Steel City Softball League Benefit 1987

VHS

01:55:14

M4V

Steel City Softball League Benefit 1987

Drag—Benefit shows

Steel City Softball League

This tape contains footage from the 1987 Steel City Softball League Pittsburgh Variety Show Benefit at Zak’s Fourth Ave, a gay and lesbian nightclub in the old Pittsburgh Stock Exchange at 333 Fourth Avenue, downtown. The Steel City Softball League Variety Shows were originated by League Commissioner Nancy Pribbich (later owner of the Real Luck Cafe) to fundraise for people living with AIDS. This show was hosted by MC’s Miss Coco (of the Lavender Lads) and Danni Santilli (Miss Pittsburgh 1981) (00:48:45). The footage showcases twenty songs by over twenty-five performers from Pittsburgh, Ford City, Greensburg and Cleveland.

The show also falls on performer Julian’s 23rd birthday. After her performance, MC Coco brings her back to the spotlight where she receives a cake from one of Brian White’s back-up dancers (00:32:24). Before the final number--a surprise performance from Danni, Bambi and China (Miss Pittsburgh 1985)--Coco brings Nancy back to stage. Nancy thanks the audience and the owner/employees of Zak’s Fourth Avenue (Paul Gaspari) (01:41:20). Nancy and Coco then pull the winning ticket for a 50/50 raffle held that evening, and announce their upcoming Turnpike Tournament at North Park over the Labor Day weekend. Before Nancy leaves the stage, Coco brings attendee to the stage to present Nancy with a $100 donation to support the benefit show, followed by Brian White who writes a check for $100 to match any other $100 donation.

The tape ends with footage of the audience returning to the dance floor.

The following performers names are noted in the footage:

Brian White
Oliver
VJ
Ricky
Jamal
LaDonna LaMoore
Miss Ronda Leigh (Miss Greensburg 1985, Miss Paradise Cove 1984)
Miss Buffy (1987 Lambda Award for Female Impersonator of the Year)
Brian
Michael
Miss Vanessa (Ford City)
Chucky (Ford City)
Julian
Cassie
Tony Love
Miss Loretta
Danni Santilli (Miss Pittsburgh 1981)
Abby
Just Seventeen - Tumi, Jay and Rae (Tamika LaChez, Miss Dott, and K. Lonnie Rae aka Bill Johnson)
Terry and Dar
Eric
Claudia Storm
Frankie Kizzie
DW and Company (Greensburg)
Bambi (aka Gary Scalese)
China (Miss Pittsburgh 1985)

The following songs are performed:

“Someone Like You,” Sylvester, Brian White and dancers Oliver, VJ, Rickey, Jamal, 00:01:57
“Serious,” Donna Allen, LaDonna LaMoore, 00:06:25
“Band Of Gold,” Freda Payne, Rhonda Lee, 00:10:27
“I’m So Beautiful,” Divine, Ms. Buffy, 00:12:55
“Jump Shout Boogie,” Barry Manilow, Brian and Michael, 00:17:00
“Together Again,” Aretha Franklin, Ms. Vanessa, 00:19:00
“I Need You,” Maurice White, Chucky, 00:25:00
“Cross Over the Bridge,” Patti Page, Julian, 00:29:50
“Respect Yourself,” The Staple Singers, Cassie and Oliver, 00:33:20
“If You Don’t Know Me By Now,” Patti Labelle, Tony Love, 00:37:58
“I’ll Give you Three Guesses,” Julie Andrews, Ms. Loretta, 00:46:25
“Total Eclipse of the Heart,” Bonnie Tyler, Abby and Oliver, 00:49:50
“Love Sensation,” Loleatta Holloway, Seventeen (Tuby, Jay and Ray), 00:57:00
“Eye of the Tiger,” Survivor & “The Main Event/Fight,” Barbra Streisand, Terry and Dar, 01:03:58 & 01:07:16
“Imagination,” Ella Fitzgerald, Eric, 01:12:10
“Stay with Me (Baby),” Lorraine Ellison, Claudia Storm, 01:16:48
“Teach Me Tonight,” Dinah Washington, Frankie Kizzie, 01:22:20
“Somebody Else’s Guy” Jocelyn Brown, DW and Company 01:30:37 (gap in footage due to damage until 01:34:30)
“Countdown / This Is It,” Dan Hartman, Oliver and Ricky, 01:36:27
“Come Go With Me,” Expose, Danny, Bambi and China, 01:44:26

Michael Obusek (Vanna) – donor

1987

Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 United States (CC BY-NC 3.0 US)

These materials may be shared and adapted for non-commercial purposes, but the materials must be attributed to the Pittsburgh Queer History Project. Please see the Creative Commons license website for details.

https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/

MPEG (M4V)

English

Moving Image

Zak’s Fourth Avenue

Accession 2017-01