IMPORTANT FACTS FOR BIKTARVY®
This is only a brief summary of important information about BIKTARVY and does not replace talking to your healthcare provider about your condition and your treatment.
(bik-TAR-vee)
MOST IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT BIKTARVY
POSSIBLE SIDE EFFECTS OF BIKTARVY
BIKTARVY may cause serious side effects, including:
BIKTARVY may cause serious side effects, including: Those in the “Most Important Information About BIKTARVY” section. Changes in your immune system. Your immune system may get stronger and begin to fight infections. Tell your healthcare provider if you have any new symptoms after you start taking BIKTARVY. Kidney problems, including kidney failure. Your healthcare provider should do blood and urine tests to check your kidneys. If you develop new or worse kidney problems, they may tell you to stop taking BIKTARVY. Too much lactic acid in your blood (lactic acidosis), which is a serious but rare medical emergency that can lead to death. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you get these symptoms: weakness or being more tired than usual, unusual muscle pain, being short of breath or fast breathing, stomach pain with nausea and vomiting, cold or blue hands and feet, feel dizzy or lightheaded, or a fast or abnormal heartbeat. Severe liver problems, which in rare cases can lead to death. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you get these symptoms: skin or the white part of your eyes turns yellow, dark “tea-colored” urine, light-colored stools, loss of appetite for several days or longer, nausea, or stomach-area pain. The most common side effects of BIKTARVY in clinical studies were diarrhea (6%), nausea (6%), and headache (5%). These are not all the possible side effects of BIKTARVY. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you have any new symptoms while taking BIKTARVY. You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.FDA.gov/medwatch or call 1-800-FDA-1088. Your healthcare provider will need to do tests to monitor your health before and during treatment with BIKTARVY.
Worsening of hepatitis B (HBV) infection. If you have both HIV-1 and HBV, your HBV may suddenly get worse if you stop taking BIKTARVY. Do not stop taking BIKTARVY without first talking to your healthcare provider, as they will need to check your health regularly for several months.
ABOUT BIKTARVY BIKTARVY is a complete, 1-pill, once-a-day prescription medicine used to treat HIV-1 in adults and children who weigh at least 55 pounds. It can either be used in people who have never taken HIV-1 medicines before, or people who are replacing their current HIV-1 medicines and whose healthcare provider determines they meet certain requirements. BIKTARVY does not cure HIV-1 or AIDS. HIV-1 is the virus that causes AIDS. Do NOT take BIKTARVY if you also take a medicine that contains: dofetilide rifampin any other medicines to treat HIV-1
BEFORE TAKING BIKTARVY Tell your healthcare provider if you: Have or have had any kidney or liver problems, including hepatitis infection. Have any other health problems. Are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if BIKTARVY can harm your unborn baby. Tell your healthcare provider if you become pregnant while taking BIKTARVY. Are breastfeeding (nursing) or plan to breastfeed. Do not breastfeed. HIV-1 can be passed to the baby in breast milk. Tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines you take: Keep a list that includes all prescription and over-the-counter medicines, antacids, laxatives, vitamins, and herbal supplements, and show it to your healthcare provider and pharmacist. BIKTARVY and other medicines may affect each other. Ask your healthcare provider and pharmacist about medicines that interact with BIKTARVY, and ask if it is safe to take BIKTARVY with all your other medicines.
Get HIV support by downloading a free app at
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BVYC0218_BIKTARVY_B_10X10-5_Georgia-Voice_Dimitri_r1v1jl.indd All Pages
HOW TO TAKE BIKTARVY Take BIKTARVY 1 time each day with or without food.
GET MORE INFORMATION This is only a brief summary of important information about BIKTARVY. Talk to your healthcare provider or pharmacist to learn more. Go to BIKTARVY.com or call 1-800-GILEAD-5 If you need help paying for your medicine, visit BIKTARVY.com for program information.
BIKTARVY, the BIKTARVY Logo, DAILY CHARGE, the DAILY CHARGE Logo, KEEP ASPIRING, LOVE WHAT’S INSIDE, GILEAD, and the GILEAD Logo are trademarks of Gilead Sciences, Inc., or its related companies. Version date: February 2020 © 2020 Gilead Sciences, Inc. All rights reserved. BVYC0218 04/20
DIMITRI LIVING WITH HIV SINCE 2018 REAL BIKTARVY PATIENT
KEEP ASPIRING.
Because HIV doesn’t change who you are.
BIKTARVY® is a complete, 1-pill, once-a-day prescription medicine used to treat HIV-1 in certain adults. BIKTARVY does not cure HIV-1 or AIDS.
Ask your healthcare provider if BIKTARVY is right for you. See Dimitri’s story at BIKTARVY.com. Featured patient compensated by Gilead.
Please see Important Facts about BIKTARVY, including important warnings, on the previous page and visit BIKTARVY.com.
5/12/20 9:36 AM
voice
georgia VOL.11 • ISSUE 24
ABOUT THE COVER: Photo courtesy of HBO Max
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4 Editorial March 5, 2021
GUEST EDITORIAL
Art is Essential Willow Goldstein, Founder and Creative Director of The Bakery
The Bakery was founded on the notion that art is pivotal to human existence. When we opened our doors in 2017, we were overwhelmed with creative need and recognized how much of a void there still was despite the growth that Atlanta had experienced in the past decade. It was more than new venue fever; it was the outpouring of desire for experimental, low-cost, accessible spaces; something that has once again become jeopardized since the COVID-19 pandemic began. We were founded on a DIY model of self-resilience and communal practice, which continue to be essential foundations considering the importance of mutual aid over this past year. While food and shelter are necessary for survival, art, in the broadest definition, is also necessary to keep one’s spirit alive. To be clear, The Bakery was not intentionally founded to be a “queer space.” It was created as an alternative to the status quo, to the normalcy that people embrace. Most directly, it was founded by my mother and me, both cisgender straight white women. However, The Bakery was ultimately shaped by all the people who helped along the way. Many of our early volunteers were queer, trans, and/or nonbinary. Therefore, these ideas became incorporated into the core vision of what The Bakery would become. In the landscape of evolving ideas about the labels we apply to each other, bridge builders and safer spaces are pivotal. Experimental, community-focused practice has been at the heart of our programming since 2017. We do it for the process and for the connections that happen along the way as much as for the finished product. From beginner electronic workshops to B.Y.O.A. (bring your own art) group art shows to natural dye classes, we have strived to foster an interest in less traditional definitions of Art with a capital A. Thankfully, digital creators brought much visibility to Black
The Bakery Atlanta PHOTO VIA FACEBOOK
undertone of that action: “A lot of this activism can be characterized as a celebration of resistance and refusal to be silenced.” Thus, the workshops are focused on queer community care and on the joys that can take place in the face of trauma and oppression. It is through reminders like these that we are inspired to keep doing this work. So often we are asked to measure our success in pie-chart metrics, but this value system holds little worth to many in our community. Yes, we must all take care of ourselves, but to define success solely as social and financial status over others is the antithesis of what we are striving and advocating for. Herein lies the artists’ dilemma, the constant push and pull between wanting to give up, but also knowing that you are affecting many people in tangible ways.
Lives Matter. While new technologies help spread awareness and provide connection, a flat screen cannot replace the real-life, sometimes awkward, enriching experiences of meeting and working with people in person. “People need the little thrills of being a part of something bigger than themselves,” says long-time Bakery team member Amanda P. Norris. Most recently, we had the joy of bringing together 14 artists for a collaborative mural in Your Dream World: An Atlanta Vision Board. The unexpected moments that happen through real life collaboration cannot be replaced by online programming. Next month, we will be working with Magda Dumitrescu to host two workshops focused on the ACT UP (AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power) movement from the 1990s, which protested the CDC for its inhumane testing of antiviral drugs, slow-paced studies, lack of concern for queer well-being, and lack of inclusion of women in trial studies. Magda, an anthropology student at GSU, will explain the beautiful subtlety of activists going to die-ins in silk pajamas and the powerful
So, what does art look like during a pandemic? It looks different, but in an economy that didn’t value art much to begin with, it also looks the same. It’s hard to measure your success in an environment that is going to be affected for years to come. Even if the “industry” comes back, it will take a long time for the full ecosystem to recover, and while there is sadness in that, there is also a deep need for change. I’m currently struggling with the big picture, the fear that we will never see our city with countless sustainable DIY and alternative spaces. Yet I know what matters is that people continue to be seen, heard, and feel like their existence is allowed even in the binary systems within which we are forced to operate. As Amanda P. Norris says, “life in a global pandemic is bleak, but life in a global pandemic without art is really bleak.” The Bakery is a collective of creative thinkers aligned around social justice principles, environmental concerns, and the belief that art is pivotal to existence. We utilize and critique technology as it changes the human landscape while providing resources to emerging artists. Learn more at thebakeryatlanta.com. TheGeorgiaVoice.com
NEWS BRIEFS Staff Reports House Passes Equality Act The U.S. House of Representatives on Thursday approved a bill that would add sexual orientation and gender identity to the Civil Rights Act of 1964. “This long overdue legislation will provide millions of LGBTQ Americans explicit protections from being denied medical care, fired from their jobs, or thrown out of their homes simply because of who they are,” said U.S. Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.) as he spoke in favor of the Equality Act that passed by a 224-203 vote margin. U.S. Reps. John Katko and Brian Fitzpatrick of New York and Pennsylvania are among the handful of Republicans who also backed the bill. “We rise to tell our LGBTQIA community that not only do you matter, but you are loved and you are cared for,” said U.S. Rep. Cori Bush (D-Mo.). “And we got your back.” President Biden publicly supports the Equality Act. “This is a defining moment in our nation’s political history and soon U.S. senators will decide their legacy on equality for LGBTQ people,” said LGBTQ Victory Institute President Annise Parker in a statement. “History is not kind to those who oppose or filibuster civil rights legislation and excuses won’t pass muster with future generations.” Marjorie Taylor Greene Posts Anti-Trans Sign Outside Office Marjorie Taylor Greene, the infamous representative from Georgia best known for her support for the QAnon conspiracy theories, is facing criticism after she posted an antitransgender sign outside her office. The move came after Rep. Marie Newman, whose office neighbors Greene’s, tweeted a video on Wednesday (February 24) of her putting up a transgender flag by her door. Greene responded to the tweet by posting a video of her putting up a sign that reads, “There are TWO genders: male and female. Trust the science!” 6 News Briefs March 5, 2021
Washington Blade photo by Michael Key
From left: Rep. Mark Takano (D-Calif.), Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.), Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), Rep. David Cicilline (D-R.I.), Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) attend a press conference for the Equality Act at the U.S. Capitol on Feb. 25.
Newman, whose daughter is transgender, told CNN that she was unconcerned about Greene’s response. “It was a statement I felt very necessary… I felt as though she needed to hear it from us,” she told CNN. “And what I mean by that is that I just wanted to make a statement so that she sees LGBTQ people and so the symbolism was simply to put the flag out there so she has to see our community every day. You know, I’m immensely proud of my daughter, and that’s all anyone is asking for is to be treated as anyone else and that’s what I want Rep. Greene to see… [Greene] can keep going with whatever she’s doing, and I have no interest in it. If she’s doing to spend time running to FedEx and creating goofy signs, have at it.” CNP’s 2021 Virtual Summit Celebrates Black LGBTQ Icon Bayard Rustin Counter Narrative Project (CNP), the Atlanta-based organization committed to uplifting community history and collective memory, will host their 2021 CNP Summit virtually on March 17th and 18th. The event is an educational celebration of the teachings and themes of the Civil Rights and Black LGBTQ icon Bayard Rustin. Rustin is best known as the
main strategist and organizer behind the historic 1963 March on Washington, where Dr. Martin Luther King gave his brilliant “I Have a Dream Speech.” Alongside Dr. King, Rustin was also one of the founders of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, one of the most influential organizations of the Civil Rights Era, and was an accomplished organizer, advocate, and leader throughout his life. The keynote session of the summit will be titled “Influencing a King: Bayard Rustin and Coretta Scott King’s LGBTQ+ Activism.” The session will dive into the complex friendship between King and Rustin and his vast influence on the early moments of Black LGBTQ+ Activism through King. The featured speakers of the session are Dr. Beverly Guy-Sheftall, who is the Anna Julia Cooper Professor of Women’s Studies at Spelman College, and Lynn Cothren, who served as the Special Assistant to the late Mrs. Coretta Scott King for over 23 years. Additionally, the Summit will feature multiple sessions from community organizers, activists, and leaders offering insights and lessons about Rustin and the translation of his work into today’s complex landscape. Registration is currently open to the public and free of charge. TheGeorgiaVoice.com
APRIL-MAY
3 new shows for broadway fans
for families
With music by Lin-Manuel Miranda, James Taylor, and more.
plus special guest artist nights featuring
sister omelika L IV E MUSIC
the tiny theater company's
hamlet
SOCIA L LY DIS TA NCED POD SE ATING
tyrone jackson & friends
M ASKS REQUIRED
Tickets on sale now at alliancetheatre.org
SPRING ARTS
Checking In with Atlanta’s Arts Community Katie Burkholder
We were two weeks away from our March 2020 concert and our first big parade of the year when everything shut down. It has been difficult for our performers to not have that outlet through a year canceled events. It took a few months to figure out how to rehearse virtually, learning from what our bands in other cities were doing. In putting together our first virtual concert in December, we learned a lot about licensing very quickly. Still, it has been a struggle to keep our band family together. Even with the challenges of the pandemic, we have welcomed six new members. We take that as an encouraging sign for our future.
In the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, the arts have taken a severe hit. However, local arts organizations in Atlanta are fighting through. We sat down with some of Atlanta’s premier LGBTQ-friendly theater, music, and arts institutions to discuss how they’re handling the pandemic and what their plans are moving forward. Read the full interviews at thegavoice.com. Alliance Theater Susan V. Booth, Jennings Hertz Artistic Director How did you make it through last year? Since shutting down our physical theatre in March of 2020, The Alliance has been in full tilt morph mode. We’ve become producers of digital theatre, streamers of animated film, explorers and exploders of all things Zoom, creators of drive-in theatre staged in shipping containers, and producers of PPE for medical professionals. You name it, we took a swing at it. And there have been some moments of terrific agility and innovation that made me exponentially more proud than I already was of the people with whom I get to work. Like so many in our community, the nonprofit arts world has been hit hard. This year, our earned revenue has been drastically reduced from previous years. Yet, owing to the amazing generosity of Atlanta’s philanthropic community — individual, foundation, and corporate — we are confident that we will weather this landscape. What are your plans for 2021? What opportunities to enjoy the arts are you offering patrons? We are popping up a tent for the “Under the Tent” series of outdoor performances, and we are also continuing to build on our portfolio of digital content with Alliance Theatre Anywhere, including our new Spotlight Studio featuring new work by local artists. The “Under the Tent” series will utilize enhanced COVID safety procedures 8 Spring Arts March 5, 2021
(alliancetheatre.org/content/faqs-the-under-thetent-series), including open-air performance space, socially distanced seating in two- and four-person pods, contactless entry, and required use of face masks. We have also hired a COVID Coordinator to oversee adherence to all CDC guidelines for our cast, crew, and audiences. In addition, the Alliance Theatre will be offering both in-person and virtual summer drama camps this year. Out Front Theatre Company Brady Brown, Associate Marketing Director What are your plans for 2021? We are continuing to offer virtual productions worldwide for our patrons! All tickets can be purchased at outfronttheatre. com. We have an incredible mix of cabarets, scripted performances, and much more to come! As for the remainder of 2021, we are hopeful and cautiously optimistic to open for in-person performances again at limited capacity. As always, we will listen to the CDC and other qualified organizations
before making any sort of decision like that. Why is maintenance of the arts important during a pandemic? The arts have always been a way for us to tell the stories of where we are today and where we are heading tomorrow. Queer art is especially important during this pandemic because it keeps us connected to other human experiences. This pandemic has shuttered a lot of businesses and organizations, so it can feel incredibly lonely and disheartening at times. The ability to continue a relationship with other individuals and organizations through art, even if it is virtual, is such a strong and necessary tool that we have. There is some exceptional queer art being produced all around us right now, and you’ll be amazed once you start to see it. Atlanta Freedom Bands Cliff Norris, Director of Marketing and Development What kind of struggles have you faced because of COVID-19?
What opportunities to enjoy the arts are you offering patrons? Our March 20 concert, “Voices of Equality,” will feature “Unspoken,” a brand-new piece by Katahj Copley, a student composer from the University of West Georgia, that honors the memory of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and others we have lost. The concert itself commemorates and celebrates the work toward equality in our country. Our Color Guard is also preparing several performance videos that we will release throughout the year. For December, since it will have been two years since we were last in the concert hall, the theme is “Happy Holidays — All of Them.” We hope to celebrate all the holidays we have missed sharing together along with remembering and celebrating those we have lost. Kenny Leon’s True Colors Theatre Company Brandall C. Jones, Connectivity Director What are your plans for 2021? 2021 will be an exciting year for True Colors Theatre, as we are focusing on amplifying the voices of emerging and mid-career artists for the continuation of our Joy and Pain season. The Next Narrative initiative is our key platform for implementing these opportunities, which includes the New CONTINUES ON PAGE 9 TheGeorgiaVoice.com
SPRING ARTS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 8 Page Commissions, Dihvinely Konnecked Commissions, and Inside Look. For more information on Next Narrative, we encourage your readers to visit our website at truecolorstheatre.org and select the “Our Work” tab. Why is maintenance of the arts important during a pandemic? At True Colors Theatre, we believe that the arts offer more than mere entertainment; the arts are healing, and the arts offer a safe space to express and show up as our full selves. Especially in times like this, in which there has been immeasurable suffering and anguish, we need the arts to remain connected to one another, to help us understand one another, and to appreciate the contributions that we all uniquely offer to our communities. As an organization that tells Black stories, we consider our work necessary at this time, perhaps more than ever.
TheGeorgiaVoice.com
7 Stages Theatre Company Heidi S. Howard, Artistic Director What are your plans for 2021? What opportunities to enjoy the arts are you offering patrons? We’ve been hosting a service Saturday where we’ve had blood drives, food and clothing donations, and voter registrations. The next one is March 6. All year long, we have a program called Big Read where we have a
book that we give out to the community and we hire professional artists to create artistic responses to it. “Advice from the Lights” is that book. Stephanie Burt is a trans poet and released this book of poetry telling her coming out stories. We’re curating these artistic responses to culminate into some sort of season finale called “Human Lights: A Curious Encounter,” which is still planned for June. We have both a virtual and in-person idea of what that finale is going to be. Why is art essential?
I collected a few answers to this question from our artists. One of the clearest perspectives I’ve heard from them is that art offers us the opportunity to explore instead of consume and make something that’s much better than we had before. We don’t plan on returning to the “normal;” it was not good. In times of change or upheaval, the arts are the only thing that helps us imagine alternative worlds and rebuild our world in the image of our boldest ideals. The arts feed clarity and sustain those ideals. The need for the arts is what our survival depends on.
March 5, 2021 Spring Arts 9
SPRING ARTS
LGBTQ Representation in the 2021 Awards Season Sydney Norman
“Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom”
Historically, many of Hollywood’s major award shows have been dominated by older, white, heterosexual, cisgender men. The same types of film and music were celebrated, and the same types of creators were honored time and time again. Real life was only reflected in the idealized popular culture pieces for a very specific demographic.
PUBLICITY PHOTO
The Oscars are also predicted to have more female representation in a very prominent category. Last year, not a single female director was nominated for Best Director, but this awards season, Chloe Zhao and Emerald Fennell are favorites to be nominated for their work with the films “Nomadland” and “Promising Young Woman” respectively.
A recent Gallup poll shows that roughly 5.6% of Americans identify as LGBTQ; this is a major jump from their 2017 poll. Their results also showed that 1 in 6 adults in Generation Z identify as LGBTQ. Previously, finding any representation that reflected their identities within award shows would have been difficult. This is slowly changing, and the LGBTQ nominations for many of the major award shows this year reflect that. Deborah Dugan, a former CEO of the prestigious Recording Academy, has described the organization as having a “toxic boys’ club culture,” but they extended membership offers to “over 2,300 music industry professionals from a diverse array of backgrounds” in July to help combat that toxicity. This trend may have also bled into Grammy nominations this year. The prestigious Best New Artist category stands out as a category with more artists identifying as a part of the LGBTQ+ community than not. Phoebe Bridgers, Kaytranada, Chika, Megan Thee Stallion, and Doja Cat have all come out as being a part of the LGBTQ+ community, leaving only three other nominations in the category (Ingrid Andress, Noah Cyrus, and D Smoke). Queer women dominated the Best Rock 10 Spring Arts March 5, 2021
“Welcome to Chechnya,” a documentary covering the story of activists risking life and limb to confront the Russian government’s efforts to torture and execute LGBTQ+ civilians, is nominated by GLAAD and is expected to be nominated by the Academy as a Best Documentary pick.
Performance category this year with another nomination for Phoebe Bridgers and nominations for Brittany Howard, Grace Potter, and Adrianne Lenker. Kaytranada also scored nominations in the Best Dance/ Electronic Album and Best Dance Recording with Arca, a trans Latina, also scoring a Best Dance/Electronic Album nomination. Lido Pimienta, a noted queer Latina artist, was nominated in the Best Latin Rock or Alternative Album category. Atlanta’s own Katie Pruitt was among those listed in the Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical, and Lady Gaga secured a nomination for Best Pop Vocal Album as well as Best Pop Duo/Group Performance alongside Ariana Grande for “Rain on Me.” The other major General Field Grammy categories have all generally seen an increase in diversity this year, with many people of
color and women receiving nominations. Beyoncé has received nine nominations in eight categories, and if she wins eight or more, she’ll have raked in the most Grammys of any single artist in history. In the film and television sector of the entertainment industry, LGBTQ representation is also on the rise. There’s plenty of overlap between predicted Oscar nominees and the GLAAD Media Awards nominees. Both award ceremonies’ highest achievement categories (Outstanding Film and Best Motion Picture for the GLAAD awards and the Oscars, respectively) feature “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom” as a nominee. “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom” tells the story of Georgia’s own Rainey, her influential blues career, and how she navigated a world dominated by white men and heteronormative expectations.
Last year there was only a single person of color nominated for a single one of the 20 possible slots for an acting award. This year many actors of color, from Chadwick Boseman and Steven Yeun to Viola Davis and Han Ye-ri, are favorites for recognition from the Academy. While Hollywood still has a long way to go in terms of nearly every facet of proper representation, the slow but steady increase in nominations for LGBTQ+ community members as well as people of color and women is indicative that change is on the way. While finding themselves reflected in the media used to be extremely difficult and limited to indie arthouses and underground festivals, marginalized peoples are slowly becoming able to see a piece of themselves in more mainstream media. The Grammys air March 14 on CBS. Oscar nominations will be announced on March 15, and the ceremony will air April 25 on ABC. While an official date has not yet been released, the GLAAD Media Awards will be streamed sometime in April. TheGeorgiaVoice.com
SPRING ARTS
COURTESY PHOTO
Immersive Van Gogh Exhibit Comes to Atlanta Conswella Bennett Atlanta residents, prepare to be amazed! This spring, a never-before-seen exhibit makes its North American debut — Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience. It’s an art experience like none other, promises John Zaller, President of Immersive Hub in Atlanta. It’s a 360-degree, immersive digital art experience created by European entertainment producer Exhibition Hub and presented by Immersive Hub, which allows visitors to take an incredible journey into the universe of artistic genius Vincent van Gogh. Starting May 19, guests will be able to experience the art of Van Gogh like never before. More than 65,000 tickets have already sold for the Atlanta opening. Due to high demand for tickets, producers are adding additional time slots. Zaller said when news broke that the Van Gogh Experience would be in Atlanta, he began receiving calls from all over the country from people who were interested in attending. His sister and her wife from Cleveland were among the many people who expressed interest, and Zaller has received calls from as far away as New Zealand. TheGeorgiaVoice.com
The event will be at the historic Pullman Yards in Kirkwood. “It’s only fitting that one of Atlanta’s most historic landmarks be chosen to host the works of one of history’s greatest artists,” said Mario Iacampo, CEO of Exhibition Hub. “We wanted a beautiful, yet meaningful canvas for Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience. We have found it in Pullman Yards.” “Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience perfectly aligns with our long-term vision for Pullman Yards to be a thriving arts-driven destination,” said Maureen Meulen, cofounder of Atomic Entertainment. “We’re excited to welcome visitors from across the Southeast to enjoy the rich history of Pullman Yards and to experience first-hand this wonderful digital art installation.” In 2017, Atomic Entertainment made headlines when it was awarded The Pratt Pullman Yard development in Atlanta. The 27-acre historic site is likely to become one of Atlanta’s top entertainment districts. Pullman Yards provides the perfect backdrop to the Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience. Zaller said visitors to the experience will get to walk along with Van Gogh — learn about his life and why he painted the way he did — thanks to digital projection technology. Cutting-edge 360-degree digital projections,
a virtual reality experience, and a uniquely atmospheric light and sound spectacular fill a two-story, 20,000 square foot space. The exhibit will open just in time for the summer, and although COVID-19 continues to linger, Zaller feels that the event, which is both family-friendly and COVID-safe, is the perfect activity for people looking for something safe and entertaining to do. Although many people look to the summer as the perfect time to escape to overseas vacations or leave Georgia for other destinations, Zaller said that with COVID still halting some of these travels, the Van Gogh Experience would make the perfect replacement. “It’s a transformative experience right in their home city, and it is sure to rival any exotic destination they could think of,” he said. “We believe there is a pent-up demand for immersive entertainment in a COVID-safe environment,” said Mario Iacampo, CEO of Exhibition Hub, in a press release. “As the world slowly returns to normal, Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience allows people to once again gather and enjoy art and entertainment in a safe, socially distanced manner.” Visitors to Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience will be required to wear face
masks at all times and must adhere to the CDC’s strict anti-COVID transmission protocols. Hand sanitizer stations will be available to visitors on-site. Zaller says that visitors’ safety has been well thought out and prepared for even though the experience was in the works long before the COVID pandemic made its way around the world. “This experience is built with social distancing in mind,” Zaller noted of the 20,000 square feet of Pullman Yards. “You can spread out. Everyone who comes will have the VIP treatment because of the immense space around them.” The exhibit, while entertaining with its music and light accompaniment, will also be educational. “The Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience is perfect for visitors of all ages, and ideal for families looking to reunite and re-engage with arts and entertainment,” Zaller said. Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience will run from May 19 to the end of 2021. Ticket prices range from $19.10 for Children to $32.20 for Adults. Follow Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience on Facebook and Instagram, and for more information, visit vangoghexpo.com/atlanta. March 5, 2021 Spring Arts 11
SPRING ARTS
Best Bets: Spring Arts Edition Katie Burkholder
Alliance Theatre’s Data
From virtual plays and streamed films to digital comedy and outdoor theater, a pandemic won’t stop Atlantans from enjoying all the arts the city has the offer.
COURTESY PHOTO
Laugh Track The talented comedians of Dad’s Garage examine what life’s key moments and holidays look like in this strange new world. With a mix of ridiculous characters and hilarious situations, get some much-needed laughter with this brand-new original sketch comedy show. $9.99 for six-episode series, available now through May 31, alliancetheatre.org Sit-in This original animated short celebrates the power of youth to change history. The 33-minute film follows three friends as they learn about the sit-ins of the Civil Rights era and powerfully apply those lessons to issues they face today. Streamed by Alliance Theatre, available now through June 30, alliancetheatre.org The Pink Unicorn A comedy about gender identity and big hair, this virtual play tells the story about Trisha, a Christian widow living in a conservative Texas town. Her life is thrown in turmoil when her teenage daughter announces she’s genderqueer. Streamed by Out Front Theatre, March 5-7, outfronttheatre.com Drag Jeopardy! A COVID Lockdown One Year Anniversary Show Join the House of ALXNDR to celebrate the one-year anniversary of the first COVID-19 lockdown with virutal Drag Jeopardy. Watch contestants answer questions from categories like pandemic pop bops to memes, plus enjoy amazing drag performances. Streaming on twitch.tv/tayloralxndr, March 11 at 8pm Spotlight Studio The Spotlight Studio is dedicated to virtually 12 Springs Arts March 5, 2021
spotlighting local Atlanta artists. Whatever their story, these eight artist curated shows serve as a platform for innovative creation. Alliance Theatre Anywhere, March 17May 31, alliancetheatre.org Beautiful Blackbird Live – Under the Tent Series Featuring original music composed by Eugene H. Russell IV and inspired by Ashley Bryan’s children’s book Beautiful Blackbird, this family-friendly concert will have you on your feet celebrating the uniqueness of each and every one of us. Alliance Theatre, April 8-18, alliancetheatre.org Never Turning Back The Atlanta Gay Men’s Chorus and Atlanta Women’s Chorus join forces to bring you songs of resilience and hope. Through music such as Rise from the Justice Choir Songbook to the premiere of the commission piece by Sarah Quartel, Refuge, Voices of Note continues the good fight for justice, freedom, and perseverance. Streamed by Voices of Note, April 9 and
10 at 8pm, voicesofnote.org Working: A Musical – Under the Tent Series This show explores what makes our work meaningful across all walks of life. Whether it be in an office, a restaurant, your home, or you’ve retired, this musical reminds us to celebrate no only what we do, but how we do it. Alliance Theater, April 22-May 30, alliancetheatre.org Songs to Grow On – Under the Tent Series This family-friendly concert features Rob Lawhon performing classic children’s songs from American folk music legend, Woody Guthrie. Join Woody and his dog Arlo as they serenade Atlanta families with songs that celebrate the human spirit. Alliance Theatre, April 29-May 9, alliancetheatre.org Data This streamed play follows Maneesh, a brilliant programmer at Athena Technologies.
After learning the true nature of Athena’s confidential and highly controversial work, he is forced to come to terms with his own American identity and the personal and societal cost of his work. Alliance Theatre Anywhere, May 1-31, alliancetheatre.org An Evening with Eckhart Tolle Guests will have the opportunity to sit with best-selling spiritual author Eckhart Tolle as he shares his teachings of spiritual awakening and the transformation of consciousness. The evening will connect you with the peace and serenity that arises from living in the moment. The Fox Theatre, June 10 at 7pm, foxtheatre.org Interspaced This international film features ensemble members of the Youth Creates and Holland’s Bootcamp as they give audiences a bizarre glimpse into real scenarios that seem lost in the past and future realities of our interspaced dreams. Complimentary stream by 7 Stages Theatre Company, July 25 at 2pm, 7stages.org TheGeorgiaVoice.com
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March 5, 2021 The Pink Page 13
SPRING ARTS
Out on TV LGBTQ-friendly series hitting cable and streaming services this year Conswella Bennett Atypical The comedy — which focuses on Sam Gardner, a teenager on the autism spectrum — returns for the fourth and final season. The show also features a beautiful coming out story about his sister Casey, who is played by out nonbinary actor Brigette Lundy-Paine. Where: Netflix When: Sometime in 2021 Gossip Girl In this reboot of the iconic 2007–2012 teen drama, gay writer and executive producer Joshua Safran promises a ton of LGBTQ representation and racial diversity — more than in the original show. Where: HBO Max When: Sometime 2021 Supergirl Supergirl returns to the CW for its sixth and final season. The series has made a name for itself because of its feminist themes and LGBTQ inclusivity. In the show’s second season, the character Alex Danvers came out as lesbian, and in season four, the show debuted the first-ever transgender superhero on television, Nia Nal. Where: CW When: Sometime 2021 Batwoman After Ruby Rose left the show, Javicia Leslie has taken over the lead heroine role in the second season. Leslie plays the character Ryan Wilder, an out lesbian. Leslie is the first Black actress to play the role of Batwoman on television and is also a bisexual woman. Where: CW When: Now 14 Spring Arts March 5, 2021
Search Party This dark comedy follows Dory Sief, played by bisexual actress Alia Shawkat, a woman who becomes obsessed with investigating the disappearance of her college acquaintance. In its fourth season, Dory is abducted, and her best friends Drew, Portia and Elliot do everything in their power to find her. Where: HBO Max When: Now Bling Empire Described as a Real Housewives-style reality show, the series showcases a group of exorbitantly wealthy Asians and AsianAmericans living across Los Angeles and Beverly Hills. It’s a peek into their lives as they throw expensive parties, shop and fly to other countries. Where: Netflix When: Now Bonding Back for a second season, the comedy is about the ups and downs of sex work. The show stars Palo Alto’s Zoe Levin as a part-time psychology grad student and part-time dominatrix, and out actor Brendan Scannell as her former gay best friend/assistant. The show follows the odd-couple pair as they reconnect in New York after years of post-high school estrangement. Where: Netflix When: Now This Is Us The popular drama has returned for its fifth season with character Tess Pearson, who came out in season three. This season, fans will see Tess react to a racist teacher who misgenders her friend. The show will also take on timely subjects like the coronavirus pandemic and Black Lives Matter protests. Where: NBC When: Now Flack This series originally aired on Pop TV, but was cancelled and picked up by Amazon for
Javicia Leslie stars in “Batwoman” COURTESY PHOTO
its first and second seasons. Anna Paquin is Robyn, a bisexual and unflappable PR person/fixer with a messy personal life. Where: Amazon Prime When: Now 9-1-1: Lone Star The series, a spinoff from “9-1-1,” returns for the second season. The show has received acclaim for casting transgender actor, Brian Michael Smith, as a transgender man. Smith plays a leading role as firefighter Paul Strickland. The show also included a gay romantic storyline between firefighter Tyler Kennedy “TK” Strand (Ronen Rubinstein) and police officer Carlos Reyes (Rafael L. Silva). The show made waves for showing a love scene between the two. Where: Fox When: Now Call Your Mother This series has received rave reviews already. It stars Golden Globe winner Kyra Sedgwick as an empty-nest mother who leaves everything behind to move to Los Angeles to be closer to her children played by Liv and Maddie’s Joey Bragg and rising comedian Rachel Sennott. The series also features openly gay actor Austin Crute as Sennott’s best friend. Where: Hulu When: Now
Fate: The Winx Saga Fans may recall the original series, “Winx Club,” an animated show about fairies and other mythical creatures that ran on Nickelodeon. The show has returned, this time as a live-action adaptation. The series has been described as a noticeably more grown-up version of the original kids’ show. The series will still feature five fairies who are enrolled at the magic-filled Alfea College and will follow the teens as they hone their powers and continue to fight against a deadly threat posed by the “Burned Ones.” The series features queer character Dane, an incoming freshman who develops a crush on one of the older boys in his class. Where: Netflix When: Now Euphoria: Special Episode Parts I and II The highly popular series, which follows the story of high school teens, returns with two special “bridge” episodes. Part I highlights Rue (played by Zendaya), a drug addict, and part II highlights Jules (played by Hunter Schafer), a transgender girl. Both girls reflect on the state of their lives and their romantic and platonic relationships with each other. Where: HBO Max When: Now TheGeorgiaVoice.com
MARÍA HELENA DOLAN REELING IN THE YEARS
Ethel Waters and the Harlem Renaissance María Helena Dolan Oceans of ink and mountains of media have been pulling history’s curtain back to reveal the Harlem Renaissance. Also known as the New Negro Movement, it took place in a small geographical space during a large moment of cultural ferment. Harlem was the Black Belt: 130th through 140th streets in Manhattan, between 5th and 7th Avenues, one and one-fifth square miles (later to bulge out to three square miles). By 1917, Harlem was already thickly settled. But with war jobs opening up and the terrifying conditions continuing in the South, Black people kept rolling in until an estimated 175,000 made that neighborhood the largest concentration of Black people in the world. The place was so crowded, some people had to rent “hot beds:” for a quarter, you got a bed for 8 hours, then you were gone. This was contrasted with the elegant multistory brownstones. Yet shoulders rubbed — a great many of them lubricated. Basically, Prohibition made this Harlem possible. An estimated 150 (some say 300) speakeasies slaked Black and white thirst, and the large vaudeville theaters and nightclubs kept rolling along. Performing artists appeared, like Cab Calloway and Duke Ellington. There was the key-board pounding, ribald singing, tuxedo wearing Butch Dyke Gladys Bentley. And of course, Langston Hughes, and Zora Neale Hurston. Bruce Nugent too. We had many other creatives, such as bisexual and lesbian women like Nella Larsen and Angelina Weld Grimke and gay men like Countee Cullen. 16 Columnist March 5, 2021
Ethal Waters in drag during the 1920s
But so many other people heeded the siren’s call to the place where people made music, art, love, and life. Here you might leave the hateful behind and shake with hope. One woman who did that dance, but who’s not usually associated with the Harlemite crowd? Ethel Waters: singer, stage, TV, and film actor, dancer, international star. Her story begins like so many others. Born into bone-crushing poverty in “the bloody eighth ward” outside of Philadelphia, she recalls in her autobiography His Eye is on the Sparrow: “I never was a child. I never was coddled, or liked, or understood by my family. I never felt I belonged … I just ran wild … I was bad, always a leader of the street gang … By the time I was seven I knew all about sex and life in the raw.” Very tall and very thin, Ethel “stole because I was always hungry.” Born October 31, 1896, Ethel was dancing at age 10 in a “respectable dance hall” and married off at 13 to “a repulsive man.” Pleasure came from the traveling “Negro stock companies,” and she got to know the very popular artists, “Butterbeans and Susie.” Ethel learned acting and singing by imitating them, and creating star turns for herself in the long mirrors of places she worked as a chambermaid. “[I was a] real agile shimmy shimmy shaker. I sure knew how to roll and quiver.”
store finery until she could purchase more refined gowns. In 1919, she was offered a gig at the Lincoln Theatre in Harlem. “I went straight to Harlem and I stayed there.”
They called her Sweet Mama String Bean when she struck out with them on tour. She sang the blues; “St. Louis Blues” was her signature number.
There was work and play. Pulling down three figures a week plus tips as a nightclub performer, “Ethel Williams, another girl, and I would go to bars and nightclubs … I’d pick up the check.”
She traveled the vaudeville and “Negro theaters” circuit (She even played at the two vaudeville theaters that sat side by side on Atlanta’s Decatur Street). She wore thrift
A short liaison with a pugilist provided some hook and sinker moves. She applied these readily when someone moved in on or insulted one of her girlfriends.
Yes, Sweet Mama — and a great favorite with the participants of the hallowed Drag Balls. Beseeching friends would give her gowns a “swaggerin’.” This could go south, though. Once, a favorite black-beaded, erminetrimmed number was dragged through the streets and spent a night in jail. The Depression came, and squeezed evertighter. By the late 1930s, that Harlem was over. The hothouse cooled, different peoples left; but artists from that era continued to create. Ethel became the first Black woman to star in a Broadway show. She made movies and records and tours and kept going until her death at age 80. TheGeorgiaVoice.com
BUCK JONES THE FRENCH CONNECTION
No, It’s Not Fair, Aunt Barb Buck Jones A few weeks ago, I wrote a column about comfort food and how my immediate family stays in touch despite our political differences by playing a game I like to call, “Jones Family Password.” For those of you not familiar with the classic 1970s television game show, the concept is that you give one-word clues to your teammate for them to guess a hidden word held by you. With each clue given, the point value goes down. Of course, the spin on our version is that most of the hidden words relate to Jones family trivia, things only our immediate family would know. For instance, nobody would expect you to be able to guess my cousin’s name based on “YMCA” and “poop” (for the record, my aunt guessed the correct answer just based on “YMCA” without needing to wait for the “poop”). Like most games — say, backgammon, with the rolling of double dice or getting crowned in checkers by reaching your opponent’s side of the board, there are advantages to doing well either through luck or by chance. In our version of Password, if you correctly guess the answer, you get to start the next round (“Person, place, or thing?” “I’ll pick place!” “Okay, here’s your first clue with a value of five points...”). Rarely will someone correctly guess the answer on the first clue, but it can happen. Which it did two Sundays ago. The four of us were playing — me, my brother, my dad, and my Aunt Barb. Let me preface the following by saying that I love my Aunt Barb. She’s a retired former schoolteacher and a widow, but also a bit of a “Karen” in public. Despite her politics, her heart is in the right place. We started playing, and my brother was on fire, correctly answering “peach” (clue “Georgia”), “shag carpet in our basement” (clue “orange”), and “Cher” (clue “gypsies”). But his streak was broken with the fourth hidden word (“Uncle TheGeorgiaVoice.com
IMAGE BY SHUTTERSTOCK.COM / HYEJIN KANG
“When you make more money, you can buy and save more as well, handing down to the following generations the accumulated wealth gained from years of social capital, networking connections, and the magic of compounded interest from investments. It is why the elite of the country can buy the best education, the best lawyers, and their own politicians, guaranteeing that they maintain their supremacy.” Russ”), despite great clues like “murdered” and “drunk.” Go figure.
libs,” it was a little jarring to hear Aunt Barb start sounding like Bernie Sanders.
The game continued and each person eventually had their moment to shine, but nobody came close to my brother’s winning streak. After I announced the final score naming my brother the winner, Aunt Barb said that maybe I should revisit the rules. “It’s not fair, I only got a chance to answer half of the questions because your brother and dad got their answers with the first clue!”
I wanted to tell her that essentially what she was asking for was, if not Affirmative Action, at least something suspiciously similar. I should have used the opportunity to tell her that in real life, outside of our little game, the upper 1% of Americans makes $1.7 million in annual income, while the median “average” American only takes home $82,535. The income disparity obviously also drives wealth inequity, I felt like I should tell her. The fact there are just three white men who have as much wealth as the bottom 50% of America (170 million people) should be all one needs to know to begin reexamining the rules of American society. Which is why it is so maddening to see the obvious wealth disparity between African Americans and their white counterparts — persistent due to generations of enslavement, Jim Crow, and continued racism — met with a collective shoulder shrug by the majority of Americans.
Before I had a chance to respond, her inner “Karen” kicked into overdrive and she complained that maybe a better way to play would be to alternate each round, so that everyone gets a chance to start, and that way everybody could feel like they had an equal opportunity. She finished by saying, “It’s not fair that one person gets to keep building upon their lead, so that the rest of us can’t even play.” Because I’m a Democrat, and an empathetic person by nature, I felt her frustration, but coming from a life-long Republican, someone who loves it when Tucker Carlson “owns the
When you make more money, you can buy and save more as well, handing down to the
following generations the accumulated wealth gained from years of social capital, networking connections, and the magic of compounded interest from investments. It is why the elite of the country can buy the best education, the best lawyers, and their own politicians, guaranteeing that they maintain their supremacy. It is what is driving so many people into believing the false promise of QAnon and the fake populism of Trumpism, as we see the unrelenting corruption of the elites while the vast majority of Americans’ hopes stagnate. So yeah, Aunt Barb, I get it. The following week I changed the rules to the game. No longer would winning a question guarantee that they would have a head start in answering the next. Instead we would rotate, regardless of who won. I called it the “Aunt Barb” rule. And while she didn’t win that Sunday night, this past weekend she did. I wonder what a corollary to the “Aunt Barb” rule would be for America? March 5, 2021 Columnist 17
A&E SPOTLIGHT
Nava Mau Part of Strong Ensemble in New LGBTQ-themed Series “Genera+ion” Jim Farmer When Nava Mau responded to a DM that came to her Instagram account, it — quite literally — changed her life. The message was regarding an audition, and the actress eventually wound up getting cast in “Genera+ion,” the new HBO Max series premiering next week. “Genera+ion” is a comedy-drama that revolves around a group of school students exploring their sexualities. With the exception of Martha Plimpton and Sam Trammell, most of the cast is newer faces. Mau, a multiracial trans Latina filmmaker, actress and cultural worker, plays Ana, whose relationship with her sister has dissolved since Ana came out as trans. Nonetheless, Ana is trying hard to be a positive queer figure to her sister’s daughter Greta (Haley Sanchez). Mau loves Ana’s maternal nature and eventually realized she related to the character. “Ana is lively, and Ana is fearless,” said Mau. “Ana is so abundantly giving. I had to really work on finding a way to play this character that felt very different to me. I found myself going back to earlier iterations of myself, and what I relate to most about Ana is her joyful spirit. I really see her as somebody who has had to fight for her joy, who has had to protect her joy. And I see her as having been triumphant in that fight. That is something I relate to as well.” Unexpectedly, Ana and Greta wind up living together, and Ana has to adapt. She is known for her kindness, but has little tolerance for things such as transphobia. “Ana is doing her best,” Mau said. “And I think ultimately her best is really good for Greta. Greta gets to see through Ana what it’s like to be your authentic self and be bold in your relationships and be bold with your words. So, Ana is simultaneously a friend and a parental figure to Greta. Greta is dealing with coming to terms with her own identity and how that affects her relationships and how 18 A&E Spotlight March 5, 2021
Main photo by Jennifer Clasen / HBO Max ; Inset photo via Facebook
From left: Uly Schlesinger(Nathan), Justice Smith (Chester), and Chase Sui Wonders (Riley) star in HBO MAX’s new series “Genera+tion.” Inset: Filmmaker/actress Nava Mau.
to verbalize that identity and how to express herself through fashion. Ana is having to come to terms with responsibility. We don’t get to see the life before, but there is a clear sense that Ana was not really living a life where she was prioritizing the needs of two children that she was the sole caretaker for.” Over the course of the season Mau says Ana steps into the role of being a parental figure and holding Greta accountable while teaching her important life lessons and giving her the comfort that a teenager needs. The pilot was filmed in 2019, and when the show was picked up, the cast and crew resumed last year. The bulk of it has been filmed during the pandemic. Besides writing, producing, directing and starring in the 2018 short film, “Waking
Hour,” Mau was a production fellow on last year’s highly acclaimed documentary, “Disclosure,” which looks at Hollywood’s depiction of transgender people over the years. It was a life-changing event. “I knew when I was working on it that it was going to change the world,” said Mau. “I said to the director, for the people who got to work on the project it was a game changer. For me it set the standard of what a set can feel like. Getting to work as part of the crew and witnessing these hours and hours of interviews with people who’ve been trailblazing in the entertainment industry for decades — it confirmed for me that I have something to offer to the world and to the entertainment industry. I know that’s the case for so many people. Now that it has been released and viewed by thousands, I can only imagine the kind of culture change we’ll see because of it for generations to come.”
It’s essential, Mau says, for trans people to have the opportunities to tell their own stories: “The most recent wide-ranging survey conducted around this topic told us that 80 percent of the people in the United States did not personally know a transgender person. For that majority of the population, the messages and the understandings they have of trans people comes from the media. When you have trans people be given opportunities or create opportunities for themselves to share their own experiences it allows for education and a greater understanding between trans people and cis people. It’s time for media to more accurately represent the world. Trans people exist all over the world and always have.” “Genera+ion” debuts on HBO Max March 11. TheGeorgiaVoice.com
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March 5, 2021 Ads 19
JIM FARMER ACTING OUT
Movies to Look Out for This Season Jim Farmer
MORE INFO
With many movie theaters closed or at low capacity, and with audiences nervous about attending, some movies normally slated to wind up at the cinema are now showing up online or on streaming networks. There’s a decent amount of product coming our way through the summer. As always with this time of the year, the LGBTQ quotient is fairly light, though; most of it is courtesy of indie fare. It’s been delayed several times because of COVID-19, but it looks like “I Carry You With Me” will finally make it to theaters this spring. In director Heidi Ewing’s excellent film, nominated for two Independent Spirit Awards, including Best First Feature, and a GLAAD Media Award nomination for Outstanding Film — Limited Release, one half of a young male couple in Mexico decides to come to the United States for professional reasons. The film will bow on May 21 in New York and Los Angeles and then nationwide the following week. “The World to Come,” directed by Mona Fastvold and starring Katherine Waterston and Vanessa Kirby as lovers, debuted in theaters in February to acclaim and is now on paid video on demand (PVOD). Save for a weak ending, it’s worth checking out, especially for the acting. Another LGBTQ title is Todd Verow’s “Goodbye Seventies,” about a former chorus boy who gathers his friends to make hardcore movies. Out actress Jodie Foster — a two-time Academy Award winner – stars in Kevin Macdonald’s “The Mauritanian,” already in theaters and hitting PVOD this week. It’s based on the New York Times bestselling book, “Guantanamo Diary,” by Mohamedou Ould Slahi about his imprisonment by the U.S government for several years. Foster plays defense attorney Nancy Hollander and has just won a Golden Globe Award for her performance. An Oscar nomination is a longshot, but a possibility. 20 Columnist March 5, 2021
“The Mauritanian” In theaters and on PVOD now “The World to Come” In theaters and on PVOD “Goodbye Seventies” On PVOD now “Coming 2 America” March 5 on Amazon Prime “Rain Beau’s End” March 8, PVOD “The Father” March 12 in theaters with PVOD later “Yes Day” March 12, Netflix Wojnarowicz March 19, virtual cinemas “Tina” March 27, HBO Courtesy photo
Two-time Academy Award winner Jodie Foster stars in the Golden Globe winner movie, “The Mauritanian.”
Speaking of the Oscars, the ceremony itself will be held April 25 this year, a few months later than normal, allowing a longer window for submissions. A few films with Oscar hopes will come out in the next month or so. Florian Zeller’s “The Father” stars Academy Award winner Anthony Hopkins as a man facing dementia. Fellow Oscar winner Olivia Colman is his daughter. Both are certain nominees again this year. Azazel Jacobs’ “French Exit” stars Michelle Pfeiffer as a suddenly poor socialite who moves to Paris with her son and cat. Pfeiffer is terrific here in an overdue comeback of sorts. Still planned for a May 7 release is Cate Shortland’s “Black Widow,” with Scarlett Johansson playing Natasha Romanoff in a film that takes place before “The Avengers: Endgame.” It’s a big studio film that would normally pack audiences in. “Tenet” was supposed to save movie theaters last summer but didn’t, while “Wonder Woman
1984” performed well in its release, even though the film also appeared on HBO Max the same day it hit theaters. If “Black Widow” comes out and makes money, studios will feel more secure about traditional theatrical releases. Other films with LGBTQ content include Tracy Wren’s “Rain Beau’s End,” which deals with a lesbian couple and their adopted son in a small town, with Sean Young and Ed Asner in the supporting cast, and “Wojnarowicz,” directed by Chris McKim, a documentary about downtown New York City artist/writer/activist/photographer David Wojnarowicz. When New York City became a hotbed for AIDS cases in the 1980s, Wojnarowicz waged war against the establishment for not being more proactive. As well, look for “Everybody’s Talking about Jamie” at some point soon. It’s the feature film version of the musical in which a teenage boy from England wants to be a drag queen, directed by Jonathan Butterell.
“French Exit” April 2 in theaters with PVOD later “Black Widow” May 7 in theaters “I Carry You With Me” May 21 in theaters “Cruella” May 28 in theaters “Everybody’s Talking about Jamie” TBD
Other anticipated films for the spring include “Coming 2 America,” a sequel to the 1988 film, with Eddie Murphy and Arsenio Hall returning; “Yes Day,” in which a couple (Jennifer Garner and Edgar Ramirez) have a 24-hour period in which their kids make all the rules; and “Tina,” a documentary on the legendary Tina Turner. Also, although it doesn’t appear to have any overt LGBTQ content, the new “Cruella” with Emma Stone (something of a “101 Dalmatians” prequel) vamping it up as the Disney villainess looks like a campy good time indeed. TheGeorgiaVoice.com
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March 5, 2021 Restaurant Guide 21
MELISSA CARTER THAT’S WHAT SHE SAID
Birthday at Home
Melissa Carter
It’s almost my birthday. I still love birthdays, and I’m not a woman who shies away from admitting how long I’ve been on this planet. What makes this 51st birthday unique is that it also serves as the one-year anniversary since I’ve been homebound. I remember my doctor asking me if I really had to go. I had called to tell her I’d be traveling to Key West for my 50th birthday with several friends, and in light of a coronavirus outbreak looming over the United States, wondered what precautions I should take. I honestly didn’t expect that response, and when I confirmed I would be going, she suggested I take two weeks’ worth of medication in case of a quarantine. I hung up surprised by the advice and determined to follow through with my plans. I was naive then, as we all were, and am thankful I survived the trip. Barely missing an shutdown of out-of-state travel, I haven’t left my house since arriving home from the airport. That’s barely an exaggeration. The only place I have gone is to pick up or drop off my son from his other mother’s and grandmother’s homes, which are both in the same suburb as mine. No grocery store, no restaurant, no dentist or oil change appointments, I have done what has been necessary to stay healthy as a kidney transplant recipient. I am hopeful we are finally starting the upward trajectory from all this. I know there are stories of variants and the possibility something will loom that will defy the current vaccines on the market. 22 Columnist March 5, 2021
But I am also an optimist and know we will get beyond this pandemic eventually, regardless of any hiccups along the way. If there is anything that I have decided to change beyond COVID-19, it’s the people I surround myself with. I find I can no longer tolerate the complainers, those who only want to look for what is wrong in the world and chew and spew their fears to anyone who will listen. There may be bad news, but there is also good news that has come from this experience, and appreciating the lessons learned is where my focus will lie. The images of our new president’s administration, from the Valentine’s Day lawn messages to the candlelight memorial for the victims of the pandemic to two dogs running around the White House, has been refreshing. What a glorious reversal from his predecessor, who was the source of so much negativity and fear even before the virus. I have friends who want to continue to nitpick the former President while others want to revel in the positive energy currently being injected into the American culture. You can guess who I’d rather spend my time with. I should have died in my 20s, and without medical technology I would have. The same can be said now, as we are on the cusp of all receiving the vaccine in the months to come. So, I am not frustrated or resentful for spending my birthday solo this go around. I am alive to see 51 years and likely many more, and if this year-long reflection didn’t make me come out of this tragedy with a new appreciation for those birthdays, I’m afraid nothing would have. I wonder if others can say the same. TheGeorgiaVoice.com
CLIFF BOSTOCK OLD GAY MAN
Style Hair, Write a Poem, and Daydream Cliff Bostock It’s a longstanding stereotype that gay people are more artistically inclined than straight people. We do the hair, the flowers, the clothing, the food, the interior design. We write the poetry, take the pictures, and pirouette while straight people languish in doublewides filled with kitsch, taxidermy, and nicotine-stained overalls. Is the stereotype accurate? I know it’s odd to say, but I do think the silver lining of oppression is enhanced imagination. Let me explain. If you ask gay adults of my generation when they realized they were different, most say it happened by the time they made it to kindergarten and were around other kids. Whether you were overtly a sissy, a tomboy, or totally “gender-compliant,” you almost immediately intuited that you should disguise your nature. Now, it is popular to say that being gay should mean nothing more than being attracted to your own gender. That is absurd. Being gay is about love, which is a force far greater than a purely sexual and romantic one. It generally brings people together. It clarifies what impassions us and, really, creates by presence or absence the narrative arc of every life. Our love takes a different path and so, inevitably, do our perception and insight. That’s why you can’t change into a heterosexual. But what does an isolated gay child do? Depression frequently occurs, but so does fantasy. By the time I was nine, I was lying in the backyard by the strawberry patch nearly every day with my friend Joel. There was a drain nearby that seemed bottomless. I told Joel stories of what was happening in this imagined underworld. One day, after school, I told my third-grade teacher, Mrs. Akers, about my stories and, instead of treating me like I was insane, she told me to write them down. Then she had me read them to the class at least once a week. In retrospect, I realize they were metaphorical accounts of my own life and a way of connecting positively in a world in which I couldn’t be myself. Of course, it was not enough to totally deflect TheGeorgiaVoice.com
the bullying I experienced. I learned the hard way, for example, that you maybe should not heed the enchantment with sparkly things by fetching your mother’s broken rhinestone brooch from the trash and wearing it to Little League practice. But my stories did, in the mysterious and healing way the imagination works, nurture me throughout my childhood, adolescence, and adulthood. You certainly don’t have to be a formal artist of any sort to profit from the imagination. That’s already happening. Absolutely everything begins in the imagination. Even when you’re sleeping, your brain is dreaming stories and images — metaphors, like the stories I told as a kid. So, the task is to bring intention to your naturally creative imagination. I’ve heard stories like mine from clients, especially gay ones, for years. I always remind them that queer people have long been the spiritual and creative leaders of Indigenous cultures. It’s our job to tell the truth. Years ago, I was asked by a school to speak to a group of gay and straight teenage boys. I employed my usual strategy. I asked the gay boys for the first time to describe their dayto-day experience. It was the same kind of bullying I experienced at their age. I asked the straight boys to respond. They unanimously denied the torment the gay boys described. They said they were too sensitive, acted like girls, and needed to “man up.” “So, you don’t believe anything they are describing?” I asked. They were adamant. “Okay,” I suggested, “just for the hell of it, use your imagination and pretend what they are saying is true. How would you feel if you had to get up every morning and face that? Just pretend.” The room went silent, things got very awkward, and the conversation got real. What was evident was that both groups woke up, if only for 30 minutes. That is the beginning of empathy, which is an expression of love, which is exactly what gay people can teach the world. Read the full column at thegavoice.com March 5, 2021 Columnist 23