One That Got Away: Angels in America: Perestroika (1993)

I had the distinct privilege of seeing Angels in America: Millennium Approaches on Broadway at a matinee during New York Pride. The Walter Kerr Theatre was packed, and the place had a hum of electricity. There was something extra special about seeing this particular play with this particular audience. It was human. It was community. It was magic. I will never forget the raucous laughter. Or the angry murmurs during the explosive Roy Cohn scenes. Or the collective gasp, followed by a distinct moment of silence, followed by audible weeping, when Prior first reveals his AIDS lesions. At one point, the actors had to stop and graciously offered appreciative and knowing nods of understanding directly to us, so emotional was the response. 

I went there by myself, but I left as part of a family. The older gentleman who sat next to me (and who shared his grief over the loss of his partner during intermission) walked out with me, saying he hoped to see me that evening for the next part. No, I told him, I have to catch a train home. He looked disappointed. And then he hugged me and said, "Thank you." I watched him get lost in the Times Square post-theater crowd. I never did get his name, and I didn't fully realize why the hug and gratitude until I was well on my way home. We were there for each other - complete strangers - when being alone wasn't part of the experience. We were part of the very special gay community at a very particular point in time. When it was over, we were neither strangers nor alone.

All these years later, I think of him and of the play we shared. And of the play we missed sharing together.

One That Got Away:

Angels in America: Perestroika

In the years since, I have seen the second play in various forms: a college production, the HBO movie, and in the recent Broadway revival. It is my favorite of the two plays. The messy emotions, the politics, the fantasy all combine to give me a nearly perfect, inherently theatrical experience. And yet, despite my preference for part two, and despite how much I adored the revival version, I still have that nagging feeling that I really missed out by not seeing Angels in America: Perestroika that warm summer evening at the Walter Kerr.

I always wonder what that cast was like doing the show together that very same evening. Would they be exhausted? Would the staging be as awesome as part one? How would the Angel make her entrances this time? By most accounts, they were spectacular.

But I am equally (if not a little more) certain that I really missed out on the experience with that particular audience. Our own unique community, together again, but never again thereafter. And I wonder if my matinee friend enjoyed it, and if he went home alone, thinking about his loss. What would we have talked about during intermission? Would we tell each other our names?

Would we hug goodbye again? This time, I'd be sure to say "thank you."

Nearly 30 years later, I'm pretty sure he has passed on. I hope, if there is Heaven, that the Angel greeted him as he reunited with his partner. Like I said, I think of him often.

#2583

The Friday 5: Gay Characters That Influence

In honor of the last days of Pride Month, I offer 5 Gay and Lesbian characters from plays and musicals that have had a huge impact on my life.  There are many more than five, of course, but these stand out to me for a variety reasons. It wouldn't seem right to "rank" them, so I present them in order of their Broadway debut.

THE FRIDAY 5: INFLUENTIAL GAY CHARACTERS

Zach (Robert LuPone) comforts Paul (Sammy Williams)
A Chorus Line

Paul San Marco - A Chorus Line (1975)
Seeing Paul San Marco open up about his homosexuality in his monologue was the first time I ever saw someone like me being portrayed on stage. I wept openly. It was a life-changing moment for me.  I suspect I am not alone in this.  A Chorus Line will probably always be my favorite musical, and Paul has a lot to do with that.

"I Am What I Am" Zsa Zsa (George Hearn)
La Cage aux Folles

Albin/Zsa Zsa - La Cage aux Folles (1983)
In the summer of 1984, my life changed again in many ways, thanks to a Broadway musical.  It was my first trip to New York as an adult, and I went with my first real crush. We saw La Cage aux Folles at the Palace Theatre. There were protesters picketing outside, with really insulting, demeaning placards. My first (and admittedly small) gay pride moment came when we took each other's hand and walked right through the picketers and into the lobby.  And then came Zsa Zsa. Proud, defiant, ripping off her wig and belting "I Am What I Am" before storming up the aisle to thunderous applause. I swelled with pride. What a moment!

Prior Walter (Andrew Garfield) meets The Angel (Beth Malone)

Angels in America

Prior Walter - Angels in America: Millennium Approaches/Angels in America: Perestroika (1993)
I saw Millennium Approaches when it was on Broadway in 1994 during Gay Pride Weekend and I'll never forget it - the emotion from the audience was palpable. I didn't see Perestroika until some time later. And it wasn't until this past season that I saw them all at once. But through every version, one character stuck with me: Prior Walter. You need to understand that I hit my sexual awakening during the height of the AIDS crisis. Fear pretty much ruled my life. And so when I saw Prior live life on his terms and come out on the other side of it all strong and focused. I felt overwhelmingly hopeful.

Dr. Brookner (Ellen Barkin) gives a lecture
The Normal Heart

Dr. Emma Brookner - The Normal Heart (2011)
Though I came to Larry Kramer's masterpiece late, it's impact was in no way diminished.  All of the characters were bluntly honest - the good, the bad, the pretty, the ugly all on display. But it was Dr. Emma Brookner that hit me like a gut punch and made me want to leave the theater and get active. And Ellen Barkin was simply breathtaking.

Alison: Emily Skeggs, Beth Malone, Sydney Lucas
Fun Home

Alison Bechdel - Fun Home (2015)
If you read the blog regularly, you know that this show means A LOT to me and Alison Bechdel (author, not character) is a personal hero of mine. But the show really opened my eyes and heart to my gay sisters.  Probably the best thing about the show - as far as Alison's growth as a lesbian, anyway - is the universality of her growth.  It should be required viewing for everyone. And thank you, Alison (and Jeanine and Lisa) for "Ring of Keys." It gave that moment in my life a name. (The line below fills my heart to overflowing...)

(Photos by M. Swope, J. Marcus and Brinkoff/Mogenburg)

REVIEW: Angels in America

Review of the Thursday, May 3, 2018 (Millennium Approaches) and Friday, May 4, 2018 (Perestroika) performances at the Neil Simon Theatre in New York City.  Starring Andrew Garfield, Nathan Lane, Susan Brown, Denise Gough, Amanda Lawrence, James McArdle, Lee Pace and Nathan Stewart-Jarrett.  Written by Tony Kushner. Music by Adrian Sutton. Scenic Design by Ian MacNeil and Edward Pierce. Costume Design by Nicky Gillibrand. Lighting Design by Paul Constable. Puppet design by Finn Caldwell and Nick Barnes. Direction by Marianne Elliott. Part I: 3 hours, 30 minutes with two 15 minute intermissions; Part II: 4 hours, with two 15 minute intermissions.

Grade:  A+

The first time I saw Angels in America, it was the original Broadway production of Millennium Approaches. It was amazing, life-changing theater. I remember a very intense feeling in the the audience, as if each word held the secret of life. It was very intense and extremely emotional. Together we laughed, grew silent in seething anger, and wept in despair.  In fact, it was the weeping I remember most vividly - particularly the sobs that greeted the reveal of Prior Walter's first lesion. It was a special matinee performance during Gay Pride weekend in June 1994, and the wounds of the AIDS crisis were fresh.

Amanda Lawrence and Andrew Garfield

When I revisited Angels this past weekend, it was, once again, an intense, emotional experience. This time around, the laughs were easier and even heartier than before.  And the anger felt more intense.  But I didn't hear (or even feel the need for) crying this time around. A lot has changed in the quarter century since the play premiered.  AIDS is no longer a death sentence; the shame of being queer is less an issue (I pray), and homosexuality is much less of a cultural novelty/taboo.  Of course, American politics these days are as frightening as they ever were, probably more so.  You can practically hear our president wailing, "WHERE'S MY ROY COHN??" The balance has shifted in the last 25 years: before, the AIDS tragedy was in the forefront, set against a backdrop of politics; now, the politics are in the forefront, set against a backdrop of the AIDS crisis. It is quite telling that a speech about racism in America got the biggest hand of the night this time around. Ultimately, these different but equally intense reactions to this epic speak to the enduring quality of  Tony Kushner's work. In short, this brilliant master work was must-see theater then and is now.

Denise Gough

Marianne Elliott has once again proven that she is a master at staging epic theater. Just as she did with War Horse, she has again staged large scale pieces - think big production numbers - that have a wow factor that leaves you mouth-agape and breathless. Whether is the lonely snow scape of Antarctica, a full-out fight with an angel, or a "backstage battle" between a prophet and a heavenly flock of angels, the epic scenes are a feast.  That is not to say that they ever overshadow while the rest of the play gets lost.  No. In fact, the small scenes are just as epic - words and actions cut like daggers, and the ebb and flow of emotions is so carefully planned, that the "small" scenes feel epic and the "big" stagy scenes feel intimate.  The scenic design (by Ian MacNeil and Edward Pierce), lighting (by Paul Constable) and the score (by Adrian Sutton) -Tony nominees all - all contribute to the intricate chaos created by reality and fantasia.  Each element informs each moment to hit a perfect balance.

Susan Brown

But a brilliant script and equally brilliant direction only works with a cast that is up to the task.  This cast is more than up to it. They elevate it.  Each actor plays several characters, but none more than Tony nominee Susan Brown and Amanda Lawrence. Ms. Brown has the widest range of roles play, and, frankly, isn't entirely successful with all of them. Neither her "rabbi" or "oldest living Bolshevik" are completely devoid of her femininity, but they still serve their purposes.  She intrigues as a ghostly presence as Ethel Rosenberg to be sure. But she more than acquits herself in the pivotal character of Hannah Pitt, an unlikely heroine who undergoes and beautiful transformation. Watching that happen is one of the great pleasures of Perestroika, just as watching Ms. Lawrence's enigmatic, mysterious and thrilling Angel is.  Her physicality, at once broken and strangely athletic, is riveting, and her line delivery is mesmerizing.  The effect is fantastic and otherworldly. And kudos to her, her "Angel Shadows" and the design of Finn Caldwell and Nick Barnes, and the team behind the entire movement/fight sequence - absolutely breathtaking.

With incredible presence and flair, Nathan Stewart-Jarrett's Belize, is a fiery force of nature. His comic timing is spot on, as is his gift for walking that line between just enough and excess.  But most remarkable is his innate ability to show us, with razor-like precision, the searing anger and proud resistance that lies beneath every barb.  The other raging inferno of the cast is the wonderful James McArdle, who, as loud-mouthed but weak, politically charged but self-righteous, Louis Ironson, manages the impossible.  He makes a very unlikeable, cowardly man compelling nonetheless. It is a shame that the Tony nominators couldn't make room for these fine actors.

James McArdle and Nathan Stewart-Jarrett

Lee Pace, as Mormon Joe Pitt, delivers an amazing performance that makes you feel every one of his character's multitude of emotions. Not just because he is very tall and strongly built, Pace towers over others by using his physicality to inform every scene he is in.  Sometimes menacing, sometimes surprisingly weak, his presence and bearing draw your eye and it is difficult to look away. Watching his Joe fight, break and rebuild is one of this season's greatest pleasures.  The same could be said for Denise Gough's breakthrough performance as anxiety-ridden, pill-popping, is-she-hallucinating-or-is-she-facing-reality Harper Pitt. This woman is a force of nature, giving one of the great performances of the season. Riveting from start to finish, Ms. Gough allows us to admire, revile, be fascinated by, turn away from and feel everything for this woman.

Lee Pace, Andrew Garfield, Nathan Lane

I must admit that generally I feel that a little bit of Nathan Lane can go a really long way.  When he is on, he is ON, and you never really forget that you are watching Nathan Lane as Nathan Lane.  And at first, his performance here is just that. For about 5 minutes. Then, all of a sudden, you are watching a hateful, disgusting human being lord over anyone and everything in his path.  In short, Mr. Lane is giving the performance of his storied career. This is a ferocious, balls to the wall tour de force turn that is so intense, it is a relief when he appears as a Ghost of Prior Past full of his trademark flare. A full week later now, and I am still having flashbacks of his venomous delivery and the shocking realism of his seizure-filled descent toward death.  Far and away, though, the one who almost steals the show all to himself is the amazing Andrew Garfield. There simply aren't enough adjectives to describe this performance.  I will say that seeing him perform here has been one of the great privileges I've ever had in 35 years of theater going. He creates such a complex character in Prior Walter that it is like watching the proverbial onion being peeled, layer by painful layer, right in front of you. Mr. Garfield is just incredible - a performance not to missed. I am now a fan.

Andrew Garfield

Smartly, both plays are staged very differently, with Millennium Approaches the more conventional of the two, and Perestroika the more "fantasia."  In both cases, though, fasten your seat belts.  Angels in America is one hell of a ride.

(Photos by J. Kyler, Brinkhoff/Mogenburg and H. Maybanks)

THE FRIDAY 5: 2018 Male Performances

Each Friday, I'll share a list of 5 Broadway related people, places or things that are on my mind. (And please feel free to send me ideas - or your own Friday 5!)

Between February and May, I have A LOT of theater visits coming up, and I'm thinking of all the performances I'm looking forward to. I made a list of them all, then agonized over which 5 male and 5 female performances were the ones I was looking forward to most of all.  This week, my Friday 5 features the top actors I'm looking forward to most.

THE FRIDAY 5: 

THE TOP MALE PERFORMANCES

JEFF IS LOOKING FORWARD TO 

5.  JOHN RIDDLE: FROZEN

John Riddle in Frozen is the "perfect storm" for me.  I find the actor to be captivating - that mysterious smile, the triple-threat talent (did you see him in The Visit?), and, well, he's very good looking. But I am just as interested in the character he'll be playing - the handsome, dashing, duplicitous and downright evil villain of the piece. That plot twist gets me every time!

4.  ANDREW GARFIELD: ANGELS IN AMERICA

I find Andrew Garfield to be much like John Riddle.  I mean, he's got it all - he's adorable and talented in a variety of ways.  I missed him in Death of a Salesman.  I'm thrilled I won't be missing him in this epic role. I love it when movie stars come to Broadway and bring more than just their name.

3.  ISAAC POWELL: ONCE ON THIS ISLAND

Is there anything more exciting than being there at the start of a brand new, sure-to-be-great career?  That's exactly why I can't wait to see Isaac Powell as the privileged and ill-fated Daniel. And to see him with another up and comer, Hailey Kilgore, is the icing on the cake!

2.  ARI'EL STACHEL: THE BAND'S VISIT

I can't quite put my finger on why Ari'el Stachel is on this list.  After all, there's so many things I'm looking forward to when I see The Band's Visit later this month.  But there's something about him that stands out - one of those actors who draws your eye, and you find yourself watching them, even when they aren't the focus of the scene. Nonetheless, his is the performance (along with Katrina Lenk) I am most excited about!

1.  JOSHUA HENRY: CAROUSEL

I've long admired Joshua Henry, from his thrilling turn in American Idiot to his touching powerhouse performance in Violet, and his tour de force leading role in The Scottsboro Boys. Now I can't wait to see what he does with this iconic leading role in Carousel. In a cast of Broadway standouts, his part in this has the potential to make history. I can't wait to witness his brilliance again.

What do you think? Did I miss any that would be on your list? Am I way off or right on target? Let me know via Twitter - @jkstheatrescene (#Friday5) or email: jkstheatrescene@yahoo.com. 

HONORABLE MENTION: 

JORDAN DONICA: MY FAIR LADY

Can't wait to hear his voice tackle the classic "On the Street Where You Live."  enough said!

#MyBroadwayThing: Cast "Art Photos"

<<<<< DON'T FORGET TO VOTE FOR THE GOLD, SILVER & BRONZE IN THE BROADWAY OLYMPICS: TEAM ONCE ON THIS ISLAND!!

So, if you are reading this, you no doubt have more than a passing interest in theater in general and Broadway, specifically.  Well, me, too. I have shows I am obsessed with and certain performers, composers, playwrights and designers whose every move gets my attention.  I'm pretty sure we all do.

But if you are into this like I am, you know that even the most specific aspects of productions can get us excited about a show. I notice everything - the tiniest changes in a show logo, website quality, even those fliers they try to shove in your hand when you walk around Times Square. (Shout out to those Chicago gals in red tights and bowler hats, who do their best Fosse moves to give you a slip of paper!) And thus, a new regular column is born: #MyBroadwayThing.

This time around I'll share my newest "thing": those artful, usually modern-dress, tableau photos of show casts in settings and poses that are thematically similar to the show they are in.  I LOVE THESE THINGS!  I love that they make my mind work - I focus on the background, the composition, and, of course, the most minute details of the actors' expressions and body language.  I really love how they bridge the "real world" and the world of the play.

Here are a few of my favorites:

Angels in America: Millennium Approaches/Perestroika

The approaching storm, the looks of anger, hurt, fear, and defiance. Notice how no one is looking at each other? How Andrew Garfield is the only one going up the hill, and Nathan Lane is going down? And the way Denise Gough holds her clasped hands to her chest, while Lee Pace sulks wistfully? The battered American flag skirt on Amanda Lawrence's broken-but-surviving angel? This amazing photo tells us all about the relationships of these people and is a visual representation of those titular National Themes...as relevant today as ever. (If not more...)

Come From Away

I wonder if what I see in this picture will be colored by or change when I finally get to see this show?  But then again, aren't these photographs supposed to entice viewers into seeing a show they haven't seen? Of course, I know enough about the show to glean some show-related details.  Crowded at an airport gate...stranded, uncomfortable passengers, bags at hand... captain very serious and arms folded to enforce her leadership status (and maybe to hold herself back from showing her own fears).  A closer look shows a cross-section of world cultures - a microcosm of humanity brought together, and not for a happy reason. Notice the most colorful things in the photo are the Canadian flags, and the hockey jersey wearing, plaid-clad (and only smiler) Canadians themselves.  I can't wait to hear their story!

My Fair Lady

My enjoyment of this deceptively simple photograph is definitely informed by my knowledge of the show that is its subject. From the show: first of all, the location fairly screams a British regal sensibility: the hallways around a center, polished wood railings, 19th century-esque metal work below the railings. And there's the relationship between both couples: father-daughter, mother-son. Lastly, The background subjects are Ascot Gavotte-ready socialites. But notice that the primary subjects (Norbert Leo Butz, Lauren Ambrose, Diana Rigg and Harry Haddon-Paton) are in modern dress, on a leisurely stroll, while the socialites in period dress are behaving more like 21st century people - social networking/gossiping or running off in a blur to the "next thing." Translation: this My Fair Lady is both timeless and timely.  Way to get modern audiences to buy a ticket to an old-fashioned classic!

DO YOU HAVE A "BROADWAY THING"? TWEET ME USING #MyBroadwayThing or email me at jkstheatrescene@yahoo.com .

Looking Ahead to 2018, Part II: The New Shows

<<<<<<<  DON'T FORGET THIS WEEK'S POLL!

Yesterday, I talked about the shows I was looking forward to that are already established. Today, I'll go over the new shows I'm definitely getting to. And I'll end with a short list of not guaranteed possibilities. (* - tickets already purchased.)

The 2017 - 2018 Season: The Plays

*Angels in America: Millennium Approaches and Perestroika - I've seen various productions of this epic over the years, including the original production of Part I.  This is an important work that has so much to it that it bears repeat viewing, and my hope is that a fresh take on it, along with the incomparable Nathan Lane, will bring even more layers to the surface.  And I'm looking forward to seeing Andrew Garfield live on stage as well.

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Parts One and Two - If the ticket gods are on my side, and I'm given the chance to even purchase a pair, I'm looking forward to this for several reasons. One, I'm a fan of the books/films/characters, and I'm intrigued by the casting. Two, I enjoy fanciful, epic staging when it is called for (War Horse comes to mind), that shows how the imagination needed for live theater can be as powerful as movie magic (if not more). And third, it sounds like the antidote to the other two-part epic above.

*Three Tall Women -  I love the mental exercise of an Albee play, but the truth of the matter is that the draw here for me is Laurie Metcalf.  She is one of my all-time favorite actresses.

The 2017 - 2018 Season: The Musicals

*Chess (Kennedy Center) - Where do I start? The casting? The director? No. The score. One of my absolute favorites. Ever. And the continuing quest for a book that works.  But, yeah, Michael Mayer, Raul Esparza, Ramin Karimloo, Ruthie Ann Miles and Karen Olivo... no matter what, it will be a thrill.

*Frozen - I realize that it isn't culturally cool to love this property anymore...something about backlash or overexposure, or some other silliness, but I love the film, the message, the characters, the story, and, yes, "Let It Go." Say what you want about commercialism, blah, blah, blah... but Disney Theatrical puts on a hell of a show.  (Can't wait to see Sven!) A giggly Patti Murin and Caissie Levy holding court and belting? I am so there!

*Carousel - Another no-brainer, given the casting (I've been a Joshua Henry and Jessie Mueller fan forever). But it is also the only Rodgers and Hammerstein musical I've never seen on stage. Oh, and "The Carousel Waltz" is one my favorite pieces of music ever written.

*Mean Girls - Fun and splashy musicals can be just as terrific as the heavier stuff, and I love the movie on which this is based.  Bitchy high school girls are just one step away from fag hags, right? Writer Tina Fey and the star power of Kerry Butler, Barrett Wilbert Weed, Ashley Park, Kate Rockwell and the underrated Taylor Louderman should combine to make a very fetch funny evening.

*My Fair Lady - Easily one of my favorite "classics," I can't wait to see a full blown, professional staging, and Bartlett Sher (along with Lincoln Center Theater) is just the guy to do it. Plus, he's one of the few directors who seems to understand how to stage something at the Beaumont.

Possibilities/Likely:

SpongeBob SquarePants - Full disclosure: I've never seen an entire episode of the show.  And that's  what's holding me back, really.  But the buzz is great, the creativity of the whole enterprise appeals to me, and I am a big Wesley Taylor fan (and Ethan Slater sure is easy on the eyes...).

Escape to Margaritaville - Full disclosure: I know almost nothing about Jimmy Buffet's music, but the vibe of the logo and pre-Broadway production photos appeal to me. Mellow can be good... and any excuse to have a margarita is reason enough to consider this one.

Summer - Full disclosure: I am a HUGE Donna Summer fan.  I can't sit still when I hear her music (which may be a problem for whoever sits next to me).  I'm not one of those people who automatically dismisses jukebox musicals or these bio-musicals. I just hope this isn't as dull as Beautiful, or as frustrating as Jersey Boys - play most of the song, please.  And I hope it's as fun as Mamma Mia! or On Your Feet! (I don't think this lends itself the the epic creativity of American Idiot...)

What are YOUR plans for the rest of the season? Take the survey at the top of the left column, and leave your comments below..  Thanks!

It Gets Better, Doesn't It?

Today is Spirit Day at It Gets Better.  As a show of hope and unity, they are encouraging suppoters of LGBT youth to wear purple.

As the National discussion about bullying in general, and the bullying of gay teens continues, we continue to take steps forward and steps backwards on the quest to full acceptance of everyone's differences.  There have been several events this week related to that very subject, and not too surprisingly, the theatre community is a part of it all.

Step Forward:  Actor Zachary Quinto, star of stage (Angels in America, 8) and screen (TV: Heroes, Film: Star Trek) came out this week.  When a celebrity publicly identifies him or herself as homosexual, the hope is that by living a more honest life in the open, it will encourage others to do the same.  And in this case, good has come from bad.  Mr. Quinto explained that part the impetus for his "coming out" was the tragic suicide of gay teen Jamey Rodemeyer.  They had something in common, too; they have both created video messages for the It Gets Better Campaign.  That fact makes the young teen's death even more sad.  Quinto himself admitted that that link made it even more crucial for him to go to the press to make his lifestyle announcement.  All of us, of course, hope that by living an open and honest life, that being gay will become that much more "business as usual" and commonplace.  And by making it more "normal," the hope is that closeted gay people will come out instead of being bullied and taking their own lives.  And so, with another famous actor out, perhaps his brave admission will make it that much easier for even one more person.  Perhaps the life and death of bullied teens like Mr. Rodemeyer will have not been entirely in vain.



Zachary Quinto and Christian Borle in the recent
 off-Broadway production of Angels in America 


Another Step Forward:  Long time supporter of The Trevor Project, Daniel Radcliffe, star of Broadway's How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying and the Harry Potter film franchise and producers of the revival held a benefit performance of the show on October 6th, where a portion of ticket sales, as well as the proceeds from a post-show auction of memorabilia were donated to The Trevor Project.  That organization provides a 24/7/365 crisis hot line and suicide prevention programs for LGBT youth.  Their efforts raised over $15,000, and, thanks to Givenik.com, you can still contribute.  A portion of each H2$ ticket purchased at that site will be donated to that very worthwhile organization.



A Step Backward: And lest we remain too pleased with ourselves, the very reason why continued awareness and programs aimed at youth - high school students particularly - need to continue, and frequently, happened at just such an event in Hartford, Connecticut.  A pair of local organizations sponsored a presentation of the role-reversal musical, Zanna, Don't!, and when a scene in the show had two male cast members kissed, a group of students protested by walking out of the presentation.  They were identified as members of the football team (they were wearing their jerseys), and it is pretty clear it was planned by at least some of them, as the school had notified all students, parents and faculty of the content in advance, and students who objected were not required to attend.  (A more detailed explanation of the entire situation can be found HERE.)  Talk about irony.



These organizations sponsored the Hartford, CT
production of Zanna, Don't!


A Possible Step Forward?: The above situation is EXACTLY why the folks over at Glee need to continue and finish the Karofsky bullying/closeted athlete storyline.  Many gay teens who are struggling look to the show for relief and acceptance.  (Jamey Rodemeyer and recent Canadian suicide victim, Jamie Hubley, both publicly said that the show offered them hope.)  And I'm willing to bet at least one of those protesting football players is struggling with it himself.  Please keep helping.  Bring back Karofsky... we could all learn a lot from him.  All of us: gay athletes, athletes and others learning to accept gays, and ultimately, all students understanding and accepting each other no matter what.  Glee can, and should, be a new step forward.

In the meantime, let's celebrate two theatre-related steps forward!

For more information:
http://www.givenik.com/
http://www.thetrevorproject.org/
http://www.itgetsbetter.org/



Jeff
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