Category Archives: Outside the City
Mary Chapin Carpenter in Chicago area Oct. 15th
Acclaimed singer-songwriter, fierce animal lover, and long-time activist, Mary Chapin Carpenter‘s most recent album, The Age of Miracles , is a testament that she has indeed traveled so far, as her first song,”We Traveled So Far,” says.
Mary has been a dedicated supporter of organizations including Noah’s Wish, Campaign for a Landmine-Free World, Artists Against Hunger and Poverty, and other organizations.
Her music is poetic, pure and graceful, with her charm and storytelling evident throughout. “Zephyr” is my favorite track with lyrics: “I tried to be constant just like a star / I tried to be steady and yar / But the storms keep breaking over my head / I’m aching for blue skies instead”. A good ole-fashioned country song in “I Put My Ring Back On” about giving a relationship another go. “Holding Up The Sky” poetically and tenderly expresses her experience battling her health concerns, and feeling helplessness, scared and wanting to be free from pain.
When country singer Chely Wright publicly came out, the ONLY music artist who was publicly been supportive was Mary Chapin Carpenter. Others have been so privately but apparently do not want their fans to know they are LGBT friendly…”only one of those artists — Mary Chapin Carpenter — made a public statement about my coming out,to the positive.” said Chely….. “Mary Chapin Carpenter said, ‘Chely should be commended for what she’s done.’ My other artist friends reached out to me privately and said they loved me and that they were proud of me, but when asked publicly they said no comment…”
The Age of Miracles is the twelfth studio album from five-time Grammy award-winning Carpenter, including one Grammy-winning and two Grammy-nominated albums. By combining folk, country, acoustic, rock and blues, Carpenter has proven herself to be an artist for whom the conventional boundaries of the music business disappear; she has always professed a love for all kinds of music, and those influences come together in songs that speak to the most personal of life’s details as well as to the most universal.
Don’t miss this Chicagoland appearance!
Dominican University October 15th! Get Tickets Online!
Mary Chapin Carpenter
My Private Chef at Chicago Botanical Garden for Food Network Hawaiian Food Oct 2
Chef Tong, from My Private Chef, Prepares Chef Tong’s cooking demonstration will take place on Sunday, October 2, 2011 at 1:30 and 2:30 p.m. in the Regenstein Fruit & Vegetable Garden, Chicago Botanic Garden, 1000 Lake Cook Road, Glencoe, Illinois. Chef Tong will prepare Hawai‘i-style Chicken Curry with carmelized Apples, Pears and Bananas; served with Coconut rice. People who are casual cooks or lovers of gourmet food get to ask questions and come away with a fabulous recipe that you can try at home. Chef will give tips on preparation and serving. And, everyone gets to have a taste. The Hawai‘i Tourism Authority will be demonstrating lei making with fresh flowers and will provide coffee, tea, cacao and macadamia nut samples. Come join the fun! Admission to the Chicago Botanic Garden and Garden Chef Series is free. Parking is $20.00. For more information about this Garden Chef Series event, call 847.835.5440 or visit Chicagobotanic.org. My Private Chef is enjoying popularity as one of Chicago’s favorite private gourmet dining services. 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. For more information about My Private Chef, contact Event Services
a Hawaiian-Themed Dish during
Food Network Magazine FREE Weekend
at Chicago Botanic Garden.
Put on your grass skirt and Hawaiian shirt for delicious tropical food! You will learn how to prepare a Hawaiian-themed dish by Chef Christopher Tong during the
Food Network Magazine and Hawaiian Islands weekend at Chicago Botanic Garden’s popular annual Garden Chef Series.
at 773.981.8131 or visit them online: Myprivatechef.net
Cloris Leachman in Chicago September 24
Cloris Leachman in “Leachman’s show is both touching and wildly funny.” – San Jose Mercury News “Enchanting and madly wonderful!” – BeyondChron.com The celebrated actress takes you on a hilarious and sometimes poignant journey through her spectacular career and life. Cloris Leachman won an Academy Award for The Last Picture Show, and is the only actor to win nine Emmy Awards.
“Cloris! A One-Woman Show”
Saturday, Sept. 24, 7:30 p.m.
Dorothy Menker Theater
@ Moraine Valley Community College
” … it’s through a canny mix of melancholy and mirth that Leachman holds us spellbound through her show.” – The San Francisco Chronicle
Now, she shares stories about her Broadway years, the triumph of The Mary Tyler Moore Show, her zany characters in the classic Mel Brooks films Young Frankenstein and High Anxiety, and her recent scene-stealing performances on Dancing with the Stars. The show, set in an imaginary living room, includes video clips, songs and more—including Miss Leachman sitting down at the piano to tackle Rhapsody in Blue and Chopin’s Minute Waltz. A “once-in-a-lifetime” event!
(This show will definitely contain adult langauge!)
BUY TICKETS FOR CLORIS LEACHMAN ONLINE
More on Cloris Leachman
Crystal Bowersox Returns To Chicago – One Show Sept. 17th
Packed and ready for a move to Nashville, the “Farmer’s Daughter” singer now juggles married life as the mom of an infant son, Tony, and a blossoming music career thanks in large part to her stellar performances on the show that won her praise from none other than the notoriously picky Simon Cowell.
“I’m always writing,” she said of her songwriting prowess. “The move to Nashville will just be an asset to me. I want to be there, able to access all of the talent there…and plus, our house will have a bigger back yard!”
The woman who grew up poor began shaping a music career even before she was in high school. The idea to super size her goals came about when she learned she was pregnant and wanted to “give my son everything I never had growing up.”
“I don’t really consider myself an ‘Idol’ contestant,” she said while acknowledging her gratitude to the show. “I was a performer starting at ten years old and I played gigs all over. When I found out I was pregnant, I was playing $100 gigs. I had to find a way to do what I loved and provide for my family.”
Although she’s been embraced by the country music community, Bowersox is ready to let her music muse guide her into whatever genre feels right.
“I love country and pop and rock and all kinds of things,” she said rattling off her favorite performers including Eric Church whose latest single “Homeboy” she deemed “really cool” and the New Jersey-based duo Hoots & Hellmouth.””It used to be when I was a single lady living alone whenever the moment struck me I would write. Now I write down little phrases and lines and when it comes album time, I have all these notes. Sometimes, though, songs come from somewhere else and it could be pop or country or I don’t know.”
Crystal Bowersox returns to Chicago Septempber 17th, with one show at Dominican Univerisity, Lund Auditorium, 7900 West Division St. GET TICKETS ONLINE!~
Chicago Series 2011 – 35th Annual NAGAAA Gay Softball World Series is Underway
Nine Chicago teams are participating with at least one team in each division. The softball tournament consists of 150 teams from 41 cities in North American in five divisions. Many of the athletes will sing, dance, perform sketch comedy or show other special talents, at the annual NAGAAA Talent Show. This year’s event will take place in the Grand Ball Room at the Hyatt Regency O’Hare with all proceeds to benefit the designated Series 2011 charities. Emceed by: Tajma Hall, You will not want to miss this year’s Talent Show. This will be like no other! When: August 31, 2011 Then – When: Saturday September 3 The 35th annual Gay Softball World Series (GSWS), wrap-up a week of softball and social events with a closing awards ceremony and street fair in Boystown on Saturday, September 3, from 4:00-10:00p.m. “We’re proud to partner with CMSA and the Northhalsted Business Alliance to close out a week of softball and social events in Boystown,” said Ted Cappas, President, Series 2011. Series 2011 plans to recognize all of the tournament’s championship teams during the closing event. Additionally, the Chicago Cubs (a Series 2011 sponsor) will welcome representatives from the winning teams onto Wrigley Field on Sunday, September 4 for a special recognition ceremony prior to their 1:20pm game against the Pittsburgh Pirates. That Sunday is also Pride Day at Wrigley, brought to you by the Windy City Times, a Series 2011 media partner. Admission is free for all Series 2011 participants and CMSA Members.
LAST NIGHT was the Official Opening Ceremonies for the 2011 Gay Softball WorldSeries!
The huge event was in the Grand Ballroom at Navy Pier and it is estimated there were over 4,000 in attendance!
Athletes from around the country are here for a week of games and special events. The games are taking place at three separate complexes in Schaumburg, Elmhurst and St. Charles. Organizers say the games are expected to bring in more than $5 million in business to the city.
* CHICAGO SINGER Michael Scott McBride will be sharing his amazing vocals and music which can best be described as ‘Gospirational’ with a hint of dance.
Show starts at 7:00pm
Where: Hyatt Regency O’Hare Grand Ballroom
Closing Ceremonies
SERIES 2011, INC. IS ‘TAKING IT TO THE STREETS’
FOR CLOSING STREET FAIR IN BOYSTOWN
“Final Say” and “DJ Bill Bennett” Help Wrap Up
World’s Largest Annual LGBT Sporting Event
Time: 4:00pm – 10:00pm
Where: Waveland Ave in Boystown between Halsted and Broadway
The event, which is presented in partnership with the Chicago Metropolitan Sports Association (CMSA), will take place on Waveland Avenue between Halsted and Broadway streets and feature local cover band Final Say and world-renowned DJ Bill Bennett.
“We have received incredible support from the community and are especially grateful to our co-sponsor, CMSA, and Alderman James Cappleman, who understand the significance of this event for our community and our local businesses.”
ALSO ON SUNDAY – there is a post game party event at SIDETRACK. Singer Michael Scott McBride will perform.
Sports enthusiasts and members of the LGBT and greater Chicagoland community are welcome and encouraged to attend the Closing Street Fair for a $5 suggested donation at the gate, which will benefit Series 2011 charity partners.
See more photos on
OUR Facebook Page –
get up to the date news on
GSWS Facebook Page
Patty Duke in Chicago Area to benefit Open Door Clinic
Patty Duke Live September 18, 2011 at 2:00 P.M. Aracada Theater Buy your tickets online now! The afternoon starts with the showing of Patty’s Academy Award winning film “The Miracle Worker” After the film there will be a ‘Question & Answer’ interview with Patty. Patty will not be signing after the show due to the ‘Meet & Greet’ after the show for the VIP ticket holders only. Photos and books signed by Patty will be available for purchase in the theater lobby. General admission: $25.00 each (Includes film and Q&A with Patty) VIP admission only: $55.00 each (60 tickets available. Includes film, Q&A and ‘Meet & Greet’ with a photo of your choice for Patty to be personalized) Patty will have many photos to choose from her collection. You may also bring items from your personal collection for Patty to sign at $20.00 per signature. You may also bring your own camera to take photos with Patty. Light Hors D’oeuvers will be served at the ‘Meet & Greet’ with a cash beer & wine bar. All proceeds benefit Open Door Clinic.
105 East Main Street in St. Charles
Carlton Gardens…A unique Gift shop in West Michigan Just Past Saugatuck
Ruth A. Tucker was for six years a professor of missions at Calvin Theological Seminary in Grand Rapids, and before that taught for seventeen years at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Deerfield, Illinois. She is the author of seventeen books, including From Jerusalem to Irian Jaya, Another Gospel, Women in the Maze and Walking Away from Faith.
Saugatuck and Douglas
are filled with all sorts of little gift shops and art galleries…but once you have seen them all, then what?
On a recent trip to Saugautuck someone told me about CARLTON GARDENS. This is West Michigans Best Kept Secret! But not for long!
Just about 40 minutes from the Saugatuck area, this is an amazing little piece of land, beautifully landscaped and full of all kinds of gifts and art., in Grand Rapids.
Carlton Gardens is much more than an enchanting gift shop with unusual wall hangings, floral arrangements, antiques, and garden décor—with nooks and crannies around every corner. The main house is the first stop. Lot’s of clothes, jewelry, purses and accessories, mostly all for women, but also lots of lamps, lights and home decor.
In the surrounding yard and gardens you with find walkways leading to a vast array of yard art, benches, baskets, and unique gifts.
Here in this acre of country hidden right inside the city are 4 gazebos, 2 ponds, 2 bridges and 9 out-buildings: the Barn, the Garden House, the Christmas House, the Potting Shed, the Outhouse, the Coop, Breton Cottage, the Apple House, and Chapel by the Bridge, complete with stained glass windows.
Gifts and trinkets and yard art everywhere. You can literally spend a couple hours here.
In fact, owner Ruth Tucker told us she encourages folks to pack a basket lunch and come on out and spend an afternoon. One of the lovely screened gazebos has great lawn furniture inside, and shoppers are encouraged to come and hang out and enjoy this hidden gem.
While I find many of the galleries and gift shops in Saugatuck and Douglas, a bit overpriced, I found Carlton gardens EXTREMELY reasonable! Huge pieces of metal yard art ran $15-$350. With many in the $60-$80 range. It is so beautiful and very affordable.
The property is filled with all of these little “sheds” and buildings, each filled with more art and more gifts!
There is even a little Halloween building and a Christmas building.
Ruth runs the shop and keeps the grounds up with her husband John. Ruth is actually quite the trailblazer! (Google her!)
In 2003, less than 3 months after Cornelius Plantinga, Jr. was installed as the new president, “I was, without warning, removed from tenure track and given a terminal appointment. I have repeatedly asked that all the evidence be opened only to be blocked by a dishonest cover-up. When independent mediators were retained by the seminary board in 2005, they called for “retroactive pay to 2003,” among other things. That report was buried. I finished my second terminal appointment on August 31, 2006.” Talk about an emotional roller coaster!
So these days she and her husband devote all of their time to the gift shop and all of its grounds. It really truly is enchanting! I have never seen anything like it. And I encourage anyone looking for unique gifts to give, or for yourself or your yard, make the drive to see Ruth and her amazing gardens! Plan to spend a couple hours, and bring your checkbook. I don’t see how anyone could possibly leave this place without buying something. Four of us went to the shop and all left with bags of gifts!
Ruth said a lot of gay people have discovered her little shop over the last few years and word has been spreading.
Her and her husband have actually had the store since 1996. But in recent years have made a lot of changes and additions. They are ALWAYS working on it. In fact, since I was there in July, they have made more changes and additions!
And they are always getting in new merchandise.
“Much of unique yard art comes from various artists around Michigan.
Ruth says, “Sure, we sell sculptures (and chimes, bird houses, furniture, floral, baskets, pillows, paintings, clothes, collectibles, jewelry and much more). But you need not purchase a thing. Just come and enjoy our wonderful grounds. Bring a lunch and eat it in one of our four gazebos, two of them by waterfalls. Wander over the bridge into our sculpture garden where magic unfolds!
Hope to see you soon!”
CARLTON GARDENS
3140 Breton Rd. S.E. , 3 blocks south of 28th St. S.E.
See lots of photos on the website and on Facebook.
Phone: 616-974-1062
Hours: Mon-Fri: 10 am-5 pm , Sat: 10 am-3 pm
*PS – While you are in Grand Rapids, you might want to visit Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park. Comprised of 132 acres of natural wetlands, woodlands, meadows and display gardens, Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park is a year-round experience with indoor tropical, arid, carnivorous, Victorian and seasonal gardens, changing sculpture galleries with exhibitions by international artists, and outdoor acreage featuring an internationally acclaimed Sculpture Park, Children’s Garden, Michigan’s Farm Garden, amphitheater for summer concert events, nature trails and boardwalks.
Moraine Valley Academic Theater presents ‘Sexual Perversity in Chicago’
The Obie award-winning
“Sexual Perversity in Chicago”
is the next production for Moraine Valley Community College’s Academic Theater Department.
Performances will be
April 28 to 30 and
May 6 to 7 at 7:30 p.m.,
and May 1 at 3 p.m.
The play will be in the Dorothy Menker Theater, in the Fine and Performing Arts Center, on campus, 9000 W. College Pkwy., Palos Hills. Tickets are just $12 for the general public and $10 for seniors and students.
Please note: This play includes adult language and sexual content and is not appropriate for minors.
The four characters in “Sexual Perversity in Chicago” are a representation of 20-somethings co-habiting and mating in urban America in 2011. This tragic satire is the story of one couple who meets, begins a relationship and moves in together. The show starts out comically, ends seriously and is a look at how people influence their friends.
The play was written by David Mamet in the 1970s and is set in Chicago. While some of the references have been updated to reflect current day, many of them have been retained because they are still relevant. The play was revived in London about five years ago.
“Despite the graphic language and sexual content, this is a beloved Chicago play that still is respected in the theater,” said Dr. Craig Rosen, the director of the show and an associate professor of Theater at the college. “It focuses on the age group students at Moraine Valley are or are on the verge of being.”
Tickets for “Sexual Perversity in Chicago” and other upcoming performances can be purchased at morainevalley.edu/fpac, by calling (708) 974-5500, or at the Box Office located on the south end of the Fine and Performing Arts Center.
Johnny Weir April 30th Discount Tickets for BestGayChicago.com Readers
ICE DREAMS TOUR
with Johnny Weir
comes back to Chicago April 30th!
Edge Ice Arena in Bensenville
735 East Jefferson
Bensenville, IL 60106
an exclusive offer for Best Gay Chicago readers, if you type in promo code “johnnyweir” you can receive half off the ticket price!
There is also VIP seating available which will provide on-ice seating and access to Johnny’s intimate after party where they can meet him!
ICE DREAMS TOUR
$1 from every ticket sale goes to American Red Cross: Japanese Disaster Relief fund.
Johnny has even created a special t-shirt to help raise needed monies for Japan.
BestGayChicago.com
Chicago Area Lesbian Student Wins Right to Wear Tux to Prom
Proviso East High School student , Belinda Sanchez hopes to one day become a civil rights attorney. On Thursday, the 18-year-old got her first taste of victory, winning the right to wear a tuxedo to her upcoming senior prom.
Sanchez was initially told by the Maywood school’s principal, Milton Patch, that she could not wear a tuxedo to her prom and needed to wear a dress.
“I was just shocked,” Sanchez said.
Sanchez, a lesbian, said has been open about her sexuality since freshman year. She said the school has an active gay-straight alliance and it is very supportive of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender students.
She wound up contacting the American Civil Liberties Union of Illinois over the prom situation. On Wednesday, the group sent a letter to the school district backing her position.
“This sends a negative message to other students that they can’t express who they are,” said John Knight, director of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Project at the ACLU. “It’s a First Amendment right, a free speech right, and that includes her right to send a message through wearing male clothing that she doesn’t think women should be restricted to traditional female clothing.”
In a quick 24 hour response – the Proviso Township school district sent a response to Knight saying that Sanchez will be allowed to wear a tuxedo to the prom, on April 22.
High school lesbians wearing tuxes in school has foolishly been an issue all over the country. You would think this would be an a non-issue. Come on, a Chicago suburb pulling this? A reminder conservatives are everywhere.
A school district spokeswoman wrote an email to the Tribune about how the incident involving Sanchez has been a learning experience for the school: “(Sanchez has opened) up a new, very interesting and healthy dialogue in terms of our prom review procedures. We support our students in all of their differences and we encourage them to express themselves in various ways as long as it is not disruptive to the school environment. The principal gave his initial determination based on his interpretation of the policy, and the student asked that it be reconsidered. After looking into the policy — it was.”
HOMOPHOBIC Schuyler County Sheriff Don Schieferdecker Should Resign
OH NO HE DIDN’T!
Oh, But YES HE DID. And he got caught!
The Civil Rights Agenda (TCRA), an Illinois’ statewide LGBTQ advocacy and political organization, is calling for the resignation of Schuyler County Sherriff Don Schieferdecker after it was reported that he posted a comment on Facebook that referred to a co-worker as a
“little fag Jew boy.”
“It is absolutely incomprehensible that an elected official would use such language to refer to a subordinate. I don’t care if it was meant in jest or not. I don’t care if he meant for everyone to see it or not. The fact is, the comment is now public and there should be consequences for statements such as this,” stated Anthony Martinez, Executive Director of The Civil Rights Agenda. “Not only is this remark extremely hurtful to many Illinoisans, it sends a message to folks that it is okay to use such language. It sends the message that it is appropriate to mock Jewish people and people who are gay or part of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) Community.”
“There is no room for bigots in this state,” said Lowell Jaffe, Political Director of The Civil Rights Agenda. “As a Jewish descendent and a member of the LGBT Community, this comment turns my stomach. The Sheriff is a very public figure and an elected official; he is a leader. His comments do not show leadership, they reek of discrimination and ignorance. Think of what this says to a child, especially a child who may be struggling with their sexual identity.”
CALL TO ACTION; CALL HIM OR EMAIL HIM!
The Civil Rights Agenda is asking residents of Illinois, especially residents of Schuyler County, to contact the Sheriff and respectfully ask him to step down. Schuyler County Sheriff Don Schieferdecker can be reached at (217) 322-4366, or by email at schuylercoso@casscomm.com.
“I am extremely sorry,” Schuyler County Sheriff Don Schieferdecker told AOL News this afternoon. “I have spent over 30 years of my life here giving public service, and I have never intentionally done anything to hurt anyone for any reason. … All I can do is say I am sorry. … I am extremely sorry [and] I beg people’s forgiveness.” – he is sorry he got caught!
Schieferdecker apologized for making a derogatory post on Facebook.Schieferdecker made the comment under a photo of what appears to be a young boy with his mouth hanging open. The poster wrote: “Look, I found a fag,” to which Schieferdecker replied in a post that has apparently been removed:
“Yup and his mouth is open, his glasses are off, he’s ready, little fag Jew boy.”
Contacted by AOL News, Sheriff Schieferdecker admitting making the comment:
“It was a — what I thought to be a harmless joke between friends and employees that I wasn’t aware of that was going out worldwide,” Schieferdecker said. “I mean it was a response to a joke and it was sent out as a joke.” WTF?
“We will be watching this very closely,” said Anthony Martinez. “We will be contacting the elected officials in the area, and other organizations and groups within the state that will work with us to ensure that the Sheriff is held accountable for his discriminatory remarks.”
Best Gay Chicago.com
(Who you calling a fat jelly doughnut?!)
CHARO in Chicago One Show Only May 14th
aka CHARO!
Will make her only Chicagoland
appearance on MAY 14th!
You DO NOT want to miss this! She was in New York City in February and I had friends see the show and they said the 60 year old entertainer “WORKED IT OUT!”
The Spanish-American actress, comedienne, and flamenco guitarist, is probably best known for her flamboyant stage presence, her provocative outfits, and her trademark phrase (“cuchi-cuchi”).
Only a few people in show business are recognized by just one name. Charo is one of them. She one of the few who’s name brings a smile to everyone’s face.
She’s one of the few who deserve to be called a Master Performer. Since the 70’s, Charo, the musician, singer, comedienne, stage and screen performer, has been an integral proponent of contemporary Latin music.
The spotlight on Charo has been shining brighter than ever since her acceptance of the Female Pop Album of the Year Award. She received this accolade at the Billboard International Latin Music Conference for her flamenco inspired platinum album, Guitar Passion.
CHARO!
Get tickets now .
Moraine Valley Community College, 9000 W. College Pkwy., Palos Hills, IL 60465-0937
Best Gay Chicago.com
Circo Aereo Comes to Chicago March 4th!
astonishing virtuosity,
subtle humour,
breaking of boundaries,
experiences, challenges,
energy, sensibility,
surprises, strength,
courage, creativity, contrasts…
CIRCO AEREO!
Circo Aereo is an international contemporary circus group from Finland. Circo Aereo is based in Finland and France but the troupe frequently performs around the world and they are making a stop in the Chicagoland area this Friday, March 4th! At Dominican University in River Forest, just minutes from downtown!
Currently one of the most active Finnish groups in terms of performing abroad, Circo Aereo is among the flagships of Finnish cultural exports.
In the past few years, Circo Aereo’s productions have been a major factor contributing to the rise of Finnish contemporary circus internationally. Active since 1996, the group has visited several distinguished festivals and theatres in around 30 countries.
Circo Aereo’s barrier-breaking and open approach to the various forms of the performing arts mesmerises and astonishes audiences throughout the world.
Circo Aereo’s extensive production includes an array of very different works. A joint creation of Circo Aereo’s founders Maksim Komaro and Jani Nuutinen, Super 8 (2004) combines variations of traditional magic tricks, Super 8 films and visual comedy.
Produced with a human touch and on a human scale, its performances aim to get close to the audience and their emotions. Indeed, communication with the audience and the creation of unique experiences are fundamental values for the group. Circo Aereo’s understated but highly charged style embodies a search for the quintessential and a careful selection of the ways of expression.
Don’t miss this rare opportunity to see a show of this calibre inChicago!
GET TICKETS ONLINE !
Dominican University
@ Lund Auditorium
7900 West Division St.
River Forest, IL
Virgin Airlines and Ohare! FINALLY, Class and Luxury air comes to Chicago
After a three year wait,
Virgin Airlines comes to Chicago!
Last week Virgin offered West Coast tickets from Chicago on Groupon for pennies! Needless to say, it sold out in under 8 minutes! (In its only promotion thus far, deal-provider Groupon offered its subscribers in Chicago, L.A. and San Francisco round-trip Virgin vouchers valued at $77 for just $7
!)
But there is another sale going right now, as an introductory offer. Sale ends on the 21st though – so hurry! Virgin is offering $99 one way fares from Chicago to San Francisco and Los Angeles with service starting May 25th.
Virgin America is not planning any New York flights to Chicago.(DAMN IT!) It already has routes between New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco, but the chief executive said he wants to build up the carrier’s West Coast business before adding routes from Chicago to the East Coast.
I am so sick and tired of riding in crappy beat up planes and sitting in seats with no pads left in them! VIRGIN will be a breath of fresh air! “We’ve stocked our magnificent flying machines with everything your little heart could want. On-demand movies? Check. Tasty bites and satisfying libations? Check. In-flight Wi-Fi? Check. An enjoyable ride you’ll actually look forward to? Check and doublecheck.”
YEE HAW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
BestGayChicago.com
‘Piano Men’ performs Billy Joel, Elton John hits February 19
Jim Witter will bring his hit
show “The Piano Men”
a musical journey through the 70s, featuring the hit songs of Billy Joel and Elton John to Moraine Valley Community College on Saturday, February 19, at 7:30 p.m. The show will be in the Dorothy Menker Theater in the Fine and Performing Arts Center, on campus, in Palos Hills. – Just minutes from downtown Chicago! Tickets are $25 for the general public, $20 for seniors and $15 for students.
Recording artist Jim Witter and his band will lead the audience on a tour of an entire decade of classic hits that begins with Elton John’s 1970 ballad “Your Song.” From there, the show will wind through a musical time machine with performances of “My Life,” “Candle in the Wind,” “Rocket Man,” “Just the Way You Are,” and many more. Using rear-screen projection, images of newspaper headlines, automobiles, people, events, toys, and even TV shows that shaped the ’70s will appear on the backdrop.
Witter is a country music and contemporary Christian recording artist in Ontario, Canada, where he lives, and Nashville, Tennessee. He has had 10 top ten radio hits in Canada, seven hit videos on Country Music Television, and chart action in the United States on Billboard and R&R. He has earned multiple awards and nominations from the Canadian Country Music Association, the Juno Awards and the Dove Awards in Nashville.
A few years ago, Witter developed the concept for “The Piano Men” because his mentors were Billy Joel and Elton John. The multi-media rock musical has received rave reviews from music critics across North America, and Witter has plans to take the show to London and Japan.
Tickets for “The Piano Men” and other upcoming performances can be purchased at Maraine Valley , by calling (708) 974-5500, or at the Box Office located on the south end of the Fine and Performing Arts Center. Moraine Valley Community College, 9000 W. College Pkwy., Palos Hills, IL 60465-0937
Best Gay Chicago.com
Cirque du Soleil DRALION in Chicago Area January 26-30
About 10 years ago I saw one
of my first Cirque du Soleil shows….
Dralion.
Fusing the 3000 year-old tradition of Chinese acrobatic arts with the multidisciplinary approach of Cirque du Soleil, Dralion draws its inspiration from Eastern philosophy and its never-ending quest for harmony between humans and nature. The show’s name is derived from its two emblematic creatures: the dragon, symbolizing the East, and the lion, symbolizing the West.
In Dralion, the four elements that govern the natural order take on a human form. Thus embodied, each element is represented by its own evocative colour: air is blue; water is green; fire is red; earth is ochre. In the world of Dralion, cultures blend, Man and Nature are one, and balance is achieved.
I own it on DVD and watched it the other night – I forgot just how fabulous it was!
Pas de deux is a languorous aerial dance. A couple, intertwined, flies over the stage in a long band of blue cloth. Within the cloth, they perform various acrobatic figures that demand great feats of strength and flexibility. The man is beautiful and so muscular and a feast for the eyes.
And there is an AMAZING male juggler.
With stylized choreography that makes the most of his incredible flexibility, the artist incorporates a fast-paced performance with hints of modern dance.
His incredible precision and mastery of his art are evident as he juggles up to seven balls simultaneously.
The blend of juggling mixed with balance against his body is truly wonderful to watch.
And then the music! The voices of Cirque du Soleil – Dralion sing an invented language to which only Cirque du Soleil holds the key. Their mysterious accents echo down through time: L’Âme-Force symbolises ultimate harmony between the four elements.
If you’ve seen any of the now-numerous Cirque du Soleil shows, you’re well aware that these modern-day circuses offer an engaging display of color, lights, acrobatics and in no small part, music. It’s the haunting music, in fact, that has always served to set the mood and theme of each Cirque show.
Violaine Corradi is largely responsible for the music. She says, ““At Cirque du Soleil, music offers a window to the spectator that opens on the multiple dimensions of the narrative framework of the show. The emotional fabric that the music conveys makes the audience feel the range of the acrobatic movement more intensively.”
DRALION will be back in the Chicago area, January 26-30th!
at the Sears Center in Hoffman Estates
Get tickets now online !
Homophobic Hetero Tears up Mario Lopez in Chicago bar Mullets
The Chicago Tribune reported that Police were called last week to Mullets Sports Bar & Restaurant in Homer Glen (out just past Orland Park) to deal with an angry customer who allegedly shattered a framed photo of A.C. Slater, a fictional, mullet-wearing jock played by Mario Lopez in the 1990s television series “Saved by the Bell.”
Tip number one – with a name like MULLETS, do you think this place is sort of redneck?
“I just don’t like Slater,” the man reportedly told the owner after allegedly yanking the photo from its place of pride above a urinal and smashing it on the floor. The owner told police the bathroom door also was damaged.
I find it interesting that this straight bar had a shrine dedicated to Mario Lopez’s 90s persona above one of the urinals in the bathroom! Hmmmmm…..
Step away from the pitcher of beer buddy!
Queen of Cuchi Cuchi…CHARO Comes to Chicago!
Charo is coming to Chicago!
Charo is a household name. Instantly recognizable for her witty humor, loveable accent and her mastery of the flamenco guitar, it is Charo’s trademark expression, “Cuchi-Cuchi ,” which has endeared her to the world and made the name Charo synonymous with fun and excitement.
Only a few people in show business are recognized by just one name. Charo is one of them. She one of the few who’s name brings a smile to everyone’s face. She’s one of the few who deserve to be called a Master Performer.
Since the 70’s, Charo, the musician, singer, comedienne, stage and screen performer, has been an integral proponent of contemporary Latin music. The spotlight on Charo has been shining brighter than ever since her acceptance of the Female Pop Album of the Year Award. She received this accolade at the Billboard International Latin Music Conference for her flamenco inspired platinum album, Guitar Passion .
Across the world, Charo is back on the Billboard charts with her latest single dance club hit – España Cañí , the traditional bullfighting song.
Charo teamed up with top-name DJs (including Julian Marsh and Twisted Dee), and producers from around the world, who added their own dance mixes to her virtuoso guitar performance and ended up with what’s become a huge hit at dance clubs around the world and earned Charo a 2009 World Dance Music Award Nomination.
She has been playing all over Las Vegas to sold out audiences and nightly standing ovations! She is currently on tour and making a stop in Chicago May 14th, at Moraine Valley Community College! (Just minutes from downtown in Palos Hills).
Tickets ARE SELLING FAST! This show WILL sell out! Don’t miss your only chance to see Charo in the Chicago area.
Get tickets now .
Moraine Valley Community College, 9000 W. College Pkwy., Palos Hills, IL 60465-0937
Best Gay Chicago.com
Fred Garbo’s Inflatable Theater Comes to Chicago Jan. 23
onto the stage and implodes.
A globulating red cube
takes on a life of its own.
The ballerina’s skirt grows
and grows until it engulfs her
and spirits her away.
The duo of pneumatic wizard Fred Garbo and Brazilian ballerina Daielma Santos has performed around the world with their inflatable inventions. You will be mesmerized by the artistic imagery and creative foolishness as Garbo and Santos perform fast-paced, energetic, clever, and universally engaging theatrical pieces.
YOU HAVE TO SEE IT!
WATCH THE VIDEO CLIP !
“…skillful…joyful…buoyant entertainment!”
GARBO INFLATABLE THEATER SUNDAY JANUARY 23rd GET TICKETS NOW ! $20
ALSO, DON’T MISS
CHARO !! coming May 14th !! $35
Charo is a household name. Instantly recognizable for her witty humor, loveable accent and her mastery of the flamenco guitar, it is Charo’s trademark expression, “Cuchi-Cuchi,” which has endeared her to the world and made the name Charo synonymous with fun and excitement.
Moraine Valley Community College
9000 W. College Pkwy., Palos Hills, IL 60465-0937
JUST MINUTES FROM THE CITY!!
Cabaret For a Cause October 11th
Cabaret For A Cause
at the Metropolis Theater
in Arlington Hts October 11, 2010 at 7:30p.m.
Some of the best Cabaret singers from Chicago and some Hunters Hunks dancers also. Songs from the 60’s Disco and even John Michael Coppola from the cast of Jersey Boys when it was in Chicago.
A night of pure fun for everyone, to support Open Door Clinic .
Tickets are $45 and $50 and can be purchased online .
