Local Theater Spotlight: Shadowbox’s ‘Legacy’

There have always been a few kinks that have always come with the Shadowbox Live experience. Crammed, uncomfortable seating. The many annoyances that come with mall parking. The many annoyances that come with mall shoppers. And the a hit-or-miss sound system.

These kinks have typically gone overlooked by its fans because the value of the Shadowbox experience has always been exponentially greater than the sum of its parts.

Now that Shadowbox has moved from Columbus’ Easton Town Center to their new-and-improved space downtown in the Brewery District, the sketch comedy/rock ‘n’ roll troupe has gone from an underground darling to a Midwest destination.

The troupe opened their first showcase in the new location August 19 with “Legacy,” a musical and theatrical romp down memory lane, featuring a host of “best hits” from their 20-year history.

A quick note on the new space: The new stage area resembles the setup of a spacious 1960’s cabaret. The balcony has been replaced by a three-tiered floor plan where every seat has a perfect view of the stage. And speaking of the stage, it’s twice as large, with just a many lighting bells and whistles, and a sound quality that rivals any major theatre’s system in Columbus. The troupe’s new “Backstage Bistro” welcomes you at the front with a plush fine dining area and fully-stocked bar (as opposed to the long line down a linoleum hallway that you were usually met with atEaston). And there’s even a gift shop to entice you on your way out.

And “Legacy” definitely lives up to anything that was presented at theEastonlocation. (I took a gander at the Aug. 25th showing.) The troupe is now comprised of both their Newport and Columbus staffs and the doubled cast took complete advantage of the larger stage. And Shadowbox house band “Bill Who?” was phenomenal, sounding better than ever.

Notable moments? Stacie Boord’s goose bumps-inducing performance of Etta James’ “Ball and Chain.” The drumming explosion that resulted from Matt “The Beast” Buchwalter and Brandon Smith taking the stage on several songs with side-by-side drum sets. Shadowbox’s well known misbehaving elementary class led by a neurotic school teacher (Mary Randle) taking on “The Wizard of Oz.” The return of my favorite sketch, “Love is a Battlefield,” where the minds of a typical arguing couple turns into a over-the-top, subterranean mêlée. Shadowbox director Stev Guyer draped in a spiffy all-white suit and sounding the best I’ve ever heard him on “Whipping Post” by The Allman Brothers Band. And the show stopping, full-cast dance number on the Janet Jackson classic “Rhythm Nation” (bravely choreographed by Katy Psenicka) led by the incomparable Noelle Grandison.

“Legacy” is like watching a talented duckling turn into a rock star swan, right before your eyes. Seeing you’re scrawny, dingy t-shirt wearing nephew gain a bulky six pack and a tailored suit over the summer. The response after Ty Pennigton yells “Move that bus!” Shadowbox’s new digs are finally an outward representation of the organization’s long and well-documented inner brilliance. And “Legacy” is the perfect welcome tribute, giving the audience a glance at the strong past that lead the troupe to their shinny new present.

“Legacy” runs at Shadowbox Live, 503 S. Front Street, Columbus, through Nov. 12. Tickets are $30 for adults and $20 for students and seniors. For more information visit www.shadowboxlive.org.

Ohio Queers: GetEQUAL held protest at Statehouse Friday [PHOTOS], Equality Ohio holding EHEA Rally Sept. 27

As planned, the local branch of GetEQUAL hosted a protest outside the Ohio Statehouse in Columbus Friday afternoon. A small but mighty group of activists stood along Broad Street downtown with signs that said things like “I can loose my job for being transgender.” It was an effort to educate the city on the inequalities faced by Ohio’s LGBT citizens, in preparation for the Equal Housing and Employment Act, which is set to be discussed in Ohio’s legislature starting next month.

Here’s a statement about the event (exclusive to Queer Corner) from Tom Morgan, State Lead Organizer for GetEQUAL in Ohio:

Concerned “queer” activists showed up on Broad Street at the Statehouse on Friday to help get the word out about the EHEA or Equal Housing Employment Act that will be introduced, again, next month. They came with bull horns, signs, banners, and a clear message. WE ARE NOT YET EQUAL! A similar bill was introduced in the last Ohio session, but was stopped in it’s tracks by Senate Republican President Bill Harris. Now retired. Ohio is an “at will” employment state, however bigotry is written into these laws as well. Persons may be fired here with little effort. However, there is still a list of things that a person cannot be fired for: race, creed, religion, etc. “Queers” need to be ON that list as well, or possibly fall prey to it’s subtle bigotry. We also believe it’s wrong to be denied housing just for being true to yourself.

Equality Ohio is also planning to host a rally, press conference and Lobby Day at the Statehouse in honor of the Equal Housing and Employment Act Sept. 27 at 1:30 p.m. It’s the same day Representatives Ross McGregor and Nickie Antonio will introduce EHEA in the House.  For more information visit www.equalityohio.org.

Below are a few more photos from the GetEQUAL protest, courtesy of Morgan. For more on GetEQUAL visit www.getequal.org.

Closeted YouTube solider outed while still deployed

The mysterious gay YouTube solider that I featured on Queer Corner a little while ago has moved past the gay blogosphere, with his story hitting the mainstream last week.

He posted a YouTube video of a military band’s brilliant cover of Adele’s “Rolling in the Deep” that hit 17,000 page views in just a few hours. It was featured on Carson Daily’s talk show and is now well past 1 million views. That video was discovered by members of his platoon and the connection was soon made that he was the headless gay soldier in the other videos.

There seems to only be about 25 people in his unit, and he’s recently reported that they were all extremely accepting and supportive, so it doesn’t look like he’s going to be further outed.

I’ve already made my stance clear on how much I admire what this kid is doing in my other post, but I did want to add something. By sharing his story and being out at work, he’s now proving that gays can be out in a unit without “disrupting cohesion.” This is a common argument used by Republicans and anti-gay activists to back their belief that gay service members should stay in the closet. This faceless young man’s timid voice is disproving 20 years of hateful theorizing.

Check out his latest video below, in which he discusses how he was outed by the “Rolling in the Deep” video and how he recently came out to his girlfriend. He plans to show his face once he’s told his family and after the DADT repeal officially goes into affect Sept. 25.

Ross Mathews takes over ‘Chelsea Lately’ (again), announces his new show on E!

I’ve already made mentioned that I’m a huge fan of comedian Ross Mathews, ever since his stint as “Ross the Intern” on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. And this week he was again asked to take over for Chelsea Handler and host Chelsea Lately, Monday night.

He of coursed killed, as usual, being his cheeky and adorable self during an interview with child-star-turned-hunk Joey Lawrence. But that wasn’t the best part. He’s also going to be getting his own show on the E! Network! You can check out more details on the show over at TVGuide.com. I’m super excited for Ross and I definitely can’t wait to see what his own show will look like. I already can tell it’s going to be a hoot and a half!

Check out video of Ross hosting Chelsea this week below:

‘Glee’ creators release first promo for Season 3!

I know I wasn’t the only one super excited about this!…right?

It’s only 30 seconds, but the first Season 3 promo came from Glee yesterday and I nearly squealed with delight when I saw it. It features Coach Sue pelting members the glee club with dodge balls. Sadly Kurt only appears for like a milisecond, and there’s no sign of Blaine, but I thought it was creative and defintely got its point across.

Check out the promo below:

The Glee cast also appeared in a video for Fashion’s Night Out in NYC that was shot by Vogue magazine. It’s a must watch. The runway looks in it are sickening and the cast looks amazing. However, there is the glaring omission of Amber Riley who plays Mercedes, that still hasn’t been explained. Check out the full video below:

Local Theater Spotlight: ‘Jersey Boys’

Tonight the Ohio Theatre hosted a “press night” for its three-week run of Jersey Boys, as the national tour sets up shop in Columbus through September 4.

Broadway’s 2006 Best Musical Tony-winner about the sordid rise of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons (America’s Beatles before The Beatles), definitely pleased the mostly middle-aged audience at the packed Ohio Theatre. An intense standing ovation immediately struck as soon as the last chord of the group’s 1975 hit “Who Loves You” was strung.

The show was electrifying. And though my only experience with The Four Seasons has been “oldies” radio and the late Heath Ledger’s swoon-worthy performance of “Can’t Take My Eyes of You” in the 1999 Julie Stiles vehicle 10 Things I Hate About You, it had me captivated from start to finish. The musical is a true testament to the undeniable longevity of classic music. (Interesting side note: The real Frankie Valli, who, surprisingly, is still touring at age 77, will be making his way through Columbus for a holiday show Dec. 9.)

Anyone who hasn’t seen “Jersey Boys” could easily dismiss it as your typically clichéd jukebox musical. A simple male rip off of Dreamgirls. The rags-to-riches tales of pop music stars has been told and retold for centuries. And the story about a group of Italian rough necks fromNew Jersey that make it, against all odds, to the top of the Billboard Charts during the 1960s is as cliché a tale as they come. Not to mention, classic hits like “Sherry,” “Big Girls Don’t Cry,” “Walk Like A Man” and “Bye Bye Baby” have been heard in more movies and commercials than one would care to remember.

So why then does “Jersey Boys” still rock the house in 2011?  Again, it goes back to a cliché. Brilliant storytelling will always pay.

Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice’s Tony-nominated book breaths new life into the Bob Gaudio music and Bob Crewe lyrics that made The Four Seasons legends. Brickman and Elice perfectly build the first act, filled with the ruckus behind Four Seasons originator Tommy DeVito’s (Matt Bailey) shady tactics, toward that first hit that finally put the quartet on the map. When Joseph Leo Bwarie (Frankie Valli) sings the last note of “Sherry” the crowd erupts with satisfaction. Brickman and Elice somehow transports you back to 1962, it’s as if you’re actually watching the group “make it” in real time.

Bailey, Bwarie, Steve Gouveia (Nick Massi) and Quinn VanAntwerp (Gaudio) are a harmonizing dream team as the four leading men. It’s as if Valli’s signature falsetto was transplanted into Bwarie’s vocal chords.

The show’s visuals are equally stunning. Howell Binkley’s Tony-winning lighting nearly steals the show on its own. The Lichtenstein-style projections, period video footage and Jess Goldstein’s era-eccentric costumes perfectly enhanced the spectacle.

We’ve seen many of the themes in this show before—a family torn apart by a traveling musician, fame dangerously heightening a man’s addiction (this time it’s gambling), the drama of a budding star outshining the rest of the group—but we haven’t seen a jukebox musical that’s well written, well staged and well orchestrated from top to bottom, until Jersey Boys.

“Jersey Boys” runs through September 4 at the Ohio Theatre, 39 E. State Street, Columbus. Tickets are $57.50 to $127.50. Call 614-469-0939 or visit www.broadwayacrossamerica. com.

Queer Corner Quickie #28: Seattle Mariners, Alexander McQueen, Ann Coulter, Staceyann Chin, Ricky Martin, Jane Espenson, Rep. Phillip Hinkle

A quick roundup of this week’s gay happenings…

Video of the Week: All the major pro sports teams of Seattle joined together to make a powerful submission to the It Gets Better Project.

And speaking of, Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick released his own It Gets Better video this week.

A Denver lesbian faces deportation Aug. 19, wife helpless because of DOMA.

This week David Boies and Ted Olson, lead attorneys in the American Foundation for Equal Rights’ federal challenge to Proposition 8, accepted the American Bar Association Medal. It is the organization’s highest honor.

Marriage News Watch posted a new video this week with updates on marriage equality and anti-gay marriage initiatives around the country.

The Alexander McQueen exhibit at the Met closed recently and the NY Times is reporting that the exhibit was record breaking, becoming the eighth most popular exhibit in museum’s history. Here’s video of the exhibit.

It was reported last week that Rudolf Brazda, that last living gay holocaust survivor, had passed at age 98. But the Dallas Voice is now reporting that there is another living gay holocaust survivor and his name is Gad Beck.

Ann Coulter has become the newest Board Member for GOProud, the gay conservative group that’s been making waves in the press lately. Here’s a video of Coulter on C-SPAN where she refers to herself as a gay icon. Huh???

Rick Santorum continues to embarrass himself on the campaign trail.

Gay Bashings Report: Convictions upheld in Colorado transgender murder

Great America amusement park in Santa Clara, California is being sued by a gay couple who were targeted there recently. After getting off a ride it was discovered that the picture of them (the one that’s typically taken while your on a ride and aviable for sale afterwards) was posted on another ride for display with the words “Were [sic] Fags” scrawled in neon underneath.

LOL ALERT! John Stamos’ Guide to Cuddling featuring Bob Saget.

Over at The Bilerico Project there’s a great series called Top LGBT Voices Name History’s Essential LGBT Figures.

The LA Times published an amazing feature on Dave Kruger, the first ever openly gay Republican Presidential Candidate.

It’s geting more and more unsafe for gays in Ghana by the day. This week came news that The Presbyterian Church of Ghana is planning to set up “therapy centers” for “homosexual victims” featuring “counselling and rehabilitation” in various communities across the country.

Madonna’s Gaga Nightmare continues.

Here’s a sneak peak of VH1′s new Behind the Music special on Ricky Martin featuring his struggles with being in the closet throughout his career. The special airs tonight at 10 p.m.

Jane Espenson’s (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Dollhouse) new Web series Husbands premieres Sept. 13. It’s been described as Mad About You meets Will & Grace, with a dash of Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog. Here’s a interview with Espenson and the show’s stars, Brad “Cheeks” Bell, and Sean Hemeon.

Last year Aisha and Danielle Moodie-Mills were the first same-sex couple to be featured in Essence.com’s Bridal Bliss wedding features. Now Essence.com offers another feature updating their readers on the couple’s first year of marriage.

Staceyann Chin (an amazing poet and woman I’ve had the pleasure of enjoying dinner with), recently wrote an amazing piece for The Huffington Post called A Single Lesbian’s Quest for Motherhood.

Rep. Phillip Hinkle is the latest Republican Congressman to be caught with his (gay) pants down. He was caught this week picking up an 18-year-old on Craig’s List for a steamy hotel rendezvous. The young man and his sister turned over all of the detailed email correspondences between him and Hinkle to the press. The story(via The Indiana Star) is so thoroughly juicy, I actually felt bad for the guy, for like two seconds.

Out gay CNN contributor LZ Granderson put out an article that’s been getting some buzz. It’s called “‘Date night’ was wrecking my love life” and portends that “date nights” are what’s killing marriages today. He was even interviewed on air about his view.

Photo of the Week: The below sign is being displayed at a Wilmington, North Carolina church, which the pastor is defending in the press. Wilmington Pride is planning a peaceful protest outside the church tomorrow.

Local Theater Spotlight: Available Light staging ‘Falsettos’

Columbus troupe Available Light Theatre is offering up the Tony Award-winning Falsettos next month at the Vern Riffe Center, 77 S. High Street.

The Broadway musical by William Finn and James Lapine is definitely popular amongst the gays. The show follows Marvin as he juggles the drama between his wife, his male lover, his young son and his psychiatrist. It also follows the scary onset of the AIDS epidemic as Marvin watches his partner succumb to the disease in the second act.

Act 1 of Falsettos (“March of the Falsettos”) was originally staged in 1981 and the Act 2 sequel (“Falsettoland”) didn’t arrive until 1990, just after the height of the AIDS epidemic. However, it was when the two came together for a 1992 Broadway debut that it made the most impact, garnering seven Tony nominations and two wins. Here’s an early rave review by Frank Rich, that’s been posted on the AVLT Web site.

AVLT very successfully staged the company’s first musical last year with Sondheim’s “Merrily We Roll Along” so I’m hoping this project will be no different. The troupe has always been known for taking chances and presenting works that haven’t been done very often in Central Ohio. This is a show I’m definitely looking forward to. (In the spirit of full disclosure, I’m a member and an avid fan of Available Light Theatre).

Here’s a sneak peak of the show featuring Nick Lingnofski as Mendel (the psychatrist), who also starred in Merrily We Roll Along, it’s also from the AVLT Web site.

Available Light Theatre’s Falsettos runs Sept. 15 through Oct. 1 in Studio One of the Vern Riffe Center, 77 S. High Street, Columubs. Tickets are on AVLT’s popular “Pay What You Want” system. For more information visit http://avlt.co/falsettos11.

Closeted soldier is captivating YouTube

Back in April a soldier, who grew up in the Bible Belt, is stationed in Europe, but has been deployed to the Middle East, bravely posted a video the would begin the chronicling of his coming out journey. Now after 11 videos, the 21-year-old fearful story is captivating YouTube, and giving the world an unprecedented glimpse into the effects of Don’t Ask Don’t Tell.

Every so often the soldier, who hides his face because it is still illegal for gays to be out in the military (the DADT repeal is still going through a lengthy process that should be resolved by the end of September), will post videos updating his audience (at over 283,000 views and counting) on the progress of his coming out. Up until a July 7th video that featured him coming out to a co-worker in the military, he hadn’t come out to anyone, including his parents, his family and his girlfriend.

All of this of course begs the question, why is he doing this on YouTube? Just for the fame? He addresses this in one of his videos, saying that the YouTube community is typically more supportive and its the many positive comments that’s he’s gotten that is spurring him forward and building his strength to finally come out.

My first question was, how has he not yet been discovered? In a world of hackers and IP addresses, I’m surprised he hasn’t been outed by some blogger, or even by a fellow service member who’s seen him online. He also addresses this issue in one of his videos, saying subconsciously he hopes he is outed, which might somehow make it all easier. Now that the gay blogosphere has picked up the story this may become a reality. I just really hope this isn’t another hoax like A Girl in Damascus.

Though I really don’t think it is a hoax. His raw emotions, Southern child-like voice and slightly juvenile demeanor give of a sense of pure naivete. He doesn’t sound like an experienced orator (the ever present ’uhs’ and ‘ums’ and constant apologies for gasps in time between videos) and he posses a boy-next-door charm that’s undeniable. Even on his Twitter page he show’s his age, posting photos of his abs and discussing his workout regimen. He definitely comes off as your typical 21-year-old male with typical 21-year-old male obsessions.

I think what this soldier is doing is not only truly phenomenal, but revolutionary. I don’t think anything like this has ever been done and it’s putting so much perspective on a policy civilians can’t truly understand. Many like to throw around their opinions on DADT and gays serving in the military, especially those who have never served. I hope this opens a few eyes and I know it’s going to give so many other closeted soldiers hope for their situations.

Check out all the “faceless soldier’s” videos at his YouTube channel called Are You Surprised and you can also follow him on his Twitter page (@areyousurprised). Below are a few my favorite videos from his channel.

The first is one of his latest videos where he discusses if he should come out to a homophobic soldier in his unit.

The second is one of his most popular videos, which, as I mentioned above, features him coming out to a friend in his unit.

And lastly, this is my top favorite video of his thus far. It gives a rare glimpse into those DADT Repeal Military Trainings we’ve been hearing so much about.

Loco Ninja releases new video for ‘I’m In Love’

Earlier this summer gay Latino rapper Loco Ninja was kind enough to give Queer Corner an exclusive interview about his life and his upcoming mix tape Flame On. The tape was released in June and the CD’s debut single “I’m In Love” has been making some serious waves online. Now Loco has come out with a music video for the song, which features Lumidee and Carmen Beretta.

After watching it, I must admit, I was expecting this modern gay hip hop  love story to play out, but Loco takes another route and uses the video as an ode to his hometown of Spanish Harlem. He showcases the area’s vibrant flavor and fashion by taking a walk through the district with friends and family.

I’ve loved this song since I first heard it a few months ago, and despite not getting what I expected, I do love the video. It’s got this ’90s retro flavor to it that I’m loving and the production values are pretty spectacular. But don’t take my word for it. You can check out the full video below.

You can download “I’m In Love” and more from Flame On for free at www.thelocoworld.com.

Queer Corner Quickie #27: NOM, Ghana, NPR, Pink Triangles, Kathy Griffin, Ben Cohen, Beyonce, Lady Gaga, Perez Hilton, Darryl Stephens

A quick roundup of this week’s gay happenings…

Video of the Week: Love this video of out MSNBC anchor Thomas Roberts taking Brian Brown, from the hate group National Organization for Marriage (NOM), to task last week for the controversial marriage pledge they created that was signed by Rick Santorum and Michelle Bachmann.

The war on gays in Ghana still rages on. From Ghana Web: “All efforts are being made to get rid of these people in the society,” Paul Evans Aidoo, Ghana’s Western Regional Minister said in a statement referring to the homosexual community in Ghana.

NPR released a segment last week focusing on gay conversion therapy that’s getting some serious backlash. The piece presents conversion therapy as “controversial” and “still up for debate” when every credible psychiatric association in the country condemns the practice as dangerous and psychologically damaging.

Marriage News Watch recently put up a new video with the latest update on the Prop 8 trial and what’s happening with the Defense of Marriage Act in New York.

Rudolf Brazda, the last living member of the Pink Triangles (a group of people who were sent to the Nazi concentration camps during he Holocaust because they were gay) passed away last week. He was 98. Here’s a video of him telling his brave and emotional story.

The CDC just released a report that shows the rate of HIV infections amongst young black, gay and bisexual men on a steep rise, and “requires urgent action.” Here’s more coverage on the significance of the report from The New York Times.

A video featuring the LGBT community in Detroit recently showed up online. I guess the point was to highlight how the LGBT community is thriving in a city that was hit the worst by the recession.

An LGBT rights group in Jamaica (one of the unsafest places in the world for LGBT individuals) just launched a series of anti-homophobia PSAs that are airing on Jamaican TV. The first one features former Miss Jamaica World and Miss Jamaica Universe Christine Straw and her gay brother, Matthew.

The GOProud/CPAC controversy continues to become volatile.

Don Lemon hosted an “Ask Me Anything” Q&A on Reddit last week that revealed some pretty interesting information about the now out CNN personality and he also gave some amazing advice to youth about coming out.

Nearly 200 people showed up for an impromptu march for equality in Holland, Michigan last week. The city’s government is currently debating an anti-discrimination ordinance that would include gender identity and sexual orientation as part of the city’s anti-discrimination policy.

Gay Bashings Report: ACLU of Florida reaches settlement in unlawful arrest of man reporting police misconduct in Miami Beach | Brother of Brandon McInerney (who killed 14-year-old Lawrence King for allegedly hitting on him in 2009) reveals in court that McInerney was sexually abused as a child | Hundreds rally over string of anti-gay attacks in Long Beach, CA | 5 lesbians attacked in D.C.; police refuse to take report

The Ben Cohen StandUp Foundation is officially up and running! It’s the world’s first foundation dedicated to ant-bullying.

Dolly Parton finally released a statement about the homophobic altercation that took place at Dollywood a couple weeks ago. Though I’m glad she’s “investigating” the situation, it doesn’t look like anything’s going to be done to change the policy.

Beyonce gave her first interview with a gay news source in five years at Pride Source and revealed her long support of the gay community. I’m going to have to call foul. I love me some Bey, but I distinctly remember her toting the “hate the sin, not the sinner” ideology when it comes to gays back during her Destiny’s Child days.

Kathy Griffin was a guest of Piers Morgan Tonight last week and gave her funny spin on various topics from plastic surgery to Michelle and Marcus Bachmann. Here’s a hilarious moment featuring the two of them with Anderson Cooper.

LOL ALERT! College Humor does an interesting parody of the MMA featuring the All Balls Brawl.

Somehow a controversy has exploded over this post on Gawker about rich but unknown 18-year-old Kevin Michael Barba. His reps sent the site a brief press release saying he was an “openly gay, up and coming New York socialite who is currently seeking the help of a PR firm to help him gain recognition and press opportunities…with millions of dollars at his disposal.” Many looked at this as an example of the downfall of gay youth, who want all the superficial trappings of fame without all the pesky hard work. Now Boy Culture has landed an interview with Barba, who just wants to be the next Andy Cohen.

Lady Gaga was a guest host on The View last week. She gave her two cents on a lot of different topics including gay rights. Here’s Part 1 and Part 2 of her full appearance.

I’ve mentioned the new web series Old Dogs & New Tricks before, but now they’ve finally released the pilot. It seems interesting, but I must admit, I think it just offers a tired and very small view of the gay community, but just from an older perspective, which is slightly new. You can check it out here.

Perez Hilton is releasing a children’s book titled “The Boy With Pink Hair” Sept. 1. My only reaction to this: Why???

Photo of the Week: Via Towelroad comes these steamy stills featuring Darryl Stephens (Noah’s Arc) and Danny Roberts (The Real World: New Orleans) from an as-yet-untitled new gay scripted series created by Larry Kennar (Executive Producer of The L Word) about a group of friends in downtown L.A.

Know Thine Enemy: Rick Santorum

Where do I even begin?

Rick Santorum has been been accosting gays verbally in an extremely public fashion for quite some time. But, besides his current campaign to be the GOP’s choice to run against Obama next year, Santorum became known in the gay community in 2003 for a slightly different reason. After he compared legalizing gay marriage to legalizing bestiality, nationally syndicated Seattle columnist Dan Savage (now It Gets Better guru) took to the internet and redefined the word “Santorum” to be the disgusting byproduct of a certain sexual act. (Google it if you must know the details.)

For a while this definition was the first hit the came up on Google when you typed in the Senator’s name. And when he announced his candidacy for President a couple months go the press began referring to it as his “Google problem.” Here’s a segment on the Rachel Maddow show at the start of his campaign with more details on the issue.

Santorum has mostly ignored his “Google problem” and after the Republican candidate debates in Iowa a month ago his position in the polls raised slightly and his verbal attacks on the gay community grew stronger. Here he is with Don Lemon talking about how he has gay friends who respect his anti-gay positions. It sounds too much like the “I have black friends, so I’m not racist” speech to me, which Lemon slyly brings up.

Then New York granted gays the right to marry, and Santorum began frothing at the mouth. At a campaign stop in Iowa, just after the decision came down, Santorum promised to “go to New York” and overturn the law when he’s elected president. It then got much worse at the Western Conservative Summit in Denver where he said “states do not have the right to destroy the American family.”  (You can see video of that hate speech below). He later told the Des Moines Register that gay marriage “redesigns” American culture and that he supports a federal ban.

As I said, Santorum has always quickly dismissed his “Google problem” as an immature attack by the left. That is, until now. Savage took to the internet again recently, but this time to issue a warning to Santorum. He would redefine his first name, “Rick,” if he didn’t stop picking on the gays. You can view the full video threat with the way more disgusting new definition below.

After a reporter again addressed Dan Savage and the “Google” problem, Santorum went on the defensive saying Savage was “below the dignity of anybody.”

Well, it doesn’t look like Santorum is giving up on the gay hate mongering anytime soon, so it looks like Savage will more than likely be calling his bluff. But I do know one thing for sure, a person with all that hate isn’t someone ANYONE should be supporting as our next president.

NAACP Convention hosts historic LGBT Town Hall Meeting [VIDEO]

Thanks to NoMoreDownLow.tv video of the historic LGBT Town Hall Meeting held at the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People’s 102nd Annual National Convention in Los Angeles last week has finally been released. Twitter has been abuzz for the past few weeks about the the meeting which is a firs in the NAACP Convention’s long history.

Many well known faces in the black gay community were on the panel including comedian Wanda Sykes, filmmaker Patrik Ian-Polk and CNN anchor Don Lemon (who moderated the event). Former NAACP president Julian Bond was also on the panel.

Based on No More Down Low’s coverage (you can see the full video below), there seemed to be a lot of back and forth, with tempers flying pretty high. It seems like the NAACP Board Members on the panel spent most of their time trying to defend themselves and provide a long history of their support of the gay community. I personally wasn’t buying it. Many of their leaders have come out against the gay rights movement, many of whom are leaders in the homophobic black church. But I do appreciate their current efforts to be more inclusive.

The major takeaway from this has definitely been that it’s a step in the right direction, but according to the footage show in the video, it doesn’t look like there was much of a turnout. You would think that at least the celebrity panel was have filled the room. But it seems that the black community still has a long way to go before gays are fully accepted or even taken seriously.

I do agree that this was an amazing first step for the NAACP and I do hope they continue to provide this forum at their convention every year.

Local Theatre Spotlight: Weathervane Playhouse’s ‘Chicago’

The razzle and dazzle of John Kander and Fred Ebb’s “Chicago” has made its way out to Newark as Weathervane Playhouse takes on the classic Bob Fosse choreographed satire on justice and fame.

The popular dance heavy musical has gone through a few incarnations over the years from its flashy Broadway debut in 1975 to the stripped down, jazz club cabaret-style 1996 Broadway revival to Rob Marshall’s critically lauded 2002 film remake.

Weathervane takes its cue from each, providing an amped night of show-stopping vocals and burlesque style dance numbers. A raised platform at the back of the stage houses a horn-heavy orchestra and flashy lighting set the stage for the copiousness of 1920s show business.

The story follows the rise-fall-rise of merry murderesses Velma Kelly and Roxie Hart, based off characters covered by reporter Maurine Dallas Watkins who she immortalized in her popular 1926 play of the same name. Kelly (Sara Michalski) is an already famous vaudeville double act with her sister, who she kills, along with her husband, after she catches them “rehearsing” without her, while Hart (Molly Coyne) jumps from wannabe star to actual star for plugging boyfriend Fred Casely (Ross Lemmon) when he tries to leave her.

If Weathervane’s packed opening is any indication, “Chicago” is still a classic for the ages. And its themes of phony fame an sensationalism have become more relevant than ever, as the American ideal of infamy continues to reach new heights of ridiculous. In a time when clebrity is only a reality show or alleged child killing away, it seems the good ol’ “razzle dazzle” is still all it takes to make a national impact.

The large cast tirelessly plows through the dance heavy show, director/choreographer Scott Keys relies heavily on Fosse’s original vision. This is especially the case during the “All That Jazz” opening and “Razzle Dazzle.” However it does at times feel like the troupe has bit off more than they can chew with the complicated show, showing most during “The Cell Block Tango.” Though the femme fatale themes of a woman scorned are emoted perfectly, it comes off rigid, as if the dancers were still trying get down the moves.

The key players are a delight. Michalski shows fierce animosity as Kelly, the woman Hart’s replaced. Her footwork is impeccable during “I Can’t Do It Alone” and “When Velma Takes the Stand.” And Coyne is pure vamp as the clueless Roxie, heavily showcased during “Roxie” and her interactions with crooked lawyer Billy Flynn (Philip Black). The two are also a force to be reckoned with when they team up during “I’m My Own Best Friend” and the Fosse-tinged finale.

Black is perfectly cast as Flynn who represents both Kelly and Hart. He enters ironically belting “All I Care About Is Love” in his boxers and his swarthy turn as a skilled conductor of the press during “We Both Reached for the Gun” nearly steals the show.

Courtney McClellan sexes up the typically droll Matron Mama Morton, commanding the stage with a fierce strut during “When Your Good To Mama” and adding welcomed flair, like the flash of a little leg here and there, to liven up the character. Her duet with Coyne on “Class” was also one of the night’s major highlights.

Carlos Leon hilariously dons drag and a pitch-perfect operatic tone for pushover reporter Mary Sunshine and Dennis Kohler also shines as Hart’s painfully devoted, droopy-eyed husband Amos.

The band, led by Cheridy Keller, stumbled slightly through the first act but was effortlessly making its way through the catchy Kander/Ebb score by intermission. Renee M. Bell’s costumes did seem a bit conservative for “Chicago’s” sexualized overtones, but adequately represented Prohibition-era Chicago. The set designers (orchestrated by stage manager Owen Beamer) appropriately kept it minimal, leaving room for the large ensemble numbers, often rotating in set pieces from behind a red velvet curtain at one side of the stage.

In the end, Weathervane’s “Chicago” stays true to the original’s core while adding a few modern dalliances, making it an ultimate summer treat for theatergoers.

“Chicago” runs July 28-Aug. 6 at Weathervane Playhouse (100 Price Road, Newark). Tickets are $14-$26. For more information visit WeathervanePlayhouse.org. 

~This post is courtesy of CentralOhioTheatreRoundtable.org