In partial observance of National Condom Day, which was Feb. 14, Los Angeles-based AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) presented A West Side Story Burlesque at the Harris Theater for two hour-long performances on Feb. 17.
The show, a good-natured and sex-positive send up of the groundbreaking Leonard Bernstein/Stephen Sondheim musical, featured numerous dancers performing to a lyrically-tweaked score aimed at LGBTQ+ individualswith an accent on naughtiness and safer sex. Unlike the tragedy that underpins the original, this version (spoiler alert!) has Riff, Tony, and Bernardo forming a mènage à trois, while Anita and Maria exit the stage arm-in-arm.
Despite the joy and exuberance in the production, A West Side Story Burlesque centered the fact that numerous challenges presented by HIV/AIDS remain. Videos about safer sex, as well as the worldwide activities of AHF, were sprinkled throughout the show.
The production's short run includes performances in Washington, D.C. and New York City, among other locations. AHF operates a number of facilities in Chicago, as well as the Out of the Closet thrift shop, 3311 N. Halsted St., in Lake View. The organization also funds local service providers such as South Side Help Center and CALOR.