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Gay Peoples Chronicle

March 1986

Women's Variety Show

from page 1

Elvis and James Brown, also known as the All New Drag King Revue; six-year Variety Show veteran Iris as Dr. Iris Ruth and B-a-a-a-d Sex; the O.W.L.S. or Older Wiser Lesbian Sisters, and the real story behind television's "Golden Girls." I had always wondered about them myself.

The Variety Show offered something for everyone, from sinuous, iron-pumping jockettes to a Dykewear fashion show. The extravaganza was rounded out with several impressive live musical acts and held together by the em cee, Joyce who amused and captivated the audience with her natural wit and charm, even through a few technically difficult moments. In short, the evening was a delightful blend of leather and lace, laughter and lyric. The record-breaking crowd did not go away disappointed. In fact, most of them did not go away at all, as the show was followed by a dance party from which many women had to be swept away by the clean-up crew at 3 a.m.

What was most striking about the Variety Show, how ever, was not the fresh, innovative comedy or superb musical talent, but the spirit and feeling of community that permeated the entire event. Seeing such a

Women-3 Events

This month's regular meeting, March 12 at 7 pm, will be held in the Sunday School Room of the West Shore Unitarian Church, 20401 Hilliard. Donation for the room is 50 cents.

Next month, April 9, will be a dinner meeting at Snickers Restaurant, 1261 West 76th Street. For information call Bobbi, 6313819.

The Winery Tour on Saturday, March 15, will leave Lakewood about noon for a tour of four wineries in North Madison. Deadline for reservations if March 12. Call Barbara, 226-0458, or Bobbi, 631-3819.

Upcoming:

Progressive dinner in the Lakewood area. See the April Chronicle for details.

diverse group, including women of all ages, shapes, colors and talents, come together to create and enjoy a performance was truly moving.,

"We've come a long way since the days when Variety Shows played to audiences of 120 women in church basements," mused one pioneer of the women's community here.

Having witnessed the evolution of the show from the first Oven meeting in which it was discussed to the curtain closing on the final act, I can appreciate the tremendous hard work and cooperation that made it hap pen. Oven Productions and the Cleveland women's community continue to have a mutually supportive and respectful relationship after eleven years. We should all be so lucky. Nothing captured the spirit of the Variety Show as well as its final number, in which the entire cast and crew took the stage and sang, along with the audience, "Women Working Together."

Oven Productions, which Show for 11 years, is à has produced the Variety collective of women dedicated to bringing the finest in women's cultural events to the Cleveland area. For more information about Oven, becoming a member or upcoming events, call 371-9714.

Variety Show

Nostalgia

By JOANNE FRUSTACCI

The first Variety Show, which predates the Oven Productions Collective, was conceived to enliven Cleveland's long dreary winters. The opening act sported a tap dancer wrapped in an American flag singing, "God Bless America," with a kazoo chorus background. Noteworthy acts of yesteryear include the woman who played her teeth, and let's not forget the pet dog tricks.

Send your fondest (or most outrageous) Variety Show memory to G.P.C. for publication month!

Variety Show acts pack The Civic

Photo by Louise Luczak