Chicago Dance Month in April
The fourth annual Chicago Dance Month, April 1-May 1, coinciding with National Dance Week ( April 22-May 1 ).
Chicago Dance Month features a wide variety of performances, classes, educational opportunities, open rehearsals and more, many for free or offered at a special "Hot Deal" discount rate of 20-50-percent off regular ticket prices.
To kick off the month of movement, a special event hosted by Audience Architects will take place Friday, April 1, at Walgreens, 151 N. State St., 11 a.m.-5 p.m. The free kick-off party will feature performances by Culture Shock Chicago, Tapman Productions and Natya Dance Theatre as well as food, drinks, special giveaways and more.
In addition, a free, special celebratory event will take place Friday, April 29, at Federal Plaza. "Dance on the Plaza: A Chicago Dance Month Celebration" invites all dance lovers to get outside and enjoy dance from a variety of companies, including Red Clay Dance Company, Project Bound Dance, Winifred Haun & Dancers, Joel Hall Dancers and Tapman Productions, among others.
For a full list of all Chicago Dance Month events and more information, visit SeeChicagoDance.com .
Gay Play Weekend schedule set
Four new LGBTQ+ plays and one musical have emerged as finalists in Pride Films and Plays' 2016 Great Gay Play and Musical Contest. Those five scripts will be performed as enhanced staged readings at the Center On Halsted's Hoover-Leppen Theatre, 3656 N. Halsted St., during Gay Play and Musical Weekend, April 22-24.
The schedule for the weekend is:
—Friday, April 22, at 7:30 p.m.: All-American Boy by Donald Gecewicz, Directed by Jo Cattell
—Saturday, April 23, at 2 p.m.: TBD ( To Be Determined ) by Paul Elliott, Directed by Delia Kropp
—Saturday, April 23, at 7 p.m.: Another Horatio Alger Story by Jason Jacobs, Directed by David Belew
—Sunday, April 24, at 1 p.m.: Spectacular Brown by Brian Pracht, Directed by Mara Stern
—Sunday, April 24, at 4 p.m.: A Woman Onstage, book and lyrics by Stephen deGhelder, music by Brad Simmons, Directed by John Nasca with Musical Direction by Adam Shenk
Find more information at www.pridefilmsandplays.com or 800-737-0984 .
'Charm' having run in Minneapolis
Minneapolis' Mixed Blood Theatre will run Philip Dawkins' production Charm—which Skokie's Northlight Theatre originally performed last year—April 20-May 8.
Charm ( inspired by the true story of Mama Gloria Allen and her volunteer work at the Center on Halsted ) tells the story of Mama Darleena, an African-American trans woman in her 60s teaching an etiquette class to trans youth experiencing precarious housing in a LGBTQI Chicago community center.
Charm is the first of three plays by Dawkins to run on Minneapolis stages this year, followed by Le Switch at The Jungle and his adaptation of Dr. Seuss' The Sneetches.
See MixedBlood.com .
BoHo names new executive director
BoHo Theatre, now in its 12th season, announced the appointment of BoHo company member Meg Love as the company's new executive director.
Love has been part of the company since 2012, serving as producer, production manager and stage manager prior to accepting the new position. She succeeds Kaela Altman.
BoHo Theatre's 2016 season continues with Sarah Ruhl's Eurydice, directed by company member Charles Riffenburg, opening at the Heartland Studio May 12; and Next to Normal, directed by Theatre at the Center Artistic Director Linda Fortunato, opening at Theater Wit Aug. 20.
'Wonka Ball: Dragstrip' April 15 in Ravenswood
About Face Theater's annual gala Wonka Ball will take place Friday, April 15, at Ravenswood Event Center, 4011 N. Ravenswood Ave. , 8-11 p.m. ( There will be a VIP cocktail reception at 7 p.m. )
The event's theme this year is "Dragstrip."
Guests are invited to make a pit stop to enjoy food from Ravenswood Event Center and participating restaurant partners, refuel with an open bar serving signature cocktails, and join AFT on the dance floor with music and entertainment from DJ Circuit Mom.
Admission is $150-$200 each; see AboutFaceTheatre.com .
Windy City Times' full calendar of events at the link: www.windycitymediagroup.com/gay/chicago/events/upcoming.php .
