O&AN | August 2018

AN INTERVIEW WITH TPAC’S KATHLEEN O’BRIEN

AUGUST 2018 / VOLUME 17 / ISSUE 8 FIRST ISSUE FREE - ADD’L COPIES 50¢ EACH

A LOOK AT SOME UPCOMING SHOWS

Your Nashville Symphony Live at the Schermerhorn BERNSTEIN CENTENNIAL OPENING NIGHT

SYMPHONY UNDER THE STARS Featuring Beethoven’s Emperor & Respighi’s Pines of Rome

Featuring music from West Side Story, On the Waterfront & more

SEPTEMBER 8

SEPT. 9 at ascend amphitheater

AX PLAYS BRAHMS SEPTEMBER 13 to 15

september 16

Kristin Chenoweth september 27 to 29

SEPTEMBER 23

PIRATES!

THE QUEST FOR BLACKBEARD’S TREASURE

ON THE TRAIL OF B I G C AT S

with Steve Winter

Family Series

september 29 at 11 am

SPEAKER SERIES

OCTOBER 1

Reese Witherspoon and National Geographic Live presented without orchestra.

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CONTENTS 8

CHATTANOOGA’S LGBTQ+ COMMUNITY IS STRONG TOGETHER

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A NEW PRIDE TRADITION: TEP’S PINK & PURPLE PARTY

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SHOW SUPPORT FOR OUR NEIGHBORING BORO PRIDE

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SECURING THEATRE’S LEGACY WITH KATHLEEN O’BRIEN

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EXPERIENCING PRIDE FOR THE FIRST TIME

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BRODY RAY SHINES ON AMERICA’S GOT TALENT

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JULIE CHASE @notninahagen

“I get that upstaging Nashville in the Civil Rights fight and expanding inclusiveness might sting a little…”

Samantha Boucher, Community Board member of the Tennessee Valley (Chattanooga) Pride committee, wrote that in response to my lukewarm reaction to her news tip in June. The committee had just voted to adopt the Philadelphia Pride flag as their own, adding black and brown stripes to the top “as a show of solidarity with LGBTQ+ people of color who are often underrepresented and underserved in our community,” according to the committee’s Facebook post announcing the move.

“It is incredibly important for us to elevate the voices of the most marginalized members of our community...often those are people of color, especially trans* people of color,” Samantha continued online. “We think that fighting (for greater inclusion) is one of the most important things that we can do as a community and as a Pride committee. We hope that other Pride festivals around the Southeast will do the same too...”

(Ouch! I will never underestimate Chattanooga queerdom ever again…)

While far smaller than Nashville, Chattanooga’s LGBTQ+ community more than makes up for its size by embracing visibility in an often more hostile environment. Community organizers have begun a push for a citywide Equality Ordinance recently that would reaffirm that Federal court rulings protecting LGBTQ+ people apply in Chattanooga and allow existing city entities to investigate and fight anti-LGBTQ+ discriminatory practices.

Samantha and like-minded members of the Chattanooga Queer Community Forum have been busy over the summer since launching the City of Equality campaign. They took their first crack at building LGBTQ+ affirming policies for residents of the city and Hamilton County with an organized voting drive, all while preparing for Tennessee Valley Pride this fall.

Their “Queer the Vote Chattanooga 2018” campaign kicked off in early July soon after the community held a moving remembrance ceremony, attended by Chattanooga’s mayor and police chief, for the lives lost at Pulse in Orlando two years ago.

The Forum partnered with other social justice groups to rent vans that took community members to early voting sites after sending out LGBTQ+ centered questionnaires to local candidates and creating a phone app to assist with questions and ridesharing.

The questionnaire asked about specific policy questions related to LGBTQ+ topics, according to Boucher. The results O U T A N Dunder A B O U Ta N Ascorecard S H V I L L E .CO M AUGUST 2018 like the Human were graded system, much 8

Rights Campaign uses, and was made available to community members who participated in the early voting drive.

The pro-LGBTQ+ voter campaign applied for and received grant monies, in addition to a fundraiser, to help facilitate the transportation and information strategies. The campaign used large Pride-flagged passenger vans to pick up voters and take them to the polls in large groups, with access to their LGBTQ+ scorecard either downloaded to personal devices or otherwise made available while traveling to the polls, according to Boucher.

The recent Pulse memorial also marked the beginning of the use of trained community members and allied groups to help maintain security at Chattanooga area LGBTQ+ events. The move was made in recognition that the original Stonewall riot of 1969, the mother of all Pride events, saw the police in an unfavorable light and that this carries over for many LGBTQ+ people today. Tennessee Valley Pride is beginning to mull plans for the use of trained nonpolice security volunteers starting in 2019.

“We discussed this at our recent community board meeting and think the conversation deserves special attention,” Boucher explained. “We already take efforts to make sure the police are not elevated at Pride and that their presence for security is unobtrusive, but we know that for some this can still be a problem.”

The Chattanooga chapter of the Guardian Angels helped with the Pulse vigil in June. A volunteer non-police security group familiar to those who hail from the New York City area, the Angels began as organized red beret wearing young New Yorkers who rode the subways and walked throughout the Times Square area at night in the late 1970’s when violent crime rose as a result of cuts in police funding.

Boucher, who will be the security director for this year’s Pride, says that while no such plan for using groups like the Angels would be fully implemented until 2019 at least. This strategy would only follow a public discussion. However, a special effort will be made starting with this Fall’s Pride to have trained civilians available in order to reduce the need for a police presence.

“We want to be mindful of the impact of the police upon our community,” Boucher said. “We think the broader community deserves the opportunity to contribute to that conversation... to come up with ideas that make sense to everyone. We think the Guardian Angels are a great organization, and while we don’t expect trouble...we know that the Angels and our own community leaders will stand up for the marginalized members of our community and place themselves between them and hate.”

Beware the bold and queer Nashville.

Mark your calendars! Tennessee Valley (Chattanooga) Pride is Sunday, October 7 at Ross’s Landing. For more information visit TennesseeValleyPride.com

CHATTANOOGA’S LGBTQ+ COMMUNITY IS SHOWING THE SOUTH WHAT MOTIVATED QUEER PEOPLE DO IN CHALLENGING TIMES 9

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A NEW PRIDE TRADITION? TEP’S PINK & PURPLE PARTY

PHOTOS: JAMES GRADY

Nashville Pride 2018 saw Tennessee Equality Project (TEP) host its first Pink & Purple Party. The event was inspired by an event in support of One Colorado hosted by Christopher Ott and his partner Jeremy Simons, who now reside in Nashville. That Denver event is now in its 13th year, and after the success of Pink & Purple in Nashville, it’s safe to say we may look forward to more here in the future as well!

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HATE HITS CLOSE TO HOME IN TENNESSEE FAMILY SUFFERS HOMOPHOBIC ATTACK

Last month, Michael C. Quinton, a gay man living in East Tennessee, raising his adopted sons (biological great nephews), was the victim of a criminal vandalism. His car was totaled by the vandals, who cut up the interior of the vehicle with knives, going so far as destroying all of the tires and carving homophobic message on the exterior.

Michael reached out via Facebook, sharing his accounts of the incident and its impact on his boys. The messages have gone viral, but a few weeks later, little to no progress has been made in the case. The boys continue to suffer from a sense of lost security. But Michael continues to share his message.

He wrote the following to O&AN: Since the events of last Friday, I’ve dealt with every emotion possible. With the car sitting here it’s a constant reminder of hate.

It’s a constant reminder that there are people out there that fear my family.

Between trying to handle the insurance, raising the boys, working full time, trying to figure a vehicle that gets us to med appointments, school, baseball practice/games, my heart has become very heavy and brain overloaded.

In 2014 I was able to marry my now-ex-husband in New York.

In 2015 SCOTUS ruled and we were able to proceed with adopting my great nephew together. By 2017, my divorce was finalized, and I proceeded to adopt my other great nephew that we had been fostering.

Besides adopting my oldest solo, the above could not have happened without that ruling. The events and hate that happened here that Friday quickly reminded me that everything the community has work towards could be destroyed, much like our car.

I’ve tried to live a private but open life. This event hasn’t necessarily made me scared of personal harm. My biggest concern is the damage done to my children, who had a rough beginning as it is. Then there is the fear of what rights I have as a gay man being gone.

I don’t attend every pride and I don’t visit every bar. That doesn’t make me less in this community. What I feel though is my being not vocal enough for our community has made me less. I respect those before me and around me that have made their voices heard, and continue to do so. I became complacent. With all respect, I believe a lot of folks in the community have as well.

I try to avoid getting into it about politics, however I notice things recently aren’t looking so well. There are things so tragic happening around us daily. Like myself, I feel there are others that think “its going to be ok” or “this wouldn’t happen to us.”

This event was a wakeup call. It’s not going to be ok. It did happen to us. My youngest could very well lose his special education.

My oldest could very well lose his health insurance. What if I wanted to marry the most amazing boyfriend in my life. I could lose that.

Obviously there is so much more we stand to lose if we don’t stand up united.

Finally, I’ve struggled explaining this senseless act to my children. I keep preaching that love will conquer hate. I really do believe that, but I also I have to do more…. we have to do more.

I have to be a voice, not only for my children but for myself. I also need to vote…. We all need to vote. It’s going to take more than the vote to change the negativity. I believe if the community truly supported one another so many positives could take place.

Peace, Love, Compassion, Perseverance, Resistance.

Michael Carroll Quinton

@OUTANDABOUTNASH

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STEPHEN RAY ALBERS

Nashville’s Pride gathering is one of the largest of its kind in the Southeast. Supporters from across the country will flock to similar events in locales from Memphis to New York and San Francisco.

However, what often gets less attention are the small, local events, such as the one just outside of Nashville that’s about to celebrate its 3rd Annual Pride Festival! Many people aren’t even aware of the event in Murfreesboro, just 30 minutes southeast of Nashville down I-24.

The shindig planned in Rutherford County is, as noted by Chris Sanders, executive director of The Tennessee Equality Project (TEP) “going to be a day for all the surrounding counties too.”

Events like this bring Pride to those who aren’t able to make a pilgrimage to these larger cities, but afford the same opportunity for pride. Boro Pride brings something to the rural LGBT community that many never thought they’d see in their lifetime. For young and old alike, it’s the opportunity to experience the solace, comfort, acceptance, support, sincere love, and strength Pride brings—in their own communities.

It’s a chance to live Shakespeare’s maxim, “To thy own self be true.”

This experience, for some, will give the courage to come to terms deep down, and the good sense to surround themselves with genuine people getting their pride on here in Murfreesboro.

Leslie Russell Yost, committee member, with her husband Troy alongside her since the first year in 2016, said, “I want to see more people feel comfortable within their selves, and that we’re all one community.” She estimated that approximately 35% of attendees are families and heterosexual people.

Sanders urge all to attend no matter their location, sexual identity, or sexuality, because it’s “a day motivating people to show their pride, and not hide it; instead, to embrace it…”

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If you’re concerned about safety, Yost says there’s been no violence during the last two celebrations. However, she tips her hat in thanks to the Murfreesboro Police Department., who will be providing security, and was very clear about the respect provided by those sworn to serve and protect.

George Manus Jr., the event’s entertainment coordinator, recalls only one issue where officers had to intervene since the first year. An individual (not associated with the festival) jumped on stage partially clothed, dancing very provocatively.

Manus said, “that perhaps degraded the event overall, but law enforcement handled the situation with dignity.”

While official requests for comment from the mayor, county manager, Murfreesboro Police Department, and the Sheriff’s Department were declined, it was made abundantly clear unofficially that all branches of Murfreesboro and Rutherford County government, especially, law enforcement will stand tall for all those in their neck of the woods that day.

However, this protection comes at a price, as does the entire jubilee itself.

While, the planning committee does receive some financial support from TEP, there’s a huge gap to fill in pulling this event off, especially since there is no entry fee. Murfreesboro’s Pride committee looks to sponsors, for example the 50-60 vendors, to support the assembly. The remaining holes in the budget require private donors.

Brittany Benefield Potts, a committee member, explained further, “The budget starts with remaining funds from t-shirt sales and sponsors from the previous year.” This leaves a lot of work for the committee members responsible for sponsorship, especially Nichole McVeigh.

The necessary funds required naturally correlates to the amount of activities, stage size, entertainment, amount of police presence, the space downtown, etc. Yost said, “Eventually, I want the festival to take up the entire downtown area, but that

requires a lot of money and attendance.”

As indicated by the numbers from last year, reported by Sanders, her ambitious goal indeed may eventually come to fruition. Sanders reports attendance was roughly 2,000 people in 2017.

This year, all those involved in the planning process can’t wait to see an even larger turn-out. So what can attendees expect?

For starters, there is an unofficial pre-pride drag show at The Boro Bar and Grill, located off Greenland Drive. The show will start at around 9:30 p.m. on Friday, September 7, 2018.

The owner of the establishment, Lee Roberts, has hosted similar LGBT events. He said, “The Boro has always supported alternatives of all types.”

Kicking off everything the day of Pride is the walk, around 5:00 p.m. in front of the former capital building of Tennessee, located at 1 North Public Square. George Manus Jr., AKA Iona, will be one of the two masters of ceremonies, with Zac Woodward of 107.5 The River assisting.

Entertainment will consist of an improv skit, an array of musical artists, and, naturally, a line-up of drag performances. As always there will be an abundance of vendors, from food trucks serving up some sinful indulgences, to politicians and local businesses and organizations handing out some free loot to take home with you.

LGBT outreach organization My House, located in Nashville, will be on site providing HIV testing at NO COST! Additionally, they will have information about PrEP (Truvada), and how to receive assistance in obtaining the medication.

Local businesses around the venue look forward to serving the influx of patrons the event will bring.

Alli Fiekert, general manager of the trendy L3 invited everyone to the establishment, saying, “We are such a diverse community … and have let crew use our facilities for Pride on the Square.”

Credit for all of the planning goes to the Pride Festival committee consisting of: Leslie Russel Yost, Troy Yost, William Langston, Brittany Benefield-Potts, Nichole McVeigh, Dole McVeigh, George Manus Jr., John Judkins, and Laura Bohling.

It’s not too late to help by volunteering, or by being a financial sponsor, to make the day even better.

Sponsorships and general donations can be made by visiting tnep.nationbuilder.com/boro_pride_2018.

On behalf of the pride committee, Leslie Russell Yost, passed on the following message: “It’s a family friendly event that’s a great representation of our community, and we look forward to seeing everyone there.”

Please come out and show your pride for yourself and those you love. No matter where you reside, make the trip out to show your commitment and support for the LGBT community, wherever it lives.

Give Murfreesboro your much-needed support for its 3rd Annual Pride Festival on September 8, 2018 on Historic Murfreesboro Square. The Pride Walk starts at 5:00 p.m., with entertainment until 10:00 p.m.

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PHOTOS: COURTESY OF LUCENT VIGNETTE PHOTOGRAPHY / DOLE MCVEIGH

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He was preceded in death by his mother, Patricia Fay Street.

Visitation was held Wednesday, July 18th, between 4:00 – 6:00pm at Harpeth Hills Memorial Garden Pavilion, 9090 Highway 100, Nashville, Tennessee. Internment followed on Saturday, July 21st at McEwen Cemetery.

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JAMES GRADY

tories need to be told, beautiful stories and powerful stories. The arts center our culture and offer us insights into the lives and realities of other existences. Sometimes they entertain us, but sometimes they educate us morally, and spiritually—and when they’re at their best, they do both. But the arts, and theatre is no exception, cannot exist without financial support, infrastructure … that is, it requires business.

Kathleen O’Brien has been a force in the business of Nashville theatre and arts scene for decades. In 1988, she came to the Tennessee Performing Arts Center (TPAC) to work in media and public relations, working her way up to become the organizations President and CEO in 2005. During her tenure, her love of theatre and the arts has driven O’Brien to secure the financial future of TPAC, and to organize the business model to maximize the Center’s ability to share more stories with our community.

After serving in that role for an astounding thirteen years, in 2018 O’Brien announced her pending retirement—though she will continue in her current role until July 2019, giving the organization ample time to insure a smooth transition.

Between summer trips, O’Brien took time out of her schedule to sit down with O&AN to look back over her career and how Nashville’s theatre community, and TPAC in particular, has developed over the last three decades, and where she hopes it will grow in the future.

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JAMES GRADY: Tell us a bit about how you came into the theater,

and how you got involved in administration.

KATHLEEN O’BRIEN: Well, before I worked here, I worked for a liberal arts college that had an arts program. They had performing and visual arts, they had ballet department, theater department.

They also booked shows and had a celebrity concert series. And we did a little bit of programing on top of that. There, I actually had a combination of Lisa [Kennedy] and Tony [Marks]’s position.

I was familiar with Nashville because my grandmother lived here. I wanted to relocate to Nashville and found out that there was a position available at TPAC and that there was a strong education program here… It just was the perfect opportunity for me—working for an organization with a mixture of mission driven programs, as well as earned income projects that support those things.

JAMES GRADY: So as you worked your way up the ranks at TPAC, most of your career was in public relations. What was it like trying to work PR in a new place for a local theater organization? And how did your career in that develop?

KATHLEEN O’BRIEN: Well, I was proficient at was institutional public relations, so what was new to me, outside of the one offs that I had had at the college, was creating a network of support and going to people in the community for public relations tied to shows—where you’re actually trying to look at what does each has to offer in terms of themes, potential stories.

Those were the days when I would go down to the Tennessean and have a deskside meeting with Clara Hieronymus, and we would map out the two to three stories that we would get for every show.

It’s not that way anymore. Of course, we have more shows, and I don’t know that they have desk side meeting anymore … and lovely Clara was just a jewel.

And so I learned it by collegial relationships and by just digging in, and doing it. My job on the institutional side was to let folks know what we do on our mission side, and the other was to let folks know what we have on our stages.

JAMES GRADY: What are some of the things that you feel like have changed at TPAC that you’re particularly proud of?

KATHLEEN O’BRIEN: Well, we’re financially sustainable.

We’ve increased our net assets, probably by seven to eight million dollars, which is a huge gain; so, financial stability. We’ve done several business model changes. We now curate, book, and present Broadway on our own, where prior to that we had partners who bore risk with us but who also enjoyed benefits from it.

We’ve increased the number of capital improvement projects since I’ve been in this position. We’re creating a completely new donor program. And, as we speak, we are building something we should have had 38 year ago, and that’s a donor room, so that we can thank our donors properly for supporting the mission, the work that we do.

And probably one of biggest, for me, outside of the financially sustainable, is our educational programming. When I came into this position, we had four education programs. We’ve added two new education programs, and they’re all thriving.

JAMES GRADY: So to take a really broad view of the Nashville

theater community, what are some of the big changes that you’ve seen over your entire career here?

KATHLEEN O’BRIEN: Nashville has shown that it has a healthy appetite and they want more theater. When you look at Metro Nashville Arts Commission, which is a granting organization, there used to be so many fewer slices in the pie of funding. Now there

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are so many organizations that apply for funding, and that’s a good thing.

So now we need to help raise the level of funding from the city, which is something that has been discussed and worked on for a long time. But I think that Nashville has become much more of an arts community. We’ve got a lot of things to offer. Nashville attracts artists now… So I think we’ve elevated, certainly, the offerings and the infrastructure that’s needed to support it quite a bit.

And, when I say we, I mean all of us collectively. I think TPAC has had a huge role in that, but we’ve certainly not done it by ourselves!

JAMES GRADY: For the LBGT community, the theater holds a very special place… I don’t know if you’ve observed how the role of our community in the Nashville arts scene has grown or evolved over the years?

KATHLEEN O’BRIEN: I think that community has strengthened in many aspects in Nashville, which is a good thing. I’m hoping that the LGBT community feels the love that it deserves, like any community should. I mean, we’re all from the same planet, and we all should love one another with the respect that is…

I think the LBGT community strengthens our industry, not only from the contributions that are made creatively, but just the consumption of the arts and financial support. And, certainly, by providing, as any community does, some beautiful stories that need to be told. Or some difficult stories that need to be told. I can’t imagine our industry without ... I can’t imagine our world without it, let just say it that way.

JAMES GRADY: From my perspective, it seems to me that more programming of interest to the LBGT community has been popping up here lately. Is that an intentional diversity goal, or is it more just, mainstreamed, so we see more of it?

KATHLEEN O’BRIEN: I think yes to both. I think communities want all different types of programming. And not just the types of programming that whoever is sitting in the audience watching it sees themselves on stage. They want to see other people’s stories.

That’s what we are. We’re storytellers, and yes we want to offer those kinds of things where it’s just fun and entertainment. But those need to be sprinkled into program offerings that do take you on a journey, that do transport you to see a different perspective, going in a variety of different directions that do cause you to ponder and think and reflect. If we’re going our job, we’re doing all of that.

And I think the world—maybe not all pockets, but I think Nashville for sure, and other areas of the country—wants those luscious stories to be told, therefore, there’s more content being created. So there’s more programming, whether it’s theater, concerts...

The world is made up of many communities and it’s important that lots of voices get heard.

JAMES GRADY: Well to take a final turn back towards the more

personal, what are some of your favorite shows that you’ve seen here or elsewhere—shows that were impactful for you or had a message that you feel are important?

KATHLEEN O’BRIEN: Well, Les Mis is my all-time favorite…

Nobody should sneeze, cough or chuckle or anything during “Bring Him Home.” That’s the most beautiful song from the most beautiful musical, and that was first offered here in the spring of ‘89, so it was my first season here. And I remember it was right during the Tiananmen Square timeframe, and I just saw the correlation there...

There’s a line towards the end of the show that I think kind of sums everything up. And it’s “To love another person is to see the

NASHVILLE REPERTORY THEATRE PRESENTS

MUSIC AND LYRICS BY ROBERT LOPEZ & JEFF MARX BOOK BY JEFF BASED ON AN ORIGINAL CONCEPT BY ROBERT LOPEZ & JEFF MARX

WHITTY

SEPTEMBER 8-22, 2018 TPAC’S JOHNSON THEATER

Nashvillerep.org | 615.782.4040

Up next at the Rep: A Doll’s House, Part 2, by Lucas Hnath, running October 13 – November 3. Tickets on sale August 17 at 10am.

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face of God.” How much more pure can you get? Who would not want to see the face of God? All you have to do is love another person and you’re seeing it. So, to me, that was impactful.

There’re a lot of shows I’ve loved and seen a lot... But Les Mis is my favorite!

JAMES GRADY: What about theater

personalities? Who are some well-known or well-loved theater personalities that you had interesting or fun experiences with here?

KATHLEEN O’BRIEN: I took [Debbie Reynolds] over to WLAC, which is over in the Demonbreun area… I had Debbie in there, she was being interviewed, I was the quiet mouse in the corner. A gentleman came in and he ended up … he was homeless. So, she just noticed it through the glass.

When we left, we went out the front door and he was across the street with another guy. And as we were going to the car, she stopped, reached into her purse, pulled out a wad of cash, and said, “Will you do me a favor? I know this doesn’t solve the problem, but it will make me feel better… Would you take this over to this man?”

It was probably a hundred bucks or so... So I said sure, and she just stood on the sidewalk, and I walked across the street and he was with somebody else at that time.

And I said, “Sir, do you know who Debbie Reynolds is?” It appeared that he wasn’t quite sure who Debbie Reynolds was, and so rather than going into all that about her being a movie star, a television star, I said, “She wants you to have this.” And I handed him the cash. And he turned to her across the street and yelled, “Debbie Reynolds, I love you!” And it just made us all feel good.

PHOTOS: COURTESY OF TPAC

JAMES GRADY: So, from this office, where would you like to see TPAC or the Nashville theater community in another 10 years?

KATHLEEN O’BRIEN: I’d like to see continued growth on both sides of the stage. I’d like to see … there are some fine arts organizations that are developing some really important works, and they need to be supported. Ticket sales, as you know, does not cover it all. The infrastructure that’s needed, it’s like any industry. It needs to be supported… And to lose it, lose any piece of it, would be disastrous…

As I’m retiring and going into my Act Two, I feel good that I’m leaving this company in really good condition financially, as well as in terms of programming, staff, and capabilities. There’s lots of room for TPAC to grow. And I think it can. And I’m confident the board will choose the right leadership so that will happen.

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2015

ESS_O&A_PrideIssue_QPV.indd 1

5/5/16 11:30 AM

1 ) 0 5 0 ( 3 " 1 ) : 252.562.8245 • codystallings.com /CodyStallingsPhotography

Insta

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/CodyStallingsPhotography

Nashville’s theatre scene has boomed in recent years, with a number of professional, semi-professional, and community theatres offering increasingly high-quality productions. There are far too many plays being staged in Nashville and Middle Tennessee to mention. But what follows is a selection of plays representing some of our favorite offerings from some of Nashville’s favorite theatres.

AUGUST 10–26, 2018 NEWSIES CIRCLE PLAYERS

Based on the real-life Newsboy Strike of 1899, this new Disney musical tells the story of Jack Kelly, a rebellious newsboy who dreams of a life as an artist away from the big city. After publishing giant Joseph Pulitzer raises newspaper prices at the newsboys’ expense, Kelly and his fellow newsies take action. With help from the beautiful female reporter Katherine Plumber, all of New York City soon recognizes the power of “the little man.”

Circle Players complete 2018–19 season can be perused at circleplayers.net/upcoming-season. If you’re a true fan, you won’t want to miss Hair, If/Then, or A Chorus Line, among others.

AUGUST 31–SEPTEMBER 9, 2018 FRANKENSTEIN STUDIO TENN

“There is something at work in my soul which I do not understand.”

Pushing the limits of science and morality in his search for love and purpose, Victor Frankenstein unleashes a creation that he cannot control. To celebrate the 200th anniversary of Mary Shelley’s gothic novel, Studio Tenn presents a heartfelt new stage adaptation by A.S. Peterson (The Battle of Franklin) that will leave you pondering your own sense of belonging long after the lights come up.

Studio Tenn’s 2018–19 offerings include perennial favorites like Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, as well as Cat on a Hot Tin Roof and Damn Yankees. For more, visit studiotenn.com/18-19ticket-information.

SEPTEMBER 8–22, 2018 AVENUE Q NASHVILLE REPERTORY THEATRE

Who says puppet shows are just for kids? Join the Rep on a musical tour through Avenue Q, where humans and puppets alike confront the everyday challenges of adult life: falling in love, finding your purpose, and fighting the urge to stay in your apartment forever. Packed with irreverent numbers such as “It Sucks to Be Me” and “The Internet Is for Porn,” this musical will have you crying with laughter, nodding in agreement, and wondering just when you started to care so much about the personal lives of puppets.

The Rep’s 2018–19 season also includes a number of favorites, including “A Christmas Story” and “Shakespeare in Love,” so visit their website at nashvillerep.org/1819season to learn more!

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OCTOBER 4–14, 2018 TWILIGHT OF THE GODS BLACKBIRD THEATER

This is local theatre at its finest. Blackbird is reprising its original comedic thriller by Blackbird founders Wes Driver and Greg Greene, which premiered in 2010 as the company’s first production, earning critical acclaim including recognition as Best New Play of 2010 by theNashville Scene. The play has enjoyed subsequent productions in New York City, Memphis, and Jefferson City, and is back in Nashville by popular demand!

Twilight of the Gods finds Mark Twain, Edgar Allan Poe, Annie Oakley, and Arthur Conan Doyle among the nineteenth century luminaries locked in a battle of wits and ideologies with a killer in their midst, as their dream for a modern utopia turns into a Gothic nightmare.

For more information, visit blackbirdtheater.com.

OCTOBER 11–27, 2018 THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE LARRY KEETON THEATRE

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An eclectic group of six mid-pubescents vie for the spelling championship of a lifetime. While candidly disclosing hilarious and touching stories from their home lives, the tweens spell their way through a series of (potentially made-up) words, hoping never to hear the soul-crushing, pout-inducing, life unaffirming “ding” of the bell that signals a spelling mistake. Six spellers enter; one speller leaves! At least the losers get a juice box.

For those of you unfamiliar with The Larry Keeton Theatre, this community theatre offers fan-favorite productions in a dinner theatre format. This year, they’re offering beloved classics from Steel Magnolias to Sister Act: The Musical. Visit thelarrykeetontheatre.org for more information!

NOVEMBER 2–27, 2018 BROOKLYN: THE MUSICAL STREET THEATRE COMPANY

Brooklyn focuses on a group of five ragtag homeless musicians known as the City Weeds who periodically transforms a street corner under the foot of the Brooklyn Bridge into a stage where they present their play about Parisian singer Brooklyn, named after the New York City borough from which her wayward father Taylor hailed. Orphaned when her depressed mother Faith hangs herself, the girl in quick succession is sent to live in a convent where she discovers her vocal talents, becomes a star, performs at Carnegie Hall, sets out in search of her father (who she discovers is a drug-addicted Vietnam War vet), and engages in a competition with local diva Paradice at Madison Square Garden.

Check out the rest of Street Theatre Company’s Mainstage 2018 Season at streettheatrecompany.org/ mainstage-season-2018.

NOVEMBER 20–DECEMBER 16, 2018 BREAKFAST AT TIFFANY’S LAKEWOOD THEATRE COMPANY

Based on Truman Capote’s classic novella, Breakfast at Tiffany’s tells the story of a young Southern-born writer, known to us only as Fred, who becomes infatuated with his Upper East Side neighbor: the beguiling, effervescent beauty Miss Holiday Golightly. As Holly pulls Fred into her world of spontaneous parties and luxury, he finds himself increasingly fascinated with this captivating woman.

Check out the rest of this community theatre’s season at lakewoodtheatreco.com/2018-season-2.

FEBRUARY 15 – MARCH 2, 2019 THE BOMB-ITTY OF ERRORS ACT 1 ARTIST’S COOPERATIVE THEATRE

The Bomb-itty of Errors is a high-paced, energetic, musical “add-rap-tation” of Willy Shakespeare’s ‘The Comedy of Errors’.

Elizabethan times get pumped up with live hip-hop flavor in this hilarious, award-winning show. First performed Off-Broadway in New York, nominated for Drama Desk Award, Outer Critic’s Circle Award, and winner of the Jefferson Award and Best Show at the HBO Comedy Festival, The Bomb-itty has played in Chicago, Philadelphia, London, Amsterdam, and continues to find new fans, audiences, and productions around the globe.

Usually performed with a live DJ onstage, actors sing, rap, and rhyme fun, catchy, and laugh-out-loud songs.

As always, Act 1’s 2018–19 season seems focused on adaptation, and contains numerous interesting offerings, including Stupid Fucking Bird, an adaptation of Chekhov’s classic The Seagull, and Violent Delights [A Shakespearean Brawl-esque Sideshow].

For more information, visit act1online.com/season.php.

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SEPT 11-16 ON SALE NOW!

TPAC.ORG/SchoolofRock • 615-782-4040

TPAC.org is the official online source for buying tickets to TPAC events.

Broadway Season sponsored by

Groups of 10 or more call 615-782-4060

UPCOMING EVENTS

Event information and registration on the LGBT Chamber website.

AUGUST 23RD

BREWING UP BUSINESS

At the Nashville Entrepreneur Center

SEPTEMBER 12TH

POWER LUNCH: FINANCIAL LITERACY FOR SMALL BUSINEES LOANS

Sponsored by Fifth Third Bank and Waller

NOVEMBER 18TH

TASTE

At the Nissan Stadium West Club. Visit tastenashville.org for info.

NOVEMBER 27TH

POWER LUNCH: MARKETING ON A SHOESTRING BUDGET

Sponsored by Fifth Third Bank and Waller

Contact the Chamber to certify your business.

nashvillelgbtchamber.org

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HEALTH

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BARS & NIGHTCLUBS PLAY Dance Bar 1519 Church Street | Nashville, TN 37203 615-322-9627 | playdancebar.com Tribe 1517 Church Street | Nashville, TN 37203 615-329-2912 | tribenashville.com REAL ESTATE Sheila Barnard, Realtor THE REALTY ASSOCIATION 1305 Murfreesboro Rd | Nashville, TN 37212 615-385-9010 sheilabarnard.realtyassociation.com Kate Nelson, Realtor VILLAGE REAL ESTATE 2206 21st Ave South, Ste. 200 Nashville, TN 37212 615-383-6964 | realestatewithkate.com

PROFESSIONAL SERVICES Bart Durham Injury Law Office 404 James Robertson Parkway Nashville, TN 37219 615-338-6177 | bartdurham.com John Cannon Studios 1108-C Woodland Street Nashville, TN 37206 615-496-1259 | johncannonart.com Bail U Out Bonding 306 Gay Street Suite G-2 Nashville, TN 37201 615-254-9555 | bailuoutbonding.com PET SERVICES Wags & Whiskers Pet Supplies & Dog Wash 1008 Forrest Avenue Nashville, TN 37206 615-228-9249 | wagsandwiskersnashville.com

ORGANIZATIONS Nashville Humane Association 213 Oceola Avenue | Nashville, TN 37209 615-352-1010 | nashvillehumane.org Nashville LGBT Chamber of Commerce P.O. Box 330971 | Nashville, TN 37203 615-507-5185 | nashvillelgbtchamber.org

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EXPERIENCING PRIDE FOR THE FIRST TIME EVENT DEFIES EXPECTATIONS FOR NOVICE ATTENDEE

GARRETT SCHNEIDER IS A STUDENT AT WILLIAMSON COUNTY’S INDEPENDENCE HIGH SCHOOL. GARRETT WAS ONE OF THE ORGANIZERS OF THIS SUMMER’S STUDENT DEMONSTRATION AGAINST GUN VIOLENCE ON THE SECOND ANNIVERSARY OF THE PULSE MASSACRE. THESE ARE HIS REFLECTIONS ON ATTENDING HIS FIRST PRIDE.

GARRETT SCHNEIDER

Having lived in the south my entire life, I thought of Pride as this crazy party that all the gay people go to … to, well, be gay. Pride is portrayed as this raunchy and hypersexualized thing that isn’t safe for children. I also thought of Pride as something that was not for me, something for the really “out there” gays.

While there may be some truth in some of that, Pride as I experienced it for the first time just this year was not what it was made out to be. If I had known this earlier, I would have definitely made an effort to go in previous years.

Several factors made this the year, though. Last year, I might have gone except I was on a school trip in Europe during Pride. We actually ended up leaving Paris the day before Paris Pride. Also, at that time, I was only out to about 15 people. In the year since, I have pretty much come out all the way.

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On October 11, 2017, I came out at my school, and then March of this year I came out publicly and to my immediate family. Being out and experiencing so many positive reactions from friends and family allowed me to feel more comfortable with being gay and, by extension, with going to Pride.

Up until about the week before Nashville Pride, I hadn’t necessarily planned on going, but then I called my friend from my school’s GSA and asked for a ride. I found myself getting more and more excited, until that Friday when it felt like Saturday couldn’t come fast enough.

I was still nervous though. I was afraid I would stand out, because for so long I’ve had to hide who I am to the entire world and have been worried about how the world sees me.

But, when Saturday came, I grabbed my Pride flag, put it in my backpack, and got ready to go. Once I got to Pride, I was still really nervous and afraid to just be me, lest I stand out. Then my friends

who brought me dragged me into the parade to march with them.

After about 5 minutes, I realized that I didn’t have to be afraid to stand out somewhere where almost everyone stands out, so I got over my fear and joined in in the fun. I wore my Pride flag as a cape, held up my sign, and joined in on the whoops and hollers of the parade as we went by.

As we marched I got more and more comfortable not only with being in the parade but also with just being me. By the end of the parade I was actually sad that it was over, and I wanted to go around again—partly to see more cute dogs that people were marching with, but mainly because it was just a ton of fun.

After the parade, the shy boy afraid of standing out was proudly wearing his cape and much more outgoing. After we went into the actual event, we meandered around for a bit and went to see most of the stalls.

I have to say, I was a bit overwhelmed by the sheer amount of gay that I saw. I was surprised by some of the businesses that had booths there like Cracker Barrel or Dollar General, because I had never thought of them as especially pro-LGBT businesses. The thing that surprised me more than that, though, was how wrong I was about what Pride is.

Pride wasn’t this wild party or super raunchy thing. While some of those elements where there—some people dressed in very little clothing and there was a booth that had music playing and a dance floor—the majority of Pride is people enjoying life and just chilling out.

Another thing that surprised me in hindsight that I guess really shouldn’t have was that Pride isn’t only for the LGBT community. I ran into some friends from school who are in a straight relationship and neither are LGBT. They were there to enjoy Pride just like me, and just because they weren’t LGBT didn’t mean that they couldn’t enjoy pride.

Of course, though, there will always be people who aren’t supportive of the LGBT community and who love to be vocal and make that opinion known. So it wasn’t a surprise when there were the protesters with their megaphones and “Homo Sex is Sin” sign.

What was unexpected for me was the solidarity that I saw in all the people that were counter-protesting. They were obscuring the sight of the protesters with their bodies and flags and also countering their messages of negativity with messages of positivity and also making light of the protesters. There were signs that said “You are valid and loved” and “Free hugs!” countering the message of hate with one of love and acceptance.

It was moving to see the community come together to protect Pride from the hate that those protesters spewed. One of my favorite memories from Pride actually joining the counter- protesters in their chant of “Gay is the way! Gay is the way!”

The point of Pride is to be a place of unconditional love and acceptance, something desperately needed in the South. Having grown up gay in the South, I know how isolating it can be, especially when you aren’t out. It can feel like there is no one else like you, and that you have no one to look up to. You feel as if you are alone and that you can’t be yourself.

What many people not a part of the LGBT community don’t understand is how we have to put on different faces for different people. You are a different person around your family than you are with your friends, and you are different still when you are in public. It can wear you down to maintain that. But at Pride, that barrier can come down.

At Pride, I felt relaxed and comfortable with who I am. I didn’t have to have a mask on, and I could just be gay me. Pride is a place to remind you that you are valid and there is nothing wrong with you. Pride is a place to be yourself. Pride is a reminder that you aren’t alone. Pride is where you are accepted unconditionally. Pride is a place to be gay or lesbian or trans or bi or whatever. Pride is love, unconditional Love.

Pride is a place where you are able to be proud that you are LGBT and be proud of the person you are, no matter what anyone else says. Pride is beautiful and the place most full of love and joy that I have ever seen.

GARRETT SCHNEIDER WITH A FRIEND AT HIS FIRST PRIDE

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PHOTOS: JAMES GRADY

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BRODY RAY SHINES ON AMERICA’S GOT TALENT NASHVILLE TRANS MAN BARES HIS SOUL THROUGH SONG DAVID BRASHER

When Brody Ray walked onto the stage of America’s Got Talent, he had no idea what he was in for. The 30-year-old Nebraska native—and now Nashville resident—was trying to overcome the nerves caused from being in front of a live audience and the four people meant to “make or break” him.

Brody stood in front of judges—Howie Mandel, Heidi Klum, Mel B, and Simon Cowell and was asked what song he would be performing.

Brody replied, “Stand in the Light,” a song originally sang by Jordan Smith.

When asked by Mandel why he chose that song, he explained that “Stand in the Light” applied to his life and the “struggles and battles” he has worked to overcome. Mandel pushed him further, “What is the struggle you’ve overcome?” That’s when Brody admitted to the audience and to the world that he is transgender.

Less than five minutes later, Brody would finish singing the powerful song, the audience and judges would all be on their feet, and he would receive the four yeses needed to move on in the competition.

I spoke to Brody about the experience and what it means to be able to share his story.

DB: You walk on stage. You’re in front of hundreds of people and 4 judges. Were you nervous/what was going through your mind?

BRODY: I was nervous. It’s taken me awhile to get to this point where I can put the nerves behind me. These people are just like us. Sure they can make or break me, but I felt comfortable and confident. I was able to put those nerves aside and just focus on the music.

DB: There are so many great songs out there. What made you choose the song “Standing in the Light”?

BRODY: I heard the song years ago, and it almost had me in tears. It made me feel so connected with the song. People are going to talk about you, but we need to stand in the light and be proud of who we are. I thought what a perfect lyric for this moment. I went back and forth 3-4 weeks on a song, but when it came down to it, that was the one.

DB: The judges gave you some great feedback. What stuck out the most?

BRODY: Howie’s feedback really stuck out. He told me ‘You are standing in the light.’

The people that are inspired by it, that is the feedback that matters.

We don’t have to live in a bubble. We can live happy, successful lives. I want people to know I’m not just a trans guy, I’m singer.

DB: Looking back on the audition, was there anything you would have changed or were you pleased with it?

BRODY: I am very happy with it. I was cringing listening to me sing. It seemed too fast. My voice was shaky. But I know I have to stand back and for once let it be and let it happen. I told myself you did a good job, Brody. O U T A N D A B O U T N A S H V I L L E .CO M AUGUST 2018 36

PHOTOS: COURTESY OF TRAE PATTON/NBC

DB: You got a standing ovation from the audience and the judges. Talk to me about what was going through your head when you saw everyone on their feet.

BRODY: During my performance I was focusing on the crowd and working to connect with them. I knew I might screw up if I focused on the judges. I didn’t get to see Mel B share a tear with me or how into it Heidi was. Someone told me Simon was tapping his foot. But i didn’t even know they were on their feet. Everything just came full circle with my transition and with my vocals.

I lost my voice for a year and so it was a challenge. Everything came full circle. I was overwhelmed with gratitude. It was just perfect.

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OVER

the RAINBOW

T H E NE W F EW

There are heroes in our midst who will stand up to darkness. Go look in the mirror and you will find one.

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the British Royal Air Force who defended the skies of Southern England during the Battle of Britain. That dust-up started during an August too—almost eighty years ago to be exact. The real Nazis had just completed a cakewalk over most of Europe,

ILLUSTRATION: MELISSA GAY

JULIE CHASE | @notninahagen

The good news: We’re almost two years down and have a major election coming soon.

End of good news. Back to scary-land…

I lived in Germany for a period when there were far more people alive who remembered the Nazi era. Based on the dozens of personal reminiscences I witnessed as a child of the 1970’s, I have a hard time trying to equate what we are currently going through with what they experienced back in the day. I would very much like to climb aboard the bandwagon and point out how our times resemble 1933 Weimar, but I cannot... Sadly I am old enough to know better.

What is happening today is very much an American tragedy. I am still young enough to learn (and accept) that the socalled “mainstream” culture I was brought up to respect was largely developed as a cover for the systemic bigotry and abuse of people who do not look like me. I remember the worst days of Nixon too. Same people, same playbook, and likely to be the same outcome. Scary times indeed…

Folks, welcome to our “never again” moment. We do not need to go any further than what we have seen this summer. This is bad enough ... and the people who support, protect or enable this sort of evil no longer deserve to have their ideas taken seriously.

They are not Nazis, but we may truly regard the majority of them as being the indirect descendants of the collaborators, fellow-travelers and opportunists of that era. They will be the ones trying to justify voting Republican this fall and in 2020. Yes, I just said that; it is time to stop being polite about it. If you can find a way to support people who put children in cages—you are not much different than those who supported the Nazis.

Ever heard of a group of heroes called “The Few”? They were the fighter pilots of

and only these chaps, for the most part the Millennials of their day, stood in their way of completing the job.

“Were you scared?” I asked some of them as a child. They were getting up in age by that point, and getting far more honest about their feelings, too. The typical answer after the second pink gin: Don’t believe the movies, that’s Hollywood. They were scared s***less, but they knew that they had a job to do and that only they could do it.

There comes a time for most when you have to make a choice. Our community chooses freedom, and we are not alone. We rightly should be saddened and angered by what we have seen of late, but we are no longer afraid. We now resist as a family, each one of us fighting for the sake of our sisters and brothers who share a mutual blessing, and for those who may be experiencing the sting of open bigotry perhaps for the first time.

We’re not “The Resistance”: that title properly belongs to those who are helping innocent people inside and outside cages throughout the country. We are the new “Few,” because we are for the most part regarded as outsiders. We have the freedom of action, and we have not given up to the demagogues, and never will. Our blessing has now become an unsheddable burden in more ways than one. There is no going back

The Southern LGBTQ+ community is on point because we have to be. We do not have time to be victims anymore, even when the target often is us. This is the steep price of being thought of as the real adults in the room by those whose opinions we truly respect. Panic and fear-mongering only helps the people who wish us ill, and there are far too many down here who honestly think that what has taken place this summer is a good thing.

Let the anger you feel at the treatment of innocent people be channeled into an effective resistance and a permanent change. Sometimes it takes a brush with evil to demonstrate the courage each one of us has deep down inside. The burden becomes an honor when we choose to help defend those who are not in a position to defend themselves. We were all born this way, born to be brave.

Those who resisted back in the day were considered “the crazy people” until the very end, when it turned out that they truly were the only sane people in the room.

I’m old enough to remember when being queer was considered crazy, and still young enough to earn a pink gin.

Come join me

for any of us in the post-internet world. We must stand and fight, because there is no longer any alternative.

AUGUST 2018

Julie Chase is the pen name for a local trans woman.

Shake it up.

Stir it up.

SINCE 1888 @OUTANDABOUTNASH

FourRosesBourbon.com

1 5 Y E A R S O F LG B T N E W S

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Be mellow. Be responsible.

O U T A N D A B O U T N A S H V I L L E .CO M

AUGUST 2018