Missing My Real Life 'Big Chill' Reunion

Last February, I learned of the passing of a friend and college classmate with whom I and a group of other Theatre friends had shared some rather ridiculous, outrageous and very fun adventures in the 1980's. Of course, as many college friends do, we drifted apart after graduation. Some of us stayed in touch through an annual Christmas card or the occasional meeting. Then along came Facebook and we started finding each other again. And then Chris passed and we vowed to get together in Florida over this holiday weekend. 

Then a whole bunch of other crappy stuff happened and my mother passed, causing a major shift in my personal paradigm. I didn't want to be home alone for the holidays, so I opted to spend Christmas in Florida with my sister, making a second trip so soon after financially infeasible, much to my disappointment. These 12 or so folks and I spent a whole lot of time together doing theatre, camping and traveling and just hanging out. There was a particular rental house nearby where we tended to gather and inevitably, we'd end up around the piano, belting out show tunes, out-of-season Christmas carols and always, this song:

Of course the other song I so closely associate with this particular Band of Brothers and Sisters wasn't in our repertoire at 'The House,' but was often the last song of the night at special events:

Cheery, eh? But we were a cheery group of misfits and artists trying to figure crap out and having a hell of a time doing it! I have several very close friends from the same era, whom I see regularly. These folks I don't get to see nearly enough. These are the people with whom I shared 'escapades.' I was lucky enough to visit with the weekend's hostess at her farm while down in December. We tried Skyping earlier tonight, but I can't seem to make it work, also much to my disappointment. I shall try again, tomorrow. Honestly, I'm lucky I figured how to post this blog...

So this post is dedicated to my (mostly, slightly younger) TSC 80's Theatre Friends! I miss you guys and wish I was there with you. And while it's really apropos of nothing other than the 80's, here's a silly video that made me laugh. I hope they see it and laugh, too.

Love you guys! Missing you all so very much!

More, anon.
Prospero

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A November Cornucopia

Turn Off the Show

I'm still recovering from and dealing with the aftermath of Mom's passing (ugh - who knew there was so much to do after someone passes?), so I've been rather absent. But there is so much I want to talk about today that I had to post. So let's get started, shall we?

First, news from Broadway: In a scenario right out of a Mel Brooks movie, Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark (a show I've railed against since it was announced) will close on January 4th after having lost $60 million dollars. Playbill.com reports that the problem-plagued show (which cost $75M to mount and nearly ruined the career of director Julie Taymor) will leave many investors without seeing a dime in revenues. Taymor directed Disney's still-running biggest Broadway hit, The Lion King, but on-set injuries and a disjointed second act led producers to fire her (Taymor sued but the case was settled out of court). It got to the point where people were going to see the show in hopes of witnessing one of its many epic fails. Apparently, no one was going just to hear the rather lame score by Bono and The Edge. The show is so infamous, it even inspired and episode of "Law and Order: Criminal Intent." Still, it will live on in future Las Vegas and German productions, as well as a touring stadium show where some investors may recoup some of their losses. Good riddance to bad theatre, I say.

Next up, a story my sister, Dear D and sweet Mia will hate (sorry kids). Thanks to a video link on Towelroad, I have discovered one of the most interesting performers I've seen in quite some time. Puddles is a 7' tall sad clown with a rather amazing voice and range of styles. The video from revisionist cover band Postmodern Jukebox features Puddles as lead vocalist in a haunting cover of Lorde's "Royals:"

Intrigued. I looked up Puddles Pity Party, which led me to additional YouTube videos and this rather hilariously disturbing death-metal cover of Celine Dion's insipid Titanic theme, "My Heart Will Go On:"

Puddles has several other rather fascinating videos on YouTube, which I highly recommend to those among you who are decidedly not coulrophobic. While I truly admire his work, I can't help but feel a slight pang of jealousy at not being clever enough to come up with a character like that of my own. 

And finally, though hardly last, the still amazing gay icon Cher has given us what may well be the gayest music video ever, outside of an Adam Lambert song. The video for her latest single "Take It Like a Man," features some very hot guys in teeny-tiny Speedos, washing cars; diving off of sailboats and generally acting like they're in a soft-core gay porno. Muscles; tatts; twerking and bulges abound (not that I'm complaining):

Whew! I'm spent.

More, anon.
Prospero

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15 Years On...

Tomorrow marks the 15th anniversary of the attack on Mathew Shepard in Laramie, Wyoming. My reaction is a confusion of "It's only been 15 years?" and "15 years, already?" Funny how witnessing history settles in your memory in so many odd ways. I remember crying when Matt died. Most of the world; the compassionate, empathetic and good people; the Humanists and the religious, alike - we all cried when Matt died.

On October 6th, 1998, Aaron McKinney and Russell Henderson lured Matthew from the Fireside Lounge bar, pretending to be gay, supposedly with the intent of robbing him. They drove him to a remote area, tied him to a buck fence and beat him mercilessly with their fists, feet and the butt of Henderson's gun. Matthew was found 18 hours later by a fellow UW student who'd gone off trail while biking. Six days later, Matt died from his injuries and the world cried.

Matthew Shepard was a young, idealistic and full of hope for his future as a social activist. He was attending the University of Wyoming and had joined the LGBT support group. Unfortunately, Matt was literally bullied to death. Along with Anthony Milano; Seth Walsh; Pheobe Prince; Kameron Jacobsen; Bailey O'Neill; Tyler Clementi and so many others. 

Matthew's story inspired Moises Kaufman and the Tectonic Theatre Project to create The Laramie Project, a pastiche of interviews, memories and recreations of the events leading up the attack and its subsequent effects on the sleepy western town and her people, right through to the trials themselves.

Productions of The Laramie Project have often been (and I hate say, will probably continue to be) the source of conjecture, especially in educational situations. Most recently, a production at the University of Mississippi ("Ole Miss") was heckled by at least "20 members of the football team" and others. They supposedly taunted female cast members about their bodies; yelled "f*g" and "d*yke" and were generally disruptive. UM issued a lame apology, though Gay/Straight Alliance groups and allies like Brendan Ayanbadejo are pushing for more.

As part of our on-going campaign to prevent bullying and the unnecessary and premature deaths of so many young people, The James Tolin Memorial Fund presents a one-night only special event, a staged reading of The Laramie Project, followed immediately by a talk-back with cast, director and special guest, LGBT activist and member of the Tectonic Theatre Project, Cathy Renna. The reading will be held at the Kelsey Theatre on the Campus of Mercer County Community College in West Windsor, NJ. Curtain is at 7 PM.

As of this writing, tickets are still available online at Kelsey@mccc.org;  at the box office one hour before curtain or by calling 609-570-3333. All proceeds from this special event benefit The Tyler Clementi Foundation. 

Let's put an end to this epidemic. Educate to Stop the Hate. 

Don't let those whose lives have been taken by hate, be taken in vain. Share their stories. Share your stories. Reach out, but listen too. If you see an act of hatred, say something; call the police; do something. 

I can't help but wonder what Matthew and my friend Tony would think about the massive strides since they've been gone. And how maybe some of those strides might have come sooner, if they were still here. Matt had dreams of being an activist and Tony was a very talented artist with a decidedly twisted sense of humor. What might they have accomplished in these many years? Sadly, thanks to hate, we'll never know.

If you can't make the show, you can always visit our website and make a safe, secure donation via PayPal. Or, watch the excellent HBO movie version and make a donation to your local anti-hate charity. 

So... how do we Stop the Hate? How do we assuage the fears of those who don't understand? With works like this. With art that makes people think differently. With the truth, I would hope. Sadly, everyone's truth is different, to one degree or another. I don't care what you think your version of 'God" says about Queer people (yes, even the Native Americans who venerated us as 'magical' beings - thanks, but as much as gay folk might think we're magical, we really aren't). Different from most people? Certainly? Wrong or evil because of it? Hardly. And of course, I know I'm singing to the choir here, as it were. But it's more and more likely that most straight people know at least 1 queer person, whether they're aware of that person's sexuality or not. 

Progress is being made an astonishing rate and things I never thought I'd live to see are happening all over the country. And while so many places in the world have yet to evolve, I can't tell you how happy I am to see the tide turning, at long last.

More, anon.
Prospero

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Hot, Gay, Shakesperean, Sci-Fi Food Nonsense

Chip Off the Old Block

How's that for a post title? To be perfectly honest, all of those do apply to this post overall, just not necessarily all at the same time. 

It's been a fairly stressful weekend culminating with my mother having what her Dr. described to me as a "small heart-attack." She will be fine and is scheduled for a cath procedure on Tuesday. I am also in the midst of rehearsals for a reading of a play with some dark and very close-to-home subject matter and have really been trying to avoid anything which didn't make me smile and/or laugh when I'm not forced to go dark places. 

And while I do so love the Fall season and Halloween (which is a fun kind of darkness), it also means dread Winter is close at hand. Like plants, I don't exactly thrive in the Winter, though extra Vitamin D supplements and the rich, fattening foods of the Winter holidays help.

Attitude plays a large part of it, too. It's my choice to wallow in the dark or shine my own light through it. I realize that's kind of cheesy and self-helpy or whatever, but it is 100% true. To do that, one should concentrate on the things in life that make it worth living: Beauty, Family, Friendship, Art, Laughter, Joy... These all counterbalance the truly dark stuff. And speaking of Beauty, that's Clint Eastwood's 27 year old son Scott (via) in a photo shoot for 'Town and Country,' Undeniably his father's son, Eastwood the younger has appeared in several unremarkable films, but is suddenly all over the web (especially on the LGBT blogs). I swear, the boy gives me the vapors!

So that's the Hot. On to the Gay. "Queer Lisboa," Portugal's only LGBTQ International Film Festival, has a history of amusing and provocative advertising. This year's is no different, though I imagine it has a certain anti-Semitic, homophobic has-been crying bitter tears of righteous rage:

J'adore, j'adore, j'adore... Yes, that's the Gay. What about the Shakespearean Sci-Fi? Well, hang onto your gay geek hats. The Husky Jackal Theatre Company presents: "William Shakespeare's Terminator the Second," a fully staged production of T2:Judgement Day using only dialog actually written by The Bard. The trailer embedded below is just an amazing bit of hilarious genius:

William Shakespeare Presents: Terminator the Second - Official Trailer from Husky Jackal on Vimeo.

Which leaves us with Food, but which also ties back to Hot (you know what that is). Here's an adorable shirtless guy (via) teaching you how to correctly pronounce the names of European and Asian foods which many Americans mispronounce. Don't know if it's his mischievous grin, deliberately messy hair, his infectious enthusiasm or the fact that it's actually educational that makes me love it so much. 

Oh, I remember now. It's his Treasure Trail. Wow! I just went there, didn't I?

I'm wishing all of you the better week I'm wishing for myself. Of course, one of my maternal grandmother's ('Grandmom Cookie') many colorful sayings was "Wish in one hand and sh*t in the other one and see which one fills up first." Never let the dark keep you from appreciating the light, the joy and the nonsense that is our time here. Instead, embrace the dark with the light, joy and nonsense. We need the dark to appreciate the light, joy and nonsense. Learning that is never easy.

More, anon.
Prospero

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Some Shameless Self-Promotion

JTMF is proud to present a One Night Only staged reading of The Laramie Project; Sunday, October 6th, 2013. The reading will take place at the Kelsey Theatre on the campus of Mercer County Community College in West Windsor, NJ.

Proceeds will benefit The Tyler Clementi Foundation.

Presented to commemorate the 15th Anniversary of the attack on Matthew Shepherd, the reading will be followed by a special talk-back with the cast and representatives of The Tyler Clementi Foundation.

Directed by Judi Parrish, the cast includes Melissa Abrahams of Chesterfield, NJ; Brian Bara of Levittown, PA; Christian DiTullio of Lawrenceville, NJ; Damian Gaeta of Hamilton, NJ; Kathy Garofano of Morrisville, PA; Laurie Hardy of Hamilton, NJ; Jennifer Nasta Zefutie of Cranbury, NJ and Jeremy Robinson of Chesterfield, NJ.

We hope you can join us for this very special event (the only JTMF event this year). Tickets are $10 to $15 and are available by calling the Kelsey Box Office at 609-570-3333; online at www.kelseyatmercer.org or at the Box Office one hour before curtain.

Bullying and suicide among teens and preteens remain at all-time high. You can be part of the solution by attending this important event.

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Everything That's Wrong (And a Little Bit Right) with Broadway Today

Esther Hannaford and friend in King Kong Live

Ever since Rogers and Hammerstein created the first true 'book musical' (Oklahoma!) in 1946, the genre has been about telling stories with songs and dances which actually advanced the plot. Over the years, there have been many innovations to and variations of that concept. Personally, I find most musicals written before 1967 to be colossal bores; dated, silly, naive and supremely indicative of the times in which they were written (I said 'most,' not 'all' - there are exceptions to every rule, even mine). 

In 1967, Rado and Ragni's Tribal Rock musical Hair changed everything. Musicals (despite R&H's anti-racist South Pacific) became socially relevant. Their stories and songs did more than entertain, providing avenues of social comment and discourse. The 70's brought us shows like Pippin; A Little Night Music; Chicago; A Chorus Line and Working. Broadway finally had something to say. The 80's continued the trend with Evita, Les Miserables and Miss Saigon. They also brought us the show that would start the trend of musical spectacles, the amazingly still-running Andrew Lloyd-Weber version of Gaston Leroux's The Phantom of the Opera. A falling chandelier; a mechanical elephant and grand staircase filled with outrageously costumed characters started the trend of the Broadway Spectacle. Of course, in the 90's Disney invaded Broadway with director Julie Taymor's wildly successful production of The Lion King and there's been no going back. Ever since, Broadway musicals have gotten more and more elaborate, requiring more spectacle, more effects and bigger stunts. Stephen Schwartz's hilarious 2003 Steampunk adaptation of Gregory Maguire's novel Wicked sealed the deal and the shows have gotten bigger and more outrageous ever since. See Taymor's ridiculous Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark or Chitty Chitty Bang Bang for prime examples of modern Broadway's excess.

In development for over five years, the new musical King Kong Live saw its world premiere in Melbourne last month and from all accounts, the show is a quantifiable hit, extending it's initial limited run Down Under through August. Featuring an 18 feet + tall gorilla puppet and a decidedly anachronistic score (you can listen to parts of some of the songs here), King Kong Live is slated for Broadway sometime in 2014/15. 

I get it. Tech-savvy 21st Century audiences expect more for their theatre dollars. If I'm spending $110 or more for a ticket, I want to be wowed too. But where does it end? Transformers The Musical? Ironman Sings? Godzilla!? The original 1933 King Kong may well be the movie that made me love movies, but will King Kong Live be the show that ends my love affair with the Broadway musical? I certainly hope not.

Wow! That's certainly impressive. And while I would love to see the show (assuming I can actually afford the ticket price), I am much more excited to see Neil Patrick Harris in the announced revival of Hedwig and the Angry Inch.

Broadway may well be 'The Great Invalid,' though spectacles like Kong and Spider-Man may well be the shows that price it out of reach for most folks. My advice to Broadway producers harkens back to that of Henry David Thoreau: Simplify. Audiences are expected to suspend their disbelief. They don't need 18 foot-tall puppets to do that, no matter how amazing they may be.

More, anon.
Prospero

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Another Friend Lost

My Friend, Chris

I took my time in college, attending several schools; starting out full-time and ending part-time (mostly because I couldn't afford to do so any other way). One of the advantages of taking my time was that I got to do and learn from lots of great theatre and lots of great directors and acting coaches. The other was that I got to meet and make friends with a whole lot of people, many of whom I still know and love to this day.

One of those people was my friend Chris, seen to your right in a rather blurry photo taken by our mutual friend Marly while on a trip we took to Salem, MA to do 'research' for a production of Arthur Miller's The Crucible. Chris lived close to campus and we had many parties at his house. We also went on lots of adventures together. 

One of those adventures was a Spring Break road trip to Florida, which probably deserves a post of its own one day. Myself, Chris, our friend Rich and his future wife Dawn all headed down I-95 in car I rented (because I was only one old enough to do so). We took turns driving and I remember waking up around 3 AM somewhere in the Carolinas, as Chris was driving. I glanced at the speedometer - the needle was pressed as far right as it would go. I simply shrugged and went back to sleep, knowing that someone who had once been pulled over for speeding on the Autobahn was at the helm and we would be fine. There's a ton more to tell about that trip, but again - that's for another post.

As much as Chris had a reputation among our clique for being for being a madman, he was sweet and kind and gentle and often very, very funny. A talented carpenter (his father was a cabinet maker) and an often reluctant actor, Chris was known to have a bit of a temper and once infamously and very completely destroyed a beautiful art deco set he'd built for a production of Dinner at Eight after a dispute with the director (the show had closed). We all knew who'd done the deed, though none of us told, even though the incident made the local papers.

Many years passed and while some of us were still in touch, it wasn't until the advent of Facebook that we all reunited (as much as folks can on Facebook). It was last fall when Chris joined Facebook and we were all glad he had done so. 

Then news came in January that Chris had gone missing. Suffering from bi-polar disease, Chris was visiting his sister who noticed he wasn't himself and set out to take him to a local hospital for treatment. She went to get her coat and upon her return found him gone. Scent dogs traced him to a footbridge on the Delaware-Raritan Canal. While Chris was an avid outdoorsman and knew how to survive in harsh conditions, the situation didn't look good. Although we were scattered all over the country, our mutual friends expressed concern and worry. This past Sunday, a family canoeing the canal stumbled across a body which was identified by a driver's license as Chris. Local police are speculating that he committed suicide, though there is no hard evidence to support that theory.

It doesn't matter to me how or why Chris passed, only that he did. And that my life is all the better for having spent time with him. And I can only hope that his was better for having spent time with me and our mutual friends. While I and our friends mourn his loss, we can all celebrate the many wonderful; hilarious; joyous; confounding and exciting times we shared together. I only hope he is finally at peace.

Tonight, at 10 PM Eastern, our mutual friends raised a glass in Chris' memory and posted photos of ourselves doing so on a private Facebook page dedicated to him. I can imagine him smiling at the thought. 

Here's the thing: None of knows how long we'll be here. Take the time to tell the ones you love that you love them. Do so often and sincerely. Savor the joyous moments of your life because they are truly few and far-between. Spend as much time pursuing the joyous moments as you can. Spend even more time pursuing time with friends and family. Be kind to everyone you meet - you never know who'll be part of your life for all of it, or just some of it. Laugh as often as you can. Love as much as you can. Share your joy, but never gloat about it. Slow down. Live the life you want to live and make no apologies to those who disagree with that life. Take time to remember everyone who touches your life, no matter how briefly.

This was one of Chris' favorite songs, and while it isn't exactly a 'happy' song, it's one all of his friends will always remember him by:

I truly hope that Chris' pain has receded, even while his family's and friends' is peaking.

More, anon.
Prospero

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Dance as if Everyone Is Watching

The Very Fine Mr. Gene Kelly

Not too long ago, I was asked if given a choice of any Hollywood star (alive or dead), with whom would I most prefer to spend a romantic evening? My first thought was my Obsession, but then I realized I wanted a dirty, rough and tumble night with Jason. Romance is not in our cards...

For a night of romance...? The choice was obvious... the one and only Gene Kelly. I mean, come on! Look at him there all rugged and gorgeous. He's also my only ever answer to "Astaire or Kelly?" Not to disparage the graceful and talented Fred Astaire. I get it. But Gene... (sigh...) was an athlete. You may have danced with a broom and on the ceiling, Fred but Gene danced in the rain; on roller skates; in barns and with a friggin' cartoon mouse! Plus... well, just look at him! The actor-dancer-singer-choreographer-director was a Star for lots of reasons. Oh -- screw you, Stomp!

Like many who spend their lives in the theatre, I fell in love with performing in Musical Theatre. It was really the first time I actually got the idea of creating a person who was completely different from myself. What gay teen in the 70's wouldn't love that? I literally had a nationally renown high school Theatre teacher who also exposed me to weird, experimental theatre; Thornton Wilder; Edward Albee; T.S. Eliot and Radu & Ragni, all while increasing the greasepaint in my veins... I try not to have regrets about my life. It's led me to so many wonderful things, people, friends and experiences and I wouldn't take back any of it. But I do regret that I never learned how to read music and how to dance. Don't get me wrong - I have danced in musicals. It was always a laborious task - though luckily in high school, you get a lot more rehearsal time than in the real world. Even in college and beyond, I've been able to pull off some complicated stuff, but only with lots and lots and lots of practice. And as with anything, it's gotten even harder with age. I was down to the bare minimum of movement in Hairspray because my knees are so bad - and I was never really all that graceful to begin with. Somehow, I got through it. I don't know if I could again.

What brought all this on is the clip I am about to share (via) called "Let's Dance." It's a compilation of dance clips you may or may not have seen before, this time set to "All These Things That I've Done" by The Killers (I'm not familiar, but I think I need to hear more from them). Take a look and then check out some other hot dancers who make me rue my lack of dance talent:

This one's probably NSFW:

Of course, if asked to chose only a living star, it would be gorgeous Bollywood Bear, Hrithric Roshan. Seriously, it should be illegal to be so sexy:

As for this post's title - you've all heard the phrase "Dance as if no one is watching." Well, I call BS! Dance as if  EVERYONE is watching, all the time! Do everything you do like every one is watching. Bask in their admiration and feed off their applause. I think that Jebus fellow might be attributed as having said "Don't hide your light under a bushel" or something to that effect. Revel in all that you are and everything you do. I may not dance, but damn if I can't sing, act and direct. Of course, in thirty-odd years of directing, I've never taken on a musical. And there are plenty on which I want to put my stamp.

I guess I have a new goal. Yay!

More, anon.
Prospero

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Living Historically.

Larry Duncan and Randy Shepherd

Yes, this picture has gone viral and it will no doubt take it's place among the most iconic images of modern history. As Larry and Randy raise their hands in the first oath of their impending marriage, I say: "Congratulations, guys! Oh - and thank you for furthering the smashing of stereotypes! Seriously though - where are you registered?"

One of my favorite, sappy gay romcom's is 2000's Big Eden, starring Ayre Gross; Tim Dekay (the third biggest star with whom I've had a personal conversation); the always wonderful Louise Fletcher and Eric Schweig (best known for Ron Howard's dark Western The Missing). Set in the most progressive small town in the world (when the local matchmaker realizes her mistake, she immediately arranges a boys-only party to introduce the prodigal protagonist to potential partners*), Big Eden works so well because of the actors' commitment the story. Everyone in Big Eden knows with whom Henry (Gross) belongs, even if Henry doesn't. A sort of sideways Cinderfella story filled with quirky characters; absurdest situations and the creakiest of creaky old rom-com endings, it makes this sentimental old fool cry every time I see it.

*Say that three times, fast.

Damn! I've been living in the wrong part of the country this whole time! My Post-Bohemian friend Stephen has lived (and has loved living in) the Pacific Northwest for quite some time. He and 'The Husband' have the kind eclectic and comfortable home towards which I aspire. I can't say I'm surprised by the legalization of personal recreational marijuana and marriage equality in Washington. I'm glad to be alive to see it, though.

I used to be surprised to think about all the things my grandmother saw over the course of her life and how different things must have been for her after 80+ years. Now, of course, I think about all the things I've seen over the course of my life and how different things are for me. I was alive but too young to appreciate the assassinations of JFK, MLK and RFK, but I saw Vietnam; Woodstock; the Moon Landing; the Manson Family murders; Stonewall; the opening of China; the resignation of Nixon; the Iran Hostage Crisis; the assassination attempts on both Ford and Reagan; the Challenger explosion; the fall of the Berlin Wall; the introduction of the VCR, compact disc, home computer (I'm on my 7th? since the 90's) and DVR; both the building of the World Trade Center and it's destruction at the hands of fanatical madmen; the rise and fall of dictators; fads, crazes and wacky fashion; the creation of the Internet, Email, Facebook and Twitter; the cell phone, Blackberry & Smart phone; the South Asian Tsunami; laptops, Katrina; tablets & touch screens; rebellions in the Middle East & Northern Africa; Sandy and the two-term election of our first African-American POTUS -- who just so also happens to be the first sitting POTUS to openly support Marriage Equality. 

I know I'm missing some important events over the last (REDACTED) years. I'm just happy that I have a way to record my personal experience during my visit through history. Will any of it matter, 20 or 30,000 years from now? I doubt it. But I am enjoying myself while here. I feel bad for the folks who came before and both jealous of and sad for those who will come after. If we get our shit together, the future of humanity is limitless. I truly hope we get our shit together. I'd like for all of us to around to witness a whole lot more history.

Of course, life has a way of humbling. I pride myself on being an alum of the #1 High School Theatre program in the U.S. The soon to retire Louis Volpe is one of the most influential teachers I've ever had. He was invited to create the High School versions of Les Miserables and was the first adult to tell a 17 year-old Uncle P that being gay wasn't the end of the world. The humbling is embedded below, as the cast of a high school production of Les Miz equates itself with this year's most annoyingly intrusive pop song:

More, anon.
Prospero

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Be It Ever So Humble...

Iris

So, my whirlwind trip to Los Angeles has finally come to end and except for a fairly miserable flight home (more on that, in a bit), it was actually quite good. The Day-Job event was quite successful and Uncle P found himself quite busy during it (unlike my last business trip to Miami, where I spent most of the event twiddling my thumbs). 

We stayed (and held the event) at the famous Millennium Biltmore Hotel, the sight of many Academy Awards ceremonies in the 1930's and 1940's, a history of which the hotel is rightfully proud. Alfred Hitchcock shot scenes from Vertigo there and it has been used in plenty of other Hollywood classics, including Ghostbusters. I found the place a bit reminiscent of the Overlook Hotel from The Shining, with its maze-like layout and decidedly creepy basement Regency Room, where our event took place. One the bartenders told me that the hotel's "Gold Room" still had a secret passage left over from the Prohibition era and I couldn't help but wonder who might have stayed in my room (828) in the past. 

Of course, the highlight of my weekend was something I've been blathering on about for weeks, now: Cirque du Soliel's Iris at the Dolby (formerly the Kodak) Theatre. Simply put, the show is nothing less than breathtaking. A stunning riot of color; Steampunk aesthetics; plays on light and shadow; astounding feats of strength; graceful physical prowess, acrobatic thrills and technical genius, Iris is most certainly the best of the many Cirque shows I've seen, and that's saying a lot. I found myself with my mouth agape in awe, grinning like an idiot and even crying at it's often stunning beauty. 

Trying to describe the show in mere words is an exercise in futility. It is something that must be seen and experienced to be fully appreciated. The young woman seated to my right often exclaimed "So pretty!" which doesn't even come close. From the opening aerial act featuring two perfect young men (who later spend the 2nd half of the show as half-naked Gladiators) to the finale, Iris (pronounced in the French - "ear-REESE") is the kind of show one never forgets. From the hysterical 'clowns' (don't worry D, these aren't 'evil-you-know-whats') to the astonishing set pieces that seemingly appear from nowhere; from Danny Elfman's amazing score to the slightly disturbing Steampunk robots; from the gorgeous costumes to the outrageous lighting and projections, Iris is the perfect example of Cirque du Soleil's 'Circus as Theatre' philosophy. I cannot recommend this show highly enough. If you are a Cirque fan or just a lover of movies; if you love (as I did) Martin Scorsese's Hugo or any of the surviving films of Georges Melies, you owe it to yourself to see Iris, if you can. 

On a side note, while waiting for the Metro back to my hotel after the show, I found myself face-to-face with the young man who played the show's lead 'Buster," sitting on a skateboard, his sweat-run makeup still on, waiting for his own ride home. I couldn't help but approach him and tell him how wonderful I found both the show and his performance. He looked rather surprised, but shook my hand and thanked me. Personally, I was more excited to meet him, than any "star" in Hollywood.

For now, I'm just glad to be home and to get to sleep in my own bed tonight.

More, anon.
Prospero

You have read this article Cirque du Soleil / Film History / Iris / Los Angeles / Obsessions / Ramblings / Reviews / Steam Punk / The Day Job / Theatre / Travel with the title Theatre. You can bookmark this page URL https://tammycross.blogspot.com/2012/11/be-it-ever-so-humble.html. Thanks!

Obsessions Will Soon Collide

Some of the Cast of Iris at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles

In a little less than six days, I will be sitting in the Dolby Theatre (formerly the Kodak Theatre) watching Iris, Cirque du Soleil's "journey through the world of cinema." It's been about three years since I've seen a Cirque show (the absolutely astounding Kooza, which was a return to the kind of  breathtaking feats of acrobatics that make Cirque so amazing).

If you've never seen a Cirque du Soleil show live, you should. You will never forget it. It's truly circus as theatre. For ethical reasons, they employ no animal acts, displaying feats of human dexterity only. Incorporating music; dance; song and non-traditional clowning, each Cirque show is unique, using an amazing array of sets; costumes; makeups and lighting effects to create thrilling and beautiful productions worldwide. There are currently 20 Cirque shows, both on tour and in permanent residence. Iris is the only permanent show in California. There are several permanent shows in Las Vegas, as well as one in Orlando, FL (La Nouba) and Biloxi, MS (Allegria). The shows I've seen include Saltimbanco; Allegria; Quidam; Dralion; Quidam; La Nouba; Kooza and Wintuk. I first fell in love with them when I saw the HBO version of their first U.S. tour, We Reinvent the Circus. You can often catch video performances of their older touring shows on A&E. 

With a score by prolific film composer Danny Elfman, Iris examines the history, genres and technologies of one of America's few truly original art forms. As a professed cinephile from a very young age and a professed Cirque fanatic for the last 20 years, I am honestly salivating at the thought of seeing Iris.

You can be sure I'll talking about the show again, after I get home next Sunday.

And here's the trailer for Kooza, the last Cirque show I saw (with K).



More, anon.
Prospero

You have read this article Art / Circus / Cirque du Soleil / Iris / Los Angeles / Movies / Obsessions / The Day Job / Theatre / Travel with the title Theatre. You can bookmark this page URL https://tammycross.blogspot.com/2012/11/obsessions-will-soon-collide.html. Thanks!

I Miss Michael Jeter

Michael Jeter

My dear Post Apocalyptic Bohemian, Stephen, reminded me that yesterday would have been character actor Michael Jeter's 60th birthday. 

Probably best known for his roles as the homeless cabaret singer in The Fisher King; mouse trainer extraordinaire Eduard Delacroix in The Green Mile and Mr. Noodle on 'Sesame Street,' Jeter was an extraordinarily talented performer who was equally comfortable in front of a camera and a live audience. Jeter's first film appearance was in Milos Forman's 1979 adaptation of Hair but he went on to appear in dozens of films, including Ragtime; Zelig; The Money Pit; Tango and Cash; Patch Adams and Jurassic Park III.

On television, Jeter appeared on 'Night Court;' 'Designing Women,' 'Evening Shade,' 'Picket Fences' and 'Taken.' Jeter was usually a second banana on shows like 'Evening Shade' and 'Picket Fences,' though he was often the most memorable member of the cast. I was always glad to see him, because he usually elevated even the crappiest of fare, like Jurassic Park III. 

A recovering addict, Jeter proved that hard work and ambition could lead to greatness and he was rewarded in 1990 with a Tony Award for Best Actor in a Featured Role - Musical, for his astounding performance as the fatally ill bookkeeper Otto Kringelein in Grand Hotel. I was lucky enough to see that show and his astonishing, rubber-legged dancing in the number "We'll Take a Glass Together:"

Jeter passed away from complications due to AIDS on March 30, 2003, at the far-too-young age of 50. Talented, funny and smart, Jeter may not have been a so-called "A-Lister," but he was always a stand-out in whatever he did. Here he is an appearance on Letterman in the 80's.

I wish we could have seen what he might have done in the past 10 years. RIP Micheal. I know I'm not the only one who misses you!

More, anon.
Prospero

You have read this article Broadway / dance / Michael Jeter / Movies / Musicals / On Acting / Theatre / TV with the title Theatre. You can bookmark this page URL https://tammycross.blogspot.com/2012/08/i-miss-michael-jeter.html. Thanks!

Pulling the Wig Down from the Shelf Again

John Cameron Mitchell as 'Hedwig'

After Jeffrey, I was feeling a little down. I'd had some potentially bad news about someone for whom I care very much; I had no theatrical projects on the immediate horizon; I had gained back a few of the 16 pounds I'd lost doing Hairspray and I was about to turn another year older with little to show for it. 

So I went looking for something to lift my spirits a bit and ended up listening to the soundtrack to the movie version of John Cameron Mitchell's Hedwig and the Angry Inch. I never got to see the original  stage production, but I absolutely adored the movie (which I reviewed for PhillyOut.com). There is something about Hedwig's eternal optimism despite her many setbacks that is inspiring, to say the least. I loved every one of Stephen Trask's songs (especially "The Origin of Love"); was overjoyed to see the amazingly talented Andrea Martin as Hedwig's manager; adored Mitchell's performance and became of fan of the massively underrated Miriam Shor (late of ABC's ridiculous soap "GCB" and CBS's aborted summer sizzler "Swingtown") all at the same time. I am, by the way, determined to direct a production of Hedwig... someday.

Anyway, Kevin Sessums (author of "A Southern Sissy") has blogged that Mitchell and Trask are currently hard at work on a stage sequel! Talk about synchronicity. Mitchell, who also wrote and directed the sexually explicit Shortbus, is quoted as saying about the new show, “We spend so much of our early lives trying to figure out who we really are... And we spend the rest of our lives preparing ourselves to let it go.” Personally, I can't wait to see what's happened to Hedwig since we last saw her. Hopefully, the stage sequel will warrant a film sequel, as well.

Here are few of my favorite numbers from the movie (watch for Shor in stubbled male drag):

Long live Hedwig!


More, anon.
Prospero

You have read this article Hedwig and the Angry Inch / Movies / Musicals / Sequels / Theatre with the title Theatre. You can bookmark this page URL https://tammycross.blogspot.com/2012/07/pulling-wig-down-from-shelf-again.html. Thanks!

Why I Don't Like Pictures of Me

Jeffrey Final Dress, Photo by Rich Kowalski

No, that's not a still from the latest J-Horror movie; nor is it some bizarro production of Madame Butterfly. No dear readers, this is a production still from last month's JTMF production of Jeffrey. From left to right: Dear D, adorable Chino Devine and (dear lord) Uncle P. The script called for "elaborate Chinese pajamas, perhaps." I got a gorgeous custom-kimono that was so fun to wear, but look at the puss on that guy. I'm telling my Broadway dancer boyfriend Darius (Chino) to "Leave this house!" because he didn't know who Ann Miller was. It looks like I'm about to vomit! And there are plenty more, where that came from. My mouth hanging open; my eyes squeezed shut; my hair in a thousand and four directions like a fat, gay Professor Irwin Corey (how much does that date me?). Ugh! 

Anyway, here are a few more shots from the first half of Act I. I'll post more here tomorrow and others on the JTMF blog, soon. All photos in this post are copyrighted to NJ's best theatre photographer, Mr. Rich Kowalski.

"Hi there!"

I Work Out!

"Nice Set"  "You, too!"

"Do you like this? On me, I mean."

"It's! Just! Sex!"

"Am I making you nervous?"

"Your single, you're gay..."  "It isn't pretty."

Okay, so that last one isn't too terrible. And you should know I got a haircut the very next afternoon, before the show opened. If I can't be photogenic (I really appear much more human in person), then I'm going to surround my self with actors who are. 

But that's really unfair, because the folks other than Yours Truly aren't just pretty faces. They are exceptionally talented and giving performers who work with JTMF because they really want to and are thrilled when asked. And while we expand our talent pool every year, we've also developed a core company whose members consider one another to be family. The talent we've discovered and developed all believe in JTMF and our mission. They are all people who I personally love beyond words. If you're reading this and you are one of those people, then you know what I'm talking about. Nothing brings us more joy each year, than participating in the JTMF event. I am both proud of and humbled by what we've accomplished these past ten years. Everyone who has ever taken part in a JTMF production (and there are several dozens), should feel the same way. 

Watch for more photos (and maybe a backstage story or two) from Jeffrey in the next few days.

More, anon.

Prospero

You have read this article Jeffrey / JTMF / Photographs / Shameless Self-Promotion / Theatre with the title Theatre. You can bookmark this page URL https://tammycross.blogspot.com/2012/07/why-i-don-like-pictures-of-me.html. Thanks!

Another Opening; Another Show

Tonight is the final dress rehearsal for Jeffrey and the last chance I'll get to talk about it here until after it's all but a memory.

Last night's tech run was all kinds of weird. There were new props, new costumes, and new set pieces and all eight of us were just a little thrown. I actually got lost at one point early on in Act I (in a spot I've never had a problem with before) and forgot an often-mentioned but never-seen character's name in Act II.

And the extreme heat and humidity that descended on the east coast yesterday surely didn't help. Thank goodness the theatre is well air-conditioned. I had friends opening in an outdoor production of My Fair Lady last night and I can't imagine what those costumes did to them in that kind of heat.  I remember playing Sir Toby in a modern dress, outdoor production of Twelfth Night in weather like this and we were absolutely drenched by curtain. Imagine those heavy Victorian gowns and tweed jackets... Ugh! It's making me sweat just thinking about it.

Anyway, as I've said before (and will undoubtedly say again - just not about this particular production), if you are in the central NJ/Southeastern PA area and looking for something to do this weekend, I can't think of anything better on which to spend your money. Your $25 ticket gets you the show; the catered reception; some wine and access to our silent auction, all benefiting four amazing charities. You can buy tickets at the box-office (directions & map here) one hour before curtain or online here. For more information about the James Tolin Memorial Fund and our beneficiaries (or to make a donation via PayPal), please visit our website: www.jtmf.org.  

Okay, okay. Enough shameless self-promotion (for now, anyway). And enough Kiss Me, Kate! I never need to do that show again, either. I'll be back next week with more of my usual nonsense.

More, anon.

Prospero

You have read this article Jeffrey / JTMF / Shameless Self-Promotion / Theatre with the title Theatre. You can bookmark this page URL https://tammycross.blogspot.com/2012/06/another-opening-another-show.html. Thanks!

Another Hell Week

Despite what you may have heard, that's NOT Uncle P

So, maybe not having Internet access at home isn't such a bad thing this week. Not being able to get online at home has also let me work some of my own long-neglected writing. I actually completed an entire new draft of Army of the Dead and completely re-assess another I've been trying to finish for some time. Of course, it's 'Hell Week' for Jeffrey and I wouldn't be doing much blogging, anyway.

For those unfamiliar with the term, 'Hell Week' is the last week of rehearsals and production prep before a show opens. The actors finally move into the performance space; the set and lighting goes up; the costumes get their final fittings... it can seem a bit overwhelming, at times. But it always seems to come together somehow. And honestly, after 10 years of putting these benefits together, I should that we know what we're doing.

People at the Day Job keep asking, "So, are you all ready for Friday night?" And I keep answering, "No. We'll be ready on Friday." I'm glad I took Friday off so I won't have to hear them ask "So, are you ready for tonight?" I'm going to sleep in, meet my buddy Sean for lunch in New Hope and then get my hair trimmed in what I hope will be a relaxing day off before the show.

Don't expect to hear too much more from me this week (though I may pop in if I see something particularly weird, funny or very gay and just have to talk about). Hopefully, I'll have my home Internet issues resolved by the time the show is over so I can post lots of pictures. If you are in the Central NJ area this weekend and are looking for something to do while helping out some terrific charities, please consider coming to see Jeffrey. More information about the JTMF and what we do is available at our website: www.jtmf.org. If you can't come, but would like to make a donation, you do so via PayPal, right on our site.

More (hopefully), anon.
Prospero

You have read this article Hell Week / Jeffrey / JTMF / Theatre / Uncle P with the title Theatre. You can bookmark this page URL https://tammycross.blogspot.com/2012/06/another-hell-week.html. Thanks!

From Screen to Stage and Back Again

Nathan Lane and Matthew Broderick in The Producers

Over at The Film Experience today, Michael did a post about turning Broadway shows into movies and vice-versa. He was decidedly against the latter, though I had to point out at least one (among several) exception - The Producers. But more on that particular show in a bit.

There are currently 7 Broadway musicals based on films: Bring It On; Newsies; Priscilla, Queen of the Desert; Ghost; Sister Act; Once and The Lion King. And this has been a trend for a while. Of course, I blame Andrew Lloyd Weber, whose adaptation of Sunset Boulevard seems to have started the trend. Oh, there have been several before that: 42nd Street; Promises, Promises (based on The Apartment); Applause! (based on All About Eve); A Little Night Music (based on Smiles of a Summer Night), but these were relatively few and far between. Lately though, shows like Beauty and the Beast; The Little Mermaid; Tarzan; Mary Poppins (all Disney productions); Little Shop of Horrors; The Wedding Singer; Legally Blonde; Shrek; Chitty Chitty Bang-Bang; Spamalot (based on Monty Python and the Holy Grail); Singin' in the Rain; Billy Elliot and Xanadu have graced the Great White Way. 

The cast of Spamalot

 Some (Little Shop...; Spamalot; Xanadu) were actually quite good. Others, not so much. And there is at least one more Disney show on deck; Aladdin is scheduled to hit Broadway next season. Of course, the aforementioned The Producers is probably the best example of when this works. For many years I told anyone who would listen that Mel Brooks should adapt his 1968 movie (one of the funniest films ever made) into a Broadway show. The fact that it went on to win a record-setting 12 Tony Awards proved me right.

Some people have griped to me about shows like Kander and Ebb's brilliant Kiss of the Spiderwoman and Ehrens and Flaherty's Ragtime. "They were movies first, Uncle P!" But like the upcoming Rebecca  and Matilda, these shows are based on the novels which inspired the films, rather than the films themselves. Still I have to wonder about the state of the original Broadway musical. Is Broadway becoming like Hollywood, regurgitating and/or adapting old ideas because they've run out of new ones? I doubt that. But people seem to like the familiar. "I loved that movie! Let's see the musical!"

Of course, many musicals from the 40's through the '80's have been made into movies. Some, brilliantly: Funny Girl; West Side Story; Cabaret; Chicago; Hair. Others, not so much: Jesus Christ Superstar; Evita; A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum; Phantom of the Opera; Nine. Currently, the film version of Rock of Ages is receiving scathing reviews. 

One of my favorite musicals (which deserves much more love than ever received) Bill Russell and Henry Krieger's heart-wrenching show about conjoined twins The Hilton Sisters - Sideshow, would make one hell of a movie. I can also imagine Avenue Q; Urinetown; The Boy from Oz; Wicked; The Drowsy Chaperone and Zombie Prom (among a few others) would all probably do quite well on celluloid (though these days movies have gone digital). 

Musicals will (hopefully) always be a part of American Theatre and as long as they are, they will be adapted into films. I just hope that the best of them get the film adaptations they deserve.

What original musicals would you like to see made into movies? Let me know in the comments.

More, anon.
Prospero

You have read this article Adaptations / Broadway / Movies / Musicals / Ramblings / Theatre with the title Theatre. You can bookmark this page URL https://tammycross.blogspot.com/2012/06/from-screen-to-stage-and-back-again.html. Thanks!