5 thriving theater cities that rival NYC

Last month, the New York theater scene lost a legend when Patti LuPone resigned from Actors Equity. The longtime gay icon, whose revival of Company closed over the summer, withdrew from the union citing her frustration with the decline of audience etiquette, specifically over the use of cell phones during performances. LuPone’s highly visible departure from the Great White Way, combined with a noticeable post-pandemic decrease in attendance (86% capacity versus 91% in 2019), signifies a noticeable decline in one of New York’s most unique industries. So if ‘Momma Rose’ LuPone is setting her gaze beyond the prosceniums of Broadway, perhaps gay audiences should use this as an opportunity to explore productions outside of the Big Apple. To help illuminate your theatrical options, we’re shining a spotlight on other major US cities that are currently mounting stellar productions.

Ashland, Oregon

This modest Oregon town of approximately 20,000 inhabitants is arguably best known for the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. Founded in 1935 by artistic director Angus L Bowmer, OSF offers live performances 6 days a week across multiple venues between April and October. And don’t let the name fools you. This festival juxtaposes classical and contemporary productions ranging from Shakespeare’s The Tempest and King John to August Wilson’s How I Learned What I Learned, satisfying a wide palate of audience appetites.

The 2023 season will alternate between the Bard’s iconic Romeo and Juliet and Jonathan Larson’s queer fan favorite Rent. For all the musical theater neophytes, Rent is a 90s-era adaptation of Pucci’s La Boheme that featured a diverse dramtis personae dealing with the pre-PrEP HIV/AIDS epidemic. This theme is exemplified by the character Angel, a lovable Latinx street performer that has been presented as both a drag queen and/or a trans woman with they/them pronouns, depending on the specific production.

For an energy boost before the afternoon matinee, pop into Ashland’s Morning Glory cafe for one of their signature muffins and a generously-sized cup of coffee. And for some post-show shopping, dip into the Rennaissance Rose costume shop to assemble an early Burning Man ensemble of rainbow tutus and steampunk Venetian masks.

Boston

The Theater Offensive staff and artists at Fenway Park.

As the cultural center of New England, the Boston area is notable for its esteemed educational institutions such as Northeastern University, Tufts, and MIT. This respect for learning extends to its coveted audition-only acting BFA programs, such as those offered at Emerson and Boston University, which produce a number of actors whose talent rivals that of their New York counterparts. So it’s no surprise that Boston audiences can confidently indulge in quality theater.

For mainstream productions, head over to Harvard’s American Repertory Theater, where the Olivier Award-winning Life of Pi made its North American debut. And for theater-goers looking to embrace Boston’s LGBTQ+ community, the Theater Offensive cultivates projects from queer and trans artists of color. Over the summer, Theater Offensive mounted Amm(I)gone, a performance art production created by and starring Adil Mansoor that explores the cross-section between Islam and queerness.

With the holidays right around the corner, Boston gays can find solace from the onslaught of seasonal schlock with The Slutcracker: A Burlesque at the Somerville Theater. This adult reimagining of Tchaikovsky’s classic ballet ensures a sexy, child-free evening. ‘Tis the season to actively avoid family-centric shmaltz whenever possible.

Chicago

The Magnolia Ballet at the About Face Theatre.

The Windy City is arguably best known for its comedy institutions like ImprovOlympic, which “yes, and-ed” the world of comedy gay fan favorites such as Amy Sedaris, Amy Poehler, and Tina Fey, to name a few. For those who don’t know, improvisation is a comedy genre where actors create unscripted scenes off the tops of their heads. In untalented hands, this type of theater can be torturous to watch. Fortunately, IO boasts a stable of experienced improvisers, audiences can expect a night of solid laughs. After briefly shuttering last year due to pandemic-related finance issues, ImprovOlympic has reopened its doors and offers a slate of new queer-friendly comedy shows, such as the musical parody Sex and the Windy City.

For more overtly LGBTQ+ productions, check out About Face Theatre, one of the nation’s leading performance troupes cultivating queer storytelling. Since 1995, AFT has fostered queer voices, most notably in helping Moises Kaufman and Doug Wright develop the Pulitzer and Tony Award-winning I AM My Own Wife. Upcoming shows include Mosque4Mosque, about a gay Arab-American Muslim looking for love, and Gender Play, or What You Will, a gender-bent take on the Shakespearean comedy. When it comes to queer comedy, whether classical or improvised, Chicago’s got you covered.

Los Angeles

Backstage before a performance of The Inheritance.

Every pilot season, droves of actors pour into the City of Angels in hopes of breaking into the entertainment industry. While its primary focus is on TV and film, Los Angeles also features a plethora of quality theaters producing stellar plays. The hottest ticket at the moment is The Inheritance at the Geffen Theater. Presented in two parts over the course of six hours, this intergenerational story explores gay love in the generation following the AIDS epidemic and posits what debt we owe our queer forefathers. The Telegraph deemed it “perhaps the most important American play of this century.” It should be required viewing for Daddy Boomers and Gen Z gaybies alike.

For further quality theater options, Uber downtown for a show at the Los Angeles Music Center, which houses four distinct performance venues. Opera queens can enjoy the current production of Tosca at The Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, while those with more symphonic tastes can listen to the LA Philharmonic at the Disney Concert Hall. For the less musically inclined, The Mark Taper Forum is staging the West Coast premiere of Lynn Nottage’s Clyde’s and The Ahmanson Theater is presenting 2:22- A Ghost Story starring American Horror Story alum Finn Wittrock. The beauty of the arts in DTLA is that you are within walking distance of the gay rock and roll bar Precinct, so you can slam down a post-theater bevy.

San Francisco

GODDESS at Berkley Rep.

60 years later, the hippie spirit is still tightly woven into the culture of San Francisco, so the subject of Bay Area theater may conjure images of avant-garde productions, like those of the acid-fueled genderbending performance troupe The Cockettes. But SF can deftly handle serious theater as well, as evidenced by the current adaptation of Emily Brönte’s Wuthering Heights at the Berkley Repertory Theatre. Founded in 1968 as the East Bay’s first professional residential theater, this institution prides itself on its commitment to fighting racism and fostering diversity. These values will be prominently displayed next season when they mount Cambodian Rock Band, a darkly comic musical about a Khmer Rouge survivor featuring a live band playing songs from Dengue Fever.

After the show, head down to SoMa for a drink at The Eagle. You can be sure their leather-clad bartenders will pour you a stronger cocktail than anything you can get in Times Square after a Broadway show.

RELATED: From burlesque to Broadway, San Francisco’s queer theater scene has it all

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