New York TV Star Brings Cult Hit to the Style Network

www.ExpressGayNews.com • January 19, 2004 Q1
Q_COVERstory
Brini Maxwell: Retro Queen of All Things Stylish
New York TV Star Brings Cult Hit to the Style Network
By Mary Damiano
Arts & Entertainment Editor
Brini Maxwell never dreamed that a
fabulous Salvation Army store find of a
vintage set of nesting bowls from the 1950s
would lead her down a new career path and
land her a TV show on the Style Network.
But these were not your typical nesting
bowls, just as Brini Maxwell is not your
typical television style doyenne. Maxwell,
a.k.a. gender-bender Ben Sander, is an expert
on the style and pop culture of a very specific
era—1958 to 1974—and has managed to
incorporate that appreciation into every
aspect of her life. Everything visible in her
Chelsea apartment is from that era. Her
wardrobe is a mix of pieces she’s made and
vintage finds. She also espouses what she
calls the optimism of that time period, an
optimism she feels lacking in the world today.
All of these elements come together in
Maxwell’s look and attitude, as well as her
philosophy: “Add style to your life and life
to your style.”
That outlook is the focus of The Brini
Maxwell Show, which premieres on the
Style Network Friday, Jan. 23, at 10:30 p.m.
The first episode, “A Womb with a View,”
gives tips and ideas on how to make your
home a cozy haven. Thirteen episodes are
already in the can, and show topics include
creating a stylish home office, demystifying
art and incorporating art into one’s home
and life, bringing the outdoors indoors, and
making a seasonal rental home or apartment
uniquely yours for the time you’re there.
But what exactly was it about those
nesting bowls—for the uninitiated,
nesting bowls are mixing bowls of various
sizes that fit inside each other for easy
storage—that started Maxwell’s journey
to TV stardom?
“They have little figures of farmers
on the sides—just adorable,” Maxwell
says. “They were $15 for the entire set—
these are vintage 1950s, and collectors pay
a lot more, so I bought them.”
Maxwell was so thrilled with her find
and about how they complemented the
décor of her kitchen that she thought it
would be awful if no one saw them, since
they were for food preparation, not for
serving. So she did what anyone with a
sense of style and adventure would do—
she leased space on cable and produced
her own lifestyle show, right from her
apartment.
Maxwell had been working in the fashion
industry but was unhappy in her job. Her
therapist encouraged her to change career
paths and explore something more interesting.
Q2
“I’ve always thought television was an
exciting medium,” she says. “One of the things
I like about is that you reach so many people
yet you have no idea who you’re reaching.
You create in a cocoon, and you put what
you’ve created out there to these people. You
put it out there and people find it.”
The Brini Maxwell Show premiered in
New York City on Jan. 1, 1998, and ran until
November 2003. Maxwell’s mother was her
producer and camerawoman as well as a
recurring character. Other characters
included Maxwell’s friends and neighbors,
who dropped by as Maxwell presented her
tips for decorating, cooking, entertaining and
living an all-around stylish life.
Word spread and Maxwell’s unique show
became a cult hit. “I wasn’t sure where it would
go or how it would be received, but people
really picked up on it,” Maxwell says. “It made
me feel like I had something to offer.”
Two years ago, Amy Briamonte, a
producer with Termite Art Productions, was
nursing morning sickness and watching TV,
when she caught an episode of The Brini
Maxwell Show. She contacted Maxwell and
the two set off on a mission to bring Brini
Maxwell to the masses. Briamonte contacted
the Style Network, and Heather Moran, vice
president of programming for the network,
liked the show enough to sign Maxwell.
Of course, Maxwell is not the first
stylish gal to host a lifestyle show. Maxwell
has nothing but respect for style guru
Martha Stewart. “I think Martha Stewart
is remarkable,” she says. “She’s created
such an incredible empire for herself. And
what I find so interesting about her is that
she started out as the kind of person I
would be talking to—a single working girl
in New York City. She was a model. She
really took that somewhere and built
something out of that desire to create a
personal space for herself.”
Maxwell would like to build her own style
empire—she already sells note cards, recipe
cards and T-shirts through her Web site,
BriniMaxwell.com. In Maxwell’s typical can-do
style, she created the items herself with her
home computer. “I have lots of ideas for
products, home products and things like that,”
she says.
And you can bet that whatever Maxwell
designs, the products will be reminiscent of
her favorite era. “That period created a fertile
ground for the development of the style that
came out of,” she says. “It was a wonderful
time for design, in clothing and interiors, and
industrial design as well. Even everyday objects
were exciting to look at.”
In addition to the designs of the era,
www.ExpressGayNews.com • January 19, 2004
Brini Maxwell sews things up on her show
Maxwell also loves the pop culture, especially
movies and TV. She cites The Mary Tyler Moore
Show, That Girl and The Doris Day Show as
some of her favorite shows from that time. She
especially likes the strong female characters
on those shows and believes the time is right
for the comeback of female characters. “I used
to describe myself as a hybrid between Sue
Ann Nivens, the Happy Homemaker from The
Mary Tyler Moore Show, Auntie Mame and
Pussy Galore, from James Bond,” Maxwell says.
“But now, Auntie Mame, Mary Tyler Moore’s
Mary Richards and her Laura Petrie are the
characters I feel a kinship with. As time goes
by, I’m not quite as much Pussy Galore,
although I might like to be.”
The Brini Maxwell Show premieres
Friday, Jan. 23, at 10:30 p.m. on the Style
Network.
Brini Maxwell’s Tips for Adding Style to Your Life
Home Style
Don’t be afraid of color. So many people think that if they have a dark room and paint it
white, it will be lighter, but what you get is a white room that’s dark. Use color to brighten a room.
And I love the use of accent walls. Pick a wall and paint that one wall a bright color, and it creates a
focal point.
Create a personal space with interesting items found at second-hand stores. It’s always more
interesting to find things that are not made in bulk. If you walk into a room that someone has
furnished at Crate & Barrel, you recognize it as Crate & Barrel. But if you find a great mixer for your
kitchen on ebay or at a thrift store rather than buying one at Bed, Bath & Beyond, then it’s
something unexpected.
Personal Style
The key is to shop at place like The Gap and Banana Republic or Club Monaco for the basics,
then add to them fun pieces that you’ve made yourself or found in a vintage store. Then you create
a look all your own, but that has a very current feel, the latest silhouette.
The integration of unique pieces, whether they’re vintage or they’re made by craftsmen who
make only one, a scarf or a piece of jewelry, for example, can add to your cache. It makes you
interesting to people and creates a conversational opener. People can come up to you and say, “Oh,
I love that scarf, where did you get that?”
Q_THEATER preview
America’s Favorite TV Mom Steps into the Spotlight
The Florida Follies Marks Latest Chapter in Florence Henderson’s Career
By Mary Damiano
Arts & Entertainment Editor
At one point in The Florida Follies, the
new variety show at Parker Playhouse in Fort
Lauderdale, Florence Henderson croons
“Young at Heart” as a tribute to George Burns.
That song could be the theme for The Florida
Follies, in which the performers range in age
from 53 to 81.
“I’m blown away by the talent in this
show,” says Henderson, who turns 70 on
Valentine’s Day. “It’s one of the best casts
I’ve ever been involved with. We have an 81year-old who does splits.”
The Florida Follies could be summed up
as vaudeville meets Vegas, a patriotic, oldfashioned revue with a bill that includes
comedian Norm Crosby, ventriloquist Sammy
King, sister and dog act The Amazing Darnells,
plus singers and dancers dressed to the nines
in skimpy costumes and elaborate
headdresses.
“People can expect really pure
entertainment,” Henderson says. “They can
expect to leave the theatre happy, hopeful and
inspired.”
Henderson is the centerpiece of The
Florida Follies, serving as both mistress of
ceremonies and part of the ensemble cast. She
sings, dances, tells jokes and engages in a few
surprisingly bawdy numbers. She also chats
casually with the audience, telling stories about
her life and showing why she’s one of America’s
most enduring and beloved entertainers.
Florence Henderson
Ringmaster of an ensemble cast is a
familiar role for Henderson, who rose to fame
as Carol Brady on The Brady Bunch. Since the
show’s debut in 1969, it has never been off the
air and has played in 122 countries.
While Carol Brady might be Henderson’s
most famous role, the sitcom was not the
beginning of her career. As a teenager she
performed in national touring companies of
Oklahoma! and other big musicals. Stints on
Broadway, at Lincoln Center and on TV as a
Today show girl followed. She was the first
woman to host The Tonight Show. She hosted
her own cooking show, Country Kitchen, for
nine years on the Nashville Network. Always
interested in health issues, she is a certified
hypnotherapist, and currently hosts Speaking
of Women’s Health, an informational show on
Lifetime.
“I see myself as the ringmaster, but I do
But Henderson is best known as Carol
entertain throughout the show,” Henderson Brady, and unlike some performers who try to
says.
distance themselves from successful
characters, she has embraced the role and the
fans who still think of her as America’s mom.
“It seems to mean so much to people,”
Henderson says. “I think that whatever your
past is, you have to remember it, come to terms
with it and embrace it, and that’s what I’ve
done.”
In some ways, the Brady kids are like
Henderson’s second family. She keeps in touch
with the former child stars, and shares a warm
bond with them. She also shared a strong
friendship with late actor Robert Reed, who
played her TV husband Mike Brady. It was
Henderson, in fact, who realized during the
shooting of the pilot for The Brady Bunch why
Reed was uncomfortable during their kissing
scenes. “I thought, ‘Bob’s gay,’” she recalls.
“I’ve always been able to sense those things.”
Henderson helped make Reed comfortable
with the scene.
Henderson says that Reed’s orientation
was never a topic of discussion, and that all
the kids on the set knew from a young age.
“Bob was such a reserved, proud person,” she
says. “It didn’t matter to us, but it did to Bob.
He was the father of America, and he was gay.
Having to protect that, and live that way, I
know it was very hard for him.”
Reed’s homosexuality was a sort of open
secret on the set, never publicly discussed at
the time. But Henderson spoke out when Reed
died in 1992, and a tabloid printed his death
certificate on the front page showing that HIV
had contributed to his death from colon cancer.
“I felt that was the cruelest thing I’d ever
seen,” she says. She and the Brady kids then
did lots of interviews about what a wonderful
man Reed was and how much he meant to
them.
Henderson received one of the nicest
tributes from Reed, by way of his daughter,
who is now compiling a book about her father.
“She said, ‘My father told me that he wanted
to marry you,’” Henderson says. “We would
have made a good team.”
Although homosexuality was not a topic
for The Brady Bunch, Henderson’s says that
she knows how Carol Brady would have
reacted if one of her brood were gay. “I would
say, ‘What can I do to make you feel better?
What can I do to help you? What can I do to
let you know that I love you?’”
Henderson has done concerts with gay
men’s choruses and has been touched by the
men who have told her how much the presence
of one of the great TV moms meant to them,
because their own parents don’t speak to them.
“I don’t understand people who are intolerant,”
she says. “You just cannot be judgmental of
anyone unless you walk in their shoes.”
While The Brady Bunch will always live
in Henderson’s heart, and she’s loved the films
and other shows she’s done, she still prefers
the thrill of performing live, which is one reason
her work in The Florida Follies is so exciting
for her.
“If I can make an audience laugh or cry, or
feel something,” she says, “that’s by far the
most satisfying.”
The Florida Follies runs through March 21 at
Parker Playhouse, 707 NE 8 St., Fort Lauderdale.
Comedian Norm Crosby headlines through Jan. 25;
singer Carol Lawrence stars Jan. 28-Feb. 16; and
comedian Jack Carter performs Feb. 18-March 21.
For tickets and more information, call 954.763.2444.
www.ExpressGayNews.com • January 19, 2004 Q3
Q_CULTURAL COCKTAIL By Mary Damiano
Florence Henderson: Kitten with a Whip?
‘Florida Follies’ Shows Brady Mom in a Different Light
Pop Goes the MOCA
The Museum of Contemporary Art
(MOCA) is going all out for their new fundraiser, Pop Soup. The event, which takes place
Saturday, Jan. 24, from 8-11 p.m., is inspired
by the creative fabulousness of artist Andy
Warhol, and will feature imaginative cuisine,
cocktails, a silent auction and dancing and
music by DJ Le Spam. Guests are encouraged
to dress glam, drag or anything in between.
Upon arriving, guests will receive a soup
can—a kitschy homage to Warhol’s iconic
art—which they can exchange for a gift,
which could be anything from tickets to an
upcoming event to designer clothing. Guests
will also have the opportunity to win a MiniCooper. Pop Soup benefits MOCA’s
Permanent Collection Acquisition Fund.
Tickets are $125 in advance and $150 at the
door. Honorary chairs of Pop Soup include
Jane Holzer, who was a member of Warhol’s
Factory, and Belkys Nerey, of Deco Drive.
MOCA is located at 770 NE 125 St., North
Miami. For more information, call 305.893.6211
or visit www.mocanomi.org.
‘Florida Follies’ Is Great Fun
You haven’t lived until you’ve seen
Florence Henderson, TV mom to the Brady
brood, decked out in a black patent leather
dominatrix get-up, wielding a cat o’nine tails
and singing Chicago’s “When You’re Good
to Mama.”
That was just one of many unexpected
treats in The Florida Follies, a modern
vaudeville show that opened Wednesday
night, Jan. 14, at Parker Playhouse in Fort
Q4
Lauderdale. This is a big splashy revue, with
enough flag-waving, old-time fun, sex and
sizzle that you could almost see George M.
Cohan, Florenz Ziegfeld and Bob Fosse
cheering from the wings.
This show has everything—singing,
dancing, bawdy comedy, a ventriloquist and
even an amazing pack of performing poodles.
The kicker is that the performers in the show
range in age from 53 to 81. Of course, you
would never know it to look at the showgirls,
who sport legs for days and carry off Vegasstyle skimpy costumes and headdresses with
poise and pizzazz.
Norm Crosby, the master of the
malaprop, had the audience rolling in the
aisles with his rants on the disease sweeping
the country—dumbness—and his topical
humor. Sammy King, the ventriloquist who
works with a stuffed Mexican parrot, was
terrific. Pianist Rio Clemente played the heck
out of “Rhapsody in Blue.” And if you only
know Lorene Yarnell as a mime, you’re in for
a real surprise. At 59, Yarnell is a high-energy
dazzler, tapping, dancing and singing, and at
times channeling Liza Minnelli in her prime.
But the star of the show is Florence
Henderson, who shows why she’s remained
one of America’s most beloved stars.
Henderson is pure class all the way, a
gracious lady who invites the audience into
her world and makes them feel right at home.
Henderson sings, dances, tells jokes and
serves as host of The Florida Follies, and
shows off the body of a woman half her age
in elegant gowns and costumes. We should
all have as much energy and look so good a
www.ExpressGayNews.com • January 19, 2004
month away from 70.
The Florida Follies is a terrific
show, full of kitsch and old-fashioned
fun. It has a really long run at Parker
Playhouse, until March 21, with a
succession of headliners, including
Carole Lawrence and Jack Carter, so
there’s no reason to miss it. For more
info and to purchase tickets, call
305.919.3731 or visit Parker Playhouse’s
box office.
Florence Henderson and the cast of the Florida
Follies get ready to take a bow.
smash about the gay porn industry, starring
actual gay porn star Matthew Rush. Making
There are plenty of new offerings at Porn runs Feb. 4-29 at Cinema Paradiso in
local theatres this week, including a touring downtown Fort Lauderdale.
production of Jesus Christ Superstar, which
runs Jan. 20-25 at the Jackie Gleason Theatre Entertainment to Spare
in Miami Beach.
This year is a leap year, and although
The Mosaic Theatre in Plantation we only get one Feb. 29 every four years,
presents the South Florida premiere of the this year there’s enough entertainment going
Pulitzer Prize-winning play Topdog/ on that day to fill a couple extra leap days.
Underdog, about two brothers involved with And sure, Feb. 29 may be over a month away,
three-card monty on Thursday, Jan. 22.
but you’re going to need that long to decide
Friday brings the opening of A Hotel on which event you want to do. First, there’s
Marvin Gardens at the Actor’s Playhouse in the Oscars, debuting on ABC in its new
Coral Gables, West Side Story at the 26th earlier-in-the-season date. Then there’s the
Street Theatre in Wilton Manors and Six second Bette Midler concert for the divine
Degrees of Separation at the Edge Miss M’s “Kiss My Brass” tour, rolling into
Theatre in Miami. By the way, the Edge the Office Depot Center in Sunrise. And
has moved from its Piccadilly Gardens now Broward Center for the Performing Arts
location to a new home just a few blocks has gotten into the act with its 1970s dance
away at 3627 NE 1st Court.
extravaganza, Disco Inferno, starring Chic
On Saturday, the Public Theatre opens with Nile Rodgers, Thelma Houston, The
its second play of the season, The Fist, at Trammps, and Rose Royce. Hmm, the
the Soref Jewish Community Center in glamour of the Oscars, the glitz of Bette
Sunrise. Looking ahead, make plans now to Midler or the gaudiness of disco—how is a
attend Making Porn, the off-Broadway gay boy or girl to choose?
On Stage
Q_THEATER REVIEW
Stop Kiss Is a Winner
Sol Theatre Shines with its Finest Production to Date
By Mary Damiano
Arts & Entertainment Editor
Since the Sol Theatre Project began three
years ago, artistic director Robert Hooker’s idea
has been to create a place where a troupe of
actors could work and evolve together in the
development of their craft. In turn, the audience
at the cozy lounge theatre would get to see
edgy plays that would reach beyond the usual
fare at other venues, and experience theatre, as
Hooker puts it, to engage the mind.
Though it has taken the Sol a while to find
its audience, they have consistently grown over
the past few seasons, and developed a
reputation for hip, insightful productions. With
their latest production, Stop Kiss, not only has
the Sol grown, but they’ve found their audience.
Stop Kiss tells the story of two women:
Callie is a rambunctious New Yorker, a traffic
reporter for a radio station whose life revolves
around friends, dinner out and a sometime
boyfriend she sleeps with when neither is
involved with anyone else. Sara is fresh from St.
Louis, a third-grade teacher who’s left her fiancé
and family to teach kids in the Bronx. Sara is as
enthusiastic as Callie is jaded, as fearless as
Callie is hesitant.
The two meet and become fast friends,
both experiencing an unspoken attraction to
the other. When Callie and Sara finally act on
this attraction, they are attacked. Sara ends up
in the hospital, while Callie is left to deal with the
guilt and new labels thrust on her by media and
society.
Stop Kiss is a complex production, charging
Hooker and the cast with the task of presenting
23 scenes in barely 90 minutes, and telling a
story in two timelines, one leading up to a tragic
event and one in the event’s aftermath. It
sounds complicated, and it’s to the Sol’s credit
that it comes across with such cohesion.
All the elements come together in just the
right way, making Stop Kiss the Sol’s finest
production to date. Callie’s apartment, the main
set, is warm, inviting and realistic, the kind of
single-girl-in-the-city pad Mary Richards or
Carrie Bradshaw would covet. The other two
sets, a police interrogation room and a hospital
room, are efficient and slightly surreal in their
austerity, which illustrates the stark way in which
Callie and Sara’s world changes.
Hooker has also selected Alanis Morrissette
and Beth Hart songs to bridge the blackouts,
and the songs give added dimension to the story.
And although the ensemble cast is
excellent, the centerpiece of the play is the
performances of Julia Clearwood and Sharon
Stern as Callie and Sara. The two actresses have
undeniable chemistry, making the journey their
characters take believable. Clearwood is
especially effecting, as she is the one required to
switch gears the most between hilarity and
heartbreak, often at a moment’s notice. She is
raw and vulnerable as she deals with confusion
over her attraction to Sara, her inability to act on
those feelings and then her guilt about the
incident that has left Sara near death.
Stop Kiss is a moving, insightful piece, and
a milestone in the Sol Theatre’s short history.
Don’t miss it.
Set Designer Shines
at Caldwell Theatre
But ‘Déjà Vu’ is a Real Farce—in More Ways Than One
By Mary Damiano
Arts & Entertainment Editor
There was more than a little déjà vu
going on for me while watching the
Caldwell Theatre’s latest production,
Déjà Vu.
Just like with their production of The
Last Sunday in June last summer, the star
of Déjà Vu is set designer Tim Bennett. For
The Last Sunday in June, Bennett created
a cozy, detailed, Greenwich Village
apartment. For Déjà Vu, Bennett has
applied his talents to create a sumptuous
Parisian living room, tres sophisticated and
tres elegant, done in green and ivory and
gold filigree accents that scream old world
money and class.
And just like with Last Sunday in June,
the Caldwell has attempted a comedy with
gay themes that is mired in outdated ideas
and stereotypes.
Déjà Vu is a farce that deals with an
ambitious French politician, his fiancée, his
son, their Swedish maid and an American
colonel, who reveals a family secret that
threatens to ruin everyone’s lives. The play
is fraught with sexual situations, couplings,
mistaken identities, covert connections and
wild stories concocted to cover up the big
secret.
If all this sounds convoluted, it is.
The only thing that saves Déjà Vu,
other than Bennett’s gorgeous set, is
a rapid-fire second act—which sharply
contrasts the plodding nature of the
first half—and the performances of
talented cast members. Lisa Bansavage
plays her society matron to the hilt,
and Bob Rogerson is appropriately
hapless and befuddled as the
politician, a big change from his recent
gut-wrenching performance as a man
in love with a goat in GableStage’s The
Goat or Who Is Sylvia.
But despite a couple of sparkling
performances, and a mouthwatering set, Déjà
Vu is an only-if-you’re-bored kind of show.
Déjà Vu runs through Feb. 15 at the
Caldwell Theatre, 7873 N. Federal
Hwy., Boca Raton. For tickets and information, call 561.241.7432 or visit
www.CaldwellTheatre.org.
Stop Kiss runs through Feb. 1 at the Sol
Theatre, 1140 NE Flagler Dr., Fort
Lauderdale. Showtimes are Thursday
through Saturday, 8 p.m., Sunday, 6 p.m.
For more information and to make
reservations, call 954.525.6555 or visit
www.SolTheatre.com.
www.ExpressGayNews.com • January 19, 2004 Q5
Q_CULTURALevents
January: Auditions—Theatrix needs male
singer/actors who can move, ages 20 to 45, for a new
musical revue called Cruise Control. Non-equity, 16
paid performances in Fort Lauderdale (3/13/03 - 4/18/
04). Auditions are by appointment. Call Rikki Caroll
at 954.390.7610 or 954.695.8288.
January and 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 954.523.9052
or go to 705 S.E. Second Court, Fort Lauderdale,
Monday - Friday from 1 - 6 p.m.
Wednesday, Jan. 21: Design and Wine: All
About Fashion—Enjoy samples of wine as you stroll
through historic downtown and visit designated shops
and galleries. Map and list are included in the $12 fee.
6 – 9 p.m. at New Art Café, 1820 S. Young Circle,
Hollywood. 954.921.3016 ext. 19.
Wednesday, Jan. 21: Loving Che—Ana
Menendez, will talk about her novel, Loving Che, an
intimate portrait of revolutionary Cuba as witnessed
by an elderly woman recalling her secret love affair
with Ernesto “Che” Guevera. 7:30 p.m. in the Bienes
Center at the Broward County Main Library, 100 S.
Andrews Ave., Fort Lauderdale. Reservations are
required. Call 954-357-7401.
Friday – Sunday, Jan. 23 – 25: Miami
National Antiques Show and Sale—Friday, noon
– 9 p.m.; Saturday, noon – 8 p.m. and Sunday, noon –
6 p.m. Admission is $10. Radisson Centre, 777 N.W.
72nd Ave., Miami. www.DolphiinFairs.com.
Saturday, Jan. 24: Outlawz Anniversary
Party—The Outlawz invite you to their First
Anniversary Party. Enjoy the unique camaraderie of
true social dancing. All are welcome: Outlawz aren’t
just cowboys anymore! There will be gifts (while
supplies last), singers, dancers and the Sun Dancers
dance team of Southern Country South Florida. Free
dance lessons 7 - 8 p.m. No cover charge. 7 p.m. midnight at Manhattan South, 6890 N. Powerline
Road, Peachtree Plaza, Fort Lauderdale.
www.theoutlawz.biz.
Saturday, Jan. 24: Building Bridges Workshop
I—UC Florida PAC presents free political
empowerment and community leadership training.
Includes registration, training, lunch and certificate of
completion. Workshops are “Issues and proposals that
affect minorities in Florida” / “Temas que afectan las
Heard It Through
the Gayvine
B y ffer
Ze
dy
An
Queers, Quotes and Quips of Interest
Rush to the Theater
Making Porn is returning to South Florida. After two wildly successful
sold-out runs in 1998 and 2000, the lusty off-Broadway cult hit is coming back
for a limited four-week run at Cinema Paradiso in Fort Lauderdale starting Feb. 4.
Matthew Rush, the biggest star of gay porn today, will be starring as Jack Hawk,
straight actor who turns to gay porn. Also co-starring will be sexy newcomer
Rob Romoni. I had the pleasure of seeing Matthew Rush perform in a Boston
run of the play this past summer, and must say he did a great job. At one point
in the production, Rush walks into the audience and gives a few lap dances,
leaving a few lucky viewers the thrill of a lifetime. If he does the same in Fort
Lauderdale, they’ll be a few especially happy folks down here as well.
Boy George Spoke True Taboo
A few weeks ago “Gayvine” reported on Boy George blabbing at SBNY
(Splash Bar New York) about the inevitable close of his Broadway show Taboo.
Sure enough, last week producer Rosie O’Donnell announced that Feb. 8 would
be the musical’s last performance. O’Donnell invested $10 million into the
production, which was panned by critics and failed to catch on with audiences.
“Taboo was by far the most fulfilling experience of my career,” O’Donnell
said in a statement. “Many lessons were learned, and so it goes. For this
experience I am profoundly grateful and have no regrets.”
Despite the failure of Taboo, Rosie intends to go forward with a new
Broadway project she will star in, the autobiographical Find Me. For that project
she will collaborate with another pop star, Cyndi Lauper.
Gay on the Range
According to Variety, up-and-coming Hollywood actors Jake Gyllenhaal
and Heath Ledger are in negotiations to play cowboy lovers in the film
Brokeback Mountain, based on the short story by Annie Proulx. The film, which
is to de directed by Ang Lee (Sense and Sensibility) and written by Larry
McMurty (Lonesome Dove), follows the intense relationship of a rodeo cowboy
and ranch hand who meet in the summer of 1961. Their love survives intolerance
and prejudice, but eventually ends in tragedy. Other actors who had been
rumored to play the leading roles include Colin Farrell, Josh Hartnett and
Billy Crudup.
The script for Brokeback Mountain has been floating around for some
time. Back in 1998, I was working at United Talent Agency in Los Angeles, who
represented such huge stars as J-Lo and Jim Carrey at the time. When I was
bored the agent assistants would give me scripts to read. I overheard one
assistant grumbling about how a certain project would never get made because
of its gay content. I asked if I could read it, and sure enough, it was the script for
Brokeback Mountain. The story was incredibly touching and affected me deeply.
Now that it is finally being made, it proves how far gay-themed entertainment
has come.
Mistress Mary Makes Eastsider
The Eastsider interviewed Express Arts & Entertainment Editor Mary
Damiano for her involvement with the “Not Your Average Bedtime Story”
event in their Jan. 15 issue. Damiano serves as mistress of ceremonies for the
event, which features readings of erotic stories. The gay and lesbian writing
group Lavender Writes puts on the show.
“I am known for my gay boy porn,” Damiano is quoted as saying. “I have
an affinity for writing sex stories about gay men.”
Welcome to Fort Lauderdale Juan
Be sure to stop by Ruff Riders at Symbology, Juan Pisani’s new menswear
store in Hub Plaza. Juan is well known for his “Ruff Riders” shirts, which
symbolize the spirit of living free and being strong through life. Juan also
owns the popular menswear store Symbology in Provincetown, and folks who
have been there will recognize hunky sales guy Sean.
Q6
www.ExpressGayNews.com • January 19, 2004
minorias de la Florida” and “Working across cultures,
sexual orientation and ethnicities” / “Enlazando
culturas, orientacion sexual y etnicidad.” 9 a.m. - 4
p.m. at Unity Coalition’s Offices, 111 S.W. Fifth Ave.,
Suite 205, Miami. 305.324.6393. (Workshops II and
III are in February and March.)
Saturday, Jan. 24 and 31: Happy New You
and More in 2004!—An annual lifestyle change
seminar focusing on self-renewal, self-healing and
developing inner strength to endure the coming new
year. Part I: Change Seminar, a program that helps
participants break the habit chain of anxiety, fear,
worry and helplessness through C.H.A.N.G.E. (Choose,
How, Act, Now, Grow, Evolve) and Part II: Sit Seminar,
which concentrates on freeing ones soul through S.I.T.
(Silencing Inner Turmoil). Benisa Forté, owner of
Ethnotricity Dance Studio in Fort Lauderdale, presents
both seminars. 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. at the African-American
Research Library and Cultural Center, 2650 Sistrunk
Blvd., Fort Lauderdale. For more information on this
free event, call 954.357.7464.
Saturday, March 13: The Crystal Ball—Save
the date for Caldwell Theatre Company’s annual
fundraiser. 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.
Live Theatre and Dance
Through Sunday, Feb. 1: Menopause, the
Musical—Actors Playhouse, 280 Miracle Mile, Coral
Gables. 305.444.9293.
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. 17th 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
Norm Crosby (Jan. 8 – 25), 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. 800.233.3123.
Tuesday, Jan. 20: Norma—This one-of-a-kind
staged-concert version of Vincenzo Bellini’s opera is
being given its national debut in Miami Beach and Fort
Lauderdale. Headed by soprano Maria Guleghina, quite
possibly the prima donna of dramatic opera roles,
Norma conveys the tragic love affair of its title
character, embracing love, romance and betrayal in
an unforgettable night of opera. 8 p.m. at the Broward
Center, 201 S.W. Fifth Ave. 954.462.0222.
Wednesday, Jan. 21 – 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.
305.444.9293.
Thursday, Jan. 22 – Sunday, Feb. 8: Top Dog
/ Underdog—Suzan-Lori Park’s darkly comic fable is
the story of two brothers, Lincoln and Booth, who
share in an all-consuming obsession with the street
card con game Three-Card Monte. Mosaic Theatre,
12200 W. Broward Blvd., Plantation. 954.577.8243.
Friday and Saturday, Jan. 23 and 24: Urban
Ballet Theater—From New York Artistic Director
Daniel Catanach. Classical and contemporary dance
with inner-city influences. $15/$13/$12. 8 p.m. at
Hollywood Central Performing Arts Center, 1770
Monroe St., Hollywood. 954.924.8175.
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.
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 305.69.FUNNY or visit
www.justthefunny.com.
Music
Thursday, Jan. 22: Body and Soul: Lainie
Kazan In Concert—Presented by American Red Magen
David for Israel. See and hear this exclusive appearance
of the multi-award winning singer/actress, star of film,
stage and television. VIP tickets, including a post show
dessert reception, are available for $125.00. 7:30 p.m.
at the Broward Center, 201 S.W. Fifth Ave.
954.462.0222.
Tuesday, Jan. 20: U.S. Army Signal Corps
Band—Featuring an 80-member band performing
marches, jazz and show tunes. 7:30 p.m. – 9 p.m. at
Hollywood Beach Theater, Johnson Street and the
Broadwalk. For information call 706.791.4856.
Friday, Jan. 23: George Winston—
Experience your favorite time of the year through
music with Grammy Award winning pianist George
Winston. Appearing in a highly anticipated solo
concert, Winston performs his impressionist
compositions of the seasons, “Autumn,” “Summer,”
“Winter Into Spring” and “December.” Winston
continues to enthrall audiences with his versatile
musicianship, offering a variety of treats from his
contemporary arrangements to music from The Doors.
Please join us in support of the Daily Bread Food Bank
Fort Lauderdale by bringing a donation of canned food
to the concert. 8:30 p.m. at the Broward Center, 201
S.W. Fifth Ave. 954.462.0222.
Saturday, Jan. 24: Tom Rush—Singer/
songwriter Tom Rush, a pioneer of the folk rock
movement, is credited with launching the careers of
Joni Mitchell, James Taylor and Jackson Browne. Rush’s
music is filled with healthy doses of both folk and blues
influences with a repertoire that includes favorites
“Merrimac County” and “Circle Game.” 8:30 p.m at
the Broward Center, 201 S.W. Fifth Ave.
954.462.0222.
Saturday, Feb. 28: Bette Midler—Tickets
are on sale now. Office Depot Center, 2555 Panthers
Dr., Sunrise. 954.835.8000.
Exhibitions
Through Sunday, Feb. 15: Visas for Life: The
Righteous and Honorable Diplomats—Featuring
photographs and archival materials chronicling the history
of Holocaust survivors and their rescuers. Tuesday –
Saturday, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.; Thursday, 10 a.m. – 8 p.m.;
Sunday, 1 – 4 p.m. $5/sdults; $3/students and seniors; free/
13 and younger with adult. Art and Culture Center, 1650
Harrison St., Hollywood, 954.921.3274.
Through Tuesday, March 16: Pop-up Book
Exhibit—Paper Engineering: The Pop-up Book
Structures of Vojtech Kubasta, Robert Sabuda and
Andrew Binder will be on exhibit in the Bienes Center
for the Literary Arts at the Main Library, 100 S.
Andrews Ave., Fort Lauderdale. The free exhibition
will showcase a sampling of about 50 titles by the
three artists. For more information call 954.357.8692.
Radio
The Norm Kent Show—Live from the Floridian
Restaurant on E. Las Olas Blvd., interviews and
commentary with Norm Kent. Weekday mornings, 8
– 9 a.m. on WFTL 1400 AM. The Call-In Line is
1.866.432.1400. www.NormKentShow.com.
Bridging the Gap—Call-in talk radio show
dedicated to creating a better understanding between
the straight and gay communities, with host Rene
Bray. Sundays from 6 – 8 p.m. on WTAN 1340 AM.
Live,
worldwide
broadcast
at
www.TampaBayGay.com/BTG. 1.800.263.8559.
Issues Over the Rainbow—MarkyG hosts this gay
and lesbian early morning talk show. Sunday mornings at
8 a.m. on PARTY 93.1 FM. www.Party931.com.
Maximum_Volume
Pumping It Up with New Album Releases
Alicia Keys: ‘The Diary of Alicia Keys’
(J Records)
Yes, it has been out since early
December. But The Diary of Alicia
Keys is worthy of mention more than
a month later. Sumptuous and lush,
Keys has written or co-written most
of the songs on the album. These
songs are written far more
intelligently than that of most of
Keys’ contemporaries. Her soulful
sound and easy grooves are a throw
back to the ’70s soul of Isaac Hayes
and Roberta Flack. The first single,
“If I Was Your Woman/Walk on By,”
is representative of the rest of the
album. Keys writes about love and
relationships, not about “gangstas” and “bling bling.” The orchestrations and
production is extraordinarily lush throughout the 15-track CD. “Dragon Days,”
which is written solely by Keys, demonstrates her vivid imagination with her
comparisons of modern-day love to the days of princesses and dungeons. Hats
off to the woman known for her funky fedoras, she has made a brilliant follow-up
to her breakthrough album Songs in A Minor. For those looking for a sumptuous
escape, here is your ticket.
—Andy Zeffer
Ani DiFranco: ‘Educated Guess’
(Righteous Babe Records)
On Educated Guess, DiFranco
is a one-woman show, writing all the
songs, playing all the instruments,
singing all the lead and back-up
vocals and doing all the recording
and mixing. The result is a collection
that resonates and illustrates
DiFranco’s unique talent and view
of the world.
And as usual, the CD package
is stunning, featuring a gorgeous
booklet with all the song lyrics, plus
sketches and artwork. It’s more like
a poetry book, really, but then again,
DiFranco’s lyrics have always been more like poetry put to music.
The opener, “Platforms,” is a short, sultry spoken word piece that hits home.
“The Story of What Was” is also a powerful spoken word rant, accompanied
only by bits of sounds and Ani’s own voice backing her up. “Grand Canyon” is
also excellent, a gorgeous unsung song about rights and politics and social
change. When Ani speaks, it’s best to close your eyes, relax and let the meaning
of her words and the rhythm of her voice roll into your mind and imagination.
“Origami” is another standout, a refreshing take on relationships, with some
terrific guitar work.
Like Ani DiFranco’s previous CDs, Educated Guess is an intimate exploration
of what’s on Ani’s mind right now, or at least what was on her mind when she
wrote and recorded it. And since Ani is always ahead of her time, she’s right in
sync with things that are going on now. Her questions and insights become food
for thought; her music soothing and inspirational for her listeners.
—Mary Damiano
www.ExpressGayNews.com • January 19, 2004 Q7
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www.ExpressGayNews.com • January 19, 2004