That's Entergaynment

Intriguing, upcoming films, theater, and concerts designed for us.

BY BLAIR HOWELL

BIG SCREEN

“THE PERSIAN VERSION ” is pedigreed by audience and script awards at the recent Sundance Film Festival. And banned in Iran.

Creatively braiding comedy and tragedy, the film centers on the sexually rebellious Lelia, shunned by her Iranian family after bringing her wife to Thanksgiving. A variety of cultures are explored, from traditional Muslim families to queer New Yorkers.

Viewers’ attention is grabbed with fourth-wall-breaking monologues, including amid Leila’s faire l’amour. There are lively music and dance sequences with an exuberant spirit of poptimism (Google that). Watch for Lelia’s grandmother singing the praises of anal sex. At the Broadway Centre Cinemas beginning Nov. 3.

BIG SCREEN TOO

Another family drama, but with overthe-top, queer-as-hell theatricality, is “Dicks: The Musical.” And a somewhat similar pedigree: the Midnight Madness award at the Toronto Film Festival.

Based on the Upright Citizens Brigade’s Off-Broadway sensation

“Fucking Identical Twins,” the indie film is described as a grotesque and often grotesquely funny musical about sibs who attempt a Parent Trap.

The identical twins (not really, but just go with it) were separated at birth and hatch a plan to reunite their gloriously gay father (Nathan Lane) with their mother, Evelyn (Megan Mullally), who somehow lost her I-also-needed-to-Google punani.

Megan Thee Stallion walks men on leashes like dogs. SNL’s Bowen Yang plays a glittery, gay God. Two caged Sewer Boys (just wait) are fed masticated bologna. Methinks the intended audience will love “Dicks.”

Broadway and Cinemark Century 16, opening Oct. 20

STAGE

While “Dicks” was clearly engineered to be a cult classic, the original How did this movie even get made? midnight movie discovery, “The Rocky Horror Show,” is produced by Pioneer Theatre Company. It’s a richer and rowdy-er experience with live professional actors in the roles.

The company scored a major coup when Utah’s Favorite Theater son Will Swenson played Frank-N-Furter at the last staging, but now Broadway and West End performer Jeremiah James is the Sweet Transvestite from Transsexual, Transylvania. However, divine songstress Ginger Bess reprises her role as Magenta. Hot patootie, bless my soul!

PTC’s Simmons Pioneer Memorial Theatre, Oct. 20–31.

LITTLE SCREEN

After Amazon Prime’s “Red, White and Royal Blue,” the next blazing sensation is Showtime’s “Fellow Travelers,” starring Matt Bomer and Jonathan Bailey. This magazine is not for you if you haven’t salivated over Bomer and Bailey.

Based on Thomas Mallon’s novel, “Fellow Travelers” is a love story and political thriller, set during pivotal moments of queer history, such as the Harvey Milk era of the ’70s and the AIDS crisis of the ’80s.

The eight-episode series promises to be an unflinching look at gay life, with private lives consumed with intoxicating sex and fluctuating political-power dynamics. Partial evidence: in a released clip, Bomer’s character orders Bailey to sit on his lap and refers to him as his boy. Premieres Oct. 27 on Showtime.

STREAMING

In “Down Low,” a repressed Zachary Quinto hires masseur/sex worker Lukas Gage to give him a handjob and maybe something more. Appears flimsy, with a Hollywood Reporter description as a “zany, frenetic and horny comedy that in trying to go there doesn’t end up anywhere.”

But Audra appears as Quinto’s ex-wife. Viewable now on a VOD/digital release.

Mark your calendar. “Love Loud 2023,” Nov. 3, Delta Center.