stage
by brad hart
NETFLIX IS A JOKE FEST Comedy fans, rejoice! Don’t miss this iconic once in a lifetime event, the historic celebration and performance of the best in LGBTQ comedy. Legends, headliners and emerging talent will perform at The Greek Theatre in Griffith Park in Los Angeles for an unforgettable queer stand-up event. Billy Eichner will host this all-star night of entertainment with Bob the Drag Queen, Eddie Izzard, Fortune Feimster, Gina Yashere, Guy Branum, James Adomian, Joel Kim Booster, Judy Gold, Mae Martin, Margaret Cho, Marsha Warfield, Matteo Lane, Patti Harrison, River Butcher, Sam Jay, Sandra Bernhard, Scott Thompson, Solomon Georgio, Tig Notaro, Todd Glass, Trixie Mattel, Wanda Sykes and more. Saturday, May 7 netflixisajokefest.com
THE MUSIC OF ABBA The world’s most successful ABBA tribute band will join Orange County’s Pacific Symphony to perform some of the most iconic songs ever written. From best-selling ABBA hits to uncanny voices and costumes reminiscent of Sweden’s biggest music export, audiences will be whisked away. Songs such as “Dancing Queen,” “Mamma Mia,” “Waterloo,” “S.O.S.,” “Gimme, Gimme, Gimme” and “Take a Chance on Me” will be highlights that will have you dancing in the aisles and singing along. ARRIVAL from Sweden: The Music of Abba was founded by Vicky Zetterberg in 1995 in Gothenburg, Sweden and very soon became one of the world’s most popular and most selling ABBA show bands. Since 1995, the band has toured 70 countries and appeared on TV and radio shows all over the world. Friday and Saturday, May 13 and 14 pacificsymphony.org
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www.rage.lgbt | MAY 2022
IN THE HEIGHTS The acclaimed musical is returning to Southern California and will be performed on the San Diego Musical Theatre stage. In The Heights broke new ground on Broadway in 2008 with its salsa rhythms, Latin pop sounds and rapped lyrics of the show that helped it quickly win national recognition. It was nominated for 13 Tony Awards and won Best Musical, Best Choreography, Best Orchestrations and Best Score, earning creator Lin-Manuel Miranda a place in history as the youngest composer ever to win. Set around Fourth of July celebrations in the primarily Hispanic neighborhood of Washington Heights in New York City, In the Heights tells the universal stories of three generations living in this vibrant community. Their neighborhood is on the brink of change, and the characters sing about their hopes and struggles. These songs tell audiences about the dreams of first-generation college student Nina Rosario; Abuela Claudia, who left Cuba as a child; and Usnavi de la Vega and Daniela, who fight to keep their small businesses open as the neighborhood faces gentrification. Each character negotiates which traditions are important for them to keep and which ones they should leave behind. In the Heights will be directed by a seasoned director, choreographer and producer. Carlos Mendoza spent his early years in Colombia. He has won several awards, particularly the Mary Jane Teal Award for his production of In the Heights at Music Theatre Wichita; San Diego Critics Circle Awards for his productions of In the Heights for the Moonlight Stage; and the Inland Theatre League Award for Choreography for his production at Performance Riverside. “In the Heights is a beautiful and colorful musical featuring the energetic and powerful music of Lin-Manuel Miranda,” Mendoza said. “It centers in Washington Heights, where we meet a vibrant mix of characters. More than any other, this musical teaches us that community and family matter; it reminds us that family is more than blood. Moreover, hoping and dreaming is essential to life. It celebrates love, Hispanic culture, and its impact on our global community.” “At a time when dreams seem out of reach, In the Heights reminds us that with hope, patience, faith, hard work, love and community anything is possible. Through storytelling, song and dance, we celebrate our elders, our barrios and our futures. We celebrate our Latinx heritage and the passing on of stories and traditions across generations,” choreographer Laurie Muñiz said. “As a community, I say to you: Alza la bandera with pride, ganas and lots of amor.” Jill Townsend, artistic director for San Diego Musical Theatre, added: “We are thrilled to authentically tell this beautiful story with a Colombian director, a Mexican choreographer and music director, and a diverse cast from either Puerto Rico, Mexico, Colombia, El Salvador sprinkled with other wonderful ethnicities. With all the current global turmoil, this show reminds us how much our family, and our community, really matters.” Friday, May 6 through Sunday, June 5 sdmt.org
