» ¡uly 19. 900?
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DIVERSIONS
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Slave Master
haunts Portland
clubs
Go directly to jail
A
fter two rousingly successful summer
dance parties, Alley Productions is back
with Prison Camp 2002, a theme party
to benefit Camp Starlight, which is open
to kids whose lives are affected by HIV. This
year’s bash starts 8 p.m. July 27 back in that
alley at 2119 N. Kerby Ave.
Portlanders Jim Feild and Barry Pilip started
Alley Productions solely to throw the costume
parties annually in order to benefit worthy
causes. Past recipients include the American
Diabetes Association, Esther’s Pantry, Neigh-
borhood House and Our House of Portland.
Last year’s Walk Like an Egyptian drew nearly
800 partygoers, according to Feild.
This year Alley asks that you “assume your
role” as a prisoner, guard or visitor. “You can
imagine what people can become,” says Feild,
who envisions couples showing up with one in
charge and the other in ball and chain. “Those
who don’t want to dress up,” he notes, “can just
come as a visitor.” The sponsor also promises a
laser light show that will “stop you in your
tracks and make your escape impossible” as well
as a special surprise on the warden’s agenda.
Two drink tickets and prison food come
with your $20 admission; after that you have to
bribe the guards for more.
Feild works in construction and transforms
the outdoor area from a space between two
buildings to the chosen aesthetic fantasy every
year. Other amenities come from area businesses.
“It’s a collective group of vendors I work
with,” Feild explains, “that donate in-kind or
discount their services so we can put this thing
together. We just want to do a fun theme party
that can make a difference for a charity.”
To attend Prison Camp 2002, reserve your
space (it’s limited) at 503-244-3363 or
www.alleyproductions.com.
It's a gay sunshine day
P
ortland’s Love Makes a Family sponsors
its second annual G ay Day at Oaks
Park from noon to 7 p.m. July 28. Tire
event includes a picnic (you’re encouraged
to bring a potluck dish) and all the regular
fun stuff the park has to offer in the way of
rides, skating rink, cute little train and cot
ton candy.
In case you’re concerned about all
those kids whose parents happen to be
straight, don’t fret— O aks Park will let
them in, too. “Love Makes a Family is for
ail families, so we expect to have all kinds
of families there," executive director Bon
nie Tinker says.
The nonprofit has underwritten the cost
for the entire day with help from generous
Portland sponsors; admission is free, but
you’re encouraged to make a donation.
Tinker also notes that some financial aid is
available for kids who can’t afford ride
bracelets and that “we welcome contribu
tions from those who can’t make it to pay
for some other low-income child’s bracelet.”
For more information call 503-228-3892
or e-mail paul@lmfamily.org.
They have no inten
tion of being outed.”
Dunne himself
has decided to just
not worry about it. “I
know I’ll always
work,” he remarks.
You can still see
this cute gay boy in
Phantom through
July 28 at Keller
Auditorium. And to
the last day, he’ll be
taking advantage of
our fair city. “I love
the architecture down
here,” he says, “and
Powell’s— love it.”
So pat yourself on
the back, Portland,
for being such a fabu
lous city and treating
queer passers-through
“very good,” accord
ing to Dunne. “I’ve
made some new
friends.”
s the Phantom haunts the
opera, so does William
Patrick Dunne haunt the
gay clubs of Portland.
The New York actor, who
plays the Slave Master in the
“Hannibal" scene of The Phan-
tom of the Opera, is taking
advantage of his stay down
town, which he refers to as “the
Greenwich Village of Portland.”
A few words with Dunne
will have you hanging your
head in shame that you don’t
go out more. “I’ve been to all
of ’em,” he gleefully states.
“I’ve gone to The Embers...we
were guest stars at Darcelle’s
the other night; she was terrif
ic. They had us stand up and
say hello to all the brides-to-
be. I love Silverado. Scandals
is my favorite bar. Glenn is the
owner; he’s fantastic.”
Diorama
Dunne, who won’t divulge
of fetish
his age but claims he’s “old
estem States
enough to know better,” has
Center and
been with touring with Phan
2 Gyrlz
tom for four years now and
Be the slave to William Patrick
Performative Arts
plays no less than 13 different
Dunne’s Slave Master in The Phantom play host to an
parts onstage. “Twelve costume
of the Opera
Aug. 2 appearance
changes,” he sighs, noting that
by San Francisco performance art group La
about a third of the musical’s $9 million budget
Pocha Nostra. Two of the infamous and cultur
is for wardrobe.
ally radical organization’s best-known artists,
Previous to Phantom, Dunne toured with
Guillermo Gomez-Pena and Juan Ybarra, will
Cats and played the Scarecrow in the national
perform Mexotica: A Living Diorama of Fetishized
tour of The Wizard of Oz (opposite Phyllis
Other 7:30 p.m. at the Reed College Student
Diller as the Wicked Witch). In the ’80s he
was in the kids shows This Side Up and Kids
Union. Cost is $8-$ 12 at the door.
La Pocha Nostra has challenged audiences
World, which he says “are still being shown
today on retro Nickelodeon.”
for six years now to think about complex cross-
cultural issues with brash, in-your-face images
Being musical theater, Phantom includes sev
and
productions. The constantly evolving com
eral gay actors in the cast, but only Dunne is out
munity of cross-generational, intercultural and
in the open. “Since television and movies and
theater are much more closer-knit now, if.. .you
interdisciplinary artists engage in discussions of
globalization, migration and hybrid identities,
come out, it can hinder your possibilities for
among other pertinent issues of our time.
work,” he pauses, “still in this day and age.”
When fellow actors discovered he was being
G6mez-Pena, an immigrant from Mexico
interviewed by Just Out, Dunne reveals: “They
City, is one of the original members of La Pocha.
said, ‘Oh, one of those.’ And they were gay.
His work includes video, audio, installations,
poetry, journalism and perform
Guillermo Gome:-Peña shocks
ance arts in areas as diverse as
and delights in M exotica:
immigration, the politics of lan
A Living Diorama of Fetishized
guage, technology and gender. A
Other Aug. 2
regular contributor to NPR’s All
Things Considered, he was the first
Chicano/Mexicano artist to
receive a MacArthur Fellowship.
Mexotica is an interactive per
formance that invites exploration
of new ways of thinking about
gender, race, class, ethnicity,
identity and cultural stereotypes.
Audience members are encour
aged to come dressed “as your
favorite cultural fetish.”
For more information contact
2 Gyrlz Performative Arts at
503-318-6860 or www.2gyrlz.org.
Visit La Pocha Nostra at
www.pochanostra.com.
W
Oh, baby
S
erendipity is the driving force
behind Lisa Goddard and
Katie Grindeland’s baby,
scheduled to be bom in October.
A friend donated sperm, and,
after only one try and without the medical estab
lishment, Grindeland became pregnant. Now the
couple are holding a fund-raiser July 26 at the
Cup and Saucer Café to offset the high legal cost
for Goddard to adopt the baby.
The two met 3 1/2 years ago in the café;
Grindeland was a customer and eventually
worked up the courage to ask Goddard, who
works there, out on a date. The event runs
from 7 to 9 p.m. and features Portland Taiko
drummers, refreshments and a raffle. Cost is
$7-$9 sliding scale.
Though both women did not always want
to have children (Goddard was leaving the
decision up to the universe), they are now
ready to be equal parents, partially thanks to an
incredible queer network. “If we hadn’t had
community support, we wouldn’t be pregnant
right now,” Goddard says.
For both mothers-to-be, the reasons to adopt
are clear. Grindeland wants to be sure her bio
logical connection to the child doesn’t make her
more a parent. Goddard agrees and is eager to
use Oregon’s laws that allow lesbians to adopt—
a privilege that’s allowed in only eight states.
While they are anxious about the financial
implications of the adoption, Goddard and
Grindeland are happy and deeply in love—
with each other and with the life they are
building. They hope that the fund-raiser and
the support they’ve found so far are the begin
nings of a community of queer parents.
“I feel very strongly that this is a community
baby,” Grindeland says. “We have been blessed.”
— Nadia Cannon
A Portland date
for Melissa!
elissa Etheridge has added a few shows
to her summer tour, and, by golly,
Portland is one of them. G uess she felt
sorry for all those dykes having to drive to
W oodinville, Wash.
Sept. 1 is the date set for her show at
Keller Auditorium. Funk and soul singer
R osey will open. Tickets are $58.50-$79.50
from all Ticketmaster outlets.
Also gracing the Rose City with a summer
show is ex-Smiths frontman Morrissey. The
British post-punk hero gamers as many stage-
rushed kisses from boys as girls yet remains allu
sively sexually ambiguous. (Popular word has it
he’s straight but likes kisses from boys anyway.
Hmm.)
Morrissey plays the Roseland Aug. 24.
Tickets are on sale now for $29.50 from Fastixx
or www.hob.com.
M
jn
Compiled by L isa B radshaw