Arts & Culture

ARTS & CULTURE Trodding the Boards

Brian Sands bsnola2@hotmail.com

Jessie Mueller/The Seth Concert Series through July 13

It’s not the same, but what is these days? And in some ways, it’s even better than what it’s replacing.

“It” is The Seth Concert Series, a spinoff from the Broadway@NOCCA series that has become a beloved part of NOLA’s theater scene. With live performances temporarily on hold, producer Mark Cortale and host/music director Seth Rudetsky had the wise idea to move their cabaret-cum-interview programs into cyberspace. With its simple, two-person format, this singular entertainment has made the transition well-nigh seamlessly.

While I missed the fi rst two (Kelli O’Hara, and Jeremy Jordan, who appeared at NOCCA last March), I’m happy I caught the third installment which featured Jessie Mueller, a Tony winner for Best Actress for Beautiful: The Carole King Musical. In these

quarantining times, the show was a delight and so refreshing after 3+ months of hardly any theater, certainly nothing like this.

As is his wont, Rudetsky started the discussion with Mueller’s childhood. She wanted to be an animator as a kid and didn’t do any performing till high school. Once there, rather than the lead, she “wanted to be the comic sidekick.”

In her senior year, she kinda got both as Princess Winifred in the comedic Once Upon a Mattress, a musical retelling of The Princess and the Pea. After hearing her absolutely delightful rendition of its powerhouse song Shy, I’d love to see her star in it.

Though Mueller had no connection to Broadway and just “wanted to be in the Chicago theater scene”, fate had different plans for her. In 2011, she found herself starring opposite Harry Connick, Jr. in a revival of On a Clear Day You Can See Forever and, as Rudetsky put it, “everyone was obsessed

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Jessie Mueller

with [her]”, an out-of-town newcomer who had landed on top in New York.

Mueller gave us the background on the show’s audition process, including a demonstration of how she repurposed the lovely Rodgers & Hammerstein tune It Might as Well Be Spring into a jazzy version since she didn’t have any other song at the tryout that could show off that side of her talent. She also noted that Broadway is similar to Chicago only a lot more money is involved, and told a great story about the time Connick got lost in a musical number and she saved it while wryly noting that “Harry has his own version” of the tale.

After a couple of other shows, Mueller landed the lead in Beautiful and said “she couldn’t just mimic King as she’s such an open vessel who gives away her heart.” Her performance of I Feel the Earth Move demonstrated this as it honored King without being a slavish imitation of her. Mueller also advised, “If anyone’s taking piano lessons, stick with it. It’s a great skill to have.”

The concert continued with songs from Sara Bareilles’ Waitress, Mueller’s next leading role for which she received a Tony nomination. Performing the show’s 11 o’clock number, She Used to Be Mine, Mueller gave it 110% as though it were opening night on Broadway.

More recently, Mueller starred in the revival of Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Carousel as Julie Jordan (garnering another Tony nod). Not only was her interpretation of If I Loved You

gorgeous, but she provided very interesting textual analysis of the song as well as technical aspects of how she approached singing it.

Throughout the evening, Mueller, appearing from her living room in a polka dot top and with her hair in a bun, came off as wise and articulate, charming yet wholly down-to-earth. Commenting on the past few months she said she’s been “reading lotsa books” and “cooking up a storm”; I suspect there was a touch of sarcasm when she noted “Every day is different.”

Rudetsky, hosting and playing piano live from his home, was his usual hyper, enthusiastic, trivia-obsessed and gossipy self which was actually comforting in a world so in fl ux these days.

Together, these two pros created a wonderfully intimate 90 minutes, an easy camaraderie passing virtually between them. Mueller’s pure tone came through remarkably well and if it wasn’t quite the same as hearing her live at NOCCA, it was the next best thing. Plus, this way, she was almost kinda literally in your living room or bedroom or the palm of your hand (if you were watching on your cell phone). And live.

Technically, there’s nothing fancy about The Seth Concert Series with host and guest sharing the screen, each having one steady camera angle on them. Only when Mueller soloed on guitar for Waitress’ A Soft Place to Land did the confi guration change to a one-shot of her.

Coordination between Rudetsky and Mueller was extremely well-done

(“It’s almost real!” Mueller jokingly commented about listening to the piano through her ear bud.) and if the sound sometimes went in and out and off a little bit, the occasional stern and unapproving look this elicited on Rudetsky’s face was priceless.

With no applause, except typed in by the many fans in the chat that scrolled alongside the images, it’s “like singing in the shower” Mueller dryly observed. On a much more serious note, however, she said referring to the events of the last month, “We can’t be in this world just for ourselves any more. ‘Me, me, me’ just doesn’t work.”

The concert concluded with Les Miz’ On My Own which, although Mueller had never sung it in public before, she knocked out of the ballpark with Rudetsky occasionally helping her with the lyrics in the most lovingly gentle way. This was followed by an unplanned Part of Your World from The Little Mermaid, fulfilling Mueller’s dream “to be a Disney character,” and the entrancing My White Knight from The Music Man which Mueller starred in last year at the Kennedy Center. I didn’t want it to end.

Next up, on July 5 and 6, will be Tony and Drama Desk nominee Melissa Errico followed by the amazing six-time Tony winner Audra McDonald on July 12 and 13. See the website thesethconcertseries.com for details.

Bravos to Seth Rudetsky, Mark Cortale and all their magnificent performers for making this marvelous series happen in these tumultuous times.

New in New York

I’ve heard from friends that New York City, once the epicenter of the US’s COVID-19 pandemic, has in large part returned to what passes for normal these days. If things continue in this positive direction, that will enable the Big Apple to move into Phase 4 on July 20 which will allow museums to reopen.

If that’s the case and you happen to be in NYC and would like a little magic, and who wouldn’t these days, then check out the Houdini Museum (213 W. 35 St., Ste. 401). Its exhibit space, on the fourth floor of a commercial building, may be fairly small but still allows for an impressively large collection of memorabilia regarding the most renowned magician who ever lived including photos, publicity posters, magic props, secret tools & large restraints he used for escape tricks, handcuffs of all sorts, items used to expose phony spiritualists, and even a giant robot from a movie of his. Many of the Museum’s items have never previously been on public display.

The Museum also offers magic classes, lectures & performances and at any time there’re likely to be some magicians around to show you some tricks and/or sell them to you from the Museum’s shop.

All this is overseen by the engaging Rajon Lynch (aka RJ the Magician), the Museum’s young director who grew up in the same Wisconsin town as Houdini. He’s trying as well to expand the field’s demographics; in a New York Times profile last November, he was quoted as saying “We’re trying to get more kids of color in, as well as women and girls. I think it helps that I’m African-American and I don’t necessarily look like a conventional magician.”

Admission to the Houdini Museum is free (although there’s a $10 suggested donation) and while it had been open 7 days a week, currently it’s Thursday-Sunday by appointment (212-244-3633; www.houdinimuseumny.com). A little googling will take you to some videos featuring Lynch including an amusing TEDx Talk he did three years ago when he was still in college.

If you magically want to go to NYC without leaving your home, check out the Metropolitan Opera’s fantastic Nightly Opera Streams (www.metopera.org) which offers a free series of encore Live in HD presentations as well as earlier Live From the Met broadcasts, all with subtitles.

Since it began in March, it has presented over 100 operas, including a few repeats, most very good, a few meh, and some absolutely astounding. I’ve seen just about all of them and have gotten used to having Leontyne Price, Luciano Pavarotti, Placido Domingo, Anna Netrebko, Renée Fleming and the very cute Juan Diego Flórez, among many others, in my bedroom.

This week, you can enjoy Dmitri Shostakovich’s The Nose (July 1-2; each opera is available for 23 hours beginning at 5:30pm CDT), an absurdist tale of a man who finds his nose missing one day. Paulo Szot stars and sings this complex score with a robust voice; he’s especially touching in his aria of self-pity. The great South African animation artist William Kentridge directed and designed the production which, if overly busy with a little too much action on stage, is nonetheless wildly imaginative.

Inspired by a Walter Scott novel, Rossini’s La Donna del Lago (July 5-6) with its crazy plot of warring Scottish factions may not entirely make sense, but that’s hardly the point when there’s glorious music and singing to be had.

The first act may be fabulous, but the second is even better as exposition gives way to a steady stream of musical magic, and drab battle costumes are replaced by sumptuously regal court outfits.

The sublime Joyce DiDonato makes the most difficult arias seem effortless, approaching her role of Elena, beloved by two men yet in love with another, with sensitivity, delicacy, and strength.

Juan Diego Flórez and Joyce DiDonato in

Donna del Lago La

As the King who loves Elena (but he’s in disguise so she doesn’t know he’s her father’s enemy!), Flórez’s awesome tenor voice thrills with ringing high notes as he conveys an understated nobility. In duet, DiDonato and Flórez create peerless vocal beauty.

Other upcoming operas (the schedule is usually announced about a week in advance) include vintage broadcasts of Wagner’s Die Walküre from 1989 featuring a trio of operatic goddesses, Hildegard Behrens, Jessye Norman & Christa Ludwig (June 30-July1) and Donizetti’s joyfully comic Don Pasquale starring the legendary Beverly Sills and Alfredo Kraus from 1979 (July 4-5).

More recent HD transmissions will showcase two of the operatic repertoire’s most popular works, Bizet’s Carmen from 2014 starring Anita Hartig, Anita Rachvelishvili, Aleksandrs Antonenko & Ildar Abdrazakov (July 2-3) and Mozart’s Don Giovanni from 2011 whose fine cast includes Marina Rebeka, Barbara Frittoli, Mojca Erdmann, Ramón Vargas, Mariusz Kwiecien, Luca Pisaroni, and Štefan Kocán (July 3-4). Enjoy your front row seat!

Please send press releases and notices of your upcoming shows to Brian Sands at bsnola2@hotmail.com.

THE ROCKFORD FILES 12 Inches That Changed My Life

Ryan Rockford RyanRockfordNYC@gmail.com

And just like that the gauntlet had been tossed, without cause, provocation, or ceremony. In the blink of an eye, I had been challenged. In less than an instant, I declined.

I reflexively steer clear of the mass produced trend du jour. A policy that has served me well, as I see videos of those poor bastards roped into the ice water challenge, cinnamon challenge or the Tide pod challenge, because of their FOMO or their blatant stupidity. I like to think there is a special place in hell for those individuals who think nothing of flooding the news feeds of others with ‘look at me’ challenges or worse, those re-post prayer chains that threaten certain death for a person that nobody knows if the chain is broken.

But this challenge was different. It wasn’t a challenge, per se, but more of a dare. I had been challenged via a social media acquaintance, to reveal the Top Ten most influential albums of my youth. I was to post one album per day for ten consecutive days. The posts were to include the name of the album, a picture of the album’s cover and a brief tag about why this album was significant. This challenge in particular appealed to me because it was asking me to do something I had never done before. It was offering me the chance to define the soundtrack of my youth, those few precious, fragile and formative years responsible for developing me into the first adult version of myself that I would present to the world.

What would my life’s playlist look like? In contemplating this challenge and, subsequently, this article, images of album covers and LP jackets began to whoosh through my mind at warp speed. Unlike the majority of you, my life’s Top Ten albums were actually ALBUMS. 12 inches of vinyl encased between two pieces of tattered cardboard. My personal wax treasures, kept in a guarded place, away from excess heat and the grimy hands of my little sister. At face value, these discs weren’t worth much, but with every listen, they became emotionally priceless.

There is something to be said for the ritual of listening to an album: Gently removing the record from its casing; the static electricity created as you slide off its plastic sleeve; swiping the velvet covered pad with wooden handle to remove any dust from the shiny surface and mastering the deft ability of dropping the needle precisely between tracks – perfectly timed and aligned as to avoid any noise from the previous track while providing a clean intro into the next one.

Back then there was no digital media, no mp3 or compact disks to shuffle. This was the golden age of Hi-Fi stereos, the Sony Walkman (google it), and mixtapes. The skips, snaps, crackles and pops that come with listening to vinyl records were not seen as imperfections, but more as part of the experience. The static hiss and noise before the first track began built an excitement and anticipation of what was to come. It was considered a feature, not a flaw.

So, what were the results of my Lifetime Top Ten Challenge? (Asked no one, ever). In no particular order, here are the Top Ten most influential albums of my youth. 1. The 1961 soundtrack to West Side Story starring the only wood that doesn’t float, Natalie Wood as Maria. This album was my introduction to musical theater. As ignorant as I was, I knew this was something special. Fast forward 20 years when I was able to join the national tour of West Side Story. The only thing better than actually hearing and seeing this iconic musical

Stay Safe New Orleans! Love, James, Monica, and the Lantern Team

is being in it. 2. Olé, Olé – Charo. This was a promotional copy not intended for distribution. I’m not sure how this album ended up in my possession and I didn’t understand a word of it. All I can remember was that it was 12 inches of bright pink vinyl. The album’s cover was a light blue sky with clip-art style clouds floating by. I drove that album into the ground as I bounced around my bedroom like a Mexican jumping bean shouting,”Olé, olé” at the top of my prepubescent lungs. Did I mention the album was pink? That should have been clue numero uno for Mom and Dad. 3. Live and Sleazy - The Village People. Chock full of campy, catchy tunes like In the Navy, Macho Man and Y.M.C.A., what’s not to love from this over-the-top, completely contrived rock and roll band of wannabes? (Hint number 2 for Mom and Dad). 4. Grease! 1978 movie soundtrack. I’m proud to admit that I played this double-album set so many times, I broke two phonograph needles. A fact that means nothing to the digital age but for those of us in the know, that boils down to a LOT of listening. 5. Upstairs at Eric’s – Yaz. This was the ultimate 80’s synth-pop manifesto. A debut album responsible for club classics like Situation, Don’t Go, To Pieces and the soulful ballad, Midnight. Alison Moyet and her asymmetrical haircuts embodied the sound of the 80’s. 6. Shaun Cassidy. The self-titled debut album of Shaun Cassidy was on constant rotation in my childhood playlist. This album and specifically the track Da Do Run Run put Cassidy on the U.S. Billboard charts; for me it was those puppy dog eyes, flawless skin and his frosted feathered haircut that score him points in my book. His album was the first to churn homoerotic thoughts in my previously asexual mind. 7. Purple Rain – Prince. From the first moment I saw Prince perform, I was hooked. His androgynous style, his flair for over the top costumes and his blatant adoration for all things purple and sparkly made me an instant fan. Seeing the songs of the album Purple Rain come to life in a movie by the same name was ingenious to me and further cemented my appreciation and admiration of his talents. 8. Kilroy Was Here – Styx. This was the first concert I ever went to and rooted Styx, in my mind, to be the greatest rock and roll group ever assembled. The Kilroy concert wasn’t just a concert, it was a theatrical experience, complete with plot, costumes, pre-show music video, pyrotechnics and great music. Imagine my chagrin to find out years later that this album and tour in particular was the nail in the group’s coffin. Styx disbanded shortly thereafter. Fortunately they left 10 previous studio albums that I could immerse myself in. 9. Jazz – Queen. I stumbled upon the group Queen quite by accident. A family friend originally bought the album on a whim, based upon its title. They were looking for a jazz album, picked up the first record they saw in the record store window only to get it home and realize that this was not the sort of jazz they were looking for. Lucky for me. This album reflected their trademark style and contained eclectic hits such as Mustapha, Don’t Stop Me Now, Bicycle Race, and Let Me Entertain You. Their whimsical delivery combined with musical acrobatics transformed me into a die-hard fan to this day. 10. Faith – George Michael. Released in 1987, Faith has become one of the best selling record albums of all time. With hit songs such as I Want Your Sex, Faith, Father Figure and One More Try, this album became part of my emotional and sexual emergence. The album was released during my senior year of high school, a time when I began to question my sexual identity. As it turned out, this album also brought Michael’s sexual identity under scrutiny. Looking back, images of George Michael, clad in a black leather jacket and tight blue jeans, certainly awoke feelings and fantasies inside of me I never knew I had. This album definitely sparked a new beginning.

Music is magical. Science has all but proven the medicinal and rehabilitative powers that music can provide, but there is so much more. One of music’s greatest powers is the power of nostalgia. Music has the unique ability to take you back, all the way back, to a specific time and place. All of the albums in my list take me back to a moment or time period that was significant in my life. Music can trigger deeply nostalgic and emotional experiences enabling us to re-experience the best and worst times of our lives. I know it does for me.

In the words of Louis Armstrong, “Music is life, itself.”

Thanks for reading. Now that you’ve gotten to know a little more about me, tell me a little more about you. Send me an email if you’d like to share the soundtrack of your youth.

Until next time…

COMMUNITY VOICE The Road Ahead Part Two

Dr. Andrew Watley Professional Counselor in the State of Louisiana

COMMUNITY VOICE ists and leaders hosted a community tion or already homeless, and the maannouncement/town hall event at the jority of those who were most at risk First Unitarian Universalist Church were people of color. This is consistent of New Orleans. This group, known as with national statistics. According to the Founders Circle of House of TuTrue Colors United, 40% of homeless lip, announced a brand-new initiative youth in the United States are LGBTQ, aimed at creating housing solutions and a 2018 report from the Nationfor TGNC (transgender and gender al Alliance to End Homelessness non-conforming) people in New Orleshowed that TGNC homeless people ans. have greater difficulty finding shelter

Members of the Founders Circle than their cisgender peers. (which consists of TGNC activists, polTGNC people are also at grave risk icy experts, writers, musicians, chefs, of being victims of violent hate crimes. artists, and healthcare professionals) HRC reports that “2020 has already include Mariah Moore and Milan Nicole seen at least 16 transgender or gender Sherry (co-presidents), Jai’ Celestial non-conforming people fatally shot or (vice-president), Sultana Isham and killed by other violent means.” Trans Camilla Marchena (co-secretaries), women of color are at an especially Dylan Waguespack (treasurer), Ben high risk of victimization. As of this writCollongues, Toni Jones, Za’hair Martiing, at least two American trans womnez, and Spirit McIntyre. en of color – Dominique Rem’mie Fells

Several members of this collecand Rhia Milton – have been viciously tive had already been working togethmurdered this month alone. er recently to help at-risk TGNC peoTo help address this continuing ple in Louisiana during the COVID-19 issue of brutality, the Founders Circle crisis. While they were able to raise provided TGNC community members over $20,000 for the TGNC People’s with pepper spray and other protective COVID Crisis Fund of Louisiana, and items at Monday’s event. distributed those funds to 119 needy Having seen the depth of these individuals, they received many more problems locally and nationally, House applications than they could process, of Tulip’s Founders Circle examined and had to stop taking new ones within the qualifications people must meet in an hour. “That’s how crucial the need is order to stay in shelters in New Orleans. in our community,” said Sherry. They found that various restrictions at

During the process of disbursing local shelters tend to disqualify TGNC the funds they raised, the group gathpeople, and finding permanent housing

It has been almost 100 days since our wonderful state was first placed under a “stay at home” order. Not much has changed in the 97 days that have led up to this article. Things are almost exactly the same.

My routine is pretty simple. I’ll wake up, usually sometime in the late morning. I’ll see my clients via teletherapy, go for a run in the wonderful New Orleans summer heat, shower, eat, and waste time until I go to bed to do the exact same thing the next day. Every once in a while I will check the garden that I planted at the start of the pandemic to see if the tomatoes are growing. They aren’t! Sometimes I will even check my emails, and by check I mean delete most without paying attention to them. There is very little excitement or energy with most things right now.

Motivation is one of those things that we wait to fall into our laps. There are things that we want to do or things that we believe we should do, but we lack the motivation to bring them to fruition. We sit and we wait and before we know it, the moment has passed. COVID-19 has been a big player when it comes to lack of motivation, but how many of us look for motivation instead of creating it.

Sometimes, being motivated is a choice. We have to make the decision to get up and do rather than to sit back and wait. I have been guilty, like many people, of calling this time, “the new normal”. When we use that phrase, we have the tendency to settle into a sort of complacency that we have deemed is the way that life should be right now. I want to challenge that way of thinking. I don’t know about you guys, but I don’t want this to be the “new normal”. This is simply the “new right now”.

Although we may not have much power over the things that are happening around us, we still have power over ourselves. We have the ability to decide the way that certain things in our lives are going to go.

When this all started, I made the statement that I would come out of this a better counselor than I was when I went in. COVID has given me nothing but time to make that happen but nothing will happen if I simply wait for that motivation to fall out of the sky. I have to create the opportunities.

I challenge you all to do the same. Make opportunities happen for you! Create your motivation! Start something and make yourself finish it. Years from now when I tell people about these times, I don’t want the story to be riddled with laziness and an excessive amount of tacos (they have become my best friends), but rather stories about how much I have changed for the better. Want the same for yourself. Be the motivation you’ve been looking for!

Dr. Andrew Watley is a licensed professional counselor in the state of Louisiana. His practice is geared toward helping adolescents, members of the LGBTQ+ community and men who experience concerns with their masculinity and body image. More information about Dr. Watley and his practice can be found on his website, www.

House of Tulip: Safe and Affordable Housing for TGNC New Orleanians can be an even greater challenge. As es, the group decided to move forward Jim Meadows Executive Director, SAGE New Orleans info@sageneworleans.org Marchena noted at the event, “housing is the toughest resource to access in with an initiative to create new housing solutions “for TGNC people, by TGNC On Monday, June 22, a group of local and national transgender activered data from applicants, and found that over half were either facing evicthis state.” Given these circumstancCONTINUED ON PAGE 12 drandrewwatley.com.

THE HERE AND THE NOW Is Risky Behavior Worth It? Wear a MASK

Catherine Roland catherineroland12@gmail.com

Stress impacts everything in our lives. The holistic worldview encourages us to consider everything in our life as connected. Through those connections, there are bonds that sustain us throughout life and help to keep us grounded in logic and reality in times of trauma or transition.

As we’ve recently discovered, the stress we have lived with since late March is here to stay for a while longer. The coronavirus, also known as COVID-19, is having a resurgence. COVID-19 is surging again, not just here in Louisiana or even the greater New Orleans area, but in multiple states.

For many, current stress levels are high regarding health, safety for ourselves and friends/ family, feeling socially isolated, and regaining fi nancial balance. The news about the spike in cases in many areas in the US has caused a different emotion for some, namely anger. Anger and frustration are building quickly, because the spike is directly related to the refusal to wear a mask, stay at least 6 feet apart, and stay home when you don’t feel well.

These simple steps are simply not happening to a large extent. That kind of risky behavior has the potential to hurt many people, perhaps even end lives or change them forever. We ought to know about risky behavior in the LGBTQ+ community. Many of us have had the experience of attempting to live our lives as openly as possible, and having to fi ght for our sexual identity to be accepted, or if not accepted, at least not facing barriers to career and dayto-day living. It used to be dangerous just to BE in our world. We risked it.

The risky behavior I see now is coming from within, not from fear of an outside force preventing us from living as we like. I do feel people who identify as LGBTQ+ still need a kind of vigilance to negotiate life. That’s different, however, from behaving in a way that is risky for yourself as well as many who might come into contact with you. I would like to know why it is so diffi cult to adhere to a few precautions?

Here’s what a few of the reasons might be according to folks I’ve asked: It’s silly, no one really knows if it helps; no one is going to tell me what to do; it’s summer and too damned hot to wear something around my nose and mouth; I am young, not sick and it won’t affect me much if I do get it. That’s for starters.

Other winners are: I’m not sick, my friends aren’t sick, why can’t we go party? And masks make me look stupid, I’m not going to wear it, ruins my look. Shortsighted, at best, eh?

I recently made a list of the words I’d use to describe someone who refused, in public, to wear a mask and stay at least 6 feet apart: absurd, foolish, preposterous, irrational, ludicrous, incongruent, disrespectful, asinine, and selfi sh. I would also wonder if someone might not be aware of the facts, or care about them, or sadly cannot understand them.

Regardless, putting others at risk for a serious health concern is simply not acceptable. There are several popular myths about masks I have heard for months; here are a few here adapted from AARP’s information:

Myth #1 You don’t have to wear a mask if you ‘re not sick. NOT true.

The current recommendation from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is that everyone should wear a face covering in public settings where it may be diffi cult to maintain at least 6 feet of space from others. Places like grocery stores, salons, gyms, banks, and pharmacies warrant wearing masks. Some infected people might be presymptomatic or

even asymptomatic and, as such, are at risk of unknowingly spreading the virus to others. Is it worth it?

Myth #2 A loose-fi tting mask

works just fi ne. NOT true.

The CDC tells us that your face mask should “fi t snugly but comfortably against the side of the face.” and completely cover the mouth and nose to help prevent respiratory droplets from escaping. Please be sure you can breathe normally with it on. Always have an extra mask or two with you, especially if you will be in any public space.

Myth #3 Wearing a mask means you don’t have to do those other

things. NOT true.

Even with a face mask on, do not abandon other preventive measures. Frequent and thorough handwashing and physical distancing remain vital. According to the CDC, mitigating the risk of COVID-19 requires a multipronged approach, including social distancing, vigilant hygiene, and wearing a mask.

Which of those are you doing, and when will you begin if you’re not doing one or all now? Ask yourself, are you willing to risk contracting the virus, or spreading this virus to others in your friend group, your family?

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 11

people.”

At Monday’s event, members of the Founders Circle gave an overview of the short- and long-term goals for House of Tulip. They have received $50,000 in seed money, and are working to raise $400,000 in order to purchase and renovate a property in New Orleans that would accommodate up to nine residents. This property, and any future additional properties, will be operated under a Community Land Trust. That is, the Founders Circle will maintain the property and ensure that rent will always be affordable and unaffected by gentrifi cation. Ultimately, they plan to help bring residents along “the path from homelessness to homeownership.”

Founders Circle members vowed to prioritize the most vulnerable members of the TGNC community, including people of color, youth, elders, sex workers, disabled people, immunocompromised people, and undocumented immigrants.

Attendees of the event responded very positively to news of House of Tulip, and several spoke with pas

The numbers are growing alarmingly. The age group that now seems to be targeted runs between 23 and 40. Many will not feel sick which doesn’t mean they are negative; they can still infect others.

I would like to see us adhere to these guidelines because they are easy and well worth it to follow in order to be safe, remain healthy, and respect others.

I usually write more about positivity, hope and courage which is my personal mantra. Today I am writing about self-respect, logic and true caring for others. Consider life, the people you love, your favorite pastimes, anything that you enjoy. It’s all connected--how we live, how we love, and what we bring to this life. We can help beat this horror that has disrupted the world. We can change the course of COVID here in Louisiana, starting right now.

PLEASE wear a mask!

Dr. Catherine Roland, LPC, is a therapist in private practice, specializing in our LGBTQ+ community for 25 years. Catherine is a member of the Board of Directors of both CrescentCare-NO/AIDS Task Force, and SAGE New Orleans.

sion about how much such an initiative would have helped them in their youth. Other attendees pledged to offer services like free counseling, healthcare navigation, security, and fi nancial support. “We are welcoming all community members who want to assist with good intent,” said Moore.

Noting how dire life circumstances can be for vulnerable TGNC people, Sherry went further: “We’re asking y’all for your support, and for some of y’all, we are begging you for your support.”

To help House of Tulip succeed, you can make a donation via their GoFundMe page at https://www.gofundme.com/f/housing-for-tgnc-people-experiencing-homelessness. You can also make a donation – and learn more about this groundbreaking new initiative – at their website, houseoftulip.org.

Social Distancing Style Tony Leggio ledgemgp@gmail.com

How do you temper your desire for social interaction with fear for your safety and that of others during this time of COVID-19? It is a fine balance, especially for a very social person like myself, who craves human contact. One thing I discovered was even though large gatherings have been cancelled, life hasn’t been, and with common sense, precaution and safety, you can start breaking out of your cell and enjoying yourself.

Let’s begin with wearing masks; this is key and also very easy to do. I do not understand why people find this so hard to deal with; I immediately warmed up to the idea. I love a good accessory and have some great ones done by the talented John Joseph Degadillo (aka Tazia Ballz) and Daryl Dunaway (aka Countess C Alice).

The next consideration is limiting your physical contact, such as greeting without hugging (I know; it’s the one thing I miss most since this all started), and converse from a distance. Just be wary of your surroundings.

How do you eat or drink with a mask on? Well, you obviously can’t, so this is your leap of faith. I have started doing lunch, dinner and drinks with intimate groups of people (six at the most). They are all people I know well and interact with regularly.

Be smart when you are out. I have been to a few of the bars and have felt totally safe watching the staff take extra precautions to make patrons feel protected. Only once did a group of foolish tourists come into a place I was at without masks and acting careless, so I left, no complaints or yelling. I can only be concerned about the things I can control, and the actions of others do not fall into that category; I worry about me.

I wanted to discuss, however, a few of the places I’ve gone to recently that I highly recommend you support. The historic Napoleon House is now open and their muffulettas are just as delicious as I remembered them. Chef Ron’s Gumbo Stop has opened inhouse dining and it is splendid. The staff is on point and the food is stellar. I had dreams during quarantine of their incredible Mega Gumbo! Speaking of Italian fare, check out long-time favorite Venezia in Mid-City.

Some friends and I dined at Flamingo A-Go-Go for brunch on Sunday in honor of Beaux Church’s birthday. The atmosphere was lively and social distancing was practiced in the most unique way. Several tables in the place were adorned with flamingos decorated in different festive themes such as Tiger King, Mardi Gras, Bachelorette Party and LGBT+ Pride. The tables were fun and reserved for people like Carol Baskin. I especially loved the rainbow table!

Friends and I also exchanged our virtual happy hour for a live one at the fabulous Bywater restaurant Luna Libre whose margaritas are to die for. They have a large backyard space ideal for social distancing.

A small group of us also did a bar crawl in honor of Gay Pride starting at the Phoenix, then going to see the ever-delightful Princess Stephaney at Mags 940. Next, we stopped at Betty’s Bar & Bistro which has the best scenario for social distancing I’ve seen so far in a bar. Within tape outlines, guests can mingle in their area and enjoy each other’s company as well as respect others. When you are in the circle, masks can come off; when you leave to go to the bar or bathroom, masks go back on. Simple but effective. Also, the food there is just as sumptuous as it was before the lockdown. The fried Mac & Cheese Bites are heaven! The last stop on our tour was Crossing NOLA. This has been my only foray into the bar scene; Sunday afternoons seem to be a delightful time too, so venture out even if only tentatively.

Finally, June 24, I attended a memorial marking the 47th anniversary of the UpStairs Lounge fire. The Crescent City Leathermen planned this (socially distant) gathering to commemorate the souls lost and the survivors of this defining moment in our city’s LGBTQ history. The uplifting event drew a very diverse crowd and was covered by local news media. A note of gratitude goes out to CCL for organizing everything. We appreciate everything your organization does for the community.

Until next time, stay safe, wash your hands and wear your mask. Remember it is the accessory that saves lives!

Grant Dane Kay at the Crossing NOLA

Tony Leggio ledgemgp@gmail.com

Now that the city has moved into Phase 2 with many bars having reopened, I am very excited to resume my column celebrating some of the hardest working people in the hospitality industry -- bartenders. My bartender for the month of June was delayed slightly (I actually had him slated for March), but it seems fitting that he is the first one back after our hiatus in quarantine. He is a hardworking, professional individual who not only makes one hell of a drink, but can put a smile on your face quickly with his sharp wit. I am talking about none other than Grant Dane Kay at Crossing NOLA.

Born in Houma, Grant has worked at the Crossing for about six months (quarantine time excluded). He is also a licensed hairdresser, so you can get a cocktail & cut if you like. Grant is a whiz behind the bar making an assortment of craft cocktails. Throughout his career as a bartender, he has worked at many gay and straight establishments in the French Quarter honing his exceptional talent. His sense of humor mixed with his experienced approach make him a wonderful addition to the great staff at this wonderful establishment.

One of his specialties behind the bar is his homemade hurricane concocted from scratch. Another more potent one is his Liquid Marijuana which contains eight ingredients, seven of which are liquors. Talk about one and done! He also does a delectable Dairy Queen that is basically a strawberry tequila rose milkshake and his Heartbreaker made with Wild Turkey American Honey. His favorite drinks to imbibe when he is out are vodka-based cocktails, explaining he likes his drinks fun and fruity. Who doesn’t?

Grant loves his locals who visit him, knowing them all by name and cocktail, one of the key skills of a great bartender. He also loves tourists, saying, “it is amazing to meet people from all over the world on a daily basis.”

So go say “Hello” to Grant and have a libation or four at Crossing NOLA located at 439 Dauphine Street.

Grant Dane Kay

A COMMUNITY WITHIN COMMUNITIES Strange Times by The Very Rev. Bill Terry+

The Very Rev. Bill Terry+ Rector St Anna’s Episcopal Church fr.bill@stannanola.org

It has been so long since we last got together. So, wash your hands, pour a cocktail, maybe stop by Betty’s later but let’s chat, shall we?

The world as we knew it has changed so much that one might not recognize it even though we so desperately want things to be the same. Like it used to be. Or do we really? Perhaps more importantly should we want to go back to a time just a few months ago?

Like many of you, I have wrestled with COVID-19, racial justice, and politics for the past many months not unlike Jacob and the “Angel.” The Jacob story is a very early account. Call it a myth if you wish. These old stories, scholarship tells us, range in date from 5th century BCE to the 10th century BCE. So what ever does Jacob have to do with COVID? Taking down statues? Political chaos? #BlackLivesMatter? George Floyd? White privilege? The economy? Or, the inclusion of LGBTQ+ protections affirmed by SCOTUS?

Nothing or maybe everything! Whether historical or mythical, it is a text that makes a statement. It is written by a once-enslaved people who are trying to lay down roots and make a claim to land and hoped-for economic and social prosperity. They tell their stories through the lens of a God. Even that view of God evolves and changes over time. Those tribes, unlike many others surrounding them, are imperfect justice seekers.

Yet, here we are with the almost bizarre and yet predictable turmoil of our community and nation. Are we justice seekers? I guess time will tell. Are we being good to each other? I suppose a retrospective down the road will provide some clarity. But isn’t it exhausting? Or perhaps exhilarating? Perhaps it is both. I am so tired of large corporations and TV stations saying “We are in this together.” Are “we” in this together? Well, the answer to that is, at least in our tribe, YES.

A coalition of caring people and businesses, who all recognized the need for their mission and the comfort it could provide, put together an amazing organization to feed folks in the Quarter and beyond. Betty’s Bar and Bistro and, later, Oz were used as the bases; their participation and everyone else’s who were involved, including the many volunteers, was a way of not giving back but simply giving.

Likewise, Misti Gather, Jeffrey Palmquist and crew have been instrumental in providing a voice for the community via their radio show on WHIV as well as bringing attention to at least two feeding programs during this dreadful economic time.

What does this have to do with Jacob and his wrestling match? Hang with me, it will come together, like all good mysteries, in the very last chapter.

St. Anna’s Food Pantry delivered a lot of food to families whose breadwinners were out of work. Often these families had children in our out-ofschool program, Anna’s Place. Brother Don, whom many know, tells me that in May alone we provided over 1,000 pounds of groceries using about 55 volunteer hours plus helping an additional 108 homeless individuals by distributing about 216 care packages. But that was all made possible by our tribe. I am talking about this community--YOU.

Our “Hot Plate” ministry worked for several weeks providing over 50-100 meals three days a week to families in need. Yep, again, our tribe stepped up in the persons of Ron’s Gumbo Stop, Silk Road, GW Fins, and Cafe at the Square. In so many cases, those hot plates went directly to our children. In fact several of those same vendors pledged that IF we were able to open our Summer Camp for Kids they would help supply the lunches. NO COST.

Likewise, Tulane University Medical School supported by LSU Medical School all joined in a BLM protest a few weeks ago by taking a knee for 8 minutes and 46 seconds in front of Tulane Medical Center. Yes, those young brilliant minds taking a knee in the middle of Tulane Avenue while fighting a pandemic ALL 500+ OF THEM. Not a bad afternoon I’d say. Maybe they ought to be a part of the Tribe that I keep talking about. Maybe they already are.

There have been singular voices out there these past weeks that have caught my attention. Voices like Zak Gillespie, RN/glamour queen FatsyCline supporting BLM (not to mention being a nurse at UMC during all of this). Like Duane Daniels who has real things to say that are important to us all. Listen, please. So many voices that are stepping up and educating us, representing us, motivating us, and at last getting us to THINK. Maybe even to feel, feel compassion and passion. It is exhausting, maybe exhilarating too.

If all of this seems a bit disjointed, a little scattered maybe that is because this season is so full, so rich and rife with critique and possibility, with eval

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uation and reevaluation, with fear and expectancy, and yes, with hope somehow fl oating around in the midst of it all.

Yet, there is this: Stuart Butler joined his lifemate Alfred just as the pandemic began. We have yet to celebrate his life in a formal way. We are making plans for that. Mary Dodwell, a pillar of our church, died just as orders to stay at home surfaced. We have yet to celebrate her life. We are making plans for that. James Watkins, an itinerant, sometimes homeless man who was part of our neighborhood, died. Yes, we are trying to make plans for his send-off as well. Jill Sanders, who lived in the Quarter and helped many folks, has passed and we are trying to think of a way to celebrate her life.

Many others have passed, some from violence, some from disease, some from age and infi rmities. All part of this strange strange season. Because our traditional way of hurting, loving, healing, and simply being are now quite different and without a template. It’s a very new day.

Now back to Jacob and that Angel. The text calls the angel a “man” and Jacob wrestles all night with him. A season of wrestling and exertion. In the dawn hours the angel/man disjoints Jacob’s hip socket and the struggle ends. Likewise do we not struggle these days? Are we not wrestling within ourselves and within our nation?

Then the man said, “Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with humans and have overcome.”

Yet, even though the world seems to be spinning off of its axis I cannot help but think that we have struggled with God and with humans and we shall overcome.

Dear friends, so many have done so many great things these days. We have learned that in the face of discord and disaster, in the face of pandemic and racial injustice, we in New Orleans will rise to the occasion. There is no other city like NOLA in all of North America. There is no deeper and more generous community than the LGBTQ+ community. So do not be distressed, do not be overwhelmed with change, be generous, remain kindly, and always be hopeful. For in hope we fi nd our way to a new day.

It’s great to be back. It’s great to “see” you again. As always, if you simply need someone to talk to, or if you know of someone who is facing challenging times due to isolation, feel free to give me a call at (504) 947-2121. Like the local news says, “We are here for you.”

SIPPS BAR GULFPORT

Our beer is cold, patio is shaded, and pool tables and nightlife dance floor are waiting for your moves at Sipps bar Downtown Gulfport.

OPENING HOURS Everyday 5pm - TILL

ADDRESS 2218 25th Ave, Gulfport, MS Phone: (228) 206-7717 Email: sipps25th@gmail.com

SCOTUS, Trans Inclusion, & the “Network of Mutuality”

Frank Perez frankearlperez@gmail.com

The recent Supreme Court ruling in Bostock V. Clayton County, GA affording job protection to LGBT+ people was a landmark decision that represented the culmination of a decades-long struggle. The fact that it was handed down this month in the midst of the Black Lives Matter movement is appropriate considering its origins in the 1950s during the social turmoil of the civil rights movement.

In 1964, Congress passed the Civil Rights Act, Title VII of which was the crux of the Bostock case. The focus then was on discrimination against blacks and women. Historians agree the impetus behind the 1964 legislation was the famous March on Washington in 1963, remembered now mostly for Dr. King’s famous “I Have a Dream” speech. What many people forget is that the 1963 march was organized by a black gay man—Bayard Rustin.

Rustin was an early advocate for LGBT+ rights, which he saw as inextricably linked to the larger movement for equality for African Americans and women. He was right. Dr. King wrote, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly.”

The long struggle for protection from discrimination in the workplace began in 1957 when Frank Kameny, an astronomer who worked for the federal government, was fired for being gay. Kameny fought his firing in the courts but at that time, the Supreme Court refused to hear his case. Since then there have been many battlefronts in the war for workplace protections, not the least of which was Louisiana.

In 1992, Courtney Sharp was fired for being trans. She sued her employer and although her case was unsuccessful, it did motivate Sharp to become a trans activist. Sharp, along with her friend and fellow activist Stewart Butler, spearheaded the movement to persuade PFLAG to include trans people in its mission statement. In 1998, PFLAG became the first national LGBT+ organization to do that.

In 2000, when a Louisiana Winn-Dixie grocery store fired Peter Oiler for cross-dressing when he wasn’t working, he reached out to the LGBT Community Center for help and was referred to Sharp. Sharp met with Oiler and his wife Shirley, and helped organize a protest campaign consisting of 38 different organizations.

When the debate over trans inclusion in ENDA (the Employment Non-Discrimination Act), erupted in 2007, Sharp and Butler had a feeling of déjà vu for they had fought the same battle here in New Orleans in the 1990s. Butler had waged a campaign against the HRC and other local groups years earlier over the same issue, insisting that a piecemeal approach to gaining equality was fundamentally misguided and failed to recognize “the inescapable network of mutuality” of which Dr. King so eloquently spoke.

ENDA was first introduced in 1994, but earlier attempts at similar legislation date back to 1974 when Bella Abzug introduced the Equality Act. Best known for her feminist and women’s liberation advocacy, Abzug realized that all marginalized groups were linked.

During the week of nightly protests and marches in New Orleans in the wake of the George Floyd murder, the only one that came down my street was a group of people with “Black Trans Lives Matter” signs. Trans people of color are often neglected in King’s “network of mutuality.” This fact was clearly evidenced in the debate that has recently erupted over the implosion of Pride New Orleans.

One of the criticisms of Pride New Orleans in recent years has been its lack of awareness and inclusion of the trans community. Thankfully, a dialogue has begun. Any meaningful conversation that leads to reconciliation will have to be predicated on the understanding that all our fates are links in that “network of mutuality.”

Thankfully, the Supreme Court realized that in Bostock V. Clayton County.