You have to hand it to About Face: giving a voice to gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgendered youth ( GLBTQ ) is an admirable feat. Last year, in its debut production, First Breath, About Face, in conjunction with Horizons, wowed audiences and critics alike with a show that wasn't just credible as an outlet for GLBTQ youth, but an incredible work of theater as well. The show was culled from stories workshopped over a period of months at Horizons, and the result was nothing short of spectacular. The cast was superb and the staging, design and production values were far, far above one might expect from such a young and relatively inexperienced group. I'm sure the professionalism was due in part to the talents of About Face, Chicago's premier venue for gay theater, but also to the exuberance of youth than ran, like a mainline, through the cast.
This year, About Face and Horizons will present its second foray into this type of theater, with Raising Voices and I can hardly wait. If this year's production is even half as good as First Breath, theater-goers are sure to get more than their money's worth. The great thing about a show like this is its universality: somewhere along the way, you're sure to recognize yourself in these often bittersweet depictions. And, even if you don't, you're sure to come away informed, entertained and enlightened. Regular performances begin June 22, and will run through July 23, with all shows at 8 p.m. Tickets are $16 for Thursdays, Sundays, and matinees, and $20 for Fridays and Saturdays. Student rate of $7 is available for youth ages 20 and younger.
This year's production focuses on history and how GLBTQ youth can find their place in an often-hidden world. Based on oral histories, community stories, archival research, and participants' life stories, Raising Voices explores what it means for LGBTQ youth to uncover the past and connect to the future. The show, performed by the Youth Theatre ensemble, examines such issues as sexuality, gender, violence, tolerance, human rights, activism, relationships, and gay and lesbian history. University of Chicago History Professor George Chauncey, author of Gay New York, serves as historical advisor to the project.
Co-artistic director Eric Rosen comments: "The Youth Theatre has two goals—first, to foster self-expression and youth development for LGBTQ youth, who face tremendous risks and social discrimination; and second, to bridge the gay and lesbian generation gap, so that adults and LGBTQ youth can come to form a sense of bonding and community. Last year, with First Breath, we achieved these goals. This year we have challenged ourselves and the youth with a new goal: to foster an awareness of history and culture that shapes both the youth's and our audiences' perceptions of what it means to identify as LGBTQ at the dawn of the new millennium. Raising Voices is an evocation of youth finding their place in their communities by discovering and interpreting the historical lineage that connects them to their past and their future."
Educational Programs director Brian Goodman adds: "It is incredibly rewarding to help the youth find their individual voices, and to enable them to express themselves through performance. Some of the youth participants have been involved with About Face for over a year now, and seeing their growth and what they've been able to accomplish is astonishing."
About Face Youth Theatre encourages positive youth development through a unique combination of mentorship, arts education and training, community building, and intergenerational bonding. Both last year's and this year's performances are based on stories and research gathered in six months of workshops and interviews with Chicago area LGBTQ youth. The result of the program has been wildly successful. The condensed version of First Breath toured Chicago-area schools, youth groups and teacher training events. Since October 1999, nearly 7,000 Chicago-area students and educators had seen First Breath, and this number is expected to increase to 15,000 by the end of the 2000-2001 tours. First Breath also garnered nationwide attention: the show was featured in the national PBS newsmagazine In the Life, won unanimous rave reviews, received a special After Dark Award, and sold out its four-week engagement. The About Face Youth Theatre was one of 19 organizations in the country to be awarded support by The Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fund ( U.S. ) . Recently, the About Face Youth Theatre received the GLSEN Chicago's Pathfinder Award.
One of the elements that help make the show ring so true and work so effectively is its involvement with Horizons Community Services, a national leader in providing services to LGBTQ youth. An advisor from Horizons is involved in all phases of the Youth Theatre project, providing referrals, intervention services and more.
About Face's involvement also plays a crucial part in making the Youth Project successful. Founded in 1995, About Face has become a leading force in Chicago theatre, an emerging national center for gay and lesbian theatre, and an important resource for education about gay and lesbian issues in Chicago schools. About Face was one of 17 theatres in the U.S. to receive a $50,000 National Theatre Artist Residency Grant from TCG. About Face made headlines by receiving 12 1998-'99 Joseph Jefferson Citation nominations ( they won five, more than any other theatre ) .
Call ( 773 ) 549-3290; www.aboutfacetheatre.com .