Edward Thomas-Herrera (left) and David Kodeski. Image from Live Bait Theatre________
One of Jonny's favorite out-and-about couples, the divine storytellers Edward Thomas-Herrera and David Kodeski, have been honored with the 2007 Grigsby Award, bestowed by Live Bait Theatre for Exceptional Achievement in the Art of Solo Performance. Normally, an award for solo performance would go to, well, one person; but since Mssrs. T-H and K are as good as joined at the hip ( not to mention elsewhere, from time to time ) , it seems only appropriate for them to be co-recipients. The award cites their exceptional achievements as solo performers and writers as well as their distinction as slam poets, radio artists and directors of other performers. Kodeski and Thomas-Herrera will be celebrated with an industry roast at Live Bait on Aug. 25. The roasters have yet to be announced, but they are certain to be chestnuts on an open fire.
Brilliant Lesbian comic and writer Carol Leifer brings her current show, When You Lie About Your Age, The Terrorists Win, to the Lakeshore Theater for one performance only—on Sat., Aug. 4, at 8 p.m. Leifer has served as a writer and/or producer of The Larry Sanders Show and Seinfeld, and has made scores of appearances on Letterman and Leno; with Conan O'Brien and Bill Maher; and on the Hollywood Squares, where she did not do a female impersonation of Bruce Vilanch. Tickets: 866-468-3401; $15 ( which seems like a good deal ) .
Katrina's cabaret and restaurant concludes its Komedy @ Katrina's series Aug. 6 with a line-up of six funny women and a poet, although some people think poets are funny, too. Steve Himmelman hosts the 8 p.m. program, which features Bridget Clymore, Hollie Himmelman, Kelsie Huff, Janet Kane, Michelle Krajecki, Rachel Labant and the poetic Robin Fine. There's no cover but a two-drink minimum; 1920 W. Irving Park Road; 773-348-7592.
Bailiwick Repertory will compete for your Monday night cabaret attention on Aug. 6 and 13 with The Rainbow Connection, a cabaret of songs relating to LGBT symbols and signs, created and performed by Jimmy Morehead and Ashlee Hardgrave. When Jonny thinks of LGBT symbols, Jonny thinks of triangles as well as male/female arrows and = signs, none of which strike Jonny as very promising sources for songs unless one is going to be funny about them. But what does Jonny know? Performances are at 8 p.m.; 773-883-1090; $15.
Jonny has observed that Monday evening appears to be the night of choice for cabaret shows, although Jonny thinks people may have done quite enough drinking on Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings. Nonetheless, whether you choose Katrina's or Bailiwick, after the early set you have time to head over to the Playground Theater ( Halsted at Belmont, across from Spin ) , where Sarah King continues her 10 p.m. Monday-night run of Mama Truth's Open Mic for Open Souls. King and co-host/writer Julia Renner have created a sketch show that is a parody of open-mic variety shows, and it always features one special guest each week for a five- to ten-minute set where they are allowed total freedom and asked to take it to the edge, whatever that means.
While King and Renner offer a parody of an open mic night, Dyke Mic 2.0 offers the real thing at 8 p.m. each Wednesday evening ( finally, not Monday ) in August at the new Hoover-Leppen Theater at the Center on Halsted, 3656 N. Halsted. An evening for 'queer women of all gender persuasions,' Dyke Mic 2.0 will feature spoken word, musical and performance artists and will be co-hosted by JT Newman and Nikki Patin ( HBO Def Poet ) . The show will feature local and national acts. Dyke Mic 2.0 is the newest incarnation of the queer girl open mic created by Newman in 2001, and originally produced at the Bailiwick Arts Center, where it ran for three years. Tickets for Dyke Mic 2.0 are $10.
Chicago cabaret stars Beckie Menzie and Tom Michael will close out the Auditorium Theatre's On Stage With... series on Sat., Aug. 18, for a performance in which the beautiful old house will turn the stage itself into a cabaret for audience and performers to share. The ambiance will be 1940s and cocktail service will be available. 312-341-9668; $50.
As part of its summer-long Art of Play programming, the City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs continues to offer its Name That Tune cabaret series on Thursday nights at a variety of locations. Each program offers top Chicago cabaret talent ( Audrey Morris, Bob Moreen, Bobby Harrison, Sami Scott ) singing tunes from the Great American Songbook and asking the audience to 'name that tune' to win a prize. All Name That Tune cabarets are on Thursday nights, 7-10 p.m. This month's dates/venues include the Club Room, Whitehall Hotel ( Aug. 2 ) ; Cornelia's ( Aug. 9 and 30 ) ; Red Kiva ( Aug. 16 ) ; and Lucca's ( Aug. 23 ) . There's no cover although, obviously, both food and drink are available. Call the specific venue to book.
Jonny's friend Sherman Shoemaker is a gay man living with Huntington's disease, a progressive neurological disorder—and the effects forced Sherman to step down last year from his longtime post as marketing director for the Lifeline Theatre. Now Sherman is devoting his time to the Huntington's Disease Society of America ( HDSA ) . On Aug. 26, there will be A Day at the Races at Arlington Park Race Track to benefit the Illinois Chapter-HDSA, and Sherman is overseeing the event. The $40 ticket ( only $5 for kids 4-17 ) includes reserved grandstand seating, a tour of the paddocks, a daily racing guide and 10 Arlington Dollars to spend any way you like ( wager, food, drink or merchandise ) . Play your ponies right and you can come out far ahead and the HDSA will benefit anyway. The reservation cut-off date is Aug. 9. Reservations are by mail only—it's a bit old-fashioned—but Jonny urges you to call for information; contact Sherman Shoemaker or Ray Hughes at 773-334-7974.
