Pictured Lakeside Pride Band, pictured here performing in bad weather at a Force Football game, has a new division—Lakeside Pride Orchestra. They perform June 18.
Anyone who is gay and breathing knows that June is Pride Month in Chicago and most big American cities. Chicagoans mark Pride Month in any number of ways, culminating in the ultimate climax—now there's a thought—of the Pride Parade. Long before the parade, however, you can celebrate GLBTQ-ness by seeing a performing arts event specially tuned to your gaydar frequencies. Show your pride at a Pride show.
THEATER:
A & E, The Second City e.t.c. at Piper's Alley—As part of its ongoing Second City Unhinged cycle, the great octopus of improv comedy presents single lesbian Abby McEnany and married woman Erin McEvoy ( Abby & Erin = A & E ) in an evening of songs, scenes and monologues on their similarities and differences with reference to self-esteem, body image, children, parents, friendship and Billie Jean King. June 14, 21 and 28; 8:30 p.m.; 312-337-3992; $7.
The DaVinci Gay Code, GayCo at Theatre Building Chicago—Chicago's leading GLBT sketch comedy troupe—-OK, Chicago's only GLBT sketch comedy troupe—takes on Church and State; computer viruses; gay pirates; lesbian butterflies; and the happy marriage of Jesus and Mary Magdalene in their newest show. through July 8; 773-327-5252; $20.
Pins, Bailiwick Repertory—Continuing its summer-long 13th annual Pride Series, Bailiwick offers Jim Provenzano's stage adaptation of his own novel about high school wrestlers, inexplicable urges, coming out, parenting and bulging singlets; through July 23. 773-883-1090; $25.
Seduction, Bailiwick Repertory—Arthur Schnitzler's famous turn-of-the-last-century play about revolving bed partners is given a modern and thoroughly gay twist by the visiting British troupe Shameless Boyz as part of Bailiwick's 13th annual Pride Series. Runs in rep with Pins; June 27-July 9; 773-883-1090; $25.
Southern Baptist Sissies, Chicago Circle Players in association with S & M Productions, UIC Studio Theatre, 1040 W. Harrison—The University of Illinois at Chicago proves there is gay life south of Diversey with this Pride Week production of Del Shore's dramedy about growin' up gay in a small southern Texas town. Yeehaw, ride them cowboys! Jack Straw, you're not alone. June 23 ( 8 p.m. ) and June 14 ( 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. ) only; 630-988-0768; $10.
Talk Dirty to Me, The Flaming Dames at The Spot, 4437 N. Broadway—The Flaming Dames is Chicago's rock 'n roll burlesque troupe, created in 2003 by New Millennium Theatre company member Leslie Kerrigan. Their fourth show promises to combine the best of burlesque with the decadence of '80s hair band glam rock with dynamite dance moves, sizzling new babes, bigger hair and blacker eyeliner. Not a show for the faint of heart, The Dames combine bumping, grinding and audience interaction with pop-culture comedy. Jackie Daniels, Aqua Nettie and Greta Groupie are among the seven performers. Friday nights, 10:30 p.m.; 773-989-4515; $15 ( plus drinks ) .
30 Queer Plays in 60 Straight Minutes, Neo-Futurists ( Ashland at Foster ) —A Special 2006 Pride Edition of the long-run hit Too Much Light Makes The Baby Go Blind offers 30 skits about queer sexuality or gender bending, among them 'Red Rover, Red Rover,' a musical fantasia on crowd control during the upcoming Gay Games and 'Half Naked Ninja Pudding Pie,' prepared by topless male chefs. Special musical guest Julie Loyd plays before the show; the Neo-Futurists buy pizza if the house is sold out. Even better, the show is a benefit for Broadway Youth Center. 8 p.m., June 24 only; 773-275-5255: $15.
Working Stiffs 5, Bailiwick Studio—For the fifth year, producer Robert Klein Engler has put together a celebration of GLBTs in the workplace told through humor, music and drama. WS5, as they short-hand the title, features material written or performed by Cookie Crumbles, Jackie Trimier, Floyd A. May, Mike Rogers, James Wilke, Michael Miller, Kevin Standifer, Lon Ellenberger, Michael Rashid, Michael Van Kerkhove, Jennifer Hunt, Lin Sedlar, Joe Steiff, Anthony Whitaker, Noah P. Lederach, Darcy McGill and Ron Subeck. 2:00 p.m. June 11 and 7:30p.m. June 12; 773-883-1090; $10.
MUSIC:
Lakeside Pride Orchestra, Athenaeum Theatre—In this concert, the Lakeside Pride collective of musical ensembles debuts its newest entity, a string orchestra with woodwinds that will offer music of Bach, Grieg and the late, great gay American composer Aaron Copland. Under the direction of Kim Diehnelt, Lakeside Pride Orchestra will perform the Brandenburg Concerto No. 2, Appalachian Spring, the Holberg Suite and 'Cascade,' a new work by composer Bjorn Berkhout. 3 p.m., June 18 only; 773-381-6693; $12.
Chicago Gay Men's Chorus's Midwest Pride 2, with special guest the Indianapolis Men's Chorus, is June 23-24 ( 8 and 8:30 p.m. ) , Athenaeum Theatre, 2936 N. Southport. See www.cgmc.org .
Pride in Our Feminine Side: Songs By and About Women, Windy City Performing Arts, Lakeshore Theatre ( Broadway at Belmont ) —The final concert of WCPA's 27th season celebrates women composers and lyricists such as k.d. lang ( 'If I Were You' ) , Dorothy Fields ( 'The Way You Look Tonight' ) , Alanis Morissette ( 'One' ) and out singer-songwriter Tret Fure, who will appear in-person with the Windy City Gay Chorus and Unison: Windy City Lesbian & Gay Singers. 8 p.m., June 16-17 only; 773-404-9242; 773-381-6693; $20.
Greatest Snips, Scott Montgomery with pianist Dan Stetzel, at Davenport's—We can't exactly call this a Pride show, but we can't exactly not, especially when Mr. Montgomery promises to include Cole Porter songs in this act of highlights ( snippets, get it? ) from his last six shows, peppered with topical patter ( which certainly MUST be GLBT this week ) . 10:30 p.m. June 16, 23 and 30; 773-278-1830; $12 cover plus two drink minimum.
OTHER:
Brokeback Mountain, Acorn Theater, Three Oaks, Mich.—Not the movie, but the original Annie Proulx short story, as read by Columbia College Chicago theater faculty member Paul Amandes. Also featured on the mixed bill are Chicago theater critic Jack Helbig reading some of his original work and the jazz piano stylings of Kirk Brown. June 18 only, 1 p.m.; 269-756-3879; $10.
See www.windycitymediagroup.com for more calendar items.
