Category Archives: Celebrity
Barbra Streisand Announces Concert Dates
The magic of Barbra Streisand in concert continues this fall with the
addition of NEW live performances in the US and Canada with special
guests Chris Botti and Il Volo!
| DATE | CITY | VENUE | FAN PRE-SALE | PUBLIC ON SALE |
| Oct. 8 | Philadelphia, PA | Wells Fargo Center | Aug. 9, 10 am ET | Aug. 11, 12 pm ET |
| Oct. 17 | Montreal, QC | Bell Centre | Aug. 9, 10 am ET | Aug. 13, 10 am ET |
| Oct. 20 | Ottawa, ON | Scotiabank Plaza | Aug. 9, 10 am ET | Aug. 13, 10 am ET |
| Oct. 23 | Toronto, ON | Air Canada Centre | Aug. 9, 10 am ET | Aug. 13, 10 am ET |
| Oct. 26 | Chicago, IL | United Center | Aug. 9, 10 am CT | Aug. 13, 10 am CT |
Details will be released soon on where to buy tickets online, but in
the mean time, there is a special offer for Barbra’s most loyal
fans… A limited number of tickets will be available before the public on sale date through an exclusive Fan Pre-Sale, and we’ll distribute the password for the Pre-Sale through the Barbra Streisand Mailing List.
The Fan Pre-Sale password will be emailed early on the morning of August 9th to subscribers of the Barbra Streisand Mailing List, so make sure to sign up if you haven’t already and check your email inbox early on August 9th for the first chance to purchase tickets!
Cyndi Lauper Kinky Boots Music for Broadway
Iconic performer Cyndi Lauper has released “Sex is in the Heel” and a selection of remixes from the upcoming musical Kinky Boots. The remixes are now available on iTunes http://bit.ly/SexIsInTheHeel-
Kinky Boots, the new musical that brings together four-time Tony® Award-winner Harvey Fierstein (Book) and Grammy® Award-winning Cyndi Lauper (Music & Lyrics), will have its pre-Broadway world premiere in Chicago this fall.
Directed and choreographed by Tony® Award-winner Jerry Mitchell, Kinky Boots will play the Bank of America Theatre (18 West Monroe Street, Chicago, IL) beginning October 2 through November 4, 2012, in anticipation of a 2013 Broadway opening.
For tickets for the Chicago engagement of Kinky Boots, visit BroadwayInChicago.com.
In Kinky Boots, Charlie Price is forced to step in and save his family’s shoe factory in Northern England, following the sudden death of his father. Help comes from the unlikeliest angel, a fabulous drag performer named Lola. Together, this improbable duo revitalizes the failing business, while helping one another grow into the men their fathers always dreamed they would become and transforming an entire community through the power of acceptance.
Inspired by a true story and based on the film, Kinky Boots features a warm and witty book by Mr. Fierstein (La Cage, Torch Song Trilogy, Newsies) and a richly diverse musical score from Ms. Lauper, in her stunning theatrical debut. Mr. Mitchell (Hairspray, La Cage, Broadway Bares) has crafted a production bound to move, inspire and set audience’s feet dancing.
CAN’T WAIT!!!!
www.cyndi lauper.com
La Soiree with Bath Boy David O’Mer in Chicago until August 5th – MUST SEE Show!
The sexy, funny and dangerous world of LA SOIRÉE! Has arrived in Chicago for a LIMITED engagement!!
A theatrical phenomenon, a unique and inspirational night of live entertainment, LA SOIRÉE’s heady cocktail of cabaret, new burlesque, circus sideshow and contemporary variety has taken the world by storm. Showcasing the crème de la crème of twisted cabaret entertainers from around the world, including stars of the Olivier-Award winning La Clique, LA SOIRÉE is an international sensation. And we are very lucky this show has made their North American debut in Chicago!
Fresh from record-breaking and awarding-winning seasons in London and Australia, taking in the iconic Sydney Opera House and Camden’s legendary Roundhouse, LA SOIRÉE is limbering up for a world-wide tour this Summer.
Playing at the The Riverfront Theater, 650 West Chicago Ave., this is Chicago’s newest
destination for music, theater, dance, spectacles and more. Now in its
second year, the 70-foot tall, 20,000 square foot temperature-controlled
tent is the cornerstone of a 80,000 square-foot entertainment complex
that includes dining and refreshment options located on the scenic
Chicago River. (Right behind Japonais Restaurant, across the river).
But what is so cool about La Soiree is everything happens on a tiny round stage that is about 12 feet around. And the audience surrounds the stage, so it is extremely intimate. Winner of the 2012 London Cabaret Awards, La Soiree is very sexy, very funny, and I encourage you to run see this show while it is in Chicago for a very short run!
Denis Lock and Hamish McCann are two delightful and devilish English Gents (above) who perform inconceivable feats of acrobatic skill, strength and balance, all whilst casually puffing a pipe and sporting the stiffest of British upper lips. The act mixes their highly skilled stunts with a dry English wit, unexpectedly climaxing with the two hilariously baring near-all for Queen and country and in the process displaying more pure sex appeal than ever before seen under a bowler hat.
And that’s not all! In a UK first the Gents will be premiering their solo acts with LA SOIRÉE, offering audiences the chance to see beyond the pinstripes and breeches. Denis pays homage to the Far East with a kimono-clad display of towering strength, with an amazing balancing chair act! And Hamish’s pole performance, imagine Fred Astaire from Singing in the Rain meets Cirque du Soleil! will blow you away! Two amazing talented men with bodies that are incredibly strong and rock solid.
It’s been quite a year for Le Gateau Chocolat, the opera-singing diva with a penchant for being wrapped in body hugging lycra and a passion for laughter.
Since first guesting with us at the Hippodrome, La Gateau Chocolat exploded onto London’s cabaret scene and has been garnering praise and adoration across the globe – from Edinburgh to Melbourne, and from TV screens to the cover of Time Out.
This delicious confection is a killer baritone who delivers outrageous yet moving renditions of everything from pop-rock to opera.
A real showstopper, Le Gateau Chocolat has a warmth that will see the whole world addicted to chocolate; that is if you aren’t hooked already!
And then David O’Mer..….sigh. Affectionately known as Bath Boy.
Hailing from Berlin and originally trained as a gymnast, David has been a cornerstone of this dysfunctional family for many years. His now world-famous incarnation as ‘Bath Boy’ leaves audiences damp and breathless in admiration – the combination of wet jeans and awe-inspiring aerial ballet is once-seen, never-forgotten.
David IS the Adonis in denim.
We first discovered David through You Tube a couple years ago. And we thrilled to see him in Chicago and bring his jaw dropping talents to Chicago!
Low lighting, rippling muscles, a near-naked man in a bathtub and
sultry music… his act is probably seven of the sexiest minutes you will ever
experience! Of course, we had to run backstage after the show and meet the infamous “bath man” – and have him autograph the washcloth we caught during his act!
David says, “It’s pretty easy to meet people
after the show because they’re all excited about the act!”
Obviously, his act is highly appealing to gay men and women. But David says straight men seem to enjoy it as well.
“I’ve always waited for guys to just not be into it but I’ve never had a
bad response. Even in corporate performances where the audience is 90
per cent male everyone has loved the show. It made me realise that even
straight guys can just look at the act and not worry about it. “
About 10 acts in all – La Soiree delivers an adult evening of fun and sexy entertainment! Their is a striptease act with mischievous disappearing hankies. From high brow to low brow and from live art to loquacious party tricks,Susannah Martinez treads where few performers dare to go, with the audience right there along for the ride. Expect to emerge from her act with a rudimentary knowledge of bawdy Spanish and a surprising awareness of anatomy.
And then the Supple, sexy, skilful and stunningly handsome, Bret Pfister brings the finest of New York’s cabaret talent to LA SOIRÉE. Equally inspired by the neo-Weimar cabaret movement and the nu-wave, synth-pop sounds of the 1980s, he blends awesome physical skill and a cool insouciance into his exquisite, punked-up aerial ballet.
We could go on and on – but go see this show!
La Soiree
NOW through Sunday 5 August
Show times:
Sunday – Thursday 8pm
Friday & Saturday 6pm and 9pm
Please check here for full performance schedule.
Prices from $ 50.00 – ask about the POSH on stage seating!!!
Click here to book your tickets Telephone: +1 (0) 888 556 9484
Barry Manilow and Chris Colferl in Chicago with Windy City Live
BARRY MANILOW
Singer Songwriter icon Barry Manilow will be joining Windy City LIVE Friday morning, July 12th performing some of his chart-topping songs.
He’s also here to cap off the week-long Manilow Music Project (MMP)-sponsored instrument drive for Chicago Public Schools and to discuss his upcoming concert at the Chicago Theatre.
Windy City LIVE audience members will be bringing a musical instrument to donate to Chicago Public Schools and Barry will have a surprise of his own.
If you miss it – you can watch it on their site!
WINDY CITY LIVE
CHRIS COLFER
Chris Colfer, best known for his role on the critically acclaimed, award-winning show “Glee,” will be on Windy City LIVE next Friday, July 20th, to talk about his life, career and playing a gay teen on Glee.
Colfer will also discuss his first novel, LAND OF STORIES: THE WISHING SPELL, part one in a series for children. The novel is due to be released on July 17 of this year.
Real Housewives New Jersey Gay Wedding in Chicago June 10
It’s Gay Pride Week on “Real Housewives of New Jersey”. Rosie
has an emotional discussion about her sexuality with her niece and
nephew at a crowded pizza parlor — that’s how we roll in Jersey — and
the Manzos, Lauritas and Giudices head to Chicago for the gay wedding of Caroline Manzo and Chris Laurita‘s sibling Jaime and his partner Rich.
But guess what? Jaime Laurita and Rich Lane are hosting a viewing party at SPIN this Sunday, June 10th at 8pm, and it will benefit EQIL!
And – brace yourself……..We JUST LEARNED some exciting news about our upcoming Real Housewives of
New Jersey Viewing Party this Sunday night at 8 p.m. at SPIN (800 W.
Belmont St.) benefiting Equality Illinois.
The party hosts, Jaime Laurita and Rich Lane, are giving
you the chance to win up to 4 tickets in a raffle to see Madonna live in
concert, including BACKSTAGE hospitality passes.
Reserve your $10 ticket now to our party and you will also receive one free drink ticket at the door.
Keep in mind your $10 ticket purchase will be doubled by our
generous supporter this month, so your $10 donation will provide us
with $20 to fight for full marriage equality.
In addition to the tickets, there will be other amazing
raffle prizes and you will get to watch the special Bravo TV episode of
their Illinois wedding on a super big TV screen.
Spoiler alert: if you just can’t wait to see what happens, the beans are spilled at NJ.com
GRABBY Weekend May 24 -27
6 Parties and a hundred gay porn stars!
Started in 1991 with humble beginnings, the Grabby Awards have know grown to attract international attention. The real turning point was in 2004 when the awards moved to the Park West, the well-known professional concert / event venue. This
was evidence of the growing prominence of the Grabbys and their
significance within the gay porn industry. Each year they seem to get bigger and better, with more porn stars and studios coming to town!
There is red carpet greeting as porn stars and adult entertainment movers and shakers arrive in limousines. It’s very Hollywood. But for gay porn!
Thursday May 24th, 2012 –
Grabby Official Kickoff Party with Chi Chi LaRue and lots of gay porn stars!
Hydrate 3458 N. Halsted from 10pm till ? $5 Cover.
Friday May 25th, 2012 – NakedSwords Tim & Roma Show –
Charlies 3726 N. Broadway. 6:00 – 9:00 PM Over
30 pornstars up close and personal. $5 Cover
Friday May 25th, 2012 –
Lucky HorseShoe 3169 N. Halsted 9pm-till ? $5 Cover
Saturday May 26th, 2012 -The Main Event The 2012 Grabbys!
Park West Theatre 322 W Armitage. Red carpet / doors open at 6:00 PM. Show stars at 7:30 PM.
GET TICKETS ONLINE
GRABBY AFTERPARTY – SPIN Nightclub Belmont/Halsted – 10pm till Close…
BUY TICKETS HERE!
Sunday May 27, 2012
Post Grabby Party at North End 3733 N Halsted from 12 – 6:00 PM $10 Cover. $15 at the door.
With a list of pornstars that will make you gag !!!!! Auctions for charity all day long.
* this event has sold out early in the past so get your tickets early space is limited! Tickets are available at North End.
Jersey Boys Special benefit Concert April 30th
CHECK THIS OUT! A very special concert by JERSEY BOYS!
The “Jersey Boys” are Taking It to the Street for Broadway Cares
Kimpton’s Hotel Allegro in partnership with the first national touring cast of the Tony and Grammy Award-winning musical Jersey Boys will hold a one-night only concert and auction to benefit Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS.
On Monday, April 30, the evening begins at 6:30 pm with 1960s
inspired cocktails and party hors d’oeuvres created by the top chefs at
the Allegro. At 7:30, the live band hits the stage and the first
national tour cast of Jersey Boys will rock the Allegro’s Grand
Walnut Ballroom singing the hits of Motown. The night continues with
dessert, dancing, a silent auction boasting autographed Four Seasons
memorabilia and a live auction full of one-of-a-kind Jersey Boys, music and Broadway collectibles.
Date: Monday, April 30, 2012 @ 6:00 pm
Where: Kimpton’s Hotel Allegro
The Grand Walnut Ballroom 171 West Randolph Street, Chicago, IL
Tickets: $100 – $200
:-( It’s True…Rosie is Leaving Chicago
A report on the Huffington Post
cites an “insider” who says Ms. O’Donnell was not happy about commuting
from her New York home to tape the show at Oprah Winfrey’s former Near
West Side studio. (WTF? She just bough a condo here in Chicago!)
She’s also found it more difficult to persuade guests
to travel to Chicago that it would be to book them on a New York-based
show, the source said.
The news came on the same day that reports said Ms. O’Donnell had found a buyer for her Lakeview home six months after she bought it. It had been listed on the market for just a day.
Ms.
O’Donnell bought the Chicago property as she began taping “The Rosie
Show,” which took over Harpo Studios after Ms. Winfrey ceased production
on the “Oprah Winfrey Show” to focus on her OWN network.
“The Rosie Show” has undergone changes since its debut. Ms. O’Donnell recently cut staff and stopped filming before a studio audience.
Gay Christmas Film to Shoot in Chicago with Ronnie Kroell
Scrooge & Marley
is a modern-day variation on Charles Dickens’ classic story of the
holidays, A Christmas Carol. Recounted from a gay sensibility, with
heart, comedy and music, the magic of Dickens’ timeless tale of a
man’s redemption at the holidays-thanks to the help of three ghostly
spirits-comes alive from a fresh perspective that will appeal to
audiences of every persuasion.
Scrooge & Marley, an independent film, will be shot in
Chicago May 2012. The film is based on an original script by Ellen
Stoneking, Richard Knight, Jr. and the late Tim Imse. It will be
directed by Knight and Peter Neville.
The film is being financed by investors, and is also launching an Indie
GoGo campaign this week, under the name Scrooge & Marley film.
They
hope to raise $15,000 by April 4, to add to the investor funding. See Indiegogo.com .
Several actors are already tentatively signed to the project, including: Megan Cavanagh (A League of Their Own, Robin Hood: Men in Tights, Exes and Ohs); Rusty Schwimmer (North Country, The Surrogate, Drop Dead Diva, Bones,
Louie); Ronnie Kroell (Bravo’s Make Me a Super Model, Eating Out-Drama Camp and Into the Lion’s Den); and Becca Kaufman, a renowned Chicago-area vocalist.
Auditions for additional roles will be held in March. Casting will be coordinated by Heather Schmucker. For details email casting@scroogeandmarleymovie.
“I think movie fans of all types will love Scrooge & Marley
– especially those with a soft spot for good old-fashioned Christmas
movies like myself,” Knight said. But the completed film will also be
the realization of a long-held
dream. “At last, there will be a holiday movie that gay people can call
their own something that we can return to year after year.”
ScroogeAndMarleyMovie.com
On Twitter | On Facebook
Judy Shepard in Chicago for H.E.R. March 10th
Join Center on
Halsted for the Largest Women’s Event of the year!
H.E.R. Day is an
afternoon of workshops dedicated to Women’s health, education, and
recreation. The day will start with a lunch sponsored by a Parent IVF,
and continue on into a diverse selection of workshop topics for female
identified individuals. Your $12 H.E.R. Day ticket
will give you access to all the days events, lunch sponsored by aParent
IVF and a special keynote address from activist and mother Judy Shepard
at 11am.
In October 1998,
Judy and Dennis Shepard lost their 21 year-old son, Matthew, to a murder
motivated by anti-gay hate. Matthew’s death moved many thousands of
people around the world to attend vigils and rallies in his memory.
Determined to prevent others from suffering their son’s fate, Judy and
Dennis decided to turn their grief into action and established the Matthew Shepard Foundation to carry on Matthew’s legacy.
In her continuing
role as board president, Judy travels across the nation speaking to
audiences about what they can do as individuals and communities to make
this world a more accepting place for everyone, regardless of race,
religion, ethnicity, sex, gender identity and expression, or sexual
orientation.
Don’t miss HER day – Center on Halsted, March 10th.
| 3656 N. Halsted Street | Chicago, IL 60613 | 773.472.6469 |
GET TICKETS NOW!
The People Speak Live with MATT DAMON Jan 31
Based off of the 2009 documentary, The People Speak, The People Speak, Live!
is a benefit performance that features dramatic readings of written
works from people of the past.
This month’s performance will include
readings of a fifteenth century priest documenting Columbus’ arrival in
the New World, a fugitive slave’s scathing letter to a former master,
the words of pathbreaking Chicago labor organizers, testimony of civil
rights activists and more.
The People Speak, Live! performance has officially added
Academy Award Winner Matt Damon to host the event and compliment a cast
of local talent. The supporting cast includes Robert Breuler and Alana
Arenas of the Steppenwolf Theater, various local poets and Rick Kogan of
the Tribune.
The Chicago premiere will be at the Metro, 3730 N. Clark St., on Jan. 31st.
Tickets are available at $11 to $24. Doors open at 6pm. Performance at 7pm.
Premium tickets available also.
Winter Soup To Warm Your Soul – with Private Chef Tong
THERE IS NOTHING LIKE SOME
HOT SAVORY SOUP ON
THESE COLD CHICAGO WINTER DAYS!
January 21
Soup for a Winter’s day
with My Private Chef
at Bloomingdaleʼs
Home & Furniture Store
Chef Christopher Tong of the Chicago-based private gourmet dining service, My Private Chef,
will present delicious soups from around the world.
This free
cooking demonstration will take place on Saturday, January 21 from 2-4pm Bloomingdale’s Home & Furniture Store at Medinah Temple, 600 N. Wabash Avenue, Chicago. Demo kitchen on 1.
PHOTO – My Private Chef in the
January 2012 issue of Food Network Magazine. An exuberant photo of Chef
Chris and Sous Chef Manny from their recent Chicago Botanic Garden
appearance will be in the Jan/Feb issue of Food Network Magazine. Look
for it on newsstands now.
What could be more elegant… and memorable… than serving a one of-a-kind meal created by a world-class chef?
My Private Chef takes private dining to a professional level of excellence.
JACKIE BEAT Brings NUTCRACKER to Chicago Dec. 9
Drag superstar JACKIE BEAT
has been
entertaining audiences across the U.S. and in Europe for over two
decades with her razor-sharp comedy and hysterical song parodies.
Jackie not only warps hits by Britney Spears, Madonna, Mary J. Blige,
Christina Aguilera, Cher, Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, Mariah Carey and many
others, but she flawlessly sings her twisted new versions LIVE — hitting
every last note.
Her hilarious music videos on YouTube
are huge hits that have been seen by millions of people. Her one-woman
show “Jackie Beat Is A Whole Lotta’ Love” ran a record 18 months at
NYC’s premiere cabaret, Fez, and she returns to The Big Apple every year
with her award-winning, standing-room-only holiday show.
FRIDAY DEC. 9th
ONE NIGHT ONLY
Jackie brings her outrageous NUTCRACKER to Chicago
@ Hydrate, 8pm.
THIS IS A MUST SEE SHOW!!!
She is one of the Fashion Police in US Magazine. She says, ” It’s always big fun to make fun of people who are younger, thinner and more successful than I am!”
Jackie’s stand-up has been featured in
comedy clubs across the country and on Comedy Central, VH-1 and MTV.
She was a staff writer for the WB comedy series “Hype!”, has written for
the Sci Fi Channel and was one of US Magazine’s Fashion Police top
cops. Her scathing song parodies have been featured on America’s Top
Forty with Ryan Seacrest, The Howard Stern Show, Much Music TV, Yo on E!
and PerezHilton.com.
She has appeared on many TV shows such
as “Sex and the City” and in several movies including “Flawless” with
Robert DeNiro, the MEGA festival hit WIGSTOCK
(with LADY BUNNY and RuPaul) and the camp cult
horror favorite “Gingerdead Man 3: Saturday Night Cleaver.”
Jackie has toured with Roseanne Barr as her opening act (including a
7 week run at the New York New York in Las Vegas!), enjoys a sold-out
8-week run in Provincetown every summer, and is lead singer of the
popular electro-rock band DIRTY SANCHEZ .
When asked if Roseanne is Nice? or a Bitch? Jackie jokes, “She’s a real nice bitch!”
Show-stopping, jaw-dropping numbers — of music
and comedy — Jackie Beat is your “girl”!
WORD OF WARNING! If you are lucky enough to meet her, DO NOT KISS HER! “It takes me over 2 hours to put this face on. Do you know that kissing a drag queen is TABOO?! I kindly ask people, Would you go to the Louvre and kiss The Mona Lisa? Well, I took almost as long to paint, as she did!“
Air kisses darling, air kisses!
Miss Jackie Beat
Jackie Beat on Facebook
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9 @ 8:00 PM
Hydrate: 3458 North Halsted Street, Chicago IL 60657
VIP tix are only $30 which includes seating in the first three rows and a complimentary cocktail!
General Admission tix are $20!
Doors open @ 7:00PM, showtime @ 8:00PM!
Tickets or more info: Hydratechicago.com
Rosie O’Donnell and Michelle Rounds Engaged
ROSIE O’DONNELL IS ENGAGED!
She broke the news to her audience today in Chicago during a break set aside for
commercials during the taping of her new show, at the Harpo Studios.
Rosie did not say if it would be a civil union in the state of Illinois or just what the plans would be.
On Friday, she posted a photo of Michelle Rounds
on her Instagram page with the word “love.” She also Tweeted a link –
this time with the caption “happy – in love” – of her new fiancée the
same day.
The lesbian couple met at a Starbucks. In October, O’Donnell joked
that her “gaydar was way off” because she thought Rounds was
heterosexual and just 28 years old, when really she is a gay woman and
40.
“It’s fun and very exciting,” O’Donnell recently said about the relationship. “I did not expect it.”
Monda Guerra Talks at Center on Halsted Dec 2
Fashion designer, reality TV star and public advocate Mondo Guerra is coming to Center on Halsted in honor of World AIDS Day.
He will be speaking Dec. 2 (the day before World AIDS Day) at 7pm in the 3rd floor theatre, followed by a meet and greet.
Mondo is perhaps most famous from Project Runway, where his designs won him critical praise and a spot as runner up on season 8. He also made headlines by coming out as HIV-positive on the runway, becoming one of the few reality TV stars in history to do so.
Last year, in commemoration of World AIDS Day, he designed a limited edition of
T-shirts, one with a Day of the Dead sugar skull and one with a tree of
life. These shirts were sold on Piperlime.com
For each shirt sold, $20 was donated to amfAR.In his statement to Fox News Latino for his motivations in doing this,
he said, ““The Day of the Dead is celebration of our loved ones who have
passed. When I was thinking of World Aids day I wanted to create
something very true to who I am, and what I know. Who I’ve known and
miss and those people in my life that still fight this disease. It’s
about love and continuation.”
Center on Halsted presents Mondo
7:00pm, December 2nd
(Cash bar and light hors d’oeuvres 6:00pm – 7:00pm, event follows directly after)
3rd floor theatre
3656 N. Halsted Street
Free and open to the public
Seating is Limited!
Please RSVP to RSVP@centeronhalsted.org.
Ronnie Kroell and The Lions Den in Chicago Nov. 8th
“Into the Lion’s Den” is an incredible new thriller directed by Dan Lantz and distributed by Breaking Glass Pictures. The film has premiered in some cities already – And you can catch it in Chicago NOV. 8th!! 9:15 at Landmark Century Cinema.
The cast includes:Ronnie Kroell, Jesse Archer, Kristen Alex Griffith, Jodi Shultz, and Michael McFadden.
Bored with the West Hollywood gay scene, best friends Michael, Johnny and Ted have embarked on a cross-country road trip from LA to New York City. Though their friendship hits a few speed bumps along the way, the trio decides to have one last hurrah during their last night on the road. That’s when fate brings them to The Lion’s Den, a secluded backwoods bar where not everything is as it seems. …
As the three out-of-towners toast the end of their journey, someone at the bar is watching them and setting a deadly trap. Now, as closing time draws near, a night of unspeakable horrors is about to begin…
Jesse Archer (Violet Tendencies, Going Down in LA-LA Land) and Ronnie Kroell (Eating Out: Drama Camp, Bravo’s Make Me a Super Model) headline in this bold, uncompromising thriller that plunges into the depths of human depravity. With its unpredictable plotline and raw performances, Into the Lion’s Den is a twisted nightmare that viewers won’t soon forget.
GET A SNEAK PEAK NOW! GET TICKETS NOW ONLINE
PS – Ronnie will be in town for the Chicago showing!!
And he is hosting an after-party at Mini Bar, right after the movie.
Hollywood to Dollywood and the Lane Twins Arrive in Chicago!
IT ALL STARTED WITH A DREAM….
AND AN RV NAMED JOLENE.
Everybody has a dream. Most of us are only willing to go so far to see it materialize and often find ourselves waiting for the right opportunity to come to us. Not so for the Lane twins -they were not content to send their screenplay Full Circle to Dolly Parton’s manager or publicist. No, they were determined to get it into the hands of their idol and on the 25th Anniversary of Dollywood, no less.
“WE grew up listening to Dolly’s music and always thought she was an amazing person. So why not write a screenplay about her, and go on a cross country roadtrip to try to put it in her hands! “ say the Lane Twins, Gary and Larry.
And that’s just what they did.
And the result is An amazing film and journey about courage and acceptance.
Now in 51 Film Festivals Around the World …They won 6 Awards so far!
“Dolly Parton herself Is 100% behind Our Movie and Gave us 15 Of Her Songs Free For the Documentary and Her Image for the Movie Poster!”
Hollywood to Dollywood Plays in CHICAGO!!
Nov. 9th! 7pm ONE NIGHT ONLY! Landmark Theater.
TICKETS ON SALE NOW – SURE TO SELL OUT.
The twins are hosting an after-party at SPIN, right after the movie.
ALSO the guys taped the Rosie show NOV 8th “she has just seen HOLLYWOOD TO DOLLYWOOD and wants to Chat about it!! WE ARE SO EXCITED!” say the Lane Twins! – The show airs NOV. 9th! Rosie LOVED the film!
DON’T MISS IT!
Hollywood to Dollywood
Hollywood to Dollywood blog
The Lane Twins
Whoopi Goldberg at Chicago House Benefit Luncheon.
Over 700 people came out to hear Whoopi Goldberg speak this week and over $325,000 was raised for Chicago House. It was the 3rd installment of the Annual Chicago House Speakers Series.
Whoopi Goldberg, award-winning actor, producer and television host, is an outspoken human rights activist who is also well known for co-founding and hosting Comic Relief in the United States to raise funds for the homeless. She donates her time and talents to DIFFA and Broadway Cares. She is a vigorous advocate for children, human rights, education, substance abuse, and in the fight against HIV/AIDS.
After doing 2 appearances on Thursday in other states, she took her red-eye bus across country to get to Chicago at 5am on Friday. – She does not like to fly!
Whoopi told how in 1983, she was first touched by HIV and the spread of AIDS. “I was in San Francisco and gay people were dying. Early on Liz Taylor came to me and asked my help to start fundraising. Our government didn’t care. And Ronald Reagan basically gave us the finger. I think when Rock Hudson died, people started to care.”
“Young people just don’t get it.” she said. “Young people are dumb. Parents are not having the proper discussions with their children. You know, Gaga speaks, and the kids listen. Young people listen to young people. It’s going to take spreading the message in new ways. You know Disney has the power to reach a lot of young people.”
She also says, “I have great idea’s for commercials – but television would never run them. You know, I would say, Don’t Put That In There! Kids are not talking about the issue. And I think we need to ask – HAVE YOU EVEN BEEN CHECKED YET?“
“In 1985, a courageous group of community volunteers formed Chicago House, the first organization in the Midwest to provide housing for people with HIV and AIDS. In those early years of the epidemic, we rallied to support friends who had lost everything — their homes, jobs, even the support of their families. We volunteered our time and energy to restore dignity to the lives of these friends in their final days.” Tells Rev. Stan Sloan, CEO at Chicago House.
“That spirit continues to drive our organization, from our board of trustees to our associate board to every volunteer and donor. Together, we continuously evolve Chicago House to meet the changing nature of the disease, and the needs of those who suffer from it.
Today, HIV and AIDS increasingly impacts people who are dealing with homelessness, mental illness, substance abuse, and extreme poverty. Even before being diagnosed, many of these families and individuals have never had homes, never had jobs, never had a support network of friends or family. Medical advances give them a chance to live longer, healthier lives, and to improve those lives, but the process is not easy. Nothing about AIDS is easy.”
I think we often forget how it easy it is to help. Whoopi made a comment about helping. And sharing. “A lot of folks think HIV is not an issue. But it IS. And it’s not going away. If people had paid attention 25 years ago, do you realize where we could be today? People don’t pay attention. They are more concerned with what the Kardashians are doing and wearing! Chicago House is so great. And I tip my hat to them. They are doing something. They are getting things done. They are helping and making a difference. But the work is not done. It is not complete.”
Did you know that 83 cents, from every dollar donated, goes to work and help!
Chicago House is an amazing organization. And through the end of December, if you donate, you can really make a difference. Check this out – The Lea Charitable Trust is matching every Speaker Series donation, dollar for dollar, up to $15,000 now thru Jan 1st.
So donate NOW. Whatever you can. $5 helps. $10 helps.
Donations can be taken online at Chicagohouse.org, by phone at 773 248 5200
or by mailing a check to 1925 N Clybourn Suit 401, Chicago 60614.
(Reference Speaker Series Match)
Holiday Gift Giving – Treat yourself and do good! Sweet Miss Givings provides real-life job training for participants of our jobs program and gives back over 50% of proceeds, all while providing Chicago’s most scrumptious pastries, desserts, and gifts.
SAVE THE DATE –
January 26, 2012
Champagne Wrapture
@The Fabulous Skydeck @ Willis Tower
The MUST ATTEND event of the Winter season! Sponsored by Veuve Clicquot and Belvedere Vodka.
SEE MORE OF WHOOPI – she sits down with ABC’s Cheryl Burton for a one hour interview!
Let My Private Chef Help You with your Holiday Party
Getting ready for holiday entertaining? Chef Tong will prepare: Crab, Coconut and Coriander Soup; Maple Soy glazed Salmon and Edamame. Watch Chef Chris prepare these wonderful recipes. There will be time for questions and answers about shopping, ingredients and preparation and then share in tasting the delicious results! For more information about this free Bloomingdale’s Home & Furniture Store event, contact James Bordoshuk at 630.974.4377. NOVEMBER, 29, 2011 The popular appearances of Chef Christopher Tong of the upscale private gourmet dining service, My Private Chef, continue with some wonderful menu ideas emphasizing healthy eating so essential for Gilda’s Club members and their families. People living with cancer know that healthy eating is important for the body and the spirit. The meals in this cooking series are designed to inspire people living with cancer to eat well, serve beautiful food and stay healthy. For more information about this event, contact Gildaʼs Club Chicago at 312.464.9900 or visit Gildasclubchicago.org
Looking for some new cooking ideas for fall?
Let My Private Chef Help!
My Private Chef is enjoying popularity as one of Chicago’s favorite private gourmet dining services.
Need help during the holidays with your holiday cooking? Impress your friends with a dinner spread by Chef Tong and My Private Chef!
Trained in European-style fine cuisine, Chef Tong established his reputation at fine restaurants and hotels in Florida, California, and Chicago. Now he has adapted his impressive skills to the world of private entertaining. My Private Chef offers enticing cuisine for a wide range of events, from intimate dinners to weddings to corporate parties.
This month, Join Chef Tong
at Bloomingdale’s Home and Furniture Store
in Oakbrook, IL and Gilda’s Club Chicago
NOVEMBER 5, 2011
MY PRIVATE CHEF SHARES SOME DELICIOUS RECIPES FOR FALL ENTERTAINING AT BLOOMINGDALE’S HOME & FURNITURE STORE IN OAKBROOK CENTER
I know you will certainly enjoy attending the cooking demonstration by Chef Christopher Tong. He has been invited back to present some delicious recipes perfect for Fall entertaining. He will conduct the cooking demonstration on Saturday, November 5 at 1pm at the Bloomingdale’s Home & Furniture Store in Oakbrook Center. 4 Oakbrook Center, Oak Brook, IL, Demo Kitchen on the 2nd Floor.
JOIN CHEF TONG FOR A HEALTHY MENU AT GILDA’S CLUB CHICAGO
Mark your calendar for this fun and infirmative event. This healthy cooking demonstration is on Tuesday, November 29, 2011 at 6pm at Gilda’s Club Chicago. The club is located at 537 North Wells Street, Chicago.
Gilda’s Club provides a place where men, women and children with cancer, and families and friends, join with others to build social and emotional support
in addition to medical care. Gilda’s Club is named in honor of the late comedian Gilda Radner.
My Private Chef has been a strong supporter of Gilda’s Club by providing this series of cooking demonstrations and conversations with Chef Tong.
For more information about My Private Chef, contact Event Services at 773.981.8131
or visit our web site: Myprivatechef.net
Rosie O’Donnell NOW PLAYING in Chicago on OWN Gives Interviews Today
The out, proud mom of four is ever funny, packed with high-energy and AUTHENTIC – a talk show with a heart – no two days of THE ROSIE SHOW will be alike. Rosie will cover current events, spotlight hometown heroes and newsmakers, showcase the arts, celebrate kids and families, as well as feature well-known and upcoming talent. All done here in Chicago at Harpo Studios. The other day in Chicago, I went to Millennium Park, to a Broadway concert. I’m acting as if I’m allowed to live like this, and the people in the city are allowing me. It feels good to be here. I even had to wait for a table at Gino’s East. I walked in, and they said, “Name?” I said, “Rosie.” They said, “Hi, Rosie. Welcome to Chicago. Sit down, it’ll be 20 minutes.” It wasn’t like there was a line outside—and there were empty tables, too! I thought, Well, this is going to take some getting used to, but it’s a good lesson!”
AS YOU MUST KNOW BY NOW,
Rosie O’Donnell is bringing her wisdom, talent and brilliant sense of humor (and don’t forget NICE!) to THE ROSIE SHOW. Airing begins October 10th on OWN.
At the heart of the show is Rosie’s genuine desire to entertain, inspire and connect with America. As a down-to-earth mother, passionate advocate for children and all-around inquisitive individual, Rosie will relate to her audience in meaningful ways-touching their hearts, sparking their minds and making them laugh.
I caught up Rosie today in between press meetings. Shows will be taped and aired the same day to be relevant.
“I am very excited to be here in Chicago. I really didn’t know much about Chicago. I had only been here a few times. BUT WOW! Chicago is EPICALLY BEAUTIFUL! I got a Segway tour last week and we covered about 10 miles.
I was stuck in a hotel downtown for my first couple months here, but now have purchased a condo in Lakeview. One of the producers had owned the condo, it was totally redone and I told him I wanted it. Furnished. Leave me a couple night shirts and even some toilet paper. Everything! So I bought it!”
“It’s in a cool neighborhood, I can walk everywhere, walk to restaurants…I love it. Eveveryone keeps warning me about the WINTER. The COLD. My new place has a heated garage and even the roof deck has this melting device – so I think I am ready! I am just very excited to be here. The outpouring of love and support has been truly wonderful!”
Lucky for Chicago, Oprah grabbed Rosie when she did. Rosie had an offer on the table from NBC for a show. “Something kept me from signing on the dotted line. I had the contract on my desk for over week. But network TV didn’t feel right. And then, Oprah and I had a 4 hour meeting, and that was it.”
The Rosie Show is destined for greatness. This is just what OWN needed. The network has gotten off to slow start but the Rosie Show is just the shot in the arm, the network needs. O’Donnell isn’t worried about her new home on OWN. “I have tremendous faith in Oprah’s ability to do almost anything,” she says. “When she puts her mind to anything, it gets down. People ask if I feel pressure. I feel nothing but privilege, really.” She lated added, “If you look at the launch of any cable channel, it takes three years. The people are just waiting for us to fill up the programming. Its going to be a huge hit like everything else Oprah touches.”
OPRAH SAID, “In 25 years of doing my show, only one competitor ever seriously challenged me in the ratings: Rosie O’Donnell. From the day Rosie took her place among the crowded field of talk show hosts, I knew she had that “It” thing: She was as sharp as she was authentic, as forthright as she was funny. During six seasons of NBC’s The Rosie O’Donnell Show, she not only won 11 Emmys—she knew how to use her screen time to truly connect.”
One thing that sounds really great about the new show, is its not about quantity, but quality of guests. Rather than trying to cram in 3 guests a day for 5 minute spots, the show will feature one guest on for several segments.
“Since I’ve been off the air, television has become saturated with celebrities. In America we’re addicted in a way that’s embarrassing. So it’s not going to be all about celebrity. It’ll be a celebration of humanity, of connection, of authenticity and love.
Because it’s on at 7, we’re going to do a hybrid between a late-night show and a daytime show. We’ll incorporate the audience. We’ll use Twitter. We’ll use Facebook. We’ve come up with a new kind of talk show that mixes the old single-topic format with fun and social media. So it will have a reality feel. We’ll have to get the kinks out, but the same way I knew the first one would work, I know this will work.“
Watch for a star studded opening week including a who’s who list of stars! Appearances by Salma Hyek, Lisa Kudrow, Gloria Estefan, Roseanne Barr, Sharon and Kelly Osborne, Ricky Lake, Gloria Steinem, Wanda Sykes, the cast of Priscilla Queen of the Desert. Kevin Bacon, Fran Drescher , but she still has a wish list of other stars. “Adele has throat issues but as soon as she’s up and healthy she’ll be on,” she says. “I want to have Melissa McCarthy on. Never seen anyone as funny their first time as host of ‘Saturday Night Live.’ Emma Stone… Ryan Gosling I think is an amazing actor. I have a huge wish list.”
“I’m going to come out and do stand-up with a mic. I don’t really tell jokes and my stand-up was always more about stories, so I need a mic and a stand. I felt like Henny Youngman [without it]. I’ll do about ten minutes of stand up, then take questions from the audience like Carol Burnett did. So we’re gonna have a real lengthy sit down interview, not always a celebrity with something to promote. Then we have a human interest segment and we play a game at the end of every show…. This will be more fun than anyone imagined. I cheat, but it’s still fun.”
Whether it’s hilarious comedy and game segments, (Rosie LOVES The Price is Right) a live performance by a major recording artist, a celebrity visit, or a discussion of an issue important to Americans, THE ROSIE SHOW’s candid exploration of a wide variety of subjects will encourage all of us to laugh, love and live our best lives.
JERRY NUNN, freelance writer in Chicago, asked Rosie if we would see her at Sidetrack for Sunday ShowTunes anytime soon. “OH MY GOSH, WHEN? I didn’t know about it!! Will they play THE RINK with Chita Rivera and Liza Minnelli?? Very few people know the words to that. I could have a solo. I know all of the words! I could perform it!” – so keep an eye out for Rosie at Sidetracks!
* I have RCN and OWN is part of a news and information package I had to buy, for an additional $5.95 a month. But hey, it’ll be worth it!
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