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Winter Theater Season in Full Swing



Four Cities - Four Great Shows

By D. Kevin McNeir
GBMNews
Sr. Correspondent
& Editor

It may be a bit chillier than usual in places like Miami and Atlanta while record-breaking snowfall continues to plummet the East and Midwest, but you can always escape to the warmer and more entertaining environs of your local playhouse. Here are just a few suggestions from some recent shows that have kept this writer laughing, crying and contemplating about the vicissitudes of life.

 

 
Platanos and Collard Greens - A New Age West Side Story

Platanos and Collard Greens, appearing through February 28th at downtown Miami's Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts, is on the first stop of its U.S. tour after celebrating six years of production and taking over 200 American colleges and universities by storm. It also bears the distinction of being the longest running Black and Latino off-Broadway play.

Written, produced and directed by the husband-wife duo of Jamillah and David Lamb, this romantic comedy, infused with just the right amount of humor and satire, chronicles the budding relationship between two college students, Freeman and Angelita, who discover that their friends and family are less than pleased with the romance of an African-American man and a Latina woman - they have become an item.

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RuPaul Continues to "Dress" to Impress



News Brief

By D. Kevin McNeir
GBMNews
Sr. Correspondent
& Editor

 

 
RuPaul has been spotted in bookstores from Los Angeles to New York City, signing copies of his new book, Workin' It! (It Books/Harper Collins, 2010), which already has folks comparing their strategies for life, style and fashion to this guide, written by the world's most famous drag queen.

And he'll be in Atlanta at Outwrite, the southeast's premier location for literature, music and art that celebrates the LGBT community, on Tuesday, Feb. 16 at 7:30 p.m., where he'll be taking photos, signing copies of his book and "dishing out the scoop on fashion for girls and boys, straight and gay - and everyone in between."

Centre Stage Magazine will feature the incomparable RuPaul on the cover of our February edition, scheduled for release next weekend, where he talks about his book, his life and his new surge in popularity.

And you can be sure, we'll have plenty of photographs (courtesy of LOGO and  photographers Ocean Morisset and Rick Gore) along with interviews from some of this season's contestants on the popular Logo-produced, "RuPaul's Drag Race, even including words from one of the shows' handsome hunks, Max Philisaire, who shares his hints for those who want to improve their body and health.

Stay tuned!

 

 

New Documentary to Challenge Traditional Forms of Privilege in Hollywood

 

An Interview with producer/writer, Demetrius Bady

By Doug Cooper-Spencer
GBMNews
Contributing Columnist

 

 
"At Moesha I was gay in a black world that preferences and privileges heterosexuality and in West Hollywood, I was black in a gay world which preferences and privileges whiteness." ~ Producer, Writer, Demetrius Bady
Being black and gay in Hollywood can be a daunting experience. With two strikes already against you, there's a thin line you have to walk; to fall either way can cost you.

This article focuses on the challenging - even frustrating relationship black LGBT people have with the film industry. Specifically, it is an interview with producer, writer, Demetrius Bady who served as a writer on various T.V. shows, including the '90's hit, 'Moesha'.

Demetrius talks about his years in Hollywood as an openly gay black writer and producer, his relationship with black Hollywood, and his latest project: 'Nothing Personal', a documentary film that challenges the homophobia that exists in the black entertainment industry, in particular the film industry.

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Celebrate Love with the Music of ABBA



"Mamma Mia!" - Like a Breath of Fresh Air

By D. Kevin McNeir
GBMNews
Sr. Correspondent
& Editor

 

 

 
"Mamma Mia!," the smash hit musical based on the songs of ABBA hit the stage of The Fabulous Fox Theatre for one-week run that ends on Valentine's Day. And with songs like "Dancing Queen," "S.O.S." and "Take a Chance on Me," it's the perfect way to usher in new love or revive former romances.

Presented by Broadway Across America, the show is now on its North American tour and is brought to life through the creative talent of producers Judy Craymer, Richard East, with music and lyrics by Benny Anderson and Bjorn Ulvaeus, choreography by Anthony Van Laast and is directed by Howard Harrison.

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Beauty of Vocalese to be Showcased in Concert of Jazz Greats

Manhattan Transfer teams up with legendary Jon Hendricks

By D. Kevin McNeir
Sr. Correspondent
& Editor

If vocal jazz is your thing and if you have been looking for an opportunity to enjoy some "real music" then you might want to hop over to downtown Miami's Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade this Friday, January 15, when Larry Rosen's Jazz Roots Series will present an evening of some of the greatest vocalese artists to ever step to a microphone.

The concert promises to tickle the cockles of jazz aficionados when the Grammy-award winning quartet The Manhattan Transfer are joined by New York Voices and the 88-year-old master of vocalese performance, Jon Hendricks, as they each make their way to the stage - the first time that all three have ever been featured together.

 

 
"We are thrilled to present this rare opportunity to see Jon Hendricks, a living legend and the definitive king of vocalese, in concert with some of the greatest jazz luminaries of our day," said M. John Richard, President and CEO of the Arsht Center. "It is an honor for us to welcome these all-stars of the jazz vocal world, as they ascend on South Florida for this historic joint engagement."

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Gleason Nails His Performance in Enchanting Version of Phantom

Andrew Lloyd Webber's unforgettable tale of terror, passion and unrequited love, The Phantom of the Opera, recently returned to South Florida at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts, led by the captivating performance of Tim Martin Gleason (The Phantom) who was joined by a stellar cast and supported by a dazzling array of elaborate costumes, ingenious special effects and extraordinary sets.

In the Heights: A Must-See Musical for the New Millennium

As the first downbeat sounds and the star of the show, Usnavi, along with the rest of the cast from In the Heights, belt out the same-titled opening tune, you get the sense that In the Heights: A New Musical is going to be one of those productions that will be worth seeing again and again. And guess what? It is.

Andre De Shields - A "Wiz" of an Actor

Andre De Shields was "pretty in pink" as he waved majestically in the recent Atlanta Gay Pride Parade as one of the event's honorary marshals. It was a rare moment of relaxation for this legendary actor, dancer, singer and choreographer and openly gay superstar who's in town and starring at the Alliance Theatre in David Mamet's two-man show, A Life in the Theatre.

Children Steal the Thunder in The 101 Dalmatians Musical

The only thing about going to a "children's play" is dealing with the inevitable crying or yelling that goes on - call it the challenge of "staying focused". But somehow, the creators of the newest Broadway Across America production, The 101 Dalmatians Musical, were able to infuse just enough singing, dancing, slapstick comedy and live Dalmatians - yes real dogs on stage - to make this show a real delight while keeping most of the children in attendance mesmerized.

Poetic Sty of the Blind Pig is Fitting Choice for Season Opener

Playwright Philip Hayes Dean won the New York Drama Desk award in 1971 for his mind-blowing, mesmerizing comedic drama Sty of the Blind Pig and while some theater lovers may be unfamiliar with this piece, its powerful prose and the poignant performances from a talented cast are two reasons that True Colors Theatre Company's season opener is a definite hit.

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