Coming Out Support Newsweekly: 8/17/09

Coming Out Support (COS) Newsweekly
Volume 12 No. 33 August 17, 2009
Newsletter Editor: OnQYB@aol.com

The Fine Print

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The Gay Agenda: Datebook: August 17-23, 2009

thru WED: 8/19: Los Angeles, CA: So Bad, They're Brilliant. A schlock film festival at the Egyptian Theatre, featuring the Liv Ullman musical "Lost Horizon", Ann-Margret's "Kitten With A Whip", Mariah Carey in "Glitter" and a whole lot more. http://www.americancinematheque.com/archive1999/2009/Egyptian/So_Bad_ET2009.htm

thru SUN: 8/30: New York, NY: FringeNYC, The New York International Fringe Festival. Off-beat, often LGBT-themed music, dance and theatre. www.fringenyc.org.

THU: 8/20: Washington, DC: Nick Benton, gay owner of the Falls Church News-Press, who co-founded a gay lib group on the University of California, Berkeley campus, signs copies of the new anthology "Smash the Church, Smash the State!: the Early Years of Gay Liberation", edited by Tommi Avicolli Mecca. www.lambdarising.com.

SAT: 8/22: Fire Island, NY: The Stonewall Swim. 5k swim from Sayville to the Pines. www.stonewallfoundation.org

SUN-SUN: 8/23-8/30: Porter, ME: Camp Camp. summer camp for LGBT adults with sports, pottery, theater, yoga & more. www.campcamp.com

Newsworthy:

Psychologists Reject "Gay Therapy". The American Psychological Association declared 8/05/09 that mental health professionals should not tell gay clients they can become straight through therapy or other treatments. The New York Times reports: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/06/health/06gay.html

Gay Marriage Lawyers Say No to Gay Rights Groups. Attorneys David Boies and Theodore Olson, the prominent lawyers leading the fight to legalize gay marriage in California on 8/07/09 formally told San Francisco officials and three other groups supportive of same-sex weddings "thanks, but no thanks" for trying to join their federal lawsuit.The Washington Post reports: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/08/07/AR2009080703915.html

Minnesota: Gay-Friendly Online High School First of Its Kind. David Glick, the first online learning coordinator at the Minnesota Department of Education, has launched a first-of-its-kind online high school for GLBTQ youth.
Twin Cities.com reports: http://www.twincities.com/news/ci_12994208?source=rss&nclick_check=1
The school's website. www.glbtqonlinehighschool.com

Pittsburgh: The Gay & Lesbian Community Center of Pittsburgh (GLCC) is relocating from Squirrel Hill to 210 Grant Street, effective September 2009. With input from a wide range of LGBT community groups and individuals, careful consideration was given to providing a safe, handicapped accessible, visible and attractive space with options for parking or proximity to public transportation. Costs for the renovation are estimated to exceed $150,000. A capital campaign has been initiated by the GLCC Board of directors to cover the remainder of the costs. http://www.glccpgh.org/Home.aspx

Features

Woodstock With a Touch Of Stonewall. The Brokeback Mountain filmmakers (director Ang Lee and a script by Focus Features CEO James Schamus) adapted Elliot Tiber’s memoir, Taking Woodstock, and imbued Woodstock with the spirit of Stonewall in a controversial new film and it’s a comedy. The Advocate reports: http://www.advocate.com/print_article_ektid103464.asp

Opportunities

GAYFEST NYC, a non-profit group, is now accepting submissions for the Fourth Annual Festival of New Plays and Musicals to be presented in New York City in Spring 2010. Three to five new works (plays or musicals) will be selected for fully-produced Main Stage productions with Actors’ Equity Association casts and professional directors and staff personnel. GAYFEST NYC provides scholarships for students of The Harvey Milk High School, a fully-accredited New York City public high school focusing on the educational needs of students who are in crisis or at risk of physical violence and/or emotional harm in a traditional educational environment For more information and Submission Guidelines: www.GAYFESTNYC.com.

In Print:

The Meaning of Matthew: My Son's Murder in Laramie and a World Transformed by Judy Shepard. Penguin. The mother of Matthew Shepard shares her story about her son's death and the choice she made to become an international gay rights activist.

In Performance: Onstage:Theatre/Music/Dance

New York City (and Broadway)

***Be A Man! Exiene Lofgren’s solo performance. How does a man who looks like Annie Lennox, was raised by feminists, and married a man "be a man"? to 8/28/09. www.beamantheshow.com
***The Boys Upstairs. Jason Mitchell's new comedy about a group of Hell Kitchen gay boys who handle relationships, careers, and the city with style, scandal, and specialty cocktails! to 8/30/09. www.Fringenyc.org or www.TheBoysUpstairs.info
***His Greatness. Daniel MacIvor's play about gay playwright Tennessee Williams' last days spent with his assistant and a Canadian hustler. to 8/30/09. www.Fringenyc.org or www.HisGreatnessPlay.com
***The Killing. A William Inge one-act about a guy who picks up a guy in a bar and asks him to do something unspeakable. On a bill with other one-acts. Series B of Summer Shorts 3. to 8/27/09. www.59e59.org.
***The Tempermentals. Jon Maran's drama about Harry Hay and friends as they form The Mattachine Society before Stonewall. Michael Urie ("Ugly Betty") stars. to 8/23/09. www.thetemperamentals.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 8/23/09. SpinCycleNYC.com

Elsewhere...

***The Cousins Grimm. a new musical that reworks the timeless fairy tales of the Brothers Grimm into contemporary urban fables filled with LGBT characters. to 8/23/09. Chicago, IL. www.bailiwick.org.
***Ghosts. Randy ("QAF") Harrison stars in Ibsen's classic. to 8/29/09. Stockbridge, MA. www.berkshiretheatre.org.
***Gross Indecency: The Three Trials of Oscar Wilde. Moises "the Laramie Project" Kaufman's biographical play with Ryan Landry as Wilde. to 8/22/09. http://www.newprovincetownplayers.org/
***Lewd and Lascivious. World Premiere. Michael McKeever's drama deals with Newton Arvin, real-life Smith College professor, who is arrested by the Massachusetts State Police on vice charges in 1960. to 9/13/09. Coral Gables, FL. www.gablestage.org
***Never the Sinner: The Leopold and Loeb Story, John Logan's crime drama. to 8/30/09. Philadelphia, PA. www.mauckingbirdtheatreco.org.
***South Pathetic. Jim David's solo performance about his misadventures staging "A Streetcar Named Desire" at a community theatre in his southern hometown. to 8/23/09. San Francisco, CA. www.nctcsf.org
***Two Spoons. Peter Mercurio's play about gay partners and dads on the brink of marriage. to 8/23/09. Chicago, IL. www.bailiwick.org.

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...

***Bruno. Sacha Baron Cohen plays a gay fashionista from Austria who fancies himself as "the voice of Austrian youth TV."
***Ciao. Two men meet after the death of a mutual friend. www.ciaomovie.com.
***The Country Teacher, a Czech film about a gay school teacher who lusts for a student he tutors.
***Hump Day. Two straight dudes contemplate going gay to enter and win Humpfest, Seattle's amateur porn contest.
***Passing Strange. Spike Lee's documentary about Stew's Broadway rock musical. Release date: 8/21/09.
***Taking Woodstock. Ang Lee's new film about the rock festival based on Elliot Tiber's memoir. Demetri Martin stars as the gay Tiber. Liev Schriber plays a transvestite; Jeffrey Dean Morgan plays a closeted married guy who has an affair with Tiber.

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.
***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.
***Grey Gardens, a new movie about eccentric Jackie O cousins Edie Beale and her mother, starring Drew Barrymore as Little Edie and Jessica Lange as her mother Big Edie.
***Hair: Let the Sunshine In. Pola Rapaport's documentary that traces the roots and legacy of the landmark musical.
***The Judy Garland Show, Vol. 1. Garland's 1963 television show newly restored and remastered from the original 2-inch videotapes outtakes. First of 13 releases, each featuring two episodes from the 26-episode run.
***Kiki & Herb Live at The Knitting Factory. The Tony-nominated gender-bending downtown club act.
***Mad Men, Season 2. Look for Bryan Batt as a closeted ad exec in this TV drama about a 1960s ad agency.

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/tvgayed

***Ongoing: Drop Dead Diva. With Margaret Cho in the cast, this is not drama. Sundays at 9PM. Lifetime. http://www.mylifetime.com/on-tv/shows/drop-dead-diva
***August: In the Life. LGBT news magazine. PBS. Check local listings. http://www.itl.tv/inthelife/episodes/

Conferences, Seminars, Benefits, and Special Events

8/29/09-9/07/09: Milwaukee, WI:National Gay Softball World Series. www.nagaaasoftball.org

9/02/09-9/07/09: New Orleans, LA: Southern Decadence. the famous city-wide circuit party. www.southerndecadence.com

9/03/09-9/07/09: Columbus, OH: GALA 2009 Columbus, the annual conference of GALA Choruses, serving LGBT choral groups. http://www.galachoruses.org/events/2009_annual_conference.html

9/05/09-9/07/09: Seattle, WA: Gender Odyssey. panels, workshops & meetings; for transmen, transwomen & other gender variant people. www.genderodyssey.com

9/05/09: Northampton, MA: Miss Trans Northampton 2009 Pageant; to help support New England Trans United. Info: misstransnorthampton@gmail.com.

9/06/09: Altadena, CA: Carol Channing Raises the Roof, a gospel concert. She performs selections from her gospel CD "For Heaven's Sake", as a benefit for the congregation of Altadena Community Church. (626) 395-9923

9/08/09: New York, NY: Kathy Griffin, queen of the D-List, signing copies of "Official Book Club Selections". 7PM, Barnes & Noble, Warren Street.

9/08/09: West Hollywood, CA: HX Gay & Lesbian Travel Expo. Also: 9/10/09: San Francisco, CA: http://gaylifetravel.squarespace.com/

9/9/09: New York, NY: Judy Shepard signs copies of her new book "The Meaning of Matthew". 7PM. Barnes & Noble, Union Square. National Book Tour follows. http://www.matthewshepard.org/site/PageServer?pagename=Press_Media_Judy_BookTour09

9/10/09-9/13/09: Montreal, PQ: National Lesbian & Gay Journalists Association Annual Convention and LGBT Media Summit. http://www.nlgja.org/convention/index.html

9/11/09-9/13/09: Shreveport, LA: Northwest Louisiana Gay & Lesbian Film Festival. http://www.pacelouisiana.org/SE2009filmfestival.php

9/12/09: North Hollywood, CA: Standing on Ceremony: The Gay Marriage Plays. Various playwrights create short plays addressing the issue of gay marriage in America and/or Proposition 8 in California. With Miss Coco Peru, Debra Messing, Jason Alexander, Dan Lauria, and Peter Paige. www.elportaltheatre.com/events.html

9/12/09: Springfield, MA: 2009 AIDS Foundation of Western Massachusetts AIDS Walk and 5K Run. www.aidsfoundationwm.org.

9/12/09: Staten Island, NY: My Big Gay Italian Wedding. Anthony Wilkinson and Scott Evans star in a benefit for the Lustgarten Foundation. www.stgeorgetheatre.com.

9/13/09: Westport, CT: Connecticut Cares. Lambda Legal celebrates "Love Makes
A Family". www.lambdalegal.org/connecticut09

9/13/09: New York, NY: Broadway on Broadway 2009. The casts of current and upcoming Broaway musicals perform excerpts from their shows. 11:30AM. Times Square. Free. www.broadwayleague.com

9/16/09-9/20/09: Fresno, CA: Fresno Reel Pride. the annual lesbian & gay film festival in central California. www.reelpride.com

9/20/09: Springfield/Agawam, MA: Out in The Park. unofficial gay day at Six Flags New England. www.outinthepark.com

9/24/09-9/27/09: Provincetown, MA: Tennessee Williams Theater Festival. The gay playwright is honored by the gay resort and arts community. www.twptown.org

9/25/09-9/27/09: Washington, DC: 5th Annual National LGBTQA College Student Career Conference. www.outforwork.com.

Last Week’s Trivia Quiz: Politics

1. Question: Name this US Congresswoman, elected to office in November, 1970. She and fellow democrat Ed Koch introduced the first bill proposing to add sexual orientation to the protected status in the 1964 Civil Right Act. Hint: she was known for her outspoken demeanor and large hats. Answer: Bella Abzug.

2. Question: Name this legislator, a lesbian elected to state office in November, 1974. She was the first openly-gay person elected to this level of office. Hint: Her state passed its first statewide gay rights law in November, 1989. Answer: Elaine Noble, elected to the Massachusetts House of Representatives.

3. Question: Name this congressman from the same state in Question #2, who was first elected in November, 1980. Now out and outspoken, he is one of the nationa’s strongest advocates for LGBT civil rights. Answer: Barney Frank, of Massachusetts.

4. Question: Name this former executive spouse, who is best known as the author of a 1981 novel about lesbian love in the American frontier. She was ashamed to discuss her out daughter on the 2004 campaign circuit. Answer: Lynne Cheney, author of “Sisters”.

5. Question: Name this out TG son of a Congressman. His sexual orientation was not an issue in his father’s campaign. He and dad didn’t see eye-to-eye on LGBT rights issues, but he’s become an accomplished activist and author. His entertainer Mom is highly supportive of the gay community, and was supportive of her child's transition, saying that although there were things she didn't understand, she would be understanding. . Answer: Chaz, formerly Chastity Bono, son of Sonny and Cher.

This Week’s Trivia Quiz: Gay Music Men

1. Question: Name this gay English-born music man known for his stage performances as actor and singer, his comedies, and his music. He was also known for his wit, flamboyance and what Time magazine called "a sense of personal style, a combination of cheek and chic, pose and poise". He wrote a musicalfor Elaine Stritch; he composed "Mad About the Boy" and he wrote shows about bickering couples, ghostly ex-spouses, and London elite.

2. Question: Name this gay American-born music man who professionally partnered with a globally-famous lesbian to develop an opera about a famous American women's rights activist and a second opera which featured an all-black cast. He won the Pulitzer Prize for his film score for a post-world War II movie.

3. Question: Name this gay Italian-American music man, best known for his dramatic musical theatre pieces which bridged opera and Broadway (one is a famous Christmas tale) and his interest in organizing and running international music festivals, which have flourished in Europe and America. He was partnered at one point with a famous American opera composer whose name is linked with Seville.

4. Question: Name this gay American-born music man who made lower East Side puppets sing, and the cast of "Scrubs" turn a hospital into Broadway. He and his partner co-wrote the theme song for the Logo Network's animated series "Rick & Steve: The Happiest Gay Couple in All the World" and contributed additional songs for the show. He has a law degree and sings with the Los Angeles Gay Men's Chorus.

5. Question: Name this gay Australian-born music man, discovered by and imported to America by a gay community icon (he married her daughter, another icon). He won an Oscar for a movie theme, wrote songs for Melissa Manchester and Olivia Newton-John, performed at Radio City, and wrote and starred in one of Broadway's notirous flops. He became more famous after his death, when a film-star played his life in a Broadway musical.

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/