Coming Out Support (COS) Newsweekly
Volume 12 No. 44 November 2, 2009
Newsletter Editor: OnQYB@aol.com
The Fine Print
See previous editions
Subscription Information: This newsletter is available via free email subscription only. Our mailing list is confidential.
To subscribe: Email OnQYB@aol.com and write “Subscribe COS News” in subject line.
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The Gay Agenda: Datebook: November 2-8, 2009
MON: 11/02: San Jose, CA: An Evening with David Sedaris. Humorist and author. http://www.barclayagency.com/sedaris_appearances.html
MON: 11/02: New York, NY: America Dances! Celebrating Our Sparkling Heritage--Broadway, TV & Film, a benefit for Career Transition for Dancers. Patrick Swayze will receive the Rolex Dance Award posthumously. The evening will include appearances by Ethan Steifel, Ann Reinking, and Laura Benanti. www.careertransition.org.
TUE: 11/03: New York, NY: The "Glee" cast (from the hit FOX series) sign copies of the show's soundtrack album. 5:30PM. Border's/Columbus Circle.
TUE: 11/03: Boston, MA: HX Gay & Lesbian Travel Expo. http://gaylifetravel.squarespace.com/
WED: 11/04: Washington, DC: Raymond Luczak shares his tale of growing up gay and deaf in his new book "Assembly Required: Notes from a Deaf Gay Life". Lambda Rising Books. www.lambdarising.com.
WED: 11/04: New York, NY: Celebrity Autobiography. Kristen Johnston, Carol Kane, \Carson Kressley, Andrea Martin, and Michael Urie interpret the actual words and stories written by the famous and the infamous, in both solo and ensemble "chamber" pieces culled from the autobiographies of celebrities. www.celebrityautobiography.com
WED-SUN: 11/04-11/08: Hartford, CT: EROS (Encouraging Respect of Sexualities) Film Festival. www.outfilmct.org
THU-SAT: 11/05-11/14: Chicago, IL: Reeling 2000: Chicago Lesbian & Gay International Film Fest. www.reelingfilmfestival.org
Newsworthy:
News-In-The-Making: President Obama will sign the Hate Crimes Bill today, shortly after we go to press. Towleroad reports: http://www.towleroad.com/2009/10/obama-will-make-remarks-on-enactment-of-hate-crimes-bill-at-white-house-reception-on-wednesday.html
Senate Approves Hate Crimes Legislation. The Senate voted on 10/22/09 to extend new federal protections to people who are victimized because of their gender or sexual orientation, bringing the legislation close to reality after years of fierce debate. The 68 -29 vote sends the measure to President Obama, who has said he supports it. The New York Times reports: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/23/us/politics/23hate.html?hp
Bea Arthur left over $300,000 to the Ali Forney Center, which offers food, emergency housing, medical treatment, HIV testing, and educational training for as many as 1,000 young LGBT people annually. The Advocate reports: http://www.advocate.com/News/Daily_News/2009/10/27/Bea_Leaves_$300K_to_Homeless_Youths/
Awards and Honors:
Winner: Rome Film Festival. "Brotherhood", the Danish film that profiles a gay romance in a neo-Nazi cult. No news as yet, as to who will distribute it in the USA and Canada. Towleroad reports: http://www.towleroad.com/2009/10/brotherhood-gay-neonazi-romance-wins-rome-film-festival.html
In Memoriam:
Michael Frazier, the theatrical producer, who presented "Lena Horne: The Lady and Her Music" on Broadway, died on 10/23/09, at age 72. Playbill.com reports: http://www.playbill.com/news/article/134146-Michael_Frazier_Producer_Is_Dead_at_72
Features
Profile: Paul Rudnick, the out playwright ("Jeffrey") and humorist has a new short story collection. The New York Times reports: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/28/dining/28Rudn.html?_r=1&th&emc=th
Profile: Cheyenne Jackson is a Broadway leading man. Being out and proud is part of his charm. He's got a new album out and he's starring in "Finian's Rainbow". Next reports: http://www.nextmagazine.net/features/3.php
Profile: Terri White, survivor, stars in "Finian's Rainbow" on Broadway. A year ago, she was homeless. The New York Times reports: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/27/nyregion/27bigcity.html?ref=nyregion
In Print:
I Shudder by Paul Rudnick. Harper Collins. The out playwright and humorist shares a collection of short essays on life including the premise that the kids in us will like: it is possible to thrive on a diet of candy. (A profile of him appears in our features section).
The Collected Plays of Mart Crowley. Alyson Books. "The Boys in the Band" (his legendary gay-themed commercial hit) and its sequel "Men from the Boys" and four other plays, two in print for the first time.
In Performance: Onstage:Theatre/Music/Dance
New York City (and Broadway)
***The Diary of Anne Frankenstein. HX Drag Queen of the Year Mimi Imfurst stars as Anne, hiding in an attic in Bavaria. to 11/29/09. www.thediaryofannefrankenstein.com
***Fela! The story of African composer/activist Fela Anikulapo Kuti staged by out Bill T. Jones.
***Finian's Rainbow. A musical with Cheyenne Jackson starring for the swoon quotient.
***Hair, Tony-winning revival of the first major rock musical. www.publictheater.org.
***Judy Garland Live! Tommy Femia, award-winning Judy impressionist. Guest star: Eileen Fulton (11/07/09); Christine Pedi as Liza (11/21/09) www.donttellmamanyc.com.
***Love, Linda: The Life of Mrs. Cole Porter. a new musical about her glamourous life with gay husband Cole Porter. to 11/21/09. www.lovelindathemusical.com
***Mario Cantone brings his comedy to Caroline's on Broadway. 11/05/09-11/08/09. www.carolines.com
***Miss Coco Peru is Undaunted. Clinton Leupp's GLAAD Media Award-winning drag sensation. 11/06/09-11/15/09. www.SpinCycleNYC.com
***Wishful Drinking. Carrie Fisher's solo autobiographical show. She wakes up with a dead gay Republican in her bed and more. to 1/03/10. www.roundabouttheatre.org
Elsewhere...
***Abraham Lincoln's Big Gay Dance Party. A rural third grade teacher outs Abe at the annual Christmas pageant. to 11/08/09. Storrs, CT. www.crt.uconn.edu
***Dixie's Tupperware Party, bringing Tupperware-mania to a theatre near you. Dixie Longate stars. to 11/08/09, Columbus, OH; 11/13/09-11/15/09, Hartford, CT; www.DixiesTupperwareParty.com
***I Am My Own Wife, the freal-life story of Charlotte von Mahlsdorf, a German transvestite who survived both Nazi rule and the East German Communist regime. to 11/08/09. Sacramento, CA. www.bstreettheatre.org
***The Little Dog Laughed. A Hollywood agent goes bonkers when her matinee idol client decides to come out. to 11/08/09. San Francisco, CA. www.nctscf.org
***My Walk Down The Pink Carpet. Leslie Jordan's hilarious solo show. 11/04/09-11/06/09, Key West, FL; http://www.thelesliejordan.com/
***Parade. TR Knight ("Greys Anatomy") stars as Leo Frank in the musical about a 1913 murder in Atlanta.to 11/15/09. Los Angeles, CA.www.centertheatregroup.org.
***A Streetcar Named Desire. The Tennessee Williams classic with Cate Blanchett as Blanche. to 11/21/09. Washington, DC. www.sydneytheatre.com.au
***Tiny Kushner. Five short plays by out playwright Tony ("Angels in America") Kushner. to 11/29/09. Berkeley, CA. www.berkeleyrep.org
On Screen (and Video & DVD)
Out on Screen...
***Coco Before Chanel, Audrey Tautou stars as the legendary fashion designer, as the film follows her early years, exploring her rumored lesbian affairs.
***8: The Mormon Proposition is a new documentary about the involvement of the Church of Latter Day Saints' involvement in the passage of Proposition 8 in California. Narrated by Dustin Lance Black. http://www.towleroad.com/2009/10/documentary-exposes-mormon-financial-contributions-to-prop-8.html
***Fame. A remake of the 1980 musical with Kelsey Grammer, Debbie Allen and Megan Mullally with a cast of unknowns playing the wannabe stars at a New York City performing arts high school.
***Hannah Free. Sharon Gless stars in the film adaptation of Claudia Allen's play about a woman who fights to see her lesbian partner one last time in a nursing home. Premiere screening:www.hannahfree.com
***Oy Vey. My Son is Gay. A coming out film with Carmen Electra, Lainie Kazan, Bruce Vilanch, Jai Rodriguez. One assumes it's a comedy.
***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
***Every Little Step: The Journey of "A Chorus Line".
***Hope Along The Wind: The Life of Harry Hay. the 2002 documentary about the gay rights pioneer.
***Out At Work. The documentary that vividly illustrates what happens when LGBT people are not legally protected from employment discrimination. /www.newday.com/films/outatwork.html?code=H2U7UA
***Pageant. The documentary about the Miss Gay America Pageant.
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
***November: In the Life. LGBT news magazine. PBS. Check local listings. http://www.itl.tv/inthelife/episodes/
***November: An Englishman in New York. John Hurt plays Quentin Crisp in a film about the last years of his life. Among the co-stars: Cynthia Nixon, Denis O'Hare, Jonathan Tucker. Logo. Check local listings.
***November: Outrage. Kirby Dick's documentary, a searing indictment of the hypocrisy of closeted politicians who actively campaign against the LGBT community they covertly belong to. thru 11/10/09. http://www.hbo.com/docs/programs/outrage/index.html
Conferences, Seminars, Benefits, and Special Events
11/09/09: New York, NY: Tony Kushner honored by the New York City Anti-Violence Project at its 13th annual Courage Awards. www.avp.org
11/09/09: New York, NY: Jane Lynch of "Glee" (Sue, the cheerleader coach) appears in the first installment of "Newsmakers" at the LGBT Center. www.gaycenter.org.
11/11/09: New York, NY: 2nd Annual Travel Summit/Insiders Europe. www.outprofessionals.org.
11/14/09: Hartford, CT: One Big Event. Benefit for the Hartford Gay and Lesbian Health Collective. http://www.hglhc.org/onebigevent/index.html
11/20/09-11/22/09: West Palm Beach, FL: 2009 Anti-Heterosexism Conference. In-depth workshops open to everyone who seeks to challenge the harmful affects of heterosexism, reparative therapy, ex-gay ministries and other efforts to change people’s sexual orientation. http://www.soulforce.org/anti-heterosexism-conference
11/22/09: New York, NY: 16th Annual Race to Deliver. Road race in Central Park to benefit God's Love We Deliver to help provide life-sustaining meals for those living with HIV/AIDS, cancer and other life-altering illnesses. www.racetodeliver.org
11/30/09: New York, NY: A Very MARY Holiday Benefit for Broadway Speaks OUT & The Ali Forney Center. Featuring Nick Adams and Jeffery Self and Cole Escola of Logo "Jeffery & Cole Casserole". www.broadwayspeaksout.com
12/01/09: Atlanta, GA: HX Gay & Lesbian Travel Expo. http://gaylifetravel.squarespace.com/
12/01/09: Worldwide: World AIDS Day
12/02/09: Los Angeles, CA: The Drama of AIDS, a program in celebration of World AIDS Day featuring the premiere of EZTV’s Dream Man and readings from Michael Kearns’ book in tandem with an exhibit from the AIDS Quilt. www.onearchives.org.
12/03/09: Ft. LAuderdale, FL: HX Gay & Lesbian Travel Expo. http://gaylifetravel.squarespace.com/
12/06/09: Los Angeles, CA: Cracked Xmas 12. An evening of irreverent comedy, musical performances and special awards to benefit The Trevor Project. http://www.thetrevorproject.org/events.aspx
12/10/09-12/14/09: New York, NY: Isaac Mizrahi narrates "Peter & The Wolf", with George Manahan conducting the Juilliard Ensemble. www.worksandprocess.org.
Last Week’s Trivia Quiz: November Milestones
1. Question: Name this successful LGBT news magazine, subject of a front page profile in the Wall Street Journal on November 3, 1975. It continues to be one of the leading LGBT news sources today. Answer: The Advocate.
2. Question: Name this out comic, the first openly-gay cast member of “Saturday Night Live”. He joined the company on November 9, 1985, and did a great “Nancy Reagan”. Answer: Terry Sweeney.
3. Question: Name this bisexual American designer born November 19, 1942. Many people have his name below their belts. When Mark Wahlberg teamed up with him, Times Square had fender benders for days. Answer: Calvin Klein. MarkyMark’s billboard in Times Square (in his Calvins) caused fender benders along Broadway.
4. Question: Name this gay photographer and artist, born November 4, 1946. He was known for his “uptown” floral portraits, but his “downtown” nudes and S&M pictures caused a censorship controversy in the 1980s. Answer: Robert Mapplethorpe.
5. Question: Name this award-winning play (and subsequent film), which opened on Broadway on November 20, 1934. It profiled two schoolteachers accused of being lesbians. Its author, one of the most celebrated female playwrights in 20th century literature, wrote a play which made Talullah Bankhead an American icon. Answer: The Children’s Hour by Lillian Hellman, author of “The Little Foxes”.
This Week’s Trivia Quiz: Gay On The Air
1. Question: Name this libertarian radio talk show host who came out publicly on the air in 1994, after being diagnosed with HIV. Having attracted a largely conservative audience based on his political views, traditional anti-gay conservatives rejected him, though others admired him for his courage. His ratings upticked after his autobiography was released. He died in 2004.
2. Question: Name this out actress and comic, whose late night talk show hits the TV screen next month. Recently, she was the first African-American and the first openly LGBT person to be featured entertainer at the annual White House Correspondents' Association dinner. She's an Emmy winner.
3. Question: Name this TV pundit who rose to quick fame in radio. She is the first out American to win a Rhodes scholarship. After a quick rise to fame in radio in Northampton, MA, she jumped to Air America before moving to television. She is the first openly gay anchor to be hired to host a prime-time news program in the United States.
4. Question: Name this up-and-coming National Public Radio journalist, who often hosts the network's morning drive news magazine. He covers the justice department and legal affairs beat. In 2008, Out Magazine included him in the Out 100.
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/
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Coming Out Support Newsweekly: 10/26/09
Coming Out Support (COS) Newsweekly
Volume 12 No. 43 October 26, 2009
Newsletter Editor: OnQYB@aol.com
The Fine Print
See previous editions
Subscription Information: This newsletter is available via free email subscription only. Our mailing list is confidential.
To subscribe: Email OnQYB@aol.com and write “Subscribe COS News” in subject line.
To unsubscribe: Email OnQYB@aol.com and write “Cancel COS News” in subject line.
The Gay Agenda: Datebook: October 26-November 1, 2009
This Just in !!! SUN: 10/25: Los Angeles, CA: Michael Kearns, the author/director who was the first Hollywood actor to come out on TV, launches his new book "The Drama of AIDS: My Lasting Connections with Two Plays That Survived the Plague" www.skylightbooks.com/event
This Just in !!! SUN: 10/25: Hollywood, CA: The Laramie Project: Ten Years Later benefit for the Matthew Shepard Foundation. All-star reading with Lisa Edelstein, Barrett Foa, Johnny Galecki, and appearance by Judy Shepard. www.matthewshepard.org
MON: 10/26: San Francisco, CA: Defying Inequality: The San Francisco Concert, a benefit for Marriage Equality USA and Garden State Equality. Featuring the San Francisco cast of "Wicked", Patty Duke, Bruce Vilanch, Judy Gold and others. www.defyinginequality.com.
MON: 10/26: Denver, CO: An Evening with David Sedaris. Humorist and author. Also: TUE: 10/27: Irvine, CA: WED: 10/28: Carmel, CA: THU: 10/29: San Rafael, CA: FRI: 10/30: San Diego, CA: SAT: 10/31: Boise, ID: SUN: 11/01: Vancouver, BC: www.barclayagency.com/sedaris_appearances.html
MON: 10/26: New York, NY: Broadway Close Up: The John Kander Salute. with David Hyde Pierce, Debra Monk, and Karen Ziemba. www.kaufmancenter.org
MON: 10/26: Seattle, WA: A Life in the Theater: An Onstage Conversation with Stephen Sondheim and Frank Rich. www.benaroyahall.org
WED: 10/28: New York, NY: Hedwig and the Angry Inch. Concert benefit for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. www.broadwaycares.org
WED: 10/28: Richmond, IN: Peterson Toscano performs his solo theatre piece "Doin' Time in the Homo No Mo Halfway House'." about surviving time in the ex-gay movement. www.petersontoscano.com
THU: 10/29: Washington, DC: Mary L. Gray discusses her book "Out in the Country: Youth, Media, and Queer Visibility in Rural America". Lambda Rising Books. lambdarising.com.
THU: 10/29: Washington, DC: Sir Ian McKellan, acclaimed actor and gay rights activist, performs his one-man autobiographical show "A Knight in Harman Hall". www.ShakespeareTheatre.org
SAT: 10/31: Los Angeles, CA: Rooftop Halloween Voyeur Party, benefitting The Trevor Project. LASC. http://www.thetrevorproject.org/events.aspx
Newsworthy:
Kevin Jennings, GLSEN founder and now President Obama's Safe Schools Czar, is under attack by a group of House Republicans who want him fired for supporting LGBT students. Towleroad reports: http://www.towleroad.com/2009/10/53-house-gop-sign-on-to-antigay-witch-hunt-against-kevin-jennings.html
"Laramie Updated". The production of "The Laramie Project: Ten Years Later", an epilogue to the original "Laramie Project" (which told the story of Matthew Shepard's murder and its impact on the people of Laramie) drew over 50,000 people to simultaneous performances in 150+ theatres. The New York Times reports: http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/10/15/the-laramie-project-10-years-later-draws-50000-theatergoers/
Sweden: Tourism offices have been bombarded with inquiries from millions of men captivated by a mythical town of sex-mad lesbians in Chako Paul City. Australia's News.com reports: http://www.news.com.au/travel/story/0,28318,26182164-5014090,00.html
The Buzz (People Making News)
Coming Out: Donal Og Cusack, the Irish hurler, has come out. Towleroad reports: http://www.towleroad.com/2009/10/irish-hurler-donal-og-cusack-im-gay.html
Coming Out: Law & Order SVU Special Agent George Huang MD comes out on the show's 10/21/09 episode. Huang is played by out actor B.D. Wong. After Elton reports: http://www.afterelton.com/TV/2009/10/law-oder-gay-character-revealed?#comment-96218
Coming Out: Jonathan Groff, Tony-nominee actor for "Spring Awakening" and recently seen in "Taking Woodstock", has come out. Broadway.com reports: http://www.broadway.com/buzz/let-sun-shine-hair-and-broadway-make-history-national-equality-march/
Features
Reflections: Lou Chibbaro Jr. has been a reporter at the Washington Blade for over 30 years. He recalls the news and the stories that he covered, as the LGBT paper celebrates its 40th Anniversary. Coming out stories played a big role on the agenda. http://www.washblade.com/2009/10-16/news/localnews/15372.cfm
Twenty Best Signs at the National Equality March: http://www.buzzfeed.com/mjs538/the-20-best-signs-at-the-national-equality-march
In Print:
Assembly Required: Notes from a Deaf Gay Life by Raymond Luczak. RID Press. Luczak shares stories from his days growing up as a deaf gay man in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula and learning signs in secret, trying to follow the music on the radio in order to be cool like his hearing classmates, and feeling clueless whenever gay cultural icons like the Village People, Queen, and Bette Midler were promoted in his small hometown. After he graduated from high school and enrolled at Gallaudet University, the world’s only university for Deaf people, he discovered gay literature and came out soon after. http://www.raymondluczak.com/assemblyrequired/
In Performance: Onstage:Theatre/Music/Dance
New York City (and Broadway)
***A Boy and His Soul. Colman Domingo's one-man musical about coming of age and coming out. to 11/01/09. http://www.vineyardtheatre.org/show-a-boy-and-his-soul.html
***The Diary of Anne Frankenstein. HX Drag Queen of the Year Nominee Mimi Imfurst stars as Anne, who hides in a lab attic in Bavaria. to 11/08/09. www.thediaryofannefrankenstein.com
***Fela! The musical story of groundbreaking African composer, performer and activist Fela Anikulapo Kuti staged by out Bill T. Jones.
***Finian's Rainbow. An old show with good tunes and Cheyenne Jackson starring as Woody for the swoon quotient.
***Hair, Tony-winning revival of the first major rock musical. www.publictheater.org.
***Justin Bond, best known as Kiki (of Kiki and Herb fame), in concert. 10/31/09. www.joespub.com.
***Love, Linda: The Life of Mrs. Cole Porter. a new musical about her glamourous life with gay husband Cole Porter. to 11/21/09. www.lovelindathemusical.com
***Wishful Drinking. Carrie Fisher's solo autobiographical show. She wakes up with a dead gay Republican in her bed and more. to 1/03/10. www.roundabouttheatre.org
Elsewhere...
***Abraham Lincoln's Big Gay Dance Party. Aaron Loeb's comedy. A rural third grade teacher outs Abe at the annual Christmas pageant. to 11/08/09. Storrs, CT. www.crt.uconn.edu
***Dixie's Tupperware Party, bringing Tupperware-mania to a theatre near you. Dixie Longate stars. to 11/08/09, Columbus, OH; www.DixiesTupperwareParty.com
***I Am My Own Wife, the fascinating real-life story of Charlotte von Mahlsdorf, a German transvestite who managed to survive both Nazi rule and the repressive East German Communist regime. to 11/08/09. Sacramento, CA. www.bstreettheatre.org
***The Little Dog Laughed. A Hollywood agent goes bonkers when her matinee idol client decides to come out. to 11/08/09. San Francisco, CA. www.nctscf.org
***Margaret Cho in concert.. 10/30/09, Palm Springs, CA. www.margaretcho.com.
***Parade. TR Knight ("Greys Anatomy") stars as Leo Frank in the musical about a 1913 murder in Atlanta. to 11/15/09. Los Angeles, CA. www.centertheatregroup.org.
***A Streetcar Named Desire. The Tennessee Williams classic with Cate Blanchett as Blanche in the Sydney Theatre Company production, directed by Liv Ullman. to 11/21/09. Kennedy Center. Washington, DC. www.sydneytheatre.com.au
***Tiny Kushner. Five short plays by out playwright Tony ("Angels in America") Kushner. to 11/29/09. Berkeley, CA. www.berkeleyrep.org
On Screen (and Video & DVD)
Out on Screen...
***Coco Before Chanel, Audrey Tautou stars as the legendary fashion designer, as the film follows her early years, exploring her rumored lesbian affairs.
***8: The Mormon Proposition is a new documentary about the involvement of the Church of Latter Day Saints' involvement in the passage of Proposition 8 in California. Written and directed by Reed Cowan and narrated by Dustin Lance Black. http://www.towleroad.com/2009/10/documentary-exposes-mormon-financial-contributions-to-prop-8.html
***Fame. A remake of the 1980 musical with Kelsey Grammer, Debbie Allen and Megan Mullally with a cast of unknowns playing the wannabe stars at a New York City performing arts high school.
***Hannah Free. Sharon Gless stars in the film adaptation of Claudia Allen's play about a woman who fights to see her lesbian partner one last time in a nursing home. Premiere screening:www.hannahfree.com
***Passing Strange. Spike Lee's documentary about Stew's Broadway rock musical.
***Taking Woodstock. Ang Lee's new film about the rock festival based on (gay) Elliot Tiber's memoir.
Out On Video & DVD
***Every Little Step: The Journey of "A Chorus Line".
***Hope Along The Wind: The Life of Harry Hay. the 2002 documentary about the gay rights pioneer.
***The L Word. The Complete Series in a box set.
***Out At Work. The documentary that vividly illustrates what happens when LGBT people are not legally protected from employment discrimination. The new DVD has updates to reflect the 2009 status of LGBT workplace rights. /www.newday.com/films/outatwork.html?code=H2U7UA
***The Wizard of Oz. 70th Anniversary Two-Disc Special Edition showcasing Dorothy and friends.
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
***October/November: In the Life. LGBT news magazine. PBS. Check local listings. http://www.itl.tv/inthelife/episodes/
***October: An Englishman in New York. John Hurt plays Quentin Crisp in a film about the last years of his life. Among the co-stars: Cynthia Nixon, Denis O'Hare, Jonathan Tucker. Logo. Check local listings.
***October: 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. Includes analysis by Barney Frank, Jim McGreevey, Larry Kramer, Michelangelo Signorile, and Mike Rogers. thru 11/10/09. http://www.hbo.com/docs/programs/outrage/index.html
Conferences, Seminars, Benefits, and Special Events
11/03/09: Boston, MA: HX Gay & Lesbian Travel Expo. http://gaylifetravel.squarespace.com/
11/04/09: Washington, DC: Raymond Luczak shares his tale of growing up gay and deaf in his new book "Assembly Required: Notes from a Deaf Gay Life". Lambda Rising Books. www.lambdarising.com.
11/05/09-11/14/09: Chicago, IL: Reeling 2000: Chicago Lesbian & Gay International Film Fest. www.reelingfilmfestival.org
11/09/09: New York, NY: Jane Lynch of "Glee" (Sue, the cheerleader coach) appears in the first installment of "Newsmakers" at the LGBT Center. www.gaycenter.org.
11/11/09: New York, NY: 2nd Annual Travel Summit/Insiders Europe. www.outprofessionals.org.
11/14/09: Hartford, CT: One Big Event. Benefit for the Hartford Gay and Lesbian Health Collective. http://www.hglhc.org/onebigevent/index.html
11/20/09-11/22/09: West Palm Beach, FL: 2009 Anti-Heterosexism Conference. In-depth workshops open to everyone who seeks to challenge the harmful affects of heterosexism, reparative therapy, ex-gay ministries and other efforts to change people’s sexual orientation. http://www.soulforce.org/anti-heterosexism-conference
11/22/09: New York, NY: 16th Annual Race to Deliver. Road race in Central Park to benefit God's Love We Deliver to help provide life-sustaining meals for those living with HIV/AIDS, cancer and other life-altering illnesses. www.racetodeliver.org
11/30/09: New York, NY: A Very MARY Holiday Benefit for Broadway Speaks OUT & The Ali Forney Center. Featuring Nick Adams and Jeffery Self and Cole Escola of Logo "Jeffery & Cole Casserole". www.broadwayspeaksout.com
Last Week’s Trivia Quiz: Marches for Equality
1. Question: When did the first major National March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights take place ? It drew over 75,000 people to the Nation's Capitol to demand equal civil rights and urge the passage of protective civil rights legislation. It drew major LGBT figures of the times, amongst them Allen Ginsberg, Troy Perry, and Leonard Matlovich. Answer: October 14, 1979, ten years after Stonewall.
2. Question: Name this activist, very much involved in last week's Equality March. A contemporary of Harvey Milk (he was played by Emile Hirsch in the recent film), he was a co-founder of the San Francisco AIDS Foundation. His memorial initiative to people with AIDS was unveiled for the first time in public at the secondMarch on Washington. Answer: Cleve Jones, founder of the AIDS Quilt.
3. Question: Name the initiative, which evolved from the second major March on Washington in 1987, which drew over 500,000 people to demand government action, especially by the Reagan administration, in the fight against AIDS. Today, this initiative supports an act of bravery in the LGBT community. Answer: National Coming Out Day, which launched in 1988.
4. Question: Name this national center, which opened days before the 1993 LGBT March on Washington. It's part memorial, part history museum about the marginalization and extermination of minorities, gays included. One major gay rights symbol traces it roots to this dark historical period. Answer: The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, which has sent exhibitions about the persecution of gays during Nazi Germany on national tours. The pink triangle traces its roots as a symbol to identify gays in Nazi concentration camps.
This Week’s Trivia Quiz: November Milestones
1. Question: Name this successful LGBT news magazine, subject of a front page profile in the Wall Street Journal on November 3, 1975. It continues to be one of the leading LGBT news sources today.
2. Question: Name this out comic, the first openly-gay cast member of “Saturday Night Live”. He joined the company on November 9, 1985, and did a great “Nancy Reagan”.
3. Question: Name this bisexual American designer born November 19, 1942. Many people have his name below their belts. When Mark Wahlberg teamed up with him, Times Square had fender benders for days.
4. Question: Name this gay photographer and artist, born November 4, 1946. He was known for his “uptown” floral portraits, but his “downtown” nudes and S&M pictures caused a censorship controversy in the 1980s.
5. Question: Name this award-winning play (and subsequent film), which opened on Broadway on November 20, 1934. It profiled two schoolteachers accused of being lesbians. Its author, one of the most celebrated female playwrights in 20th century literature, wrote a play which made Talullah Bankhead an American icon.
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. 43 October 26, 2009
Newsletter Editor: OnQYB@aol.com
The Fine Print
See previous editions
Subscription Information: This newsletter is available via free email subscription only. Our mailing list is confidential.
To subscribe: Email OnQYB@aol.com and write “Subscribe COS News” in subject line.
To unsubscribe: Email OnQYB@aol.com and write “Cancel COS News” in subject line.
The Gay Agenda: Datebook: October 26-November 1, 2009
This Just in !!! SUN: 10/25: Los Angeles, CA: Michael Kearns, the author/director who was the first Hollywood actor to come out on TV, launches his new book "The Drama of AIDS: My Lasting Connections with Two Plays That Survived the Plague" www.skylightbooks.com/event
This Just in !!! SUN: 10/25: Hollywood, CA: The Laramie Project: Ten Years Later benefit for the Matthew Shepard Foundation. All-star reading with Lisa Edelstein, Barrett Foa, Johnny Galecki, and appearance by Judy Shepard. www.matthewshepard.org
MON: 10/26: San Francisco, CA: Defying Inequality: The San Francisco Concert, a benefit for Marriage Equality USA and Garden State Equality. Featuring the San Francisco cast of "Wicked", Patty Duke, Bruce Vilanch, Judy Gold and others. www.defyinginequality.com.
MON: 10/26: Denver, CO: An Evening with David Sedaris. Humorist and author. Also: TUE: 10/27: Irvine, CA: WED: 10/28: Carmel, CA: THU: 10/29: San Rafael, CA: FRI: 10/30: San Diego, CA: SAT: 10/31: Boise, ID: SUN: 11/01: Vancouver, BC: www.barclayagency.com/sedaris_appearances.html
MON: 10/26: New York, NY: Broadway Close Up: The John Kander Salute. with David Hyde Pierce, Debra Monk, and Karen Ziemba. www.kaufmancenter.org
MON: 10/26: Seattle, WA: A Life in the Theater: An Onstage Conversation with Stephen Sondheim and Frank Rich. www.benaroyahall.org
WED: 10/28: New York, NY: Hedwig and the Angry Inch. Concert benefit for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. www.broadwaycares.org
WED: 10/28: Richmond, IN: Peterson Toscano performs his solo theatre piece "Doin' Time in the Homo No Mo Halfway House'." about surviving time in the ex-gay movement. www.petersontoscano.com
THU: 10/29: Washington, DC: Mary L. Gray discusses her book "Out in the Country: Youth, Media, and Queer Visibility in Rural America". Lambda Rising Books. lambdarising.com.
THU: 10/29: Washington, DC: Sir Ian McKellan, acclaimed actor and gay rights activist, performs his one-man autobiographical show "A Knight in Harman Hall". www.ShakespeareTheatre.org
SAT: 10/31: Los Angeles, CA: Rooftop Halloween Voyeur Party, benefitting The Trevor Project. LASC. http://www.thetrevorproject.org/events.aspx
Newsworthy:
Kevin Jennings, GLSEN founder and now President Obama's Safe Schools Czar, is under attack by a group of House Republicans who want him fired for supporting LGBT students. Towleroad reports: http://www.towleroad.com/2009/10/53-house-gop-sign-on-to-antigay-witch-hunt-against-kevin-jennings.html
"Laramie Updated". The production of "The Laramie Project: Ten Years Later", an epilogue to the original "Laramie Project" (which told the story of Matthew Shepard's murder and its impact on the people of Laramie) drew over 50,000 people to simultaneous performances in 150+ theatres. The New York Times reports: http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/10/15/the-laramie-project-10-years-later-draws-50000-theatergoers/
Sweden: Tourism offices have been bombarded with inquiries from millions of men captivated by a mythical town of sex-mad lesbians in Chako Paul City. Australia's News.com reports: http://www.news.com.au/travel/story/0,28318,26182164-5014090,00.html
The Buzz (People Making News)
Coming Out: Donal Og Cusack, the Irish hurler, has come out. Towleroad reports: http://www.towleroad.com/2009/10/irish-hurler-donal-og-cusack-im-gay.html
Coming Out: Law & Order SVU Special Agent George Huang MD comes out on the show's 10/21/09 episode. Huang is played by out actor B.D. Wong. After Elton reports: http://www.afterelton.com/TV/2009/10/law-oder-gay-character-revealed?#comment-96218
Coming Out: Jonathan Groff, Tony-nominee actor for "Spring Awakening" and recently seen in "Taking Woodstock", has come out. Broadway.com reports: http://www.broadway.com/buzz/let-sun-shine-hair-and-broadway-make-history-national-equality-march/
Features
Reflections: Lou Chibbaro Jr. has been a reporter at the Washington Blade for over 30 years. He recalls the news and the stories that he covered, as the LGBT paper celebrates its 40th Anniversary. Coming out stories played a big role on the agenda. http://www.washblade.com/2009/10-16/news/localnews/15372.cfm
Twenty Best Signs at the National Equality March: http://www.buzzfeed.com/mjs538/the-20-best-signs-at-the-national-equality-march
In Print:
Assembly Required: Notes from a Deaf Gay Life by Raymond Luczak. RID Press. Luczak shares stories from his days growing up as a deaf gay man in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula and learning signs in secret, trying to follow the music on the radio in order to be cool like his hearing classmates, and feeling clueless whenever gay cultural icons like the Village People, Queen, and Bette Midler were promoted in his small hometown. After he graduated from high school and enrolled at Gallaudet University, the world’s only university for Deaf people, he discovered gay literature and came out soon after. http://www.raymondluczak.com/assemblyrequired/
In Performance: Onstage:Theatre/Music/Dance
New York City (and Broadway)
***A Boy and His Soul. Colman Domingo's one-man musical about coming of age and coming out. to 11/01/09. http://www.vineyardtheatre.org/show-a-boy-and-his-soul.html
***The Diary of Anne Frankenstein. HX Drag Queen of the Year Nominee Mimi Imfurst stars as Anne, who hides in a lab attic in Bavaria. to 11/08/09. www.thediaryofannefrankenstein.com
***Fela! The musical story of groundbreaking African composer, performer and activist Fela Anikulapo Kuti staged by out Bill T. Jones.
***Finian's Rainbow. An old show with good tunes and Cheyenne Jackson starring as Woody for the swoon quotient.
***Hair, Tony-winning revival of the first major rock musical. www.publictheater.org.
***Justin Bond, best known as Kiki (of Kiki and Herb fame), in concert. 10/31/09. www.joespub.com.
***Love, Linda: The Life of Mrs. Cole Porter. a new musical about her glamourous life with gay husband Cole Porter. to 11/21/09. www.lovelindathemusical.com
***Wishful Drinking. Carrie Fisher's solo autobiographical show. She wakes up with a dead gay Republican in her bed and more. to 1/03/10. www.roundabouttheatre.org
Elsewhere...
***Abraham Lincoln's Big Gay Dance Party. Aaron Loeb's comedy. A rural third grade teacher outs Abe at the annual Christmas pageant. to 11/08/09. Storrs, CT. www.crt.uconn.edu
***Dixie's Tupperware Party, bringing Tupperware-mania to a theatre near you. Dixie Longate stars. to 11/08/09, Columbus, OH; www.DixiesTupperwareParty.com
***I Am My Own Wife, the fascinating real-life story of Charlotte von Mahlsdorf, a German transvestite who managed to survive both Nazi rule and the repressive East German Communist regime. to 11/08/09. Sacramento, CA. www.bstreettheatre.org
***The Little Dog Laughed. A Hollywood agent goes bonkers when her matinee idol client decides to come out. to 11/08/09. San Francisco, CA. www.nctscf.org
***Margaret Cho in concert.. 10/30/09, Palm Springs, CA. www.margaretcho.com.
***Parade. TR Knight ("Greys Anatomy") stars as Leo Frank in the musical about a 1913 murder in Atlanta. to 11/15/09. Los Angeles, CA. www.centertheatregroup.org.
***A Streetcar Named Desire. The Tennessee Williams classic with Cate Blanchett as Blanche in the Sydney Theatre Company production, directed by Liv Ullman. to 11/21/09. Kennedy Center. Washington, DC. www.sydneytheatre.com.au
***Tiny Kushner. Five short plays by out playwright Tony ("Angels in America") Kushner. to 11/29/09. Berkeley, CA. www.berkeleyrep.org
On Screen (and Video & DVD)
Out on Screen...
***Coco Before Chanel, Audrey Tautou stars as the legendary fashion designer, as the film follows her early years, exploring her rumored lesbian affairs.
***8: The Mormon Proposition is a new documentary about the involvement of the Church of Latter Day Saints' involvement in the passage of Proposition 8 in California. Written and directed by Reed Cowan and narrated by Dustin Lance Black. http://www.towleroad.com/2009/10/documentary-exposes-mormon-financial-contributions-to-prop-8.html
***Fame. A remake of the 1980 musical with Kelsey Grammer, Debbie Allen and Megan Mullally with a cast of unknowns playing the wannabe stars at a New York City performing arts high school.
***Hannah Free. Sharon Gless stars in the film adaptation of Claudia Allen's play about a woman who fights to see her lesbian partner one last time in a nursing home. Premiere screening:www.hannahfree.com
***Passing Strange. Spike Lee's documentary about Stew's Broadway rock musical.
***Taking Woodstock. Ang Lee's new film about the rock festival based on (gay) Elliot Tiber's memoir.
Out On Video & DVD
***Every Little Step: The Journey of "A Chorus Line".
***Hope Along The Wind: The Life of Harry Hay. the 2002 documentary about the gay rights pioneer.
***The L Word. The Complete Series in a box set.
***Out At Work. The documentary that vividly illustrates what happens when LGBT people are not legally protected from employment discrimination. The new DVD has updates to reflect the 2009 status of LGBT workplace rights. /www.newday.com/films/outatwork.html?code=H2U7UA
***The Wizard of Oz. 70th Anniversary Two-Disc Special Edition showcasing Dorothy and friends.
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
***October/November: In the Life. LGBT news magazine. PBS. Check local listings. http://www.itl.tv/inthelife/episodes/
***October: An Englishman in New York. John Hurt plays Quentin Crisp in a film about the last years of his life. Among the co-stars: Cynthia Nixon, Denis O'Hare, Jonathan Tucker. Logo. Check local listings.
***October: 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. Includes analysis by Barney Frank, Jim McGreevey, Larry Kramer, Michelangelo Signorile, and Mike Rogers. thru 11/10/09. http://www.hbo.com/docs/programs/outrage/index.html
Conferences, Seminars, Benefits, and Special Events
11/03/09: Boston, MA: HX Gay & Lesbian Travel Expo. http://gaylifetravel.squarespace.com/
11/04/09: Washington, DC: Raymond Luczak shares his tale of growing up gay and deaf in his new book "Assembly Required: Notes from a Deaf Gay Life". Lambda Rising Books. www.lambdarising.com.
11/05/09-11/14/09: Chicago, IL: Reeling 2000: Chicago Lesbian & Gay International Film Fest. www.reelingfilmfestival.org
11/09/09: New York, NY: Jane Lynch of "Glee" (Sue, the cheerleader coach) appears in the first installment of "Newsmakers" at the LGBT Center. www.gaycenter.org.
11/11/09: New York, NY: 2nd Annual Travel Summit/Insiders Europe. www.outprofessionals.org.
11/14/09: Hartford, CT: One Big Event. Benefit for the Hartford Gay and Lesbian Health Collective. http://www.hglhc.org/onebigevent/index.html
11/20/09-11/22/09: West Palm Beach, FL: 2009 Anti-Heterosexism Conference. In-depth workshops open to everyone who seeks to challenge the harmful affects of heterosexism, reparative therapy, ex-gay ministries and other efforts to change people’s sexual orientation. http://www.soulforce.org/anti-heterosexism-conference
11/22/09: New York, NY: 16th Annual Race to Deliver. Road race in Central Park to benefit God's Love We Deliver to help provide life-sustaining meals for those living with HIV/AIDS, cancer and other life-altering illnesses. www.racetodeliver.org
11/30/09: New York, NY: A Very MARY Holiday Benefit for Broadway Speaks OUT & The Ali Forney Center. Featuring Nick Adams and Jeffery Self and Cole Escola of Logo "Jeffery & Cole Casserole". www.broadwayspeaksout.com
Last Week’s Trivia Quiz: Marches for Equality
1. Question: When did the first major National March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights take place ? It drew over 75,000 people to the Nation's Capitol to demand equal civil rights and urge the passage of protective civil rights legislation. It drew major LGBT figures of the times, amongst them Allen Ginsberg, Troy Perry, and Leonard Matlovich. Answer: October 14, 1979, ten years after Stonewall.
2. Question: Name this activist, very much involved in last week's Equality March. A contemporary of Harvey Milk (he was played by Emile Hirsch in the recent film), he was a co-founder of the San Francisco AIDS Foundation. His memorial initiative to people with AIDS was unveiled for the first time in public at the secondMarch on Washington. Answer: Cleve Jones, founder of the AIDS Quilt.
3. Question: Name the initiative, which evolved from the second major March on Washington in 1987, which drew over 500,000 people to demand government action, especially by the Reagan administration, in the fight against AIDS. Today, this initiative supports an act of bravery in the LGBT community. Answer: National Coming Out Day, which launched in 1988.
4. Question: Name this national center, which opened days before the 1993 LGBT March on Washington. It's part memorial, part history museum about the marginalization and extermination of minorities, gays included. One major gay rights symbol traces it roots to this dark historical period. Answer: The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, which has sent exhibitions about the persecution of gays during Nazi Germany on national tours. The pink triangle traces its roots as a symbol to identify gays in Nazi concentration camps.
This Week’s Trivia Quiz: November Milestones
1. Question: Name this successful LGBT news magazine, subject of a front page profile in the Wall Street Journal on November 3, 1975. It continues to be one of the leading LGBT news sources today.
2. Question: Name this out comic, the first openly-gay cast member of “Saturday Night Live”. He joined the company on November 9, 1985, and did a great “Nancy Reagan”.
3. Question: Name this bisexual American designer born November 19, 1942. Many people have his name below their belts. When Mark Wahlberg teamed up with him, Times Square had fender benders for days.
4. Question: Name this gay photographer and artist, born November 4, 1946. He was known for his “uptown” floral portraits, but his “downtown” nudes and S&M pictures caused a censorship controversy in the 1980s.
5. Question: Name this award-winning play (and subsequent film), which opened on Broadway on November 20, 1934. It profiled two schoolteachers accused of being lesbians. Its author, one of the most celebrated female playwrights in 20th century literature, wrote a play which made Talullah Bankhead an American icon.
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/
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Coming Out Support Newsweekly: 10/19/09
Coming Out Support (COS) Newsweekly
Volume 12 No. 42 October 19, 2009
Newsletter Editor: OnQYB@aol.com
The Fine Print
See previous editions.
Subscription Information: This newsletter is available via free email subscription only. Our mailing list is confidential.
To subscribe: Email OnQYB@aol.com and write “Subscribe COS News” in subject line.
To unsubscribe: Email OnQYB@aol.com and write “Cancel COS News” in subject line.
The Gay Agenda: Datebook: October 19-25, 2009
October: LGBT History Month: http://www.glbthistorymonth.com/glbthistorymonth/2009/
thru SAT: 10/24: Washington, DC: Reel Affirmations, the LGBT film festival. www.reelaffirmations.org. The Washington Blade's preview: http://www.washblade.com/2009/10-9/arts/film/15320.cfm
thru SUN: 10/25: Seattle, WA: Seattle Lesbian & Gay Film Festival. www.threedollarbillcinema.org
MON: 10/19: Stevens Point, WI: An Evening with David Sedaris. Humorist and author. Also: TUE: 10/20: Norfolk, VA. WED: 10/21: Kansas City, MO. THU: 10/22: Billings, MT. FRI: 10/23: Missoula, MT: SAT: 10/24: Salt Lake City, UT: SUN: 10/25: Sun Valley, ID:http://www.barclayagency.com/sedaris_appearances.html
MON: 10/19: New York, NY: Martin Moran performs excerpts from "The Tricky Part", his award-winning one-man show about being gay and surviving abuse. www.writer.org.
WED: 10/21: Minneapolis, MN: Judy Shepard signs copies of her new book "The Meaning of Matthew", her story of Matthew Shepard's murder and her becoming a gay rights activist. 7PM. Barnes & Noble Also: THU: 10/22: Danville, CA: Time TBD. Rakestraw Books..FRI: 10/23: Santa Cruz, CA :Time TBD. Half Moon Theatre. http://www.matthewshepard.org/site/PageServer?pagename=Press_Media_Judy_BookTour09
SAT: 10/24: Los Angeles, CA: Rise Up and Shout ! Voices of the next gay generation. A benefit for gay youth. LGBT elders leading the community and youth coming out showcase their voices and visiions. www.riseupandshout.com
SUN: 10/25: Hartford, CT: Jason & Demarco perform a benefit for the Center Church, An Open and Affirming Congregation of the United Church of Christ. www.centerchurchhartford.org
Newsworthy:
Hate Crimes Definition Expanded: The US House voted by a wide margin (281-to-146) on 10/08/09, to expand the definition of violent federal hate crimes to cover those committed because of a victim’s gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or disability.
The New York Times reports: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/09/us/politics/09hate.html?hp
Revisited: Matthew Shepard's Murder. Ten years later, "The Laramie Project" creators return to Wyoming to complete the story. The epilogue was performed by over 150 theatre groups worldwide. The Los Angeles Times reports: http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/la-ca-laramie11-2009oct11,0,2733126.story
Harvey Milk Day will be recognized in California. Slain gay rights activist Harvey Milk will get a special day of recognition in California, making him only the second person in state history to gain such a designation.Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's signing of the bill establishing "Harvey Milk Day" each May 22, Milk's birthday, was announced 10/12/09. The Associated Press reports: http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hI1JvvWLcApKQ5ncgj8RUGlsWnYwD9B9NSJ80
Gay Ambasaador: President Barack Obama has nominated David Huebner, a gay attorney specializing in international law, to be U.S. ambassador to New Zealand and the Independent State of Samoa. Huebner, who is currently based in Shanghai and heads the China and International Disputes division for the law firm Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton, would become the nation's third openly gay ambassador. The Washington Blade reports: http://www.washblade.com/thelatest/thelatest.cfm?blog_id=27545
Equality March Updates
***The New York Times: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/12/us/politics/12protest.html
***The Washington Post: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/story/2009/10/11/ST2009101101924.html
***The Springfield (MA) Republican: Barney Frank says the March is a waste of time: http://www.masslive.com/news/index.ssf/2009/10/us_rep_barney_frank_says_gay_m.html
The Buzz (People Making News)
Tab Hunter, the 50s movie heart-throb who came out in his 2005 autobiography "Tab Hunter Confidential", will be the subject of an autobiographical documentary that tells what it's like to live a lie. Variety reports: http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118009820.html?categoryid=13&cs=1
In Memoriam:
Stephen Gately, the British performer who found fame as a member of the pop group Boyzone and later performed in London’s West End, was found dead in Spain at the age of 33. Gately made news at the height of Boyzone’s success by coming out of the closet. He married husband Andrew Cowles in a civil union in 2006. Broadway.com reports: http://www.broadway.com/buzz/brit-boy-band-and-stage-star-stephen-gately-dead-33/
Features
Profile: Lady GaGa: For LGBT activists, this lady is a champ. The Washington Post profile: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/10/11/AR2009101101892.html?sid=ST2009101101924
Profile: Sean Strub, founder of POZ, turns his life into one of activism and giving. The New York Times reports: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/11/fashion/11genb.html?_r=1
In Performance: Onstage:Theatre/Music/Dance
New York City (and Broadway)
***A Boy and His Soul. Colman Domingo's one-man musical about coming of age and coming out. to 11/01/09. http://www.vineyardtheatre.org/show-a-boy-and-his-soul.html
***Alan Cumming: I Bought a Blue Car Today. Cumming's show based on his new CD. 10/25/09. www.iboughtabluecartoday.com.
***Broadway Close Up salutes out composer John Kander with David Hyde Pierce, Karen Ziemba, Debra Monk, Marin Mazzie and Jason Danieley. 10/26/09. www.kaufman-center.org.
***The Diary of Anne Frankenstein. HX Drag Queen of the Year Nominee Mimi Imfurst stars as Anne, who hides in a lab attic in Bavaria. to 11/08/09. www.thediaryofannefrankenstein.com
***Fela! The musical story of groundbreaking African composer, performer and activist Fela Anikulapo Kuti staged by out Bill T. Jones. The show sizzled off-Broadway last year.
***Finian's Rainbow. An old show with good tunes and Cheyenne Jackson starring as Woody for the swoon quotient.
***Wishful Drinking. Carrie Fisher's solo autobiographical show. She wakes up with a dead gay Republican in her bed and more. to 1/03/10. www.roundabouttheatre.org
Elsewhere...
***Dixie's Tupperware Party, bringing Tupperware-mania to a theatre near you. Dixie Longate stars. 10/20/09-11/08/09, Columbus, OH; www.DixiesTupperwareParty.com
***F__king Men. Joe DiPietro’s adaptation of Schnitzler's 19th century "La Ronde" which observes the sex lives of modern gay America. to 10/25/09. Hollywood, CA.
www.celebrationtheatre.com
***I Am My Own Wife, the fascinating real-life story of Charlotte von Mahlsdorf, a German transvestite who managed to survive both Nazi rule and the repressive East German Communist regime. to 11/08/09. Sacramento, CA. www.bstreettheatre.org
***Insatiable Hunger. Lea Delaria stars in a new musical about a washed-up rock star who comes face-to-face with her past. to 10/23/09. Wellfleet, MA. www.what.org.
***Parade. TR Knight ("Greys Anatomy") stars as Leo Frank in the musical about a 1913 murder in Atlanta. to 11/15/09. Los Angeles, CA.www.centertheatregroup.org.
***Tiny Kushner. Five short plays by out playwright Tony ("Angels in America") Kushner. to 11/29/09. Berkeley, CA. www.berkeleyrep.org
On Screen (and Video & DVD)
Out on Screen...
***Coco Before Chanel, Audrey Tautou stars as the legendary fashion designer, as the film follows her early years, exploring her rumored lesbian affairs.
***Fame. A remake of the 1980 musical with Kelsey Grammer, Debbie Allen and Megan Mullally with a cast of unknowns playing the wannabe stars at a New York City performing arts high school.
***Hannah Free. Sharon Gless stars in the film adaptation of Claudia Allen's play about a woman who fights to see her lesbian partner one last time in a nursing home. Premiere screening:www.hannahfree.com
***Passing Strange. Spike Lee's documentary about Stew's Broadway rock musical.
***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
***Every Little Step: The Journey of "A Chorus Line".
***Hope Along The Wind: The Life of Harry Hay. the 2002 documentary about the gay rights pioneer.
***The Judy Garland Show Holiday Special. The 1963 one-hour special with Garland, Liza Minnelli and Lorna and Joe Luft, Jack Jones, Mel Torme.
***The L Word. The Complete Series in a box set.
***Out At Work. The documentary that vividly illustrates what happens when LGBT people are not legally protected from employment discrimination. The new DVD has updates to reflect the 2009 status of LGBT workplace rights. /www.newday.com/films/outatwork.html?code=H2U7UA
***Pageant. The documentary about the Miss Gay America Pageant. .
***The Wizard of Oz. 70th Anniversary Two-Disc Special Edition showcasing Dorothy and friends.
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
***October: In the Life. LGBT news magazine. PBS. Check local listings. http://www.itl.tv/inthelife/episodes/
***October: 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. Includes analysis by Barney Frank, Jim McGreevey, Larry Kramer, Michelangelo Signorile, and Mike Rogers. thru 11/10/09. http://www.hbo.com/docs/programs/outrage/index.html
Conferences, Seminars, Benefits, and Special Events
10/26/09: San Francisco, CA: Defying Inequality: The San Francisco Concert, a benefit for Marriage Equality USA and Garden State Equality. Featuring the San Francisco cast of "Wicked", Patty Duke, Bruce Vilanch, Judy Gold and others. www.defyinginequality.com.
10/28/09: Richmond, IN: Peterson Toscano performs his solo theatre piece "Doin' Time in the Homo No Mo Halfway House'." about surviving time in the ex-gay movement. www.petersontoscano.com
11/03/09: Boston, MA: HX Gay & Lesbian Travel Expo. http://gaylifetravel.squarespace.com/
11/05/09-11/14/09: Chicago, IL: Reeling 2000: Chicago Lesbian & Gay International Film Fest. www.reelingfilmfestival.org
11/20/09-11/22/09: West Palm Beach, FL: 2009 Anti-Heterosexism Conference. In-depth workshops open to everyone who seeks to challenge the harmful affects of heterosexism, reparative therapy, ex-gay ministries and other efforts to change people’s sexual orientation. http://www.soulforce.org/anti-heterosexism-conference
11/22/09: New York, NY: 16th Annual Race to Deliver. Road race in Central Park to benefit God's Love We Deliver to help provide life-sustaining meals for those living with HIV/AIDS, cancer and other life-altering illnesses. www.racetodeliver.org
Last Week’s Trivia Quiz: Opera: Queens and Divas
1. Question: Name this 2000 opera, written by an out composer and playwright, who were inspired by Susan Sarandon and the story of a Louisiana sister. Hint: It has become one of the most popular contemporary operas, alongside Andre Previn’s “A Streetcar Named Desire”. Answer: Dead Man Walking, Jake Heggie’s and Terrence McNally’s treatment of the film, which chronicled Sister Helen Prejean (played by Sarandon in the movie).
2. Question: Name this 20th century diva, whose offstage life was as dramatic as her roles (Fanny Ardont played her in a Zefferelli biographical film. Faye Dunaway, Dixie Carter and Patti LuPone played her onstage.). She inspired gay playwright Terrence McNally twice; Nathan Lane became a star because of McNally’s first play. Answer: Maria Callas. Lane starred in McNally’s play “The Lisbon Traviata”; McNally later wrote “Masterclass” about the diva which brought raves for Faye, Dixie and Patti. “Callas Forever” with Fanny Ardont and Jeremy Irons is out on video.
3. Question: Name this gay opera composer who wrote many leading roles for his off-stage partner of many years. His final work (1973), based on a German novella, was the story of an older man obsessed with a beautiful Venetian twink. Answer: Benjamin Britten, who composed “Death in Venice”. His partner Peter Pears sang the lead.
4. Question: Name this historical character, whose life and tragic death became the subject of a 1995 American opera. The character rose to fame in post-Stonewall America as an out politican and gay rights activist. Answer: Harvey Milk, the subject of Stewart Wallace’s and Michael Korie’s opera “Harvey Milk”, which has played major international opera houses since its debut. Korie wrote the Broadway musical "Grey Gardens".
5. Question: Name this opera which inspired a Broadway musical which has starred an American idol, a TV-show cop, a very young doctor, a green witch, and a queer guy. Hint: It’s not “Madama Butterfly (which became “Miss Saigon”) or “Carmen” (which became “Carmen Jones”). Answer: “La Boheme”, which became “Rent”. Frenchie Davis, Jesse L. Martin, Neil Patrick (“Doogie Howser”) Harris, Idina Menzel and Jai Rodriguez have starred in the Broadway version.
This Week’s Trivia Quiz: Marches for Equality
1. Question: When did the first major National March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights take place ? It drew over 75,000 people to the Nation's Capitol to demand equal civil rights and urge the passage of protective civil rights legislation. It drew major LGBT figures of the times, amongst them Allen Ginsberg, Troy Perry, and Leonard Matlovich.
2. Question: Name this activist, very much involved in last week's Equality March. A contemporary of Harvey Milk (he was played by Emile Hirsch in the recent film), he was a co-founder of the San Francisco AIDS Foundation. His memorial initiative to people with AIDS was unveiled for the first time in public at the secondMarch on Washington.
3. Question: Name the initiative, which evolved from the second major March on Washington in 1987, which drew over 500,000 people to demand government action, especially by the Reagan administration, in the fight against AIDS. Today, this initiative and its personal action supports an act of individual bravery in the LGBT community.
4. Question: Name this national center, which opened days before the 1993 LGBT March on Washington. It's part memorial, part history museum about the marginalization and extermination of minorities, gays included. One major gay rights symbol traces it roots to this dark historical period.
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. 42 October 19, 2009
Newsletter Editor: OnQYB@aol.com
The Fine Print
See previous editions.
Subscription Information: This newsletter is available via free email subscription only. Our mailing list is confidential.
To subscribe: Email OnQYB@aol.com and write “Subscribe COS News” in subject line.
To unsubscribe: Email OnQYB@aol.com and write “Cancel COS News” in subject line.
The Gay Agenda: Datebook: October 19-25, 2009
October: LGBT History Month: http://www.glbthistorymonth.com/glbthistorymonth/2009/
thru SAT: 10/24: Washington, DC: Reel Affirmations, the LGBT film festival. www.reelaffirmations.org. The Washington Blade's preview: http://www.washblade.com/2009/10-9/arts/film/15320.cfm
thru SUN: 10/25: Seattle, WA: Seattle Lesbian & Gay Film Festival. www.threedollarbillcinema.org
MON: 10/19: Stevens Point, WI: An Evening with David Sedaris. Humorist and author. Also: TUE: 10/20: Norfolk, VA. WED: 10/21: Kansas City, MO. THU: 10/22: Billings, MT. FRI: 10/23: Missoula, MT: SAT: 10/24: Salt Lake City, UT: SUN: 10/25: Sun Valley, ID:http://www.barclayagency.com/sedaris_appearances.html
MON: 10/19: New York, NY: Martin Moran performs excerpts from "The Tricky Part", his award-winning one-man show about being gay and surviving abuse. www.writer.org.
WED: 10/21: Minneapolis, MN: Judy Shepard signs copies of her new book "The Meaning of Matthew", her story of Matthew Shepard's murder and her becoming a gay rights activist. 7PM. Barnes & Noble Also: THU: 10/22: Danville, CA: Time TBD. Rakestraw Books..FRI: 10/23: Santa Cruz, CA :Time TBD. Half Moon Theatre. http://www.matthewshepard.org/site/PageServer?pagename=Press_Media_Judy_BookTour09
SAT: 10/24: Los Angeles, CA: Rise Up and Shout ! Voices of the next gay generation. A benefit for gay youth. LGBT elders leading the community and youth coming out showcase their voices and visiions. www.riseupandshout.com
SUN: 10/25: Hartford, CT: Jason & Demarco perform a benefit for the Center Church, An Open and Affirming Congregation of the United Church of Christ. www.centerchurchhartford.org
Newsworthy:
Hate Crimes Definition Expanded: The US House voted by a wide margin (281-to-146) on 10/08/09, to expand the definition of violent federal hate crimes to cover those committed because of a victim’s gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or disability.
The New York Times reports: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/09/us/politics/09hate.html?hp
Revisited: Matthew Shepard's Murder. Ten years later, "The Laramie Project" creators return to Wyoming to complete the story. The epilogue was performed by over 150 theatre groups worldwide. The Los Angeles Times reports: http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/la-ca-laramie11-2009oct11,0,2733126.story
Harvey Milk Day will be recognized in California. Slain gay rights activist Harvey Milk will get a special day of recognition in California, making him only the second person in state history to gain such a designation.Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's signing of the bill establishing "Harvey Milk Day" each May 22, Milk's birthday, was announced 10/12/09. The Associated Press reports: http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hI1JvvWLcApKQ5ncgj8RUGlsWnYwD9B9NSJ80
Gay Ambasaador: President Barack Obama has nominated David Huebner, a gay attorney specializing in international law, to be U.S. ambassador to New Zealand and the Independent State of Samoa. Huebner, who is currently based in Shanghai and heads the China and International Disputes division for the law firm Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton, would become the nation's third openly gay ambassador. The Washington Blade reports: http://www.washblade.com/thelatest/thelatest.cfm?blog_id=27545
Equality March Updates
***The New York Times: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/12/us/politics/12protest.html
***The Washington Post: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/story/2009/10/11/ST2009101101924.html
***The Springfield (MA) Republican: Barney Frank says the March is a waste of time: http://www.masslive.com/news/index.ssf/2009/10/us_rep_barney_frank_says_gay_m.html
The Buzz (People Making News)
Tab Hunter, the 50s movie heart-throb who came out in his 2005 autobiography "Tab Hunter Confidential", will be the subject of an autobiographical documentary that tells what it's like to live a lie. Variety reports: http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118009820.html?categoryid=13&cs=1
In Memoriam:
Stephen Gately, the British performer who found fame as a member of the pop group Boyzone and later performed in London’s West End, was found dead in Spain at the age of 33. Gately made news at the height of Boyzone’s success by coming out of the closet. He married husband Andrew Cowles in a civil union in 2006. Broadway.com reports: http://www.broadway.com/buzz/brit-boy-band-and-stage-star-stephen-gately-dead-33/
Features
Profile: Lady GaGa: For LGBT activists, this lady is a champ. The Washington Post profile: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/10/11/AR2009101101892.html?sid=ST2009101101924
Profile: Sean Strub, founder of POZ, turns his life into one of activism and giving. The New York Times reports: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/11/fashion/11genb.html?_r=1
In Performance: Onstage:Theatre/Music/Dance
New York City (and Broadway)
***A Boy and His Soul. Colman Domingo's one-man musical about coming of age and coming out. to 11/01/09. http://www.vineyardtheatre.org/show-a-boy-and-his-soul.html
***Alan Cumming: I Bought a Blue Car Today. Cumming's show based on his new CD. 10/25/09. www.iboughtabluecartoday.com.
***Broadway Close Up salutes out composer John Kander with David Hyde Pierce, Karen Ziemba, Debra Monk, Marin Mazzie and Jason Danieley. 10/26/09. www.kaufman-center.org.
***The Diary of Anne Frankenstein. HX Drag Queen of the Year Nominee Mimi Imfurst stars as Anne, who hides in a lab attic in Bavaria. to 11/08/09. www.thediaryofannefrankenstein.com
***Fela! The musical story of groundbreaking African composer, performer and activist Fela Anikulapo Kuti staged by out Bill T. Jones. The show sizzled off-Broadway last year.
***Finian's Rainbow. An old show with good tunes and Cheyenne Jackson starring as Woody for the swoon quotient.
***Wishful Drinking. Carrie Fisher's solo autobiographical show. She wakes up with a dead gay Republican in her bed and more. to 1/03/10. www.roundabouttheatre.org
Elsewhere...
***Dixie's Tupperware Party, bringing Tupperware-mania to a theatre near you. Dixie Longate stars. 10/20/09-11/08/09, Columbus, OH; www.DixiesTupperwareParty.com
***F__king Men. Joe DiPietro’s adaptation of Schnitzler's 19th century "La Ronde" which observes the sex lives of modern gay America. to 10/25/09. Hollywood, CA.
www.celebrationtheatre.com
***I Am My Own Wife, the fascinating real-life story of Charlotte von Mahlsdorf, a German transvestite who managed to survive both Nazi rule and the repressive East German Communist regime. to 11/08/09. Sacramento, CA. www.bstreettheatre.org
***Insatiable Hunger. Lea Delaria stars in a new musical about a washed-up rock star who comes face-to-face with her past. to 10/23/09. Wellfleet, MA. www.what.org.
***Parade. TR Knight ("Greys Anatomy") stars as Leo Frank in the musical about a 1913 murder in Atlanta. to 11/15/09. Los Angeles, CA.www.centertheatregroup.org.
***Tiny Kushner. Five short plays by out playwright Tony ("Angels in America") Kushner. to 11/29/09. Berkeley, CA. www.berkeleyrep.org
On Screen (and Video & DVD)
Out on Screen...
***Coco Before Chanel, Audrey Tautou stars as the legendary fashion designer, as the film follows her early years, exploring her rumored lesbian affairs.
***Fame. A remake of the 1980 musical with Kelsey Grammer, Debbie Allen and Megan Mullally with a cast of unknowns playing the wannabe stars at a New York City performing arts high school.
***Hannah Free. Sharon Gless stars in the film adaptation of Claudia Allen's play about a woman who fights to see her lesbian partner one last time in a nursing home. Premiere screening:www.hannahfree.com
***Passing Strange. Spike Lee's documentary about Stew's Broadway rock musical.
***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
***Every Little Step: The Journey of "A Chorus Line".
***Hope Along The Wind: The Life of Harry Hay. the 2002 documentary about the gay rights pioneer.
***The Judy Garland Show Holiday Special. The 1963 one-hour special with Garland, Liza Minnelli and Lorna and Joe Luft, Jack Jones, Mel Torme.
***The L Word. The Complete Series in a box set.
***Out At Work. The documentary that vividly illustrates what happens when LGBT people are not legally protected from employment discrimination. The new DVD has updates to reflect the 2009 status of LGBT workplace rights. /www.newday.com/films/outatwork.html?code=H2U7UA
***Pageant. The documentary about the Miss Gay America Pageant. .
***The Wizard of Oz. 70th Anniversary Two-Disc Special Edition showcasing Dorothy and friends.
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
***October: In the Life. LGBT news magazine. PBS. Check local listings. http://www.itl.tv/inthelife/episodes/
***October: 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. Includes analysis by Barney Frank, Jim McGreevey, Larry Kramer, Michelangelo Signorile, and Mike Rogers. thru 11/10/09. http://www.hbo.com/docs/programs/outrage/index.html
Conferences, Seminars, Benefits, and Special Events
10/26/09: San Francisco, CA: Defying Inequality: The San Francisco Concert, a benefit for Marriage Equality USA and Garden State Equality. Featuring the San Francisco cast of "Wicked", Patty Duke, Bruce Vilanch, Judy Gold and others. www.defyinginequality.com.
10/28/09: Richmond, IN: Peterson Toscano performs his solo theatre piece "Doin' Time in the Homo No Mo Halfway House'." about surviving time in the ex-gay movement. www.petersontoscano.com
11/03/09: Boston, MA: HX Gay & Lesbian Travel Expo. http://gaylifetravel.squarespace.com/
11/05/09-11/14/09: Chicago, IL: Reeling 2000: Chicago Lesbian & Gay International Film Fest. www.reelingfilmfestival.org
11/20/09-11/22/09: West Palm Beach, FL: 2009 Anti-Heterosexism Conference. In-depth workshops open to everyone who seeks to challenge the harmful affects of heterosexism, reparative therapy, ex-gay ministries and other efforts to change people’s sexual orientation. http://www.soulforce.org/anti-heterosexism-conference
11/22/09: New York, NY: 16th Annual Race to Deliver. Road race in Central Park to benefit God's Love We Deliver to help provide life-sustaining meals for those living with HIV/AIDS, cancer and other life-altering illnesses. www.racetodeliver.org
Last Week’s Trivia Quiz: Opera: Queens and Divas
1. Question: Name this 2000 opera, written by an out composer and playwright, who were inspired by Susan Sarandon and the story of a Louisiana sister. Hint: It has become one of the most popular contemporary operas, alongside Andre Previn’s “A Streetcar Named Desire”. Answer: Dead Man Walking, Jake Heggie’s and Terrence McNally’s treatment of the film, which chronicled Sister Helen Prejean (played by Sarandon in the movie).
2. Question: Name this 20th century diva, whose offstage life was as dramatic as her roles (Fanny Ardont played her in a Zefferelli biographical film. Faye Dunaway, Dixie Carter and Patti LuPone played her onstage.). She inspired gay playwright Terrence McNally twice; Nathan Lane became a star because of McNally’s first play. Answer: Maria Callas. Lane starred in McNally’s play “The Lisbon Traviata”; McNally later wrote “Masterclass” about the diva which brought raves for Faye, Dixie and Patti. “Callas Forever” with Fanny Ardont and Jeremy Irons is out on video.
3. Question: Name this gay opera composer who wrote many leading roles for his off-stage partner of many years. His final work (1973), based on a German novella, was the story of an older man obsessed with a beautiful Venetian twink. Answer: Benjamin Britten, who composed “Death in Venice”. His partner Peter Pears sang the lead.
4. Question: Name this historical character, whose life and tragic death became the subject of a 1995 American opera. The character rose to fame in post-Stonewall America as an out politican and gay rights activist. Answer: Harvey Milk, the subject of Stewart Wallace’s and Michael Korie’s opera “Harvey Milk”, which has played major international opera houses since its debut. Korie wrote the Broadway musical "Grey Gardens".
5. Question: Name this opera which inspired a Broadway musical which has starred an American idol, a TV-show cop, a very young doctor, a green witch, and a queer guy. Hint: It’s not “Madama Butterfly (which became “Miss Saigon”) or “Carmen” (which became “Carmen Jones”). Answer: “La Boheme”, which became “Rent”. Frenchie Davis, Jesse L. Martin, Neil Patrick (“Doogie Howser”) Harris, Idina Menzel and Jai Rodriguez have starred in the Broadway version.
This Week’s Trivia Quiz: Marches for Equality
1. Question: When did the first major National March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights take place ? It drew over 75,000 people to the Nation's Capitol to demand equal civil rights and urge the passage of protective civil rights legislation. It drew major LGBT figures of the times, amongst them Allen Ginsberg, Troy Perry, and Leonard Matlovich.
2. Question: Name this activist, very much involved in last week's Equality March. A contemporary of Harvey Milk (he was played by Emile Hirsch in the recent film), he was a co-founder of the San Francisco AIDS Foundation. His memorial initiative to people with AIDS was unveiled for the first time in public at the secondMarch on Washington.
3. Question: Name the initiative, which evolved from the second major March on Washington in 1987, which drew over 500,000 people to demand government action, especially by the Reagan administration, in the fight against AIDS. Today, this initiative and its personal action supports an act of individual bravery in the LGBT community.
4. Question: Name this national center, which opened days before the 1993 LGBT March on Washington. It's part memorial, part history museum about the marginalization and extermination of minorities, gays included. One major gay rights symbol traces it roots to this dark historical period.
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/
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Coming Out Support Newsweekly: 10/12/09
Coming Out Support (COS) Newsweekly
Volume 12 No. 41 October 12, 2009
Newsletter Editor: OnQYB@aol.com
The Fine Print
See previous editions
Subscription Information: This newsletter is available via free email subscription only. Our mailing list is confidential.
To subscribe: Email OnQYB@aol.com and write “Subscribe COS News” in subject line.
To unsubscribe: Email OnQYB@aol.com and write “Cancel COS News” in subject line.
The Gay Agenda: Datebook: October 12-18, 2009
October: LGBT History Month: http://www.glbthistorymonth.com/glbthistorymonth/2009/
Editor's Pick! MON: 10/12: Nationwide: The Laramie Project: Ten Years Later. A new epilogue to Moises Kaufman's award-winning theatrical docudrama, a study of the murder of Matthew Shepard, will be performed in over 100 theatres in all 50 states and several countries. www.laramieproject.org.
MON: 10/12: Tulsa, OK: An Evening with David Sedaris. Humorist and author. Also: TUE: 10/13: Fayetteville, AR: WED: 10/14: Minneapolis, MN: THU: 10/15: Davenport, IA: FRI: 10/16: Champaign, IL: SAT: 10/17: Columbus, OH: SUN: 10/18: East Lansing, MI: An Evening with David Sedaris. Humorist and author. http://www.barclayagency.com/sedaris_appearances.html
MON: 10/12: Towson, MD: Peterson Toscano performs his solo theatre piece "Doin' Time in the Homo No Mo Halfway House'." about surviving time in the ex-gay movement. www.petersontoscano.com
THU: 10/15: West Hollywood, CA: Christian Siriano, star of “Project Runway”, signing copies of "Fierce Style". 9:30 PM. Book Soup. Also: SAT: 10/17: Bloomington, MN: 2PM. Nordstrom Court.
THU-SUN: 10/15-10/18: St. Petersburg, FL: InterPride 2009 Conference. Workshops for/by the International Association of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Pride Coordinators. www.interpride.org
THU-SUN: 10/15-10/18: San Francisco, CA: Sundance Stompede. San Francisco's annual LGBT country/ western dance weekend. www.stompede.com
FRI-SUN: 10/16-10/18: New York, NY: 5th Annual Broadway Cabaret Festival. 10/16: David Merrick Tribute. 10/17: Linda Eder. 10/18: Broadway Originals. www.the-townhall-nyc.org.
FRI-SUN: 10/16-10/25: Seattle, WA: Seattle Lesbian & Gay Film Festival. www.threedollarbillcinema.org
SAT: 10/17: West Hartford, CT: AIDS Walk 2009 to benefit AIDS Project Hartford. www.aphct.org
SAT: 10/17: Phoenix, AZ: Peterson Toscano performs his solo theatre piece "Transfigurations: Transgressing Gender in the Bible" about gender-variant Bible characters. www.petersontoscano.com
SUN: 10/18: Los Angeles / West Hollywood, CA: AIDS Walk LA. www.aidswalk.net
Newsworthy:
Texas: A judge has ruled that two gay men, married in another state, can divorce in Texas (where same-sex marriage is banned) saying that the state's ban on same-sex marriage is unconstitutional. The Dallas Morning News reports: http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/politics/state/stories/DN-gaydivorce_02met.ART.State.Edition2.4bcd80d.html
The Buzz (People Making News)
Kevin Jennings, founder of GLSEN, advocate for LGBY youth, and now at the U.S. Department of Education, is under attack from the right wing over a decades old counseling incident. Towleroad reports: http://www.towleroad.com/2009/10/under-attack-from-right-education-departments-kevin-jennings-releases-statement-on-counseling-incide.html
Donna Sachet made history as the first drag queen to sing the National Anthem at a Major League Baseball Game. Towleroad reports: http://www.towleroad.com/2009/10/donna-sachet-is-first-drag-queen-to-sing-national-anthem-at-major-league-baseball-game.html
Cheyennetologists Take Note: Rumors abound that hot out Broadway star Cheyenne Jackson is bound for "30 Rock", spreading the Cheyennetology movement nationwide. Playbill.com reports: http://www.playbill.com/news/article/133411-Is_Cheyenne_Jackson_30_Rock-Bound%3F
In Memoriam:
Kevin McGee, ex-husband of "Little Britain" star Matt Lucas, hung himself after leaving a Facebook note. The Daily Mail reports: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1218387/Kevin-McGee-ex-husband-Little-Britain-star-Matt-Lucas-hangs-leaving-Facebook-suicide-note.html
Features
Iraq: Gay Pogroms and Americans shepherding gay Iraqis to safety. New York Magazine reports: http://nymag.com/news/features/59695/
The High Price of Being a Gay Couple. Gay rights isn't just about marriage, protections, and equality. The New York Times reports: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/03/your-money/03money.html
T.R. Knight makes the move from "Grey's Anatomy" to serious theatre. The Los Angeles Times reports: http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/arts/la-ca-knight4-2009oct04,0,3923126.story
The Resource Center:
Prime Timers Worldwide: A social network for older gay and bisexual men. There are chapters and travel programs across the country. http://www.primetimersww.org/
In Performance: Onstage:Theatre/Music/Dance
New York City (and Broadway)
***A Boy and His Soul. Colman Domingo's one-man musical about coming of age and coming out. to 11/01/09. http://www.vineyardtheatre.org/show-a-boy-and-his-soul.html
***A Steady Rain. It's raining men (Daniel Craig and Hugh Jackman) in the two-character Keith Huff play about two Chicago cops who are lifelong friends. to 12/06/09. www.asteadyrain.com.
***Finian's Rainbow. An old show with good tunes and Cheyenne Jackson starring as Woody for the swoon quotient.
***Hair, Tony-winning revival of the first major rock musical. www.publictheater.org.
*** Love, Loss, and What I Wore. Nora and Delia Ephron's new play. Tyne Daly and Rosie O’Donnell star to 10/18/09. www.LoveLossOnStage.com
***Wishful Drinking. Carrie Fisher's solo autobiographical show. She wakes up with a dead gay Republican in her bed and more. to 1/03/10. www.roundabouttheatre.org
Elsewhere...
***Dixie's Tupperware Party, bringing Tupperware-mania to a theatre near you. Dixie Longate stars. to 10/18/09, Cleveland, OH www.DixiesTupperwareParty.com
***F__king Men. Joe DiPietro’s adaptation of Schnitzler's 19th century "La Ronde" which observes the sex lives of modern gay America. to 10/25/09. Hollywood, CA.
www.celebrationtheatre.com
***I Am My Own Wife, the fascinating real-life story of Charlotte von Mahlsdorf, a German transvestite who managed to survive both Nazi rule and the repressive East German Communist regime. to 11/08/09. Sacramento, CA. www.bstreettheatre.org
***Insatiable Hunger. Lea Delaria stars in a new musical about a washed-up rock star who comes face-to-face with her past. to 10/23/09. Wellfleet, MA. www.what.org.
***Parade. TR Knight ("Greys Anatomy") stars in the revival of the musical about a 1913 lynching in Atlanta. to 11/15/09. Los Angeles, CA.www.centertheatregroup.org.
***Tiny Kushner. Five short plays by out playwright Tony ("Angels in America") Kushner. to 11/29/09. Berkeley, CA. www.berkeleyrep.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...
***Coco Before Chanel, Audrey Tautou stars as the legendary fashion designer, as the film follows her early years, exploring her rumored lesbian affairs.
***Fame. A remake of the 1980 musical with Kelsey Grammer, Debbie Allen and Megan Mullally with a cast of unknowns playing the wannabe stars at a New York City performing arts high school.
***Hannah Free. Sharon Gless stars in the film adaptation of Claudia Allen's play about a woman who fights to see her lesbian partner one last time in a nursing home. Premiere screening:www.hannahfree.com
***Passing Strange. Spike Lee's documentary about Stew's Broadway rock musical.
***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.
***Every Little Step: The Journey of "A Chorus Line".
***Hope Along The Wind: The Life of Harry Hay. the 2002 documentary about the gay rights pioneer.
***Mad Men, Season 2. Look for Bryan Batt as a closeted ad exec in this TV drama about a 1960s ad agency.
***Out At Work. The documentary that vividly illustrates what happens when LGBT people are not legally protected from employment discrimination. The new DVD has updates to reflect the 2009 status of LGBT workplace rights. /www.newday.com/films/outatwork.html?code=H2U7UA
***The Wizard of Oz. 70th Anniversary Two-Disc Special Edition showcasing Dorothy and friends.
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
***October: In the Life. LGBT news magazine. PBS. Check local listings. http://www.itl.tv/inthelife/episodes/
***October: 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. Includes analysis by Barney Frank, Jim McGreevey, Larry Kramer, Michelangelo Signorile, and Mike Rogers. thru 11/10/09. http://www.hbo.com/docs/programs/outrage/index.html
***FRI: 10/16: Ugly Betty two-hour season premiere. 8PM. ABC.
Conferences, Seminars, Benefits, and Special Events
10/24/09: Los Angeles, CA: Rise Up and Shout ! Voices of the next gay generation. A benefit for gay youth. LGBT elders leading the community and youth coming out showcase their voices and visiions. www.riseupandshout.com
10/26/09: San Francisco, CA: Defying Inequality: The San Francisco Concert, a benefit for Marriage Equality USA and Garden State Equality. Featuring the San Francisco cast of "Wicked", Patty Duke, Bruce Vilanch, Judy Gold and others. www.defyinginequality.com.
11/05/09-11/14/09: Chicago, IL: Reeling 2000: Chicago Lesbian & Gay International Film Fest. www.reelingfilmfestival.org
11/22/09: New York, NY: 16th Annual Race to Deliver. Road race in Central Park to benefit God's Love We Deliver to help provide life-sustaining meals for those living with HIV/AIDS, cancer and other life-altering illnesses. www.racetodeliver.org
Last Week’s Trivia Quiz: National Coming Out Day
1. Question: Name this real-life teen who came out to his all-American family on January 15, 1973, on television’s first “reality series”. Hint: He later became a musician and a magazine columnist. Answer: Lance Loud. the Loud family was profiled on PBS’ “An American Family”.
2. Question: Name the comic strip, whose major character came out on February 10, 1976. He was the first comic hero to do so. Answer: Doonesbury. The character was Andy Lippincott.
3. Question: Name this singer, the first major entertainment figure to come out in an Advocate cover story on October 16, 1992. Her career never suffered as a result, and she paved the way for other entertainers, from Amanda Bearse to Nathan Lane. Answer: k.d. lang.
4. Question: Names this high-level American elected official who came out under duress on July 20, 1983. A fellow Congressman from his home state followed four years later. They were amongst the highest-ranked out public officers prior to Wisconsin Rep. Tammy Baldwin and New Jersey Governor James McGreevey. Answer: Gerry Studds, Massachusetts congressman. Barney Frank came out after him on May 30, 1987.
5. Question: Name this Emmy winner, who came out on television and on the cover of Time on February 14, 1997. Other Emmy winners who have since come out include: Rosie O’Donnell (2002) and Cynthia Nixon (2004). Answer: Ellen DeGeneres.
This Week’s Trivia Quiz: Opera: Queens and Divas
You don't have to know or like opera to figure these out.
1. Question: Name this 2000 opera, written by an out composer and playwright, who were inspired by Susan Sarandon and the story of a Louisiana sister. Hint: It has become one of the most popular contemporary operas, alongside Andre Previn’s “A Streetcar Named Desire”.
2. Question: Name this 20th century diva, whose offstage life was as dramatic as her roles (Fanny Ardont played her in a Zefferelli biographical film. Faye Dunaway, Dixie Carter and Patti LuPone played her onstage.). She inspired gay playwright Terrence McNally twice; Nathan Lane became a star because of McNally’s first play.
3. Question: Name this gay opera composer who wrote many leading roles for his off-stage partner of many years. His final work (1973), based on a German novella, was the story of an older man obsessed with a beautiful Venetian twink.
4. Question: Name this historical character, whose life and tragic death became the subject of a 1995 American opera. The character rose to fame in post-Stonewall America as an out politican and gay rights activist.
5. Question: Name this opera which inspired a Broadway musical which has starred an American idol, a TV-show cop, a very young doctor, a green witch, and a queer guy. Hint: It’s not “Madama Butterfly (which became “Miss Saigon”) or “Carmen” (which became “Carmen Jones”).
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. 41 October 12, 2009
Newsletter Editor: OnQYB@aol.com
The Fine Print
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The Gay Agenda: Datebook: October 12-18, 2009
October: LGBT History Month: http://www.glbthistorymonth.com/glbthistorymonth/2009/
Editor's Pick! MON: 10/12: Nationwide: The Laramie Project: Ten Years Later. A new epilogue to Moises Kaufman's award-winning theatrical docudrama, a study of the murder of Matthew Shepard, will be performed in over 100 theatres in all 50 states and several countries. www.laramieproject.org.
MON: 10/12: Tulsa, OK: An Evening with David Sedaris. Humorist and author. Also: TUE: 10/13: Fayetteville, AR: WED: 10/14: Minneapolis, MN: THU: 10/15: Davenport, IA: FRI: 10/16: Champaign, IL: SAT: 10/17: Columbus, OH: SUN: 10/18: East Lansing, MI: An Evening with David Sedaris. Humorist and author. http://www.barclayagency.com/sedaris_appearances.html
MON: 10/12: Towson, MD: Peterson Toscano performs his solo theatre piece "Doin' Time in the Homo No Mo Halfway House'." about surviving time in the ex-gay movement. www.petersontoscano.com
THU: 10/15: West Hollywood, CA: Christian Siriano, star of “Project Runway”, signing copies of "Fierce Style". 9:30 PM. Book Soup. Also: SAT: 10/17: Bloomington, MN: 2PM. Nordstrom Court.
THU-SUN: 10/15-10/18: St. Petersburg, FL: InterPride 2009 Conference. Workshops for/by the International Association of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Pride Coordinators. www.interpride.org
THU-SUN: 10/15-10/18: San Francisco, CA: Sundance Stompede. San Francisco's annual LGBT country/ western dance weekend. www.stompede.com
FRI-SUN: 10/16-10/18: New York, NY: 5th Annual Broadway Cabaret Festival. 10/16: David Merrick Tribute. 10/17: Linda Eder. 10/18: Broadway Originals. www.the-townhall-nyc.org.
FRI-SUN: 10/16-10/25: Seattle, WA: Seattle Lesbian & Gay Film Festival. www.threedollarbillcinema.org
SAT: 10/17: West Hartford, CT: AIDS Walk 2009 to benefit AIDS Project Hartford. www.aphct.org
SAT: 10/17: Phoenix, AZ: Peterson Toscano performs his solo theatre piece "Transfigurations: Transgressing Gender in the Bible" about gender-variant Bible characters. www.petersontoscano.com
SUN: 10/18: Los Angeles / West Hollywood, CA: AIDS Walk LA. www.aidswalk.net
Newsworthy:
Texas: A judge has ruled that two gay men, married in another state, can divorce in Texas (where same-sex marriage is banned) saying that the state's ban on same-sex marriage is unconstitutional. The Dallas Morning News reports: http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/politics/state/stories/DN-gaydivorce_02met.ART.State.Edition2.4bcd80d.html
The Buzz (People Making News)
Kevin Jennings, founder of GLSEN, advocate for LGBY youth, and now at the U.S. Department of Education, is under attack from the right wing over a decades old counseling incident. Towleroad reports: http://www.towleroad.com/2009/10/under-attack-from-right-education-departments-kevin-jennings-releases-statement-on-counseling-incide.html
Donna Sachet made history as the first drag queen to sing the National Anthem at a Major League Baseball Game. Towleroad reports: http://www.towleroad.com/2009/10/donna-sachet-is-first-drag-queen-to-sing-national-anthem-at-major-league-baseball-game.html
Cheyennetologists Take Note: Rumors abound that hot out Broadway star Cheyenne Jackson is bound for "30 Rock", spreading the Cheyennetology movement nationwide. Playbill.com reports: http://www.playbill.com/news/article/133411-Is_Cheyenne_Jackson_30_Rock-Bound%3F
In Memoriam:
Kevin McGee, ex-husband of "Little Britain" star Matt Lucas, hung himself after leaving a Facebook note. The Daily Mail reports: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1218387/Kevin-McGee-ex-husband-Little-Britain-star-Matt-Lucas-hangs-leaving-Facebook-suicide-note.html
Features
Iraq: Gay Pogroms and Americans shepherding gay Iraqis to safety. New York Magazine reports: http://nymag.com/news/features/59695/
The High Price of Being a Gay Couple. Gay rights isn't just about marriage, protections, and equality. The New York Times reports: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/03/your-money/03money.html
T.R. Knight makes the move from "Grey's Anatomy" to serious theatre. The Los Angeles Times reports: http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/arts/la-ca-knight4-2009oct04,0,3923126.story
The Resource Center:
Prime Timers Worldwide: A social network for older gay and bisexual men. There are chapters and travel programs across the country. http://www.primetimersww.org/
In Performance: Onstage:Theatre/Music/Dance
New York City (and Broadway)
***A Boy and His Soul. Colman Domingo's one-man musical about coming of age and coming out. to 11/01/09. http://www.vineyardtheatre.org/show-a-boy-and-his-soul.html
***A Steady Rain. It's raining men (Daniel Craig and Hugh Jackman) in the two-character Keith Huff play about two Chicago cops who are lifelong friends. to 12/06/09. www.asteadyrain.com.
***Finian's Rainbow. An old show with good tunes and Cheyenne Jackson starring as Woody for the swoon quotient.
***Hair, Tony-winning revival of the first major rock musical. www.publictheater.org.
*** Love, Loss, and What I Wore. Nora and Delia Ephron's new play. Tyne Daly and Rosie O’Donnell star to 10/18/09. www.LoveLossOnStage.com
***Wishful Drinking. Carrie Fisher's solo autobiographical show. She wakes up with a dead gay Republican in her bed and more. to 1/03/10. www.roundabouttheatre.org
Elsewhere...
***Dixie's Tupperware Party, bringing Tupperware-mania to a theatre near you. Dixie Longate stars. to 10/18/09, Cleveland, OH www.DixiesTupperwareParty.com
***F__king Men. Joe DiPietro’s adaptation of Schnitzler's 19th century "La Ronde" which observes the sex lives of modern gay America. to 10/25/09. Hollywood, CA.
www.celebrationtheatre.com
***I Am My Own Wife, the fascinating real-life story of Charlotte von Mahlsdorf, a German transvestite who managed to survive both Nazi rule and the repressive East German Communist regime. to 11/08/09. Sacramento, CA. www.bstreettheatre.org
***Insatiable Hunger. Lea Delaria stars in a new musical about a washed-up rock star who comes face-to-face with her past. to 10/23/09. Wellfleet, MA. www.what.org.
***Parade. TR Knight ("Greys Anatomy") stars in the revival of the musical about a 1913 lynching in Atlanta. to 11/15/09. Los Angeles, CA.www.centertheatregroup.org.
***Tiny Kushner. Five short plays by out playwright Tony ("Angels in America") Kushner. to 11/29/09. Berkeley, CA. www.berkeleyrep.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...
***Coco Before Chanel, Audrey Tautou stars as the legendary fashion designer, as the film follows her early years, exploring her rumored lesbian affairs.
***Fame. A remake of the 1980 musical with Kelsey Grammer, Debbie Allen and Megan Mullally with a cast of unknowns playing the wannabe stars at a New York City performing arts high school.
***Hannah Free. Sharon Gless stars in the film adaptation of Claudia Allen's play about a woman who fights to see her lesbian partner one last time in a nursing home. Premiere screening:www.hannahfree.com
***Passing Strange. Spike Lee's documentary about Stew's Broadway rock musical.
***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.
***Every Little Step: The Journey of "A Chorus Line".
***Hope Along The Wind: The Life of Harry Hay. the 2002 documentary about the gay rights pioneer.
***Mad Men, Season 2. Look for Bryan Batt as a closeted ad exec in this TV drama about a 1960s ad agency.
***Out At Work. The documentary that vividly illustrates what happens when LGBT people are not legally protected from employment discrimination. The new DVD has updates to reflect the 2009 status of LGBT workplace rights. /www.newday.com/films/outatwork.html?code=H2U7UA
***The Wizard of Oz. 70th Anniversary Two-Disc Special Edition showcasing Dorothy and friends.
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
***October: In the Life. LGBT news magazine. PBS. Check local listings. http://www.itl.tv/inthelife/episodes/
***October: 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. Includes analysis by Barney Frank, Jim McGreevey, Larry Kramer, Michelangelo Signorile, and Mike Rogers. thru 11/10/09. http://www.hbo.com/docs/programs/outrage/index.html
***FRI: 10/16: Ugly Betty two-hour season premiere. 8PM. ABC.
Conferences, Seminars, Benefits, and Special Events
10/24/09: Los Angeles, CA: Rise Up and Shout ! Voices of the next gay generation. A benefit for gay youth. LGBT elders leading the community and youth coming out showcase their voices and visiions. www.riseupandshout.com
10/26/09: San Francisco, CA: Defying Inequality: The San Francisco Concert, a benefit for Marriage Equality USA and Garden State Equality. Featuring the San Francisco cast of "Wicked", Patty Duke, Bruce Vilanch, Judy Gold and others. www.defyinginequality.com.
11/05/09-11/14/09: Chicago, IL: Reeling 2000: Chicago Lesbian & Gay International Film Fest. www.reelingfilmfestival.org
11/22/09: New York, NY: 16th Annual Race to Deliver. Road race in Central Park to benefit God's Love We Deliver to help provide life-sustaining meals for those living with HIV/AIDS, cancer and other life-altering illnesses. www.racetodeliver.org
Last Week’s Trivia Quiz: National Coming Out Day
1. Question: Name this real-life teen who came out to his all-American family on January 15, 1973, on television’s first “reality series”. Hint: He later became a musician and a magazine columnist. Answer: Lance Loud. the Loud family was profiled on PBS’ “An American Family”.
2. Question: Name the comic strip, whose major character came out on February 10, 1976. He was the first comic hero to do so. Answer: Doonesbury. The character was Andy Lippincott.
3. Question: Name this singer, the first major entertainment figure to come out in an Advocate cover story on October 16, 1992. Her career never suffered as a result, and she paved the way for other entertainers, from Amanda Bearse to Nathan Lane. Answer: k.d. lang.
4. Question: Names this high-level American elected official who came out under duress on July 20, 1983. A fellow Congressman from his home state followed four years later. They were amongst the highest-ranked out public officers prior to Wisconsin Rep. Tammy Baldwin and New Jersey Governor James McGreevey. Answer: Gerry Studds, Massachusetts congressman. Barney Frank came out after him on May 30, 1987.
5. Question: Name this Emmy winner, who came out on television and on the cover of Time on February 14, 1997. Other Emmy winners who have since come out include: Rosie O’Donnell (2002) and Cynthia Nixon (2004). Answer: Ellen DeGeneres.
This Week’s Trivia Quiz: Opera: Queens and Divas
You don't have to know or like opera to figure these out.
1. Question: Name this 2000 opera, written by an out composer and playwright, who were inspired by Susan Sarandon and the story of a Louisiana sister. Hint: It has become one of the most popular contemporary operas, alongside Andre Previn’s “A Streetcar Named Desire”.
2. Question: Name this 20th century diva, whose offstage life was as dramatic as her roles (Fanny Ardont played her in a Zefferelli biographical film. Faye Dunaway, Dixie Carter and Patti LuPone played her onstage.). She inspired gay playwright Terrence McNally twice; Nathan Lane became a star because of McNally’s first play.
3. Question: Name this gay opera composer who wrote many leading roles for his off-stage partner of many years. His final work (1973), based on a German novella, was the story of an older man obsessed with a beautiful Venetian twink.
4. Question: Name this historical character, whose life and tragic death became the subject of a 1995 American opera. The character rose to fame in post-Stonewall America as an out politican and gay rights activist.
5. Question: Name this opera which inspired a Broadway musical which has starred an American idol, a TV-show cop, a very young doctor, a green witch, and a queer guy. Hint: It’s not “Madama Butterfly (which became “Miss Saigon”) or “Carmen” (which became “Carmen Jones”).
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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