October 2013

October 2013

Ghost Hunters'

Adam Berry:

“I assume there is a gay ghost— I mean liberace’s playing somewhere.”

How To of

Horror

Embrace Your Inner Demon & Zombie

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15K Issues Printed Monthly 300+ Points of Distribution Vital VOICE is your premier

LGBT publication and reaches a diverse readership from thoughtful leaders and young thinkers to trend setters in culture, entertainment and beyond.

4

October 2013

CEO/Publisher

Darin Slyman

dsly@thevitalvoice.com

Executive Editor/Senior Writer Colin Murphy colinm@thevitalvoice.com

Associate Publisher Jimmy Lesch jimmy@thevitalvoice.com

Art Director Andrea Piamonte andrea@thevitalvoice.com

Events Manager Staci Stift staci@thevitalvoice.com

Administrative Assistant/Staff Writer Brent peterson brent@thevitalvoice.com

Staff Photographer/Writer Mikey Berner Staff Writer Lauren Wagner lauren@thevitalvoice.com

Staff Writer Hanna botney hanna@thevitalvoice.com

Contributors

Photography: Mikey Berner, Jonathan Michael Pfeifer, Jill Greenberg for Netflix,

Paul Shiraldi for Netflix, Miss Missy Photography, NBC Universal, St. Louis LGBT History Project, Chris Andoe, Andrea Piamonte, Jeanna Crawford and Vanessa Roman Writing: Colin Murphy, Matt Jamieson, Hanna Botney, Brent Peterson, Lauren Wagner, Mikey Berner, Chris Andoe and Penelope Wigstock

Advisory Board

William A. Donius, Thom Halter, Colin Murphy, Jay Perez, Pam Scheider, Kellie Trivers, Sharon Tucci

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thevitalVOICE.com facebook.com/VitalVOICE twitter.com/VitalVOICEmag youtube.com/TheVitalVISION instagram.com/vitalVOICE

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October 2013 | Volume 14 | Issue 10 Photography by Jill Greenberg for Netflix

Table of

Contents 4.

advertisers at a glance

7. Editor’s letter 9. One out of 10—

Retro Halloween

26.

13. Haunted Haunts

Chris Andoe summons tales of local LGBT ghost stories.

17. Adam Berry:

On the

Chasing Spirits

Cover

20. The how to of

Hanna Botney interviews transgender trailblazer and actress Laverne Cox from Orange is the New Black. Photography by Paul Shiraldi for Netflix.

Horror

31.

Hallow-gram: Gone to the dogs

33. Cho me st. louis 36. Don’t dream it, be it­: 40. Penelope Wigstock­— who’s that ghoul?

43. MIkey’s Morsels­ Celebrating rocky horror

Our resident pumpkin Mikey Berner debuts his new food column.

46. playdates 48. scene in the city Stay Connected with us Vital VOICE is printed on recycled newspaper and uses soy ink for a 100% recyclable product.

WEB

Make sure to check out our National Coming Out Day and LGBT History Month Features at the vitalvoice.com

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October 2013

@TheDelmarLoop

Editor’s Letter

Dear Friends, Welcome to October and our annual Halloween issue. Indeed, All Hallow’s Eve is the highest of holy days for many of us in the LGBT community.

I think Ghost Hunter’s Adam Berry sums up the holiday’s appeal in our interview this issue: “People can dress up and be people other than themselves and I think they can be creative and be outgoing and be as lavish and extravagant as they want. They have a chance to escape from their own reality, if that’s what they need, or embrace their own personality by being as avant-garde

and as lavish as they want and nobody will judge them because everyone’s doing it.”

Accordingly, we’ve served up a cornucopia of features from Orange is the New Black’s transgender trailblazer Laverne Cox and Margaret Cho, to some of St. Louis’ haunted LGBT haunts, Rocky Horror and the “how to” of horror makeup.

October also marks the observance of National Coming Out Day (Oct. 11) and National LGBT History Month founded by St. Louis’ own, Rodney Wilson. Make sure to look for our

related features online at thevitalvoice. com.

What’s more, Oct. 31 will mark the 44th anniversary of what has come to be known as St. Louis’ Stonewall – when the arrest of nine drag queens outside of The Onyx Room on Olive for breaking the city’s masquerading law gave way to community outrage and the birth of St. Louis’ first LGBT rights organization, The Mandrake Society.

The tenth calendar month is overflowing with community events – have a fun, fabulous and safe October!

Cheers,

Colin Murphy Executive Editor

thevitalVOICE.com

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8

October 2013

column

out

of

10 ain’t bad!

Retro Halloween Written by Colin Murphy – Editor Photography Courtesy of The St. Louis LGBT History

Halloween is the highest of gay holy days and St. Louis’ LGBT community has been putting its own, unique stamp on the festive holiday for generations.

Whether finding ourselves standing in the footprint of history (in six-inch heels, no less) when nine drag queens were arrested for masquerading in 1969 and forming the city’s first LGBT rights organization (The Mandrake Society), to cultural shaping parties that would become the stuff of legend – we continue to embrace Oct. 31 as our own.

This year the Central West End – a neighborhood steeped in local queer history – will again play host to its annual Halloween street party. But did you know that the event was born from

an exceptionally crowded Halloween night in 1977 at Herbies’ (now the Drunken Fish) at the corner of Euclid and Maryland?

Indeed, the iconic gay nightclub was St. Louis’ own Studio 54 where the beautiful people boogied late into the night atop the trademark dance floor suspended from the ceiling.

Herbies’ was an award winning restaurant from 4:30 til 9 p.m. and destinationdisco from 9 til 1:30 a.m. and owned by the colorful Herb Balaban (of Balaban’s Restaurant fame) and managed by his wife, the irrepressible and equally lovely Adalaide. The latter held court at the door complete with large, street-level windows.

Project The glass and chrome hot spot located at the corner of Euclid and Maryland was the queer haunt of choice throughout the 1970s and early 1980s and ground zero for the Central West End Halloween celebration.

The two story complex was the prettiest, the smartest and the most up-to-date facility in St. Louis and stood in marked contrast to the majority of LGBT bars. In short—people wanted to be seen there.

The Central West End was St. Louis’ undisputed gayborhood in the 1960s and 70s until heterosexual awareness and Mayor A.J. Cervantes and his Maryland Plaza Redevelopment Corporation priced a majority of our community out. thevitalVOICE.com

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October 2013

But Halloween 1977 was the zenith for LGBT life at Herbies’ and the capacity crowd soon spilled out into the street.

For the next seven years, costumed revelers by the tens of thousands would pack the Central West End. According to Central West End business owner Gregory Smith, it was a magical time with creative costumes of both size and scope. But things quickly grew out of hand.

The once predominantly gay party had grown in popularity – much like today’s Soulard Mardi Gras – and drew an influx of crowds from the county and across the river. Folks could be seen crawling up the ornate light fixtures, throwing beer bottles at Mayor Vincent Schoemehl, Jr., who was one of the costume judges – and even trying to punch a horse out from under a mounted policeman.

Much of the foolishness could be blamed on overcrowding and revelers bringing coolers with alcohol and drinking to excess.

By 1984, residents had endured enough and the festivities were halted. More than a decade would pass before the celebration would be revived (albeit with stricter rules and regulations) to once again become the diverse destination event for Halloween revelers across the region.

Still, the LGBT community would miss the creative outlet of the street party in the shadow of their beloved Herbies’ and after a couple of years sans celebration, The Late Knights of Pythias was born and would hold its annual Halloween Ball late into the night.

The Pythians, as they were known, were a cadre of creative and artistic

types (mostly gay) who would come together and create a magical space out of vacant, unique buildings. Creative costumes were a must and each year thousands of area LGBTers would wait to see what the group had up its creative sleeve. The parties operated through 1996 when the group disbanded.

The Pythians will be remembered as a philanthropic organization that entertained a generation and donated thousands of dollars to area LGBT and HIV/AIDS charities.

It’s little wonder that our tribe loves Halloween. It offers the perfect opportunity for self expression, revelry and utter fabulousness. It was also safe harbor for our community when the world was a far less accepting place.

Have a safe and festive holiday. And watch out for the ghosts. v thevitalVOICE.com

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12

October 2013

Haunts

Haunted

Written by Chris Andoe Photography and Illustrations by Andrea

I became interested in haunted bars during a visit to The Eagle NYC. My brother Joe is friends with the owners and they invited me to stop by while in town. I arrived at 10 p.m. expecting things to be in full swing but it turns out that’s when the doors open. It was just me and a couple of employees.

The two story building with a rooftop deck dates back to the 1800s

Piamonte

and has a dark, industrial feel. I wandered the empty corridors then, while passing the second floor restroom door, which is permanently propped open, it slammed with tremendous force as if some furious queen kicked it. I knew I was the only one around but went in to verify.

I didn’t connect with the owners during that visit but a few weeks later one of them was looking at a painting thevitalVOICE.com

13

in Joe’s studio when he asked, “Oh, did your little brother stop by the Eagle?” Joe replied, “Yes he did. He thinks it’s haunted.” The guy slowly turned to look at Joe, mouth agape, and asked, “How did he know?”

Apparently, it’s quite haunted, but the activity’s only noticeable when the bar’s empty.

Seeing as St. Louis is a haunted old city, I began looking for local ghost stories and there’s no shortage of them. Chances are you’ve had evenings of dancing and debauchery in rooms once used to embalm the dead. You’ve likely enjoyed a beer while sitting against a wall that entombs a colorful old drag queen – and you’ve probably laughed with friends in a building that, when the party’s over, takes on a dark and sinister vibe – a place where custodians have been tormented to the point of madness.

I began my research in the city’s oldest neighborhood: Soulard. On a Sunday evening, I sat side by side with Clementine’s owner Gary Reed in a quiet corner of his restaurant.

I came inquiring about Midnight Annie, the old drag queen in the wall. Initially, he seemed surprised by the topic, and then simply asked, “What would you like to know?”

Midnight Annie, AKA Owen Pride Roach, died on April 6, 1995 at the age of 73. Gary befriended her when he bought the bar back in the 1980s and recruited her for their first drag show. To make the event more of a draw, Gary billed it as “Midnight Annie’s Final Performance.” Of course, it wasn’t, really. She performed her crazy numbers where she’d howl at the moon for many more moons.

14

October 2013

Some say she earned her name back in the 1940s when she’d bribe a prison guard to “entertain” inmates at midnight. “She lost many fortunes,” Gary said, suspecting she came from great wealth and would inherit large sums from time to time, only to blow it all on shady characters.

In her later years, Annie lived a few blocks from Clems and was a fixture. When she fell ill she gave Gary medical power of attorney, which fortunately he never had to use. Because he was essentially her legal guardian, Gary refers to Annie as his only child, even though she’s decades his senior. Her ashes sat on a friend’s mantle for years until the time came to remodel the bar and the decision was made to place her in the wall, right behind the false doors on the Allen Street side.

Gary and several of his regulars talk of seeing something out of the corner of their eye in the part of the bar where she used to sit, leading some to believe Midnight Annie has yet to give her final performance.

At the other end of the block is Bastille, which is reportedly haunted by active poltergeists. Bartender Matt Harper had a lot to say about the history and haunting there. According to Harper, the building was a feed store, then a funeral home before Anheuser-Busch made it a tavern in the early 1900s.

“In the early 1900s there was a fire in the building killing a man on the second floor,” Harper said. “You can still see the charred beams. When entering that room random things will sometimes fall off the walls or be

tossed towards you. In the rear of the bar the pinball games will turn on and off by themselves. You can also see a female figure passing back and forth along the rear wall.”

Faces, the massive after-hours mecca which operated in East St. Louis, from 1977-2007 isn’t just famous for the nightlife, but also for the afterlife. Having interviewed the employees and performers who knew it best, they all said even if they were the only one there, they were never alone.

There were countless reasons to find being alone at Faces unsettling.

In the heart of East St. Louis, it was surrounded by crumbling, longabandoned buildings–all which are connected by wet, rat infested tunnels once used by the mafia.

And the structure was originally a funeral home. The outlines of the embalming slabs were still evident in the basement—one in front of the jukebox and the other behind the bar.

Danny Morris remembers hearing voices in the cabaret: “I’d think the drag queens were practicing. Went up and no one was there. Also one day I was hanging a speaker in the DJ booth when out of the corner of my eye I saw someone at the door.

As I turned my head to look the bungee cord snapped and the hook cut the side of my face!”

Tyler Hill recalls things glowing in the cabaret when all the power was off, and Ed “Rosee” Abmeyer recalls coming in on Wednesday to find candles burning in the cabaret— when nobody had been there since Sunday.

During my recent ghostly inquiries, I kept hearing about Just John. Former owner Freddie Donaldson died in an apartment above, custodians claim to be terrorized by a dark presence when in the building alone – and one hung himself in the kitchen.

Owner John Oberkramer spoke about strange voices when the building’s empty and motion-censored towel dispensers activating when nobody’s around. He also told me about the tragic suicide that happened back in his bartending days. “[The janitor] called the Daytime Manager upstairs asking him not to come down because he was mopping, which seemed strange. He came down later and found the guy hanging,” John recalled.

Upon investigating The Eagle NYC, I learned of a construction worker who died during the renovation and of several patrons who died with no identification, their bodies never claimed from the coroner.

People are attached to, and their energy is imprinted upon these old haunts. Heavy and traumatic events have occurred in many of them, from tragic deaths to funerals.

Many of you don’t believe in ghosts, but as you go about your business laughing over drinks, playing pinball or even drying your hands keep in mind these actions might echo in some future moment. Or perhaps one of these days when it’s time for your last call part of you will opt to stick around instead.

Happy Halloween from the Emperor! v

thevitalVOICE.com

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October 2013

Adam

Berry

Chasing Spirits “Out of the Paranormal Closet” Written by Colin Murphy – Editor Photography by NBC Universal thevitalVOICE.com

17

“

If they’re an intelligent spirit and they lived in this time period and can interact with you and they were gay in this world – I would assume they would be gay in the afterlife.

Yes, Virginia, there are gay ghosts. Or so says Ghost Hunter’s Adam Berry. The out star is a regular on SyFy channel’s smash hit reality series featuring a host of paranormal investigators with high tech equipment researching all things that go bump in the night.

“Unfortunately, we all meet our end at some point, so I assume that there is a gay ghost – Liberace is playing somewhere,” admits Adam. “If they’re an intelligent spirit and they lived in this time period and can interact with you and they were gay in this world – I would assume they would be gay in the afterlife. Unless they jumped ship, you know, ‘No, I did that – want to try to something else.’”

Adam has been a part of Ghost Hunters since he won the competition in the

18

October 2013

Ghost Hunters Academy spin-off and is now a full time investigator on the show.

So it should come as no surprise that his favorite time of year is Halloween.

“People can dress up and be people other than themselves and I think they can be creative and be outgoing and be as lavish and extravagant as they want,” says Adam of Halloween’s gay appeal. “They have a chance to escape from their own reality, if that’s what they need, or embrace their own personality by being as avant-garde and as lavish as they want and nobody will judge them because everyone’s doing it.”

Last fall, Adam publicly addressed his sexuality during an episode entitled “French Quarter Massacre” where the investigators went to the site of what has been tagged as the worst gay hate

”

crime in history – the Upstairs Lounge Massacre at the Jimani in New Orleans.

An arsonist set fire to the original building in 1973, killing some 31 men and one woman who tried desperately to escape through windows without success. Because the establishment was frequented by the LGBT community, many families were afraid to claim the bodies of those lost in the fire. As a result, many were buried in unmarked graves.

“It’s completely absurd that this wasn’t in the spotlight,” says Adam of the Upstairs Lounge Massacre. “I applaud SyFy for wanting to put that on the air – they weren’t scared of it, they didn’t back away from it, which I thought was a really awesome thing.”

Early in the episode’s investigation, Adam suggested that he might have better luck contacting the potential spirits of the patrons on his own. The tragedy had touched him on a very personal level.

“Going up there, I already felt a connection, of sorts, and I wanted to explain to them that times have changed, that it is different,” he recalls.

“Because I don’t know if they noticed that the times have changed or they are perpetually stuck in 1973. And if they’re stuck in 1973, then it’s very crucial that you take the appropriate steps. Let me go up there by myself and let me explain to them that there are cameras here and I know you probably don’t want to be on camera but it’s fine, because we know who you are, I have a list of your names – unfortunately, you have passed from this world, you’re no longer here and you don’t have to hide anymore.”

In the end, Ghost Hunters came to the conclusion that the patrons that had died at the Jimani weren’t lingering around, but that the person who started the fire was possibly there. While the show proved popular, especially for LGBT viewers, Adam admits he received his share of criticism for coming out on the air.

“I just want to be like, ‘Well, I wasn’t making out with anybody.’ It’s what I would normally do on an investigation,” says Adam, who says it’s easier to come out of the paranormal closet than as a gay man. “If I go in to a hospital where people die from tuberculosis, I’m going to tell them that tuberculosis is pretty much cured now. It’s a curable disease.

It’s something that’s in the past and you don’t have to be afraid of it. It doesn’t matter where we go, we’re going to try to speak to the person that’s there and try to use our tactics and our abilities and that’s the biggest thing I had going for me over anyone else.”

So what’s Adam’s advice for anyone who thinks their home or business may be haunted? Don’t jump to conclusions.

There are a lot of things that can be explained away – whether it’s a sequence of open doors and windows causing a door to slam, dripping water

creating the sounds of footsteps or electromagnetic fields caused by exposed wiring causing uneasy sensations like being watched.

Behind the

Scenes

“Take a step back and try to logically explain what’s happening around you – and 95 percent of the time you can probably explain it,” offers Adam. “If they do that and then they still can’t figure it out, I would just acknowledge it.

Acknowledge whatever’s in your house and say, ‘I know that you’re here but I need to let you know this is my house, this is where I live and I would like for you to leave me alone and not bother me,’ and leave it at that. Because most of the time I think they just want to be recognized and they will do things just to get your attention.”

Asked how life has changed since becoming a break-out television personality and Adam is quick to point out that there’s a lot more people who want to talk to (and about) him online.

“You find that people can really say whatever they want in a social media setting and not feel like they’re going to have to suffer consequences for it because they are behind the screen,” he explains. “I think that’s the most interesting thing that has changed – the door to your life is kind of open a little bit more for everyone to see.”

Adam recently celebrated his one year wedding anniversary to Ben Griessmeyer. The couple recently paired up with a friend to form a non-profit theatre company and is aware of the importance of staying connected.

“Anytime we do an event or do something I try to see if he’s available to go,” says Adam. “We watch the show together, we talk. Our relationship, it’s sort of changed because I travel a lot but we keep in touch through Skype, Facebook and texting all the time. A day goes by and I miss him, of course. But we work through it. It was tougher at first when I first started before we were married and I first started leaving the house. It was real tough because we really had to find that balance about how do we keep in touch and we’ve managed to do that.” v thevitalVOICE.com

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Featuring Devin Pryzgoda

The

How to horror

of

Embrace your Inner Demon & Zombie Devin Przygoda has been a professional makeup artist for three years, and has been doing horror makeup for over seven years. The passion he has about his artistry is palpable and he emphasizes that horror makeup can be easy and fun. As Przygoda says, “Special effects makeup is just like kindergarten crafts on your face.�

Written by Lauren

Wagner

Photography by Jonathan

Michael Pfeifer thevitalVOICE.com

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the

newborn Zombie Materials:

Prep:

Mehron stage blood Spirit Halloween zombie blood Elmer’s glue stick Ben Nye liquid latex Ben Nye matte spirit gum Ben Nye death wheel palette Ben Nye sallow green crème foundation Ben Nye bruise kit palette

1.

Devin’s Tips • Always check for latex allergies before using liquid latex.

• Allow for a minimum of three hours to do your makeup and enjoy the process of transformation.

• When using liquid latex, always blend out at the edges.

• Glue stick coverage can be removed with soap and water.

• Latex can be peeled for removal.

22

Start with a clean face free of oil or lotions. Before applying any liquid latex use a glue stick to cover the eyebrows. The glue will form a barrier that helps protect the eyebrows from pulling during the makeup removal process.

Step 2

Step 6

As the latex dries it will begin to tighten. For a fleshy textured look, rub some latex into concentrated areas. This technique creates the look of blistering sores.

Now retrieve the dried pieces of latex that were set aside. The latex should have coagulated in the container and can be rolled up and attached to the skin with spirit gum. The thickened latex is perfect for creating the look of torn chunks of skin.

Step 3 Step 1 With a sponge, cover a portion of the face with white liquid latex and wait for it to dry. Cool air from a hair dryer can be used to speed up the drying process. Drying times vary but liquid latex can take up to 30 minutes to dry depending on the thickness of the layer.

Tip: At this point, put a small portion of liquid latex in a container to dry; after the latex dries and thickens it can be rolled to create the look of torn skin and chunks which can be attached with spirit gum.

October 2013

Next, add a layer of foundation color around the latex. Przygoda chose Ben Nye cream makeup in sallow green and a sponge. For more texture and depth, a layer of skin toned foundation can also be added.

Step 4 For the look of bruised skin, Przygoda used a sponge for application and a Ben Nye bruise kit which includes at least four color options associated with bruising.

Once the bruising color is in place, the edges can be blended with a small brush.

Step 5 Use the bruise wheel again to create the look of a blackened eye.

Step 7 Next, lift thicker parts of the latex and use a brush to apply shadowing and create depth inside the sores.

Step 8 With a fine tipped brush, use red and blue cream to create the look of veins by drawing fine thin lines. Once the look has been achieved, use the translucent setting powder to blend and set veins.

Step 9 Finally, spray the blistered areas with artificial blood and let it naturally drip. Blood can also be used to highlight the inside of the sores that were created.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8. thevitalVOICE.com

9.

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the

diva demon

Materials:

Prep:

Ben Nye liquid latex Ben Nye nose and scar wax Ben Nye black and solely red eye shadows Ben Nye black crème foundation Cinema secrets burgundy crème foundation Graftobian translucent setting powder Ben Nye matte spirit gum Elmer’s all purpose glue stick Earring stencil Kiss Acrylic Nail Set

Start with a clean face free of oil or lotions. Before applying any liquid latex use a glue stick to cover the eyebrows. The glue will form a barrier that helps protect the eyebrows from pulling during the makeup removal process.

Step 1

Step 4

Step 7

First, apply liquid latex over the eyebrow which creates a rubber barrier for the wax to stick to later. Allow a few minutes for drying then use Spirit Gum Glue over the eyebrows to attach the nose and scar wax. Using Spirit Gum helps to seal and hold the wax in place.

Now, apply nose and scar wax to the cheeks with spirit gum. Wait a few moments for the gum to become tacky, then attach the wax; once the wax is in place, press the edges down to blend the wax into surrounding skin.

Apply setting powder to the whole face. This transparent powder sets the red and helps with blending the next layer. At this point eyes can be shaded with red powder eye shadow.

Step 2

Next, add horns to the cheek wax much like Step 2 and repeat Step 3 to seal the edges with liquid latex.

With a small sponge, apply black cream foundation above the eyes and on the lips. When using the sponge push or blot instead of blending.

Step 6

Step 9

Face paint is an important element to getting the right demonic look. A good burgundy or brick-red face paint should be used to cover the face. Przygoda used Cinema Secrets cream face paint and a small foundation brush, which helps achieve an even spread and blending.

On the forehead, use a stencil of your choosing and blot around it with black powder. Also, use black powder to contour the face, neck, temples, and chin. This creates a shadowed look.

Once the wax is in place, start embedding the horns in the scar and nose wax.

These horns were created from acrylic finger nails that were cut into jagged angles.

Now that the horns are in place, use spirit gum on their edges and this will help hold them in place.

Step 3 Next, using a small brush, apply liquid latex to the edges of the horns and the edges of the wax. This provides a seamless look and ties the makeup together.

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Step 5

October 2013

Step 8

Step 10 Finally, apply grease based face paint to the horns.

Przygoda chose a tan color to add dimension and give your demon that ancient look.

1.

2.

Devin’s Tips • Be creative with the placement of the horns! You could make a crown of horns or use less.

• Different household items could be used as stencils. An earring was used for the Demon’s forehead.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9. thevitalVOICE.com

10.

25

Orange is the New Black’s

Laverne

26

October 2013

Cox

&

Cover Story

Determination

Living the

Dream

Orange is the New Black is the hottest television show out right now and if you’ve watched it then you know exactly why. Netflix has brought Piper Kerman’s memoir to life. It is the story of one woman, Piper, who finds herself in federal prison in Litchfield, NY. Piper is central to the story but we meet and follow the stories of several of the other inmates. Each inmate provides a story people can relate to in one way or another. The cast is almost exclusively women; a group of incredibly talented women. But one of them stands out among the rest: Laverne Cox. Laverne plays Sophia Burset, a transgender woman serving alongside Piper. During a quick break from filming, I chatted with Laverne to discuss her role in this potentially industry-changing series.

Q: The cast of Orange is the New Black is diverse and talented.

What is it like being a part of this cast, particularly because it is almost entirely women?

It’s a treat! It’s amazingly gratifying to work with such amazing and talented actresses. Our crew is also mostly women so it is a great environment on set and there is just so much love. It is wonderful to see these diverse actresses get such rich material with which to flex their acting muscles. It is an utter joy.

Written by Hanna

Botney

when a non-trans person is playing a transgender character. For trans folks out there who get to see this story in Orange is the New Black, they get to see someone who has similar experiences.

They see someone who mirrors them and their reality in some way and it is extremely validating. To have people that mirror our experiences, tells us that we are okay. It creates empathy for us as human beings. I think that media representations have the power to do that. I think that is a big reason why it is important for trans actors to get to work, too. I dreamed of being an actor my entire life, I have been very lucky that I have done several independent films and television before this but there are a lot of other actors who work more than I do. And there a lot of trans actors out there who are very talented who are not getting work. That is another piece as well.

Q: Are there any pieces of Sophia’s story or Sophia as a character that mirror you or your own life?

You know, I think the biggest piece is her determination to be who she is.

Sophia’s journey is very different than mine in terms of how she became more authentically herself. But once Sophia figured out that she was trans, she did whatever it took to be true to herself.

And I certainly can relate to that.

Q: Jodie Foster directed the episode with Sophia’s back story, Episode 3. What was it like working with her?

You know, it was a dream come true for me to get to work with someone of her caliber. I have grown up watching her films, literally studying them so being directed by her was a master class in acting. I think most actors wonder if they will get to have opportunities to work with people of that caliber, especially when you’re black, trans, and from a working class background. I have dreamt of this. It was crazy. It was insane, really, in the best possible way.

She was so generous. She is so smart, and she is brilliant… It was amazing.

Q: Why do you think the LGBT community can relate so well to the show?

What is brilliant about our show is the different plot lines. For example, Piper’s character is really bisexual. She is in love with Larry but she is also in love with Alex. This is just a person who is in love with two people. As a culture, we are still very skeptical of bisexuality. I think our show is really progressive in terms of how we deal with bisexuality and in terms of how we deal with women loving each other and women craving

Q: Why do you think it is important to have an actual trans woman playing a trans character?

For me, the biggest thing is for the trans people watching. I think so often, as a trans person who has been an audience member and consuming mainstream media, I look to see my story up on the screen. There is often disidentification, thevitalVOICE.com

27

Photo by Paul Shiraldi for Netflix

public has claimed this show as theirs.

It’s amazing. I was hoping it would be successful but I don’t think anyone could have anticipated this. It reminds me that it is really the public that makes you.

Q: I know you can’t give away too much but what can we get excited to see from Sophia and the show in general in Season 2?

[Takes a breath and laughs] Yeah, I can’t say anything. I don’t fully know yet, we have just started shooting the second season and I have seen a couple of scripts. I can tell you it’s good. I can tell you it is really good. What I have seen so far is really amazing and juicy and wow and I can’t wait to see what happens next. I really do watch the show like a viewer.

Q: Tell me something people don’t know about you. Do you have any hidden talents or fun facts about yourself?

Oh, god. My acting teacher always says say the first thing that comes to your mind but that could be dangerous. I like to sing opera. Like on the street, I will be walking around and I will just burst into song. I’ll be on set and I will just be singing. I have no talent but I do sing for fun. Some people think it is annoying but it is nice for me to have a creative outlet.

Q: If you could give one piece of advice or an encouraging word to your younger self, what would it be?

each other sexually. There is something really empowering about that, in the way that it is what it is, it is not an issue.

Q: When it comes to capturing certain issues that Sophia faces because of her trans identity, do you get to give any input on what should be portrayed?

I have not. I think it is really important when you’re working in television that the writers are the bosses. Jenji [Kohan]

28

October 2013

is our boss and she is amazing. I have not had input in terms of Sophia’s storyline. If they ask me, I certainly will have a lot to say. [Laughs] I feel very lucky and really blessed that they have created this very human character. I think they got it right so far with Sophia.

Q: Have you been surprised at all by the success of the show?

Absolutely! I mean it’s crazy! It has become a cultural phenomenon. The

I would say don’t be so hard on yourself, it is not that bad. I would say that you’re beautiful and amazing just the way you are. You need to make some changes to be more yourself. Throughout that process, you are beautiful just the way you are, even as you change.

These are just a few of the reasons that Laverne Cox is an LGBT pioneer and Orange is the New Black is a pioneer for both women and the LGBT community.

I look forward to seeing where the story takes us next. I also look forward to Laverne Cox’s continued activism for the trans community. If you haven’t seen the show already, take advantage of Netflix’s free trial month and see what has everyone abuzz. v

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October 2013

Hallow-Gram to Gone

the

Dogs

Written by Hanna

Botney

The Central West End knows how to celebrate Halloween. For the last couple of years the STL’s iconic neighborhood has hosted an-all day costume celebration on the weekend before Halloween, and this year will be no different. The Central West End Halloween celebration is family friendly – and we mean the entire family. So bust out your canine costumes and bring Fido to join in on the fun. (Here are some of our favorite past pet costumes for some inspiration.) Make sure you check out the celebration on October 26. You can find more information as the date approaches on cwescene.com. v

thevitalVOICE.com

31

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October 2013

ChoSt. me Louis

Written by Lauren Wagner Photography by Miss Missy Photography thevitalVOICE.com

33

M

argaret Cho is a comedienne, author, actress, singersongwriter, and an advocate who uses her voice for inspiring social change. Her MOTHER tour comes to The Pageant on Saturday, October 5th and she caught up with Vital VOICE as anticipation builds for her return to St. Louis.

Q: Your MOTHER Tour will be coming to St. Louis on October 5, what do you consider the cornerstone of this tour, and what are you most excited about?

I think I’m talking a lot about just the identity of gay men and mothers, just like that we need kind of mother figures in our own life, but for gay men they become really important and then they sort of identify strong women as mother figures. But sort of regardless of whether you have a relationship with a mother, or with mothers, it’s kind of what gay

34

October 2013

men look for, I think, in a lot of ways.

So you have Madonna and then Lady Gaga, who’s too young to be anybody’s mother really, or “Mommie Dearest” or somebody. There’s always this idea that the mother figure is very important for gay men and so I’m kind of looking to that. That’s part of what the show is, also about my own mother, and also that everybody views you after a while as a mother too. If you become a woman in your 40’s that’s your identity.

comedy. Is there anything that you consider off-limits?

Q: What’s your favorite thing about being on the road again?

Q: What inspires your writing?

I just love it! It’s just my normal life, you know, it’s what I do, and what I know and who I am so it’s familiar to me. I mean I like being on the move, and being in hotels, and being in shows. Being able to do that has always been such a huge honor and it’s what I’ve always done as an adult, so I just really love it.

Q: You tackle a wide range of issues with your writing and

Umm… I don’t know, maybe there would be… if there is, I haven’t really encountered it yet, or I don’t know. I try to do things with compassion, you know – ya try to be nice about stuff in general.

People are sensitive and people have the right to compassion, I think, but pretty much everything is sort of okay, I think.

It’s all different things really – it’s weather, it’s everything. And…you know, just being able to do it, like being able to create and being able to grow and inspire yourself and inspire other people. There’s a lot of different things you try to get across, it could be kind of reflex too, just being used to doing what you do. For me, once I feel like something is important, I just have to say something. There are just so many reasons to get inspired.

Q: A lot has happened

politically since we last spoke to you. What was your reaction to the Prop 8 and the DOMA rulings by the Supreme Court?

It’s really great to know that things are changing, but I want to know what it means for someone who lives in Georgia. I want to know what that’s going to be mean there because I don’t know if they will have gay marriage there… does it mean it will be legal everywhere? Or some places and not others? I can’t see it, I don’t know why…. I just can’t see it because of the way that some states are. I’m curious to see if they will honor, also, marriage equality rights in these places that won’t necessarily have it. I love that it’s happening – I want to see what it means though. For people who live in conservative states it’s definitely hard to decipher.

St. Louis is a good example because I think St. Louis is a really big city and really very, very progressive in its way, but also so conservative. It’s like would we see that happen there? It’s weird when you’re in like Georgia, or Utah, or Missouri… I wonder what it means actually to see this happen.

time, but you couldn’t [at] school, you could for Halloween, though – so that was a favorite.

this thing that’s not said. I guess I’m just really out about things and I don’t really understand what the issue is.

As an adult, I had a good one a couple of years ago when I was a tattooed lady.

It was really funny because it was a costume with a skin suit that I have more tattoos than. So I have more tattoos than an average tattooed lady and that was funny to exhibit.

Q: Tell me something that people don’t know about you…any hidden talents?

“”

Q: What is your best Halloween memory?

My best ones were probably when I was still in San Francisco and much younger and could appreciate a holiday like that.

What’s great about Halloween is that it’s traditionally pretty clear that it’s the one time where people could feel like they could get dressed up in drag and not feel like it was any kind of statement, necessarily – it was just about having fun and being whatever you wanted to be.

Then like later it just sort of became this crazy thing and too big of a party for me – I love a really small get together for Halloween where people still do costumes.

Q: What were your favorite Halloween costumes, from childhood and as an adult?

Usually the default would be a ballerina for childhood. I would always have ballet costumes that I wanted to wear all the

For me, once I feel like something is important, I just have to say something. There are just so many reasons to get inspired.

Q: Have you ever worn a Halloween costume you really regretted?

No, I don’t think so. There are ones that people haven’t really gotten. I was Brigitte Lin from Chungking Express one year which was a very cool Hong Kong film, but she’s an Asian actor who wears a blonde wig and sunglasses and a trench coat.

When you do something really obscure that people don’t really sort of know, then it’s a little bit of a regret because you think, ‘oh well, I should have done something that maybe more people understood.’ But then it’s fun to do something kind of your own thing too.

Q: October 11 is also National Coming Out Day and I know you’ve caused controversy by supposedly “outing” celebrities in the past. What would your message be to anyone reluctant to come out?

Well, I’m really out and I don’t know—I mean the only celebrity I really outed was somebody that was already out. I mean – not out, but somebody that everybody knows is gay. I think outing is kind of funny – like it’s kind of a dumb idea when it’s not really [a matter] of speculation. It’s kind of this thing that’s not questioned, I mean nobody really questions it – it’s just

I’m learning to play an electric sitar. I wouldn’t say it’s a hidden talent, but I can play really weird instruments. I can play a Viola da Gamba, which is a medieval renaissance instrument.

I can play really weird instruments like dulcimers (not well, but I’m getting there) and I have a strange affinity for it. I guess that’s a secret talent.

I can probably maybe talk my way backstage to any show. I’ve been able to do it pretty much everywhere.

In my time, sort of wanting to go see rock and roll and kind of being around rock and roll for a long time that’s always been my greatest, or my most fun talent.

Q: Anything you want to add?

I’m really excited to come back to St. Louis. I was in St. Louis Pride a couple of years ago and it was really scandalous because I smoked pot on stage at the big St. Louis Pride which was really exhilarating.

Oh and also, the Westboro Baptist Church always threatens to come to my St. Louis shows, but they don’t show up, so we’ll see. v thevitalVOICE.com

35

Don’t Dream It, Be It Celebrating

Rocky Horror Written by Matt Jamieson Photography Courtesy of Jeanna

Crawford and Vanessa Roman

It’s time once again for the annual Rocky Horror Picture Show screenings at the Tivoli! The screenings have been going on in the STL for more than 30 years. We found some of the cast from the show’s Varsity Theater days to ask them what makes Rocky Horror just so damn fun. v

Vanessa Roman

Bob Shirley (Eddie/Dr. Scott)

Why play Eddie, or Doctor Scott?

It was about body type, I’m a big dude, any other part for me would have been slightly ridiculous. Not to say I never played other parts as we would have switch nights when the boys and girls would play different gendered parts.

I gave up playing Dr. Scott after I convinced a friend who happened to be confined to a wheel chair to take the part.

36

(Magenta)

Best RHPS memory?

I finally figured out a way to play Frank N. Furter for real.

Around Christmas one year, I portrayed Frank as Santa Claus in drag: black boots, red fishnets, red corset with white fur, dyed my hair and beard grey. The moment I tossed that cape off is forever etched in my mind, the laughter was glorious.

October 2013

What makes Magenta the best?

What has RHPS done to impact your life?

Magenta was known as “The Bitch” and I learned to wear that proudly as a woman who spoke her mind, who knew when to compromise and when to step up and lead and was unafraid to make her voice heard. She was never apologetic for who she was.

The first time I went to RHPS, I was 13 years old. I took a look around at what was happening there and I knew I wanted to be a part of it. The simple answer at the time was “I fit here.”

Everywhere else in my life, I was generally misunderstood.

But here, in this small little theater was a place where all of the misfits who were bursting with untapped creativity, words to say, truths to tell—I fit there.

Danny Schuff

Lynn Zaltsman

(Frank N. Furter) What’s the most liberating thing about playing Frank?

Why is RHPS an STL mainstay?

I think the most liberating thing about playing Frank N. Furter was the ironic contrast of the role. Here was the leader of this band of aliens, wicked and powerful yet all dressed up in fishnet stockings and high heels. Obsessed with creating the perfect specimen of man and looking fabulous while doing it!

I think the appeal of RHPS transcends time and space. it is the ultimate symbol of expression, no matter what that expression may be. There is something in that movie for everyone. It seems to speak to the social outcast that cannot find their spot within the conservative mainstream.

(Magenta)

What’s the most unusual thing about playing Magenta?

Did playing Magenta make you feel sexier?

Character wise, I think she is a sort of lowly at the beginning of the story, but it seems she has all the power at the end when they return home.

No, I don’t think so now, but I guess the 17-year-old me probably did feel sexier.

Jeff Finazzo

Jeanna Crawford

(Frank n. furter)

(Columbia)

Best experience in character?

While walking down to the front of the theater, I was stopped by an agitated woman who apparently was talked into coming by her kids and had no idea what she was in for.

“You should be ashamed to walk around in heels, fishnets, and makeup in public. What would you mother think?” My response: “Why don’t you ask her? She’s in the third row.” At which point, my mother smiled and waved.

What’s the takeaway message from RHPS for you?

Life is a lot more fun when you spend it around people who don’t judge. I made some lifelong friends going to the Varsity and to this day they are still some of the most open, accepting people I know.

What was your favorite part of playing Columbia?

Columbia was sassy. I liked ‘sassy.’ Sassy could get you past a lot. It was a protective place to be. She wrapped herself in barbed wire running around yelling ‘love me!’ Brash on the outside, fragile like a butterfly’s wing inside. Perfect for the angst-riddled teen.

Best RHPS memory?

The motley crew of familial cast-offs found a common ground where we could be ourselves... by being someone else at least for a few hours every weekend. We kept track of each other, when some of the ‘cast members’ own families didn’t. If someone didn’t show up, we tracked them down to make sure they were ok.

thevitalVOICE.com

37

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October 2013

The Sheldon Art Galleries presents

Glamour:

A Conversation with Edith Head

December 6 and 7, at 8 p.m.

Costumes and Images Sheldon Ballroom

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Edith Head in this one-woman Bellwether Gallery of show. Hear “Miss Head” tell St. Louis Artists the story of her career with and Collections wit, wisdom and a whisper of gossip!

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39

40

October 2013

column

Who’s that Ghoul?

Written by Penelope

Wigstock Illustration by Andrea Piamonte

Freddy Krueger. Michael Myers. Jason Voorhees. Leatherface.

Almost everyone knows who these monsters are, and with Halloween right around the corner, anxious horror fans will be watching their favorite scary movies soon.

My story is about an evil that is so horrific and insidious, no tacky slasher flick could do it justice.

The “monster” in my story is a girl named Madge. She and I were roomies for a while in New York City in 1981. I had fully embraced new wave music and all that came with it: Shellacked hair maintained with an avalanche of mousse; neon colored bangles and sunglasses; pants with multiple zippers. Hell, I even had a Patrick Nagle print in my bedroom.

Madge was charting a different course, however. Shortly after we met at a party and decided (foolhardily) to rent a small apartment together in the Bronx, she became obsessed with becoming a pop star. While I toiled away in retail at night and bartending in the evenings, Madge journeyed out almost daily to multiple “auditions.” Of course nothing ever seemed to come of these “auditions,” and she was usually late with the rent money and living on Jell-O and canned sardines.

That all changed the night that she met a club promoter named Damien Mammon.

He promised her the world, and she believed every word that he whispered into her pierced ears. Within a few months of their partnership, she started getting noticed at some local clubs and cut a few demos.

I was still toiling away and selling overpriced rags at a trendy boutique in SoHo. My handmade jewelry efforts were all flops. Only friends were buying them, and I suspect that was solely out of pity or

guilt. I found myself becoming increasingly jealous of Madge and her newfound pseudo success in the music business.

The demos that she had cut with the financial help of Mr. Mammon apparently were getting noticed by some powerful record executives.

Damien. Nice to see you.”

At the same time that her career seemed to be on an upward trajectory, a few odd things happened. An inordinate number of cats in our neighborhood started disappearing and graffiti began appearing on the facades of some local businesses.

The symbols that were spray painted on the buildings were mostly shapes and symbols, though one in particular appeared to be that of a centaur engaged in an explicit sex act with a young woman.

Madge and I laughed it off and commented that it was most likely the work of bored teens that were out of school for the summer.

I nodded. “Pretty much. And speaking of cats…”

Shit got real one blisteringly hot evening in August when I arrived home unexpectedly and found my overly ambitious roomie making hot sweaty love to her agent on the living room floor. I wouldn’t have minded, but surrounding them on our hardwood floor was a spray-painted red pentagram.

Also disturbing was the appearance of horns—real horns—on the head of Damien Mammon. His eyes were literally glowing, and a foul stench permeated the apartment.

“Ummmm, Madge.” I kept my distance from the two of them and remained near the front door. “We’re never going to get our security deposit back with that Satan gang sign scrawled on the floor.”

She stopped what she was doing and slowly turned her head around to face me.

“Hello, Penelope. We never heard you come in…”

I glanced uneasily at Damien. “Hi there,

He emitted a guttural sound that pierced my ears like an icepick.

Madge smirked. “So, I guess the cat is outta the bag now, huh?”

She smiled. “Yup. That was us.”

I motioned towards her bedroom.

“Maybe it’s time for us to go our separate ways. How soon can you pack up your stuff?”

She smiled. “Already ahead of you. I knew that I was wearing out my welcome. Sorry about turning all of those macramé plant holders into tank tops.”

I shrugged. “Who am I to stand in the way of artistic expression?”

She and Damien cleaned themselves up and began lugging her items out into the hallway.

As she leaned in to give me a hug, she whispered. “A deal with Satan seemed to be my only shot. You would have taken it too if you had the chance.”

“That part doesn’t bother me,” I replied.

“You steal crucifixes from the Catholic gift shop at the hospital and wear them while doing blow. And that Sidewalk Talk demo?

You got that idea from me.”

She grinned. “Guilty as charged!”

After they left, I tripped over a mountain of black rubber bracelets outside her bedroom door and cursed at the top of my lungs.

Fu*king narcissist. v thevitalVOICE.com

41

Be there or be square.

Opens Oct. 5!

Forest Park (314) 746-4599 mohistory.org Exhibition tickets: (314) 361-9017 or mohistory.org

photo by Richard Termine

The 1968 Exhibit is a traveling exhibit organized by the Minnesota History Center in partnership with the Atlanta History Center, the Chicago History Museum, and the Oakland Museum of California. The exhibit is supported by major grants from the National Endowment for the Humanities and the Institute of Museum and Library Services.

OCTOBER 8-20 • FOX THEATRE 314-534-1111 MetroTix.com

42

October 2013

Column

Pumpkin Butternut Squash Soup Written and Photographed by

Mikey Berner

new column!

Hello everyone and Happy Halloween! Welcome to my new food column, “Mikey’s Morsels.” I aim to provide you with delicious recipes that you can make, and the whole family can enjoy. Cooking is a never-ending, passionate quest for amazing chemistry and food pairings.

In this issue I’d like to take our fall favorite, the pumpkin, and utilize as much as we can. v

Ingredients: 1 small 6 lb pumpkin seeded 1-1/2 tablespoon melted butter 1 butternut squash seeded and peeled 1 large yellow onion (preferably sweet like a Vandalia) 2 red apples, peeled and cored 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 2 to 4 cups chicken stock 1/2 teaspoon curry powder Kosher salt and black pepper to taste Topping Choices: Green onions sliced diagonally into ¼” cuts Flakey sweetened coconut, lightly toasted Roasted salted cashews, toasted and chopped A diced banana

Preheat your oven to 425.

Hi everyone! Start by washing your pumpkin thoroughly!

Take pumpkin and cut off the top to make a lid shape about 4” in diameter. (I chose to cut the lid in the shape of a pretty zigzag pattern so that it could be placed back on top of the pumpkin and stay in place).

Remove all of the stringy insides and pumpkin seeds so that the pumpkin is completely hollowed out nice and smooth.

Brush inside of lid and pumpkin with melted butter, cover with foil and bake in shallow pan for 30 minutes and cool for a bit.

You then want to carve out the flesh of the pumpkin, all the way around and leave about ¼”

flesh on the inside. Put carved out flesh on sheet pan.

Then, cut up the butternut squash, the onion and apples into 1” cubes. Put them on a sheet pan with pumpkin and toss all with the olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Spread mixture on a sheet pan in a single layer.

Roast in oven on rack for 45 mins, until very tender.

In the meantime, heat the chicken stock to a simmer.

When the vegetables are done, take them out and put them in batches with the pulp in a blender/food processor. Add some of the heated chicken stock and puree.

After pureeing all of the vegetables, place them in a large pot and add enough chicken stock to make a thick soup. Add the curry powder, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper, mix together and taste for seasonings to be sure there’s enough salt and pepper to bring out the curry flavor. Ladle the soup into the hollowed out pumpkin. Top with roasted salted cashews, banana, green onions and toasted coconut.

It’s a very tasty late summer/fall dish that my family LOVES! By putting the soup back into the pumpkin, you save yourself the hassle of extra dishes and it looks cute too.

WEB

Check out the expanded recipe at thevitalvoice.com

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SAVE THE DATE! Saturday, November 23, 2013 The 21st Annual St. Louis Human Rights Campaign Gala at The Renaissance St. Louis Grand Hotel For more information, visit: www.facebook.com/HRCSTL/events www.hrc.org/events/entry/hrc-st.-louis-gala Email us at: hrcstldinner@gmail.com To purchase tickets, go to: www.BoxOfficeTickets.com

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October 2013

DAILY SPECIALS

or f s u Join

e k y-O

3037 Olive Street, St. Louis MO 63103 (314) 533-MARY http://hamburgermarys.com/stlouis/

r a M

i. & Fr . d e W ! nights

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October

Playdates 10/8- 10/20

spotlight Evita at the fabulous fox http://www. fabulousfox.com (314)- 534-1111

Tuesday – Saturday at 8:00 p.m.

Saturday at 2:00 p.m.; Sunday at 1:00 p.m.

Sunday, October 13 at 6:30 p.m. and Thursday, October 17 at 1:00 p.m.

Eva Perón used her charisma and brains to rise from the slums of Argentina to the presidential mansion as First Lady. Adored almost to sainthood by her people as a champion for the poor, she became one of the most powerful women in the world! The musical shows us that while she was full of ambition, her greed and fragile health led to her demise. EVITA tells Eva’s passionate and unforgettable true story, and features some of theater’s most beautiful songs, including “Don’t Cry for Me Argentina”. Get ready to pull out your handkerchiefs guys and gals, because this is a beautiful tearjerker.

10/1

Sig ros at Fabulous Fox Theater http://www. fabulousfox.com (314) 534-1111 or (314) 534-1678

The Icelandic group known Sigur Ros is headed to our Fabulous Fox for one for their final 20 shows. The band is known for their Melodic sounds, falsetto notes and and use of a bowed guitar. Every one of their songs brings you on an amazing journey almost to a state of pure nirvana. Sigur Ros has been around since 1994 but was really brought out in front with their single “Fjögur piano”; a very graphic and emotional 8 minute music video that takes you to hell and back. This is an awesome chance to sit and take in the sounds of some truly out of this world and enjoyable music!

10/5

8th Annual Grove Fest 2013 in the grove Friday & Saturday, 9 p.m.-3 a.m. http://www.thegrovestl.com/

Along the Manchester and Chouteau strip lies the Grove: A thriving community that has expanded expotentially in the last year. Out lively LGBT community has had the awesome Annual Grove Fest for years, and this year will be no different.

Loaded with places you can eat, stop in and have some cocktails, feel like a daredevil and get tattoos, shop for books, get trinkets at gift shops and more!

You don’t want to miss the most outrageous, exciting and entertaining street festival this side of the Mississippi.

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October 2013

Playdates

10/1010/13

Rocky Horror Picture Show at Lee Theatre 314-516-4949 or 866-516-4949

Tickets - $10 for General Public $5 for Students with a valid ID Get excited for what BBC Radio 2 calls “the nation’s number one essential musical” to grace the stage! It’s the story of a happy newlywed couple that gets lost in a storm and finds their way to a transvestite’s celebration party of his human monster, Rocky.

Full of catchy and well known numbers, plus a following that has participated in the theatres since 1975, the RHPS has never failed to please.

10/1110/13

Soulard Oktoberfest http://www.soulardoktoberfest.com/ (314) 335-7580

Soulard Oktoberfest shows why St. Louis has strong German heritage. With the crowd, food, music, lights, accordions and lederhosen, one can see the night of entertainment from which they arrive. Soulard Oktoberfest has a variety of German bands you won’t want to miss this year including The Dorfrockers, Polkanauts, The Soulard Blues Band and more! So come down, grab some beer, some brats and get ready to Polka because this is Soulard in St. Louis and we know how to party!

10/2511/2

Scarefest: The Darkness, Creepyworld & The Haunting of Lemp Brewery http://www.scarefest.com/

These are St. Louis’ favorite places to get scared. Full of boos, chills, demons and dungeons, there is a place that will scare the bejebuz out of everyone!

The Darkness (located in downtown STL), offers a 3D haunted house with two floors of fright with high tech animations, special effects, amazing scenes, over 50 live actors and much more. Then, there is Creepyworld (located in Fenton, MO) which is America’s LARGEST haunted screampark, with over TEN haunted attractions in one place for one price. Finally, there is The Haunting of Lemp Brewery which is located in the underground real caves of the old Lemp Brewery that was built in the 1890’s! The H.O.L.B. is St. Louis’ ONLY NEW and REAL haunted house now part of the Scarefest tour of fright. You can go online to see the full line up of what is at store for each of these scary theme parks and you can go buy a pass to visit all three! Be prepared to be scared!

10/2510/27

Kimmswick Apple Butter Festival 10 a.m.-5 p.m. http://www.visitkimmswick.com/ (636) 464-6464

The Kimmswick Apple Butter Festival is located 20 miles south of St. Louis off of Highway 55. THOUSANDS of people come far and wide for this festival. The Historical Society will again be making and selling their famous Apple Butter at the Apple Butter Pavilion on Market Street. Hundreds of vendors line the streets, crafts, pumpkin carvings, and lodging are a few of the main attractions that draw such a large crowd each year. The Apple Butter Festival is the largest event in Jefferson County drawing close to 100,000 visitors during the two-day event. Be sure to come early and wear comfortable walking shoes. thevitalVOICE.com

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Scene city in the

Photography by Mikey Berner

2.

1.

4.

at

Rehab Bar & Grill

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3.

October 2013

1. Anthony Edward Rosener III & Scott Jones at Rehab Bar & Grill 2. Ashleigh Kennedy, Bonnie Stevens & Maxx Michael at Attitudes 3. Jill Miller & Matthew Traeger at Cafe Eau 4. Andre Davis, Echoe Ryan and Michael Young at Rehab Bar &Grill

Scene & Styling

5.

5. Jeffrey Brodinski & Jason Benge at Just John 6. Kelly Fisher & Christy Schaff at honey.

7. Gil Bley & Cathy Ango at Novaks 8. John Rogers McKinnon & Toby Shorts at JET JET Soiree 9. Tajah Mahal at Hamburger Mary’s

6.

at

Just John

7.

8.

9.

at

Hamburger Mary’s thevitalVOICE.com

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u o y e v a h o t It’s so nice g n o l e e b u o y e r e h w back This isn’t the ‘Lou you thought you knew. We’ve got a lot of Pride here. Say “Hello” to awesome nightlife down in The Grove and incredible culture up in the newly remodeled Art Museum. Come see why The Advocate put us in the Top 15 “gayest” cities in America.

Check out our impressive packages at explorestlouis.com/LGBT 50

October 2013

To our friends in St. Louis…

Next month Marriage Equality could be at your front door.

We Need Your Help! Please make the short trip to

Springfield, Illinois Tuesday, October 22 When it’s your turn,

we’ll return the

favor!

Sponsors

Chicago Black Gay Men’s Caucus

MarchOnSpringfield ForMarriageEquality

BestGayChicago.com

www.MarchOnSpringfield.org

@IllinoisMarches