Pride Films and Plays Kicks of LezPlay Salon With 'Warming Up'

Join Pride Films & Plays on Friday, June 19 at the Apollo Studio Theater for the first event in their LezPlay Salon Series, "Warming Up," a hilarious evening of lesbian web series screenings hosted by local comedian Shannon Noll.

"We will be screening several web series featuring Chicago actors and filmmakers, including the first season of the Andersonville-based #Hashtag," said organizers. "The evening will also include a conversation with tello Films producers Jessica King and Julie Keck about this brave new world of lesbian and queer representation online. There will be a cash bar at the theatre."

The evening will be hosted by Shannon Noll, a stand up comedian and improvisor. Currently she can be seen performing as a cast member at 100 Proof Comedy (ComedySportz), Good Morning Lakeview (Annoyance Theater), and Skinprov (Annoyance Theater). She also writes for the podcast The Koch Brother's Mystery Show (Cards Against Humanity).

She is graduate of Columbia College Chicago. Past credits include ChiGayGo (Laugh Factory), Impress These Apes (BLEWT Productions), Super Talent Show (iO Theater), Extended Stay (Second City's DeMaat Theater), Floodwater Comedy Festival, Blackout Diaries, Archimedes (iO Theater), and Bella (Playground Theater).

"Warming Up" will feature screenings of series produced by tello Films. Launched in 2007, tello Films produces and distributes innovative, high-quality web series with a lesbian focus. tello believes in telling authentic stories about people whose lives are often ignored or marginalized. To that end, tello creates great new web content that is intelligent but fun, timely but classic, and tasteful yet sexy, a whirlwind of classic ideas from a lesbian perspective.

Under the Pride Films & Plays umbrella, LezPlay is a series of programs and events by, for, and about lesbians and queer women. In an effort to create an eternal following for these female driven works, LezPlay is launching its inaugural season chock full of queer female representation.

Join them for LezFest July 27 at Mary's Attic, LezPlay Weekend September 11-13, and their ongoing LezPlay Salon series. The next salon in the series, "Hot and Humid" will be held on Friday, August 31 and will feature a brand new arrangement of material from the internationally acclaimed lesbian theatre troupe, Split Britches.

About a month down the road from a successful first salon will be their second annual LezFest: A One Night Fling! A celebration in words, songs, music and theater on July 27 at 7 p.m. at Mary's Attic, 5400 North Clark. This year will feature many talents from last year's sold-out show including Lauren Sivak, published storyteller in Story Club Magazine, performance artist Angelica Roque, Ali Hoefnagle, storyteller, actor and Education and Outreach Director for About Face Theatre and Musical guest Florence Nightinjail. We are also very excited to welcome to the LezFest stage, world renowned comedian, storyteller and producer of Brass Chuckles and Tiny Hat Time Tamale Sepp.

"Warming Up" will be held on Friday, June 19 at the Apollo Studio Theater 2540 N. Lincoln Avenue in Chicago. Tickets are $10 and are available at Ticketmaster.com