Asians and Friends Chicago celebrated the Lunar New Year with “The only LGBTQ+ Lunar Dinner and Performance ” at Furama Restaurant, 4936 N. Broadway, on the night of March 7.
Dolly and Mr. Ed. Photo by Vern Hester
The group marked the Year of the Horse, the seventh animal in the 12-year cycle of the Chinese zodiac. The sold-out event welcomed old and new friends for a night of culture and community connection, and featured a full course Cantonese and Mandarin dinner, a raffle and a new edition of the legendary Asians and Friends floor show.
The floor show was accented with country and horse imagery, and entertainment kicking off with Angel Abcebe as a backwoods Dolly Parton romping through the dining room for a version of “9 to 5.” The night included line dancing (led by Elizabeth Dean with a chorus line of cowboys and cowgirls), John McIntire as Dolly’s half-sister Charlene, who led a rowdy “Pray the Gay Away” and a surprise appearance by Mr. Ed (Tom Browning) for a truly groan-worthy set of bad horse jokes with Dolly (“Why are horses such bad dancers? Because they have two left feet…”).
The night reached an artistic apex with Rico Marante’s sinister gold encrusted take on Katy Perry’s “Dark Horse,” and finished off with a jolly rap from Aaron Sager with an assist from Bradley Lambie. Tia Liang closed the show with a positively angelic, slow, careful reading of Chappell Roan’s “Pink Pony Club” which hushed the room and crowned the night with a standing ovation.
Upcoming events by AFC include “Dye the River Green” on March 14, the annual fundraiser titled “Burlesque in the West” on April 13, and “Pastapalooza” on May 17.
