HomoQuotable - Larry Kramer

"Please know that AIDS is a worldwide plague. Please know that no country in the world, including this one, especially this one, has ever called it a plague, or dealt with it as a plague. Please know that there is no cure. Please know that after all this time the amount of money being spent to find a cure is still miniscule, still almost invisible, still impossible to locate in any national health budget, and still totally uncoordinated.

"Please know that here in America case numbers continue to rise in every category. In much of the rest of the world — Russia, India, Southeast Asia, Africa — the numbers of the infected and the dying are so grotesquely high they are rarely acknowledged. Please know that all efforts at prevention and educations continue their unending record of abject failure. Please know that there is no one in charge of this plague. This is a war for which there is no general and for which there has never been a general. How can you win a war with no one in charge?" - Larry Kramer, from a letter handed to patrons attending the revival of his landmark play, The Normal Heart.

Read Kramer's entire letter.

HAIR...returns to Broadway July 5th! Gerome Ragni rock musical timeless in appeal!

 



HAIR, the entertaining rock musical hit - authored by good friend Gerome Ragni - is going to land at the St. James Theatre in New York once it wraps up a National Tour in the next few months.

As I noted in a prior post - Ragni was anxious to cast me in the Toronto production - which was unveiled in all its joyous glory at the Alexandria Theatre at the tail-end of the heady 60's.

Just a few weeks ago, I trotted down to the Pantages Theatre to catch the latest raucous stage revival, which hasn't lost any of its appeal over the years.

Post: 01/21/2011

http://forgusbeylan.blogspot.com/2011/01/haira-celebration-life-horrors-of-war.html

The tie-dyed celebration of life will open July 5th and run for 10 weeks 'til September 10th.

The Broadway encore will feature a celebrated mix of cast members from the 2009 revival (with Darius Nichols as Hud and Kacie Sheik as Jeanie) in addition to talented performers from the tour such as the ever-popular Steel Burkhardt (Berger), Paris Remillard (Claude), and Caren Lyn Tackett (Sheila) who pranced on the boards in the pre-Broadway run of the Central Park Revival (2008).

My "Body" is walking in space, alright!

Uh-huh!

Catch the Broadway launch - a must-see musical extravaganza - just betcha!

See 'ya there!

http://www.thetattler.biz



The naughty sexy tribe!

George Takei Auditions For Spider-Man

(Source)

Hair...a celebration life! Horrors of War still impact in Pantages production!

As soon as the last number ends with a hair-rising rendition of  "Let the Sun Shine In"  at the Pantages Theatre in Hollywood, the audience spontaneously springs to their feet with a rousing standing ovation for the talented cast of the 60's Musical Revival.

Minutes later - without much urging from the actors - ecstatic theatre-goers dash up on to the festive stage to partake in a mystical ritual of dancing and clapping at the close of the well-written Musical.

The Stage Revival - now on tour around the country - is definitely a celebration of life!

In one ribald scene, where the cast sing out joyously about having - "my teeth", glorious "hair", and a hot a** - it is quite evident that the rock musical is also an insightful foray into the elusive world of the inner confines (and erotic fantasies) of mind, body, and soul.

And - the message of LOVE and PEACE resonates just as soundly today - as it did over forty years ago when it first hit the Broadway Stage in NYC.

When the storyline drifts into controversial territory - on such thought-provoking issues as the draft and an unpopular War - Hair delivers up a punch that offers up relevant commentary that smacks of the recent conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Talk about timely!

The horrors of War still impact!

To the instinctive heads of that era - it was quite apparent in their own naive way - that it was intrinsically wrong to rampantly rape, pillage, kill, - and pit Nation against Nation - in the name of protecting the free world!

In contrast, the visionary material also uncannily manages to underscore how different the youth of today are compared to the "hippies" of that bygone era.

After all, in the wake of  9/11 - honor, duty, and serving one's country - became values worth fighting for!

Although some of the references to LBJ (a former U.S. President) and IBM (long before Bill Gates sauntered into the PC Marketplace with compact desktop computers) date the material - in their context - they appear to matter little to enthusiastic theatre-goers who have been packing the house since opening night.

Although some of the directing is a bit pedestrian at times - Hair is a delightful production - that would have benefitted from a bit of judicious pruning here-and-there with the ultimate aim of moving along the pace a tad.

A couple of stand-out poignant ballads are show-stoppers, too!

Members of the audience are particuarly thrilled with the interaction that goes on between the cast and ticket-holders each night once the show gets underway.

At one point - two characters in the stage hit- step out of the Orchestra to offer up a segment of comic relief that is both dazzling and entertaining.

Hair was quite the personal experience for me! 

In fact, I got a little teary-eyed.

Ah, the memories!

Readers of forgus beylan may recall that I posted a promo for the two-act musical in which I recalled my friendship with Book & Lyric contributor Gerome Ragni.

Post: 12/26/10

http://forgusbeylan.blogspot.com/2010/12/hairmemories-of-gerome-ragni-rock.html

Both Jerry & I lived and breathed the engaging material - hence - the reason why the words jump out from the page and touch musical-lovers magically in what has proven to be a memorable Stage experience that will not be long forgotten.

In fact, a number of the lyrics are catchy, amusing, and insightful!

Rush Tickets may be purchased on the night of the performance for $25.00.

Such a deal!

Catch it if you can, you won't regret it.

http://www.thetattler.biz/

Pee Wee Herman...Broadway show opens in N.Y.

Paul Rubens is expected to make a big splash on Broadway next week when a stage production featuring a character he created hits the boards at the Stephen Sondheim Theatre.

The Pee Wee Herman Show was based on Paul Ruben's alter-ego and was an award-winning children's series that ran on CBS from 1986 -1991.

Rubins also met with theatrical success with the feature film release of " Pee Wee's Big Adventure "and the sequel "Big Top Pee Wee" .

The Pee Wee Herman show is based on the popular Television show "Pee Wee’s Playhouse" of yesteryear.

Understandably, a cast of familiar characters will take the stage, in the  new incaration on the stage in Tin Pan Alley.

Audiences will be cracking up over the wild shenanigans of - Mailman Mike, Cowboy Curtis, Ms. Yvonne, and Jambi - for starters.

The comic actually “tested” the  material - slated for its Broadway run - in what amounted to out-of-town previews.

Before Rubins  landed the backing for the New York stage show, he performed a version of his new project in Hollywood to sold out audiences.

In fact, if I recall correctly, the production was extended to accommodate the demand for tickets.

When Pee Wee appeared on Jimmy Fallon the other night, it was obvious the zany comic's timing is as impecable as ever.

Mr. Rubens is witty, insightful, and a unique talent in the final analysis.

Break a leg, Pee Wee!

Info & Tickets

http://www.peewee.com/

http://www.thetattler.com

Hits, Misses and Plans for the Future at L.A. Fashion Week

After nearly a month of runway shows, events and trade shows, Los Angeles’ fashion community is assessing the sprawling—and occasionally chaotic—mix of events, and show producers are already gearing up for next season of L.A. Fashion Week. 

The tough economy made it especially challenging for many show producers to line up sponsorship. But undeterred, the schedule included more than 60 events happening around town. This season’s lineup included returning events Downtown L.A. Fashion Week, L.A. Fashion Weekend and BOXeight and newcomers L.A. Fashion on Broadway and Rock Fashion Week. There were also many independent events, including Gen Art’s Fresh Faces in Fashion (now part of Rock Fashion Week) and Project Ethos; fund-raisers, including Passion Revealed; and private events featuring Kevan Hall, Corey Lynn Calter and others.

Most events were held in the evenings, leaving many in the industry available to attend the many trade events also scheduled in October, including the Majors Market, Los Angeles Fashion Market, the Los Angeles International Textile Show, Material World & Technology Solutions, GlobalTex and European Rendezvous. 

Los Angeles–based Hall, who showed in the past at IMG’s Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week at Smashbox Studios, opted to show independently. (Although he said he’d consider joining the lineup of another fashion week event if he were asked to participate.) “Since there’s no more participation by IMG and Smashbox, you have to think out of the box and find a venue that is impactful, will showcase your collection in the best possible light and be an exciting venue for the clients,” Hall said. The designer showed his Kevan Hall Signature collection on a dramatic set on the lot of Universal Studios. The event was held in partnership with luxury auto dealer Rusnak Auto Group, which showcased its new cars from Rolls Royce, Porsche and Jaguar. 

Hall, who was in his home state of Michigan earlier in October for Detroit Fashion Week, left for Arizona in early November for Scottsdale Fashion Week. (The designer showed at the Islands of the World Fashion Week in the Bahamas last year.) The back-to-back event schedule left little time for him to attend any other Los Angeles Fashion Week events. Still, he said it’s important for his business to show his collection in Los Angeles.

Source : http://www.apparelnews.net