GayCo Announces its 20th Anniversary Show at Second City
When they began, they couldn't get married, serve openly in the military, adopt, or have federally recognized unions thanks to the brand new Defense of Marriage Act. Matthew Shepard was still alive. AIDs was still a serious threat. Ellen was in the closet and Will & Grace was two years away.
GayCo Productions, Chicago's first and longest-running gay sketch comedy ensemble, was founded 20 years ago, in 1996, as part of The Second City's Outreach & Diversity arm. This was back when being out, gay and funny on stage was nothing short of a revolutionary act. They were bold and proud when the world wasn't ready for them, and ever since have continued to create boundary-pushing comedy and foster up-and-coming LGBTQ talent.
On Oct. 15th at 10:30pm, GayCo Productions returns home to The Second City at the UP Comedy Club for its 20th Anniversary extravaganza GAYCO XX: GAY FOR PLAY.
GAYCO XX: GAY FOR PLAY is a one-night-only even that will feature GayCo luminaries from past and present performing the best scenes, songs, tributes and memories from GayCo's two decades of game-changing LGBTQ sketch comedy.
GayCo has produced dozens of revues in its first 20 years, including the smash hit shows Weddings of Mass Destruction, Everything's Coming Up Rosie, The Audacity of Nope and its debut Whitney Houston, We Have a Problem.
GAYCO XX: GAY FOR PLAY will feature a slew of GayCo alumni, including Andy Eninger, Butch Jerinic, Homer Marrs, John Loos, Mandy Price, Robin Treviño Clay Goodpasture, Kathy Betts, Martin Garcia (Black-ish, The Mindy Project), Jim Bennett (LAMDA Legal, Chicago Gay Hall of Fame member) and Celeste Pechous (Hot in Cleveland, Workaholics, Stranger Than Fiction). It will be hosted by queer comedy docent Clay Goodpasture.
Other notable alumni over the years include Jon Bonny (Arrested Development), Jeff Richmond (30 Rock producer and husband of Tina Fey) and the late Judy Fabjance, who was GayCo's longest serving ensemble member and a GayCo founder, who recently passed away after a fight with cancer. A special tribute to Fabjance will also be featured in the program.
GAYCO XX: GAY FOR PLAY happens Oct. 15th at 7:30pm in Second City's UP Coming Club (230 W. North Ave) in Chicago. Tickets are available at gayco.com.
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