Chicago, USA
Other Fun Stuff
About Face Theatre
Cutting-edge theatre for all persuasions, gay, straight, trans, bi, you name it.
1222 W. Wilson Ave.
Chicago
www.aboutfacetheatre.com
Artemis Singers
Chicago’s lesbian feminist chorus, performing musical works written, of course, by women.
Babes With Blades
"A diverse ensemble of artists working together to expand opportunities for women in the world of stage combat. By exploring theatrical violence as a storytelling tool and as a means to entertain, educate, and enlighten, we challenge traditional expectations, push personal limitations, and celebrate the historical role of the woman warrior and her modern evolution." Not necessarily lesbian, but very woman-empowering.
Bailiwick Repertory Theatre
Professional theatre troupe that mainly presents LGBT themed plays. Some highlights of interest include their Lesbian Theatre Initiative and the annual Pride Series.
1229 W. Belmont Ave.
Chicago
www.bailiwick.org
Belmont Burlesque
Burlesque is huge in Chicago, and you'll see listings for a number of performers and groups in this section. Pull out your pasties and enjoy!
Cake Chicago (monthly at Red Line Tape)
From the same gang behind the Homolatte Parties, Flesh Hungry Dog Show and the AltQ Festival comes Cake Chicago, a monthly queer performance event centred around live music, but also incorporating comedians and other types of performance.
7006 N.Glenwood Ave.
Chicago
www.myspace.com/cakechicago
Center for New Possibilities
Presented by the group Inside Arts, the Center for New Possibilities is a recently-opened space created to encourage and foster artistic, political, cultural and gender-based discussion. This can be through debate, performance, exhibits and more. A very queer-friendly spot, they often host feminist and queer events of interest.
1545 W. Morse Ave.
Chicago
www.insightartsliberation.org
Chi-Town Squares
For when that square dance itch needs to be scratched. Regular LGBT square dancing lessons and parties.
Chicago Bandits
The Windy City's National Pro Fastpitch League team. The league used to be known as Women's Pro Softball League and you'll see some serious ball played at one of these games. The regular season runs May through August with championships in September.
Chicago Boi Toiz
Drag king troupe that performs regularly around town, especially at the Circuit Nightclub. Check their Myspace page for their next event.
Chicago Gay and Lesbian Hall of Fame
Founded in 1991, “The Chicago Gay and Lesbian Hall of Fame is both an historic event and an exhibit. Through the Hall of Fame, residents of Chicago and the world are made aware of the contributions of Chicago's lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender communities and the communities' efforts to eradicate homophobic bias and discrimination.”
740 N. Sedgwick St.
3rd Floor
Chicago
Tel: 312 744-7911
www.glhalloffame.org
Chicago Sky WNBA Team
Women’s professional basketball, aka lesbian central! The Sky play regular league games May through August.
Flesh Hungry Dog A-Go-Go (1st Friday of the month at the Jackhammer)
Monthly alt queer performance extravaganza for hipster homos and their friends. These evenings have a little bit of it all: burlesque, spoken word, hard rock, cabaret and whatever else the recipe calls for.
6406 N. Clark St.
Chicago
www.fleshhungrydog.com
Gay Chicago Greeter Tours
These are free, customized walking tours offered by the city of Chicago. Just go on to the website and make a request for “Gay and Lesbian Chicago” tour through their online form. The walk usually lasts about two hours and it’s a great idea to do this at the beginning of your visit so you know where to go for the rest of your stay.
chgogreeter@cityofchicago.org
www.chicagogreeter.com/VisitorApplication.asp
Gayco Productions
LGBT sketch comedy crew that started as a Second City workshop back in the 1990s. Since then they’ve been regularly tickling the funny bones of Chicago homos.
5353 N. Magnolia
Chicago
www.gayco.com
Gene Siskel Film Center
Named for the famed film critic, this is where you can see some of the best independent film in Chicago, often with a queer twist.
164 N. State St.
Chicago
www.artic.edu/webspaces/siskelfilmcenter/
Gerber/Hart Library
Proudly known as “the Midwest's largest LGBT circulating library with over 14,000 volumes, 800 periodical titles, and 100 archival collections.” They also host a number of LGBT and literary events, including a lesbian book club that usually meets on the second Tuesday of the month.
1127 W. Granville Ave.
Chicago
Tel: 773 381-8030
info@gerberhart.org
www.gerberhart.org
Girlie-Q Live!
Some of the best gay girl burlesque you'll find in Chicago, Girlie-Q has it all: music, performance, hot ladies and lotsa fun.
Hollywood Beach
First time visitors to Chicago are sometimes surprised to see how much waterfront there is to enjoy in the Windy City. Right off of downtown there is an 18-mile stretch along Lake Michigan’s shores that’s popular with cyclists, rollerbladers and people just looking for a spot to relax. Ever glamorous, the homos hang at Hollywood beach, by Hollywood St., though its official name is the Kathy Osterman Beach.
5800 N. Lake Shore Dr.
Chicago
Homolatte (every otherTuesday)
Bi-weekly, all-ages, LGBT spoken word and acoustic music series at Big Chicks. Admission is free and all donations go to the performers. Event founder, Scott Free, is also the man behind the annual Alt Q queer music and performance festival.
5024 N. Sheridan Rd.
Chicago
www.homolatte.com
Lakeside Pride Music Ensembles
Chicago’s Gay and Lesbian Community Bands association. Regular concerts, workshops and non-musical events at various venues across Chicago. Check website for listings.
Leather Archives & Museum
Another Chicago original, this is a museum dedicated exclusively to all things leather. Though most is aimed at gay men, there’s still some objects to be appreciated by any discerning BDSM dyke. Hey, they’ve even got a gift shop so you can buy a t-shirt for mom!
6418 N. Greenview Ave.
Chicago
Tel: 773 761-9200
www.leatherarchives.org
Michelle L’amour
Performing regularly with the Lavendar Cabaret and offering regular (3x weekly!) burlesque workshops.
Pow Wow Chicago
"The mission of POW-WOW is to support, develop and increase the visibility of women artists particularly those of color in an effort to create social change and gender consciousness around issues of media representation, inclusive cultural arts documentation and political awareness of how we fit in the scope of global affairs." The group's main focus is to create writing and performance opportunities for these artists, and that means some most excellent shows for all.
Queer Nerds at Heart
Dating/social event for all of us gay and lesbian nerds at heart. Expect lots of board games, conversation, and even a few cocktails. “Taped glasses, Darth Vader or elf princess costumes, and worn copies of Ulysses are permitted but not required.”
Sappho's Salon: A Night of Provocative Lesbian Diversions
Launched in June, 2008, this new "monthly series of provocative entertainment for lesbian-identified women and their friends" will definitely satisfy all of the bookish ladies. It doesn't have a fixed schedule, so check out the Women and Children First bookstore website (that's where the event takes place) for upcoming dates.
5233 N. Clark St.
Chicago
www.womenandchildrenfirst.com
Star and Garter Burlesque
These gals mix sexy striptease and stand-up comedy for total entertainment.
The Neo-Futurists
Alternative theatre collective of all genders and persuasions. These guys and gals pump out an incredible amount of new material (presenting 30 plays in 60 minutes), ensuring each visit is a unique one. Friday and Saturday night shows usually sell out, so arrive early and wait in line.
5153 N. Ashland Ave.
Chicago
www.neofuturists.org
Think Pink Radio (Tuesdays from 6-8 p.m. on WLUW 88.7 FM)
Chicago's only all-music radio show for the queer community.
Thousand Waves Spa
The ultimate retreat for luxury pampering in the heart of Andersonville. Lesbian-owned and operated, this is a women’s only space offering everything from massage to saunas to body wraps to a Japanese relaxation room.
1212 W. Belmont Ave.
Chicago
Threat Level Queer Short Film Series
New, bi-monthly event offering "a venue for queer filmmakers and the lovers of the short film genre, providing space for queer artistry and audience in the Chicago area. Proceeds of the series will benefit the current documentary projects of MamSir Productions, Moving Train Media, and Actor Slash Model."
Windy City Performing Arts
An umbrella organization for several Chicago area gay and lesbian vocal groups, including the all-women choir, Aria.
Windy City Rollers (Roller Derby League)
Their stage names alone are enough to get me in the door: Phannie of the Opera, T-Bone StakeYA, Crimson CrusHER, Shirley Temple of Doom, the list goes on and on. There are four teams in this all-female flat-track roller derby league, battling it out with speed, guts, elbows and a few choice curse words. Tattoos and fishnets are just the extra added bonus.
Woman Made Gallery
Art gallery where, as the name says, all works are created by women. The gallery often features lesbian artists on their roster.
685 N. Milwaukee Ave.
Chicago
Women On Women (Tuesdays from 8-10 p.m. on WLUW 88.7 FM)
The WOW Music SHOW focuses on female artists from a cross-section of genres. This show follows directly after Think Pink Radio which is all about queer music.
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