Coming Out Support Newsweekly: 2/15/10

Coming Out Support (COS) Newsweekly
Volume 13 No. 7 February 15, 2010
Newsletter Editor: M. G. Auerbach Email: COSNewsweekly@gmail.com

The Fine Print

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The Gay Agenda: Datebook: February 15-21, 2010

thru MON: 2/15: Hudson Valley, NY: Winter Explosion. LGBT African-American winter event. www.winterexplosion.com

TUE-SUN: 2/16-2/21: New York, NY: CineKink NYC. mixed gay/straight film festival exploring a wide variety of sexualities through documentary, comedy, drama & more. www.cinekink.com

THU: 2/18: West Hollywood, CA: RuPaul signs copies of "Workin' It!". 7PM. Book Soup.

FRI-SUN: 2/19-2/21: San Luis Obispo, CA: Western Regional LGBTQIA College Conference, sponsored by California Polytechnic State University. www.comeoutwest.org

SAT-SAT: 2/20-2/27: Telluride, CO: Telluride Gay Ski Week. www.telluridegayskiweek.com

SUN: 2/21: New York, NY: Michael ("Ugly Betty") Urie does his nightclub act at Feinstein's at the Regency. www.feinsteinsattheregency.com.

The Buzz (People Making News)

Coming Out: Judge Vaughn Walker, the federal judge hearing the Proposition 8 trial, is gay. The biggest open secret in the landmark trial over same-sex marriage being heard in San Francisco is that the federal judge who will decide the case, Chief U.S. District Judge Vaughn Walker, is himself gay. The San Francisco Chronicle reports: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/02/07/BACF1BT7ON.DTL

Margaret Cho joined the cast of the CBS series “Ghost Whisperer” in the recurring role of Professor Avery Grant, beginning with the February 5 episode.

In Memoriam:

Lars Hansen, a cultural arts administrator whose long career included overseeing the Pasadena Playhouse and the Theater League Alliance of Southern California, died on 1/31/10, at age 60. The Los Angeles Times reports: http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/arts/la-me-lars-hansen4-2010feb04,0,7658678.story

Photo Shoots and Video

Video: “CBS Reports: The Homosexuals”. The 1967 TV news special, one of the first in-depth TV news features about homosexuality. Mike Wallace (later of “60 Minutes”) reported. Courtesy of The Advocate: http://www.advocate.com/Arts_and_Entertainment/Television/The_Bad_Old_Days/

Photos: “The Tempermentals” meets the press from BroadwayWorld.com: http://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Photo_Coverage_THE_TEMPERAMENTALS_Meet_The_Press_20100204

Video: Liza Snickers: http://www.broadway.com/buzz/watch-it-liza-satisfies-snickers/

Features

Frank Rich of the New York Times on “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/07/opinion/07rich.html

In Performance: Onstage:Theatre/Music/Dance

New York City (and Broadway)

***The Boys in the Band. A revival of Mart Crowley's landmark pre-Stonewall comedy/drama, one of the first plays to deal with contemporary life among gay men. to 3/14/10. www.transportgroup.org.
***Clothes for a Summer Hotel, Tennessee Williams' rarely-performed ghost playabout F. Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald. to 2/21/10. www.WhiteHorseTheater.com
.***Darren Williams: Not The Boy Next Door: The Peter Allen Songbook. 2/15/10 and 2/17/10. Metropolitan Room at Gotham. (212) 206 0440.
***The Divine Sister. Charles Busch stars as a Mother Superior in his new play, an outrageous comic homage to nearly every Hollywood film involving nuns. to 3/07/10.
Facebook: The Divine Sister Onstage
***Looped. Valerie Harper stars as Tallulah Bankhead in Matthew Lombardo's play about the outspoken actress who is doing a voice-over for her last film "Die Die My Darling". www.loopedtheplay.com.
***Next Fall. Geoffrey Nauffts' provocative play about a gay couple; one partner is a devout Christian and the other is an atheist. www.nextfallbroadway.com
***The Pride. Hugh Dancy and Ben Whislaw are lovers in Alexi Kaye Campbell’s new drama about sexual identity. to 3/20/10. www.mcctheater.org
***The Tempermentals. Jon Maran's acclaimed drama about Harry Hay (Thomas Jay Ryan), designer Rudi Gernreich (Michael Urie of "Ugly Betty") and friends as they form The Mattachine Society before Stonewall. www.thetemperamentals.com
***Yank! An old fashioned musical gay love story chronicles the relationship between two WW2 servicemen long before "Don't-ask-don't-tell" was part of the national discussion. Bobby Steggert stars. to 3/21/10. www.yorktheatre.org

Elsewhere...

***Golden Age. Terrence McNally's drama about Donizetti set backstage at the premiere of his last opera "I Puritani". Marc Kudisch and Jeffrey Carlson star. to 2/21/10. Philadelphia, PA. PhiladelphiaTheatreCompany.org.
***I Am My Own Wife, the fascinating real-life story of Charlotte von Mahlsdorf (Andrew Long), a German transvestite who managed to survive both Nazi rule and the East German Communists.to 3/07/10. Arlington, VA/Washington, DC. www.signature-theatre.org
***Orpheous Descending. Gale ("Queer As Folk") Harold, heads the cast of Tennessee Williams' drama. to 2/21/10. Theatre/Theater. Los Angeles, CA.

On Screen (and Video & DVD)

Out on Screen...

***A Single Man. Tom Ford's debut film, an adaptation of a Christopher Isherwood novel, about a day in the life of a gay man, starring Colin Firth and Julianne Moore.
***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.
***Eyes Wide Open, two ultra-orthodox Chasidic Jews who fall in love in Israel. Aaron is a married, respected butcher; Ezri is a yeshiva student, who becomes Aaron’s apprentice who becomes something more. For The Huffington Post feature: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/richard-z-chesnoff/with-eyes-wide-open-confr_b_450416.html
***I Love You Phillip Morris. Based on Steve McVicker's book about real-life events. Jim Carrey plays Steven Russell, who falls for his cellmate, Phillip Morris (Ewan McGregor), after being put in prison and makes regular attempts to escape when the object of his affections is released.
***Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire. A stunning drama from out director Lee Daniels about an overweight, illiterate Harlem teen, pregnant with her second child, who is invited to enroll in an alternative school in hopes that her life can head in a new direction.

Out On Video & DVD

***Coco Before Chanel, Audrey Tautou stars as the legendary fashion designer, as the film follows her early years, exploring her rumored lesbian affairs.
***Glee: Volume 1: Road to Sectionals. the first DVD of the hot new TV series.
***Hope Along The Wind: The Life of Harry Hay. the 2002 documentary about the gay rights pioneer.
***Liza's at the Palace, filmed version of her Broadway concert.
***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.
***Show Business: The Road to Broadway. An incredible documentary about Broadway's 2003-04 season and four musicals: "Wicked", "Avenue Q"(gay puppets), "Caroline or Change" (Tony Kushner) and "Taboo" (Rosie O'Donnell).
***Taking Woodstock. Ang Lee's new film about the rock festival based on Elliot Tiber's memoir. Demetri Martin stars as the gay Tiber.
***Word is Out. The 30th anniversary commemorative DVD of the famous documentary about LGBT identity. There’s a great trailer at the website. http://www.wordisoutmovie.com/

On TV Of Note: All times listed are ET. Check local listings for times in your area.

Resource:TV Gayed, GLAAD's Weekly Guide to What's LGBT on TV: Updated every Friday. www.glaad.org/tvgayed

***Ongoing: The Wanda Sykes Show. The out comic's late night talk show. 11PM Saturdays. FOX.
***February: In the Life. LGBT news magazine. PBS. Check local listings. http://www.itl.tv/inthelife/episodes/

Conferences, Seminars, Benefits, and Special Events

2/22/10: New York, NY: Broadway Backwards. Gary Beach, Len Cariou, Tony Goldwyn, Aaron Lazar, Michele Lee, and Julia Murney will be among the performers singing tunes usually associated with the opposite gender. A benefit for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS and The LGBT Community Center. www.broadwaycares.org.

2/22/10: New York, NY: True Colors Cabaret, to benefit True Colors Fund and Broadway Impact.. Sutton Foster and Joey McIntyre co-star. www.feinsteinsattheregency.com.

2/24/10-3/07/10: New York, NY: 2010 New York Frigid Festival. Open and uncensored theatre including: "Late Nights with the Boys: Confessions of a Leather Bar Chanteuse. www.FRIGIDnewyork.info

2/25/10-2/28/10: San Francisco, CA: Expanding The Circle LGBT Conference. addressing factors that contribute to excluding LGBTQ issues from academic study and student life;. This will be among the first national conferences in higher education to focus on LGBTQ concerns by seeking connections across diversities, disciplines, and academic and student affairs. www.expandingthecircle.com.

2/26/10: Northampton, MA: Screening: The Topp Twins: Untouchable Girls. New England premiere of the documentary that tells the story about Lynda and Jools Topp, New Zealand’s popular musical and comic performers who are out twin sisters. Produced by Out! For Reel. www.outforreel.org

2/27/10: New Haven, CT: The 7th Annual Dorothy Awards, to benefit the New Haven Pride Center. Honorees: Leif Mitchell, co-chair of GLSEN Connecticut,
Dena Castricone, founder of CABO; Michael Morand, Associate Vice President of Yale University for New Haven and State Affairs and The Imperial Sovereign Court of All Connecticut. www.newhavenpridecenter.org


3/01/10-3/08/10: Whistler, BC: WinterPRIDE: Whistler Gay Ski Week. www.gaywhistler.com

3/04/10: Chicago, IL: OUT at CHM: “Queer Latinos: Art and Change”. Chicago History Museum’s LGBT program. http://chicagohistory.org/planavisit/upcomingevents/out-at-chm

3/05/10: New Britain, CT: “Zanna, Don’t”, a musical fairy tale about a gay high school where the straight kids don’t fit in. Presented by The Governor’s Prevention PartnershipTo raise awareness and help prevent student bullying.  www.preventionworksct.org

Last Week’s Trivia Quiz: Gay from A-Z: The B Team

1. Question: Name this bisexual American composer, conductor, concert pianist, author, and educator, who was famous for several musicals, ballet scores, and a jewelry aria. Answer: Leonard Bernstein (1918-1950), composer of “West Side Story”, “Candide” (with its aria, “Glitter and Be Gay”) and the ballet “Fancy Free”. He conducted the New York Philharmonic.

2. Question: Name this LGBT activist, the child of a pop duo gay icon and politico. Recently, this activist became a face for the transgender rights movement. Answer: Chaz Bono, born Chastity, whose parents are Sonny & Cher. Chaz has been a spokesperson for GLAAD, the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation.

3. Question: Name this gay American actor best known for his long-running portrayal of a TV lawyer. He followed up his success in the first TV series with another. Answer: Raymond Burr (1917-1993), television’s “Perry Mason” and later “Ironsides”.

4. Question: Name this bisexual American theatre director and choreographer who won a Pulitzer Prize for his song and dance recap of the audition process and multiple awards for a backstage Motown musical. Answer: Michael Bennett (1943-1987), creator of “A Chorus Line” and “Dreamgirls”.

5. Question: Name this gay American-born writer, who wrote frequently about the African-American experience. A national LGBT bookstore is named for one of his books. Answer: James Baldwin (1924-1987), author of “Another Country” and “Giovanni’s Room” (which is the name of a Philadelphia bookstore).

This Week’s Trivia Quiz: Fun Couples

1. Question: Name this fun couple, together for 55 years. They founded one of first social and political organizations for lesbians in the USA. They were the first out couple to join NOW, the National Organization for Women. Gavin Newsom married them twice.

2. Question: Name this fun couple, together for 44 years. They maintained a successful personal and business partnership in film, producing over 45 films, some with LGBT themes and subtexts.

3. Question: Name this fun couple, together for 39 years. One was a literary giant known for repetitive verse. The other was an accomplished chef whose brownies had extra zing.

4. Question: Name this fun couple, together for 32 years. One was a prolific author whose experiences in pre-war Berlin inspired a Liza Minnelli musical. The other, many years his junior, is a painter. Their life together was the subject of a documentary.

5. Question: Name this fun couple, together for over 20 years. One was an author and critic; the other, a photographer whose stunning photography has graced many a magazine cover.

The first person to submit the correct answers gets their name in print right here. Email your answers to: COSNewsweekly@gmail.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/