"I couldn’t believe someone else loved Judy, Liza, Barbra and Bette as much I did, so I have always felt like a gay man on the inside!" - Meghan Murphy
Cole Porter’s classic Anything Goes is brought back to life by Porchlight Music Theatre’s troupe this winter at the Ruth Page Center for the Arts. This peppy story of quirky characters traveling from New York to England on the ocean liner S.S. American has entertained audiences since its 1934 debut. This 90th-anniversary production celebrates songs such as the title track, “You’re the Top” and “I Get a Kick Out of You.” The multitalented Meghan Murphy takes on the role of nightclub singer Reno Sweeney. It’s the perfect...
"I approach things as a very simple puppeteer." - Basil Twist
The Chicago International Puppet Theater Festival just opened in the Windy City and this celebration of manipulation truly has something for all ages. For those that appreciate puppetry as part of an adult art form, queer puppeteer Basil Twist is returning to the festival this time with Book of Mountain and Seas. Closing out the festival on January 26, 27 and 28, 2024 at the Studebaker Theater, this Midwestern premiere promises to bring sacred fables to life thanks to an inventive team of creative people....
"The first draft of the book was like War and Peace." - Ginger Minj
RuPaul’s Drag Race has bolstered the careers of many drag artists that thrive in the world today. Ginger Minj is certainly one of them who displays a wide range of talents including acting, singing and songwriting. After achieving runner-up on the seventh season of the television competition, Minj returned for the second and sixth seasons of RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars. Feature films followed with Hocus Pocus 2, AJ and the Queen and Dumplin’. Music endeavors include Sweet T, Gummy Bear and Double Wide Diva. Southern...
"The best version of a person is being authentic at the moment." - Monaleo
Rapper and singer Leondra Roshawn Gay is known by the moniker Monaleo and is based in Houston, Texas. Her debut single “Beating Down Yo Block” dropped in 2021 and went on to three million streams on Spotify. Her brother is rapper Yung Rampage, who she performs with often and she has collaborated with other artists such as Mahoney and Flo Milli. Her debut full-length project Where the Flowers Don’t Die brought her out on the road for her first headline tour and she talked about it...
"Things are shifting from “that is a queer person” to “that’s a person.”" - zzzahara
Queer guitarist and songwriter zzzahara refuses to be put in a box. This non-binary identifying performer uses they/them pronouns and is out and proud from a new generation. The moniker zzzahara was born from the name Zahara Jaime after they grew into a solo act following being part of The Simps duo alongside Eyedress, also known as Idris Vicuña. Born and raised in Los Angeles, this talented musician released their debut album Liminal Spaces via Lex Records to critical acclaim in 2022. The new album Tender...
"They decided to take the time to honor me and that is a really beautiful thing." - Stephanie J. Block
Tony Award winner Stephanie J. Block was honored with the Sarah Siddons Society’s 2023 Award on November 20, 2023, at The Arts Club of Chicago. On that special night local artists Marya Grandy, Heidi Kettenring, Rob Lindley and Bethany Thomas performed songs highlighting Block’s illustrious career before the trophy was presented by Society president Martin Balogh at the end of the celebration. This talented performer is known for a long Broadway legacy that dates back to 2003 with the role of Liza Minnelli in The...
"By the end, another cast member and I have to wash off all of the blood and the sparkles!" - Chloe Baldwin
The talented artist Chloe Baldwin has infectious energy both on and off the stage. This fact makes her character Dusty a joy to watch in Steppenwolf Theatre Company’s production of POTUS: Or, Behind Every Great Dumbass Are Seven Women Trying to Keep Him Alive. The story follows seven women and their world in the White House while dealing with the commander-in-chief. Baldwin brings a rich background of Shakespeare productions and fight choreography to the table. While this is her first Steppenwolf show, at the Goodman...
Tom Gustafson
Marsha Warfield
Heidi N Closet and Crystal Methyd
Meghan Friedlander and Luca Dotti
Ronnie Marmo
Ashmal Ali and Rehman Bhatti