LIVE with Aneesh Arizona’s sassiest co-host serves up LGBTQ realness on the radio
PLUS: The Adoption Option Meet two of the Valley’s newest families
LGBTQ NEWS, VIEWS AND ENTERTAINMENT | VOL. 27, #6 | ISSUE 678 | MARCH 2016 | COMPLIMENTARY
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inside this issue Issue 678 | Vol. 27, #6 | March 2016
features
NEWS 10 4 Your Information 12 News Briefs 16 Datebook 18 HRC Arizona to host 12th annual gala 20 LGBT Devils’ Pride scholarship benefit dinner honors ASU student leaders 22 OUTLOUD spotlights stories from the gayborhood 26 Möda Provocateūr: Runway fashion show to raise money for SAAF PREVIEWS AND REVIEWS 44 Without Reservations
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47 At The Box Office 50 The Small Screen
LIVE with Aneesh Arizona’s sassiest co-host serves up LGBTQ realness on the radio.
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On with “The Show” Q Talk America offers an international platform for local LGBTQ voices.
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New Year, New Family The McHenrys start 2016 as one family, thanks to marriage equality and adoption.
54 Opening Nights 62 Recordings 64 Between the Covers COMMUNITY 66 Talking Bodies 68 All Over The Map 70 Money Talks
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The Adoption Option Former ABC Family star and husband Matt Dallas, and his husband Blue Hamilton, adopt a son in Arizona.
ON THE COVER Aneesh of LIVE 101.5’s “The Morning Mess.” Courtesy photo. 6|
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inside this issue
on echomag.com web exclusives
Photo courtesy of kylarbroadus.com.
Meet Kylar W. Broadus Professor, attorney and activist shares the importance of advocating for trans people of color. echomag.com/kylarwbroadus
Celebrating Black LGBTQ History Check out our list of 10 must-see documentaries to see in honor of Black History Month. echomag.com/celebrating-black-lgbtq-history
Between The Covers Echo expert reviews Bobby Wonderful: An Imperfect Son Buries His Parents by Bob Morris. echomag.com/bobby-wonderful
’Til Death Do Us Part For one local nun, Late Nite Catechism is a tough habit to kick. echomag.com/late-nite-catechism
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notes from the
managing editor By KJ Philp facebook.com/echomagazine
Instagram: @echomagazineaz
twitter.com: @echomagaz
Linkedin: Echo Magazine
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elcome to March Madness! What I mean by that is, the community has spring fever and there are countless ways to get out and get involved this time of year – many of which we have included for you in this issue. As part of the 12th Annual HRC Arizona gala Michael Sam, NFL’s first openly gay player, will join local leaders Devereux Arizona, Maria De Nicola and Dr. Toby Meltzer as they accept their respective awards Feb. 27. Tiffany Hopkins has all the details in “Stronger Together” on page 18. The Phoenix theater community invites you out to OUTLOUD, a production that spotlights local playwrights, directors and actors to showcase four one-act plays March 3-5. Lorraine Longhi sets the stage in “Stories from the Gayborhood” on page 22. For all our Tucson readers, there’s a different kind of fashion show – benefiting the Southern Arizona AIDS Foundation – hitting the runway March 6. Megan Wadding serves up the specifics in “Möda Provocateūr” on page 26. Then, Arizona State University’s LGBT Devils’ Pride will host its fourth annual scholarship benefit dinner, honoring student leaders, March 12. Anthony Costello “Passing the Pitchfork” on page 20. Radio Realness From there we head into our cover story. Whoever said, “Video Killed the Radio Star” had obviously never met Aneesh, the newest addition to Phoenix’s LIVE 101.5 cast. We caught up with the sassiest third of “The Morning Mess” to find out what inspired him to audition for this position and what his life has been like since hitting the airwaves in “LIVE with Aneesh” on page 30.
Speaking of radio stars, in honor of the 250th episode of “The Show with Clayton McKee,” Laura Latzko went live with the cast to celebrate this momentous occasion in “On with ‘The Show’” on page 34. The Adoption Option Additionally, Echo has the distinct honor of introducing you to two of Arizona’s newest families in this issue. First, Megan Wadding caught up with two Arizona dads – Matt Dallas and Blue Hamilton – to find out about their journey to adopt their new son, Crow. Find out more, including how Arizona’s Children Association helped them through the adoption process, in “The Adoption Option” on page 36. Next, Liz Massey sat down with Sharicka and Donna McHenry who are mothers to four newly adopted children, thanks to the rights and protections marriage equality has afforded them. Get to know this party of six in “New Year, New Family” on page 40. Cast Your Vote for the “Sweet 16” Last, but not least, voting for Echo’s 2016 Readers’ Choice Awards is officially underway. Be sure to vote for your favorite finalists by March 17. Then we’ll reveal the winners in all of the “Sweet 16” categories at the Phoenix Pride festival – be sure to join us from 3 to 5 p.m. at the community stage April 2. In the meantime, congratulations to all of the finalists! Team Echo wishes you all the best of luck!
KJ Philp is the managing editor of Echo Magazine and can be reached at kj@echomag.com.
LGBTQ NEWS, VIEWS AND ENTERTAINMENT PUBLISHER: Bill Orovan ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER: Bill Gemmill EDITORIAL MANAGING EDITOR: KJ Philp CONTRIBUTORS: Danae Barnes Cait Brennan Anthony Costello Tiffany Hopkins Laura Latzko Lorraine Longhi Art Martori Liz Massey
Melissa Myers David-Elijah Nahmod Tia Norris Hans Pedersen Terri Schlichenmeyer Richard Schultz Michael J. Tucker Megan Wadding
ART DEPARTMENT SENIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNER: Jake Rojas PHOTOGRAPHY: Brittany Lea and Nightfuse.com. ADVERTISING DIRECTOR OF SALES AND MARKETING: Ashlee James ACCOUNT REPRESENTATIVES: Adrian Bradley Gregg Edelman Randy Robinson NATIONAL ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVE: Rivendell Media, 212-242-6863
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MAILING ADDRESS: P.O. Box 16630 Phoenix, AZ 85011-6630 PHONE: 602-266-0550 NON-PHOENIX METRO: 888-echomag EMAIL: manager@echomag.com
Member:
Echo is currently seeking Phonix-based freelance restaurant reviewers
Qualified candidates are invited to send published restaurant/ food reviews to editor@echomag.com for consideration. 8|
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Echo Magazine is published by and is a trademark of ACE Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved. Written permission must be obtained in advance for partial or complete reproduction of including any advertising material contained therein. Opinions expressed in are not necessarily those of the publisher or staff or ACE Publishing, Inc. does not assume responsibility for claims by its advertisers. Publication of the name or photograph of a person or organization in articles, advertising or listings inis not to be construed as an indication of the sexual orientation of such organizations or persons (unless such orientation is specifically stated). Manuscripts or other materials submitted remain the property of ACE Publishing. Free copies limited to one per person.
Photo by Bruce Weber. Photo courtesy of instagram.com/christiaingrey.
BY the numbers
1171 and 2392 ON THE RECORD “There’s a really powerful internal quality as an artist that as parents we encourage. You’ve got to get out on the edge. You have to try things, you have to be comfortable doing things people don’t agree with and you have to be comfortable with doing things that you could fail [at]. And Jaden is 100 percent fearless. He will do anything. As a parent, it’s scary, it’s really terrifying but he is completely willing to live and die by his own artistic decisions and he just doesn’t concern himself with what people think.”
In early Jatnuary, legislation introduced in both the Senate and House to remove current language giving preferences to “a husband and wife” over others in Arizona adoptions. Backers say the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision last year legalizing same-sex marriage bans laws giving preferences to heterosexual couple over gay couples.
– Will Smith on his and Jada Pinkett-Smith’s 17-year-old son’s gender-fluid style. In early 2016, Jaden appeared in a photo shoot for the latest Louis Vuitton women swear campaign.
television
The Senate version, Senate Bill 1171, is assigned to the Health and Human Services Committee chaired by Sen. Nancy Barto, R-Phoenix. The house version, HB2392, hasn’t been assigned to a committee.
sports The International Olympic Committee (IOC) released new proposed guidelines, which would allow for broader policies for the inclusion of transgender athletes, via olympic.org in late January. The IOC received new proposed guidelines from its “Consensus Meeting on Sex Reassignment and Hyperandrogenism” in November. If formally adopted, the new guidelines would bring the Olympics in line with the standards already employed by the NCAA in the United States by allowing both male-to-female and female-to-male transgender athletes to compete without having had surgery. For a full list of the updated guidelines, visit bit.ly/1PNfpKK, or go to olympic.org and search “transgender guidelines.” 10 |
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NBC revealed, Jan. 28, the star-studded 16-member cast set to participate in season 8 of the Celebrity Apprentice. Included in this round of apprenticeship hopefuls, is Grammy-winning singer Boy George and Emmy-winning reality TV star and celebrity stylist Carson Kressley. This season of the reality television series, which marks the 15th season of The Apprentice franchise, will also mark the inaugural season for new host Arnold Schwarzeneger. NBC severed ties with Donald Trump in June 2015 after the Republican presidential candidate made several derogatory remarks about immigrants. No premiere date has been announced. 4 your information
The Sweet 16! Cast your votes before March 17 at echomag.com/sweet-16-vote.
news briefs
HERO: We’re Hanging Up Our Cape After eight years, the Human & Equal Rights Organizers (HERO) announced Feb. 5 that the time had come to hang up its cape. Since 2008, HERO has trained activists and storytellers (960 people in 2015 alone) in six specialized sessions. HERO volunteers walked 700 miles to visit 114 Arizona cities to talk about equality. The Phoenix-based LGBTQ advocacy group, whose mission is to create allinclusive coalitions to secure equal rights through service, action, visibility and education in local communities throughout Arizona, announced that its doors were closing via an email. The email read: “Dear HERO Supporter, Can you believe it’s been eight years since HERO was formed? It seems like only yesterday the nation was betting on hope and change. Katy Perry had just kissed a girl. We met Joe the Plumber and Sarah Palin. 2008 proved to be a pretty epic year! While Election Day 2008 turned out to be a victory for many; it was a huge loss
to those fighting for marriage equality. Both Arizona and California passed severe measures against equality. Change was not coming for everyone. HERO was formed that November out of collective frustration and agony of defeat to fight for human rights and equality. HERO was founded because of a call from the community – a call that marginalized voices were being left out of the process. There was a desire for something more. HERO answered the call and has been a force in the LGBTQ community since that day. HERO is proud to have played a significant role in these victories. Yet we realize there is much work left to be done. Our strength has been in evaluating our effectiveness and ensuring that we don’t duplicate efforts. Unfortunately, due to restricted resources in both finances and volunteers, this impact has become limited; thus, by a unanimous vote, the HERO Board of Directors has voted to dissolve the organization in early 2016 and simultaneously transfer all trainings and programs to the Phoenix Pride LGBT Center.
Thank you for your continued support of HERO and full equality for all people. If you have any questions please contact Meg Sneed at sneed.meg@gmail.com. In Solidarity, HERO Board of Directors”
Say Goodbye to HERO at the Trans* Celebration Brunch After several date changes, HERO announced its first-ever Trans* Celebration Brunch will be the organization’s final event. The brunch will take place from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. April 17 at Harley’s Italian Bistro, 4221 N. Seventh Ave. in Phoenix. The event will feature local entertainment, awards and a brunch buffet. Funds raised will benefit Julian Melson, the first recipient of the Julian Melson Trans* Scholarship Fund, which was created to assist local trans* individuals. For tickets, visit eventbrite. com and search “HERO Phoenix.” For additional event information, search “HERO Trans* Celebration Brunch” on Facebook.
Project Jigsaw Releases Mobile App To Connect Arizona Children, Families Equality Arizona (EQAZ) and Arizona’s Children Association (AzCA) announced the release of the new Project Jigsaw mobile app Jan. 26. The mobile app, now available on Android and Apple mobile operating systems, aims to help eliminate barriers and serve as a resource for LGBTQ individuals and families seeking to foster and adopt in Arizona. The two organizations have partnered to launch a grassroots campaign known as “Project Jigsaw: Connecting Every Child to a Loving Family.” Arizona’s child welfare system is overwhelmed with the nearly 19,000 children in state care, according to an EQAZ press release. Arizona needs more foster and adoptive parents. Yet there are legal, institutional and discriminatory barriers that make it harder for members of the LGBTQ community to foster and adopt children in Arizona. “There are a countless number of prospective parents out there who want to build a family and provide a foundation of success for a child. It’s time for Arizonans to 12 |
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do everything they can to make that a reality,” said Kevin Patterson, EQAZ board member. The app has been designed to ensure parents, providers and stakeholders have access to information about the campaign at their fingertips. It includes a list of LGBTQ-friendly resources (i.e. attorneys, adoption and foster agencies, counseling services, etc.), push notifications to stay updated on news and events, and tools which allow users to share or read the stories of Arizona families. “There is a large population of LGBTQ people in Arizona who don’t realize they could foster or adopt, nor do they realize there are resources available to help them navigate the system,” said Denise Ensdorff, AzCA president and CEO. “That’s why we have recently developed the Project Jigsaw Mobile App. Our mobile app is intended to reach a diverse target audience, and offers the resources they need to navigate the foster care and adoption process.” For more on Project Jigsaw, visit equalityarizona.org/project-jigsaw. To download the app, search “Project Jigsaw” in the Apple Store or Google Android Market.
news briefs
news briefs
Cast Your Vote for Echo’s 2016 Readers’ Choice Awards As part of 2016 Readers’ Choice Awards, Echo Magazine revealed the top five finalists, determined by your nominations, in its “Sweet 16” categories and opened the polls for online voting Feb. 18. During the voting phase, which runs through March 17, you are invited to visit echomag.com/sweet-16-vote to vote for your favorite finalists in each of the following categories: Meet the Sweet 16 1. Local Trailblazer 2. Amazing Ally 3. Dazzling Advertiser 4. Politically Correct 5. FUNdraiser 6. Get Involved 7. Mark Your Calendar 8. Take The Stage 9. The Star of the Show 10. Raise the Bar 11. Happiest Happy Hour
12. Savor Local Flavor 13. Get Your Art On 14. Retail Therapy 15. Mind, Body, Soul 16. Get Sweaty Your 1 Vote is Your Voice Out of more than 7,000 nominations, in all 16 categories combined, these finalists are relying on your votes to determine who is deserving of this honor in 2016. Due to an overwhelming response in past years, Echo has moved its voting platform to Survey Monkey. With this move comes a significant change to the
voting process: You will only be allowed to cast one vote per IP address for the entire duration of the voting phase. You’re Invited Winners will be revealed live at the annual Echo Readers’ Choice Awards ceremony, which will take place April 2 from 3 to 5 p.m. on the Community Stage as part of Phoenix Pride festival. Following the ceremony, you’re invited to come up to the stage for a meet and greet with our 2016 award winners (selfies encouraged). In the meantime, don’t forget to spread the word via social media and use #EchoMagAZ.
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Date book through march 17
You are invited to visit to vote for your favorite finalists in each of the 2016 Echo Readers’ Choice Awards “Sweet 16” categories. echomag.com/sweet-16-vote april 2
Join us for the 2016 Echo Readers’ Choice Awards ceremony from 3 to 5 p.m. on the Community Stage as part of Phoenix Pride festival at Steele Indian School Park, 300 E. Indian School Road (Third Street and Indian School Road). echomag.com/ sweet-16-vote March 12
Feb. 27
The LGBT Devils’ Pride Scholarship Benefit Dinner will take place from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. at ASU Tempe campus, Old Main, Carson Ballroom, 400 E. Tyler Mall. (See story, page 20.)
The 12th Annual HRC Arizona Gala, “Stronger Together: Moving Arizona Forward,” will take place at 6 p.m. at The Sheraton Grand Phoenix, 340 N. Third St. (See story, page 18.)
Black Theatre Troupe at The Helen Mason Performing Arts Center, 1333 E. Washington St., Phoenix. (See story, page 22.)
alumni.asu.edu/chapters/lgbt-devils-pride March 13
phoenixpridelgbtcenter.org/outloud March 5
hrcazgala.org Feb. 28
The LGBTQ Day at the Arizona Renaissance Festival and Artisan Marketplace will take place 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Festival Village, 12601 E. Highway 60, Gold Canyon. A group photo will be in front of the Royal Pavilion at 1 p.m.
Join the Phoenix Movie Bears for the 88th Academy Awards viewing party beginning at 5 p.m. at Sidebar, 1514 N. Seventh Ave. in Phoenix.
royalfaires.com/arizona March 14
phoenixmoviebears.com The Seventh Avenue Merchant Association presents the 14th annual Melrose Street Fair, featuring live music, 150 vendors, food trucks, a classic car show and artisan marketplace, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Seventh Avenue (between Indian School Road and Campell Avenue).
March 2
m7streetfair.com March 6
Join Arizona’s Children Association for a Grow Your Family Orientation, and learn more about becoming an adoptive or foster parent at 6 p.m. on the first Wednesday of every month at the Phoenix Pride LGBT Center, 801 N. Second Ave., Phoenix. phoenixpridelgbtcenter.org March 3-5
Four performances of OUTLOUD: More Stories from the Gayborhood, will take place at the 16 |
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Join the Greater Phoenix Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce for LGBT Night Out with the Phoenix Suns, as the Suns face off against the Minnestoa Timberwolves, beginning at 5 p.m. (tip off at 7 p.m.) at Talking Stick Resort Arena, 201 E. Jefferson St. in Phoenix. phoenixgaychamber.com March 26
The 10th annual Hope in the Face of AIDS dinner, benefiting the International Alliance for the Prevention of AIDS, will take place at 5:30 at The Sheraton Grand Phoenix, 340 N. Third St.
The 13th annual Möda Provocateūr, a runway fashion show benefiting the Southern Arizona AIDS Foundation, will take place a 6 p.m. (raffle opens at 4:30 and VIP dinner and pre-show start at 5:30 p.m.) at the Tucson Convention Center ‘s Grand Ballroom, 260 S. Church Ave. (See story, page 26.)
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iapaindia.org/event/hope-dinner
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MARK OUR CALENDARS saafmoda.org
To have your event considered for Echo’s print and online calendars, submit your event details to echomag.com/community-calendar. All submissions are subject to Echo’s discretion. events
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On 7th Avenue
SATURDAY
MARCH 5
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11AM - 5PM
14TH ANNUAL • Presented by: SAMA
Live Music •Food Trucks • Kids Activities Beer & Margarita Garden • Artisan Marketplace
Featuring The Chester’s Classic Car Show W W W. M 7 S T R E E T FA I R . C O M This FREE event is brought to you by:
Stronger Together
HRC Arizona to host 12th annual gala By Tiffany Hopkins
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he time has come again. The time to recognize and celebrate the tremendous amount of progress made within the LGBTQ community throughout the past year. As part of its 12th annual gala, Feb. 27 at the Sheraton Grand Phoenix, the Arizona chapter of the Human Rights Campaign will acknowledge a few of the most honorable individuals who played a part in the effort to move Arizona forward. “HRC Arizona is fortunate to have the overwhelming support of our local membership and corporate supporters who help make this gala a success each year and show we’re stronger together in moving Arizona forward,” said David Martinez III, HRC Arizona steering committee co-chair and member of the HRC National Board of Governors. Under the theme, “Stronger Together: Moving Arizona Forward,” the gala serves as an opportunity for the community to celebrate the progress that’s been made and applaud community advocates who worked tirelessly to make strides toward equality throughout an evening of love,
Photo by Fernando Hernández. acceptance and celebration. “We want people to let loose and enjoy themselves, and not have to worry about people judging them,” said Bob Jacobson, HRC Arizona gala co-chair. In addition to raising critical funds for the organization, the event also serves as its yearly awards ceremony. This year’s keynote speaker is the NFL’s first openly gay player, Michael Sam. HRC Arizona will also recognize Sam with the Visibility Award for his courage and compassion as an LGBTQ advocate on the national stage. “Michael Sam has made incredible strides for LGBT communities around the world,” said Deanna Jordan, co-chair of this year’s HRC Arizona Gala Dinner. “His bravery and willingness to share this piece of his life has not only changed overarching perspectives about the LGBT community, but it has also helped advance the image of LGBT athletes in the world of professional sports.” Sam concluded his senior year at the University of Missouri with All-American
and Southeastern Conference (SEC) Defensive Player of the Year honors. He then went on to make history as America’s first openly gay professional football player when the St. Louis Rams selected him during the league’s 2014 draft. According to Jacobson, HRC Arizona selected Sam as the recipient of the 2016 Visibility Award for his remarkable bravery, which has the potential to touch young people across the nation. “Michael Sam is going to talk to the young people, and young people are the future of our community,” Jacobson said. “We’ve reached marriage equality, but that is not the end. We need young people.” HRC Arizona will also recognize local community advocates with the Organizational Equality Award and the Individual Equality awards. Receiving the 2016 Organizational Equality award is Devereux Arizona. Devereux Arizona started in 1967, and has expanded throughout the Valley, providing in-home and outpatient treatment, child abuse prevention programs, crisis
Photo courtesy of facebook.com/ michaelsamnfl.
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stabilization and foster care for children. The organization is being recognized for its commitment to practicing full inclusion of the LGBTQ community and its effort to bring together LGBTQ families across the entire state by providing resources and guidance for those navigating the adoption process. “They have helped so many same-sex couples achieve adoption,” Jacobson said. “They have done so much for the community, it’s unbelievable.” Accepting this year’s Individual Equality Awards are Maria De Nicola and Dr. Toby Meltzer. De Nicola, a certified electrologist with Senza Pelo Med Spa in Phoenix, who
touched the lives of many transgender patients. De Nicola has been an ally to the community and, at one point, served as the president of a local transgender support group, A Rose. “I have been working with the transgender community for almost as long and I have been doing electrolysis,” she explains in her bio on senzapelo.com. “It is a community that is near and dear to my heart.” Similarly, Meltzer has been a vital resource for transgender individuals who have sought him out to perform the gender confirmation surgeries. Meltzer moved his practice to Scottsdale in 2003, making him the first doctor in Arizona to specialize in
these procedures. From his state of the art facility at the Greenbaum Surgery Center in Old Town Scottsdale, Meltzer has performed countless gender-affirming surgeries to help his transgender patients in their personal and emotional journey, and is considered one of the leading surgeons in this specialized field. “Each of our award honorees exemplify the forwarding-thinking resolve and determination we need in Arizona and communities everywhere to make equality a reality,” Martinez said. The HRC Arizona Gala co-chairs expect this to be a night filled with celebration and good energy. “We will all be there for a common goal,” Jordan said, “I will be there with my friends and loved ones to make history.” The 12th Annual HRC Arizona Gala 6 p.m. Feb. 27 The Sheraton Grand Phoenix 340 N. Third St. hrcazgala.org
Tiffany Hopkins is a graduate of Arizona State University’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication who spends her time freelancing and traveling.
Dr. Toby Meltzer.
Maria De Nicola.
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Passing the Pitchfork
LGBT Devils’ Pride scholarship benefit dinner honors ASU student leaders By Anthony Costello
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s Arizona State University settles into the spring semester, a proud tradition of honoring LGBTQ students draws nearer with Devils’ Pride Chapter’s fourth annual Scholarship Benefit Dinner taking place March 12 on the Tempe campus. Each year, this event honors an LGBTQ ASU student with a community leadership scholarship – funded by donations from ASU alumni and members of the LGBTQ community – in recognition of their service, involvement and dedication. This year, a new honor – the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences LGBT Leadership Graduate Student – will be presented for the first time. According to LGBT Devils’ Pride Chapter President Gabriel Escontrías Jr., the keynote speaker at this year’s event is Christine K. Wilkinson, ASU Alumni Association president and managing director of the Trustees of ASU. The benefit was established four years ago, Escontrías said, adding that its mission is to honor and foster growth in future leaders of the LGBTQ community through the Community Leadership Scholarship. “It started as an idea of how we could raise more money and how we could use it to support current ASU students in achieving their goals,” Escontrías said. “We had alumni donate to the foundation and we were looking at that to fund the award scholarship for multiple years to come, and a benefit dinner made the most sense.” The dinner has grown into an event that includes local performers, art, food,
music, sponsors and a silent auction. “Our main goal is to raise money through the art and silent auction, which many of the works are supplied by local LGBT artists and ASU students, during the event,” Escontrías said. “Any money raised at the scholarship dinner goes toward the scholarship fund.” Since its inception, Escontrías said the event has been adjusted and more features have been added, all with the intention of delivering the most enjoyable experience to guests. “Attendees can expect to see an event that celebrates the community and to experience ASU alumni and student talent,” Escontrías said. “We’ve been fortunate to have allies attend, including deans from the campus and local businesses.” The end result, according to Escontrías, is a diverse mix of attendees. “You get a mixture of attendees. Our usuals are social and active groups, like Phoenix Frontrunners and Equality Arizona,” Escontrías said. “One of our notable … contributors is the Greater Phoenix Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce, who help us out a lot.” According to Escontrías, scholarship recipients are chosen based on their values of commitment. “We like variety in recipients, who they serve and how they go about achieving their goals,” he said. “[The] main application questions revolve around ‘What leadership qualities do you provide your community? How does that lend value to the community?’ We felt community should come first and we
make it very clear to applicants that it’s a community scholarship.” For ASU student and first recipient of the community leadership scholarship Will Smith, it wasn’t the scholarship money that made the most difference. Instead, he credits the connections he made for awakening his self-confidence in being an LGBTQ leader. “With scholarships a lot of people think it’s just all about getting the reward, but it’s so much more than getting monetary value,” Smith said. “To sit next to someone like Kyrsten Sinema and talk about the award, my goals and how to achieve them was an empowering experience.” Going forward, Escontrías and Smith hope future benefit dinners will allow the scholarship reward amount to grow. “Ten years down the road, I hope to see the monetary value grow and more people donating to the fund,” Smith said. “Not so much just receiving financial support but also emotional support and a sense of community in which they can feel empowered and be who they are.” LGBT Devils’ Pride Scholarship Benefit Dinner 5-8 p.m. March 12 ASU Tempe campus, Old Main, Carson Ballroom 400 E. Tyler Mall alumni.asu.edu/chapters/lgbt-devils-pride Anthony Costello is an award-winning writer, a graduate of ASU’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication and a fraternity brother of Sigma Phi Beta, a gay, straight, bisexual and transgender fraternity.
Photo courtesy of alumni.asu.edu
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OUT & ABOUT Fresh Brunch Feb. 14 at The Arizona Biltmore Photos by Fernando Hernรกndez.
For more Echo photos visit echomag.com/gallery.
EchoMag.com
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OUTLOUD
Local production spotlights new artists and stories from the Gayborhood By Lorraine Longhi
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he Phoenix theater community will welcome back its OUTLOUD production, a series of one-act plays that span a variety of themes facing the LGBT community, March 3-5 at The Helen Mason Performing Arts Center’s Black Theatre Troupe. OUTLOUD: More Stories from the Gayborhood is the follow-up to 2014’s OUTLOUD production, which brought together local playwrights, directors and actors to showcase four one-act plays. The show has expanded in its second outing, with this year’s production set to feature seven one-act plays, ranging from 10 to 30 minutes in length, from a diverse representation of Phoenix artists. “The selection process for authors wasn’t limited in any way,” said OUTLOUD director Richard Schultz. “There are authors, both gay and straight, some who have written novels, and others who hadn’t written in dramatic form but were curious to work in the theater for the first time.” After having their scripts workshopped for a year and a half, Schultz said he’s been working with the authors to audition actors to prepare for the upcoming performances of their plays. As a result, an ensemble of 10 actors will play multiple roles in each of the seven plays. Plays will include Execution of a Queen by Mitchell Dane, a reflection of life by a transgender woman in the first moments after her death, Open for Business by 22 |
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James Garcia, in which a gay man meets with the governor and challenges his authority on a number of social and political issues and Two Dragons by Bee Dee Heywood, a drama set in 15th century Japan as a defeated warlord shares a night of revelation and tenderness with a captain. “This project is about putting new artists at the forefront, not focusing too much time or money on production values, but on the work that’s being done,” Schultz said. “OUTLOUD is about the writing and quality of acting being utilized for the audience, which is something I think we need to see more of in Phoenix.” In addition to the night of live theater, patrons can enjoy several special entertainment packages, featuring a fundraiser, pre-show reception and raffle. Event sponsors include the Phoenix Pride LGBT Center, New Carpa Theater Company, Equality Maricopa and Echo Magazine. “There’s a lot of people who will come to this show who have never experienced what people in the LGBT community have gone through growing up,” said Clayton Scherf, Phoenix Pride LGBT Center director of development. “That exposure and sharing those experiences is really important to communicate and bridge the gaps of understanding between these communities.” Proceeds from the event will benefit a variety of the programs offered at the center.
“With a successful run this year, the funds [from OUTLOUD] will be directly allocated towards those programs,” Scherf said. “This is definitely something that gets the community out and aware of the programs we have in place.” Following both the evening performance March 3 and the matinee performance March 5, attendees are invited to participate in a “talk-back” session, during which the audience provides the authors and actors with feedback. “One of the things that great theater towns have is new works being developed by different companies,” Schultz said. “That’s something I think we’re missing here in Phoenix. The vitality of the arts scene is dependent on new artists creating new works and sharing them with the community. This project does that.”
OUTLOUD: More Stories from the Gayborhood March 3, 4 and 5 at 7:30 p.m.; March 5 at 2 p.m. Black Theatre Troupe at The Helen Mason Performing Arts Center 1333 E. Washington St., Phoenix phoenixpridelgbtcenter.org/outloud
Lorraine Longhi is a Mesa-based freelance writer interested in covering the intersection of community and diversity. Follow her on Twitter at @lolonghi.
OUT & ABOUT The 31st annual Arizona Gay Rodeo Feb. 13 at Corona Ranch and Rodeo Grounds, Laveen. Photos by Bill Gemmill and KJ Philp.
For more Echo photos visit echomag.com/gallery.
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Möda Provocateūr
Runway fashion show in Tucson to raise money for SAAF By Megan Wadding
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he runway is set, the choreography has been perfected and the designers are ready to reveal their works of art. The 13th annual Möda Provocateūr, billed as “not your grandmother’s fashion show,” will take place March 6 at the Tucson Convention Center. “Möda Provocateūr [is a] fashion and runway show celebrating style and compassion while raising money for the Southern Arizona AIDS Foundation [SAAF],” said Monique Vallery, associate director of development at SAAF. The first Möda Provocateūr took place in 2004 and since then more than 10,000 guests, corporate partners and performing participants have been involved in supporting the annual event. The goal of Moda Provocateūr, according to Vallery, is to raise both funds and public awareness about HIV and remember those lost to AIDS. The event centers around the Project Möda fashion contest, an annual design competition for budding local designers who are interested in putting their skills and creativity on display. Additionally, many Tucson-based businesses, organizations and individuals participate in the show. “With local salons, boutiques, beauty supply stores, dance companies, musicians and artists giving time, talent and product, this out-of-the-box show promises to be entertaining,” Vallery said. “[Moda is a] night of fashion and fun to help raise money and awareness about HIV/AIDS.” This year, participating salons include Spirit Salon & Spa, The Industry Hair Studio, Beauty Brands, the team of Artistry Beauty Studio & Ambiance Salon & Spa, The Village Salon, Toni & Guy Hairdressing and Twisted. “The salons get to choose which local store or boutiques they would like to work with,” Vallery said. “Some of the 26 |
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salon’s staff not only express their creative side through hair design, but some have also designed and made the fashion for their show.” This year, three local designers, all from Flowing Wells High School in Tucson, will showcase their work on the runway. According to Vallery, the runway, which serves as the centerpiece of the center‘s Grand Ballroom, measures 8 feet wide and 76 feet long. Judges from throughout the community will vote for the best design in three categories – The Red Dress, Repurposed with a Purpose and Femme Lace – and the audience will vote for the overall, or best in show, garment. Winners will receive a cash prize of $500. The evening’s entertainment will be provided by BreakOut Studios and Artifact Dance Company again this year, as well as raffle prizes. Additionally, dinner or appetizers will be served, depending on the level of ticket purchased. “For those who purchase a runway seat, a full dinner with wine, will be served,” Vallery said. “Heavy appetizers are served for those purchasing a cocktail seat or a party box seat.” According to saaf.org, the funds raised by Möda Provocateūr support SAAF’s programs and services. And, since 2004, the event has continueed to grow into a vital fundraiser for the organization. “We are so fortunate to have the help of local salons, boutiques and businesses to make Möda a success, each and every year,” said Wendell Hicks, executive director at SAAF. “In the past decade, Möda has generated more than $500,000 in vital support for the people SAAF serves and is
an enduring testament to our community’s efforts to fight stigma on every front.” The mission of SAAF, according to the event’s website (saafmoda.org) is to “cultivate a healthy and stigma-free society through transformative action.” Möda Provocateūr March 6 VIP dinner, 4:30 p.m. general admission, 5:45 p.m. Tucson Convention Center‘s Grand Ballroom 260 S. Church Ave., Tucson saafmoda.org Megan Wadding is a freelance writer and travel addict with a degree in journalism. Follow her on Twitter at @MeganWadding.
OUT & ABOUT Desperado LGBT Film Festival Jan. 29 at Paradise Valley Community College, Phoenix. Photos by Bill Gemmill.
For more Echo photos visit echomag.com/gallery.
Show your support! Tickets are now available for our biggest event yet!
Saturday, May 14, 2016 at the Camelback Inn Resort & Spa Presented by Richard P. Stahl, funds raised from the event support programs and services provided by Southwest Center for HIV/AIDS to those impacted by or at-risk for HIV or AIDS in the Phoenix Community.
Tickets available at www.NightForLife.org 28 |
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LIVE with Aneesh
Arizona’s sassiest co-host serves up LGBTQ realness on the radio By Laura Latzko
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Photos courtesy of Aneesh.
“D
o you have what it takes to be on the radio?”
That’s the question that Lady La and Joey Boy, co-hosts of LIVE 101.5’s “The Morning Mess” asked the Valley of the sun as they set out on a quest to find their third cast member just over a year ago. “LIVE 101.5 is looking to make The Morning Mess well … Mess-ier! Have you ever thought about working in radio? We’re looking for the next radio superstar to join our team,” was the job posting that appeared all over social media. The application requirements were simple: shoot a video that expresses why you’re the right fit for the job, upload it to YouTube and complete a web form and a formal application. No experience necessary. The response, as you may have guessed, was an overwhelming amount of applicants, followed by round after round of live auditions. By late March the station had made a decision and the world was introduced to Aneesh. Since then, “The Morning Mess” trio has been hitting the airwaves from 6 to 10 a.m. every weekday morning on LIVE 101.5. And slowly, but surely, listeners are discovering why this entertainment industry hopeful stood out from the crowd. Aneesh was born in Queens, N.Y., to what he describes as “traditional Indian parents,” making him and his younger sister firstgeneration Indian Americans. Coming from a different background than other people he knew, Aneesh recalled feeling like an outsider looking in – to which he attributes his drive to stand out. “I’m sort of the black sheep in my family. I am the most extroverted. I’m the one who likes to be out there,” he said. growing up Aneesh grew up in Arizona and, even as a kid, had a passion for digital art and dabbled in theater. While attending North High School in Phoenix he helped the cheerleading and dance teams with audio editing of dance mixes. “My entire life has been about me having this very individual experience,” he said. “It’s always been me trying to figure out how to not just assimilate with everyone else, but to flourish.”
“My entire life has been about me having this very individual experience. It’s always been me trying to figure out how to not just assimilate with everyone else, but to flourish.” Aneesh
an ear for entertainment Ultimately, his knowledge of entertainment and pop culture combined with his signature sass and innate ability to stand out turned out to be the magic recipe the station was looking for. During his audition, the 26-year-old was given two minutes to make the CBS radio crew laugh. “What’s the biggest lie you’ve ever told?” Lady La asked Aneesh in his live audition. To which he replied, “That I’m straight.” That certainly made them laugh, and opened up the door for him to finally pursue his dream. One he’d almost given up on. According to Aneesh, he’d almost given up on a career in entertainment before deciding to audition for the position with LIVE 101.5; however, he credits working for the radio station with giving him a greater sense of confidence and drive. “When this happened, it completely turned me upside down. I was like, ‘Wait a minute. I can actually do anything I’ve been wanting to do?’” he said. “The job has awoken this passion and this drive in me that I didn’t know I had.” on the air
Aneesh went on to graduate from Arizona State University with a degree from the T. Denny Sanford School of Social and Family Dynamics in 2012.
Since accepting this job, Aneesh said he’s taken his work very seriously and has spent a great deal of time learning the ins and outs from other radio hosts, especially Joey Boy and Lady La.
Most recently, Aneesh held an office job at a local college and worked in customer service and sales positions before that. But his interest in the entertainment industry was ever present.
“I feel like I’m such a student when I’m around the two of them,” he said. “I’m constantly observing how they handle themselves when they are on air and off the air.”
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Already, Aneesh’s unique style is standing out in the mainstream radio community because, as an openly gay man, he brings a very different perspective to the team and to the listeners. Aneesh joins the dynamic of Joey Boy, a straight married man and Lady La, a straight woman who is in a relationship. And needless to say, they don’t always agree on every topic. “Disagreement is where the gold is. So, when we have a disagreement on something, that’s where the conversation is,” Aneesh said. “We have this dynamic with each other, where we balance [out] each other very well.” While he’s always felt welcome on the show, Aneesh said that joining a team of two radio hosts who knew each other so well was challenging at first. “Joey and La are very forward in making sure I have time to speak, and I have time to contribute my ideas,” he said. “From day one, they wanted to know, ‘What do you want to bring to the table?’ There’s a great level of respect from all of us.” In addition to his quick rapport with his co-hosts, Aneesh’s humor and willingness to open up about his life have earned him a fan following in his first year on the job. He’s also a little bit of a fan himself. Since joining the LIVE 101.5 team, Aneesh has taken part in phone interviews and in-person interviews with Nick Jonas,
Becky G., Iggy Azalea, Diplo, Christina Milian, Steve Aoki, Angela Johnson, Adam Lambert and Britney Spears – just to name a few. putting lgbtq in radio Being a voice for the LGBTQ community was important to Aneesh from the first day he started at the station. When he was hired, he asked to be able to discuss LGBTQ issues and not just act as the “funny gay guy” on the show. “As long as there’s a great sense of LGBT awareness [at the end of the day],” Aneesh said he feels he is doing his part, “whether it’s through humor or me being serious, like me crying on the air when the Supreme Court hearing was announced or [getting] the opportunity to talk about the Caitlyn Jenner photo shoot when that was released.” The radio host is very open about his personal life and discusses dating, weight loss trials and tribulations and sexual preference on the air. In some cases, Aneesh will take the lead on less news-related topics, such as the gender neutrality of a store’s toy section. The importance of these topics to the radio personality prompted
him to get involved in the LGBTQ-themed podcast “Bottom of the Mainstream” (bottomofthemainstream.com) during which he and his co-host discuss such issues as domestic violence, body image issues, ageism, racism and LGBTQ community news. Additionally, he made a cameo appearance on an episode of “Let’s Have a FeFe” with Felicia Minor and Freddy Prinze Charming (bit.ly/1SJqqDK). In his career to date, Aneesh said he has been most influenced by Charlamagne Tha God, Ryan Seacrest, Howard Stern and Carson Daly as well as podcasters Megan Tan and Kid Fury. off the air Off the air, Aneesh has had the chance to interact with fans at concerts, pool parties, Phoenix Fashion Week and charity events throughout Arizona. Within the LGBTQ community, Aneesh has volunteered for such organizations as one n ten and Phoenix Pride. In June, he co-hosted a Gay Days Arizona pool party with Miss Gay Arizona America 2015
Nevaeh McKenzie, and added that he hopes to do more in the community in the future. “I am not as involved with the LGBT community as I want to be,” he said. “I really want to be ingrained in the LGBT community here. I want the community to know that we as a station are pro-LGBT.” Exploring the world of improv comedy is another new endeavor for Aneesh, who has taken comedy classes with Jester’Z Improv in Mesa since joining the LIVE 101.5 team because he knows the value in being able to come up with funny material on the spot. Admittedly, there aren’t enough hours in the day to conquer all of the goals Aneesh has set for himself. After admitting that he often stays at the station for 12 hours a day and comes in on days off, he added that he hopes to continue to develop his ability to operate the sound board and hone other aspects of his craft. Meanwhile, his alter ego, “Jonathan,” who talks to people suspected of cheating by their significant others as part of the weekly “Staycation” segment, and his football-inspired “Fruit Ball” bit during which he picks winners based on random thoughts and life occurrences, are evidence that Aneesh was the perfect third perspective for “The Morning Mess.” But don’t just take our word for it … For more information on LIVE 101.5 or “The Morning Mess,” visit live1015phoenix. com. To keep up with Aneesh find him on Facebook at facebook.com/anditsaneesh or on Twitter at and Instagram at @neeshiminaj.
Laura Latzko is a Phoenix-area freelance writer, originally from Michigan, who holds a bachelor’s degree in English and communication studies from Hollins University and a master’s degree in journalism from the University of Missouri.
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feature story
On with “The Show”
Q Talk America offers an international platform for local LGBTQ voices By Laura Latzko
I
t’s just a regular Tuesday night. You have plans to get together with your regular friends to drink regular drinks and talk about regular things. That’s all the inspiration one Valley resident needed to launch something remarkable. After participating as a guest on “Joe and Babe,” one of Q Talk Arizona’s previous shows that was co-hosted by local podcaster Joe Dugandzic and former radio personality and 34 |
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community leader Babe Caylor, Clayton McKee was inspired to start a show of his own. “The spark came to me,” McKee said. “I [thought] it would be fun to do a show, but it would be my rules, my way.” And just like that, “The Show with Clayton McKee” was born. When “The Show” started, Q Talk Arizona had a number of shows, McKee explained, adding that he kept the
station’s name but tweaked it to “Q Talk America” after acquiring it. Four years later, as “The Show” approaches its 250th episode, its cast of four reaches a global audience each week. While the number of people who tune into the weekly three-hour show varies from month to month, McKee estimates that around 2,000 people – ranging in age from millennials to seniors – download and listen to the show in a 90-day time frame.
meet the cast Despite the fact that it’s called “The Show with Clayton McKee,” Q Talk America’s sole show is made up of a cast of four distinct voices: McKee, Kat Carlson, Al Perkins and Marnie Reiher. “The irony of the show is it’s my show in name, and I have absolutely no control over it,” MeKee said. “I describe the show as [us] at brunch hanging around a table talking.” McKee has worked as a radio and club DJ as well as a master of ceremonies at various of community events, including the Phoenix Pride parade. Currently, he can be found behind the turntables on Wednesday nights at Charlie’s and, by day, he works in sales at a restaurant and bar point-of-sales system company. Al Perkins, who works as a nurse, serves as the show’s movie buff and handles the entertainment aspects of the show. Marnie Reiher, a social worker who specializes in helping people with developmental disabilities, can be counted on to bring up quirky, and often racy, topics. Reiher recalls being reluctant to talk on the air in the beginning, but said she’s become more comfortable over time. “I used to be quiet, but I’ve changed my ways,” Reiher said, adding that she and Perkins have been part of the show since the beginning. Kat Carlson, who works as a bartender at Kobalt and for a book fair company, said she listened to the show regularly before joining the cast. Originally scheduled as a fill-in back in September 2014, Carlson said she loved being a part of the cast so much that she just stayed on. “I wouldn’t leave. I just kept showing up,” the newest member of the cast said. “That’s how I make friends with people. I just keep showing up.” Together, these four regular folks share their views on political, social, pop culture and regular topics that they find relevant, interesting or downright strange. “The Show,” which is all volunteer based, has featured several other regular cast members throughout the years, including Echo’s 2015 Leader of the Year Katy June and Echo’s former managing editor Buddy Early. Every time a new member joins the cast, McKee said the dynamic on “The Show” changes in some way. “It has been interesting to see how everybody plays differently with the new person in the sandbox,” McKee said.
“Every Tuesday, we get to have that insight from people from other places … They are kind of sitting at our table. When they are not in the chat room, it feels like something is missing.” Marnie Reiher
give ‘em something to talk about To prepare for the podcast, the cast gathers stories and researches talking points for the week, but generally there isn’t an overall theme. “We are kind of a morning show at night,” McKee said. “The topics of the day drive the show … We just talk about things that other people are talking about … There’s a gay spin to it, yes, but there doesn’t always have to be.” Over the years, the cast has covered a wide range of topics. And, while McKee aims to keep the shows light-hearted, he said cast members bring up more serious matters from time to time. “It all happens naturally,” Carlson said. “There’s no rehearsals. There’s minimal production meetings.” According to Perkins, the show’s format hasn’t changed all that much since its inception. “One of the things we said from the beginning,” Perkins said, “[was] that it had to be unscripted, that it had to be organic.” Although the show is LGBTQ themed, Carlson said it doesn’t have a central message or focus like many other gay podcasts. “I’ve listened to other gay podcasts and with a lot of them you can feel them stretching to make that ‘gay point,’ but we don’t have to,” Carlson said. “I think that’s a testament to our lives and personalities.” It’s the cast members’ real-life scenarios, their larger-than-life personalities and un-edited commentary that makes the show stand out. “I don’t think there’s a lot of podcasts where they swear like we do. It’s gets a little explicit at times with personal stories,” Perkins said. “We sometimes forget we have on microphones and
headphones, because it is like four friends sitting around having drinks, laughing and talking … It’s been really rewarding too.” the show heard ‘round the world Interactions with listeners – especially via chat rooms – have become an important part of “The Show,” which draws listeners from all over the world, including Croatia, India, Japan, Russia, Finland, New Zealand, Australia and Kenya. “It’s a nice release for them because some of them are in countries where [they] are oppressed – not just politically, but for being gay,” McKee said. “In some of these oppressed countries they have to listen on headphones because they aren’t permitted … to watch or listen to us.” According to McKee, many listeners have expressed how “The Show” has made them laugh during dark times in their lives or shown them there are other individuals out there who are very much like them. “For some people who listen to us, it sounds like those three hours to them are golden,” he said. “They really want that escape from whatever oppression they are living under.” For Reiher, conversations with longtime listeners, especially those from other countries, have been very informative. “We are learning so much about things going on in India and Africa,” she said. “Every Tuesday, we get to have that insight from people from other places … They are kind of sitting at our table. When they are not in the chat room, it feels like something is missing.” Regardless of geographic location or sexual orientation, there’s one universal sentiment the diverse array of listeners continue to reiterate to the cast. “One of the things people say in emails [is] ‘you are just regular people, you are like us,’” he said. “We didn’t initially know what we were doing or how it was going to go, and over time, everybody found their niche, and it all just works.” “The Show with Clayon McKee” airs live every Tuesday from 7 to 10 p.m. on at qtalkamerica.com. Additionally, past episodes are also available on the Q Talk America YouTube page, youtube.com/ user/qtalkamerica. Laura Latzko is a Phoenix-area freelance writer, originally from Michigan, who holds a bachelor’s degree in English and communication studies from Hollins University and a master’s degree in journalism from the University of Missouri. EchoMag.com
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feature story
The Adoption Option
Former ABC Family star and husband adopt a son in Arizona By Megan Wadding
T
he former “Kyle XY” star Matt Dallas and his husband Blue Hamilton have a newly adopted son. The couple introduced 2-year-old Crow to the world via their YouTube channel in December and the party of three has been documenting their adventures via social media ever since. Dallas was born and raised in Phoenix, but lived in Los Angeles when he and Hamilton, who originally hails from Colorado, met through mutual friends in Hollywood. Together, they moved back to Phoenix two years ago to be closer to their families and to begin the process of starting their own. Last summer, the couple was married in Arizona – less than a year after the state they call home ruled in favor of marriage equality. paternal instinct The handsome hubbies acknowledged that, individually, they both always knew they wanted to have children one day. “For me, I think I always kind of knew I wanted to be a dad,” Hamilton said. “In my 20s, it wasn’t something I focused on. It wasn’t until I hit 30 that I started feeling the need to raise a child.” Dallas echoed his husband’s sentiment. “[Being a father is] something that I’ve always dreamed about since I was a kid,” Dallas said. “I knew it would happen eventually. In my 30s, it really became a priority.” After they were engaged, Hamilton recalled, they began discussing starting a family in a serious way. At first, they assumed they would use surrogacy to start their family. “Once we stared doing research and learning the numbers of foster children without homes and just seeing them age out of the foster system and become 18 and they’re orphans for life, it just got to us,” Hamilton said. “We realized that we could do a great deal for these children and that we should adopt.” After taking a closer look into both the foster system and adoptions, Hamilton
Blue Hamilton with son, Crow. Photos courtesy of youtube.com /watch?v=0W7CJs0xXo4.
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explained that they mutually decided that adopting a child would be the best route for them. “At that point, we couldn’t bring another child into the world when there are so many children [who] need homes,” Dallas said. “We knew we would love [our child] the same no matter what.” fostering first Before the dads-to-be began the process of becoming foster parents, they were already in agreement that their ultimate goal was to eventually adopt a child into their family. From there, the couple went through a mandated training session and completed a detailed checklist to prepare them and their home for the best and worst case scenarios of fostering. “It wasn’t difficult to become a foster parent, but there is a lot involved in it. When you’re going down the checklist it feels like a lot, but it’s really not,” Dallas explained. “I think the biggest thing for us was trying to figure out if we were going to be doing a good thing for this child. It’s more important than checking your water heater or preparing your house. It was definitely a little bit of self-reflection. But ultimately, it is all relatively simple and all so worth it in the end.” Once licensed, the couple researched many adoption agencies, including some that they knew right away would not work out for them as a gay couple. It had to be a perfect fit before they would commit, they recalled. Eventually, the decision was made to proceed with the Arizona’s Children Association (AzCA). According to Hamilton, being a family of two dads presented no issue when becoming a foster parent. “When we met with Arizona’s Children [Association], it just felt like the right fit. A lot of the people who work there are gay, too, so that helped us feel like there wasn’t any judgment or discrimination,” Hamilton said. “We had gone to other agencies who didn’t shut the door in our faces, but who also wouldn’t cater to us. [AzCA] really opened their doors to the LGBTQ community.” meet crow Late last summer, the newly married couple received a call from their adoption agency announcing that there was a little boy ready to enter their home as a foster child. Both Dallas and Hamilton agreed that the moment they first saw this little boy, as he sat in the back of the case manager’s minivan, they knew he would be their son. “We walked around the van and looked into the windshield and he locked eyes with us,” Hamilton
Matt Dallas with son, Crow. Photos courtesy of youtube.com /watch?v=0W7CJs0xXo4.
said. “We both stopped and he gave us this huge smile. It was pretty special. We both looked at each other and were like, ‘We’re not giving this one up.’” According to Dallas, the normal sixmonth trial period before a couple is allowed to adopt a child was “sort of expedited” for them, for which he credits the agency for recognizing that Crow was the “right fit” for this home. “The process went pretty quickly,” Hamilton said. “It was just meant to be.” Both Dallas and Hamilton agree that, overall, adopting went much more easily than either had expected. “We had known people that had adopted and we heard nightmare stories about the Department of Child Safety, so we went in a little reluctantly,” Dallas said. “But it ended up being pretty smooth sailing. Everyone that we encountered [was] great … and very professional. They all really cared about the kids. “ becoming a family As of today, Crow has been in his new home for nearly nine months. In December, Crow celebrated his second birthday, between two other important holidays: right after his adoption was finalized and just before his first Christmas with his new family.
“The most surprising thing for me was how adding him to our family felt like the missing piece that we didn’t know was missing,” Dallas said. “We were happy before, but now that we have him in our home, I feel like we didn’t even know what happy was. He has elevated our family and our relationship to a whole new level.” The dads have not ruled out the possibility of having more children in the future, Hamilton added. They have not closed the door on surrogacy either. “I think we would love to add to our family even more. But right now, we’re just taking it day by day and enjoying [our] new addition,” Hamilton said. “We’re open to whatever the future has for us.” back to business Dallas found fame when he starred on the ABC Family hit show “Kyle XY,” which aired from 2006 to 2009. Hamilton is an accomplished singer/songwriter. When they’re not keeping busy exploring life with their son, Hamilton said they’re “both still working in the creative realm,” which includes new projects that have not yet been announced. However, the couple’s new YouTube channel offers viewers a glimpse into EchoMag.com
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their family life as well as their ventures in the entertainment business. We’re continuing to produce content for [our YouTube channel],” Dallas said. “And [Hamilton] is continuing to make music. I’ll continue in the television world.” Follow the adventures of Crow and his dads on YouTube (visit bit.ly/1WeItzm or search Matt + Blue).
TAKE IT ONLINE For a list of adoption and fostering resources, visit echomag.com/adopt.
Arizona’s Children
Local organization advocates for same-sex parents According to the Arizona’s Children Association (AzCA), there are more than 100,000 children in foster care waiting for a permanent home across the United States. In Arizona alone, there are more than 17,000 children in the foster care system waiting to be placed into a safe home. Each year, many children age out of the system without ever finding a permanent residence or a family to call their own. These statistics are what made Dallas and Hamilton decided that adoption was the best route for them to take when starting their family. Both dads adamantly believe that if you can open your doors to a
child in need, you should. “There are so many children in Arizona that need homes and there just aren’t enough families for all of them. There is no reason that we can’t give back and open our doors,” said Hamilton. “Educate yourself. Get online. Read the statistics,” Dallas said. “The numbers alone should be motivation alone to look more into it. Call agencies and talk to them. That is basically what we did.” “If you start the process, you aren’t committed to anything,” Hamilton explained. “You will learn so much that you will know quickly whether or not it is for you.”
According to Dallas, the training session and certification process serve as major resources for anyone interested in becoming parents in this way. “Every family is different,” Hamilton said, “… after going through this process, I do know that you’re going to love the child no matter what.” For more information on Arizona’s Children Association, visit arizonaschildren.org.
Megan Wadding is a freelance writer and travel addict with a degree in journalism. Follow her on Twitter at @MeganWadding.
Whether you are single, married, or partnered, you can make a difference.
Become a foster parent. For more information about foster care, don’t wait -- call or visit our website today!
(602) 283-7107 | DevereuxAZ.org 38 |
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New Year, New Family
The McHenrys start 2016 as one family, thanks to marriage equality and adoption By Liz Massey
Photos courtesy of DePoy Studios.
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haricka and Donna McHenry have started 2016 in a household that looks quite different than their living situation did in years past. Throughout the past 24 months, they became a licensed foster family, provided a stable home for two, and then four, siblings who had been separated into different homes, and, finally, adopted the quartet on Dec. 18, 2015. Today, their modest South Phoenix home bustles with activity. During a visit to the house shortly after Christmas, Donna discussed the meaning of the butterflyshaped tree topper with their children. The decoration is a metaphor for their new life together. “What does the butterfly stand for?” Donna asked, looking at Julio, 6, and Angel, 9. She continued, “It stands for new beginnings and a fresh start.” In many ways, the story of how the McHenry family came together exemplifies the fresh start that the U.S. Supreme Court’s marriage equality ruling provided for same-sex couples that wish to create a family by jointly adopting children. It also represents a new era for foster/adoption agencies like Devereux Arizona, the agency that Donna and Sharicka went through. In the wake of the ruling, such agencies not only will work with same-sex couples, but are actively seeking them out as partners in resolving Arizona’s foster care crisis.
The couple attended an open house event for Devereux Arizona at Halle Heart Children’s Museum in late 2013, and received their foster license on Valentine’s Day 2014. They received their first foster placement less than two months later, though it wasn’t until late July of that year that they said hello to Gracie, 12, and Catalina, 7, the female half of their nowadopted family. When Donna and Sharicka started their application to be a foster family, state and federal laws did not validate same-sex couples’ rights to adopt children jointly. Even after same-sex marriage became legal in Arizona (Oct. 17, 2014), Donna noted that Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery refused to assist same-sex couples in second-parent adoption cases. “When we attended the open house, we knew it was going to be a battle for both of us to have rights to the kids,” Donna said. However, even with nationwide marriage equality more than 18 months off, the moms did have at least one factor in their favor as they applied for their foster parent license – Arizona’s
overwhelming number of children in need of foster homes. it takes a village According to Lane Barker, executive director of Devereux Arizona, the number of children in foster care in Arizona has skyrocketed from 9,000 in 2009 to 19,000 currently. The vast majority have been removed from their homes because of reports of neglect, something Barker said had increased in the aftermath of the Great Recession. This sudden jump in the number of children who need placement means that a significant proportion of them are cared for in shelters or group homes, although family settings are regarded as the best in the long term. Barker explained that these trends were part of the reason Devereux Arizona began taking steps to become LGBTQ inclusive in 2011. “As we watched the number of kids in the system go up, we felt it was our obligation to [explore] every corner of the community to find people to foster and adopt,” Barker said. “Shame on us if we don’t find families for those kids. What we found was that many times, it was the same-sex couples who would step up for the kids no one else is interested in.”
Becoming a Family Donna, a Juvenile Detention Alternative Initiative coordinator in Maricopa County, and Sharicka, a licensing and marketing compliance specialist with AmeriFirst Financial Inc., became a couple in late 2000. The women say they always wanted to have children, but focused on each of their careers for a while before attempting to become pregnant. After it became clear neither of them would be able to carry a child, they began investigating how to create a family through adoption.
Meet the McHenrys Gracie, 12, is a straight-A student, aspires to be a police detective when she grows up. Angel, 9, is a sharp dresser, recently fell in love with cooking, hopes to be a chef one day, as well as join the military. Catalina, 7, is a sweet and loving girl who likes keeping the house neat and tidy, loves spending time with her moms and loves Legos. Julio, 6, is a star pupil in kindergarten who loves super heroes – including the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles – and has a killer smile. EchoMag.com
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the flip of a switch Gracie and Catalina’s little brother Julio joined the McHenry household in April of last year; he was followed by Angel in May. Once the judge moved to sever the parental rights for the boys, the moms explained, they could think about adopting their foster children. Of the three homes that had cared for the siblings, only the McHenrys were willing and able to take all four children simultaneously. “The children’s case worker told us to take our time with the decision to care for all four,” Sharicka said. “But for us it was the right thing to do.” Just about a month after Angel came to live with the family, the U.S. Supreme Court handed down its ruling in Obergefell v. Hodges, which granted same-sex couples in all 50 states the right to marry. That single decision shifted the momentum in the McHenrys’ quest to adopt from preparing for combat to accepting the fruits of victory. “Everything flipped after the ruling,” Donna recalled. “We had a long list of things we were going to have to attend to in order to be equal before that, but afterward, even Sharicka’s name change with Social Security was easy.” With all the joy surrounding the marriage equality ruling, the couple said it wasn’t until their caseworker noted they’d be drawing up the adoption papers in both Sharicka’s and Donna’s names that the real impact of the legal changes hit home for them. the ingredients of a happy home The McHenry home is dotted with visual reminders about how they intend to operate as a family. There are whiteboards with lists of vocabulary words and chores for the kids, and calendars that tally days in which each child has displayed good behavior. Donna said this system was carefully designed to help their adopted sons and daughters thrive. “The top protective factors in a child’s life are structure, expectations and the opportunity to excel,” Donna said. The moms say their system has provided the children with stability, something that was previously lacking in their lives. Angel, who experienced putting up a
Christmas tree with his family for the first time in his life this year, is excited about the cooking kit he received as a present, since he dreams of becoming a chef. Gracie went from failing grades and a fear of the police to straight A’s and aspirations to become a detective. By Donna’s estimation, all four children are thriving, and the reason, she added, is simple: they’re each receiving the focus and attention they need. “With any kid, if you can tap into what they love, they’ll grow,” she asserted, adding that if foster parents want to provide the best possible environment for the children who come under their care, they need to be prepared to advocate assertively for them. “In foster care, you are the advocate for that child – don’t stop until you’re satisfied,” Donna added. “The system is broken. If we don’t act as the system should be, nothing will change.” love makes a family The McHenrys have a full house, quite literally, for now. Their modest fourbedroom dwelling bulges with toys, beds, furniture and all the other accessories of family life. But Donna and Sharicka haven’t ruled out expanding their tribe to include more adopted kids once they find larger living quarters. “We discussed (adding more children) after we move,” Sharicka said. “Our kids liked the idea. They want every kid to have what they have – and we’d save every kid if we could.”
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Since their birth family included a lesbian aunt, the McHenry children have never questioned the idea that two women could be parents together. “They are just happy to be safe, loved and able to do fun stuff,” Sharika said. To which Donna added, “I was raised by a single mother, and my grandmother always taught us that a child with a parent is blessed, and a child who has two parents is doubly blessed.”
Facts about foster care and adoption in Arizona: • Current number of children in the Arizona foster care system: 19,000 • Number of children in foster care system in 2009: 9,000 • Number of LGBT families licensed by Devereux Arizona through its Proud Families Foster Care program: 90 • Number of foster children placed by the agency in those homes: 327 • Number of foster children adopted by LGBTQ parents so far: 45 Percent of youth in foster care who are living in shelters and group homes: • Maricopa County: 20 percent • Pima County: 31 percent Source: Devereux Arizona Liz Massey has been involved in LGBT community-building activities in Kansas City and the Valley of the Sun, and is a former managing editor of Echo Magazine. She can be reached at lizmassey68@gmail.com.
Loving Patient At least 21 years old Stable Dependable Sense of humor
Contact us today! (602)-264-9891 fostercare@fsaphoenix.org Family Service Agency was established in 1902 and is a licensed Adoption and Child Welfare Placing Agency.
www.fsaphoenix.org
ArizonaArizona Department Department of ChildofSafety Child Safety Arizona Department of Child Safety
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WITHOUT RESERVATIONS
DeSoto Central Market Story and photos by KJ Philp
C
onstructed in 1928, the C.P. Stephens DeSoto Six Motorcars building housed automotive sales and services for the next half-century. The building, situated on the Southeast corner of Central Avenue and Roosevelt Street, was later home to antique shops and an advertising firm before becoming vacant. After 83 years of use and disuse, the structure was in very poor condition. In 2011, it was acquired by Ken Cook of Washington, who set out to bring the building back to life with the help of Motley Design Group and Mountain West Contracting. Last spring, the building opened as DeSoto Central Market (DCM). Billed as “a place to eat, meet and drink local,” it is home to a handful of relatively new and independently operated restaurants. Here’s a quick tour: Upon entering, you’re greeted by the The DeSoto Central Market Bar, which is lined by a dozen industrial draftsman-style bar stools that have reclaimed wooden seats and backrests. Sprouting up from the center of the nearly L-shaped counter is a bouquet of metalwork that leads up to the railing of the second floor. 44 |
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According to Mackenzie Collier Interiors Incorporated, subtle automotive touches, as well as elements of Art Deco and Depression-Era style, were incorporated to reflect the period of the building’s origin. The staircase to the second floor is situated in the center of the first floor’s open seating area, and on the other side of the staircase, is Tea & Toast Co., a perfect spot for espresso or small breakfast/ brunch-style offerings ranging from quiche to pastries. Continue heading into the back (east side) of the building and the next restaurant you’ll see is Walrus & The Pearl, where the oysters, flown in daily, are accompanied by a wide variety of seafood displayed on beds of ice. From there (clockwise), there’s the DeSoto Central Market Burger Joint, The Larder + The Delta, Adobo Drago and Radish Salad & Juice. Needless to say, this is the perfect dining destination to accommodate a group with diverse palates or someone looking for a great cup of coffee and free Wi-Fi. On my first visit, a weekday lunch escape from the office, the space was
less full than expected. This made for easy parking, no lines, short wait times on our orders and plenty of seating options throughout the 17,000 square foot-space. After checking out all the distinctly different offerings, I opted for Guac This Way salad from Radish. This combination of mixed greens, avocado, grape tomatoes, red onion, crispy tortilla strips and grilled chicken (optional) came in a to-go container with the lime-cilantro vinaigrette on the side. I’d heard terrific things about their fresh produce and coldpressed juices, and this lime-cilantro salad dressing did not disappoint. Next time, though, instead of holding the chicken, I think subbing it for black beans might be a heartier and more cost-effective option. Meanwhile, without any hesitation, my coworkers went straight to the DeSoto Central Market Burger Joint. And from dining out
The DeSoto Burger.
Guac This Way salad from Radish.
what I witnessed, you’d be wise to as well. First up was the South x Southwest burger, which comes with a pork patty, poblano cheese, candied jalapenos, pepper jack fondue and roasted corn aioli. Seconds later, the DeSoto Burger was delivered to our table. This namesake burger has all the makings of a classic, including Niman Ranch beef, red wine braised onions, aged cheddar, Arizona lettuce and peppered bacon. The Kennebec French Fries, I was informed, are separate. And the burger joint offers a signature Portobello burger as well as a black bean patty for substitution on any of their offerings. Our lunch experience was a great. But the true test of any establishment with a patio this fantastic is brunch. And so, I returned later that week for a mid-Saturday visit. The outdoor bar was in full effect and the patio was abuzz – add in bicycles and puppies and you have all the signs of a proper brunch in the gayborhood. My dining date and I started with coffee from Tea & Toast Co., and then we were on to brunch. I learned very quickly that each restaurant is left to their own determination of how much they care to deviate from their set menu for weekend brunch seekers Believe it or not, I hardly noticed. My other half spied someone’s dish as we approached the counter of The Larder + The Delta, which turned out to be The Classic: two eggs, four generous strips of apple wood-smoked bacon and toast (which can be substituted for potatoes). And just like that, her mind was made up. dining out
I was glad we landed here, as I remembered on our way out after lunch I spied someone’s heaping bowl of cauliflower and inquired as to what it was and where they ordered it. Of course, I should have guessed it was one of chef Stephen Jones’ Southerninspired creations on the menu here. Consider yourself warned: this isn’t the type of vegetable your mother used to nag you to eat. Rather, it appeared to be battered, fried, smothered in Homeboy’s Hot Sauce, mixed with pickled celery and ewe’s blue cheese (which I skipped). Each serving is piled into a bowl and garnished with celery leaves. As you know, I eat a lot of vegetables. But I cannot recall the last time I ate such a decadent and indulgent take on one – and that’s only the first item listed on the menu. (There’s still so much culinary exploration to be done here, especially for you carnivorous types!)
is a truly unique experience. While their Bento Boxes piqued my interest in a review I’d read previously, I simply could not resist the Bao. One order comes with a side salad and two steam buns filled with your choice of albondigas (beef/ pork meatballs with hoisin-romesco and curtido), pork (carnitas with pipian curry and bleu cheese), chicken (grilled with mango salsa and chimichurri sauce), fish
But what kind of review would this be if I stopped there? So, on to Adobo Dragon I went. Here, chef Allan Inocencio’s AsianLatin fusion cuisine EchoMag.com
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(salmon, guava-chili jam and wasabi huancaina), or the vegetarian option, which is actually vegan. While mixing and matching is encouraged, I ordered two of the Vegetarian Bao. This salty soy combination of roasted mushrooms and rajas in soy adobo was perfectly balanced with the deceptively airy buns. I rarely turn down lime or Sriracha, and admittedly am not a fan of doughy delights, but these
surpassed my expectations without any additional flavors. Overall, DCM boasts eclectic eats carefully created by chefs who are exceptional at what they do. Keep in mind, though, that this is a low-maintenance counter service (and to-go friendly) set up. So basically, what these restaurants may lack in presentation, they make up for in innovation. It’s hard to believe DeSoto Central Market will celebrate its first anniversary in April, but what better reason to venture into this remarkable space and savor these eclectic flavors?
DeSoto Central Market 915 N. Central Ave., Phoenix 602-680-7747 Hours: 7 a.m.-10 p.m. Mon-Wed 7 a.m.-11 p.m. Thurs 7 a.m.-midnight Fri-Sat 7 a.m.-9 p.m. Sun (brunch times vary by restaurant) desotocentralmarket.com
KJ Philp is the managing editor of Echo Magazine and can be reached at kj@echomag.com.
Vegetarian Bao from Adobo Dragon.
Cauliflower from The Larder + The Delta.
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dining out
AT THE BOX OFFICE
By Hans Pedersen
Portrait of a Serial Monogamist Now available | Unrated | 86 minutes
Naz and Maalik Now available | Unrated | 86 minutes
Naz and Maalik are lovers as well as classmates who spend their days in Brooklyn visiting the local mosque and selling lottery tickets. But their lives get thrown into chaos when they are caught up in the war on terror and wind up under federal surveillance. Winner of the Jury Award for Best Actors in a dramatic U.S. feature at Outfest, this film explores conflicts between sexuality and religion, and tensions between the black community and police. It’s been praised as an authentic, slice-of-life portrait of life for gay Muslims in Brooklyn.
In this Canadian rom-com for the middle-aged set, TV producer Elsie (Diane Flacks) has developed a knack for ending relationships. She breaks up with her long-term girlfriend, Robyn (Carolyn Taylor), much to the chagrin of her mom (Robin Duke). Everyone in her eclectic group of friends offers their two cents, especially when a beautiful DJ walks into her life. Now, Elsie must decide whether to pursue a new relationship or revive an old one. Directed and written by Christina Zeidler and John Mitchell, this sassy movie features stars from the Toronto comedy scene.
Crazy About Tiffany’s In theaters Feb. 19 | Unrated | 86 minutes
Nasty Baby Now Available | R | 101 minutes
Out filmmaker Sebastián Silva directs and stars in this loosely structured story of a New York City couple, video artist Freddy (Silva) and his partner Mo (Tunde Adebimpe), who plan to have a child with help from their friend Polly (Kristen Wiig). But a low sperm count is only one of the challenges they face as an irascible neighbor begins harassing them. A meandering plot and a surprising shift in tone make this film, which won Best Feature at the Berlin Film Festival, unique and unconventional. Alia Shawkat (“Arrested Development”) and Mark Margolis (“Breaking Bad”) co-star. movies
This new documentary sheds light on the dazzling legacy of “America’s first iconic brand,” one that went from a simple Manhattan jewelry store to a name that’s synonymous with luxury and prestige. This documentary by Matthew Miele (Scatter My Ashes at Bergdorf’s), which, featuring actresses Jessica Biel and Jennifer Tilly, director Baz Luhrmann and writer Fran Lebowitz, may remind viewers why Marilyn Monroe crooned that “Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend.” Or not. But it does search for the reasons so many people value the Tiffany & Co. name and uncovers the allure and appeal of these precious gems. Hans Pedersen is a freelance writer based in Phoenix. EchoMag.com
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The Danish Girl.
Echo expert makes 2016 Academy Awards predictions By Hans Pedersen
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head of the 88th Academy Awards, controversy has erupted over what’s become known as the whitewashing of the Oscars. It’s the absence of any nominations for black actors or directors for the second consecutive year that led Jada Pinkett Smith, Will Smith and Spike Lee to announce they do not plan to attend this year’s ceremony, which will take place Feb. 28, 2016. While many say there are clear signs of bias on the part of Academy, who are disproportionately older white males, the question is whether or not the outspoken criticism regarding the absence of black nominees will raise consciousness in time for next year’s Oscars. Meantime, here are the the nominees, including who should win and who will win, for this year’s controversial Oscar race. best actress
Cate Blanchett is stunningly communicative with her facial expressions in Carol, conveying sentiments that could fill entire sonnets, but the competition is fierce. Jennifer Lawrence dazzles, as always, as a resourceful entrepreneur in Joy. Charlotte Rampling is earning acclaim as a woman whose marriage is threatened by shattering news in 45 Years. Saoirse 48 |
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Ronan is also pitch-perfect as a girl caught between her small-town Irish lifestyle and an expansive new vista in Brooklyn. Brie Larson from Room won the Golden Globe for playing a captive mother raising her child in a 10-by-10-foot space. Larson’s dynamite performance could earn her the award. Who should win: Blanchett Who will win: Larson best actor
Eddie Redmayne is positively divine as the first transgender woman, Lili Elbe, in The Danish Girl, bringing a gentle elegance to this Oscar-worthy on-screen transformation. While Bryan Cranston seems to relish playing blacklisted leftist screenwriter Dalton Trumbo, in Trumbo, Michael Fassbender impressively inhabits the title role in the dynamic three-act biopic Steve Jobs. In The Martian, trapped astronaut Matt Damon pulls off the challenge of talking to a camcorder for half the film without appearing as if he’s speaking to an audience. But Leonardo DiCaprio is the Oscar favorite for his tour-deforce performance as a 19th-century fur trapper who’s left for dead after a bear attack in The Revenant. He already won the Golden Globe, which suggests, after multiple nominations, 2016 could be his year to finally take home an Oscar. Who should win: Redmayne Who will win: DiCaprio
best supporting actor
Christian Bale already won a Critics’ Choice Award for his role as the hedge fund manager in The Big Short. Mark Ruffalo is downright incendiary, inciting rage over the priest sex abuse scandal, in Spotlight. Both are up against versatile actor Tom Hardy and his outstanding work in The Revenant and Mark Rylance from the gripping drama Bridge of Spies. Yet Sylvester Stallone, who earned an Oscar nomination in this category playing the same character nearly 40 years ago, already has a Golden Globe win under his belt for reviving an aging Rocky on-screen in Creed. Can he get the nostalgia vote and win in this category twice as the same character? Who should win: Ruffalo Who will win: Stallone Best supporting acctress
One look in the eyes of Rooney Mara and you know what her character is thinking in the 1950s love story Carol. Alicia Vikander is being heralded as a breakout star in The Danish Girl, playing the wife who sensitively encourages her husband to follow is dream to fully become a woman. Still, Rachel McAdams steals the spotlight as an investigator in Spotlight and Kate Winslet delivers a skilled performance as head of Apple marketing in Steve Jobs. However, for her portrayal of the feisty prisoner in The movies
Hateful Eight, Jennifer Jason Leigh has surpassed audience expectations and could end up on top in this category. Who should win: Mara Who will win: Jason Leigh best director
Adam McKay deserves credit for boiling down complex ideas into a palatable story in The Big Short. And we can thank George Miller for showing us in Mad Max: Fury Road what it would be like to suffer PTSD in a post-apocalyptic world. Lenny Abrahamson maintains tension in the riveting movie Room, while Tom McCarthy methodically dramatizes how Boston Globe investigators uncovered the priest abuse scandal in Spotlight. But by shooting The Revenant entirely in natural light (trumping his one-shot feat in last year’s Best Picture winner, Birdman), esteemed Mexican filmmaker Alejandro González Iñárritu has positioned himself in the front in the front of the pack. Who should win: Iñárritu Who will win: Iñárritu best picture
The Martian wowed audiences with its acting, storytelling and special effects and true-life thriller Bridge of Spies told the about the lawyer who famously negotiated the release of an imprisoned U2 pilot, but both movies came out months ago, and may feel like ancient history in this crowded field. Brooklyn, the story of a girl choosing between old Europe and a new life in America, certainly has a good shot over the wild, haboob-infused melee of Mad Max: Fury Road. And Room is getting lots of positive press for Larson’s work, but is it enough to earn the top prize? The biggest buzz is swirling around three final contenders: The Big Short, an octane-fueled drama that helps explain the 2008 financial crisis, won top honors from the Producers Guild of America, which often, but not always, portends a Best Picture Oscar. The Revenant, a magnificently told tale of survival, is a genuine triumph that could earn the top award. Spotlight ought to be considered Best Picture by virtue of its scathingly dramatic portrayal of how not only the church, but also the community and the newspapers, buried the priest sex abuse scandals for decades.
March 11-13, 2016
Hance Park, Phoenix, AZ • mmmf.com
BECK KID CUDI THE
AVETT BROTHERS
PORTER
ROBINSONLIVE
Who should win: Spotlight Who will win: The Revanant or Spotlight
ANIMAL
COLLECTIVE
Carol.
Hans Pedersen is a freelance writer based in Phoenix.
movies
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The Small Screen
Allie (Laura Zak) and Violet (Jen Richards).
“Her Story”
New web series focuses on trans lives and loves By Megan Wadding
A
groundbreaking new web series focusing on the lives and loves of transgender and queer women, and their friends, coworkers and partners, has emerged on to the small screen scene in a big way. The series, co-written and co-produced by Laura Zak, centers on her character Allie, a queer-identified magazine writer; Violet, a trans bartender played by series’ co-creator and co-writer Jenn Richards (“I Am Cait”); and Paige, a black trans lawyer played by Angelica Ross. The first season, which is divided into six short episodes that were released Jan. 19 via herstoryshow.com, offers viewers trans protagonists played by trans women. “Trans women in the media have long been punchlines, killers, indications of urban grit, pathetic tragedies and dangerous sirens,” according to herstoryshow.com. “Rarely have they been complex characters who laugh, struggle and grow, who share strength in sisterhood, who seek and find love. ‘Her Story’ depicts the unique, complicated and very human women we see in queer communities, and explores how these women navigate the intersections of label identity and love.” The series, set in Los Angeles, starts off with Allie asking to interview Violet for a piece she is writing on transgender individuals for a local magazine. They eventually meet for the interview and quickly form a friendship that turns romantic. Allie is the tie that connects all of the others together, sort of everyone’s best friend. She isn’t afraid to say it like it is, and her personality is a bit reminiscent of Alice from Showtime’s “The L Word.” Allie quickly falls for Violet, and is confused about her feelings because she claims to have never met a trans women before. Her character is 50 |
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very eager to learn and is always respectful. Violet is delicate, sweet and loveable. She hasn’t had an easy life and her living situation is volatile, but Allie seems to be able to provide her with the support she’s so very much in need of. It’s easy to see why Allie is mesmerized with Violet from their first interaction. Paige is beautiful and charming, but she provides a perfect foil for Violet through her toughness and sharp tongue. In one of the episodes, she even compares herself to Kerry Washington. Rightfully so: she’s a tough-as-nails lawyer and always speaks her mind, and is also a wonderful friend and sounding board for Violet. We see her struggle with disclosure when she begins dating a straight cisgender man who does not know that she is trans.
issues in a truly honest and authentic way. Such character development has not really been seen at this level before. Additionally, the script is very well written. The dialogue between these women is filled with witty banter and realistic dialogue (think: “Sex and the City”) that draws you into their world from the first episode. Zak and Richards did an exceptional job at giving the audience a group of fascinating women to tell these stories. Their characters are immediately lovable and relatable, and we can all see a little of ourselves – or our friends – in them. The series was shot gorgeously, the dialogue is realistic, the stories are moving, the jokes are funny and the actresses are so very talented. This show shines a spotlight on trans lives in a way we have never seen before.
We also catch a glimpse into Allie’s seemingly close-knit circle of lesbian There’s no doubt the 55 minutes of these friends. In a particularly poignant scene, six episodes will leave you wanting more. where one of Allie’s friends, Lisa, makes Thankfully, there’s more “Her Story” (10 transphobic comments, which offers the 30-minute episodes, we’re told) in the works. audience a frank portrayal of rampant For more information on “Her Story,” or to transphobia that persists within the view Season 1, visit herstoryshow.com. LGBTQ community. Through the characters of Violet and Paige, we see very realistic trans women navigating their professional and personal lives while alsot touching on such subjects as dating, disclosure, domestic violence, being outed and transphobia within the LGBTQ community and beyond. The show sheds some much-needed Paige (Angelica Ross) and James (Christian Ochoa). light on these trans web series
Telling Her Story
Laura Zak shares her inspiration for new web series By Megan Wadding
L
aura Zak (pictured) is a writer, actor, producer and activist. She’s also one-third of the trio of women at the center a “Her Story,” a new web series she co-wrote and co-produced. Echo caught up with Zak following the Jan. 19 release of “Her Story” to find our more about her inspiration for the show’s characters and storyline. Echo: How did the idea for “Her Story” come about? Zak: As [Jen Richards and I] became friends, we started to think about what a story about the relationship between a trans woman and a cisgender queer woman could look like. We decided to create an entirely new world and story, writing in a character based on Jen’s roommate, Angelica Ross, as the third lead. Echo: How long have you two known each other and have you worked together previously? Zak: Jen and I met approximately two years ago, on the set of another series I co-created “#Hashtag” by tellofilms. We hit it off and found we had a lot in READ THE REST common. Echo: What was your vision for the For Echo’s full interview with Laura Zak, visit series? echomag.com/her-story. Zak: We wanted to represent our friends and the people we know in real life. It was an exciting prospect to write a type of love story that we’d never seen before in mainstream media. Echo: Can you tell me a little about your character, Allie, and where you drew inspiration from when creating her? Zak: Allie began as loosely based on myself, but as we got deeper into the writing process, she took on a life of her own. She’s an open-minded and idealistic person with an endless curiosity for experiences and points of view that differ from her own. Echo: I read that the goal was for trans individuals to be included in every single aspect of production. Was that difficult to pull off? Zak: We wanted trans women involved on every level, but also queer women and women of color. Trans performers and talent don’t yet enjoy the same level of official representation in Hollywood, especially given that the most prominent transgender characters have not been portrayed by trans actors. However, between all of our personal networks and social reach, it was relatively easy to find people from within the community eager to work on this project. Women, including trans and queer women, made up the majority of our cast and crew. Echo: What do you hope viewers take away from “Her Story”? Zak: First and foremost, this is a love story, and we hope we hit upon what is universal, so that the audience won’t even be consciously registering the gender identity or sexuality of the characters by the final scene. What happens when a person you are drawn to does not match the person you thought you were “supposed” to be attracted to? We gave this internal struggle to both Violet and Allie … the chemistry between them is obvious to everyone around them, and will be clear to the audience. What they have to let go of are their perceived rules of identity, in order to let themselves feel what is honest and right in front of them. Megan Wadding is a freelance writer and travel addict with a degree in journalism. Follow her on Twitter at @MeganWadding.
web series
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OUT & ABOUT First Friday Feb. 5 at Downtown Phoenix. Photos by Brittany Lea.
For more Echo photos visit echomag.com/gallery.
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STUDIO Z imagine-design-create 4200 N Marshall Way, Suite 6 • Scottsdale, AZ 85251 casual shopping monday - friday • call for hours also available by appointment
Kitchen • Bath • Interior Design
Phone: 480-941-3995 • Cell: 480-330-0459
www.studioz-az.com
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opening nights By Richard Schultz Barrio Stories March 3-6
Barrio Stories showcases new works by award-winning playwrights Elaine Romero, Virginia Grise and Martin Zimmerman. This site-specific, promenade style theatrical event was created and directed by producing director Marc David Pinate. Staged outdoors on the grounds of the Tucson Convention Center, this world premiere brings to life the oral histories of Tucson’s original MexicanAmerican neighborhood demolished with the building of the convention center in the 1960s. The performance focuses on what was lost as memories come to life when audience members take a theatrical tour of what used to be the bustling epicenter of commerce and public celebrations for Tucson’s MexicanAmerican community. Four vignettes, with performance installations encountered throughout the plaza, culminate in a postshow production featuring folklorico and mariachi youth ensembles with interactive art and audio booths. Barrio Stories March 3-6 Borderlands Theater Tucson Convention Center 260 S. Church Ave., Tucson Tickets: $10 (Suggested donation); 520-882-7406 borderlandstheater.org
Wittenberg
The Weir
Feb. 26-March 12
Feb. 26-March 13
The Weir, Conor McPherson’s play about things that go bump in the night, is a haunting and evocative story. In a remote country pub in Ireland, newcomer Valerie arrives and becomes spellbound by an evening of ghostly stories told by the local bachelors who drink there. With a whiff of sexual tension in the air and the wind whistling outside, what starts out as blarney soon turns dark as the tales drift into the realm of the supernatural. Then, Valerie reveals a startling story of her own.
The Weir Feb. 26-March 13 Theatre Artists Studio 4848 E. Cactus Road, Ste. 406, Scottsdale Tickets: $20; 602-765-0120 thestudiophx.org
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Fiddler on the Roof Feb. 26-April 3
It’s October 1517 in northern Germany and Hamlet, is returning from a summer in spent studying astronomy in Poland, where he has come in contact with a revolutionary scientific theory that threatens the very order of the universe. His teacher and mentor John Faustus, has decided to make an honest woman of his paramour (a former nun). Martin Luther, a professor of theology and a priest, is dealing with the spiritual and medical consequences of his long-simmering outrage at certain abusive practices of the church. This comedy reveals how these three men’s sagas overlap, intertwine and impact each other’s lives.
This beloved Tony Award-winning production follows Tevye, the milkman, on his touching journey to protect his daughters and his way of life in an everchanging world. The show’s humor, warmth and honesty cut across barriers of race, class, nationality and religion leaving audiences crying tears of joy and sadness. The brainchild of Broadway legends, including Jerome Robbins and Harold Prince, Fiddler on the Roof has become a musical theater staple around the globe and features such iconic songs as “Sunrise, Sunset,” “If I Were A Rich Man” and “Matchmaker, Matchmaker.”
Wittenberg Feb. 26-March 12 Southwest Shakespeare Company Mesa Arts Center 1 E. Main St., Mesa Tickets: $37-$44; 480-644-6500 swshakespeare.org
Fiddler on the Roof Feb. 26-April 3 Arizona Broadway Theatre 7701 W. Paradise Lane, Peoria Tickets: $51-$90.50; 623-776-8400 azbroadway.org
theater
Monty Python’s Spamalot
The Gershwin Experience: Here to Stay
March 4-20
This hilariously over-the-top extravaganza borrows lovingly (and unapologetically) from the film classic Monty Python and the Holy Grail. In telling the tale of King Arthur and his epic quest with the Knights of the Round Table, this endlessly amusing musical, which was written by Monty Python alum Eric Idle and has earned three Tony Awards, features beautiful show girls and such outlandish oddities as flatulent Frenchmen, flying cows, killer rabbits and The Knights Who Say Ni.
Monty Python’s Spamalot March 4-20
March 11-13
This multimedia concert celebrates the genius of George and Ira Gershwin, two of America’s foremost composers of the 20th Century, and features leading Grammy Award-winning soprano Lisa Vroman and tap dancing sensation Ryan VanDemBoom. The performance showcases rare audio and video footage, family photos and elegant, state-ofthe-art visuals of the Gershwins. Such classic hits as “I Got Rhythm,” “Strike Up the Band,” “The Man I Love,” “’S Wonderful” and other favorites highlight the performance. The Gershwin Experience: Here to Stay March 11-13 Phoenix Symphony Symphony Hall 75 N. Second St., Phoenix Tickets: $18-$83; 602-495-1999 phoenixsymphony.org
Mesa Encore Theatre
A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder
Mesa Center for the Arts 1 E. Main St., Mesa
A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder March 15-20 ASU Gammage 1200 S. Forest Ave., Tempe Tickets: $20-$125; 480-965.3434 asugammage.com
March 15-20
480-644-6500 mesaencoretheatre.com
fortune who sets out to jump the line of succession by – you guessed it – eliminating the eight pesky relatives who stand in his way. All the while, Monty has to juggle his mistress (she’s after more than just love), his fiancée (she’s his cousin, but who’s keeping track?) and the constant threat of landing behind bars! Of course, it will all be worth it if he can slay his way to his inheritance and be done in time for tea.
Direct from its run in New York, this Tony Award-winning musical tells the uproarious story of Monty Navarro, an heir to a family
Richard Schultz is a playwright, actor, director and freelance writer based in Phoenix.
Friday, March 4 7:30pm
Saturday, March 25 · 7:30pm
March 8 - 13 · Foyer Saturday, March 5 7:30pm
Friday, March 18 7:30pm
Ticket Includes Dinner! Discounts for Tables of 8 /ChandlerCenterfortheArts @ChandlerArts
480.782.2680 www.ChandlerCenter.org theater
Friday, April 1 · 7:30pm EchoMag.com
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Stupid Fucking Bird Stray Cat Theatre continues road show season By Richard Schultz
T
his season, Stray Cat Theatre continues its vagabond season with an evocative play, Stupid Fucking Bird, which will be staged at the Black Theater Troupe performance space in Phoenix from March 12-26. On the grounds of a country estate, two generations of Russians mope, love, hate and make a lot of bird-based metaphors. Sound familiar? It’s Anton Chekhov versus the modern world in Aaron Posner’s ballsy smash hit. An aspiring young director rampages against the art created by his mother’s generation. A nubile young actress wrestles with an aging Hollywood star for the affections of a renowned novelist. And everyone discovers just how disappointing love, art, and growing up can be. This heartbreakingly hilarious sort-of adaptation of The Seagull takes a baseball bat to one of theater’s most famous works, resulting in a timeless battle between young and old, past and present, in search of the true meaning of it all. Echo spoke with Ron May (pictured), Stray Cat Theatre’s founding artistic director, who’s at the helm of this production, about mounting this tantalizing production. Echo: Since this is an irreverent update of Chekhov’s The Seagull, how much time did you and the cast spend with the original work? May: Collectively, not a whole lot. The show stands on its own independent of The
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Seagull. As irreverent as it may be, it’s actually astonishing how it manages to do much of what Chekhov was trying to do with The Seagull. Echo: Chekhov is often considered the father of the modern form of dramedy. Do you see a correlation of this genre with this play? May: Sure, it’s an angry play and certainly has its moments of drama. And it’s funny as hell. So dramedy is pretty apt. Echo: What surprised you the most in preparing for the show? May: How weirdly misunderstood Chekhov seems to be. Reading it now, away from “academics,” I find it to be a lot more primal, more honest and more genuinely funny than I think I had ever learned. The plays really revolted against everything that was happening in theater at that time. Of course, soon after, the paradigm completely shifted, so the plays themselves now seem kind of “quaint.” Stupid Fucking Bird kind of recaptures the “rage against the machine” that The Seagull did initially. Echo: What message will resonate with audiences? May: I think honestly anyone bored with going to the theater, especially going to contemporary plays, will get a huge kick out of the skewering of the nonprofit attitude towards its audiences. On another level, the ideas of unrequited love, existential crises [and] what the hell the meaning of “love” is, are there with a whole host of thematic threads straight out of The Seagull – that really forms the heart of the piece. Echo: Do you have a favorite moment or scene in the show? May: Each character has a kind of emotional freefall scene where they get stripped to their cores and just unload the most vulnerable, aching truths lying underneath everything. Those scenes are really what gave me goosebumps when I read it. They’re just beautiful and haunting and lovely and everything you want when you see a play.
Echo: Tell us about your cast. May: This was the largest turnout we’ve ever had for an audition. Courtney Weir, who plays Nina; Louis Farber, who plays Dev; and Shari Watts, who plays Emma are the only three cast members we’ve had on our boards before. We have four new faces in the cast, but audiences may have certainly seen them around the Valley. Charles Sohn is like local theater royalty so I was beside myself when he showed up. Wyatt Kent and Melody Knudson are currently over at Southwest Shakespeare. Phillip Herrington has done some amazing work over at iTheatre Collaborative and Black Theatre Troupe. It’s a really stellar group. Stupid Fucking Bird March 12-26 Stray Cat Theatre Helen K. Mason Center for the Performing Arts 1333 E. Washington St., Phoenix Tickets: $30-$35; 480-227-1766 straycattheatre.org
Richard Schultz is a playwright, actor, director and freelance writer based in Phoenix.
theater
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Lead characters find modern-day relevance in enduring tale By Richard Schultz
P
hoenix Theatre stages a revival of Evita, the rags-to-riches rise of the First Lady of Argentina who won the love of her countrymen after marrying military leader-turned-president, from Feb. 24 to March 20. According to the production’s lead characters, Alyssa Chiarello, who stars as Eva Duarte Perón, and Carlos Encinias, who portrays the show’s narrator Ché, this enduring tale remains timely in the midst of today’s highly charged political climate. Set in Buenos Aires between 1934-1952, Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice’s Tony Award-winning musical follows Eva on her journey from fatherless child, then ambitious actress, to the most powerful woman in Latin America and, eventually, to a saintly figure after her untimely death. The events in her life are presented in song and editorialized by Ché. Together, Chiarello and Encinias bring life to this story with modern-day relevance. “[Today] we have many leaders with a lot of wealth behind them, who cloak themselves behind charisma and empty promises,” Encinias said. “This show reminds us to vet out leaders and really involve ourselves in our community and the policies that shape our society.” According to Chiarello, it was Eva’s unwavering spirit as she forged a legacy for women’s rights that impressed her the most about the character she’s portraying. “When Eva was a young girl she was already well aware of the class system and that she was ranked among the poor,” 58 |
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she said. “She was a woman with no rights. She used that to fuel her passion to create a better life for herself, and eventually for her people. Through her rising political power and campaign for women’s suffrage, she got women the right to vote and also created an outlet for women to be able to join the workforce.”
learned that Ché witnessed extreme poverty, disease and hunger and became passionate about fighting for the poor and less fortunate.
“Eva’s impact was prominent and, at the time, known internationally,” she said. “Eva was such a multifaceted woman. The greatest challenge will be telling her story from every angle as she was feeling it.”
“Although I’ve never been in the same exact situation, I have had to fight for my voice to be heard in some aspects of my life, and had to fight for some rights and opportunities,” he said. “No matter what the specifics, every one of us has to develop our own voice to stand up for what we feel is right, and fight to be heard. That is what I love about Ché, he’s not afraid to speak his mind. He is a fighter and fights for what he feels is right.”
Additionally, Chiarello explained that she sees the love story between a revolutionary female leader and her people as one of the themes of the show.
When asked how they prepared for their demanding roles, each actor acknowledged that they spent time researching their character as well as the time period.
“Criticism aside … she was a young woman who rose to the challenge of taking part in the game of politics, which, at the time, was only a man’s game,” she said, adding a quote from Eva. “‘Love is giving oneself, and to give oneself is to give one’s own life.’”
Encinias said he watched a few movies and read up on Ché, and also on the political climate of Argentina during the Perón regime.
The actress summarized this production as a history lesson set to music.
The actress believes that Eva truly gave herself to her country until her last breath. “[Her country] returned that love when thousands lined the street to the President’s palace to pay their final respects in a procession that lasted two days,” she said. Similarly, Encinias sees Ché’s significance in his ability to provide a voice to the people of his time, many of whom were standing up for injustice and hypocrisy. The actor
“It is such a fascinating story, and Eva’s rise to power is riveting,” he said. “Her charisma and charm carried her far.” He also saw Ricky Martin play Ché in the latest revival of Evita on Broadway. “I thought it was wonderful how his international appeal and popularity helped to [bring] so much press to such a wonderful show.” After watching various clips and recordings of the well-known portrayals of Eva, Chiarello concluded that they are all different. “I am aspiring to bring Eva’s humanity and the actuality of this woman [to audiences],” theater
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Carlos Encinias. Chiarello said. “Eva was incredibly passionate and determined, but she was also very young and had a vulnerability that, I believe, founded her strength.” When Chiarello first began studying musical theater, she saw Patti Lupone’s 1980 Tony performance of “A New Argentina” and was in awe.
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“Lupone was very honest about the difficult task of taking on this role,” she said, “and that inspires me to respect the challenge of the role, and never feel settled because there is always something new to discover about the character.” Alyssa Chiarello, from Mesa, is an AriZoni award winner for her roles as Martha in The Secret Garden and Anita in West Side Story. Her recent film credits include Bad Pizza, Maneaters and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows. Carlos Encinias, originally from Albuquerque, made his Broadway debut in Mamma Mia and also appeared in Les Miserables, Scandalous and Good Vibrations. In addition to working as a director and choreographer, he is the artistic director of Take It From The Top, a theater education non-profit. Evita Feb. 24-March 20 Phoenix Theatre 100 E. McDowell Road, Phoenix Tickets: $36-$96; 602-254-2151 phoenixtheatre.com Richard Schultz is a playwright, actor, director and freelance writer based in Phoenix.
theater
Echo Magazine now has free online classified advertising! Have a job to advertise? Need to rent a property? Looking to build your client base? Post an ad in Echo at echomag.com (search: classifieds)
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OUT & ABOUT Estate of the Union Jan. 27 at Phoenix Art Museum. Photos by Bill Gemmill.
For more Echo photos visit echomag.com/gallery.
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LGBT Devils’ Pride Chapter Fourth Annual
Scholarship
Benefit Dinner Sponsored by
March 12, 2016 • Carson Ballroom, Old Main Arizona State University Tempe campus 5-8 pm The Scholarship Benefit Dinner is an affair centered on the celebration of community, supporting our Sun Devils, and our alma mater. The event is designed not only to fulfill our mission of raising scholarships funds, but also to support our LGBTA local artists who will be giving their time and talent at our event. The event provides guests with a chance to be exposed to our community through local performers, art, food, music, and our sponsors while raising funds for scholarships for ASU LGBTA students. New this year in partnership with the College of Liberal Arts and Science, we are proud to also recognize their LGBT Leadership Graduate Student Award recipients. We are excited to announce that our keynote speaker will be ASU alumna, Dr. Christine K. Wilkinson. Dr. Wilkinson currently holds the positions of Senior Vice President and Secretary of Arizona State University (ASU), President & CEO of the ASU Alumni Association, and Managing Director of the Trustees of ASU. She is regarded in our community as a strong ally who promotes and maintains an inclusive and welcoming environment. Through her support, our LGBT Devils' Pride Chapter has evolved and grown so that we may engage more members. She has been selected as a 2015 Who’s Who in Business by the Arizona Republic, 2014 Tempe Business Woman of the Year by the Tempe Chamber of Commerce, the CASE Crystal Apple Award, and received additional community awards for leadership and service. Her educational background includes: Bachelor of Arts in Education with distinction from ASU, a Master of Arts in Education, Counseling Psychology from the University of California at Berkeley, and a Doctor of Philosophy in Higher Education Administration from ASU. All funds raised go to our LGBT Devils' Pride Scholarship Fund housed at the ASU Foundation for A New American University. Ticket prices start at $60 and include cocktail hour, dinner, and entertainment. Dr. Lenay Dunn and Dr. Gabriel Escontrías, Jr. will serve as the co-emcees. With your support since 2013 we have raised close to $20,000 which has allowed us to award three Community Leadership Scholarships.
Silent Art Auction Donors
Kelly Birg, Felipe Joaquin Carranza, Estevan Curiel, Adrian Montgomery, Nicholas Murray, Felipe Ruiz, Sarah Thompson
Silent Services Auction Donors ASU Gammage, Arizona Opera, Desert Botanical Gardens, Intuitive Touch Massage by Jon, LLC, Ladera Vineyards, Titina’s Catering, Renaissance Phoenix Downtown Hotel, Sun Devil Athletics
For information and to purchase tickets visit:
https://alumni.asu.edu/chapters/lgbt-devils-pride/scholarship
Dr. Christine K. Wilkinson
recordings By Cait Brennan
albums before calling it quits in 2008. The tears flowed mightily in my home, friends. Screams of “first Jellyfish and now this?!” echoed through many a heartsick canyon and crevasse. Means has kept a (relatively) low profile these past few years, but his talent has only grown, and he’s back with a truly extraordinary set of tunes with the unassuming title Ten Songs. Ten Gems, maybe, should’ve been the title, because these are treasures right here in a very real sense. And secret treasures, a bit. If you don’t know The Format and only know Ruess from fun., you might be expecting that band’s signature bombast and sing-forthe-bleachers roar. The glory of Means (and the thing that brought balance to the Force, er, The Format) is his gift for crafting and singing intimate, gorgeous shadow-box tales and haunting, seductive melodies that work their way into your sonic DNA.
Sam Means Ten Songs
Hello Records |
No doubt you’ve heard the voice of Nate Ruess of fun. blasting out of your audio delivery method of choice, whether on one of his band’s trillion-selling hits, on his solo album Grand Romantic or on his equally huge duets with artists such as P!nk. But before he made any of that music, he was right here in the Valley as one half of one of the finest pop combos of the past 25 years, The Format. Tuneful and brilliant, Ruess and musical wunderkind Sam Means put out two instantclassic
There is no word but “Nilsson-esque” for the album’s opener, “How To Sing,” a perfect chamber-pop miniature that would put a smile on Harry’s face from here to eternity. “We’re Alone” manages to sound totally contemporary and yet also a bit like “Sunflower” -era Beach Boys. “Other Side Of You” breaks out the fuzz pedal for some catchy, punchy melody that can’t miss. I mean, okay, if you hate melody and catchiness you won’t like it. Ten Songs reunites most of the team responsible for The Format’s great final album, Dog Problems, including producer Steven McDonald (who, um, yeah, is also in a teensy little legendary band called Redd Kross); Roger Joseph Manning Jr. (of the aforementioned late, lamented Jellyfish) provides the brilliant arrangements. And Means brings the best songs, warm and winning and intimate and honest and beautiful. Welcome back, Sir.
Photo courtesy of facebook.com/sammeans. 62 |
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Game Theory Lolita Nation
Omnivore Records |
Ah, the Recording Industry, how we love it! Oh, all hail the many treasures it has given us, merely by stealing the life’s work of brilliant creative artists, lashing them to a hideous meat-grinding monstrosity right out of H.R. Giger and forcing them to feed their own souls to the beast! Usury-based contracts! Bloated, clueless executives! Mountains of drugs, private jets, payola! Treachery, bigotry, megalomania! No wonder true artists all go insane and change their name to unpronounceable symbols. So, um, how was your week? The diatribe actually applies not to your humble reviewer, but to the sad story of Game Theory, the brilliant, singular 1980s rock band whose work has been kept from public view for decades due to … well, you understand, kid, it’s just business. In their prime, for a brief moment they threatened to break out as big as contemporaries REM, U2 et al. Founded in 1982, the band essentially invented the thing we sometimes call “nerd rock” – catchy melodies, highly literate references to deep culture (say, Finnegan’s Wake) and pop culture (say, Star Trek). But Scott Miller, the founder and leader of Game Theory, was no chipper, quirky pop-rock Steve Urkel, wearing us down with his big heart and gorgeous, longing vocals. John Nash almost comes to mind—the late mathematician who was the subject of the movie A Beautiful Mind. Miller didn’t share Nash’s affliction, but each man’s work and life’s struggle grew out of the kind of complexities that are almost impossible for anyone not similarly afflicted to comprehend. Maybe that’s true of all of us, but Miller’s masterpiece, Lolita Nation, is back after too long away, to remind us of the staggering power and terror of music
unrestrained genius. All this from a band generally filed under “Power Pop.” This is a daring record, originally a 2-vinyl LP set in an era when double albums were dismissed as a throwback to bloaty ‘70s prog-rock days. But over the staggering 27 songs on Lolita Nation, Miller and the band combines heartbreakingly powerful melody with an intellect like none seen in rock before or since. The sheer volume of musical, mathematical, and literary references could keep researchers busy for weeks, and though they exist in all his work, they were never thrown down quite so fiercely, mercilessly as they are here: he dares you to “get it” and could care less if you don’t. Or so he wants you to think. Like many who came of age in the ‘70s and ‘80s, Miller seemed to find the idea of success – of actually communicating and reaching someone, let alone “career” success - a hopeless cause. The music tries to hold you at arm’s length, too, but it’s an intensely rewarding listen to peel away the layers and find yourself in Game Theory’s world. There are easier ways in – try their earlier LPs for a more accessible, melodic starter – but this is the pinnacle of what the art of pop music could be at the time. The legend has grown thanks to Omnivore records; the original 27 tracks are joined by an amazing 21 more, ranging from hilarious and bizarre covers (Joy Division, Bowie, The Smiths, the Stoogers) to highly tasty “lost” rarities. We lost Scott Miller in 2013. He was a beautiful soul, and he shines his brightest on Lolita Nation. Go on, jump in, I dare you.
David Bowie
(pronounced “blackstar”)
ISO | ten billion trillion stars
By now, the death of David Bowie will be old news. So too, his astonishing final curtain: releasing his last, and arguably music
best, artistic statement on his 69th birthday – and then vanishing into death a mere 48 hours later, from a disease his closest friends didn’t even know he had. If you care, you’ve probably already heard the record, or at least dived into his grand, unequalled catalog of music and movies and art. And if you don’t care, you won’t care. It’s old news. And here we put in legal force those words Arthur Miller wrote so long ago on “Death Of A Salesman – attention. must. be. payed.” Our art and our media tells a great deal about what we value as a culture. What that is, mostly, is youth – or the illusion, the lie of youth. Youth as propaganda. Youth as control. Youth as an aspirational identity, a thing you never had and can never get. A thing made up and sold by middle-aged people in a room, ruefully looking back on a never-was and saying “ah, the olden days were such simpler times.” If you’re young, or you’re awake enough to still remember, you know that nothing about youth is simple and easy. It’s not boppy and strong and full of money and fun and good looks. But we’re sold that. From 8 to 80, we’re sold the lie that all that matters is being, or pretending to be, 15. David Bowie discovered he had a terminal illness. After a career in which he achieved everything an artist and performer could want, hundreds of times over. He could have simply retired, spent his last days with family and gone to his rest. He could have gone public and been wrapped in the admiration and love we’ve all given him since he’s been gone. Instead he went to work. He did what he always did: he poured his experiences, his perspective, his hopes and fears into an album that literally is a primer on how to face death. It is brave, selfless, daring. It was a gift.
A thank you to those who walked this road with him. A handbook for what lies ahead for all of us. Only one other artist in memory, the late Warren Zevon, faced his death while still openly and willingly giving himself and his work to the world. Bowie’s courage here is enormous, but so is the haunting, exhilarating, terrifying and irresistible music. Bowie’s life was like that. He taught us all to dare to go in unexpected directions, to follow our own star. Maybe you don’t need this album today. Maybe it’s just too hard to say goodbye to someone whose example helped liberate LGBTQ people and helped liberate all people from the straitjacket of life’s expectations. But maybe a time will come when it will be a tremendous help and comfort. As always, Bowie’s just gone on ahead of us to scout the way. Seek out Blackstar.
Photo courtesy of facebook.com/davidbowie
Cait Brennan is a singer/songwriter and freelance writer based in Phoenix. EchoMag.com
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between the covers
What Color is Your Hoodie? Essays on Black Gay Identity By Terri Schlichenmeyer
S
ome days, it seems as though you have super powers.
That must be the explanation for being unseen. That’s why there are days when nobody looks at you. There’s no acknowledgment that you exist. You’re suddenly Invisible Man, and in the new book What Color is Your Hoodie? Essays on Black Gay Identity by Jarrett Neal (pictured), the reason is not so transparent. Born to a 14-year-old mother, raised in a household with an alcoholic grandfather, Jarrett Neal was in eighth grade when his gym class accidentally walked in on their coach, showering. It was Neal’s first glimpse of a naked
man and it “ended my boyhood,” he said. He was well into college when he finally admitted to himself that he was attracted to men; still, the “daily taunts” from his more athletic, more self-confident peers and the absence of a father haunted him for many years. To counteract it, Neal joined a gym and worked out tirelessly, until he realized that he’d never have a body like He-Man. He was never going to make a living with his physique.
What Color is Your Hoodie? Essays on Black Gay Identity by Jarrett Neal. Chelsea Station Editions, 2015 | $18.
Instead, Neal knew that he had to write. It was “write or die,” he said, though he’d been told that his style is “either too black or too gay.” He once assumed that “as a boy I wasn’t supposed to care about books …” Even so, he devoured the works of gay men – particularly those who were black. That voracity for books led to a teaching career. In his essays here, Neal discusses the dearth of gay black men in films and TV, and he decries the lack of interest by white readers in the works of black authors. He looks at the sexuality of gay black men who, like most African American men, live under “sexual stereotypes” that cause “a tremendous onus … to live up to …” He writes about black men (some, gay) who have made history and changed perceptions within their neighborhoods or industries. And as a black man married to a white man, he notes that racism within the gay community is as big a problem as it is anywhere else. 64 |
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Neal is not a shy author. There’s no waffling inside this book, and nothing held back. Neal discusses gay porn as blithely as he does modern literature; he remembers his childhood with the same passion as he does coming out. Such power and force in writing serves to give readers –gay or straight – a solid understanding of the points he tries to make. We might laugh or raise our eyebrows but we also empathize or, as the case may be, sympathize. What mars this otherwise well-done collection of essays is its sloppiness. What Color is Your Hoodie? Essays on Black Gay Identity is riddled with misspellings and punctuation mistakes which, because of the frequency, almost made me want to quit this book too many times. If you can forgive that distraction, then this unusual book is a good read that may actually change minds. Truthful, blunt, and thought-provoking, What Color is Your Hoodie? should be seen. Terri Schlichenmeyer, The Bookworm, lives on a hill in Wisconsin with two dogs and 13,000 books. She’s been reading since age 3 and, to this day, she never goes anywhere without a book.
books
Lyric Opera Theatre 2015-2016 Season
(The Elixir of Love) Music composed by Gaetano Donizetti Libretto by Felice Romani Sung in Italian with English supertitles
Feb. 25, 26, 27 at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 28 at 2 p.m.
Performances are held in the ASU School of Music’s Evelyn Smith Music Theatre, located just north of ASU Gammage.
$8–$21 music.asu.edu/events/lot 480.965.6447 Orchestral reduction for L’elisir d’amore by Tony Burke © Pocket Publications.
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talking bodies
How Hot is Your Fitness Program? By Tia Norris
C
rossFit. Bodybuilding. Marathon running. Zumba. Yoga. Orange Theory Fitness. Local team sports. These are just some of the hottest fitness trends that have emerged in recent years. The world of fitness is an infinite landscape with endless possibilities of combinations of activities to choose from. So, how do you figure out which magical combination will work best for you and your goals? As temperatures are on the rise this spring, I know many of you will be heating up your fitness program. Depending on how hot your motivation is (on a scale of 1 to 10) and how hot you’d like your body to be, here are three sample situations to help you pinpoint what kind of workout program it is going to take to achieve the results you’re looking for. LUKEWARM MOTIVATION (5-7 out of 10) Your goal: to improve/maintain basic health markers, look decent naked and feel the benefits of exercise. What to do: anything you enjoy. Just do something, and make it consistent. How often: 30- to 60-minute sessions three times per week (minimum). Impact on your diet: minimal change required. Honesty is the best policy. Don’t pretend you’re a world class athlete, and a 10 out of 10, if you’re really not. In this program, as long as you do something, you’ll probably achieve your goal. The key here is to find activities that you genuinely enjoy. If you hate the gym, don’t go. If you hate yoga, don’t go. Do what you like and start to change your habits. The only rule is that you MUST plan to do something active at least three times per week. Keep in mind that this program will produce the least noticeable/measurable results, but it also requires the least effort to maintain. WARM MOTIVATION (8-9 out of 10) Your goal: to burn fat, get toned and look pretty good naked. What to do: a variety of activities, but with emphasis on weight training. 66 |
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How often: 45- to 60-minute sessions four to five times per week Impact on your diet: moderate change required. If you’re an 8 out of 10, to me, that means that you’re ready to sacrifice some parts of your life in order to reach the goal, and you’re not allergic to hard work. Key focal points for you include working out four to five times per week at high intensity/exertion – primarily in the gym with weights. In order to take it to this level, start researching and educating yourself on what you need to do to reach this goal. This could be through reading books, searching online, talking to friends who already have fitness success or, of course, hiring a professional. And you’ll need to start paying attention to your diet. Sorry, there’s just no way around that. Now, which diet is best for you is a question for another issue. But you’ll want to start making changes, tracking your diet (I use the free app MyFitnessPal), and seeking professional guidance either through written materials or in person. You will not achieve your goal at this point without dietary changes, PERIOD. HOT MOTIVATION (10-11 out of 10) Your goal: whatever it takes to look my best. What to do: exclusively weight training.
are really ready do whatever it takes to reach your fitness goals, you wont even flinch when the hard-ass trainer barks “it doesn’t matter whether you like it or not; enjoyment is irrelevant.” So don’t necessarily expect to like the program if you fall in this category. You don’t have to love the gym, but you will love the results if you stick with it. Weight training is simply the most efficient way to change your look, fast and completely. Suck it up, princess. We’ll see you in the weight room. Remember, the difficulty and expectations of your fitness program all depend on your goals. Figure out what you want, and how badly you want it, first; and then crank the heat up on your program accordingly.
How often: 60-minute sessions (or longer) five to six times per week. Impact on your diet: maximum change and discipline required. If you are truly a 10 or 11 out of 10 and
Tia Norris is the president and head trainer at FitPro, LLC, a local fitness company. Find out more at fitprollc.com.
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ALL OVER THE MAP
Spring Cleaning By Liz Massey
W
hile those who know me well would not describe me as a neat freak, I spend quite a bit of time thinking about clutter as spring (and spring cleaning) approaches. I was raised by parents who were dedicated “filer-pilers” … meaning, if items were organized in a pile or placed in a file folder they were sufficiently attended to. This strategy works well until a person has piles everywhere in their home or has filled their file cabinet. I have inherited my parents’ organizational tendencies (or closely followed their example), and typically choose to spend my free time doing things other than cleaning. But I realized recently that there is one type of decluttering at which I excel. My training as an editor has shaped me into a ruthless mental declutterer. There is no room for debris in a sentence. I spend most of my working days paring back ornate ideas, renovating articles by rearranging and downsizing copy and condensing concepts found in a book down into an essay, a blog post or a tweet. That’s a reduction from 100,000 words into 140 characters … not bad for a woman who doesn’t like to throw away her writing outlines. As I’ve pondered the power of spring cleaning, one thing has become very clear to me: mental decluttering precedes any sort of outer cleansing. Some of the most significant “cleaning” activities can involve changing one’s mind, or doing less in general. In these cases, not one tangible item may make its way to the recycling bin or the trash barrel, yet one’s life is clearly 68 |
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changed for the better. Our community is due for a mental housecleaning. We’re nearly a half-century past the Stonewall riots, and we’ve been living with the HIV/AIDS pandemic for 35 years. The legal and social underpinnings of the “general gay mindset” for those of us who came out in the 1980s or 1990s have changed dramatically. We have marriage equality, and gay and lesbian people can serve openly in the U.S. military. AIDS has been transformed (for those who receive proper treatment) from a death sentence into a manageable chronic disease. The challenges we face as a community in 2016 are very different than those we faced as a group in 1986, or even 2006. Today’s challenges include: how best to serve and nurture our queer youth; how to advocate for full equality in a way that serves all the “letters” in our LGBTQ acronym; and how to flex our strengths as a community when (especially in the Valley of the sun) we are geographically dispersed. Before I sat down to write this column, I reviewed some of my favorite bloggers and authors and what they had to say about decluttering. They had several tips that are quite useful when considering how to update our ideas about LGBTQ community life: Restrict the flow of incoming clutter. It helps to evaluate the river of social media trivia, gossip, and sensationalistic media coverage that flows into our consciousness, and to become more picky about what we actually spend time digesting.
Have a disposal plan for your clutter. If you decide to clear out your mindset about a particular idea, what is going to fill the gap? Meditation or journaling can give the “debris” a place to live outside of your head and your belief system. Explore more, commit to less. I love this idea from author Greg McKeown, who advises readers to “play the field” with ideas or activities in which they’re interested, but not to settle down with one until they’re sure it is a 100 percent “hell yeah!” kind of fit for them. Accept and celebrate trade-offs. At some point, we must stop theorizing and demanding ideological purity and start acting on our ideas. Forward movement is something positive to celebrate, even if sometimes we must accept a less-thanideal compromise as part of the process. In the end, learning how to spring clean inside our heads matters because it leads to more elegant ideas, better strategies and an increased ability to move our lives in the direction of our dreams. As Zen Habits blogger Leo Babauta writes, “[This is what] decluttering is: taking time to decide what’s important enough to remain in your life. It’s not about getting rid of everything, or emptying your life completely. It’s about figuring out what matters to you. And then getting rid of what doesn’t.”
Liz Massey has been involved in LGBT community-building activities in Kansas City and the Valley of the Sun, and is a former managing editor of Echo Magazine. She can be reached at lizmassey68@gmail.com.
COMMUNITY
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money talks
Adult Adoptions: The Old-Fashioned Legal Protection By Melissa Myers and Michael J. Tucker Melissa Myers: So, there are gay men and lesbians who have gone through the legal adoption process to adopt their domestic partners? That’s a thing? Michael J. Tucker: Yes, it’s a rather oldfashioned strategy. Myers: What do you mean? Tucker: Well, back when homosexuality was a love that dare not speak its name, adopting your partner was a clever legal strategy that some (mostly men, mostly well-heeled, mostly in eastern states) would use to create a legal relationship between themselves and their domestic partners. Myers: Ingenious! Of course there was no domestic partner registry back then, much less any legal same-sex marriage. Tucker: At least in my experience, even in the relatively closeted culture of that era, one of the attractive features to some clients of this strategy was that it “legitimized” their relationship, which, in many cases, they otherwise kept quiet about. Myers: You can see how creating a legal parent-child relationship would circumvent a lot of problems for such couples, regarding inheritance, medical care decision-making, and the like. Tucker: Notably, it was anticipated that such adoptions would be a strong defense against will contests brought by the relatives of a deceased adoptive parent. Myers: So now that marriage equality has arrived, some couples who went through this type of adoption might want to get married, and there’s a bit of a problem. Tucker: Right. Various state laws prevent folks from marrying their relatives. Myers: In about half the states, folks can’t legally marry their legally adopted child or adoptive parent.
Tucker: Anyway, your point is well taken. If a couple has taken the step (typically decades ago) to create a legally binding parent-child relationship between them, then in order to get married to one another they’ll first need to annul that adoption decree. Myers: Would they have to go back to the court, back in Pennsylvania or wherever, that originally granted the adoption? Tucker: Typically, yes. Myers: So marriage equality doesn’t necessarily unravel everything that needs to be unraveled before certain couples can actually marry. Tucker: True, and that goes double for folks who were already married – maybe in Massachusetts in 2004 – when marriages first became legal under their local law. Myers: Makes sense. If someone is already married, even though their marriage wasn’t legally recognized federally or in other states until several years later, they’ll still need to dissolve that marriage before getting married again now, whether to a spouse of the same sex or of the opposite sex.
cases: this isn’t something that we will run across in Arizona very often, I take it. Tucker: Almost never. I’ve only seen it with clients who came from New England, New York or Pennsylvania. Myers: It was an ingenious legal and financial solution, and its usefulness has now been eclipsed by history. Tucker: Who could have foretold that such dramatic changes would occur in our lifetime? Myers: It goes to show that careful legal and financial planning never goes out of style.
Melissa Myers is a certified financial planner with Camelback Retirement Planners, in Phoenix, a registered representative with Commonwealth Financial Network and a registered investment adviser. Michael Tucker is an attorney with Michael J. Tucker, P.C., in Phoenix, and is a certified specialist in estate and trust law. For more information, see their ads in this issue. This material has been provided for general informational purposes only and does not constitute either tax or legal advice. Investors should consult a tax or legal professional regarding their individual situation. Neither Camelback nor Commonwealth offers tax or legal advice.
Five years of helping parents build their families
Tucker: A few of our clients have been blindsided by not recognizing that certain former marriages are now mighty real, and that they need to get a divorce before they can remarry. Myers: Some states, most notably Utah, have been vigorously prosecuting what they regard as bigamous marriages. Tucker: That’s technically the legal situation when someone who is still married (even in a same-sex marriage that wasn’t previously valid in all states) gets remarried to someone else. Myers: So back to the adult adoption
Southwest Adoption Services is a licensed adoption agency that performs adoption home studies (certification), post placement supervision reports, information, and support for couples, singles and families living in Arizona.
Tucker: Only half? Myers: Let’s not go there.
7254 E. Southern Avenue, Mesa, Arizona 85209 Phone: 480-380-6248 www.swadoption.com 70 |
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ask lambda legal
Photo courtesy of lambdalegal.com.
What does “intersex” mean?
By Paul D. Castillo, Lambda Legal Staff Attorney
D
ear Ask Lambda Legal, What does “intersex” mean?
Lambda Legal: Intersex is an umbrella term used to describe a wide range of natural bodily variations. Intersex people are born with sex characteristics that do not fit typical binary notions of bodies designated “male” or “female.” In some cases, intersex traits are visible at birth, while in others they are not apparent until puberty. Some intersex variations may not be visibly apparent at all. Experts estimate that between 0.05 percent and 1.7 percent of people are born with intersex traits. Moments after a child is born, the general practice in the United States is for a physician to visually assess the newborn’s genitalia and assign the newborn’s sex as “male” or “female” on that basis. But sex is much more complex, 72 |
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and is determined by a number of factors, including chromosomes, gonads, hormones, genitalia and gender identity. A person’s gender identity, meaning the innate sense of being male, female, both or neither, is the most important determinant of that person’s sex. Although there is not yet one definitive explanation for what determines gender identity, recent research points to the influence of biological factors, most notably the role of sex differentiation in the brain in gender identity development. When a child is born with mixed or ambiguous markers of sex, doctors often assign a sex they guess is likely to match the child’s gender identity. But it is impossible to predict with certainty how an intersex infant’s gender identity will develop. As with any other person, an intersex person eventually may identify as male, female, both or neither.
Photo courtesy of oii.org.au.
On Oct. 26, 2015, Lambda Legal filed Zzyym v. Kerry, a challenge to secure a U.S. passport without a “male” or “female” gender marker for our client, Dana Zzyym. Zzyym (pictured), a U.S. Navy veteran who served in Beirut and the Persian Gulf, is an intersex person who identifies as neither “male” nor “female,” and uses the singular gender-neutral pronouns they, them and their. For more information on Zzyym v. Kerry, visit lambdalegal.org/blog/20151026_ zzyym-intersex-denied-passport. For an Intersex Fact Sheet, published by the United Nations Office of the High Commission of Human Rights on Sept. 7, 2015, visit bit.ly/1VZRCg5.
Paul D. Castillo is a staff attorney with Lambda Legal.
business cards For a complete listing of all Echo display advertisers, please see our Lambda Directory on page 82.
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HRC Arizona’s MLK Day of Service Jan. 18 at Mulligan’s Manor, Tempe. Photos by KJ Philp.
For more Echo photos visit echomag.com/gallery.
BUNKHOUSE
the gayborhood 21
Thomas
nd Gra . Ave
Roosevelt
12
17 © 2016
Tatum 7
2-8 p.m. 2-4-1 well & domestic bottles, $3 pitchers; 8 p.m.-close,
T
2-8 p.m. 2-4-1 well & domestic bottles, $3 pitchers; 2-4-1
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2-8 p.m. 2-4-1 well & domestic bottles, $3 pitchers; $3 Three
T
2-8 p.m. 2-4-1 well & domestic bottles, $3 pitchers; 2-4-1 drinks
F
2-7 p.m. 2-4-1 well & domestics, $3 pitchers;
Super HH 4-7 p.m., $3 pitchers; $3 Long Islands open to close
5th
Olives vodka, 8 p.m.-close
. Ave
5
open-close
midnight Noon-7 p.m. 2-4-1 well & domestics; HH 7-9 p.m.; $1 well & domestics, $3 Absolut & Bacardi 10 p.m.-midnight
28
143
101 17
STACY’S @ MELROSE S M T
$1 Rolling Rock pints & well drinks until 10 p.m.
W T
2-4-1 ALL DAY; $3 charity shots ALL DAY; live DJ, top 40 & dance
F
HH, 4-8 p.m.; $3 charity shots ALL DAY; $2 Kamikaze shots ALL
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Karaoke, 9 p.m.-close; HH & $3 charity shots ALL DAY HH, 4-8 p.m.; $1 draft pint, $3 charity shots, $4 Mojitos & Caipirinhas ALL DAY; live DJ
Broadway
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M, D, L 602-956-2885
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CRUISIN’ 7TH
M, E
24
ROYAL VILLA INN
M, AO
3702 N. Seventh St.
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R 602-287-8700
26
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HH & $1 draft pint, 4-8 p.m.; $1 draft pint & wells, 8 p.m.-midnight; live DJ, top 40 & dance, 8 p.m.-close DAY; live DJ, top 40 & dance, 8 p.m.-close
1
bar map
S M
S
10
Baseline
N R D C
8 p.m.-close: $2.50 Miller family products. 4 & 6 p.m.: Free-to-join
HH 7-9 p.m.; $1 well & domestics, $1 drafts 10 p.m.-
*MAP IS NOT DRAWN TO SCALE
MAP CODES: A Adult Retail & Entertainment M Mostly Males F Mostly Females MF Mixed Male/Female
8 p.m.-close: $2.50 Bud family products
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202 4 Van Buren
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9 p.m. Karaoke
1/2 off drinks for wearing underwear, $3 Jack Daniels
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McDowell 14 2 11
7 & 10 p.m.: Free-to-join poker. HH prices for participants.
CHARLIE’S
32nd St.
51
22 24 16 25 3 9 20
15
Scottsdale Rd.
k
Cr 16th St.
7th St.
8 26 23 13 6 27 18
Indian School
10
Lincoln
29
T W T F
6, 8 & 10 p.m.: Free-to-join poker. HH prices for participants.
poker
40th St. 44th St.
17
C Northern
24th St.
Camelback
Shea Blvd
e av
Central
7th Ave.
27th Ave.
43rd Ave.
51st Ave.
Glendale 19 Bethany
Cactus
ee
N
Dunlap
$1 drafts & HH prices all day & night Winners get $10 Bunkhouse bar tabs
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Leather/Bears Entertainment (Karaoke, Drag) Go-Go Dancers Accommodations/Other EchoMag.com
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OUT & ABOUT She Lounge 2016 Jan. 23 at Stacy’s @ Melrose, Phoenix. Photos by KJ Philp.
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OUT & ABOUT Super Bowl Sunday Feb. 7 at Roscoes on 7th, Phoenix. Photos by KJ Philp.
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1440 E. Indian School rd., Phoenix | 602-234-1654 80 |
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lambda directory Please support our advertisers who help keep Echo free. To find out more about advertising in Echo, call 602-266-0550.
ACCOMMODATIONS Royal Villa
p. 74
ACCOUNTANTS/TAX PREPARATION Camelwest Tax Service Jeffrey J. Quatrone PLLC Robert F. Hockensmith, CPA, PC Steve Price-CPA
p. 74 p. 71 p. 57 p. 76
ADOPTION Devereux Arizona p. 38 Family Service Agency p. 43 Southwest Adoption Services LLC p. 70 ADULT ENTERTAINMENT/ RETAIL Chute p. 80 Flex Spas Phoenix p. 81 Off Chute Too p. 79 Squirt p. 81 AIR CONDITIONING & HEATING Mustang Air Mechanical p. 75 Valdez Refrigeration p. 76 APARTMENTS East and West Apartments Monarch Apartments
p. 74 p. 71
ATTORNEYS Arentz Law Group, PLLC p. 69 Jackson WhiteAttorneys At Law p. 65 Karpinski, Berry, Adler & Co. p. 75 Law Office of Melody Harmon, Attorney at Law p. 59 Michael J. Tucker p. 76 O’Connor, PC, Dean W. p. 71
Phillips Law Group p. 15 The Law Offices of Lemuel A. Carlos, PLLC p. 39 Tyler Allen Law Firm p. 2 Udall Shumway Law Firm p. 53 AUTO SERVICES Community Tire Pros & Auto Repair p. 83 Compu-Tech p. 57 BAR & CLUBS Bunkhouse Charlie’s Stacy’s @ Melrose
FINANCIAL SERVICES JW Advisors Inc.
p. 77 p. 9 p.73
COSMETIC PROCEDURES Willo Medi Spa p. 76 COUNSELING SERVICES Mariann Arcari Rubin, LCSW p. 71 People Empowering People of AZ, Inc. p. 59 DENTISTS My Dentist Open Wide Dental
Nello Rossi & Kennith Purvis III Wedding Announcement p.76 OUT at SMoCA p4 OUTLOUD Theater p.29 Phoenix Frontrunners p.67 Phoenix Pride Festival p.23 Phoenix Pride Pageant p.27 Phoenix Pride Parade p.39 Renaissance Festival p.60 Rupaul’s Drag Race p.51 Scottish Highland Games p.57 Scottsdale Center For the Arts p.84 Southwest Center for HIV/AIDS p.28
p. 71 p. 5
EDUCATION Maricopa County Community College District p. 69 EVENTS ASU Devils Pride Scholarship Dinner p. 61 ASU Lyric Opera p. 65 Chandler Center for the Arts p. 55 Echo Readers Choice Awards p.11 McDowell Mountain Music Festival p. 49 Melrose Street Festival p.17
HOME SERVICES Arizona’s Mr. Fix It Don’s Painting Service Go Go Green Arizona Lyons Roofing Merry Maids Quandt Landscaping Rainbow Bug Studio Z The Mattress Man
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MARCH 2016
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Benefits Arizona Hector Cerda, Allstate
p. 71 p. 3
MARKETING T-Media Promotions
p.69
MORTGAGES Jeremy Schachter, Pinnacle Capital Mortgage p. 3 MOVERS Two Men and a Truck
p. 76
NETWORKING GPGLCC
DePoy Studios
p. 43
PLUMBERS Brothers Plumbing PlumberTime
p. 65 p. 75
REALTORS Arizona Gay Realtors Alliance p. 3 Bradley B. Brauer, HomeSmart p. 3 David Oesterle, ReMax p. 3 Fred Delgado Team, Keller Williams p.3 Jan Dahl, HomeSmart p. 3 Joshua Fetchik, West USA Reality p. 76 Matthew Hoedt, Realty One p. 3 Michael Smith, One Realty Group p. 75 Nicholas Yale, Realty Executives p. 3 Shawn Hertzog, West USA p. 3 RELIGIOUS GROUPS
INSURANCE
p. 13
PHARMACIES CVS Specialty Pharmacy p. 59 Fairmont Pharmacy p. 79
Join the conversation with #EchoMagAZ.
p. 75
PHOTOGRAPHERS
Community Church of Hope p. 74 First Congregational UCC p. 74 RESTAURANTS China Chili COR Tapas & Wine Harley’s Bistro Hula’s Modern Tiki Marcellino Ristorante
p. 46 p.46 p.45 p. 46 p. 46
RETAIL Easley’s Fun Shop p. 74 French Designer Jeweler p. 19 RETIREMENT PLANNING Calvin Goetz, Strategy Financial Group p. 3 SALONS Athleticuts Salon Exodus
p.67 p. 75
WELLNESS Arizona Neuromodulation Center Aunt Rita’s Foundation Avenger Fitness, LCC FitPro, LLC LGBTQ Consortium
p. 14 p. 33 p.75 p.75 p.67
LAMBDA DIRECTORY
Out at the Center! Pilobolus
Fri, March 4, 8 p.m. Sat, March 5, 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. An Evening With
Ana Gasteyer
Sat, March 26, 8 p.m. Sultry, saucy songs from this star of Saturday Night Live and Broadway
TAO: Seventeen Samurai Thu, March 10, 7:30 p.m. Fri, March 11, 8 p.m.
46th Scottsdale Arts Festival March 11–13 Fri & Sat, 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. Sun 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
ScottsdalePerformingArts.org | 480-499-TKTS (8587)
Broadway Back Together: Avenue Q Sat, March 12, 8 p.m.