Emmy-, Tony- and Grammy-winning performer Billy Porter plans to bring his “Black Mona Lisa Tour: Volume 1” to the Bay Area for two nights only.
Porter, best known for his acclaimed turn as ballroom emcee Pray Tell on the FX series “Pose,” plans to take his tour to 25 cities in the U.S., with a stop at the San Jose Center for the Performing Arts on May 4, before heading to San Francisco’s Golden Gate Theatre on May 5.
Tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. Friday, March 10, viabillyporter.com.
“Black Mona Lisa,” which is also the title of his forthcoming album, will focus on Porter’s career as a pop artist, with nods to the singer’s work on Broadway and the voguer stylings of “Pose.” In 1997, Porter’s song “Love Is on the Way” from his self-titled debut album became a top 100 Billboard hit when it was featured in the film “The First Wives Club.” Porter’s 2019 song “Love Yourself” hit No. 1 on the Billboard Dance Club Songs chart.
“It’s really the first time that I’ve been able to fully express myself and who I am through my music, through my mainstream pop music space,” Porter said in a statement. “It’s like my magnum opus. It’s everything to me. You’ll really get a glimpse into who I am even deeper with this music.”
"Billy Porter's Black Mona Lisa Tour: Part 1":8 p.m. May 4. San Jose Center for the Performing Arts, 255 South Almaden Blvd., San Jose; 8 p.m. May 5. Golden Gate Theatre, 1 Taylor St., S.F. Tickets start at $69.50.billyporter.com
Porter earned his first Tony Award for his performance as Lola in the musical “Kinky Boots.” He later gave a genderqueer take on the fairy godmother character in Amazon’s 2021 jukebox reimagining of “Cinderella.” Porter also directed the romantic comedy “Anything’s Possible,” which local fans got a sneak peek at during the 2022 Frameline film fest at the Castro Theatre.
With his binary-pushing ensembles on the red carpet and onstage — including tuxedos paired with full ball gowns, gilt body suits, plenty of feathers and sequins — Porter has also become a fashion icon.
Porter is a longtime HIV/AIDS activist and advocate for the LGBTQ and Black communities. His memoir, “Unprotected,” was released in 2022.
Clarification: This story has been updated to reflect a tour stop in San Jose on May 4.
Reach Tony Bravo: tbravo@sfchronicle.com