Coming Out Support Newsweekly: 3/08/10

Coming Out Support (COS) Newsweekly
Volume 13 No. 9 March 8, 2010
Newsletter Editor: M. G. Auerbach Email: COSNewsweekly@gmail.com

The Fine Print

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The Gay Agenda: Datebook: March 8-14, 2010

SUN: 3/07: Northampton, MA: Screening: Straightlaced: How Gender's Got Us All Tied Up with director Debra Chasnoff, Oscar-winning our filmmaker. A special community event to address bullying, homophobia, gender identity and roles among our teens. www.outforreel.org.

thru MON: 3/08: Whistler, BC: WinterPRIDE: Whistler Gay Ski Week. www.gaywhistler.com

thru SUN: 3/14: Lake Tahoe, CA: Lake Tahoe Winterfest Gay and Lesbian Ski Week. 15th annual edition. www.laketahoewinterfest.com.

MON: 3/08: New York, NY: Talk Out Mondays. “The Tempermentals”, Off-Broadway’s play about the founders of The Mattachine Society, hosts experts in theatre and LGBT history. This week: radio hosts Derek and Romaine. www.thetempermentals.com.

MON: 3/08: New York, NY: John Kander, out composer of "Cabaret" and "Chicago" will be honored at the Vineyard Theatre's benefit. David Hyde Pierce hosts. Liza Minnelli performs. www.vineyardtheatre.org

FRI-SAT: 3/12-3/13: Storrs, CT: True Colors XVI. Conference sponsored by the non-profit that provides Sexual Minority Youth and Family Services in Connecticut. http://www.ourtruecolors.org/

FRI-SUN: 3/12-3/14: Falls Village, CT: Jewish Lesbian Retreat, The Second Annual Nehirim Women’s Retreat, a weekend of community and spirituality for self-identified lesbian, bisexual and trangendered Jewish women and their families. www.nehirim.org.

SAT: 3/13: New York, NY: 21st Annual GLAAD Media Awards, recognizing and honoring media for their fair, accurate and inclusive representations of the LGBT community and the issues that affect their lives. www.glaad.org/mediaawards

SUN-THU: 3/14-3/18: St. Louis, MO: QFest queer arts and culture. www.stlqfest.org

Newsworthy:

Washington, DC: Marriage Equality comes to the District of Columbia. Same-sex couples began applying for marriage licenses today. The Advocate reports: http://www.advocate.com/News/Daily_News/2010/03/03/DC_Couples_Apply_for_Marriage_Licenses/

France has dropped transexualism from its list of mental disorders. TIME reports: http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1968767,00.html

The Buzz (People Making News)

Laura Ricketts, a lesbian activist, has acquired the Chicago Cubs. She’s the first lesbian to own a professional ball team. EDGE Boston reports: http://www.edgeboston.com/index.php?ch=news&sc=&sc2=news&sc3=&id=102879

Marc Delphine is the first openly gay candidate to run for federal office in the history of Oregon. The college and financial planner filed as a candidate for U.S. Senate 3/01/10 seeking the Libertarian Party nomination. The Advocate reports: http://www.advocate.com/News/Daily_News/2010/03/02/First_Gay_Candidate_for_Senate_from_Oregon/

Steve Pougnet, the mayor of Palm Springs, has launched a campaign to unseat Chaz Bono’s stepmother from Congress. The mayor is gay, married, and with children. The Advocate reports: http://www.advocate.com/Politics/Marriage_Equality/Married_With_Children/

Daniel Radcliffe filmed a public service announcement for The Trevor Project, the organization focused on suicide prevention amongst LGBT youth. The Advocate reports: http://www.advocate.com/News/Daily_News/2010/02/26/Harry_Potter_Star_Daniel_Radcliffe_Films_PSA_For_Trevor_Project/

Rachel Maddow, the out MSNBC talk show host, will be the speaker at Smith College’s 2010 commencement ceremony. The liberal political analyst will receive an honorary degree May 16 from the Northampton college. About a year after launching her MSNBC show in April 2008, Maddow was nominated for the Television Critics Association Award for Outstanding Achievement in News and Information.

Awards and Honors:

Precious, the acclaimed film about an abused Harlem teen, won six Image awards, including one for its out director, Lee Daniels.

In Memoriam:

Ben Gardiner, gay rights activist, actor, computer enthusiast and longtime fixture in San Francisco's Castro district died last month of heart failure at the age of 88. He was, a key player in gay rights and HIV/AIDS issues. He founded the first computerized AIDS bulletin board system in the nation, served as president of the now-defunct Stonewall Democratic Club, and worked on political campaigns, including those for former Supervisor Harvey Milk. The San Francisco Chronicle reports: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/02/27/BAIH1C63CH.DTL

Photo Shoots and Video

Video: PBS’ “Bill Moyer’s Journal” aired a piece about the Proposition 8 trial in California on 2/26/10. http://www.pbs.org/moyers/journal/02262010/watch.html

Features

Newer LGBT Rights Groups and Established Ones don’t always agree with methodology. Newsweek reports: http://www.newsweek.com/id/233701

Rufus Wainwright: The Guardian interview: http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2010/feb/21/rufus-wainwright-prima-donna-feature

The Resource Center:

Lambda Literary Foundation has laucnhed a new website for LGBT literature (fiction and non/fiction) lovers:Towleroad reports: http://www.towleroad.com/2010/03/lambda-literary-foundation-launches-site-for-lgbt-book-lovers.html

In Print:

Party Animals by Robert Hofler. DaCapo Press. A biography of flamboyant “Grease” producer Allan Carr. The Advocate reviews: http://www.advocate.com/Arts_and_Entertainment/Books/Born_to_Hand_Jive/

In Performance: Onstage:Theatre/Music/Dance

New York City (and Broadway)

***The Addams Family. Nathan Lane, Bebe Neuwirth and Jackie Hoffman co-star in the musical based on the TV sitcom, cartoon series and films. www.theaddamsfamilymusical.com
***A Little Night Music. Sondheim's all-waltz musical stars Catherine Zeta-Jones (singing "Send in the Clowns") and Angela Lansbury.
***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.
***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 3/28/10. 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
***When Joey Married Bobby. A new comedy by William Wyatt, starring Lady Bunny, Tina McKissick and introducing former Detroit Tiger Pitcher Matthew Pender as Joey. www.whenjoeymarriedbobby.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...

***The Beebo Brinker Chronicles, the stage adaptation of Ann Bannon's groundbreaking, award-winning lesbian pulp fiction novel. to 3/13/10. San Francisco, CA. www.brava.org
***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. Part of Kennedy Center's "Terrence McNally's Nights at the Opera Series". to 4/04/10. Washington, DC. www.kennedy-center.org.
***The Phantom of the Oprah. The Gold Dust Orphans and Varla Jean Merman team up for outrageous gay comedy. to 3/28/10, Boston, MA. www.golddustorphans.com

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.
***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.
***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.
***Prodigal Sons, a film by TG film maker Kimberly Reed about her journey back to her home town and her reunion with an adopted brother. http://prodigalsonsfilm.com/

Out On Video & DVD

***An Englishman in New York. John Hurt as Quentin Crisp ("The Naked Civil Servant") as he becomes a celebrity. Also stars Cynthia Nixon, Denis O'Hare and Jonathan Tucker.
***Breakfast With Scot. The lives of a closeted ex-hockey player and his partner are thrown into turmoil when they take in Scot, a flamboyant 11-year old who is not the sports-loving boy they were expecting.
***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.
***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).
***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.
***March: In the Life. LGBT news magazine. PBS. Check local listings. http://www.itl.tv/inthelife/episodes/

Conferences, Seminars, Benefits, and Special Events

3/15/10: New York, NY: Talk Out Mondays. “The Tempermentals”, Off-Broadway’s play about the founders of The Mattachine Society, hosts experts in theatre and LGBT history. This week: playwright Bill C. Davis and activist Tom Viola. www.thetempermentals.com.

3/15/10: New York, NY: Valley of The Dolls. A stage version of the movie as a benefit for The Actors Fund. Charles Busch as Helen Lawson, Heidi Blickenstaff as Neely O'Hara, Tovah Feldshuh as Miriam Polar, Cheyenne Jackson as Tony Polar, Martha Plimpton as Anne Welles and Christopher Sieber as Ted Casablanca. Additional casting to be announced. www.actorsfund.org.

3/15/10-3/16/10: New York, NY: Sondheim: The Birthday Concert. The out composer turns 80 with The New York Philharmonic and an all-star cast. www.nyphil.org.

3/15/10-3/21/10: Chicago, IL: Fresh Squeezed Theatre Series features out solo artists Tim Miller (“Lay of The Land”) and Holly Hughes (“The Dog and Pony Show”. Victory Gardens. www.victorygardens.org

3/17/10: New York, NY: Talk Back at “Yank”, the gay-themed World War II musical. Topic: Gay and Lesbian Characters in Musicals. www.yorktheatre.org.

3/19/10: Washington, DC: Lobby Day 2010. The Servicemembers Legal Defense Network descends upon Capitol Hill to urge repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”. http://www.sldn.org/events/archives/lobby-day-2010/

3/20/10: Washington, DC: SLDN 18th Annual National Dinner. The Servicemembers Legal Defense Network benefit with Congressman Patrick Murphy (D-PA). http://www.sldn.org/events/archives/18th-annual-national-dinner/

3/20/10: Northampton, MA: Screening: City of Borders. A documentary about five gay and lesbian Palestinians and Israelis as they navigate their sexuality through the political and cultural mine fields of Jerusalem. http://www.outforreel.org/films/city-of-borders

3/20/10-3/21/10:New York, NY: The 17th Annual GLBT Expo. http://www.originalglbtexpo.com/index.php?ref=home

3/21/10: New York, NY: ABC & SOAPnet Salute Broadway Cares, ABC-TV's annual fundraiser for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. www.broadwaycares.org.

3/21/10: New York, NY: The Other Side of Broadway. The Joe Iconis Band, Meredith Patterson, and Shonn Wiley perform a Broadway Speaks OUT benefit. www.broadwayspeaksOUT.com

3/22/10: New York, NY: Talk Out Mondays. “The Tempermentals”, Off-Broadway’s play about the founders of The Mattachine Society, hosts experts in theatre and LGBT history. This week: authors Charles Kaiser and John Loughery. www.thetempermentals.com.

3/22/10: New York, NY: Sondheim 80, the Roundabout Theatre salues composer Stephen Sondheim on his 80th birthday with an all-star gala. www.roundabouttheatre.org.

3/22/10: Washington, DC: Terrence McNally: In Conversation. A panel about and featuring the out playwright and Zoe Caldwell, Audra McDonald, and Richard Thomas. www.kennedy-center.org.

Last Week’s Trivia Quiz: March Milestones

1. Question: Name this film, an adaptation of a hit Off-Broadway play, which opened on March 17, 1970. It profiled a group of gay men at a birthday party, and was the first mainstream Hollywood film about gay life. Answer: The Boys in the Band, adapted from Mart Crowley’s play, which is currently being revived in New York.

2. Question: Name this middle-eastern nation, which decriminalized same-sex acts between consenting adults on March 23, 1988. Answer: Israel.

3. Question: Name this activist group formed on March 14, 1987, as a response to the government’s indifference to the AIDS epidemic in the United States. One of its founders was an outspoken author, playwright, and HIV+ person. Answer: ACT-UP, The AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power. Larry Kramer was the primary mover and shaker associated with ACT-UP’s formation.

4. Question: Name this Oscar-winning film, which picked up the statue for Best Documentary at the Academy Awards on March 25, 1985. It was the first documentary on a gay subject to do so. Recently, a film on the same subject matter won Oscars. Answer: The Times of Harvey Milk. In his acceptance speech, director Robert Epstein thanksed his “partner in life, John Wright”.

5. Question: Name this legendary out composer, born March 22, 1930. His works have included lyrics for a pushy stage mother and a dancing gang. His music accompanied throat slashers, presidential killers, shoguns, and showgirls. Answer: Stephen Sondheim, lyricist of “Gypsy” and “West Side Story” and composer/lyricist of “Sweeney Todd”, “Assassins”, “Pacific Overtures” and “Follies”.

This Week’s Trivia Quiz: Hooray for Hollywood

1. Question. Name this Oscar-winning film musical in which a woman playing a man playing a woman sings an Oscar-winning original musical score. Hint. Its star found the sound of music as a nanny.

2. Question. Name this film musical with Nazis that picked up 8 Oscars. Inspired by a gay author’s diaries, scored by a gay song-writing duo, and starring a gay icon daughter of a gai icon, its plot included a bisexual meange a trois.

3. Question. Name this X-rated Oscar winner (the only X-rated movie to win “Best Picture”) about a hustler. Its director was gay. One of its stars was a recent graduate, the other is known today as father of a humanitarian.

4. Question. Name these actors who won their Oscars portraying true life stories of LGBT people: A) a TG girl who transformed herself into a boy only to be raped and beaten to death when his secret was discovered; B) a gay southern writer transfixed by a midwestern murder and its murderers; C) a Florida lesbian serial killer

5. Question: Name this Oscar winning actor, who played a gay windowdresser with Hollywood dreams in a film based on a Latin writer’s prison drama. The film became a Broadway musical which made Chita Rivera and Vanessa Williams sing and dance.

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/