(Photo courtesy Shutterstock: Tony Marturano)
Looking for gay things to do in New York? Whether you’re looking for drag shows, parties talks & lectures, film screenings, theater, or art exhibits, Metrosource has got you covered. Our complete list of LGBT things to do is just a click away, but here are some upcoming queer events.
This week: A trip down memory lane with a disco party celebrating Studio 54, the world premiere of a queer take on Charles Dickens’ Christmas Carol, and a gay-friendly holiday burlesque spectacular!
Retro Factory Presents: Le Freak
Thursday, December 5
Throw it back to another time and place at Le Freak and escape to the land of disco balls, glitter, and free-wheeling abandon – a night at Studio 54. Get your bell bottoms, gold lamé, and see-through everything on as you enter our venue that will be reinvented to look and feel like the famous and sensuous STUDIO 54, as reimagined by our designers Rodrigo Martinez (OKLAHOMA!), Attilio Rigotti and Andrew Garvis (FREESTYLE LOVE SUPREME). Experience flashmob-style recreations of dance numbers from arguably one of the sexiest eras, choreographed by Omar Nieves Delgado (The Guthrie’s WEST SIDE STORY). The visuals and performances harken thoughts of THE DONKEY SHOW and HERE LIES LOVE.
Dance to music spanning the eras spun by Queer DJ Bright Light Bright Light from Club Cumming. Partygoers can partake in intimate one-on-one experiences guided by the band of iconic Studio 54 patrons, led by opera director Raymond Zilberberg (Tosca at Loft Opera). Hosts for this party will include some of New York’s Queer Voices/Influencers Glow Job, Disgrace, Shay Au Lait, Domenic Mykel, Thee Suburbia, Glen North, and Egyptian Trans Artist & Performer, Iman Le Care.
Celebrate the Best of the Borough at the Brooklyn Museum’s FSAT
Saturday, December 7
On December 7, the Brooklyn Museum’s First Saturday brings together the finest talent this borough has to offer with a night of music, performance, poetry, film, and art-making. Highlights include a poetry reading by Tina Chang, music by DJ Laylo, a Book Talk for the release of Elia Alba’s The Supper Club, Switch n’ Play (pictured) hosts a drag and burlesque showcase, music by Brownsville native Adrian Daniel as well as Los Hacheros who infuse the folkloric styles of son montuno, guaracha, and salsa with bomba rhythms, and more!
Image caption: Prospect Heights–based drag collective Switch n’ Play
Jackknife Comedy
Saturday, December 7
Jackknife Comedy is a rad monthly stand up show the first Saturday of every month in Queens, hosted by two dummies from Iowa named Gideon Hambright and Patrick Hastie! Each show they pick a bunch of their favorite comedians to come do sets, be cool and have a blast!
This month’s comics are:
Ashton Womack (THE DAILY SHOW)
Jourdain Searles (THE NEW YORK TIMES)
Stephen Rubino (THRILLIST)
Laura Merli (MCSWEENEY’S)
Andrew Durso (BOSTON COMEDY FESTIVAL)
Xazmin Garza (LIMESTONE COMEDY FESTIVAL)
Jaffer Khan (LAUGHING SKULL COMEDY FESTIVAL)
Annie Russell (208 COMEDY FESTIVAL)
Come out and party!
Tickets are only $5. You can buy them at the door or online at http://creeklic.com/events/jackknife-comedy-5-2019-12-07/
The Como Brothers
Saturday, December 7
About the show:
The Como Brothers, Matt and Andrew Como, original singer/songwriters will appear live in concert. From today’s big production-crazed, computer-generated and auto-tuned landscape emerge two brothers who have not forgotten the soul of music. They write pop and singer/songwriter tunes that take inspiration from rock, blues, R&B, soul and hip-hop. Come see them play in an intimate setting.
12-Hour Dance-A-Thon
Sunday, December 8
Performance Space New York presents their second 12-Hour Dance-A-Thon (December 8, 12pm-12am), a fundraising event supporting another year of boundary-pushing art—and pushing the very boundaries of what an organization can do with a “fundraising event.” Organized this season by Performance Space New York Deputy Director Pati Hertling, the Dance-A-Thon features a group of DJs, hosts, and dancers who’ve become a part of its vital community. Together, they’ll create a durational, inclusive end-of-the-year celebration—dancing, sweating, having fun—to pave the way for the organization’s immediate future.
The full day of dancing features live DJ sets from Taeer, BeBe, Justin Strauss, Helen with the Gold Teeth, and Riobamba. Confirmed hosts include Angela Dimayuga (GUSH), DeSe Escobar (Club Glam), Devonn Francis (Yardy), gage of the boone (Spectrum), Oscar Nñ (Papi Juice), Jerry Saltz, Julie Tolentino (Clit Club), Precious Okoyomon, and the Board of Performance Space New York; confirmed dancers include Tyler Ashley, Lizzi Bougatsos, Kerstin Brätsch, Enrico Ciotti, Jen DeNike, Suzanne Geiss, Liam Gillick, Meaghan Gragg, Ishmael Houston-Jones, Pati Hertling, Marie Karlberg, Jacob King, Humberto Leon, Chrystoph Marten, Ivan Martínez, Jessica Mitrani, Slava Mogutin, Evan Moffitt, Isabel Parkes, Andrea Rosen, Thor Shannon, Jenny Schlenzka, Alex Sloane, and Frank Spelman.
The participating public will, with whatever amount they’d like to donate, sponsor the dancers—with varying levels of contribution purchasing more time for them to spend dancing across the 12 hours. Further nodding to the spirit of the Stages Series, dancers have the option of dancing remotely—expanding the event’s platform to wherever in the city/world they may choose to record themselves.
The Dance-A-Thon turns fundraising—so often formalized and treated as removed from an organization’s vision for presenting art—into a source of revelry and community that parallels Performance Space New York’s support of various forms of radical expression. It goes hand-in-hand with the current series under way within the space—the Stages Series—which positions performance as an act of creation for and towards the future, and has emphasized parties as world-building gestures centrally situated within the institutions’ curatorial practice.
Pati Hertling says, “With the Dance-A-Thon, we want to activate the idea of fundraising, to not just ask people to give money, but also to have a party where everybody can be present and celebrate together.”
The 12-Hour Dance-A-Thon begins at 12pm and continues through 12am, December 8 at Performance Space New York (150 1st Avenue, 4th Floor). $20 Early Bird tickets and $122 Benefactor. Get Tickets.
Voss Events Drag Brunch
Sunday, December 8
Unleash your inner diva at our world famous Drag Brunch with wild performances by NYC’s top female impersonators and special guests from the hit television series RuPaul’s Drag Race.
Seating begins one one hour prior to showtime.
The Christmas Carol: A Queer Fantasia
Ongoing | Wednesday, December 4 – Sunday, December 22
From the award-winning team behind the sell-out successes, Ladies in Waiting: The Judgement of Henry VIII and meg jo beth amy & louisa, comes their latest production: The Christmas Carol: A Queer Fantasia, a new fab take on Charles Dickens’ Christmas classic! This will be its world premiere this holiday season! As we know, Ebenezer Scrooge is the literal worst. And it’s going to take some serious fabulosity to turn this ChristMESS into a ChristYAS. Can three otherworldly specters show this humbug the true meaning of Christmas?
The iconic Dickens Ghost Story of Christmas gets turned on its head in this inclusive, timely adaptation of the classic that explores what it means to walk among your fellow humans regardless of how they look and who they love. In an ever-growing social narrative of how people of privilege and wealth need to do more than privately say they support the downtrodden, Tier5 highlights the lesson that you need to put your actions, and your money, where your mouth is. It isn’t just enough to say you support someone, you need to walk amongst them instead of passively watching the world change around you.
As Canfield puts, “Christmas Carol has always been one of my all-time favorite stories, it was a tradition in my family to go see the stage version of it every holiday season. We watched The Muppet Christmas Carol religiously every December. I wanted to write a new twist on the tale that was a bit more inclusive, one that I could actually see myself in, as a queer-identifying man. More than that, I wanted to write something that allowed others to see themselves in a narrative that previously felt quite antiquated.”
“There’s also something really special about the story in that it allows people of all financial statures to be looked at as human,” says Canfield. “I wanted to expand on that. Yes, financial status and class, but also sexuality, race, gender, ability, etc: all of these people are real, important, beautiful humans regardless of any of the aforementioned attributes, and it’s the responsibility of those with privilege to be there for those who have been disenfranchised when they reach out for a helping hand.”
“Sometimes I feel like theatre lacks joy. We focus on too much of the drama that we forget that we can still make an important, powerful statement AND have a really good effing time too. I wanted people to feel moved, to feel more human, but also walk away uplifted.”
Equity Approved Showcase
Tickets & Performance Schedule
The Christmas Carol: A Queer Fantasia will run from December 4th – 22nd at 8 PM, Wednesday – Saturday, 2 PM on Sundays, with a special 2 PM matinee on Thursday, December 19th. Tickets are $25, with special discounts for students and veterans, and available at accesstheater.com.
Der Freischütz
Ongoing | Wednesday, December 4 – Sunday, December 15
Heartbeat presents a new, immersive staging of a twisted fairy tale about a deal with the devil and seven bullets that cannot miss their mark. With the band at center stage and the audience surrounding the playing space, the production features a cast of stellar singers and Heartbeat’s signature rearrangement of Weber’s Romantic score.
Estimated run time: 100 minutes
This production will feature gun shots.
Creative Team
Conceived, adapted and directed by Louisa Proske
Co-directed by Chloe Treat
Newly arranged and music directed by Daniel Schlosberg
New English dialogues by Michaël Attias and Louisa Proske
Scenic design by Sara Brown
Costume design by Beth Goldenberg
Lighting design by Oliver Wason
Sound design by Will Gardiner
Props designed by Corinne Gologursky
Cast: Derrell Acon (Caspar), Samarie Alicea (Ännchen), Casey Candebat (Max), Rubin Casas (Hermit), Jessica Faselt (Agathe), Nicole Haslett (Ännchen), Daniel Klein (Caspar), Ian Koziara (Max), Quentin Lee (Kilian/ Ottokar), and more still to be announced
Sibyl McCormac Groff’s Christmas Tours
Ongoing | Wednesday, December 4 – Saturday, December 28
Hohoho! Light up the Christmas spirit by joining the legendary Lady in Red. Carrying a candy cane and dressed like a Christmas tree, The New York Times reports that this “elf’s tours are whimsical and informative, part personality, part history.”
Topics include the history and the multi-faceted importance of of the Rockefeller Center Christmas trees, decorations, festivities together with learning about the importance of Rockefeller Center, the most important urban complex of the 20th century made for commerce but created with art. Be dazzled about the role of New York’s commercial stores, the printed word, the family, charity and transportation in making Christmas the most popular holiday by the end of the 19th Century. You will be electrified by the lights not only at Rock Center but also the vibrant sound and light show across the street at Saks Fifth Avenue and on Fifth Avenue.
Sibyl McCormac Groff — a.k.a. Queen Santa, The Lady in Red and The Spirited New Yorker — legendary cultural historian and tour guide of Rockefeller Center for NBC. She is an experienced and highly acclaimed licensed New York City tour guide whose expertise includes the architecture, artwork and history of Rockefeller Center, midtown Manhattan and New York City.
Sibyl coined the expression “Gothamtide” to describe the secular and universal holiday traditions that have historically been associated with New York City. She leads Christmas holiday walking tours from Thanksgiving through New Year’s Eve.
Werk Out
Ongoing | Thursday, December 5 – Thursday, December 19
Werk Out is a new fitness experience led by a Drag Queen and a fabulous fitness guru. However, it’s much more than just a fitness class, it is a hilarious event that is designed to be a destination for the night. A Drag Queen will serve as the host for the experience curating a light, comedic atmosphere while working with a fitness guru to create an outrageous routine that that embrace queer identity and body positivity.
Leading with inclusivity, Werk Out opens the fitness world up to every identity along the rainbow spectrum and does so with a healthy dose of humor. Each month, we will curate a new musical themes of high-energy, high-octane pump-up songs. Think of it as Jazzercise, but with drag queens! Our Drag Queen is Brita Filter and Queer Fitness Instructor AJ Blankenship. We’re working with comedians Hilton Dresden and Marty Miller.
Naked Friends / FCGN by GO NAKED
Ongoing | Thursday, December 5 – Friday, December 6
NAKED FRIENDS
BUBBLEGUM SLEAZE by MUST
I like the difference Lord knows I needed change A total getaway From that opaque head state To run down the avenue Naked with my friends
F * C K C L O T H E S G O N A K E D
Who: 21+, predominantly cis men, we welcome ALL BODIES – young folx, gay folx, bi folx, straight folx, folx of color, folx of all body types, all languages, all abilities – there is no room for discrimination here.
Cover: $10 presale, $15 door, $20 after 12:00am
What: All nude, social event, intended to make friends in a social environment. 8:00pm-1:00am bar remains open and nude until 4:00am. Free Mandatory clothes check, ID required for entry.
Guests: Please invite guests willing to get naked, contribute a social environment, party responsibly, respect boundaries and celebrate all bodies.
XO,
Go Naked
HUNG With Care: A Queer Holiday Burlesque Spectacular
Ongoing | Friday, December 6 – Saturday, December 7
Kick off the holiday season with Big Gay Hudson Valley’s beloved yuletide tradition – HUNG With Care – It’s our first time in Brooklyn, and after seven years of producing the show Upstate, we’re excited to share our queer burlesque spectacular with you!
? On the first day of Xmas my true love gave to me, a brand new glittered pasty ?
This and eleven other gifts will be loaded up for a scintillating sleigh ride of twisted holiday tunes and yuletide performances featuring burlesque, circus and more!
Gather your nearest & dearest for a festive & feisty Season’s Greeting at 3 Dollar Bill on Friday, December 6th or Saturday, December 7th!.
HUNG With Care contains adult themes and attendees must be 21+.
Meet the Cast
Shelly Watson, the rambunctious NYC nightlife legend called “over the top and of considerable charm” by the New York Times, returns as the evening’s emcee.
Jack Barrow – making his debut appearance at HUNG With Care – is a little bit Liza, a whole lot of Freddy Mercury and will keep your yule log burning bright all night long.
Pearls Daily (Miss Coney Island 2019, Minky Woodcock in “The Girl Who Handcuffed Houdini”) blends classic mystique, vintage glamour and a background in professional dance into an intoxicating cocktail that’ll have you begging for more.
Topher Bousquet, the bendiest boy of burlesque!
GoGo Gadget‘s total package of comedic storytelling, modern dance and an endless supply of pasties make for a stage performer you won’t be able to take your eyes off of.
Ravenessa – another first-time cast member – exudes sensual soul from her favorite musical inspirations: jazz, blues, rock, bop and psychedelic funk. Her nickname? “The witty titty from the big city”.
Cirque Mechanics’ 42 FT
Ongoing | Friday, December 6 – Sunday, January 5
Behold! A man so strong he juggles trees! An acrobat so light she floats on air! With a brilliant blur of sequined stilts, feathered frocks and flashing circus stripes, the endlessly inventive Cirque Mechanics upends expectations in a dizzying, dazzling array of acts. Bright with light, laughter and good cheer, this stunning spectacle is a high-flying hit for the holidays!
42FT – A MENAGERIE OF MECHANICAL MARVELS has a running time of 1 hour and 45 minutes including one intermission.
LGBT Winter Ball
Ongoing | Friday, December 6 – Saturday, December 7
Join the LGBT Network as we commemorate World AIDS Day at Winter Ball 2019! Winter Ball is a fundraising event for LGBT Network’s lifesaving HIV/STD services, complete with an evening of dancing (courtesy of an exclusive set by DJ Hannah Lou), philanthropy, and fun as we work to #EndTheEpidemic. This year, we are honoring Dr. Kelly Bay for her innovative leadership in the HIV field and her commitment to the LGBT Network’s critical HIV/STD services for Queens and Long Island.
theSkimm Celebrate Smarter Shop
Ongoing | Friday, November 29 – Tuesday, December 24
theSkimm, the membership company dedicated to helping millennial women live smarter, announced today the launch of its Celebrate Smarter Shop, a curated retail experience designed to streamline holiday shopping. The e-commerce site is live today, and a physical pop-up shop in the Flatiron neighborhood of Manhattan will open on November 29 (Black Friday) and run through December 24.
The Celebrate Smarter Shop presents a highly-curated collection of products (largely direct-to consumer, and ranging in price from $8-$399) to solve the holiday gifting, hosting, travel and wellness needs of the millennial woman on the go. The shop features apparel from ADAY and Primary; plants and planters from The Sill; skincare from Ursa Major, Wander Beauty and Paradox; accessories from Nisolo, Artemis Designs and State Bags; nail colors from Fluide; candles from Otherland; cookware from Material; and fitness gear from Amanda Kloots.
For a company founded on the concept of “time well spent,” first-party data showing that the average Skimm’r spends 20 hours prepping for the holiday season presented a very clear challenge: Skimm the holiday routine. Using the same “live smarter” lens that drives all of theSkimm’s offerings, products in the Celebrate Smarter Shop are selected by prioritizing the things that matter most to theSkimm’s audience — from price point and brand discovery to product categories and factors like sustainability and social consciousness.
909 Broadway, NYC
Implicit Tensions: Mapplethorpe Now
Ongoing through January 5, 2020
Implicit Tensions: Mapplethorpe Now will show the groundbreaking work of gay photographer Robert Mapplethorpe. The prolific artist captured the images of famous folks like his friend Patti Smith, as well as striking self-portraits and images of the S&M scene that drew controversy during Mapplethorpe’s lifetime. This exhibition will also showcase artists who succeeded Robert Mapplethorpe, portraying self and/or the body with similar frankness and beauty. These artists will include Rotimi Fani-Kayode, Lyle Ashton Harris, Glenn Ligon, Catherine Opie, and Paul Mpagi Sepuya.
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Last modified: December 5, 2019
