Q_CULTURALevents - To Parent Directory

www.ExpressGayNews.com • February 9, 2004 Q1
Q_COVERstory
By Mary Damiano
Eartha Kitt: outspoken and out of this world
Sexy legend launches cabaret series at Miami Beach club
Eartha Kitt is a no-nonsense
woman who doesn’t take
any crap. Just ask her what
she thinks of Madonna’s
“Santa Baby,” or Britney
and Madonna’s kiss or the
definition of a star. Just ask
her, and she’ll tell you.
One would expect nothing
less from a legend, who, at age
77, is still performing and
still packing them in. In
fact, Kitt will bring
her sensual style
to Miami Beach
Feb. 13-15 to
launch
the
cabaret series at
the new club
FifteenOne
Barton G.
While Kitt may be
best known as one of
three actresses who
played the feline villain
Catwoman on the TV
series “Batman” and for
her sizzling song “Santa
Baby,” which steams up
the airwaves every
December, her career has
spanned decades of work on
stage, screen and turntables.
She got her start as a
dancer, then singer and made
Q2
www.ExpressGayNews.com • February 9, 2004
appearances on dozens of TV
shows in the 1950s and ’60s.
She has also enjoyed a
celebrated career as a
recording artist and
cabaret
singer,
performing all over the
world. Indeed, her
allure is such that two
of her songs, “C’est Si
Bon” and “Je Cherche Un
Homme,” are featured on
the soundtrack for the
film “Something’s Gotta
Give.”
Refreshing,
outspoken and honest,
Eartha Kitt is the type of
person whose respect
really means something.
Praise from her is a pretty
marvelous thing, because she
doesn’t hand it out easily. Eartha Kitt
has always followed her own path
and her own heart, and that way of
thinking — being true to herself —
has enabled her to last long after
many of the entertainers of her day
are gone. And she is very proud to
be an entertainer. “The entertainer
is what makes the world go round,”
Kitt says. “We keep the gates of
the world open, whereas
politicians and organizations can
easily close them.”
Sexy images
Even though Eartha Kitt is revered for her
natural sensuality and her throaty, unique
voice, there have been times when her sexy
image has been a hindrance. For Kitt’s
performances on “The Ed Sullivan Show,” she
was asked to always wear pants, because
whenever she wore a dress, Sullivan received
negative letters, calling her overly sexy. She
has been turned down for commercials
because her voice was deemed too sexy.
“It causes a problem because you don’t
get certain things going for you, especially
on television, because you’re going into
people’s living rooms and they are afraid that
you might cause some type of disturbance
because you’re too sexy,” she says. “I never
thought about making myself sexy. Just
wearing a decollete dress doesn’t make you
sexy. Showing your boobs doesn’t make you
sexy. It’s just the way I was born.”
Definition of a star
The word “star” is not a word that
Eartha Kitt uses lightly. “I don’t think there
are any real sophisticated stars,” she says.
“They’re not interested in stars — people
who have the ability to be the good actress,
to be the intelligent interpreter. They just
want something they can duplicate.
Everybody’s a big name, but that doesn’t
mean you’re a star.”
Even Marilyn Monroe doesn’t pass
Kitt’s muster for the title of star. “She was a
great entertainer and she was a big name
and she excited people, but as far as a star,
no.”
Kitt will allow that the last great star
was Greta Garbo. “She had the charisma,
and she was a fantastic actress. She had
everything going for her.”
In her opinion, actress Gloria Rueben,
known for her roles on “E.R.” and “The
Agency” is a star. “She seems to have the
dignity and the intelligence.” Kitt says.
“Rather than throwing herself out there, she
is very sophisticated, and I like that. She’ll
be here much longer than any of the others
will be here.”
When it comes to the latest crop of pop
stars, Kitt is quick to praise a certain pop
princess adept at making headlines.
“Britney’s got a lot going for her,” Kitt says.
“She didn’t have to go down to kissing
Madonna.”
Kitt disapproves of publicity stunts like
the Britney-Madonna kiss. “You’re
prostituting yourself in order to say what?
‘I want to make more money?’ Britney
reminds me of myself as far as the body.
She’s got a lot going for her.”
And what does Kitt think of Britney’s
co-star in that infamous kiss? “I don’t think
about Madonna,” she says. “Why should I
waste my time thinking about Madonna? I
wish I was making the money she was making
— but even then, I don’t think so. I like what
I’m doing, and as long as I can make a decent
living for myself and my child and her unit,
who needs to make a lot of money? You
become big business, and then you’re not
considered a human being anymore.”
Of course, Kitt and Madonna do have
several things in common. They are both
gay icons. And they both sang “Santa
Baby.” Kitt says, “Madonna asked me my
opinion about her covering ‘Santa Baby.’ I
told her, ‘Each to his own taste.’”
Loyalty of gay fans
Kitt is grateful to her gay fans,
especially because they kept her career alive
when she experienced blacklisting in the
1960s because of her antiwar sentiment.
Even when she was out of the public eye,
she credits gay men with keeping her career
and her persona alive, because they kept
demanding her records, even when it was
not politically correct. And she feels a
kinship with her gay fans, because she
shares a deep understanding with them.
“Gay people are quite cognizant of what
rejection is,” she says. “We should recognize
the differences rather than rejecting them, and
we should learn from them and appreciate the
fact that it’s different and diversified.”
Kitt understands rejection. She was born
in South Carolina but given away by her mother,
so she never knew who her parents were. “I’ve
been a reject all my life because I’m illegitimate,”
she says. “I’m not white enough, I’m not black
enough, so both sides gives you a hard time.
It’s a little bit easier now, and I hope Halle Berry
has an easier time of it than I did, because that
rejection is the most horrendous thing in the
world.”
Like any good gay icon, Kitt is a popular
person for drag queens to portray, and Kitt
appreciates the performances she’s seen. “I
like it very much because they make it fun,
and it’s good fun,” he says. “They say that
imitation is the greatest from of flattery, so I
love it. I even love it when Madonna imitates
me. She’s made a lot of money being Eartha
Kitt.”
Eartha Kitt will perform at FifteenOne
Barton G. Feb. 13-15. Call 305-672-8881
for information and reservations.
www.ExpressGayNews.com • February 9, 2004 Q3
Q_CULTURAL COCKTAIL By Mary Damiano
Acclaimed artist Steve Walker coming to South Florida
Painter who chronicles gay men’s lives debuts new work
to 9 p.m. at Georgie’s Alibi in Wilton Manors;
and Sunday, Feb. 15, 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. at
Cathode Ray on Las Olas. Burke will have
plenty of Walker’s work on hand ready for
signing, plus catalogs from which fans can
order. She’ll also be handing out discount
coupons for framing your new Steve Walker
painting. For more information about Steve
Walker’s appearances, call Art Frenzie at 954537-3516.
Hear the Beat of
Dancing Feet
You’ll have a hard time wiping the grin
off your face during “42nd Street,” playing at
Broward Center for the Performing Arts in
Fort Lauderdale through Feb. 15. This is a
show that epitomizes what Broadway
musicals are all about. Based on a 1933 movie,
42nd Street an infectious showbiz fairy tale
that seems clichéd until you realize that this
is where all those showbiz clichés came
from—the passionate director with a
mysterious past and an uncertain future, the
leading lady whose sugar daddy is
bankrolling the show, and the lovely
wannabe from the sticks who yearns to make
it on the Great White Way.
The costumes and sets are dazzling; one
backdrop even looks like Diego Rivera painted
it. The choreography is non-stop and
stunning, all performed by a tight, talented
cast. There’s even a very clever Busby
Berkeley-style number. “42 nd Street” is
naughty, bawdy, sassy and saucy, with glitz
and glamour galore. Don’t miss it.
Steve Walker in South
Florida
I have a Steve Walker signed print
hanging near my desk that I got at last year’s
Art for AIDS auction. The print is called
“Rain,” and it shows two young men in khakis
and white T-shirts standing side by side,
looking out at the ocean. One man is holding
a black umbrella, shielding both of them from
the elements. As soon as I saw this print at
the auction, I knew I had to have it. I’d
Q4
Lucky in Love
“Rain” by Steve Walker
fallen in love with Steve Walker’s work
sometime before, and this piece captured
everything I love about his style. His
paintings are always awash in a symphony
of blues and tans and whites and grays, and
he has a knack for capturing a moment, a
feeling. It’s as if the viewer is both invited to
watch and yet playing voyeur to an
unspoken intimacy.
Steve Walker is internationally known
for his work, which explores the details of
gay men’s lives. His prints are available at
www.ExpressGayNews.com • February 9, 2004
several South Florida shops, but the only
place to get original Steve Walkers is Art
Frenzie, 2055 Wilton Drive, Wilton Manors.
Owners Debbi Burke and Bernadette Zizzo
are playing host to Walker’s South Florida
appearances this weekend, where he will be
signing his work.
In fact, Walker will be debuting two new
original paintings during his South Florida
visit. Look for Walker on Friday, Feb. 13, 6
p.m. to 10 p.m. at Anywayz, behind the GLCC
in Fort Lauderdale; Saturday, Feb. 14, 4 p.m.
One thing about Melissa Etheridge —
everything she’s feeling, everything going
on in her life, pours out into her lyrics and
through her guitar. Whether it’s a troubled
relationship, a painful break-up or the hope
of finding love again, if Melissa’s been
through it, we’ve been right there with her.
With her new CD, “Lucky,” available
Feb. 10, Melissa Etheridge shows a side
that we haven’t seen before, pure,
unadulterated happiness. Melissa is happy
and in love and she’s telling the world all
about it.
“Lucky” is a thrilling CD, full of joy and
sass and the sexiness that comes from the
confidence of being loved. The title track
seems a chronicle of Etheridge’s relationship
with partner Tammy Lynn Michaels, and its
optimism sets the tone for the CD. Ironically,
the first single, “Breathe,” is a song Etheridge
didn’t write, but its mood fits in perfectly.
And Melissa’s at her sultry best with “Secret
Agent,” a peon to the ultimate dream girl.
Snatch up “Lucky” as soon as it hits
the stores. Melissa Etheridge’s happiness
will rub off on you.
Heard It Through
the Gayvine
B y ffer
Ze
dy
n
A
Queers, Quotes and Quips of Interest
Not provocative, just pathetic
Will the shock games never end? Janet Jackson and Justin Timberlake caused a
ruckus at the family-friendly Superbowl when Timberlake tore at Jackson’s costume,
revealing a breast hanging out complete with a silver pasty. Jackson, Timberlake and MTV,
which produced the halftime show, later claimed
it was all a mistake. Yeah right. Immediately after
the performance “Entertainment Tonight” spoke
with Timberlake, who gloated to their cameras
that the performance was “quick and slick.” The
former “Mickey Mouse Club” member looked
ridiculous doing his best impersonation of a
rapper from the Bronx.
With pop singers like Jackson, Christina
Aguilera and Britney Spears all competing for
the media spotlight, what’s next to grab a
headline? Copulating on stage during halftime?
Even shock jock Howard Stern called the
stunt “just sad — sort of desperate.”
Film director Spike Lee described it as a
new low of attention-getting antics by
Janet Jackson and Justin Timberlake
entertainers.
Yet another nude celebrity
In the meantime, hunk Josh Duhamel, star of the film “Win a Date with Tad
Hamilton,” appears in full frontal nude pics in Greg Gorman’s 1997 book “As I See It.”
I had the interesting experience of going out to dinner with Gorman in Los Angeles a
few years ago, along with “Grease” director Randal Kleiser. The openly gay
photographer has a reputation for enjoying the company of young pretty boys. Sure
enough, a blue-eyed, dark haired young man accompanied Gorman that evening. Gorman
ignored me the whole night; I must have already been a dinosaur by his standards
since I was over the age of 21. Duhamel posed for Gorman well before his days starring
in the primetime show “Las Vegas” and his Emmy-winning stint on the daytime drama
“All My Children.”
Amazon.com describes Gorman’s book as being 20 years in the making, with over
240 portraits of friends and acquaintances, as well as professional models, who
“exemplify for Gorman a perfected state, allowing him to frame grace, beauty and
elegance in the form of the male nude.” Sounds pretty steamy.
Q_CULTURALevents
Guare’s ‘Six Degrees
of Separation’ rates a 10
Great theater — closer than you think
By Peter Aymonin
Arts & Entertainment Correspondent
A vast white gallery greets patrons as
they enter the Edge Theatre’s new home. A
small quadrant of the cavernous, borrowed
space is cordoned off with white sheets and
a fabric curtain. Three small clusters of seats
define a petite stage and wood-paneled walls
that extend out into the audience area —
little more than a few rows of plastic garden
seats. It is from these humble surroundings
that a magical brew of remarkable actors, an
award-winning play and Jim Tommaney’s
directorial finesse transports the audience
to the upper east side of Manhattan.
The Edge’s latest success provides a
smorgasbord of theatrical delicacies. John
Guare’s “Six Degrees of Separation”
provides the scrumptious dialogue the
talented cast so expertly serves. No less
than 16 actors perform in this, the Edge’s
most ambitious production to date. A juicy
story with great elements, “Six Degrees of
Separation” is about a gay con man who
charms some of New York’s upper crust with
a story that he is Sidney Poitier’s son. The
play presents the small privileged world of a
few Manhattanites invaded and conquered
by this endearing stranger who leaves their
lives irrevocably changed.
“Six Degrees of Separation” runs the
gamut from introspective characters that
reflect upon our own experience, to a
psychological game of striptease in which
Paul Poitier’s character is unraveled,
delicately exposing the carnal drive beneath.
Tommaney effectively exploits the
bohemian nature of small art-house theater.
He really knows how well-placed nudity can
create a buzz of titillation. Small theater is
ripe with gimmicks, but Tommaney knows
how to splice in a little skin where
appropriate. He has garnered a little bit of a
reputation for full frontal — and it shows.
Gamal J. Palmer is charming as the
mysterious Paul. His deft execution of
lengthy monologues and eye contact with
individual audience members heightens his
character’s commanding presence.
Liz Dennis’s Ouisa Kittredge is studied
and masterfully composed. Dennis’s
performance conveys an undercurrent of
attraction toward Paul while remaining faithful
to her husband.
Ivan Saltz, as her husband, Flanders,
skillfully personifies every man’s desire to
remain one step ahead of the game, while
still falling prey to Paul.
Rather than impartial judge and jury
presiding over the story from afar, the
audience also is ensnared by the charismatic
Paul. An initial hint of skepticism instilled by
the opening scene, which foreshadows the
betrayal to come, is the only indication that
we are being duped. By play’s end, we are
willing accomplices.
“Six Degrees of Separation” runs
through Feb. 21 at the Edge Theatre,
3627 N.E. First Court in the Miami
Design District. Call 305-531-6083 for
tickets and information.
www.ExpressGayNews.com • February 9, 2004 Q5
Q_CULTURALevents
February: French Language Classes —
Alliance Francaise de Fort Lauderdale is now taking
registration for current and winter sessions of French
language classes to be held in Fort Lauderdale and
Boca Raton. For class fees and schedules and for
cultural activity information, please call 954-5239052 or go to 705 S.E. Second Court, Fort
Lauderdale, Monday - Friday from 1 p.m. - 6 p.m.
Through Saturday, March 27: ‘Break the
Piggy Bank 50/50 Drawing — This Sunshine
Cathedral MCC fund-raiser’s goal is to raise $10,000,
half of which will go to the bearer of the winning
ticket. However close to, or over-the-top of the
goal, the winning ticket holder will receive 50
percent of whatever is raised. Tickets are $25 each
and can be purchased from any Sunshine Cathedral
board member, in the Great Hall at the cathedral
between Sunday morning services or from the
cathedral’s office by stopping in or calling 954462-2004. The winner will be announced on
Saturday, March 27, at the Annual Cocktail
Reception of the Sunshine Cathedral Foundation.
The winner does not need to be present to win.
Thursday - Tuesday, Feb. 12 - 17: Miami
International Boat Show — In halls A, B, C and
D of the Miami Beach Convention Center, 1901
Convention Center Dr., Miami Beach.
www.miamibeachconvention.com.
Friday, Feb. 13: Men’s Club Dinner —
The Men’s Club of Congregation Etz Chaim is
hosting a “Love is in the Air” dinner at 6 p.m. at
the California Pizza Kitchen, 2301 N. Federal Hwy.,
Fort Lauderdale. R.S.V.P. by Feb. 11 to
cecmensclub@aol.com.
Friday, Feb. 13: “Sweetheart’s Ball” —
Clean & Sober Dance and Social benefits GLCCSF
and LAMBDA. $8/advance, $10/door. 8 p.m. - 12
a.m. at GLCCSF, 1717 N. Andrews Ave., Fort
Lauderdale. 954-463-9005.
Saturday, Feb. 14: Valentine’s Red Party
— The Outlawz transform Manhattan South into
the Dance Hall of Love with the glow of red lights,
red fabric, and white flowers (flower arrangements
to be raffled as gifts). Where else can you slow
dance with your sweetheart? Manhattan South, 6890
N. Powerline Road, Peachtree Plaza, Fort
Lauderdale. www.theoutlawz.biz.
Saturday, Feb. 14: Everglades Day Festival
— A day-long family friendly fun event of free
activities themed this year for the recreational
opportunities on the refuge and in the Everglades.
Performers: South Florida Photographer’s Panel
featuring John Lopinot, Claudine Laabs, and George
Q6
Forrest. Musical entertainment from Cindy Hackney
and The Roadside Revue. Live animal presentations,
bird walks, canoe trips, costumed characters,
children’s activities and much more. Free admission
and parking. 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. at Loxahatchee
National Wildlife Refuge, 10216 Lee Road. 561734-8303 or http://Loxahatchee.fws.gov.
Monday, Feb. 16 - Monday, March 29: ‘Let
Go & Live’ — This course features guest speakers
on recovery from addiction and co-dependency. Vic
Yurio is host instructor. Mondays at Light
University, the adult education outreach of the
Sunshine Cathedral MCC, 1480 S.W. Ninth Ave.,
Ft. Lauderdale. Register on Sundays between worship
services, or at the beginning of the class. For more
information call 954-462-2004 or visit
www.SunshineCathedral.org.
Saturday, Feb. 21: ‘Building Bridges
Workshop II’ Monday, Feb. 16 — UC Florida
PAC presents free political empowerment and
community leadership training. Includes registration,
training, lunch and certificate of completion.
Workshops are: “Community Mobilization and
Empowerment” / “Mobilizacion y poder
comunitario” and “Lobbying for change” /
“Cabildeo para lograr cambio”. 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. at
Unity Coalition’s Offices, 111 S.W. Fifth Ave., Suite
205, Miami. 305-324-6393.
Thursday, Feb. 26: ‘International
Progressive Feast’ — This event is part of “The
Artful Dining Series,” which is designed to inspire
you and your palate as you dine surrounded by
artwork. The evening begins promptly at 7 p.m. at
the Broward Art Guild. Transportation to Las Olas
Boulevard will be provided. For information and
reservations call 954-523-4824 or inquire in person
at 530 N.E. 13 St., Fort Lauderdale.
Sunday, Feb. 29: ‘Hatsume Fair’ — This
unique Japanese festival celebrates the first bud of
spring at the Morikami’s largest annual event. There
will be three stages with continuous entertainment
including taiko drummers, a Japanese tea ceremony,
flower arranging, martial art demonstrations, bonsai
and orchid demonstrations, avenues of artisan
booths, plant sales, Asian and American food vendors
and children’s activities. Adult/$10; Members/$7;
Children/$5; Children under 3/Free. 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.
at The Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens,
4000 Morikami Park Road, Delray Beach. 561495-0233. To attend with WIN, contact Flo Crea
at 954-274-8537.
Saturday, March 13: ‘The Crystal Ball’
— Save the date for Caldwell Theatre Company’s
www.ExpressGayNews.com • February 9, 2004
annual fund-raiser. Billed as one of the most elegant
and theatrical events of the season, the ball benefits
Caldwell and its community outreach programs
including “Theater for Schools.” 7 p.m. at the Boca
Raton Resort and Club. Tickets are $250. For more
information, call Bruce Herman: 561-995-2323.
Saturday, March 20: ‘Mosaic Theatre
Gala 2004’ — Save the date for Mosaic Theatre’s
second annual black-tie gala to support the
company’s artistic and educational programs. The
gala will feature both live and silent auctions and
also a performance of the outrageous comedy
“Greater Tuna.” All proceeds help provide the
critical resources that enable Mosaic to bring
outstanding, thought-provoking theater to adults,
students, and seniors alike. All donations are taxdeductible to the fullest extent of the law. 954-57STAGE (577-8243).
Through Sunday, Feb. 15: ‘Stop Kiss’ —
Two young women meet in New York City, feel a
growing attraction for each other, and finally kiss.
The consequences of their first kiss reveal a society
still reluctant to accept their love as well as the
amount of courage it takes to live life fully for who
we are. Fast paced, 23 scene plot structure that will
blow your mind. $20/general; $15/seniors; $12/
students. (Cash/personal check at door only.)
Thursday - Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 6 p.m.
at Sol Theatre Project, 1140 N. Flagler Drive, Fort
Lauderdale, 954-525-6555.
Through Sunday, Feb. 15: ‘A Hotel on
Marvin Gardens’ — A comedy by Nagle Jackson.
Come play a casual game of Monopoly with an
eccentric gaggle of friends. The fun rolls when the
game gets down and dirty in this provocative comedy
of wavering devotion and unwavering resolve. Actors
Playhouse, 280 Miracle Mile, Coral Gables. 305444-9293.
Through Sunday, Feb. 15: ‘42nd Street’
— The timeless, inspiring tale of adorable Peggy
Sawyer’s rise to Broadway star. And those songs!
“Lullaby of Broadway,” “We’re in the Money,”
“You’re Getting to Be a Habit With Me,” “Dames”
and “I Only Have Eyes For You.” The Broward
Center, 201 S.W. Fifth Ave. 954-462-0222.
Through Sunday, Feb. 22: ‘Mamaleh!’ —
A new version of the off-Broadway hit musical tells
of the lifelong friendship between Jewish-American
women of different generations. The Broadway
Theater, 1455 S.E. 17 St. Causeway, Fort Lauderdale.
954-522-0274.
Through Sunday, March 21: ‘Florida
Follies’ — Seasoned performers who forever yearn
to be onstage redefine the idea of staying young in
this spectacular musical revue. Starring Florence
Henderson, with Carol Lawrence (Jan. 28 – Feb.
15) and Jack Carter (Feb. 18 – March 21).
Wednesday – Saturday at 8 p.m.; Wednesday,
Saturday and Sunday at 2 p.m. at Parker Playhouse,
707 N.E. Eighth St., Fort Lauderdale. 800-2333123.
Tuesday, Feb. 10: Garrison Keillor — Your
favorite characters and more from “A Prairie Home
Companion.” 8 p.m. at Mizner Park Amphitheater,
590 Plaza Real, Boca Raton. 561-962-4109.
Tuesday, Feb. 10: Tony Danza & Don
Rickles — 8 p.m. at Coral Springs Center for the
Arts, 2855 Coral Springs Drive, Coral Springs. 954344-5990.
Friday, Feb. 13: Stars on Ice — $27 - $85.
7:30 p.m. at Office Depot Center, 2555 Panthers
Drive, Sunrise. 954-835-8000.
Saturday, Feb. 14 - Saturday, March 20:
‘Vaudville’ — $14 - $23. Coral Springs Center for
the Arts, 2855 Coral Springs Drive, Coral Springs.
954-344-5990.
Sunday, Feb. 15: ‘Comedy Fest’ — 7 p.m.
at the James L. Knight Center, 400 S.E. Second
Ave.,
Miami.
305-372-4634
or
www.jlknightcenter.com.
Fridays and Saturdays: Just the Funny
— “Whose Line is it Anyway?” meets “Saturday
Night Live.” Performances are Friday and Saturday
nights at 9 p.m. at the Miami Museum of Science
and Planetarium, 3280 South Miami Ave., Miami.
Tickets are $10. For information call 305-69FUNNY or visit www.justthefunny.com.
Music
Monday, Feb. 9: ‘The Ed Sullivan Years’
— Featuring Peter Nero with a studio-size ensemble
of 22 musicians from the Florida Sunshine POPS
Orchestra and a backdrop of Nero’s collection of
vintage video clips from the TV classic, “The Ed
Sullivan Show.” $50 - $55. 8 p.m. at the Broward
Center for the Performing Arts, 201 Southwest Fifth
Ave. 954-462-0222.
Wednesday, Feb. 11: ‘Moonlight Waltz’
— With Meredith d’Ambrosio and the Eddie Higgins
Trio. A romantic evening of love songs that capture
the essence of the 1920s, ‘30s and ‘40s performed
by the dreamy, soft-voiced Meredith d’Ambrosio.
$18 - $32. 7:45 p.m. at the Broward Center for the
Performing Arts, 201 Southwest Fifth Ave. 954462-0222.
Q_CULTURALevents
An Actor First
Musicals are nice, but Jones has his eye on Shakespeare
By Mary Damiano
Arts & Entertainment Editor
When Dexter Jones was a child, he used
to tag along to his sister’s dance classes.
Later at home, Jones says he watched as his
sister practiced and got all the moves wrong,
while he could do all of them right. Eventually,
his sister quit the dance classes and Jones
joined, at age 5, studying tap.
If that story sounds familiar, it’s because
it’s the same one a character in “A Chorus
Line” tells to describe his entrée into dance.
The fact that Dexter Jones’s life is the
stuff musicals are made of is quite apropos
for a performer currently appearing in “42nd
Street,” now at Broward Center for the
Performing Arts. Jones plays Andy Lee, the
lead choreographer in the classic story about
a girl who walks on stage opening night as
nobody and walks off a star. Based on a 1933
film famed for its Busby Berkeley production
numbers, “42nd Street” debuted on Broadway
in 1980 and ran for nearly 3,500 performances.
Revived in 2001, it’s still running today.
Jones, who has been with this first
national tour of “42 nd Street” since the
beginning, has an idea why the show has
stayed so popular. “It bowls you over with
music and spectacle,” he says. “And it’s a
feel-good story. It’s the belief that if you work
hard, dreams will come true.”
Jones is living proof of that belief. As a
kid, he took classes and devoured movie
musicals on TV—especially the films starring
his idol, Gene Kelly. He studied acting at several
prestigious schools, and has appeared in
several soap operas, including “All My
Children,” “Loving” and “One Life to Live,”
as well as tours of “Riverdance” and other
shows. He even got to dance alongside another
idol, the late Gregory Hines.
Although he loves to dance, Jones
considers himself an actor first, and would
love to do Shakespeare. His ultimate
Shakespearean role is Aaron in “Titus
Andronicus,” Shakespeare’s bloodiest and
most violent play. Though they seem worlds
apart, Jones sees some relationship between
Shakespeare and soap operas. “When you
think about it, Shakespeare was the Neil
Simon of his time,” Jones says. “He was a
hack, he worked for the Globe, and he wrote
plays for the masses. They were considered
lowbrow at the time.”
While Shakespeare looms on the
horizon, Jones is happy with the way his life
and career has progressed, since he was a
kid studying tap in the Bronx. He lives in Los
Angeles with his partner of six years, a man
who works for an entertainment company,
but not in the entertainment business. And
although Jones tours extensively for his
work, the couple has managed to find time
despite his busy schedule.
And Jones gets paid to do what he loves
to do. “So many people are working in fields
they hate,” he says. “It’s really nice to have
a job you enjoy. As long as I’m doing that,
I’m always happy.”
“42nd Street” runs through Feb. 15 at
Broward Center for the Performing Arts,
and then moves to Jackie Gleason
Theatre in Miami Beach Feb. 24-29. For
more information, call 954-462-0222.
www.ExpressGayNews.com • February 9, 2004 Q7
Q8
www.ExpressGayNews.com • February 9, 2004