Category Archives: Celebrity
Latrice Royale in Chicago @ Seven
SEVEN NIGHTCLUB is proud to present RuPaul’s Drag Race Superstar, LATRICE ROYALE performing live on Friday, November 20, 2015.
Latrice Royale was a fan favorite in both RuPaul’s Drag Race, Season 4 and RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars and featured as a guest start on multiple follow up seasons of the hit show, RuPaul’s Drag Race: Untucked.
The LARGE AND IN CHARGE, Latrice Royale, will perform two performances, at 10pm and 11:30pm. Advanced general admission tickets will be $7 dollars and VIP Meet N’ Greet tickets will be available for $15. Both options will be available for purchase via our website.
Seven Nightclub and Lounge is located at 3206 N Halsted, on the northwest corner of Halsted and Belmont. For most up to date information and to view our entire entertainment line-up, visit our website at www.whatisseven.com.
Chef Tong @ Bloomingdales Oct. 17th
CHEF CHRISTOPHER TONG OF MY PRIVATE CHEF SHARES A FRENCH BISTRO MENU
AT BLOOMINGDALE’S HOME STORE, MEDINAH TEMPLE
Chef Christopher Tong of the upscale Chicago-based private gourmet dining service, My Private Chef,
is enthusiastic about European flavors and cuisine.
Join Chef Chris for a culinary tour of fabulous French Bistro fare.
A favorite with Bloomingdale’s shoppers, Chef Tong will prepare: Steak au Poivre, Haricot Verts Herb de Provence, and Chocolate Mousse with Coffee Liqueur.
People who are casual cooks or lovers of gourmet food get to ask questions, discuss preparation,
and come away with fabulous recipes that you can try at home. Chef Tong will give tips on shopping, ingredients, and serving. And, everyone gets to have a taste!
The cooking demonstration will take place on Saturday, October 17, from 2-4 pm, at the
Bloomingdale’s Home & Furniture Store at Medinah Temple, 600 N. Wabash Avenue, Chicago.
Demo Kitchen on 1.
For more information about this Bloomingdale’s event, contact at 312-324-7678
If you go – please tell them you saw it on BEST GAY CHICAGO.com!
My Private Chef is now established as one of Chicago’s favorite resources for private gourmet dining. Using his many years of experience at fine restaurants and hotels, Chef Tong offers the finest cuisine for a wide range of events, from intimate dinners to weddings to corporate parties.
For more information about My Private Chef, contact Event Services at 773.370.8131
or visit our web site: www.myprivatechef.net
Alexandra Billings Nov. 2nd
Pride Films and Plays annual fall benefit – Simply Sensational – celebrates Chicago legend Alexandra Billings.
WGNs Dean Richards serves again as the emcee. Billings will headline the event on Monday, November 2 that will feature Pride Films and Plays’ Company Members, along with several guest performers. It will be a magical and moving event indeed!
A select number of VIP tickets are available for the benefit at $175, and include a pre-show reception at 6 p.m. with appetizers and open wine bar at the Marketa Sivek Gallery at 1123 West Belmont. VIP ticket holders also enjoy reserved center-section seating for the 7:15 pm performance at Stage 773 at 1225 W. Belmont, and a post-show meet-and-greet reception and photo opportunity with Miss Billings and the cast. General Admission tickets are $75 and include the performance and a post-show reception. Tickets can be purchased here.
Alexandra Billings is an actress, singer, author, teacher and activist. She stars as Davina in Amazons multi-award winning television series Transparent and she has been seen on ‘Grey’s Anatomy,’ ‘E.R.,’ and ‘Nurses’ among others. She has acted in Chicago and across the United States, in many instances being the first transgender actress to tackle rolls like Mama Rose in Gypsy. She has worked at Bailiwick Repertory, Court Theater, and Steppenwolf, and has performed Off-Broadway. Ms. Billings activism stretches across the continent. She was inducted into the Gay and Lesbian Hall of Fame in Chicago in 2007. Living with AIDS since the mid-eighties, she chronicles her lifes journey in her blog Stilettos and Sneakers and is a regular contributor to The Huffington Post. Her life story From Schoolboy to Showgirl produced by Alex Silets (WTTW) was nominated for an Emmy in the Best Documentary category.
Tickets for Simply Sensational can be purchased here.
Miss Richfield at Hydrate Oct 9-10th
2 Nights Only Friday October 9 and Saturday October 10!!
Join the Return of… Miss Richfield 1981 in her new show “Cone of Silence!!”
Ever want to talk about something, but felt you couldn’t? You can now! In her new show “Cone of Silence,” Miss Richfield 1981 opens the discussion up to all forbidden topics! When she lowers the Cone of Silence, anything goes!
Enjoy new music, new videos, and new activities with the audience!
Limited VIP tickets are available for $33 which include seating in the first three rows
General admission tickets are available for $23.
Doors open at 6 PM both nights and showtime is 7:30 PM
Facebook page here
Caitlyn Jenner in Chicago Nov. 12th
Caitlyn Jenner, Olympian and recent winner of the 2015 Arthur Ashe Courage Award, will serve as the keynote speaker for the 7th annual Chicago House Speaker Series luncheon, being held in the Grand Ballroom of the Hilton Chicago, 720 S. Michigan Avenue, Thursday, November 12th, from 11:30 am – 2 pm.
Now in its 30th year, Chicago House is the Midwest’s oldest provider of housing for those impacted by HIV/AIDS and/or LGBTQ marginalization, and is now home to the nation’s most comprehensive social service and support programs for transgender individuals, the TransLife Center.
The Chicago House Speaker Series luncheon brings awareness to the agency’s founding mission, domestic and global HIV and AIDS activism, as well as its new strategic focus, combating LGBTQ poverty and marginalization, while celebrating the accomplishments Chicago House has achieved locally and raising funds to support the more than 1,800 men, women and children they serve.
This year’s Speaker Series will be especially effective at highlighting the marginalization and suffering disproportionately experienced by transgender individuals. Offending the values of fairness and equity, transgender men and women face enormous intertwining barriers to stability due to discrimination, societal and family rejection, and pervasive hostility. More than a quarter of transgender persons reports having lost a job due to their gender identity and more than half reports having difficulty finding a job because of their identity.
THIS WILL SELL OUT! GET TICKETS!
Margaret Cho “psyCHO” Brunch at Kit Kat
Margaret Cho “psyCHO” Brunch
Win Tickets to Cho’s Live Show at the Chicago Theatre
Kit Kat Lounge & Supper Club
3700 N. Halsted Street
Chicago, IL 60613
773-525-1111
KitKatChicago.com
MSG Entertainment and Live Nation announced that three time Grammy and Emmy nominee, comedian Margaret Cho will take The Chicago Theatre stage on Saturday, October 3, 2015.
Margaret Cho has been developing brand new material over the last several months. “I’m so thrilled to announce that I will be back out on the road. This show is about insanity and about the anger I feel about everything happening in the world right now,” said Cho.
A big part of Cho’s show are tributes to her “father in comedy,” Robin Williams and her “mother in comedy,” Joan Rivers, who passed away within a month of one another. Margaret was very close to both of them; her friendship with Robin encouraged her to start the #BeRobin campaign to raise awareness and funds for the homeless community. Her friendship with Joan reinforced Margaret’s desire to remain fearless. For more information, visit: margaretcho.com
Pandora Boxx at Center on Halsted
TKO – September 6th, 2015 3:00 – 6:00 p.m.
Center on Halsted brings you the hottest Labor Day bash!
TKO: greatest t-dance ever.
battle for your pleasure and a Technical Knock Out
jump in! groove to the killer sound of our dueling djs.
Billy Brown vs. Gina Kozar……mc Pandora Boxx officiates
sept. 6 2015 T-time: 3 – 6 pm……..coh rooftop & indoors
$20 entry/one drink, cash bar feat. our one-two rum punch
community.centeronhalsted.org/TKO
Say you’re attending on Facebook!
Pride Films & Plays: LezPlay Weekend – September 11th – 13th, 2015
LezPlay Weekend features five outstanding new works* – the finalists of this year’s Pride Films and Plays’ LezPlay contest!
LezPlay enhances the visibility and advances the viability of women who write plays, screenplays, and teleplays. The program not only advocates for more dyke drama; it honors excellence in scripts written by women in which lesbian characters and themes – past, present, and future – play a pivotal role.
The finalists’ scripts showcase Sapphic-centric narratives with a positive outlook. These are stories that elevate and celebrate us, refine and redefine us. Regardless of how you identify (or ident-defy) and even if your identity is not queer-cut, you’ll have a gay old time at LezPlay Weekend, where we’ll introduce you to women whose writing reflects, resonates with, and is relevant to your lives.
*The scripts will be presented as enhanced staged readings.
The performance schedule is as follows:
Friday, Sept 11, 7:00 pm
Black-Hearted Bitch, a teleplay by Lynn Kear
Saturday, Sept 12, 2:00 pm
The Patron Saint of Dead Dogs, a stage play by Katie Grotzinger
Saturday, Sept 12, 7:00 pm
Resolution, a play by Nancy Nyman & Heather McNama
Saturday, Sept 12, 2:00 pm
Missed Connections, a play by Hallie Palladino
Sunday, Sept 13, 5:00 pm
The Terror Fantastic, a play by Nicole Jost
For play synopses, visit the Pride Films and Plays website.
Queer Clothing Swap – September 13th, 2015 2:00 – 4:00 p.m.
Please join Center on Halsted and GenderQueer Chicago at the 3rd Annual Queer Clothing Swap! Trade in your skirts for a pair of slacks or your loafers for a pair of heels or maybe you’re just looking to update your wardrobe!
This event is free, but we ask that each participant bring at least 3 items of gently worn clothing (or shoes and accessories) to be donated to the swap. In exchange, you’ll have the chance to take home the new items you find! BYOB (Bring Your Own Bag). Please refrain from donating stained clothing, t-shirts and undergarments. While the swap is particularly intended for Trans* and gender-variant folks to have a safe and fun space to exchange clothes, the event is open to all queer-affirming allies!
Say you’re attending on Facebook!
Chicago Center on Halsted Events
Something for everyone at CENTER ON HALSTED in the upcoming weeks!
Limelight Series presents: An Evening with Pride Films and Plays – August 17th, 2015 7:00 – 9:00 p.m.
Join us as Center on Halsted’s Limelight Series presents: An Evening with Pride Films and Plays
Chicago’s Pride Films and Plays ‘utilizes stories with GLBT characters or themes and creates powerful theatrics and films that speak for the community and are essential viewing for all audiences.’ Pride Films and Plays, founded in 2010, has already established itself as a leader in the Chicago arts scene. Come get to know the company that the Huffington Post recently called “a powerful and empowering entity.”
7:00PM-7:30PM
Mix and mingle with PFP & COH staff and the program’s artists
7:30PM-9:00PM
Performances including a sneak peak of Design for Living, a talk from author Rick Kinnebrew about his new play Ten Dollar House, music from James Nedrud, performance artist Katherine Hawbaker-Krohn, one of our favorite short films from the Queer Bits Short Film Fest, songs from The Boy From Oz, PFP’s current smash hit!
You don’t want to miss this evening of arts and entertainment as we get to know one of Chicago’s great theater companies!
For more information on Pride Films and Plays, please visit:
http://pridefilmsandplays.com/
Center on Halsted’s Limelight Series gives you a chance to spend an evening with some of Chicago’s most creative people and organizations. Each event highlights the Windy City’s vibrant arts scene – from music and dance to literature and theater. Join us as we take a closer look at the creators and leaders of Chicago’s cultural landscape.
FREE
Register & reserve your seat by clicking the following link:
https://community.centeronhalsted.org/PrideFilms
Say you’re attending on Facebook!
Salve Regina: A Coming of Gay Story – August 22nd & 23rd, 2015
A solo show, written and performed by Javier Rivera*, remounted specifically for Center on Halsted, following a sold-out run at the United Solo Theatre Festival in NYC
*Winner of 2014 Best Actor Award at United Solo
Born in Puerto Rico to an ultra-religious mother and a domineering father is not easy, especially when it’s likely you are a big Queen. There are not enough novenas to pray, or candles to be lit. In this situation only a miracle will do, or better yet… a holy intervention. Thank God for Madonna.
Follow the coming of age story of Javier, a young Puerto Rican man, as he triumphs and stumbles in his journey to self-discovery aided by the only person who ever understood him…
TWO PERFORMANCES ONLY!
Saturday, August 22nd @ 7:30PM
Sunday, August 23rd @ 3:00PM
$10.00 (Tickets may be purchased online as well as at the door prior to performance – cash only!)
*All profits will go to Center on Halsted, helping to support future events like this one!
Click the following link to purchase tickets for Saturday’s performance: https://community.centeronhalsted.org/SalveRegina22
Click the following link to purchase tickets for Sunday’s performance: https://community.centeronhalsted.org/SalveRegina23
Say you’re attending on Facebook!
3rd Annual Feel Good Health Fair – August 29th, 2015 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
On Saturday August 29th, 2014 from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., Center on Halsted will host its 3rd Annual Feel Good Health Fair, a community health and resource fair with a focus on healthy living for LGBTQ individuals.
The Feel Good Fair will be hosted in the Irving Harris Family Foundation Reception Hall and Hoover-Leppen Theatre at Center on Halsted. This year the fair will feature free fitness classes throughout the day, product giveaways from health-related vendors, and nutritious cooking demonstrations.
The primary goal of Center on Halsted’s Feel Good Health Fair is to educate participants about making healthy choices and creating good habits for healthy living in the LGBTQ community. Vendors for the resource fair will focus on physical health, mental and social well-being. Participants are also encouraged to stop by tables to learn more about Center on Halsted’s programs and services.
The fitness class schedule for the day is:
10:00AM-10:25AM: Ballroom Dancing with Get on the Floor Dance Company
10:30AM-10:55AM: Yoga with The ATTIC*
11:00AM-11:25AM: Queer Tango with Paola Bordon
11:30AM-11:55AM: Zumba with Andrew Martinez
12:00PM-12:25PM: Ballroom Dancing with Get on the Floor Dance Company
12:30PM-12:55PM: Yoga with The ATTIC*
1:00PM-1:25PM: Queer Tango with Paola Bordon
1:30PM-1:55PM: Zumba with Andrew Martinez
*A limited number of yoga mats will be provided – if possible, please supply your own
It is highly suggested that you pre-register for the exercise classes by visiting the link below:
https://community.centeronhalsted.org/FeelGood
TKO – September 6th, 2015 3:00 – 6:00 p.m.
Center on Halsted brings you the hottest Labor Day bash!
TKO: greatest t-dance ever.
battle for your pleasure and a Technical Knock Out
jump in! groove to the killer sound of our dueling djs.
Billy Brown vs. Gina Kozar
mc Pandora Boxx officiates
sept. 6 2015 T-time: 3 – 6 pm
coh rooftop & indoors
$20 entry/one drink, cash bar
feat. our one-two rum punch
community.centeronhalsted.org/TKO
Say you’re attending on Facebook!
Pride Films & Plays: LezFest – September 11th – 13th, 2015
More details to come! Check back soon!
Queer Clothing Swap – September 13th, 2015 2:00 – 4:00 p.m.
Please join Center on Halsted and GenderQueer Chicago at the 3rd Annual Queer Clothing Swap! Trade in your skirts for a pair of slacks or your loafers for a pair of heels or maybe you’re just looking to update your wardrobe!
This event is free, but we ask that each participant bring at least 3 items of gently worn clothing (or shoes and accessories) to be donated to the swap. In exchange, you’ll have the chance to take home the new items you find! BYOB (Bring Your Own Bag). Please refrain from donating stained clothing, t-shirts and undergarments. While the swap is particularly intended for Trans* and gender-variant folks to have a safe and fun space to exchange clothes, the event is open to all queer-affirming allies!
Say you’re attending on Facebook!
Kit Kat Madonna Brunch Aug 16th
Madonna Birthday Brunch at Kit Kat Lounge
Midday Soiree in Celebration of the Material Girl’s Birthday
Sunday, August 16
11 a.m.-4 p.m.
In honor of Madonna’s 57th birthday, Kit Kat Lounge and Supper Club will celebrate with a Madge-themed brunch party on Sunday, August 16. Throughout the afternoon, Madonna
3700 N. Halsted Street
Chicago, IL 60613
773-525-1111
kitkatchicago.com
Cirque du Soleil in Chicago this Month
THEY’RE BACK!
Cirque du Soleil returned to Chicago this week with KURIOS – Cabinet of Curiosities. Now through September 20th!
The stage is magical and the acts amazing, as always!
The stage moves and turns, giving everyone unique views, no matter where are you seated. The shows mixes vaudeville, Broadway, aerial stunts, and old world charm in an alternate yet familiar past, in a place where wonders abound for those who trust their imagination, a Seeker discovers that in order to glimpse the marvels that lie just below the surface, we must first learn to close our eyes.
In his larger-than-life curio cabinet, the Seeker is convinced that there exists a hidden, invisible world – a place where the craziest ideas and the grandest dreams lie waiting. A collection of otherworldly characters suddenly steps into his makeshift mechanical world. When the outlandish, benevolent characters turn his world upside down with a touch of poetry and humor in an attempt to ignite the Seeker’s imagination, his curios jump to life one by one before his very eyes.
Of course, my favorite act was the “Siamese twins” hanging in the air from straps are separated at last when they fly high above the stage in a series of acrobatic figures, sometimes as a pair, sometimes solo. The two artists soar to impressive heights and crisscross above the stage while performing synchronized figures that require flawless timing. (ABOVE). – Reminded me of the sexy Atherton Twins from the Varakai show….
The show was filled with a huge cast of talent. A group of 13 artists perform spectacular sequences of perfectly synchronized acrobatics and human pyramids that showcase the amazing agility of the human body. In addition to standing three and four high on each other’s shoulders, the artists take off, somersault and crisscross in the air on three levels: the ground, a monolith positioned centre-stage, and in the audience.
Whether you have seen Cirque before or not – this show will wow you!
GET TICKETS
Joey Kisling Fund Raiser
Most everyone in Chicago is thinking about the upcoming weekend and Market Days and how they plan to celebrate and party with friends……no one really thinks about if they will even be alive to enjoy it. They just assume, they will be.
If you knew how much time you had left in this world, what would you do? Quit your job? Travel? See all the places you ever wanted to see? Take every risk you feared before? Eat all the things? Would you make a bucket list?
I know that thinking about your fatality is not necessarily enjoyable, but imagining that you could live out the rest of your life without worry, without financial burdens, and instead with freedom and clarity certainly sounds amazing, doesn’t it? Magical, even; romantic, like something that only happens in movies.
This is a chance for YOU to make this dream a reality for someone.
Boystown’s beloved Joey Kisling, at the young age of 31,
has fallen victim to the monster that is cancer. An aggressive, rare, and terminal cancer, and he needs our help.
Joey has been a bartender and DJ in Chicago for years. He’s probably poured you a shot, danced with you, inspired you to Shazam something from one of his mixes; he’s probably made you smile.
Now it is our turn to make him smile, to help him live out the rest of his life just as he wants. Let us work together to send him to sandy beaches in far away lands, let’s send him to rooftop pools in swanky hotels in Paris and Berlin. Let’s send him to The Big Easy and then Tahiti to enjoy cocktails with tiny umbrellas at swim-up bars.
Let’s help him do it because he deserves it; let’s do it because it would be amazing if someone did the same for you.
Please consider donating any amount to this fund. No amount is too big or too small; Joey will appreciate every cent. And he will appreciate every single one of you- even more than he did before.
TUESDAY August 11th TAT TUESDAYS @ REPLAY for also host a fund raiser!
Matt Yee in Chicago September 3rd
Matt Yee’s
OUTRAGEOUS ADULT SING ALONG SHOW 2015!
Hits Davenports Piano Bar & Cabaret for one nite only!
Thursday September 3, 2015. 8pm
Matt Yee, that wonderfully funny Entertainer, Artist, Comedian from Hawaii, & evidence that “Asian Men Are Huge” brings his “Outrageous Adult Sing Along Show 2015!” to Davenports Piano Bar & Cabaret. Madness, Tiaras and Boas will be flying! And expect to sing and laugh your way into the Labor Day weekend. Matt’s shows all over the country sell out, so get your tix now! You may have seen his standing room only shows on Atlantis Cruises & Royal Caribbean Cruises where he’s been a Signature Entertainer for over 14 years. For more info, including Matt’s duet with Frozen/Wicked/Glee star Idina Menzel and video with Broadway’s Chita Rivera, please visit www.mattyee.com
Advance discount tix available NOW
Davenports Piano Bar & Cabaret
1383 N. Milwaukee Avenue Chicago, IL60622 (773) 278-1830
Tix are only $20 plus $3 paypal fee (still cheaper than paying at the door, if available) Plus you’ll have tix while the other poor schmucks might not get in if we sell out! All the details are on the link including directions, etc.
Ages 21 and older invited.
“Go see Matt Yee!” Idina Menzel
“Utterly infectious. Any shyness you have about singing in public will be wiped out by Yee’s overwhelming tsunami of silliness. You will sing. You will dance. You will make synchronized hand gestures…” SF Agenda/Passport Magazine
“I love Matt Yee” Chita Rivera & Patti Lupone
see more:
www.mattyee.com
www.facebook.com/mattyeefanclub
www.facebook.com/matt.yee.31
www.linkedin.com/in/mattyee
twitter: @mattyee
Itunes: matt yee
MYA at Seven – August 1
The arrival of SEVEN happens this weekend, in the old SPIN space. (3206 N. Halsted at Belmont)
GRAMMY AWARD WINNING ARTIST MYA! PERFORMING LIVE!
Join us for our Grand Opening Weekend Celebration and party with Grammy Award winning artist, MYA…live at SEVEN DANCECLUB!
Doors open at 8pm and MYA will be taking the stage at 10pm!
Advance General Admission Tickets are only $20!
MEET AND GREET TICKETS ARE ONLY $30! LIMITED QUANTITIES AVAILABLE!
Purchase yours at http://
VIP TICKETS AND TABLES AVAILABLE… E-mail us as vip@whatisseven.com for more information.
Beats by DJ Laura Bee
Cirque Du Soleil Returns to Chicago
Cirque du Soleil returns to Chicago after four years with its newest touring show, KURIOS – Cabinet of Curiosities, premiering under the iconic blue-and-yellow Big Top August 6 – September 20th at the United Center Parking Lot K. Tickets starting at $35. Visit cirquedusoleil.com/kurios now for tickets.
Want to go for FREE? We’re giving away 2 pairs of tickets – for the August 11th show! Leave me a comment below and we’ll have a random drawing On August 1st!
Bette at the Continental Baths!
On the heels of its hit production Miracle!, Hell in a Handbag Productions is pleased to continue its 2015-16 season with BETTE, LIVE AT THE CONTINENTAL BATHS, a musical tribute to the legendary Bette Midler starring Caitlin Jackson, directed and choreographed by Christopher Pazdernik with music direction by Jeremy Ramey as Barry Manilow. BETTE, LIVE AT THE CONTINENTAL BATHS will play July 17 – August 21, 2015 at Mary’s Attic, 5400 N. Clark St. in Chicago’s Andersonville neighborhood. Tickets are currently on sale at www.handbagproductions.org. The press opening is Saturday, July 18 at 8 pm.
Join Handbag Diva Caitlin Jackson as she pays tribute to the Divine Miss M’s legendary cabaret act at the equally legendary Continental Bathhouse in New York City. Featuring a live band, this loving recreation of the beginning of Ms. Midler’s stellar career will feature the fabulous songs she sang for the boys in the bathhouse, including Chattanooga Choo-Choo, Superstar, and of course, Chapel of Love done in Bette’s inimitable style. Well, nearly inimitable. Handbag transforms the newly remodeled Mary’s Attic into the legendary Bathhouse (just tell your great Aunt Gertie this is where young men went to clean up back in the day) complete with hot dancing boys wearing strategically placed towels… and steam… lots of steam.
The production team for BETTE, LIVE AT THE CONTINENTAL BATHS includes: Zachary Gipson (set design), Kate Setzer Kampausen (costume design), Mikey Moran (sound design), Mealah Heidenreich (props design) and Jacqueline Widman (stage manager).
PRODUCTION DETAILS:
Title: BETTE, LIVE AT THE CONTINENTAL BATHS
Director/Choreographer: Christopher Pazdernik
Music Director: Jeremy Ramey
Cast: Caitlin Jackson as Bette Midler and Jeremy Ramey as Barry Manilow with Adam Fane and TJ Crawford as The Bathhouse Boys.
Location: Mary’s Attic, 5400 N. Clark St., Chicago
Dates: Previews: Friday, July 17 at 8 pm
Press performance: Saturday, July 18 at 8 pm
Regular run: Friday, July 24 – Friday, August 21, 2015
Curtain Times: Fridays and Saturdays at 8 pm. Please note: there will not be performances on Saturday, August 15 and Saturday, August 22. There will be added performances on Thursday, August 13 and Thursday, August 20 at 8 pm.
Tickets: Preview: $12. Regular run: $20 in advance, $22 at the door. Limited VIP reserved seating with drink $35. Big Gay Group Rate: $16 for groups of 10 or more. Tickets are currently on sale at www.handbagproductions.org.
Out in the Park Six Flags Chicago
Out In The Park at Six Flags Great America
Returns in 2015 BIGGER Than EVER!
A Spectacular Night of Amusement and Entertainment
Presented by MINI Cooper Chicago & Ketel One Vodka
That Will Help Benefit Northalsted Business Alliance
Saturday, September 12th, 2015 from 7PM to 12AM
Hosted by Amanda Lepore AND Pablo Hernandez this year! Attendees for this year’s fourth annual Out In The Park Celebration are in for a night of EPIC proportions.
All night, attendees can follow the bass to the Hometown Square dance area where The DJ’s of SCARLET Bar Chicago and Hostess Trannika Rex and some adorable go go’s well keep the party jumping.
Andrew Christian supermodel and “king of selfies” Pablo Hernandez will be riding rides with guests all night and taking photos. Then at 11:00 he will debut 2 of his new songs, followed by the Queen of New York nightlife, Amanda Lepore, with the worlds most expensive body!
Out In The Park is an annual private LGBT Saturday night fundraising event featuring unlimited riding of ALL Six Flags Great America’s amazing THRILL rides with a portion of all ticket sales each year help benefit various non-profits. “One of the best elements of this event is that it is closed to the general public and this year our event piggy-backs a daytime corporate buyout so our attendees will be entering an EMPTY PARK!” explains Michael Snell, co-owner of BestGayChicago.com. “The LGBT community, their family, friends and supporters can enjoy the park with little to no lines and without homophobic hassles from anyone. It’s like a Fall Gay Pride Celebration with even MORE amusement and entertainment!”
In an interview with ChicagoPride.com: “We are very excited that this private night for charity continues to grow every year and we have gifted over $35,000 to various groups,” said Derrick Sorles, Snell’s husband of 16 years and business partner, “We are more than thrilled that Amanda Lepore is flying in from New York and the handsome Pablo Hernandez (from Los Angeles) will debut his new music at our event this year!”
Advance $40 tickets can be purchased NOW at www.GaySixFlagsChicago.com
FREE parking for this special event! In September the price goes up to $45. $50 the day of the event. All ages event. Drinks are available for purchase to those 21+
Hotels –if you are coming to Chicago for the weekend, we have 3 hotel choices in the heart of Boystown! CITY SUITES, WILLOWS HOTEL and MAJESTIC HOTEL. All the hotels are on our website GaySixFlagsChicago.com
KURIOS from Cirque du Soleil August
It’s back!
CIRQUE DU SOLEIL RETURNS TO CHICAGO THIS SUMMER
WITH KURIOS – CABINET OF CURIOSITIES!
Written and directed by Michel Laprise, the new touring production will premiere under the iconic blue-and-yellow Big Top at United Center beginning August 6, 2015
TICKETS, STARTING AT $35, NOW ON SALE!
It’s been too long! Cirque du Soleil returns to Chicago after four years with its newest touring show, KURIOS – Cabinet of Curiosities™, performing under the iconic blue-and-yellow Big Top at the United Center parking lot, 1901 W. Madison Street, August 6 – September 20, 2015.
Cabinet of Curiosities premiered to the world in Montréal in April 2014 and is Cirque du Soleil’s 35th production. Since its debut, the critics have been raving: “KURIOS is Cirque du Soleil’s strongest act in years…one of the most amazing things I’ve ever seen on a stage” (Toronto Star) and “KURIOS is the best Cirque du Soleil show in a long time.” (San Francisco Chronicle).
- Picture credit : © Martin Girard shootstudio.ca
- Costume credit : Philippe Guillotel
Written and directed by Michel Laprise, KURIOS – Cabinet of Curiosities is a tale in which time comes to a complete stop, transporting the audience inside a fantasy world where everything is possible. In this realm set in the latter half of the nineteenth century, reality is quite relative indeed as our perception of it is utterly transformed. The name of the show refers to the humble and strange characters that inhabit the Seeker’s Cabinet of Curiosities.
In an alternate yet familiar past, in a place where wonders abound for those who trust their imagination, a Seeker discovers that in order to glimpse the marvels that lie just below the surface, we must first learn to close our eyes. In his larger-than-life curio cabinet, the Seeker is convinced that there exists a hidden, invisible world – a place where the craziest ideas and the grandest dreams lie waiting. A collection of otherworldly characters suddenly steps into his makeshift mechanical world. When the outlandish, benevolent characters turn his world upside down with a touch of poetry and humor in an attempt to ignite the Seeker’s imagination, his curios jump to life one by one before his very eyes.
Tickets are available for purchase by visiting cirquedusoleil.com/kurios or calling 1-877-9 CIRQUE (1-877-924-7783). Tickets range from $35 – $145.
KURIOS – Cabinet of Curiosities is Cirque du Soleil’s 35th production since 1984. The company, which celebrated its 30th anniversary in 2014, has brought wonder and delight to close to 150 million spectators in more than 300 cities on six continents. Cirque du Soleil has close to 4,000 employees, including 1,300 performing artists from close to 50 different countries.
For more information about Cirque du Soleil, visit www.cirquedusoleil.com.
Peter Allen is Boy from OZ
Pride Films and Plays is very excited to be back at Stage 773 for the Chicago Premiere of The Boy From Oz, the Broadway musical that tells the boisterous yet heart-warming true story of a Australian song-writer Peter Allen who ended up in the glamorous orbit of Judy Garland and her soon-to-be famous daughter Liza.
Directed by multiple Jeff Award Winner David Zak, with musical direction by Jeff Award Winner Robert Ollis, and choreography by Cameron Turner, The Boy From Oz is sensational in every way! Chris Logan plays Peter Allen, with Nancy Hays as Judy, and Michelle Lauto as Liza. PFP Artistic Ensemble Member Michelle McKenzie-Voigt is Peters mother Marion, and 13-year-old Garret Hershey is Peters younger self.
Get a sneak peek at the first rehearsal of Boy From Oz here, and order tickets today!
The score features Allens most moving and exuberant songs including the Oscar winning The Best That You Can Do, plus Quiet Please, Id Rather Leave When Im In Love, Love Dont Need A Reason, and the international smash hit I Honestly Love You.
The Boy From Oz runs August 5 to 30, and is one part of an exciting series of works presented by Pride Films and Plays. TICKETS start at $20!
The Boy from Oz performances take place at
Stage 773
1225 W. Belmont Avenue
Chicago IL 60657
Harrison Scott in Chicago July 9th
| 1575 N Milwaukee Ave, Chicago, IL 60622 (773) 227-7990 |
Gerber House is 2nd National LGBT Landmark
The Henry Gerber House is a house at 1710 North Crilly Court in the Old Town Triangle Chicago Landmark District of Chicago, Illinois, United States. The house was built in 1885. In the 1920s it housed the apartment occupied by Henry Gerber, founder of the short-lived Society for Human Rights, which was incorporated in Illinois as the first American organization working for gay rights. The building was designated a Chicago Landmark on June 6, 2001. This month, it was designated a United States’ National Historic Landmark.
The Gerber House is only the second LGBT-related property in the country to receive the recognition. The iconic Stonewall Inn in New York City is the other building listed primarily for its impact in LGBT history, according to the U.S. Department of the Interior.
Carrie Barnett, board president of the Gerber/Hart Library and Archives, said the spotlight on Gerber and his home helps to fill in the historical narrative of the gay rights movement. The library in Chicago’s Rogers Park neighborhood is named for Gerber and Pearl M. Hart, an attorney who also fought for the rights of gays and lesbians.
“Given the often hidden and erased nature of gay and lesbian history, and the frequent difficulty of finding even basic documents pertaining to such history, it is doubly fortunate that this house has remained so well preserved,” the landmark application states.
The recognition of the Gerber House is part of an effort by the Interior Department to document a more complete story of the gay rights movement. Interior Secretary Sally Jewell announced the initiative in May 2014.
