LGBTQ pretty much is part of the theater landscape these days. The idea of a show that is unusual or important simply because it's about gay men or women, or about LGBTQ issues, simply isn't news anymore. Hurray!
Already in 2013 we've had a major gay-themed world premiere at the Goodman Theatre in Christopher Shinn's Teddy Ferrara, and a major off-Loop revival of Jonathan Harvey's Beautiful Thing (by Pride Films and Plays), and an original LGBT musical revue, Same Sex, Different Gays, at pH Comedy Theater (continuing through March 30). GayCo, too, made a brief appearance in January as part of the annual Fillet of Solo Festival, co-presented by Live Bait and Lifeline theaters. However, just because same-sex love is old hat doesn't mean there aren't some especially noteworthy shows coming up, among them the following:
Fucking Men, Street Tempo Theatre, Stage 773, through April 14; www.streettempotheatre.com . Man A has sex with Man B; B has sex with C, C with D and so on back to Man A. No, it's not a long night at Steamworks; it's Joe DiPietro's all-male adaptation of Arthur Schnitzler's 1895 European classic, La Ronde. The surprises are in what type of guy sleeps with another type of guy, and why. Fucking Men is part of The La Ronde Project in which Street Tempo is presenting a rotating repertory of the Schnitzler original; David Hare's contemporary version, The Blue Room; and DiPietro's gay take. Each show is a complete production with a separate cast and director.
Under a Rainbow Flag, Pride Films and Plays, Main Stage, March 23-April 21; wwwpridefilmsandplays.com . The world premiere of a new musical by composer Leo Schwartz, based on the World War II memories of Jon Phillips, a young gay man who joined the Navy and went to war in 1944. Pride Films and Plays Executive Director David Zak is staging the work with musical direction by Robert Ollis. This is the largest production to date for the three-year-old Pride Films and Plays.
Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, Auditorium Theatre, through March 30; www.theatreinchicago.com . Broadway In Chicago presents the national tour of the Broadway musical hit based on the Australian cult movie about drag queens touring the Oz Outback. It's a jukebox musical featuring lots of ancient but evergreen disco hits such as "I Will Survive" and "It's Raining Men." It also features more than 500 costumes—'nuff said. The producers must have high expectations as they've booked it into the massive Auditorium Theatre, which has an opera-size stage and seats 2,400 in its small configuration and 3,700 at full size, so boogie on down and party.
L'imitation of Life, Hell in a Handbag Productions, Mary's Attic, April 4-May 10; www.handbagproductions.org . It's not quite time for summer camp, but this will have to serve in the meantime: a partly drag-burlesque (in the original meaning of the word) version of the sensational 1959 melodramatic tear-jerker film, based in turn on a 1930s Fannie Hurst novel. Hell in a Handbag mainstay Ed Jones plays Lana Turner, who starred in the film, and whose life was more than a bit of a melodrama itself. Hmmm. With a title like L'imitation of Life, it could be about insurance, too.
The Whale, Victory Gardens Theater, April 5-May 5; www.victorygardens.org . This is the Midwest premiere of a drama by Samuel D. Hunter about a man, estranged from his family, who becomes morbidly obese when his lover dies. There's a great deal more to it as well, chiefly involving self-acceptance and LGBT acceptance by your family. Premiering just last year at the Denver Center Theatre Company, The Whale is an unusual and timely new play with a challenging lead role.
Speech & Debate, American Theater Company, May 13-June 10; www.atcweb.org . Stephen Karam's 2006 dark comedy updates the high school angst playbook (so familiar from John Hughes films) offering a look at nerd subcultures, sexual confusion and the Internet as three teens—one of them openly gay—work to expose a predatory male teacher who goes after adolescent boys. American Theater Company first staged the play in 2008 with considerable success. This revival replaces the previously announced major revival of the iconic musical Hair, which has been postponed for a year until spring 2014.
Notably absent from this list is a production by About Face Theatre. Founded in 1995, About Face has been a leadership LGBTQ theater troupe that has developed work of national importance (such as I Am My Own Wife) while offering Chicago premieres of such plays as Richard Greenberg's Take Me Out and Douglas Carter Beane's The Little Dog Laughed.
About Face has demonstrated its local value through the ongoing work of its Youth Theatre program. Currently, however, About Face is looking for a new artistic director and a new executive or managing director, both for the second time in five years. Even if the company finances are sound (and I do not know if they are or not), such a double transition is bound to interfere with producing shows. At the moment, the company has completed its 2012-2013 season and has announced no plans for future productions.
The troupe's big annual benefit bash, the Wonka Ball, is scheduled for Friday, April 26, at Architectural Artifacts in the Ravenswood 'hood. "Circus Maximus" is this year's gala theme. Tickets are $135; see www.aboutfacetheatre.com .
