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SHOWBIZ Jerrod Carmichael, Alan Cumming, Andre Leon Talley, AIDS drama
Openly gay stand-up comic and recent Golden Globes host Jerrod Carmichael is set to star in a comedy documentary series for HBO, according to Entertainment Weekly. The yet-untitled series will center on Carmichael's personal life, following ...
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Young trans playwright queers Shakespeare in new production 'Malapert Love'
The Artistic Home will debut Malapert Love on Nov. 5-Dec. 11 in Wicker Park at The Den Theatre's Upstairs Mainstage, 1331 N. Milwaukee Ave. The gender-bending, Shakespearean romantic comedy was written by 18-year-old Siah Berlatsky, who's ...
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MOVIES 'Bros' stumbles at box office
The Billy Eichner/Luke Macfarlane same-sex romantic-comedy film Bros made history with its LGBTQ+ cast being in a big-budget movie—but, unfortunately, it fizzled at the box office. The Paramount horror movie Smile debuted to a sizzling $22 ...
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THEATER About Face showing LGBTQ+ play 'Mosque4Mosque'
About Face Theatre opens its 2022-23 season with the world premiere of Omer Abbas Salem's new play Mosque4Mosque, directed by Sophiyaa Nayar. Mosque4Mosque is a family comedy about a queer Arab-American Muslim man navigating his first ...
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REELING Billy Eichner and Luke Macfarlane on their big-budget LGBTQ+ movie 'Bros'
The new movie Bros could prove to be a very important movie in LGBTQ+ culture this year. This gay romantic comedy is directed by Nicholas Stoller, who co-wrote the script with Billy Eichner. Stoller and Eichner ...
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COMEDY Extra performances added for Jerrod Carmichael at Steppenwolf
Due to popular demand, Steppenwolf Theatre has added two additional performances of Emmy award-winning comedian Jerrod Carmichael's new solo show on Friday-Saturday, Nov. 4-5, at 10 p.m. as part of ...
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Out comic/writer Sam Jay talks career ahead of Wicker Park performance
Stand-up comic and Emmy-nominated writer Sam Jay will be performing at The Den Theatre, located in Chicago's Wicker Park neighborhood, on Sept. 23-24. The first Black lesbian writer in Saturday Night Live's history, Jay is a ...
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COMEDY Cameron Esposito at The Den Theatre on Dec. 30-31
The Den Theatre is welcoming back LGBTQ+ comedian Cameron Esposito, performing two stand-up shows on Dec. 30-31, 2022 on The Heath Mainstage, 1331 N. Milwaukee Ave. Esposito (a onetime Windy City Times 30 Under 30 honoree) ...
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MOVIES 'Scrooge & Marley' coming to digital, 10th-anniversary DVD
On digital for the first time, and available in a 10th-anniversary DVD, the classic Chicago-made LGBTQ+ holiday comedy Scrooge & Marley is coming this October from Dark Star Pictures. An adaptation of Charles Dickens' 1843 novella ...
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'Saturday Night Live' announces first non-binary cast member
Actor/comedian Molly Kearney will become the first non-binary cast member on Saturday Night Live in its upcoming 48th season, NBC News noted. ...
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Raven Theatre to open 40th season with Noel Coward's 'Private Lives'
Raven Theatre will open its 40th Anniversary Season with a fresh take on Noel Coward's iconic 1930 comedy Private Lives. The production, directed by Ian Frank, will run Sept. 29-Nov. 13 on Raven's 85-seat East Stage, ...
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Mercury Theater Chicago announces cast for 'Clue'
Mercury Theater Artistic Director Christopher Chase Carter, Managing Director Kristi J. Martens and executive producers L. Walter Stearns and Eugene Dizon announced the cast and creative team for the murder mystery comedy Clue. This Chicago premiere ...
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THEATER Noel Coward's 'Hay Fever' to open Sept. 4 at City Lit
Producer and Artistic Director Terry McCabe will direct Noel Coward's 1924 comedy Hay Fever as the final production of City Lit Theater's 41st season. (It replaces the previously announced Aztec Human Sacrifice, which has been moved ...
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COMEDY Talking with 'World' traveler Annick Adelle
Bay Area attorney Annick Adelle has decided to face one of her biggest fears: stand-up comedy. After starting in 2016, she is releasing her own album and touring throughout the United States. ...
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Casting announced for queer-centered play 'St. Sebastian'
Refracted Theatre Company announced casting for its world premiere of Andrew Kramer's dark comedy St. Sebastian, directed by Artistic Director Graham Miller. The play features Nolan Robinson, Mack Spotts and ...
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COMEDY Hannah Gadsby talks Chicago, Netflix, self
Global comedy figure Hannah Gadsby took the comedy world by storm just a few years ago with the show Nanette. Among the honors it garnered were a Peabody Award (2018) and an Emmy for Outstanding ...
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Hannah Gadsby at Chicago Theatre on July 13
Australian LGBTQ+ comedian Hannah Gadsby will bring her "Body of Work" show to The Chicago Theatre, 175 N. State St., on Wed., July 13, at 7 p.m. Gadsby took the comedy world by storm with the ...
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COMEDY Hannah Einbinder to perform additional show July 16
Due to popular demand, The Den Theatre announced a third stand-up performance for comedian/actress Hannah Einbinder (the TV show Hacks) on Saturday, July 16, at 7 p.m. on The Heath Mainstage, 1331 N. Milwaukee Ave. The ...
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TELEVISION John Early and Kate Berlant discuss 'Would It Kill You to Laugh?'
Peacock is releasing a new sketch comedy show called Would It Kill You to Laugh? Starring Kate Berlant and John Early, the show debuts Friday, June 24. This one-hour special features a comedy duo who have ...
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TELEVISION 'Rutherford Falls' returns for season two with double the diversity
Peacock's hit comedy Rutherford Falls is back with season two. (It started June 16.) The story follows two lifelong friends—Nathan Rutherford (Ed Helms) and Reagan Wells (Jana Schmieding)—as they navigate ...
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About Face to run immersive comedy about climate-change activism
About Face Theatre brings its 27th season to a close with a world premiere comedy created by and starring the About Face Youth Theatre ensemble. Gayme Changers will run June 18-24 at The Den Theater, 1331 ...
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Ricky Gervais courts controversy with graphic anti-trans jokes
(WARNING: There is graphic language in this article.) Yet another Netflix special is courting controversy because of a comedian making anti-trans jokes. Ricky Gervais' Netflix comedy special SuperNature has drawn criticism for a string of grap ...
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TELEVISION Kate McKinnon, Pete Davidson and others to exit 'SNL'
In a major shake-up on the long-running hit Saturday Night Live (or SNL), several of the main stars are leaving—including out cast member Kate McKinnon, Deadline reported. McKinnon, Aidy Bryant, Kyle Mooney and Pete Davidson (who's ...
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Casting announced for 'Queer Eye: The Musical Parody' at Second City
Comedy institution The Second City announced the cast and crew of Queer Eye: The Musical Parody, which will start running Thursday, May 26. (The production will run Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at ...
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COMEDY Netflix holds 'Stand Out: An LGBTQ+ Celebration'
On May 7, Billy Eichner hosted Netflix Is A Joke: The Festival's "Stand Out: An LGBTQ+ Celebration" at the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles. The historic celebration featured LGBTQ+ comedy legends and emerging talent. Highlights included ...
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TELEVISION Peacock cancels rebooted 'Saved by the Bell'
Only a month after the reboot of the classic NBC comedy Saved by the Bell won Outstanding Comedy Series at the GLAAD Media Awards, Peacock has canceled the show after two seasons, Deadline reported. The second ...
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Raven Theatre announces 40th Anniversary Season
-- From a press release
CHICAGO (May 2, 2022) — Raven Theatre is pleased to announce its 40th Anniversary Season, kicking off this fall with a fresh take on Noel Coward's iconic 1930 comedy Private Lives, directed by Ian Frank. The ...
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SHOWBIZ Lily Tomlin, 'The Color Purple,' Walter Mercado, Janelle Monae, Loki
Video below
In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, legendary actress/comedian Lily Tomlin discussed a variety of topics, including comedy and the Oscars. About the Academy Awards, she said, "I sometimes think they shouldn't be able to tread ...
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Northlight Theatre announces 2022-23 season
-- From a press release
Northlight Theatre, under the direction of Artistic Director BJ Jones and Executive Director Timothy J. Evans, announces its 2022-2023 season, opening with the buddy comedy The Garbologists by Lindsay Joelle, directed by Cody Estle; followed by ...
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Bisexual comedian Hannah Einbinder ('Hacks') now at The Den on July 15
Bisexual comedian/actress Hannah Einbinder has announced a new date for her stand-up engagement at The Den Theatre, 1331 N. Milwaukee Ave. Originally scheduled to perform on Friday, June 17, Einbinder will now appear Friday, July 15, ...
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Hard Rock's upcoming acts: Trevor Noah, Daughtry, Wanda Sykes and more
Trevor Noah and rock band Daughtry (headed by former American Idol winner Chris Daughtry) are among the upcoming acts at Hard Rock Casino Northern Indiana's new Hard Rock Live venue. The Trevor Noah "Back to Abnormal" ...
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Mary Lynn Rajskub: Actress/comedian discusses acting, sexuality in new book
Emmy-winning actresses and stand-up comedians who just finished publishing their new memoirs, while simultaneously embarking on their stand-up tours, rarely have moments to themselves. Thankfully, Mary Lynn Rajskub, best known for her work on the TV ...
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The dynamic Daniels dig into diversity with Everything Everywhere All at Once
Everything Everywhere All at Once is a movie made for everyone that combines science fiction, comedy and drama in a visual spectacle that will certainly leave a lasting impression on viewers. It's a story about a ...
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City-Wide festival Chicago Cabaret Week runs May 6 - 16
-- From a press release
Cabaret has been at the heartbeat of Chicago's nightclub scene for more than a century. Come hear blues, jazz, American songbook, burlesque, French music, pop, comedy and Broadway by some of Chicago's finest artists during the ...
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THEATER Theater-on-the-Hill to show 'The Drowsy Chaperone' on April 1-3
Bolingbrook's Theatre-on the-Hill will debut its 21st season with The Drowsy Chaperone. Winner of five Tony Awards, this "musical within a comedy" is an homage to the musicals of the Jazz Age. A man in a ...
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Sideshow Theatre Company announces 2022 season
-- From a press release
CHICAGO (March 9, 2022) Sideshow Theatre Company is pleased to announce its 2022 season featuring the world premiere of Artistic Associate Brynne Frauenhoffer's brash, incisive comedy Pro-Am, directed by ...
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Shawn Banks finds a new home in the Windy City
Chicago-based stand-up comedian Shawn Banks is making an appearance at the World Comedy Expo. This talented performer is sure to have audiences rolling in the aisles with some quick banter and hot takes on life at ...
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John Cameron Mitchell bites into new Joe Exotic role
There's a new Tiger King on TV, with John Cameron Mitchell taking on the role of Joe "Exotic" Schreibvogel for Peacock's Joe vs. Carole, a comedy/drama based on the popular Netflix docuseries Tiger King. This talented ...
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Hell in a Handbag Productions presents 'The Drag Seed'
-- From a press release
CHICAGO (February 25, 2022) — Hell in a Handbag Productions is pleased to continue its 20th anniversary season with a revival of its popular comedy The Drag Seed, an unauthorized parody of the 1956 psychological horror-thriller ...
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River Butcher slices up some fresh new comedy
River Butcher is a comedian, actor and writer born and raised in Akron, Ohio, and who is returning to his roots for a one-night stand-up act at The Den Theatre on Friday, March 11. Butcher began ...
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THEATER 'Sex Tips' previewing at Greenhouse Theater in April
The comedy Sex Tips for Straight Women from a Gay Man is coming to Chicago. Becoming off-Broadway's longest-running comedy in New York and launching a national tour before making its Las Vegas debut, this show will ...
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SHOWBIZ 'Smothered,' LGBT sprinter, 'Work in Progress,' Cher, Bravo
Prime Video has renewed Smothered a comedy that centers on longtime gay couple Ralph (Jason Stuart) and Randy (Mitch Hara) for a second season, a press release announced. Stuart recently appeared opposite ...
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COMEDY Trans comedian River Butcher performing March 11
Non-binary trans comedian River Butcher will perform on The Heath Mainstage, 1331 N. Milwaukee Ave., on Friday, March 11, at 7 and 9:15 p.m. Butcher is a Los Angeles-based stand-up comic, actor and writer. Originally from ...
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Hell in a Handbag Productions presenting 'The Drag Seed'
-- From a press release
CHICAGO (January 24, 2022) Hell in a Handbag Productions is pleased to continue its 20th anniversary season with a revival of its popular comedy The Drag Seed, an unauthorized parody of the 1956 psychological horror-thriller ...
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THEATER Shattered Globe running revival of play about workplace racism
Shattered Globe Theatre (SGT) has announced a revival of Chicago writer Joel Drake Johnson's Rasheeda Speaking, directed by SGT Associate Artistic Director AmBer D. Montgomery. This comedy-turned-social thriller about workplace ...
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SHOWBIZ Netflix, Kal Penn, Dennis Rodman, 'The Voice,' 'Euphoria'
Video below
Terra Field one of the Netflix employees who organized the walkout around Dave Chappelle's comedy special The Closer has resigned from the streamer, Deadline reported. Field, along with B. Pagels-Minor, organized an ...
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THEATER AstonRep's 'God of Carnage' through Dec. 12
AstonRep Theatre Company is running a revival of Yasmina Reza's frenetic dark comedy God of Carnage, translated by Christopher Hampton and co-directed by directed by Derek Bertelsen and Robert Tobin. God of Carnage is running through ...
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Venus Cabaret hosting monthly comedy night
Venus Cabaret Theater, the 80-seat intimate performance space at Mercury Theater Chicago (3745 N. Southport Ave.), is presenting the monthly Comedy Night Series as part of The Dark Night Series. ...
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REVIEW Randy Rainbow tackles politics, shows talent at The Chicago Theatre
YouTube sensation Randy Rainbow brought The Pink Glasses Tour to The Chicago Theatre on Oct. 22. Best known for videos that parody musical numbers with a focus on politics, the heavily curated show began with a ...
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Trans employees plan Oct. 20 walkout at Netflix [UPDATE]
Netflix's trans employee resource group is planning a company-wide walkout Wed., Oct. 20, to protest statements made by co-CEO Ted Sarandos regarding Dave Chappelle's latest comedy special The Closer, according to The Verge. "Trans Lives Matter. ...
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MOVIES Holiday comedy short centers on Muslim family and BIPOC queer relationship
The short film The Syed Family Xmas Eve Game Night follows Noor, a Muslim queer woman, and her experience with bringing her Puerto Rican partner home to meet her family for the first time. When Noor's ...
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COMEDY Janeane Garofalo at The Den Theatre on Nov. 19-20
The Den Theatre will present comedian Janeane Garofalo for four performances on Nov. 19-20 (at 7 and 9:30 p.m. each night) on The Heath Mainstage, 1331 N. Milwaukee Ave. Garofalo has had many memorable and critically ...
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LGBTQ+ groups call out Dave Chappelle over latest special
Dave Chappelle's new Netflix comedy special, The Closer, is already making headlines due to material several groups have called anti-LGBTQ, Variety reported. In a statement, GLAAD called out the pattern of derogatory jokes, saying that "Chappelle' ...
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THEATER 'Hot Pink, or Ready to Blow' available for download
It's Pompeii meets Heathers as New American Folk Theatre continues its "season of audio theatre" with a new studio recording of its 2018 hit comedy Hot Pink, or Ready to Blow. The production was written by ...
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THEATER Out actor Dan Butler to be in 'When Harry Met Rehab'
Don Clark, a Chicago-based film/theater producer as well as co-owner of the Chicago Magic Lounge, will present the world premiere of When Harry Met Rehab—a comedy that takes sobriety seriously and is based loosely on the ...
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AstonRep Theatre Company announces 2021-22 season:
--From a press release
CHICAGO (Sept. 13, 2021) AstonRep Theatre Company is pleased to welcome back live audiences this fall, kicking off with a revival of Yasmina Reza's frenetic dark comedy God of Carnage, translated by Christopher Hampton and ...
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THEATER 'American Mariachi' at Goodman on Sept. 18-Oct. 24
Goodman Theatre is running American Mariachi—a new comedy about the freedom to dream big, written by Jose Cruz Gonzalez, directed by Goodman Resident Artistic Associate Henry Godinez and presented as part of Chicago Latino Theater Alliance's ...
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SHOWBIZ Billy Porter, 'Death Drop,' Brandi Carlile, vintage films, Gaga
Billy Porter will direct a queer teen comedy feature titled To Be Real for Amazon Studios, which is being helmed by Gabrielle Union's I'll Have Another Productions, NME.com noted. Porter, who is currently working on his ...
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TV Netflix animated series 'Chicago Party Aunt' debuts Sept. 17
The LGBTQ-inclusive series Chicago Party Aunt will debut on Netflix on Friday, Sept. 17. Inspired by the popular Twitter account Chicago Party Aunt, this eight-episode adult animated comedy follows Diane Dunbrowski and nephew Daniel as they ...
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COMEDY Cameron Esposito at The Den on Oct. 2
The Den Theatre will present out comedian Cameron Esposito Saturday, Oct. 2d at 8 pm on The Heath Mainstage, 1331 N. Milwaukee Ave.. Esposito is a standup comic, actor and writer who has appeared across television ...
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Five Worth Finding: Gerber/Hart, 'Mr. Soul!,' S'mores desserts and more
Stacks of Laughter: Gerber/Hart Library and Archives, 6500 N. Clark St.. will host a comedy benefit, "Stacks of Laughter," on Saturday, Sept. 18. At 6 p.m., there will be a VIP reception with local historian John ...
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Gerber/Hart comedy benefit Sept. 18
Gerber/Hart Library and Archives, 6500 N. Clark St.. will host a comedy benefit, "Stacks of Laughter," on Saturday, Sept. 18. At 6 p.m., there will be a VIP reception with local historian John D'Emilio. Also, a ...
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Aug. 11 CHF Comedic Showcase to feature Abby McEnany
On Wed., Aug. 11, 7-8 p.m., the Chicago Humanities Festival (CHF) will host "Work in Progress: A Comedic Showcase of Chicago," featuring Abby McEnany, on Navy Pier's Lake Stage. There will be a virtual introduction by ...
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PrideArts 2021-22: "The Search for Identity Among Queer Communities"
CHICAGO — An Australian musical, a comedy-drama from the writer whose play was adapted as the hit movie JUDY, an Uptown holiday celebration, a new Ruth Bader Ginsberg bio, and a fifth play to be announced, ...
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Blue Man Group returning Aug. 18
Blue Man Group will return to Chicago's Briar Street Theatre on Wed., Aug. 18. A dynamic combination of art, music, comedy and technology, Blue Man Group encourages audiences to reconnect with their inner (and outer) child ...
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New queer comedy series revisits the women's bathroom
Gal Pal Presents recently premiered a new comedy web series, titled Stalled, which aims to capture the gay nightclub women's restroom scene that you may have experienced, but may have flushed out of memory. The five-episode ...
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COMEDY Bianca Del Rio announces 'Unsanitized' comedy tour
Comedy queen and RuPaul's Drag Race champion Bianca Del Rio announced her "Unsanitized" comedy tour, which will hit 26 cities this fall. Among the stops will be the Chicago venue The Vic, on Oct. 10. Del ...
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Cast announced for May 18 virtual reading of JEFFREY
--From a press release
CHICAGO PrideArts today announced the full cast for its upcoming reading of Paul Rudnick's comedy JEFFREY. David Belew, founder and former artistic director of Eclectic Full Contact Theatre, will direct a cast that will include ...
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SHOWBIZ 'Special,' Bonnaroo, Broadway items, Rita Moreno, Bridgerton
The second season of the Netflix comedy series Special will premiere May 20, a press release noted. The series revolves around Ryan O'Connell, a gay man with mild cerebral palsy, and is based on his memoir ...
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MOVIES Director Mike Mosallam discusses queer Muslim film 'Breaking Fast'
A warm romantic comedy that may seem simultaneously recognizable and unfamiliar to many viewers, Breaking Fast follows Mo (played by out actor Haaz Sleiman), a practicing Muslim still reeling from heartbreak. When an All-American guy named ...
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Hell in a Handbag Productions to present
Out, Darn Spot!
--From a press release
CHICAGO (Jan. 15, 2021) — Hell in a Handbag Productions is pleased to present the campy comedyOut, Darn Spot!, written by and starring ensemble member Tyler Anthony Smith* and directed, filmed and edited by Stephanie Shaw. ...
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'The Prom' out Dec. 11 on Netflix
The Prom—a musical-comedy film directed by Ryan Murphy and adapted by Chad Beguelin and Bob Martin (from their and Matthew Sklar's 2018 Broadway musical of the same name)—will be out on Netflix on Dec. 11. The ...
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Theater community to offer online plays, musicals, dance, comedy for holidays
--From a press release
Chicago, IL (November 10, 2020)— The Chicago theater community will produce a wide variety of online festive plays, musicals, dance and comedy offerings this Holiday season. Theatre venues in Chicago and across the world remain closed ...
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Interrobang launching season with 'The Spin'
Interrobang Theatre Project (ITP) is launching its 11th season with The Spin, a virtual dark comedy ripped from the headlines, written and directed by Spenser Davis and commissioned by ITP. The plot is described as follows: ...
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'Schitt's Creek' dominates Emmys
The Canadian LGBTQ-centered comedy series Schitt's Creek cleaned up for its final season when the Television Academy showcased the Emmy Awards the evening of Sept. 20. This was the 72nd Emmy ceremony, and was largely virtual ...
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