Windy City Media Group Frontpage News

THE VOICE OF CHICAGO'S GAY, LESBIAN, BI, TRANS AND QUEER COMMUNITY SINCE 1985

home search facebook twitter join
Gay News Sponsor Windy City Times 2023-12-13
DOWNLOAD ISSUE
Donate

Sponsor
Sponsor
Sponsor

  WINDY CITY TIMES

Activist, author Mixner brings unique story to Chicago
by Carrie Maxwell, Windy City Times
2015-11-04

This article shared 5442 times since Wed Nov 4, 2015
facebook twitter pin it google +1 reddit email


Storytelling has always been a big part of civil-rights activist and author David Mixner's life, and he's bringing his unique story to Chicago's Greenhouse Theater Center Friday, Nov. 13.

The production, "Oh Hell No!," will feature Mixner's first-person accounts of important moments in his life as an LGBT and HIV/AIDS activist, as well as musical interludes by artists Chris Bolan and Emily Swallow, who are donating their time to do this performance. The music will seamlessly follow poignant parts of Mixner's stories.

"I'm on the stage the entire time and Chris and Emily come out and do musical performances in between me telling my stories," Mixner told Windy City Times. "We have a lot of audiovisual elements, including slides from the movement. I tell the stories and you get to see them behind me."

Mixner noted that he grew up in a place where storytelling wasn't just a tradition, but also the main form of entertainment on a Sunday. He explained that after Mass ( his family was Catholic ) they would all gather around and share stories.

"I developed the art of storytelling sitting on the front porch back home in the days when we didn't have a radio or television," said Mixner. "Storytelling comes naturally to me but I'm not an actor. I'm a classic, old fashioned, southern storyteller. I remember walking two miles across the fields when I was eight to a surviving member of the Civil War's house. He happened to be a Confederate soldier and would tell me stories about the Battle of Antietam. That was in 1954 and since the soldier went into the Civil War when he was 14 in 1863 he was 104 when he told me those stories. I would also listen to my Aunt Ollie talk about when President William McKinley was assassinated."

Mixner explained that he's been a witness to many events and the people who were making the history, and every once and awhile making that history himself.

"My show goes from 1976 when I came out to 1996 when the Defense of Marriage Act was passed by Congress," said Mixner. "I think some of the proudest moments in that journey was when I led the successful campaign to defeat Proposition 6 in California in 1978. It was a night I'll never forget. The fact that we never stopped fighting for our freedom. During the AIDS crisis in the 1980s, I never saw so much courage and nobility in a community in my life. I've been fortunate to walk among many courageous people. I was a pioneer in bringing the gay and lesbian communities together in the late 1970s and I'm really proud of that accomplishment. I talk about that in the show. "

The idea to produce and star in this play came to Mixner after coming out of intensive care about a year and a half ago. Mixner was critically ill and the doctors gave him an eight percent chance of surviving. But he did survive, and decided that he had to tell his story.

"I realized that I had all of these stories about our [LGBT] journey, and I've been fortunate to be on the inside of these things like the Briggs Initiative, the formation of AIDS organizations and many other things that I've participated in, witnessed and helped create," said Mixner. "I thought it's really important to get these stories out there in an entertaining way and how much fun it would be to go on stage and tell the stories of our journey with a sense of humor and a few tears here and there."

Mixner's life and career has encompassed more than LGBT and HIV/AIDS activism. While growing up in rural, southern New Jersey, Mixner encountered segregated schools, restaurants, etc. Although his parents were segregationists, he and his sister went in the opposite direction and became very active in the civil-rights movement of the 1960s. He's also been involved with the anti-war movement over the years.

Mixner also got involved with politics for the first time as a volunteer for John F. Kennedy's 1960 presidential campaign, and has participated in more than 75 political campaigns as a campaign manager, fundraiser or strategist. He's also been an unofficial advisor to many presidents over the years.

Not only did Mixner share a room with President Bill Clinton briefly when they both attended Oxford, but he also worked closely with Clinton on his presidential campaign and brought a lot of LGBT people aboard.

In the play, Mixner also talks about his disagreement with Clinton over the administration's "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" ( DADT ) policy and what effect that had on their relationship, as well as the time he got arrested protesting DADT in front of the White House.

Mixner noted that critics in New York City and Los Angeles gave the show rave reviews and the audiences in both locations told him they loved the show.

"It was far beyond anything I could've dreamed of or hoped for when I was putting this show together," said Mixner.

Like the NYC and LA shows, proceeds from the Chicago show will benefit Point Foundation Scholars. According to Point Foundation's Communications and Marketing Director Eugene Patron, together the NYC and LA productions raised enough money to fund six scholarships for a year.

Mixner explained that he chose to give the proceeds for all of his shows to Point Foundation Scholars because of his involvement with the organization and his desire to help future generations of LGBT students go to college.

"I was very moved by the stories of the students I would hear at Point Foundation events who've been kicked out of their homes and living in their cars or streets who were getting 4.0 GPA's in high school," said Mixner. "When you hear the success stories of these young people who went to Harvard or Columbia or the University of Chicago or Stanford or Berkeley, who are now doctors and lawyers and are giving back to our community, I couldn't think of a better investment. That's the attitude all of us had going into the production. We're raising money to help LGBT kids go to college who wouldn't have been able to go otherwise."

"It's an honor and a joy to support David's storytelling," said Swallow. "I'm beyond grateful for the work he's done for civil rights so it's a pleasure to watch the show and contribute to the riveting evening he creates simply by sharing from his heart."

"David is a part of a generation of LGBTQ individuals that were at the forefront of change in this country," said Bolan. "His innate capacity for storytelling and ability to connect with the audience on a deeply personal level allow us to see this important history through his eyes. His charisma, vulnerability and humor on stage create a dynamic piece of theater and I for one am honored to be a part of this important show."

Ahead of the Chicago show, the production will be traveling to Atlanta's Woodruff Arts Center Thursday, Oct. 29.

Mixner noted that they've also had inquiries to bring the play to the Embassy in the Dominican Republic and the Kennedy Center as well as an interest from the Mayor of Milan, Italy, to bring the show there.

"Come see this play," said Mixner. "Hear your history, some great music and help kids go to college. Enjoy the laughter and bring a few tissues to wipe away the tears. You'll have a great evening while also supporting a fantastic cause."

To purchase tickets, visit www.pointfoundation.org/davidmixnerchicago .


This article shared 5442 times since Wed Nov 4, 2015
facebook twitter pin it google +1 reddit email

Out and Aging
Presented By

  ARTICLES YOU MIGHT LIKE

Gay News

Kara Swisher talks truth, power in tech at Chicago Humanities event 2024-03-25
- Lesbian author, award-winning journalist and podcast host Kara Swisher spoke about truth and power in the tech industry through the lens of her most recent book, Burn Book: A Tech Love Story, March 21 at First ...


Gay News

RuPaul finds 'Hidden Meanings' in new memoir 2024-03-18
- 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 ...


Gay News

Without compromise: Holly Baggett explores lives of iconoclasts Margaret Anderson and Jane Heap 2024-03-04
- 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 ...


Gay News

There she goes again: Author Alison Cochrun discusses writing journey 2024-02-27
- 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 ...


Gay News

NATIONAL Women's college, banned books, military initiative, Oregon 2023-12-29
- After backlash regarding a decision to update its anti-discrimination policy and open enrollment to some transgender applicants, a Catholic women's college in Indiana will return to its previous admission policy, per The National Catholic Reporter. In ...


Gay News

NATIONAL School items, Miami attack, Elliot Page, Fire Island 2023-12-22
- In Virginia, new and returning members of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors and Fairfax County School Board were inaugurated—with some school board members opting to use banned books on the topics of slavery and LGBTQ+ ...


Gay News

Chicago author's new guide leads lesbian fiction authors toward inspiration and publication 2023-12-07
- From a press release: Award-winning and bestselling lesbian fiction author Elizabeth Andre—the pen name for a Chicago-based interracial lesbian couple—has published her latest book, titled Self-Publishing Lesbian Fiction, Write Your ...


Gay News

NATIONAL Tenn. law, banned books, rainbow complex, journalists quit 2023-12-01
- Under pressure from a lawsuit over an anti-LGBTQ+ city ordinance, officials in Murfreesboro, Tennessee removed language that banned homosexuality in public, MSNBC noted. Passed in June, Murfreesboro's "public decency" ordinance ...


Gay News

BOOKS Lucas Hilderbrand reflects on gay history in 'The Bars Are Ours' 2023-11-29
- In The Bars Are Ours (via Duke University Press), Lucas Hilderbrand, a professor of film and media studies at the University of California-Irvine, takes readers on a historical journey of gay bars, showing how the venues ...


Gay News

BOOKS Owen Keehnen takes readers to an 'oasis of pleasure' in 'Man's Country' 2023-11-27
- In the book Man's Country: More Than a Bathhouse, Chicago historian Owen Keehnen takes a literary microscope to the venue that the late local icon Chuck Renslow opened in 1973. Over decades, until it was demolished ...


Gay News

Photographer Irene Young launches book with stellar concerts 2023-11-20
- "Something About the Women" was appropriately the closing song for two sold-out, stellar concerts at Berkeley's Freight & Salvage November 19, in celebration of the new book of the same name by Irene Young, the legendary ...


Gay News

Rustin film puts a gay pioneer into the spotlight 2023-11-16
- The story of activist Bayard Rustin is one that should be told in classrooms everywhere. Instead, because Rustin was an openly same-gender-loving man, his legacy has gone relatively unnoticed outside of LGBTQ+-focused history books. Netflix hopes ...


Gay News

Billy Masters: The times Streisand failed to make a splash 2023-11-13
- "Fame is a hollow trophy. No matter who you are, you can only eat one pastrami sandwich at a time."—Wise words from Barbra Streisand. You all know that Barbra Streisand's book is out. And I ...


Gay News

Charles Busch dishes on life as a storyteller 2023-11-09
- Performer/writer Charles Busch, who recently penned his autobiography, Leading Lady: A Memoir of a Most Unusual Boy, said that collecting his most precious and salient memories in a book felt "inevitable." "Storytelling is such an essential ...


Gay News

LGBT HISTORY PROJECT: Exploring 70 years of lesbian publications, from 1940s zines to modern glossy magazines 2023-11-02
- Since the '40s, lesbians have created a vibrant history of publications. From the exploration of daily lesbian life to literary and feminist pursuits, to the modern age of glossy magazines, for over 70 years, lesbians have ...


 


Copyright © 2024 Windy City Media Group. All rights reserved.
Reprint by permission only. PDFs for back issues are downloadable from
our online archives.

Return postage must accompany all manuscripts, drawings, and
photographs submitted if they are to be returned, and no
responsibility may be assumed for unsolicited materials.

All rights to letters, art and photos sent to Nightspots
(Chicago GLBT Nightlife News) and Windy City Times (a Chicago
Gay and Lesbian News and Feature Publication) will be treated
as unconditionally assigned for publication purposes and as such,
subject to editing and comment. The opinions expressed by the
columnists, cartoonists, letter writers, and commentators are
their own and do not necessarily reflect the position of Nightspots
(Chicago GLBT Nightlife News) and Windy City Times (a Chicago Gay,
Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender News and Feature Publication).

The appearance of a name, image or photo of a person or group in
Nightspots (Chicago GLBT Nightlife News) and Windy City Times
(a Chicago Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender News and Feature
Publication) does not indicate the sexual orientation of such
individuals or groups. While we encourage readers to support the
advertisers who make this newspaper possible, Nightspots (Chicago
GLBT Nightlife News) and Windy City Times (a Chicago Gay, Lesbian
News and Feature Publication) cannot accept responsibility for
any advertising claims or promotions.

 
 

TRENDINGBREAKINGPHOTOS







Sponsor


 



Donate


About WCMG      Contact Us      Online Front  Page      Windy City  Times      Nightspots
Identity      BLACKlines      En La Vida      Archives      Advanced Search     
Windy City Queercast      Queercast Archives     
Press  Releases      Join WCMG  Email List      Email Blast      Blogs     
Upcoming Events      Todays Events      Ongoing Events      Bar Guide      Community Groups      In Memoriam     
Privacy Policy     

Windy City Media Group publishes Windy City Times,
The Bi-Weekly Voice of the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Trans Community.
5315 N. Clark St. #192, Chicago, IL 60640-2113 • PH (773) 871-7610 • FAX (773) 871-7609.