Category Archives: Youth
About Face Theatre Gala October 10th
For one exclusive night, step back into the golden age of Chicago’s Bohemian society as About Face Theatre presents THE BLACK AND TAN SUPPER CLUB on Friday, October 10, 2014 from 7 pm – 10 pm at the swanky InterContinental Chicago, 505 N. Michigan Ave. on Chicago’s Magnificent Mile. This magical throwback inspired by the 1930s cultural phenomenon known as the “Pansy Craze” will feature an evening of cocktails, dining and thrilling performances.
Travel back to Prohibition-era Chicago, when underground gay social clubs flourished in neighborhoods like Towertown on the northside and Bronzeville and Woodlawn on the southside. During the aptly-named “Pansy Craze,” gays, lesbians and other “non-conformists” flocked to these clubs known for their glamorous fashion, provocative performers, drag balls and rousing music.
Dress to the nines and step out with your friends at the most exciting event of the season!
Presented at the wonderful and historic InterContinental Chicago Magnificent Mile. 505 N Michigan Ave.
Tickets for THE BLACK AND TAN SUPPER CLUB are available at www.aboutfacetheatre.org or by calling (773) 784-8565.
Howard Brown Town Hall Meetings on Health Issues
Howard Brown Health Center (HBHC) invites community members to participate in a series of town-hall meetings to discuss the health and wellness needs of Chicago’s diverse LGBTQ community. The sessions are part of HBHC’s community needs assessment, conducted every five years to gauge health-related concerns for HBHC’s patient populations.
“Respondents to the 2012 LGBT Community Needs Assessment overwhelmingly identified affordable health services and care as their leading concern,” said David Ernesto Munar, President and CEO. “Our series is designed to dig deeper in order to better understand the community assets and barriers affecting the health of people in our community.”
HBHC will rely on the community needs assessment for planning and quality improvement initiatives. Input from the meetings will be shared widely to spur public awareness and support for LGBTQ health promotion activities.
Sessions will be held at HBHC’s Brown Elephant in Lakeview at 3651 N. Halsted, 6:00 – 7:30 p.m. on the following dates:
Monday, May 12: LGBTQ Older Adults
Facilitators: Medical Director Magda Houlberg, MD and Cecilia Hardacker, Manager of Geriatric Education
Monday, May 19: Lesbians, Bisexual and Queer Women
Facilitators: Betsy Rubinstein, Manager of Lesbian Community Care Project, and Michelle Wetzel, Sr. Vice President for Policy, Strategy and Business Development
Monday, June 2: Gay, Bisexual & Queer Men
Facilitators: Staff Physician Alfred Torrence, MD and Serette King, Health Educator
Monday, June 9: Transgender Individuals
Facilitators: Blue, Program Manager of the Transgender Women of Color Project, and Taylor Casey, Manager of Transgender Health
Monday, June 16: LGBTQ Youth Under 24
Facilitators: Imani Rupert, Director of HBHC’s Broadway Youth Center, and Kristin Keglovitz, PA, Director of Clinical Operations
Interested participants who cannot attend in person can join the discussion virtually on Twitter with the hashtag #HBHCTownHalls.
Sad News for Gay Illinois Teens – Conversion Therapy Ban Shot Down
Illinois House Shoots Down Ban On Gay Conversion Therapy
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (CBS) – An effort to ban the controversial practice of “conversion therapy” to turn gay, lesbian and bisexual youth heterosexual has been defeated in the Illinois House.
The proposed legislation, sponsored by Rep. Kelly Cassidy (D-Chicago) lost on a 44-51 roll call vote Thursday.
Cassidy, a lesbian who helped spearhead the legalization of same-sex marriage in Illinois, told her colleagues people are born heterosexual, homosexual or bisexual, and so-called “conversion therapy” can only harm the youths it purports to treat. SEE MORE AT CBS
I AM BIG show Showcases Project Fierce Chicago
AM BIG focuses on what makes everyday life extraordinary. We believe
that there is‘ bigness’ in each one of us. The purpose of this weekly
show is to bring folks from day to day life and talk about what’s
working in their life- what’s working in the personal lives, what’s
working with their careers’ and what’s working with their connection to
the community. We want to learn how they balance these 3 aspects of
their lives. Most importantly learn and share what makes them them. I AM
BIG draws its inspiration from Karma Yatra.
Am Big, which is an online talk show that focuses inspirational
Chicagoans and redefining what it means to be “big.” The latest episode
came out 11/20 and features Cassandra, who is one of the founders of
Project Fierce, which is a grassroots collective working to create a
safe space for Chicago LGBTQ homeless youth.
High School Crowns Gay & Lesbian Best Friends As Homecoming King & Queen
School Crowns Gay & Lesbian Best Friends As Homecoming King &
Queen !
Irizarry and Ariana Reiff are close friends, and they are also the
newly crowned Waukegan High School homecoming king and queen. Upon
finding out at the school bonfire Wednesday night, both students said
they were surprised. – Both are gay.
and I are both out and open about our sexuality,” Irizarry said. “Our
attitude is we are who we are and if that bothers people, that’s OK, but
we have so many friends who accept us for who we are.”
About Face Theatre THE PRIDE June 6-July 13th
this post is sponsored by:
About Face Theatres WHATS THE T
About Face Theatre is pleased to present a remount of its wildly popular Youth Ensemble world premiere WHAT’S THE T? by Sara Kerastas and The About Face Youth Theatre Ensemble, directed by Artistic Associate Eric Hoff, playing May 19 – June 2, 2013 at the Prince Charitable Trusts Upstairs Loft at Victory Gardens Theater, 2433 N. Lincoln Ave., in Chicago. The production features members of the About Face Youth Theatre Ensemble. Tickets are available at www.aboutfacetheatre.com or at the door.
Internet
personality/trans activist/fierce community leader Ms. Ma uses her
YouTube page to create community, serve glamour and spread the good word
about queer safe spaces in Chicago. WHAT’S THE T? tells the
story of Ms. Ma’s tangled web of connections, her struggle to stay
positive and what happens to her community when she disappears. Inspired
by issues of race, gender, age and class in Chicago’s “Boystown,” WHAT’S THE T? is based on true stories and interviews from LGBTQA youth and adults in and around Chicago.
WHAT’S THE T? began
with the theme of trans identity, but after year-one, the youth
ensemble chose to take it a step further by using this theme to address
the significant tensions arising in the queer community. As such, the
play examines issues of race, gender, class and age in the queer
community, with trans characters at the heart of the story. For 13
years, the Youth Theatre has sought changes within the larger community
through innovative thought, dialogue, and performance. AFYT hopes to
move their ensemble from positions of marginalization into positions of
inclusion and power.
“There’s
a whole storyline in the play that takes place on the Internet – with
two people documenting their lives through YouTube videos, and
ultimately building a relationship in that digital elusive space,”
comments playwright Sara Kerastas. “This play is so right now. The story speaks to how we communicate right now. How we build, how we own, and how we use space right now.”
The production team for WHAT’S THE T? includes: John Holt (set design/technical director), Mieka van der Ploeg (costume design), Jeff Glass (lighting design/production manager), Erik Roldan (sound design), Liviu Pasare (projections design), Nic K (choreography), Rupert Priniski (production coordinator) and John Rooney (stage manager).
Title:
Playwright: Sar
Director: A
Featuring: Ab
Location: Pr
Dates:
Curtain Times: Fridays at Saturdays at 7 pm; Sundays at 3 pm. Note: there will an added 3 pm performance on Saturday, June 1.
Tickets: $15. $5 youth tickets; $25 AFYT Support Ticket.
Tickets for WHAT’S THE T? are available at www.aboutfacetheatre.com or at the door.
Illinois Safe Schools Alliance FIERCE and FABULOUS benefit May 4th
FIERCE!
Fierce & Fabulous Fashion Show with fashions from MODA Boutique and
in partnership with Halsted Vodka, to benefit the Illinois Safe Schools Alliance.
from 7 – 9pm @ minibar.
for giveaways that include certificates to MODA Boutique,
Halsted Vodka, along with some Illinois Safe Schools Alliance gift packages as well!
Ticket Price $25 – includes 1 drink!
(21+ Event – ID required)
At
minibar 3341 N Halsted, Chicago
Buy your ticket(s)
here.
The Alliance envisions a world in which
youth develop to their fullest potential, learning in safe and nurturing
schools, living in communities that accept and honor differences, where
everyone has the freedom to express their sexual orientation and gender
identity.
About Face Theatre Wonka Ball April 26, 2013
WHERE WILL YOU BE ON APRIL 26th, 2013??
About Face Theatre Celebrates Its 17th Year at
WONKA BALL 2013: CIRCUS MAXIMUS
Friday, April 26 at Architectural Artifacts
About Face Theatre celebrates its 17th year with a three-ring party of colossal entertainment and excessive elegance at WONKA BALL 2013: CIRCUS MAXIMUS on Friday, April 26, 2013 at 8 pm (Ringmaster’s VIP Cocktail Party at 7 pm). AFT’s premier fundraiser combines the surprising delights of the big top with the inspired grandeur of this year’s venue, Chicago’s Architectural Artifacts, 4325 N. Ravenswood Ave.
Hosted by About Face board members, Benjamin Sprunger and Billy Lullo, WONKA BALL 2013: CIRCUS MAXIMUS offers
a night of dazzling performances, decadent revelry and dancing,
sumptuous dining and drink and tempting silent auction prizes. The
annual gala also includes the presentation of the prestigious 2013
Leppen Leadership Awards and the About Face Youth Theatre MVP Award. This year’s guests will be among the first to meet About Face’s new, soon-to-be-announced Artistic Director. Tickets are currently available at www.aboutfacetheatre.com or 773-784-8565.
About Face Theatre’s VIP supporters will be special guests at the exclusive Ringmaster’s VIP Cocktail Party beginning
at 7 pm and hosted by AFT board members Drew Kent and Rob Abernathy.
VIP guests will enjoy early access to the venue with an exclusive
cocktail party, sumptuous culinary treats, special “sideshow”
entertainments, the opportunity for early bidding at the silent auction
and intimate access to the About Face leadership
and artists. VIP supporters will also enjoy prime viewing of
center-ring performances from the lavish Ringmaster’s Lounge exclusively
reserved from 7 – 9 pm.
Proceeds from the WONKA BALL support About Face Theatre programming including its groundbreaking Youth Theatre, which creates critically acclaimed new work by and about LGBTQA youth and their allies. The
Youth Theatre has performed on major stages across the country, and,
through its outreach tour, changes the lives of thousands of young
people each year. AFT also boasts its annual, award-winning main stage season and the ambitious XYZ Festival of New Works.
Named for About Face Youth Theatre supporter Michael Leppen, the annual Leppen Leadership Awards recognize
those whose efforts on behalf of About Face Theatre and the LGBTQA
community empower youth leaders to take action and encourage LGBTQA
adults and youth to create intergenerational dialogue and understanding. The About Face Youth Theatre MVP Award is
given to an outstanding youth theatre ensemble member for exceptional
service to the company and to the greater LGBTQ community. The recipient
has proven herself or himself to be exceptionally dedicated to the
mission of our work and has gone beyond her or his duties as an ensemble
member to better the experience of other Youth Theatre participants.
Event: WONKA BALL 2013: CIRCUS MAXIMUS
Date: Friday, April 26 at 8 pm – 11 pm; Ringmaster’s VIP Cocktail Party at 7 pm
Location: Architectural Artifacts, 4325 N. Ravenswood Ave. in Chicago
Details: Featuring a silent auction, open bar, delicious food, music, dancing and performances.
Tickets: $135 general admission. Ringmaster’s VIP Cocktail Party: $135 event ticket + $100 tax deductible donation.
Additional sponsorship opportunities are available. For tickets, visit www.aboutfacetheatre.com
About Face Theatre Spring and Summer Shows
Designed to give audiences access to innovative work at all stages of
development, the XYZ Festival of New Works fosters creative
collaboration between Chicago-based artists and groundbreaking artists
from across the US. The XYZ Series provides an unique experience for
audiences who enjoy watching the artistic process unfold and who want to
be exposed to new voices in the American theatre that are exploring
sexuality and gender.
Here’s what you’ll see at this year’s festival:
WHEN:
April 9th 7:30pm
Jordan Seavey’s TRUTH WILL OUT, directed by Artistic Associate Ben Sprunger
April 10th 7:30pm
David Myer’s THE ARVESTO PARASITE and Artistic Associate Philip Dawkins’s CAST OF CHARACTERS, directed by Stephen Cone
(more show details online)
WHERE:
Victory Gardens Biograph Theatre, Richard Christensen Theatre
COST: FREE!
About Face Theatre Presents the Chicago Premiere of THE PRIDE
By Alexi Kaye Campbell
Directed by Artistic Director Bonnie Metzgar
June 6 – July 13, 2013
About Face Theatre is pleased to kick-off LGBTQ Pride Month with the Chicago premiere of the Oliver Award-winning drama THE PRIDE by Alexi Kaye Campbell, directed by Artistic Director Bonnie Metzgar, playing June 6 – July 13, 2013 at Victory Gardens Richard Christiansen Theater, 2433 N. Lincoln Ave. in Chicago.
Two story lines, fifty years apart. Set in London, Alexi Kaye Campbell’s time-shifting play THE PRIDE maps the progression of the gay rights movement from the repression of the fifties to the freedom of today through the fate of two twisted love triangles. In 1958, Philip is married to Sylvia but in love with Oliver. In 2008, Oliver is addicted to public sex with strangers, so Philip leaves him. Sylvia has to pick up the pieces. THE PRIDE is a sharp, witty portrait of urban gay couples and the punishing consequences of liberation.
| Show Times: | Thursdays & Fridays at 7:30 pm; Saturdays at 5 pm & 9 pm; Sundays at 5 pm. |
| Tickets: | Previews: $20 |
| Regular run: $30. $15 students. Group rates available. |
MORE DETAILS ONLINE!
Wonka Ball April 26th, GRAB EARLY BIRD TICKETS NOW
About Face Theatre celebrates its 17th year with a three-ring party of colossal entertainment and excessive elegance at WONKA BALL 2013: CIRCUS MAXIMUS on Friday, April 26, 2013 at 8 pm (Ringmaster’s VIP Cocktail Party at 7 pm). AFT’s premier fundraiser combines the surprising delights of the big top with the inspired grandeur of this year’s venue, Chicago’s Architectural Artifacts, 4325 N. Ravenswood Ave.
WONKA BALL 2013: CIRCUS MAXIMUS offers
a night of dazzling performances, decadent revelry and dancing, and
sumptuous dining and drink. The annual gala includes a tempting silent
auction, the presentation of the prestigious 2013 Leppen Leadership
Awards and the About Face Youth Theatre MVP Award. Tickets are currently available at www.aboutfacetheatre.com or 773-784-8565.
About Face Theatre’s VIP supporters will be special guests at the exclusive Ringmaster’s VIP Cocktail Party beginning
at 7 pm and hosted by AFT board members Drew Kent and Rob Abernathy.
VIP guests will enjoy early access to the venue with an exclusive
cocktail party, sumptuous culinary treats, special “sideshow”
entertainments, the opportunity for early bidding at the silent auction
and intimate access to the About Face leadership
and artists. VIP supporters will also enjoy prime viewing of
center-ring performances from the lavish Ringmaster’s Lounge exclusively
reserved from 7 – 9 pm.
Proceeds from the WONKA BALL support About Face Theatre programming including its groundbreaking Youth Theatre, which creates critically acclaimed new work by and about LGBTQA youth and their allies. The
Youth Theatre has performed on major stages across the country, and,
through its outreach tour, changes the lives of thousands of young
people each year. AFT also boasts its annual, award-winning main stage season and the ambitious XYZ Festival of New Works.
Named for About Face Youth Theatre supporter Michael Leppen, the annual Leppen Leadership Awards recognize
those whose efforts on behalf of About Face Theatre and the LGBTQA
community empower youth leaders to take action and encourage LGBTQA
adults and youth to create intergenerational dialogue and understanding.
Event: WONKA BALL 2013: CIRCUS MAXIMUS
Date: Friday, April 26 at 8 pm; Ringmaster’s VIP Cocktail Party at 7 pm
Location: Architectural Artifacts, 4325 N. Ravenswood Ave. in Chicago
Details: Featuring a silent auction, open bar, delicious food, music, dancing and performances.
Tickets: $135 general admission. Ringmaster’s VIP Cocktail Party: $135 event ticket + $100 tax deductible donation. Additional sponsorship opportunities are available. For tickets, visit www.aboutfacetheatre.com
EARLY BIRD PRICING EXPIRE THIS WEEKEND!
This post is sponsored by:
The Night Ministry Chosen as this years PROUD TO RUN Beneficiary
The Night Ministry is excited to announce that we have been chosen as a
beneficiary of the 2013 Proud To Run 10K run and 5K run/walk! Proud to
Run (PTR) is an annual charity event focused on celebrating pride in a
healthy way and raising funds to support the greater Chicago area
Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer/Questioning,
Intersex/Inquiring, & Allies (LGBTQI&A). Since 1982, Proud To Run has raised more than $320,000 for
local beneficiary organizations. All of the funds raised by the 2013
Proud To Run event will directly benefit The Night Ministry’s YouthOutreach Program, the Pride Youth Program of Links, and TPAN’s Mobile
HIV Testing Unit.
The Night Ministry
will be participating in several pre-event fundraisers and will also be
providing a team of volunteers for the Proud To Run event on Saturday,
June 29, 2013. If you would like to volunteer or learn more, please
contact Tedd@thenightministry.org.
To sign up to run in the race, please visit the Proud to Run.
Beautiful Thing in Chicago Jan 17-Feb 17
A 20th Anniversary Production of Jonathan Harvey’s Acclaimed
Beautiful Thing
January 17 – February 17, 2013
at the Athenaeum Theatre
Beautiful Thing, is theheartwarming story of two teenaged boys coming to terms with their sexuality. Director John Nasca directs a cast that includes PFP Artistic Ensemble Members Michelle McKenzie-Voigt and Patrick Rybarczyk as Sandra and Tony, with Robert Hilliard as Jamie, Charlie Wein as Ste, and Kiah McKirnan as Leah.
Jamie,
a boy who skips school to avoid playing sports, is attracted to his
next-door neighbor Ste, an athletic teen who is regularly beaten by his
father and brothers. One night, Jamie’s mother Sandra offers Ste refuge
from his abusive family, setting off a chain of events that changes
their lives forever. Set in a working-class area of southeast London, Beautiful Thing illustrates the struggle of growing up in a world that can be cruel and unforgiving to anyone perceived as different.
Written in 1993, Beautiful Thing was
initially produced by The Bush Theatre, London, England. It received
its American premiere in 1998 by Famous Door Theatre Company in Chicago
and then transferred to New York in 1999 at the Cherry Lane Theatre. “As 2013 marks the 20th anniversary of Beautiful Thing and
with bullying issues still very much a part of today’s headlines, this
is the perfect time to revisit this play, which feels more relevant than
ever,” says director John Nasca.
Curtain Times Thursday through Saturday at 7:30 p.m.,
Sunday at 2:00 p.m.
Prices
$15 for Previews, $23 on Thursdays and Sundays, and
$25 on Fridays and Saturdays.
Tickets 773-935-6875 or www.athenaeumtheatre.org
Athenaeum Theatre, 2936 N. Southport Avenue, Chicago.
Chicago House TransLife Program
In 1986, the first Christmas tree went up in the halls of Chicago House’s hospice.
AT THE FLASH and BEAUTIFUL THING
At The Flash is a clever and funny show that condenses
LGBT history into the story of five characters – a closeted man in the
1960s, a black drag queen in the 1970s, a club kid in the 1980s, a
budding lesbian activist in the 1990s, and a family man/entrepreneur in
the 2000s.
Sean Chandler and David Leeper’s At The Flash, winner of PFP’s
Great Gay Play and Musical Contest in 2012, is currently having its world premiere
at Center on Halsted’s Hoover-Leppen Theatre. 3656 North Halsted Street
David Leeper segues from one character to the next and you witness the various struggles that each person went through, in their own ways, dealing with homosexuality at different periods of our movement. AT THE FLASH is JEFF RECOMMENDED. The Jeff Awards celebrate excellence in Chicago Theater.
“At the Flash succeeds
most as an accurate and heartfelt piece of gay history. It’s one which
can be shared with audiences of all types, as it has little actual
sexual content or references that might be uncomfortable for those with
more conservative sensibilities. At the Flash could
be a great primer on gay history for younger members of the community
or anyone else seeking a better understanding of America’s journey
toward providing space for LGBTs to live open lives with the same
opportunities for safety, security and happiness as anyone else in the
society.” – John Olson, Chicago Theater Beat
Friday, Saturday, and Sunday performances are $25, and Wednesday and
Thursday are $21. Portions of each ticket sold support programming at
Center on Halsted.
Beautiful Thing is a play written by Jonathan Harvey and first performed in 1993. A wonderful screen adaptation of the play was released in 1996 with a revised screenplay also by Harvey.
In a working class suburb of London, young Jamie is escaping sport hours, to avoid being the victim of his comrades. Young Ste, his neighbor, is beaten by his father, and comes to sleep overnight. They discover new feelings, sleeping in the same bed.
Jamie is the son of Sandra a tough but warm-hearted barmaid who lives in a public housing block in a rough-and-tumble section of South London. Living a few doors away is Jamie’s classmate Ste (Scott Neal), an athletic type who often has to take a beating from his hard-drinking father and hard-headed brother.
One night, Jamie and Sandra discover that Ste has been kicked out of the apartment and has nowhere to spend the night; Jamie lets him stay at his place, and a casual closeness eventually stirs sexual feelings. While both were vaguely aware they might be gay, neither had ever acted on their impulses, and once Jamie and Ste decide that they’re attracted to each other, neither is sure just what to do.
It is a wonderful story of love and acceptance.
It will run Jan 17-Feb 17th, at Luna Central Theatre. 3914 N. Clark.
Tickets $25 and $30. HALF PRICE TICKETS available for Jan 17-18!
Pride Films and Plays
Pride Films and Plays is now offering Premium Play Passes and Play
Passes for its 2012-13 season. Premium Passes are $50 and include one
ticket for each of the three full productions, plus 6 free tickets to
the Gay Play Weekend, Gay Screenplay Weekend or Women’s Work Weekend.
The names of Premium Pass holders will be also be listed in the season’s
programs. This is a $120 value!
Play Passes are $40 and include one ticket for each of the three full
productions and three tickets to the Gay Play Weekend, Gay Screenplay
Weekend or Women’s Work Weekend. This is a $90 value.
Students and seniors over 60 can save $5 when purchasing either the
Premium Pass or Play Pass.
Help Chicago’s Gay Homeless Youth July 25th
that benefits the Chicago queer community by raising funds and
awareness, will be raising money for queer homeless youth. The event
will be called Show Support With Showtunes and will feature live musical
theater performances and take place at Sidetrack Video Bar at 3349 N
Halsted, Chicago, IL at 7pm. Performers donating their talent include
Jeff nominated Jayson Brooks (lead singer from JC Brooks And The Uptown
Sound,) Jess Godwin (nationally touring
recording artist,) Sharriese Hamilton, Joey Stone (Pippin,) Ryan Lanning
(Alien Queen) and Bethany Thomas (Hairspray) and hosted by Benny
Stardust (Steamworkz: The Musical, Windy City Gay Idol.) The night will
also include a silent auction. The proceeds will benefit The Night
Ministry’s queer homeless shelter The Crib.
We Are Halsted
was organized in the summer of 2011 in response to rising numbers in
queer homeless youth. Twenty-six percent of LGBTQ youth were kicked out
of their homes when they came out (that’s over a quarter of LGBTQ
youth.) Queer youth are seven times more likely to be victims of crime
and three times more likely to engage in survival sex. There are 15,000
homeless youth in Chicago and up to 40% of them identify as queer. July
25th will be the third edition of We Are Halsted and organized by its
creator Adam Guerino and the creator of Over The Rainbow, Jimmy Kays.
Our beneficiary combats this issue like no other organization in
Chicago. The Night Ministry’s The Crib not only provides queer homeless
youth with food and shelter throughout the night, but with a sense of
community and confidence–empowering them as they search for housing and
employment. It is the only shelter of its kind in the Midwest and the
only resource for youth from Chicago and several surrounding states.
Unfortunately, due to lack of funding, it has gone from being a
year-round homeless shelter to only being available from October 1st to
April 30th. If there are 15,000 homeless youth in Chicago and 40% of
them identify as queer, that means 6,000 homeless youth no longer have a
safe place in Chicago over night. Where will these youth go? Statistics
can’t say but whether they are empowered enough to ask or not, queer
homeless youth are hoping for your help.
A personal belief
from the organizers of We Are Halsted is that when a youth is kicked out
of a straight home for being queer, whether admitted or only
suspected–they belong to the queer community. These youth want what the
entire queer community wants, to be accepted for who they are, who they
love but most importantly, to feel safe with food, shelter and a future
in the wider community. They need your support to achieve these simple,
basic goals.
We Are Halsted: Show Support With Showtunes.
Wednesday July 25th doors open at 7pm at Sidetrack on 3349 N Halsted.
Tickets are $12 in advance ((go to www.thenightministry.org
– donate – and choose “We Are Halsted” in the drop-down menu, select
$12 donations and your name will be added the door list,)) and $17 at
the door. All tickets include a drink ticket. Proceeds benefit The Night
Ministry’s The Crib.
Help spread word by “liking” our community page on www.facebook.com/
Second City to offer Writing GLBT Comedy June 25-29
The Second City Training Center
Puts the “Funny” In
“Funny That Way”
Building on the traditional week-long immersions in Improv, Comedy Writing, and Acting held each summer, The Second City Training Center is piloting a new course titled ‘Writing GLBT Comedy’, set to run June 25-29.
Students will explore comedy where ‘gay’ is the given, not the punchline. They will discover their comedic point of view while creating memorable characters, scenes and songs that go beyond easy stereotypes.
From budding writers to experienced performers to working writers, students will take on assignments customized to their interests and experience.
No matter where students fall in the LBGTQIA alphabet, this course will give them the tools to strengthen their comedic voice and take on topics both personal and political.
Taught by Andy Eninger. Monday June 25 to Friday, June 29.
10am-1pm each day.About Andy Eninger:
Andy is the Head of the Writing Program at Second City’s Training Center, and was a founding member of Chicago’s GayCo Productions. This Summer, he will appear in “Steamworks! The Musical” for the Annoyance Theater and, hopefully, finish a screenplay about assassins.
About The Second City:
For fifty years The Second City has created a wealth of comedic material from a legendary group of performers. The Training Center follows the traditions developed by these groundbreaking and innovative men and women while encouraging the continued growth and development of the art forms of comedy and improvisation. Today, The Second City Training Center is the largest school of improvisation and sketch comedy in the world, offerings courses for all ages and experience levels.
Steve Starchild….Has the X Factor
Over the last month, Chicago’s STEVE STARCHILD has been uploading videos on YouTube.
He is 22, a singer and songwriter, and on the road to Rock-Stardom!
This boy can sing! And those abs – wow!
In his newest video,
he is hitting the streets of Chi-city for a middle-of-the-night
CTA adventure!
Check out his own recording and video for one of Gaga’s
greatest, MARRY THE NIGHT! It’s pretty awesome!
GAGAISM says, “Whenever a Lady Gaga single is released, it’s only a matter of time
before fans and musicians take to YouTube to upload their own covers and
parodies. Once in a while, one of these videos catapults a new artist
to fame, as with Greyson Chance and Maria Aragon.
Steve [Starchild] might just be the next person to hit it big after
releasing a Gaga cover. His take on “Marry The Night” is unique and far
less “out-there” than Lady Gaga’s, yet it feels true to the song.
Furthermore, Starchild strongly exhibits a star power and charisma that
is sure to woo the ladies (and gentlemen) who watch his video.”
This guy, is one to watch! It’s just a matter of time until he has a record deal!
Steve Starchild YouTube Channel
Adam Guerino…LGBT Homelessness to Comedy
Adam has been featured in Timeout Chicago‘s “Joke Of The Week” and played at comedy clubs in Chicago and New York including Zanies, Lincoln Lodge, Lakeshore Theater and The Edge Comedy Club in Chicago and Shock Therapy and Happy Hour at Bartini in New York City. Within a week, I delivered thirty minutes of stand-up material. For those who aren’t familiar with stand-up, a comedian usually goes a year before collecting thirty minutes of material. My process of rapid writing and delivery became a staple of my style—sometimes writing material the day of a show to make sure my material was quirky, confident and raw. That confidence came from jumping head first into comedy. We Are Halsted was created for everyone as a sensational, fabulous and affordable variety show. With $5 tickets, volunteer performers, raffle tickets and inexpensive donated beverages, We Are Halsted is a grass-roots fundraiser and an way to support our community’s homeless youth. We Are Halsted is a one-time special event created to bring our community together, to raise awareness about the challenges LGBTQ homeless youth face and to help support organizations doing such good work. Wednesday, August 31, 2011 7:00 PM – 10:00 PM
Adam Guerino
is a writer in Chicago who works nationally as a stand-up comedian, mc/host, columnist, cartoonist and producer.
He created Queer Comedy at Zanies as well as Laugh Track at Sidetrack and Beauty Parlour: Comedy Never Looked So Gorgeous.
As a producer, he has produced three seasons of the multimedia comedy show The Sarcastic Squad, two seasons of the performance and networking independent art event Art Haus, the sexy spectacle variety show Nightcaps as well as written and produced the full-length comedic play Mattress Matters and producing the short movies, I’m Gay, Everybody Is Having Sex But Me and Glitter Party.
He says, “I believe a good storyteller retells a journey and a great storyteller takes you on a journey with them. My first stories I told had little to do with my life—they were escapist and fantastical, sending me far away from my town of 4,000 people in Iowa. Beginning in my parents’ basement, I created epic sagas with a huge cast of action figures accompanied with character development, back stories and subplots. By middle school I was committing stories to paper with convoluted, over-wrought science fiction novellas.
I moved to Chicago for college and was a student for two years before dropping out and moving to Hawaii with no job or promise of a place to stay. Friends and family were confused as to how someone with so much passion would quit school, but I figured if I was going to have a hobby it might as well be an exciting one.
I lived in Hawaii for less than six months and in that time went from sleeping on the beach to working at one of the best restaurants in the world. I did interesting things and wrote the entire time.”
His situation fell apart in Hawaii. After moving back to Chicago within the year, he decided to have more stable, trustworthy living accommodations and moved into a college friend’s studio apartment for the last two months of her lease while she lived with her BF down the block. After a few weeks, the landlord thought Adam was party to an unofficial sublease and he was asked to leave. He didn’t tell any of his old college friends that he had no other place to stay and even told his BF at the time that he was going to go for a walk after a date and would stay up all night at diners, fill journals with stories on residential stoops or go home with strangers for a place to stay.
Within a month, Adam celebrated his 21st birthday asking people to buy him food instead of shots and still maintained his homelessness as a secret. Eventually, he began asking for help from friends–seeing if he could stay on their couches etc. After losing many friendships and his relationship because of his uncomfortable lack-of-living situation, Adam slept on a friends couch, found a job and has been gainfully employed and sheltered ever since. Although Adam mostly blames his homelessness on being stubborn, impulsive and stupid about money, he can appreciate the utter terror of homelessness and how it feels to be treated like a second class citizen because of unfortunate events.
COMEDY saved him. “You’re funny, you should do stand-up,” a friend of a friend said to me at a bar. I thanked her. “No, really, I run the comedy night here,” she insisted.
Wednesday, August 31st –
Adam will perform at Center on Halsted!
We Are Halsted is presented and hosted by Adam Guerino with the support of Center on Halsted and the Lakeview Safety and Inclusion Coalition and features music by gender bending belter Vallerie Dolls (Night of 100 Drag Queens), Manny Capozzi and Kyle Greer (Fatally Cool), comedy by Latina lesbian stand-up comedienne Gwen La Roka (Zanies, Amigas Latinas) and dance by a Jerri Blank celebrity impersonator.
There are more than 15,000 + homeless and unaccompanied youth living in Chicago, and according to the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, more than 20% identify as LGBTQ. It may come as a surprise to many that with so many youth facing these challenges there are only 189 shelter beds specifically provided for youth across the entire city.
Center on Halsted (Hoover-Leppen Theatre)
7pm – 8pm – We Are Halsted pre-party
The We Are Halsted pre-party will take place outside on the rooftop overlooking the city. The pre-party will feature inexpensive donated cocktails and beer and will provide a casual setting for socializing and networking before the start of the show. This portion of the evening is limited to those who are 21+ years of age. IDs are required and will be checked at the door.
PLEASE COME OUT AND SUPPORT THIS CAUSE!
Details online
Adam Guerino.com
