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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 19, 2003)
4 b |I— dacamher 1ÌU2QQ3_____________________________________________________ — —------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- DIVERSIONS ............ ¥ ............ $400 a night, so take some dollar hills along. PCS revived the onstage double hill this year after its success in 2002. Gay California actor Steve Wilkerson stars in both of the one- man shows. Series of queers T The music man R emember how in The Music Man, flimflam artist Harold Hill blows into town and creates a miraculous marching hand out of nothing, contrary to his original nefarious intentions? Well, Steven Couch already hits one up on Harold. Couch’s intentions are all good already, so imagine what could happen. Couch has been hired as the new director of music at Metropolitan Church of Portland, and dance party Snow Ball, to be held at the Telus he makes his dehut singing with the choir on Whistler Conference Centre in the heart of Christmas Eve. Whistler Village. “M CC in Portland is on the verge of a lot of And since this is British Columbia, snow bun afe Haven, a benefit C D for the Sexual growth,” says Couch from his soon-to-be-former nies who are also snuggle bunnies can tie the knot Minority Youth Resource Center, is Dallas home. “I’m very close to Glenna [M CC’s and consider this their ultimate gay honeynuxin. the Rev. Glenna Shepherd)...her and I together scheduled to hit the streets next spring. For details on Altitude 12, visit www. can really make a difference in that church’s The compilation will feature some of Port outontheslopes.com. Another helpful site is growth. 1 would say that within a year it will he land’s finest musical talent including Tamara J. www.whistlergayweddings.com, you know, just much larger— larger congregation, more out Brown, Nicole Campbell, Anne Weiss and in case you’re interested. reach, doing more things in the community.” Lara Michell, to name a few. Shepherd worked with Couch two years ago Safe Haven is the brainchild of Dale Schiff, when she was on staff at Dallas’ Cathedral of queer owner of Haven, a coffee shop on Southeast Hope, the largest gay and lesbian church in the Division Street. When she heard that SMYRC n i l | ecause in the depths of the winter, world (which disassociated with M C C last sum was having financial troubles and might close, she the best we can do to keep warm mer). Couch has been with Cathedral for nine says she “felt compelled to do something.” is come together and shake our years, working with the worship planning team As fonner program director for Gay and collective booty." Words to live by, and serving as principal organist, conductor of Lesbian Adolescent Services in L is Angeles, really— spoken by Sue Bums, manager two vocal ensembles and orchestral arranger. Schiff believes sexual minority youth are a of In Other Words, in reference to the Shepherd saw Couch in Dallas last fall and greatly underserved population. “I felt that if nonprofit Fxxikstore’s upcoming Dec. 26 told him she was ah nit to hire a man from Flori SMRYC were to go away, it would leave a great benefit concert at McMenamins White da for M C C Portland’s music position. “Within a void in the community." Eagle, 836 N. Russell St. couple of weeks, the person in Florida decided Schiff funded the C D and was involved in all Portland queer musicians Tamara J. that he wasn’t ready to move,” shares Shepherd. aspects of the project. She contacted the musi Brown, who spearheaded the event, and She called Couch. “When he answered, he said, cians, scheduled the recordings (with donated Ashleigh Flynn will perform. Brown, ‘I was expecting your call.’ I think that Spirit was studio time from Jackpot Studios), worked with working in both places to bring this about!” who sounds uncannily like Ani FIBO’s the sound engineer and oversaw the artwork. DiFranco (sounds like a cliché, but wait Couch spent a significant amount of time in All proceeds will benefit SMYRC. Schiff won’t until you hear her), promises an “outta control, Portland as a teen-ager because his favorite aunt, recoup any costs. “It’s a donation,” she says. aggressive and politically finger-lickin’ gixxJ" who is also a musician, lived here for about 15 SMYRC development director and time. years. In fact, it was in Portland that Q m ch had singer/songwriter Ashleigh Flynn has also been “It’s a great chance to hear powerful music,” his first contact with the queer community. actively involved in the project. Besides donating says Brown, “help out our sistas at In Other Seems his aunt has several gay and lesbian a track, she’s been attempting to round up nation Words and hang out with all the ax il kids, friends. “ I wasn’t clear that I was gay,” he says, al talent for inclusion on the CD. So far she’s ’cause they’ll all be there.” “but she was pretty clear with me that ‘these peo hearing positive responses from the likes of Tegan The show starts at 9:30 p.m. and costs $8 at ple you just met are gay, and they’re a couple.' I and Sara, Catie Curtis and the Indigo Girls. the d(x>r. didn’t know what to say at that point," he laughs. “SMYRC? has straggled to become financial Now he says everything he needs to through ly solvent over the past five years, and commu music. “The role of music [in the church| is to nity support like that offered by Dale...makes a uring its ran of gay authors David Sedaris’ create the mtxxJ or the setting for people to he in huge difference!” exclaims Flynn. “All queer The SantaLand Diaries and Truman Capote’s a mode to hear the word," he remarks. “ It creates youth deserve a safe haven where they can A Chnstmas Memory, Portland Center the drama for people to be able to hear whatever learn new skills and develop a sense of self-con Stage is collecting donations tor Broadway the message is.” fidence.... We are lucky to have this resource Cares/Equity Remember how at the end of The Music Man, here. It makes for a better community for all.” Fights AIDS, Harold Hill winds up with Madame Marion the the nation’s Librarian? Well, largest non Couch is single, so profit AIDS maybe some of yt>u rab your pole and go to Out on the Slopes’ fund-raising library-type guys Altitude 12, one of the largest gay and les and grant- might want to think bian ski/snowboard weeks in North America, making organiza about going to church. drawing more than 3,000 queers tion, based in Couch turned 40 What a picture! Feb. 1 to 9 to Whistler, British New York. just this year. “You’re Steven Couch Columbia, site of the 2010 Win At its Nov. 30 not going to print takes over ter Olympics. dress rehearsal, that, are you!?" music direction The week is snow-packed PCS reports more he screeches at M CC Portland with more than 30 events, parties than 200 pei>ple over speaker and activities, including a movie- raised $307. H eck,. phone. “OK, I’ll and-martims night, a rrKxintaintop fondue dinner, we can do better let you. As long a women’s wine-and-spa day, races, scavenger than that. At $2 as my pic Hire hunts, snowshoeing, dog slevkling, ectvtours, a Itioks good, I’ll each, you could poolskk- K*ach patty and even a fashion show. sh«x>f that up to let you.” j n Capping the event, however, is the DJ Because everybody needs a safe haven S wo big queer stories on cable TV: the pre miere of HBO’s heralded adaptation of the Pulitzer- and Tony-winning two-part play Angels in Am erica and Showtime’s premiere of the lesbian drama The L Word. Directed by Mike Nichols (The Graduate, The Birdcage) from Tony Kushner’s own adapted script, Angels in America has taken the media by storm, eliciting ravishing reviews from both queer and mainstream press across the country. The prexJuction boasts a venerable cast including Meryl Streep, A1 Pacino, Emma Thompson and Mary-Luiise Parker. Kushner wrote the epic, which is actually two full-length plays, in the early ’90s. C en tered around two very different men w-ith A ID S, it’s considered by many critics to be the best stage work of the past decade. H BO showed part one, “ M illennium Approaches,” Dec. 7 and part two, “ Pere stroika,” Dec. 14 but will repeat them in six “chapters” beginning Dec. 22. In addition, the network will air both parts back-to-back Jan. 3. Finger-lickin’ good B PCS fights AIDS *> D Skiers go down fast G adaptation of Angels in Am erica airs to raves Down the dial at Showtime, The L Word, T V ’s first lesbian-themed drama, will premiere Jan. 18. Like Queer as Folk, The L Word stars mostly straight but certainly all gorgeous actresses (save for the authentically queer Leisha Hailey, formerly of the band The Mur murs, now with the band Gush). Jennifer Beals ( Flashdance ) stars in the pioneering series as a woman in an LTR with Laurel Hollom an, the cute blonde from The Incredibly True Adventures of Two Girls in Live. jn ('omfyiled by L isa B radshaw , T imothy K rause and J amie B olyard
