday January 6 in the 85-seat Broadway theatre at 4139 N. Broadway, Chicago. Ticket prices are $30 (premium reserved seats), $20 (general admission seats), $15 (student/senior/military)
and are on sale now at www.pridefilmsandplays.com or by phone at 1-866-811-4111.
Cirque du Soleil brings new production, VOLTA May 2019
Cirque du Soleil brings VOLTA, its newest Big Top production, to new Chicago location, Soldier Field South Lot, May 18 – June 23, 2019!
Tickets on sale exclusively to Cirque Club members November 20;
General on-sale begins November 26 (‘Cyber Monday’)
Get a sneak peek of VOLTA here!
Cirque du Soleil returns to Chicago with VOLTA, a captivating voyage of discovery! Inspired in part by the adventurous spirit that fuels the culture of street sports, VOLTA explores the themes of celebrating differences and unique qualities in a world where technology often isolates people from one another rather than freeing them. Written and directed by Bastien Alexandre, with Jean Guibert as the director of creation, VOLTA weaves acrobatics in a visually striking world driven by a stirring melodic score, composed by Anthony Gonzalez from the international electronic group M83. For the first time, VOLTA will perform under its signature Big Top at the Soldier Field South Lot, 1410 Museum Campus Drive, Chicago, May 18 – June 23, 2019.
Access to the best seats and prices are available for existing Cirque Club members beginning Tuesday, November 20. Visitcirquedusoleil.com/cirqueclub to sign up for a complimentary membership. Cirque Club members receive advance access to the best seats under the Big Top, at the best price.
Tickets
Tickets (starting at $49) will be available to the general public beginning Monday, November 26, 2018, aka ‘Cyber Monday,’ by visitingcirquedusoleil.com/volta or calling 1-877-9CIRQUE (1-877-924-7783). Discover Cirque’s Hennessy Black VIP Experience package which includes a cocktail reception with open bar and hors d’oeuvres inspired by the show, access to the best seats for greater comfort, complimentary parking and more!
The show
Energetic, urban and contemporary, VOLTA is a captivating voyage of discovery that showcases never-before-seen under the Big Top acrobatics in a visually striking world. Driven by a stirring melodic score and inspired in part by the adventurous spirit that fuels the culture of street sports, VOLTA is a story of transformation. It is about being true to oneself, fulfilling one’s true potential, and recognizing one’s own power to make it possible. Ultimate freedom comes with self-acceptance, and with the liberation of the judgment of others.
The name VOLTA refers to a sudden about-face, a change in emotion or idea often used in poetry. It also speaks to the jolt of energy delivered through the show.
FOLLOW VOLTA!
Social Media:
Twitter: @Cirque #VOLTA
Instagram: cirquedusoleil #VOLTA
Drag Queen Christmas – Naughty Tour Nov 23rd
They are back!
A fabulous assortment of your favorite queens!
Drag Queen Christmas – The Naughty Tour!
at the VIC Theatre November 23rd.
It’s a Hilarious evening of holiday performances featuring contestants from the reality television show on VH1.
The Naughty Tour will feature Drag Race contestants Latrice Royale INC., Naomi Smalls, Thorgy Thor, Raja Gemini, Miss Vanjie , Monet X Change & Farrah Moan and hosted by the one and only Miz Cracker.
These talented girls will get you into the holiday spirit, with a naughty twist!
Plus special guests the Zakar Twins as Santa’s helpers!
Doors at 7pm, show at 8pm. There will be a 20-minute intermission.
This special event is Presented by Murray & Peter. Get tour info at www.DragFans.com
Super Fan packages are also available in the first few rows with a first-in-line meet and greet pass, official tour poster and laminate with lanyard.
The holidays were never this naughty!
All ages welcome.
Tickets range $35 – $150 GET TICKETS!
Venue Information:
The Vic Theatre
3145 N. Sheffield
Chicago, IL, 60657
http://jamusa.com/the-vic/
NYC “Drag Darling” PAIGE TURNER Sept 28th
NYC Drag Superstar PAIGE TURNER makes her Chicago debut and exposes the unvarnished truth of how she climbed her way to the top in a world filled with bottoms in this hysterical evening of live singing, outrageous comedy, videos and over the top parodies!
Life can be a drag—and Paige Turner wouldn’t have it any other way! Featuring ALL -LIVE sung songs from LaLa Land, One Direction, Burlesque, Hamilton, and many more. Get ready to ride on a rainbow as this tawdry blonde bombshell takes you into her phantasmagorical world of mayhem and foolishness!
ONE SHOW ONLY!
FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 28TH at 10pm
This is a small intimate venue – and tickets are going fast!
get your tickets
The critics rave!
“Paige Turner is the ultimate theater queen.” – New York Times
“Paige Turner is delectably witty and talented! “ OUT MAGAZINE
“Paige Turner has the stuff that legends are made of” -Theater in the Now
“Hilarious. Cheeky-old school glamour!” — Huffington Post
Get a glimpse HERE.
Known as the Carol Burnett of Drag, “Showbiz Spitfire” PAIGE TURNER is one the original creators and host of NYC’s live drag reality show “So You Think You Can Drag?” She is a 2 time Glam Award winner and is known for her over the top parodies on you tube.
She tours internationally in her All -Live one woman shows, including her critically acclaimed show “Confessions of an Un-Natural Blonde” and “Make America Gay Again!” She coined the phrase Slurp! which is also the name of the longest running drag show in NYC! She is currently part of the cast Shade: QUEENS OF NYC, on the Fusion Network and has been featured several times on WATCH WHAT HAPPENS LIVE! On Bravo.
Get tickets for her Chicago show!
Chicago Market Days Entertainment
Northalsted Serves Up Summer’s Best Fest
Market Days Returns August 11-12
The Northalsted Business Alliance delivers a diverse and dance heavy line-up for this year’s Market Days set for August 11 and 12. The must-do Midwest fest returns to the heart of Boystown with non-stop entertainment from four stages, shopping, food and more.
Multi-faceted entertainer Todrick Hall graces the stage as part of his Forbidden tour on Saturday, while Betty Who brings the beat on Sunday with her power pop. MAX, of gold single “Lights Down Low” fame closes out the festival on Sunday night. Additional national and local acts round out the line-up.
Northalsted Business Alliance Executive Director Chad Honeycutt explains the popularity of Market Days. “For more than 30 years Northalsted Market Days has set the bar for Chicago festivals and this year is no exception. We can’t wait to welcome our neighbors and visitors alike to celebrate summer in Boystown.”
About the Northalsted Business Alliance (NBA)
Formed in 1980, NBA represents more than 100 businesses along the Halsted Street corridor. The organization hosts major events throughout the year including Chicago Pride Fest, Northalsted Market Days, the Halloween Parade and Frost Fest. For information about NBA visitwww.northalsted.com.
Northalsted Market Days
North Halsted (From Belmont to Addison)
August 11-12 11 am – 10 pm $10 Suggestion Donation
Northalsted Market Days 2018/Saturday, Aug 11th
Addison North Stage
1:30P-3:30PM Drag Show
2:30PM-3:30PM Todrick Hall
3:30PM-4:15PM Trenyce
5:00PM-6:30PM Cat Fight
7:00PM-7:45PM Kimberly Locke
7:50PM-8:35PM Ultra Nate
8:40PM-9:25PM Martha Wash
Roscoe Stage
1:15PM-2:30PM Hello Weekend
3:15PM-4:30PM Girl Power Night
5:00PM-5:45PM DJ
5:45P-6:25PM Crystal Waters
6:25PM-7:00PM DJ
7:00PM-7:45PM Ty Herndon
8:20-9:45PM Hank & Cupcake
Aldine Jazz Stage
130PM-3:00PM Sam Fazio Quartet
5:30PM-7:30PM Feathered Beaus
NORTHALSTED MARKETDAYS 2018/Sunday, Aug 12th
Addison North Stage
1:00PM-2:00PM DJ
2:00PM-2:45PM Betty Who
3:30PM-4:30PM Sushi Roll
4:45PM-6:15PM DJ
6:15PM-7:00PM Expose
7:00PM-9:00PM DJ
9:00PM-9:55PM MAX
Roscoe Stage
1:00PM-1:45PM Chicago Gay Men’s Chorus
2:15PM-3:45PM Boy Band
4:15PM-5:00PM Kristine W
5:15PM-7:15PM Rod Tuffcurls
7:45PM-9:45PM 16 Candles
Aldine Jazz Stage
1:30PM-3:00PM BMR4
3:30PM-5:00PM Joe Policastro Trio
5:30PM-7:30PM The Flat Cats
Chicago Pride Fest 2018 Line Up!
Chicago Pride Fest brings big summer fun to the heart of Boystown on June 16-17. The annual festival, hosted by the Northalsted Business Alliance, celebrates pride, diversity and community in Chicago’s famed LGBTQ neighborhood.
Three stages deliver non-stop entertainment options with drag queens, DJs and iconic divas. Featuring Belinda Carlisle, Mya and more, Pride Fest is packed with both national and local acts. More festival fun is found among the 100 plus food, drink and shopping vendors lining the street, offering an eclectic array of options.
No Pride Fest is complete without the annual VIP Pet Care Pet Pride Parade, which brings pets and their people together for a Sunday strut down Halsted.
Northalsted Business Alliance Executive Director Chad Honeycutt explains what makes Pride Fest stand out in a crowded summer festival season. “No neighborhood puts on a better party than Boystown. But more importantly, Pride Fest fosters an atmosphere of celebration, appreciation and hope that is special to this event.”
For more information on Chicago Pride Fest, please visit www.pridefestchicago.com
About the Northalsted Business Alliance (NBA)
Formed in 1980, NBA represents more than 100 businesses along the Halsted Street corridor. The organization hosts major events throughout the year including Chicago Pride Fest, Northalsted Market Days, the Halloween Parade and Frost Fest. For information about NBA visit www.northalsted.com.
Chicago Pride Fest (June 16-17)
11 am – 10 pm
North Halsted from Addison to Grace
$10 Suggested Donation
Saturday, June 16
North Stage
| 1:00PM | Drag Show | |
| 2:30PM | La Bouche | |
| 3:15PM | Carlito Olivero | |
| 4:00PM | Drag Show | |
| 6:00PM | Frenchie Davis | |
| 7:00PM | Drag Show | |
| 8:15PM | Kim English | |
| 9:00PM | Jessica Sanchez | |
| South Stage
12:00PM |
Gay Men’s Chorus | |
| 1:15PM | Hello Weekend | |
| 3:00PM | Don’t Speak | |
| 4:45PM | Cat Fight | |
| 6:45PM | TL Williams & Band | |
| 8:30PM | The Four C’s |
| Sunday, June 17
North Stage |
||||||||||
| 12:30PM | VIP Pet Care Pet Pride Parade Kick-Off | |||||||||
| 2:30PM | Belinda Carlisle | |||||||||
| 3:15PM | Blake Lewis | |||||||||
| 4:00PM | Drag Show | |||||||||
| 6:00PM | Thea Austin | |||||||||
| 6:45PM | Drag Show | |||||||||
| 8:00PM | Brian Justin Crumb | |||||||||
| 9:00PM | Mya | |||||||||
| South Stage | ||||||||||
| 12:30PM | Chicago Spirit Brigade | |||||||||
| 1:00PM | VIP Pet Care Pet Pride Parade Finish | |||||||||
| 1:30PM | One Night Band | |||||||||
| 3:30PM | Abba Salute | |||||||||
| 5:15PM | Boy Band Review | |||||||||
7:45PM 16 Candles
Tony N’ Tina’s Wedding Extended!
It’s BACK and extended indefinitely! TONY n TINA’S WEDDING!
Now in its second run in Chicago, the current production opened in the fall of 2016 to rave reviews. Every weekend, neighbors of the Resurrection Lutheran Church on Seminary Avenue watch the same couple getting married on Fridays, Saturdays, and sometimes Sundays – and walk in the company of revelers to the nearby Vinnie Black’s Coliseum for a reception! Everyone that has seen it raves about the good time.
Tony n’ Tina’s Wedding is a one-of-a-kind night of entertainment – an immersive comedy show staged as an evening of nuptials for two Italian-American families.
It invites the audience to actively participate in all festivities: everyone is a welcome guest at the ceremony and reception, there’s real food, real dance, and real mingling with the cast of loveable characters.
And because there is so much action, so much improve, you have a different experience each time you see the show!
F A Q –
What is the menu, and can we buy drinks?
In Chicago, we serve Italian buffet dinner consisting of pasta, sausage, tossed salad, bread and wedding cake. Gluten-free and vegetarian meals are available upon request: we recommend you inform us in advance so we are prepared. All other productions are usually similar though not necessarily the same. For further information on menus outside of Chicago (unless the information is found on the specific city page,) you can email us at info@tonylovestina.com and we’ll be happy to help you. A full bar is available. Bar packages are also available upon request.
Pricing
All prices include the 2-part event, including the ceremony and reception, Italian Buffet dinner, including rigatoni, sausage, tossed salad, wedding cake, dancing and a cash bar.
YES – it’s gay and gay friendly! Joey the cousin is gay(at least in the show) and I did the $1 dance with the groom TONY! He actually LIFTED ME UP in the air! #swoon!
WHAT ARE WAITING FOR? Get a bunch of friends and check it out! For Chicago shows, please call 312-391-0414 or buy tickets online at www.tonylovestina.com. Just click the “buy tickets” button, choose “Chicago”, and select the desired showtime by scrolling down.
Cirque Du Soleil LUZIA
LUZIA official photos!
Photo credit : Matt Beard / Costumes: Giovanna Buzzi / 2016 Cirque du Soleil
A clown parachutes into the big top, turns a giant key et voilà: a new world is revealed, one populated by giant butterflies, hoop-jumping hummingbirds and a garden of real marigolds tended to by tin robots. Welcome to Cirque du Soleil’s vibrant new big-top show, Luzia!
Directed by Daniele Finzi Pasca, Luzia provides us with a glimpse into a dream-like Mexico that is simultaneously traditional and modern.
THE STAGING – AMAZING AS ALWAYS!
Luzia’s design, by the numbers:
- The opening scene begins in a field of 5,000 marigolds.
- In all, 1,115 different costume elements were created for the show.
- Each performance requires 140 pairs of shoes.
- The artisans in the costume workshop developed 6 crocodile heads, 1 iguana shawl, 1 cockroach, 1 grasshopper, 1 armadillo, 1 snake, 5 swordfish heads and 3 tuna heads.
- With its two revolving rings and central platter, the stage floor has 94,657 holes through which the water drains into a 3,500-litre basin hidden underneath.
- Integrating the element of water inside the big top represented a huge technical challenge on several fronts. All electrical and mechanical systems have to be waterproof. In addition, the water must be recycled, disinfected and kept at 28 Celsius for the comfort of the artists.
- The two giant treadmills weigh 3,630 kg apiece and are powered independently by 28 automobile-type batteries.
- July 21, 2017 – September 3, 2017, UNITED CENTER Parking Lot K.
- GET TICKETS – Starting at just $35 while supplies last!
Northalsted Market Days 2017
Prince Poppycock
Northalsted Market Days Brings Bevy of Entertainment Options
The Northalsted Business Alliance brings a bevy of entertainment options to this year’s Market Days, set for August 12 and 13. The Boystown bash, known for its five stages of entertainment, features a veritable bazaar of shopping and food options in addition to the live music.
The sheer diversity in entertainment guarantees there’s something for everyone to enjoy. From national headliners like Jody Watley to local favorites, from cabaret style singers to funk and beyond, Market Days delivers on its reputation as a must-do fest in the Midwest.
Northalsted Business Alliance Executive Director Chad Honeycutt expands on the appeal of the festival. “To host one of the biggest and longest running festivals in Chicago in such a vibrant neighborhood, naturally draws people from all over the city, state, country and beyond. It’s truly a welcoming and wonderful weekend to experience a fantastic array of music and enjoy the area and all of our offerings.”
Northalsted Market Days/Saturday, Aug 12th
North Stage
1:30P-3:30PM Drag Show
345P-4:30PM Prince Poppycock
4:45PM-5:30PM Inaya Day
5:40PM-7:30PM Drag Show
7:45PM-8:30PM Linda Clifford
845P-930PM Jody Watley
Jody Watley
Steve Grand
7-11 Stage
1PM-2PM DJ
2PM-2:45PM Steve Grand
2:45PM-3:15PM DJ
3:15P-4PM TIFFANY
4PM-445PM DJ
445P-5:30PM Brian Justin Crumb
5:30-7PM DJ
7PM-7:45PM ROBYN S
7:45-9PM DJ
9PM-945PM Maxine Nightingale
Maxine Nightengale
Belmont Stage
2PM-3PM KC Ortiz
3PM-3:30PM DJ
3:30P-5PM Michael McBride & Friends
Michael McBride
5PM-5:30PM DJ
5:30P-7PM Wedding Banned
7PM-7:45PM DJ
745PM-945PM Satisfaction
Jazz Stage (Aldine)
130PM-3PM Joe Policastro Trio
330PM-5PM Whiskey & Cherries
530PM-730PM BMR4
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NORTHALSTED MARKETDAYS 2017/Sunday, Aug 13th
Big Freedia
North Stage
115P-3PM Drag Show
3:15-4PM BIG FREEDIA
4-6PM Drag Show
615P-755PM Rod Tuffcurls
8PM-8:30PM DJ
835P-955PM Purple Xperience
Belmont Stage
130P-230PM Girl Power Night
2:30-3:15PM DJ
3:15PM-4PM Cece Peniston
Frenchie Davis
4:15-5PM Frenchie Davis
5-6PM DJ
6P-7:30PM Boy Band Review
7:30-8:15PM DJ
815PM-9:45PM Catfight
7-11 Stage
1:15PM-2PM Chicago Gay Men’s Chorus
2:15P-3:30PM Don’t Speak
3:30PM-4PM DJ X-Tasy
4P-515PMJC Brooks & the Uptown Sound
5:15PM-6PM DJ X-Tasy
6PM-720PM 10,000 Maniacs
7:20PM-7:50PM DJ X-Tasy
7:50P-9:50PM 16 Candles
Jazz Stage (Aldine)
130PM-3PM The Winchester Sound
330PM-5PM The Flat cats
About the Northalsted Business Alliance (NBA)
Formed in 1980, NBA represents more than 100 businesses along the Halsted Street corridor. The organization hosts major events throughout the year including Chicago Pride Fest, Pride Prom Northalsted Market Days, the Halloween Parade, Frost Fest and the Legacy Live Series. For information about NBA visit www.northalsted.com.
Venezuela Benefit July 5th Uptown Underground
Verbena for Venezuela’s Freedom
Wednesday July 5th @ 8pm General Admission $20
Verbena for Venezuela’s Freedom is a benefit for UCV First Aids in Venezuela (Organization that provides medicine and treatment to the people affected by the violent protests against the government). Venezuela has been under the same government for over 18 years and the people are asking for a change. 100% of the ticket sales from this event will be donated to UCV First Aids in Venezuela
Venezuela is a country know for its diversity, get ready to be immersed in a bowl of different tastes, cultures and rhythms as pole dancers, queens, and a bevvy of beautiful burlesque and BOYlesque performers make you dance, scream and LIVE your LIFE!
The line up includes:
Kat Sass
Lady Jack
Bazuka Joe
Camille Leon
Lucky Bucky
Miss B La Rose
The Vixen
Willy LaQueue
Dizzy Lizzy
Switch
Coco Sho-Nell
Gaea Lady
Anghell from Venezuela!
PLEASE SUPPORT THIS EVENT!~ TICKETS HERE!
