January 8-14, 2015

Gay life in Chicago this week, back in ...

1977

Veteran gay group, One of Chicago, sponsors a theatre party at the Drama Shelter, 2018 N. Halsted. The production is Jean Paul Sartre's "Two Flies."

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IMAGE: Dugan's Bistro – Gay Chicago May 24, 1979

An article in Gay Chicago News begins:

"A late breaking incident of Sunday January 8, there appears to be increasing reports of police harassment of gays on Broadway, in the area of Clark and Diversey. The reported 'scuffling' and verbal barrage encounters seem to surround the existence of two or three homophobic police officers. At press time an official complaint has been filed by a prominent gay businessman and will be investigated further in the ensuing weeks. No arrests are on record of these affairs."

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Derrick Hicks, a Chicago director, writer, and reviewer, announces the opening of the offices of a new gay public relations firm. The firm is called Hicks, Brown, and Allen and is located at 39 S. LaSalle, Suite 822.

1994

In the clubs and bars this week, on Tuesdays it's Rhythm & Brews and Cool Jazz at Buddies, 3301 N. Clark St.; Krazy Khris Francis is back at Gentry, 712 N. Rush St.; there's a Long Underwear Party with a free buffet at L.A. Connection, 3700 N. Halsted; International Mr. Leather Night with Henri Ten-Have is at the Eagle, 5015 N. Clark St.; there's a Members Party! and private open bar at Vortex, 3631 N. Halsted; Charlie's, 405 W. Ontario, hold a Pre Rodeo Jamboree.

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IMAGE: Ethyl Meatplow at Berlin – Gay Chicago July 1, 1993

It's the exclusive Chicago premiere of Tom Hanks and Denzel Washington in "Philadelphia," to benefit the AIDS Legal Council of Chicago at the Music Box Theatre, 3733 N. Southport.

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Jeff Rosen writes in Gay Chicago:

"Bailiwick tackles another ambitious undertaking this month as its 'Don Juan Project' opens this coming Tuesday at the Theatre Building. The legend of this best-known lover is examined through classic and contemporary works, representing contributions by six authors, two composers, two writing ensembles, seven designers, and 120 actors.

"The project begins this week with the opening of a new adaptation of Jose Zorilla's classic, 'Don Juan,' and continues during the coming weeks with Shaw's 'Don Juan in Hell,' and an original creation, 'Don Juan,' which blends music, puppets, and video, with nuns and beauty pageants for a female perspective on the romantic myth. Other chapters in the project are scheduled for February."

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Top Ten Music Playlist courtesy of DJ Donnie Warner at Hideaway II: 1) "I Wouldn't Normally Do This Kind of Thing" ­– Pet Shop Boys; 2) "Joy" – Staxx of Joy; 3) "Work It/Muted Jazz" – DJ Sneak; 4) "Big Time Sensuality" – Bjork; 5) "Pride (A Deeper Love)" – Aretha Franklin; 6) "Spooky" – New Order; 7) "I Think About You" ­– Cyndi Lauper; 8) "Just Deep" – Deep Walker; 9) "Life" – Haddaway; 10) "Betcha Never Find" – Chantay Savage.

1997

The movie "Marvin's Room," starring Meryl Streep and Dianne Keaton, is showing at 600 N. Michigan and Old Orchard.

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IMAGE: Boom Boom Room – Thing Summer 1993

Billy Masters writes in Filth in Gay Chicago:

"Speaking of Babs, she recently attended a performance of the smash Broadway musical 'Chicago' with Miramax's Harvey Weinstein.

"Afterwards they were having dinner at Elaine's, and my spies tell me that Harv was trying to convince Barbra to star in the big screen version of the show, which he has in the works. So, now she has two film musicals to choose from – 'Chicago' or the already rumored version of Andrew Lloyd Webber's 'Sunset Boulevard' with Tom Cruise."

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Aloha Bikini Bar – Babble August 10, 1994

Mike at Night in Gay Chicago writes:

"One bit of juicy gossip (only on a slow news day), Paula Sinclare was caught exposing herself on a CTA bus. Seems she rides the bus up and down Halsted Street or takes the Broadway bus just up to the point where the phobia of leaving boys town sets in ... and rides it back. Stories about Paula's behavior have been reported over and over in this column in the past and, of course, she denies everything!"

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An article in Windy City Times begins:

"Performer Honey West will welcome Speedo-clad members of the Chicago Smelts during her regular Sunday night show 6-9 p.m. at Gentry on Halsted.

"The event, part of Lesbigay Radio's live broadcast of Honey West's weekly show from 6-7 p.m. on Lesbigay Radio/WDNZ AM 750, will benefit the Smelts' upcoming annual swim-a-thon and pool party, "Swim Your Heart Out 7."

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Article in Gay Chicago begins:

"Being gay and HIV-positive has shaped some of Larry McKeon's views, but the state representative-elect says there's a lot more to him.

"I bring a lot of things to the table. Being HIV-positive is just one of them," says McKeon, who will be sworn in as a member of the House when the 90th General Assembly opens Jan. 8

"Gay activists, who say McKeon is the state's first openly gay legislator, cheer his election as the start of a new era in Illinois politics."

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Gay Asians and Pacific Islanders host a video night. Two Asian-American short films are shown: "Fated to be Queer," produced by Pablo Bautista, a documentary about Filipino-Americans dealing with queer identity and cultural heritage in the U.S.; and "Toc Storee," produced by Ming Yuen Ma, an experimental film based on the "Tale of the Cut-Sleeve" with the complexity of sexuality, Asian tradition and queer identity.

Homework

What's Honey West up to these days?

What happened to DJ Donnie Warner?

Is Khris Francis still around?

Gay Chicago Photo Rewind

A young Modesto Tico Valle at an Oscar Party at Sidetrack in Gay Chicago March 18, 1999

Photos by Spike King of Mayor Richard Daley addressing the gay community in Ann Sather restaurant and ACT UP marching on the streets, in Gay Chicago November 30, 1989

Spike King photographs Berlin's 6th anniversary for Gay Chicago November 30, 1989

Lynda Licina and Rick Reed photograph the AIDSCARE carnival for Nightlines March 3, 1999

Thanks go to publishers Michael Bergeron for Chicago Gay Crusader, Ralph and Craig Gernhardt for Gay Chicago, Grant Ford and Chuck Renslow for Gay Life, Malone Sizelove for Babble/Gab, David Costanza and others for Chicago Free Press, Jeff McCourt for Windy City Times, Stacy Bridges and Mark Nagel for GRAB, and Tracy Baim for all the publications at the Windy City Media Group, which aided the above research. St. Sukie de la Croix is an internationally published reporter, playwright, photographer and historian. He is also the author of Chicago Whispers: A History of LGBT Chicago Before Stonewall published by the University of Wisconsin Press.