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