Photo Flash: First Look at Production Photos from Chicago Premiere of THE NANCE

The waning days of burlesque in New York City are the setting for Douglas Carter Beane's Tony Award-nominated The Nance, which will open to the press on Thursday, July 6 at The Broadway, Pride Arts CenteR. Beane's play tells the backstage story of a gay performer, Chauncey Miles, whose role in the burlesque show was to brazenly exploit gay stereotypes of the time in a most suggestive manner.

Chauncey's uproarious antics on the stage at a time when it was easy to play gay on stage stand in marked contrast to his offstage life, where the "gay lifestyle" had to be lived clandestinely. The New York Times called The Nance "A heartfelt new play set in the twilight of burlesque." It ran on Broadway in 2013 starring Nathan Lane as Chauncey Miles and was nominated for five Tony Awards, winning two.

Pride Films and Plays Artistic Associate John Nasca is director and costume designer for The Nance. Nasca - winner of Jeff awards the past two years for his costumes forDesign for Living and Priscilla: Queen of the Desert - has re-created the looks of burlesque and the 1930's New York City. Robert Ollis is musical director.

Here's a look at the production by Pride Films and Plays.

All photos by Paul Goyette