A cold Chicago night will be a whole lot steamier Feb. 9 when Chicago Takes Off, a burlesque-centered benefit for HIV/AIDS agency Test Positive Aware Network ( TPAN ) , takes place at the Park West, 322 W. Armitage, for the second consecutive year. ( This year's theme is 'Under a Big Top.' ) Windy City Times recently talked with Chicago Takes Off producers Keith Elliott and Todd Kiech; TPAN Executive Director Rick Bejlovec; and TPAN Special Events Coordinator Rhett Lindsay about the event.
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Second photo, from left: Todd Kiech, Rhett Lindsay, Keith Elliott and Rick Bejlovec. Photo by Andrew DavisChicago Takes Off:
A 'Top' Draw
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Windy City Times: Tell me about the genesis of Chicago Takes Off. How did it come about?
Keith Elliott: Danny Kopelson and I were always joking around that we wanted to do Dance for Life [ another annual benefit ] without clothes. In other words, we wanted to do a high-energy show, but burlesque. Danny was working here at Test Positive Aware Network, and he and his staff wanted to create an event that would bring in much-needed funds. So I was brought in—and well as Todd Keich, for his creative abilities and power—and Chicago Takes Off was born.
We decided to base it on a little-known event [ laughs ] called Broadway Bares/Equity Fights AIDS. For our first year, we based [ Chicago Takes Off ] on that, but we've grown it into its own event. We've parlayed it into more high-energy Las Vegas revue-type show, with sparking, dazzling costumes and lots of entertainment. It's something everybody must see.
Rick Bejlovec: [ The show's ] also congruent with TPAN's philosophy of being sex-positive. It's about being comfortable with our bodies and with who we are, so I think it's a good mesh that way.
Todd Kiech: I can't imagine any other organization that could do this event...
KE: ...and pull it off, hence it's tagline: 'Charity at its Sexiest.'
WCT: This show's theme is 'Under a Big Top.' Who chose that theme?
TK: We were tossing around ideas after finishing the show last year. We had several ideas, and the circus idea seemed to lend itself to lots of possible acts that we could do; we thought it would be a really fun avenue to go down.
KE: How it really went down is that Todd jumped into my car with a Starbucks coffee to warm me up, and he goes, 'I know the theme next year, and we doing 'Under a Big Top.'' [ All laugh. ] I said, 'Oh, not 'the Big Top,' but 'a Big Top.''
TK: I don't remember it happening quite like that.
WCT: So what will the show be like?
TK: Well, if you imagine a sexy, circus-themed burlesque show in Vegas...
WCT: So is this like Cirque du Soleil's Zumanity?
TK: I would say it's more toward a classic vision of a circus. Zumanity is amazing, but it's more stylized. We're going with much more of a classic look, with a ringmaster and the acts you'd see in a three-ring circus, but sexy.
KE: And an example would be our ringmaster. He'll be our thread throughout the show. He's this beautiful, buff male but throughout the show, he'll be less clothed. That's a little tidbit for you.
WCT: There'll be two shows this time, correct?
KE: Based on the success from last year [ with the show raising $70,000 ] , we'd decide to invite the masses and have a 7 o'clock and a 10 o'clock show. The [ later ] show is about three-quarters sold out.
WCT: Will the later show be more risqué?
KE: We're billing both as equally fun and enticing. One will be just as sexy as the other.
TK: There'll be equally risqué.
KE: By the way, there's a new element this year. It's called our strip camp, and it provides an opportunity for anyone to purchase a way into the show. You can pay $1,000 and become part of the strip camp; you have four classes with Michelle Lamour, an amazing burlesque queen, who'll teach a number to the participants. They also get a membership to Equinox [ Gym ] , personalized workout programs and class programs.
TK: They'll also get tickets for the show, a costume that's custom-made for them that they'll get to keep and a DVD of the show so they can watch it over and over again.
Also, at the end of their numbers, the participants will be able to work the runway for tips, so their friends can tip them during the number, so they can raise more money for TPAN. Then, at the end of the show, all the dancers will be going through the audience, so people will have the opportunity to tip them.
WCT: With all the success of last year's show and the anticipated success of this year's shows, do you see Chicago Takes Off moving to a larger venue in the future?
KE: I gotta say the Park West is so appropriate for this type of event. The set-up is very easy, they treat us very well in terms of budget and it lends itself to that cabaret, fun atmosphere.
TK: There's a level of intimacy with the Park West that we would lose if we took it to a larger space.
RB: The beauty of the Park West is that there is no such thing as a bad seat. I think it's because of the shape of the space.
KE: As far as the crew there, the Park West allows us to jump in and help set up—which allows us to keep costs down.
Rhett Lindsay: People who came to the show last year said it was the perfect venue for this event— [ including ] people who had never been to the Park West and who had never been to Chicago.
RB: Something else I'm excited about is the amazing talent in this show—all of these people who are giving their time. How many dancers are in the show?
TK: We have about 60 dancers, and they all donate their time and volunteer.
RB: And that's very humbling—for them to give their time, talent and bodies like that.
KE: [ And ] kudos to Park West for giving us the dress rehearsal night.
WCT: DVDs were mentioned earlier. Will people be able to purchase them?
RL: There'll be some production lag time, but [ they will be able to. ] Plus, we still have DVDs from last year.
WCT: Out of curiosity, have you heard from Broadway Bares?
KE: Todd and other folks associated with the event have gone to Broadway Bares. I put a call through to Jerry Mitchell, who started Broadway Bares; of course, he was very busy putting Legally Blonde on Broadway. So we haven't heard back yet.
WCT: Any concluding remarks?
RB: One of the things I'm thrilled about is that this event is in keeping with the tone of what we're trying to do at TPAN, which is to try to get out off cookie-cutter gala-type events. We want our events to be fun, edgy and something people want to go to instead of feeling obligated to go so.
KE: In terms of what I saw last year as an outsider to the organization, the people who came who became new supporters of the organization overwhelmed me. A lot of my friends, a lot of Todd's friends were there, and the committee that formed were new people who came and they brought their friends; it just kind of snowballed from there.
TK: Just come see the show. We're very excited for it. One of my promises for this year has been 'more men, more skin, more glitter.'
There will be a Chicago Takes Off promotional event Jan. 17 at Hydrate, 3458 N. Halsted, 7-9 p.m. For more information ( about the show or strip camp ) , or to get tickets or a copy of the 2007 Chicago Takes Off DVD, call Rhett Lindsay at 773-989-9400, see www.tpan.com or e-mail r.lindsay@tpan.com .
