Out on Stage: March 2008 Archives

It's always so great to see an actual gay person on the cover of The Advocate instead of just a gay-friendly one or someone who plays gay. That's what makes the cover story on Broadway star Cheyenne Jackson (in "Xanadu" through July) all the more exciting.

Here are some excerpts:

"The first time that I knew I was gay -- I think I was, like, 7 -- I was watching this Valentine's Day Popeye cartoon episode that would play every year. There was this scene where Popeye was captured by Brutus, tied up with no shoes or socks on, and Brutus starts tickling his feet. I remember getting a little boner, and I didn't know what it was about that scene that was creating that, but I knew that it was something naughty that I couldn't tell anybody, and I definitely knew it was something that made me different. But every year, I couldn't wait for that episode."

On coming out publicly: "It wasn't something I planned on doing," he recalls, "but I've been out to my family since I'm 19. The interviewer kind of said, 'And you're gay, right?' I didn't even think about it and said, 'Yeah.' I could've, in a frenzy, had people call him to retract it, but I thought, Let's see what happens. People worry about someone who's an up-and-comer and so open about it, but I feel like if I don't make it an issue, it's not going to be an issue. ... To be frank," he says, "I think I've missed out on big parts because I'm open. I've screen-tested on some really big projects, and you can't tell me that behind closed doors big execs aren't like, 'We have Dean Cain or this gay guy who played Elvis on Broadway.' I'm not that naive to think that that doesn't play into it."

On his relationship with the gay media: "Look, I'm not somebody that marches in the front of a gay pride parade, but if I wanted to, I would. I'm not a self-loathing gay; I just feel like being gay is the least interesting thing about me. But I also understand that people want to be represented, and I'm happy to be that for them--to a point."

On coming out to his family: "We called a family meeting," he recalls, "and I said, 'Well, I think families should be close and know everything about each other, so it's time that you knew I was gay.' " Met with both shocked silence and sobbing, his brother began reading a letter Jackson had written detailing his journey and first memories -- "but not the Popeye memory," he adds. After his bomb's fallout dissipated, he and his family didn't discuss the topic for about two years. "I just separated myself from them. I realized that they had to mourn their ideas of what they thought my life would be. I wasn't going to be the first to have kids, which they'd always thought, because I was a Sunday School teacher and the only guy on the block that babysat. So I had to give them time."

On his brother, a regular preacher on The 700 Club: "He thinks that being gay is something that can be prayed away, or that maybe you didn't have strong male influences growing up -- which couldn't be further from the truth for me, because my father is a Native American Vietnam vet, and we were very close. I love my brother dearly, but it's come to a point where we just don't talk about religion or politics. It's the only way that our relationship can work."

To read the entire article, gfo to Advocate.com

Patti Lupone is wowing 'em on Broaday in "Gypsy" and her final big number, "Rose's Turn," is said to be astonishing. I decided to surf around Youtube for some of the previous versions to share with you. Take a look then vote for who you think is best through the comments section. I'll post the results if enough people participate!

Bette Midler in the 1993 television production of "Gypsy" which aired on CBS as a three-hour special. Bette was nominated for an Emmy Award for her performance and later admitted to being "pissed off" that she didn't win since she had showed up at the ceremonies and even sang!

Bernadette Peters performed the number at the 57th Tony Awards and, I think, silenced the critics who thought she was miscast. She is absolutely fantastic. She didn't win the Tony that year but already had two at home.

Here is Tyne Daly who won a well-deserved Tony in 1989 for her Rose. Wow! I had only heard her on the soundtrack and she was kinda hoarse when they recorded that. In this clip, filmed by an audience member, she is in full voice and really is stunning. She's the best actress of all the Rose's, I think, and it really sells this number even if she doesn't have the singing voice of some of the others.

Angela Lansbury won one of her four Tony Awards for her version of Rose in "Gypsy." For anyone who knows her only from TV's "Murder She Wrote," these clips show that her greatest triumphs have been on the Broadway stage.

Ethel Merman may have triumphed on Broadway as the original Rose but when the show was made into a film, Merman was passed over in favor of Rosalind Russell who certainly has the acting chops but not Merman's singing range. She sort of yells her way through the final number.

And finally, here is the reigning Rose herself, Patti LuPone, singing "Rose's Turn." I'm not sure when the video was taken but it has to be recently. I think it gives you a good indication of why Patti is born to play the role.

Cast your VOTES!!!

Monday was just one of the great nights.

I was invited to attend the Actors Fund Musical Mondays, a series of Cabaret events held several times a year in the lobby of the Pantages Theatre in Hollywood. This week was special because instead of just featuring one performer, it was the music of Ron Abel that was sung by a parade of his friends and muses including Lucie Arnaz, Loretta Devine, Valarie Pettiford, Linda Purl, Joely Fisher and others.

The results were awesome with Tony winner Devine really knocking it out of the park on two songs from the forthcoming musical "Bricktop" called "A Place of My Own" and "Queen of the Night." I wish you could have all been there to see what Loretta can do on stage. I was blown away and can't wait to see this show which, it was announced Monday night, has Whoopi Goldberg on board as a producer. I think Loretta outa make room on her shelf for another Tony based on what I heard at the Pantages. Wow!

Also excellent, and someone I'm so glad to be aware of now, was the amazing Valarie Pettiford, a major talent and Tony nominee for "Fosse." She performed more numbers than anyone else and nailed every single one of them with power and conviction including "Let 'Em Talk," "Where Do I Find Love?" "Same Old Moon," Bye Bye Blackbird" and, in a duet with Joey Gian, "The Way You Look Tonight/Everybody Loves My Baby." She is fantastic! (Ron Abel is pictured below with Devine and Pettiford)

Lucie Arnaz is Abel's close friend and sometimes professional partner of more than 20 years and she came in straight from Hong Kong to dazzle the audience with a pair of numbers. Lucie hopped onto the piano and sang "Until Now" and sounded and looked sensational. Hard to believe that the daughter of Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz is in her mid 50s. Lucie dueted with Ron on "Forever's All We Know" and, I swear, I thought she was singing these songs right to me. But actually, she was singing them to her husband, actor Laurence Luckenbill and their very tall son who were sitting just a few feet away.
"Larry was sitting down there and it's an anniversary-type song so I wanted to make sure he knew I was singing it to him!" Lucie told me after the show.

Lucie told the audience that the first time she heard the song was one night in Vegas when her brother, Desi Arnaz Jr., sang it with his then-wife Linda Purl (pictured above with Joely Fisher and Ron Abel) who was wonderful singing "Just to Be Near You" at the event. She is also ageless, looking much like she did in all those TV movies and on "Matlock" with Andy Griffith. I also give major kudos to Joely was a real hoot. She walks onto the stage and says: "f@*#! I have to follow Valarie Pettiford." Then she did a highly entertaining "All the Good Men Are Gay."

Ain't it the truth!!!

After the show, I gabbed with Ron, Lucie and Linda. I gushed that I was just about speechless after watching the show. "I'm happy that you had such a good time tonight and that the music pleased you because I think he's just a remarkable, gifted artist," Lucie said. "Ron Abel, there isn't anybody else like him....I love standards but I also like to have a new way of doing stuff and Ron's take on songs has just always been unique and classic and fresh. I love singing the stuff he writes but I also love the arrangements that he does. He's fun to be with on stage. He's always listening."

Lucie said she and Linda are "the best of friends. I adore this woman." Her former sister-in-law was standing nearby and I told Miss Purl what a thrill it was to see another side of someone you know from television when they hit the stage. She said: "I felt the same way the first time I saw Jason Alexander. It was like, 'Oh my gosh! Who knew?' Or Hal Linden or Lucie. It's fun. It's a joy and also as a parent - I know for Lucie it's the same thing - you can do your concerts, go out for two or three days then you can come home and get back to doing soccer runs. It's a good balance."

Got an email a few hours ago from Steve Callahan, the hunky and talented star of recent gay indie faves "East Side Story" and "Nines Lives" who I profiled back in the fall on this blog. Steve had some terrific news to share about "Corpus Christi," the Terrence McNally play that he's been a part of since 2006. It is a modern telling of Jesus and the 12 apostles, where Jesus is a gay man in 1950's Texas. Steve (he's the actor on the right in the photo above with star and producer James Brandon) plays Judas.

When the play opened ten years ago, it was protested and opened with bomb threats. The current production has played for two years without incident.

"We have been embraced by critics and audiences alike," says Steve who thought he was just joining the show for a four-week run in North Hollywood. "I am traveling around the world with the show. The play has become a huge part of my life and the cast has become family to me. The success that we have encountered with this show is mind boggling."

Here is the latest news about the show:

- The company just returned from its third run in San Francisco and played at Grace Cathedral. This marked the first time Steve played the role of Judas.

- During its successful month-long run in Scotland at the Edinburgh Theatre Festival, it was seen by scouts for the Dublin Theatre Festival and invited to be their premiere show! It will be performed in Dublin this May, the first time that "Corpus Christi" has ever been performed in Ireland.

- Before leaving for Ireland, the cast will perform on Easter Sunday in Los Angeles. The Sunday, March 23 performance will be held at WeHo Church at 6 p.m. A limited number of half price tickets available at www.goldstarevents.com.

- In October, the company will go to New York City to do a 10th anniversary production. Since the occasion also marks the 10th anniversary of the murder of Matthew Shepherd, the event will be in connected with the Matthew Shepherd Foundation.

More info about "Corpus Christi" can be found on the following website: www.108productions.org.

We know that Mario Lopez's body is a singular sensation. But how will television's former A.C. Slater and "Dancing With the Stars" runner up fare on the Broadway stage?

We'll find out on April 15 when he joins the cast of "A Chorus Line" as the show's demanding director. The current revival of the show has been running since October 2006 at the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre.

"Every actor dreams about appearing on a Broadway stage," Lopez told the Associated Press. "I have as well and have been searching for the right time and opportunity."