All-Gay Cruises. Everywhere You Love.
Do you cruise? Atlantis cruises and resorts deliver a mind-blowing all-gay vacation. Explore the most stunning destinations, incredible entertainment and outrageous parties. Elevate your standard in gay travel and discover the Atlantis experience today. Visit www.atlantisevents.com.
CST# 2033720-40
atlantisevents.com
4 • Outlandish | Winter 2020
More than just a boat ride OFFICIAL WATER TRANSPORTATION PROVIDER OF
954.467.6677 • WaterTaxi.com
It's hard to believe that this is year 4 of Outlandish Fort Lauderdale, and this year there is something for everyone! Iconic comedians, cabaret superstars, drag legends, and a new show from the high-level acrobatic circus AirOtic. Thank you to partners at the Sunshine Cathedral, the LGBT+ community in South Florida (once again, the series benefits the Pride Center at Equality Park) , and the enthusiastic support of the audience. Without you, this series would not be successful. And a big thank you to all the performers—each one creative, colorful, provocative….OUTLANDISH. Without you the series would not exist! Enjoy the show! Matt Farber Executive Producer
We at Sunshine Cathedral are glad to be Fort Lauderdale's venue for Matt Farber's Outlandish Series. As the word “cathedral” suggests, we are a worshiping community, but cathedrals are also meant to be community centers, places of learning, healing, celebration, and yes, entertainment. We at Sunshine Cathedral find the Sacred not only in scripture and sacraments, but also in laughter, music, and physical grace. Drag performers can preach the gospel of tolerance, secular singers can have the voices of angels, acrobats help our spirits soar, and comics bring healing joy with their ministry of merriment. We invite you to check out Sunshine Cathedral on Sunday mornings, but in the meantime, we are very glad you are here for Outlandish entertainment. Rev Dr. Durrell Watkins Senior Minister Sunshine Cathedral 6 • Outlandish | Winter 2020
A fantabulous interactive wedding comedy with dinner and dancing!
Verve Central & Broward Center Present
“Akin to Genius” – Gay Toronto
“The Golden Girls with Puppets - SOLD!” – Time Out
– Same Same
Puppets created by Joel Gennari One of Off Broadway’s biggest smash hits, That Golden Girls Show! parodies classic Golden Girls moments from the brilliant TV series with puppets.
What’s more fantabulous than a gay wedding!?! Don’t miss the Silver Palm Award Winner for Best Interactive Theatrical Experience. Ticket includes dinner, dancing, cake and champagne toast!
JANUARY 19
FEBRUARY 6–16 Funds raised at each performance benefit
TICKETS at BrowardCenter.org Ticketmaster | 954.462.0222 Broward Center’s AutoNation Box Office Group Sales 954.660.6307 The Broward Center and Parker Playhouse 2019-2020 season is presented by the Broward Performing Arts Foundation. Follow us:
BrowardCenter
Stay in Luxury, Play in Paradise!
PROVINCETOWN
THE PREMIER GAY RESORTS IN THE U.S.
www.brasskey.com 508-487-9005
www.crownepointe.com 508-487-6767
VARLA After 25 years of slaving of a hot stove cooking up new songs and routines, Varla Jean Merman is … tired. Can she find inspiration from the queens that came before her and look to a new generation of Drag Race stars to find the strength to carry on? Filled with showstopping costumes, skyscraping wigs, and a smidge of human emotion, Varla confronts the legacy in this funny and heartfelt new show. Jeffery Roberson aka Varla Jean Merman starred in the new musical Lucky Guy opposite Leslie Jordan in NY at the Little Schubert in spring 2011 prompting The New York Times to rave, “If Carol Burnett and Harvey Korman had stood in front of the right pair of funhouse mirrors, they might have resembled Ms. Merman and Mr. Jordan in stature as well as comedic
talent”. Jeffery completed shooting the feature film Girls Will Be Girls 2012 and Varla Jean and the Mushroomheads (now available on www.SethTV.com). He played the title role of Giancarlo Menotti's opera The Medium in New York at the Marjorie S. Deane Little Theatre in October of 2012. He guest starred as Varla Jean on Ugly Betty in the final season of the show and was also featured on Bravo's Project Runway Season 5 as the winning model for the show's drag challenge. He played the role of Mary Sunshine in the revival of Chicago on Broadway and also made his network television debut on All My Children in the recurring role of lady of the evening Rosemary Chicken. He shared the Outfest Film Festival “Best Actor” Award and the Aspen HBO Film Festival “Best Actress” Award with his costars Jack Plotnick and Clinton Leupp for his featured performance in the cult classic film Girls Will Be Girls (Sundance 2003) directed by Richard Day. Jeffery also appeared at the Long Wharf Theatre in Hartford Stage's production of The Mystery of Irma Vep directed by Michael Wilson performing the roles originally made famous by Charles Ludlam. In 2010 Jeffery won an Elliot Norton Award for Best Musical Performance in The Phantom of the OPRAH. He returned to Boston in the fall of 2011 to star as Mother Superior in SpeakEasy Stage's production of The Divine Sister by Charles Busch. As Varla Jean, Jeffery has filled cabarets and concert halls across the world including the Sydney Opera House, Carnegie Hall, the New York Public Theater, London's Soho Theatre and LA's Renberg Theatre. Jeffery wrote and starred in the short Improve Your History with Varla Jean: Stonewall, for the launch of the MTV's television network Logo and was also seen in their One Night Standup: Dragtastic special.
18 • Outlandish | Winter 2020
Be it on-screen or on stage, Margaret Cho has been one of the most exciting, unpredictable stand-up comics working for some time, and that hasn't changed in 2019. If anything, the Asian-American female comedian's voice has become more valuable than ever, given today's social climate Cho's material remains just as compelling, thanks in part to—and sometimes in spite of—her unapologetic delivery. Margaret Cho was born Dec. 5, 1968 and raised in San Francisco. “It was different than any other place on Earth,” she says. “I grew up and went to grammar school on Haight Street during the '70s. There were old hippies, exdruggies, burnouts, drag queens, and Chinese people. To say it was a melting pot – that's the least of it. It was a really confusing, enlightening, wonderful time.”
Soon after starting her Stand Up career, Margaret won a comedy contest where first prize was opening for Jerry Seinfeld. She moved to Los Angeles in the early '90s and, still in her early twenties, hit the college circuit, where she immediately became the most booked act in the market and garnered a nomination for “Campus Comedian of The Year.” She performed over 300 concerts within two years. Arsenio Hall introduced her to late night audiences, Bob Hope put her on a prime time
special and, seemingly overnight, Margaret Cho became a national celebrity. Her groundbreaking, controversial, and shortlived ABC sitcom, All-American Girl (1994) soon followed. In 2001, after the success of her first tour, Maragaret launched Notorious C.H.O., a smash-hit 37-city national tour that culminated in a sold-out concert at Carnegie Hall. In March of 2003, Margaret embarked on her third sold-out national tour, Revolution. In 2005, she released Assassin, which premiered in select theatres and on the gay and lesbian premium channel Here! TV. In 2007, Margaret hit the road to host the True Colors Tour, benefiting the Human Rights Campaign. Margaret returned to TV in 2008 with the VH1 series, The Cho Show. The aptly titled Beautiful came next, which premiered in Australia at The Sydney Theater, marking the first time Margaret debuted a tour abroad. In 2009 Margaret nabbed a starring role in the comedy/drama series Drop Dead Diva, which aired for six seasons on the Lifetime network. With so much success in her artistic life, Margaret has never turned away from the causes that are important to her. She was the recipient of the Victory Fund's Leadership Award and the first-ever “Best Comedy Performance Award” at the 2007 Asian Excellence Awards. She also received the “First Amendment Award” from the ACLU of Southern California, and the “Intrepid Award” from the National Organization for Women (NOW). Margaret has been honored by GLAAD, American Women in Radio and Television, the Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund, the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force (NGLTF), the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund (AALDEF), PFLAG and LA Pride, who gave Margaret a “Lifetime Achievement Award” for leaving a lasting imprint on the LGBT community.
20 • Outlandish | Winter 2020
AirOtic returns with a new show in 2020 once again featuring high-level acrobatics, physique, strength, and burlesque The story began in 1998 on the streets of Paris. At the start were the Haffner brothers, Alexandre and Stephane, who are from a dual culture: French and Italian. The two artists with multiple talents and a nature that complements each other formed the creative basis for Faradais, a new circus. The original duo has today become a business with more that 50 artists coming from all over the world to perform custom productions at venues throughout Europe and on cruise ships internationally. The various shows feature more than 1000 handmade costumes and elaborate sets created in their workshops in Barcelona and Nice. In 2016, Stephane and his husband Kyle Kier conceived and developed a production with an LGBT focus, AirOtic, and debuted it on an Atlantis Events gay cruise. Over the past two years, it has become the most popular act for Atlantis. Recently, Haffner partnered with Logo Founder Matt Farber to bring this incredible production to audiences in the United States that enjoy a gay sensibility, and is thrilled to return with a new show as part of Outlandish Fort Lauderdale. Unlike other large acrobatic circuses, AirOtic only features a small cast who are not hidden behind masks allowing the audience to develop a connection with each performer.
Best known for making a scene after losing the Emmy, Jackie Hoffman continues her public downward spiral into oblivion with her unique combination of original music and monologues. Most notable for her Emmy nominated role of 'Mamacita' from FX's “Feud: Bette and Joan,” Jackie Hoffman can currently be seen in the critically acclaimed Yiddish production of “Fiddler on the Roof” Off Broadway. She can also be seen in Ryan Murphy's latest Netflix series “The Politician,” TruTV's “At Home With Amy Sedaris,” and Laura Kosann's most recent film, “The Social Ones.” She is a staple on television appearing in over 20 well known shows. A distinguished voice actress, she has also appeared in the cartoons “High School USA," "Family Guy," "Dilbert," "PB & J Otter," and the film “Robots.”
In film, Hoffman has appeared in memorable roles in “Birdman,” “Kissing Jessica Stein,” “Decay,” “The Sitter,” “The Extra Man,” “How to Seduce Difficult Women,” “A Dirty Shame,” “Garden State,” “Legally Blonde II” and “Mo' Money.” On Broadway, Hoffman has co-starred in “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,” “On The Town,” “The Addams Family,” “Xanadu” and “Hairspray,” for which she won a Theatre World Award. Off-Broadway, Hoffman starred as 'Princess Winifred' in the Transport Group's “Once Upon A Mattress,” and received a Drama League Award Nomination for her performance. In 2009, Hoffman received the Mac Award for Best Female Stand Up. Her show “Jackie Hoffman: Live from Joe's Pub” is available on disc.
Dedicating her life to the friendly citizens and responsible merchants of her hometown of Richfield Minnesota ("where butter is a spice and gravy is a beverage"), Miss Richfield 1981 is a drag legend. This Midwestern maven wins over theater audiences with an interactive format that combines home spun warmth and edgy improv, leaving audiences in hysterics. In 2020, Miss Richfield is coming out swinging and she's ready for a fight in her all-new show, “Below the Belt”. Never shying away from a challenge, Miss R will honor the fighting spirit that makes us great!
Her live performances have received critical acclaim with The New York Post declaring Miss Richfield 1981 “the must-see act in Provincetown." and Twincities.com noting “in these divided times, Miss R is tonic—and gin—for the soul”. In addition, she sells out venues each year in New York, Chicago, San Francisco, Philadelphia, Atlanta, South Florida, and Minneapolis. Miss Richfield's national appeal includes riotous appearances on "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno", "Today" on NBC, "Cake Boss" on TLC, and “Watch What Happens Live” on Bravo, and as part of the cast of “Talk Show The Game Show” on TruTV. She invites you to join like her on Facebook, follow her on Instagram. And be sure to visit her at missrichfield.com.
24 • Outlandish | Winter 2020
Repeat Guest Discounts Military & Veteran Discounts Spa Specials & Memberships Florida Resident Discounts & Student Discounts!
Experience a live, musical parody mash-up of the now-cult-classic films, First Wives Club and Fight Club. You've never seen (or heard!) anything like it. Starring the gorgeous and indelible talents of NINA WEST and BROOKE LYNN HYTES (fan favorites from RuPaul's Drag Race Season 11), as well as VARLA JEAN MERMAN & PEACHES CHRIST, The first rule of the First Wives Fight Club is to TELL EVERYBODY! Brooke Lynn Hytes traveled worldwide performing as a principal ballerina with Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo - an all-male drag ballet company. She then went on to win multiple Canadian pageants and the coveted Miss Continental crown in the US in 2014. Brooke Lynn was the first Canadian to appear on cultural phenomenon, RuPaul's Drag Race, and is a permanent judge on Canada's drag race.
Nina West won the Entertainer of the Year Pageant; her ensemble later inspired the singer Sia's outfit at the 2016 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival. She starred in Coaster, an animated short film, and attended the 71st Primetime Emmy Awards, where she became the first person to walk the purple carpet in full drag. Varla Jean Merman – See her full bio a few pages back. Peaches Christ - is a filmmaker and cult leader living in SF. Her infamous movie events are self-produced at the Castro Theatre and regularly draw over 1,000 attendees to each new production before they tour. Events have featured special guest stars John Waters, Cloris Leachman, Bruce Campbell, Barry Bostwick, Pam Grier, and more.
Alan Cumming (Cabaret, The Good Wife) and Ari Shapiro (NPR's All Things Considered, Pink Martini) both transport audiences to other worlds through their stories. Now, they're joining forces in SONG. Witness the exclusive debut of their new evening of tunes and tall tales titled “Och & Oy! A Considered Cabaret”. Musical direction by Henry Koperski
Alan Cumming - On Broadway and the West End he played the Master of Ceremonies in Kander and Ebb's masterpiece Cabaret, winning a Tony and every other award available in the process. More recently he has toured the world with his cabaret shows, I Bought A Blue Car Today which debuted at the Lincoln Centre, NYC followed by the Sydney Opera House (he doesn't believe in starting small) and Alan Cumming Sings Sappy Songs, which earned huge critical acclaim and sold out Carnegie Hall, the London Palladium, the Walt Disney Concert Hall in LA and the Kennedy Center, Washington DC. He also released albums of the same name. Ari Shapiro - is the award-winning co-host of NPR's All Things Considered, the most listened-to radio news program in the United States. Shapiro joined NPR's international desk after four years as White House Correspondent during the Obama presidency. He was NPR's Justice Correspondent for five years during the George W. Bush administration.
26 • Outlandish | Winter 2020
Size matters! Over 10,000 sq. ft of indoor/outdoor play space
Call or visit our website to get
2 Free Days
of Doggy Day Care and a free behavior assessment Offer good for one dog per family and cannot be combined with other offers. Valid for new customers only at Central Bark Fort Lauderdale. Dog must pass the behavior assessment.
Celebrate the differences Dogs of ALL sizes and breeds welcome Central Bark® is your local hub for Whole Dog Care. Our personalized approach aims to enrich your dog’s whole health and well-being – throughout their entire life. We offer everything from Enrichment Doggy Day Care and sleepovers to grooming, a retail market, training and more. All with the mission to help you and your best friend enjoy a whole, healthy, happy and loving life together. Central Bark® Fort Lauderdale is gay owned and has proudly served the Fort Lauderdale community for over 20 years.
Fort Lauderdale 3699 N. Dixie Hwy. Oakland Park, FL 33334 (954) 568-3647 centralbarkfortlauderdale.com
ONLY U.S CITY IN NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC TRAVELER’S BEST TRIPS 2020
AWE-INSPIRING LOVE Barnes Foundation
Meet The Staff
MASTER JERRY t
t DEAN THU 8-2AM FRI 8-3AM SAT 8-3AM SUN 8-2AM MON 8-2AM
JAY t WED 12-8PM THU 12-8PM
tJASON TUE 8-2AM WED 8-2AM FRI 12-8PM SAT 12-8PM SUN 12-8PM
DAN t MON 12-8PM
22
Where you see old friends and meet new ones!!
t TOMMY TUE 12-8PM