RAGE MONTHLY JUNE 2022 NATIONAL PRIDE

PRIDE MONTH

FESTIVALS & ENTERTAINMENT

RUFUS WAINWRIGHT

AND HIS GARLAND OF SONGS

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA JUNE 2022

HAPPY 100TH BIRTHDAY JUDY!

SUMMER MOVIE LOVIN’

A MUSICAL CELEBRATION STARRING DEBBIE WILEMAN

OUR HOT LIST

A NEW

QUEER AS FOLK FOR A NEW GENERATION

15 ANNIVERSARY ISSUE TH

LIFESTYLE

EVENTS

FASHION

ENTERTAINMENT

NIGHTLIFE

COMMUNITY

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

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CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Tom Andrew, 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 & Table of Contents © Ekhphoto SUBSCRIPTIONS – One year (12 issues): $45.00 Direct all editorial and subscription orders to our office or website.

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JUNE 2022

VOLUME 16 ISSUE 1

CONTENTS 12 LGBTQ COMMUNITY 18 COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHT PRIDE BY THE BEACH 20 PRIDE FESTIVALS, CELEBRATIONS FOR LGBTQ COMMUNITY 24 HOLLYWOOD SUMMER MOVIE LOVIN’ 30 THEATRE SPOTLIGHT HAPPY 100th BIRTHDAY JUDY GARLAND 34 THEATRE SPOTLIGHT FREESTYLE LOVE SUPREME 38 ON STAGE THIS MONTH 44 MUSIC SPOTLIGHT RUFUS WAINWRIGHT AND HIS GARLAND OF SONGS 48 RAGE RECOMMENDS 52 STREAM QUEEN A NEW QUEER AS FOLK FOR A NEW GENERATION 56 IMAGE DESIGNED WITH PRIDE FOR A NEW GENERATION 61 FITNESS

www.rage.lgbt| JUNE | MARCH 88 www.rage.lgbt 20222022

lgbtq community

by brad hart

PALM SPRINGS SHORTFEST The Palm Spring ShortFest will be presented from Tuesday, June 21 through Monday, June 27. The largest short film festival in the U.S., ShortFest will returning with in-theatre screenings, panels and roundtable discussions. Alongside June’s Pride Month, ShortFest remains a touchstone for LGBTQ cinema worldwide, annually curating an LGBTQ short film lineup and awarding in their Best LGBTQ Short category. This year, another selection of 20 to 30 LGBTQ shorts will be shown at the Camelot Theatre at the Palm Springs Cultural Center, along with the always festive GAY!LA program. Last year, award winners in the Best LGBTQ Short category included Eggshells (directed by Slava Doytcheva) and F1-100 (directed by Emory Chao Johnson).

Can’t make it in person? Watch from the comfort of your home and at your leisure.

ShortFest will screen a selection of award winners and audience favorites online from Friday, July 1 through Sunday, July 10. A virtual pass will grant you full access to short film favorites from the 2022 edition. psfilmfest.org

SAN DIEGO WAVE FC

PRIDE NIGHT

CELEBRATE THE LGBTQ CENTER LONG BEACH This summer’s hottest ticketed charity event in Long Beach will be back with elegance, sophistication and entertainment to celebrate the achievements of the LGBTQ community. This year’s bash will be held on Saturday, June 25 at the Long Beach Convention and Entertainment Center. It will include a cocktail reception, dinner, a live and silent auction, a dance party, and a program of entertainment and recognition of notable LGBTQ locals. Stick around for the official afterparty with dancing, desserts and music by DJ Jovanah G. Five awards will be presented at this year’s gala. Honorees include the Warrior Award to Alexandra Billings, the Political Icon Award to Tim Patton and the Community Icon Award to South Coast Chorale.

Black & White Ball is The LGBTQ Center Long Beach’s biggest annual fundraiser. 2022 introduces a theme for the first time in the event’s history: Wonderland. The attire for the ball is traditionally black and white. Still, attendees are encouraged to boldly bling up their outfits to capture the spirit of wonderland, a feeling of surprise caused by something beautiful, unexpected or inexplicable.

All proceeds from the ball will support the many programs and services of The Center, the largest publicly supported LGBTQ direct services organization in greater Long Beach, which supports more than 25,000 clients per year. centerlb.org/bwball

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San Diego’s new women’s professional soccer team will sponsor Pride Night on Wednesday, June 8 at Torero Stadium. San Diego Wave FC stars two-time World Cup champion and Olympic gold medalist Alex Morgan. She is one of the greatest soccer players of all time and a fierce advocate for equality and reform in her sport. $1 from every ticket sold for Pride Night will benefit San Diego Pride. San Diego Wave FC will also have a Pride rally towel giveaway for attendees. sdpride.org/event/san-diego-wave-fcpride-night

lgbtq community

by brad hart

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA’S NEWEST LGBTQ COMIC CON

OUT AT THE FAIR

Prism Comics, the nonprofit championing LGBTQ visibility, diversity and inclusion in comics, graphic novels and popular media, will present Q Con: Southern California’s newest LGBTQ comic con. The event will take place on Saturday, June 18 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Fiesta Hall in West Hollywood.

Q Con is family friendly and free, providing pre-teens through adults with the opportunity to find a wide variety of comics and graphic novels affirming LGBTQ representation at one exciting, colorful event. It will celebrate the fantastic diversity of LGBTQ comics, games and popular media today and feature creators from indie comics to major publishers. Meet creators, get autographs and sketches, and mix with other comics fans. Cosplay is encouraged and attendees can enter the costume contest for fun and prizes. Q Con is supported by a grant from the City of West Hollywood’s Arts Division as part of the city’s WeHo Pride LGBTQ Arts Festival. prismcomics.org/q-con

Come one, come all to the San Diego County Fair on Sunday, June 12. Out at the Fair, the official LGBTQ festival of the fair, will return with a full day of family-friendly fun and entertainment.

Gates will open at 11 a.m. and the Out at the Fair events are included with your general admission ticket. Performances on the Paddock Stage (Out at the Fair Central) will run from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Get ready for Cheer San Diego Extreme, Story Time with Landa Plenty, the annual Out at the Fair Glam Show and San Diego Kings Club. Plus, Family Fit ‘Zumba Time, Who’s That Girl: The Ultimate DIVA Experience, The Family Jewels, 2022 Out at the Fair group photo and more. Enjoy musical entertainment

by Snubby J, TeawhYB, Torrey Mercer and LA pop-rock band KingQueen. outatthefair.com/sdfair

GLOW WALK FOR LOVE Riverside LGBTQ Pride will glimmer and shine up the night with a fun, new fundraiser that will be at the University of California, Riverside (UCR), on Saturday, June 18. The nonprofit encourages attendees to dress in costumes and glow novelties to illuminate the evening while walking to raise money for the charity.

The event will be co-hosted by the LGBT Resource Center of the University of California, Riverside.

“We are thrilled that we can bring such an event to our campus and help support the Riverside Pride Event that has been missing from our vibrant community for years.” said Megan Rush, the center’s program director.

“This will be a Pride month event like no other,” said Troy Yu, the event organizer. “We’re so excited to partner with UCR and light up the campus for Pride month.”

After an opening ceremony, participants will be cheered by a drag cheerleading squad as they choose to walk or run their number of pledged miles for charity. Spectators are welcomed to cheer participants and mingle with the many vendors and food trucks that will be present at the event.

Prizes will be given out at the night’s end to the highest donors and best and most outrageous outfits.

“This is a great opportunity to create and build a bigger and more connected LGBTQ+ community throughout Riverside,” Rush said. “Few things are as better than being in a community in a postCOVID-19 world, so wear all your neon favorites and join us for lots of fun and love.”

“We hope to bring together everyone to heal rifts and build bridges within our community.” Yu said. “In order to succeed against all the new forms of adversity we’re facing these days, we’ll need to work together.” riversideprideie.org

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lgbtq community

by brad hart

SAN DIEGO EQUALITY AWARDS Equality California brings the voices of LGBTQ people and allies to institutions of power in California and across the United States. With over 900,000 members, it is the nation’s largest statewide LGBTQ civil-rights organization and California’s only LGBTQ civil-rights organization working locally and nationally. On Friday, June 17 the San Diego Equality Awards will honor the inspirational organizations and leaders whose selfless work helps create a healthy, just and fully equal world for all LGBTQ people. Celebrate with Equality California under the stars at one of the city’s most beautiful outdoor venues, Humphreys by the Bay. eqca.org

CONSTELLATIONS CULTUREEDIT Gallery will display a solo exhibition of works by queer American multimedia artist Tyler Matthew Oyer. Titled CONSTELLATIONS, the exhibit will feature 20 analog portraits of friends, lovers, mentors and inspirations — a method of photographing that focuses on the tender connections and bonds we form as we orbit each other and move throughout this world. Oyer’s subjects include artists across disciplines: Ashley Huizenga, Barbara T. Smith, Casey Spooner, Christeene, Frederick Weston, Hayden Dunham, K8 Hardy, Kembra Pfahler, Robert Alfons and Sebastian Hernandez, to name a few, representing a community changing the art world’s status quo. Also on view are two ceramic wall-pieces of faces, serving as an extension of his drawings and made to represent portraiture through a different media.

Oyer has also released three original music albums: Release Deluxe (2017), No Temple (2020) and Tenderness (2022). The exhibition coincides with the launch of Tyler’s first book titled PORTRAITS. The exhibition will run through Thursday, June 23 at CULTUREEDIT Gallery in Los Angeles. cultureedit.com

DEAR QUEER SELF: AN EXPERIMENT IN MEMOIR

LOS ANGELES LGBT CENTER Celebrate Pride Month with your community at the Los Angeles LGBT Center’s annual Pride event on Sunday, June 26. Picnic at Hollywood Forever and enjoy drag performances, live DJ, Pride giveaways and more. Benefiting the center’s programs and services, Pride night will feature picnic space on the Fairbanks Lawn, tunes by DJ Nico Craig, drag performances by Amber Crane and Lauren Banall, and vogue performances from Chauncey Dominique.

Available for purchase will be specialty cocktails from Tito’s Handmade Vodka and food from L.A.’s best food trucks including Vegan AF, Go Beyond the Bowl, and Go Fusion & Grill. Bring your own blanket, chairs, food and drink. Make sure to get the free swag and participate in various photo activations. lalgbtcenter.org

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On Tuesday, June 7, queer Los Angeles author and UC Irvine professor Jonathan Alexander will read from his unconventional memoir at Book Soup in West Hollywood. Dear Queer Self is written in the second person and revisits the years 1989, 1993 and 1996.

“I imagined striking up a conversation with my younger self who I discovered to be someone who needed far more care and concern than he got,” Alexander said. The memoir is an observation, a reflection on Alexander’s life so far, and his attempt to tell young Jonathan that he’s still working on it. When asked if the moral of his memoir is “it gets better,” he said, “Fuck that. For queer people, it doesn’t necessarily ‘get better,’ but viewed through our experiences, it does get more interesting, richer.” booksoup.com

BOOK NOW AT SYCUAN.COM GUESTS MUST BE 21+ TO ENTER THE CASINO. PLEASE PLAY RESPONSIBLY.

community spotlight

by lisa lipsey

RAINBOW FUN UNDER THE SUN! PRIDE BY THE BEACH RETURNS TO OCEANSIDE

D

owntown Oceanside’s Civic Center Plaza is gearing up for the return of Pride. So let’s get together! Be out, be proud and be ready to have some fun at North County Pride by the Beach.

It’s just around the corner on Saturday, June 11 from noon to 6 p.m.

The free event includes two stages of entertainment, exhibitors, food vendors, an art walk, free swag and activities for all ages.

The RAGE Monthly caught up with North County Pride by the Beach’s emcee Butterfly Luv Hugz to talk about this year’s highlights and what she loves most about Pride and North County.

Luv Hugz said she is looking forward to performances by Ferris Wheel, Queer Boi Band, The Holy Rainbow Club, Joey Pearson, hip hop artist Tony Ocean and Go Scarlet.

“Drag shows are happening all day including Mz. Karaoke, and we are doing a pet contest too,” she said. “Performances will be on the hour at the main stage and every half-hour on the community stage. Plus, we have DJ Clara Beats and DJ Topeka Clemintine ‘Kai.’ My partner emcee is the fabulous drag queen Paris Sukomi Max.” Luv Hugz (she/her/hers) grew up on the South Side of Chicago. “As a Black queer woman, I was always seeking community,” she said. “Four years ago, when I moved to North County, I came across the North County LGBTQ Resource Center, and I have been serving as a leader ever since. I served as emcee of our virtual pride festivals during 2020 and 2021.”

“I am definitely excited to be back on a stage in person this year! We have such a great lineup of performers, and I really love that we are supporting local artists from North County. People who sing uplifting songs, who sing about gay experiences, dating and falling in love. North County Pride by the Beach loves supporting up-and-coming local artists who are queer or artistic allies and who love this community. They don’t

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often have places to perform outside of bars and restaurants. We love lifting up their voices and giving them a bigger, safe stage to strut their stuff and perform,” she said.

Luv Hugz was born to be an emcee and speaker: “You know, ever since I was a little girl, and our family would take a summer road trip, a six-hour drive to see family in Ohio, I would sit in the back-seat, right-side window and look at the farms passing by and daydream. I would see myself standing in front of a room, on a stage or on a platform, always speaking to a room full of people. I spoke at the Mayo Clinic, I taught high school for eight years, I’ve won awards from Toastmasters. I am an inspirational speaker and empowerment coach for teens and young adults, particularly Black and LGBTQ young people. When I was teaching, I hosted the Black Student Union and the Gay/Straight Alliance in my classroom. I just want to connect with people and pour love into our community.”

Luv Hugz concluded: “North County Pride by the Beach is a familyfriendly, drug- and alcohol-free event. We want to welcome people where they are at in their journey. If you are on a journey toward sobriety, you can be comfortable. If you care to drink, there are friendly restaurants and bars nearby to have dinner after the festival closes. We hope to be positive, uplifting and pour some joy into our queer youth.

At the event, attendees can purchase raffle tickets or make a donation in honor of the North County LGBTQ Resource Center’s Linda Johnson Youth Scholarship Fund. This day is about being together, sharing resources, enjoying the arts and music, pride, hope, and maybe some healing. It is life-affirming! Enjoy!” pridebythebeach.org Follow Butterfly Luv Hugz on Instagram at butterflyluvhugz Learn more about the programs of the North County LGBTQ Resource Center at ncresourcecenter.org

pride

by jay jones

LGBTQ PRIDE MONTH FESTIVALS AND CELEBRATIONS

ORANGE COUNTY LGBT PRIDE Saturday, June 25

OC Pride will return after a two-year hiatus with the Love Out Loud!

Festival taking place in downtown Santa Ana. The free event will begin with the OC Pride parade at 10:30 a.m. and the main festival follows from 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Entertainment headliners include Mo Heart (previously known as Monique Heart) from RuPaul’s Drag Race. Also appearing will be Big Dipper, Pepper MaShay, Madison Rose and Boi Band. The 2022 festival promises to be bigger with additional stages and new zones. Look for the Pride Stage, Orgullo Stage, the Adult Kink and Leather Space powered by ONYX, Love Out Loud Dance Tent powered by iHeart Media, the new Trans Lounge, Family Zone, and Teen Space.

WRUFF Events is producing the official kickoff party, Butch Please! on Friday, June 24 at the Yost Theater in Santa Ana. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to Orange County Pride supporting local LGBTQ communities. prideoc.com

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TRANS PRIDE LA

Thursday, June 16 - Saturday, June 18 The Los Angeles LGBT Center will host the annual Trans Pride LA, one of the nation’s oldest and most significant celebrations of the TGI/ ENBY+ (Trans, Gender Non-Conforming, Intersex, Non-Binary & Gender Expansive) community. The festivities will occur at the center’s Village at Ed Gould Plaza and Anita May Rosenstein Campus in Los Angeles.

“After two years of virtual Trans Pride events, we are looking forward to the return of this joyous event to The Village and Anita May Rosenstein Campus,” said Gina Bigham, the program manager of the center’s Trans* Lounge and event organizer. “These last two years have been extremely hard on our community. As we watch the continued assault on trans rights across the country, we are determined to celebrate and show the world our strength and resilience.”

Trans Pride LA will begin with a job fair presented by the center’s Transgender Economic Empowerment Project. Thursday evening, join Club Intersex for From Invisible to Inclusion, an intersectional discussion on intersex experiences and issues. This uplifting program will

bring together a panel of the intersex community’s thought leaders and activists who will highlight each panelist’s unique, intersectional lens.

Friday evening, for the 12th consecutive year, Trans Pride LA will host the center’s ongoing community forum series, Big Queer Convo.

This year’s special guest will be Latine/x non-binary/gender fluid actor and activist Vico Ortiz from the HBO Max series Our Flag Means Death.

Admission to Big Queer Convo is free. Register at lalgbtcenter.org/ transpride.

“We are delighted, after the hiatus caused by the pandemic, to welcome our community back to the center’s Anita May Rosenstein Campus for this beautiful celebration of Pride and visibility,” said Joe Hollendoner, the center’s incoming CEO. “Trans Pride is a signature event of Pride month, and the center is proud to continue our role organizing it.”

After the Big Queer Convo, the evening will continue with the gallery opening of SYZYGY, curated by Marval A Rex, and featuring an interdisciplinary cornucopia of artworks. The exhibition will contain video work, painting, mixed media and drawings from a dynamic selection of TGI/ ENBY+ artists living and working in Los Angeles.

On Saturday, the celebration will continue with a self-defense workshop presented by Harmony Lee, a flower crown-making workshop in honor of trans icon Marsha P. Johnson. In addition, free food trucks will be available and nearly 50 organizations will participate in a resource fair. Information on a wide array of services and programs vital to the TGI/ENBY+ community will be made available to attendees.

Saturday evening activities will include a Happy Hour presented by Tito’s Handmade Vodka and The VarieTy Show. This year, the show will offer an array of performers, including host Abdullah Hall (artistic director, Trans Chorus of Los Angeles), singers Ty Deran and Jakk Fynn, comedian Seven Graham, spoken word artist Jaden Fields, aerialists Louis Reyes Chavez & Samuel Petre, performance artist Yozmit, the Trans Chorus of LA and a drag performance by Vico Ortiz, aka Vico Suave. transpride.lalgbtcenter.org

CATALINA PRIDE Saturday, June 18

Love Catalina Island Tourism Authority will welcome the first largescale Pride event to the island. Held from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., festivities will include live entertainment, music and a Pride march supporting the LGBTQ community. “It is an honor to bring the first large-scale Catalina Pride event to the island,” said Jim Luttjohann, Love Catalina Island president & CEO. “LGBTQ+ equality is an important issue that we as a tourism organization and community feel strongly about and wholeheartedly support. We are thrilled to be partnering with such incredible talent and invite all LGBTQ+ community members and allies to join us for a fun-filled day in celebration of love.”

The Pride march will begin at noon in the Center of Avalon at Wrigley Stage. Don your rainbow attire and join in a fun march that will continue along the boardwalk to the iconic Casino Point. This year’s musical lineup will feature DJ Asha, a six-time host for LA Pride, and DJ Groovesection, a three-time DJ for Long Beach Pride. Wrigley Stage will feature a preview of the upcoming YouTube show Mugs hosted by drag queens Miss Patty and Anita Diemund along with performances from the Long Beach Cheer squad, roller skaters and more. Attendees can enjoy free admission to a beer garden from noon to 7 p.m. The beer garden will offer a variety of beers and the special edition Bud Light Pride Rainbow beer bottles, which will also be served at participating restaurants throughout the weekend.

In addition, the historic Catalina Island Casino will be lit in rainbow colors to showcase Catalina’s love and support for the LGBTQ community. Limited edition merchandise, including Love Catalina Pride T-shirts and sweatshirts emblazoned with the memorable LGBTQ Pride Love Catalina burgee flag logo on the front, can be ordered online. lovecatalina.com/pride

SAN FERNANDO VALLEY PRIDE Saturday, June 25

Celebrate a historic annual event for the LGBTQ community in the San Fernando Valley among 2,000+ community members. This grassroots Pride event will offer networking, live entertainment, art installations, poetry, interactive art marking, a healing wellness tent, a drag pageant, a vogue ball, venders, food tastings, a youth scholarship, and community building. Support the distinctive San Fernando Valley Pride organized by and for LGBTQ people of color who work year-round for the 818 communities. Somos Familia Valle is the San Fernando Valley community-based organization created and led by local, low-income, first-generation college students who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, queer or other sexual and gender minorities people of color. Somos Familia Valle was founded in 2014 and started the first San Fernando Valley Pride March & Conference later that year in Panorama City with the theme Coming Out of the Shadows. It sprouted the 100% volunteerled grassroots LGBTQ movement in the Valley. somosfamiliavalle.org

JUNE 2022 | @theragemonthly

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SAMO PRIDE

Wednesday, June 1 – Thursday, June 30 Santa Monica’s citywide celebration will be anchored by Miles of Pride, a vibrant light installation spanning the Third Street Promenade and Santa Monica Place. Other city landmarks, including City Hall, Santa Monica Pier, and the Main Street Santa Monica Travel and Tourism visitor’s center, will also have lighting displays as an extension of Miles of Pride. These installations will illuminate the sky with a rainbow of colors and serve as a backdrop for a full calendar of events that celebrate the LGBTQ community, individuality, inclusivity and acceptance.

The first SaMo PRIDE event will kick off Friday, June 3 at Santa Monica Place, which will host the Made with PRIDE Marketplace every Friday through Sunday in June. The retail marketplace showcases over 15 Southern California LGBTQ business owners, highlighting their stories, unique products and services. Santa Monica Place will also host a live DJ spinning every weekend throughout the month, where guests can enjoy music under Lanterns of Love. This overhead-colored lantern installation spans across Center Plaza.

Downtown Santa Monica, Inc. will host live events on the Third Street Promenade Friday, June 17 through Sunday, June 19. The popular Mortified Podcast will present a particular SaMo Pride installment featuring stories shared by members of the queer community in front of a live audience. The outdoor market bazaar, Angel City Market, will bring together minority-owned small businesses for a day of shopping, good drinks and community connection on June 18. The market will feature hand-crafted items from artisans and Pride-themed goodies and activations. SaMo Pride’s dance master, Dane Sorenson, will lead the high-energy dance aerobics class Dancing with Dane on Sunday, June 19, suited for all ages and abilities.

Two art installations by James Kinsley Daniel titled “I Stand with Trans Youth” and “I Love My Queer Family” will be on view on the Promenade.

Curated by Allies in Arts, these interactive pieces respond to current rises in transphobic legislation and rhetoric, allowing visitors to pose with and photograph the installations to show support for trans youth and queer family.

The Santa Monica Pier will celebrate the community with a unique display. The iconic and historic windows of the Pier’s Merry-Go-Round will be brought to life by celebrating all things Pride.

The city is dedicated to increasing visibility and understanding of the broad spectrum of gender identities and experiences within the LGBTQ community. The city celebrates Pride with the monthlong lighting of

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City Hall in rainbow colors and a series of educational, uplifting events during June. Community events will include the Party with a Purpose mixer and fundraiser on June 2, Queer Prom at the Water Garden on June 18, a Pride Sunset Swim at the Annenberg Community Beach House on June 24, and the City Council’s Pride Proclamation on June 28. smpride.com

LA PRIDE

Saturday, June 11 – Sunday, June 12 LA Pride in the Park is LA Pride’s in-person, festival-style event with an afternoon and evening of activities, music, vendors and exhibitors’ booths, sponsor activations, much food and drink, and 21-and-older beer gardens. The event will run from 1 to 11 p.m. on Saturday at Los Angeles State Historic Park. With over 30 acres of gorgeous green lawn and a capacity for 25,000, the 2022 LA Pride in the Park has the potential to be the best LA Pride ever.

Six-time Grammy-winning artist and longtime LGBTQ ally Christina Aguilera will headline LA Pride. She will be joined by Brazilian superstar Anitta, multi-genre singer-songwriter Syd, groundbreaking awardwinning trans actress and singer Michaela Jaé, and over a dozen other artists.

“We’re thrilled to have women, the majority of them LGBTQIA+ artists of color, lead our mainstage event to celebrate our return to Pride,” said Gerald Garth, vice president of community programming and initiatives. “Los Angeles represents a broad range of cultures, backgrounds and identities, especially across the BIPOC communities.

Bringing influential and diverse artists is a nod to the many different people reflected within our community.”

TikTok will serves as presenting sponsor for this year’s LA Pride Parade on Sunday on Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood. Come out and cheer for over 130 parade floats, marchers, trucks, exotic cars, twirlers, performers and more, marching in style as only the LGBTQ community of LA and its allies can. This year’s theme is #LoveYourPride, and you can celebrate with thousands of your closest friends in a spirit of unity, joy and fabulousness.

“More than ever, we’re thankful for the proactive support from our sponsors to help bring the parade and music event back to life after a two-year hiatus,” Garth said. “Pride is about celebrating and giving back to our LGBTQ+ family and we are thrilled to have partners like TikTok, who have committed to collaboration and support through our groundbreaking partnership.” lapride.org

hollywood

by tim parks

SUMMER MOVIE LOVIN’ 2022

S

o far this year, we’ve had some big-budget efforts that have served as a precursor to things to come this summer, with both hits and misses. Sandra Bullock and Channing Tatum starred in an “homage” — which is French for “rip off,” I believe — of the 1984 Kathleen Turner and Michael Douglas vehicle Romancing the Stone, with the eerily familiar plot of a romance novelist thrust into adventure with The Lost City. If you’re so inclined, it’s already streaming on Paramount+.

Jared Leto didn’t expect his film to be like his vampire character in Morbius, in terms of it sucking at the box office. While Nicolas Cage played with himself in The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent. Oh, played himself. My bad. And audiences were also treated to Downton Abbey: A New Era. And then there was this head-scratcher. At age 45, Alexander Skarsgård played son to 54-year-old Nicole Kidman as his on-screen mother.

I’m not a mathematician, or quelle surprise, that well-versed in female anatomy, but I think The Northman “may” have taken liberties with that weird bit of casting.

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness performed more boxoffice magic for Marvel, setting the stage for audiences to see movies in, gulp, an actual theatre. Now, the ensuing hotter months of the year will feature a plethora of contenders vying for your movie-going dollar, with some flicks that have been pushed back over the last two years. So, if WWIII doesn’t happen, or a new rise in coronavirus numbers doesn’t highjack another season, then this is your look at the summer movies of 2022.

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MAKE IT A BLOCKBUSTER NIGHT Back in 1975, Steven Spielberg brought Jaws to the masses, and is credited with creating the summer blockbuster. Fast forward to 2022 and these are the movies that are hoping for boffo box office. Naturally, it wouldn’t be a day ending in y if Hollywood didn’t throw heroics into the mix.

The Bob’s Burgers Movie was originally set to bring the animated TV show from the small screen to the big screen in “that year.” And now the misadventures of the Belcher family see them contending with a huge sinkhole opening in front of their burger joint, leaving Bob and Linda to figure out how to keep the business from sinking. Meanwhile, their offspring Tina, Louise and Gene try to uncover a mystery that may save the family business, all done in a musical format. Meat and showtunes?

Yeah, the gays “may” be down with that! Out now Another postponed release, Thor: Love and Thunder, has gay street cred on its side with the bisexual Valkyrie (Tessa Thompson) looking for love, while Korg (voiced by the film’s director Taika Waititi) will not be on the rebound, following the recent loss of his love. Plus, there’s a slightly homoerotic moment between Thor (Chris Hemsworth) and Guardians of the Galaxy’s Peter Quill (Chris Pratt) in the trailer. Meanwhile, Natalie Portman returns to the Marvel fold in a spectacular fashion as Jane Foster, having last been seen in the disappointing Thor: The Dark World.

She joins the fray to defeat the villainous Gorr the God Butcher (Christian Bale). July 8 The animated DC League of Super-Pets features Superman’s dog,

Krypto the Super-Dog, who enlists the aid of other four-legged heroes after the Justice League is kidnapped. The film also has some celebrity voiceovers in its corner, including John Krasinski as the Man of Steel, Keanu Reeves as the Dark Knight and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson as Krypto. July 29 With characters with names like an assassin called Ladybug (Brad Pitt) and Maria Beetle (Sandra Bullock), you might mistake Bullet Train as an adult remake of 1998’s animated A Bug’s Life. As it stands, the trained killer and his handler must contend with other hired help in procuring a briefcase on the titular speedy mode of transportation. August 5 Swoon-worthy Idris Elba stars in the thriller Beast. And thank Jeebus, because I was just commenting the other day that he should be doing more than those Booking.com commercials. Elba plays a recently widowed man — that means he’s single! — with two teenage daughters stalked by a lion out for blood in a South African game preserve. August 19 The biggest enemy that Sylvester Stallone, who headlines Samaritan, took on was getting the movie into theatres because of the pandemic.

First, there was a seven-month delay on production in 2020. Then, three release dates were nixed along the way. Making its theatrical debut even more suspect is that there is no trailer yet for the movie, whose plot features a young boy finding out that a superhero thought to have perished 20 years ago is alive and well. August 26. Maybe. Don’t quote me on it.

JUNE 2022 | @theragemonthly

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DO IT TO ME ONE MORE TIME The adage, “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” applies to these next few films, comprised of sequels.

And they say Hollywood is out of ideas! Oh, wait.

I always figured that a sequel to Top Gun would be called Bottom Gun. Probably just me. It usually is. Top Gun: Maverick is the oft-delayed and — cough, cough — 36 years in the making follow-up. Tom Cruise has promised new aerobatic stunts, but judging from Lady Gaga’s video for the “Take My Breath Away”-esque “Hold My Hand,” there also seems to be a lot of throwbacks to the original flick. These include Cruise racing a fighter jet on his motorcycle, Goose’s son (Miles Teller) singing “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’” in a bar and a volleyball scene. Hey, I’m not complaining about that one!

But I do have a bone to pick with the soundtrack producers, as there’s no new Kenny Loggins song, only his “Danger Zone “anthem being recycled. Throw Kenny a frickin’ bone! It’s not like he’s busy or something. Out now When I was 5, I could correctly name every dinosaur, even if I couldn’t pronounce spaghetti.

So, as an adult, I have a nerd chub about Jurassic World: Dominion. Primarily because of the addition of franchise legacy stars Sam Neill, Laura Dern and Jeff Goldblum joining Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard for more prehistoric mayhem. This time around, the plot revolves around man and dinosaurs trying to co-exist. I’m thinking that may prove to be a fitting analogy for the divide in modern-day America, minus the T-rex factor. Deep! June 10 In the abbreviated wedding luck tradition of something old and something new comes another third screen adaptation of Father of the Bride, following in the down the aisle footsteps of the 1950 Elizabeth Taylor original and the 1991 Steve Martin remake. That covers the something old portion of the show, with the focus shifting to Andy Garcia as the head of a Cuban-American family preparing for his daughter’s nuptials as this incarnation’s something new. June 16 on HBO Max Ever wonder who the Buzz Lightyear toy was based on? Yeah, me either. However, Lightyear sets out to highlight that very concept, with Chris Evans replacing Tim Allen as the voice of the astronaut who goes to infinity and beyond on an intergalactic adventure. June 17

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FUNNY BIDNEZZ If laughter is the best medicine, then these next few flicks should cure what ails ya. Unless you have herpes, because that brown expletive is forever.

Fire Island is Hulu’s take on updating Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice with a decidedly notstraight-up-with-a-twist approach, featuring an all-LGBTQ cast comprised of Joel Kim Booster, Margaret Cho, Bowen Yang, Matt Rogers, Torian Miller, Tomás Matos and Conrad Ricamora. The plot revolves around Noah (Booster) as the male equivalent of Elizabeth Bennett becoming captivated with the Mr. Darcy-like Will (Ricamora). June 3 Also streaming on Hulu is the dramedy Good Luck to You, Leo Grande — no relation to Ariana — that sees Emma Thompson getting her cougar on by hiring a young sex worker to put her unhappy marriage behind her. June 17. And in cinemas on that same day, Penélope Cruz and Antonio Banderas play a pair of egomaniacs challenged by a millionaire to film a movie together in Official Competition.

Keeping with her real-life love of collecting them stones like Thanos, I mean, “fictional brand of marriage,” Jennifer Lopez returns with Shotgun Wedding, her second matrimonial-themed comedy this year. June 29

continues on page 28

SO DRAMATIC!

On the flip side of the comedy coin, we have some drama queens who would like you to pony up your hard-earned coins to witness their histrionics.

All hail the King, as Elvis gets the biopic treatment, courtesy of director Baz Luhrmann. The film depicts the rise of the swivel-hipped singer (Austin Butler) that made a million panties — and a fair share of tighty whities — damp during the 1950s. The film also explores the contentious relationship with his manager Colonel Tom Parker (Tom Hanks). June 24 Another flick set during the 1950s is Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris, which details a widowed cleaning lady from London traveling to the City of Love after becoming a smitten kitten, infatuated with a couture Dior dress. Relatable, girl, relatable! July 15 The page-to-screen adaptation of Delia Owens’ bestseller, Where the Crawdads Sing, has had its fair share of controversy, even ensnaring America’s sweetheart Taylor Swift in it! Don’t worry, it’s her involvement in providing music for the film adaptation that’s ruffled some feathers. It’s not like she killed somebody! But on that note, it’s alleged that Owens and her ex-husband are wanted for questioning over a murder, circa 1995, in Zambia. Neat! July 15 Dale Dickey (Glyndora from Sordid Lives) hopes that meeting with an old flame, Lito (Wes Studi) will result in being better than A Love Song, a movie that is being likened to Nomadland. July 29

WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE SCURRY MOVIE? Perhaps this summer you can add a new answer to the question posed in Scream as to “what’s your favorite scary movie?” So far, we’ve seen Zac Efron playing a hot daddy to a Firestarter, out now in theatres and streaming on Peacock. While a group of spooky Norwegian kids proved they’re not The Innocents that the title proclaims, unleashing supernatural powers behind their parents’ backs. You scamps!

Did you know that Stephen King’s son is also a prolific horror writer?

No? Well, now you do. The Black Phone, another pushed-back project originally slated for January, is based on Joe Hill’s book and centers around a masked child abductor (Ethan Hawke) and the 13-year-old boy (Mason Thames) locked in his basement, who can speak to previous victims on — you guessed it — a black phone. June 24 Writer/director Jordan Peele (Get Out and Us) is keeping things mostly under wraps for his next movie Nope. Mostly. We do know that it involves aliens arriving in a small town, is an homage to sci-fi B-movies from the 1950s and will be full of subtext about the current

state of the world. The film stars Daniel Kaluuya, Keke Palmer, Steven Yeun and lists Knots Landing alum Donna Mills in the credits. Yup, she’s in Nope! July 22 The Bodies Bodies Bodies start piling, piling, piling, up, up, up in this horror/comedy starring Pete Davidson and Lee Pace as revelers at a gathering where a party game turns deadly! The Hokey Pokey ain’t nothing to fool around with. August 5 They/Them is a decidedly different take on the slasher genre, as trans and non-binary Jordan (Theo Germaine) leads a group of teens at a gay conversion therapy camp in battling a mysterious killer and the camp staff, as well. The film stars Kevin Bacon, returning to his Friday the 13th roots —or Frigay the 13th in this instance — as the owner of the camp.

August 5 on Peacock.

The producers of the movie Fear decided the time was right for a flick about vacationers facing the threat of an airborne contagion. That ought to pack theatres! August 26

CUT. PRINT. THAT’S A WRAP! Seeing as film releases are fluid these days, obviously dates are subject to change with some assembly required in rebuilding your schedule. And if you get, you know, something that lasts longer than four hours regarding a release date holding, uh, firm, consult your doctor. Until next time, that’s all the news that’s fit to print. .

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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

JUNE 2022 | @theragemonthly

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theatre spotlight

by tom andrew

Happy 100th Birthday Judy!

A MUSICAL CELEBRATION

DEBBIE WILEMAN STARS AS ONE OF THE GREATEST SINGERS OF OUR TIME

B

race yourself, it appears that Judy Garland did not die from a barbiturate overdose and has been living in seclusion at an unknown location. She plans to come to San Diego to do a one-night performance at the Balboa Theatre on Friday, June 17 in celebration of her 100th birthday — which is actually on June 10.

I’m sure MANY of us would like for this to be true but unfortunately it is a whimsical wish.

Judy did pass away on June 22, 1969. However, Debbie Wileman will be doing an uncanny recreation of the legendary gay icon at the Balboa Theatre.

Her tour, appropriately titled Happy 100th Birthday Judy! A Musical Celebration, is now touring. In addition to San Diego, the tour will be coming to Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York’s Carnegie Hall and Provincetown, to name a few.

Wileman created quite a stir during the COVID-19 epidemic when she posted a song a day on YouTube.

“The whole reason I’m being interviewed by you or having a tour even, is down to me recording myself on YouTube singing songs,” Wileman said. “This all came about because of a thing I started doing in lockdown called ‘A Song a Day’’ where I recorded myself singing a different song each day as myself, as Judy Garland, as Marilyn Monroe, etc. in the style of lots of people really, but mainly just me, and that’s how I came to be noticed in the first place!”

The main reason she decided to do this wasn’t to be noticed, but it was something she wanted to do to lift the spirits of her friends during the lockdown.

“I was basically a stay-at-home mum,” Wileman said, “who thought that when lockdown started, singing a song every day on Facebook for my 600 friends would be a nice thing to do: for anyone who was self-isolating or for anyone who was totally by themselves.

I ended up doing 100 days in a row and then after that, three videos a week for almost two

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years! At the beginning, it did ‘just happen’ as I wasn’t really thinking about lots and lots of people seeing it. It was more just for my friends, and they know what my kitchen or laundry room or car look like, so I wasn’t bothered about where I filmed it! It was more to get the song across and just connect with my friends.

The only thing that changed from my early videos is that my friend Katie Allen bought me an iPhone stand rather than having me hold the phone and record myself and have it look like ‘The Blair Witch Project.’”

Wileman impersonates many iconic singers like Streisand, Adele and Lady Gaga. She also had the chance to do the show Little Voice, which is the story of a very shy girl who listens to all the female greats and becomes an amazing impersonator.

“I was in a production of Little Voice (LV) 14 years ago, which toured Scotland for six months,” Wileman said. “So not only did I have to impersonate all the different divas I also had to pretend to be Scottish too! It was the first production of LV that Jim Cartwright (the author) had taken his children to. Being a big fan of these wonderful singers is an inspiration for me. The first time I sang in front of an audience, I was 11 at a school concert. Me and my friends did a spoof of a show called ‘Stars in Their Eyes’ and I sang ‘The Shoop Shoop Song’ — as Cher.”

Wileman is married and has a daughter, Sadie, who is 4. While she may be too young at the present time to sing with her “mum,” Sadie will get to see her on tour. Sadie and her dad will come along for part of the tour.

Wileman has become an overnight success.

The entertainment business can be fickle, and many performers who struggle to find the work constantly hear “If you can’t find work, create your own work!” Which is exactly what Wileman did. In a sense, she is quite the inspiration for all performers out there trying to make their dreams come true.

“To be honest that was me,” Wileman said.

“We all have to eat and pay bills so sometimes

you just have to ‘go and get a proper job’ but if you love something, I think you will always continue doing it for your own enjoyment, whether you are making money from it or not.

I tried to be a professional actress/singer in my early-20s after doing a performing arts degree at university. I had to, in some ways, give up the dream at the age of 24 as I needed more money to live. I never stopped singing but I hadn’t done anything professional for about 12 years when I started making the singing videos at the beginning of lockdown.”

Wileman realizes that while she started doing this to cheer up her friends, she grew to know that it took on a life of its own and she now has fans all over the globe.

“I am really looking forward to meeting a lot of the people from Facebook and YouTube,” Wileman said. “Through their comments and kind words, I feel like I have come to know [them] already. I started making these little singing videos just for the friends I already had and partly for myself, to give myself something to do. It was a scary and horrible time. I had not thought of further work or trying to make anything come from it. But it has been fantastic, and I feel that I have made lots of new friends. I made these videos, initially, to help people through the dark time of lockdown but they also ended up helping me through it too.

It gave me something to do and something to think about. I have connected with so many lovely people that I would not have met otherwise; whose lovely comments and encouraging words have cheered me, in what was a scary and unsettling time. So, it ended up being mutually beneficial.”

In a way Wileman almost sounds like the character Dorothy Gale, which made Garland so famous, when she surmises this whole journey.

“It is a lovely surprise that they have taken off in the way that they have,” Wileman said, “and that I am now doing things I could only have dreamed of.” scottstander.com/judy.html Tom Andrew is an award-winning freelance journalist specializing in all things entertainment, food, travel, art and occasional politics.

JUNE 2022 | @theragemonthly

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theatre spotlight

by andrew j. stillman

CELEBRATING DIVERSITY WITH When Hamilton’s Lin-Manuel Miranda and Thomas Kail paired up with musician Anthony Veneziale, their collective minds brought us Freestyle Love Supreme. This improv show, which debuted in 2004, is based around diversity and uses hip hop and rotating talent to tell a different story every night.

The show’s format for the night revolves around the audience throwing out a suggestion at the beginning. From there, the verb used sets the tone, and with a few more suggestions and volunteers throughout, a story is created.

“It’s actually based on John Coltrane’s ‘A Love Supreme,’” said current rapper for the show, Jay “Jellis J” Ellis, when he sat down with The RAGE Monthly to talk about what to expect. “We just added the hip hop spin to make it ‘Freestyle Love Supreme.’”

Regarding his addition to the show, Ellis said, “The cool thing about the crew is, I’m kind of in the next generation. We’re the ones who have been added on in the most recent iterations. The crew is so cool, and everyone always comes back and circulates all the time. All the originals, including Lin, come back to play.”

Showgoers may have a favorite in mind when they head in for the experience, but the cast switches every night, and you never know who you’re going to see — or what you’re going to get.

“We’re such a versatile cast,” Ellis said. “All of us can do more than one track, so we like to keep it fresh, and we move through all these different options as much as we can so it’s always fun and fresh.”

As for Ellis, Freestyle Love Supreme marks his Broadway debut. After spending 10 years working on his acting career in New York City, he decided to turn his focus to his side passion of rap and freestyling. From there, things started falling in place.

“When this rolled around, I said I wanted to link up and learn from them,” he said. “I started taking classes with them and then I was a facilitator with them. I began performing virtually during the pandemic, and that led to more and more live performances before I finally made my debut last fall.”

After losing his dad in 2020 and his mom in 2021, he said, “They were

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my biggest fans and supporters, and they were able to be a big part of the journey, so I feel very grateful. The best thing about this show is I get to be myself in here. Everywhere else I’m trying to be characters.

This show is really big on diversity. They embrace and celebrate my queerness, my gayness, my Blackness, my millenialness, and it is just so cool to be a part of a production that considers all of that a strength.”

Even though no two shows are exactly the same, Ellis said, “One of the best shows that was so special, I think, was actually this show we did in Washington, D.C. that was retelling the story of a cancer survivor. We got to celebrate a woman who had been told she had just passed a year cancer-free. That was so special for me to be able to express that in a way that is the true beauty of the human connection. Also, one show I got to play Beyonce. I will never forget that. I am part of the Beehive. I hope she reads this!”

The diversity of the queer cast is purposeful and, Ellis added, “We have non-binary members, gay members, bisexual members, lesbian members. The casting directors are intentionally looking to find voices that are left of center. Intentionally looking for the vision of the baseline crew who wants to make sure these voices are represented.

It’s all intentional. The show is doing what they can to make sure they are purposefully using that when they cast. That’s how we change our world, by choosing on purpose to use people who identify with these voices and project that to the masses.”

Even though Freestyle Love Supreme will make you laugh, it also promises you’ll leave feeling like you were part of the show.

“I’ve never never had a show where I didn’t feel connected with the audience by the time I left.”

You can catch Freestyle Love Supreme and connect with the cast for yourself at San Diego’s The Old Globe theatre from Tuesday, June 21 through Sunday, July 10 followed by a run at Pasadena Playhouse from Tuesday, July 12 through Sunday, August 7. freestylelovesupreme.com

photo of jay c. ellis Andrew J. Stillman is a writer of fantasy stories and freelance content. In his spare time, he makes YouTube videos and explores the world on his travel blog at lifeinanotherworld.com. Follow him @andrewjstillman on all the things.

JUNE 2022 | @theragemonthly

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on stage

by brad hart

HOLLYWOOD FRINGE FESTIVAL

THE RADY SHELL AT JACOBS PARK San Diego Symphony’s new outdoor summer home along San Diego Bay in the heart of the downtown is being hailed as an architectural wonder. The second season at The Rady Shell at Jacobs Park will run June through the end of September.

From classical concerts to Broadway, jazz, R&B, film and rock, the diverse programming will highlight the city’s worldclass orchestra, showcase some of the world’s top musical talents, and further establish the venue as a vital music destination for the region.

“Opening our long-awaited venue last summer — The Rady Shell at Jacobs Park — was an indescribable moment, and it marked a new chapter for the San Diego Symphony, community and region,” said Martha Gilmer, San Diego Symphony CEO. “As we approach the 2022 Conrad Prebys Summer Season, we are ecstatic to be able to bring together Rafael Payare and the San Diego Symphony with magnificent guest artists across many musical genres, from Joyce Yang to Common, as well as Boyz II Men and Jennifer Hudson.

The 2022 summer season will have more concerts than in any previous year. We can’t wait to welcome our public back to our amazing venue this June — a special place where there is truly

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something for everyone.”

The outdoor season will kick off Friday, June 24 with Rafael Payare conducting the orchestra in a West Coast premiere piano concerto by VenezuelanAmerican composer Reinaldo Moya featuring Grammynominated pianist Joyce Yang as well as Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition. The weekend will continue Saturday, June 25 with R&B icons Boyz II Men alongside the San Diego Symphony, conducted by Christopher Dragon. It will conclude on Sunday, June 26 with Straight, No Chaser: The Music of Thelonious Monk featuring Gilbert Castellanos.

“Making music at our new, iconic outdoor home is profoundly joyous and powerful,” said Rafael Payare, the symphony’s music director.

“This year marks the venue’s first full season of programming, and we have some incredible works in store — from longstanding traditions of the Tchaikovsky 1812 Spectacular and Beethoven by the Bay to performances with wonderful artists like Jennifer Hudson, as well as Flying Lotus and Hiatus Kaiyote. The momentum continues for our city and orchestra; the possibilities are endless!” theshell.org

Clearglass Productions will present a 2022 Hollywood Fringe Festival production of Cock by Mike Bartlett. Under the direction of Taubert Nadalini. There will only be eight performances at the Los Angeles LGBT Center’s Davidson/ Valentini Theatre. First performed at the Royal Court Theatre in London in 2011, Cock is the tale of a gay man torn after meeting and falling in love with a woman.

Visceral and funny, the play tackles thorny issues rarely seen onstage. Its honest and straightforward exploration of bisexuality suggests that gay or not, people fall in love with those who can give us happiness.

Monday, June 6 through Saturday, June 26 hollywoodfringe.org/projects/7408

TO T, OR NOT TO T? A COMEDIC TRANS JOURNEY THROUGH (T)ESTOSTERONE AND MASCULINITY Written and performed by acclaimed queer/transgender Tamil-Sri Lankan American actor/writer/comedian Dolor, To T, or Not To T? is an unapologetically bold and hilarious personal autobiographical one-person play. Featuring direction and dramaturgy by Adelina Anthony, the show follows D’Lo’s transformational journey of taking “T” starting from his childhood in Lancaster, California, towards the embodiment of beautiful masculinity. Along the way, the show explores the ways his relationship with his immigrant father, his love for hip hop and feminism, and his chosen family shaped his decisions as both an artist and a human. Commissioned as a workshop production by Dixon Place in New York City in 2017, To T, or Not To T? was initially produced at the Los Angeles LGBT Center.

Saturday, June 25 through Sunday, July 10 at Kirk Douglas Theatre centertheatregroup.org

"A UNIONNTRIBUNE MUSTTSEE!" WORLD-PREMIERE MUSICAL

EIGHTY-SIXED

BOOK BY JEREMY J. KING MUSIC AND LYRICS BY SAM SALMOND BASED ON THE NOVEL BY DAVID B. FEINBERG DIRECTED BY KEVIN NEWBURY CHOREOGRAPHED BY RAJA FEATHER KELLY

E X TENDED! NOW PLAYING THROUGH JUNE 26!

BJ Rosenthal is determined to keep the party going...

WWW.DIVERSIONARY.ORG | 619.220.0097 4545 PARK BLVD, SAN DIEGO, CA 92116

on stage

by brad hart

JULY 4 SPECTACULAR: THE MUSIC OF QUEEN This concert promises to rock you! Celebrate the immortal music of one of the most popular, ambitious and beloved classic rock bands ever and salute the Fourth in this one-of-a-kind tribute under the stars. The sonic power of the Pacific Symphony will join forces with a full band to perform Queen classic songs in a combination of passion and power. Joined by a high-energy band and vocalists Windborne, the orchestra performs hits such as “Bohemian Rhapsody,” “We Are the Champions,” “Killer Queen,” “Crazy Little Thing Called Love” and “Another One Bites the Dust.” The memorable evening will conclude with a sizzling fireworks show.

Monday, July 4 at FivePoint Amphitheatre pacificsymphony.org

INTERSTATE WORLD PREMIERE East West Players, the nation’s longest-running Asian American theatre and the largest producer of Asian American theatrical works, will host the world premiere of this pop-rock poetry musical. INTERSTATE follows Dash, a transgender spoken word performer who becomes internet-famous along with his best friend Adrian, a lesbian singersongwriter.

“East West Players is incredibly excited to bring the rolling world premiere of INTERSTATE to Los Angeles,” said Snehal Desai, producing artistic director. “It is a groundbreaking new musical. Poignant, smart and very funny, INTERSTATE invites an intersectional conversation in the Asian American community around sexuality, gender and identity.

It is also a story about the love between parents and children, friends, romantic partners and the way those bonds are tested for the long haul.

It’s an unforgettable road trip, and we are so proud to open this June in tandem with Pride month.”

INTERSTATE is a touching story about how two transgender people at different stages of their journey navigate love, family, masculinity, and finding a community in the era of social media. It tells two stories that eventually intersect. Fueled by the allure of fame and a desire to connect with their community, Dash and Adrian embark on a road trip across America for their first national tour. Their fiercely political and deeply personal music touches Henry, a transgender teenage boy living in small-town Middle America. He finds solace in their art as he struggles with his own identity and family. After blogging about the band and documenting his own gender journey, Henry decides to set out on a quest to meet his heroes in person, hoping to find answers to his own struggles.

Thursday, June 2 through Sunday, June 26 at David Henry Hwang Theater eastwestplayers.org

A CROWD-PLEASING, MUSIC-FILLED, LAUGHOUT-LOUD COMEDY A good ol’ boy in the Florida Panhandle in desperate need of work finds unexpected success — as a lip-syncing drag queen.

International City Theatre will present The Legend of Georgia McBride, a crowdpleasing, music-filled, laugh-out-loud comedy by Matthew Lopez. Directed by Jamie Torcellini, The Legend of Georgia McBride stars Taubert Nadalini (This Is Us on NBC, Sterling on HBO) as Casey, who is struggling to make ends meet as an Elvis impersonator at Cleo’s Lounge. Now his wife tells him that she’s pregnant. Not a good time to get fired. But Cleo’s is not doing well, and owner Eddie has replaced Casey’s act with a B-level drag show. Soon Miss Tracey and Rexy are shaking things up at the club. And teaching Casey a whole lot about show business in the process.

“This show is the perfect antidote to the anxiety and stress we’ve all been feeling,” ICT artistic director caryn desai said. “It’s flat out hilarious, with fantastic costumes and fabulous dance numbers. But it’s also quite touching. Audiences are going to love it.”

Friday, June 10 through Sunday, June 26 at Long Beach Performing Arts Center internationalcitytheatre.org

JUNE 2022 | @theragemonthly

41

music spotlight

by bill biss

RUFUS WAINWRIGHT AND HIS GARLAND OF SONGS RUFUS DOES JUDY AT CAPITOL STUDIOS FOR HER 2022 CENTENNIAL June 10, 2022: The entertainment world will mark Judy Garland’s centennial birth date. And a beautiful part of this acknowledgement will be presented by the incomparable Rufus Wainwright. His Rufus Does Judy at Capitol Studios release is a rich and layered musical tribute to her legendary status as an entertainer and unforgettable icon. And the music will be available that very day, June 10.

Rufus Wainwright spoke with The RAGE Monthly during a break between his touring, about his love behind Rufus Does Judy at Capitol Studios.

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JUNE 2022 | @theragemonthly

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Congratulations on this latest release. Was this another divine Judy inspiration? You had already amazingly created Judy’s concert at Carnegie Hall to acclaim; did you want to take that creation a bit further by heading into Capitol Records for this new release?

Judy has always had a leg up on me, you know.

She knew she learned these songs when she was an infant. So, I finally feel now that they’re in my bounds and that I can perform them effortlessly. It was a good time to go into the studio and capture this.

What changed for you in the delivery of the songs while you were recording them this time? You have spoken a bit about your feelings regarding the songs, but will you elaborate on that?

Well, it was done in a more “quote on quote” jazz fashion, in the sense that we did many takes eventually and just really got deep into the kind of groove of the ensemble, since it’s not, you know, with an orchestra. You could sort of play off each other more. I would say it’s more jazz.

Looking at the selection of the songs you present, is there even possibly one song out of the set that you favor more than the others and if so, why? Your rendition of “I Can’t Give You Anything But Love” is a favorite of mine.

On this release I’m very proud of “I Can’t Give You Anything But Love” as well. That’s definitely one of the high points. But for me, the watermark is always “A Foggy Day (in London Town).” Her Carnegie Hall version is always the one I’m trying to match, and I think finally on this recording I came close.

Who is having fun with the movie star clips that have been interspersed with your performance in the music videos, and was the initial idea one of yours?

A lot of those ideas are from my husband Jorn, who’s also my manager, and we work with a company called Beautiful Digital. I’m low on the totem pole, and in that arrangement, I just sort of say, “yay or nay” at the end and they always bring me something interesting, so it’s working out.

I saw you in that white shirt with the silver star bursts on it for “The Man That Got Away” video. Please tell me you had that custom made or if it is a shirt you can purchase? In

other words, what is the backstory on this beautiful piece?

Well, that shirt is even more special than what you’re not wearing. It’s the original shirt that I wore for the first Judy Garland concert at Carnegie Hall almost 20 years ago. (Wainwright performed this concert in 2006.) It was custom made for me

by Viktor&Rolf, and it’s one and only, so I’m sorry! (laughter) Understood. On “Come Rain or Come Shine” I think your rendition is faster in tempo than Judy’s. It seems that way to me.

Where did you breathe? Seriously. How many takes did you do on this song?

We did a few takes on that one. This is definitely the kind of most Olympian number of the set. I think I approached this one in a Sinatra-esque fashion, which is perhaps a little less emotional and more athletic. So yeah, it’s a little faster.

Please share how it truly worked out when you were recording, and Renee was listening. This was a very cool and inspired touch indeed. I bet it was excellent to have her of all people as your solitary audience member. I still enjoy her singing from Chicago and Judy.

Some of the tracks are live from when I performed them for Renee, for the live stream. But then for the other ones, which we didn’t feel we captured perfectly, we went back and did several and really dug into them.

Really love the arrangement of “I Can’t . . .” and the length deserves every minute of it. Truly enjoyed the break with just the musicians. You have a way of holding back on a song such as this and it’s to be applauded. How did you put “you” and your interpretation into this song?

Interestingly enough I would say, Judy Garland.

I think she’s incredible, but it is not my all-time favorite interpreter of this kind of material. My favorite is actually Peggy Lee, whose approach is always about restraint and about keeping the cards close to the chest. I try to combine both Judy’s fireworks and Peggy Lee’s smoldering embers. I’m kind of channeling Peggy a little bit.

You certainly did by all accounts. I have to say you made these recordings your own. It’s been a pleasure talking with you and the best of luck with the album and your current tour.

Thank you, Bill.

photo by tony hauser 46

www.rage.lgbt | JUNE 2022

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.

2007

rage recommends

by bill biss

PRIDE PLAY

FINALLY ENOUGH LOVE: 50 NUMBER ONES MADONNA “And you can dance . . . for inspiration.” Madonna has an offer you can’t refuse. It’s simply inspired by her 40th anniversary as a music maverick and after all these years she is still the reigning champ as the Queen of Pop. She corrals her 50 No. 1 Billboard Dance Club songs together in one collection with the grand promenade beginning on June 24 with a stream of “sweet” 16 dance remixes to lead your own Pride parade. Another reason to celebrate.

Madonna has reached a “never before achieved” accomplishment of being the first and only recording artist to achieve 50 No. 1 hits on ANY single chart! Who’s that girl . . . is right. Express yourself in the dance streams from the queen.

It’s no “secret” everybody, so let the music get into the groove, deeper and deeper. We all know Madonna is living for love and Finally Enough Love, the 16-track streaming set, launches this month. I’ll take the Deep Dish with Calderone & Quayle with some Junior Luscious and Honey Dijon, please.

Yes. All remixes remastered just for your listening enjoyment.

Fast forward to August 19 and that’s the day to celebrate all her big “50” No. 1’s all the way, with the complete collection of Finally Enough Love: 50 Number Ones being released. When I say released, it’s quite spectacular as either a three-CD set (with more than 20 rare mixes being released for the first time), a limited edition six-LP version — and all of this digitally as well. “Will you still need her, will you still feed her when she’s 64?” Just try and justify my love and give it 2 me.

Available June 24 and August 19

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DISCO AUTOMATIC TANZER She’s amazingly multitalented, queer and looks like Nancy Wilson from Heart with a Eurovision twist. Her videos combine all that’s “fabu” and are reminiscent of Dee-Lite. The groove is definitely “Ooh la la!” Pride month is here, and it is so grandly gay to introduce those not aware of the fabulous Tanzer. Her mini-album Disco Automatic is as she calls it “a lovely mad collection of everything I do.” One of the singles popping now is “Destination Love” and it’s a club thumper with a sass of style with The Huxleys joining in for a bit of the “Flash Gordon” visual experience. Bite into her ABBA-esque “Deep Fried Disco” and just enjoy the new taste of the classically fresh sounds of Tanzer. Six songs and five remixes are delivered on Disco Automatic. She is sure to make you spin around with a smile as a singer, songwriter, DJ and visual artist on the scene.

Available now

HOW TO LET GO SIGRID “Life is about letting go and moving on,” as Sigrid says. For her sophomore album, she does just that musically in a powerful pop expose with the emotional and positive release of her feelings. Plus, her latest compositions perk with a pop/dance sensibility that is infectious. From the starting song “It Gets Dark” on How To Let Go, she takes off as fast as light for a spirited spin around the cosmos of night. Sigrid straps the listener in for a ride and each selection has its own beatspecific to movement. Her angelic and tough voice slams the brakes on bullshit and blares the horn of caution gladly on “Risk of Getting Hurt.”

Sounds harken back to that classic ‘80s “cool” and it’s nice to hear from her fresh and free spirit of youth. Could it just be that she sparks smiles in me because I’m part Norwegian as well? Don’t know, but Sigrid is solid. Her voice and music are worth holding on to.

Available now

JUNE 2022 | @theragemonthly

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devin way as brodie in queer as folk photo courtesy peacock

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www.rage.lgbt | JUNE 2022

by chris carpenter

A NEW FOR A NEW GENERATION

W

ay back in 1999, LGBTQ audiences around the world were introduced to Stuart, Vince and Nathan, three young gay men in Manchester, England. The British TV series featuring this charismatic trio, Queer as Folk, became a sensation. An Americanized version soon followed and ran on Showtime from 2000 to 2005.Now, the TV gods have decreed that it is time for a new Queer as Folk. It will premiere on Thursday, June 9 on Peacock, NBC’s streaming network. A vibrant reimagining of the groundbreaking original created

by Russell T. Davies, the series will explore a diverse group of friends in New Orleans whose lives are transformed in the aftermath of a tragedy.

Davies is involved as an executive producer of this new iteration. However, the primary roles of creator, writer, executive producer and director have been bequeathed to Stephen Dunn, a talented young filmmaker. He made a splash with his quirky 2016 festival hit Closet Monster, in which a gay man comes of age with the help of his talking hamster, Buffy (lovingly voiced by Isabella Rossellini). Dunn seems to be a perfect choice to carry the QAF torch.

“Like most queer ‘90s kids, I had a unique relationship with the original Queer as Folk,” Dunn reflects in the press notes. “Growing up, I was desperate for any sort of connection with people like me. I remember sneaking into my parents’ basement late at night to watch it in secret, volume turned low.

It was the first time I really felt seen. The show offered a new paradigm — one where we could accept and celebrate queer love, families and communities on a global stage. It was truly iconic. I am honored that Russell T. Davies entrusted me to continue this legacy.”

Dunn’s update centers on several key characters.

Devin Way plays Brodie, a charming and sometimes

chaotic commitment-phobe. Fin Argus (they/ them) portrays Mingus, a cocky high schooler whose confidence belies their lack of real-world experience. Jesse James Keitel (she/her) is semireformed party girl Ruthie, who is struggling to grow up. CG (they/them) is Shar, a non-binary professor navigating the rocky transition from punk to parenthood. Johnny Sibilly plays Noah, a successful lawyer who is not as put together as he seems.

Last but certainly not least, Ryan O’Connell is Julian (he/him), a pop culture nerd with cerebral palsy who is more than ready for some independence. O’Connell is known to many viewers for his autobiographical Netflix series Special, which he wrote and starred in. He also serves as a writer and co-executive producer on the new Queer as Folk.

Among the numerous guest stars slated to appear are Sex and the City alumna Kim Cattrall as a martinisoaked southern debutant with trailer-park roots; Oscar nominee Juliette Lewis as a single mom who is more of a friend than a parent to her teenager; Ed Begley Jr. as an emotionally distant father; deaf actor and activist Nyle DiMarco as a charming grad student; and Lukas Gage (recently seen on HBO’s The White Lotus) as a personal trainer.

In the words of Russell T. Davies: “I’m very proud of what we achieved in 1999, but in queer years that was a millennium ago! As a community, we’ve radicalized, explored, opened up, and found new worlds — with new enemies and new allies — and there was so much to be said. Stephen (Dunn) pitched a brand-new version of Queer as Folk with so much imagination, insight and — crucially — joy that I simply couldn’t resist. I thought it was about time the title belonged to a whole new generation. The 2022 show is more diverse, more wild, more free, more angry — everything a queer show should be.”

JUNE 2022 | @theragemonthly

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THE RAGE MONTHLY SPOKE TO STEPHEN DUNN (SD) IN ADVANCE OF THE NEW QAF PREMIERE.

johnny sibilly as noah in queer as folk photo courtesy Peacock

So, why another Queer as Folk now? What were some of the factors or thoughts behind this new iteration?

SD: It is really important to me to tell queer stories. Co-executive producers Jaclyn Moore (who is a trans woman) and Lee Eisenberg saw some of my movies at the Sundance Film Festival.

We got to talking about Queer as Folk and how important that show was. I sought out that title because of how important it was to me growing up. Also, it is really hard to create queer content, so to get the process greenlit it was helpful to have this known title. I really wanted to lean into the word queer with this one. It’s about a community after a tragedy, and that was really important to Russell Davies to show that.

New Orleans is an interesting choice of location. What went into that selection? Did you shoot there?

Oh yeah, that is authentic. New Orleans is all over the show.

It’s in the sets and the costumes, the people. I used to go to New Orleans all the time with my friend (drag queen) Chi Chi DeVayne.

Sadly, she has passed away (in 2020). It’s this liberal oasis in the Deep South. There’s a resilience there that I feel is at the intersection of the community and Queer as Folk.

The new cast is great, but many of my readers will likely be most excited about Kim Cattrall. How did she become involved and what was it like working with her?

Oh my gosh, she is so incredible. I, like, from the get-go wrote this show for Kim. I knew where the character was going. I’d met her a few years ago, and then I wrote her a letter. She’s so sweet and so generous. I was so nervous because I love her so much and am in awe of her. She was so kind and excited to be there playing this new character. It was surreal. She’s also a brilliant improviser and came up with some of her best lines. She really should be part of the writers’ room.

That is awesome! How best would you label or define the new Queer as Folk? Is it a reboot, a remake, a sequel?

The word that really feels right to me is reimagining. We have a lot of respect for the original and there are references throughout, but this is a new generation and we’re taking things in a new direction.

Were there certain characters, events or attitudes from the previous series that you wanted to recreate or reference in the new series?

There are definitely references but we are really telling a new story. Family is a huge part of the original series, but we broaden it. The new series also has a different tone to it.

You previously made the well-received movie Closet Monster.

What was the experience like of moving from an indie movie to a major TV series?

It is so different! There is so much more volume of content. I’m mixing the last episode right now and it is a major undertaking. I thought it would be a less personal experience doing television, but it’s really been more personal than I expected. What I’m most excited about is the potential to tell more stories and keep going (with Queer as Folk). Plus, it’s nice to have a budget and money (laughs). peacocktv.com/stream-tv/queer-as-folk Chris Carpenter has been writing about entertainment since 1996 and a member of Team Rage since 2012.

He is a founding member and vice president emeritus of GALECA: The Society of LGBTQ Entertainment Critics.

image

by brad hart

DESIGNED WITH PRIDE “SAY GAY” BENEFIT T-SHIRT

DEARFOAMS The international slipper and shoe manufacturer has collaborated with drag superstar Nina West on new designs for Pride Month. These new releases combine the comfort and quality of Dearfoams with the freedom and selfexpression from Nina West through the line of slippers. Inclusivity, community, comfort and fun are at the heart of the collaboration. As a part of the brand’s collaboration, Dearfoams donated $2,500 to the Nina West Foundation. The platform to lift and support LGBTQ organizations has raised over $2 million for local and national charities. dearfoams.com/nina-west-1

A quick Google or search on Etsy will tell you that THE Pride gear of 2022 will be “SAY GAY” merchandise supporting the fight against “Don’t Say Gay” bills passed in Florida and proposed in 15 other states, including Tennessee, Oklahoma and Ohio. Etsy shop The Tee Service has introduced a colorful collection of “SAY GAY”T-shirts, totes, mugs and even throw pillows to show love and support for LGBTQ kids, teens, parents and teachers. The “SAY GAY”T-shirts are unisex and come in eight colors. The large tote and throw pillow come in five popping colors. And 100 percent of the profits from The Tee Service’s “SAY GAY” merchandise will be donated to fight passed and proposed “Don’t Say Gay” bills across the U.S. etsy.com/shop/TheTeeService

NATIONAL VISION

National Vision just launched a new Pride Collection, a limited series of gender-neutral eyewear celebrating the LGBTQ community in honor of Pride Month and beyond. In conjunction with the launch, National Vision donated $25,000 to support the Matthew Shepard Foundation, which empowers individuals to embrace the dignity and equality of all people through local, regional and national outreach, advocacy and resource programs. The Pride Collection features eight optical frames and four sunglasses. In addition, the collection showcases the Pride rainbow flag and features on-trend styles like crystal frames, oversized geometric and two-tone designs.

Everyone featured in the collection’s marketing campaign is part of the LGBTQ community or a strong ally, and National Vision associates participated in the naming process for each frame. americasbest.com

SUGAR PLUM

In recognition of Pride month, Sugar Plum will honor the many people who’ve fought — and continue to fight for — the LGBTQ community with this tasty collection. A portion of the proceeds from the limited-edition “Love is Love Rainbow Sweet Treat Collection” will be donated to the Point Foundation. This nonprofit empowers promising LGBTQ students to achieve their total academic and leadership potential to significantly impact society despite the obstacles often put before them. Sugar Plum has been spreading its message of love via decadent chocolates, nuts and sweets for over 25 years. All of Sugar Plum’s delectable gourmet treats are handcrafted in their bakery and kitchen in Kingston, Pennsylvania by mother and son team Frann and Neil Edley. sugar-plum.com

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image

by brad hart

DISNEY Following the controversy surrounding the “Don’t Say Gay” bill in Florida, Disney is going all-in this month with its support of the queer community. For the first time ever, Disney will donate 100 percent of the profits from their newly rebranded Disney Pride Collection (previously just called the “Rainbow Collection”) through June 30 to organizations and charities that support LGBTQ youth and families. This includes merchandise from Disney, Pixar, Marvel and Star Wars. “The Disney Pride Collection was created by LGBTQIA+ employees and allies at The Walt Disney Company and is a reflection of their incredible contributions and place at the heart of the company,” Disney wrote in its announcement. “We stand in solidarity with our LGBTQIA+ community everywhere.” shopdisney.com/uniquely-disney/the-disney-pride-collection

CONSCIOUS STEP Stand loud and proud! Celebrate love in these Fairtrade organic cotton ankle socks to help save LGBTQ lives. This set features purple, maroon and bright blue socks with a rainbow flag embroidery, plus extra arch support and padding for supreme comfort. Each pair supports The Trevor Project and its work to provide safe spaces for LGBTQ young people. consciousstep.com

MARK & GRAHAM

MARIAH CAREY Mimi is giving her lambs plenty of new clothes to celebrate. The Grammy-winning singer, songwriter and actress dropped her 2022 Pride Collection, which fans can purchase via her official online store. Among the new, colorful goodies are matching sweat sets, crop hoodies, muscle tanks, hats, water bottles, folding fans and rainbow neon lights. Mariah also re-released a special vinyl edition of her 1999 Rainbow album, which features the songs “Thank God I Found You” and “Heartbreaker.”The singer commemorates some of those hit singles on special wardrobe pieces, such as an “Obsessed” crop hoodie and “Heartbreaker” tees and tank tops. Mariah also celebrated the outfit she wore on the Rainbow album with an all-new body tee, allowing fans to wear a stylized version of Mariah’s body on both the front and the back. mariahcarey.store/collections/pride-2022

CONVERSE For Pride 2022, Converse is shining a rainbow on the chosen or “Found Families” that exist at the many intersections of the vibrant and dynamic LGBTQ community. The collection is united by a graphic treatment representing its beautiful diversity. The season’s mantra, “Family, Unity,” appears on silhouettes. In addition to the inline styles, the 2022 Pride collection will include a Converse By You experience where fans can represent themselves and the LGBTQ community through custom sneakers. This is a chance to create your unique, stylish Pride kicks to show off at all the festivals, parades and events this summer. converse.com/c/pride

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Mark & Graham has partnered with The Trevor Project, the world’s most significant suicide prevention and crisis intervention organization for LGBTQ youth. To help their mission of saving young lives, 25 percent of the purchase price of this Rainbow Iris Catchall will be donated directly to The Trevor Project. In 2012, Williams-Sonoma, the retailer specializing in high-quality products for the home, launched the direct-tocustomer brand, Mark & Graham, specializing in personalized gifts and accessories. Its name is derived from the mission to help you make your mark with a monogram. markandgraham.com

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fitness

by freddy saluna

BRUH! THEY ASKED ME TO WRITE A PRIDE ARTICLE THEY SAID IT WOULD BE FUN!

Happy Pride Month girls, gays and theys!

As a former altar boy, former Scripture quoting, and former terrified and eternally guilty-feeling Roman Catholic, I can tell you that “pride” is one of the Seven Deadly Sins. But The Rage Monthly also said that I could only write 700 words because everyone knows that daddies (or zaddies?) can go on forever about nothing and everything. Sooo, no religion talk.

Queen, king, reina, rei . . . be proud of who you are, where you come from, what you do, your culture, your sexuality, and so on, but also take pride in your personal health and fitness. Not your outfit (which I’m sure is fire). Not your six pack or lack thereof. Your health and your fitness: a lifestyle that’s nice to your body and your mind, most of the time.

I work in a complicated industry, in a complicated society, with complicated people, at a very complicated time in the world: COVID, war, mass shootings, right to choose, inflation, gas prices (damn dude, that almost gave me a headache and I almost want a drink. Bartender, bourbon. Up, please.)

As a personal trainer, I’ve told and continue to tell people to be proud of who they are (regardless of their struggles) and what they’ve accomplished (in the training studio, in their kitchens, or in the world). Why? Because lots of people tend to take pride in questionable things and take little pride in the things that they should be proud of. We’re not even talking the Seven Deadly Sins. PRIDE!

Bruh, this is directed towards you, the Gen Z and Millennials Yesssss, keep taking your EDC and Coachella pics and post them on Instagram. Post your Snap stories to impress your rave bae. Get those Twitter followers to sub to your OF. But please also see the huge opportunity to get ahead and be ahead of the curve like never before when it comes to both your mental and physical health.

You are living in the information age. You own a smartphone, one of THE most technologically advanced pieces of electronic gadgetry that humans have ever created. The resources and apps available to you can help you avoid high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, lung cancer and even STIs. Let your phone help you!

Be kind to each other AND yourself There is nothing wrong with being proud of who you are and what you’ve accomplished but avoid the trap of pride in appearances just for appearance’s sake. Insta-gays and thirst traps are nice to look at but dig deeper. Go beyond the surface and the superficial. Get to the root. Realize that outward appearances should be the result of a solid, grounded and non-prideful healthy mindset and consistent exercise plus healthier nutrition — not being in love (or hate) with the mirror.

Getting good habits started when you’re in your 20s and even 30s will save your mind from mental and emotional stress, and your body from physical stress as you move on into your 40s and beyond. My dad DIDN’T do this and died when he was only 49.

If you know you’ve got a few extra pounds you gotta lose, lose ‘em.

Make a few healthier eating choices if you need to. Get to the gym a few extra times per month. But, most of all, realize you don’t have to be overly hardcore about any of it. Enjoy the eff out of your life, but also know when to say when and to take care of yourself. I can say this because I’m also a DJ and I’ve lived (still live?) the festival and rave life.

Pride Bruh, maybe a phone could have helped ME because it took 33 years to make peace with myself, come the eff out, and be proud of who I am. 33 years. Some of you haven’t even been alive that long.

Regardless, you best believe after that much time I’m gonna be damn proud of being gay. AND Asian. AND a business owner. AND in the fitness industry for 10+ years. I mean how much more complicated can I make my life, right? Glad you asked.

Happy Pride!

Freddy Saluna, ACSM-CPT, ΔΣΠ is the founder of Level One Training and Fitness.After 10 fabulous years, he finally “came out” as thatgaytrainer.com. When not training, he dreams of Vallarta or agonizes over analytics, TikTok and his geriatriccat, Sugar.

JUNE 2022 | @theragemonthly

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IGGY AZALEA

Urban Soul Stage

July 10th @8pm

NATALIA JIMENÉZ

Fiesta Caliente Stage

July 9th @7:30pm

PAULINA RUBIO

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JULY 9TH - 10TH Artist line up

(FIESTA CALIENTE STAGE JULY 9TH @ 4:00PM)

YO YO

(URBAN SOUL STAGE JULY 9TH @ 6:00PM)

NIRA

LEAD SINGER OF AMOR PROHIBIDO BAND (FIESTA CALIENTE STAGE JULY 10TH @ 3:00PM)

GIA BANKS (URBAN SOUL STAGE JULY 10TH @ 5PM)