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New Order, Pet Shop Boys in Chicago in September
New Order and Pet Shop Boys confirmed a co-headlining tour of North America. The two British electronic bands announced that The Unity Tour will kick off Saturday, Sept. 5, in Toronto and will stop in select ...
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SHOWBIZ Troye Sivan, Digital Drag Fest,'Killing Eve,' rapper comes out, 'Star Trek'
On March 22, singer Troye Sivan revealed that his brand new single, "Take Yourself Home," would be officially coming out on April 1, Billboard.com noted. Alongside his announcement, Sivan also appeared to give fans a quick ...
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Benjamin Scheuer releases "I Am Samantha" for International Transgender Visibility Day
Canvasback Records/Atlantic Records is proud to announce the release of "I Am Samantha" from singer-songwriter Benjamin Scheuer. The touching track recounts the real-life journey of Samantha Williams — a transgender woman who Scheuer first met and ...
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Chicago DJ taps online music energy
As the coronavirus pandemic unfolds, numerous creative professionals have kept their audiences engaged, and kept themselves working, by taking their work online. Marc Moder—a local DJ who works under the name Moose the DJ and is ...
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SHOWBIZ Martha Stewart, Angelica Ross, gay wrestler, Rosie, COVID-19 items
Emmy-winning television personality, cookbook author and lifestyle expert Martha Stewart helps guide six talented amateur bakers in the new primetime series Bakeaway Camp with Martha Stewart, premiering Monday, May 4, on Food Network, a press release ...
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CONCERT COVERAGE BIPOC Punk Takeover; Floor Show; Of Montreal
Despite the creeping threat of COVID-19 and our federal government's ineptitude in handling it, springtime in Chicago arrived with a jolly vengeance in March. The idea of a "spring awakening" got a whole new definition, as ...
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Chicago Symphony events canceled
The Chicago Symphony Orchestra Association (CSOA) announces that all CSOA-presented concerts at Symphony Center scheduled through at least the next 30 days (starting March 12) are canceled in an effort to limit community transmission of COVID-19. ...
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SHOWBIZ Janelle Monae, Harry Hains' death, Sam Smith, COVID-19 cancellations
Janelle Monae will headline the 2020 Pride Festival in New York on Saturday, June 27, BET.com noted. The annual event has been headlined in the past by Grace Jones, Madonna and Patti Labelle, among others. This ...
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PASSAGES Ann Morris
Ann Morris passed away March 7. She was 67. Ann was born in Chicago on April 5, 1952, and grew up in Texas. She returned to Chicago to attend the University of Chicago where she earned ...
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Ravinia Music Festival announces 2020 season
HIGHLAND PARK, IL — Welz Kauffman today announced his 20th and final season as President and CEO of the country's oldest and most programmatically diverse music festival. The 2020 season boasts more than 120 events from ...
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'Skates' debut pushed to April 23
Hit Her with the Skates—a musical starring American Idol couple Diana DeGarmo and Ace Young—has pushed its world premiere of the Chicago production at the Royal George Theatre, 1641 N. Halsted St., from Wed., March 18, ...
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SHOWBIZ Halsey, GLAAD, Jonathan Van Ness, Carol Burnett, 'Stranger Hearts'
Halsey said she won't be touring for a while after the year is over, IHeart.com noted. The singer, who is currently traveling for her "Manic World Tour," made the announcement on Instagram March 1. Posting images ...
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Lady Gaga to return to Chicago on Aug. 14
Lady Gaga will hit the road this summer with The Chromatica Ball Tour—a special six-city worldwide limited run of exclusive performances that will include a return to Chicago's Wrigley Field on Friday, Aug. 14. Other stops ...
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SHOWBIZ Angelica Ross, Madonna, 'Love, Victor,' trans writer/activist, Judge Judy
Better Brothers Los Angeles ( BBLA )—in association with award-winning actress/activist Sheryl Lee Ralph and her non-profit organization, The DIVA Foundation—announced that actress and transgender advocate Angelica Ross is among this year's list of honorees for ...
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Sinfonietta's 'Sight + Sound' on March 7, 9
The Chicago Sinfonietta concert "Sight + Sound: A Sonic Art Exhibition" will take place Saturday, March 7, at 8 p.m. at Wentz Concert Hall, 171 E. Chicago Ave., Naperville; and Monday, March 9, at 7:30 p.m. ...
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SHOWBIZ Disney first, queer band, awards events, Aretha, 'Drag Race'
Months after The Rise of Skywalker featured the first same-sex kiss in the Star Wars galaxy, the new animated film Onward introduces the first self-identified lesbian character into the Disney-Pixar universe, Yahoo! noted. Her name is ...
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New Order, Pet Shop Boys in Chicago in Sept.
New Order and Pet Shop Boys confirmed a co-headlining tour of North America. The two British electronic bands announced that The Unity Tour will kick off Saturday, Sept. 5, in Toronto and will stop in select ...
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Ndegeocello, Chin at MCA March 6
Musician Meshell Ndegeocello and spoken-word artist Staceyann Chin will be featured at the Museum of Contemporary Art's Edlis Neeson Theater on Friday, March 6, 7-8:30 p.m. Ndegeocello—who has worked with artists such as Madonna and Missy ...
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Cantonese opera program March 17
"Si-fu: An Evening of Cantonese Opera" will make its Midwest debut at the Reva and David Logan Center for the Arts Performance Hall, 915 E. 60th St., on Tuesday, March 17, at 6:30 p.m. This program ...
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NUNN ON ONE MUSIC The portrait of Dorian Electra
Dorian Electra is part of a whole new wave of artists currently changing the game. Being gender-fluid has influenced their work in music videos that continue to be a big component to Electra's art. Through this ...
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MUSIC
Mykal Kilgore: Out singer on NAACP award nod, $2 wine and Billy Porter
Mykal Kilgore definitely marches to the beat of his drum. The singer certainly possesses talent ( as witnessed by his current NAACP Image Award nomination for Outstanding New Artist, which pits him against Ari Lennox, Mahalia, ...
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'Judy & Liza' tribute March 5-April 5
The tribute show "Judy & Liza—Once In A Lifetime: The London Palladium Concert" will be presented at the Greenhouse Theater Center, 2257 N. Lincoln Ave., March 5-April 5. Shows will be Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at ...
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ShOWBIZ 'Drag Race' judges, Dwyane Wade, 'Porgy,' Of Montreal, Cirque du Soleil
RuPaul Drag Race's season-12 guest judges consist of film, music, television, fashion and political figures such as Nicki Minaj, Whoopi Goldberg, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Chaka Khan, Robyn, Leslie Jones, Normani, Jeff Goldblum, Daisy Ridley, Thandie Newton, Olivia ...
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CONCERTS Grammy Awards; Super Bowl's halftime; Yola and Amythyst; Deadmau5
January and part of February felt like springtime in Chicago, with intermittent snow showers, clouds of fog and the rare sunny day. For music fans, the weather could hardly put a damper on things and it ...
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'Lipstick & Lyrics' Feb. 22, 28-29
Chicago Gay Men's Chorus will present "Lipstick & Lyrics: All In The Family,"—a live-singing drag show on Feb. 22, 28 and 29 at 8 and 10 p.m. each night at The Annoyance Theatre & Bar, 851 ...
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SHOWBIZ Sean Hayes, Rihanna, Cher, Billy Porter, Laura Dern
Sean Hayes, Carrie Aizley, Margo Martindale, Jim Rash, Matthew Broderick and Allison Janney are part of the cast of the film Lazy Susan, which is coming to theaters April 3, a press release noted. According to ...
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'Parasite,' Zellweger, Elton among Oscar winners
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences distributed the 2020 Oscars at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood on Feb. 9. The South Korean thriller Parasite was surely the most notable winner for the evening, winning ...
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OKRP Creates Month-Long Multimedia Showcase for Black History Month
CHICAGO, IL, February 4, 2020 — Throughout the month of February — in celebration of Black History Month and in conjunction with 2020 being named the "Year of Chicago Music" — Chicago agency O'Keefe Reinhard & ...
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NUNN ON ONE MUSIC Out singer Tom Goss talks newest work, bears, 'Mean Girls'
Out singer Tom Goss released his newest album, Territories, in 2019. With the record, he created videos for several singles that spotlight relationships. The LA-based singer-songwriter is known for tackling LGBT issues with his studio albums ...
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Chicago Musical Theatre Festival through Feb. 20
Underscore Theatre Company is presenting its sixth annual Chicago Musical Theatre Festival—created to showcase and support the growing field of musical theatre creators from Chicago and beyond—through Feb. 20. The festival will be performed simultaneously on ...
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SHOWBIZ Lady Gaga, 'The L Word,' Bradley Cooper, 'Porndemic,' Tim Gunn
Lady Gaga's mother, Cynthia Germanotta, recently shared her side of the bullying and subsequent depression that her daughter experienced in middle school, iHeart.com noted. "In middle school, because she was unique, she started experiencing a lot ...
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'Black Music Matters' tour in area Feb. 7, 16
Musical artist/social-justice advocate Adrian Dunn—who happens to be a member of the LGBTQ community—announced the release of his latest album, REDEMPTION: Live, a collection of spiritual and gospel songs. New singles from REDEMPTION will be performed ...
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Country Lakeshake on hiatus in 2020
Chicago's Country Lakeshake music festival is "taking a hiatus" in 2020, according to NBC Chicago. No reason was given. "After 5 amazing years of country music on the lakefront, we wanted to be the first to ...
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NAACP Award nominee in Chicago on Jan. 31
Mykal Kilgore—an openly gay singer who is a 2020 NAACP Image Award nominee for Outstanding New Artist—will be performing Friday, Jan. 31, at The Promontory, 5311 S. Lake Park Ave. West., 7:30-9:30 p.m. Kilgore's artistry involves ...
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SHOWBIZ Judith Light, RuPaul, queer docufiction film, Lil Nas X, Mika
GLAAD will honor award-winning actress, producer and activist Judith Light with the Excellence in Media Award at the 31st Annual GLAAD Media Awards in New York, a press release noted. The organization also announced that Lilly ...
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NUNN ON ONE MUSIC King Princess, ruling the musical realm
Born in Brooklyn, New York and raised in the studio thanks to a recording engineer father, Mikaela Mullaney Straus eventually evolved into pop singer King Princess. In 2018, she released the single "1950—a tribute to the ...
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GoFundMe page launched for DJ Bristol
A GoFundMe campaign has been launched to help Teri Bristol, who has been a longtime DJ at various LGBTQ venues as well as spots such as Smartbar. After DJing a New Year's show with longtime mixing ...
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'Freedom Ride' talk, performance Jan. 29
Newberry Library is hosting a discussion and performance with Chicago Opera Theater ( COT ) involving the production Freedom Ride on Wed., Jan. 29, 6-7:30 p.m., at the library's Ruggles Hall, 60 W. Walton St. The ...
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Sinfonietta's MLK Jr. tribute shows Jan. 19-20
Chicago Sinfonietta will be presenting its annual MLK Tribute Concert—celebrating the life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. through family, equity and the encouragement to execute positive change. The orchestra's concerts will take place Sunday, Jan. ...
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SHOWBIZ Taylor Swift, GLAAD, music festivals, CW renewals, Jake Gyllenhaal
GLAAD will honor global superstar Taylor Swift and award-winning director, producer, writer and advocate Janet Mock at the 31st Annual GLAAD Media Awards in Los Angeles at the Beverly Hilton on Thursday, April 16, a press ...
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City names 2020 'Year of Chicago Music'
Recently, Chicago's Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events ( DCASE ) Commissioner Mark Kelly, Grammy- and Oscar-winning artist Che "Rhymefest" Smith and other civic, arts and music leaders recently announced plans to designate 2020 as ...
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SHOWBIZ Best LGBTQ films, Eddie Murphy, Obama's songs, DJ retires
Advocate released its list of the 30 best LGBTQ films of the 2010s. Some on the list include Appropriate Behavior, Moonlight, The Kids Are All Right, Spa Life, The Handmaiden, Colette, Tangerine, Weekend, Booksmart, Rafiki, Beats ...
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MUSIC Whitney; The Joy Formidable; Roy Kinsey
Despite my predictions for a gloomy holiday season, Christmastime in Chicago turned out to be just short of blissful. With nary a snowflake or raindrop in sight and with temperatures lodged in the 50s, a near-record ...
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SHOWBIZ Judi Dench, HIV+ musical comedy, Black LGBTQ musicians, Ryan Reynolds
Dame Judi Dench ( perhaps jokingly ) had a different take on Old Deuteronomy, her character in the panned movie Cats, Out.com noted. The role is traditionally played by a male actor, but Dench was tapped ...
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Frankie Knuckles celebration Jan. 19
Queen!, in association with The Frankie Knuckles Foundation, will hold "For Frankie! A Celebration of his 65th Birthday" Sunday, Jan. 19, 9 p.m.-4 a.m., at Metro Chicago, 3730 N. Clark St. Among the people slated to ...
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PASSAGES Broadway giant Jerry Herman dies
Legendary Tony-winning Broadway songwriter Jerry Herman—who was behind the iconic musicals Hello, Dolly!, Mame and La Cage aux Folles—passed away at 88 from pulmonary complications, media outlets reported. Herman told NPR that seeing Irving Berlin's Annie ...
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Sami Grisafe: Immersed in L.A., but keeping Chicago ties
Sami Grisafe got some high-profile exposure for the first single to be released from her upcoming album, Manifest. The former Chicago Force star quarterback who has transitioned into a Los Angeles-based singer/songwriter/actor, Grisafe played the acoustic ...
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SHOWBIZ Billy Porter, Olivia Wilde, Tessa Thompson, 'Ragtime,' Dan Levy
Stars of stage and screen have come together to celebrate Emmy, Grammy, and Tony Award-winning star for Billy Porter's lip-sync video for his chart-topping dance single, "Love Yourself," a press release noted. The video features Porter's ...
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CONCERTS November shows: 'Killer Ballads,' Rev. Horton Heat, 'Horror'
Given the staggering amount of unrest in the world with environmental disasters ( volcanic eruptions in New Zealand, flooding in France and Italy, glacial meltdowns in Greenland, and rampaging wild fires in Australia, Brazil, and California ...
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Levi Kreis singing in Chicago on Dec. 21
Out singer Levi Kreis will host the 5th Annual Home for the Holidays show Saturday, Dec. 21, 12 p.m. at City Winery, 1200 W. Randolph St. Kreis' music has been featured in film and television shows ...
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Artemis Singers to hold new member night Jan. 9
CHICAGOâ"€With the launch of its 40th anniversary, Artemis Singers, www.artemissingers.org, Chicago's lesbian feminist chorus, will hold a new member night Thursday, January 9, 2020. Artemis Singers is a non-audition chorus open to all women singers, regardless ...
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New Dylan Rice album out
After more than two years, and with the backing of more than fundraiser campaign donors, out musician Dylan Rice's third solo album, Fits and Fevers, has been released. Recorded by engineer/co-producer Adam Munoz at Fantasy Studios ...
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Joffrey's Chicago-set 'Nutcracker' through Dec. 29
The Joffrey Ballet's reimagined classic, The Nutcracker, by Tony-winning choreographer Christopher Wheeldon, returns to open the holiday season at the historic Auditorium Theatre, 50 E. Ida B. Wells Dr., in performances through Dec. 29. This season's ...
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SHOWBIZ Neil Patrick Harris, Mary J. Blige, Jane Lynch, Pet Shop Boys
Neil Patrick Harris and husband David Burtka are in Walgreens' new #TrueHolidayStory campaign, which finds the beauty and humor in memorably imperfect moments, NewNowNext.com noted. In the new spots, Harris and Burtka's holiday is less than ...
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WINDY CITY TIMES annual Holiday Gift Guide, Part Two
I'll drink to that Inspired by TV host Giuliana Rancic, Giuliana Prosecco ( $14.99; TerlatoWines.com ) is smooth, with a fruity scent and deceptively complex taste. It may sound weird to say you settled down with ...
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Renee Fleming in rehearsal with Lyric Opera for The Light in the Piazza
CHICAGO ( December 11, 2019 )—Rehearsals are underway for Scenario Two's presentation of the beloved Tony Award-winning musical The Light in the Piazza at Lyric Opera House, starring four-time Grammy Award winner and Tony Award nominee ...
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'Nat King Cole' holiday show Dec. 16-17
Writers Theatre, in partnership with Artists Lounge Live, will present a limited engagement of An Unforgettable Nat King Cole Christmas, starring Evan Tyrone Martin. An Unforgettable Nat King Cole Christmas will be presented Monday-Tuesday, Dec. 16-17 ...
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SHOWBIZ Jamie Lee Curtis, Taylor Swift, trans model/activist, Lil Nas X
Actress Jamie Lee Curtis told interviewer Chris Azzopardi she supports the outing of closeted lawmakers who advocate for anti-LGBTQ causes, The Washington Blade noted. During an interview in support of her knew film, Knives Out, the ...
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Queer as Polka: Lakeside Pride plays a new tune
Kaitlyn Hollysmith has added the "oom-pah-pah" rhythm to the many styles and sounds Lakeside Pride Music Ensembles plays through the new ensemble Queer as Polka. Hollysmith was born and raised in Long Grove, Illinois. In fourth ...
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Caucus launches The Prosperity Project
Chicago Black Gay Men's Caucus has launched The Prosperity Project—a three-year campaign to eliminate HIV among Black gay, bisexual and same-gender-loving men in Chicagoland. The caucus is asking our Black SGL men about their strengths, weaknesses ...
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WINDY CITY TIMES 2019 Holiday Gift Guide Part One of Two
Feel the heat We all know the polar vortex may be revisiting sooner rather than letter, so be ready with Heat Holders socks and gloves ( various prices; HeatHolders.com ). The socks, specially developed with cashmere-like ...
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Vaginal Davis exhibit at Art Institute in 2020
The Art Institute of Chicago is slated to run "Vaginal Davis: The White to Be Angry" Feb. 1-April 26, 2020. Davis is a key figure in the history of queer music, performance and video art. Naming ...
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SHOWBIZ 'Will & Grace,' LGBTQ singers, legendary divas, Ellen's surprise
Will & Grace will pay tribute to I Love Lucy by building an entire episode around the iconic sitcom this spring, EW reported. In the episode that will air as part of the sitcom's final season, ...
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OPERA REVIEW Don Giovanni
Score: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart; Libretto: Lorenzo Da Ponte At: Lyric Opera of Chicago, 20 N. Wacker Dr. Tickets: 312-827-5600 or LyricOpera.org; $39-$299. Runs through Dec. 8 When opera companies revive old productions, the original director typically ...
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Chicago Gay Men's Chorus to present HOLIDISCO
CHICAGO, October 29, 2019 — Chicago Gay Men's Chorus presents HOLIDISCO, running December 6-8, 2019 at three venues in the Chicagoland area. Experience this unforgettable show complete with all the tantalizing glitz and glamour that the ...
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Lil Nas X among Smithsonian Magazine 2019 American Ingenuity Awards honorees
Washington, D.C. — Nov. 19, 2019 — Smithsonian magazine, the flagship publication of the Smithsonian Institution, today announced the honorees of the eighth annual American Ingenuity Awards. This year's awards honor individuals across seven wide-ranging categories: ...
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Brewery has Nov. 22 event with Chicago House
Revolution Brewing is again teaming with Chicago House and Social Service Agency to raise funds for HIV/AIDS-affected, disenfranchised individuals as well as the local LGBTQ community. The second annual "We Are Family" fundraising event will take ...
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Currie, Darling in Chicago on Nov. 25
Los Angeles-based female rock icons Cherie Currie and Brie Darling are embarking on their first-ever tour together in support of their recently released album, The Motivator—and will perform at City Winery, 1200 W. Randolph St., on ...
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Artemis Singers part of LGBTQIA+ improv show
In a return engagement, members of Artemis Singers, Chicago's lesbian feminist chorus, will perform as part of the Friday, Dec. 6, Dreamboat LGBTQIA+ improv show at The iO Theater, 1501 N. Kingsbury St. The show, in ...
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The Joffrey Ballet's reimagined classic The Nutcracker begins Nov. 30
CHICAGO ( NOVEMBER 12, 2019 )— The Joffrey Ballet's critically-acclaimed reimagined classic, The Nutcracker, by Tony Award®-winning choreographer Christopher Wheeldon, returns to open the holiday season at the historic Auditorium Theatre, in downtown Chicago at 50 ...
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Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Chorus present Merry, Merry Chicago! concerts
CHICAGO—Symphony Center celebrates the 2019 holiday season with programming that offers a wide range of musical experiences perfect for audiences of all ages and tastes, beginning November 29 for Thanksgiving weekend and continuing through December 23. ...
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SHOWBIZ Out singer, 'Hamilton,' 'Sense8,' Dolly Parton, Shangela
LGBT singer Michael Longoria released a music video for "Kiss Me ( Like They Do In The Movies )," an original song written by Longoria and arranged by James Dobinson, a press release noted. The music ...
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Singer Greyson Chance in Chicago Nov. 29
Out musician Greyson Chance will be performing at Bottom Lounge, 1375 W. Lake St., on Friday, Nov. 29. Doors will open at 7 p.m., and the all-ages show will start at 8 p.m. Chance became famous ...
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Val's halla Records to close by Nov. 30
Iconic Oak Park store Val's Halla Records will close by Nov. 30, The Chicago Tribune reported. The business has been open for 47 years. Named after founder Val Camilletti, the original Val's Halla opened on July ...
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City of Chicago Announces 2020 Festival Dates
2020 initiatives highlight the "Year of Chicago Music," Chicago's Music Legacy and thousands of public programs in downtown Chicago and across the city's neighborhoods The Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events ( DCASE ) is ...
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