On April 24, the basement of Dorothy, 2500 W. Chicago Ave., was filled for Strap On The Mic, a brilliantly named Sapphic comedy open mic.
This one-night showcase was the brainchild of Kailah Peters (KP), a bisexual poet, comedian and co-producer of Giggle Hour, a monthly comedic poetry show at the Lincoln Lodge. They partnered with MacKenzie Shapiro, a bisexual clown, comedian and international performer, recently nominated for “Best Comedian” in the Chicago Reader.
The duo met while performing at Lesbian Lodge at the Lincoln Lodge. After a few dates and a classic queer situationship, they decided to create a show that centered queer voices and comedy.
“I wanted to build a space that felt joyful, cozy and femme-forward. Somewhere people like us could thrive,” said Peters.
“Honestly, this is KP’s baby that I’ve been lucky enough to be invited onto,” Shapiro said.
What was clear was the duo’s electric chemistry and welcoming vibe.
Peters opened the evening with a raunchy, irreverent set touching on sex, religion and bisexuality. After their set, a first round of open mic performers took the stage, cheered on by a supportive crowd.
Among them was Debrah Goodman, who joked about being called the “Lesbian Mayor of Andersonville.” Leona Flowers, a trans woman performing stand-up for the first time, shared material rooted in LGBTQ experiences.
“I was very nervous,” Flowers said after the show. “But my nerves melted once I got on stage.”
Shapiro followed with a high-energy set packed with queer comedy. She riffed on lesbian tropes, from being a mischievous Trader Joe’s employee to her love of Ace Hardware and awkward moments with her therapist.
Another round of open mic comics came next, including Theo Wells, a first-timer who had prepared one set but improvised a new one on the spot after other performers had already covered the same material.
Wells joked about being surprised to see so many Black people in the audience and quipped after the show, “It’s so much easier to make a white person laugh. We Black people require more work.”
The night’s headliners were Kim Iheme and Gwen Rose. “Two really funny queer LGBTQ comedians who have been blowing up in Chicago,” said Peters.
Iheme is the founder of 6 to 10 Productions, which uplifts POC and LGBTQ+ creatives. As a first-generation Nigerian-American from Minnesota, she joked about what it’s like to be Black and gay growing up in a Midwestern cornfield. Iheme also encouraged white audience members to “be good whites,” adding, “Always have your alderman’s number in your pocket.”
Rose, named a “Comedian to Watch in 2025” by Time Out in association with Hulu, brought a darker edge to the evening, exploring topics like trans rights, abortion and suicide.
“JD Vance killed the Pope,” she deadpanned.
Strap On The Mic delivered something for everyone. Peters and Shapiro hope to turn it into a recurring event. Judging from the belly laughs in the room, that could happen soon.
