The Mirror v10iss4 by The Mirror Magazine

Vol. 10 Issue 4 • OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2021 •

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PRE-WEDDING PLANNING: TO MARRY OR NOT TO MARRY?

Now that we have the right to marry in Florida, and you have chosen your husband or wife, there are legal issues to consider in addition to the when and where of your wedding plans. First, while there are over one thousand rights conferred by the act of legal marriage, your marriage also comes with a serious set of obligations - one way of pro-actively dealing with the obligation end of a marriage is to consider a pre-nuptial agreement. Next, contrary to popular belief, even after marriage, the “estate planning” documents we previously relied on to give us rights to inherit and act on behalf of our partners are still needed to assure that your assets and your care in event of disability and death are managed according to your wishes, and not by default under the law, which most often is NOT as you would have chosen. And finally, with the current excitement about Gay Marriage, for deeply personal, philosophical, political, and economic reasons, many, if not the majority of same-sex couples will choose to remain in unmarried committed relationships - our community will continue to benefit from the legal status conferred by “domestic partnership” legislation. PRENUPTIAL AND POSTNUPTIAL AGREEMENTS Most of us believe it won’t be us - but, statistics say approximately half of marriages end in divorce. In the absence of a legally binding pre-nuptial agreement, should your marriage end in divorce, your assets (real property, personal property, bank accounts, brokerage accounts, and retirement savings accounts) may be subject to being divided between you and your ex by Florida’s rule of equitable distribution. In order to avoid that potentially devastating outcome, many couples agree in writing to give up all or most of the rights to the other’s separately acquired assets, retirement plans, and assets earned during the marriage. The agreement can be entered into either before the wedding - a “pre-nuptial” agreement, or after the wedding - “post-nuptial” - but, should comply with some basic rules that ensure it won’t be overturned in a nasty divorce. For example, both parties should be represented by an attorney so that neither can assert that she didn’t realize the legal implications of signing the document, that the document wasn’t presented on the “eve” of the wedding, avoiding the argument that it was presented at the last minute and that it was signed under the pressure of the imminent nuptials.

Pre-nuptial Agreements are regarded by many as a very unromantic proposal to make upon the acceptance of the marriage proposal. However, the effect of entering into the agreement in advance of a possible divorce, is that your behavior when you are at your worst, that is, at the divorce settlement table, will be governed by your agreements made when you were feeling sane, in love and respectful of your spouse to be. Marriage shouldn’t be encumbered by a coerced financial liability to your spouse, but, should be a consensual union based upon mutual love and respect. That being said, the decision to create a “pre-nupt” should be jointly reached and not coerced and negotiated with love and mutual regard. For example, if you intend to be the working spouse and your betrothed the stay-at-home parent, then, your agreement should include provisions assuring that your partner who is forgoing advancing his or her career, etc., be compensated for his “sacrifice” to your joint marital plan. As for planning for disability and death, essential documents are still needed. First, a will and or a revocable living trust to ensure that your assets are managed according to your wishes upon your death. Marriage provides some inheritance rights, but, does not ensure that your spouse will inherit as you both might imagine. To assure that your

wishes be carried out in the event of disability, a Durable Power of Attorney (for finances), a Living Will, a Designation of Healthcare Surrogate, and a Preneed Guardian Designation, may be prepared. DOMESTIC PARTNERSHIP Domestic Partnership is a subject close to my heart: I worked on the Los Angeles County Domestic Partnership legislation with Tom Coleman in the 1980s and, with his blessings, I imported it to Broward County in 1997. The rise of the importance of domestic partnership as a status for unmarried committed couples reflects the sea change in the way people live and configure their families in the United States. In the fifties, 78% of households in the US were headed by married couples. Now more than 50% of all households in the US are headed by unmarried people. 42% of the workforce is unmarried. Across the US we have seen a trend towards inclusive domestic partnership benefit packages provided by employers, that is, gender-neutral, encompassing both gay and straight domestic partnerships. To say that “you must marry” in order to obtain equal treatment at work, including pay, family leave, insurance, taxation, is just wrong. I think the current debate over the demise of domestic

M.S.W., J.D.

partnership legislation in the wake of gay marriage is necessary and that ultimately, domestic partnership recognition in the corporate world will definitely continue to grow. It is necessary to stay competitive in an industry where almost half of the workforce chooses to remain unmarried. Gay Marriage is necessary, but the fact is that most gay couples are not married, and many will choose for personal, economic, political, and

philosophical reasons not to marry but live in committed relationships: they deserve equal rights to pay, and benefits that domestic partnership legislation offers. Planning your life as a couple should be undertaken as an act of love, the cost should be affordable, and your attorney should be chosen with an eye to experience and of course, respect for our LGBT community. Planning your life as a couple should be

undertaken as an act of love, the cost should be affordable, and your attorney should be chosen with an eye to experience and of course, respect for our LGBT community. - Robin Bodiford

Attorney Robin L. Bodiford is an estate planning, probate, and bankruptcy attorney in Fort Lauderdale, FL..

TABLE OF CONTENTS PUBLISHER’S EDITORIAL Light Up the Stages Page 12 MUSIC Boyfriend Band Wants To Make You Feel Good With ‘Butterfly Parade’ Page 18 FOOD The Early Bird and The Night Owl Page 22 COLUMN Gay Nights On Broadway Page 26 FILM The Way of the Force: An Interview Gabe Liedman of ‘Q-Force’ Page 52 BOOKS ‘Die Fotografie: A Novel’ by Phillip M. Johnson Page 58 FEATURE Sealed with a Kiss: An Interview with Leslie Cohen Page 62 FEATURE 10 Trans Celebrities You Should Know Page 68 FEATURE American Dreamer: An Interview with ‘App Kid’ Author Michael Sayman Page 70 GADGETS Your Own Café: The Nespresso Aeroccino 3 Milk Frother Page 74

CARS Big and Bad: The 2022 Jeep Wagoneer Page 76

A&E South Florida Arts Organizations Emerge from Pandemic Excited, Uncertain Page 30 Historic Fort Lauderdale Theater Gets a Glam Makeover Page 32 Top 10 Tickets For Fall Page 34 Area Arts Venues Prepare to Reopen with COVID Protocols And A Little Luck Page 36 Women Find Community In The Arts Page 38 Miami City Ballet Unveils Season of Classics and Premieres Page 42 Movie Musicals Provide A Welcome Distraction From Pandemic Page 44 Island City Turns 10 with Revival, Premiere, Campy Classics Page 46 Opera Turns 80 with Return To South Florida Stages Page 48

Pictured right (and on the cover): Island City Stage opens its 10th anniversary season with a revival “TwentiethCentury Way.” The original production starred Mike Westrich, right, and Clay Cartland. Credit: Island City Stage.

6 | THE

| OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2021

e should leave a great impression. Your smile should leave a great impression.

Your smile should leave a great impression.

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Cover: Island City Stage opens its 10th anniversary season with a revival “Twentieth-Century Way.” The original production starred Mike Westrich, right, and Clay Cartland. Credit: Island City Stage.

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The Mirror is published bi-monthly. The opinions expressed in columns, stories, and letters to the editor are those of the writers. They do not represent the opinions of The Mirror or the Publisher. You should not presume the sexual orientation or gender identity of individuals based on their names or pictorial representations in The Mirror. SFGN contracts with independent entities for stock images. Furthermore the word “gay” in The Mirror should be interpreted to be inclusive of the entire LGBT community. All of the material that appears in The Mirror, both online at www.themirrormag.com, and in our print edition, including articles used in conjunction with the Associated Press and our columnists, is protected under federal copyright and intellectual property laws, and is jealously guarded by the newspaper. Nothing published may be reprinted in whole or part without getting written consent from the Publisher of The Mirror, Norm Kent, at Norm@NormKent.com. The Mirror is published by the South Florida Gay News. It’s a private corporation, and reserves the right to enforce its own standards regarding the suitability of advertising copy, illustrations and photographs. MIRROR Copyright © 2021, South Florida Gay News.com, Inc.

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Randy Harrison starred as the Emcee in the touring production of “Cabaret” at the Broward Center in 2017. Credit: Joan Marcus.

LIGHT UP THE STAGES IGNORE NOT THE SHADOW STILL

“W

illkommen,” sings the master of ceremonies at the opening of “Cabaret,” the classic Broadway musical, going on to say, “Happy to see you again.”

As the emcee of SFGN and the Mirror, happy, I am, to see you again; to introduce you to my favorite issue of the Mirror every year: our Fall Arts and Entertainment Guide. Following hot summers and long vacations, the opening of the theatrical season in South Florida symbolizes the return of theater openings, new shows, and great revivals. We are not just talking the larger venues from South Beach to Palm Beach. Our little community of Wilton Manors hosts an array of smaller venues, where artists and actors get to display their talent. As audiences, we turn our attention to the stage, and stars like the many who have been cast as the emcee in Cabaret, from Joel Grey to Alan Cumming, who made the cover of SFGN when he performed the show a few years ago at the Broward Center. An iconic musical, Cabaret has held up for 12 | THE

over a half century, particularly adored by the LGBT community for its willingness to push the envelope at a time when many dared not to do so.

| OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2021

CELEBRATE JOYOUSLY WITH YOUR FRIENDS, BUT CAUTIOUSLY.

// Norm Kent If you remember the plot, the play was set in 1929-30 Berlin during the waning days of the Weimar Republic as the Nazis were ascending to power. The musical focuses on the hedonistic nightlife at a local nightclub, some even turning a blind eye to the terror about to unfold. No one can do that and survive without calamity. As the theaters open their doors, we want you to celebrate the return of these joyful moments shared with your friends and family. Celebrate joyously with your friends, but cautiously. SFGN wants you also not to forget however, that while we celebrate, here in the Fall of 2021, there are temporary mortuaries that TURN THE PAGE TO CONTINUE READING.

OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2021 | THE

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PUBLISHER’S PLATFORM

Photo via Adobe.

CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE

have been set up next to emergency rooms in local hospitals. They are there because a new variant from the pandemic we are living under still looms over our heads. Don’t turn a blind eye to it. Appreciate the artists and actors on stage, but forget not the orchestras and stagehands, along with the lighting and production technicians who provide the foundation for the shows. Theater is a collaborative enterprise, with only a few under the spotlight. The pandemic that has invaded this planet and our lives will come to an end only with a collaborative effort as well. From scientists in laboratories discovering new vaccines to nurses and doctors in hospitals rendering immediate and long-term care, we are dependent upon one another to survive. A culture war over masks is no cure. It is a cancer worse than the disease. Frankly, I am worried that some productions from the east coast to the west coast will be marred by the type of madness we have seen in Walmart’s and Targets. Our nation does not get along with each other, but indoor venues are opening, pushing us to close proximity with one another. Some people may wind up putting on a spontaneous show of their own, a production without melody or music. As a country, we are that divided. When we applaud a cast at the end of a show though, we don’t ask each other’s 14 | THE

WE NEED A BREATHER, NOT ANOTHER BATTLE. WE NEED VACCINATIONS, NOT VITRIOL. IF WE LET IT, MAYBE THEATER AND ITS MESSAGE AND MARVEL, ITS MAGIC AND MUSIC, CAN

HELP OPEN THAT DOOR FOR ALL OF US. political beliefs. We find a commonality that cheers a production which brought us together as friends. We smile at the person next to us. Let’s try to keep it that way, respecting the rights and dignity of others. Mask when and where appropriate. Let’s hope that Broadway and the theatrical arts lead the way again. Artists and entertainers come from so many walks and regions of life, but working together they create a powerful and unifying singular song of spirit and energy. The majesty of theater exudes a communal and insurmountable force of joy. Let’s see if we can take the energy and electricity of the stage and bring it back to

| OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2021

our own lives. Our country, our citizens and communities need a respite, a revival, and a resuscitation. We need a breather, not another battle. We need vaccinations, not vitriol. If we let it, maybe theater and its message and marvel, its magic and music, can help open that door for all of us. Willkommen, then, again to this month’s issue of the Mirror. It’s our first production of the Fall season, populated with credible content and aesthetic design. Enjoy the show we have created for youmiraculously, still free, thanks to the many good sponsors and generous advertisers who enable us to do this for you. Please support them as much as us. They are an integral part of this collaborative process. Thank you.

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ACTOR’S PLAYHOUSE AMERICAN TAX & INSURANCE AQUAPLEX KEY WEST ARIANNA’S CENTER ART FRENZIE BIKTARVY/GILEAD BONNET HOUSE MUSEUM & GARDENS BROWARD CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS BROWARD CULTURAL ARTS BROWARD TEACHERS UNION CAN COMMUNITY HEALTH CANYON CASTELLI REAL ESTATE CG BOOKKEEPING CHIC OPTIQUE CRIMINAL DEFENSE LAW CENTER OF SOUTH FLORIDA DOC’S PLUMBING EDWIN NEIMANN PIANO GAY MEN’S CHORUS OF SOUTH FLORIDA GFWC PLANTATION WOMAN’S CLUB HENRI VEZIE ISLAND CITY SMILES JM LEXUS JOE GRANO JOHN D. BRISTOL, ESQ. JOHN KNOX VILLAGE LAKE WORTH PLAYHOUSE LATINOS SALUD MALTZ JUPITER THEATRE MASTER CHORALE MUSEUM OF DISCOVERY AND SCIENCE NEW WORLD SYMPHONY NORM KENT SHOW OAKLAND PARK DENTAL OUR FUND PRIDE FORT LAUDERDALE PRIMADONNA R3 ACCOUNTING ROBIN BODIFORD SLOW BURN THEATER COMPANY SOUTH FLORIDA SYMPHONY SYMPHONY OF THE AMERICAS THE PARKER THE POVERELLO CENTER WORLD AIDS MUSEUM

MUSIC

BOYFRIEND BAND WANTS TO MAKE YOU FEEL GOOD WITH

‘BUTTERFLY PARADE’ // Damon Scott Pictured: Jay Thomas and Oscar Quesada. Courtesy photo.

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| OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2021

MUSIC

iami-based gay singer-songwriter Jay Thomas and his musician-producer and boyfriend Oscar Quesada decided to make the best of it after the pandemic brought live performances to a halt. They created a quarantine album – “Concierta Quarantina.”

Thomas’ sister Zjolie (who lived down the block) joined the pair on the mini-album recorded in their one-bedroom apartment. It features three tracks: “Orphans,””Walls (Wish I Could Touch You),” and “Outside.” The album was naturally influenced by all the uncertainty of weeks of quarantine, but also by family experiences. Thomas said he and his sister were latchkey kids with mostly absent parents and largely raised by neighbors. His parents divorced when they were young and their mother died when they were young as well. Thomas would end up living with his father – now a Rod Stewart impersonator who performs in South Florida. They haven’t spoken in several years. The year is 2020, there has been a pandemic outbreak It’s a killer corona There are bodies piling up at the churches I’ve social-distanced from Our amici tried to warn us, but we’re holdin’ on to our rights and guns.

“My apartment was the weed smoking apartment and Oscar and his buddies would come over and I’d have horror movies on,” Thomas said. “It was not love at first sight. We thought each other were so weird. Oscar was like a music nerd who had never been to a party.” Thomas introduced Quesada to college parties and his love for horror movies. “He was like this annoyingly hyper gay,” Quesada said with a smile. “I’ve lived a very sheltered life compared to Jay’s very wild party house life.” At FSU, the two formed the band Bluejay with Zjolie (also known as Jojo Sunshine). Bluejay – acoustic with an indie-folk vibe – produced two albums and toured. The first Bluejay album, “Goblins,” was created as part of Quesada’s senior project. Thomas would later drop the Bluejay name and record his first solo album “Fantasma Tropical” with dark, ethereal tracks and driving beats and grooves.

“I’VE LIVED A VERY SHELTERED LIFE COMPARED TO JAY’S VERY WILD PARTY HOUSE LIFE.”

Those lines are from the opening track of “Orphans,” a song with fast beats and heavy guitar. The words “I still want you” is sung and repeated by GAY FLORIDA LIFE Zjolie in the track as an ode to missing their parents. The Thomas was born in album is also meant to show the Hollywood and Quesada in - Oscar Quesada emotional rawness people went Miami. MUSICIAN through during quarantine. Quesada has been a musician Thomas said he wasn’t looking since the fourth grade. He for a “let’s all love each other” message. played violin, sang in the chorus and played Quesada, who is also the program manager steel pan. He soon switched from violin to for Miami’s Adrienne Arsht Center, produced cello, which he’s been playing ever since and and recorded “Concierta Quarantina,” adding is known for. But he’s a specialist on several background harmonies and string work. instruments and is known for creating sensuous arrangements. ‘NOT LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT’ Quesada was the first and only of his siblings to leave South Florida for college. Thomas and Quesada have been together He’s the youngest of three boys in a Cubansince they met during the second semester American household. of their freshman year at Florida State Thomas said he was the only out gay person University in Tallahassee about 14 years ago. in his high school class at South Broward High Thomas majored in philosophy, Quesada in School and Quesada came out at Coral Reef commercial music. High School – the summer before ninth grade.

DISCOGRAPHY 2010: BLUEJAY GOBLINS (First album, created at FSU). 2012: BLUEJAY MERCURY (Recorded at Sweet Tea Recording Studio in Oxford, Mississippi). 2016: BLUEJAY LAUGHING IN THE DARK (Collaboration between Thomas, Quesada and Zjolie). 2018: JAY THOMAS ROCKET SHIP (SINGLE) 2019: JAY THOMAS FANTASMA TROPICAL (The first full length Jay Thomas album). 2020: JAY THOMAS/ZJOLIE CONCIERTA QUARANTINA (Three songs written and recorded in quarantine). 2021/2022: BUTTERFLY PARADE (To be released this year and toured next year).

TURN THE PAGE TO CONTINUE READING.

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MUSIC

“I WANT A WITCH TO GO DOWN THE AISLES WITH SAGE. I WANT A FULLY SENSUAL EVENT WITH LIGHTS AND SMELLS. I WANT PEOPLE TO FEEL FREE.” - Jay Thomas MUSICIAN, PICTURED LEFT (PHOTO VIA INSTAGRAM)

CONTINUED FROM THE PREVIOUS PAGE.

He also openly dated a high school senior at to perform it for the first time live at the the time. North Beach Bandshell on March 17, 2022. “For a long time with Jay, I’d say ‘I love you’ The album will feature full string sections, and he’d be like ‘Thank you,’” Quesada said. a choir – and when live performances “That’s my Scottish cold side,” Thomas commence – Thomas said he’ll have dancers said. and video projections to create an immersive Music is half of their life and Pokémon Go experience. and “RuPaul’s Drag Race” the “I want a witch to go down other half. “What more do the aisles with sage,” Thomas AFTER RELEASING you need?” Thomas said. said. “I want a fully sensual event with lights and smells. I “CONCIERTA ‘WANT PEOPLE TO want people to feel free.” QUARANTINA,” FEEL FREE’ Whereas “Concierta THOMAS AND Quarantina” was about “fuck After releasing “Concierta this [and] claustrophobia,” QUESADA WERE Quarantina,” Thomas and the idea with Butterfly Parade, AWARDED A Quesada were awarded a Thomas said, is “gratitude competitive grant from the for investing in a deep innerCOMPETITIVE GRANT Knight Foundation to produce world.” FROM THE KNIGHT another album. “I want to delve into the FOUNDATION TO “I knew I wanted to write pain and loss of this last year, an album that was going to set but I want to do it in a way PRODUCE ANOTHER people free after quarantine,” that inspires wonder and ALBUM. Thomas said. “Now we have connection,” Thomas said. “I the ability and skills behind would like this album to be us to react more to the now. I want every lyric mushroom-safe. Like, you could be tripping of this album to feel good.” out and the lyrics will hold you on the “Butterfly Parade” will be released later journey. I want to conjure empathy over fear, this year, about 40 minutes long with 10 beholding darkness as eternal rather than tracks. Thomas and Quesada are scheduled confronting or embodying it.” To connect, go to @heyjaythomas and @oscarquesada on social media or online at heyjaythomas.com. 20 | THE

| OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2021

Oscar Quesada. Photo via Twitter.

D R I B Y L R A E E TH L W O T H G I N E TH FOOD

AND

// Rick

D C AFE COURT YAR

DINING BEFORE OR AFTER A SHOW

Karlin

THE FLORI

DIAN

CH UNION KIT

EN & BAR

ZUCC AREL

LO’S

J MARKS

outh Florida and early-bird dinners are the butt of many a joke, however, these specials come in handy when you’re trying to make it to your seat before the curtain rises on a play or concert. Not only do you have a timely meal (always let your server know that you have theater or concert or movie tickets as soon as you sit down), but you often save money as well. Others prefer to wait until after a show for their repast, as it gives them a chance to chat about the show as well as have a more relaxing meal. Whichever is your preference, check with the restaurants listed to see if the specials mentioned are being offered on the night of your visit and any restrictions that may be in place.

ZUCCARELLO’S

PRIMADONNA

MARTI’S NEW RIVER BISTRO

3017 E. Commercial, Fort Lauderdale

620 S. Federal, Ft. Lauderdale

zuckerellos.com

primadonnafl.com

browardcenter.org/visit/dining/martis

The upscale Primadonna doesn’t offer an early bird menu, but it does offer an extensive happy hour menu at the bar from 6-7:30 p.m., with 50% off specialty cocktails and wines by the glass. Edibles treats, all priced less than $10, include crispy shrimp with a citrus aioli, grilled ciabatta with prosciutto and Parmesan, Thai chicken skewers, grilled polenta with beef and pork ragout, and chilled sous vide shrimp.

Of course, the easiest one-stop-shopping option, if attending a show at the Broward Center, is Marti’s New River Bistro, located right within the Center. Marti’s three-course prix fixe dinner menu is perfect for theatergoers who want to savor a relaxed dinner before the curtain rises. There’s an extensive wine list and a selection of contemporary cocktails to complement your meal and brunch is served before weekend matinees. With indoor and outdoor seating, and nearby and valet parking, the setting of this riverfront find couldn’t be more convenient.

954-776-4282

At this charming Italian spot reminiscent of every place you went with your parents growing up, you have two early dining options. Sit at the bar and take advantage of the happy hour specials or order a “Sunset Dinner.” The bar options, available until 7 p.m., not only include reduced prices on wine and cocktails, but also such treats as fried calamari, mozzarella, chicken tenders, Caprese salad, eggplant rollatini, or mussels for $6.95. The Sunset Dinners include soup or salad, coffee or tea, and dessert and run the gamut from pasta dishes such as spaghetti Bolognese to chicken dishes, such as Francese or Marsala, for less than $20 a person. Salmon, veal, lamb shank, or crab ravioli are a few dollars more. The special is offered seven days a week from 4 to 6 p.m. (except holidays) and cannot be combined with any other promotions or coupons.

J MARKS

1245 N Federal, Fort Lauderdale

954-390-0770

1490 NE 23rd St., Pompano Beach

954-782-7000

jmarksrestaurant.com While it doesn’t have an early-bird special per se, J. Marks does offer mid-day meal specials from 2 to 5 p.m. that are smaller portions of their dinner entrees. Among the options are five-cheese pasta, orange chicken, a halfrack ribs, crispy walnut shrimp, an 8 oz. aged prime rib, or blackened chicken pasta from $13-$20. There’s even a slice of Key lime pie for $3. For those opting to dine after the theater, J Marks reinstates happy hour from 9 p.m. to closing, every day.

Broward Center for the Performing Arts

754-779-7239

954-660-6333

UNION KITCHEN & BAR 2309 N Dixie, Wilton Manors

754-216-0143

COURTYARD CAFÉ

unionkb.com

2211 Wilton Dr, Wilton Manors

Now open in the space formerly occupied by the short-lived XES, Union Kitchen & Bar is being brought to life by an experienced husband and wife team. They have both a pre-theater and post-theater menu. With a location right across the street from Island City Stage and Ronnie Larsen’s studio theater, and a menu that includes lobster rolls and fresh pasta, it’s certain to be a popular place with our community.

CHIMNEY HOUSE

701 W. Las Olas, Fort Lauderdale

954-900-5352

thechimneyhousefl@gmail.com The Chimney House offers theater or concert goers at the Broward Center a pre-theater prix fixe menu that provides for a discount on its most popular dishes and a promise of timely arrival at the theater. The three-course menu offers a choice of appetizer, entrée, and dessert for $32 per person. As a bonus, you can park in the restaurant’s lot, right behind the Center, and avoid the parking delays after the show.

954-563-2499

wiltonmanorscourtyardcafe.com This Wilton Manors staple is no longer open 24/7, but it is still open 24 hours on weekends, and late-night during the week, making it an excellent choice for pre- or post-theater dining. It also has a large parking lot in the back (onehour free parking with coupon code from the restaurant beforehand). It offers two-for-one entrées on Wednesdays from 4-10 p.m. (with purchase of a drink) and now offers a full bar. The menu is classic diner fare, although the kitchen does get “fancy” with the daily specials sometimes. On a recent night, two of the specials were haddock with an Asian ginger sauce and horseradish-peppercorn steak, both priced well under $20. Service is friendly and sassy!

THE FLORIDIAN

1410 E Las Olas Blvd, Fort Lauderdale

954-463-4041

thefloridiandiner.com While it doesn’t have a happy hour special, the Floridian is one of the few places in the area open 24 hours. The Floridian has been dishing up classic diner fare since 1937, so whether you want to grab a pre-theater dinner or a late-night breakfast meal after the show, the Floridian’s the place to go.

OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2021 | THE

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IMPORTANT FACTS FOR BIKTARVY®

This is only a brief summary of important information about BIKTARVY and does not replace talking to your healthcare provider about your condition and your treatment.

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BIKTARVY may cause serious side effects, including:  Those in the “Most Important Information About BIKTARVY” section.  Changes in your immune system. Your immune system may get stronger and begin to fight infections that may have been hidden in your body. Tell your healthcare provider if you have any new symptoms after you start taking BIKTARVY.  Kidney problems, including kidney failure. Your healthcare provider should do blood and urine tests to check your kidneys. If you develop new or worse kidney problems, they may tell you to stop taking BIKTARVY.  Too much lactic acid in your blood (lactic acidosis), which is a serious but rare medical emergency that can lead to death. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you get these symptoms: weakness or being more tired than usual, unusual muscle pain, being short of breath or fast breathing, stomach pain with nausea and vomiting, cold or blue hands and feet, feel dizzy or lightheaded, or a fast or abnormal heartbeat.  Severe liver problems, which in rare cases can lead to death. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you get these symptoms: skin or the white part of your eyes turns yellow, dark “tea-colored” urine, light-colored stools, loss of appetite for several days or longer, nausea, or stomach-area pain.  The most common side effects of BIKTARVY in clinical studies were diarrhea (6%), nausea (6%), and headache (5%).

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ABOUT BIKTARVY BIKTARVY is a complete, 1-pill, once-a-day prescription medicine used to treat HIV-1 in adults and children who weigh at least 55 pounds. It can either be used in people who have never taken HIV-1 medicines before, or people who are replacing their current HIV-1 medicines and whose healthcare provider determines they meet certain requirements. BIKTARVY does not cure HIV-1 or AIDS. HIV-1 is the virus that causes AIDS. Do NOT take BIKTARVY if you also take a medicine that contains:  dofetilide  rifampin  any other medicines to treat HIV-1

BEFORE TAKING BIKTARVY Tell your healthcare provider if you:  Have or have had any kidney or liver problems,

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HOW TO TAKE BIKTARVY Take BIKTARVY 1 time each day with or without food.

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visit BIKTARVY.com for program information.

BIKTARVY, the BIKTARVY Logo, GILEAD, the GILEAD Logo, and LOVE WHAT’S INSIDE are trademarks of Gilead Sciences, Inc., or its related companies. Version date: February 2021 © 2021 Gilead Sciences, Inc. All rights reserved. BVYC0370 04/21

HUGO LIVING WITH HIV SINCE 1995 REAL BIKTARVY PATIENT

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BIKTARVY® is a complete, 1-pill, once-a-day prescription medicine used to treat HIV-1 in certain adults. BIKTARVY does not cure HIV-1 or AIDS.

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COLUMN

GAY NIGHTS BROADWAY ON

1966: Cabaret (Kander & Ebb): After Sally Bowles unsuccessfully tries to seduce Brian, he reveals that he’s been there, done that and it’s not for him. But Sally persists and they eventually become lovers, only to be torn apart when they both realize they’ve been sleeping with rich playboy, Maximilian. 1975: A Chorus Line (Hamlisch & Kleban): Soft spoken Paul exposes his painful past in a heart rendering monologue, his early career in a drag act, coming to terms with his manhood, his homosexuality, and his parents’ ultimate reaction to finding out about his lifestyle.

“THE ONLY TIMES I REALLY FEEL THE PRESENCE OF GOD ARE WHEN I’M HAVING SEX, AND DURING A GREAT BROADWAY MUSICAL.” - FATHER DAN IN “JEFFREY”

“La Cage Aux Folles” (1983).

1983: La Cage Aux Folles (Jerry Herman): // Pier Angelo

Musical Theater Queens (noun, plural):

Gay men enlightened enough to realize that stage musicals are the be all and end all, the ultimate cultural flowering of the human race. They are an accepted part of the basic gay stereotype.

Musical (noun, singular):

Theatrical production typically of a sentimental or humorous nature that consists of musical numbers and dialogue based upon a unifying plot. For gay believers, musicals are what football is to straight men. Here is a list of Tony Awards winners in the musical category, with references to being gay or with gay characters and gay plots.

Audiences who would never have gone to “gay theatre” cheered for the story of a middle-aged couple struggling with homophobic in-laws. It was a breakthrough moment.

1992:

Falsettos (William Finn): The story involves Marvin, his ex-wife Trina, his psychiatrist Mendel, his son Jason, and his gay lover Whizzer Brown.

1990: Kiss of the Spider Woman (Kander & Ebb): Luis Alberto Molina, a homosexual window dresser, is in a prison in a Latin American country, serving his third year of an eight-year-sentence for corrupting a minor. He lives in a fantasy world to flee the prison life, the torture, fear and humiliation. His fantasies turn mostly around movies, particularly around a vampy diva, Aurora. He loves her in all roles, but one scares him: This role is the spider woman, who kills with her kiss. 1996: Rent (Jonathan Larson): Loosely based on Giacomo Puccini’s opera La Bohème. It tells the story of a group of impoverished young artists struggling to survive and create a life in New York City’s East Village under the shadow of HIV/AIDS. 2001:

David Cook as Charlie in “Kinky Boots.” Photo credit: Joan Marcus.

26 | THE

| OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2021

The Producers adapted by Mel Brooks and Thomas Meehan from Brooks’ 1968 film of the same name, the story concerns two theatrical producers who scheme to get rich by overselling interests in a Broadway flop. Complications arise when the show unexpectedly turns out to be successful. The humor of the show draws on ridiculous accents, caricatures of homosexuals (“Keep it Gay”) and Nazis (“Springtime for Hitler”), and many show business in-jokes.

2007: Hairspray (Shaiman & Wittman): Many have speculated about whether and how Hairspray counts as a “gay” musical. Of course, there’s the John Waters provenance, the drag lead character (originated by Divine and played on Broadway by Harvey Fierstein), and the inherent campiness of musicals. But the most profound connection lies in its message of acceptance: “Hairspray” celebrates forbidden love in the face of “a neverending parade of stupid.” It’s a theme gays know well. 2003:

Avenue Q (Lopez & Marx): Rod is an extremely well-groomed, obsessively clean, and slightly hysterical closeted homosexual. He is secretly in love with his best friend, Nicky. Rod and Nicky are parodies of Bert and Ernie from “Sesame Street.” In one of the musical’s most popular songs, “If You Were Gay,” Nicky, who is straight, encourages him to come out of the closet.

2011:

The Book of Mormon (Parker/ Lopez/Stone): Elder McKinley is one of the lead Mormon elders and the Church’s current District Leader in Uganda; he is sexually attracted to men but in denial of his feelings.

2013: Kinky Boots (Jason Brown): Inspired by true events, the musical tells the story of Charlie Price, who inherits a shoe factory from his father. To save the business, Charlie forms an unlikely partnership with cabaret performer and drag queen, Lola. With Lola’s help, Charlie develops a plan to produce a line of high-heeled boots. In the process, he and Lola discover that they are not so different after all. 2014: Hedwig and the Angry Inch (Mitchell & Trask) is a 2001 rock musical about a fictional rock and roll band fronted by a gender queer East German singer named Hedwig. Hedwig, formerly Hansel, assumes a female persona after a botched sex change operation which was performed to allow him to marry an American man and escape East Germany. In 2014 it had its first Broadway production, winning the Tony Award for Best Revival of a Musical. 2016:

Fun Home is a musical adapted by Lisa Kron and Jeanine Tesori from Alison Bechdel’s 2006 graphic memoir of the same name. The story concerns Bechdel’s discovery of her own sexuality, her relationship with her gay father, and her attempts to unlock the mysteries surrounding his life.

BTW:

The musical and the term “homosexuality” were invented almost simultaneously. A coincidence but one that theater queens can delight in.

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MIRROR FALL 2021 ARTS

PREVIEW SOUTH FLORIDA ARTS ORGANIZATIONS EMERGE FROM PANDEMIC EXCITED, UNCERTAIN / / J.W. Arnold

hen the emergence of COVID-19 forced arts venues and organizations across the country to suspend operations for two weeks in March 2020 in order to “flatten the curve,” no one could have predicted that the global pandemic would drag on for a year, let alone 18 months to date. With the development and initial distribution of a vaccine late last year, the end seemed near. Some South Florida arts presenters adapted early: Independent producer Ronnie Larsen resumed socially distanced and masked performances at The Foundry months earlier and was followed closely behind by Island City Stage, while others experimented with creative streaming concerts and unusual outdoor venues. As more patrons received the shots, masks became optional and venue capacities were gradually increased. Normal operations seemed just around the corner as 2021-22 seasons were announced by dozens of regional theater and dance companies, the three leading performing arts centers, orchestras, art galleries and the opera. Then the resilient and highly contagious Delta variant took hold late this summer, again raising uncertainty. Touring Broadway productions were pushed back to later in the year and mask requirements were raised. Palm Beach Dramaworks in West Palm Beach even postponed the opening of its season in order to protect performers and audiences alike. The Symphony of the Americas is still working to get their new Spanish artistic director into the United States to kick off their season. Most experts agree we’ll be living with the virus for years to come, but the arts community must find a way to continue to create if the thousands of actors, artisans, artists, dancers and musicians are to survive. They are excited — some taking their stages for the first time in over a year — but the anxiety remains. Will patrons return to crowded concert halls or stay home? Can limited ticket sales sustain cash-strapped nonprofits? Could Delta or another unforeseen variant force another lockdown? The optimists are prevailing as plans for the upcoming season attest.

Pictured: The ghost light left on the stage at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts. The tradition is meant to allow “the ghosts to perform” in-between events. Photo via Facebook.

30 | THE

| OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2021

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Pictured: Parker Playhouse, now known simlpy as The Parker. Photos via Facebook.

ARTS NEWS

HISTORIC FORT LAUDERDALE THEATER GETS A

GLAM MAKEOVER

/ / J.W. Arnold

he Parker Playhouse in Fort Lauderdale reopened in September with a new name, following a $30 million renovation and expansion of the historic landmark. “The Parker,” taken from the affectionate shorthand patrons have long-used, is now offering new guest experiences and a lineup of top artists that builds on its more than half-century tradition as a stage for great entertainment. “When the Broward Center began managing the Parker in 2005, it was immediately clear that the performers and audiences loved the hall but that it was in need of upgrades after so many years,” said Broward Center President and CEO Kelley Shanley. “As a reflection of the important role the Parker has had in the cultural development of Fort Lauderdale, the [city] provided the initial funding to jumpstart the campaign for the Parker. Thanks to the ... early support and that of many generous donors, we are now ready for the Parker’s revival as a vibrant, contemporary home for outstanding cultural and educational programming that honors its history as it forges its own place in the cultural landscape of South Florida for generations to come,” he explained. From the iconic exterior now incorporated into a soaring new entry and lobby to the continental seating and wide rows inside Lillian S. Wells Hall, the Parker pays homage to the

venue’s convenience, while enhanced lounges offer new opportunities for audiences to enjoy culture, cocktails and conversation throughout the theater. Audiences will be able to create the perfect night on the town without ever leaving the Parker as they enjoy a season of extraordinary entertainment. Among the headliners coming to the Parker this season are musicians Lindsey Buckingham, Chris Botti, Keb’ Mo’, The Manhattan Transfer,

Bruce Hornsby, a double bill of Los Lobos and Taj Mahal, and a triple bill of Janis Ian with Tom Chapin and Livingston Taylor; comedians Bianca Del Rio, Paula Poundstone, Lewis Black and Patton Oswalt; tributes to Aretha Franklin, Tina Turner, Journey and Led Zeppelin; Broadway stars Alan Cumming and Todrick Hall; and Seth Rudetsky’s Broadway Concert Series featuring Stephanie J. Block, Santino Fontana and Laura Benanti.

FOR A FULL SCHEDULE OF PERFORMANCES AND TICKETS, GO TO PARKERPLAYHOUSE.COM. 32 | THE

| OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2021

our Join us for our ening Grand Reopening Season!

o ou ur r Join us for our e g Grand en ni in n gReopening Season!

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AT ROGER DEAN CHEVROLETSCHOOL STADIUM HE BENJAMIN AT THE BENJAMIN SCHOOL

eatre.org(561) 575-2223 | jupitertheatre.org MALTZ Without Walls

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JAN 11 30, 2022 EB 8 20, 2022 FEB 8 20, 2022 eatre.org eatre.org (561) 575-2223 | jupitertheatre.org

AT ROGER DEAN CHEVROLETSCHOOL STADIUM HE BENJAMIN AT THE BENJAMIN SCHOOL

MALTZ Without Walls

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

TOP 10 TICKETS

10 HOT TICKETS FOR FALL

/ / J.W. Arnold

Photos via Facebook.

BIANCA DEL RIO: UNSANITIZED OCT. 8, 8 P.M. THE PARKER, FORT LAUDERDALE Bianca is back in South Florida with her new show, “Unsanitized.” The “RuPaul’s Drag Race” GOAT (Greatest of All Time) has practically sold out the newly renovated Parker, but a few tickets are still available — at the variable (escalated) pricing. At press time, the most inexpensive ticket was $217, making this the hottest ticket of the season. PARKERPLAYHOUSE.COM

SONGS FOR A NEW WORLD SLOW BURN THEATRE CO. OCT. 12 - 24 BROWARD CENTER, FORT LAUDERDALE Slow Burn returns to the stage with “Songs for a New World,” the first musical from Tony Award winner Jason Robert Brown (“Parade,” “Bridges of Madison County”). This underrated musical offers a moving collection of powerful songs that examine life, love and the difficult choices that we must make in that “one moment.” BROWARDCENTER.ORG

SOUTH FLORIDA PRIDE WIND ENSEMBLE 35TH ANNIVERSARY CONCERT NOV. 7, 7 P.M. BROWARD CENTER, FORT LAUDERDALE The South Florida Pride Wind Ensemble and Artistic Director Dan Bassett will present musical selections from their first 35 years as South Florida’s LGBTQ+ and allies concert band. Guest conductors and performers will join the celebration and, as always, there will be a few exciting surprises. Don’t miss this one-night-only performance. BROWARDCENTER.ORG

34 | THE

GAY MEN’S CHORUS OF SOUTH FLORIDA ANNUAL HOLIDAY CONCERTS DEC. 17 AT SUNSHINE CATHEDRAL - 8 P.M. DEC. 19 AT HARD ROCK LIVE - 7 P.M. Save the date for the concert debut of Gabe Salazar, the new artistic director of the Gay Men’s Chorus of South Florida. The holiday concert is always a star-studded affair with guest artists joining the 125-voice chorus. Watch for more details for this South Florida tradition. GMCSF.ORG

| OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2021

“MEN WHO DANCE” INTER-AMERICAN CHOREOGRAPHIC INSTITUTE NOV. 27 - 28, 8 P.M. AND 3 P.M. BROWARD CENTER, FORT LAUDERDALE Presented by the Inter-American Choreographic Institute, “Men Who Dance” features performers from Miami City Ballet, Dimensions Dance Theatre of Miami, Dance NOW! Miami, Cuban Classical Ballet and Tango Out in an explosion of artistic expression meant to explore, deconstruct and redefine the concepts and notions of masculinity. BROWARDCENTER.ORG

“THE PROM” BROADWAY IN FORT LAUDERDALE DEC. 14 - 19 BROWARD CENTER, FORT LAUDERDALE No matter how you felt about the 2020 Ryan Murphy/Netflix adaptation, the touring production of this Broadway hit is worth the ticket price. The story of a lesbian teen who just wants to take her girlfriend to the prom has lots of heart – and plenty of laughs thanks to a group of self-absorbed Broadway washouts who take up her cause. BROWARDCENTER.ORG

MASTERWORKS: PIAZZOLLA/ MUSSORGSKY/BERLIOZ SOUTH FLORIDA SYMPHONY NOV. 17 - 20 FORT LAUDERDALE/MIAMI BEACH/KEY WEST Artistic Director Sebrina María Alfonso and the South Florida Symphony open their season at the Parker in Fort Lauderdale on Nov. 17 with an exciting program including Astor Piazzolla’s tango-inspired “The Four Seasons of Buenos Aires,” Mussorgsky’s “Pictures at an Exhibition” and Berlioz’s festive “Roman Carnival Overture.” SOUTHFLORIDASYMPHONY.ORG

“COME FROM AWAY” KRAVIS ON BROADWAY NOV. 16 - 21 KRAVIS CENTER, WEST PALM BEACH The heartfelt musical about the residents and passengers stranded in their rural Canadian town on 9/11, “Come from Away,” opens the Kravis on Broadway season at the Kravis Center in West Palm Beach. You can also catch the Tony Award-winning show in Fort Lauderdale at the Broward Center, November 4 - 14. KRAVIS.ORG

“FRANKENSTEIN” ZOETIC STAGE OCT. 14 - 31 ARSHT CENTER, MIAMI One of the great horror stories of all time, Mary Shelley’s classic tale of gods and monsters still fascinates 200 years after its 1818 publication. First presented at the National Theatre in London, Nick Dear’s adaptation is highly theatrical and surprisingly relevant, especially in the hands of Artistic Director Stuart Meltzer and his Carbonell-winning team at Zoetic stage. ARSHTCENTER.ORG

10.

“A WINTER SPECTACULAR”

MARILYN MAYE AND NICOLAS KING NOV. 26 - NOV. 19 THE WICK THEATRE, BOCA RATON Cabaret legends Marilyn Maye and Nicolas King have devoted their lives to perfecting their individual styles. Backed by a live orchestra, the singers will join together for a unique and memorable holiday celebration for all families, friends and faiths. Tickets will go fast for this limited engagement in Boca. THEWICK.ORG

FIRST DRAFT OF HISTORY. JOURNALISM JOURNALISM IS IS THE THE

WOULD YOU LIKE TO SUPPORT A FREE PRESS? FIRST DRAFT OF HISTORY.

WOULD WOULD YOU YOU LIKE LIKE TO TO SUPPORT SUPPORT A A FREE FREE PRESS? PRESS?

SFGN's reporting has been supported by tens of thousands of readers in Sout h Florida. Now we're askiISngTHE for your support. JOURNALISM JOURNALISM IS THE Please help us continueDRAFT giving you news everyday. Every FIRST OF FIRST contributiDRAFT on is valuable – even $1. OF SFGN's reporting has been supported by tens of thousands of SFGN's reporting has been supported by tens of thousands of readers in South Florida. Now we're asking for your support. readers in South Florida. Now we're asking for your support. Please help us continue giving you news everyday. Every Please help us continue giving you news everyday. Every contribution is valuable – even $1. contribution is valuable – even $1. Your gift will ensure that South Florida Gay News is able to continue Your gift will ensure that South Florida Gay News is able to continue to provide an online and print resource for our community. Thanks to provide an online and print resource for our community. Thanks to your valuable contribution, SFGN is able to provide you with to your valuable contribution, SFGN is able to provide you with local LGBT news that affects every aspect of your life. local LGBT news that affects every aspect of your life.

HISTORY. HISTORY.

South Florida Gay News exists to meet the needs of the South South Florida Gay News exists to meet the needs of the South Florida LGBT community. When you give, your donation directly Florida LGBT community. When you give, your donation directly benefits you, as well as everyone else. benefits you, as well as everyone else.

Your gift wil ensure that South Florida Gay News is able to continue toWOULD provide an online and print resource forLIKE our community. Thanks WOULD YOU YOU LIKE TO TO SUPPORT A FREE PRESS? t o your val u abl e cont r i b ut i o n, SFGN i s abl e t o provi d e you with SUPPORT A FREE PRESS? local LGBT news that affects every aspect of your life. SFGN's reporting has been supported by tens of thousands of readers South Florida. Now we're asking support. SFGN's in reporting has been supported by tensfor of your thousands of Please us continue givingwe're you asking news for everyday. Every readers help in South Florida. Now your support. valuable Please help uscontribution continue is giving you– even news$1. everyday. Every contribution is valuable – even $1. Your gift will ensure that South Florida Gay News is able to continue to provide anensure onlinethat and printFlorida resource forNews our community. Thanks Your gift will South Gay is able to continue to provide your valuable contribution, SFGN isfor able provide you with an online and print resource ourtocommunity. Thanks local LGBT news that affects every aspect your life. to your valuable contribution, SFGN is able to of provide you with local LGBT news that affects every aspect of your life. South Florida Gay News exists to meet the needs of the South Florida LGBT community. give,the your donation South Florida Gay NewsWhen exists you to meet needs of thedirectly South you,When as wellyou as give, everyone Florida LGBT benefits community. yourelse. donation directly benefits you, as well as everyone else.

South Florida Gay News exists to meet the needs of the South Florida LGBT community. When you give, your donation directly benefits you, as well as everyone else. SFGN.com/donate SFGN.com/donate OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2021 | THE

| 35

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

ARTS

AREA ARTS VENUES PREPARE TO REOPEN WITH COVID PROTOCOLS

AND A LITTLE LUCK / / J.W. Arnold

ocal arts venues are preparing to fully reopen after more than 18 months of uncertainty during the COVID-19 pandemic and patrons can expect rigid or reinstated safety protocols, even if vaccinated.

The region’s three major performing arts venues, the Broward Center in Fort Lauderdale, Arsht Center in Miami and Kravis Center in West Palm Beach have all recently made major announcements as performance schedules begin to ramp up for the season. All three facilities will require documentation of negative COVID-19 PCR tests within 72 hours of attendance, in addition to the wearing of masks. As an alternative, patrons can provide evidence of vaccination, a workaround for Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis’ prohibition on “vaccine passports.” “The return of live performing arts depends on artist and audience confidence. Many artists are now requesting these types of safety protocols, and our new policy is quickly becoming the industry standard and similar to those being implemented by Broadway theaters, major  Area performing arts venues including the Broward Center have announced new COVID protocols as they prepare to reopen for the fall season. Photo via Facebook.

36 | THE

| OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2021

concert promoters and venues around the nation,” said Broward Center CEO Kelley Shanley in a statement. The Broward Center and its affiliate, the Parker Playhouse in Fort Lauderdale, collaborated early in the pandemic with Cleveland Clinic to prepare for eventual reopening, based on current recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). “As we look to the return of full houses for our 15th anniversary season, we believe this extra layer of precaution, coupled with facial coverings and continued sanitation practices, will keep our guests, artists and staff as safe as possible, particularly given the spread of delta variant throughout our area,” said the Arsht Center’s Vice President of Communications Suzette Espinosa Fuentes in a statement. The Arsht Center also indicated further details are currently in the final stages of development and will be communicated later this month to current ticket holders and the general public. Rules for children vary by venue and ticket holders are encouraged to check the centers’ websites for the most recent updates. Other smaller arts venues that have already opened have reinstated COVID protocols since the rise of the delta outbreak and growing concerns voiced by patrons and performers. The Foundry in Wilton Manors was among the first to resume live performances more than a year ago with limited capacity, heightened sanitation procedures and mask requirements. As vaccinations became available, Producer Ronnie Larsen gradually loosened restrictions until a COVID scare arose during rehearsals for his current production, “Sauna.” One of the original cast members was diagnosed with the virus — despite being fully vaccinated — sending all the actors and Larsen to be tested. Fortunately, none of the others tested positive, but the Larsen resolved to require masks again for audience members in the intimate, 40-seat theater space. Cast members were tested regularly throughout the run. “It’s really changed my perspective,” Larsen said. “I’m beginning to think this is the new normal, as [the pandemic] keeps going on because people won’t get vaccinated.” Next door, Island City Stage has also reinstated masks at all

2021 / 22 S E A S O N

In-person orchestral concerts in Ft. Lauderdale, Miami and Key West

HANDEL’S MESSIAH

AS VACCINATIONS BECAME AVAILABLE, PRODUCER RONNIE LARSEN GRADUALLY LOOSENED RESTRICTIONS UNTIL A COVID SCARE AROSE DURING REHEARSALS FOR HIS CURRENT PRODUCTION, “SAUNA.” performances, even though a large percentage of their regulars have been vaccinated. The unexpected rise of the delta variant created unique headaches for Symphony of the Americas Executive Director Steven Haines. Last year, the orchestra’s board selected Spanish conductor Pablo Mielgo as their new artistic director, but international travel to the U.S. was banned due to the virus, trapping the maestro in Europe. And just as an opportunity to finally get Mielgo’s visa processed appeared likely, the embassy in Madrid was charged with handling emergency requests from thousands of Afghan refugees after the evacuation of Kabul. The symphony recently announced concert dates in October, November and December and Haines is working on contingency plans should Mielgo not arrive in time. “I’ve spoken with the board and patrons and supporters, and not one person is angered by this. They’re maybe frustrated, but everybody understands the reality of the situation,” Haines said. “It’s not just us. This scenario has been replicated across the country — artists, singers, dancers are all faced with this continuing situation. Six months ago, we thought COVID would be in the rearview mirror, but it’s not. Who knows where we’ll be 60 or 90 days from now … what’s the next step?” Like other arts leaders across the region who have been confounded at practically every turn, Haines remains hopeful. “Our patrons want to see and hear their orchestra and we’ll see that it happens,” he concluded.

Handel’s glorious holiday tradition, with dazzling vocal soloists and the South Florida Symphony Chorus The Parker | Dec. 1 Broad Center/Barry University | Dec. 4

TCHAIKOVSKY | GOTTSCH PREMIERE Tchaikovsky's haunting “Pathétique” and the World Premiere of Princess Yurievskaya The Parker | Jan. 19 Temple Israel of Greater Miami | Jan. 20 Tennessee Williams Theatre | Jan. 22

MOZART | MENDELSSOHN Mendelssohn’s “Scotch” Symphony and Mozart’s Double Piano Concerto in E-Flat major featuring Catherine Lan and Tao Lin The Parker | March 23 Temple Israel of Greater Miami | March 24 Tennessee Williams Theatre | March 26

BEETHOVEN | COPLAND Beethoven's monumental 'Eroica' Symphony, and David Shifrin performing Copland's Clarinet Concerto The Parker | April 27 Temple Israel of Greater Miami | April 28

TICKETS ON SALE NOW southﬂoridasymphony.org | 954.522.8445

OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2021 | THE

| 37

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Pictured below: Members of “Lesbian Thespians” rehearse for an August play reading at The Foundry in Wilton Manors. Credit: Facebook.

ARTS

WOMEN FIND COMMUNITY

IN THE ARTS

/ / J.W. Arnold

or decades, lesbian, bisexual and queer women in South Florida have felt overlooked by arts organizations and entertainment venues, outnumbered by the region’s large and influential population of gay men.

Retired Wilton Manors psychologist Carol Wartenberg — an aspiring actress in her youth — decided it was time to do something about this frustrating situation, especially as the pandemic set in a year ago, further reducing opportunities for women to participate in and enjoy the arts. Wartenberg met independent theater producer Ronnie Larsen and expressed her desire for more programming for women. “Right after the pandemic started, I ran into Ronnie and told him there were no places for women’s only theater, women’s only events. Women have no place to meet,” she recalled. “I was so interested in getting back into the theater at that point … that’s when he told me he was starting a new nonprofit, Plays of Wilton [POW!].” Larsen, the creator of gay male-oriented shows with lots of nudity like “Making Porn” and “The Penis Talk Show” might have seemed like an unlikely champion for theater for lesbians, but he enthusiastically encouraged Wartenberg to pursue her mission and invited her to join his board to give the lesbian community a voice. She sought out “every lesbian group and talked to just about everyone in South Florida who does women’s arts,” seeking ideas and drumming up interest. She also created a Facebook group, Lesbian Thespians, and website. “I’m not looking to be competitive, but give women choices, things they can do a couple of times a month,” Wartenberg explained, noting that there are only 26 lesbian bars remaining across the country and South Florida’s LGBT scene already skews heavily towards men. More than 50 women attended the first open house at The Foundry last spring. A busy summer calendar featured more open houses, two evenings of storytelling called “Les Stories,” performances by a local pole dancer and an evening of short plays. The monthly open houses became so popular the group moved to the Wilton Collective on Wilton Drive. Wartenberg has booked popular singer Tret Fure for performances at

The Foundry on Nov. 12-13 and she’s currently planning performances and arts events for the fall and winter seasons. She also plans to continue featuring the work of visual artists in the lobby at each event. As the local audience continues to grow, she anticipates the shows and social activities will also attract women from outside the area, especially those who vacation in the area or may be departing on cruises as that industry picks up following the pandemic. “I’m just trying to think outside the box as much as I can,” she said enthusiastically. “It’s just so exciting and the women have been so thrilled to be able to get together in a women’s only space and be comfortable.”

FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT WOMEN’S ARTS EVENTS PRESENTED BY POW! AT THE FOUNDRY AND OTHER LOCAL VENUES, GO TO FACEBOOK.COM/PLAYSOFWILTON AND LESBIANTHESPIANS.COM. 38 | THE

| OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2021

Presented by

Well Strung January 22 | Broward Center

Au-Rene Theater

Evidence, A Dance Company January 5 & 6 Broward Center Amaturo Theater

Tango Fire January 30 The Parker Wells Hall

Simone Dinnerstein & Matt Haimovitz February 8 Broward Center Amaturo Theater

Pilobolus Big Five-Oh! February 24 & 25 Broward Center Amaturo Theater

Ronald K. Brown Black Violin Give Thanks Tour November 27 Broward Center

Amaturo Theater

Les Violons Du Roy with Jeremy Denk March 8 The Parker Wells Hall

DESIGN YOUR OWN 3+ SHOW SEASON AND SAVE UP TO 25%* For more information, visit BrowardCenter.org/ARTS *Subscription processing fees apply. Not valid on previously purchased tickets. No exchanges or refunds. All artists, dates, times and prices are subject to change without notice. All sales final. Sponsored in part by the State of Florida, Department of State, Division of Arts & Culture and the Florida Council on Arts and Culture. Ronald K. Brown, Evidence is generously supported by Funding Arts Broward and the National Endowment for the Arts. Les Violons Du Roy with Jeremy Denk is generously supported by Funding Arts Broward. The 2021/2022 performance season at the Broward Center and The Parker is supported by the Broward Performing Arts Foundation.

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

DANCE

Pictured: Miami City Ballet opens its 2021-22 season with a streaming production of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” set in a fanciful underwater kingdom. Credit: Miami City Ballet.

MIAMI CITY BALLET UNVEILS SEASON OF AND

CLASSICS PREMIERES

“S

unshine in Motion” is the theme as Miami City Ballet (MCB) finally returns to stages in Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach Counties following the COVID-19 pandemic.

/ / J.W. Arnold

Artistic Director Lourdes Lopez, celebrating her 10th anniversary, promised a memorable season filled with old favorites and bold new premieres: “We cannot wait to greet our audiences with a warm, sunshine-filled welcome back to our home theaters,” said Lopez in an announcement earlier this month. “It is so exciting to be back on stage, returning to the thrill of live, in-theater performances and to once again feel the joy of performing…” Executive Director Tania Castroverde Moskalenko echoed Lopez, “Our South Florida home gave MCB many opportunities to stay connected to our communities over the past year, and digital offerings opened new pathways for us to share our distinctive style with a wider audience. But nothing is akin to performing in our theaters.” MCB will open its 36th season on Oct. 14 with the online premiere of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” by George Balanchine, a classic ballet reimagined in a dreamy, underwater seascape and featuring sets and costumes by famed environmental artist Michele Oka Doner. The program will be available on demand through Oct. 31. Live performances return in Dec. with a holiday tradition, “George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker,” at the Broward Center, December 10 – 12; Arsht Center, Dec. 16 – 26; and Kravis Center, Dec. 29 – 30. Alexei Ratmansky’s new choreography to Tchaikovsky’s “Swan Lake” will receive its U.S. premiere Feb. 11 – 27. For his “Swan Lake,” the

Russian researched the history of the fabled ballet, reconstructing much of the original choreography through notations dating back to the 1895 Marius Petipa/Lev Ivanov production. Balanchine tryptic “Jewels,” March 18 – April 23, was inspired by a visit to famed French jewelers Van Cleef & Arpels and includes three distinct mini-ballets – the mysterious and poetic “Emeralds” suggesting a verdant French countryside, the quintessentially American “Rubies” and opulent, Imperial Russian splendor in “Diamonds,” according to program notes. MCB will present a mixed-rep bill April 29 – May 23, headlined by the return of Balanchine’s “Prodigal Son,” and two company premieres from choreographers William Forsythe and Christopher Wheeldon. Rounding out the program is an innovative ballet-meets-technology world premiere by rising choreographic star Claudia Schreier and pioneering filmmaker Adam Barish. Schreier’s first MCB commission, “Places” (2020), was a critically acclaimed success. In addition to the pandemic, Lopez noted her company had overcome many hurdles throughout its history and the “stories” her dancers are rehearsing will put memories of the lost 2020-21 season behind them. “We are thrilled to present a season that is filled with stories – stories of childhood dreams and fantasy, of transcendent love, hope and courage, of distant places and times and of complete human forgiveness. Stories that speak to our most human selves, all to reconnect with you, the only way we know how, through dance,” she said.

FOR TICKETS AND MORE INFORMATION, GO TO MIAMICITYBALLET.ORG. 42 | THE

| OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2021

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Pictured: Charles Baran, right, hosts Movie Musical Madness monthly at The Foundry in Wilton Manors. Credit: Facebook.

THEATER

MOVIE MUSICALS PROVIDE

A WELCOME DISTRACTION FROM PANDEMIC / / J.W. Arnold

It’s no secret homosexuals love their showtunes and POW! (Plays of Wilton) has been serving up movie musicals to sold out houses at The Foundry in Wilton Manors since July. Movie Musical Mondays, held on the first Monday of each month, feature sing-a-longs to clips from each featured movie, plus live performances, trivia and costume contests, pizza and wine. The evening is hosted by Charles Baran with Bobby Peaco on the piano. Baran is the perfect authority on movie musicals, according to Ronnie Larsen, founder of POW! The entertainer, writer, actor and host of the popular YouTube show “My Thoughts Exactly,” Baran is also the winner of the 2016 New York MAC Cabaret award for his one man show “Recipes for Disaster” at the Metropolitan Room in Manhattan. His other cabaret shows are “St. Valentine’s Day Massacred” and “Songs for a New State of Mind.” Baran has interviewed performers Charles Busch, Margery Lowe, Hayden Tee and Anthony Nunziata for his YouTube show and South Florida audiences will remember him for his lead role in the 2018 production of “Aunt Jack” at Empire Stage. “I cannot tell you how excited I am to host this amazing Movie Musical Madness night every month at The Foundry. I love movies … especially if they’re musicals! As a kid growing up in Queens, New York, I sat for hours in front of our Sony TV watching Ann Miller tap her way across our 13-inch screen and Gene Kelly bat his eyes at my 14-year-old-face,” said Baran. Upcoming films include “Hello, Dolly!” on Oct. 4, “The Wizard of Oz” on Nov. 1 and “Mame” on Dec. 6.

FOR TICKETS AND MORE INFORMATION, GO TO RONNIELARSEN.COM. SEATING IS LIMITED. 44 | THE

| OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2021

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

THEATER

ISLAND CITY TURNS 10 WITH REVIVAL,

PREMIERE, CAMPY CLASSICS / / J.W. Arnold

sland City Stage, the LGBT-centric theater company in Wilton Manors, will open its 10th anniversary season in October with a revival of its first production, “The Twentieth Century Way” by Tom Jacobson.

The award-winning company’s 202122 season will also feature “Armature” by Andrew Kramer, Jan. 27 – Feb. 27; “Suddenly, Last Summer” by Tennessee Williams, March 17 – April 17; “The Mystery of Irma Vep” by Charles Ludlam, June 9 - July 10; and “One In Two” by Donja R. Love, Aug. 4 – Sept. 4. The period drama that launched the company’s award-winning run in 2012, “The Twentieth Century Way” recounts the true story of two actors who hired themselves out to the Long Beach Police Department in 1914 to entrap “social vagrants.” Thirty-one men were arrested and the ensuing scandal led to an ordinance against “oral sodomy” in California. Founding Artistic Director Andy Rogow noted that oral sex became more common following the invention of the zipper: “That’s what made it the ‘Twentieth Century Way,’” he said, adding that Island City has never remounted a production. “It represents everything the company is about – the history of LGBT community, the story has relevance and it’s theatrical and entertaining. There are two great acting roles.” Multiple Carbonell Award-winner Clay

Cartland reprises his role as “Warren,” and newcomer Alfonso Vieites debuts as “Brown.” Tony-nominated director Michael Leeds is once again at the helm. “It’s going to be richer and deeper than the first time,” Rogow said. “First, we’re in a much bigger space [than Empire Stage, the company’s former home]. Michael Leeds has more room to be creative with the production and the design. Clay was new to the community … and he’s more experienced and polished.” Rogow said Kramer’s “Armature” would offer a particular highlight during the anniversary season. Racism, homophobia, eroticism and self-hatred seethe through this world premiere play. The Armature Bar is at the epicenter of stories that connect two sexy, troubled gay men and a Black family whose matriarch is running for political office. Uniquely combining mystery and poetry, Kramer’s challenging and timely themes are exactly what the company loves to explore in new works, he added, noting the season is rounded out by “Suddenly, Last Summer,” a classic by the gay playwright Tennessee Williams, and “The Mystery of Irma Veep,” a campy send-up on gothic romance and horror films of the 1920s and ‘30s.

FOR TICKETS AND MORE INFORMATION, GO TO ISLANDCITYSTAGE.ORG. 46 | THE

| OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2021

Island City Stage opens its 10th anniversary season with a revival “Twentieth-Century Way.” The original production starred Mike Westrich, right, and Clay Cartland. Credit: Island City Stage. 

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

OPERA

OPERA TURNS 80 WITH RETURN TO

SOUTH FLORIDA STAGES

/ / J.W. Arnold

n addition to a return to live performances following the COVID-19 shutdown, Florida Grand Opera will celebrate its 80th anniversary this season with four full-length operas, jazz and spiritual concerts in Broward and Miami-Dade Counties, and zarzuela, Spanish folk chamber opera performances.

General Director and CEO Susan T. Danis said, “The celebration of an 80th anniversary season is an accomplishment for any company, and in this case, an opportunity for South Florida and the opera industry to celebrate the history of our company.” She noted that FGO (then the Greater Miami Opera) presented its first performance of Leoncavallo’s “Pagliacci” on Valentine’s Day 1942 at the Miami Senior High School Auditorium. The company has since gone on to present the finest opera singers from around the world in productions representing the work of more than 60 composers. This fall, FGO opens with a series of jazz, spiritual and Motown-themed concerts in Fort Lauderdale, Nov. 18, and at historic Sandrell Rivers Theater in Miami’s Little Haiti neighborhood, Nov. 19. The opera artists will collaborate with Fort Lauderdale’s awardwinning Dillard High School Jazz Band. Other concert dates are March 18 – 19 and April 8 and 30. FGO opens the regular season with André Previn’s “A Streetcar Named Desire,” January 22 – February 5, 2022 at the Arsht and Broward Centers. Based on Tennessee Williams’ play, the opera follows the downward spiral of former southern belle Blanche Dubois, who after having experienced a series of personal losses, leaves behind her wealth and privilege and moves into a run-down apartment with her sister and brother-in-law. The season continues at the Arsht and Broward Centers, March 12 – April 2, with a beloved staple in the operatic repertoire, Verdi’s “Rigoletto,” a timeless story of betrayal, dashed dreams, and mistaken identity. 48 | THE

FGO heads north to the Lauderhill Center for the Performing Arts for the third opera of the season, “Fellow Travelers,” April 23 - 28. Based on the best-selling novel by Thomas Mallon, the opera by Gregory Spears is both a story of the heart and a taut political thriller. Set against a backdrop of 1950s paranoia in Washington, D.C., “Fellow Travelers” follows the lives of an aspiring young journalist and handsome State Department official who are swept into a passionate love affair, just as Senator McCarthy begins his hunt for “sexual subversives” in the government. FGO concludes the season at the Scottish Rite Temple in Miami’s Lummus Park historic district, with Handel’s early opera, “Agrippina,” May 14 – 19. Filled with devious plots, love affairs and obsession with power, “Agrippina” is on par with any of today’s popular telenovelas. Christine Lyons stars and former FGO studio artist and countertenor Key’mon Murrah sings the role of Roman soldier Ottone. Rounding out the season is the return of FGO’s popular zarzuela concerts at Corpus Christi Catholic Church in Allapattah, February 11 and April 27. Zarzuela is a form of folk operetta that emerged in Spain and is still popular in Spanish-speaking countries.

| OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2021

Pictured right and above: André Previn’s “A Streetcar Named Desire” will open Florida Grand Opera’s 2021-22 season. Photo: Hawaii Opera Theater. 

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FILM

SCREEN SAVOR:

THE WAY OF THE

FORCE

AN INTERVIEW GABE LIEDMAN OF ‘Q-FORCE’ // Gregg Shapiro

o you love to hear cartoon characters swearing and talking dirty? What about seeing them naked, muscular, and anatomically correct? Oh, and can you dig a story involving brainwashing, world domination and LGBT folks saving the planet? If so, the hot new Netflix series “Q-Force” is meant for you! Featuring the voices of a stellar cast of queer and queerfriendly actors including Sean Hayes (voicing Steve Maryweather aka Agent Mary), Wanda Sykes (voicing Deb), Patti Harrison (voicing Stat), Matt Rogers (voicing Twink), Laurie Metcalf (voicing V) and Gabe Liedman (voicing Benji) in lead roles, as well as several other guest stars, Q-Force takes animation to a whole other level. Liedman, who plays the love interest of hot Agent Mary, also writes for, and co-created, the series. Gabe was good enough to make time for an interview in advance of the “Q-Force” September debut.

TURN THE PAGE TO READ THE INTERVIEW. 52 | THE

| OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2021

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FILM GREGG SHAPIRO: Gabe, your new project, the animated Netflix series “Q-Force” is a perfect opportunity to ask if when you were younger, were you a follower of Saturday morning or primetime cartoon shows, or both? GABE LIEDMAN: Both, definitely! My favorite Saturday morning was “Garfield and Friends.” I never missed it. “U.S. Acres” was my favorite part of that show. Prime time I really was raised by “The Simpsons.” I used to watch it every week and run to school on Monday to quote all the best lines with my friends. We would memorize it. Very much a huge fan of those two. GS: I interviewed you in 2014 about your feature film acting debut in “Obvious Child,” alongside your friend and former performance partner Jenny Slate. Jenny provided the voice for a character on Netflix’s “Big Mouth,” which made me wonder if that had any influence on your decision to be involved in an animated series? GL: It did not affect my decision, but there is a little bit of overlap in the world. I wrote for “Big Mouth;” I still do. We actually use the same animation house as them. They’re called Titmouse. There is certainly a lot of overlap in our orbit, but no this was a wholly independent choice on my part. GS: A recent episode of CNN’s “History of the Sitcom” featured “Get Smart,” Mel Brooks and Buck Henry’s 1960s James Bond parody. Is that a show from which you find inspiration?

Getting ready for some action in “Q Force.” Image via Netflix.

GL: Absolutely! I did a lot of research. I watched a lot of old James Bond films. Watched a little bit of “Get Smart.” I wanted to see what the genre was like. I would say that one of the biggest influences on the show though was “Brooklyn Nine-Nine,” which is a show that I used to write for. I consider that a bit of a training ground for me on how to tell these kind of case-of-the-week or shortarc case stories while still doing a show that’s a workplace comedy about people. I looked mostly to my days at “Brooklyn Nine-Nine” when I was trying to make a decision.

and had a ton of fun. If it got to live in in a lineup like that, I would just be blown away.

“I’M JUST SORT OF HOLDING MY BREATH, WAITING FOR IT TO COME OUT AND SEE WHAT PEOPLE THINK OF IT.”

GS: The lead actors providing voices on “Q-Force,” including Sean Hayes as Agent Mary, Wanda Sykes as Deb, and Patti Harrison as Stat, read like an LGBT who’s who, and each one is a great fit for the character. Which came first, the character or the actor providing the voice?

GL: It was a little bit different with each character. Sean was - Gabe Liedman GS: On the same “History a part of the show since its very COMEDIAN, VOICE ACTOR of the Sitcom” episode, inception. He and I developed the show also highlighted the idea for it together with his several classic animated series producing partner Todd Milliner and Mike including “The Flintstones,” “The Schur, the legendary television creator. Sean Simpsons,” and “The Boondocks.” was a part of it from the very beginning and What would it mean to you have the rest of the cast came later. Wanda Sykes “Q-Force” talked about in the same was Deb in my head from the moment I sat breath with these other shows? down to write it. It’s always helpful for me to have an actor in mind when you’re writing GL: [Laughs] It would blow my mind! I don’t someone’s dialogue, so that it sounds organic think I’m there yet in my imagination. This is still and authentic, like a personal talking. I chose such a baby, and it hasn’t really been seen by Wanda because she’s my idol and I thought anyone yet. I’m just sort of holding my breath, she’d make a great Deb. waiting for it to come out and see what people think of it. I know we worked really hard on it GS: She is great! Gabe Liedman. Photo via Twitter.

54 | THE

| OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2021

TURN THE PAGE TO CONTINUE READING.

FILM GL: She just exploded my mind when she agreed to play the part. The rest of the cast came together piecemeal. Patti and Matt Rogers, who plays Twink, are comedians on the scene who I really admired and had somewhat of a relationship with. But Laurie Metcalf and David Harbour and Gary Cole and Dan Levy and Niecy Nash were actors I was a huge fan of, but our casting people just sent them the script. It was really just up to them and up to the strength of the writing as to why they said, “Yes.” GS: I’m glad you mentioned Dan and Niecy, because the guest stars are another queer who’s who, including Jane Lynch and Fortune Feimster, among others. Do you think there’s a waiting list of performers who want to be turned into cartoon characters? GL: [Laughs] I was surprised that they were all down for it. I think that animation is a fun type of work. In regular, non-pandemic times, it’s actually fun and easy to pop into a recording studio and bang out an episode or two in an hour. It doesn’t really take much of actors’ time. They don’t have to get in makeup and wardrobe and do a bunch of takes and wait for the lighting to be done. It’s something that I think actors gravitate to. It was much more difficult to do over “WHEN YOUR BODY Zoom, but we still did it. I was thrilled with who said yes. We GOES AWAY AND really shot for the stars.

YOU’RE JUST YOUR VOICE, YOU CAN REALLY INHABIT DIFFERENT TYPES OF CHARACTERS YOU WOULDN’T BE CAST AS BASED ON YOUR LOOKS.”

The characters of “Q Force” strike a pose, with Benji in front. Image via Netflix.

GL: When you’re working in animation, it becomes a kind of fantasy world. The stakes are a little different. In the same way that we can blow up a mountain or jump out of a plane or put on Eurovision in a way that you really can’t GL: When your body goes in live-action in a believable away and you’re just your voice, way; that also applies to you can really inhabit different - Gabe Liedman the humor. You can push types of characters you wouldn’t COMEDIAN, VOICE ACTOR boundaries or you can sort be cast as based on your of slip stuff in because you’re looks. I think it’s a really freeing experience. I’ve played a mouse, which I’m existing in this fantasy world. When we were not. It’s much more imaginative acting. All the writing the show, I wanted it to just be fun and possibilities exist in front of you. You can really just be crazy and sexy and weird. I think that having that as the goal allowed for some of the kind of do anything. politics and the more intellectual stuff to slip in. GS: As with any parody, you have We weren’t going hard on that stuff. Our goal the chance to take digs at a variety was to be funny and have fun. of subjects including all the gay Mikes, streaming services and the GS: Debra Winger was recently in corporatization of Pride, among the news for an interview she did in others. Please say something about how animated characters can get away with saying things that flesh and Read more interviews online blood folks can’t. GS: You provide the voice of Benji, the love interest of Agent Steve Maryweather. It’s not the first time you are doing voice work. What do you like best about it?

56 | THE

| OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2021

which she talked about backing out of “A League of Their Own” because of Madonna’s involvement. GL: [Big laugh.] GS: In “Q-Force,” “Debra Winger has been in enough movies” is used as a trigger. Would you say that you are on Team Debra or Team Madonna? GL: [Laughs] Look, you’re about to spark World War III here. I think I might be on both teams. I can’t imagine “A League of Their Own” without Madonna. But I’d also loved to have seen it with Debra Winger. She’s unbelievable. She’s an incredible talent. But I [laughs] also have nothing bad to say about Madonna. I need to live in a world where they’re both here. How’s that? GS: That sounds great!

at SFGN.com/screensavor

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BY PHILLIP M. JOHNSON A THRILLING READ “DIE FOTOGRAFIE: A NOVEL” BY PHILLIP M. JOHNSON, WITH WILLIAM THOMAS LOESCH III; SELF-PUBLISHED; 360 PAGES; $21.95.

// Jesse Monteagudo

uring World War II the Nazis conducted a series of medical experiments on concentration camp prisoners, primarily Jews but also LGBT people, Romani, Poles, Russians, and disabled Germans. They were conducted without anesthesia and often resulted in death, trauma, disfigurement, disability, or death. In one particularly gruesome procedure, prepubescent boys were “surgically emasculated which meant that their penises, testicles, and scrotums had all been removed and the skin closed over the wounds.” Nazi doctors performed this procedure “to see if they could surgically sterilize the males of the Jewish race so it would die off.” The benefit would be that the Nazis would not have to bury or burn the bodies. Indeed, they could be released, and their families would bear the cost and burden. In “Die Fotografie,” the perpetrator of this horror is Dr. Horst Schumann (a historical character) who after the war managed to escape the war crimes tribunal. He left behind three boys, Albert, Gabriel, and Lukas, whose agony was preserved for posterity in the photograph that gives this book its title. Author Phillip M. Johnson was inspired to write his first novel when he visited the Houston Holocaust Museum in 1996. It is a teaching reminder that the Third Reich did not really die in 1945; that it survived in the fugitives who escaped justice and who, like Dr. Schumann, lived out their lives in exile. However, Schumann reckoned without Dr. Freda Dudek, a psychologist who is determined to bring the fiend to justice. First, however, she must reunite the boys. 

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BOOKS Pictured below, holding a copy of “Die Fotografie,” is author Phillip M. Johnson’s alter ego Reada Book-Stein, who he developed to help promote his novel. Photo courtesy of Marc Garcia.

“Die Fotografie” is a fascinating chronicle of injustice and revenge that doesn’t disappoint. Readers of LGBT literature should note that “Die Fotografie” features several trans women who play important roles in the narrative. I won’t tell you who they are; you will have to read the book to find out. But you don’t have to be an expert on trans women or the Holocaust to appreciate “Die Fotografie.” Phillip Johnson recreated a horrible period in history; one that left behind scars that remain unresolved. Johnson dedicates this book “to the gay, lesbian, bisexual, transsexual, intersex, and queer people in Nazi Europe whose lives were destroyed by the Holocaust. I sincerely hope that this fictional account raises awareness of these underreported souls so their deaths might not be in vain.” A note about the author(s): Phillip Martin Johnson enjoyed a rewarding career in design for much of his life. Now retired, Johnson is pursuing a new passion as a writer. In “Die Fotografie,” Johnson is aided and abetted by William Thomas Loesch III, whom he calls “my ghost, my sparring partner, my dear friend.” The two are aided and abetted by their alter ego, Reada Book-Stein, who will be present at all press events promoting “Die Fotografie” and all future writings by Phillip M. Johnson.

FOR MORE INFORMATION AND COPIES OF DIE FOTOGRAFIE, VISIT DIEFOTOGRAFIE.COM.

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FEATURE

SEALED WITH A

KISS AN INTERVIEW WITH LESLIE COHEN // Gregg Shapiro

Pictured on this page: Leslie Cohen. Photo credit: Jamie Robinson, via Facebook.

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FEATURE

hese days there doesn’t appear to be any shortage of memoirs, especially by LGBT writers, with Lauren Hough’s “Leaving Isn’t the Hardest Part” and Precious Brady-Davis’ “I Have Always Been Me” as recent examples. But one memoir, in particular, stands out, and that’s “The Audacity of a Kiss: Love, Art and Liberation” (Rutgers University Press, 2021) by Leslie Cohen. The reasons for that are numerous, including Cohen’s experiences in the art world as well as her partnership in one of the first woman-owned (read: non-mafia) lesbian bars in New York City. But perhaps it is the way that Cohen, and her wife Beth, have been preserved in bronze (with a coat of white paint) by sculptor George Segal in his celebrated “Gay Liberation” sculpture in Christopher Park across from the Stonewall Inn, that separates her story from the rest. These are just some of the subjects you can read about in “The Audacity of a Kiss.” Cohen, who has called Miami for nearly 30 years, was good enough to make time for an interview in advance of the publication of the book.

GREGG SHAPIRO: LESLIE, I THOROUGHLY ENJOYED READING YOUR MEMOIR “THE AUDACITY OF A KISS.” WHY WAS NOW THE RIGHT TIME TO WRITE YOUR STORY? LESLIE COHEN: Actually, Gregg, I started thinking about writing this story back in 2009, after I retired from practicing law. Without being pedantic, I felt the need to educate and fill in certain gaps of history. The reasons I was so motivated to write this memoir, even though I had never really written anything before, was twofold. Beth and I were the models for George Segal’s iconic sculpture “Gay Liberation” in Greenwich Village in New York City. I tried to imagine what it would be like for people, years in the future, passing it by and perhaps wondering who these women were. I wanted them to know our history. I wanted them to know that these women spent their lives together (we met in 1965 and have been a couple for almost 45 years) and were very much in love. I wanted to inform and inspire and help those who are suffering with their identity to see a positive future for themselves. The second reason I wrote this memoir was to tell the story of Sahara, opened in 1976, because if I did not memorialize it in some fashion, it would be lost to the annals of history. Sahara was the first club created and owned by women for women in 1976 in New York City. My partners, Michelle, Linda and Barbara and I had created a groundbreaking women’s club and our accomplishments and the club’s significance were being disregarded, never mentioned in the 30 plus years since in any writings on the history of feminism, gay rights or nightclubs, straight, gay or otherwise, of that freewheeling era. We were just becoming more invisible women added to the pile of absentee women’s history. I did not take well to being ignored,

not in light of my feminist understanding of the historical treatment of women or lack thereof. My motivation, pure and simple, was to record for history’s sake what I and others thought was an important contribution to women and LGBT history. I realized that if I didn’t write the story no one else would. GS: AS YOU WERE WRITING THE BOOK, DID YOU HAVE A TARGET AUDIENCE IN MIND? LC: Of course, being queer myself and owning and promoting women’s clubs for so many years, my target audience was LGBT men and women. I wanted those who are questioning their sexual or gender identity to know there is the possibility of resolution and happiness. But I also very much wanted to extend the audience to the cis community because the subjects discussed are universal: coming of age, the struggle to define yourself, relationships, survival, love, loss, failure, and resurrection. My desire was to touch the emotional and empathetic chord we all share. GS: THE FIRST TWO CHAPTERS ARE STRIKING IN THE WAY THEY PRESENT BOTH INNOCENCE AND EXPERIENCE, IN TERMS OF BOTH THE GOOD AND BAD ASPECTS OF FAMILY, CHILDHOOD, ADOLESCENCE, AND YOUNG ADULTHOOD. DO YOU THINK THAT TONE IS A REFLECTION OF THE TIME PERIOD OF THOSE PARTICULAR CHAPTERS? LC: I think that when we are young and unaware, be it now or when I was growing up, we want to fit into prescribed notions of “normal.” Who our parents are and the circumstances surrounding our upbringing, i.e., divorce, death, attentive and loving parents or not, affects every child and young adult in different ways no matter whether we were growing up during the 1950s, ‘60s, or now. The struggle is the same in those respects, but it

“The Audacity of a Kiss: Love, Art and Liberation” by Leslie Cohen.

certainly is easier to be LGBT now. The media has presented so many images and stories about being LGBT since the time I was growing up, and there are new words being formulated every day to help us identify ourselves on a spectrum rather than on the binary absolute. We can see ourselves more readily reflected in others and that makes being queer easier (but not necessarily easy) for many. GS: THERE IS ALSO AN UNHESITANT HONESTY IN THOSE CHAPTERS. DO YOU THINK THAT THE BOOK WOULD HAVE THE SAME TONE IF YOU HAD WRITTEN IT 10 OR 20 YEARS AGO? LC: There are family and friends that I write about that have passed on. This gave me more freedom to be totally honest. I don’t know if I would have written with the same degree of forthrightness if they were alive because I would not have wanted to hurt or embarrass them. GS: YOU WRITE ABOUT DISCOVERING CREATIVE EXPRESSION AND BOUNDARYBREAKING THROUGH DANCE AND VISUAL ART, A THEME THAT WOULD CONTINUE THROUGHOUT YOUR LIFE. WOULD YOU SAY THAT YOUR EXPOSURE TO AND PRESENCE IN THE WORLD OF THE ARTISTS WAS THE MOST FORMATIVE EXPERIENCE OF YOUR LIFE? LC: I don’t know if I can say it was the most formative experience, but it was definitely right up there. I was also strongly influenced by the revolutionary atmosphere of the 1960s and 1970s. It was a time of profound change.

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GS: IN THE BOOK, YOU TALK ABOUT ALL THE READING THAT YOU DID AT THE BEGINNING OF YOUR COMING OUT. THIS MADE ME WONDER WHAT IT WOULD MEAN TO YOU TO HAVE “THE AUDACITY OF A KISS” THOUGHT OF IN THE SAME WAY AS SOME OF THE TITLES YOU MENTIONED. LC: It would be incredible, a dream come true! It would be tremendously rewarding and fulfill my purpose for writing this memoir. GS: IN ADDITION TO WRITING ABOUT BOOKS, YOU MENTION THE IMPACT THAT MOVIES SUCH AS “TAXI DRIVER” HAD ON YOU, AS WELL AS STUDYING FILMMAKING AND WORKING AS A PRODUCTION ASSISTANT. IF THERE WAS A MOVIE ADAPTATION OF YOUR BOOK — WHO WOULD YOU WANT TO PLAY YOU AND BETH? LC: It should only happen! Since this memoir covers an expanse of time it might require different actresses in different age groups. As the older Beth and Leslie, from ages 28 on, I think Margot Robbie could play Beth and Jessica Clark, Leslie. As the college age and 20s Beth and Leslie, perhaps Bella Thorne as Beth and Sterling Jerins as Leslie. There’s such a vast array of talented actresses out there. I’m curious to know what others think. GS: ONE OF MY FAVORITE MOMENTS IN THE BOOK OCCURS IN CHAPTER SIX — THE PART ABOUT COMING OUT TO YOUR MOTHER TO WHOM YOU WERE VERY CLOSE. WHAT DID IT FEEL LIKE FOR YOU TO SHARE THAT STORY? LC: It reminded me of the deep fear we had of sharing our sexuality at a time when being queer was considered shameful and perverse. I was so afraid of losing her love. It also reminded me of the deep love my mother and I shared and how special she was. Thinking of my mother always brings tears to my eyes because I miss her so much. GS: ABOUT SAHARA, YOUR LEGENDARY LESBIAN BAR, YOU WROTE “OUR CLUB WOULD BE AN OASIS IN THE DESERT OF CONFORMITY. IT WOULD BE A PLACE IN THE WORLD WHERE WOMEN COULD FEEL SELF-RESPECTED AND SAFE.” WHAT DID IT MEAN TO YOU TO BE ABLE TO INCORPORATE YOUR OTHER PASSIONS — ART AND MUSIC — INTO THE SPACE? LC: If you are familiar with Abraham Maslow’s concept of self-actualization, this was the only time in my life where that occurred — where my personal potential was realized in the fullest way possible. It 64 | THE

The sculpture of Leslie Cohen and her wife Beth. Photo credit: Erin McHugh, via Facebook.

gave me meaning in life. It appealed to all the aspects of what gave me joy and allowed me to create something bigger than myself.

ABOUT WHICH YOU WRITE IN THE BOOK. IN THE LENGTHY LIST OF YOUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS, WHERE DOES THIS RANK?

GS: DURING PRIDE MONTH/JUNE OF 2021, THERE WERE NEWS STORIES ABOUT THE DECLINE IN NUMBER OF LESBIAN BARS IN THE U.S. AS SOMEONE WHO HAS A PLACE IN THE HISTORY OF WOMEN’S BARS, WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THIS MATTER?

LC: I don’t know if I would call this an accomplishment or a stroke of fate and/or luck. At the time this sculpture was created by George Segal in 1979 very few people were out. We were among the few. Visibility has always been an important mission for both of us. Needless to say, we are extremely proud to have modeled for this sculpture. It immortalizes our love and our pride in the LGBT community. Frankly, the fact that we are part of this iconic sculpture overwhelms us because of its immortality!

LC: I was proud to be interviewed for the Lesbian Bar Project to discuss Sahara and give the LBP more of a historical perspective. I think LBP is wonderful because I am a true believer in the need for women’s clubs as spaces of community and shared experiences. GS: CENTRAL TO THE STORY IS YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH BETH, INCLUDING YOUR REUNION AFTER HAVING BEEN APART FOR A FEW YEARS. BECAUSE BETH IS SUCH A MAJOR PART OF YOUR LIFE AND THE BOOK, HOW INVOLVED WAS SHE IN YOUR WRITING OF THE STORY?

“FRANKLY, THE FACT THAT WE ARE PART OF THIS ICONIC SCULPTURE OVERWHELMS US BECAUSE OF ITS IMMORTALITY!”

GS: THE 45TH ANNIVERSARY OF OCTOBER 20, 1976, DESCRIBED IN THE BOOK AS “THE NIGHT WE KNEW THERE WAS NO TURNING BACK,” REGARDING YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH BETH, IS APPROACHING. DO YOU HAVE SPECIAL PLANS TO MARK THE OCCASION? LC: Not yet! Maybe a nice dinner in Miami or New York City or a long weekend in Paris!

LC: She was integral. She - Leslie Cohen shared her thoughts, her memories, her words. She read GS: IN CLOSING, PLEASE SAY A so many drafts that we lost count. She buoyed FEW WORDS ABOUT LIVING IN MIAMI, WHERE me up whenever I was in doubt. She was my YOU HAVE BEEN LOCATED SINCE 1992. rock. LC: It’s a beautiful place to live. The palms GS: YOU AND BETH ARE IMMORTALIZED IN swaying, the turquoise waters and pastels, GEORGE SEGAL’S “GAY LIBERATION” SCULPTURE the sweet-smelling tropical air, the diverse IN CHRISTOPHER PARK AT SHERIDAN SQUARE, cultures, are incredibly seductive. As long as ACROSS THE STREET FROM THE STONEWALL INN, you can leave in the summers!

| OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2021

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FEATURE

10 Trans Celebrities

YOU SHOULD KNOW // Everitt Rosen Photos via Facebook.

he term “transgender” didn’t use to be as popular as it is today. However, these days more and more public figures are speaking out about their experiences with gender identity. But some transgender celebrities haven’t been in the spotlight quite as much and have had a significant impact on the LGBT community. Below, we have outlined ten transgender celebrities who you might not have known are transgender.

TEDDY GEIGER

Teddy Geiger became one of the most influential people in the music industry who also happens to be openly trans. Geiger began her transition in 2017 and has since worked with some of the world’s most prominent artists, including Shawn Mendes, Maroon 5, and One Direction. In 2019, she received a Grammy nomination for co-writing Mendes’ song “In My Blood.” Geiger has also dabbled in the acting field in her supporting role in “The Rocker.”

THE WACHOWSKI SISTERS

LAURA JANE GRACE

Best known for writing and directing “The Matrix” films, Lana and Lilly Wachowski came out as transgender women in 2010 and 2016, respectively. Since the release of “The Matrix,” these films have been pointed out for containing trans allegories and have continued to be more inclusive in their movies and shows, especially in their Netflix show “Sense 8,” which includes LGBT characters.

Laura Jane Grace is a punk rock star who is the founder, lead singer, and guitarist of her band Against Me! Grace is one of the few openly transgender punk rock artists in the industry after coming out in the latter half of her band’s career. Against Me! independently released an album entitled “Transgender Dysphoria Blues” in 2014 to reflect on her identity.

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DANIEL M. LAVERY

Before his transition in 2018, Daniel M. Lavery was included in the 2015 Forbes “30 Under 30” list in the media category and took over Slate’s “Dear Prudence” advice column from Emily Yoffe. Lavery is the most followed transgender scholar in the world on social media, which includes Twitter and Instagram. He has also written several best-selling books, including “Texts From Jane Eyre” and “The Merry Spinster.”

NAT PUFF

Better known by the stage name Left at London, Nat Puff is a singer-songwriter and an internet personality. She is best known for some of her viral Vines and singing parodies of musicians and comedians. She is also a popular musician in her own right, such as her album “Transgender Street Legend.”

ELLIOT FLETCHER

Best known for his recurring guest role as Aaron in “The Fosters” and Trevor in Showtime’s “Shameless,” Elliot Fletcher came out as transgender shortly after his 17th birthday. In 2017, Fletcher was a part of a filmed letter sent to Hollywood written by Jen Richards asking for more and improved roles for transgender people.

BRIAN MICHAEL SMITH

Brian Michael Smith is an entertainment industry veteran and appeared in the well-acclaimed drama series “Queen Sugar.” Smith’s role resonated with many trans-masculine people of color who continue to fight for increased visibility. He has since appeared on various panels through GLAAD, OutFest, and NYCPride, where he discussed the importance of trans portrayal on-screen.

AMIYAH SCOTT

After her rise on social media, Amiyah Scott caught the attention of Lee Daniels, who asked her to audition for his show “Star.” This role made Scott the first trans woman with a regular role on a major network television series.

CAROLINE COSSEY

Caroline Cossey began her transition at 17 years old and underwent gender confirmation surgery in 1974. Cossey was a Playboy pinup, model, and Bond Girl, starring in the 1981 James Bond film “For Your Eyes Only.” She was also the first transgender woman to appear in Playboy in 1991.

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FEATURE

AMERICAN DREAMER

AN INTERVIEW WITH ‘APP KID’ AUTHOR MICHAEL SAYMAN // Gregg Shapiro

oung, groundbreaking, queer tech wizard Michael Sayman’s memoir “App Kid: How a Child of Immigrants Grabbed a Piece of the American Dream” (Knopf, 2021) is the kind of book that has something for almost everyone. As it says in the title, Sayman, and his sister, are the children of immigrants — his mother is from Peru and his father is from Bolivia — who settled in Miami. The “American dream” Sayman “grabbed” is a healthy slice of the internet, first as an independent app developer and later in the employ of Facebook and Google. Additionally, “App Kid” is a coming out story that provides a fresh perspective on the experience. Michael was generous enough to make time for an interview in advance of the publication of his memoir.

Michael Sayman. Photo via Wikipedia.

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FEATURE GREGG SHAPIRO: MICHAEL, WHY WAS NOW THE RIGHT TIME TO WRITE YOUR MEMOIR “APP KID”? MICHAEL SAYMAN: Honestly, I never timed this intentionally so much as I feel [like] I ended up kind of realizing the timeliness of a book like this as the launch date was approaching. I know it sounds a little crazy, but to me it was something where … I’ll give you an example of this: my book and my experiences as a child working on these apps was very isolating at times. I spent a lot of time as a kid on my computer at home, kind of interacting with the world through the Internet, which was something I chose to do at the time. But as we started seeing with the pandemic, which none of us could have really predicted, we now see so many other kids out there being forced into an environment that is very similar to the one that I grew up in. GS: A FORCED ISOLATION. MS: Yes. It’s much more in mind now. It was not in mind when this [writing of the book] process was coming together. It’s been about two and a half to three years since I started on the book. GS: EVEN THOUGH YOU COULDN’T HAVE FORESEEN THE PANDEMIC, DID YOU HAVE A TARGET AUDIENCE IN MIND WHILE YOU WERE WRITING THE BOOK?

They feel similar in that regard where they just get on their computer and don’t really know where to go and how to be guided. Especially in a world where the technology is advancing so fast that our own parents did not grow up with 90% of the tools at our disposal. It’s really hard to find examples of other people in the world who have gone through what the kids are going through today because of how quickly things are moving. GS: IT’S INTERESTING THAT YOU MENTIONED THAT READERSHIP DEMOGRAPHIC BECAUSE THE TONE OF THE BOOK, INCLUDING THE USE OF WHAT I WOULD DESCRIBE AS CLEAN LANGUAGE, MADE ME WONDER IF YOU HAD A YOUNGER READERSHIP IN MIND AS YOU WERE WRITING IT? MS: No. It’s funny, the way that I talk tends to be a little bit cleaner, sometimes. What’s funny is that when I was growing up, and I’ve realized this more recently, I was almost like the kid who would punish himself when I did something wrong. Or try to control the way that I did things. GS: THAT DEFINITELY COMES THROUGH IN THE BOOK.

“THE FAMILY DYNAMIC THAT WE HAD IS NOT NORMAL, AND I GUESS THAT’S PARTLY WHY THERE’S A BOOK ABOUT THIS.”

MS: Yes. I’ll give you an example. When I was a kid, instead of trying to sneak away and drink alcohol without my parents knowing, I was the one telling my parents, “Hey, don’t drink!” or silly things like that. I would tell my friends, “Oh no, we shouldn’t be drinking yet. It’s going to affect our brain development [laughs].” Most kids aren’t going to react that way [laughs].

MS: Yes, definitely. There’s a bunch of different aspects to this book that I think relate to different people and different GS: BECAUSE OF THE CONSIDERABLE audiences. For example, I ROLE YOUR FAMILY PLAYS IN “APP think a lot of parents with KID,” DO YOU KNOW IF THEY’VE children spending all their - Michael Sayman READ THE BOOK AND, IF SO, WHAT time on these iPads and AUTHOR DO THEY THINK OF IT? their iPhones and not really knowing how you handle a kid who spends their whole life on that. I MS: They’ve definitely read the book. They’ve think a lot of parents will read this and think, been along the entire process. They’ve been “There is potential in the Internet, but there’s in the loop on you how I’ve been writing it. also challenges that I’m sure other parents can My thoughts, as well, as I was writing the relate to in terms of how to deal with children book have obviously evolved over time, too. who are in that space.” The other is obviously It’s one of those things that have been really the kid who is coding and who’s trying to make challenging for us as a family. The family a name for himself on the Internet. We’ve dynamic that we had is not normal, and I seen over the past few years that the number guess that’s partly why there’s a book about one job that kids want to be now is no longer this. But in terms of the way that we’ve astronaut or doctor. They want to become approached it together, and the way that Internet famous. Influencers, YouTubers, we’ve thought about this is that there’s a lot developers. It’s an entirely new landscape to the dynamic that took place in that time and I think there’s a lot of kids out there who and there’s a lot to the perspective that I had grow up seeped in this entire Internet culture. as a kid in terms of the relationship with the Some of them feel like they’re alone out there. parents and how whatever they or my family

was doing, how I would interpret it. Being able to share the truth of that perspective from where I was as a kid. Not only doing it for the sake of trying to be accurate with that, but also for the sake of other kids out there who might be able to relate to those types of pains, frustrations, and challenges. The idea being that, and I think as a family we think about this, how do we make sure that if there’s anyone else who comes across a situation like this, that they can all learn a little bit from this, and maybe have a better dynamic and situation come out of it. For all of us, we’ve learned a lot through the entire process of this career, how it ended up happening. But at the same time, it’s been a challenge, I’m not going to lie. It hasn’t been easy. GS: “APP KID” ALSO READS LIKE A KIND OF INSTRUCTION MANUAL FOR PEOPLE OF ALL AGES WHO MAY HAVE AN INTEREST IN DOING THE KIND OF WORK THAT YOU DO. DO YOU ALSO SEE IT THAT WAY AND WAS THAT INTENTIONAL ON YOUR PART? MS: Yes. I think there are parts of it where it certainly felt that way. I do think that was also the case. I think a lot of it tends to be my personality just coming out. A lot of times, when I talk about anything regarding app development or the tech industry as a whole, I will kind of turn into this mini professor [laughs]. Start dictating how I feel things can go. I also kind of felt like there was some intentionality behind when I talked to the readers about certain steps. Being very clear about these are the set of things that I’ve learned over the years have worked and these are the set of things that haven’t. Here’s how you can go about doing that. Being intentional about that for sure. It’s a combination of these things in the book. You have the story, which is exciting and crazy and weird. But you also have a lot to take in from an experienced app developer. It’s one of those weird things where you can combine both and it somehow works well [laughs]. GS: IT DOES! YOUR COMING OUT PROCESS IS ALSO A SIGNIFICANT PART OF THE BOOK. FROM ARRIVING AT “THE CONCLUSION THAT MY INTEREST IN GUYS WASN’T JUST A PASSING THING” TO YOUR MOTHER’S MOMENT OF ACCEPTANCE IN WHICH SHE DEMONSTRATED HOW FAR SHE’D COME FOLLOWING HER INSENSITIVITY IN AN EARLIER CHAPTER. WHAT WAS IT LIKE TO PUT YOUR COMING OUT INTO YOUR OWN WORDS? MS: People sometimes question whether or not we should be identifying or putting TURN THE PAGE TO CONTINUE READING.

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too much of an emphasis on our sexual orientations as part of who we are. For me, I almost grew up with this idea that if I am actually gay, it should not be who I am. It should not be anything related to who I am. It shouldn’t shape me in any way. But as I started to understand it more, as I started to understand myself more, and my sexual orientation and how it made me think about the world and what else tended to come along with that, I realized that it was not just about sexual orientation. Not only was it not just that; it was impacting every other decision that I made in my life. How I behave around other people. How I would become very observant. How I was so shy in school. How those types of actions ended up affecting how I even developed certain skills led me to realize that this is not just about sexual orientation, this is about the entire trajectory of my life, personal and career-wise. I realized that it shaped my brain, it shaped how I think about the world, for better or worse. As I started to realize that, I thought that it’s important in this book to talk about that. It’s important to talk about how that affected me. I think you can get hints in the beginning of the book, as well, from when I’m in school and I don’t really talk to the other kids. Then I convinced myself that the only reason I am not going out with girls is because I felt overweight. I felt like if I just went to the gym I would be able to go out with girls. All of these feelings that you have growing up, that you then realize part of why I even became successful in app development is due to so many of these effects that this part of me had. My upbringing and my environment. No matter the challenges. I see it that way. For me, it was very important to be able to talk about that. Especially because I think it was one of the most impactful aspects of me that really defined the rest of my life. It’s one of those things that, in the beginning [laughs], I was like, “Oh, no, no, no. This can’t be. This is just going to be a little tiny aspect of me. I’m never going to talk about it [laughs].” But it’s silly now that I think about it. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve come to understand it a lot more. Especially through the perspective of those who came in generations before me, who came out and the troubles they went through, not only the troubles but also how much it really does shape your life. How it’s not just about you know your sexual orientation in one moment or another. GS: IT’S ALSO NICE TO HEAR SOMEONE FROM YOUR GENERATION HAVING RESPECT AND APPRECIATION FOR THOSE THAT CAME BEFORE. YOU WROTE ABOUT GOING TO DISNEY WORLD WITH YOUR FAMILY AND YOUR EX-BOYFRIEND 72 | THE

WILLIAM, AND IT MADE ME WONDER IF YOU’D EVER BEEN TO THE PARK FOR GAY DAYS? MS: I have never been. I realized a year after starting to date my ex that they had those. I was like, “OK, we’ve got to figure out a time to go.” I didn’t know that they had them and I’ve yet to actually go, so hopefully I’ll be able to do that. After the pandemic hit, it got a lot harder to figure out when to go. But I’m definitely adding that to my list. I will say part of the reason why I ended up going to Disney World so much later on, too, was because during my childhood, as I was struggling with the payments and the house and the whole recession that had hit our family, the one nice thing that I had from the before times was going as a family to Disney World. That stayed with me as this happy place of mine into my adulthood. GS: YOU CURRENTLY DIVIDE YOUR TIME BETWEEN MIAMI AND THE SAN FRANCISCO-AREA. HOW DO YOU THINK THE LGBT COMMUNITIES IN THESE REGIONS COMPARE? MS: That’s a really interesting question. First of all, they’re completely different. I would say San Francisco, in many ways, is extremely open and accepting to the point where if you tell somebody that you’re gay they’re like, “Oh, OK, I guess. Why are you telling me? Who cares?” [Laughs] That’s kind of the attitude over there. If anything, I think you’ve got to come out as straight in some parts of San Francisco [laughs]. It’s an interesting situation in San Francisco. I felt really privileged to be able to live in that part of the country during those years where I started discovering myself. In terms of Miami, I feel like Miami is rapidly changing in this [regard]. It wasn’t always like this. I know when I was growing up in Miami, in high school, especially in 2012, 2013, it was very much not accepted especially in the community that I was around, the Hispanic community. It’s something that we’re slowly kind of growing and learning and changing up over time. The stereotypes are very much there. I remember I came from California once to Miami and I had my hair bleached, yeah because everyone’s got to try that at one point [laughs], and everyone in Miami thought it was a gay thing. You didn’t have that in San Francisco. If a guy wore an earring, that was a gay thing. Now times are changing. Now it’s completely different. Now it’s really cool for guys to wear earrings, and everyone does it. They bleach their hair and they do all this stuff. That’s happening in Miami, too, but I think the Hispanic culture of Miami has made it very different from San Francisco when it

| OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2021

“App Kid” by Michael Sayman.

comes to LGBT acceptance and just the ability for people to feel comfortable being who they are. GS: IF THERE WAS A MOVIE VERSION MADE OF “APP KID,” WHO WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE PORTRAYING YOU? MS: [Laughs] That’s a good question! I don’t know. I have been thinking about that a bit as there have been some discussions around a movie for the book. I’m not entirely sure who, but there’s a number of people. In my mind, I think it’s hard to cast because it takes place when I was a kid. I’ve got to think, “Is there any [laughs] slightly nerdy, dorky Latino kid out there who [laughs] kind of looks like me, has this uncomfortable look on their face all the time and is constantly shifting their eyes all around as they’re thinking. I don’t know of any actors like that. But if they do find someone like that and they do that, I would expect it to be some type of a tragic-comedy movie. Larry David as my dad and Sofia Vergara as my mom [laughs]. GS: YOU RECENTLY CELEBRATED YOUR 25TH BIRTHDAY — BELATED HAPPY BIRTHDAY! WITH THAT IN MIND, DO YOU FORESEE WRITING ANOTHER MEMOIR IN THE FUTURE TO BRING READERS UP TO DATE ON WHAT HAPPENED IN YOUR LIFE IN THE YEARS FOLLOWING THE PUBLICATION OF “APP KID?” MS: I think it really depends on what happens next, to be honest. If there is something interesting out there and people want to know what comes next, I am certainly open to the idea of picking up another version of this and doing the “what happens next” version of the book. But until then, I don’t know. I think a lot of things are to come and I’m excited to see what comes next. I’m still just as weird as I’ve always been, so I’m pretty sure I’ll get myself into all kinds of terrible situations, but as long as that stuff keeps happening and people are interested, I’m certainly not opposed to doing it.

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| OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2021

Broward Teachers Union Engaging and Empowering Educators

The public education system and its employees are under siege from a state and federal government that want to dismantle public education. Teachers and support staff are overwhelmed and need our help. The Broward Teachers Union represents the finest educators in Broward County. At 12,000 members and growing, BTU stands against inequality and injustice in our public schools and protects educators’ jobs every single day. Join us in protecting and enhancing public education and supporting our educators, staff and students. Follow BTU and the Florida Education Association and get involved at the local level to elect candidates who stand for strong public schools. #FundOurFuture #4everyStudent @BrowardTeachers @FloridaEA

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CARS

BIG BAD AND

// Larry Printz

Photos courtesy of Jeep.

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| OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2021

2022 JEEP WAGONEER

CARS

2022 JEEP GRAND WAGONEER SERIES III When was the last time you partied with an old flame? Betcha they looked different than you remembered.

BASE PRICE:

LENGTH/WIDTH/HEIGHT:

ENGINE:

GROUND CLEARANCE:

$86,995

214.7/83.6/75.6 INCHES

6.4-LITER V8

10 INCHES

This thought brings us to the 2022 Jeep Wagoneer and HORSEPOWER/TORQUE: Grand Wagoneer, a revival of the first luxury SUV, one 471/455 POUND-FEET that’s been out of production for 20 years. But it returns for EPA FUEL ECONOMY (CITY/HIGHWAY): 2022, looking very different and fulfilling a new role as an 13/18 MPG entirely new premium SUV sub-brand dubbed Wagoneer, much in the way Range Rover is a high-end sub-brand of FUEL REQUIRED: Land Rover. Prices start at $57,995 for the Wagoneer, and 91 OCTANE $86,995 for the Grand Wagoneer. Fully loaded, these bad boys top out at $110,000. Built on a modified Ram 1500 body-on-frame platform, they share sheet metal and are identically sized. Both come in Series I, II and III trim. As you might expect, the Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer have different grilles, lighting and design details. Even the tail-gates differ. But nothing prepares you for this rig’s cabin, particularly the Grand Wagoneer Series III. It’s easily the finest interior that Chrysler has produced in decades. It’s stunningly well executed, with a surfeit of details that delight, like the starter button framed by a sunburst. And check the tech. The cabin has seven screens totaling 75 inches, including one in front of the passenger. There are also eight USB ports, an auxiliary jack, two auxiliary 12-volt power outlets and a 115-volt outlet. There’s also a McIntosh audio system that transforms this cabin into the Kravis Center. Leather is standard on all models, although if you’re looking for wood trim, you’ll find it on the inside, not the outside as on prior Wagoneers. When you do find it, it will be real American walnut. The posh cabin mates nicely with equally fine performance. Wagoneers are powered by a 5.7-liter V-8 hybrid system that generates 392 horsepower. Rear-wheel drive or four-wheel drive is offered. Grand Wagoneers get a larger 6.4-liter V8 delivering 471 horsepower. Fourwheel drive is standard. Towing is rated at 10,000 pounds, and an eight-speed automatic transmission is standard. There’s plenty of muscle to move this massive truck, al-though it doesn’t drive as large as it is. Power comes on strong and effortless with either engine, although the larger engine requires premium fuel. Gilding the lily is the optional air suspension, which balances the need for off-road articulation with on-road comfort. That said, the Grand Wagoneer is meant for comfort, not corner carving. (It’s too big for that.) So, it’s little surprise that this Grand Wagoneer possesses quiet and comfortable ride, especially once the sidewalk ends. The Grand Wagoneer possesses a monied élan that is sure to spoil you. For Jeep, it’s the most opulent vehicle the brand has ever built, one that’s a true competitor to the Escalades, Navigators, Range Rovers and G-Wagens. And while the Wagonner looks different than the one you remember; it’s come back better than ever.

PAYLOAD:

1,360 POUNDS CARGO CAPACITY:

27.4-94.2 CUBIC FEET TOWING CAPACITY:

9,850 POUNDS

Larry Printz is an automotive journalist based in South Florida. He can be reached at TheDrivingPrintz@gmail.com. OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2021 | THE

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Mural in the FAT Village arts district of Fort Lauderdale by Marcus Borges

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