The Turtle Creek Chorale
Check out these queer-tastic DFW events to make your holiday spirits bright
RICH LOPEZ | Staff Writer
Rich@DallasVoice.com
The holiday season is legit upon us, and DFW isn’t short on a full festive month of events. This year, though, just feels a bit gayer than most. We got drag queens, musicals, chorales and even some burlesque all heading our way with that bit of extra dazzle.
Make a list of these queer events and check it twice to play your big gay holiday season.
Through Dec. 29: Camp Christmas
This fully immersive art installation brings everything you love about the holiday season to the Annette Strauss Square at the ATT Performing Arts Center.
Conceived by the fabulous Camp Director Lonnie Hanzon and his band of merry magic makers, this dreamscape will touch all your senses with its lighted displays, nostalgic sounds and scenes and cocktails and snacks at its Base Camp and Fairy Bar. ATTPAC.org.
You can go on your own or try one of its Drag Camp Christmas tours. Book a queen-led tour on Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 7:45 p.m., 8:15 p.m. or 9 p.m. with Raquel Blake, Kylee O’Hara or Cassie Nova for a whole different type of experience. ATTPAC.org/event/Drag-Winter-Wonderland.
Dec. 2: Cassie’s Freakmas Onesie Party
This isn’t just any holiday party; it’s Cassie Nova’s annual Freakmas Onesie Party. And it’s going bigger and bawdier, all for a good cause.
The event supports the Personalized Learning Preparatory at Sam Houston Elementary Secret Santa Program, helping make the holidays brighter for local children in need.
JR.’s Bar and Grill will be transformed into a winter wonderland for the party, which starts at 9 p.m. and will feature seasonal cocktails, raffle prizes, live DJ, holiday photo booth and more.
Don your gay onesie apparel and get your holiday freak on.
Facebook.com/JrsDallas.
Dec. 5-17: Wonder: Turtle Creek Chorale Holiday Tour
The Turtle Creek Chorale is taking its holiday concerts ‘on the road’ across DFW this year. With four performances around town, the annual holiday concert tradition will be a journey back in time to rediscover the wonder of childhood Christmases.
Concert stops include Lovers Lane United Methodist Church on Thursday, Dec. 5; Meyerson Symphony Center on Tuesday, Dec. 10; Broadway Baptist Church in Fort Worth on Friday, Dec. 13, and First United Methodist Church Richardson on Tuesday, Dec. 17. All shows begin at 7:30 p.m.TurtleCreekChorale.com.
Dec. 5-29: The Beulaville Baptist Book Club Presents: A Bur-Less-Q Nutcracker by MBS Productions
The women of the Beulaville Baptist Book Club are in dire straits financially, and to save their book club, they decide on a fundraising performance of Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker. Only the ballet dancers get food poisoning so the ladies hire the Velvet Kittens Burlesque Dancers.
How would they know what “bur-les-Q” means?
Catch this original and comical annual production by queer playwright and director Mark-Brian Sonna. MBSProductions.info.
Dec. 6-15: A Queer Carol by Uptown Players
Uptown Players presents the regional premiere of this LGBTQ adaptation of the Charles Dickens’ classic. Written by Joe Godfrey, this retelling serves up the downward spiralling lives of Ben Scrooge and Jake Marley, who were partners in life as well as in their interior design business. UptownPlayers.org.
Dec. 7: The Teddy Bear Party
This philanthro-party is the largest queer holiday charitable event, clocking in more than 700 attendees and a slew of sponsors often with headlining DJs and performers.
Every year, the party hosts this annual drive to donate new stuffed bears to Cook Children’s. Led by husbands Jason Hanna and Joe Riggs, this year’s holiday dance party will be headlined by DJs Eric Vilar and DJ Feeling filling up the Echo Lounge and Music Hall with beats while guests dance, sip and donate the night away. TeddyBearParty.org.
Dec. 10: David Archuleta’s A Festive Evening
Gay pop singer and former Mormon David Archuleta brings timeless holiday classics and fan favorites to the historic Arlington Music Hall for a night of comfort and joy. ArlingtonMusicHall.org.
Dec. 17: Christmas Actually by Emerson Collins and Blake McIver
How fun that Uptown Players added this cabaret show to its December! Christmas Actually is a special one-night event not included in the regular season subscription and features the dynamic duo of Blake McIver and Emerson Collins, known for their hit showtunes cabaret I Dreamed a Dreamgirl. The two will bring their fabulous flair (and hair), fun banter and season’s greetings to this new show at the Kalita Humphreys Theater. UptownPlayers.org.
Dec. 21: Oak Lawn Band presents Pride & Joy: A Festive Concert!
Enjoy a variety of holiday cheer from Oak Lawn Band’s jazz band, color guard, select chamber groups and the full ensemble. Don all that gay apparel to jingle your bells for a evening of music, fellowship and celebration at the Latino Cultural Center. OakLawnBand.org.
Dec. 21 and 22: Pentatonix’s Hallelujah! It’s a Christmas Tour
Our favorite queer hometown Grammy-winning acapella group returns to North Texas to bring their distinct holiday sounds to both Fort Worth and Dallas. Penatonix will headline Dickies Arena in Fort Worth on Dec. 21 and then head over to American Airlines Center on Dec. 22. Ticketmaster.com.