Coming Out Support Newsweekly: 5/25/09

Coming Out Support (COS) Newsweekly
Volume 12 No. 21 May 25, 2009
Newsletter Editor: OnQYB@aol.com

The Fine Print

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The Gay Agenda: Datebook: May 25-31, 2009

Ongoing: Portland, OR: Coming Out: Discourses and Resources. A new discussion group led by a of rotating queer-identified trusted individuals. Neither therapy nor lecture. 6PM-7PM on the 2nd and 4th Thursdays of each month. www.pdxqcenter.org

thru SUN: 6/28: Minneapolis, MN: Everything Kushner at The Guthrie. a celebration honoring the work of out playwright Tony Kushner. www.guthrietheater.org/kushner

thru MON: 5/25: Oklahoma City, OK: Annual Gay Bowling Tournament. www.igbo.org

thru MON: 5/25: Washington, DC: DC Black Pride. www.dcblackpride.org

thru MON: 5/25: Atlanta, GA: Mondo Homo Dirty South. queer-centric festival featuring music, dance, crafts, performance & more. www.mondohomo.com

thru SAT: 5/30: Hartford, CT: Out Film Connecticut, the 22nd Connecticut Gay and Lesbian Film Festival. www.outfilmct.org.

TUE-SUN: 5/26-5/31: Honolulu, HI: Honolulu Rainbow Film Festival. www.hglcf.org

THU-SUN: 5/28-5/31: Ft. Worth, TX: Q Cinema. annual celebration of LGBT-themed movies. www.qcinema.org

THU: 5/28: New York, NY: 21st Annual Lambda Literary Awards. Honoring the best in LGBT literature. www.lambdaliterary.org/index.html

FRI: 5/29: Holyoke, MA: Youth Pride Prom, 3rd annual prom for LGBTQ students <20. sponsored by the Holyoke GLBTQ Task Force. alex.b.morse@gmail.com

SAT: 5/30: Fire Island Pines, NY: Carson Kressley and Sara Ramirez host a Benefit for the Al D. Rodriguez Liver Foundation. Includes a screening of "Making of the Boys," a documentary back story of "The Boys in the Band". www.aldrodriguezliverfoundation.com.

SUN: 5/31: Washington, DC: Screening: "Ask Not", Johnny Symons' film with panel. http://www.sldn.org/events/archives/dc-ask-not-screening-panel-2/

SUN-SAT: 5/31-6/06: San Francisco, CA to Los Angeles, CA: AIDS LifeCycle to raise money for HIV/AIDS services. www.aidslifecycle.org

Newsworthy:

The California Supreme Court will delay its ruling on Proposition 8. San Francisco mayor Gavin Newsom may be behind the delay. Towleroad reports:
http://www.towleroad.com/2009/05/exclusive-sf-mayor-gavin-newsom-asked-court-to-delay-prop-8-ruling.html
http://www.towleroad.com/2009/05/california-supreme-court-wont-rule-on-prop-8-tomorrow.html

Reps Introduce Stonewall Resolution. Jerrold Nadler( D-NY ), Tammy Baldwin( D-WI ), Barney Frank( D-MA ) and Jared Polis( D-CO ) introduced a resolution in the House to recognize the 40th anniversary of Stonewall. The Windy City Times reports: http://www.windycitymediagroup.com/gay/lesbian/news/ARTICLE.php?AID=21187

California's Senate has approved "Harvey Milk Day" (to be held on his birthday, May 22). The bill now moves to the state's Assembly. Towleroad reports: http://www.towleroad.com/2009/05/harvey-milk-day-approved-by-california-senate-moves-to-assembly.html

New York: Gov. David A. Paterson urged the State Senate on 5/17/09 to take swift action on legislation that would allow same-sex couples to marry. Pro and against Gay Marriage rallies were held last weekend. The New York Times reports: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/18/nyregion/18marriage.html?ref=nyregion
Towleroad covers the rallies: http://www.towleroad.com/2009/05/major-rallies-for-and-against-marriage-equality-ring-out-in-new-york.html

New Hampshire: Lawmakers in New Hampshire have rejected a bill that would have granted marriage rights to gay couples. The state's Senate passed the bill, but the House of Representatives voted it down by 188 votes to 186. BBC News reports: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8060520.stm

America's Youngest Gay Rights Activist. Ethan McNAmee, a third-grader at Montclair Elementary School in Denver, organized a rally for marriage equality and delivered a speech at the Colorado State Capitol on 5/16/09. Towleroad reports: http://www.towleroad.com/2009/05/americas-youngest-gay-rights-activist-9yearold-ethan-mcnamee.html

The Buzz (People Making News)

Coming Out: Reynolds Price, the noted southern writer, has come out in his new memoir, "Ardent Spirits: Leaving Home, Coming Back". The New York Times reports: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/13/books/13garn.html?_r=1

Ellen DeGeneres gave the commencement address at New Orleans' Tulane University. Towleroad reports: http://www.towleroad.com/2009/05/ellen-degeneres-gives-commencement-speech-at-tulane-university.html

Wanda Sykes, out comic, and her wife, Alex are mothers of twins. People Magazine reports: http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20278746,00.html

Neil Patrick Harris will host the 63rd Annual Tony Awards, to be broadcast live on CBS at 8PM on 6/07/09. Playbill.com reports: http://www.playbill.com/news/article/129244-Neil_Patrick_Harris_to_Host_63rd_Annual_Tony_Awards

Weddings, Civil Unions and Engagements

Cynthia Nixon announced her engagement to Christine Marinoni, her girlfriend since 2004. Broadway.com reports: http://www.broadway.com/Tony-Winner-Cynthia-Nixon-Reveals-Engagement-at-Broadway-Impact-Rally/broadway_news/5027542

Awards and Honors:

Winners: Drama Desk Awards http://www.playbill.com/news/article/129323-Ruined_and_Billy_Elliot_Win_Top_Honors_at_Drama_Desk_Awards

Winners: Obie Awards From Playbill.com: http://www.playbill.com/news/article/129344-Groff_Nottage_Sondheim_Cromer_Pisoni_Korins_Among_2009_OBIE_Award_Winners

In Memoriam:

Rodger McFarlane, a leader of New York’s GMHC and BroadwayCares , died on 5/15/09. http://www.talkinbroadway.com/allthatchat/d.php?id=1726968

Scott Schechter, historian of all things Judy Garland and Liza Minnelli, died on 5/15/09 at age 46. Steve Rothaus' Gay South Florida blog reports: http://miamiherald.typepad.com/gaysouthflorida/2009/05/liza-minnelli-judy-garland-historian-reissue-co-producer-scott-schechter-dies-of-apparent-heart-attack-at-46.html

Photo Shoots and Video

***"The Leading Man IV" benefit for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. http://broadwayworld.com/article/Photo_Coverage_THE_LEADING_MEN_IV_Benefit_Concert_at_Birdland_20090513

***Broadway Marriage Equality Rally from Playbill.com: http://www.playbill.com/multimedia/gallery/491

Features

NPR's Terry Gross speaks out on her "Outrage" interview and the decision to not name closeted politicians on-air. The Advocate reports: http://www.advocate.com/exclusive_detail_ektid84096.asp

Profile: Kelly McGillis, newly out, takes on the role of Regina in "The Little Foxes". The Los Angeles Times reports: http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/arts/la-ca-kelly-mcgillis17-2009may17,0,7388412.story

Ang Lee discusses his new film "Taking Woodstock", the story of the music festival as told by its organizer Elliot Tibert, a gay man. Towleroad reports: http://www.towleroad.com/2009/05/the-hollywood-reporter-talks-with-ang-lee-about-his-forthcoming-film-taking-woodstock-about-elliot-tiber-the-gay-man-who-he.html

The Resource Center:

Press Pass Q is a fascinating website, newsletter and trade publication for the LGBT Media professional, which focuses on behind-the-scenes activities in LGBT media. It's a publication of Rivendell Media, a LGBT marketing company. www.presspassq.com

In Print:

Merv Griffin: A Life in the Closet by Darwin Porter. Blood Moon Productions. The latest juicy tell-all from Porter, a 71-year-old gay writer whose previous books about Marlon Brando and Katharine Hepburn outed them posthumously as bisexual and included explicit tales of the legendary stars’ sexual likes and conquests. The Washington Blade's review: http://www.washblade.com/2009/5-1/arts/books/14447.cfm

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.
***Malcolm Gets performs songs from his new album "the Journey Home". 6/01/09. www.birdlandjazz.com.
***Thank You For Being a Friend: the Musical. All things (unauthorized) Golden Girls. Lance Bass moves in next door to the elderly quartet who can't sleep because of his all-night gay parties. to 7/12/09. SpinCycleNYC.com
***Waiting for Godot. Bill Irwin and Nathan Lane mount Samuel Beckett. John Goodman, and John Glover co-star. to 7/12/09.

Elsewhere...

***A Conversation With Edith Head. Susan Claassen's portrayal of the award-winning designer who gave good Hollywood costume. 5/27/09-5/30/09: Tempe AZ and Phoenix, AZ. www.costumesocietyamerica.com/natsym.htm
***Grey Gardens, the musical about mother and daughter Big Edie and Little Edie Bouvier Beale. to 6/14/09,Houston, TX. www.stagestheatre.com Also: to 6/28/09, Philadelphia, PA. www.PhiladelphiaTheatreCompany.org. Also to 6/06/09. Boston, MA. https://lyricstage.com/main_stage/grey_gardens/
***Jerry Springer, The Opera. High art meets low culture. to 5/30/09. Boston, MA. www.speakeasystage.com
***The Little Foxes. Newly out Kelly McGillis plays scheming Regina Giddens in Lillian Helman's southern decadence drama. to 6/28/09. Pasadena, CA. www.pasadeniaplayhouse.org.
***Little Lamb, premiere of Michael Whistler's drama about gay adoption. to 6/28/09. Philadelphia, PA. www.InterActTheatre.org
***Three on a Party one-acts by queer authors Gertrude Stein, Tennessee Williams and Armistead Maupin. to 6/07/09. San Francisco, CA. www.TheRhino.org
***Trafficking in Broken Hearts. Edward Sanchez's drama about a hustler and a closeted lawyer. to 6/07/09. Celebration Theatre. Los Angeles, CA. www.celebrationtheatre.com.

On Screen (and Video & DVD)

Resource: GLAAD's Guide to What's LGBT in Film: http://glaadblog.org/whats-lgbt-in-film/

Out on Screen...

***The Big Gay Musical. A film about a the making of "Adam and Steve", a gay musical. http://www.thebiggaymusical.com/
***The Boys. A Disney documentary about composers and brothers Richard M. and Robert B. Sherman. They wrote "Mary Poppins" and "It's A Small World After All". A must for showtune people.
***Every Little Step. A documentary about the making of the 2006 Broadway revival of "A Chorus Line".
***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.
***Outrage. Kirby Dick's ("This Film is Not Yet Rated") documentary, a searing indictment of the hypocrisy of closeted politicians who actively campaign against the LGBT community they covertly belong to.

Out On Video & DVD

***A Jihad for Love, the daring documentary filmed in 12 countries in which Muslim gay filmmaker Parvez Sharma explores the intersections of Islam and homosexuality.
***Barbra Streisand: The Concerts. 3 DVD set including her concert with Il Divo, the HBO special, and the Broadway Album special.
***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.
***Kiki & Herb Live at The Knitting Factory. The Tony-nominated gender-bending downtown club act.
***M. Butterfly. Jeremy Irons plays the diplomat who succumbs to a Chinese opera star in drag. Based on the David Henry Hwang prize-winning play based on a true story.

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: http://www.glaad.org/Page.aspx?pid=331

***May: In the Life. LGBT news magazine. PBS. Check local listings. http://www.itl.tv/inthelife/episodes/
***WED: 5/27: Chasing Broadway Dreams, the documentary about the Tony Award winning musical "In The Heights". 8PM. PBS. Check local listings.

Conferences, Seminars, Benefits, and Special Events

Resources: Pride Calendars.

There are too many PRIDE events to list here during PRIDE season (which generally runs May-August). Please check the following resources for events in your area:

***Damron Guides Event Calendars: http://www.damron.com/calendar/index.html
***Pride Events worldwide: www.interpride.org.
***PRIDE Calendars: http://www.gayfriendlybiz.com/calendar.html
***Gay.com’s Pride Calendar: www.gay.com/pride/calendar/

6/01/09-6/30/09: New York, NY: 1969: The Year of Gay Liberation An exhibition from the LGBT collection at the New York City Public Library. Free. http://www.artdaily.org/index.asp?int_sec=2&int_new=30857

6/01/09-6/30/09: San Francisco, CA: National Queer Arts Festival. performances & exhibitions highlighting artists from around the country. www.QueerCulturalCenter.org

6/02/09-6/08/09: Orlando, FL: Gay Days at Disney World. http://www.gaydays.com/

6/04/09-6/14/09: New York, NY: NewFest: New York LGBT Film Festival. www.newfest.org

6/06/09-6/07/09: Chicago, IL: Ride for AIDS Chicago. www.rideforaids.org

6/11/09-6/13/09: Philadelphia, PA: Philly Trans Health Conference. www.trans-health.org

6/11/09-6/13/09: Ft. Lauerdale, FL: Pride Planners Bi-Annual Conference. for financial professionals who serve LGBT individuals and families. www.prideplanners.com.

Last Week’s Trivia Quiz: LGBT Movers and Shakers

1. Question: Name this American computer software entrepeneur who became a major gay rights activist and philanthropist. He started a company with a $2,000 loan from his parents and became a millionaire many times over. Colorado's Amendment 2 prompted him to get involved. Answer: Tim Gill, founder of Quark. His foundations are the Gill Foundation and the Gay & Lesbian Fund for Colorado. .

2. Question: Name this controversial politician, the first openly gay mayor of a Top 30 American city. He's currently under scrutiny for a relationship with an underage intern in a representative's office. Hint: He's not related to a drink with the same name. Answer: Sam Adams the mayor of Portland, Oregon.

3. Question: Name this American author, teacher, and adventurer, the first out woman to reach the North Pole. She shares a name with an actress who seduced a college graduate. Answer: Ann Bancroft the first woman to successfully finish a number of arduous expeditions to the Arctic and Antarctic.

4. Question: Name this activist, the oldest known open lesbian, who was the subject of a documentary which profiled her on her 100th birthday. Answer: Ruth Ellis (1899-2000), focus of Yvonne Welbon's film, "Living With Pride: Ruth C. Ellis @ 100".

5. Question: Name this activist and philanthropist from a spam family. He was the first out man named as a US Ambassador. Answer: James Hormel, appointed by President Clinton as United States Ambassador to Luxembourg. Hormel is grandson of the founder of Hormel Foods (producers of SPAM and other meat products).

This Week’s Trivia Quiz: June Milestones

1. Question: Name this event, on June 22, 1969, which triggered anguish within the gay community and may have led (according to legend) to the Stonewall riots. .

2. Question: Name this landmark legislation on June 26, 2003. When The Supreme Court acted, this fueled the revival of an intense LGBT civil rights movement.

3. Question: Name this event, which first started on June 28, 1970, to commemorate the Stonewall riots. New York City, Los Angeles, San Francisco and smaller cities saw this event.

4. Question: Name this gay composer, known for his spicy lyrics, born June 9, 1892. He gave Ethel Merman the showstopping role of Reno Sweeney.

5. Question: Name this Canadian pop singer who came out in the Advocate on June 16, 1992. Her star continues to rise, and she recently completed a global tour with Tony Bennett.

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/