Celebrate Our Relationships at "Our Anniversary Ball"

A “Glee” style, cabaret show choir and one of the city’s hottest concert-jazz dance companies highlight the bill for a unique benefit honoring gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgendered and straight relationships.

The black-tie-optional fundraiser, called “Our Anniversary Ball,” will be Friday, May 7, 2010, in the Hotel Allegro’s grand ballroom, 171 W. Randolph in Chicago, at 6:30 p.m.

Among the live performers are Chicago’s premiere show choir, The Chicago Red Line, and the Joel Hall Dancers, a jazz-dance company that has toured worldwide. Other performers include retro-80’s, cabaret artist Melissa Young, local and nationally-touring musical theater professionals and even a puppeteer who recently received his bachelors in the craft from the University of Connecticut.

“Many GLBT couples simply don’t celebrate their anniversaries in a grand way, in part because they’re non-traditional and often marginalized--even within the GLBT community where the focus is on the single life,” says Angel Abcede, executive director for the Chicago-based School Street Arts Movement. “We’re creating a moment to honor what couples in our community have accomplished.”

Premiere packages include two-hour beer-and-wine, appetizers, a cabaret-style performance, dance and inclusion in the evening’s video montage. The initial price is $1,000 per table of 10 to secure the premiere package, 75% of which will be tax deductible. To purchase tickets visit http://ouranniversarychicago.blogspot.com.