Out in Toronto: May 28–June 3, 2015

Choice events in the city this week


Clubbin

Cub Camp: Rat Tail Party

So many style nightmares have returned — why not the rat tail? In what will be either a hilarious spoof or the harbinger of the next disgusting trend, this party celebrates all things rat tail. DJ Scooter McCreight spins to get folks dancing. Those sporting fake rat tails get reduced cover; Those with real rat tails — as in, they actually and inexplicably have their hair styled this way — get in free.

Friday, May 29, 11pm. The Beaver, 1192 Queen St W. facebook.com/cubcamp

Bad Tuck: Your Haircut Makes You Look Like a *Censored*

The most ravishing reptile in all the realm, Igby Lizzard, has somehow avoided the hangman’s noose for yet another year. This celebration of the glorious gargoyle’s birthday includes DJs Aeryn Pfaff and Boy Pussy spinning and Judy Virago hosting a highly-censorable show, featuring performances from Fay Slift, Nancy Bocock and Allysin Chaynes. No cover for those in Igby-style drag.

Saturday, May 30, 10pm. The Beaver, 1192 Queen St W. thebeavertoronto.com

Community

Inspire Awards

Every year, the Inspire Awards honour individuals, businesses and organizations who’ve done great work in the community. In addition to the awards ceremony, cocktail reception and dancing in the garden, Inspire Award recipients Fallow Fox, Mark Tewksbury and Kinnon MacKinnon give a special tribute to queer people in sports.

Friday, May 29, 6pm. Hart House, 7 Hart House Circle. inspireawards.ca

Comedy

I Just Want to Say This About That

Maggie Cassella assures us that this event probably won’t suck, and you really can’t go wrong with a guarantee like that. She does a bit of stand-up comedy and then reads the first couple of chapters of the book she’s writing, I Just Want to Say This About That (something she says a lot), which is a mix of short stories and “rantitations.” Tickets must be purchased in advance.

 

Thursday, May 28, 7:30pm. Caffino Ristorante, 1185 King St W. maggiecassella.com

Theatre

Shove it Down My Throat

In 2013, Luke O’Donovan got in a fight with five men at a New Year’s Eve party in Atlanta, Georgia. He was the only one charged and received a 10-year prison sentence. Was he protecting himself against gaybashers, or did he deserve what he got? This one-night-only performance of Johnnie Walker’s new play includes Tawiah Ben-Eben M’Carthy, Justin Goodhand, Andy Trithardt, Alex Plouffe and Justin Miller.

Thursday, May 28, 8pm. Videofag, 187 Augusta Ave. videofag.com

For more event listings, visit dailyxtra.com/lgbt-events

Jeremy Willard is a Toronto-based freelance writer and editor. He's written for Fab Magazine, Daily Xtra and the Torontoist. He generally writes about the arts, local news and queer history (in History Boys, the Daily Xtra column that he shares with Michael Lyons).

Keep Reading

Jimmy Heagarty

‘Big Brother 27’ star Jimmy Heagerty is making for great TV. It could be even better with more queer people

By very virtue of their sexuality, queer houseguests cannot have the same experience as their straight competitors

‘RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars 10’ delivers a wildly entertaining finale—after a waste-of-time semifinals

It’s hard to figure out just what producers were thinking with this merge format
Andrea Gibson, left, and Megan Falley, the subjects of the film "Come See Me in the Good Light," pose for a portrait during the Sundance Film Festival on Saturday, Jan. 25, 2025, in Park City, Utah.

Andrea Gibson helped me see life in the good light

Gibson’s poetry about queerness and mortality taught thousands of people how to reject apathy and embrace life
Collage of greyscale photos of a sofa, chair, shelf and the lower bodies of two people, against a purple and pink background

We need queer gathering spaces more than ever

The 11-part series “Taking Space” explores where we go next as the lights of gay bars dim