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SHOWBIZ 'Bodyshop,' Beyonce, Ani DiFranco, Billie Jean King
The Breaking Glass Pictures film Bodyshop will be out on digital on Dec. 5, per a press release. The plot is described thusly: "The ghost of a young soldier sexually assaulted by his lieutenant says goodbye ...
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Jerry Mitchell bops into Boop!
Director and choreographer Jerry Mitchell is bringing black-and-white Boop! The Betty Boop Musical into a world of color at the CIBC Theatre this winter. It's a pre-Broadway world premiere for the musical starring Jasmine Amy Rogers ...
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SHOWBIZ Billy Porter, queer novel, 'Tammy Faye,' queer DJ, Bella Ramsey
Billy Porter released his long-awaited new album, Black Mona Lisa, via Island Records UK/Republic Records, and it's executive-produced by Justin Tranter, a press release noted. Porter said, "So many of the songs on my album have ...
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Photographer Irene Young launches book with stellar concerts
"Something About the Women" was appropriately the closing song for two sold-out, stellar concerts at Berkeley's Freight & Salvage November 19, in celebration of the new book of the same name by Irene Young, the legendary ...
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'Jersey Boys' stars reunite as Midtown Men on Dec. 2 in Glen Ellyn
The original stars of the Broadway hit Jersey Boys—Christian Hoff, Michael Longoria, Daniel Reichard and J. Robert Spencer—will reunite as Midtown Men on Saturday, Dec. 2, at 7:30 p.m. at McAninch Arts Center's Belushi Performance Hall ...
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SHOWBIZ Kaytranada, NFL star, Alexandra Billings, video game, George Michael
Out Montreal DJ/producer Kaytranada teased his latest single, "Out of Luck," with Mariah the Scientist, on Twitter, Complex noted. "THIS IS THE ANTHEM!" Kaytra wrote in his quote-tweet of the song playing at a release party. ...
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Chicago Gay Men's Chorus celebrates 40 years of holiday music in 'The Big 4-0, ho, ho'
--From a press release
CHICAGO, November 1, 2023 — Chicago Gay Men's Chorus celebrates its 40th Anniversary with The Big 4-0, ho, ho!, a celebration of CGMC's holiday favorites over the last 40 years. Featuring festive arrangements from current Artistic ...
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In Praise of Sondheim: Theo dedicates the rest of its season to a legendary composer
Evanston’s Theo theater company didn't originally set out to devote the majority of its 2023-24 season to the late gay composer and lyricist Stephen Sondheim. But then the company's artistic leadership saw a creative Sondheim offer ...
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CABARET Karen Mason celebrating Davenport's 25th anniversary on Nov. 10-12
On Nov. 10-12, award-winning vocalist, Broadway star, actress and recording artist Karen Mason will return in concert to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Chicago cabaret venue Davenport's, 1383 N. Milwaukee Ave. Mason was the first performer ...
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UPDATE: Illinois school district approves LGBTQ+ musical 'The Prom'
After reconsidering a decision to postpone the event, Community Unit School District 300 will allow Hampshire High School to run its spring musical—The Prom, which is about ...
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Broadway's Andy Mientus lugs his Jug-Band to Chicago for the holidays
Prepare to reconnect with your inner child through puppetry this holiday season with Jim Henson's Emmet Otter's Jug-Band Christmas. Puppets will play onstage Nov. 15-Dec. 31 at the historic Fine Arts Building, 410 South Michigan Ave., ...
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SHOWBIZ 'Shucked,' Melissa Etheridge, 'Elite,' composer dies, Orville Peck
The Broadway production Shucked has set a closing date of Jan. 14, 2024 at the Nederlander Theatre, Playbill noted. At closing, the Tony-nominated musical will have played 28 previews and 327 regular performances. A North American ...
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Billy Porter to release 'Black Mona Lisa' on Nov. 17
Billy Porter will release his long-awaited new album, Black Mona Lisa, via Island UK/Republic Records on Nov. 17. Justin Tranter, also a member of the LGBTQ+ community, is the album's executive producer. Black Mona Lisa contains ...
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WORLD Mauritius ruling, Justin Trudeau, couple attacked, Dame Shirley Bassey
In a historic ruling, the Supreme Court of Mauritius decriminalized same-sex sexual relations when it declared the African country's British colonial-era anti-sodomy laws relations to be unconstitutional, The Advocate reported. ...
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SHOWBIZ Holiday TV movies, GLAAD concert, Janet Jackson, muscle-fem singer
Hallmark has revealed its full slate of holiday movies—and there are more than 40 films, Entertainment Weekly noted. Among the movie's stars are Lacey Chabert, Jonathan Bennett, Luke Macfarlane, Phylicia Rashad, Nikki DeLoach, Andrew Walker and ...
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Trans pop star Kim Petras to perform in Chicago on Oct. 18
Grammy-winning, international trans pop sensation Kim Petras will bring her larger-than-life live show to Chicago at the Byline Bank Aragon Ballroom, 1106 W. Lawrence Ave., on Wed., Oct. 18, as part of her Feed The Beast ...
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PASSAGES: Lighting specialist, Chicago Gay Men's Chorus alum Xavier Yager
Lighting specialist, former Proctor and Gamble pharmaceutical sales representative and Chicago Gay Men's Chorus alum Xavier Yager died Oct. 1 in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico in his home due to heart failure. He was 66. Yager was ...
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MUSIC Sufjan Stevens dedicates new album to late partner
The usually private singer-songwriter Sufjan Stevens posted an Instagram message dedicating his new album Javelin, out Oct. 6, to his late partner Evans Richardson, Deadline noted. Richardson was the chief of staff of the Studio Museum ...
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PASSAGES: Renowned DJ, music producer Teresa K. Bristol aka Teri Bristol
Renowned DJ and music producer Teresa Kaye Bristol, aka Teri Bristol, died Sept. 25 in Beechgrove, Tennessee of kidney failure, following an over three-year battle with the disease. She was 66. Bristol was born Dec. 26, ...
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SHOWBIZ 'True Detective,' Rock & Roll HoF, Sheryl Lee Ralph, RuPaul, Outfest
Video below
The six-episode HBO Original drama series True Detective: Night Country—starring Oscar-winning and Emmy-nominated Jodie Foster and Kali Reis, with Finn Bennett, Fiona Shaw, Christopher Eccleston, Isabella Star LaBlanc and John ...
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MUSIC Former 'Idol' finalist Jim Verraros on his new song, Chicago and Kelly Clarkson
Jim Verraros, the first openly gay top 10 finalist from American Idol (from the show's very first season in 2002, which Kelly Clarkson won) is back on the music scene with his first song in 12 ...
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SHOWBIZ Outfest, Halo, 'Sex Education,' trans singer, 'Doctor Who'
Outfest announced that it will honor Oscar winner Shirley MacLaine with the James Schamus Ally Award and trans actress Trace Lysette with the Trailblazer Award at the 2023 Legacy Awards presented by Genesis Motor America, per ...
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Chicago Parks celebrates Queers in Gospel Music with Concert
As part of its summer Night Out in the Parks series, the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs presented Shout Out: A Tribute Concert to Queers in Sacred and Gospel Music. The event which took place on ...
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Mexican Museum presents Queer Fiesta
In celebration of National Latino Month and Mexican Independence Day, the National Museum of Mexican Art presented Noche De Musas II and Queer Fiestas Patrias on Sept. 23. The event, which spotlighted female, queer and non-binary ...
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PASSAGES: Chicago musician, producer and DJ Don Crescendo
Queer Chicago musician, producer and DJ Rodney Donovan Taylor, a.k.a. Don Crescendo, was fatally stabbed on the evening of Sept. 12 in his Avondale neighborhood apartment building. He died Sept. 15 at Illinois Masonic Hospital after ...
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Organizers found the Cure for the Riot (Fest) in Douglass Park
Picture it: Chicago, 2023. There were punk rockers, some in their golden years, attending Riot Fest in Douglass Park on Sept. 15, 16 and 17. Split between South Albany and South California Avenues, along West Ogden ...
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SHOWBIZ John Waters, Madonna, Miriam Margoyles, Angelica Ross, 'Cassandro'
Openly gay film director John Waters (Pink Flamingos, Serial Mom, Cry-Baby) received his star on Hollywood's Walk of Fame, The Hollywood Reporter noted. (Actors Ricki Lake and Mink Stole as well as photographer Greg Gorman were ...
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Jann Wenner comments on women and Black musicians, later apologizes
Openly gay Rolling Stone magazine founder Jann Wenner apologized for telling The New York Times that, for his book The Masters, he chose interviews with white male musicians who he called the "philosophers of rock" because ...
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SHOWBIZ Kim Petras, LGBTQ+ movies, TIFF, canceled shows, yachts
Video below
Ahead of her Feed the Beast world tour, Grammy-winning international trans pop singer/songwriter Kim Petras has shared reimagined, symphonic, seven-piece string-ensemble performances of fan favorites from her debut album Feed ...
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Billy Masters: Russell Tovey and the new Superman both go to the dogs
"I just can't believe I will be 80 at some point, sooner than I wish. And I will still be wearing my jeans. And I will still be wearing long hair. And I will still be doing the same stuff I've ...
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SHOWBIZ 'Sex Education' star, Rotten Tomatoes, Jessica Lange, Queer/Art
Video below
Sex Education star Ncuti Gatwa officially came out during an interview with Elle UK, according to Out. "I remember being at Manchester Pride, going through the streets with all my boys, shaking my cha-chas, living it ...
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Painting Chi-town P!nk at Wrigley Field
P!nk got the party started on a Saturday night at Wrigley Field in Chicago on Aug. 12—and it didn't stop for almost two hours. Thanks to leftover outfits from Barbie movie screenings, much of the crowd knew ...
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Ricky Martin to be guest at Sept. 14 gala in Chicago
Singer/actor Ricky Martin will be the guest of honor at a fundraiser for the National Museum of Puerto Rican Arts and Culture. The 10th Raices Gala will take place at Galleria Marchetti, ...
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SHOWBIZ Military drama, Janelle Monae, Conan Gray, Dylan Mulvaney, Whoopi
The LGBTQ+ military drama Eismayer (from Dark Star Pictures and Golden Girls Film) will be out in theaters on Oct. 6, and on DVD and Digital on Oct. 10, per a press release. The plot is ...
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WORLD Brazilian court, Scottish items, Canadian policy, PEPFAR
The Brazilian Supreme Federal Court ruled nine to one that homophobia is now punishable with up to five years in prison, The Washington Blade reported. Their decision equates homophobia to racism in terms of prison time. ...
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Chicago Gay Men's Chorus leader speaks on group's diversity, 'Sporty Forty'
The Chicago Gay Men's Chorus (CGMC) is marking its 40th-anniversary season this year, and will start this milestone on Sept. 15-16 with "Sporty Forty," an event that is layered in meanings involving stereotypes and the group's ...
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Chicagoans remember Selena at downtown tribute concert
Despite a two-day heat wave topping 100 degrees, a near SRO crowd attended the second annual Selena tribute concert at the Pritzker Pavilion in Millenium Park on Aug. 24. The event, which was sponsored by the ...
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'An Evening with Audra McDonald' on Oct. 6 at Lyric Opera
Lyric Opera of Chicago will welcome the legendary Audra McDonald for a one-night-only concert experience on Friday, Oct. 6, at 7:30 p.m. McDonald will team with the Lyric Opera Orchestra, under the musical direction of conductor ...
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Britney Coleman keeps Company
Company is coming to Chi-town on tour with a fresh take on the classic musical that has already garnered five Tony Awards including Best Musical Revival. The original material in 1970 was nominated for 14 Tony ...
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Musician Carlos Santana deletes apology after anti-trans rant
Rock & Roll Hall of Fame guitarist Carlos Santana took down an apology he posted on his Facebook page after a viral video emerged showing him saying transgender people should stay "in the closet" while performing ...
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SHOWBIZ 'Bros,' Lady Gaga, Zaya Wade, Idina Menzel, actor dies
According to an annual report by USC's Annenberg Inclusion Initiative, 80% of all transgender characters in the 100 top-grossing movies of 2022 were in one movie—Bros, Out reported. The study revealed that in the top 100 ...
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World premiere of Lil Nas X documentary announced
Lil Nas X (aka Montero Hill) and TIFF (the Toronto International Film Festival) have announced the world premiere of the out gay Grammy-winning rapper/singer/songwriter's documentary, Lil Nas X: Long Live ...
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SHOWBIZ Variety event, Saucy Santana, Liberace, 'Kokomo City,' Robin Roberts
Videos below
Variety held its 2023 Power of Young Hollywood event honoring actress Sydney Sweeney (Euphoria; The White Lotus), out actor Noah Schnapp (Stranger Things) and LGBTQ+ musician Steve Lacy, per a press release. A few of the ...
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Northalsted Market Days: Fun in the sun with spectacular singers and vodka seltzers
The two-day Northalsted Market Days street festival returned to Lake View area for the 41st time Aug. 12-13. Over 250 vendors promoted and sold products in booths from Belmont Avenue to Addison Street along North Halsted ...
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Lollapalooza lit up with LGBTQ+ performers in 2023
The iconic annual music festival Lollapalooza has continually evolved since its inaugural year in 1991, and 2023 was no exception. The original term "lollapalooza" means someone or something extraordinary, and the decision to give the festival ...
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SHOWBIZ 'Scream,' 'Paris Is Burning,' Shea Coulee, Noah Schnapp, Broadway
Gay film director Christopher Landon—who's helmed Happy Death Day and Freaky—will take the reins of the next Scream movie, Out noted. While Landon usually also writes the projects he directs, it is not known if he ...
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SHOWBIZ Tyler Perry, marriages and splits, Beyonce, strikes, Sinead tribute
Videos below
Tyler Perry has offered $100,000 to anyone with information that leads to a conviction in the murder of 24-year-old Black queer musician Josiah "Jonty" Robinson, according to Out. An autopsy concluded that the cause of Robinson's ...
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Broadway stars Mitchell, Foster to perform at Oct. 20 Paramount Theatre gala
Two of Broadway's biggest stars—Brian Stokes Mitchell and Sutton Foster—will perform in downtown Aurora on Friday, Oct. 20, to perform live on Paramount Theatre's historic stage. Mitchell is a Tony-winning performer with a long list of ...
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MUSIC Kylie Minogue to debut Vegas residency this fall
The Venetian Resort Las Vegas revealed details surrounding its new 1,000-seat nightlife space, Voltaire, with the announcement of its first headliner—pop sensation and LGBTQ+ ally Kylie Minogue, a press release ...
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Pitchfork Music Festival strikes up the band again
Pitchfork Music Festival took place in Union Park July 21-23, with three days of music and entertainment on the Near West Side of Chicago. Since 2006, this independent music extravaganza has successfully ran with the weather ...
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Singer Sinead O'Connor dies at 56
Sinead O'Connor—the Irish singer and activist who scored a global smash with a cover of Prince's "Nothing Compares 2 U" in 1990 and who was banned from Saturday Night Live for tearing up a photo of ...
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Elton John, husband called as defense witnesses in Spacey trial
Superstar singer Sir Elton John and his husband, David Furnish, have been called as witnesses for the defense in Kevin Spacey's trial, Deadline reported. The couple appeared via video link on July 17 from Monaco in ...
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SHOWBIZ Emmys, 'Top Chef,' Hyphen Hyphen, Da Brat, 'Transparent,' Ben Cohen
Videos below
As the Emmy nominations were announced (with Succession leading with 27 noms), openly gay Paris Barclay made history. According to Deadline, the two-time Emmy winner is the first Black (and, certainly, Black gay) director to sweep ...
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A Transparent Musical debuts at LA's Mark Taper Forum, first Amazon original series on stage
--From a press release
CULVER CITY, California—July 10, 2023—For the first time, Amazon Studios has debuted an original series on stage with A Transparent Musical. The musical began performances at Mark Taper Forum in Los Angeles ahead of Pride Month ...
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SHOWBIZ Sheryl Lee Ralph, 'The Other Two,' Colton Ford, celebrity splits
Emmy-winning actor, author, singer, philanthropist and community activist Sheryl Lee Ralph, along with The DIVA Foundation, unveiled the new documentary short "Unexpected" at the 2023 Essence Film Festival in New Orleans, a press release noted. The ...
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PASSAGES Music producer, vocalist, business owner Ralph Lampkin Jr.
Music producer, vocalist and business owner Ralph Lampkin, Jr. died June 24 of a heart attack. He was 66. Lampkin was born April 29, 1957, in New York City, where he lived with his parents Ralph ...
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SHOWBIZ Rocker comes out, Billie Eilish, Luke Evans, 'Housewives,' 'Masculinity' book
Josh Kiszka, frontman for the Grammy-winning rock band Greta Van Fleet, came out as gay in an Instagram post, according to Instinct Magazine. He wrote, in part, "The greatest mortal gift of all is our capacity ...
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Madonna postpones tour for health reasons
Madonna's upcoming "Celebration" tour has been postponed, an Instagram post from her manager Guy Oseary noted, according to Variety. "On Saturday, June 24, Madonna developed a serious bacterial infection which led to a several-day stay in ...
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Andersonville hosts Backlot Bash
Partygoers gathered in Andersonville June 24 for the Chicago Pride Backlot Bash, which took place at 5238 N. Clark Street. ...
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Chicago City Council approves landmark status for The Warehouse building
On June 21, the Chicago City Council, among other things, approved landmark status for The Warehouse building that featured a now-shuttered club that catered to queer Black and Brown patrons and that is known as the ...
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DJ Psycho-Bitch talks Frankie Knuckles, career and house music
The Chicago House Music Festival and Conference will take place June 23-24, with the first day spotlighting the conference at the Chicago Cultural Center and the following day being all about enjoying tunes at the Humboldt ...
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SHOWBIZ Janelle Monae, 'The Last of Us,' Christine and the Queens, GALECA, Outfest
Queer singer/actress Janelle Monae released her newest album, The Age of Pleasure, via Wondaland Arts Society/Atlantic Records, per a press release. Executive-produced by Monae, Nate Wonder, Chuck Lightning and Sean "Diddy" Combs, the album includes such ...
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Andersonville Midsommarfest celebration continues Swedish tradition
The Andersonville neighborhood hosted its annual Midsommarfest celebration June 9-11. Thousands of people came to take part in the Swedish summer tradition, and many great musicians, artists, vendors and different kinds of food were on hand on hand. Among ...
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Artemis Singers' summer performance urges listeners to be 'defiantly optimistic'
The longstanding lesbian chorus Artemis Singers will use their annual summer concert to implore listeners to consciously choose hope in the face of hardship. The performance, "Better Times Will Come," takes place at the Irish American ...
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SHOWBIZ Warhol, Sarah Paulson, upcoming books, Rufus Wainwright, Elliot Page
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled seven to two that the late artist Andy Warhol wasn't allowed to use a photographer's portrait of Prince for a series of pop-art images, per The Hollywood Reporter. Associate Justice Sonia ...
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SHOWBIZ Cynthia Erivo, 'Next Level' winner, 'All Out,' Madonna, Omar Ayuso
LGBTQ+ actor Cynthia Erivo will star in a film adaptation of the theater sensation Prime Facie, Variety noted. Oscar nominee Erivo will take on the role originated on the West End (and, currently, on Broadway) by ...
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WORLD Spain, South Korea festival, Eurovision, marriage items, Sri Lanka
Spain became the latest country to join a U.S. initiative that seeks to promote LGBTQI+ rights around the world, The Washington Blade reported. "Promoting and protecting the human rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and ...
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Belting for Life returns for an 8th edition
On May 15, Jeff Award-winning director and activist Christopher Pazdernik celebrated his birthday with the eighth edition of Belting for Life, his annual Chicago-style theatrical concert and fundraiser for AIDS ...
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Foo Fighters, The Cure, and Tegan and Sara to perform at Riot Fest
Foo Fighters, The Cure and Death Cab for Cutie are among the headliners at this year's Riot Fest, taking place Sept. 15-17 in Douglass Park. Some of the other acts include queer twins Tegan and Sara, ...
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MUSIC Billy Porter talks 'Mona Lisa,' authenticity and activism
Billy Porter certainly seems to have it all. The actor/singer/director received numerous awards—including two Tonys (for his role in Kinky Boots and as a producer of A Strange Loop), a Grammy (for Kinky Boots as well) ...
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WORLD Turkish president, former congressman dies, Polish case, Uganda, sports
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan again attacked the country's LGBTQ+ community in a bid to rally his conservative voters before the May 14 election, france24.com noted. Polls showed Erdogan—whose campaign is dealing with an economic crisis ...
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Lyric Opera of Chicago introduces first-ever Artist-in-Residence program with soprano Whitney Morrison
--From a press release
CHICAGO (5/11/23) — Anthony Freud, General Director, President & CEO of Lyric Opera of Chicago, announced the launch of a new Artist-in-Residence program. Developed by Lyric Unlimited, the company's learning ...
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Sophie B. Hawkins swoops into City Winery this May
Sophie Ballatine Hawkins is a talented Grammy-nominated singer and songwriter currently out on tour. Her roots in music began at an early age as she attended the Manhattan School of Music for percussion. She found commercial ...
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SHOWBIZ Barry Manilow, 'The Kardashians,' gay Marine drama, Tonys, 'Unleashed'
The Barry Manilow/Bruce Sussman production Harmony will make its Broadway bow in the 2023-24 season, beginning performances Oct. 18 at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre, with opening night on Nov. 13, according to Playbill. The musical—featuring music ...
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ARC Music Festival expands artist line-up with local acts
The organizers of the Sept. 1-3 house/techno event known as the ARC Music Festival—which will take place in Chicago's Union Park—has expanded its line-up of artists. ARC's phase-two lineup additions include Monnom Black label head an ...
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