This is only a brief summary of important information about BIKTARVY® and does not replace talking to your healthcare provider about your condition and your treatment.
MOST IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT BIKTARVY
BIKTARVY may cause serious side e ects, including:
Worsening of hepatitis B (HBV) infection. Your healthcare provider will test you for HBV. If you have both HIV-1 and HBV, your HBV may suddenly get worse if you stop taking BIKTARVY. Do not stop taking BIKTARVY without first talking to your healthcare provider, as they will need to check your health regularly for several months, and may give you HBV medicine.
ABOUT BIKTARVY
BIKTARVY is a complete, 1-pill, once-a-day prescription medicine used to treat HIV-1 in adults and children who weigh at least 55 pounds. It can either be used in people who have never taken HIV-1 medicines before, or people who are replacing their current HIV-1 medicines and whose healthcare provider determines they meet certain requirements.
BIKTARVY does not cure HIV-1 or AIDS. HIV-1 is the virus that causes AIDS.
Do NOT take BIKTARVY if you also take a medicine that contains:
dofetilide
rifampin
any other medicines to treat HIV-1
BEFORE TAKING BIKTARVY
Tell your healthcare provider if you:
Have or have had any kidney or liver problems, including hepatitis infection.
Have any other health problems.
Are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. Tell your healthcare provider if you become pregnant while taking BIKTARVY.
Are breastfeeding (nursing) or plan to breastfeed. Talk to your healthcare provider about the risks of breastfeeding during treatment with BIKTARVY. Tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines you take:
Keep a list that includes all prescription and over-thecounter medicines, antacids, laxatives, vitamins, and herbal supplements, and show it to your healthcare provider and pharmacist.
BIKTARVY and other medicines may a ect each other. Ask your healthcare provider and pharmacist about medicines that interact with BIKTARVY, and ask if it is safe to take BIKTARVY with all your other medicines.
POSSIBLE SIDE EFFECTS OF BIKTARVY
BIKTARVY may cause serious side e ects, including:
Those in the “Most Important Information About BIKTARVY” section.
Changes in your immune system. Your immune system may get stronger and begin to fight infections that may have been hidden in your body. Tell your healthcare provider if you have any new symptoms after you start taking BIKTARVY.
Kidney problems, including kidney failure. Your healthcare provider should do blood and urine tests to check your kidneys. If you develop new or worse kidney problems, they may tell you to stop taking BIKTARVY.
Too much lactic acid in your blood (lactic acidosis), which is a serious but rare medical emergency that can lead to death. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you get these symptoms: weakness or being more tired than usual, unusual muscle pain, being short of breath or fast breathing, stomach pain with nausea and vomiting, cold or blue hands and feet, feel dizzy or lightheaded, or a fast or abnormal heartbeat.
Severe liver problems, which in rare cases can lead to death. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you get these symptoms: skin or the white part of your eyes turns yellow, dark “tea-colored” urine, light-colored stools, loss of appetite for several days or longer, nausea, or stomach-area pain.
The most common side e ects of BIKTARVY in clinical studies were diarrhea (6%), nausea (6%), and headache (5%).
These are not all the possible side e ects of BIKTARVY. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you have any new symptoms while taking BIKTARVY. You are encouraged to report negative side e ects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.FDA.gov/medwatch or call 1-800-FDA-1088.
Your healthcare provider will need to do tests to monitor your health before and during treatment with BIKTARVY.
HOW TO TAKE BIKTARVY
Take BIKTARVY 1 time each day with or without food.
GET MORE INFORMATION
This is only a brief summary of important information about BIKTARVY. Talk to your healthcare provider or pharmacist to learn more.
Go to BIKTARVY.com or call 1-800-GILEAD-5.
If you need help paying for your medicine, visit BIKTARVY.com for program information.
Person featured takes BIKTARVY and is compensated by Gilead. Please
IQVIA NPA Weekly
INDULGE IN THIS SPOOKY TIME OF YEAR!
WELCOME TO THE LATEST EDITION OF METROSOURCE AND PREPARE TO INDULGE IN AN ISSUE THAT CELEBRATES LIFE’S MOST DELIGHTFUL PLEASURES AT THIS SPOOKY TIME OF YEAR — entertaining, travel, music and podcasts. We invite you to join us on a journey through pages filled with a collection of stories, experiences, and insights that celebrate the season.
In the following pages, you will find travel experiences to the secluded icy fjords of Alaska, the Last Frontier. With summer adventures in cruising to many of Alaska’s most dramatic sights, towns, and wildlife. Our travel writers always transport you to far-off places, immersing you in their rich cultures and captivating landscapes. Whether you’re an intrepid explorer or an armchair traveler, these tales will ignite your wanderlust.
As we delve into entertaining at home this time of year, we are here to help you plan the perfect cocktail party in style. With tips and tricks from setting the theme, to curating the cocktail menu, to getting the proper tools in place. Whether you aspire to a fancy gathering or an evening of board games and artisanal cheese boards, we hope to relieve party-planning stress.
In addition, we’ve also included feature articles on folks exploring and celebrating their queer lives, on film, in print, through dance, and more… stories of individuals who have mastered the art of living well, and who have crafted their own path to success. Take our cover story Cheyenne Jackson – a true Renaissance man in the entertainment world and beyond. He has mastered the spotlight on stage and
on screen, in activism and in family life. Breaking boundaries and overcoming queer stereotypes, he is the go-to leading man. Our exclusive interviews with Alonso Durable, Dexter Carr, and Scarlet Envy, all provide authentic representation for our community and diverse narratives.
In the spirit of the Halloween season, Hollywood is doing their part to keep audiences scared, paranormal shows on TV are becoming extremely popular, and obsession with the unknown and unexplained is at an all-time high. Emerging from the manufactured and the camp is real-life exorcist Rachel Stavis. She is the only non-denominational exorcist with her level of power, and whether or not you believe in what she does or what she sees, her views on life can serve as inspiration for anyone as she talks about coming to understand the negative energy within, how it can manifest itself from grief, trauma, and life’s experiences, and how raising your frequencies are instrumental in improving your physical and mental health.
For our readers in New York, we have additional highlights featuring an exclusive interview with Henry Gottfried, currently starring in the much talked about Broadway revival of Cabaret, taking on the role of Ernst Ludwig, the charming German businessman. Our Broadway column continues to give you the scoop on a diverse array of shows, from classic musicals to contemporary cabaret. A visit to a Broadway show while in NYC is a must for anyone who appreciates live theater, and the experience will leave you with a smile.
For our readers in Loa Angeles, we hope you will consider visiting Palm Springs this November 1st through the 3rd, to celebrate Pride. There are a enormity of events going on all weekend long – something for everyone. Visit PrideMassive.com for some signature events, brought to you by our friends at GED Magazine and LE Parties.
METROSOURCE is proud to serve as your guide for this journey, inspiring you to enjoy the pleasures of life - travel, food, drink, entertainment, theatre, and more. So, take some time to relax and savor the finer things in life – take a leisurely vacation, pamper yourself with a spa treatment, enjoy a hobby, eat decadent foods, drink luxurious wines – whatever you decide to partake in, do it without guilt or restraint! Here’s to the joy of discovery, the thrill of savoring new flavors, and the art of celebrating life’s indulgences.
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Bent Share Entertainment, LLC
FEATURE WRITER
Michael Westman
James Delyea
Cesar A Reyes
Christopher Jackson
Alexander Rodriguez
Ben Rimalower
Deborah L. Martin
Megan Venzin
Steve Gottfried
Michael Westman
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COVER: Cheyenne Jackson
Photography: Parker Burr @parkburrphoto
October/November 2024 | VOLUME 35, NO. 5
DEPARTMENTS
CULTURE
7 THE SCOPE
We have vintage vocals, Gay Teen love series and Queer histories and Afro-cosmopolitanism in a book. A Queer Salon Series, and channeling a podcast with a hint of supernatural just in time for the season.
ENTERTAIMENT
12 Let Us Entertain You Everything You Need to Host a Cocktail Party in Style
TRAVEL
48 ALASKA The Last Frontier
VIEWS
4 EDITOR’S LETTER Indulge in This Spooky Time of Year!
CURATED BY
MICHAEL WESTMAN
THESCOPE
ALLYSON BRIGGS
Promises, Prayers, and Raindrops: Allyson Briggs Sings Burt Bacharach (Available at fleurseule.com.)
VINTAGE VOCALIST EXTRAORDINAIRE ALLYSON BRIGGS HAS RELEASED HER NEW ALBUM PROMISES, PRAYERS, AND RAINDROPS: ALLYSON BRIGGS SINGS BURT BACHARACH ON CD AND IN DIGITAL AND STREAMING PLATFORMS. Promises features 20 tracks that created the soundtrack of American life in the 1960s, combining household-name Bacharach and David classics that have been making people smile for generations, with several catalog deep cuts that will thrill music aficionados. Briggs, serving as bandleader and star vocalist, is expertly supported by music director Andy Warren on trumpet, James Navan and Jason Yeager on piano, Michael O’Brien on bass, Shareef Taher and Peter Traunmueller on drums, and Broadway luminary Julie Benko (Funny Girl, Harmony) as guest vocalist.
Promises, Prayers, and Raindrops features Briggs’s subtle yet sophisticated interpretations which reinvigorate beloved hits “I’ll Never Fall in Love Again,”“I Say a Little Prayer,”“Walk on By,” and more. Briggs remembers: “These are gems that I stumbled upon after paying tribute to Ms. Lee in a concert at Carnegie Hall with Michael Feinstein. As you may know, Michael is an encyclopedia of long-lost musical treasures, and he
inspired me to find a connection from Peggy to Burt. In my search, I discovered the uncharacteristically jazz standard-styled ‘Uninvited Dream.’ As I continued to hunt for Bacharach/Lee collaborations, I was intrigued by the unknown title ‘My Rock and Foundation.’ I even had to transcribe the lyrics myself because as of 2022, they were nowhere to be found online.”
As someone who sings in seven languages, Briggs puts her German to good use in the dramatic “Wenn Ich Mir Was Wünschen Dürfte,” the Friedrich Holländer song which Bacharach arranged for Marlene Dietrich when he was her touring music director. “As I learned more about Burt’s early days in the music business,” Briggs says,“I read about his strong friendship with Dietrich. He worked as her music director in Europe, and truly adored her, so he worked to enhance her classic arrangements for more contemporary audiences. Marlene was one of the first people in the industry to believe in Burt and his unique style, so to honor their connection, we were inspired to record this.”
“I’ve never met a person who could sit still listening to Burt Bacharach,” comments Briggs. “It’s such engaging music. Whether you are a
professional musician in awe of his unusual meter or a casual listener enjoying the classics over a glass of wine, it is simply quality music that makes you feel good. With lyrics most often penned by Hal David, you’re in for a roller coaster of emotions that somehow leaves you feeling uplifted, even after the most heart-wrenching ballads. I dove into Burt’s catalogue during the pandemic, and I appreciate the opportunity to immerse myself in this music. Artists cannot force inspiration, so it percolated until I created the tribute concert in 2022, which debuted at Feinstein’s at Hotel Carmichael, in Carmel, IN.”
“I wanted to maintain the integrity of the original songs,”she concludes.“I hope to bring this amazing body of work to a new audience but let those who were there the first time around enjoy those memories in a new way. Burt Bacharach is where jazz became pop: He was very heavily jazz-influenced, and it shows when we dig into these arrangements. We are playing this album as a jazz quintet, because my band, Fleur Seule, is a jazz band. I wanted to pare it down to an intimate level, to highlight the intricacies of the arrangements, the depth of Hal David’s lyrics, and to show how these songs can be enjoyed whether it’s a studio orchestra or small combo.”
HEARTSTOPPER
(Season 3)
Netflix (October 2024)
WATCH
HEARTSTOPPER FOLLOWS TEENS CHARLIE AND NICK AS THEY DISCOVER THEIR UNLIKELY FRIENDSHIP MIGHT BE SOMETHING MORE, AS THEY NAVIGATE SCHOOL AND YOUNG LOVE IN THIS COMING-OF-AGE HIT FROM NETFLIX. In Season 3, Charlie and Nick are ready to take things to the next level. As they get closer in every way, they face their relationship’s biggest challenge yet.
Charlie wants to tell Nick that he loves him. Nick also has something important to say to Charlie. As the summer holiday ends and the months race on, the friends begin to realize that the school year will come with both its joys and its challenges. As they learn more about each other and their relationships, plan social events and parties, and start thinking about university choices, everyone must learn to lean on those they love when life doesn’t go to plan.
Written and created by Alice Oseman, based on the book series: Heartstopper. Key Cast: Kit Connor, Joe Locke, William Gao, Yasmin Finney, Corinna Brown, Kizzy Edgell, Tobie Donovan, Jenny Walser, Rhea Norwood, Leila Khan.
LYLE ASHTON HARRIS: OUR FIRST AND LAST LOVE
(Available at Barnes & Noble, Amazon, and other book retailers.)
BOTH PERSONAL AND UNIVERSAL, HARRIS’ OEUVRE WEAVES TOGETHER LEGACIES OF FAMILY DYNAMICS, QUEER HISTORIES AND AFRO-COSMOPOLITANISM. Gathering photographs, assemblages, video installations and archival selections from his celebrated and lesser-known series, Our first and last love charts new connections across the artistic practice of New York–based artist Lyle Ashton Harris (born 1965). Informed by an adolescence that unfolded in New York City and Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, as well as several years spent living in Ghana, Harris explores the complexities of African and African American collective identity while forging his own personal narrative as a Black queer man.
This book and its accompanying solo survey exhibition chronicles Harris’ approach to representation and self-portraiture while tracing
READ
recurrent themes and formal techniques in his work over the last 35 years.
Central to this curated selection is Harris’ most recent series titled Shadow Works, mixed-media assemblages of photographic prints embedded in Ghanaian printed textiles with cowrie shells, pottery, handwritten notes, clippings of the artist’s
dreadlocks and other personal ephemera. In both the exhibition and its catalog, these works serve as thematic anchors underscoring Harris’ layered approach to his ongoing creative explorations.
Lyle Ashton Harris was born and was raised in New York City and Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Harris obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree from Wesleyan University and a Master of Fine Arts degree from the California Institute of the Arts. He attended the Whitney Museum of American Art Independent Study Program. Harris has cultivated a diverse artistic practice ranging from photography and collage to installation and performance art. His work explores intersections between the personal and the political, examining the impact of ethnicity, gender, and desire on the contemporary social and cultural dynamic. His artwork is available the following art galleries: Salon 94 (New York, NY, USA); David Castillo (Miami, FL, USA); Maruani Mercier (Brussels, BE). Harris is a Professor of Art at New York University and lives in New York.
IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE EXHIBITION ANDREA GEYER / A PROMISE OF LIGHTNING, THIS SALON SERIES OFFERS THE EXHIBITIONS MEETING AREA IN SERVICE OF QUEER COLLECTIVES, ORGANIZATIONS, FRIENDS AND INDIVIDUALS TO GATHER AND DISCUSS QUEER ISSUES AND IDEAS IN ART, PUBLIC HEALTH, AND ORGANIZING, FOLLOWING FROM THE TRADITION OF LITERARY AND IDEOLOGICAL MOVEMENTS OF THE 17TH AND 18TH CENTURIES.
A group of three planned out salons will take place on select Thursday evening and another group of ad hoc salons will take place on Sundays between 4.30-5.30pm throughout the exhibition’s duration through January 12, 2025. Please check for updated information on all events surrounding the exhibition. This salon series follows a non-hierarchical model, with co-hosts present to suggest guided questions and support facilitation, but with all attendees encouraged to engage in dialogue.
THURSDAY SALONs @ 5-7pm
October 24, 2024: Queer Archives
November 14, 2024: Trans Inclusive Fitness Spaces
January 9, 2025: Queer Artists and Politics andrea geyer / a promise of lightning (Exhibition through January 12, 2025.)
Geyer takes form and inspiration from the network of connections made among trees in the forest—a vast, evolving web of visible and invisible layers in which resources, distress signals, and memories are in continual exchange, and intergenerational communication is key to survival. Interspersed among silkscreened prints and video documentation culled from southern Germany’s Black Forest (where the artist grew up and experienced her own queer formation) are images of organizing and protest from the Museum’s collection, proposing ways to rethink queer histories of activism, organizing, and representation.
COME
OUT WITH JOY, SPEAK OUT FOR JUSTICE: A QUEER SALON SERIES
Leslie-Lohman Museum of Art 26 Wooster Street New York, NY 10013
Taking its title from a line of Audre Lorde’s 1973 poem “Movement Song,” which explores both loss and hope, the exhibition asks: How can queerness be considered as a form of multi-temporal relations to and within wider hegemonic cultures? How might still-underknown frameworks of the natural world conceptually and emotionally expand our capacity for resilience?
Geyer’s is the second project in The LeslieLohman Museum of Art’s Interventions series, which invites LGBTQIA+ artists and cultural producers to engage the Museum’s collection and creatively present their research, building new narratives and interpretations from diverse subjectivities. The Interventions series offers a unique platform for public access to the Museum’s artworks, establishing a new avenue for showcasing the expansive and historical collection that Leslie-Lohman has acquired over five decades.
VISIT | DISCUSS
QUEER FROM THE OTHER SIDE
(Available at QueerfromtheOtherSide.com or wherever you get your podcasts.)
THIS HALLOWEEN SEASON, THERE’S A NEW PODCAST TO FULFILL ALL OF YOUR QUEER, SUPERNATURAL, AND PARANORMAL NEEDS. “QUEER FROM THE OTHER SIDE” DELVES INTO THE MYSTERIOUS AS THE HOSTS UNCOVER THE SECRETS OF THE UNEXPLAINED WITH THEIR PERSPECTIVES AND PERSONAL EXPERIENCES WITH THE PARANORMAL. The show is a platform for open-minded conversations and exploration of the queer side of all things unexplainable. Ghosts? Demons? UFOs? Angels? They have you covered. Leading the way into the unknown are co-hosts Intuitive Shana, a real-life witch, an initiated priestess, paranormal investigator, author, and podcaster with psychic and medium abilities; Spiritualist Derek Jameson, a Consciousness Coach and Past Life Practitioner who through mind, body, and spiritual development he has helped guide leaders on their path of healing and awakening their power potential; and Skeptic Alexander Rodriguez, celebrity interviewer, podcaster, lead writer and also host of METROSOURCE Minis podcast. Together, they have talked to witches, psychics, practitioners in the Akashic Records, UFO specialists, an Egyptologist, and even a celebrity exorcist and a haunted doll. This show is for believers and non-believers alike who have always been interested in exploring the other side of things.
“It goes without saying that I am excited about the opportunities that will allow us to explore notoriously haunted places. I’m like a kid in a candy shop prancing around the cemeteries and haunted dolls. However, I know we also have the chance to explore many different taboo topics and expand, not just my own knowledge, but also that of our listeners. Where we can spread light and understanding we are also able to spread empowerment and banish fear,” explains Shana.
Derek shares, “I just love learning things I don’t know about yet. I also love being faced with certain aspects that create fear within me so that I can begin to work with that fear and clear it once and for all. Fear is the anchor to the past and when we are hooked on the past we can’t move forward.”
PODCAST
CABARET AT THE KIT KAT CLUB
(Tickets are available at www.kitkat.club.)
August Wilson Theatre
245 West 52nd Street
New York City, NY
WILLKOMMEN. BIENVENUE. WELCOME TO THE KIT KAT CLUB. HOME TO THE SMASH-HIT PRODUCTION OF CABARET, STARRING GRAMMY AWARD®️ NOMINEE
ADAM LAMBERT AS THE “EMCEE” AND FILM STAR AULI’I CRAVALHO AS “SALLY BOWLES,” FOR A LIMITED ENGAGEMENT THROUGH MARCH 30TH, 2025.
Lambert previously appeared in the North American touring production of Wicked and shortly after, rocketed to stardom in the eighth season of “American Idol.” In addition to being a platinum-selling singer/songwriter, he appeared in the five-time Academy Award®-winning film Bohemian Rhapsody and starred in the Sofia Coppola-produced feature film Fairyland. In addition to fronting legendary rock band Queen, playing to sold-out stadiums across the globe. This summer, Lambert released his latest solo EP, the hedonistic, dance-driven Afters.
Cravalho first gained attention as the voice of the title character of Disney’s Moana and performed the anthem “How Far I’ll Go” with the film’s songwriter Lin-Manuel Miranda at the 2017 Academy Awards®. She went on to star in
The Power on Amazon, Hulu’s Crush, the NBC drama Rise, and Netflix’s All Together Now, Last spring, she starred as ‘Janis’ in the film adaptation of Tina Fey’s Broadway hit Mean Girls: The Musical. Later this fall, she will return to the role of Moana in the eagerly anticipated sequel to the global phenomenon.
During their runs in Cabaret, Lambert and Cravalho will normally perform seven shows per week. Please check www.kitkat.club for the latest performance schedule.
Cabaret also stars two-time Tony Award winner, 2024 Tony Award nominee, and 2024 Drama Desk Award winner Bebe Neuwirth as ‘Fraulein Schneider;’ 2024 Tony Award nominee Steven Skybell as ‘Herr Schultz;’ and Henry Gottfried as ‘Ernst Ludwig.’
Experience this groundbreaking musical like never before. The denizens of the Kit Kat Club have created a decadent sanctuary inside Broadway’s August Wilson Theatre, where artists and performers, misfits and outsiders rule the night. Step inside their world. This is Berlin. Relax. Loosen up.
Be yourself. Cabaret, one of the most revered and successful musicals of all time, has music by John Kander, lyrics by Fred Ebb, and a book by Joe Masteroff based on the play by John Van Druten and stories by Christopher Isherwood. The show features the songs “Willkommen,” “Don’t Tell Mama,”“Mein Herr,”“Maybe This Time,”“Money,” and the iconic title number.
Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club on Broadway is directed by Olivier Award winner and 2024 Drama Desk Award nominee Rebecca Frecknall with club, scenic, and costume design by Tony Award winner, Evening Standard Award winner, and Olivier Award nominee Tom Scutt, and choreography by 2024 Chita Rivera Award nominee and Olivier Award nominee Julia Cheng.
The 2021 Original London Cast Recording of Cabaret recorded during a live performance is available on Decca Records as a CD and to stream on all major platforms. To order the album or stream it, please visit https://cabaret.lnk.to/ListenNow.
CABARET Auli’i Cravalho as Sally Bowles and Adam Lambert as Emcee
WHETHER YOU ASPIRE TO A RAKISH NICK AND NORA CHARLES-TYPE GATHERING, OR YOUR TASTES RUN MORE TOWARDS AN EVENING OF BOARD GAMES AND ARTISANAL CHEESE BOARDS, PLANNING A PARTY CAN BE STRESSFUL, UNLESS YOU HAVE THE CORRECT TOOLS. But with some advance planning, even a small apartment can shine as the setting for an intimate gathering or a boisterous event. The most important accessory is, of course, a savvy host and fun guests, but it can also help to invest in some items to make your entertaining life chicer.
While not everyone’s home is a perfect backdrop for a soigné soirée, you can maximize your space and make it perfect, or at least more convenient, to host your friends. Even in a small space, you can host a fabulous get-together, with a little forethought and some en pointe accessories. The primary rule of making your home party-ready? Declutter. Get rid of anything that is taking up space, and liable to be in the way. Stacks of magazines, electronic cords and chargers… the things lying around that are part of everyday life have no place at a party. Removing them is half the battle.
Since the focal point of any party is of course, the people, you can throw out the traditional decorating “rules.” Place small side tables and chairs where people can gather, even if it means placing them in front of the TV, or a window. Pull in a chair or two from other rooms if you need more seating, with an eye towards creating smaller conversation areas. At a cocktail party, guests tend to move around, chatting and forming fluid groups, but sometimes it’s nice to have a place to sit down. Ottomans, throw pillows, mismatched chairs--all are welcome at the party. But don’t overfill your space. You want mingling and wandering, not a campfire circle.
You will need places throughout your party space for food and drink service. Wheeled bar carts or drink cabinets can be just the ticket and can add a touch of elegance to the room. They also function when you aren’t entertaining. A bar cart can double as a side table, console, or nightstand, and a drinks cabinet is a great place to store glassware and bottles. The Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams Spritz Bar Cart is artful and functional, and an effervescent addition to any space. The clear glass top is accented by polished stainless steel and lends itself to a light look for serving cocktails or mocktails, with a round design well-sized for small spaces. A mirrored bottom shelf with gallery rail keeps barware and bottles chicly styled and in place. If you don’t want to invest in a specific piece of furniture,
LET US ENTERTAIN YOU
EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO HOST A COCKTAIL PARTY IN STYLE
BY DEBORAH L. MARTIN
TIPS AND TRICKS:
• Pick a party theme. (A party theme can help influence your menu choices, or you could plan on serving different cocktails at different points throughout the night.)
• Curate your cocktail menu. (Remember that less is often more. It’s better to perfect a few cocktails than attempt too many haphazardly. Don’t forget to include some non-alcoholic choices for those who don’t drink or are the designated driver for the evening.)
• Gather your mixes and garnishes. (Once you’ve decided on your cocktail menu, you need to make sure you have everything you need for you (or your guests) to make them. Don’t overlook garnishes like fresh fruits, olives, edible flowers, rimming salts and sugars.)
• Have the proper tools at your fingertips. (Shaker, shot glass, spoon or stir, tongs, etc.)
• Don’t forget the ice. (Be sure to have plenty of ice. If you’re the creative type, you can experiment with making different ice shapes.)
• Nibbles. (Any good cocktail party will include something tasty for guests to enjoy with their delicious drinks. Opt for nibbles that are easy to eat one handed, while the other hand holds a cocktail, and not too messy to help avoid spillages.)
convert a sideboard, dining room table, or bedroom dresser into a bar for the evening, but be sure to protect the surface first.
Of course, no drink station is complete without beautiful glassware and cocktail mixing tools. For decadent drinks, you need the right tools. A classic bar tool set from Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams includes a cocktail shaker, strainer, jigger, opener, tongs and stainless-steel stand. Works well with our line of stunning bars and bar carts, as well as other pieces in our collection of modern barware. Also from MG+BW, is their Hayworth collection, with wine glasses to add a touch of glamour to dinner parties and intimate gatherings. Timeless design features a painted platinum accent. Sold in boxes of four. Makes a great gift for hosts and special occasions.
The new rule is there are no rules when it comes to what to serve and how to serve it. Highballs and lowballs are always in style, and double as water or punch glasses. Tom Dixon designer mouth-blown Tank glasses take their sculptural cue from the functional shapes and volumes of scientific glassware, acting as minimal, decorative and contemporary vessels for drinking, pouring, storing and displaying wine and cocktails. Generously proportioned barware and decorative accessories designed to create sophisticated table-top architecture. Standard sized wine glass can be fine for both red and white and can also be used for water or colorful mixed drinks. The point of any party is to have fun, not to stress over the perfect style of glass. Find something you love and use it with confidence. You be you! ■
SISTER OF DARKNESS RACHEL STAVIS
BY ALEXANDER RODRIGUEZ
IN THE SPIRIT OF THE HALLOWEEN SEASON, HOLLYWOOD IS DOING THEIR PART TO KEEP AUDIENCES SCARED, PARANORMAL SHOWS ON TV ARE BECOMING EXTREMELY POPULAR, AND OBSESSION WITH THE UNKNOWN AND UNEXPLAINED IS AT AN ALL-TIME HIGH. Emerging from the manufactured and the camp is real-life exorcist Rachel Stavis. Keeping her abilities undercover and by word of mouth, she has come out, so to speak, to share her story and mental health awareness with the world. Some people call them demons, and some people call them entities, but yes, according to Rachel, they are real and they are everywhere. She is the only non-denominational exorcist with her level of power and whether or not you believe in what she does or what she sees, her views on life can serve as inspiration for anyone as she talks about coming to understand the negative energy within, how it can manifest itself from grief, trauma, and life’s experiences, and how raising your frequencies are instrumental in improving your physical and mental health.
She has over 10,000 cases on record and has worked with rockstars, Oscar winners, politicians, members of royal families, cult survivors, molestation victims, those suffering from addiction, old and young, and the list goes on, her healing room has seen the gambit. She has also been called in to rid negative energies from movie sets and assumed haunted spaces. A number of celebrities have endorsed her power to exorcise and her life story up to this point has been cataloged in her book, Sister of Darkness: The Chronicles of A Modern Exorcist, now being developed as a film. She is part of the queer community which has given her a unique perspective into the world of exorcism. Her field of work may come with religious stigma and dark assumptions, but she is a source of high vibration, optimism, and light as she has helped people on their journey in life, love, health, career, healing, and holistic spiritual health. She is not the exorcist that movies are made of.
Rachel sees dark entities affix themselves to people in a variety of ways. She can visualize these demons, or entities, physically. Different entities have different appearances, and she’s been able to catalog them according to the level of severity and ways they affect a person. She has been seeing these entities since she was a kid.
I think this was a very early realization for me because I would often talk about “monsters” everywhere. I was born with the ability to see entities with my eyes. I see them almost as clearly as everybody. At a certain point growing up, I learned that other people didn’t see these same “monsters” and that it was something odd about me. For me, it just never went away. And I learned very quickly that if you talk about this, you’re crazy. My mother was a very difficult woman, so she was like, you don’t want to be weirder than you already are. And so I stopped talking about it and I tried to push that sight out, you know, as much as possible. I didn’t think it was a gift at that time, but as I started using this ability to help people, I realized it was. It wasn’t until Rachel was in her 30s that she started to embrace her abilities after a pivotal moment occurred by chance, or maybe not so chance.
I had one of those weeks where it was just so many stressors at once, and then I had a fender bender. It wasn’t life-altering or anything. Like you hear where someone’s like having this deep, like shamanic work or whatever, it was literally a fender
I WANTED TO FIT IN AND BE ‘NORMAL,’ BUT LET’S BE REAL - THAT WAS NEVER GOING TO BE MY PATH ANYWAY!”
bender. I could not suppress my sight anymore. So now I was seeing entities everywhere. I always say it started sort of with the person who’s screaming on the corner at nothing. I could now see what they were screaming at and couldn’t push it away. I was at that point that I sat down with a scotch and was like, okay, y’all up there, whoever gave this to me, either I’m checking myself in or you’re going to tell me what to do here. And obviously, we went the other direction and here we are 10,000 cases later.
Without a handbook or instruction, she started forming her own ritual, using her intuition on how best to exorcise people of their demons. The fact is every religion has its own process in place to perform an exorcism. The Vatican first established its ritual in 1612 and inexplicably updated it in 1999. And while Rachel continues to educate herself on practices and philosophies, her process remains her own. She is adamant about keeping her view of exorcism and ritual non-denominational.
My exorcism work is for everyone. Religion, quite frankly, is not. There are many people who have experienced abuse, discrimination, and pain from organized religion, and I want people to feel safe when they come to me. I work with all High Beings - what people commonly refer to as angels - and they have no religious affiliation, they just want to help people as well. So, I consider my practice spiritual, but without the trauma. I didn’t want to pick up anything from anywhere else. I wanted it to be authentic and anyone who knows me or follows me knows that I’m authenticity above everything else. I was never in it for any fame or fortune or notoriety or any of that. In fact, I stayed away from that for a really long time.
She started off helping friends in need, those who were being weighed down by the entities that latched on to their struggles and lower frequencies. But she did keep it a secret, only recently making her experiences public.
I honestly never intended to come out of the broom closet, but here I am! I was very happy just being word of mouth and maybe working with four people and two spaces a month. But you truly can’t hide in the shadows forever, and people started spreading the word. From there I was offered an opportunity to write my memoir - and even then, I wasn’t sure.
I HONESTLY NEVER INTENDED TO COME OUT OF THE BROOM CLOSET, BUT HERE I AM!”
Because this is a strange thing to tell the world. But my desire to help more people and share the information won out, and now I’m glad it did.
Though Rachel does not subscribe to a religion, she does connect and draws her ability from what she calls “Spirit.”
My catchall word is Spirit or Source. Sometimes I interchange them, but that’s everything – all the big leagues. All the things that we call spirit guides, ascended masters, high beings, God, even, however you think about it that is all spirit for me. Obviously, in different religions, we have different kinds of high beings. Different things like Christ and so on and so forth, without getting too religious, everybody has a thing, right? People don’t like to hear this, but high beings work together. It doesn’t matter what religion you are, and it doesn’t matter what religion worships what being, they all work together, and everybody hates that, especially when they’re super religious. But that’s the truth. All these high beings that you’ve never even heard of, or probably that you were taught to dislike, or you think they’re not real will also be helping. It’s all just a team effort.
How has being connected to Spirit and higher shaped her outlook on the afterlife and spirituality?
Well, firstly, deceased people never stop talking! They LOVE when people can hear them - sometimes it’s annoying. Honestly, though it’s really been a comfort. Such a strange thing to say - seeing monsters all my life has been comforting. I guess I mean it’s everything else I can see, hear, and feel - that we absolutely do go on in spirit (including animals, because everyone wants to know), we all have a divine purpose, even when we can’t see it yet, and there are beings “out there” that want to help us and stay connected.
If you believe in what Rachel does, great. If not, great. She doesn’t care. She maintains that regardless of what you believe, she will get the entity out. In her upcoming second book, she will be covering her most extreme cases, knowing there will be doubters.
I’ll get so many comments saying I don’t believe this. I’m like, I don’t care. I’m not a church. I’m not trying to convert you. Nobody’s going to believe this because it’s easier for people not to. I
(L&R) Rachel Stavis & Katherine Fisher
don’t find that offensive. I understand that you don’t want to believe this is real. I completely understand. It doesn’t stop my work, but also it’s not the life I live. I don’t get the luxury of just ignoring it.
Though Rachel has a certain look and style, she does not look like the exorcist you see on film. She also doesn’t walk around with a black veil or Holy Water.
I think people expect me to be extremely dark because I work in darkness all the time. But I don’t consider myself dark at all, totally the opposite! And when it comes to the work, I think people don’t realize that exorcism isn’t always “movie style” entities (though I exorcise those as well!). Sometimes it’s much smaller, more subtle things - like infertility, feeling blocked or stuckand even addiction.
According to Rachel, being in tune with yourself is the number one way to understand and know when an entity is present in your life. Sudden mood shifts, darker thoughts, and behavioral changes are all indications that something not so welcome may have affixed itself to you. Manifestations like what we’ve seen in the movie The Exorcist are rare. Rachel states that everyday demon attacks latch on to your lower frequencies – depression, addiction, anxiety – and amplify them. An entity can’t make you commit suicide but can elevate those thoughts to put it within your reach.
Know yourself. Be conscious and aware of how you feel in your body and spirit. When something feels “off” to you, do the work to raise your frequency by being kind to yourself and others, burning copal and frankincense, getting into nature, and connecting to the Spirit! Entities can’t attach to someone’s high frequency because there’s nothing to feed off of, so let’s all aspire to that. I hate to say this, but 80-something percent of everyone walking around has an entity or has had one at some point in their life.
According to Rachel, we all have the ability to connect and while she may have the upper hand, we can all take a moment and explore our spirituality. Though she is not a medium, connecting with the deceased is a big part of her job. Loved ones who have passed, ancestors we’ve never met, and figures from the afterlife come through to help in Rachel’s exorcisms. But speaking to the dead is not an ability special to just Rachel.
I think the best thing everyone can do, and I wish everyone would do it, is open up
their ability. There are a few Source-given rights to people when they come in, and that is the ability to speak to your spirit guys, the ability to speak to deceased loved ones, and the ability to speak to Spirit as a whole. A lot of people don’t believe that because, in this world, we don’t believe in these things. If you notice when children come in, they’re always singing, they’re always talking to people who aren’t there. It’s because they know how to raise their frequency very easily. It’s a right. We know how to do that. But then as we get older, we’re taught to forget about this stuff. What I want people to do is open up their abilities again. Because oftentimes grief is so terrible for people that it can really make you change. You could be like, I lost this person, or I lost whatever, someone close to me, and now I’m hard now and I’m bitter and I hate everyone, I hate everything. It’s so sad to me because if they just did a few simple things to start practicing that opening up, they would find that that person is there. You know? When we talk about most deceased people, they’re not stuck anywhere. They go back and forth. You can call on them. They also have their own things to do, but they will be there if you want them to. So, if you’re like, hey, I really want to open up my abilities, I really want to try this, I really want to hear from you, they listen to that. It’s all about saying, I’m ready, I’m open, let’s go.
Rachel’s queer identity is also something she has embraced later in life.
What’s weird is that I’ve always known and, like seeing entities, thought absolutely nothing about it until someone told me otherwise. So I think like everything else, I didn’t really speak about it. I wanted to fit in and be “normal,” but let’s be real - that was never going to be my path anyway!
How does being queer affect her gift and abilities?
Honestly, I think it makes me more empathic, and maybe a bit more fiery. Being who I am and having the experiences I’ve had, plus seeing and experiencing what others in the community go through, makes me want to fight harder for people. For us. And mother harder for us, too.
Rachel is recently married, with a wedding that looked like it was out of a movie, meshing all the elements of Rachel’s life. How does she maintain a healthy relationship while surrounded
by the world of exorcism?
I literally just got married, so I guess we’ll see! But even when dating, I brought it up very quickly, because you can’t be with me without paranormal activity. It’s impossible. Things fly off shelves, there’s a ghost cocktail party in my house at 3 am several times per week (absolutely true), and I have entity visitations that my partner has experienced as well. So, I guess love me, love my demons.
And Rachel’s message to the queer community?
Don’t listen to the bullshit, low-frequency people in this world who claim they speak for “God” - they DO NOT. I am someone who speaks directly to Spirit every single day, so I’m going to shut up and simply share what Spirit truly wants to say directly to you:
“You are moving in the world exactly as you are meant to be. You are perfect. You are beautiful. You are divine. And you are loved.” ■
Sister of Darkness is available wherever you buy books
Follow Rachel on IG: @RHStavis
CHEYENNE JACKSON
CHEYENNE JACKSON IS A TRUE RENAISSANCE MAN IN THE ENTERTAINMENT WORLD AND BEYOND. He has mastered the spotlight on stage and on screen, in activism and in family life. Breaking boundaries and overcoming queer stereotypes, he is the go-to leading man. On stage, he has mastered classics like Damn Yankees, West Side Story, Finian’s Rainbow, and Once Upon A Mattress, to more contemporary works like Into the Woods and The Secret Garden, to fresh pieces like Altar Boyz, All Shook Up, and, of course, Xanadu For his solo voice, he has sold out Carnegie Hall twice, released three studio albums, and continues to spring up at venues across the nation. On screen, he has appeared in hard-hitting films like United 93, The Green, and Behind the Candelabra, with a television career that dances between genres with notable roles on 30 Rock, Glee, Curb Your Enthusiasm, American Horror Story, Call Me Kat, Disney’s Descendants, and on reality TV for The Masked Singer and RuPaul’s Drag Race…and the list goes on. Not bad for a queer kid who grew up in a small mill town, lightyears from entertainment’s bright lights.
BY ALEXANDER RODRIGUEZ
PHOTOS BY PARKER BURR
Cheyenne was raised in Oldtown, Idaho, in a home that had an outhouse and no running water. With three siblings, his mother was his first source of musical inspiration and instruction. Without the noise of a big city, music was his constant.
Well, I will say that both my Mom and Dad were huge music lovers, and our house continuously had music playing on the record player - lots of folks, Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, Joan Baez, and everything in between. But in terms of singing, yes, definitely my Mom. She loved to sing and still does. The first thing that pops into my head is my ability to sing harmonies. I live for it. It’s how I hear the sounds in the world, actually. I harmonize with my electric toothbrush, the train, whatever. My sister Amber does the same thing. My mom taught me to sing harmony when I was very, very young and I was fascinated with the idea that you could sing an alternate melody, or enhance a musical phrase, by singing a third interval
above, or a third below, or a fifth above, or whatever. The possibilities were endless. I remember being in my room with my two tape recorders stacking harmonies. I’d spend hours listening to George Michael, trying to figure out what he did vocally and how he could sing so high and so clear. Singing was my escape, my lifeline to my deepest, most personal self. I’m so thankful my parents fostered my love of music so completely.
When he was a teenager he moved to Spokane, Washington, and eventually to Seattle. He worked as an ad executive while doing theater to earn his Equity card. He then headed to New York City to pursue his passion. He made his Broadway debut understudying lead roles in Thoroughly Modern Millie and then as a standby in Aida. It was the 2005 debut of the Elvis Presley-based jukebox musical All Shook Up that would first put Cheyenne on the map. He originated the role of Chad and would earn a nomination from the Drama
League and Outer Critics Circle Awards for Outstanding Lead Actor. His Broadway star would continue to rise as he stepped in last minute as the lead in Xanadu, a role that would earn him a Drama League and Drama Desk nomination and an appearance on the 62nd Tony Awards. Coincidentally, it is this role that has been talked about in other celebrity interviews that we have done that have named Jackson as a role model and inspiration in his ability to lead a show as a queer actor. While he continued to be a critical and audience success on stage, early roles in 30 Rock and Glee would start his journey to becoming a household name. His run on American Horror Story showed his diversity and ability to glide between roles. While some actors struggle with bridging a lucrative career between stage and screen, he has done so deftly.
I think it’s for a few reasons. First of all, I love to be creative, and I love to challenge myself with new adventures. Always. My old next-door neighbor and mentor when I lived in Hell’s Kitchen for 12 years, was the late great Jerry Orbach, and he’d say to me… “Chey, say yes to everything, because you never know what will come of it, and at the very least, you’ll learn something new!” I’ve taken that to heart. Some of the most random little gigs I’ve taken were simply because something about them seemed fun or weird, or maybe I just had a gut feeling about, and they have proven to be the most fruitful. Secondly, I try to stay ready. I keep up with my vocal health even when I’m on a TV show, so if the right Broadway or concert opportunity comes my way, it’s not so daunting to jump right in and use those skills - use it or lose it. And maybe lastly, and this might seem trite, but I think my crossover success can be attributed to the fact that I’m a good-natured guy, and I’m easy to work with. Kindness goes a long way. I show up on time, I know my lines, I know my music, I try to stay open to all possibilities in a scene or song, I’m ready to play, I’m ready to grow, I’m ready to fail, I’m not afraid to look stupid, and I’m not an asshole.
In addition to being able to transition between both mediums, he has escaped being pigeonholed by roles just because he is an openly gay actor. While the conversation rages on that gay should play gay, he has had the opportunity to play gay or straight in many different shades of sexuality. No one bats an eye either way, he is the character he is supposed to play.
JASON AND I ARE UNITED IN THAT WE WANT TO CREATE LOVED AND LOVING PEOPLE BECAUSE YOU AREN’T RAISING KIDS, YOU’RE RAISING PEOPLE.”
Honestly, I never really give that part of it much thought. It’s on a case-by-case basis, really. Ever evolving. It starts with the script and the character, and then I factor in the director and the people I’ll be working with and go from there. Whether I’m playing someone straight or gay is just in the details. I wouldn’t say an afterthought, but whether I connect with the role is much more important to me than if he’s straight or gay. For instance, on Call Me Kat, I really loved the character of Max in the pilot. He was this sort of wandering, well-meaning, but aimless man-child with a chip on his shoulder who felt life was passing him by. I just got him, I felt like I knew him. I didn’t think I’d get it. I could be wrong, but I don’t believe they’ve cast an openly gay actor in a straight leading role in a network sitcom before from the jump. We, of course, know people who’ve played leads in sitcoms that were openly gay, but they usually came out during the run of their shows or after. So, I thought no way was I getting this. But I screentested with Mayim Bialik and it worked. We did that for three years for about 50 episodes during Covid, a wild time to make comedy with no studio audience.
Being part of Call Me Kat would also place the incomparable Leslie Jordan among the cast. Leslie, who also broke boundaries for queer actors with his trailblazing career, tragically died suddenly while the cast was waiting for him to show up to set.
I could write a book on Leslie because I loved him so much and he was such a dear friend of mine, a friend for many years before the show. We met in the recovery community in West Hollywood and really cemented our friendship when he joined us on American Horror Story. Leslie was who you thought he was… he was hilarious, he was filthy, he was irreverent, he was unmistakable, he was sensitive, he was naughty, he was kind. He was one in a million. He also was an incredible actor, an underrated actor, for sure. Everyone knew he could turn a phrase and hit a punchline with razor-sharp precision, but he could also break your fucking heart with a look, a gesture. He had deep pain and he used it. He spread joy every single day. He lit everyone up around him. Watching him enjoy his extraordinary success in real time was one of the most beautiful things
I JUST REALLY WANT TO INSPIRE, MOVE, AND ENTERTAIN PEOPLE.”
I’ve ever been able to witness. We adored each other. When he died, I mourned him like a family member. They made us shoot a scene where we said goodbye to his character. I could barely stand up, but we got through it together. Jesus, I miss that little peanut.
A full-time role that Cheyenne has taken on in real life is that of a father. He and his husband Jason are fathers to their twin boy and girl. Given today’s political and social environment, what are the biggest challenges he and his husband face as queer parents?
Jason and I are united in that we want to create loved and loving people because you aren’t raising kids, you’re raising people. We are honest with them. We have strict boundaries with them. They’re not our devices. We listen to them, we guide them, but mostly we let them be because anyone with kids knows, your kids are pretty much who they’re going to be. You just have to get out of the way. We love being fathers so much. We are all the way in and I couldn’t imagine it any other way. As far as being queer fathers, there are times when it’s tricky. A few times kids have said things to my kids like, where’s your mom… or whatever, but they get it. They know they are loved beyond measure, and they know they are in a unique family. We went to Ptown this summer for family week so they could be around tons of other queer families, and it was heaven on earth. Highly recommend. Has becoming a father changed the type of roles he takes on?
Not really. I will say that I do have, in the back of my mind, the knowledge that they will see this one day. But I don’t let that dictate anything. I am definitely more open to family-friendly fare, though. When their friends at school found out I played Hades in the Descendants franchise on Disney, they were very excited. To eightyear-olds who love those movies, I’m Brad Pitt.
This November, Cheyenne will return to regional theatre by taking on the role of Georges in La Cage aux Folles at the Tony-nominated Pasadena Playhouse in Southern California. The musical, which also served as the basis for the film The Birdcage, first premiered as the AIDS epidemic was picking up speed. Featuring music and lyrics by Jerry Herman and a book by Harvey Fierstein, the original production won six Tony Awards. Since that premiere, the queer community has survived the epidemic, seen same-sex marriage, and continues to experience a growing number of LGBTQ representation in areas from politics to Hollywood. How does this classic musical speak to Cheyenne?
Georges is a perfect example of what I have been saying. He’s a grownup. He loves his husband. He loves his son. He loves his life at the club… his chosen family. It’s really a love story and how fortunate that the world is in the place it is that we can present it as is, with its original Harvey Feirstein book, and just play it for real. I loved Oh, Mary! so much. It is maybe the funniest thing I have ever seen. The commitment, the audacity, the wit. So, when Sam Pinkleton, its director, called me to ask me about doing La Cage, although the show was really never on my radar to be in, something inside me said to say yes. Just like Jerry Orbach taught me! Also, I’m going to be
50 next year, and it just feels like the perfect time for me to play a father and jump all the way into this gloriously queer story. And the gem that is (co-star) Kevin Cahoon and I adore each other and have never worked together, so I’m very excited to create this with him.
Looking back at his extensive career, nearing a milestone birthday, as a father, a member of the queer community, and an inspiration to other gay artists, what kind of legacy does Cheyenne want to create?
I don’t think in those macro terms. I just really want to inspire, move, and entertain people. And I’m in it for the long haul. I started with singing, then acting came into play, then both together while doing heaps of musical theatre, then songwriting, then primarily just television acting, and now, for the last two years, I’ve been focusing on writing. I love it with all my heart. I’ve written a rom com that we’re shopping around, I’ve sold a holiday movie pitch, and I’ve finished two pilots. One very personal that is based on a short story I wrote that I’m very excited about. I’m a big believer in mentors, as I’ve mentioned, and I have some cherished writing mentors. This new frontier for me is very exciting. On the acting front, I think the fact that I started acting later in life helps me. I’ve come to love getting older and being able to play more interesting people - men who have lived and have something to say because they have life experience.
With the changes in queer representation that Cheynne has seen and been a part of, what does he think the future looks like for our community in the entertainment world?
It feels like we just keep growing and moving, and seeing this change in my lifetime and career is wonderful. Case in point, this Emmy season there are more openly gay actors in the Leading Actor in a Limited Series category than straight. That’s incredible. I love cheering my queer brothers and sisters on. I just did a queer zombie movie with Katy O’Brien, who is just about the most beautiful human you’ll ever see, and talented, funny, and queer AF. Everyone had a crush on her. With people like Katy, Andrew Scott, Matt Bomer, Kristin Stewart, Richard Gadd, Sarah Paulson, and Colman Domingo leading the charge, the future looks bright. And super gay.
And his wish for the community?
As Sam, our La Cage director, recently pointed out to me, hopefully in November when we will be in tech, Kamala Harris will have won the election, and we will be singing “The Best of Times is Now” and we’ll be able to actually believe it. ■
Follow Cheyenne on IG: @MrCheyenneJackson
La Cage plays at Pasadena Playhouse from November 17th to December 15th. Visit pasadenaplayhouse.org.
LOVING HIMSELF AND THE INDUSTRY DEXTER CARR
DEXTER CARR HAS BEEN KILLING IT IN THE SOCIAL MEDIA SCENE WITH HIS VIRAL DANCING VIDEOS
GARNERING MILLIONS OF VIEWS. Dexter has been killing it in the dance scene as one of the most indemand teachers and performers, having worked with Beyonce, Janet Jackson, Megan Thee Stallion, Missy Elliot, Katy Perry, Kelly Rowland, Billy Porter, and Tinashe, just to name a small few. And now he is killing in the TV scene. Hulu’s latest reality show, Playground, is an intimate and challenging look at the lives of the dancers who work at Los Angeles’s premier dance studio, owned by dance vets Robin Antin and Kenny Wormald. As the only queer and Black male dancer in the cast, there’s a lot of pressure in the spotlight. He handles it well. Despite his rise to fame, he is centered, down to earth, and grateful for his journey Derek grew up in Miami. Before getting into dance, he was a closeted sports player at school, then jumping all in and getting into the drama department and ultimately following his friend into the dance studio. He was dancing by the age of 16 and got booked to perform in Chris Brown’s “Kiss, Kiss” music video. Getting through the audition seems like destiny, as it began a string of perfect opportunities.
BY ALEXANDER RODRIGUEZ
It was crazy down the line, packed room, all that stuff. I just really wanted it, and I really worked hard at the audition. It was the first audition I ever went to and I was just like, you gotta go for it. This is your time, don’t mess up today, today’s the day to go for it. It wasn’t a perfect audition, but I think his manager and he saw something in me, maybe something kind of similar to him.
Not bad for his first audition. While the temptation might have been for Dexter’s classmates to make fun of him for being a dancer, getting this job instantly set him apart.
I think that gave me a little street cred with the boys. Like, oh, okay, you’re not doing that other kind of dance, you’re doing like the cool dance. I think I was able to escape the bullying with that. But you know, obviously, there’s always going to be people saying what they’re going to say, but I never really was worried about that.
What we see in the Hulu show Playground is an artist dedicated to his craft. While other dancers may let studio and outside drama in, Dexter is devoted to his art. He learned the responsible part
of being a dancer from being in the original cast of Bring It On: The Musical (for both the National Tour and for Broadway) and later, In The Heights
That’s what gave me structure and that’s what taught me discipline. You have to show up to those eight shows a week. You can’t call out, you got to be on that stage. What I loved about it is that I got to work with some of Broadway’s best, Lin Miranda, (choreographer) Andy Blankenbuehler, and Alex Lacamoire. I was getting the premier Broadway experience for my first time, so I was just like an open sponge. I was listening to everything they were saying, I was trying to figure out what happens behind the scenes, all that kind of stuff. I just wanted to soak in everything.
What you also see on the reality show is Dexter’s hustle. He is a hard worker just as much as he is talented, and while his resume may look like a long list of lucky breaks, he’s earned each and every one of those projects.
I was not the best in the room. I want to make that very clear. I was not walking in here and like eating everybody alive, but I really wanted it. And I wanted to work hard,
I REALLY JUST HAD TO FIGURE IT OUT, BUT THAT’S WHAT NEW YORK TAUGHT ME - TO GET UP, GET ON THE GROUND, AND FIGURE IT OUT.”
and to train. There were plenty of auditions that I got told no… many times. But I would take those nos and I would say, okay, now why did I get told no? What did I do wrong? What could I have done more of? Usually what that was, was to just be more present in the room. Just be more of yourself. People have auditioned every day, but what’s setting you apart from those 800 people who already walked into that room?
With nothing but a handful of cash and dance credits in his pocket, he decided to try his luck on the West Coast, coming to Los Angeles to pursue his career. The move was much different than his experience going from Miami to New York. This was a whole new game.
I was living in my friend’s dorm at UCLA, literally with the college kids. It was tough, it was very tough. It was a huge culture shock for me. Everything out here is different, everybody is different - they move differently, and they network differently. So, I learned a lot very quickly. I was fortunate enough to have friends who had been here for a while, so I got to hang under their wing, but still, I was figuring out everything on my own. I’m an only child so don’t have brothers and sisters to call. My parents are not in the industry at all, they don’t know anything about what is going on. I really just had to figure it out, but that’s what New York taught me - to get up, get on the ground, and figure it out.
He made a name and place for himself at Playground. As a star of the dance studio’s popular social media dance routines and with a number of sold-out classes, it has become his home. When Hulu came calling with the possibility of doing a reality show, Dexter was on board.
Dancers are always told to just shut up and dance or be in the background or you’re a piece of the puzzle, the bigger picture. And when Hulu came and said, we want to give dancers an opportunity to say what you guys want to say, talk about what you want to talk about, talk about the struggles, talk about what you like, what you don’t like, who you like, who you don’t like, I was so down. I was so down to give people an inside look at who we are past what they see on the phone or what they see on the TV screen. Through the audition stuff, all the drama that goes on in auditions, but more so like what happens literally with us as human beings. That’s what dancers are, human beings that are in this space trying to compete for a job, but also have a relationship with each other, but having to remain cordial, remain
I THINK ANYBODY WITH A PLATFORM THAT REPRESENTS MULTIPLE COMMUNITIES SHOULD THINK ABOUT THE COMMUNITY, IT’S NOT ALWAYS JUST ABOUT YOURSELF.”
professional, and sometimes it gets very messy. So I wanted Hulu to see that and I wanted the world to see that.
There is an industry assumption that there are a lot of gay male dancers in the business. What we see on Playground is that this sector of the industry has straight male dancers at the forefront. On the show, Carr is the only openly queer dancer in the cast. On top of that, he is also one of the only Black male dancers. Double pressure to represent both communities in a positive light.
I was terrified until two weeks before the show came out. What was going to be shown? It is a responsibility you would think that there are a lot of gay males in the dance industry, but in all honesty, it is pioneered by the straight, big tough guy type that all the female artists want to be with. So as a gay male, as a masculine, presenting gay male myself, I must be able to conform in certain rooms. And I think what I like about the industry now where it’s going is a lot of artists are comfortable with having openly gay men on stage and being themselves and being real. Not even necessarily doing it for a gimmick, but just being yourself. It’s really dope to see where the industry’s going.
During the series, Dexter makes a comment that puts his journey as a Black man in dance, and beyond, into words. He said that as a person of color, you have to try harder, you have to be better just to be considered, just to get into the room. Beyond the hours of rehearsal, beyond the sweat and tears, he has to deal with that reality.
It’s a battle every day. I danced with some top A-list artists and I’ve had to walk in the room and tell myself, don’t dress a certain way, don’t wear your durag into rehearsal, don’t look a certain way… it’s just a whole thing. And this is after you’ve already gotten hired. So, mind you, you picked me, but I’m still being watched. People need to be very understanding that when they watch the show all of us have had issues - weight issues, being a woman in the industry, being a Black woman in the industry. Hollywood wants a perfect picture and if you don’t fit in that, you can easily be tossed out. What I like about the industry where it’s going now, is that that perfect picture is now being molded and changed, whether that’s a size thing, whether that’s a body type thing, all of it. If you’re a bad bitch, you should be able to be on that stage with the other bad bitches.
There’s a pivotal moment in the series where Dexter is booked for a major tour, meaning he would have to leave his role at Playground, a place that has been instrumental in his career. It was a defining
moment for Carr, ultimately, he stayed at the dance studio. How does he deal with opportunities that come his way, every job in the dance industry is a gamble, there is no sure thing. With his career on a continued rise, how does he know when it is time to move on?
That’s a hard question because I’m still struggling with that myself. You weigh the pros and cons. For me, I’m a relationship person. I just feel like the relationship that you build with people in the industry is your real bond. Talent can go away, social media can go away, but the relationships that you’ve built with these people that you trust, are what is going to take you to as high as you want to go in this industry. When it came to the tour, a three-month tour versus my relationship with Playground and Robin and Kenny, I just didn’t think that it was worth jeopardizing. And I have literally a hundred students a night that come to class so leaving them just didn’t seem right to me. Also, you put your faith in God to hope that things will align, that it’ll come back to you if it’s supposed to.
Another major event on the reality show is when a past colleague comes back into the studio’s circle. This individual had made disparaging comments towards the Black Lives Matter movement, comments that were not only damaging to his circle of friends but to the social media world as well. This dancer’s career became a victim of cancel culture. He moved back home, having lost everything.Years later, as captured on the show, he comes back expecting to be welcomed back after making a blanket apology. What viewers learn is the power of social media in the dance business. Long gone are the days of lines around the corner for an audition, dancers are usually vetted by the content they post on TikTok or Instagram. In addition, endorsement deals and gigs are sometimes just handed over to dancers who have a strong presence on the platforms. Those facts, along with the damage that was done by his colleague did not allow Dexter to be receptive to this returning dancer.
I think anybody with a platform that represents multiple communities should think about the community, it’s not always just about yourself. It makes me really sad when I see people that I love, and this has happened to all of us, we see people we love and that we admire on social media then they go and do something crazy and you’re like, girl, what are you doing? Like, why would you do that? Because it does affect
the community. As somebody who stands behind you and somebody who supports you financially, and emotionally, whatever the case is, I would never talk crazy. I would never do anything that was just out of my moral compass. Even if I was brought to that point I try to always remember that you have people behind you who are really checking for you and making sure that you’re good. So don’t act stupid.
I obviously chose to not let him back in but here’s the thing, your political views are your political views. Fine, we’ll leave that where it is. But my issue is what you said about a group of people that not only are you a part of, but that support you, that are behind you, and that you use our music, our culture, our dances, our style, our clothes, our hairstyles to get you ahead in your career. Then you completely put us in the ground and act like, oh, well, I was just saying how I felt I was in a bad place. That doesn’t work for me. Your political views are hurting Black people, hurting a community of people that you stand with. I can’t see a resolution in that. Because you feeling like that and you having these thoughts means that you don’t care about my life, you don’t care about my dad’s life, you don’t care about my brother’s life. It gets so much deeper than just, oh, I’m sharing
my opinion.
I want people to come to social media to feel good. I think there’s so much bad, there’s so much you can scroll and find craziness on social media if you really want to. When you come to my page or my platforms, I want you to feel the positivity.
Dexter has also been spreading his positivity throughout the nation on the KAOS Aftermath summer tour with winter and early 2025 dates already added. KAOS aligns hip-hop training from the industry’s best of the best for dancers of all ages and levels. He continues to inspire in any way that he can and his message to his fans is this:
Thank you for your support. Thank you for your love. When you watch Playground, try to see it from every lens. I know you’re going to have your favorites, and your least favorites, but everybody has an amazing story. Everybody’s come from a past that’s not always ideal but has gotten to this point where they have overcome that and are continuing to grow and are continuing to learn about themselves. We’re all learning about ourselves, learning how to love ourselves more and love ourselves in this industry, which is not always loving. ■
You can follow Dexter on IG @DexterCarr Playground is now streaming on Hulu
I
HAVE MORE THAN ENOUGH BAD ADVICE TO SHARE.”
SCARLET ENVY MAKING LIFE SPARKLE
BY ALEXANDER RODRIGUEZ
AUGUST 23RD, WEST HOLLYWOOD WAS A BUZZ. KATY PERRY WAS SET TO TAKE THE STAGE AT THE NEWLY CHRISTENED BEACHES TROPICANA NIGHTCLUB IN THE CENTER OF THE GAYBORHOOD. The line to get in continued around the block, even though tickets were sold out. As the lights dimmed and the crowd went wild, it was clear that there was another diva set to take the stage that night. The question was, would she bring the drama? She did. Scarlet Envy took center stage to thunderous applause as she launched into the debut of “Rain in Hollywood,” the title song of her new EP. With textures of Madonna, a mix of synth-pop, and a melody that haunts for days, she gave Katy a run for her money. This is just one more peak for this drag artist, who has had a year in the spotlight. Not only did she compete in her third iteration of Drag Race, but she penned and published her first book of poetry She’s A Poet, debuted her new cabaret “Bad Advice”, released her new EP, and set foot on her 36-city tour…all while looking fabulous and keeping her 500+K followers on social media entertained.
Scarlet, powered by artist Jacob James Grady, was raised in Louisville, Kentucky. After Scarlet’s mom divorced her father, her household changed greatly. Scarlet would come to have two moms.
Louisville is an amazing city, and I enjoy returning as often as possible. The biggest lesson my siblings and I have taken away from Mom and Sheri is the importance of being true to yourself, working hard, and preserving with love in the face of adversity. My parents also instilled in me an appreciation for bourbon. That doesn’t explain all the vodka I drink. In all seriousness though, one of the greatest gifts in my life has been
to watch my mom’s example. I think it’s important to remember how queer women have historically lifted up the LQBTQ+ community at large. Although that sounds like a queertastic and drag fairy tale story, Scarlet’s coming out before that period of time was not without its challenges. In elementary school, she started to realize that her sexuality was different than the other boys. Coming out was bittersweet. Not many people were surprised when I came out at 18. I was always being myself; I just didn’t hold press conferences. Notably, I went through conversion therapy as an adolescent. It was horrible and religious-based and
quickly stopped as my family dynamics shifted with my mom and dad’s divorce and my move to New York for school. Those years of radical conversion therapy were replaced with radically queer brilliance in New York City.
She studied at the Fashion Institute of Technology in Manhattan and received a degree in advertising design. It was during that time, though, that Scarlet was born. Even with a degree in hand, she had found her true calling. I was doing drag in college to feed myself. After graduation, I went fulltime with drag. I loved the freedom and challenge of working for myself. Being a professional drag queen continues to be one of the wildest and most rewarding decisions I’ve ever made. I support further education for those who want it, but for me, it was the dive bars that taught the most valuable lessons. I cannot deny the amazing career opportunities I’ve experienced in heels.
She auditioned for Drag Race four times before being cast on the show’s 11th season. In her final audition tape, she included an unhinged monologue in which she played both Joan Crawford and Bette Davis. If that isn’t the epitome of bringing the drama. Scarlet was eliminated in the sixth episode, but her presence already made its mark on the fans. She appeared on the sixth season of All Stars in 2021 and in the
DRAG HAS BEEN AN IMPORTANT VEHICLE FOR EXISTING IN THE WORLD AS A COMEDIAN, DESIGNER, ACTOR, AND SINGER.”
second season of UK vs. the World this year. What did she take away from her time on the show?
In season 11, I learned that I like being on TV. I also learned that being genuine with people and relentlessly myself was an effective way to connect with fans. In my third season, I just tried to stick around the whole time. Luckily, that was achieved! Though still competitive in this most recent stint, I was more secure with my brand and on the heels of being the most viral Drag Race alumni of all time. Working with the BBC was exciting and new!
Taking her stories and skills to the pages, this year she released She’s A Poet, a collection of 42 poems exploring love, show business, and identity. This book also includes never-before-seen photography from Scarlet’s life. Why now? Why a book of poetry?
I have always written poems, but they were never supposed to be published. I was presented with the idea of following my journey for publishing from OutTV. The documentary follows the process and really kickstarted it. I’m happy Indolent Books published it because this collection is special. Drag has a place in the literary world, and it is important that LGBTQ+ writers assume their space. She’s A Poet is a beautiful and intimate way to share my art and further connect with fans.
These poems are curated from five years of writing, journaling, and photography. I highly recommend journaling to everyone! Writing by hand is a good way for me to literally slow my thought process down as I write. Fun fact: I’m left-handed! I’d like to remind readers that poetry is allowed to be funny. There’s a good variety of poems in the book, both silly and serious. The poems are truly from the perspective of a drag queen so not all of them are demure but all of them are mindful. The book celebrates drag. If you don’t like it, you can use it as a coaster or regift it this holiday season.
Scarlet recently debuted her new solo show “Bad Advice” at The Laurie Beechman Theatre in New York City, making this her third cabaret appearance at the venue. The show is a journey of behind-the-scenes Drag Race tea mixed with bigger-than-life stories of what not to do. I have more than enough bad advice to share. Just from personal experience alone, I had enough material to write a show. I wanted to give people the full show they got a taste of on Drag Race UK Vs The World. A
smoky, jazzy New York audience isn’t afraid to tell you what works and what doesn’t. I was excited to perform my pop music in a cabaret show. Blake Allen (musical director) is brilliant and brought the new songs to a cabaret space nicely.
As much as she loves the screen, Scarlet obviously loves the stage. This Halloween season, in addition to continuing Bad Advice, she rejoins Drag Race alum Tina Burner and Alexis Michelle in the popular touring show “Witch Perfect.” The show runs through November 10th.
You can expect to laugh. The show is hilarious and magical. It’s a brilliant parody of Hocus Pocus starring Tina Burner as Winifred, Alexis Michelle as Mary, and myself as Sarah Sanderson. The show has been successful for a few years now. Tina and Alexis are amazing actors, and they are stars. I think the show has been successful because we are having real fun on stage.
At 32, she has already done more than most Queens do in a lifetime. As much as she pummels forward with multiple projects in a variety of genres, she appreciates where she came from and where she wants to go.
Drag has changed my life in every conceivable way… making many of my dreams a reality. Drag was the motivating factor for
my move to Los Angeles and is the driving force behind my music. Drag has been an important vehicle for existing in the world as a comedian, designer, actor, and singer. As many wounds as drag has healed for me (many) it has also been the wound. That’s the complicated relationship with my work that I like. I just keep creating. I love working and I appreciate the continued support. May fame be fleeting and impact lasting. I want to continue writing and making pop music.
Scarlet has never felt that her drag persona has overshadowed the artist behind the makeup. She enjoys the duality of life in and out of drag and credits cooking, working out, sex, and taking time to be alone to keep her mental health in check.
And her message to her fans?
Be the drama.
And finally, does Scarlet think that she is the drama?
Maybe I am! Life is what you make it, so take the risks and make it sparkle.
Her EP Rain in Hollywood is streaming wherever you get your music. ■
Find out where Witch Perfect is coming near you: www.witchperfect.com
Follow Scarlet on IG: @ScarletEnvy
ALONSO DURALDE
IS DELVING INTO CINEMATIC QUEER LEGACY
BY ALEXANDER RODRIGUEZ
THERE ARE CINEPHILES, AND THEN THERE ARE CINEPHILES. ALONSO DURALDE’S ENTIRE LIFE IS CENTERED ON FILMS. He is the chief U.S. film critic of The Film Verdict, he co-hosts the Linoleum Knife, Maximum Film!, and Breakfast All Day podcasts, and appears regularly on Deck the Hallmark pod – all having to do with some genre of films, of course. If that weren’t enough podcasts about movies, he launched The Film Library with Kanopy.com, discussing films that matter from the platform’s library of over 30K movies, all free to students and library card holders. His extensive knowledge of all things films has made him an expert commentator on CNN, PBS, TCM, and ABC, to name a few, as well as appearing in numerous documentaries. To celebrate this year’s Pride, Alonso released perhaps his most ambitious book to date, Hollywood Pride: A Celebration of LGBTQ+ Representation and Perseverance in Film. The book catalogs the life stories and movies of Hollywood’s queer contingent from behind and in front of the camera, from Thomas Edison’s first ever captured sound film to our current boom in LGBTQ representation.
THIS PAGE :
PHOTO BY LISA JANE PERSKY
Alonso Duralde’s name reads like a leading man’s credit and comes from Spanish immigrants. In a story that could be its own film, his parents, his father a doctor and his mother a nursing student, started dating in Madrid. His father was brought to Emory University in Atlanta for a temporary fellowship. Falling in love with the United States and not wanting to return to a post- World War II Spain, he proposed by mail and sent for her. At that time, an unmarried woman could not travel transatlantically by boat alone. As a workaround, Alonso’s mother got married in Spain with her brother standing in for her future husband. As a precaution, a priest at Emory married them again for safe measure. Alonso is the youngest of seven children, and he credits growing up with older siblings for his accelerated speech and reading skills. His love for films would start as a kind of family affair.
When I was a kid, I was just barely going along for the ride. My mom really liked movies. She was a big Humphrey Bogart fan, she really liked Clark Gable. So, the TV would be on older movies with some frequency. I was a “change of life” baby, so, my oldest brother, who is 12 years older than me, graduates from college in the mid-seventies and comes home from Harvard with all of these books about MGM and Greta Garbo and classic movies of the thirties and forties because there was a big revival of that kind of thing happening. In the Ivy League in the early seventies, that’s where this sort of Casablancarevival happened. So, he brings these books home and I devour them, baby nerd that I am at nine years old. Then it’s like marking the TV Guide every week because this is still precable, pre-VHS, and I’m just looking for when the afternoon movie is going to be a Hitchcock flick or whatever.
The gay community has often had a close relationship with the dramatic and camp films of classic Hollywood, celebrating the divas of the time. For Alonso, he did not immediately correlate the two.
It didn’t occur to me that there was anything connected between the two for a long time. Of course, a nine-yearold who’s watching All About Eve on TV, what could be gay about that? I was the high school kid standing in the library reading Vito Russo’s The Celluloid Closet
next to the shelf, and then putting it back on the shelf before anybody saw you. I was not going to check it out. I wasn’t going to take it, but I would stand in the stacks and just start devouring it. So that was my first inkling that there was a connection there.
And as far as Hollywood divas like Louise Brooks, Joan Crawford, Bette Davis, Norma Shearer, with the list going on and on, why does Alonso think they resonate and are venerated by the gay community so much?
My personal theory is, for little gay kids, there’s something about a diva that is an example of strength that isn’t tied into a kind of machismo. So in other words, if Mary Tyler Moore can walk into a room and own that room because of her magnetism and her sense of humor, and whatever it is that is compelling and making people pay attention, that’s something that if you are a kid who can’t throw a ball and doesn’t want to go hunting with your dad and doesn’t want to do the traditional stuff, gay kids get that from divas. Straight kids get that from Charles Bronson. Straight kids get that from football heroes.
Alonso’s coming out would come during his last semester in college. His siblings were all grown up and moved out of the voice, he had found his individual voice in school, and he was no longer fighting for scraps at the table.
I was thinking, alright, if my parents disowned me, at least my education would have been paid for. And they didn’t. And they were great. I mean, my mom had passed away by that point, but my dad, after a few rough patches, was terrific. You got to map these things out, so that was my strategy. I came out, I got a boyfriend, the whole thing.
I remember before coming out, I remember seeing both My Beautiful Laundrette and Prick Up Your Ears with my best, straight friend to whom I was not yet out. I remember just sitting through both of those movies being like, okay, do not respond to anything, just trying to keep this game face on. And then right after coming out, I remember seeing Parting Glances for the first time. That movie really resonated for me because by that point, I had a boyfriend. We’d moved in together and there was a scene, just a little throwaway moment early in the movie, of the two lead characters. One of them has been jogging around Central Park, the other’s sitting on a park bench reading and they go back to their apartment and start
making love. They’re making out and they fall backward on the bed and the camera pans down and you see one of them use his feet to remove the other one’s shoes. And I was like, ooh, I’ve done that, that’;s me! I felt recognized in a movie in that way for the first time. I’d been watching love stories my whole life, but I was finally in one. So that was very exciting.
Alonso started writing reviews for his high school and college paper, then for the Nashville Banner after graduating, and then came to review for Dallas’ gay paper, The Voice. He was developing his critic’s voice, learning how to mesh his knowledge and opinions in an artful and sincere way.
There’s that thing that critics have to sort of figure out and I think we spend most of our careers trying to figure out how to do it, which is the mixture of - this is what I understand as somebody who has studied the art form and is interested in the art form and knows the history of it, and has watched a lot of things, but also this is what I bring to the table as a human being who has gone through whatever things in life that color my judgment or that make me like or dislike certain things, or that make me relate to certain things. It was just more of a question of trying to get better as a writer and reading other critics and looking back at my stuff and thinking, oh, that was good, or oh, that was terrible. I am very tough on my own copy, but usually when it’s far too late to do anything about it.
Alonso maintains that even with having to see the required number of movies in a week to review, he still can sit back and enjoy a movie without making work. As he puts it, he has made his avocation his vocation. He also does not believe in guilty pleasure movies, if it gives you pleasure it gives you pleasure. He is not snobbish in his film tastes, even if a lot of his viewings take him to the Egyptian Theatre, the Academy Museum, or the New Beverly Cinema in Los Angeles. Take for instance his love of Hallmark movies. He’s authored the books Have Yourself a Movie Little Christmas and I’ll Be Home for Christmas Movie.
I watch a lot of Hallmark Christmas movies. People know this about me. It is not a secret. I’m not going to say those are cinema, but they do give me pleasure. The thing about Hallmark Christmas movies, as I always like to remind people, this is a network that is owned by a greeting card company. And in the same way that when you get a greeting card that has a beautiful
MY PERSONAL THEORY IS, FOR LITTLE GAY KIDS, THERE’S SOMETHING ABOUT A DIVA THAT IS AN EXAMPLE OF STRENGTH THAT ISN’T TIED INTO A KIND OF MACHISMO.”
snowy scene on the front, then you put it up on the mantle and you look up occasionally and you go, oh yeah, the snow, it’s Christmas, these movies kind of serve that purpose. They’re there to be on your screen and you look up and you see people making cookies or lighting a tree or shopping for a wreath or whatever, and you go, oh, it’s Christmas. And that’s, that’s it. That’s the function they serve. And if occasionally we get more than that, great, that’s a bonus. They are there to be the thing you’re paying the third most attention to. I genuinely love them. I started watching them when politics really just started taking a turn in this country, so circa 2015. They have really been my Xanax ever since; they are my place to go. When I am very decidedly not watching the news, I am probably watching a Hallmark Christmas movie.
In his book Hollywood Pride, Alonso not only highlights the major studio films that made a mark in our queer history but also important independent pieces that were being put out by
our community, even from the gay erotica world of adult films.
If you wanted to see a portrayal of gay life, whether it was urban life or in the country or whatever in the early seventies, the place you were going to find it was in gay adult cinema. In the kind of what I call the pre-VHS era, there was an attempt to tell certain kinds of stories and present certain kinds of characters because it’s not like Stonewall suddenly made gay people happen. We’d been around, there was this kind of growing subculture. And there is always a hunger, I think, for people to see their lives reflected back to them on the screen. We all crave that for movies, whether it’s aspirational or vicarious, we want that feeling of being involved with the story and figuring out how would that be me in this situation. I think before there were actual, queer, independent films before studios, heaven forbid, wanted to have leading characters, porn is where you found it.
As a queer man, going from secretly reading The Celluloid Closet to adding his own book to a detailed and well-presented queer cinematic history, he still believes that we should be holding all queer content to mainstream film standards.
As one friend of mine says 85% of everything is crap. [Laughs] But as there were more and more films, that meant that the 15% was growing, and it also meant the 85% was growing. So, there was more stuff to sift through to find what the gems were. And I think there are accommodations you can make. You can have a film that is well acted and well written, but if the lighting is subpar, you’re like, okay, well yeah, it doesn’t look great, you’re going to go for the story, go for the characters. But I don’t think that people should be giving art a pass for existing.
For Alonso, the power of and need for independent filmmaking will always be constant.
I think that television is allowed to take more chances because it’s cheaper, and it’s focused on certain markets. Whereas
I think studio filmmaking, for the most part, especially the current state of studio filmmaking where they aren’t interested in making a $25 million drama aimed at adults, they want to make a $250 million superhero movie aimed at everybody. They want that movie to open in all parts of the world, including ones where any kind of content gets banned or censored. I don’t think we can ever rely on the mainstream to sweep in and tell our stories for us. I think that independent cinema is always going to be important and necessary, and it’s where we’re going to get, I think, the truest depictions of our lives and who we are. That isn;t necessarily going to be marketable to a large audience, but it’s going to be art that the people making it felt they had to make.
Very aptly, the release of Hollywood Pride coincided with the beginning of Pride season. The book is as accessible to a film guru as it is for someone who is new to studying cinematic and queer history. Unlike other books that dwell on the same Hollywood stories as Cary Grant or Marlon Brando or James Dean’s alleged homo or bisexuality, Alonso dives into a deeper history through all genders of filmmakers, actors, costume designers, directors, and more that have all played a part in creating the foundation for our cinematic legacy today. He reveals queer sensibilities that were layered into some of the biggest films, including a detail of how most of Alfred Hitchcock’s pieces were entwined with queer texture. He talks about cinematic figures that you may have not heard of before. Alonso also mixes in world and civil rights history, showing the perseverance the queer community has had in order to overcome censorship, oppression, ostracization, and the AIDS epidemic. We still had our stories told, and we still earned our place in mainstream cinema, even if we had to be sneaky or smarter about doing it. The book couldn’t come at a more perfect time when our validity and equality are being called into play politically and socially.
There’s a saying that the personal is political, but not everybody knows that or understands that. I think that there are a lot of people who can see a movie like The Birdcage and find it amusing and think, oh, those two men are so sweet or whatever, and then not really think about the fact that, oh, I’m now going to go vote for this guy who’;s going to strip them of their rights. I think that’s a connection that we have to make with people. And I think that one of
the most effective things that queer people can do with the people in their lives, the people who love them, is sort of gently say like, look, I know we don&’t have the same opinions about everything, and I know that we don’t necessarily agree politically, but you need to understand that voting for this person has a real impact on my life in a negative way. This person is out to destroy what my partner and I have built. That’s why Harvey Milk and everybody’s always talked about why it’s so important to come out. It’s very easy for people to think of queer people as this amorphous “them.” They’re out there and they’;re a threat to my family, and they want bad things, and they are whatever. But when “them” becomes my cousin Frank, that changes everything. And so, I think it’s up to cousin Frank to then tell the rest of the family, look, I need you to understand that this politician that you support for whatever other reasons you might like, is going to mess my life up in a serious way and I need you to really think
twice about what you’re doing when you vote for him. And what that says to me. ■
Hollywood Pride: A Celebration of LGBTQ+ Representation and Perseverance in Film is available on Amazon and wherever you get books.
Check out Alonso’s latest podcast, The Film Library wherever you get podcasts, and check out Kanopy.com extensive library of LGBTQ titles and beyond for free with a library card.
ALASKA THE LAST FRONTIER
BY MICHAEL WESTMAN
ALASKA IS UNIQUE – OFFERING INCREDIBLE BEAUTY AND VARIETY ALL IN ONE STATE! AND YOU CAN EASILY GET A SAMPLING OF THE LAST FRONTIER WITH CELEBRITY CRUISES ITINERARIES. When to travel? Summer! So, when my birthday rolled around and my husband asked what I’d like to do this year, I said “a cruise to Alaska.” Cruises are a great way to see Alaska’s coastal mountains, glaciers, marine wildlife, and towns. Day tours and excursions get you away from the crowds and into the real Alaska you came to see. But taking these tours may require some extra effort—and money. After all, many of Alaska’s most dramatic sights and wildlife can be accessed only by plane or boat. But I am here to tell you that it is well worth the investment in your travel experience.
Now, I have heard from several friends queries along the lines of “I’ve thought about Alaska but is it too slow?” First off, traveling is what you want to make it – go-go-go, relaxing, adventurous, etc. Secondly, and because it was my birthday, I wanted some luxury and some adventure! I got both.
There are many different cruise itineraries to choose from, some including land tours in Denali National Park, Seward, Anchorage, and other spots. Visit celebritycruises. com to view the 2025 offerings. We opted for a roundtrip from Seattle, Washington abord the gorgeous Celebrity Edge for several reasons.
Celebrity Edge at Dawes Glacier - photo courtesy of Celebrity Cruises
Juneau - Dog Sleeding on Mendenhall Glacier
One - Celebrity Edge was the first in their line of “Edge Class” ships, which truly revolutionized the cruise ship industry with its design and features…. and the first cantilevered floating glass-sheltered platform at sea – the Magic Carpet - that extends from the ship’s starboard side, providing the ultimate dining and lounge space, and is also lowered and used as a tender platform. The unique “outward facing” design of this ship seemed a perfect fit for taking in incredible views of the Alaskan wilderness and wildlife.
Two – the itinerary was stellar, with lots of cruising time through Alaska’s Endicott Arm Fjord and the Inside Passage, a complex labyrinth of fjords and bays where whales and sea lions (who doesn’t love sea lions) spend the summer months, as well as stops at Juneau, Ketchikan, Skagway, and Victoria, British Columbia, before returning to Seattle. Many cities in Alaska, including Juneau, Sitka, and Ketchikan, have enacted ordinances protecting sexual orientation and gender identity. Overall, the LGBTQ+ community celebrates Pride at events around the state, and there is a vibrant tradition of local drag shows in the major cities. These locations, along with Celebrity Cruises, embrace diversity and equality, and to me, that’s a win-win.
Three – Seattle is one of my favorite cities. So friendly and welcoming to all. While the city has changed a lot of over the years, Seattle still has one of the largest LGBTQ+ populations in the country, with an estimated 10% identifying as part of the queer community. We flew into Seattle via Alaska Airlines and enjoyed a couple of days pre-cruise, visiting some of our favorite haunts…
Biscuit Bitch (1909 1st Ave near Pike Place Market; 2303 3rd Ave in Belltown). This sassy LGBTQ forward establishment has the freshest, best biscuits (and gravy) in town! I love the Sausage Bitchwich (buttered biscuit sandwich with egg, cheddar, pork sausage patty, and Bitchy Sauce) and a side of Country Gravy.
Unicorn & Narwhal (1118 E Pike St in Capitol Hill). Not one, but two, carnival themed bars, each packing its own vibe into one location offering whimsical food and drink options. Unicorn Helmets, Claw Machine, Photo Booth, Arcade with Pinball Machines, and weekly events like Drag Queen Bingo, Geeks Who Drink Trivia, Karaoke, and more await you!
Starbucks No. 1 (1312 Pike Place, Pike Place Market). Starbucks changed the way we consume coffee beginning in 1971, along the cobblestone streets of historic Pike Place Market. It was here where Starbucks opened its first store, offering fresh-roasted coffee beans, tea and spices from
around the world for its customers to take home. Their name was inspired by the classic tale MobyDick, evoking the seafaring tradition of the early coffee traders. No food options served here, just coffee and merchandise. Get there early in the morning if you do not want to wait in a long line.
The Pink Door (1919 Post Alley, near Pike Place Market). Since 1981, The Pink Door has become a way of life that pairs good food with a sense of community, culture, and generosity of spirit. Fresh, simple, and seasonal, is on the menu at this Italian restaurant with an unbeatable view. Nightly entertainment can range from trapeze artists swinging above the dining room, to cabaret, tarot card readings, or live music. And if the atmosphere and entertainment doesn’t get you excited, the food definitely will! My suggestions? Try the Grilled Figs with Prosciutto and Goat Cheese; the Clams and Mussels in white vermouth, garlic, parsley, and a touch of cream; and the Lasagna Pink Door made with fresh spinach pasta layered with besciamella, pesto and topped with marinara sauce. In summertime they have lovely outdoor patio seating, perfect for a lunchtime Aperol Spritz and a Panni.
First stop, Ketchikan. A seafood lover’s dream! Known as the ‘Salmon Capital of the World’, Ketchikan is also the ancestral home of the Tlingit people, who have carved the world’s largest collection of totem poles. If you’re up for an adventure, take a canoe and nature trail excursion
through the rain forest or a wilderness exploration followed by a sumptuous King Crab feast you’ll long remember. When visiting Ketchikan, you must wander the historical buildings on Creek Street, a pedestrian boardwalk built on wooden pilings above Ketchikan Creek. This former redlight district, where bootleggers made midnight deliveries through hidden trap doors connecting the creek to the bawdy houses, is now home to shops, eateries, and the famous Salmon Ladder. It’s amazing to watch the Salmon swim and jump upstream in order to lay their eggs.
Another staple of Ketchikan is the Great Alaskan Lumberjack Show. You had me at Lumberjack! These world-champion athletes bring a thrilling competition of skill and strength – wielding seven-pound axes, six-foot razor-sharp saws, tree-climbing gaffs, and more. The one-hour performance is packed with burly lumberjack action – log rolling, axe throwing, chopping, and sawing. All this is making me thirsty! Back to the ship for a Martini, shaken not stirred, in the Martini Bar, in anticipation of dinner in Luminae, the private restaurant exclusive to The Retreat (suites) guests, and featuring signature dishes from Michelin-starred chef Daniel Boulud.
Early to rise the second day to experience cruising Alaska’s Endicott Arm Fjord. Sailing through its 30-mile-long stretch, you can’t help but be amazed by the untouched beauty of the surrounding granite mountains, verdant valleys
Skagway - White Pass Railroad
and numerous waterfalls. Bundled up like Artic Nomads, we watched the ship navigate the deep blue water and drifting icebergs, up to the Dawes Glacier. Standing over 600 feet tall and a halfmile wide, this very active icecap is known for its spectacular calving displays which noisily produce huge, chunky icebergs that float in area waters. Along the way we spotted harbor seals, whales, sea otters, and bald eagles. Bring your binoculars and keep a watch!
Next stop, Juneau. Here is your chance to check off one, if not two, Bucket List items – a helicopter flightseeing tour of the 12-mile-long Mendenhall Glacier and Dog Sledding on the Glacier. This is an unbelievable thrill of a lifetime experience and worth every penny. The ariel views of Juneau’s Icefield are spectacular. The helicopter lands, dropping us onto the snowpack on top of the glacier, and the sound of excited Alaskan Huskies is in the air. They are anxious to get to sledding! Just the expanse of ice all around is mind boggling. MUSH! Off we go - gliding across Mendenhall Glacier with our furry companions. After an exhilarating ride, we get to hang out at the dog camp, chat with the professional dog musher, and cuddle with the adorable puppies!
The colorful gold rush history, beautiful setting, and a lot of cruise ships makes Skagway one of the most interesting and popular towns to visit in the Inside Passage. Located on traditional Tlingit land, Shgag̱wéi means “bunched up or roughed up water”and refers to the whitecaps that form from strong winds. Back in 1987, Skagway began as the starting place for more than 40,000 gold-rush stampeders who headed to the Yukon primarily by way of the Chilkoot Trail during the Klondike Gold Rush. Skagway is very welcoming and there is so much fascinating history to take in. This small-town bustles with cruise ship passengers ducking in and out of the various shops in restored 19th-century buildings.
The White Pass & Yukon Route Railroad runs vintage locomotives through the famously steep Chilkoot Trail and offers sweeping mountain views during its climb toward Canada. This historic narrow-gauge railway is a must to venture into the wilderness and see the trail the goldrushers used to haul over 1,000 pounds of supplies (each) into Canada in search of gold. Spectacular sights along the way include Glacier Gorge, Dead Horse Gulch, and Bridal Veil Falls. At the top of the steep climb at 2,888 feet is White Pass, which is also the international boundary between the United States and Canada.
A day at sea provides some time for me – a luxurious Aroma Spa Seaweed Massage followed
by a scalp and foot massage helps work away any built up stress from all that walking! I follow it up with a sojourn to the Hammam, Celebrity’s take on a traditional Turkish Bath. Relaxed, polished, and ready for a celebratory night, our reservation is waiting at Fine Cut Steakhouse –an elevated experience of sophisticated ambiance coupled with the choicest cuts of meat and freshest seafood. A walk through the Casino to test my birthday luck (which wasn’t too bad) and a nightcap at Eden bar round out the day of pampering and luxury, as EDGE sails onward to our next destination….
Victoria, British Columbia, Canada is nestled between the tranquil waters of the Salish Sea and the mighty rainforests of Vancouver Island. Arguably one of Canada’s most picturesque cities, Victoria boasts colorful gardens, a lovely harbor, magnificent architecture and a rich British ancestry that can be glimpsed through its horse-drawn carriages, tearooms and double-decker buses. A visit to Victoria is not complete without a stroll through The Butchart Gardens, considered one of the world’s top display gardens with over 700 varieties of plants that are in bloom between March and October. And my personal favorite is a visit to the Fairmont Empress Hotel, opened back in 1908, inviting celebrities and royalty to experience
its grandeur. Be sure to take advantage of Afternoon Tea. If something stronger than tea is on your mind, have a proper Gin and Tonic at the bar, made with Empress 1908 Indigo Gin. Empress Indigo touts a breathtaking hue, that contains eight signature botanicals, including exotic butterfly pea blossom.
Alas that time has come – the dreaded last night and need to repack and get ready to travel home. But Celebrity makes packing/retrieving of your luggage easier with Port Valet. Simply fill out a form in the cruise app and your flight boarding passes and luggage tags are delivered to your cabin. Once tagged, they pick them up, transport them to the airport, and send them on for pickup at your final destination. This was brilliant! No fuss, no muss, and no need to wrestle with your over-packed bags. This really made disembarkation a breeze.
With a quick goodbye wave to Seattle and the Celebrity Edge, we hopped in our car to the airport. We cannot wait to cruise Alaska again. I’m already looking at brochures…. And remember, Celebrity Cruises supports, embraces, and practices, inclusion, diversity, and equality, so remember that when booking your next adventure.
And yes, our luggage was there when we arrived home!
