How to Get Out There

Imagine you're sixteen years old again, and decide that this is the night you're going to tell your parents over taco salad just how much you like getting naked with the ladies. Awkward, right? Heterosexuals almost never have that conversation — but every out and proud homosexual has had to tell their parents about their sexual preference to get where they are today. Charis, the St. Louis Women's Chorus, celebrates the fear, awkwardness and humor of the coming-out experience in its new program, Coming Out Stories. Interspersed with the songs, which include "Natural Woman," "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" and "If You Were Gay" from Avenue Q, are essays and performances by the members of Growing American Youth, who share their own recent experiences with coming out. Performances are at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday (May 1 and 2) at the Missouri History Museum (Lindell Boulevard and DeBaliviere Avenue; 314-664-9340 or www.charischorus.org). Tickets are $15 to $20.
Fri., May 1; Sat., May 2, 2009