About Face Theatre

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About Face Theatre

About Face Theatre advances LGBTQ+ equity through community building, education, and performance.

08/24/2026

And just like that… we are less than $700 away from our summer fundraising goal! Big gratitude to everyone who has donated so far, and an enormous thank you to Stonewall Sports Chicago for their very generous donation to About Face at last week’s Give Back Bash, hosted by Roscoe's Tavern.

We’re looking for a few more community members to help us cross the $30K threshold this week. It’s also your last week to become an About Face Futurist (monthly donor) and receive your season tickets along other great perks. Stay tuned this week for more info about this epic upcoming season.

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08/20/2026

One more clip of Megan Carney’s wonderful conversation with John Parker of The Gaily Show. Here, she shares the premise of Jayne Deely’s i never asked for a gofundme. We can’t wait to bring this hilarious and poignant brand-new play to life!

Want to hear the full interview? Check out the link in our bio. You can also hear more of The Gaily Show right here in Chicago on Heartland Signal 820AM every night from 10-11pm.

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08/19/2026

Did you catch the Q***r Youth Ensemble’s performance of Vantage Point during Re/Generation Studios? If so, worry not! You can enjoy this zine our QYE created to accompany the show. You’ll also find some quotes about the ensemble members’ experiences working together. We are so thrilled that our youth ensemble is back up and running and grateful that we get to collaborate with the next generation of artists and leaders. ***ryouth ***rcommunity

08/14/2026

Meet Amy and Miles, our summer 2026 S.L.A.Y. Apprentices! (Space for Leaders and Artistic Youth)

The S.L.A.Y Apprenticeship cultivates interest in theatre making! About Face Theatre received a Youth Employment for the Arts grant from the Illinois Arts Council to hire two emerging artists/leaders to work closely on the staff team and learn about the day-to-day operations through meaningful artistic and administrative collaboration.

Two members of the Q***r Youth Ensemble have joined our staff for the summer through a Youth Employment in the Arts Grant. This program is partially supported by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council.

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08/12/2026

Enjoy this beautiful message from AFT Artistic Associate John Francisco about how About Face Theatre shaped his trajectory far beyond Chicago theatre. Our legacy is deeper than our plays — it’s the young people who participate in our education programs, it’s the connections fostered at our community events, and it’s the empowerment that our artists bring with them into their future endeavors. That’s a legacy worth investing in. And a legacy that has inspired John to open three music schools across the US.

We are two-thirds of the way to our summer fundraising goal. Will you help us cross the threshold before the end of the month? Your donation will have a lasting impact for our collaborators and audience members alike.

Want to join our inner-circle community? Become an “About Face Futurist” by making a monthly donation this year. Perks include guaranteed tickets for the season. Join the fam, donate at the link in bio. 💜

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08/10/2026

Hear from AFT Artistic Director Megan Carney about the unique history of A Strange Loop and our upcoming co-production with Raven Theatre. Thanks again to The Gaily Show and John Parker for inviting us to share more about our upcoming season.

Who’s excited for the Chicago premiere of this “big black-and-q***r-ass American broadway show”? A Strange Loop opens at Raven Theatre this October!

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08/03/2026

Check out this clip of our fearless leader, Megan Carney, featured on The Gaily Show podcast. Here, Megan talks about the reasons q***r people are drawn to theatre and the power of seeing yourself reflected onstage. Keep your eyes peeled for the full podcast interview, coming soon! Thanks to host John Parker and The Gaily Show for inviting us to share more about our upcoming season!
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07/24/2026

Congrats to our Artistic Associates on the incredible work they did this season! Join us in celebrating our AFT fam who received Jeff nominations this week! Mikael Burke was nominated for Best Director - Midsize Play for Raven Theatre Company’s Oak. Alex Weisman was in the nominated Best Ensemble of Chicago Shakespeare Theater’s The Merry Wives of Windsor. And finally, Keira Fromm is the uncontested nominee (let’s just go ahead and call her the WINNER) of Best Director - Midsize Musical for Raven’s Octet.

We are so proud of these amazing accomplishments and look forward to deepening the AFT/Raven crossover with our upcoming co-production of A Strange Loop!

Octet is still running at Goodman Theatre through August 2. If you haven’t caught this one-of-a-kind musical yet, get downtown this next week! Congrats again to our Artistic Associates and the entire teams of Octet, Oak, and Merry Wives. 💜

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07/22/2026

Learn about Life Out Loud: Voices of Pride from writer/director Dionne Addai!

We interviewed Dionne to get to know more about the creative process that birthed this interactive piece, how the show has adapted to various circumstances, and what’s possible for the future of Life Out Loud!
 We’re so proud to continue touring this engaging, transformative community building experience! ***rtheatre ***rness

07/20/2026

Take a tour through some of the fabulous pieces of LGBTQ+ theatre that were born right here at About Face Theatre. Then share your favorite memory of a new play you discovered at AFT. There are more than what we’ve listed!

Slide 1: Janet Ulrich Brooks and Kelli Simpkins in Pony (2011)
Slide 2: Delia Kropp and Scott Duff in I Am My Own Wife (2016); Jefferson Mays in I Am My Own Wife (2003)
Slide 3: Kristina Valada-Viars, Jessica Hudson, and Kelli Simpkins in Pony (2011); Ian-Meredythe Lindsey and Michela Micalizio in Portland Theater Festival’s production of Pony (2022); Pulp by Patricia Kane at Island City Stage in Wilton Manors, FL (2024)
Slide 4: Advertisement for Pulp by Patricia Kane at Cleveland Public Theatre (2007); Pulp world premiere (2004)
Slide 5: Giovanni’s Room at Quintessence Theatre
Slide 6: Will Wilhelm in Gender Play, or what you Will (2023); Gender Play produced by Indianapolis Shakespeare Company (2025) and Shakespeare by the Sea in St. Johns, Newfoundland (2026)

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Address

About Face Offices, 1922 W Irving Park Road
Chicago, IL
60613

Telephone

(773) 784-8565

Website

http://aboutfacetheatre.com/

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