by Jorjet Harper
In its heyday during the 1980s, His 'n Hers was notable for its Sunday evening open mikes hosted by Marge Summit, the bar's amiable, outspoken owner. This Sunday, Oct. 15, Star Gaze will host a His 'n Hers Reunion show, featuring former regulars Dev Singh, Tricia Alexander and Lori Noelle as well as other performers who, at one point or another, graced His 'n Hers' open mike stage, including Aaron Freeman, Diana Laffey and Doug Lofstrom.
His 'n Hers first opened on Lincoln Avenue in 1974. 'We had a small open mike then,' Summit recalls, 'and my lover at the time was the main attraction, along with Judy Tenuta and Diana Straight-as-an-arrow.' In 1976, the bar moved to a building near Wrigley Field, on Addison right next to the el stop. 'The open mike really took off when we moved,' says Summit, 'and my lover would end the open mike with a gospel set. It was a blast and we always kept them there till the end.'
At a time when the gay community was still very clannish and protective of its territory, His 'n Hers welcomed everyone. A gay bar that went out of its way to make even straight people feel comfortable was an oddity and an interesting social experiment on several levels, and its 'open arms' open mike made it even more of a special place during those years.
In 1979, the groundbreaking record album Gay & Straight Together was recorded there. This collaborative album was the brainchild of Summit and the late singer/songwriter Ginni Clemmens. 'We talked to Rich Warren of WFMT. He did the recording for free. He and Ray Nordstrand of WFMT and Chicago Magazine loved our open mike and came quite often,' says Summit, who was inducted into Chicago's Gay and Lesbian Hall of Fame in 1993.
As a result of Gay & Straight Together, His 'n Hers gained some international attention. Gays and lesbians from Europe who had heard the record would sometimes stop by the bar when they were in Chicago, just to see the place where it was made. And the His 'n Hers open mike became an inclusive, welcoming community of performers and friends, and a fun show for the audiences and bar patrons who showed up to cheer us on. Fledgling musicians were able to gain confidence at the open mikes, and seasoned Chicago performers like Big Ed and Pudgy were able to try out new material there.
I began performing at the His 'n Hers open mike around 1981. I was writing a lot of songs at the time and if I didn't sing them, nobody would, but I had serious stagefright. The atmosphere at His 'n Hers was one of encouragement and appreciation rather than competition. It was a great experience. Even though I didn't keep performing songs, the stage time was very valuable to me later in public speaking and when I went on tour with my books and Lesbomania show. Some other musicians from those days are still going strong as performers—after getting their careers off the ground at His 'n Hers.
His 'n Hers closed its doors in 1989, when the building was bought by the city and demolished as part of the renovation and expansion of the Addison el stop. 'There never was a bar like His 'n Hers in this city, and there probably will never be again,' says Summit. 'It was a magic room, thanks to all the entertainers, customers and employees. We all loved what we did.' Several of the regular His 'n Hers bartenders went on to establish their own places. Teddy Hoerl opened Opal Station, on Clark Street, which featured live music for several years. Michele Fire went on to open the popular and still-thriving bar Big Chicks.
Tricia Alexander has spearheaded the organization of a His 'n Hers Reunion show. 'Bambi Bellows of Eclectricity, who is a longtime His 'n Hers fan, first talked to me about doing a His 'n Hers reunion,' says Alexander. 'She offered Eclectricity ( then located on Clark near Belmont ) but I felt it would be too small, and if we did this it'd be better to host it in a bar or a small theatre venue. I talked to Marge and she suggested Star Gaze. We met with Mamie, Star Gaze's owner, and she was in total support of the idea, and said she'd help us in any way she could.'
'It's pretty exciting,' says Alexander. 'We have performers coming from as far away as Oregon, Florida and New York City to be a part of this reunion show. That's how much the His 'n Hers open mike meant to people.'
Versatility was always a characteristic of the open mikes. The line-up of veteran open mikers who will appear on Sunday includes outstanding comics, kick-ass jazz/blues musicians, satiric songwriters, folk balladeers, a dulcimer player and even a yodeling cowboy.
Just like in the old days. It should be a hoot.
StarGaze is located at 5419 N. Clark in Andersonville. Showtime is 7:30 p.m. Jorjet Harper is the author of Lesbomania and Tales From the Dyke Side.
