Top of the Line
Saying goodbye to Outlines as a stand-alone weekly gay and lesbian paper has been hard this week. I have to thank all of the hundreds of people who made Outlines what is has become in 13 years. But don't worry, we'll all be writing in the newly formed Windy City Times, along with many WCT folks. Please don't forget to pick up your favorite Outlines writers starting Sept. 20 in WCT.
Good luck to all the closeted dykes and fags at the Sydney Olympics, and too bad the organizers have now said they are shutting out the drag queens from a planned Priscilla Queen of the Desert tribute during closing ceremonies.
Salon's Sept. 11 issue had this item: "True, she was first one voted off of Pulau Tiga, but Sonja Christopher may be the ultimate survivor after all. The ukelele-playing cancer survivor tells the upcoming TV Guide that, after watching her get the boot, then-couple Ellen DeGeneres and Anne Heche
were so upset they invited her to dinner." Was that behind the breakup? Who knows, but now the tabloids are saying Anne was never gay. Well, we could have told you that, but it would certainly seem she's at least bisexual. What do the labels mean, anyway?
Write it down ...
Experts from the Lyric Opera of Chicago, recognized as one of the world's great opera companies, will present a series of lectures at Gerber/Hart Library to discuss all eight of the company's productions during the upcoming 2000-01 season. Gerber/Hart, 1127 W. Granville Ave., is the Midwest's foremost repository of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender culture. The Gerber/Hart lectures will take place at 7 p.m. on Wednesdays ( with two exceptions ) and will cover these productions: Sept. 13: Tchaikovsky's "The Queen of Spades" ( to run Sept. 23 to Oct. 27 ) with lecturer Dennis Ryan; Oct. 11: Harbison/Horwitz's "The Great Gatsby" ( to run Oct. 2 to Nov. 3 ) with lecturers Howard and Mary Robins; Nov. 8: Verdi's "Rigoletto" ( to run Oct. 21 to Nov. 17 ) with lecturer Lillian Celic; Dec. 6: Jancek's "Jenufa" ( to run Nov. 18 to Dec. 17 ) with lecturer Larry Lapidus; Jan. 9 ( Tuesday ) : Puccini's "Tosca" ( to run Jan. 13 to March 17 ) with lecturer Dr. Joyce Altaian; Feb. 8 ( Thursday ) : Rossini's "The Barber of Seville" ( to run Jan. 24 to Feb. 21 ) with lecturer Barbara Roseman; March 7: Wagner's "The Flying Dutchman" ( to run Feb. 10 to March 18 ) with lecturer John Piepgras. A lecture on Verdi's "Attila" ( to run Dec. 6 to Jan. 15 ) remains to be arranged and scheduled. There is a $5 suggested donation per lecture. Call ( 773 ) 381-8030.
The Sept. 6 Daily Record ( of Scotland ) says that 1960s singing sensation Dusty Springfield "was left physically and mentally scarred by her secret gay marriage, according to her life-long friend Lee Everett -Alkin. The widow of gay DJ Kenny Everett has revealed for the first time how pop star Dusty was left disfigured and needing plastic surgery after a fight with her lesbian lover. Dusty and wild-haired American singer Tedda were 'wed' at a private ceremony in Los Angeles in 1983. Their short-lived but abusive relationship left a battered Dusty in hospital while her violent lesbian lover ended up in prison."
Events & benefits
It's A She Thang featuring lesbian comics Vickie Shaw and Lisa Koch and Roxanna Ward, the dynamic duo from the Olivia Cruises, is Sunday, Sept. 17, Ivanhoe Theatre, 750 W. Wellington, 7:30 p.m., $25, limited seating, ( 773 ) 233-1207.
Chicago Professional Networking Assoc. hosts a cabaret night with Spider Saloff, singing Gershwin, Wed., Sept. 20, 6:30-9 p.m., Ann Sather's, 929 W. Belmont. Call ( 773 ) 296-CPNA.
Zrazy perform at Mountain Moving Coffeehouse Saturday, and the Sunday on the LCCP jazz brunch cruise, for the VIP pre-cruise reception. For details on LCCP call ( 773 ) 561-4662.
Newberry Library and Gerber/Hart host Taboo or Trend? A Look at Gay-Themed Lit of the 20th Century, Tuesday evenings Sept. 19-Nov. 7, 5:45-7:45 p.m., "From Wilde to Winterson." Call ( 312 ) 255-3700.
