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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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'SNL' adds lesbian cast member
Saturday Night Live, or SNL, will start its 46th season Oct. 3 with at least one major change: The show is adding a member of the LGBTQ+ community to its cast. Punkie Johnson is an out lesbian comedian/writer whose recent credits ...
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MOVIES David Pevsner brings performance to home screens
Although Los Angeles-based performer David Pevsner's solo performance piece Musical Comedy Whore! is technically a one-man show, Pevsner takes care to differentiate it from others. "I think people are kind of surprised by it, [thinking] that ...
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TELEVISION
Caroline Aaron talks social justice, podcasting,'Marvelous Mrs. Maisel'
Caroline Aaron is known for her many captivating roles in film, TV, Broadway and, most recently, as Shirley Maisel on the award-winning show The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. Talking with Windy City Times, Aaron described the values ...
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'Christmas Bingo: Summer Edition' online through July
Christmas Bingo: Summer Edition—written by Vicki Quade, one of the creators of the hit comedy Late Nite Catechism—is streaming through Friday, July 31. A portion of every ticket sold will go to help the Daughters of ...
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TELEVISION Marvel's first openly trans actor on Pride, BLM and Hollywood
Zach Barack made cinematic history as Marvel's first openly trans actor in the 2019 film Spider-Man: Far from Home. He talked with Windy City Times about his experiences in Hollywood, his stand-up comedy, current social issues ...
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Queer creator Quentin Lee honored, announces three new TV series
Los Angeles, CA. June 17, 2020. Roddenberry Impact Awardee Quentin Lee (White Frog, The People I've Slept With, Comedy InvAsian) is co-creating with author Adi Tantimedh (The Ravi PI series from Simon & Schuster) a sci-fi ...
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'Christmas Bingo: Summer Edition' online through July
Christmas Bingo: Summer Edition—written by Vicki Quade, one of the creators of the hit comedy Late Nite Catechism—is streaming through Friday, July 31. A portion of every ticket sold will go to help the Daughters of ...
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Shout! releasing all 11 seasons of 'The Carol Burnett Show'
Shout! Factory TV announced that, on June 1, all 11 seasons of The Carol Burnett Show will be made available for viewing on streaming platforms. The show is one of the most acclaimed and influential TV ...
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Out comedian joins Humanities event
On April 16, comedian Cameron Esposito joined the Chicago Humanities Festival for its first virtual event of the spring 2020 season. During the live-streaming conversation—moderated by Kristen Kaza, co-founder of Slo 'Mo: Slow Jams for Queer ...
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SHOWBIZ Global concert, TV doctors, Sean Hayes, GLAAD event, 'Circus'
Some of the world's top stars helped to raise nearly $128 million for the World Health Organization during the coronavirus pandemic by performing in a concert broadcast globally, CNN.com noted. Dozens of celebrities and musicians—including Lady ...
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Melissa Villasenor at The Den in July
Saturday Night Live's Melissa Villasenor will bring her stand-up tour to The Den Theatre for five performances on July 9-11 on The Den's Heath Mainstage, 1331 N. Milwaukee Ave. Villasenor broke barriers by becoming the first-ever ...
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Margaret Cho at Chicago Improv on May 8-9
Actress/comedian/author Margaret Cho will perform at Schaumburg's Chicago Improv Comedy Club, 5 Woodfield Rd., on May 8-9. Cho, among other accomplishments, has three Grammy Award nominations for Best Comedy Album under her belt. Her tours sell ...
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Out comedian Cameron Esposito in town March 29
Comedian Cameron Esposito will bring her "Save Yourself Tour" to The Den Theatre Sunday, March 29, at 8 p.m. on The Den's Heath Mainstage, 1331 N. Milwaukee Ave. Esposito is a standup comic, actor and writer ...
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WORLD Bollywood film, UK employers, assault, Rainbow Railroad
The India film capital of Bollywood is releasing its first major romantic comedy with a lead gay character, Advocate.com noted. Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan (translation: Be Extra Careful About Marriage) stars Ayushmann Khurrana as a young ...
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NUNN ON ONE COMEDY Zach Zimmerman bringing 'Fabulous' tour to Chicago
Out comedian Zach Zimmerman's first comedy album Clean Comedy debuted at number one on the iTunes Comedy charts. He's a Princeton University graduate that performed in Chicago with The Second City Theatricals. He took his act ...
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OUTspoken at Beverly Arts Center to Place LGBTQ Stories in the Spotlight
The Beverly Arts Center presents an evening with LGBTQIA storytelling collective OUTspoken on Friday, April 10 at 7:30 p.m. The performance will be hosted by Chicago-based comedian Elizabeth Gomez and features ...
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COMEDY 'The Haggard Unicorn:' Queer trans comic talks representation, hurdles
KJ Whitehead wants to see unrepresented voices take over the comedy world and her latest project, The Haggard Unicorn, is a reflection of that ambition. "Something strange. Something different. Something radical," she said when asked to ...
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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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Funny Feminism: Podcast "The Guilty Feminist" comes to Chicago
Deborah Frances-White knew there was humor to be mined from her bungled attempts to be a good feminist. Which is why the U.K.-based Australian comedian/writer/producer co-created the comedy podcast The ...
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NATIONAL Lily Tomlin, St. Louis, activist slashed, LGBTQ political candidates
Iconic LGBTQ comedian Lily Tomlin joined with several other comedy legends for a PSA in support of aging pets, The Washington Blade noted. In the video that The Grey Muzzle Organization produced, Tomlin is featured alongside ...
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