RAGE Monthly magazine Southern California's LGBTQ largest and best publication

‘TIS THE SEASON

FOR HOLIDAY FESTIVITIES

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA DECEMBER 2021

GETTING MERRY WITH

MICHAEL URIE AN ALTERNATIVE

CHRISTMAS GIFT GUIDE

LADY GAGA

ENTERS THE HOUSE OF GUCCI LIFESTYLE

EVENTS

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MAKE SEGERSTROM CENTER YOUR HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS! “This Nutcracker is cracking good!”

NEW YORK POST

“Jaw-droppingly gorgeous!”

ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

“ABT’s The Nutcracker is a new classic worth watching over and over (and over)!”

JOHN LLOYD YOUNG’S BROADWAY

LOS ANGELES TIMES

Artistic Director: Kevin McKenzie

The Nutcracker is presented by

DEC 10–19 SEGERSTROM HALL

The Tony-winning Jersey Boy performs his favorite Broadway show-stoppers – and yours!

Photo: Rosalie O’Connor

With Tchaikovsky’s magical score performed by Pacific Symphony

SCFTA.org

DEC 15–17 SAMUELI THEATER

(714) 556-2787

PUBLISHER Jay S. Jones jay@ragemonthly.com ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Brad L. Hart brad@ragemonthly.com EDITOR editor@ragemonthly.com ART CONSULTANT art@ragemonthly.com COPY EDITOR Ken Williams DISTRIBUTION Pride In Media

THE RAGE MONTHLY 3911 Cleveland Ave #34462 San Diego, CA 92103 Phone 619.906.RAGE (7243) CONTACT US ON THE WEB - RAGE.LGBT - twitter.com/ragemonthly - facebook.com/theragemonthly - instagram.com/theragemonthly ADVERTISE WITH US 619.906.RAGE(7243) sales@ragemonthly.com NATIONAL ADVERTISING REP Rivendell Media 212.242.6863

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Bill Biss, Chris Carpenter, Brad Hart, Steven Ing, Scott Leonard, Lisa Lipsey, Tim Parks, Kevin Perry, Tony Reverditto, Cutter Slagle, Andrew J. Stillman Cover Photo © 2021 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures Inc. SUBSCRIPTIONS – One year (12 issues): $40.00 Direct all editorial and subscription orders to our office or website.

Rage Magazine dba The Rage Monthly. The Rage Monthly is a registered trademark. Opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the publishers or staff. Reproduction of any article, photo, listing or advertisement without the written permission of the publisher is strictly prohibited. The people, businesses and organizations appearing in The Rage Monthly are supportive of the gay community. Mentions or photographs of any person, business, or organization are not a reflection of their sexual orientation. The Rage Monthly is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate based on race, sex, color, religion, creed, national origin, disability, sexual orientation or gender identity.

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rage.lgbt | DECEMBER 2021

community events

by brad hart

Tis The Season For Holiday Fun! Jingle & Mingle

2021 EQUALITY BUSINESS AWARDS LIVE December 9 San Diego Equality Business Association’s awards night includes a three-course meal, table wine and a special program featuring MC Jeff Gelder, SDEBA member presenters and fabulous performances from MO’s talented staff. sdeba.org

COME HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS December 11 For the first time in 20 months, the San Diego LGBT Community Center will gather safely for this iconic festive event to celebrate the holidays, our community and so much more. Enjoy a catered meal from Hillcrest restaurant Gossip Grill, festive holiday music, giveaways and more. thecentersd.org

HOMECOMING: 2021 WINTER ROMP December 12 In San Diego, the Gay Men’s Spiritual Retreat’s annual winter fundraiser and entertainment spectacular at Brick Liberty Station features Happy Hour tray-passed hors d’oeuvres, a catered dinner, live performances, games, contest, raffle prizes and a mega dessert auction. gmsr.org

AUNTIE MAME INTERACTIVE MOVIE EVENT December 26 Celebrate the season with Among Friends at this1920s-themed cocktail party. Come dressed as a character from the movie or in holiday attire. Then enjoy an interactive version of Auntie Mame with audience participation, live actions and more surprises. amongfriendsps.com

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www.rage.lgbt | DECEMBER 2021

Sleigh Queen, Sleigh HOLIDAY SPECTACULAR Thursdays SoCal’s most fabulous holiday tradition returns. Join Tootie and the Dragettes at Lips San Diego as they jingle your bells all night long. Enjoy holiday classics along with a delicious dinner and cocktails. lipssd.com

GINGER MINJ’S WINTER WONDERLAND December 3-4 The star of RuPaul’s Drag Race and RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars 6 teams up with her bestie Gidget Galore in this non-denominational, musical romp through the holidays.

Experience all the nostalgic, wintry and cozy feels as they create festive magic on-stage. facebook.com/thegingerminj

A MAY ZING SUNDAYS Sundays Spend the holigays with the hottest entertainers in the biz. Enjoy quality cocktails or bottomless mimosas along with fabulous brunch choices while the queens turn it out every Sunday afternoon at Chill Bar Palm Springs. chillbarpalmsprings.com

TRUE COLORS REVUE: HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS December 23 Your most fierce and fabulous San Diego queens are coming together to deck your halls, keep your yuletides gay, and raise money for the Tracie Jada Obrien Trans Student Scholarship Fund. sdpride.org

JACKIE BEAT PRESENTS UNDER THE TREE December 9-12 The undisputed queen of crass Christmas carols is full of the holiday spirit and more lit than that annoying neighbor’s house. And it’s all because she’s just so damn happy to be back with her first Nativity-knockin’, Santa-smackin’, menorah-manglin’ live holiday show in over two years. missjackiebeat.com/schedule

A DRAGASAUR’S NEW YEAR’S EVE December 31 Spend New Year’s Eve in Palm Springs with some of the most iconic performers of our time: Heklina, Varla Jean Merman and Sherry Vine. This will be a night filled with a whole lot of funny, a little bit of naughty and just a pinch of nice. oscarspalmsprings.com

Outdoor Merriment NIGHT OF LIGHTS OC

PRIDE NIGHT AT THE CENTER!

Join us for ABT’s The Nutcracker, featuring Isabella Boylston and James Whiteside

Through January 2 This merry and bright winter wonderland drive-through experience returns with more nights of magical and safe holiday fun. The mile-long drive will feature more than 1 million lights. nightoflightsoc.com

SEAS ‘N’ GREETINGS HOLIDAY CELEBRATION December 1-31 Experience the magic of the holidays in the underwater world at Birch Aquarium at Scripps Institution of Oceanography in La Jolla, featuring SEAsonal decor, music and more. Deck the Hall (of Fish) and get into the festive spirit with fun photo opportunities throughout the aquarium, an interactive scavenger hunt and holiday-card-worthy ocean views. facebook.com/BirchAquarium

HOLIDAYZ AT THE PARK Through January 2 ‘Tis the season for fun and holiday cheer at Great Park in Irvine. The park will once again be transformed into a winterscape featuring holidaythemed events, displays and lights. cityofirvine.org/great-park/holidayz-park

SNOW N GLOW Through January 2 A snow-filled, winter experience is in the forecast in Del Mar and Ventura. Expect snow tubing for all ages, a holiday light trail with over 1 million glowing lights, igloo rentals and so much fun to make your Christmastime perfect. snownglow.com

GLOW Through January 17 South Coast Botanic Garden’s GLOW has been reimagined for its sophomore edition. Guests can expect a better and brighter experience.

Food, drinks, music and a transformative garden featuring thousands of lights will have you hanging on the beach, drinking cocktails on the bayou and chasing waterfalls. southcoastbotanicgarden.org

Artistic Director: Kevin McKenzie

PRICE INCLUDES: • Orchestra ticket (Rows Q–S) • One premium drink ticket • Kurt Adler ornament

WINTER WONDER AT BELMONT PARK Through January 2 On weekends, San Diego’s 96-year-old beachside park will offer a dayand-night experience, featuring 15-foot-tall holiday-themed sculptures, a Christmas tree farm, seasonal character appearances, holiday-movie nights, face painting, balloon art and Illuminated Winter Nights when the sun goes down. belmontpark.com/winterwonder-2

WINTERLIT Through December 24 Downtown Santa Monica brings the holidays to the Third Street Promenade, transforming the area into an immersive, festive experience.

Thousands of colorful lights, decor and garland will deck the Third Street Promenade, Second and Fourth streets, illuminating convenient shopping and cozy outdoor dining experiences. downtownsm.com/winterlit

Use code PRIDENIGHT

WEDNESDAY, DEC 15 @ 7 PM The Nutcracker is presented by

SCFTA.org

(714) 556-2787 Groups: (714) 755-0236

DECEMBER 2021 | @theragemonthly

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Repeat The Sounds of Joy MERRY & BRIGHT: FAMILY REUNION December 4 Make the Yuletide gay and celebrate together with Orange County Gay Men’s Chorus. Join the chorus in what will be the most joyous concert of the year as it promises a delightful mix of big laughs, big holiday spirit and a few surprises. ocgmc.org

SPARKLE, TWINKLE, JINGLE December 10-12 Enjoy an evening filled with traditional selections like “Oh, Holy Night” and non-traditional songs like “We Are Lights (The Chanukah Song)” and “Christmas in Palm Springs.” As audiences have come to expect, there will be a few surprises, songs in four languages and heartfelt musical moments that only the Palm Springs Gay Men’s Chorus can provide. psgmc.com

JINGLE December 11-12 Join the singers, dancers and musicians of the San Diego Gay Men’s Chorus as they present their annual holiday spectacular at the festive Balboa Theatre. sdgmc.org

A HOLIDAY HOMECOMING December 11-12 Gay Men’s Chorus Los Angeles returns to the stage and welcomes you to A Holiday Homecoming filled with lots of love and heart. The chorus performs holiday classics about the joy of coming home, curated from the choral, classical, pop and Broadway canons. gmcla.org

A HOLLY JOLLY CABARET December 12 It’s the best time of the year, so come have a cup (or plate) of cheer and be entertained as members of South Coast Chorale, LGBT Chorus of Long Beach, take the stage for the first time in over 20 months. Enjoy a threecourse dinner and performance at Gaslamp Restaurant. southcoastchorale.org

Eat, Drink and Be Merry Making CHRISTMAS TOY DRIVE All month Share the joy, give a toy. Tool Shed in Palm Springs is holding its annual toy drive benefiting the Barbara Sinatra Children’s Center.

Receive a “buy one, get one free” drink coupon for donating a toy. pstoolshed.com

PAWS N CLAUS ANNUAL PET FOOD DRIVE & WINTER SOCIAL December 6 It’s paw-ty time with the LGBTQ Community Center of the Desert.

Dress yourself (and your pet) in festive costume, or your tackiest Christmas sweater, and bring some food to donate to pets in need.

Plus, get your picture snapped with the helpful elves and delight in food and drink at Eight4Nine restaurant and lounge. thecenterps.org

HILLCREST TASTE ‘N’ TINIS December 9 Stroll, shop and sip along the streets of San Diego’s gayborhood.

Take yourself on a journey through international dishes and delicious libations, all while getting your holiday shopping done. fabuloushillcrest.com

HOLIDAY MARKET AT PETCO PARK Through December 24 Downtown San Diego’s popular market will be bigger and better this year, featuring local and European artisan shops, magical lighting displays, seasonal food and beverages, Santa and other holiday characters. mlb.com/padres/tickets/events

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www.rage.lgbt | DECEMBER 2021

hollywood

by tim parks

‘HOLIGAY’ ENTERTAINMENT

WE’D LIKE TO SEE

I

t’s that time of year when Halloween is a faded memory, and holiday music is already being piped through store speakers.

And the old-school start of the holiday season, Thanksgiving, has left us filled to the rim as December 25 looms larger than the escalating numbers on the scale from Christmas cookies and the like. Thanks for nothin’ for elastic waistband pants!

It’s also time for the onslaught of holiday movies on an endless loop on the Hallmark Channel and perennial favorites from childhood attempting to make the season bright. Plus, piggybacking off last year’s smattering of community-minded offerings are a few more entries headed to the small screen.

The Christmas rom-com Single All the Way drops down the Netflix chimney on December 2, and it stars Michael Urie, Philemon Chambers, Luke MacFarlane, Jennifer Coolidge, Barry Bostwick, Jennifer Robertson and Kathy Najimy.

RuPaul brings the holiday queer, err, cheer with The Bitch That Stole Christmas for VH-1 on the same day. Mama Ru plays a big-city

fashion journalist assigned to cover a small-town obsessed with December 25 and its annual Winter Ball, but instead uncovers a plot that could destroy Baby Jesus’s birthday forever!

One Day at a Time showrunner Gloria Calderón Kellett tackles five different holidays, well, one at a time, in the miniseries With Love on Amazon Prime on December 17. Each episode focuses on the Diaz family and showcases LGBTQ actors and storylines, which include one of the first transgender love stories to be featured in a holiday rom-com.

Over on the aforementioned all Christmas, all the time Hallmark Channel is the sequel to last year’s inclusionary endeavor with The Christmas House 2: Deck Those Halls, airing on December 18. The TV movie sees Jonathan Bennett and Brad Harder reprising their roles as gay dads competing to see if they can create the titular seasonal abode.

Meanwhile, on the following day, is Lifetime’s Under the Christmas Tree, which features meet Christmas cute lesbians Elise Bauman and Tattiawna Jones, who have a sticky situation in the search for the perfect Christmas tree for the Maine Governor’s Holiday Celebration. Who hasn’t been there, am I right?

And even though we are starting to see some representation on the TV holiday landscape, with seeds planted, I would like to make these saplings grow into mighty pines with my take on how to populate screens with some Making the Yuletide Gay chestnuts.

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throat.) From the producers of The 12 Gays of Christmas comes Christmas Gaycation! The comedy features Bowen Yang, Laverne Cox, Kate McKinnon, Ricky Martin, Billy Porter, Wanda Sykes and George Takei as Uncle George.

Rather than stay put for the holidays in wintry New York City, a group of friends head for Palm Springs. Naturally, they face a multitude of obstacles in getting to their destination, including being chased cross country by McKinnon and Sykes, after their Subaru Outback is run off the road by the intrepid travelers. U-Haul jokes are so 2000 late.

Andy Cohen’s My Hanukkah Wish features the Real Housewives executive producer and Bravo talk show host looking for love in all the wrong places.

He’s assisted on his search for true love by pal Anderson Cooper and as the eighth candle is lit on the Menorah, the two realize that they were meant for each other. Aww, they don’t have to buy a new set of monogrammed towels!

VARIETY IS THE SPICE OF LIFE

‘TIS THE SEASON Quicker than you can say “Oh ho, she didn’t!” comes RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 13 winner Symone starring as one of Santa’s elves in A Very Shady Christmas, as she tries to undermine co-stars Kandy Muse and Leslie Jordan through holiday-based trickery to be crowned Head Beeyotch, I mean, Elf in charge. Think Tonya Harding-style shenanigans during the ice-skating portion of the competition with Kandy ironically getting whacked on the knee with a giant candy cane! Ultimately, Symone learns the true meaning of Christmas, as she’s disqualified by Santa, played by Ross Mathews, and she surprises her fellow queens with medals made from icicles that never melt, pronouncing they are all winners.

Homo Alone: Lost in the Bathhouse finds a grown-up Kevin McAllister (Macaulay Calkin) experiencing the holiday blues, coupled with adult abandonment issues – seriously, why did no one call CPS on his parents in the original films? This time around, the now gay Kevin decides to seek out the company of other men by frequenting his local bathhouse. He discovers there isn’t another soul in attendance, save for the Dry Sauna Bandits who plan to steal his towel and room key. Unfortunately for them, Kevin uses his getting-even tactics, including blinding them with poppers and locking them in the sauna. Unfortunately, he gets lost in the labyrinth-like hallways, until he hears his mother (Catherine O’Hara) standing outside the bathhouse yelling “KEVIN!” and finds the exit.

In Santa’s Baby, Niecy Nash and Sarah Paulson decide to sire a child through an anonymous donor. But the man who deposited his sample into a plastic cup is famous for coming down your chimney once a year! That sounds dirtier than I intended, but you get the gist. Jolly Old St. Nick shows that he has a dark side, taking the women to court in an effort to claim the fully bearded baby as his successor. He eventually concedes that the child is better off with his mothers, and in the spirit of Christmas, they offer to let their son help once a year on Christmas Eve. Have you ever noticed that movie trailers try to entice us to sit through celluloid efforts by promoting it’s by the producers of such and such movie?

Personally, I love a movie that the powers-that-be feel they produced the hell out of!

In the spirit of this strange promotional tool, let me give it a go. (Clears

A great deal of the time, I utter aloud “how much cocaine went into the production of this ’70s variety show?” I’m looking at you, The Brady Bunch Variety Hour! And that very question could be directed at a pair of shelved Yuletide-themed variety specials that have recently been unearthed under the floorboards of the now defunct West Hollywood bar Rage.

First up is Christmas in the Castro, hosted

by Paul Lynde and Charles Nelson Reilly, which was shelved to protect their sterling reputations as “confirmed bachelors.” That’s mid-century speak for being notorious homosexuals in their private lives, don’t cha know.

Highlights from the circa 1979 extravaganza includes special musical guests the Village People and Sylvester reworking traditional Christmas songs like “Frosty the Snowman” into “Frosty the Blowman” and a very saucy rendition of “O Come, All Ye Faithful.” Additionally, mime stars Shields and Yarnell (Why were they a thing?) silently act out the birth of Jesus, with diminutive actor Fantasy Island Hervé Villechaize as Our Lord and Savior.

An effort from 1984 was thought to be the stuff of myth and a possible lawsuit from America’s oldest teenager, Dick Clark, if it ever saw the light of day.

Despite his good guy persona, the Dick Clark’s Rockin’ New Year’s Eve host was not one to be messed with, wielding his power in Tinsel Town with an iron fist.

Case in point was him putting the kibosh on Bea Arthur’s Jammin’ Last Night of the Year, which was to air at the exact same time as his annual adieu to the year that was. Audiences missed out on Bea’s duet with Frankie Goes to Hollywood on “Relax,” and the Solid Gold Dancer’s sensual dansch number to a remix version of “The Nutcracker Suite.”

DECEMBER 2021 | @theragemonthly

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GETTING ANIMATED Lil Nas X Slays Christmas is a stop motion animated special that evokes the spirit of Rankin/Bass’ Rudolph The Red Nose Reindeer in its story of the “Montero (Call Me By Your Name)” singer’s attempt to find the perfect ornament, while battling Christian conservatives trying to impede his efforts.

His quest is sung-told by openly gay but masked country crooner Orville Peck – swoon – and the two duet on the tune “Hardcore Candy Christmas” and salvation comes in the form of special guest star Nicki Minaj’s Cousin’s Friend’s Swollen Testicles – voiced by gay figure skater Adam Rippon, who dressed as said male fun bags for Halloween – which are magically transformed into an ornament that sways the fundamentalist sect with the song “Don’t Be Teste, It’s Christmas!”

Speaking of sports – there’s a sentence I never thought I’d type – look for I’m Not Spending Christmas in the Closet. The animated ESPN special will feature cartoon versions of recently out and proud athletes, such as Australian A-League soccer star Josh Cavallo, minor leaguers Kieran Lovegrove and Bryan Ruby, pro wrestlers Gabbi Tuft, Toni Storm and Rolando Perez, as well as NFL footballers Carl Nassib and Colton Underwood, who set about changing the hearts and minds of sports fans by telling their coming-out stories.

REUNITED AND IT FEELS SO GOOD A Christmas Card, She Wrote returns viewers to Cabot Cove and Angela Lansbury’s Jessica Fletcher’s uncanny knack for having murders happen around her, only to use her mystery writer prowess to put the clues together, thus solving the crimes. However, her annual Christmas card recipients get a confession that she killed them, she killed them all, instead of the usual niceties, explaining that she sought out those who had wronged her and had framed them all along!

I Got Schitt for the Holidays reunites Schitt’s Creek resident gay couple, David Rose (Dan Levy) and Patrick Brewer (Noah Reid), as they navigate how to incorporate both the Festival of Lights and Jesus’s birthday together.

Unbeknownst to either one, each enlists the help of Stevie Budd (Emily Hampshire), who suggests cancelling celebrating all together! Thus, neither one receives any presents, but is surprised when the rest of the Rose clan show up with both a Hanukkah bush and a Christmas tree, proving that family is the best gift of all. However, upon Alexis’s (Annie Murphy) proclamation

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of such, David asks if that particular gift comes with a receipt and what the exchange policy is on it. Eww, David!

I’LL TAKE SONGS FOR $200 The much derided and cherished Mariah Carey chestnut All I Want For Christmas Is You is the basis of two decidedly different variations of the song’s title. Naturally, most musicians want to leave an indelible mark on the Christmas song landscape, hopeful their tune will be overplayed for years to come.

Cardi B is one such artist, who reworks her No. 1 hit “I Don’t Want Wet Ass Presents For Christmas,” a diatribe about UPS drivers who leave presents out in the rain – get a bucket and a mop for those wet ass presents! And on the B-side is Megan Thee Stallion’s sure-to-be classic, “I Ain’t No Ho, Ho, Ho.” All I Want For Christmas Is Shoes details how Dawn Davenport’s life could have been different if her parents had abided her Christmas wish for shoes that nice girls don’t wear. This dramatic re-telling of John Water’s Female Trouble takes a cue from It’s A Wonderful Life and sees We’re Here star Eureka stepping into Divine’s, well, cha cha heels, learning that the paths she could have taken were crushed like her mother under the Christmas tree by turning to a life of crime. Ultimately, she changes her life before getting sentenced to the electric chair, opens a meatball-sub food truck, donating the proceeds to the Hare Krishna sect her daughter Taffy (played by perennial Hallmark Holiday star Candace Cameron Bure, in an effort to win over the gay demographic) has joined and becomes besties with arch nemesis Aunt Ida (played by Rosie O’Donnell).

PRINT. THAT’S A CUT WRAP! So, there you have it, a look at potential holiday classics to cherish year after year. If there are any Hollywood execs reading this, you can feel free to give me any and all profits from said gold mine ideas.

You’re welcome, by the way!

Have a great holiday season everybody.

Tim Parks has been a freelance writer for 21 years, a columnist for 16 years, and part of Team Rage since 2009. He is the award-winning author of The Scheme of Things, available on Amazon.com.

PACIFIC SYMPHONY POPS Underwritten by the Sharon and Tom Malloy Family

Dec. 17-18 8 p.m.

MIDTOWN MEN HOLIDAY

Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall • Lawrence Loh, conductor

From The Four Seasons to the Holiday Season! The Midtown Men, reuniting stars from the Broadway smash hit “Jersey Boys,” deck the hall with festive cheer, timeless tunes, top-shelf choreography and incredible vocal performances! Featuring iconic yuletide classics such as “Winter Wonderland,” “Let It Snow” and “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” as well as their signature renditions of the greatest rock-and-roll hits of the 1960s.

PacificSymphony.org (714) 755-5799 PACIFIC SYMPHONY PROUDLY PERFORMS AT Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall 615 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa

cover feature

by bill biss

LADY GAGA

METAMORPHOSIS OF AN ACTRESS IN

HOUSE OF GUCCI “It’s a Gucci! It’s a Gaga!” Esteemed Academy Award-winning director Ridley Scott leaves his inimitable mark and brand of his own in filmmaking with House of Gucci. Like a fine fashion house, Scott has ensembled a top-of-the-line cast of actors that reads like a who’s who of the best.

There is Al Pacino, Adam Driver, Jeremy Irons, Salma Hayek and in her second starring role in film . . . Lady Gaga as Patrizia Reggiani.

Gaga inhabits the role, so there is no “sophomore jinx” to be found in Scott’s choice of casting her. An Italian-American by birth, a person of extraordinary gifts, 16

www.rage.lgbt | DECEMBER 2021

a dedicated music creator and a humble humanitarian, Gaga jumps into this role like “one spicy meatball” of talent. The results are just as riveting and amazing to behold on screen. She brings to mind the unique beauty and toughness of classic actress Anna Magnani, as Gaga has a face that the camera loves and an acting magnetism of great power.

House of Gucci is based on a true story and presents a dynasty of opulence in lifestyle, fashion and prestige. Along with the glamour are threads as tough as leather stitched out of loyalty, leading to deception, betrayal and ultimately murder.

DECEMBER 2021 | @theragemonthly

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© 2021 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures Inc.

Gaga explained Scott’s unique vision for his cast by saying, “It’s almost as though the cast were all different musical instruments, like an orchestra. Everything from the drums to the bass to the brass on to the woodwinds and strings. As we’re all so different as actors, Ridley is the one conducting a symphony of all these different orchestral elements.”

She went on to express her accolades for Ridley Scott: “He is an ‘architectural visionary.’ He’s painterly in the way that he approaches his films. He also truly understands the emotional quotient of a script, and how to work with the actors and navigate what they’re trying to express.”

Discovering the character of Patrizia Reggiani, Gaga truly put her heart and soul into the role. She became a knowledgeable and creative sponge in soaking up this woman’s personality with thorough research and using her talent as an actress to her best advantage. This role is a far cry from the wide-eyed and oh, so talented woman she portrayed in A Star is Born. Gaga noted the difference of this role: “Before people see the film, some might think Patrizia is a gold digger. But when Maurizio (Adam Driver) gets married to Patrizia, his family had turned their back on him. So initially, she didn’t marry for money. She married for love. ” Yet, those dynamite family dynamics and Patrizia’s fit in this powerful empire leads to a cosmic shift as Gaga continued: “She wanted so much to be taken seriously by the family. Patrizia was smart and felt she knew what to do in order to move the company forward. Yet, their acceptance was only an illusion. They were all just using her to get to Maurizio and firm up their control. She’s always an outsider, a woman in a man’s world. There was only so much she could do. Many women

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know this, and their power can often go unnoticed.”

The adage pertaining to this, “nobody’s perfect,” is what made this part so fascinating to Gaga. She elaborated: “I believe that she was trying to better her station in life and that came from an innocent place . . . not a guilty place. By the end, tragically, not only did she not achieve her goal, she ended up way below where she was when she started.”

Where there is film, there is fashion. Fashion is a high priority in House of Gucci. The costume designer taking credit and deserving it is Janty Yates, a longtime and cherished member of Scott’s production team. Fashion has a special place in Lady Gaga’s heart and her ultimate expression of it. So, it was no surprise that what Yates put together in the various looks for Patrizia (a major fashionista) brought Gaga to say: “Janty is an absolute genius and truly wonderful to work with. The costumes really helped me get into character. Fashion was utilized in so many different ways that it almost became like my second skin. It was always in the service of the character. It was very nuanced and very elegant.”

The costumes are classic indeed and Lady Gaga wears them so well. Let’s just say our “Lady” is definitely a “Lady in Red. ” She is vividly beautiful for the time period presented in House of Gucci and incredibly mesmerizing in her portrayal of Patrizia in this stunning portrait of the family Gucci. If you haven’t seen the film yet, “What’s a matter with you!” and take it straight from a star who understands firsthand: “The movie is a genuinely good time. Every second is entertaining. Part of Ridley’s magic is that with all of his artistic ways, he ultimately wants audiences to enjoy themselves.”

The light is green. Prepare for quite an entertaining ride.

Bill Biss has been writing since 2000 about the people who create magic in music, film and book. His knowledge of the entertainment business has even impressed gossip columnist Liz Smith. He has been a member of Team Rage since its inception in 2007.

Suit up for a night of swinging sophistication with the songs of Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and Sammy Davis Jr. The evening features the vocal stylings of Patrick Barnitt, Joshua Cavanaugh, Matt Forbes and Michael Washington and a live 10-piece big band orchestra, under the direction of Duane Benjamin. Expect to hear tunes like “All Of Me,” “Ain’t That A Kick,” “That’s Life,” “Under My Skin,” “The Best Is Yet To Come,” “My Funny Valentine,” and many more!

New York Ball Drop Countdown! Ring in the New Year after the show at 9pm (EST) with champagne, dessert, coffee, party favors and a balloon drop.

TICKETS ON SALE NOW! artcenter.org | 800.988.4253 340 N. Escondido Blvd. | Escondido

television spotlight

by chris carpenter

GETTING MERRY WITH

MICHAEL URIE

T

he Hallmark Channel, Lifetime and other networks are awash in holiday-themed movies this month, pretty much running them 24/7. Too many of them share boringly similar storylines with nary an LGBTQ character in sight.

Thankfully, this trend is slowly starting to change. Last holiday season featured the premieres of three groundbreaking films with LGBTQ characters front and center: Dashing in December (Paramount Network), The Christmas Setup (Lifetime) and Happiest Season (Hulu). This year, we can add Netflix’s new Single All the Way to this growing subgenre. It will debut on the streaming service on December 2.

Desperate to avoid his family’s judgment about his perpetual single status, openly gay Peter (played by Michael Urie) persuades his best friend Nick (sexy Philemon Chambers) to go home with him for the holidays and pretend they’re in a relationship. But when Peter’s mother (Kathy Najimy of Sister Act plus Hocus Pocus and its upcoming sequel) sets him up on a blind date with her handsome trainer James (the hot Luke Macfarlane, himself a veteran of several Hallmark Channel Christmas offerings), the plan goes awry. Despite this, Peter and Nick gradually draw closer to each other. The movie co-stars the one and only Jennifer Coolidge, Barry Bostwick of The Rocky Horror Picture Show fame, and Schitt’s Creek’s Jennifer Robertson. It is directed by out Tony Award-winner Michael Mayer (Spring Awakening).

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Single All the Way is Netflix’s first holiday gay rom-com. “That’s a very special feeling; I’m not going to lie and pretend that’s not a big deal,” screenwriter Chad Hodge said. Hodge previously created the TV series Wayward Pines and The Playboy Club. He also wrote the book for the stage adaptation of Irving Berlin›s musical Holiday Inn. “I’m lucky, and the experience I’ve had making this movie with Netflix has been very rewarding. … But there are so many LGBTQ storytellers, so many brilliant writers and directors, so let this be just the beginning.”

As star Michael Urie states in the press notes: “It’s the perfect Christmas movie because it’s a love story between queer people surrounded by a cast of queer icons who are doing everything they can to get these two friends to fall in love with each other.” Urie is well known to both LGBTQ and mainstream viewers. The out actor rose to prominence on TV’s award-winning Ugly Betty as Marc, personal assistant and “seeing-eye gay” to the bitchy Wilhelmina (played by Vanessa Williams). Since then, Urie has gravitated easily between TV, film and the stage. He has also moved into producing and directing.

The ever-effervescent Urie recently spoke with The RAGE Monthly via Zoom from New York City, where he was appearing in the Broadway comedy Chicken & Biscuits.

Congratulations on Single All the Way as well as one of my favorite movies of the year, Swan Song.

Oh, thank you so much! Also, a Jennifer Coolidge film. We didn’t have any scenes together but when I arrived, all of Sandusky, Ohio was abuzz that she had been there. And I have to say working with (cult movie star) Udo Kier and working with Jennifer Coolidge was everything you’d want it to be.

That’s quite the combo! So, how did Single All the Way come your way? How did you get involved with it?

Well, that’s an interesting question actually. I guess it’s OK if I tell the story. So, I received a request to make a self-tape audition for the role of Nick, the hot, rugged handyman (ultimately played by co-star Chambers). And I was like, “Guys, are you sure about this? Are you sure this is what you want? Because I see in the script there’s this adorable, neurotic, gregarious Peter and I’m a Peter, not a Nick.” And they said, “OK, yeah, let us look at the clips.” Also, I know the writer. I knew Chad Hodge socially and I loved his work, and we’d met a few times. So I said, “You know, Chad knows me so if you just float this by him, I think he’d be more interested in seeing me for this role.” And they’re like, “OK, don’t make a tape; hold on.” I told them I loved this script and I love this idea, and I would love to be in this movie, so just let me know. And so, a few days go by and they’re like, “OK, don’t make a tape, I think they’re going to just ask you to do it.” And I said fine, and it turned out that they just offered me the part. It’s one of those weird things where like if I had made a tape for Nick, I’m not sure I’d be in the movie.

Interesting! Now, had you worked with Michael Mayer before as a director?

I don’t think so. (Pauses for a moment.) No, we never had. We knew each other, we’d been around each other a few times and we may have done a reading together at some point or another. In the theatre, there’s lots of one-day gigs where you cross paths for a day and you stand at music stands and read a play. That may have happened at some point, and I know there was a thing in development that we were trying to get going. But I knew him and really liked him. I loved his work and we had a really great time together in Montreal.

Awesome! I read you had worked with Kathy Najimy before, but you hadn’t worked with Jennifer Coolidge, and how about Barry Bostwick?

So, Kathy and Barry were both on Ugly Betty and Kathy and I were both on (the TV series) Younger, and Jennifer and I were both in Swan Song, but I don’t believe any of us had actually shared the screen before. I was very familiar

with their work; it’s hard not to be if you love actors. And if you’re gay, they’re even more important.

I agree. They are god and goddesses. I’ve interviewed Barry Bostwick before and he’s delightful just to talk to, very open and he was great.

Oh my gosh, he’s so charming, and even though one would think he doesn’t want to talk about Rocky Horror anymore, he still does! He’s so proud of the legacy.

Do I understand correctly that you filmed Single All the Way at the height of COVID? What was that experience like?

Yep, we shot last year in Montreal and Quebec while both cities were shut down. There were curfews the entire time. Friends would recommend restaurants I should check out while I was there and I was like, “Guys, everything’s shut down!” We had to carry letters with us saying we were essential workers, because Christmas movies are essential. (laugh) We all had to stay six feet apart, and there was a COVID monitor on set to make sure no one was with anyone else for more than 15 minutes. It’s amazing that, in the movie, it looks like we’re all together and hugging and everything is perfectly normal. But that is a testament to Michael Mayer, because when 15 minutes were up and he yelled “Cut!” everyone scattered!

You’re right, everything looks totally normal in the finished film. Are there any moments in the film that parallel your personal holiday experiences or that you drew from?

Hmm, that’s a good question. My partner Ryan Spahn and I have been together 13 years. Ryan’s family all live in the same town, while my family is more scattered. We alternate each year. The holiday dinners with Ryan’s family are massive, like in the movie, and it’s really easy for everyone to gang up on one person. Alliances change very easily. I also remember everyone in my family going to separate rooms to wrap gifts, like they do in the movie. I think Single All the Way reflects a lot of universal truths about the holidays. There is Christmas magic, and I find it interesting that traditions for every family are so unique while relatable. Christmas is unique. I mean, what other holiday has its own genre of music?

I think that’s the perfect way to end this interview. Thank you, Michael, and happy holidays!

Happy holidays!

The LGBTQ romantic comedy Single All The Way premieres Thursday, December 2 on Netflix.

DECEMBER 2021 | @theragemonthly

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rage recommends

by bill biss

STATION XMAS Dialing In on December Music SPICE 25 Spice Girls

“Now tell me what you want . . . what you really, really want. ” The season of sugar and spice and everything nice is here. Let those delectable Spice Girls in to enjoy their sassy sensibilities with Spice 25. This two-CD set celebrates the 25th anniversary of the group’s debut album. Perfect for your inner “spice girl,” there are the greatest hits, radio mixes and the pure sugar rush of their effervescent talents.

“All that joy can bring . . . This I swear.” Girl power indeed. Don’t mess with these chicks in the desert though! Available now

THE SPIRIT OF THE SEASON (DELUXE EDITION)

Voctave

It’s the most wonderful time of the year? Is it? It is when there is a discovery of new and well-done holiday music created by the vocal ensemble Voctave. The Christmas sounds are a mixture of Ray Conniff vs. Pentatonix in style, and the songs are both spirited and solemn in tradition. Neither too cheeky nor overpowering, it’s perfect for parties or to pop in for frenzied preparations during this year’s holiday time. Available now

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www.rage.lgbt | DECEMBER 2021

VOYAGE ABBA

“Oh, Mamma Mia, here we go again.” After almost 40 years, it’s time for a musical Voyage on the good ship ABBA. And guess what?

Absence truly does make the heart grow fonder. The magic of these new songs will transport the listener smack back to 1974.

There is always beauty and harmony to be found in their voices. Listen to the powerful message found in “Ode to Freedom” or the simple “Bumblebee,” an ode to pollination and flowers that is childlike in the delivery. ABBA = joy! Available now

OBSERVATORY Aeon Station

Kevin Whelan of The Wrens flew free for this captivating, calming and ultimately solid set of rock music by Aeon Station. Where does the time fly? This collection took more than a decade to create, and results in a kaleidoscope of sounds both vivid and timeless. Whelan’s journey is a personal, passionate and real one. It’s a think tank to immerse in, letting the emotions and musicianship wash over you.

Make the break into his Observatory.

Available December 10

. . . EP

Mandy, Indiana Hailing from Manchester, England, vocalist Valentine Caulfield and Scott Fair on guitar/ production are the heartland of the group Mandy, Indiana. The five song and five-star EP is a righteous expression of what has been coined “post punk noire.” Be prepared to jump to the beats, thanks to drummer Leon Stuart with “Bottle Episode,” and join their “rave” revolution. Valentine Caulfield sings in her native French for the sense of the sophisticate.

Intelligent and bountiful in modern angst . . . Mandy, Indiana is uniquely modern art.

Available now

DECEMBER 2021 | @theragemonthly

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house & home

by tim parks

continues on page 28

Making The Season Bright AN ALTERNATIVE HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE

This holiday season in particular brings into sharp focus something that I have long held close to my heart, come present-buying time. I’d much rather purchase the perfect gift from independent artists, makers and local venues for one-of-a-kind gifts. It’s in this vein that I’d like to help you think outside of the big-box store.

And with the supply-chain issues plaguing the globe, the time is right to showcase some of my favorite things, just like Oprah, but without free swag under audience-member seats with them on the verge of losing their ever-loving minds.

Rather, you can peruse these wares from your computer or phone screens, and in some cases, pop into a local brick-and-mortar shop to see what’s good.

Handmade Goodies

Serpent Handmade is the brainchild of Jeffrey Parish and encompasses pottery of all shapes and sizes, beautiful jewelry and candles. His one-of-a-kind methodology that goes into his primitive-themed ceramics produces distinct pieces that range from mugs, tea pots, plates, bowls, trinket trays, scoops, wall hangings, tiny houses, ornaments, incense holders and earrings.

Candles such as the coffee-based Morning Roast scent, the aromatic leather Scourge and new holiday-based fragrance Winter Frost are sure to make your home feel cozy and smell delicious. If you’re in San Diego, stop by local artisan store, DiTorr, located at 502 University Avenue in Hillcrest, to see and smell his creations for yourself or at the San Diego Vintage Flea Market, located at 3366 Adams Avenue, on Saturday, December 4 and 18. serpenthandmade.com

Serpent Handmade

Serpent Handmade

Another San Diego ceramicist, Jasmine Worth, offers up her distinct vision with Anomaly Pottery, delicately textured pieces that include hanging pots for plants, vases, coffee creamers, mugs, bowls and the like.

Worth trains her professional artistic eye, as a graduate of the Laguna College of Art and Design, renowned oil painter and tattoo artist at Remington Tattoo in North Park, to each creation with a knack for detail and originality. etsy.com/shop/AnomalyPottery Nikki Chaffin of Seren James Jewelry describes her creations as “the culmination of ancient, evacuated stone paired with Pave diamonds and exotic gemstones and intriguing rarities.” These organic and rustic goodies utilize these diverse elements on bracelets, rings and necklaces to fashion eye-catching designs for the men and women in your life. And many of the materials she uses support artists from around the world. You can check out her handiwork at serenjamesjewelry.com or visit her at the San Diego Vintage Flea Market on Saturday, December 18.

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Anomaly Pottery

Seren James Jewelry

house & home

by tim parks

Jennafer Grace’s self-named business highlights her knack for designer sexy unisex lounge wear. Just ask actress Jennifer Coolidge, who sported her kimonos on White Lotus, or Billy Porter, who immediately put on one of her caftans gifted to him at the party for his birthday.

Real Housewives of Beverly Hills cast member Garcelle Beauvais wore a Midnight Sequin Caftan to the recent opening of co-star Kyle Richards’s Palm Springs boutique Kyle + Shahida.

She also creates Paglamas, dresses, wraps and dusters that would make any gift recipient delighted to receive one. If you live in San Diego, her creations are for sale at the wonderful vintage shop, Bad Madge & Co., located at 2205 Fern Street in South Park. Palm Springs residents can check out her wares at Peepa’s, located at 120 N. Palm Canyon Drive. jennafergracecollection.com

Making the Holidays Pop

Jennafer Grace

Jennafer Grace

Glen Hanson’s artwork is a feast for the eyes of pop-culture fans with his caricatures of beloved TV shows and movies. As an illustrator, designer and art director, Hanson has provided character designs for animated fare like the Saturday morning cartoon version of Beetlejuice and MTV’s Daria.

Images of treasured Hollywood folks, like Endora from Bewitched, Madonna, The Brady Bunch and Divine, among countless others, adorn items including T-shirts, tanks, mugs, prints, ceramic coasters, face masks and even clocks. Some celebrities, like Sharon Stone, have even posted pictures on social media of themselves sporting T-shirts featuring their likenesses. You can shop his creative visions at Greetings, located at 301 N. Palm Canyon Drive, Suite 102, in Palm Springs. huntees.com When I’m in need for the answer to the question of what to get particular people in my life that would constitute as being both unique, but also in their wheelhouse, I’ve turned to independent artisans on Etsy.

A Wizard of Oz-inspired wooden sign from The Country Workshop is a perfect find for any friend of Dorothy in your life. You can choose from “A Heart Is Not Judged by How Much You Love, But by How Much You Are Loved by Others,” “I Have Flying Monkeys . . . And I’m Not Afraid to Use Them” and the one I purchased “Nobody Gets in to See the Wizard . . . Not Nobody, Not No How!” etsy.com/shop/CountryWorkshop The Country Workshop

TheFive15’s shop has many prayer candles perfectly suited for those that love RuPaul’s Drag Race or a David Rose mug to start your day and also encompasses history-making women like Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Vice President Kamala Harris on a number of items. etsy.com/shop/TheFive15 Lady Creepshow Couture obviously has items that fall into the creepy category, but she also features some great ornaments with images from Pose, Schitt’s Creek and The Wizard of Oz, plus the definitely unique He-Man as a leather daddy plaque for sale. etsy.com/shop/ladycreepshowcouture So, there you have it, alternative methods to make the season bright, courtesy of those that spend countless hours in handmaking their endeavors to produce one-of-a-kind items. Happy holidays!

Lady Creepshow Couture

The Five15

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www.rage.lgbt | DECEMBER 2021

on stage

by brad hart

AMERICAN BALLET THEATRE’S THE NUTCRACKER As the lights dim and Tchaikovsky’s beautiful score fills the air, young Clara enters a dreamlike journey amid magical toy soldiers, mischievous mice, sparkling snowflakes and a glittering Christmas tree.

Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Costa Mesa will present the return of its beloved holiday tradition – American Ballet Theatre’s (ABT) captivating production of The Nutcracker – December 10 through 12 and December 15 through 19. This edition features ABT’s international all-star cast and students from Segerstrom Center’s American Ballet Theatre William J. Gillespie School. ABT has a long, storied history of producing several critically acclaimed productions of this classic tale over the years (previous versions were by Mikhail Baryshnikov and ABT Artistic Director Kevin McKenzie). With its timeless music by Tchaikovsky and fairytale costumes and exotic dances, The Nutcracker is the perfect way to celebrate the season.

With a cast of more than 100 performers, ABT’s The Nutcracker features set and costumes by Richard Hudson (Tony Award winner for The Lion King), with choreography by ABT Artist in Residence Alexei Ratmansky. The Orange County Register praised it as a “colorful, cinematic creation filled with spectacle, humor and eye-popping costumes.”

PRIDE NIGHT AT THE CENTER Join Segerstrom Center for a special LGBTQ community night at The Nutcracker on Wednesday, December 15. Included with your Orchestra Section ticket (rows Q-S) are one premium drink coupon and a beautiful Kurt Adler holiday ornament. Use code PRIDENIGHT at checkout. scfta.org

MIDTOWN MEN HOLIDAY

EBENEZER SCROOGE’S

BIG SAN DIEGO CHRISTMAS SHOW San Diego has another show in its Christmas stocking with this fast, funny and highly theatrical reimagining of one of the most beloved holiday stories ever told. All the traditional elements of Dickens’s A Christmas Carol are intact — including the iconic ghosts of Christmases Past, Present and Future — but with a comic local twist. Audiences of all ages will cheer Ebenezer Scrooge’s rediscovery of the Christmas spirit in this riotous Dickens mash-up filled with music and laughter — all set in “wintery” San Diego.

Ebenezer Scrooge’s BIG San Diego Christmas Show had its West Coast premiere at The Old Globe in 2019. It will play in The Globe’s Sheryl and Harvey White Theatre in Balboa Park in San Diego. Performances continue through Sunday, December 26. theoldglobe.org

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www.rage.lgbt | DECEMBER 2021

This “high-octane musical tour de force” will bring a holiday-hits concert to Orange County. Reuniting stars from the Broadway hit Jersey Boys, the Midtown Men will join the Pacific Symphony to deck the hall with festive cheer, timeless tunes, top-shelf choreography and incredible vocal performances. This festive evening of songs and stories will feature iconic Yuletide classics such as “Winter Wonderland,” “Let It Snow” and “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” as well as the group’s signature renditions of the greatest rock ‘n’ roll hits of the 1960s.

Come celebrate “the most wonderful time of the year” with these seasoned Broadway veterans on Friday and Saturday, December 17 and 18, at the Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall. The orchestra will open the concert with an arrangement of holiday favorites. pacificsymphony.org

JOHN LLOYD YOUNG’S BROADWAY The Tony and Grammy award-winning artist will return to Orange County from Wednesday, December 15 through Friday, December 17, with three shows at the Samueli Theatre at the Segerstrom Center for the Arts. In his signature passionate and thrilling style, John Lloyd Young interprets the spine-tingling, soul-bearing showstoppers that shaped his earliest Broadway aspirations. With music director Tommy Faragher on piano, Young sings from Jersey Boys, The Wiz, Chicago, Hair, Dreamgirls and more, along with classics by legendary Broadway writers including Rodgers, Hart, Hammerstein and Loesser.

As the original Frankie Valli in Broadway’s Jersey Boys, Young garnered unprecedented New York and national media accolades. He became the only American actor to win all four Leading Actor in a Musical honors for a Broadway debut: the Tony, Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle and Theatre World awards. Young was hand-picked by director Clint Eastwood to reprise his role in the Warner Bros. film adaptation, becoming one of only a select few actors in entertainment history to take his Tony-winning part to the big screen. scfta.org

A CHRISTMAS CAROL

The timeless holiday tale is back at Cygnet Theatre in Old Town San Diego for its seventh season of cheer.

A Christmas Carol has become a fan favorite, with San Diegans making Scrooge, the Spirits and the Cratchit family part of their holiday tradition. This year the show features the same warm story of hope and redemption, along with new cast members. So, get ready to step into a Victorian Christmas card for a unique storytelling experience through Sunday, December 26.

Written by Charles Dickens and adapted by Sean Murray, this production is a reimagined take on the holiday classic featuring lively music, unique puppets and live sound effects.

“As we’ve been rehearsing to bring our Christmas Carol back for audiences, I reflect on the uncertainty and isolation so many of us patiently rode out, longing to be able to see each other and celebrate each other again,” Murray said. “Like Old Scrooge, we found ourselves alone, hunkered down and just getting through it all. But time can heal. And reconnection with each other has been our glorious reward. I’m thrilled to once again tell the story of one man’s reconnection with his family, his community and his humanity.”

Cygnet is again offering complimentary Healthcare Heroes tickets to express appreciation for their efforts over the past year and a half. cygnettheatre.com

COCKTAIL HOUR: THE SONGS OF THE RAT PACK

Ring in the new year in style! Cocktail Hour: The Songs of the Rat Pack celebrates the songs of Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and Sammy Davis Jr. Enjoy the vocal stylings of Patrick Barnitt, Joshua Cavanaugh, Matt Forbes and Michael Washington as well as a 10-piece big-band orchestra under the direction of Duane Benjamin. Expect to hear tunes like “All of Me,” “Ain’t That a Kick,” “That’s Life,” “Under My Skin,” “The Best Is Yet to Come” and “My Funny Valentine.” Come down to the California Center for Arts, Escondido on Friday, December 31 for “cocktail hour” and a New Year’s Eve soiree to remember. artcenter.org

DECEMBER 2021 | @theragemonthly

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