Coming Out Support (COS) Newsweekly
Volume 12 No. 13 March 30, 2009
Newsletter Editor: OnQYB@aol.com
The Fine Print
See previous editions.
The Gay Agenda: Datebook: March 30-April 5, 2009
This Just In !!! to SAT: 3/28: Deland, FL: Central Florida Gay and Lesbian Theater Festival. Hosted by Stetson University. www2.stetson.edu/kaleidoscope/theater-fest.htm
MON-SUN: 3/30-4/05: Palm Springs, CA: Kraft Nabisco Golf Championship. previously known as the Dinah Shore Golf Championship. women and golf. www.nabiscochampionship.com or www.dinahshoreweekend.com
TUE: 3/31: New York, NY: Mitzi Gaynor signs Blu-Ray discs of "South Pacific" as the musical celebrates its 50th anniversary. Cast members from the original Broadway production and the current revival join her. 5:30PM. Barnes & Noble, Lincoln Triangle. www.bn.com.
TUE: 3/31: Muncie, IN: David Sedaris kicks off a national tour reading from "When You Are Ingulfed in Flames". Also: WED: 4/01: Pittsburgh, PA: David Sedaris reads from "When You Are Ingulfed in Flames". www.pgharts.org. THU: 4/02: Peekskill, NY: FRI: 4/03: Portland, ME: SAT: 4/04: Frederick, MD: SUN: 4/05: Amherst, MA: http://www.barclayagency.com/sedaris_appearances.html
WED: 4/01: Kennesaw, GA: Bill Konigsberg reads from his debut novel "Out of the Pocket" about a high school athlete who comes out. http://www.billkonigsberg.com/default.asp?Link=Book_Tour
WED-SAT: 4/01-4/04: Kingston, RI: University of Rhode Island GLBTIQQ Symposium. 15th Annual URI Symposium on Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, Intersex, Queer and Questioning Issues. www.uri.edu/glbt/symposium.html
WED: 4/01: Ridgewood, NJ: Cloris Leachman, Oscar winner and occasional dancer, signs copies of "Cloris: The Autobiography". 7PM. Bookends, East Ridgewood Ave. Also: THU: 4/02: New York, NY: Cloris Leachman, Oscar winner and occasional dancer, signs copies of "Cloris: The Autobiography". 7:30PM. Barnes & Noble, Lincoln Triangle.
THU: 4/02 Providence, RI: Staceyann Chin headlines Brown University's "The Black Lavender Experience: Theater and Conversations Sparked By The Work of Queer Playwrights of Color.” www.brown.edu/lgbtq
Newsworthy:
Vermont: Governor Jim Douglas said he will veto a same-sex marriage bill if it comes to his desk. The Senate approved a bill with a role-call vote of 26-4 on 3/24/09. Towleroad reports: http://www.towleroad.com/2009/03/vermont-governor-says-he-will-veto-samesex-marriage-bill.html
George Weber, the WABC news radio reporter whose body was found stabbed to death in his Brooklyn apartment on 3/21/09, was killed by a teen he met on Craigslist who was advertising sex for $60. Towleroad reports: http://www.towleroad.com/2009/03/nyc-news-reporter-murdered-by-16yearold-craigslist-hookup.html
The Buzz (People Making News)
Coming Out: Miss Cleo, former spokesperson for the Psychic Readers Network, has come out. She's now released a spoken-word CD and started a radio show. The Palm Beach Post reports: http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/content/local_news/epaper/2009/03/24/0324cleo.html?cxtype=rss&cxsvc=7&cxcat=76
Awards and Honors:
Winners: Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Awards. Among the winners: Dolly Parton, John Glover, Playbill.com reports: http://www.playbill.com/news/article/127353.html
Winner: NPR Reporter Tina Antolini of 88.5FM/WFCR is receipient of the Gracie Award, presented annually by the American Women in Radio and Television (AWRT) to honor exemplary programming created for women, by women, and about women. She received the Gracie for her three-part series "Voices of the Transgender Community of Western Massachusetts." The piece can be heard at www.wfcr.org
Features
Profile: Cheyenne Jackson, Broadway's "It" Boy. Edge Washington DC reports: http://www.edgewashington.com/index.php?ch=entertainment&sc=theatre&sc2=&sc3=&id=88651
In Performance: Onstage:Theatre/Music/Dance
New York City (and Broadway)
***Blithe Spirit. Rupert Everett makes his Broadway debut in Noel Coward's ghostly comedy. Angela Lansbury and Christine Ebersole co-star.
***Hair, The first major American rock musical, which has "sodomy" and other words in its lyrics. www.publictheater.org.
***33 Variations. Moises ("The Laramie Project") Kaufman's new play with music brings Jane Fonda back to Broadway. Colin (“Mad Men”) Hanks co-stars.. to 5/25/09.
***West Side Story. The acclaimed musicalization of "Romeo & Juliet" in a new production directed by Arthur Laurents. www.broadwaywestsidestory.com.
Elsewhere...
***Act A Lady. A group of men in a small Prohibition-era town cross-dress to perform a play. to 4/26/09. New Conservatory Theatre Pride Season. San Francisco, CA. www.nctcsf.org
***The Andrews Brothers. Roger Bean's musical about three USO stagehands who long to sing with The Andrews Sisters. to 4/26/09. Ft. Lauderdale, FL. www.risingactiontheatre.com
***Blind Faith. a world premiere by Harry Cronin. Two teen boys fall in love in conservative Colorado Springs. to 5/03/09. New Conservatory Theatre Pride Season. San Francisco, CA. www.nctcsf.org
***Grey Gardens, the award-winning musical about mother and daughter Big Edie and Little Edie Bouvier Beale, former society queens turned into recluses with 51 cats.to 5/17/09. Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN. www.ordway.org.
***Master Class. Barbara Walsh stars as opera diva Maria Callas in Terrence McNally's Tony-Award winning play. to 4/05/09. Millburn, NJ. www.papermill.org.
***Thank Gays It's Friday. LGBT Comedy acts every Friday at midnight. The Laugh Factory. Los Angeles, CA. www.laughfactory.com
On Screen (and Video & DVD)
Resource: Cine-Queer: GLAAD's Guide to What's LGBT in Film: http://www.glaad.org/eye/cinequeer.php
Out on Screen...
***Ciao. Two men meet after the death of a mutual friend. www.ciaomovie.com.
***Hair: Let the Sunshine In. Pola Rapaport's documentary that traces the roots and legacy of the landmark musical, which features interviews with authors James Rado and Gerome Ragni, composer Galt MacDermot and late director Tom O'Horgan as well as Oscar winner Milos Forman, who directed the 1979 film adaptation of Hair.
***Little Ashes, Paul Morrison's drama about the young lives and loves of Salvador Dali, Luis Bunuel and Frederico Garcia Lorca. www.littleashes-themovie.com.
***The Universe of Keith Haring, a documentary on the late gay pop artist. Now making the rounds of film festivals and independent cinemas
***Valentino: The Last Emperor, a new documentary about the life of the Italian fashion designer, focusing on his business and romantic relationship with Giancarlo Giametti, who says they've spent a total of two months apart since they met..
Out On Video & DVD
***Chris and Don: A Love Story. Tina Mascara's documentary about British writer Christopher Isherwood and his lover, the much younger American artist Don Bachardy.
***Fashion Victims, a 2008 German film, tells the story of a straight fashion designer’s teen son who falls for his father’s biggest rival in the design world.
***FirstOUT International, a collection of gay-themed shorts including “The Postcard” (about a post office clerk who thinks a customer is flirting with him), “Mirror Mirror” (a poignant goodbye story), “El Primo,” (about the relationship between two teen male cousins) and “Le Basier” (love comes unexpectedly while practicing a kiss scene for a production of “Romeo and Juliet”).
***Jerome Robbins: Something to Dance About, a documentary about the American dancer/choreographer/director whose genius was tempered by obsessive behavior, perfectionism, and guilt over his bisexualism.
***Laughing Matters: Next Gen, a gay standup comedy documentary that follows Andrea Meyerson putting together the fourth installment of her series of comics for the gay standup circuit.
***Milk, Gus Van Sant's film about gay activist Harvey Milk (Sean Penn). Also starring: Josh Brolin, Emile Hirsch, James Franco. Milk comes to DVD with extras.
***Religulous. Bill Maher travels the globe to investigate the current state of world religion, questioning many religious leaders on LGBT rights. www.lionsgate.com/religulous.
***"Rent" Filmed Live on Broadway. Film made of the final performances of the landmark musical New to DVD and Blu-Ray.
***The Yellow Brick Road And Beyond. A feature documentary takes a look at the phenomenon that is The Wizard of Oz, highlighting some of the earliest stage and screen adaptations, and the musical Wicked.
On TV Of Note: All times listed are ET. Check local listings for times in your area.
Resource:TV Gayed, GLAAD's Weekly Guide to What's LGBT on TV: Updated every Friday. www.glaad.org/eye/tv_listings.php
***March: In the Life. LGBT news magazine. PBS. Check local listings. http://www.itl.tv/inthelife/episodes/
Conferences, Seminars, Benefits, and Special Events
4/09/09-4/11/09: Calgary, AB: Canada Badminton, Bowling, Curling, Running, Swimming, Volleyball Western Cup XXVII, North America's longest running annual LGBT multi-sport tournament and trophy event. www.westerncup.com
4/09/09-4/12/09: Washington, DC: International Gay Square Dance Clubs Convention. www.iagsdc.org
4/11/09: Jersey City, NJ: Nathaniel Frank, author of "Unfriendly Fire: How the Gay Ban Undermines the Military and Weakens America" does a reading and booksigning. Chillfest. http://www.unfriendlyfire.org/events.php
4/11/09: West Hollywood, CA: Cloris Leachman, Oscar winner and occasional dancer, signs copies of "Cloris: The Autobiography". 7:PM. Book Soup, Sunset Blvd.
4/16/09-4/19/09: Miami, FL. Miami Latin Gay Film Festival. www.miamilatingayfilmfestival.com
4/17/09-4/19/09: Minneapolis, MN: 2009 Bisexual Empowerment Conference (BECAUSE) at the University of Minnesota. Keynote speaker: Robyn Ochs. Also: screening of the documentary "Bi the Way" including dialogue with director Josephine Decker. www.becauseconference.org.
4/17/09-4/19/09: Jersey City, NJ: New Jersey Bowling Gotham Open, an IGBO sponsored gay bowling tournament. www.gothambowling.com
4/17/09: Nationwide: National Day of Silence. The National Day of Silence brings attention to anti-LGBT name-calling, bullying and harassment in schools. www.dayofsilence.org
4/18/09-4/19/09: San Diego, CA: Camp Courage. An intensive two-day training institute organized by the California-focused Courage Campaign to provide grassroots activists the practical, hands-on skills to organize in their communities on marriage equality for same-sex couples. www.couragecampaign.org/campcouragearmy.
4/20/09: New York, NY: The Broadway Beauty Pageant. Male cast members from Broadway shows compete for the crown through talent, interview an swimsuit competitions. Michael Urie and Seth Rudetsky judge. Proceeds will benefit the Ali Forney Center, the nation's largest and most comprehensive organization dedicated to homeless LGBT youth. http://www.playbill.com/news/article/127418.html
4/23/09-4/26/09: New Haven, CT: Yale LGBT Reunion Weekend.
www.yalegala.org/YaleGayRunion.html.
4/24/09-4/26/09: Toronto, ON: All Out Swim 2009, splash and swim competition. www.dsctoronto.ca/alloutswim/
4/24/09-5/03/09: Miami, FL: Miami Gay & Lesbian Film Festival. www.MGLFF.com
4/27/09-4/28/09: New York, NY: 23rd Annual Easter Bonnet Competition, the two-day Broadway spectacular that features the companies of more than 20 Broadway, off-Broadway and touring productions singing, dancing, and donning original Easter bonnets. A benefit for Broadway Cares/ Equity Fights AIDS. www.broadwaycares.org
4/27/09-5/03/09: Philadelphia, PA: Equality Forum. largest national & internationall LGBT civil rights forum with 60+ programs, parties & special events. www.equalityforum.com
Last Week’s Trivia Quiz: Spring Break
1. Question: Name this gay Spring Break getaway. Hollywood's A-List began wintering here in the 1930's; by the 1980's, the boys came for the Easter Weekend White Party and the girls came for golf's Dinah Shore Weekend. Its onetime Mayor, father of a major gay rights activist, was once married to a diva. Answer: Palm Springs, CA. Sonny Bono was once mayor. His marriage to Cher produced Chastity Bono.
2. Question: Name this gay Spring Break getaway. This party town, one dubbed "The Paris of the Swamps" is known for its Southern Decadence, its fine food, and its non-stop partying. Tennessee Williams, Truman Capote, and Christopher Rice used the city as a backdrop for America's finest dramas and literature. Answer: New Orleans, LA. Southern Decadence is a big gay Labor Day Weekend party.
3. Question: Name this gay Spring Break getaway. Ponce de Leon stumbled on it in 1513, and by the 1880's, it was a tough party town filled with pirates, smugglers, and whores. The alternative lifestyle types moved in by the 1960's. The locals refer to themselves by the name used for a shellfish. Answer: Key West, FL, where the locals are called conches. Tennessee Williams and Truman Capote frequented the island city.
4. Question: Name this gay Spring Break getaway. In the beach blanket movie period, it was "where the boys are". Despite an orange juice queen's anti-gay actions, the city became a gay mecca on a par with a beach to its south. Answer: Ft. Lauderdale, FL.
This Week’s Trivia Quiz: April Milestones
1. Question: Name this American blues singer, born April 15, 1894. One of her most famous songs included the lyrics: "There's two things got me puzzled, there's two things I don't understand; That's a mannish-actin' woman, and a skippin, twistin' woman-actin' man."
2. Question: Name this New York City educational institution that opened its doors on April 1, 1985. Named for a slain gay rights activist, it was the first publicly-funded school for LGBT kids.
3. Question: Name this gay American playwright, born April 17, 1887. He’s best known for his portrayal of a rural American community, but he also wrote a breakthrough role for Talullah Bankhead and a play set in Yonkers which became one of America’s most popular musicals.
4. Question: Name this young American who died on April 8, 1990. He put a human face to HIV and AIDS, and in his final years, worked tirelessly to raise monies and awareness of AIDS issues. Several funding initiatives are named in his memory.
5. Question: Name this award-winning play, which opened in New York on April 14, 1968. It was the first commercially successful theatre production to deal with openly gay characters and queer subject matter.
The first person to submit the correct answers gets their name in print right here. Email your answers to: OnQYB@aol.com. If you do not want your email address to appear in the blog format of this newsletter, please indicate that. http://cosnewsweekly.blogspot.com/
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Coming Out Support Newsweekly: 3/23/09
Coming Out Support (COS) Newsweekly
Volume 12 No. 12 March 23, 2009
Newsletter Editor: OnQYB@aol.com
The Fine Print
See previous issues
The Gay Agenda: Datebook: March 23-29, 2009
This Just In !!! THU: 3/19: New York, NY: NGLJA Headlines and Headliners Benefit at CNN. 14th annual edition. Soledad O'Brien hosts. http://www.nlgja.org/newyork09.htm
This Just In !!! SAT: 3/21: New York, NY: Night of a Thousand Gowns, the 23rd annual charity ball and silent auction to benefit LIFEbeat—The Music Industry Fights AIDS and MCCNY Homeless Youth Services. Performers for the benefit will include Michelle Williams, Christopher Sieber, Lea DeLaria, Ari Gold and Kelly King. www.icny.org/tickets.
MON: 3/23: New York, NY: Legends, a reading of the infamous James Kirkwood comedy with Charles Busch, Lypsinka, Whoopi Goldberg and Bryan ("Mad Men") Batt. Fran Lebowitz narrates. A benefit for Friends in Deed: The Crisis Center for Life-Threatening Illness. http://www.playbill.com/news/article/125984.html
TUE: 3/24: New York, NY: Arthur Laurents, the out director, does a reading and booksigning of his new book, "Mainly on Directing: Gypsy, West Side Story, and Other Musicals". 7:30PM. Barnes & Noble, Lincoln Triangle. www.bn.com.
WED-SUN: 3/25-3/29: Keystone, CO: OutBoard, annual LGBT snowboarding festival. www.outboard.org
WED: 3/25: New York, NY: Nathaniel Frank, author of "Unfriendly Fire: How the Gay Ban Undermines the Military and Weakens America" does a reading and booksigning. 7PM. LGBT Community Center. http://www.unfriendlyfire.org/events.php
FRI: 3/27: New York, NY: The Big Gay Sing: A Sing-a-long Extravaganza. Scott Nevins, the New York City Gay Men's Chorus and the audience sing some gay faves. www.biggaysing.com.
FRI: 3/27: Dallas, TX: Del Shores, author of "Sordid Lives" and "Trials and Tribulations of a Trailer Trash Housewife", unveils his one-man show "Del Shores: The Storyteller". www.delshores.net.
SAT: 3/28/: New York, NY: 20th Annual GLAAD Media Awards. Tyra Banks and Suze Orman to be honored. www.glaad.org
SAT-SUN: 3/28-3/29: Pittsburgh, PA: Pennsylvania Volleyball Steel City Classic, a NAGVA-sanctioned vball tourney. www.SteelCityVolleyball.org
www.edgepublications.com.
Newsworthy:
Coming Out: West Point Grads Come Out to show support of the repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell". The Navy Times reports on Knights Out, a group of 38 graduates of West Point, who came out on 3/16/09 and offered to serve as liaisons between alumni and Army administrators as "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" is in the process of being repealed as well as a support group for LGBT US Military Academy active duty alumni, cadets, and their families. Towleroad reports: http://www.towleroad.com/2009/03/38-west-point-grads-come-out-of-the-closet-in-show-of-force.html
"Laramie Project" Costs Oklahoma Teacher Her Job. Gay rights groups are complaining about the firing of a rural Oklahoma high school teacher who lost her job last week after assigning "The Laramie Project" the play abo9ut the murder of Matthew Shepard, to her students. USAToday reports: http://www.usatoday.com/news/education/2009-03-16-teacher-laramie_N.htm
Record-Breaking Benefit: Stars from ABC’s “All My Children,” “One Life to Live,” and “General Hospital” performed at the 5th Annual ABC Daytime and SOAPnet Salutes Broadway Cares/ Equity Fights AIDS benefit on 3/09/09, raising an all time record of $330,000 bringing the cumulative total to nearly $1.5 million dollars since the shows inception in 2005. www.broadwaycares.org
Awards and Honors:
Lambda Literary Awards Finalists have been announced. There are 105 finalists from 72 publishers. Winners will be announced on 5/28/09. Towleroad reports: http://www.towleroad.com/2009/03/21st-annual-lambda-literary-award-finalists-announced.html
In Memoriam:
James Purdy, the American writer, whose works frequently addressed gay issues, died on 3/13/09 at age 94. He was best known for his novel "Malcolm" which was adapted for the stage by Edward Albee. The New York Times reports: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/14/books/14purdy.html?_r=1
Natasha Richardson, the actress, died on 3/18/09 at age 45, following a ski accident. She was the daughter of Vanessa Redgrave and Tony Richardson, the bi-director who was one of the first high profile entertainment industry people to die from HIV/AIDS. Natasha was a major AIDS activist in New York, and involved with amFAR. Towleroad reports: http://www.towleroad.com/2009/03/natasha-richardson-actress-and-advocate-for-people-with-aids-dies.html
Features
Profile: Arthur Laurents. "When You're a Shark, You're a Shark All The Way". The 91 year old Broadway author/director made a revival of his "Gypsy" Broadway's hot ticket last season. Now, he's doing the same with "West Side Story" which opens this week. New York Magazine reports: http://nymag.com/arts/theater/profiles/55341/
San Francisco: An Alternate World. In writer-director Dorothy Adams' new play, "Lead," lesbians rule a world in which all children are born female and men (or "dawgs") are created in a lab. the San Francisco Chronicle reports:
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/03/12/NSE4164LUB.DTL&type=performance
In Performance: Onstage:Theatre/Music/Dance
New York City (and Broadway)
***Blithe Spirit. Rupert Everett makes his Broadway debut in Noel Coward's ghostly comedy. Angela Lansbury and Christine Ebersole co-star.
***Finian's Rainbow. Cheyenne Jackson stars in the Encores revival of the musical. to 3/29/09. www.nycitycenter.org.
***Gates of Gold. Frank McGuinness' comedy-drama based on Hilton Edwards and Micheal MacLiammoir, partners in business and also in life, who together founded Dublin's Gate Theater in Dublin in 1928. to 3/29/09. www.59e59.org.
***The Gay Agenda's Great Big Broadway Show, presented by Shortened Attention Span who are committed to complete and utter world domination through showtunes. opens 3/25/09 and runs the last Wed. of each month. www.ShortenedAttentionSpan.com
***Hair, The first major American rock musical, which has "sodomy" and other words in its lyrics. www.publictheater.org.
***West Side Story. The acclaimed musicalization of "Romeo & Juliet" in a new production directed by Arthur Laurents. www.broadwaywestsidestory.com.
Elsewhere...
***Act A Lady. A group of men in a small Prohibition-era town cross-dress to perform a play. to 4/26/09. New Conservatory Theatre Pride Season. San Francisco, CA. www.nctcsf.org
***After the Garden: Edith Beale Live at Reno Sweeney Miss Pixie's Backroom Palace, a recreation of Edith (Little Edie) Bouvier Beale's famous nightclub act, which lasted less than a week after "Grey Gardens". to 3/29/09. Washington, DC. www.ganymedearts.org.
***And The Award Goes To...The Gay Mens Chorus of Los Angeles perform Broadway hits. Wilson Cruz guest stars. Miss Coco Peru hosts. 3/28/09-3/29/09. Glendale, CA. www.glcma.org.
***The Andrews Brothers. Roger Bean's musical about three USO stagehands who long to sing with The Andrews Sisters. to 4/26/09. Ft. Lauderdale, FL. www.risingactiontheatre.com
***Blind Faith. a world premiere by Harry Cronin. Two teen boys fall in love in conservative Colorado Springs. to 5/03/09. New Conservatory Theatre Pride Season. San Francisco, CA. www.nctcsf.org
***Grey Gardens, the award-winning musical about mother and daughter Big Edie and Little Edie Bouvier Beale, former society queens turned into recluses with 51 cats.to 5/17/09. Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN. www.ordway.org.
***La Cage Aux Folles. The Jerry Herman/Harvey Fierstein musical based on the film that became "Birdcage".to 3/29/09. Santa Rosa, CA. www.6thstreetplayhouse.com
***Master Class. Barbara Walsh stars as opera diva Maria Callas in Terrence McNally's Tony-Award winning play. to 4/05/09. Millburn, NJ. www.papermill.org.
On Screen (and Video & DVD)
Resource: Cine-Queer: GLAAD's Guide to What's LGBT in Film: http://www.glaad.org/eye/cinequeer.php
Out on Screen...
***Ciao. Two men meet after the death of a mutual friend. www.ciaomovie.com.
***Hair: Let the Sunshine In. Pola Rapaport's documentary that traces the roots and legacy of the landmark musical.
***Little Ashes, Paul Morrison's drama about the young lives and loves of Salvador Dali, Luis Bunuel and Frederico Garcia Lorca. www.littleashes-themovie.com.
***The Universe of Keith Haring, a documentary on the late gay pop artist. Now making the rounds of film festivals and independent cinemas.
***Were The World Mine, Tim Gustafson's film about a struggling gay teen in a homophobic town, who fantasizes about a potion that turns the town gay. http://www.weretheworldminefilm.com/
Out On Video & DVD
***Fashion Victims, a 2008 German film, tells the story of a straight fashion designer’s teen son who falls for his father’s biggest rival in the design world.
***FirstOUT International, a collection of gay-themed shorts.
***Laughing Matters: Next Gen, a gay standup comedy documentary that follows Andrea Meyerson putting together the fourth installment of her series of comics for the gay standup circuit.
***Milk, Gus Van Sant's film about gay activist Harvey Milk (Sean Penn).
***Religulous. Bill Maher travels the globe to investigate the current state of world religion, questioning many religious leaders on LGBT rights. www.lionsgate.com/religulous.
***"Rent" Filmed Live on Broadway. Film made of the final performances of the landmark musical New to DVD and Blu-Ray.
***The Yellow Brick Road And Beyond. A feature documentary takes a look at the phenomenon that is The Wizard of Oz, highlighting some of the earliest stage and screen adaptations, and the musical Wicked.
On TV Of Note: All times listed are ET. Check local listings for times in your area.
Resource:TV Gayed, GLAAD's Weekly Guide to What's LGBT on TV: Updated every Friday. www.glaad.org/eye/tv_listings.php
***March: In the Life. LGBT news magazine. PBS. Check local listings. http://www.itl.tv/inthelife/episodes/
***WED: 3/25: Sir Ian McKellan, out actor and activist takes on Shakespeare's "King Lear". Great Performances on PBS. Check local listings.
***SUN: 3/29: "The Making of Me: John Barrowman". Barrowman, out star of "Torchwood", attempts to discover the origins of his homosexuality in a documentary. 10PM. BBC America. www.bbcamerica.com.
Conferences, Seminars, Benefits, and Special Events
3/30/09-4/05/09: Palm Springs, CA: Kraft Nabisco Golf Championship. previously known as the Dinah Shore Golf Championship. women and golf. www.nabiscochampionship.com or www.dinahshoreweekend.com
4/01/09-4/04/09: Kingston, RI: University of Rhode Island GLBTIQQ Symposium. www.uri.edu/glbt/symposium.html
4/09/09-4/11/09: Calgary, AB: Canada Badminton, Bowling, Curling, Running, Swimming, Volleyball Western Cup XXVII, www.westerncup.com
4/09/09-4/12/09: Washington, DC: International Gay Square Dance Clubs Convention. www.iagsdc.org
4/17/09-4/19/09: Minneapolis, MN: 2009 Bisexual Empowerment Conference (BECAUSE) at the University of Minnesota. www.becauseconference.org.
4/17/09-4/19/09: Jersey City, NJ: New Jersey Bowling Gotham Open, an IGBO sponsored gay bowling tournament. www.gothambowling.com
4/17/09: Nationwide: National Day of Silence. The National Day of Silence brings attention to anti-LGBT name-calling, bullying and harassment in schools. www.dayofsilence.org
4/18/09-4/19/09: San Diego, CA: Camp Courage. An intensive two-day training to provide grassroots activists the practical, hands-on skills to organize in their communities on marriage equality for same-sex couples. www.couragecampaign.org/campcouragearmy.
Last Week’s Trivia Quiz: The Corner Bookstore and More
When we learned that A Different Light Books in West hollywood was closing, it brought to mind the LGBT community's rich heritage of bookstores that served as community centers; organizations that fostered LGBT literature and publishing...
1. Question: Name America's earliest self-styled gay and lesbian bookstore, founded in 1967. Its founder, who was one the organizer's of the first pride march, displayed a sign proclaiming it "a bookshop for the homophile movement". There was also a "gay is good" sticker in the window. Answer: The Oscar Wilde Memorial Bookshop in New York, founded by activist Craig Rodwell. It will unfortunately close on March 29, 2009. Because Rowell refused to stock pornography, at first his entire inventory comprised only about 25 titles.
2. Question: When the entity in Question #1 closes, where will the oldest operating bookstore in North America be located ? Answer: Toronto, Ontario, which is home to the Glad Day Bookshop, Canada's oldest LGBT bookstore, which opened in 1970.
3. Question: Name this national non-profit devoted to the promotion, preservation and publication of LGBT literature. Its mission is the promotion of LGBT literacy in the widest possible sense. An annual award program (scheduled for May, 2009) puts the organization on the national map. Answer: The Lambda Literary Foundation. lambdaliterary.org
4. Question: Name this worker-owned feminist bookstore, the oldest continuously-operating independent feminist bookstore in the USA. Its name is the same as a mega-seller who has put many independent booksellers out of business. Answer: Amazon Feminist Bookstore in Minneapolis, MN, founded in 1970. www.amazonfembks.com
5. Question: Name this LGBT American literary magazine, which began publishing in 1976. It was known both for its serious discussion of issues within the gay community and its satire of anti-gay criticism, It also featured original fiction from then up-and-coming authors like Andrew Holleran. After over 230 issues, it closed in 1995. Answer: Christopher Street
This Week’s Trivia Quiz: Spring Break
1. Question: Name this gay Spring Break getaway. Hollywood's A-List began wintering here in the 1930's; by the 1980's, the boys came for the Easter Weekend White Party and the girls came for golf's Dinah Shore Weekend. Its onetime Mayor, father of a major gay rights activist, was once married to a diva.
2. Question: Name this gay Spring Break getaway. This party town, one dubbed "The Paris of the Swamps" is known for its Southern Decadence, its fine food, and its non-stop partying. Tennessee Williams, Truman Capote, and Christopher Rice used the city as a backdrop for America's finest dramas and literature.
3. Question: Name this gay Spring Break getaway. Ponce de Leon stumbled on it in 1513, and by the 1880's, it was a tough party town filled with pirates, smugglers, and whores. The alternative lifestyle types moved in by the 1960's. The locals refer to themselves by the name used for a shellfish.
4. Question: Name this gay Spring Break getaway. In the beach blanket movie period, it was "where the boys are". Despite an orange juice queen's anti-gay actions, the city became a gay mecca on a par with a beach to its south.
The first person to submit the correct answers gets their name in print right here. Email your answers to: OnQYB@aol.com. If you do not want your email address to appear in the blog format of this newsletter, please indicate that. http://cosnewsweekly.blogspot.com/
Volume 12 No. 12 March 23, 2009
Newsletter Editor: OnQYB@aol.com
The Fine Print
See previous issues
The Gay Agenda: Datebook: March 23-29, 2009
This Just In !!! THU: 3/19: New York, NY: NGLJA Headlines and Headliners Benefit at CNN. 14th annual edition. Soledad O'Brien hosts. http://www.nlgja.org/newyork09.htm
This Just In !!! SAT: 3/21: New York, NY: Night of a Thousand Gowns, the 23rd annual charity ball and silent auction to benefit LIFEbeat—The Music Industry Fights AIDS and MCCNY Homeless Youth Services. Performers for the benefit will include Michelle Williams, Christopher Sieber, Lea DeLaria, Ari Gold and Kelly King. www.icny.org/tickets.
MON: 3/23: New York, NY: Legends, a reading of the infamous James Kirkwood comedy with Charles Busch, Lypsinka, Whoopi Goldberg and Bryan ("Mad Men") Batt. Fran Lebowitz narrates. A benefit for Friends in Deed: The Crisis Center for Life-Threatening Illness. http://www.playbill.com/news/article/125984.html
TUE: 3/24: New York, NY: Arthur Laurents, the out director, does a reading and booksigning of his new book, "Mainly on Directing: Gypsy, West Side Story, and Other Musicals". 7:30PM. Barnes & Noble, Lincoln Triangle. www.bn.com.
WED-SUN: 3/25-3/29: Keystone, CO: OutBoard, annual LGBT snowboarding festival. www.outboard.org
WED: 3/25: New York, NY: Nathaniel Frank, author of "Unfriendly Fire: How the Gay Ban Undermines the Military and Weakens America" does a reading and booksigning. 7PM. LGBT Community Center. http://www.unfriendlyfire.org/events.php
FRI: 3/27: New York, NY: The Big Gay Sing: A Sing-a-long Extravaganza. Scott Nevins, the New York City Gay Men's Chorus and the audience sing some gay faves. www.biggaysing.com.
FRI: 3/27: Dallas, TX: Del Shores, author of "Sordid Lives" and "Trials and Tribulations of a Trailer Trash Housewife", unveils his one-man show "Del Shores: The Storyteller". www.delshores.net.
SAT: 3/28/: New York, NY: 20th Annual GLAAD Media Awards. Tyra Banks and Suze Orman to be honored. www.glaad.org
SAT-SUN: 3/28-3/29: Pittsburgh, PA: Pennsylvania Volleyball Steel City Classic, a NAGVA-sanctioned vball tourney. www.SteelCityVolleyball.org
www.edgepublications.com.
Newsworthy:
Coming Out: West Point Grads Come Out to show support of the repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell". The Navy Times reports on Knights Out, a group of 38 graduates of West Point, who came out on 3/16/09 and offered to serve as liaisons between alumni and Army administrators as "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" is in the process of being repealed as well as a support group for LGBT US Military Academy active duty alumni, cadets, and their families. Towleroad reports: http://www.towleroad.com/2009/03/38-west-point-grads-come-out-of-the-closet-in-show-of-force.html
"Laramie Project" Costs Oklahoma Teacher Her Job. Gay rights groups are complaining about the firing of a rural Oklahoma high school teacher who lost her job last week after assigning "The Laramie Project" the play abo9ut the murder of Matthew Shepard, to her students. USAToday reports: http://www.usatoday.com/news/education/2009-03-16-teacher-laramie_N.htm
Record-Breaking Benefit: Stars from ABC’s “All My Children,” “One Life to Live,” and “General Hospital” performed at the 5th Annual ABC Daytime and SOAPnet Salutes Broadway Cares/ Equity Fights AIDS benefit on 3/09/09, raising an all time record of $330,000 bringing the cumulative total to nearly $1.5 million dollars since the shows inception in 2005. www.broadwaycares.org
Awards and Honors:
Lambda Literary Awards Finalists have been announced. There are 105 finalists from 72 publishers. Winners will be announced on 5/28/09. Towleroad reports: http://www.towleroad.com/2009/03/21st-annual-lambda-literary-award-finalists-announced.html
In Memoriam:
James Purdy, the American writer, whose works frequently addressed gay issues, died on 3/13/09 at age 94. He was best known for his novel "Malcolm" which was adapted for the stage by Edward Albee. The New York Times reports: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/14/books/14purdy.html?_r=1
Natasha Richardson, the actress, died on 3/18/09 at age 45, following a ski accident. She was the daughter of Vanessa Redgrave and Tony Richardson, the bi-director who was one of the first high profile entertainment industry people to die from HIV/AIDS. Natasha was a major AIDS activist in New York, and involved with amFAR. Towleroad reports: http://www.towleroad.com/2009/03/natasha-richardson-actress-and-advocate-for-people-with-aids-dies.html
Features
Profile: Arthur Laurents. "When You're a Shark, You're a Shark All The Way". The 91 year old Broadway author/director made a revival of his "Gypsy" Broadway's hot ticket last season. Now, he's doing the same with "West Side Story" which opens this week. New York Magazine reports: http://nymag.com/arts/theater/profiles/55341/
San Francisco: An Alternate World. In writer-director Dorothy Adams' new play, "Lead," lesbians rule a world in which all children are born female and men (or "dawgs") are created in a lab. the San Francisco Chronicle reports:
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/03/12/NSE4164LUB.DTL&type=performance
In Performance: Onstage:Theatre/Music/Dance
New York City (and Broadway)
***Blithe Spirit. Rupert Everett makes his Broadway debut in Noel Coward's ghostly comedy. Angela Lansbury and Christine Ebersole co-star.
***Finian's Rainbow. Cheyenne Jackson stars in the Encores revival of the musical. to 3/29/09. www.nycitycenter.org.
***Gates of Gold. Frank McGuinness' comedy-drama based on Hilton Edwards and Micheal MacLiammoir, partners in business and also in life, who together founded Dublin's Gate Theater in Dublin in 1928. to 3/29/09. www.59e59.org.
***The Gay Agenda's Great Big Broadway Show, presented by Shortened Attention Span who are committed to complete and utter world domination through showtunes. opens 3/25/09 and runs the last Wed. of each month. www.ShortenedAttentionSpan.com
***Hair, The first major American rock musical, which has "sodomy" and other words in its lyrics. www.publictheater.org.
***West Side Story. The acclaimed musicalization of "Romeo & Juliet" in a new production directed by Arthur Laurents. www.broadwaywestsidestory.com.
Elsewhere...
***Act A Lady. A group of men in a small Prohibition-era town cross-dress to perform a play. to 4/26/09. New Conservatory Theatre Pride Season. San Francisco, CA. www.nctcsf.org
***After the Garden: Edith Beale Live at Reno Sweeney Miss Pixie's Backroom Palace, a recreation of Edith (Little Edie) Bouvier Beale's famous nightclub act, which lasted less than a week after "Grey Gardens". to 3/29/09. Washington, DC. www.ganymedearts.org.
***And The Award Goes To...The Gay Mens Chorus of Los Angeles perform Broadway hits. Wilson Cruz guest stars. Miss Coco Peru hosts. 3/28/09-3/29/09. Glendale, CA. www.glcma.org.
***The Andrews Brothers. Roger Bean's musical about three USO stagehands who long to sing with The Andrews Sisters. to 4/26/09. Ft. Lauderdale, FL. www.risingactiontheatre.com
***Blind Faith. a world premiere by Harry Cronin. Two teen boys fall in love in conservative Colorado Springs. to 5/03/09. New Conservatory Theatre Pride Season. San Francisco, CA. www.nctcsf.org
***Grey Gardens, the award-winning musical about mother and daughter Big Edie and Little Edie Bouvier Beale, former society queens turned into recluses with 51 cats.to 5/17/09. Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN. www.ordway.org.
***La Cage Aux Folles. The Jerry Herman/Harvey Fierstein musical based on the film that became "Birdcage".to 3/29/09. Santa Rosa, CA. www.6thstreetplayhouse.com
***Master Class. Barbara Walsh stars as opera diva Maria Callas in Terrence McNally's Tony-Award winning play. to 4/05/09. Millburn, NJ. www.papermill.org.
On Screen (and Video & DVD)
Resource: Cine-Queer: GLAAD's Guide to What's LGBT in Film: http://www.glaad.org/eye/cinequeer.php
Out on Screen...
***Ciao. Two men meet after the death of a mutual friend. www.ciaomovie.com.
***Hair: Let the Sunshine In. Pola Rapaport's documentary that traces the roots and legacy of the landmark musical.
***Little Ashes, Paul Morrison's drama about the young lives and loves of Salvador Dali, Luis Bunuel and Frederico Garcia Lorca. www.littleashes-themovie.com.
***The Universe of Keith Haring, a documentary on the late gay pop artist. Now making the rounds of film festivals and independent cinemas.
***Were The World Mine, Tim Gustafson's film about a struggling gay teen in a homophobic town, who fantasizes about a potion that turns the town gay. http://www.weretheworldminefilm.com/
Out On Video & DVD
***Fashion Victims, a 2008 German film, tells the story of a straight fashion designer’s teen son who falls for his father’s biggest rival in the design world.
***FirstOUT International, a collection of gay-themed shorts.
***Laughing Matters: Next Gen, a gay standup comedy documentary that follows Andrea Meyerson putting together the fourth installment of her series of comics for the gay standup circuit.
***Milk, Gus Van Sant's film about gay activist Harvey Milk (Sean Penn).
***Religulous. Bill Maher travels the globe to investigate the current state of world religion, questioning many religious leaders on LGBT rights. www.lionsgate.com/religulous.
***"Rent" Filmed Live on Broadway. Film made of the final performances of the landmark musical New to DVD and Blu-Ray.
***The Yellow Brick Road And Beyond. A feature documentary takes a look at the phenomenon that is The Wizard of Oz, highlighting some of the earliest stage and screen adaptations, and the musical Wicked.
On TV Of Note: All times listed are ET. Check local listings for times in your area.
Resource:TV Gayed, GLAAD's Weekly Guide to What's LGBT on TV: Updated every Friday. www.glaad.org/eye/tv_listings.php
***March: In the Life. LGBT news magazine. PBS. Check local listings. http://www.itl.tv/inthelife/episodes/
***WED: 3/25: Sir Ian McKellan, out actor and activist takes on Shakespeare's "King Lear". Great Performances on PBS. Check local listings.
***SUN: 3/29: "The Making of Me: John Barrowman". Barrowman, out star of "Torchwood", attempts to discover the origins of his homosexuality in a documentary. 10PM. BBC America. www.bbcamerica.com.
Conferences, Seminars, Benefits, and Special Events
3/30/09-4/05/09: Palm Springs, CA: Kraft Nabisco Golf Championship. previously known as the Dinah Shore Golf Championship. women and golf. www.nabiscochampionship.com or www.dinahshoreweekend.com
4/01/09-4/04/09: Kingston, RI: University of Rhode Island GLBTIQQ Symposium. www.uri.edu/glbt/symposium.html
4/09/09-4/11/09: Calgary, AB: Canada Badminton, Bowling, Curling, Running, Swimming, Volleyball Western Cup XXVII, www.westerncup.com
4/09/09-4/12/09: Washington, DC: International Gay Square Dance Clubs Convention. www.iagsdc.org
4/17/09-4/19/09: Minneapolis, MN: 2009 Bisexual Empowerment Conference (BECAUSE) at the University of Minnesota. www.becauseconference.org.
4/17/09-4/19/09: Jersey City, NJ: New Jersey Bowling Gotham Open, an IGBO sponsored gay bowling tournament. www.gothambowling.com
4/17/09: Nationwide: National Day of Silence. The National Day of Silence brings attention to anti-LGBT name-calling, bullying and harassment in schools. www.dayofsilence.org
4/18/09-4/19/09: San Diego, CA: Camp Courage. An intensive two-day training to provide grassroots activists the practical, hands-on skills to organize in their communities on marriage equality for same-sex couples. www.couragecampaign.org/campcouragearmy.
Last Week’s Trivia Quiz: The Corner Bookstore and More
When we learned that A Different Light Books in West hollywood was closing, it brought to mind the LGBT community's rich heritage of bookstores that served as community centers; organizations that fostered LGBT literature and publishing...
1. Question: Name America's earliest self-styled gay and lesbian bookstore, founded in 1967. Its founder, who was one the organizer's of the first pride march, displayed a sign proclaiming it "a bookshop for the homophile movement". There was also a "gay is good" sticker in the window. Answer: The Oscar Wilde Memorial Bookshop in New York, founded by activist Craig Rodwell. It will unfortunately close on March 29, 2009. Because Rowell refused to stock pornography, at first his entire inventory comprised only about 25 titles.
2. Question: When the entity in Question #1 closes, where will the oldest operating bookstore in North America be located ? Answer: Toronto, Ontario, which is home to the Glad Day Bookshop, Canada's oldest LGBT bookstore, which opened in 1970.
3. Question: Name this national non-profit devoted to the promotion, preservation and publication of LGBT literature. Its mission is the promotion of LGBT literacy in the widest possible sense. An annual award program (scheduled for May, 2009) puts the organization on the national map. Answer: The Lambda Literary Foundation. lambdaliterary.org
4. Question: Name this worker-owned feminist bookstore, the oldest continuously-operating independent feminist bookstore in the USA. Its name is the same as a mega-seller who has put many independent booksellers out of business. Answer: Amazon Feminist Bookstore in Minneapolis, MN, founded in 1970. www.amazonfembks.com
5. Question: Name this LGBT American literary magazine, which began publishing in 1976. It was known both for its serious discussion of issues within the gay community and its satire of anti-gay criticism, It also featured original fiction from then up-and-coming authors like Andrew Holleran. After over 230 issues, it closed in 1995. Answer: Christopher Street
This Week’s Trivia Quiz: Spring Break
1. Question: Name this gay Spring Break getaway. Hollywood's A-List began wintering here in the 1930's; by the 1980's, the boys came for the Easter Weekend White Party and the girls came for golf's Dinah Shore Weekend. Its onetime Mayor, father of a major gay rights activist, was once married to a diva.
2. Question: Name this gay Spring Break getaway. This party town, one dubbed "The Paris of the Swamps" is known for its Southern Decadence, its fine food, and its non-stop partying. Tennessee Williams, Truman Capote, and Christopher Rice used the city as a backdrop for America's finest dramas and literature.
3. Question: Name this gay Spring Break getaway. Ponce de Leon stumbled on it in 1513, and by the 1880's, it was a tough party town filled with pirates, smugglers, and whores. The alternative lifestyle types moved in by the 1960's. The locals refer to themselves by the name used for a shellfish.
4. Question: Name this gay Spring Break getaway. In the beach blanket movie period, it was "where the boys are". Despite an orange juice queen's anti-gay actions, the city became a gay mecca on a par with a beach to its south.
The first person to submit the correct answers gets their name in print right here. Email your answers to: OnQYB@aol.com. If you do not want your email address to appear in the blog format of this newsletter, please indicate that. http://cosnewsweekly.blogspot.com/
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Coming Out Support Newsweekly: 3/16/09
Coming Out Support (COS) Newsweekly
Volume 12 No. 11 March 16, 2009
Newsletter Editor: OnQYB@aol.com
The Fine Print
About this Newsletter: See previous editions
The Gay Agenda: Datebook: March 16-22, 2009
MON: 3/16: North Hollywood, CA: Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Awards. www.ladramacriticscircle.com
MON: 3/16: Washington, DC: Nathaniel Frank, author of "Unfriendly Fire: How the Gay Ban Undermines the Military and Weakens America" does a reading and booksigning. Lambda Rising. Also: WED: 3/18: Miami, FL: 7PM. Books and Books. THU: 3/19: Atlanta, GA: 8PM. Outwrite Books. http://www.unfriendlyfire.org/events.php
WED-SUN: 3/18-3/22: Mammoth Lakes, CA: Elevation 2009, the 7th annual Mammoth Gay Ski Week. www.mammothgayski.com
WED-FRI: 3/18-3/20: Ithaca, NY: Ithaca College Sport, Sexuality, and Culture Conference. Former NBA player, John Amaechi, will deliver the keynote address. http://www.ithaca.edu/hshp/grad/sportmgmt/sportsexualitycultureintr/ConferenceSchedule/
SAT-SUN: 3/21-3/22: Los Angeles, CA: The Brothers Gershwin--George & Ira. The 25th anniversary S.T.A.G.E. benefit for AIDS Project Los Angeles. Cast performing Gershwins hits include: John Lloyd Young, Shoshana Bean, Lucas Grabeel, Loretta Devine, Sam Harris, Jai Rodriguez and more. S.T.A.G.E. founder and actor Michael Kearns to be honored. www.stagela.com
Newsworthy:
Outrage, Kirby Dick's documentary that exposes closeted gay and lesbian politicians who actively campaign against gay rights, will have its world premiere at the 2009 Tribeca Film Festival. Dick most recently directed "This Film Is Not Yet Rated", about the Motion Picture Association of America’s rating system. His 2005 documentary "Twist of Faith", about Catholic Church complicity in hiding sexual abuse by priests, was nominated for an Academy Award.
London: As the stage musical of "Priscilla, Queen of the Desert" opens on the West End, it's the end of the road for old-school drag queens. The misogynistic, wig-wearing female impersonator is being replaced by a sassier, more sophisticated act. The Independent reports:
http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/theatre-dance/news/end-of-the-road-for-oldschool-drag-queens-1639775.html
The Buzz (People Making News)
Coming Out: Dustin Lance Black, Oscar-winning screenwriter of "Milk", tells his coming out story. The Providence Journal reports: http://www.projo.com/movies/content/lb_oscarwinningwriterofmilk_03-06-09_C9DGUP6_v14.2058f67.html
Awards and Honors:
Chad Allen will receive the Davidson/Valentini Award at GLAAD's Media Awards in San Francisco on 5/09/09. www.glaad.org.
Winners: The American Women in Radio and Television 2009 Gracie Allen Awards: Suze Orman (Individual Achievement Award for Outstanding Host-Information or Entertainment) and Rachel Maddow: (Individual Achievement Award for Outstanding Host-News Program).
Winners: Bistro Awards, celebrating excellence in the cabaret field: Liza Minnelli, Liz McCartney and Euan Morton. Playbill.com reports: http://www.playbill.com/news/article/126815.html
Photo Shoots and Video
Legends Promo Video: Lypsinka and Charles Busch play the roles originated by Mary Martin and Carol Channing. Whoopi Goldberg co-stars in the first-ever New York presentation of James Kirkwood's play on 3/23/09 as a benefit for Friends In Deed: The Crisis Center for Life-Threatening Illness. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oJPLgA2aZhY.
Features
Heard on "The View". Did Whoopi Goldberg Come Out ? And, Rachel Maddow describes being outed. Towleroad reports: http://www.towleroad.com/2009/03/rachel-maddow-was-outed-to-her-parents-by-anonymous-letter.html
Opportunities
The Publishing Triangle works to further the publication of books and other materials written by lesbian and gay authors or with lesbian and gay themes. Founded in 1988, The Publishing Triangle works to create support and a sense of community for lesbian and gay people in the publishing industry. www.publishingtriangle.org
In Print:
Upcoming Titles Of Note for LGBT Readers. The Washington Blade reports: http://www.washblade.com/2009/3-6/arts/books/14182.cfm
Mainly on Directing: Gypsy, West Side Story, and Other Musicals by Arthur Laurents. Knopf. A book about theater, the art, the artist, the insider, the outsider, enriched by the author's two loves, love for the theater and love for his partner of fifty-two years, Tom Hatcher, who shared and inspired every aspect of his life and his work.
In Performance: Onstage:Theatre/Music/Dance
New York City (and Broadway)
***Blithe Spirit. Rupert Everett makes his Broadway debut in gay Noel Coward's ghostly comedy. Angela Lansbury and Christine Ebersole co-star.
***Gates of Gold. Frank McGuinness' comedy-drama based on Hilton Edwards and Micheal MacLiammoir, partners in business and also in life, who together founded Dublin's Gate Theater in Dublin in 1928. to 3/29/09. www.59e59.org.
***The Gay Agenda's Great Big Broadway Show, presented by Shortened Attention Span who are committed to complete and utter world domination through showtunes. opens 3/25/09 and runs the last Wed. of each month. www.ShortenedAttentionSpan.com or http://thatgayagendaband..wordpress.com
***Judy Gold is Mommy Queerest. The lesbian comic takes on her role as Jewish mom. 3/20/09. Joe's Pub. www.joespub.com.
***33 Variations. Moises ("The Laramie Project") Kaufman's new play with music brings Jane Fonda back to Broadway. Colin (“Mad Men”) Hanks co-stars.. to 5/25/09.
***West Side Story. The acclaimed musicalization of "Romeo & Juliet" in a new production directed by Arthur Laurents. www.broadwaywestsidestory.com.
Elsewhere...
***After the Garden: Edith Beale Live at Reno Sweeney Miss Pixie's Backroom Palace, a recreation of Edith (Little Edie) Bouvier Beale's famous nightclub act, which lasted less than a week after "Grey Gardens". to 3/29/09. Washington, DC. www.ganymedearts.org.
***A Beautiful View. Daniel MacIvor's take on two women in love. MacIvor is one of Canada's greatest living playwrights. to 3/22/09. San Francisco, CA. www.therhino.org.
***Grey Gardens, the award-winning musical about mother and daughter Big Edie and Little Edie Bouvier Beale, former society queens turned into recluses with 51 cats. to 5/17/09. Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN. www.ordway.org.
***La Cage Aux Folles. The Jerry Herman/Harvey Fierstein musical based on the film that became "Birdcage".to 3/29/09. Santa Rosa, CA. www.6thstreetplayhouse.com
***Master Class. Barbara Walsh stars as diva Maria Callas in Terrence McNally's award winning play. to 4/05/09. Millburn, NJ. www.papermill.org.
***Sin, A Cardinal Deposed. A docudrama about the lawyer who pursues Boston Archibishop Cardinal Bernard Law for his failure to protect the victims of sexual abuse at the hands of priests in his archdiocese. Thursdays to 4/02/09. Los Angeles, CA. www.thehayworth.com.
***Xanadu, the Broadway musical hit based on the Olivia Newton John movie. "Children's theatre for 40 year old gay men". to 3/29/08. Chicago, IL. www.BroadwayInChicago.com
On Screen (and Video & DVD)
Resource: Cine-Queer: GLAAD's Guide to What's LGBT in Film: http://www.glaad.org/eye/cinequeer.php
Out on Screen...
***Ciao. Two men meet after the death of a mutual friend. www.ciaomovie.com.
***Doubt, the film adaptation of John Patrick Shanley's award-winning drama. A nun (Meryl Streep) suspects a popular priest (Philip Seymour Hoffman) of abusing a boy.
***Hair: Let the Sunshine In. Pola Rapaport's documentary that traces the roots and legacy of the landmark musical, which features interviews with authors James Rado and Gerome Ragni, composer Galt MacDermot and late director Tom O'Horgan as well as Oscar winner Milos Forman, who directed the 1979 film adaptation of Hair.
***Shifting the Canvas. Cheyenne Jackson, Scott Thompson and John Paul Pitoc star in this comedy drama about a Brooklyn cafe owner, who acts as "patriarch" to a wayward group of younger gay and lesbian artists. www.shiftingthecanvas.com.
***The Universe of Keith Haring, a documentary on the late gay pop artist. Now making the rounds of film festivals and independent cinemas.
Out On Video & DVD
***Fashion Victims, a 2008 German film, tells the story of a straight fashion designer’s teen son who falls for his father’s biggest rival in the design world.
***FirstOUT International, a collection of four gay-themed shorts.
***Laughing Matters: Next Gen, a gay standup comedy documentary that follows Andrea Meyerson putting together the fourth installment of her series of comics for the gay standup circuit.
***Milk, Gus Van Sant's film about gay activist Harvey Milk (Sean Penn). Also starring: Josh Brolin, Emile Hirsch, James Franco. Milk comes to DVD with extras. The San Francisco Bay Times reports: http://www.sfbaytimes.com/?sec=article&article_id=10247
***Religulous. Bill Maher travels the globe to investigate the current state of world religion, questioning many religious leaders on LGBT rights. www.lionsgate.com/religulous.
***The Yellow Brick Road And Beyond. A feature documentary takes a look at the phenomenon that is The Wizard of Oz, highlighting some of the earliest stage and screen adaptations, and the musical Wicked.
On TV Of Note: All times listed are ET. Check local listings for times in your area.
Resource:TV Gayed, GLAAD's Weekly Guide to What's LGBT on TV: Updated every Friday. www.glaad.org/eye/tv_listings.php
***March: In the Life. LGBT news magazine. PBS. Check local listings. http://www.itl.tv/inthelife/episodes/
This Just In: THU: 3/12: Broadway's "West Side Story" dances for Dave Letterman. 11:35PM.CBS.
***TUE: 3/17: Carol Burnett plays a former dancer involved with the murder of a couple on "Law & Order: SVU". 10PM. NBC.
Conferences, Seminars, Benefits, and Special Events
3/23/09: New York, NY: Legends, a reading of the infamous James Kirkwood comedy with Charles Busch, Lypsinka, Whoopi Goldberg and Bryan ("Mad Men") Batt. Fran Lebowitz narrates. A benefit for Friends in Deed: The Crisis Center for Life-Threatening Illness. http://www.playbill.com/news/article/125984.html
3/25/09-3/29/09: Keystone, CO: OutBoard, annual LGBT snowboarding festival. www.outboard.org
3/28/09-3/29/09: Pittsburgh, PA: Pennsylvania Volleyball Steel City Classic, a NAGVA-sanctioned vball tourney. www.SteelCityVolleyball.org
3/30/09-4/05/09: Palm Springs, CA: Kraft Nabisco Golf Championship. best known as the Dinah Shore Golf Championship. women and golf. www.nabiscochampionship.com or www.dinahshoreweekend.com
3/31/09: Muncie, IN: David Sedaris begins a national tour reading from "When You Are Ingulfed in Flames". http://www.barclayagency.com/sedaris_appearances.html
4/01/09-4/04/09: Kingston, RI: University of Rhode Island GLBTIQQ Symposium. 15th Annual URI Symposium on Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, Intersex, Queer and Questioning Issues. www.uri.edu/glbt/symposium.html
4/09/09-4/11/09: Calgary, AB: Canada Badminton, Bowling, Curling, Running, Swimming, Volleyball Western Cup XXVII, 27th anniversary of North America's longrun annual LGBT multi-sport tournament and trophy event. www.westerncup.com
4/09/09-4/12/09: Washington, DC: International Gay Square Dance Clubs Convention. www.iagsdc.org
4/17/09-4/19/09: Minneapolis, MN: 2009 Bisexual Empowerment Conference (BECAUSE) at the University of Minnesota. www.becauseconference.org.
4/17/09-4/19/09: Jersey City, NJ: New Jersey Bowling Gotham Open, an IGBO sponsored gay bowling tournament. www.gothambowling.com
4/17/09: Nationwide: National Day of Silence. bringing attention to anti-LGBT name-calling, bullying and harassment in schools. www.dayofsilence.org
4/18/09-4/19/09: San Diego, CA: Camp Courage. An intensive training institute organized by the Courage Campaign to provide grassroots activists with practical, hands-on skills to organize in their communities on marriage equality for same-sex couples. www.couragecampaign.org/campcouragearmy.
Last Week’s Trivia Quiz: Fashion Icons
1. Question: Name this gay designer (1932-1990) who was the first international fashion superstar. He designed Jackie Kennedy’s famous Inauguration pillbox hat, and is best known for his social life at Studio 54, where he hung out with Bianca Jagger, Elizabeth Taylor, and Liza Minnelli. Answer: Halston, born Roy Halston Frowick.
2. Question: Name this possibly bisexual design icon, whose ad campaigns, using photos by Bruce Weber and Herb Ritts, were full of homo-eroticism. Brooke Shields was featured in one of his most famous ads, and MarkyMark’s billboard in Times Square caused numerous fender-benders. Answer: Calvin Klein. Brooke said “Nothing Comes Between me and my Calvins” and MarkyMark in boxer-briefs made Times Square sizzle in 1992.
3. Question: Name this acclaimed gay fashion designer, one of Italy’s first public figures to come out. His fashion was legend, and he frequently collaborated with Elton John onstage and in AIDS charity work. He was murdered in Miami, but his sister keeps the business going. Answer: Gianni Versace.
4. Question: Name this gay American designer (1940-1986), one of the first to develop casual sportswear for women and men. He was also one of the first public figures to die from complications of AIDS. Answer: Perry Ellis.
5. Question: Name this gay Broadway designer who won Tony Awards for making Nathan Lane look like both a producer and a gambler, Harvey Fierstein look like a Baltimore matron, and Tommy Tune’s women of Venice look chic. Answer: William Ivey Long, Tony winner for “The Producers”, “Guys and Dolls”, “Hairspray” and “Nine”.
This Week’s Trivia Quiz: The Corner Bookstore and More
When we learned that A Different Light Books in West hollywood was closing, it brought to mind the LGBT community's rich heritage of bookstores that served as community centers; organizations that fostered LGBT literature and publishing...
1. Question: Name America's earliest self-styled gay and lesbian bookstore, founded in 1967. Its founder, who was one the organizer's of the first pride march, displayed a sign proclaiming it "a bookshop for the homophile movement". There was also a "gay is good" sticker in the window.
2. Question: When the entity in Question #1 closes, where will the oldest operating bookstore in North America be located ?
3. Question: Name this national non-profit devoted to the promotion, preservation and publication of LGBT literature. Its mission is the promotion of LGBT literacy in the widest possible sense. An annual award program (scheduled for May, 2009) puts the organization on the national map.
4. Question: Name this worker-owned feminist bookstore, the oldest continuously-operating independent feminist bookstore in the USA. Its name is the same as a mega-seller who has put many independent booksellers out of business.
5. Question: Name this LGBT American literary magazine, which began publishing in 1976. It was known both for its serious discussion of issues within the gay community and its satire of anti-gay criticism, It also featured original fiction from then up-and-coming authors like Andrew Holleran. After over 230 issues, it closed in 1995.
The first person to submit the correct answers gets their name in print right here. Email your answers to: OnQYB@aol.com. If you do not want your email address to appear in the blog format of this newsletter, please indicate that. http://cosnewsweekly.blogspot.com/
Volume 12 No. 11 March 16, 2009
Newsletter Editor: OnQYB@aol.com
The Fine Print
About this Newsletter: See previous editions
The Gay Agenda: Datebook: March 16-22, 2009
MON: 3/16: North Hollywood, CA: Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Awards. www.ladramacriticscircle.com
MON: 3/16: Washington, DC: Nathaniel Frank, author of "Unfriendly Fire: How the Gay Ban Undermines the Military and Weakens America" does a reading and booksigning. Lambda Rising. Also: WED: 3/18: Miami, FL: 7PM. Books and Books. THU: 3/19: Atlanta, GA: 8PM. Outwrite Books. http://www.unfriendlyfire.org/events.php
WED-SUN: 3/18-3/22: Mammoth Lakes, CA: Elevation 2009, the 7th annual Mammoth Gay Ski Week. www.mammothgayski.com
WED-FRI: 3/18-3/20: Ithaca, NY: Ithaca College Sport, Sexuality, and Culture Conference. Former NBA player, John Amaechi, will deliver the keynote address. http://www.ithaca.edu/hshp/grad/sportmgmt/sportsexualitycultureintr/ConferenceSchedule/
SAT-SUN: 3/21-3/22: Los Angeles, CA: The Brothers Gershwin--George & Ira. The 25th anniversary S.T.A.G.E. benefit for AIDS Project Los Angeles. Cast performing Gershwins hits include: John Lloyd Young, Shoshana Bean, Lucas Grabeel, Loretta Devine, Sam Harris, Jai Rodriguez and more. S.T.A.G.E. founder and actor Michael Kearns to be honored. www.stagela.com
Newsworthy:
Outrage, Kirby Dick's documentary that exposes closeted gay and lesbian politicians who actively campaign against gay rights, will have its world premiere at the 2009 Tribeca Film Festival. Dick most recently directed "This Film Is Not Yet Rated", about the Motion Picture Association of America’s rating system. His 2005 documentary "Twist of Faith", about Catholic Church complicity in hiding sexual abuse by priests, was nominated for an Academy Award.
London: As the stage musical of "Priscilla, Queen of the Desert" opens on the West End, it's the end of the road for old-school drag queens. The misogynistic, wig-wearing female impersonator is being replaced by a sassier, more sophisticated act. The Independent reports:
http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/theatre-dance/news/end-of-the-road-for-oldschool-drag-queens-1639775.html
The Buzz (People Making News)
Coming Out: Dustin Lance Black, Oscar-winning screenwriter of "Milk", tells his coming out story. The Providence Journal reports: http://www.projo.com/movies/content/lb_oscarwinningwriterofmilk_03-06-09_C9DGUP6_v14.2058f67.html
Awards and Honors:
Chad Allen will receive the Davidson/Valentini Award at GLAAD's Media Awards in San Francisco on 5/09/09. www.glaad.org.
Winners: The American Women in Radio and Television 2009 Gracie Allen Awards: Suze Orman (Individual Achievement Award for Outstanding Host-Information or Entertainment) and Rachel Maddow: (Individual Achievement Award for Outstanding Host-News Program).
Winners: Bistro Awards, celebrating excellence in the cabaret field: Liza Minnelli, Liz McCartney and Euan Morton. Playbill.com reports: http://www.playbill.com/news/article/126815.html
Photo Shoots and Video
Legends Promo Video: Lypsinka and Charles Busch play the roles originated by Mary Martin and Carol Channing. Whoopi Goldberg co-stars in the first-ever New York presentation of James Kirkwood's play on 3/23/09 as a benefit for Friends In Deed: The Crisis Center for Life-Threatening Illness. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oJPLgA2aZhY.
Features
Heard on "The View". Did Whoopi Goldberg Come Out ? And, Rachel Maddow describes being outed. Towleroad reports: http://www.towleroad.com/2009/03/rachel-maddow-was-outed-to-her-parents-by-anonymous-letter.html
Opportunities
The Publishing Triangle works to further the publication of books and other materials written by lesbian and gay authors or with lesbian and gay themes. Founded in 1988, The Publishing Triangle works to create support and a sense of community for lesbian and gay people in the publishing industry. www.publishingtriangle.org
In Print:
Upcoming Titles Of Note for LGBT Readers. The Washington Blade reports: http://www.washblade.com/2009/3-6/arts/books/14182.cfm
Mainly on Directing: Gypsy, West Side Story, and Other Musicals by Arthur Laurents. Knopf. A book about theater, the art, the artist, the insider, the outsider, enriched by the author's two loves, love for the theater and love for his partner of fifty-two years, Tom Hatcher, who shared and inspired every aspect of his life and his work.
In Performance: Onstage:Theatre/Music/Dance
New York City (and Broadway)
***Blithe Spirit. Rupert Everett makes his Broadway debut in gay Noel Coward's ghostly comedy. Angela Lansbury and Christine Ebersole co-star.
***Gates of Gold. Frank McGuinness' comedy-drama based on Hilton Edwards and Micheal MacLiammoir, partners in business and also in life, who together founded Dublin's Gate Theater in Dublin in 1928. to 3/29/09. www.59e59.org.
***The Gay Agenda's Great Big Broadway Show, presented by Shortened Attention Span who are committed to complete and utter world domination through showtunes. opens 3/25/09 and runs the last Wed. of each month. www.ShortenedAttentionSpan.com or http://thatgayagendaband..wordpress.com
***Judy Gold is Mommy Queerest. The lesbian comic takes on her role as Jewish mom. 3/20/09. Joe's Pub. www.joespub.com.
***33 Variations. Moises ("The Laramie Project") Kaufman's new play with music brings Jane Fonda back to Broadway. Colin (“Mad Men”) Hanks co-stars.. to 5/25/09.
***West Side Story. The acclaimed musicalization of "Romeo & Juliet" in a new production directed by Arthur Laurents. www.broadwaywestsidestory.com.
Elsewhere...
***After the Garden: Edith Beale Live at Reno Sweeney Miss Pixie's Backroom Palace, a recreation of Edith (Little Edie) Bouvier Beale's famous nightclub act, which lasted less than a week after "Grey Gardens". to 3/29/09. Washington, DC. www.ganymedearts.org.
***A Beautiful View. Daniel MacIvor's take on two women in love. MacIvor is one of Canada's greatest living playwrights. to 3/22/09. San Francisco, CA. www.therhino.org.
***Grey Gardens, the award-winning musical about mother and daughter Big Edie and Little Edie Bouvier Beale, former society queens turned into recluses with 51 cats. to 5/17/09. Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN. www.ordway.org.
***La Cage Aux Folles. The Jerry Herman/Harvey Fierstein musical based on the film that became "Birdcage".to 3/29/09. Santa Rosa, CA. www.6thstreetplayhouse.com
***Master Class. Barbara Walsh stars as diva Maria Callas in Terrence McNally's award winning play. to 4/05/09. Millburn, NJ. www.papermill.org.
***Sin, A Cardinal Deposed. A docudrama about the lawyer who pursues Boston Archibishop Cardinal Bernard Law for his failure to protect the victims of sexual abuse at the hands of priests in his archdiocese. Thursdays to 4/02/09. Los Angeles, CA. www.thehayworth.com.
***Xanadu, the Broadway musical hit based on the Olivia Newton John movie. "Children's theatre for 40 year old gay men". to 3/29/08. Chicago, IL. www.BroadwayInChicago.com
On Screen (and Video & DVD)
Resource: Cine-Queer: GLAAD's Guide to What's LGBT in Film: http://www.glaad.org/eye/cinequeer.php
Out on Screen...
***Ciao. Two men meet after the death of a mutual friend. www.ciaomovie.com.
***Doubt, the film adaptation of John Patrick Shanley's award-winning drama. A nun (Meryl Streep) suspects a popular priest (Philip Seymour Hoffman) of abusing a boy.
***Hair: Let the Sunshine In. Pola Rapaport's documentary that traces the roots and legacy of the landmark musical, which features interviews with authors James Rado and Gerome Ragni, composer Galt MacDermot and late director Tom O'Horgan as well as Oscar winner Milos Forman, who directed the 1979 film adaptation of Hair.
***Shifting the Canvas. Cheyenne Jackson, Scott Thompson and John Paul Pitoc star in this comedy drama about a Brooklyn cafe owner, who acts as "patriarch" to a wayward group of younger gay and lesbian artists. www.shiftingthecanvas.com.
***The Universe of Keith Haring, a documentary on the late gay pop artist. Now making the rounds of film festivals and independent cinemas.
Out On Video & DVD
***Fashion Victims, a 2008 German film, tells the story of a straight fashion designer’s teen son who falls for his father’s biggest rival in the design world.
***FirstOUT International, a collection of four gay-themed shorts.
***Laughing Matters: Next Gen, a gay standup comedy documentary that follows Andrea Meyerson putting together the fourth installment of her series of comics for the gay standup circuit.
***Milk, Gus Van Sant's film about gay activist Harvey Milk (Sean Penn). Also starring: Josh Brolin, Emile Hirsch, James Franco. Milk comes to DVD with extras. The San Francisco Bay Times reports: http://www.sfbaytimes.com/?sec=article&article_id=10247
***Religulous. Bill Maher travels the globe to investigate the current state of world religion, questioning many religious leaders on LGBT rights. www.lionsgate.com/religulous.
***The Yellow Brick Road And Beyond. A feature documentary takes a look at the phenomenon that is The Wizard of Oz, highlighting some of the earliest stage and screen adaptations, and the musical Wicked.
On TV Of Note: All times listed are ET. Check local listings for times in your area.
Resource:TV Gayed, GLAAD's Weekly Guide to What's LGBT on TV: Updated every Friday. www.glaad.org/eye/tv_listings.php
***March: In the Life. LGBT news magazine. PBS. Check local listings. http://www.itl.tv/inthelife/episodes/
This Just In: THU: 3/12: Broadway's "West Side Story" dances for Dave Letterman. 11:35PM.CBS.
***TUE: 3/17: Carol Burnett plays a former dancer involved with the murder of a couple on "Law & Order: SVU". 10PM. NBC.
Conferences, Seminars, Benefits, and Special Events
3/23/09: New York, NY: Legends, a reading of the infamous James Kirkwood comedy with Charles Busch, Lypsinka, Whoopi Goldberg and Bryan ("Mad Men") Batt. Fran Lebowitz narrates. A benefit for Friends in Deed: The Crisis Center for Life-Threatening Illness. http://www.playbill.com/news/article/125984.html
3/25/09-3/29/09: Keystone, CO: OutBoard, annual LGBT snowboarding festival. www.outboard.org
3/28/09-3/29/09: Pittsburgh, PA: Pennsylvania Volleyball Steel City Classic, a NAGVA-sanctioned vball tourney. www.SteelCityVolleyball.org
3/30/09-4/05/09: Palm Springs, CA: Kraft Nabisco Golf Championship. best known as the Dinah Shore Golf Championship. women and golf. www.nabiscochampionship.com or www.dinahshoreweekend.com
3/31/09: Muncie, IN: David Sedaris begins a national tour reading from "When You Are Ingulfed in Flames". http://www.barclayagency.com/sedaris_appearances.html
4/01/09-4/04/09: Kingston, RI: University of Rhode Island GLBTIQQ Symposium. 15th Annual URI Symposium on Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, Intersex, Queer and Questioning Issues. www.uri.edu/glbt/symposium.html
4/09/09-4/11/09: Calgary, AB: Canada Badminton, Bowling, Curling, Running, Swimming, Volleyball Western Cup XXVII, 27th anniversary of North America's longrun annual LGBT multi-sport tournament and trophy event. www.westerncup.com
4/09/09-4/12/09: Washington, DC: International Gay Square Dance Clubs Convention. www.iagsdc.org
4/17/09-4/19/09: Minneapolis, MN: 2009 Bisexual Empowerment Conference (BECAUSE) at the University of Minnesota. www.becauseconference.org.
4/17/09-4/19/09: Jersey City, NJ: New Jersey Bowling Gotham Open, an IGBO sponsored gay bowling tournament. www.gothambowling.com
4/17/09: Nationwide: National Day of Silence. bringing attention to anti-LGBT name-calling, bullying and harassment in schools. www.dayofsilence.org
4/18/09-4/19/09: San Diego, CA: Camp Courage. An intensive training institute organized by the Courage Campaign to provide grassroots activists with practical, hands-on skills to organize in their communities on marriage equality for same-sex couples. www.couragecampaign.org/campcouragearmy.
Last Week’s Trivia Quiz: Fashion Icons
1. Question: Name this gay designer (1932-1990) who was the first international fashion superstar. He designed Jackie Kennedy’s famous Inauguration pillbox hat, and is best known for his social life at Studio 54, where he hung out with Bianca Jagger, Elizabeth Taylor, and Liza Minnelli. Answer: Halston, born Roy Halston Frowick.
2. Question: Name this possibly bisexual design icon, whose ad campaigns, using photos by Bruce Weber and Herb Ritts, were full of homo-eroticism. Brooke Shields was featured in one of his most famous ads, and MarkyMark’s billboard in Times Square caused numerous fender-benders. Answer: Calvin Klein. Brooke said “Nothing Comes Between me and my Calvins” and MarkyMark in boxer-briefs made Times Square sizzle in 1992.
3. Question: Name this acclaimed gay fashion designer, one of Italy’s first public figures to come out. His fashion was legend, and he frequently collaborated with Elton John onstage and in AIDS charity work. He was murdered in Miami, but his sister keeps the business going. Answer: Gianni Versace.
4. Question: Name this gay American designer (1940-1986), one of the first to develop casual sportswear for women and men. He was also one of the first public figures to die from complications of AIDS. Answer: Perry Ellis.
5. Question: Name this gay Broadway designer who won Tony Awards for making Nathan Lane look like both a producer and a gambler, Harvey Fierstein look like a Baltimore matron, and Tommy Tune’s women of Venice look chic. Answer: William Ivey Long, Tony winner for “The Producers”, “Guys and Dolls”, “Hairspray” and “Nine”.
This Week’s Trivia Quiz: The Corner Bookstore and More
When we learned that A Different Light Books in West hollywood was closing, it brought to mind the LGBT community's rich heritage of bookstores that served as community centers; organizations that fostered LGBT literature and publishing...
1. Question: Name America's earliest self-styled gay and lesbian bookstore, founded in 1967. Its founder, who was one the organizer's of the first pride march, displayed a sign proclaiming it "a bookshop for the homophile movement". There was also a "gay is good" sticker in the window.
2. Question: When the entity in Question #1 closes, where will the oldest operating bookstore in North America be located ?
3. Question: Name this national non-profit devoted to the promotion, preservation and publication of LGBT literature. Its mission is the promotion of LGBT literacy in the widest possible sense. An annual award program (scheduled for May, 2009) puts the organization on the national map.
4. Question: Name this worker-owned feminist bookstore, the oldest continuously-operating independent feminist bookstore in the USA. Its name is the same as a mega-seller who has put many independent booksellers out of business.
5. Question: Name this LGBT American literary magazine, which began publishing in 1976. It was known both for its serious discussion of issues within the gay community and its satire of anti-gay criticism, It also featured original fiction from then up-and-coming authors like Andrew Holleran. After over 230 issues, it closed in 1995.
The first person to submit the correct answers gets their name in print right here. Email your answers to: OnQYB@aol.com. If you do not want your email address to appear in the blog format of this newsletter, please indicate that. http://cosnewsweekly.blogspot.com/
Thursday, March 5, 2009
Coming Out Support Newsweekly: 3/09/09
Coming Out Support (COS) Newsweekly
Volume 12 No. 10 March 9, 2009
Newsletter Editor: OnQYB@aol.com
The Fine Print
See previous editions:
The Gay Agenda: Datebook: March 9-15, 2009
MON: 3/09: New York, NY: ABC & Soap.Net Salute Broadway Cares. Actors from such ABC daytime shows as "All My Children," "One Life to Live" and "General Hospital" offer musical numbers and skits. www.broadwaycares.org.
MON: 3/09: San Francisco, CA: Nathaniel Frank, author of "Unfriendly Fire: How the Gay Ban Undermines the Military and Weakens America" does a reading and booksigning. 6PM. Commonwealth Club. Also: TUE: 3/10: San Francisco, CA: 7:30PM. Books Inc/Castro. WED: 3/11: Chicago, IL: 7PM. Borders/N.Clark. http://www.unfriendlyfire.org/events.php
TUE: 3/10: New York, NY: Mikhail Baryshnikov, international ballet star, signs copies of "Merce My Way". 7:30PM. Barnes & Noble, Lincoln Triangle.
THU-SAT: 3/12-3/14: Storrs, CT: True Colors XVI Conference focusing on the needs of LGBTQ youth and their allies through a comprehensive annual conference. Programs on mental and behavioral health. www.ourtruecolors.org.
FRI: 3/13: Washington, DC: Freedom to Serve Rally and Lobby Day to build momentum for repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" and to support all servicemembers.12 Noon. US Capitol grounds. www.sldn.org.
SAT: 3/14: Washington, DC: SLDN 17th National Dinner and Silent Auction, a fund-raiser for the Servicemember's Legal Defense Network. www.sldn.org.
Newsworthy:
Update: The California Supreme Court hears arguments today (3/05/09) on Proposition 8. Towleroad updates: http://www.towleroad.com/2009/03/prop-8-eve-of-justice-vigils-held-across-california.html
California: The high school production of "Rent" will go on. The production had been cancelled when school administrators objected to the musical's content and gay characters. The New York Times reports: http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/02/25/high-school-rent-production-will-go-on/
California: Sean Penn, Senator Mark Leno (D-San Francisco) and Equality California (EQCA) held a press conference on 3/03/09 to announce the re-introduction of legislation creating Harvey Milk Day in California.
Washington, DC: The house of gay rights pioneer Frank Kameny is now a national historical landmark, the first gay-related site approved for landmark status in the District of Columbia. The Washington Blade reports: http://www.washblade.com/thelatest/thelatest.cfm?blog_id=24228
Los Angeles: A Different Light Bookstore to close. The independent bookseller was the major LGBT bookseller in the market and they were renowned for presenting readings and booksignings. The Advocate reports: http://www.advocate.com/news_detail_ektid73856.asp
The Lambda Literary Foundation is launching a Directory of Professional Services this month. Listings of working professionals in the following areas will be included: editors, literary agents, publicists, graphic designers, web designers, writing workshops, etc. To be listed: info@lambdaliterary.org.
The Equality Forum, Philadelphia's weeklong LGBT cultural event that takes place every spring, will not receive its usual $115,000 support from the city this year. The Advocate reports: http://www.advocate.com/news_detail_ektid73981.asp
Grey Gardens' Edith (Little Edie) Bouvier Beale returns to life in a Washington, DC recreation of her short-lived stage act, as reimagined by Ganymede Arts. The Washington Post reports: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/02/26/AR2009022601222.html
Don’t Ask / Don’t Tell
***Towleroad has additional information on Nathaniel Frank's book, "Unfriendly Fire", an upcoming PBS special and more: http://www.towleroad.com/2009/03/military-suppressed-evidence-critical-of-gay-ban-says-author.html
***Rep. Ellen Tauscher is interviewed on her quest to end the military's failed policy. Towleroad reports: http://www.towleroad.com/2009/03/rep-ellen-tauscher-on-dont-ask-dont-tell.html
The Buzz (People Making News)
James Dobson, the conservative evangelical leader who has spoken out against gay rights, has resigned as chairman of Focus on the Family. The Associated Press reports: http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5iYgrbhrH3ysV5JVN7Ol2jFuSdtVwD96K5RH03
Tony Kushner, playwright of "Angels in America", will be celebrated with a three-month festival of his works at Minneapolis' prestigious Guthrie Theatre. His world premiere, "The Intelligent Homosexual's Guide to Capitalism and Socialism with a Key to the Scriptures", begins previews 5/09/09. Playbill.com reports: http://www.playbill.com/news/article/126812.html
Terrence McNally, the out playwright, will be showcased, as three of his plays about opera are presented at The Kennedy Center in 2010. "Terrence McNally's Nights at the Opera" includes "Masterclass", his story of Maria Callas; "The Lisbon Traviata", the comedy about opera queens and diva worshippers who adore Callas, and "Golden Age", a world premiere about the composer Donizetti and his final opera, "I Puritani". www.kennedy-center.org.
Awards and Honors:
Campus Pride honored three college seniors with Voice & Action Leadership Awards for being young adult role models and activists within the LGBT community: Celso Perez (Boston College), Shawna Scott (University of Georgia), and Justin Hager (University of Wisconsin–Madison). The Advocate reports: http://www.advocate.com/news_detail_ektid73516.asp
In Memoriam:
Neal Kenyon, the actor-turned-director who staged "Dames At Sea" (which made Bernadette Peters a star), died on 2/27/09 at age 79. The Sarasota Herald-Tribune reports: http://www.heraldtribune.com/article/20081224/ARTICLE/812240340/2055/NEWS?Title=Director_made_theater__his_life_
In Print:
Milk: A Pictorial History of Harvey Milk by Dustin Lance Black. Foreward by Armistead Maupin. Newmarket Press. This official illustrated companion book by the Oscar-winning screenwriter of "Milk" features oral histories, archival photographs, behind-the-scenes stills, and the story of the Focus Features film directed by Gius Van Sant and starring Oscar winner Sean Penn as gay-rights icon Harvey Milk.
In Performance: Onstage:Theatre/Music/Dance
New York City (and Broadway)
***Blithe Spirit. Rupert Everett makes his Broadway debut in Noel Coward's ghostly comedy. Angela Lansbury and Christine Ebersole co-star.
***Christine Jorgensen Reveals. Bradford Louryk stars as America's first famous transsexual, in his solo theatre piece which won numerous awards. to 3/15/09. www.ticketcentral.com
***Gates of Gold. Frank McGuinness' comedy-drama based on Hilton Edwards and Micheal MacLiammoir, partners in business and also in life, who together founded Dublin's Gate Theater in Dublin in 1928. to 3/29/09. www.59e59.org.
***33 Variations. Moises ("The Laramie Project") Kaufman's new play with music brings Jane Fonda back to Broadway. Colin (“Mad Men”) Hanks co-stars.. to 5/25/09.
***West Side Story. The acclaimed musicalization of "Romeo & Juliet" in a new production directed by Arthur Laurents. www.broadwaywestsidestory.com.
Elsewhere...
***After the Garden: Edith Beale Live at Reno Sweeney Miss Pixie's Backroom Palace, a recreation of Edith (Little Edie) Bouvier Beale's famous nightclub act. to 3/29/09. Washington, DC. www.ganymedearts.org.
***A Beautiful View. Daniel MacIvor's take on two women in love. MacIvor is one of Canada's greatest living playwrights. to 3/22/09. San Francisco, CA. www.therhino.org.
***A Conversation With Edith Head. Susan Claassen's portrayal of the award-winning designer who gave good Hollywood costume. 3/13/09: Tubac, AZ.www.tubacarts.org.
***Jerry Herman's Broadway. The National Symphony Orchestra celebrates the out composer. 3/12/09-3/14/09. Washington, DC. www.kennedy-center.org
***La Cage Aux Folles. The Jerry Herman/Harvey Fierstein musical based on the film that became "Birdcage".to 3/29/09. Santa Rosa, CA. www.6thstreetplayhouse.com
***Master Class. Barbara Walsh stars as opera diva Maria Callas in Terrence McNally's Tony-Award winning play. to 4/05/09. Millburn, NJ. www.papermill.org.
***Sin, A Cardinal Deposed. A docudrama about the lawyer who pursues Boston Archibishop Cardinal Bernard Law for his failure to protect the victims of sexual abuse at the hands of priests in his archdiocese. Thursdays to 4/02/09. Los Angeles, CA. www.thehayworth.com.
On Screen (and Video & DVD)
Resource: Cine-Queer: GLAAD's Guide to What's LGBT in Film: http://www.glaad.org/eye/cinequeer.php
Out on Screen...
***Ciao. Two men meet after the death of a mutual friend. www.ciaomovie.com.
***Doubt, the film adaptation of John Patrick Shanley's award-winning drama. A nun (Meryl Streep) suspects a popular priest (Philip Seymour Hoffman) of abusing a boy.
***Hair: Let the Sunshine In. Pola Rapaport's documentary that traces the roots and legacy of the landmark musical.
***Milk, Gus Van Sant's film about gay activist Harvey Milk (Sean Penn). Also starring: Josh Brolin, Emile Hirsch, James Franco.
***Shifting the Canvas. Cheyenne Jackson, Scott Thompson and John Paul Pitoc star in this comedy drama about a Brooklyn cafe owner, who acts as "patriarch" to a wayward group of younger gay and lesbian artists. www.shiftingthecanvas.com.
Out On Video & DVD
***Brideshead Revisited. In the 1930s, Charles and Sebastian (Matthew Goode and Ben Wishaw) tryst on a country estate. www.bridesheadrevisited-themovie.com.
***Chris and Don: A Love Story. Tina Mascara's documentary about British writer Christopher Isherwood and his lover, the much younger American artist Don Bachardy.
***Religulous. Bill Maher travels the globe to investigate the current state of world religion, questioning many religious leaders on LGBT rights. www.lionsgate.com/religulous.
***"Rent" Filmed Live on Broadway. Film made of the final performances of the landmark musical New to DVD and Blu-Ray.
***The Yellow Brick Road And Beyond. A feature documentary takes a look at the phenomenon that is The Wizard of Oz, highlighting some of the earliest stage and screen adaptations, and the musical Wicked.
Conferences, Seminars, Benefits, and Special Events
3/18/09-3/22/09: Mammoth Lakes, CA: Elevation 2009, the 7th annual Mammoth Gay Ski Week. www.mammothgayski.com
3/18/09-3/20/09: Ithaca, NY: Ithaca College Sport, Sexuality, and Culture Conference. Former NBA player John Amaechi, will deliver the keynote address. http://www.ithaca.edu/hshp/grad/sportmgmt/sportsexualitycultureintr/ConferenceSchedule/
3/23/09: New York, NY: Legends, a reading of the infamous James Kirkwood comedy with Charles Busch, Lypsinka, Whoopi Goldberg and Bryan ("Mad Men") Batt. www.playbill.com/news/article/125984.html
3/25/09-3/29/09: Keystone, CO: OutBoard, annual LGBT snowboarding festival. www.outboard.org
3/28/09-3/29/09: Pittsburgh, PA: Pennsylvania Volleyball Steel City Classic, a NAGVA-sanctioned vball tourney. www.SteelCityVolleyball.org
3/30/09-4/05/09: Palm Springs, CA: Kraft Nabisco Golf Championship. previously known as the Dinah Shore Golf Championship. women and golf. www.nabiscochampionship.com or www.dinahshoreweekend.com
4/01/09-4/04/09: Kingston, RI: University of Rhode Island GLBTIQQ Symposium. 15th Annual URI Symposium on Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, Intersex, Queer and Questioning Issues. www.uri.edu/glbt/symposium.html
4/09/09-4/11/09: Calgary, AB: Canada Badminton, Bowling, Curling, Running, Swimming, Volleyball Western Cup XXVII, 27th anniversary of North America's longest running annual LGBT multi-sport tournament. www.westerncup.com
4/09/09-4/12/09: Washington, DC: International Gay Square Dance Clubs Convention. www.iagsdc.org
4/17/09-4/19/09: Minneapolis, MN: 2009 Bisexual Empowerment Conference (BECAUSE) at the University of Minnesota. www.becauseconference.org.
Last Week’s Trivia Quiz: Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell
President Bill Clinton signed DADT, the paradigm for gays in the military, into law 15 years ago.
1. Question: Name this non-profit organization, founded in 1993, which provides support and legal assistance to gays in the military affected by "Don't Ask, Don't Tell". It has responded to over 9,000 requests for legal assistance since its founding. Answer: Servicemembers Legal Defense Network, the non-partisan, non-profit, legal services, watchdog and policy organization. For a history of DADT and a list of SLDN programs an services: www.sldn.org.
2. Question: Name the author of the definitive history of LGBT people in the US military. This author, who had chronicled the gay rights movement in the Harvey Milk years and the rise of AIDS activism in the USA, died shortly after completing the book. Answer: Randy Shilts. "Conduct Unbecoming: Gays and Lesbians in the US Military: Vietnam to the Persian Gulf", was published in 1993. "And The Band Played On", his chronicle of HIV, is one of the most fascinating and compelling books of the late 20th century.
3. Question: Name this gay soldier who was perhaps the best-known openly gay man in the 1970s. A Vietnam War veteran and recipient of the Purpole Heart and the Bronze Star, he came out and fought to stay in the Air Force, a battle that put hiim on the cover of Time Magazine in 1975. Answer: Leonard Matlovich (1943-1988), Technical Sergeant. His outspoken manner resulted in articles in The New York Times and a television movie on NBC.
4. Question: Name this out former colonel in the Washington National Guard and a gay rights activist. Prior to DADT, she came out in a security clearance, and was discharged. She fought for reinstatement. Her battle became the subject of an award-winning film. Answer: Margarethe "Grethe" Cammermeyer. On 6/11/92, she was honorably discharged from the military. Cammermeyer filed a lawsuit against the decision in civil court. In June, 1994, a judge ruled her discharge, and the ban on gays and lesbians serving in the military, unconstitutional. She returned to the National Guard and served as one of the few officially accepted openly gay or lesbian people in the military until her retirement in 1997."Serving in Silence" a film version of her autobiography of the same name, starred Glenn Close.
5. Question: Name this Naval Academy student who was expelled from Annapolis in 1987, after coming out to his commanding officer. At the time, he was six weeks from graduation and one of the top six midshipmen within the academy. He sued for reinstatement. His case was unique in that he was accused of no homosexual conduct; his separation from the military was predicated solely upon his admission of homosexuality. After a long legal battle, he chose not to appeal his case to the U.S. Supreme Court. Today, he's a successful attorney. Answer: Joseph Steffan. His autobiography, "Honor Bound: A Gay American Fights for His Right to Serve His Country" was published by Villard Press in 1992.
This Week’s Trivia Quiz: Fashion Icons
1. Question: Name this gay designer (1932-1990) who was the first international fashion superstar. He designed Jackie Kennedy’s famous Inauguration pillbox hat, and is best known for his social life at Studio 54, where he hung out with Bianca Jagger, Elizabeth Taylor, and Liza Minnelli.
2. Question: Name this possibly bisexual design icon, whose ad campaigns, using photos by Bruce Weber and Herb Ritts, were full of homo-eroticism. Brooke Shields was featured in one of his most famous ads, and MarkyMark’s billboard in Times Square caused numerous fender-benders.
3. Question: Name this acclaimed gay fashion designer, one of Italy’s first public figures to come out. His fashion was legend, and he frequently collaborated with Elton John onstage and in AIDS charity work. He was murdered in Miami, but his sister keeps the business going.
4. Question: Name this gay American designer (1940-1986), one of the first to develop casual sportswear for women and men. He was also one of the first public figures to die from complications of AIDS.
5. Question: Name this gay Broadway designer who won Tony Awards for making Nathan Lane look like both a producer and a gambler, Harvey Fierstein look like a Baltimore matron, and Tommy Tune’s women of Venice look chic.
The first person to submit the correct answers gets their name in print right here. Email your answers to: OnQYB@aol.com. If you do not want your email address to appear in the blog format of this newsletter, please indicate that. http://cosnewsweekly.blogspot.com/
Volume 12 No. 10 March 9, 2009
Newsletter Editor: OnQYB@aol.com
The Fine Print
See previous editions:
The Gay Agenda: Datebook: March 9-15, 2009
MON: 3/09: New York, NY: ABC & Soap.Net Salute Broadway Cares. Actors from such ABC daytime shows as "All My Children," "One Life to Live" and "General Hospital" offer musical numbers and skits. www.broadwaycares.org.
MON: 3/09: San Francisco, CA: Nathaniel Frank, author of "Unfriendly Fire: How the Gay Ban Undermines the Military and Weakens America" does a reading and booksigning. 6PM. Commonwealth Club. Also: TUE: 3/10: San Francisco, CA: 7:30PM. Books Inc/Castro. WED: 3/11: Chicago, IL: 7PM. Borders/N.Clark. http://www.unfriendlyfire.org/events.php
TUE: 3/10: New York, NY: Mikhail Baryshnikov, international ballet star, signs copies of "Merce My Way". 7:30PM. Barnes & Noble, Lincoln Triangle.
THU-SAT: 3/12-3/14: Storrs, CT: True Colors XVI Conference focusing on the needs of LGBTQ youth and their allies through a comprehensive annual conference. Programs on mental and behavioral health. www.ourtruecolors.org.
FRI: 3/13: Washington, DC: Freedom to Serve Rally and Lobby Day to build momentum for repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" and to support all servicemembers.12 Noon. US Capitol grounds. www.sldn.org.
SAT: 3/14: Washington, DC: SLDN 17th National Dinner and Silent Auction, a fund-raiser for the Servicemember's Legal Defense Network. www.sldn.org.
Newsworthy:
Update: The California Supreme Court hears arguments today (3/05/09) on Proposition 8. Towleroad updates: http://www.towleroad.com/2009/03/prop-8-eve-of-justice-vigils-held-across-california.html
California: The high school production of "Rent" will go on. The production had been cancelled when school administrators objected to the musical's content and gay characters. The New York Times reports: http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/02/25/high-school-rent-production-will-go-on/
California: Sean Penn, Senator Mark Leno (D-San Francisco) and Equality California (EQCA) held a press conference on 3/03/09 to announce the re-introduction of legislation creating Harvey Milk Day in California.
Washington, DC: The house of gay rights pioneer Frank Kameny is now a national historical landmark, the first gay-related site approved for landmark status in the District of Columbia. The Washington Blade reports: http://www.washblade.com/thelatest/thelatest.cfm?blog_id=24228
Los Angeles: A Different Light Bookstore to close. The independent bookseller was the major LGBT bookseller in the market and they were renowned for presenting readings and booksignings. The Advocate reports: http://www.advocate.com/news_detail_ektid73856.asp
The Lambda Literary Foundation is launching a Directory of Professional Services this month. Listings of working professionals in the following areas will be included: editors, literary agents, publicists, graphic designers, web designers, writing workshops, etc. To be listed: info@lambdaliterary.org.
The Equality Forum, Philadelphia's weeklong LGBT cultural event that takes place every spring, will not receive its usual $115,000 support from the city this year. The Advocate reports: http://www.advocate.com/news_detail_ektid73981.asp
Grey Gardens' Edith (Little Edie) Bouvier Beale returns to life in a Washington, DC recreation of her short-lived stage act, as reimagined by Ganymede Arts. The Washington Post reports: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/02/26/AR2009022601222.html
Don’t Ask / Don’t Tell
***Towleroad has additional information on Nathaniel Frank's book, "Unfriendly Fire", an upcoming PBS special and more: http://www.towleroad.com/2009/03/military-suppressed-evidence-critical-of-gay-ban-says-author.html
***Rep. Ellen Tauscher is interviewed on her quest to end the military's failed policy. Towleroad reports: http://www.towleroad.com/2009/03/rep-ellen-tauscher-on-dont-ask-dont-tell.html
The Buzz (People Making News)
James Dobson, the conservative evangelical leader who has spoken out against gay rights, has resigned as chairman of Focus on the Family. The Associated Press reports: http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5iYgrbhrH3ysV5JVN7Ol2jFuSdtVwD96K5RH03
Tony Kushner, playwright of "Angels in America", will be celebrated with a three-month festival of his works at Minneapolis' prestigious Guthrie Theatre. His world premiere, "The Intelligent Homosexual's Guide to Capitalism and Socialism with a Key to the Scriptures", begins previews 5/09/09. Playbill.com reports: http://www.playbill.com/news/article/126812.html
Terrence McNally, the out playwright, will be showcased, as three of his plays about opera are presented at The Kennedy Center in 2010. "Terrence McNally's Nights at the Opera" includes "Masterclass", his story of Maria Callas; "The Lisbon Traviata", the comedy about opera queens and diva worshippers who adore Callas, and "Golden Age", a world premiere about the composer Donizetti and his final opera, "I Puritani". www.kennedy-center.org.
Awards and Honors:
Campus Pride honored three college seniors with Voice & Action Leadership Awards for being young adult role models and activists within the LGBT community: Celso Perez (Boston College), Shawna Scott (University of Georgia), and Justin Hager (University of Wisconsin–Madison). The Advocate reports: http://www.advocate.com/news_detail_ektid73516.asp
In Memoriam:
Neal Kenyon, the actor-turned-director who staged "Dames At Sea" (which made Bernadette Peters a star), died on 2/27/09 at age 79. The Sarasota Herald-Tribune reports: http://www.heraldtribune.com/article/20081224/ARTICLE/812240340/2055/NEWS?Title=Director_made_theater__his_life_
In Print:
Milk: A Pictorial History of Harvey Milk by Dustin Lance Black. Foreward by Armistead Maupin. Newmarket Press. This official illustrated companion book by the Oscar-winning screenwriter of "Milk" features oral histories, archival photographs, behind-the-scenes stills, and the story of the Focus Features film directed by Gius Van Sant and starring Oscar winner Sean Penn as gay-rights icon Harvey Milk.
In Performance: Onstage:Theatre/Music/Dance
New York City (and Broadway)
***Blithe Spirit. Rupert Everett makes his Broadway debut in Noel Coward's ghostly comedy. Angela Lansbury and Christine Ebersole co-star.
***Christine Jorgensen Reveals. Bradford Louryk stars as America's first famous transsexual, in his solo theatre piece which won numerous awards. to 3/15/09. www.ticketcentral.com
***Gates of Gold. Frank McGuinness' comedy-drama based on Hilton Edwards and Micheal MacLiammoir, partners in business and also in life, who together founded Dublin's Gate Theater in Dublin in 1928. to 3/29/09. www.59e59.org.
***33 Variations. Moises ("The Laramie Project") Kaufman's new play with music brings Jane Fonda back to Broadway. Colin (“Mad Men”) Hanks co-stars.. to 5/25/09.
***West Side Story. The acclaimed musicalization of "Romeo & Juliet" in a new production directed by Arthur Laurents. www.broadwaywestsidestory.com.
Elsewhere...
***After the Garden: Edith Beale Live at Reno Sweeney Miss Pixie's Backroom Palace, a recreation of Edith (Little Edie) Bouvier Beale's famous nightclub act. to 3/29/09. Washington, DC. www.ganymedearts.org.
***A Beautiful View. Daniel MacIvor's take on two women in love. MacIvor is one of Canada's greatest living playwrights. to 3/22/09. San Francisco, CA. www.therhino.org.
***A Conversation With Edith Head. Susan Claassen's portrayal of the award-winning designer who gave good Hollywood costume. 3/13/09: Tubac, AZ.www.tubacarts.org.
***Jerry Herman's Broadway. The National Symphony Orchestra celebrates the out composer. 3/12/09-3/14/09. Washington, DC. www.kennedy-center.org
***La Cage Aux Folles. The Jerry Herman/Harvey Fierstein musical based on the film that became "Birdcage".to 3/29/09. Santa Rosa, CA. www.6thstreetplayhouse.com
***Master Class. Barbara Walsh stars as opera diva Maria Callas in Terrence McNally's Tony-Award winning play. to 4/05/09. Millburn, NJ. www.papermill.org.
***Sin, A Cardinal Deposed. A docudrama about the lawyer who pursues Boston Archibishop Cardinal Bernard Law for his failure to protect the victims of sexual abuse at the hands of priests in his archdiocese. Thursdays to 4/02/09. Los Angeles, CA. www.thehayworth.com.
On Screen (and Video & DVD)
Resource: Cine-Queer: GLAAD's Guide to What's LGBT in Film: http://www.glaad.org/eye/cinequeer.php
Out on Screen...
***Ciao. Two men meet after the death of a mutual friend. www.ciaomovie.com.
***Doubt, the film adaptation of John Patrick Shanley's award-winning drama. A nun (Meryl Streep) suspects a popular priest (Philip Seymour Hoffman) of abusing a boy.
***Hair: Let the Sunshine In. Pola Rapaport's documentary that traces the roots and legacy of the landmark musical.
***Milk, Gus Van Sant's film about gay activist Harvey Milk (Sean Penn). Also starring: Josh Brolin, Emile Hirsch, James Franco.
***Shifting the Canvas. Cheyenne Jackson, Scott Thompson and John Paul Pitoc star in this comedy drama about a Brooklyn cafe owner, who acts as "patriarch" to a wayward group of younger gay and lesbian artists. www.shiftingthecanvas.com.
Out On Video & DVD
***Brideshead Revisited. In the 1930s, Charles and Sebastian (Matthew Goode and Ben Wishaw) tryst on a country estate. www.bridesheadrevisited-themovie.com.
***Chris and Don: A Love Story. Tina Mascara's documentary about British writer Christopher Isherwood and his lover, the much younger American artist Don Bachardy.
***Religulous. Bill Maher travels the globe to investigate the current state of world religion, questioning many religious leaders on LGBT rights. www.lionsgate.com/religulous.
***"Rent" Filmed Live on Broadway. Film made of the final performances of the landmark musical New to DVD and Blu-Ray.
***The Yellow Brick Road And Beyond. A feature documentary takes a look at the phenomenon that is The Wizard of Oz, highlighting some of the earliest stage and screen adaptations, and the musical Wicked.
Conferences, Seminars, Benefits, and Special Events
3/18/09-3/22/09: Mammoth Lakes, CA: Elevation 2009, the 7th annual Mammoth Gay Ski Week. www.mammothgayski.com
3/18/09-3/20/09: Ithaca, NY: Ithaca College Sport, Sexuality, and Culture Conference. Former NBA player John Amaechi, will deliver the keynote address. http://www.ithaca.edu/hshp/grad/sportmgmt/sportsexualitycultureintr/ConferenceSchedule/
3/23/09: New York, NY: Legends, a reading of the infamous James Kirkwood comedy with Charles Busch, Lypsinka, Whoopi Goldberg and Bryan ("Mad Men") Batt. www.playbill.com/news/article/125984.html
3/25/09-3/29/09: Keystone, CO: OutBoard, annual LGBT snowboarding festival. www.outboard.org
3/28/09-3/29/09: Pittsburgh, PA: Pennsylvania Volleyball Steel City Classic, a NAGVA-sanctioned vball tourney. www.SteelCityVolleyball.org
3/30/09-4/05/09: Palm Springs, CA: Kraft Nabisco Golf Championship. previously known as the Dinah Shore Golf Championship. women and golf. www.nabiscochampionship.com or www.dinahshoreweekend.com
4/01/09-4/04/09: Kingston, RI: University of Rhode Island GLBTIQQ Symposium. 15th Annual URI Symposium on Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, Intersex, Queer and Questioning Issues. www.uri.edu/glbt/symposium.html
4/09/09-4/11/09: Calgary, AB: Canada Badminton, Bowling, Curling, Running, Swimming, Volleyball Western Cup XXVII, 27th anniversary of North America's longest running annual LGBT multi-sport tournament. www.westerncup.com
4/09/09-4/12/09: Washington, DC: International Gay Square Dance Clubs Convention. www.iagsdc.org
4/17/09-4/19/09: Minneapolis, MN: 2009 Bisexual Empowerment Conference (BECAUSE) at the University of Minnesota. www.becauseconference.org.
Last Week’s Trivia Quiz: Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell
President Bill Clinton signed DADT, the paradigm for gays in the military, into law 15 years ago.
1. Question: Name this non-profit organization, founded in 1993, which provides support and legal assistance to gays in the military affected by "Don't Ask, Don't Tell". It has responded to over 9,000 requests for legal assistance since its founding. Answer: Servicemembers Legal Defense Network, the non-partisan, non-profit, legal services, watchdog and policy organization. For a history of DADT and a list of SLDN programs an services: www.sldn.org.
2. Question: Name the author of the definitive history of LGBT people in the US military. This author, who had chronicled the gay rights movement in the Harvey Milk years and the rise of AIDS activism in the USA, died shortly after completing the book. Answer: Randy Shilts. "Conduct Unbecoming: Gays and Lesbians in the US Military: Vietnam to the Persian Gulf", was published in 1993. "And The Band Played On", his chronicle of HIV, is one of the most fascinating and compelling books of the late 20th century.
3. Question: Name this gay soldier who was perhaps the best-known openly gay man in the 1970s. A Vietnam War veteran and recipient of the Purpole Heart and the Bronze Star, he came out and fought to stay in the Air Force, a battle that put hiim on the cover of Time Magazine in 1975. Answer: Leonard Matlovich (1943-1988), Technical Sergeant. His outspoken manner resulted in articles in The New York Times and a television movie on NBC.
4. Question: Name this out former colonel in the Washington National Guard and a gay rights activist. Prior to DADT, she came out in a security clearance, and was discharged. She fought for reinstatement. Her battle became the subject of an award-winning film. Answer: Margarethe "Grethe" Cammermeyer. On 6/11/92, she was honorably discharged from the military. Cammermeyer filed a lawsuit against the decision in civil court. In June, 1994, a judge ruled her discharge, and the ban on gays and lesbians serving in the military, unconstitutional. She returned to the National Guard and served as one of the few officially accepted openly gay or lesbian people in the military until her retirement in 1997."Serving in Silence" a film version of her autobiography of the same name, starred Glenn Close.
5. Question: Name this Naval Academy student who was expelled from Annapolis in 1987, after coming out to his commanding officer. At the time, he was six weeks from graduation and one of the top six midshipmen within the academy. He sued for reinstatement. His case was unique in that he was accused of no homosexual conduct; his separation from the military was predicated solely upon his admission of homosexuality. After a long legal battle, he chose not to appeal his case to the U.S. Supreme Court. Today, he's a successful attorney. Answer: Joseph Steffan. His autobiography, "Honor Bound: A Gay American Fights for His Right to Serve His Country" was published by Villard Press in 1992.
This Week’s Trivia Quiz: Fashion Icons
1. Question: Name this gay designer (1932-1990) who was the first international fashion superstar. He designed Jackie Kennedy’s famous Inauguration pillbox hat, and is best known for his social life at Studio 54, where he hung out with Bianca Jagger, Elizabeth Taylor, and Liza Minnelli.
2. Question: Name this possibly bisexual design icon, whose ad campaigns, using photos by Bruce Weber and Herb Ritts, were full of homo-eroticism. Brooke Shields was featured in one of his most famous ads, and MarkyMark’s billboard in Times Square caused numerous fender-benders.
3. Question: Name this acclaimed gay fashion designer, one of Italy’s first public figures to come out. His fashion was legend, and he frequently collaborated with Elton John onstage and in AIDS charity work. He was murdered in Miami, but his sister keeps the business going.
4. Question: Name this gay American designer (1940-1986), one of the first to develop casual sportswear for women and men. He was also one of the first public figures to die from complications of AIDS.
5. Question: Name this gay Broadway designer who won Tony Awards for making Nathan Lane look like both a producer and a gambler, Harvey Fierstein look like a Baltimore matron, and Tommy Tune’s women of Venice look chic.
The first person to submit the correct answers gets their name in print right here. Email your answers to: OnQYB@aol.com. If you do not want your email address to appear in the blog format of this newsletter, please indicate that. http://cosnewsweekly.blogspot.com/
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