There's comedy and tragedy in store this spring for plays and musicals featuring LGBTQ characters or those created by LGBTQ artists. All locations in Chicago unless otherwise noted.
Legacies of Hope, Windy City Gay Chorus and Windy City Treble Quire at St. James Episcopal Cathedral, 65 E. Huron St. Reflect on the consequences of bullying with the Midwest premiere of Tyler's Suite, a work featuring many famous composers' responses to the suicide of gay college student Tyler Clementi. ( 5 and 8 p.m. March 21; www.windycitysings.org )
Anything Goes, Marriott Theatre, 10 Marriott Dr., Lincolnshire. Set sail for gay composer Cole Porter's hit Broadway musical comedy that is emblematic of the 1930s. Also, listen for the coded gay innuendo in the lyrics of songs like "You're the Top" and "Blow, Gabriel, Blow." ( April 8-May 31; www.marriotttheatre.com )
The Grown-Up, Shattered Globe Theatre at Theater Wit, 1229 W. Belmont Ave. Jordan Harrison's magical drama explores the difficulty of growing up and what it means to be an adult. Also, there's a scene where a streaker runs through a gay wedding reception. ( April 9-May 23; www.shatteredglobe.org )
Billy Elliot: The Musical, Drury Lane Theatre, 100 Drury Lane, Oakbrook Terrace. Gay composer Elton John and playwright Lee Hall never exactly reveal the budding sexuality of the titular northern English lad who discovers a love for ballet in their hit musical version of the 2000 film, but he does have a friend named Michael who does have a yen for cross-dressing and sung advice for "Expressing Yourself." ( April 10-June 7; www.drurylane.com )
Lips Together, Teeth Apart, Eclipse Theatre Company at Athenaeum Theatre, 2936 N. Southport Ave. This company dedicates its entire season to one writer, and this year it's gay playwright Terrence McNally. They open with McNally's acclaimed 1991 drama that focuses on two heterosexual married couples who visit a Fire Island beach house after its owner has died from AIDS. ( April 16-May 24; www.eclipsetheatre.com )
A Coffin in Egypt, Chicago Opera Theater at Harris Theater for Music and Dance, 205 E. Randolph St. The Chicago premiere of gay composer Ricky Ian Gordon's 2014 opera based upon Horton Foote's 1980 play stars diva Frederica von Stade as a 90-year-old reflecting on her life's lost opportunities. ( April 25-May 3; www.chicagooperatheater.org )
Melancholy Play: A Chamber Musical, Piven Theatre, 927 Noyes St., Evanston. Sarah Ruhl's whimsical 2002 play has been adapted into a chamber musical featuring a score by Todd Almond, and it focuses on how one woman's sadness affects the people around her—including a likely lesbian couple where one of them transforms into an almond. ( April 30-June 7; www.piventheatre.org )
Big Fish, Theatre at the Center, Munster, Ind. Gay composer Andrew Lippa's 2013 Broadway musical flop is given another chance in a regional staging where a man's larger-than-life stories clash with his logical son's views. ( May 10-June 7; theatreatthecenter.com )
Miracle!, Hell in a Handbag Productions at a Chicago location to be named. The Chicago premiere of a politically incorrect drag spoof of The Miracle Worker is notable since it is written by celebrated sex-advice columnist and It Gets Better co-founder Dan Savage. ( Begins May 14; www.handbagproductions.org )
We're Still Here: CGMC Celebrates Stephen Sondheim at 85, Chicago Gay Men's Chorus at North Shore Center for the Performing Arts, 9501 Skokie Blvd., Skokie; then at Harris Theater for Music and Dance, 205 E. Randolph Drive; then at North Central College's Wentz Concert Hall, 171 E. Chicago Ave., Naperville. A gay relationship has been woven into this concert revue celebrating the musicals of gay composer Stephen Sondheim. ( 8 p.m. May 16 in Skokie; 8 p.m. May 23 in Chicago; 3 p.m. May 24 in Naperville; www.cgmc.org )
Abraham Lincoln was a F*gg*t, About Face Theatre at a Chicago location to be named. The Chicago premiere of this time-travelling comedy by Bixby Elliot ( Girl You Know it's True ) focuses on Cal who is determined to find a historical gay icon. ( runs May and June 2015; www.aboutfacetheatre.com )
Proud to Be... Me! Concert and Dance, Artemis Singers at Broadway United Methodist Church, 3338 N. Broadway; then at Beverly Unitarian Church, 10244 S. Longwood Drive. Chicago's lesbian feminist chorus performs its Pride concert in two venues this year. ( 7 p.m. June 6, then 7 p.m. June 13; www.artemissingers.org )
Catch 'em before they're gone
La Cage aux Folles, Marriott Theatre, 10 Marriott Dr., Lincolnshire. This is your last chance to catch the revival of the hit 1983 Broadway drag musical by the gay team of playwright Harvey Fierstein and composer Jerry Herman. ( Through March 22; www.marriotttheatre.com )
Trouble in Tahiti, Chicago Fringe Opera at Chopin Theatre, 1543 W. Division St. Leonard Bernstein's 1952 one-act opera about suburban marital discord ( and poor parenting of a boy who grows up to be gay the 1983 sequel of sorts, A Quiet Place ) is paired with an evening of jazz standards. ( Through March 22; www.chicagofringeopera.com )
First Wives Club, Oriental Theatre, 24 W. Randolph St. See this high camp adaptation of the 1996 movie and 1992 novel while you can, because the Chicago critical response might have imperiled its chances to move to Broadway. ( Through March 29; www.broadwayinchicago.com )
The Book of Merman, Pride Films and Plays at Apollo Studio, 2540 N. Lincoln Ave. This musical comedy by Jeff Award-winner Leo Schwartz that all-but-steals its style and content from The Book of Mormon and classic Broadway shows that starred Ethel Merman has transferred from its sell-out run at Mary's Attic to a new location. ( Through April 5; www.pridefilmsandplays.com )
Balm in Gilead, Griffin Theatre at Den Theatre, 1333 N. Milwaukee Ave. Lanford Wilson's breakthrough 1965 drama centered on a disreputable Manhattan café is back, complete with its junkies, prostitutes and brawling butch lesbians in the background. ( Through April 19; www.griffintheatre.com )
The Walk Across America for Mother Earth, Red Tape Theatre at Steppenwolf Garage, 1624 N. Halsted St. Drag performer and gay playwright Taylor Mac's play explores liberal activism through a mix of drag and commedial dell'arte. ( Through April 25; www.redtapetheatre.org )
Angry Fags, Pride Films and Plays at Steppenwolf Garage, 1624 N. Halsted St. The Chicago premiere of Topher Payne's violent comedy continues its journey of showing what happens when a hate crime drives a group of gay guys to become vigilantes. ( Through April 26; www.pridefilmsandplays.com )
Note: The author has previously sung with Windy City Gay Chorus and is set to appear in the next Chicago Gay Men's Chorus concert.
