Author's Note: While working as an arts editor and radio reporter (often covering theatre), I was asked to write an article for a theatre playbill about understudies and stand-bys. the Broadway News Bureau picked up the article, and it appeared in several theatre playbills across the country. Last month, as Broadway news carried stories about an understudy replacing Christian Hoff in the title role of the Broadway revival of "Pal Joey", a friend emailed me the article.
Waiting in the Wings...When the Show Must Go On
by Mark G. Auerbach
The theatre lives by the motto "The show must go on." So, what happens when the star fractures his ankle or the soprano has a sore throat? Luckily for producers and audiences, there are understudies, stand-bys, and swings waiting in the wings (or nowadays, within cell phone or beeper distance of the stage door). These versatile performers have learned their lines; they've rehearsed their routines; and they're ready to go--just in case.
Understudies and standbys--the terms are almost synonymous these days--learn the roles of principal actors as insurance for the production just in case a regular cast member can't go on. Some understudies perform nightly in smaller parts, ready to take over another role if necessary. Standbys don't appear in the production unless the actor they are understudying for is out. Musicals also employ "swings," chorus performers who don't have on-stage assignments but who learn all the different chorus positions and are ready to jump into the show at a moment's notice when a chorus performer is out.
"Understudies have a full plate," says John Pike at Connecticut's Goodspeed Opera House, the theatre that has sent over a dozen shows to Broadway, among them Man of La Mancha and Annie. "They always have to be ready to perform--their own roles and others--on short notice; sometimes in mid-performance. The pressure is intense, with lots of uncertainty. You never know when the beeper will buzz."
Evan Ensign, production stage manager for the national touring company of Rent, supervises two to three understudies in rehearsal each week. He begins with blocking, and then moves on stage to work with costumes and scenery. There's a full understudy run-through every few weeks.
When Ensign joined Rent in Washington, D.C. last summer after spending four years touring with The Phantom of the Opera, he saw understudies become split-second heroes. "The actor playing Angel was indisposed in the middle of a scene. With three minutes notice, his understudy changed costumes and went on; a swing jumped into costume and took the understudy's role. The other actors were unaware of the changes until they actually happened."
"At Phantom," Ensign says, "the scenario is similar, but the production's complicated scene changes and costumes require an understudy to really understand how and when the sets move. Many of the understudies are also in ensemble roles, and some roles, such as Christine, are double-cast. Nonetheless, understudies can 'save the show' in a pinch."
Halfway through a performance in Louisville, Ensign's Phantom was unable to complete the show. "The actor playing Andre and understudying the Phantom went on as the Phantom in the second act. Two make-up people helped him make the complicated costume and make-up switch during the intermission."
Evan Pappas, the veteran actor who starred in My Favorite Year on Broadway, spent several years in the Broadway company of A Chorus Line, understudying (and also playing) four different roles. "I'm not sure I could do it again," says Pappas, "but I respect those who do. When you do a new production, the understudy learns the role side-by-side with the company. When you join a production during its run, you learn it from the stage manager and by watching performances. And, you generally get one run-through a week."
But, there are many people who work steadily (and make good money) as understudies and standbys. Karen Mason, a highly-acclaimed cabaret and recording artist, was the "Norma Desmond in the wings" for Sunset Boulevard, from its premiere in Los Angeles through its Broadway run. Mason went on for Glenn Close and Betty Buckley when necessary, and also played Norma Desmond when Close or Buckley were on scheduled vacations.
Sometimes art imitates life, and audiences love the backstage drama. Christine Daae waits in the wings until the diva Carlotta is indisposed in the Paris Opera gala portrayed in The Phantom of the Opera. Chorus girl Peggy Sawyer steps in for an injured star in 42nd Street and the show is saved from disaster on opening night. And, Eve Harrington manipulates Margo Channing's absence from the theatre and turns herself into a star in All About Eve and Applause.
Sometimes life imitates art, and a star is born. In 1954, a then unknown Shirley MacLaine understudied Carol Haney in The Pajama Game. When Haney broke her leg, MacLaine went on in her place. A movie producer was in the audience; MacLaine was "noticed," and a major film career began. Years later, Madeline Kahn missed some performances in the musical On the Twentieth Century. Her understudy, Judy Kaye, went on for Kahn, and eventually replaced her in the Broadway production (and subsequent national tour). She got rave reviews, landed the role of Carlotta when The Phantom of the Opera came to Broadway--and earned a Tony Award.
Many stars have logged time as understudies and stand-bys. Ten years ago, you could have seen Wesley Snipes, Bebe Neuwirth, Woody Harrelson, Rob Morrow, and John Turturro on Broadway--if the stars were sick. Stockard Channing, Phylicia Rashad and Larry Kert also moved from the wings to the stage, the screen, and television.
So, the next time you hear that announcement, "At this performance, the role of so-and-so will be played by so-and-so," expect a top-notch performance by a performer who's experiencing some inner drama, and going on stage against all odds. That's a star turn at its best.
-------------------------
Mark G. Auerbach, a New England-based arts and radio reporter, has spent several years as an understudy to drive-time news anchors.
From the Broadway News Bureau/The League of American Theatres and Producers, Inc. December 1997
Sunday, January 4, 2009
Friday, January 2, 2009
COS Newsweekly
MGAPR's Note:
We took over the editing of this weekly newsletter for AOL's Gay and Lesbian Coming Out Support programs, when OnQ, the Gay and Lesbian Community Forum, managed that site. On Q merged with Gay.com and left AOL, and the chats and support groups migrated there for a short period, until they returned to AOL under the People Connection program. When AOL discontinued the Community Leaders program (the folks who managed the chats, message boards, and support groups), the newsletter (and some of the support chats) went independent. It was supposed to be a short-term assignment for me. I'm still doing it 8 years later, and the newsletter (available by email) has several hundred readers.
Here are some excerpts from the January 5, 2009 edition. If you want to subscribe, email OnQYB@aol.com and put "Subscribe COS" in the subject header.
Coming Out Support (COS) Newsweekly
Volume 12 No. 1 January 5, 2009
The Fine Print
About this Newsletter: All information included is proprietary information provided for your personal use only. None of the information here may be redistributed or reprinted without the written consent of the editor. All times listed are ET (Eastern Time). Dates and times are subject to change.
Subscription Information: This newsletter is available via free email subscription only. Our mailing list is confidential.
To subscribe: Email OnQYB@aol.com and write “Subscribe COS News” in subject line.
To unsubscribe: Email OnQYB@aol.com and write “Cancel COS News” in subject line.
The Gay Agenda: Datebook: January 5-11, 2009
This Just In ! FRI-SUN: 1/02-1/04: Swarthmore, CT: Angels in America: A Gay Fantasia on National Themes. A reading of Tony Kushner's landmark play to benefit the The Angels of Mercy HIV ministry of Greater St. Matthew Baptist Church. www.pcstheater.org.
TUE: 1/06: New York, NY: Perez Hilton, online gossip guy, signs copies of "Red Carpet Suicide". 7PM. Border's Books, Columbus Circle. Also: SAT: 1/10: Bloomington, MN: 3PM. Barnes & Noble, Mall of America. Also: SUN: 1/11: Oak Brook, IL: 4PM. Border's Books.
Newsworthy:
Medical "Right of Conscience" Bill could put LGBT patients at risk. The Bush administration issued a “right of conscience” regulation on 12/18/08, that could enable health care workers to deny treatment to gay patients based on religious beliefs, according to activists. The Washington Blade reports: http://www.washblade.com/2008/12-26/news/national/13811.cfm
Pope's Year-End Speech Angers Gay Rights Activists. Groups criticised Pope Benedict XVI's end-of-year address in which the pontiff spoke about gender and the important distinction between men and women. The Guardian UK reports: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/dec/24/pope-speech-gender-gay-sexuality
LGBT Leaders' Enthusiasm for Obama Subsides, with the President-Elect's choice of homophobic pastor Rick Warren for inauguration festivities and Obama's failure to name an out LGBT cabinet member. The Associated Press reports: http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gRY9SuBE8oG14dq2N2N98WDVvU-wD958M4RG0
New Study: How parents or guardians respond to a youth's sexual orientation profoundly influences the child's mental health as an adult, say researchers at San Francisco State University, whose findings appear in the Journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics. The Associated Press reports: http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jl1Az0ECSb7bidhhc7BDiGW54eXwD95C5LL8D
Tourism Has Declined at Larry Craig's restroom at the Minneapolis/St. Paul International Airport. Towleroad reports: http://www.towleroad.com/2008/12/larry-craig-men.html
Mmm Mmm Good. Despite demands from the American Family Association calling for e-mails to Campbell Soup Co. urging the company to stop “pushing the gay agenda,” the icon of all things American is standing behind a decision to advertise in theLGBTmarket. The Advocate reports: http://www.advocate.com/news_detail_ektid69429.asp
Features
Opinon: You're Likeable Enough Gay People. Frank Rich discusses Obama, Rev. Rick Warren, and the new administration's look at the gay community. The New York Times reports: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/28/opinion/28rich.html?hp
Profile: Mark Doty, out writer, and recipient of this year's National Book Award. The Washington Blade reports. http://www.washblade.com/2008/12-26/arts/books/13836.cfm
Profile: Judy Gold, the out comic puts a gay twist on Jewish mother jokes. The Boston Globe reports: http://www.boston.com/ae/theater_arts/articles/2008/12/30/a_gay_twist_on_jewish_mother_jokes/
In Print: Books for Young Adult Readers
Out of the Pocket by Bill Konigsberg. Penguin Books. A high school athlete comes out in Konigsberg's debut novel. Konigsberg is an award-winning sports journalist who has written for television, newspapers, wire services, and the internet. in 2001, he came out in a story on ESPN's website; that work won him a GLAAD Media Award. www.billkonigsberg.com
Absolute Brightness by James Lecesne. Harper Collins. A fascinating story about a really cool kid who gets killed because he's different. For teen readers. Of note: James Lecesne is an author, actor, and activist, whose film "Trevor" received an Academy Award for best short film. James cofounded the Trevor Helpline, a 24-hour suicide-prevention hotline for LGBTQ teens.
In Performance: Onstage:Theatre/Music/Dance
New York City (and Broadway)
***Billy Elliot, the Elton John/Lee Hall musical based on the movie about a boy who wants to become a ballet dancer. www.billyelliotbroadway.com.
***Gaytino! Dan Guerrero's solo performance about growing up Latino and gay. "From Mariachi to Merman. Sondheim to César Chávez". 1/10/09-1/11/09. www.gaytino.com.
***The Gospel According to Adam. Geoffrey Nauffts's comedy-drama about an atheist, who falls in love with another man, a Christian. to 1/18/09. www.nakedangels.com.
***Gypsy. Patti LuPone won the Tony reprising Mama Rose. www.gypsybroadway.com/ Closes 1/11/09.
***Jackie Hoffman performs selections from her CD "Scraping the Bottom". 1/05/09. www.joespub.com.
Elsewhere...
***Abraham Lincoln’s Big, Gay Dance Party. a rural grade school teacher rewrites the annual Christmas Pageant including a bit about a possibly gay Abraham Lincoln. to 1/17/09. San Francisco, CA. http://www.sfplayhouse.org/season0809/lincoln.php
***Falsettos, the William Finn & James Lapine musical about lesbians, gay men, an ex-wife, their child and a straight psychiatrist! to 2/08/09. San Francisco, CA. www.therhino.org.
***Hedda Gabler, Ibsen's classic, reimagined as a lesbian drama by the Mauckingbird Theatre. to 1/29/09. Philadelphia, PA. http://mauckingbirdtheatreco.org.
***Looped. Valerie Harper stars as Talullah Bankhead. Chad Allen plays her sound engineer. to 2/15/09. West Palm Beach, FL. www.cuillocentre.org.
***Missionary Position. world premiere of Steven (Confessions of a Mormon Boy) Fales' solo play based on his journals and adventures as a Mormom missionary in Portugal. to 2/08/09. Hollywood, CA. www.celebrationtheatre.com
***Mitzi Gaynor, Razzle Dazzle: My Life Behind the Sequins! 1/10/09. San Francisco, CA. www.cityboxoffice.com
***Varla Jean's Victory Lap Dance. Varla Jean Merman's new show which features the Varla Jean Merman Film Festival. to 1/17/09. San Francisco, CA. www.therrazzroom.com.
***Zanna, Don’t!, the musical about a gay high school, where two straights fall in love. to 1/18/09. New Conservatory Theatre Pride Season. San Francisco, CA. www.nctcsf.org
On Screen (and Video & DVD)
Resource: Cine-Queer: GLAAD's Guide to What's LGBT in Film: http://www.glaad.org/eye/cinequeer.php
Out on Screen...
***Ciao. Two men meet after the death of a mutual friend. www.ciaomovie.com.
***Doubt, the film adaptation of John Patrick Shanley's award-winning drama. A nun (Meryl Streep) suspects a popular priest (Philip Seymour Hoffman) of abusing a boy.
***Milk, Gus Van Sant's film about gay activist Harvey Milk (Sean Penn). Also starring: Josh Brolin, Emile Hirsch, James Franco.
***Shifting the Canvas. Cheyenne Jackson, Scott Thompson and John Paul Pitoc star in this comedy drama about a Brooklyn cafe owner, who acts as "patriarch" to a wayward group of younger gay and lesbian artists. www.shiftingthecanvas.com.
***Were The World Mine, Tim Gustafson's film about a struggling gay teen in a homophobic town, who fantasizes about a potion that turns the town gay. http://www.weretheworldminefilm.com/
Out On Video & DVD
***The Boys in the Band. the landmark gay-themed play of the 1960's in the William Friedkin film verson. New to DVD.
***Cyrano de Bergerac, direct from Broadway with Kevin Kline and Jennifer Garner. The one to watch is Daniel Sunjata, who bared all on Broadway in "Take Me Out".
***Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog. Neil Patrick Harris stars in Joss Whedon's internet musical.
***Mamma Mia, the ABBA movie musical.
***Savage Grace. A mother (Julianne Moore) tries to cure her son's homosexuality. Based on a true story. Tom Kalin directs the Sundance Film Festival drama.
On TV Of Note: All times listed are ET. Check local listings for times in your area.
Resource:TV Gayed, GLAAD's Weekly Guide to What's LGBT on TV: Updated every Friday. Currently listing to 1/08/09. http://www.glaad.org/eye/tv_listings.php
Conferences, Seminars, Benefits, and Special Events
1/11/09-1/18/09: Aspen, CO: Aspen Gay Ski Week. www.gayskiweek.com
1/15/09-1/24/09: Park City, UT: Sundance Film Festival. http://festival.sundance.org/2009/
1/15/09-1/21/09: Park City UT: Queer Lounge, The Sundance Film Festival ground zero for LGBT film makers and artists. www.queerlounge.org.
1/16/09-1/19/09: Atlanta, GA: GLSEN SOCO Weekend. Students of Color Organizing (SOCO) gathering of middle and high school students of color to provide networking and skills building opportunities. http://www.glsen.org/cgi-bin/iowa/all/library/record/2003.html
1/26/09-1/30/09: Nationwide: No Name-Calling Week, the sixth annual GLSEN, (Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network) initiative with support from Simon and Schuster Children’s Publishing and the nearly 50 partners. www.glsen.org
1/28/09-2/01/09: Denver, CO: Creating Change Conference. The national conference on LGBT Equality. http://thetaskforce.org/events/creating_change
1/28/09-2/01/09: Vail, CO: Vail Gay & Lesbian Ski Week. www.vailgayskiweek.com
1/28/09-2/01/09: Stowe, VT: Winter Rendezvous. annual week of gay skiing & winter sports. www.winterrendezvous.com
1/29/09-1/31/09: Bloomington, IN: Pride Film Festival. www.pridefilmfestival.org
2/01/09-2/08/09: Whistler, BC: WinterPRIDE, Whistler's gay ski celebration week. gaywhistler.com.
2/09/09: New York, NY: Broadway Backwards. The guys perform music usually performed by dolls and vice versa. Starring: Alan Cumming, Whoopi Goldberg, Christopher Sieber, Mario Cantone, Megan Mullally, and Jai Rodriguez. A benefit for the LGBT Community Center. www.gaycenter.org
2/13/09-2/16/09: Hudson Valley, NY: Winter Explosion. popular LGBT African-American winter event. www.winterexplosion.com
2/24/09-3/01/09: New York, NY: CineKink NYC. mixed gay/ straight film festival exploring a wide variety of sexualities through documentary, comedy, porn, drama & more. www.cinekink.com
This Week’s Trivia Quiz: January Milestones
1. Question: Name this musician, author and activist, who was the first person to come out on television on January 18, 1973. His family was the subject of a reality series documentary on PBS.
2. Question: Name this playwright and activist. On January 12, 1982, a group of gay men met at his apartment to form the GMHC, Gay Men’s Health Crisis, a non-profit organization to provide programs and services to people with HIV. Today, the GMHC is one of the nation’s laregest AIDS service organizations, and the playwright is best known for his activism.
3. Question: Name this out award-winning actor and activist. His gay and lesbian theatre and film colleagues, among them Alec McGowen, Simon Callow, Stephen Fry, Cameron Macintosh, and Martin Sherman, came out publicly in the UK’s Guardian to support his knighthood on January 9, 1991.
4. Question: Name this Wisconsin congressman, who came out in January, 1993, (he was the third to come out) and resigned his position as deputy whip to protest intolerant statements made at the 1992 Republican convention.
5. Question: Name this bisexual American actress, born January 31, 1902. She was best known for her portrayals of Southern belles, although she had a mouth that could frighten sailors.
The first person to submit the correct answers gets their name in print right here. Email your answers to: OnQYB@aol.com
We took over the editing of this weekly newsletter for AOL's Gay and Lesbian Coming Out Support programs, when OnQ, the Gay and Lesbian Community Forum, managed that site. On Q merged with Gay.com and left AOL, and the chats and support groups migrated there for a short period, until they returned to AOL under the People Connection program. When AOL discontinued the Community Leaders program (the folks who managed the chats, message boards, and support groups), the newsletter (and some of the support chats) went independent. It was supposed to be a short-term assignment for me. I'm still doing it 8 years later, and the newsletter (available by email) has several hundred readers.
Here are some excerpts from the January 5, 2009 edition. If you want to subscribe, email OnQYB@aol.com and put "Subscribe COS" in the subject header.
Coming Out Support (COS) Newsweekly
Volume 12 No. 1 January 5, 2009
The Fine Print
About this Newsletter: All information included is proprietary information provided for your personal use only. None of the information here may be redistributed or reprinted without the written consent of the editor. All times listed are ET (Eastern Time). Dates and times are subject to change.
Subscription Information: This newsletter is available via free email subscription only. Our mailing list is confidential.
To subscribe: Email OnQYB@aol.com and write “Subscribe COS News” in subject line.
To unsubscribe: Email OnQYB@aol.com and write “Cancel COS News” in subject line.
The Gay Agenda: Datebook: January 5-11, 2009
This Just In ! FRI-SUN: 1/02-1/04: Swarthmore, CT: Angels in America: A Gay Fantasia on National Themes. A reading of Tony Kushner's landmark play to benefit the The Angels of Mercy HIV ministry of Greater St. Matthew Baptist Church. www.pcstheater.org.
TUE: 1/06: New York, NY: Perez Hilton, online gossip guy, signs copies of "Red Carpet Suicide". 7PM. Border's Books, Columbus Circle. Also: SAT: 1/10: Bloomington, MN: 3PM. Barnes & Noble, Mall of America. Also: SUN: 1/11: Oak Brook, IL: 4PM. Border's Books.
Newsworthy:
Medical "Right of Conscience" Bill could put LGBT patients at risk. The Bush administration issued a “right of conscience” regulation on 12/18/08, that could enable health care workers to deny treatment to gay patients based on religious beliefs, according to activists. The Washington Blade reports: http://www.washblade.com/2008/12-26/news/national/13811.cfm
Pope's Year-End Speech Angers Gay Rights Activists. Groups criticised Pope Benedict XVI's end-of-year address in which the pontiff spoke about gender and the important distinction between men and women. The Guardian UK reports: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/dec/24/pope-speech-gender-gay-sexuality
LGBT Leaders' Enthusiasm for Obama Subsides, with the President-Elect's choice of homophobic pastor Rick Warren for inauguration festivities and Obama's failure to name an out LGBT cabinet member. The Associated Press reports: http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gRY9SuBE8oG14dq2N2N98WDVvU-wD958M4RG0
New Study: How parents or guardians respond to a youth's sexual orientation profoundly influences the child's mental health as an adult, say researchers at San Francisco State University, whose findings appear in the Journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics. The Associated Press reports: http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jl1Az0ECSb7bidhhc7BDiGW54eXwD95C5LL8D
Tourism Has Declined at Larry Craig's restroom at the Minneapolis/St. Paul International Airport. Towleroad reports: http://www.towleroad.com/2008/12/larry-craig-men.html
Mmm Mmm Good. Despite demands from the American Family Association calling for e-mails to Campbell Soup Co. urging the company to stop “pushing the gay agenda,” the icon of all things American is standing behind a decision to advertise in theLGBTmarket. The Advocate reports: http://www.advocate.com/news_detail_ektid69429.asp
Features
Opinon: You're Likeable Enough Gay People. Frank Rich discusses Obama, Rev. Rick Warren, and the new administration's look at the gay community. The New York Times reports: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/28/opinion/28rich.html?hp
Profile: Mark Doty, out writer, and recipient of this year's National Book Award. The Washington Blade reports. http://www.washblade.com/2008/12-26/arts/books/13836.cfm
Profile: Judy Gold, the out comic puts a gay twist on Jewish mother jokes. The Boston Globe reports: http://www.boston.com/ae/theater_arts/articles/2008/12/30/a_gay_twist_on_jewish_mother_jokes/
In Print: Books for Young Adult Readers
Out of the Pocket by Bill Konigsberg. Penguin Books. A high school athlete comes out in Konigsberg's debut novel. Konigsberg is an award-winning sports journalist who has written for television, newspapers, wire services, and the internet. in 2001, he came out in a story on ESPN's website; that work won him a GLAAD Media Award. www.billkonigsberg.com
Absolute Brightness by James Lecesne. Harper Collins. A fascinating story about a really cool kid who gets killed because he's different. For teen readers. Of note: James Lecesne is an author, actor, and activist, whose film "Trevor" received an Academy Award for best short film. James cofounded the Trevor Helpline, a 24-hour suicide-prevention hotline for LGBTQ teens.
In Performance: Onstage:Theatre/Music/Dance
New York City (and Broadway)
***Billy Elliot, the Elton John/Lee Hall musical based on the movie about a boy who wants to become a ballet dancer. www.billyelliotbroadway.com.
***Gaytino! Dan Guerrero's solo performance about growing up Latino and gay. "From Mariachi to Merman. Sondheim to César Chávez". 1/10/09-1/11/09. www.gaytino.com.
***The Gospel According to Adam. Geoffrey Nauffts's comedy-drama about an atheist, who falls in love with another man, a Christian. to 1/18/09. www.nakedangels.com.
***Gypsy. Patti LuPone won the Tony reprising Mama Rose. www.gypsybroadway.com/ Closes 1/11/09.
***Jackie Hoffman performs selections from her CD "Scraping the Bottom". 1/05/09. www.joespub.com.
Elsewhere...
***Abraham Lincoln’s Big, Gay Dance Party. a rural grade school teacher rewrites the annual Christmas Pageant including a bit about a possibly gay Abraham Lincoln. to 1/17/09. San Francisco, CA. http://www.sfplayhouse.org/season0809/lincoln.php
***Falsettos, the William Finn & James Lapine musical about lesbians, gay men, an ex-wife, their child and a straight psychiatrist! to 2/08/09. San Francisco, CA. www.therhino.org.
***Hedda Gabler, Ibsen's classic, reimagined as a lesbian drama by the Mauckingbird Theatre. to 1/29/09. Philadelphia, PA. http://mauckingbirdtheatreco.org.
***Looped. Valerie Harper stars as Talullah Bankhead. Chad Allen plays her sound engineer. to 2/15/09. West Palm Beach, FL. www.cuillocentre.org.
***Missionary Position. world premiere of Steven (Confessions of a Mormon Boy) Fales' solo play based on his journals and adventures as a Mormom missionary in Portugal. to 2/08/09. Hollywood, CA. www.celebrationtheatre.com
***Mitzi Gaynor, Razzle Dazzle: My Life Behind the Sequins! 1/10/09. San Francisco, CA. www.cityboxoffice.com
***Varla Jean's Victory Lap Dance. Varla Jean Merman's new show which features the Varla Jean Merman Film Festival. to 1/17/09. San Francisco, CA. www.therrazzroom.com.
***Zanna, Don’t!, the musical about a gay high school, where two straights fall in love. to 1/18/09. New Conservatory Theatre Pride Season. San Francisco, CA. www.nctcsf.org
On Screen (and Video & DVD)
Resource: Cine-Queer: GLAAD's Guide to What's LGBT in Film: http://www.glaad.org/eye/cinequeer.php
Out on Screen...
***Ciao. Two men meet after the death of a mutual friend. www.ciaomovie.com.
***Doubt, the film adaptation of John Patrick Shanley's award-winning drama. A nun (Meryl Streep) suspects a popular priest (Philip Seymour Hoffman) of abusing a boy.
***Milk, Gus Van Sant's film about gay activist Harvey Milk (Sean Penn). Also starring: Josh Brolin, Emile Hirsch, James Franco.
***Shifting the Canvas. Cheyenne Jackson, Scott Thompson and John Paul Pitoc star in this comedy drama about a Brooklyn cafe owner, who acts as "patriarch" to a wayward group of younger gay and lesbian artists. www.shiftingthecanvas.com.
***Were The World Mine, Tim Gustafson's film about a struggling gay teen in a homophobic town, who fantasizes about a potion that turns the town gay. http://www.weretheworldminefilm.com/
Out On Video & DVD
***The Boys in the Band. the landmark gay-themed play of the 1960's in the William Friedkin film verson. New to DVD.
***Cyrano de Bergerac, direct from Broadway with Kevin Kline and Jennifer Garner. The one to watch is Daniel Sunjata, who bared all on Broadway in "Take Me Out".
***Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog. Neil Patrick Harris stars in Joss Whedon's internet musical.
***Mamma Mia, the ABBA movie musical.
***Savage Grace. A mother (Julianne Moore) tries to cure her son's homosexuality. Based on a true story. Tom Kalin directs the Sundance Film Festival drama.
On TV Of Note: All times listed are ET. Check local listings for times in your area.
Resource:TV Gayed, GLAAD's Weekly Guide to What's LGBT on TV: Updated every Friday. Currently listing to 1/08/09. http://www.glaad.org/eye/tv_listings.php
Conferences, Seminars, Benefits, and Special Events
1/11/09-1/18/09: Aspen, CO: Aspen Gay Ski Week. www.gayskiweek.com
1/15/09-1/24/09: Park City, UT: Sundance Film Festival. http://festival.sundance.org/2009/
1/15/09-1/21/09: Park City UT: Queer Lounge, The Sundance Film Festival ground zero for LGBT film makers and artists. www.queerlounge.org.
1/16/09-1/19/09: Atlanta, GA: GLSEN SOCO Weekend. Students of Color Organizing (SOCO) gathering of middle and high school students of color to provide networking and skills building opportunities. http://www.glsen.org/cgi-bin/iowa/all/library/record/2003.html
1/26/09-1/30/09: Nationwide: No Name-Calling Week, the sixth annual GLSEN, (Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network) initiative with support from Simon and Schuster Children’s Publishing and the nearly 50 partners. www.glsen.org
1/28/09-2/01/09: Denver, CO: Creating Change Conference. The national conference on LGBT Equality. http://thetaskforce.org/events/creating_change
1/28/09-2/01/09: Vail, CO: Vail Gay & Lesbian Ski Week. www.vailgayskiweek.com
1/28/09-2/01/09: Stowe, VT: Winter Rendezvous. annual week of gay skiing & winter sports. www.winterrendezvous.com
1/29/09-1/31/09: Bloomington, IN: Pride Film Festival. www.pridefilmfestival.org
2/01/09-2/08/09: Whistler, BC: WinterPRIDE, Whistler's gay ski celebration week. gaywhistler.com.
2/09/09: New York, NY: Broadway Backwards. The guys perform music usually performed by dolls and vice versa. Starring: Alan Cumming, Whoopi Goldberg, Christopher Sieber, Mario Cantone, Megan Mullally, and Jai Rodriguez. A benefit for the LGBT Community Center. www.gaycenter.org
2/13/09-2/16/09: Hudson Valley, NY: Winter Explosion. popular LGBT African-American winter event. www.winterexplosion.com
2/24/09-3/01/09: New York, NY: CineKink NYC. mixed gay/ straight film festival exploring a wide variety of sexualities through documentary, comedy, porn, drama & more. www.cinekink.com
This Week’s Trivia Quiz: January Milestones
1. Question: Name this musician, author and activist, who was the first person to come out on television on January 18, 1973. His family was the subject of a reality series documentary on PBS.
2. Question: Name this playwright and activist. On January 12, 1982, a group of gay men met at his apartment to form the GMHC, Gay Men’s Health Crisis, a non-profit organization to provide programs and services to people with HIV. Today, the GMHC is one of the nation’s laregest AIDS service organizations, and the playwright is best known for his activism.
3. Question: Name this out award-winning actor and activist. His gay and lesbian theatre and film colleagues, among them Alec McGowen, Simon Callow, Stephen Fry, Cameron Macintosh, and Martin Sherman, came out publicly in the UK’s Guardian to support his knighthood on January 9, 1991.
4. Question: Name this Wisconsin congressman, who came out in January, 1993, (he was the third to come out) and resigned his position as deputy whip to protest intolerant statements made at the 1992 Republican convention.
5. Question: Name this bisexual American actress, born January 31, 1902. She was best known for her portrayals of Southern belles, although she had a mouth that could frighten sailors.
The first person to submit the correct answers gets their name in print right here. Email your answers to: OnQYB@aol.com
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
The Spirit of Giving-2008
Several folks have asked me where MGAPR contributions were going in 2008 (in lieu of holiday cards and client gifts). MGAPR made contributions to:
***The Food Bank of Western Massachusetts, which provides food to a number of non-profit programs throughout our area. Several years ago, I had the opportunity to work with them on a capital campaign project to build a new warehouse. I've been very impressed with their organization and their ability to deliver. For information on their programs and services: www.foodbankwma.org.
***The Trevor Project, which operates the only nationwide, around-the-clock crisis and suicide prevention helpline for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning youth. When I started working with AOL's LGBT program (then called On Q), The Trevor Project was a pioneer in reaching out to gay kids in crisis. For information on their programs and services: www.thetrevorproject.org
***The Food Bank of Western Massachusetts, which provides food to a number of non-profit programs throughout our area. Several years ago, I had the opportunity to work with them on a capital campaign project to build a new warehouse. I've been very impressed with their organization and their ability to deliver. For information on their programs and services: www.foodbankwma.org.
***The Trevor Project, which operates the only nationwide, around-the-clock crisis and suicide prevention helpline for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning youth. When I started working with AOL's LGBT program (then called On Q), The Trevor Project was a pioneer in reaching out to gay kids in crisis. For information on their programs and services: www.thetrevorproject.org
Saturday, December 13, 2008
Mark's Very Short, Very Much Edited, Year-in-Review
Mark's 2008 in Review: Work Highlights
***MGAPR continued to provide special events and travel planning to 88.5FM/WFCR and its AM broadcast service, 640AM/WNNZ. (for 22 years -- yikes, time flies !!!) MGAPR assisted the stations by producing annual performances of "The Capitol Steps" and a reading/booksigning with best-selling author/memoirist Augusten Burroughs, whose "A Wolf At The Table" is set in our region. We organized a Santa Fe Opera trip (which will be repeated in 2009). MGAPR also helped the station partner with local non-profit cultural organizations via event co-sponsorships.
***MGAPR partnered with the Mike Thornton Agency to assist with marketing and publicity for New England performances by The Capitol Steps in Vermont and Cambridge/Boston.
***MGAPR worked with Cross-Culture Journeys in Amherst on several projects, including press and publicity for its international tours, copy for its website and newsletters, and efforts to enhance its partnerships with public broadcasting stations and other non-profit institutions.
***Other projects included serving on the Editorial Board of the Northfield Mount Hermon School's award-winning NMH Magazine; editing (for the 11th year) an online newsletter that launched during my early days at AOL; teaching a marketing/public relations workshop for my colleaue Brenda Garton at Western New England College; providing coffee and copy for resumes and cover letters for several unemployed colleagues; and strategic planning for several clients.
Mark's 2008 in Review: Play
***I spent many hours iced-caffeinating and tanning--for the latter, I made daily trips to the condo pool, where I edited the poolside gossip newsletter, organized a couple of dinner outings, and a picnic evening for some summer Shakespeare.
***I worked with classmates on organizing my Northfield Mount Hermon class reunion, and managed a great early-June weekend with my prep school buddies. I was re-elected class secretary and to the next reunion committee (scheduled for 2013). It is comforting to know that our class remains eternally youthful, and a tad scary to see us progressing to the front of the line for the parade--where the oldest classes march first.
***My best friend in Berlin (and former roomate from my Manhattan days) came to the USA for a week. We ran around New York City and took in a performance of Patti LuPone in "Gypsy". Other memorable theatre trips included "The Little Dog Laughed" at Hartford's TheaterWorks, "Xanadu" with Cheyenne Jackson on Broadway, "South Pacific" at Lincoln Center, and a great local production of "The Miracle Worker" in which my neighbor's daughter took on the role of Anne Sullivan with a performance that was really incredible.
People That Highlighted My Year
***I've been given a great opportunity to collaborate with some talented creative people; 2008 was no exception. It was a joy to work with Greg Jones at Cannes Associates, an event production coordination group; designers Susan Bergeron-West at Sirius Design, Kevin Brady at LSHD, and Michael Kusek at Communication Angle. I've had a great group of colleagues at WFCR, who always make my performance and travel projects look good.
***Two good buddies kept me grounded and focused. One, a buddy from work is making a remarkable recovery from a stem cell transplant to cure his lymphoma. His treatments have been successful. He's been extremely brave throughout his journey. We, along with an entourage of friends, get together for not-frequent-enough lunches and laughter. I'm glad they continued in 2008 and will move forward in 2009. Another buddy was abruptly laid off by his company in July. I helped him format his resume, his cover letters, and his thank you letters; I kept him caffeinated in the process and played cheerleader; I was more excited than he was, when he began a new (and better ) job this month.
***My Dad, who had a tough time after my Mom died in 2006, met a family friend who had been widowed at about the same time. They've become the neighborhood's fun couple, and I sometimes get to go along for the ride.
So, thanks to all who made 2008 memorable, and here's hopes that 2009 shines.
Mark
***MGAPR continued to provide special events and travel planning to 88.5FM/WFCR and its AM broadcast service, 640AM/WNNZ. (for 22 years -- yikes, time flies !!!) MGAPR assisted the stations by producing annual performances of "The Capitol Steps" and a reading/booksigning with best-selling author/memoirist Augusten Burroughs, whose "A Wolf At The Table" is set in our region. We organized a Santa Fe Opera trip (which will be repeated in 2009). MGAPR also helped the station partner with local non-profit cultural organizations via event co-sponsorships.
***MGAPR partnered with the Mike Thornton Agency to assist with marketing and publicity for New England performances by The Capitol Steps in Vermont and Cambridge/Boston.
***MGAPR worked with Cross-Culture Journeys in Amherst on several projects, including press and publicity for its international tours, copy for its website and newsletters, and efforts to enhance its partnerships with public broadcasting stations and other non-profit institutions.
***Other projects included serving on the Editorial Board of the Northfield Mount Hermon School's award-winning NMH Magazine; editing (for the 11th year) an online newsletter that launched during my early days at AOL; teaching a marketing/public relations workshop for my colleaue Brenda Garton at Western New England College; providing coffee and copy for resumes and cover letters for several unemployed colleagues; and strategic planning for several clients.
Mark's 2008 in Review: Play
***I spent many hours iced-caffeinating and tanning--for the latter, I made daily trips to the condo pool, where I edited the poolside gossip newsletter, organized a couple of dinner outings, and a picnic evening for some summer Shakespeare.
***I worked with classmates on organizing my Northfield Mount Hermon class reunion, and managed a great early-June weekend with my prep school buddies. I was re-elected class secretary and to the next reunion committee (scheduled for 2013). It is comforting to know that our class remains eternally youthful, and a tad scary to see us progressing to the front of the line for the parade--where the oldest classes march first.
***My best friend in Berlin (and former roomate from my Manhattan days) came to the USA for a week. We ran around New York City and took in a performance of Patti LuPone in "Gypsy". Other memorable theatre trips included "The Little Dog Laughed" at Hartford's TheaterWorks, "Xanadu" with Cheyenne Jackson on Broadway, "South Pacific" at Lincoln Center, and a great local production of "The Miracle Worker" in which my neighbor's daughter took on the role of Anne Sullivan with a performance that was really incredible.
People That Highlighted My Year
***I've been given a great opportunity to collaborate with some talented creative people; 2008 was no exception. It was a joy to work with Greg Jones at Cannes Associates, an event production coordination group; designers Susan Bergeron-West at Sirius Design, Kevin Brady at LSHD, and Michael Kusek at Communication Angle. I've had a great group of colleagues at WFCR, who always make my performance and travel projects look good.
***Two good buddies kept me grounded and focused. One, a buddy from work is making a remarkable recovery from a stem cell transplant to cure his lymphoma. His treatments have been successful. He's been extremely brave throughout his journey. We, along with an entourage of friends, get together for not-frequent-enough lunches and laughter. I'm glad they continued in 2008 and will move forward in 2009. Another buddy was abruptly laid off by his company in July. I helped him format his resume, his cover letters, and his thank you letters; I kept him caffeinated in the process and played cheerleader; I was more excited than he was, when he began a new (and better ) job this month.
***My Dad, who had a tough time after my Mom died in 2006, met a family friend who had been widowed at about the same time. They've become the neighborhood's fun couple, and I sometimes get to go along for the ride.
So, thanks to all who made 2008 memorable, and here's hopes that 2009 shines.
Mark
Thursday, December 4, 2008
WFCR Travel Program: 2009 Santa Fe Opera Tour
WFCR's 2009 Santa Fe Opera Tour
August 10-14, 2009
5 days / 4 nights
WFCR Host: John Montanari
For the 4th year, WFCR 's Travel Program is offering a summer trip to The Santa Fe Opera. We prepared this itinerary for WFCR with our travel partners, Ellen Gill CTC and Tours of Distinction.
WFCR will offer one trip as a Winter E-Pledge Prize on December 12-13. For details, see WFCR's website at www.wfcr.org
The tour highlights:
MON: 8/10/09
We depart Bradley International Airport at 7:40AM and arrive in Albuquerque at 1:35PM local time (via American Airlines with a connection in Dallas/Ft.Worth). A motor coach transfer to Santa Fe is provided. After check-in at our hotel, the La Fonda Hotel on the Plaza in Old Santa Fe, the remainder of the afternoon is at leisure. An afternoon walking tour around historic Santa Fe Plaza is provided. We dine tonight at the La Plazuela Restaurant at La Fonda. (Those who wish can attend a performance of Gluck's "Alceste" at Santa Fe Opera at additional cost). Meals included: Dinner
TUE: 8/11/09
After a full breakfast at La Fonda, we travel to the Santa Fe Opera House for a private backstage tour of the state-of-the-art theatre, acclaimed for its architectural design. We'll meet the resident costume designers in the theatre's costume shop and see the design process for "La Traviata", "The Elixir of Love" and other Santa Fe productions. We'll lunch (on our own) at the Opera Cantina with members of the Santa Fe Opera's apprentice program. After lunch, we return to Santa Fe. The afternoon is at leisure for sightseeing on your own in Santa Fe or for relaxing at the hotel. After an early dinner at one of Santa Fe's unique restaurants, we attend a performance of Verdi’s “La Traviata” with Natalie Dessay. Overnight at the La Fonda Hotel. Meals included: Breakfast and dinner.
WED: 8/12/09
After a Full Breakfast at La Fonda Hotel, we tour the major sites of Santa Fe with a local guide. Stops include Loretto Chapel, The Palace of the Governors and the International Folk Art Museum. After lunch on your own, the afternoon is at leisure to explore the Museum Hill museums, Canyon Road galleries, and other attractions. Dinner tonight is at the Santa Fe Opera's Cantina. During dinner, we'll be treated to an "informance" prior to a performance of Donizetti’s “The Elixir of Love”.
Overnight at The La Fonda Hotel. Meals included: Breakfast and dinner.
THU: 8/13/09
After a Full Breakfast at La Fonda Hotel, we depart Santa Fe for a full-day's visit to Taos with a local guide. We'll visit the Bandelier National Monument, site of the ancient Anasazi ruins; the Taos Pueblo and the Millicent Rogers Museum. Lunch on own. After some leisure time to explore Taos' distinctive shops and galleries, we'll have an early dinner at Doc Martin’s at the historic Taos Inn, before returning to Santa Fe. Overnight at The La Fonda Hotel. Meals included: Breakfast and dinner.
FRI: 8/14/09
After a Full Breakfast at La Fonda Hotel, we check out and head for Albuquerque with a stop enroute at the Sandia Mountain tramway. We'll travel to the top of Sandia Peak for dramatic vistas of New Mexico, including Albuquerque. We then travel to Albuquerque's Old Town for sightseeing, shopping, and lunch on one's own. We have an early afternoon check-in for our flight home. We depart Albuquerque at 3:45PM and arrive at Bradley International Airport at 12:45AM on Saturday, 8/15/09. Air is American Airlines via Dallas/Ft. Worth. Meals included: Breakfast.
Tour price includes: round-trip airfare between Hartford/Springfield and Albuquerque; airport transfers in New Mexico and all local transportation in Santa Fe, Albuquerque, and Taos; four nights accommodations at La Fonda in Santa Fe; 4 breakfasts, 4 dinners; orchestra seating for two opera performances at Santa Fe Opera; guide services, admissions as listed in itinerary; fulltime tour escort, and Tips/gratuities for local guides, skycaps, bellhops. A portion of the tour cost benefits the programs and services of WFCR and WNNZ.
Not included: lunches, alcoholic beverages, items of a person nature, travel insurance, tips for tour escort and bus driver; additional taxes and fuel surcharges, airline charges for checked baggage.
Prices:
Early Bird (when deposit is paid before March 31, 2009): $3,959.00 per person/double occupancy; $640.00 single supplement. Land only: approximately $300.00 per person less***
Regular: (after March 31, 2009): $4,259.00 per person/double occupancy; $640.00 single supplement. Land only: approximately $300.00 per person less***
Deposit ($500 per person) due to secure reservation. Balance payments due on or before June 5, 2009.
***Participants who choose this must make their own transfer arrangements to/from Albuquerque Airport and Santa Fe at their own expense.
For information on the WFCR Santa Fe Opera Tour: www.wfcr.org
August 10-14, 2009
5 days / 4 nights
WFCR Host: John Montanari
For the 4th year, WFCR 's Travel Program is offering a summer trip to The Santa Fe Opera. We prepared this itinerary for WFCR with our travel partners, Ellen Gill CTC and Tours of Distinction.
WFCR will offer one trip as a Winter E-Pledge Prize on December 12-13. For details, see WFCR's website at www.wfcr.org
The tour highlights:
MON: 8/10/09
We depart Bradley International Airport at 7:40AM and arrive in Albuquerque at 1:35PM local time (via American Airlines with a connection in Dallas/Ft.Worth). A motor coach transfer to Santa Fe is provided. After check-in at our hotel, the La Fonda Hotel on the Plaza in Old Santa Fe, the remainder of the afternoon is at leisure. An afternoon walking tour around historic Santa Fe Plaza is provided. We dine tonight at the La Plazuela Restaurant at La Fonda. (Those who wish can attend a performance of Gluck's "Alceste" at Santa Fe Opera at additional cost). Meals included: Dinner
TUE: 8/11/09
After a full breakfast at La Fonda, we travel to the Santa Fe Opera House for a private backstage tour of the state-of-the-art theatre, acclaimed for its architectural design. We'll meet the resident costume designers in the theatre's costume shop and see the design process for "La Traviata", "The Elixir of Love" and other Santa Fe productions. We'll lunch (on our own) at the Opera Cantina with members of the Santa Fe Opera's apprentice program. After lunch, we return to Santa Fe. The afternoon is at leisure for sightseeing on your own in Santa Fe or for relaxing at the hotel. After an early dinner at one of Santa Fe's unique restaurants, we attend a performance of Verdi’s “La Traviata” with Natalie Dessay. Overnight at the La Fonda Hotel. Meals included: Breakfast and dinner.
WED: 8/12/09
After a Full Breakfast at La Fonda Hotel, we tour the major sites of Santa Fe with a local guide. Stops include Loretto Chapel, The Palace of the Governors and the International Folk Art Museum. After lunch on your own, the afternoon is at leisure to explore the Museum Hill museums, Canyon Road galleries, and other attractions. Dinner tonight is at the Santa Fe Opera's Cantina. During dinner, we'll be treated to an "informance" prior to a performance of Donizetti’s “The Elixir of Love”.
Overnight at The La Fonda Hotel. Meals included: Breakfast and dinner.
THU: 8/13/09
After a Full Breakfast at La Fonda Hotel, we depart Santa Fe for a full-day's visit to Taos with a local guide. We'll visit the Bandelier National Monument, site of the ancient Anasazi ruins; the Taos Pueblo and the Millicent Rogers Museum. Lunch on own. After some leisure time to explore Taos' distinctive shops and galleries, we'll have an early dinner at Doc Martin’s at the historic Taos Inn, before returning to Santa Fe. Overnight at The La Fonda Hotel. Meals included: Breakfast and dinner.
FRI: 8/14/09
After a Full Breakfast at La Fonda Hotel, we check out and head for Albuquerque with a stop enroute at the Sandia Mountain tramway. We'll travel to the top of Sandia Peak for dramatic vistas of New Mexico, including Albuquerque. We then travel to Albuquerque's Old Town for sightseeing, shopping, and lunch on one's own. We have an early afternoon check-in for our flight home. We depart Albuquerque at 3:45PM and arrive at Bradley International Airport at 12:45AM on Saturday, 8/15/09. Air is American Airlines via Dallas/Ft. Worth. Meals included: Breakfast.
Tour price includes: round-trip airfare between Hartford/Springfield and Albuquerque; airport transfers in New Mexico and all local transportation in Santa Fe, Albuquerque, and Taos; four nights accommodations at La Fonda in Santa Fe; 4 breakfasts, 4 dinners; orchestra seating for two opera performances at Santa Fe Opera; guide services, admissions as listed in itinerary; fulltime tour escort, and Tips/gratuities for local guides, skycaps, bellhops. A portion of the tour cost benefits the programs and services of WFCR and WNNZ.
Not included: lunches, alcoholic beverages, items of a person nature, travel insurance, tips for tour escort and bus driver; additional taxes and fuel surcharges, airline charges for checked baggage.
Prices:
Early Bird (when deposit is paid before March 31, 2009): $3,959.00 per person/double occupancy; $640.00 single supplement. Land only: approximately $300.00 per person less***
Regular: (after March 31, 2009): $4,259.00 per person/double occupancy; $640.00 single supplement. Land only: approximately $300.00 per person less***
Deposit ($500 per person) due to secure reservation. Balance payments due on or before June 5, 2009.
***Participants who choose this must make their own transfer arrangements to/from Albuquerque Airport and Santa Fe at their own expense.
For information on the WFCR Santa Fe Opera Tour: www.wfcr.org
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
Press Release: Capitol Steps Add Second Cambridge Show 5PM on November 29
DATELINE: 11/06/08
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACTS:
Mike Thornton
Mike Thornton Agency on behalf of Capitol Steps
703-597-4441
thorntonis@yahoo.com
Mark G. Auerbach
Public Relations
413-733-7095
mgauerbachpubrel@aol.com
CAPITOL STEPS ADDS SECOND SHOW AT CAMBRIDGE'S SANDERS THEATRE ON SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 2008. HARVARD APPEARANCE PART OF THE 2008 CAMPAIGN AND SUFFERING TOUR
Cambridge, MA--The award-winning musical satire group, The Capitol Steps, will be making a Pre-Inauguration stop at The Sanders Theatre, at Harvard University in Cambridge, MA with an additional Thanksgiving Weekend performance of their new "Campaign and Suffering" tour on Saturday, November 29, 2008, at 5PM. The troupe's other performance at 8PM has limited ticket availability.
Cambridge will be one of the first post-election whistle stops on the Capitol Steps 2008 Campaign and Suffering Tour. Be among the first audiences in the country to roast the new President-Elect Barack Obama with some song-and-dance, as 2008's most colorful campaign characters side-step and tap their way through global warming, the recession, foreclosures, and bank failures. Hum along as John McCain, Caribou Barbie, and Joe the Plumber step into history, and as George W. Bush and Cheney perform their grand finales before the American people.
Since they began in 1981, the Capitol Steps have recorded 27 albums. They've been featured on NBC, CBS, ABC, and PBS, and can be heard 4 times a year on NPR stations nationwide during their "Politics Takes a Holiday" radio specials. The Cambridge program includes songs from their brand new album "Campaign and Suffering", as well as melodies spoofing current issues in the news. The show promises to hit both sides of the aisle and the songs change with the scandal of the day. So, if something big happens in the news, you can run to the Capitol Steps show and find out exactly what rhymes with it! To preview some of the Capitol Steps materials and download selections from "Campaign and Suffering", visit www.capsteps.com.
Recently nominated for the prestigious Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Lyrics and winner of the 2006 WUSA A-List for "Best Comedy Club", the Capitol Steps have reached many fans nationwide. The New York Times called the performance of music and comedy "A happy evening for those who yearn for the lighter side of the news and derive pleasure from seeing the mighty made ridiculous".
The Capitol Steps have brought new shows to the Boston area for over a decade.
The Capitol Steps performances in Cambridge are made possible with the support of public radio station WBUR.
Tickets, priced $38, $34, and $29 are now on sale at the Harvard Box-Office. Students can purchase tickets at a $5.00 discount. For tickets, call 617-496-2222 or order online at www.boxoffice.harvard.edu.
-30-
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACTS:
Mike Thornton
Mike Thornton Agency on behalf of Capitol Steps
703-597-4441
thorntonis@yahoo.com
Mark G. Auerbach
Public Relations
413-733-7095
mgauerbachpubrel@aol.com
CAPITOL STEPS ADDS SECOND SHOW AT CAMBRIDGE'S SANDERS THEATRE ON SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 2008. HARVARD APPEARANCE PART OF THE 2008 CAMPAIGN AND SUFFERING TOUR
Cambridge, MA--The award-winning musical satire group, The Capitol Steps, will be making a Pre-Inauguration stop at The Sanders Theatre, at Harvard University in Cambridge, MA with an additional Thanksgiving Weekend performance of their new "Campaign and Suffering" tour on Saturday, November 29, 2008, at 5PM. The troupe's other performance at 8PM has limited ticket availability.
Cambridge will be one of the first post-election whistle stops on the Capitol Steps 2008 Campaign and Suffering Tour. Be among the first audiences in the country to roast the new President-Elect Barack Obama with some song-and-dance, as 2008's most colorful campaign characters side-step and tap their way through global warming, the recession, foreclosures, and bank failures. Hum along as John McCain, Caribou Barbie, and Joe the Plumber step into history, and as George W. Bush and Cheney perform their grand finales before the American people.
Since they began in 1981, the Capitol Steps have recorded 27 albums. They've been featured on NBC, CBS, ABC, and PBS, and can be heard 4 times a year on NPR stations nationwide during their "Politics Takes a Holiday" radio specials. The Cambridge program includes songs from their brand new album "Campaign and Suffering", as well as melodies spoofing current issues in the news. The show promises to hit both sides of the aisle and the songs change with the scandal of the day. So, if something big happens in the news, you can run to the Capitol Steps show and find out exactly what rhymes with it! To preview some of the Capitol Steps materials and download selections from "Campaign and Suffering", visit www.capsteps.com.
Recently nominated for the prestigious Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Lyrics and winner of the 2006 WUSA A-List for "Best Comedy Club", the Capitol Steps have reached many fans nationwide. The New York Times called the performance of music and comedy "A happy evening for those who yearn for the lighter side of the news and derive pleasure from seeing the mighty made ridiculous".
The Capitol Steps have brought new shows to the Boston area for over a decade.
The Capitol Steps performances in Cambridge are made possible with the support of public radio station WBUR.
Tickets, priced $38, $34, and $29 are now on sale at the Harvard Box-Office. Students can purchase tickets at a $5.00 discount. For tickets, call 617-496-2222 or order online at www.boxoffice.harvard.edu.
-30-
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