Concert
Third Wednesday: playOUT! Chicago
Wednesday, June 17 6:00-7:00 pm Register Now
Spilling the Tea is a vibrant chamber music experience presented by playOUT! that celebrates the intersection of LGBTQ+ Pride and Black musical traditions, both honored in June. This program brings these parallel celebrations into an artistic dialogue, centering the work of Black queer composers who are shaping a new classical canon. Featuring contemporary string quartet works by Damien Geter and Shelley Washington alongside a newly crafted medley of beloved anthems from both traditions, Spilling the Tea explores themes of identity, protest, spiritual grounding, visibility, and joy.
This event is free and open to the public, with donations gratefully accepted in support of continued cultural programming.
About the Performers
playOUT! is a Chicago-based non-profit organization amplifying queer voices in classical music. Founded by cellist David Sands in 2018, the movement began as storytelling performances highlighting queer composers and has grown into a dynamic movement in citizen artistry. Our mission is to celebrate LGBTQIA+ artistry in classical music and foster a cultural landscape where queer voices are heard and honored. We donate 25% of concert proceeds to organizations aligned with our values of equity, inclusion, and artistic empowerment, including The People’s Music School, Center on Halsted, Allegrezza Singers, and Sound Mind.
Notable milestones include a 2024 Chicago Symphony Center debut of a musical mosaic honoring the 1978 Pride Flag, as well as concerts based around Black History and mental health. playOUT!’s performances are bold, intentional, and deeply human, creating spaces where identity and artistry exist side by side.