Coming Out Support Newsweekly: 5/17/10

Coming Out Support (COS) Newsweekly
Volume 13 No. 19 May 17, 2010
Newsletter Editor: M. G. Auerbach Email: COSNewsweekly@gmail.com

The Fine Print

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The Gay Agenda: Datebook: May 17-23, 2010

Ongoing: Global: 2010 Pride Season. Parades, fairs, festivals celebrating LGBT Pride around the world. www.interpride.org

thru SUN: 6/06: New York, NY: Gayfest NYC, the 4th annual LGBT arts festival to benefit the Harvey Milk School. www.gayfestnyc.com.

thru SUN: 6/20: Chicago, IL: Five Decades of Great Gay Plays. An exploration of scripts written for the stage (some adapted for the screen. www.pridefilmsandplays.com

SUN: 5/16: New York, NY: Jim Owles Gay Pride Awards, honoring Patrick Heusinger and Bobby Steggert. Hal Sparks hosts. 8PM. ELMO. Proceeds will benefit the Jim Owles Liberal Democratic Club and its endorsements of pro-gay political candidates throughout New York City. 212-741-3677.

MON: 5/17: Los Angeles, CA: Joel Grey directs a 25th anniversary staged reading of Larry Kramer’s pivotal AIDS drama “The Normal Heart”. A benefit for the L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center's Jeffrey Goodman Special Care Clinic, which provides quality, free or low-cost medical care for people living with HIV/AIDS. www.lagaycenter.org/thenormalheart

MON: 5/17: New York, NY: Michael Bennett: A Joyful Noise. Dancers Over 40 salutes the late creator of “A Chorus Line” and “Dreamgirls”. www.dancersover40.org

MON: 5/17: New York, NY: Outer Critics Circle Awards winners announced. The first of the Broadway/Off-Broadway season awards.

MON: 5/17: Boston, MA: The Elliot Norton Awards, honoring the best of Boston theatre. www.stagesource.org.

MON: 5/17: New York, NY: Friends with Benefits. Max von Essen, Alysha Umphress, Kristy Cates and Andrew Sumonsky perform a cabaret benefit for Broadway Cares. www.broadwaycares.org

TUE: 5/18: Denver, CO: Pam Grier, cult favorite and star of "The L Word", signs copies of “Foxy: My Life In Three Acts”. 7:30PM. Tattered Cover Books, 16th Street.

TUE: 5/18: Corte Madera, CA: Chely Wright, newly out country music star, signs copies of “Like Me”. 7PM. Book Passage. Tamal Vista, Blvd. Also: THU: 5/20: New York, NY: 7:30PM. Barnes & Noble, Lincoln Triangle.

THU-SUN: 5/20-5/30: Toronto, ON: Inside Out: Toronto LGBT Film & Video Festival. www.insideout.ca

THU: 5/20: Cherry Hill, NJ Kathy Kinney, star of "The Drew Carey Show", signs copies of “Queen of Your Own Life”. 7:30PM. Barnes & Noble, Haddonfield Road. Also: FRI: 5/21: Center Valley, PA:. 6PM. Barnes & Noble, Center Valley Parkway.

FRI: 5/21: New York, NY: Michael Urie and Vanessa Williams co-host the Drama League’s 76th annual awards ceremony and luncheon. www.dramaleague.org.

SAT: 5/22: Nationwide: Harvey Milk Day.

SUN: 5/23/: New York, NY: Drama Desk Awards. www.dramadesk.com.

Newsworthy:

Gay Rights will be a flashpoint in Elena Kagan’s Supreme Court nomination. Newsweek reports: http://www.newsweek.com/id/237760

Laura Bush supports marriage equality. The Advocate reports: http://advocate.com/News/Daily_News/2010/05/12/Laura_Bush_Supports_Marriage_Equality/

Sports: College Teams have a record of tolerance towards gay men. The New York Times reports: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/09/sports/09oneonta.html?src=me&pagewanted=all

Ramin Setoodeh, the Newsweek writer, responds to comments about his column criticizing out actors playing straight parts. He was jeered on the web, taken to task by many in the entertainment business including Kristin Chenoweth, and more. The New York Times reports: http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/05/11/following-controversial-comments-on-gay-actors-newsweek-writer-responds/

Awards and Honors:

Rosie O’Donnell received a PRISM Award for her performance in “America”. PRISM honors actors and shows that accurately depict and bring attention to substance abuse and mental health issues. www.prismawards.com.

In Memoriam:

Doris Eaton Travis, the former Ziegfeld Follies dancer who inspired 21st century audiences with her pluck, good will and fancy footwork at 12 of 13 annual Easter Bonnet Competition performances for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, died May 11 at the age of 106. She was the last surviving Ziegfeld girl and a tireless fundraiser for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. Playbill.com reports: http://www.playbill.com/news/article/139454-Doris-Eaton-Travis-Among-the-Last-of-the-Ziegfeld-Girls-Dead-at-106

Antony Grey, an early gay rights activist in the United Kingdom, died 4/30/10 at at age 82. The Advocate reports: http://www.advocate.com/News/Daily_News/2010/05/05/Early_Gay_Rights_Advocate_Dies/

Photo Shoots and Video

Video: Ari Shapiro, out NPR correspondent, singing with Pink Martini. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KxmHmYiVQ64&feature=player_embedded#!

Video: Playing It Straight. Joy Behar interviews Ramin Setoodeh, the Newsweek reporter, who says gay actors can’t play straight. Amanda Bearse and Dan Savage weigh in. http://www.towleroad.com/2010/05/setoodeh.html

Photos: Opening Night at “The Kid” from BroadwayWorld.com: http://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Photo_Coverage_SieberLed_THE_KID_Opens_OffBroadway_20100511

Features

Profile: The Gay Journalists Couple who exposed George Rekers. Towleroad reports: http://www.towleroad.com/2010/05/photo-the-gay-journalist-couple-who-exposed-george-rekers.html

A Case for Outing on All Levels. Michelangelo Signorile’s commentary for The Advocate: http://www.advocate.com/Print_Issue/Features/A_Case_for_Outing_on_All_Levels/

Elena Kagan. Is she ? Isn’t she ? Will she ? Towleroad analyzes various entities pro-gay and anti-gay and their reactions to her being chosen for the Supreme Court. http://www.towleroad.com/2010/05/kagan-outing.html

Gay Adoption: The Musical. Dan Savage’s “The Kid” is now playing in New York. The New York Times reports: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/07/theater/07kid.html?hpw

Profile: Cynthia Nixon, who stars in Part 2 of “Sex and The City”, opening later this month. The Advocate reports: http://www.advocate.com/Print_Issue/Cover_Stories/Cynthia_Nixon_is_More_Than_Just_Sex/

150 Reasons to Have Pride in 2010. The Advocate reports: http://www.advocate.com/Print_Issue/Cover_Stories/150_Reasons_to_Have_Pride_in_2010/

In Print:

Coming Out From Behind The Badge: Stories Of Success And Advice From Police Officers "Out" On The Job by Greg Miraglia. AuthorHouse Publishers.This book is about how police officers can overcome law enforcement's unwritten "don't ask, don't tell" policy and live their lives as they were made to be. The book includes a collection of autobiographies of highly successful police officers from all over the country.

Now in Paperback: The Meaning of Matthew: My Son’s Murder in Laramie, and a World Transformed by Judy Shepard. Plume Penguin. Matthew Shepard’s mother writes about going from mom to gay rights activist.

In Performance: Onstage:Theatre/Music/Dance

New York City (and Broadway)

***Bass for Picasso. Kate Moira Ryan’s new play about an amputee navigating gay and lesbian life in the new millenium. to 5/23/10. www.tbtb.org
***The Kid: The Musical. Christopher Sieber stars as sex columnist Dan Savage. based on Savage's memoir about his and his partner's effort to adopt a child. to 5/29/10 www.thenewgroup.org.
***La Cage Aux Folles, a revival of the 1983 Jerry Herman/Harvey Fierstein musical, based on a French film, which inspired the film "Birdcage". Kelsey Grammer stars. www.LaCage.com
***My Big Gay Italian Wedding. Anthony J. Wilkinson's comedy. Reichen Lehmkuhl stars; www.BigGayItalianWedding.com.
***My Trip Down The Pink Carpet. Leslie Jordan’s one-man show. to 7/03/10. www.mytripdownthepinkcarpet.com
***Next Fall. Geoffrey Nauffts' play about a gay couple; one partner is a devout Christian and the other is an atheist. www.nextfallbroadway.com
***Promises, Promises. Newly-out Sean ("Will & Grace") Hayes and Kristin Chenoweth star in the Burt Bacharach & Hal David & Neil Simon musical. www.promisespromisesbroadway.com.
***The Tempermentals. Jon Maran's acclaimed drama about Harry Hay, designer Rudi Gernreich and friends as they form The Mattachine Society before Stonewall. to 5/30/10. www.thetemperamentals.com
***Vaginal Davis is Speaking from the Diaphragm. the gender-bending performances with Justin Bond, Bruce LaBruce and Annie Sprinkle. An homage to 1970 American daytime television. to 5/27/10. www.PS122.org.

Elsewhere...

***Beautiful Child: The Music of Rufus Wainwright. to 5/29/10. San Francisco, CA. www.act-sf.org.
***Boys Will Be Boys. a new musical. A benefit for a man who suffers from Gay Attention Deficit Disorder. to 6/26/10. San Francisco, CA. www.nctcsf.org
***Hot Greeks. A Revival of the Cockettes’ 1972 Musical Extravaganza. to 6/27/10. San Francisco, CA. http://thrillpeddlers.com
***M.Butterfly. the true story of a French diplomat who falls for a Chinese spy posing as a Bejing opera diva. to 6/06/10. Minneapolis, MN. www.guthrietheater.org
***Pearls Over Shanghai. San Francisco’s Longest-Running Cockettes Musical. to 8/01/10. San Francisco, CA: http://thrillpeddlers.com
***Sweet Tea: Black Gay Men of the South, E. Patrick Johnson’s one-person theatre piece based on his book about gay life in the South. to 5/29/10. Chicago, IL. www.aboutfacetheatre.com

On Screen (and Video & DVD)

Out on Screen...

***Arias With a Twist. The incredible performance collaboration between performance artist Joey Arias and puppeteer Basil Twist is now a documentary. To see the trailer: http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=759971528901
***LA Mission. Benjamin Bratt is a barrio tough guy who discovers that his son is involved in a relationship with another boy.
***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/
***Stonewall Uprising, a new documentary covering the 3-day Stonewall riots in 1969. http://firstrunfeatures.com/stonewalluprising_playdates.html
***Violet Tendencies. Mindi Cohn (“The Facts of Life”) plays a fag hag in this new romantic comedy. www.violettendenciesmovie.com. Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dJi_HtHFLFY

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.
***Nine, the Rob Marshall movie based on the Broadway musical.
***One Night Only: Barbra Streisand and Quartet at the Village Vanguard. Concert DVD.
***Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire. The stunning drama from out director Lee Daniels about an overweight, illiterate Harlem teen.
***Trinidad. The documentary about the Colorado town that has become “the sex change capital of the world. http://trinidadthemovie.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

Conferences, Seminars, Benefits, and Special Events

Ongoing: Global: 2010 Pride Season. Parades, fairs, festivals celebrating LGBT Pride around the world. www.interpride.org

5/25/10: San Francisco, CA: John Waters, American filmmaker , writer, and bad boy of American cinema (“Hairspray”, “Pink Flamingos”, “Serial Mom”, reads and signs from his new book “Role Models”. www.cityarts.net/n.waters.html

5/26/10-5/31/10 Columbus, OH: Annual Gay Bowling Tournament. www.igbo.org

5/27/10-5/30/10: Austin, TX: International Association of Country Western Dance Clubs Annual Convention. LGBT music and dance. www.outcountrydance.com

5/27/10-6/05/10, Hartford, CT: Out Film CT. Connecticut's LGBT film festival. www.outfilmct.org

5/27/10: New York, NY: 22nd Annual Lambda Literary Awards for outstanding LGBT literature. www.lambdaliterary.org.

5/28/10: Santa Clara, CA: Gay Day at Great America. www.gaydaycga.com

5/28/10-5/31/10: Atlanta, GA: Mondo Homo Dirty South queer-centric festival featuring music, dance, crafts, performance & more. www.mondohomo.com

6/01/10-6/07/10: Orlando, FL: Gay Days Orlando including Gay Day at Disney World. www.gaydays.com

6/01/10-6/30/10: San Francisco, CA: National Queer Arts Festival. LGBT performances & exhibitions in the San Francisco Bay Area highlighting artists from around the country. www.QueerCulturalCenter.org

Last Week’s Trivia Quiz: PFLAG Moms

1. Question: Name this PFLAG Mom. After her older son was murdered, she created a foundation to advance social justice, diversity awareness and education, and equality for LGBT people. Her name is associated with hate crimes legislation. Answer: Judy Shepard, mother of Matthew, who was murdered in 1998. The Matthew Shepard Foundation works tirelessly to make the world safer for LGBT people.

2. Question: Name this PFLAG Mom. This American singer, actress, director, songwriter, political activist and philanthropist began her first club act in a Greenwich Village gay bar. As director, she cast her son in a major film role; she has given money and time to support LGBT rights. Answer: Barbra Streisand, mother of Jason Gould. She first performed at The Lion, a NYC gay bar, in 1960.

3. Question: Name this PFLAG Mom. This American pop singer, songwriter, actress, and gay icon became a spokesperson for gay rights after her daughter came out. She remained
supportive when her daughter came out transgender and transitioned. Answer: Cher, mother of Chaz Bono.

4. Question: Name this PFLAG Mom. A former political wife, novelist, conservative scholar, and talk-show host, she served as chair of the National Endowment for the Humanities. Her daughter is an out lesbian in a politically caustic arena. Answer: Lynne Cheney, former Second Lady of the USA, and mother of Mary Cheney. Her 1981 novel, “Sisters” had lesbian themes.

5. Question: Name this PFLAG Mom. A New Orleans native, she was the first straight spokesperson for the HRC’s National Coming Out Project. The author of two books on PFLAG-related issues, she first gained notability when her daughter publicly came out. Answer: Betty DeGeneres, mother of Ellen.She is the author of two books, “Love Ellen” and “Just a Mom”. She also writes a column for PlanetOut.

This Week’s Trivia Quiz: Anti-Gay On The Outside / Gay On The Inside

Now that Family Research Council co-founder George Alan Rekers has joined the ranks of anti-gay crusaders who like their boys on the side, can you name these others ?

1. Question: Name this anti-gay crusader and former Republican politician, who got busted for lewd conduct in an airport. His “wide stance” cost him $575 in court costs and fees, and his 28 year career in politics.

2. Question: Name this anti-gay crusader, a former Florida Republican, whose AOL instant messages with a page got steamy. More pages came forward, and he resigned from office.

3. Question: Name this anti-gay crusader, and Evangelical preacher with a large ministry. In 2006, a hustler outed him for both being gay and using crystal meth. The preacher went to rehab blaming his behavior on his drug use.

4. Question: Name this anti-gay crusader, a Calfornia State senator, who came out this Spring, after being busted for driving under the influence after leaving a gay bar.

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/