If you were alive and sentient during the Stonewall Uprising that some don’t remember Pride Day/Month commemorates, you will likely know the story arc from one of the earliest scenes when Pharus has his first talk with the seemingly closeted Head Master (La Shawn Banks).
Though we can see the train wreck ahead, from moment to moment we mainly feel the joy and high spirits of youth. These kids can sing! These kids can dance! From mournful renditions of spirituals, to high steppin’ choreography as comraderie, and musical genres beyond and in between, we go the gamut of emotions through their songs and dance. If you don’t hear their high notes (and baritone low notes) as a call-and-response summons, do know that many sitting around you will. These performers are charisma-powered, in this writer’s opinion.
Steppenwolf Theatre Times CHOIR BOY as a Pride Month Capstone
Though you, unlike this writer, won’t be making your way to the theater through the Pride Day parade crowd, you too might see this not so much as a Gay Coming-of-Age story as OUR Coming-Of-Age story. True, recent events suggest that Gay Marriage might be next on the Supreme Court chopping block. But it’s the audience erupting into louder cheers for actor Sheldon D. Brown who plays the good-straight-guy-who-won’t-brook-homophobia hero — that seems to say We’ve Come a Long Way Baby.
