It's been a long time since my last pretzel Logic look at the Christmas holiday season, and an even longer time since I mentioned one of my favorite gay organizations, The Chicago Gay Men's Chorus, and as luck would have it, circumstances this year allow me to combine the two.
Not That I Mind In The Least Little Bit
The Chicago Gay Men's Chorus holiday show was entitled 'A Cowboy Christmas,' and what some organizations won't stoop to in order to get a mention in this column.
A Smash Hit
On the day I saw the CGMC show it was snowing very heavily, so I decided to park near Charlie's at about 6 p.m., and then take a taxi over to the theater area. My plan was to avoid a late-night search for parking after the show, but of course I didn't plan on the fact that my taxi driver was going to be the Middle Eastern equivalent of Evel Knievel who ended up rear ending ( but not in a good way ) another taxi.
The ( Cowboy-Filled ) Show Must Go On
I think even occasional readers of this column must have figured out that there was no way I was going to allow a minor thing like a traffic accident make me miss a show with a title like 'A Cowboy Christmas.'
I Think They Might Have Even Sung A Few Songs Too, But I Don't Recall That Part
'A Cowboy Christmas' featured dozens of guys pretty much all dressed in jeans, western shirts, cowboy hats and boots, and I enjoyed every second of the show.
Man, That Damn Orchestra Pit Is Deep!
I had front row center tickets for the Saturday evening performance, and in retrospect it probably wasn't the best of ideas to try and climb over the railing and jump on the stage, and I probably would have made it had it not been for that damn traffic accident.
Typecast
If it took you a second or two before you realized that I was just joking about trying to jump onto the stage during 'A Cowboy Christmas' then you are probably one of those occasional readers I mentioned three items ago, but if you didn't realize I was joking until just now then you are probably a regular reader of this column.
Was that 'Coming' Or 'Cumming'?
During the opening number of the show, 'I'm Coming Home for Christmas,' there was one cowboy at both ends of the stage, each cowboy chorus member standing before a microphone singing. At one point the two guys turned and walked towards each other ( in order to just change places on stage it turns out ) , but the entire audience ( with the exception of some confused straight people ) started laughing at the cowboy-cruisey moment.
Getting A Leg Up
I think it was during 'Two Step Around the Christmas Tree' that some of the dancers put their arms on the shoulders of the cowboy chorus members on each side of them and then kicked their legs high into the air in what seemed to be a favorite moment for a large segment of the audience. And while some might have appreciated the chorus-line aspect to that number, I... er, rather I mean 'some people' might have had slightly less pure reasons for appreciating that little move.
Score One Point For The Audience
One of the songs performed at the show was 'Santa Lost a Ho,' and two songs later at the intermission the Artistic Director came out to address the audience, bringing a drag queen with him, and somebody in the audience yelled out 'Is that Santa's lost ho?'
Call Me A Rumor-Monger
There is absolutely no truth at all to those horrible, vicious rumors that the CGMC gave me free front row center tickets to 'A Cowboy Christmas' in exchange for an entire column dedicated to it, but I sure would appreciate it if the CGMC could do something to change that situation in the future.
Even if you aren't with the CGMC writing to offer me free tickets to your future shows, you can still e-mail me at PretzelLogicDave@aol.com, but you might get a quicker response if you were.
