EDGE Chicago

You’re in your Sunday best with no where to go, so what’s a diva to do? The answer is here, courtesy of the Scooty & JoJo Show: Diva Brunch. The brand new brunch variety hour will be held at The Spot, 4437 N. Broadway, every week beginning this Sunday, March 8, and is the place to be for food, fuzzy cocktails and fabulous entertainment.

Each week, Diva Brunch will perform two shows, the first at 11 a.m. and another at 1 p.m. $35 gets you unlimited amounts of mimosas, bellinis, coffee or tea and your choice of a meal ranging from pancakes and waffles to salmon benedict. "The brunch is tantalizing not only to the tongue, but also to the tummy," host Scott Bradley (a.k.a. "Scooty") explained.

Diva Brunch will provide a uniquely comfy setting to showcase veteran community entertainers, in addition to introducing equally talented new Chicago acts, as each show will accommodate about 50 people. Entertainment draws from every corner of the queer and queer-friendly spectrum: "Cabaret singers, gender illusionists, stand-up comics, musical groups, and stars of musical theatre will perform," Bradley continued. "We wanted to keep Diva Brunch an intimate affair, reminiscent of the small Berlin cabarets of the ’20s."

Before Diva Brunch, The Scooty & JoJo Show has grabbed headlines with their performances at various venues all over Chicago, in addition to other U.S. cities. Bradley and partner-in-crime Jonny Stax have been performing together for nine years, creating and producing innovative cabaret events. Together, they hold a true passion for cabaret, trying to honor and celebrate the cabaret traditions while still introducing their own styles into the mix.

The duo premiered in Chicago in the fall of 2007 with Carpenters Halloween, a musical parody of John Carpenter’s 1978 horror classic with music by the Carpenters. The inaugural season was so popular that the show saw a second run at Mary’s Attic this past October, often drawing sell-out crowds in addition to critical acclaim.

Bradley and Stax followed that initial success with Thank God! It’s the Scooty & JoJo Show, the first in a series of evolving variety shows created to showcase emerging as well as established artists in dance, song, comedy and more. The Scooty & JoJo Show was an instant hit, generating a lot of buzz and great reviews. One of Bradley’s proudest reviews came from Time Out Chicago magazine, reading that "the duo’s variety hours feel like a cross between Sonny and Cher and the Mandrell Sisters." Bradley says it’s the perfect statement describing their show and adds, "but if you can imagine gayer!"

The Diva Brunch project first came into fruition when The Scooty & JoJo Show performed their show TRAN: The Atari Musical at The Spot last spring and fell in love with the versatility of the location and the staff. "[The Spot owner] Brian Bon Durant’s unwavering support of the arts and LGBT community is incredible," Bradley said. After a second Scooty & JoJo Show, Bon Durant approached the duo about a DIVA Brunch collaboration and they just couldn’t say no.

Diva Brunch is sure to start off with a bang, as Scooty & JoJo aim to entertain guests with their sassy songs and sarcasm, in addition to the wide-varying roster of other great acts showcased week after week. One visit alone might not be enough.

"We’re very excited to feature Vallery Dolls in the first couple of weeks’ shows," Bradley shared. Vallery is a drag queen with a fantastic voice and outrageous stage persona. Also among the notable performers in the month of March is Bethany Thomas, a well-known Chicago theatre performer who will take the Spot’s stage on Sunday, March 15. "She’s got one of the most powerful and distinct voices in Chicago musical theatre," said Bradley. All women’s drum ensemble She-Boom will be making an appearance later in the month.

Reservations for Diva Brunch can be made by calling 773-728-8934 or by visiting www.spotchicago.com or www.scootyjojo.com where you may also peruse the variety hour’s menu, in addition to a full line-up of upcoming guest stars.