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RuPaul finds 'Hidden Meanings' in new memoir
RuPaul Andre Charles made a rare Chicago appearance for a book tour on March 12 at The Vic Theatre, 3145 N. Sheffield Ave. Presented by National Public Radio station WBEZ 91.5 FM, the talk coincided with ...
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Jamie Barton brings nuances of identity to her Lyric Opera 'Aida' performance
Chicago's Lyric Opera is currently featuring a production of Giuseppe Verdi's Aida starring Michelle Bradley as Aida, Jamie Barton as Amneris and Russell Thomas as Radamès. The opera runs through April 7, 2024, with Francesca Zambello ...
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Oprah, Niecy Nash-Betts honored at GLAAD Media Awards
Oprah Winfrey and Niecy Nash-Betts were honored at the 35th Annual GLAAD Media Awards that took place in Los Angeles at The Beverly Hilton on March 14. Winfrey received the Vanguard Award, introduced by iconic Chicago ...
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SHOWBIZ Lady Gaga, 'P-Valley,' Wendy Williams, Luke Evans, 'Queer Eye,' 'Transition'
Lady Gaga came to the defense of Dylan Mulvaney after a post with the trans influencer/activist for International Women's Day received hateful responses, People Magazine noted. On Instagram, Gaga stated, "It's appalling to me that a ...
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Chicago History Museum announces "Designing for Change: Chicago Protest Art of the 1960s - 70s exhibition
--From a press release
CHICAGO (March 14, 2024) — The Chicago History Museum is thrilled to announce its upcoming exhibition, "Designing for Change: Chicago Protest Art of the 1960s—70s." Set to open on Saturday, May 18, 2024, this exhibition is ...
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House-music festival on Aug. 30-Sept. 1; icons, Idris Elba to be part of it
The ARC Music Festivalan event celebrating house musicwill take place Aug. 30-Sept. 1 at Chicago's Union Park, per WGN-TV. This will mark the fourth year that the festival will celebrate the genre at Union Parkless than ...
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SHOWBIZ Jinkx Monsoon, Xavier Dolan, 'Frida,' Lena Waithe, out singer
Two-time RuPaul's Drag Race winner Jinkx Monsoon is headed back to the New York stage, joining off-Broadway's Little Shop of Horrors as Audrey beginning April 2, according to Playbill. The casting makes Monsoon the first drag ...
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Chicago Red Stars sign midfielder Leilanni Nesbeth
Press release
CHICAGO (March 6, 2024) — The Chicago Red Stars announced the signing of draftee and midfielder Leilanni Nesbeth. Nesbeth, Chicago's first-round and tenth overall draft pick in the 2024 National ...
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Queer Eye's Jai Rodriguez is set to slay at The Big Gay Cabaret
Out and proud performer Jai Rodriguez is set to play at The Big Gay Cabaret this March for three days. Presented by RuPaul Drag Racer Ginger Minj, this monthly series highlights the wide world of cabaret ...
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THEATER 'R & J' puts a female, queer spin on Shakespeare
Romeo and Juliet is the theatrical gift that keeps on giving. It's been reworked for the masses numerous times, whether in direct adaptations or musicals such as West Side Story. Shakespeare's plotline points have even inspired ...
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Andersonville Midsommarfest returns June 7-9
From a press release: The Andersonville Chamber of Commerce (ACC) is pleased to announce the return of Andersonville Midsommarfest, one of Chicago's oldest and most beloved summer street festivals. Now in its 58th year, the annual ...
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Without compromise: Holly Baggett explores lives of iconoclasts Margaret Anderson and Jane Heap
Jane Heap (1883-1964) and Margaret Anderson (1886-1973), each of them a native Midwesterner, woman of letters and iconoclast, had a profound influence on literary culture in both America and Europe in the early 20th Century. Heap ...
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'Drag deity' Luc Ami hosts spring cleaning drag swap
Self-proclaimed alien drag deity Lúc Ami will be hosting a drag swap this Friday, March 8, from 5-9 p.m. at The Understudy in Andersonville, 5531 N. Clark St. The all-ages event will serve as an opportunity ...
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Center on Halsted hosts 6th Annual Intergenerational Talent Show
On the evening of Feb. 29, Center on Halsted held its 6th Annual Intergenerational Talent Show in front of a packed audience at the Hoover-Leppen Theater. The event brought together participants of the Center's youth and senior ...
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THEATER When growth is paramount: Jim Corti helps fuel Aurora theater expansion
Out actor/director/choreographer Jim Corti made his Broadway debut in 1974, in the ensemble of Leonard Bernstein's musical Candide. Director Harold Prince's acclaimed Tony Award-winning revival is often cited as a ...
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SHOWBIZ Queer actors, icons duet, Hunter Schafer, Oscars, Elizabeth Taylor
Queer actor Kal Penn is set to star in Trust Me, I'm a Doctora film that chronicles the final days of actress/model Anna Nicole Smith, whose overdose death in 2007 at age 39 sparked a tabloid ...
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There she goes again: Author Alison Cochrun discusses writing journey
By Carrie Maxwell When Alison Cochrun began writing her first queer romance novel in 2019, she had no idea it would change the course of her entire life. Cochrun, who spent 11 years as a high ...
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Dorian Film Awards: 'All of Us Strangers' takes top prizes
February 26, 2024 - Los Angeles, Ca. - For its 15th Dorian Film Awards, GALECA: The Society of LGBTQ Entertainment Critics fully embraced All of Us Strangers, writer-director Andrew Haigh's fantastical and tear-inducing tale of two ...
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Chicago Red Stars announce partnership with Wintrust
Press release
CHICAGO (Feb. 27, 2024) — The Chicago Red Stars and Wintrust Financial Corporation announced a partnership that will see Wintrust become the club's new front-of-jersey partner and community outreach investment ...
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'Always Olivia' celebrates Olivia Newton-John at Raue Center
From a press release: Always Olivia, a tribute to one of the most celebrated and beloved pop culture icons of all time, the late Olivia Newton-John comes to Raue Center in Crystal Lake on Saturday, May ...
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SAG Awards honor Streisand, few LGBTQ+ actors
Queer entertainers made their markalthough not a major oneat the 2024 Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Awards, held Feb. 24 in Los Angeles. The event was live-streamed on Netflix for the first time. Indigenous and Two-Spirit actor ...
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SHOWBIZ Kristen Stewart, Rock Hudson, Talia Keys, 'True Detective,' Marvel comic
At the Berlin Film Festival, Kristen Stewart defended her photo shoot for a Rolling Stone magazine cover that went viral and divided audiences on social-media platforms, per The Hollywood Reporter. "The existence of a female body ...
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Theater Review: Billy Elliot, The Musical
Book and Lyrics: Lee Hall; Music: Elton John. At: Paramount Theatre, 23 E. Galena Blvd., Aurora Tickets: 630-896-6666 or Paramountaurora.com; $28-$79. Runs through March 24 Billy Elliot: The Musical may nearly be two decades old, but ...
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REFLECTIONS: An Evening of original music with the Jeannie Tanner Quartet
--From a press release
REFLECTIONS will be a night of feel-good, upbeat original music written by Jeannie Tanner. Songs range from jazz, to pop, to soulful R&B. Jeannie's music can be heard in many television shows and movies, with recordings ...
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Lakeside Pride Wilde Cabaret Valentine's Day Feb. 17
--From a press release
Lakeside Pride Wilde Cabaret puts their own spin on Valentine's Day with a show celebrating things done and sacrificed for love - not just romantic love, but love for pets, friends, family and art. Join the ...
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SHOWBIZ Elton John, Hannah Gadsby, video game, Jennifer Lopez, queer thriller
Video below
Sir Elton John has sold his Atlanta home and is now auctioning off more than 900 of his personal items that were kept in the 13,500-square-foot condo, The Daily Mail noted. The massive collection includes rare ...
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Wic Whitney spills the Afternoon Tea
Born in Arkansas and now based in Chicago, queer performer Wic Whitney is a storyteller with a great deal to say, preaching his Southern soul message through unique vocal stylings as a rapper and singer. This ...
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CGMC presents Lipstick & Lyrics: Forty & Foxy, A Glamorous Feast for the Senses
--From a press release
CHICAGO, February 13, 2024 — The Chicago Gay Men's Chorus proudly presents Lipstick & Lyrics: Forty & Foxy, a dazzling, live-singing drag show that celebrates the sensuality and empowerment of middle age. Get ready to unleash ...
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Carisa Hendrix mesmerizes as Lucy Darling in Teatro ZinZanni
Since 2019, Teatro ZinZanni has gathered together amazing performers from all over the world to create an experience in Chicago under the Spiegeltent in the Cambria Hotel building, 32 W. Randolph St. Over the years, ticket ...
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THEATER Dot-Marie Jones talks Goodman production, 'Glee,' 'Bros'
Running through Feb. 18 at the the Goodman Theatre, the production Highway Patrol works with a script conceived entirely from Emmy-winning actor Dana Delany's (TV's China Beach) digital archive of hundreds of tweets and direct messages ...
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Cher, Mariah Carey among Rock & Roll Hall of Fame nominees
Cher, Mariah Carey among Rock & Roll Hall of Fame nominees On Feb. 10, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame announced the nominees for its 2024 class. According to NPR, two-thirds of the artists on the list for "rock's highest ...
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Dr. Lady J explains how opera can be a drag
On Feb. 8, Center on Halsted, in partnership with Lyric Opera of Chicago, presented a lecture by historian, drag activist, podcaster and curator Dr. Lady J. The event, titled "Castrated Superstars, Cross Dressed Divas, and Queer ...
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Quantum Leap reboot springs into LGBTQ+ representation
Through the magic of television, Quantum Leap is once again jumping into the past to bounce back into the futureand in a recent episode, "The Family Trasure," non-binary artist and performer Wilder Yuri and writer Shakina ...
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SHOWBIZ Raven-Symone, women's sports, Wayne Brady, Jinkx Monsoon, British Vogue
In celebration of Black History Month, the LA LGBT Center announced that lesbian entertainer Raven-Symone will be presented with the Center's Bayard Rustin Award at its new event, Highly Favored, per a press release. She joins ...
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THEATER Nostalgic 'Sunsets' still offers a timely reflection of LGBTQ+ community
Nostalgia reigned on a variety of scales this past weekend in Chicago. During her Celebration tour, at a majestically packed United Center, Madonna acknowledged the last 40 years of her career, highlighting her '80s interactions with ...
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GALECA announces nominees for the Dorian Film Awards
--From a press release
Feb. 5, 2024 - GALECA: The Society of LGBTQ Entertainment Critics, consisting of over 500 entertainment critics, journalists and media icons, today announced the group's democratically chosen nominees for its 15th Dorian Film Awards. All of ...
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The Jeff Awards announces the 50th-anniversary non-Equity theater nominations
--From a press release
(Feb. 6, 2024 - Chicago) — Celebrating its 50th anniversary awarding recognition for Non-Equity theater, the Joseph Jefferson Awards announces its nominations for theater excellence among Non-Equity theater during the ...
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Women dominate 2024 Grammys
It was the year of the woman at the 2024 Grammys. Regarding everything from performances to wins, women dominated the 2024 Grammys that took place Feb. 4 at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. Tracy Chapman ...
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SHOWBIZ JoJo Siwa, Tom Holland, Bowen Yang, Pet Shop Boys, Mariah Carey
In the wake of Nigel Lythgoe exiting So You Think You Can Dance, queer personality JoJo Siwa is returning to the series, per Deadline. Siwa, who was a judge on season 17 of the Fox show, will replace Lythgoe, who left ...
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Rue-ing the day: Vince Kelley drags out Blanche's charm in Golden Girls spoof
Picture it. Broadway Playhouse. 2024. Four queer men dress in drag to portray iconic women. Murray & Peter present Golden Girls: The Laughs Continue, a parody written by Robert Leleux and directed by Eric Swanson. The ...
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SHOWBIZ Sundance items, Green Day, 'Wednesday,' Queerties, 'The Wiz'
At the Sundance Film Festival, Jodie Foster told Variety that the $1.4-billion success of Barbie helps confirm that Hollywood no longer views women directors as too much of a risk. She said, "With a big success ...
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OSCARS Gladstone, Domingo receive nominations
LGBTQ+ actors Lily Gladstone and Colman Domingo were among those receiving Oscar nominations when they were announced Jan. 23. Gladstone received a Best Actress nod for her role in the Martin Scorsese-directed Killers of the Flower ...
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GLAAD announces nominees for the 35th annual GLAAD Media Awards
--From a press release
Following its acceptance of the iconic Governors Award at the 2023 Emmys Ceremony presented by the Television Academy, GLAAD announced the nominees for the 35th Annual GLAAD Media Awards. The GLAAD Media Awards honor media for ...
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Out truth-teller Jeff Hiller takes his act on the road
Jeff Hiller is an openly gay American storyteller who is bringing his act to the Midwest in February. He's making his way across the United States while filming the third season of HBO's Somebody Somewhere and ...
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Upcoming Lyric Opera performance Champion explores famed boxer's gay identity
Grammy Award-winning composer Terence Blanchard and Tony Award-winning librettist Michael Cristofer's opera, Champion, is set for its Lyric Opera of Chicago debut Jan. 27. It runs through Feb. 11. This contemporary "opera in jazz" features the ...
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SHOWBIZ 'Laid,' 'Nimona,' Lukas Gage, Lil Nas X, Lily Gladstone, John Waters
Peacock has given a straight-to-series order to the comedy Laid, which is slated to feature queer actress Stephanie Hsu (Everything Everywhere All at Once), Variety noted. Based on the Australian series of the same name, the ...
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EMMYS RuPaul, Niecy Nash-Betts win; Elton's EGOT status; GLAAD's award
Succession, The Bear and Beef dominated the 2024 Emmys, held Jan. 16. The ceremony was televised on Fox. Succession was named best drama series, The Bear was named best comedy series and Beef was named best ...
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SHOWBIZ 'Call Me By Your Name,' awards, Aspen Gay Ski Week, Miss Cleo
The Oscar-winning gay romance Call Me by Your Name is leaving Netflix after Jan. 31, per Out. The coming-of-age romance was helmed by Bones and All director Luca Guadagnino, and stars Timothee Chalamet as 17-year-old Elio ...
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Baby Tate grows up with 'Sexploration'
The multitalented pansexual artist Baby Tate has plenty to say on her Sexploration: The Tour. She's packing up her "Wig" and traveling to Chicago to perform an inclusive set of songs such as "Luv Everybody" at ...
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Sam Morrison sashays into the Windy City with Sugar Daddy
Comedian Sam Morrison is coming to Chicago with his show Sugar Daddy. This Brooklyn-based gay writer created the act both to deal with his personal health issues and process the grief of losing his partner Jonathan ...
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Scott Free's new album revives protest music for the modern era
By Alec Karam
Gay Chicago musician Scott Free wants to bring protest music back to the mainstream. With his new album Songs to Fight Oppression, Free has unveiled several new sing-along social justice songs to accompany protests, or simply ...
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Few LGBTQ+ individuals score Golden Globes wins
The Golden Globes took place Jan. 7but, for the LGBTQ+ community, there wasn't much to cheer about. For example, queer actors Andrew Scott (All of Us Strangers) and Colman Domingo (Rustin) fell short, as Cillian Murphy ...
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Scott Thompson returns with Buddy Cole character in 'KING' stage show
Buddy Cole—the barfly raconteur/provocateur portrayed by gay Canadian performer Scott Thompson for several years on the comedy show Kids in the Hall, is a character who's never been afraid to say what's on his mind. And ...
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SHOWBIZ Kelly Clarkson, Billy Porter and Luke Evans, 'All of Us,' 'Book of Mormon'
Video below
At Kelly Clarkson's "Chemistry: An Intimate Evening" residency show in Las Vegas, two men got married with the help of the singer/talk-show host as a witness, EW.com noted. In an audience video from the show, fans ...
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SHOWBIZ Streisand, Kristen Stewart, James Baldwin, Cher, 'Relighting'
Video below
Barbra Streisand will be honored with the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award from the Screen Actors Guild, TheWrap noted. The honor will be seen live at the 2024 SAG Awards, which will take place at the Shrine ...
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Billy Masters: Barry Manilow really was just interested in the articles
"I wouldn't be in it now if they gave me a million dollars. I'm never going to change my mind. They can just go you-know-what themselves." —Cher tells Kelly Clarkson her thoughts on being snubbed by ...
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New 'Gods and Monsters' with a race-based focus coming to Chicago
Chicago's Theatre Wit will debut a new stage adaptation of Gods and Monsters, based on Christopher Bram's 1995 novel Father of Frankenstein as well as its 1998 screen version that starred Sir Ian McKellen, Lynn Redgrave ...
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THEATER 'Dial M' director speaks about stage magic and perils of the closet
A good thriller is always in style for the right audience—but it's paying dividends for Northlight Theatre, which recently opened Dial M for Murder, helmed by queer director Georgette Verdin, to great reviews. ...
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SHOWBIZ Alex Newell, Joe Locke, 'Bad Together,' Raven-Symone, Limelight club
Alex Newellwho made history as one of the first two out nonbinary Tony Award winnerswas named Time's Breakthrough of the Year for 2023, The Advocate reported. Newell won the Tony this year as Best Featured Actor ...
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Bradley Cooper conducts a symphony of queer history in Maestro
Composer-conductor Leonard Bernstein was one of the most important musicians of his time, receiving many accolades—the Kennedy Center Honor among them, in 1981—before passing away in 1990. Behind the scenes ...
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DANCE 'Sugar Hill: The Ellington/Strayhorn Nutcracker' running Dec. 20-30
Tony-winning producers David Garfinkle and Dr. Ron Simons announced the world-premiere of "Sugar Hill: The Ellington/Strayhorn Nutcracker"a holiday dream told in dancewhich will play at Chicago's Auditorium Theatre, 50 E. ...
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Billy Masters: Fun messiness from the Ladies of the '80s
"Everybody wants a bf like Timothée Chalamet...until it's time to change a tire." I> —Meghan McCain. OK, so she only retweeted it. But I'm filled with the spirit of giving. Alas, I suspect Timmy could only ...
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Artemis Singers to present "Embracing the Night" concert Jan. 20
--From a press release
CHICAGO─Artemis Singers, www.artemissingers.org, Chicago's lesbian feminist chorus, will present "Embracing the Night," a concert of choral and popular music about finding inner strength. The program begins at 7 p.m., Saturday ...
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'Barbie,' 'Succession,' LGBTQs receive Golden Globe nods
WarnerBrothers' Barbie (with nine nods) and Universal's Oppenheimer (with eight) led film nominations for the 81st annual Golden Globe Awards that were announced Dec. 11, while TV's leaders included HBO's ...
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Three films score 10 nods each in Chicago Film Critics Association's 2023 Awards
--From a press release
Chicago, IL (December 8, 2023) — The Chicago Film Critics Association (CFCA) announced nominees for their top film honors of 2023; winners will be announced at the organization's annual awards ceremony to be held in Chicago ...
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SHOWBIZ Former Disney star, women's sports, Latifah, Lenny Kravitz, 'Barbie'
Videos below
In an essay about mental health that ran in Teen Vogue, former Disney star Karan Brar came out as bisexual, Out noted. In the essay, Brar talked about moving out of his parents' place —something that ...
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Chicago author's new guide leads lesbian fiction authors toward inspiration and publication
From a press release: Award-winning and bestselling lesbian fiction author Elizabeth Andrethe pen name for a Chicago-based interracial lesbian couplehas published her latest book, titled Self-Publishing Lesbian Fiction, Write Your ...
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Trans actress, gay actors, 'Kokomo City' receive Spirit Award nominations
The nominations for the 39th annual Film Independent Spirit Awards have been announcedand LGBTQ+ actors, directors and productions definitely made their mark. Trans actress Trace Lysette was announced as one of the nominees for Best Lead ...
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MOVIES Rick Cosnett chats about 'Shoulder Dance,' Molly and Jason Momoa
In the new movie Shoulder Dance, which is out on streaming, friends Ira (played by out actor Matt Dallas, looking and sounding quite different than from his days on TV's Kyle XY) and Roger (played by ...
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New doc brings home that 'We Live Here' and everywhere
The new Hulu documentary We Live Here: The Midwest highlights the challenges faced in recent times by LGBTQ+ residents of the Midwest, giving voice to a wide representation of people struggling to simply live their lives ...
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MOVIES Director Daniel Peddle on the sequel to the classic doc 'The Aggressives'
In 2005, Daniel Peddle released The Aggressives—a groundbreaking documentary filmed during the late '90s and early '00s in New York City that profiled several masculine-presenting/transmasculine people of color. Fast-forward to ...
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Billy Masters: The icing on the cake at a gender-reveal party
"To hell with this place!"—George Santos's parting comments after being ejected from Congress. He also said that Congress "is full of felons galore." At least, that's what I think he said. With his lisp, it sounded ...
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THEATER Nelson Rodriguez talks boxing, queerness and his very personal play
On Saturday, Dec. 9 at the Chicago Cultural Center, there will be a reading of New Personalidada play by actor, playwright and former Windy City Times 30 Under 30 honoree Nelson Rodriguez. The program, part of ...
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May December film blossoms on Netflix
The Netflix feature film May December, directed by Todd Haynes, takes the craft of character study to a whole new level. The plot is inspired by the true story of Mary Kay Letourneau, an elementary school ...
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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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