Michael Brickman
Michael Brickman, the controversial former executive director of the AIDS Alternative Health Project, has died. Brickman was criticized for his role in handling the final weeks of AAHP's existence.
Brickman, 45, also founded Project Better Chance.
Visitation was at Drake & Son Funeral Home, 5303 N. Western Ave., interment Westlawn Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, memorials to Make A Wish Foundation, 640 N. LaSalle St., Suite 280, Chicago, IL 60610.
Brickman is pictured left.
Stephen Bates
Stephen Bates, 50, a conductor of The Lion King and a contributor to Naked Boys Singing, died Nov. 5 of AIDS-related lymphoma at Rush Presbyterian St. Luke's Hospital in Chicago.
Bates, a former Chicagoan with family in Madison, Wisc., had recently returned to the Windy City as conductor of The Lion King production here. He conducted the launch of the 2003 Lion King national tour.
Just last month, Bailiwick Theatre honored Bates with a Trailblazer Award. Memorials are scheduled around the country, including at Bailiwick some time in December.
Bates's partner of 17 years, Larry Baker, said the last official show he conducted was Aug. 10 at the Cadillac Palace Theatre.
Bates contributed songs and arrangements to Naked Boys Singing, and was its initial musical director and conductor in Los Angeles and New York, according to Playbill.com . He also wrote 30 songs for Starr Struck, a musical spoof of the Clinton-Lewinsky scandal, and was conductor and musical director of Blank's First Lady Suite, the Michael John La Chiusa musical about wives of U.S. presidents.
Bates also wrote more than 20 songs for the Barney and Friends TV show, Playbill.com reported.
He also conducting the first national tour of 42nd Street, which launched in Chicago. 'For that show, he rose from rehearsal pianist to conductor after stepping in to conduct a performance. By intermission, impresario David Merrick approached Mr. Bates and told him he had the job. He stuck with the tour for two years and would conduct several other 42nd Street stagings, including runs in Tokyo, Vienna and Paris, as well as the 2002 Moscow staging directed and choreographed by pal Randy Skinner,' Playbill.com said.
Bates is survived by daughter Elizabeth Baltes, parents Dorothy and David of Madison, brother Ben and sister Beth Dibbert.
'We met Stephen when he came for the opening of Naked Boys Singing!, and his enthusiasm and support of our work, and of all artists in general, was simply radiant,' said Bailiwick's David Zak. 'When he moved back to Chicago to conduct Lion King, he became a constant friend to our work. He will be greatly missed.'
Photo #2 Stephen Bates
Photo #3 with David Zak ( left ) at the Bailiwick Trailblazer Awards just last month. Photos by Blandon Belushin and Tracy Baim