Sing-Along Trapped In The Closet Comes To Music Box

By Chuck Sudo in Arts & Entertainment on Nov 1, 2012 2:10PM

Here at Chicagoist we’ve long been mesmerized by R. Kelly’s epic “hip hopera,” Trapped in the Closet, a series of music videos that (depending on your viewpoint) is so bad it’s good, or one of the greatest works of R&B of our time.

The truth is somewhere in between. Could have benefited from some restraint? Probably. But had Kells held back when he made the first 23 chapters, he wouldn’t have received the funding to make the other reported 32 chapters of the saga he has written—we doubt even Kelly knows what’s in store for his growing cast of characters.

While Kelly works on the new installments, the Music Box Theatre is hosting a sing-along version of Trapped in the Closet at midnight Nov. 16 and 17. First premiered at this year's Bonnaroo festival, these screenings are produced by the Action Pack, most notable for the interactive movie screenings they host at the Alamo Drafthouse chain of movie houses across the country. To make it simple for viewers to follow the Trapped experience, the series will be screened with subtitles, which folks who haven’t seen the saga before will need to follow the out-of-control events sparked by Sylvester’s one-night stand with the preacher’s wife.

This is a Rocky Horror style sing-along, so dressing like Sylvester, Rufus, Cathy, Gwendolyn, Bridget, Big Man, Rosie the Nosy Neighbor, Twan and Pimp Lucius—especially Twan and Pimp Lucius—is encouraged. But buy your tickets now: this will sell out.