» lehruary 20. 2004
40
D IVER SIO N S
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Revisiting Sodom
It if it ain't broke,
don’t fix it
t’s hard not to break into a smile at a club night phe
nomenon. That sudden rush of energy for some random
night that becomes, through word of mouth, a veritable
sensation— that’s just plain endearing.
Hence my following praise of—and ultimate concern
for—Quarters Night at C .C . Slaughters and Tart at
Holocene.
Gay bar Slaughters, always popular on the weekends,
now (originally no doubt in response to certain specials
the Oregon Liquor Control Commission won’t let us write
about) is packed to the rafters every Thursday with
queers— all kinds of ’em.
Recently when 1 went, nearly half the crowd was
female, and ages ranged from barely legal indie kids to
gtxxl oP C .C . regulars. There’s also a straight contingent
(gay is the new hip, after all), but not in a bad, frat-boy
way, more in a “can’t we just all get along?” way. All in all,
quite an impressively diverse display of merriment.
But, uh-oh. A cover charge appeared for the first time
this month. And a line seems to be forming outside by
10:30 p.m. even though the place clearly isn’t full. The
villagers are starting to grumble.
Partners Bruce Rice and John Houston bought the bar
about six months ago and made improvements right away—
a new lighting and sound system and light remodeling,
which, Rice says, has helped make Thursdays even more
popular. The admission charge covers the cost of the added
staff, and the line, he insists, isn’t self-imposed, except “by
the fire marshal.” He admits other clubs squeeze patrons in
tighter, but Slaughters won’t. “It’s a health issue,” he says. “If
we have a fire, I don’t need people jam-packed in there.”
Speaking of jam-packed, let’s talk about Tart. Tart,
Tart, how do 1 love thee? I love thee to the depth and
breadth of my queer girl soul. The second Sunday at
Holocene routinely reaches maximum capacity. That
means about 250 are inside— by 7:30 p.m.
This thing is big, and, with its chic hip-hop and world
DJs and its ability to bring women out of the woodwork
(believe me, I go out a lot. I have never seen most of
these women. Where have they been?), the fever sur
rounding it is high, high, high. It has potential to stick
around a gixxl long while.
Which is why the postcards at Fehmary’s Tart terrify
me. “Diva,” they announce, “A Sophisticated Queer Girl
Extravaganza!” It’s another gay girl night at Hokx:ene.
Two women created Tart— one of them will continue it,
while the other, Katharine Sprecher, will head up Diva. “I
had so many women coming up to me and asking for more,”
explains Sprecher. In January “we were 150 people over
capacity, and we had to turn people away from the dtxir.”
"This second night, premiering Feb. 29 and then continu
ing every fourth Sunday, will ease that crowd. And that’s
what scares me— a gtxxl thing pushed beyond its capacity.
Turning away 150 people is unfortunate, but it keeps them
on the edge, waiting, hoping they’ll get in. It keeps them
showing up for the hottest ticket in town. Tart is a full
blown scene , and it now may have found a way to dull its
own edge.
Sprecher, who plans different kinds of fun live perfor
mances during Diva and who indeed has experience in these
kinds of clubs in San Francisco, says there’s rixrni for both.
Please, please, great gay Gtxl, let that be true. There is
a fine line between protecting and serving your customers
and pushing them just far enough to bring the whole thing
crashing down. No doubt the number of dykes in the Port
land metro area can support two nights at Hol<x:ene. No
doubt we can afford $2 to get into Slaughters. The ques
tion is, will we? j n
I
Connect the Dots Theatre Company cast more than 50
Southern Oregon actors in The Laram ie Project
Making connections
in Southern Oregon
S
| ft-overlooked tale: After God burned up all the Stxlomites and
Lot’s wife turned to salt, Lot’s naughty daughters got Dad
drunk and used him to become pregnant with sons who would
be sworn enemies of Israel. How’s that for moral purity?
And how’d you like to see a picture? Celebrated New Mexico
artist Gerry Snyder invites viewers to his series of paintings and
drawings that turn violence, incest and conquest into a bucolic car-
toon. F ar from Here is on display through March 14 at Lewis &
Clark College’s Hoffman Gallery, 0615 S.W. Palatine Hill Road.
Bulbous and colorful intersex characters float against Eden-like
backgrounds, enacting biblical and other myths. “Within an ani
mated world, all things are possible,” says Snyder. Using cartoonish
figures, he challenges viewers to consider the uncomfortable
aspects of common myths. Morality is in the eye of the beholder,
his paintings suggest— or, rather, on the tongue of the storyteller.
“Our lives are built on a set of self-constructed narratives that
basically suit our needs,” he explains. “Everyone’s creating them
selves and the world coastantly.”
Enter Pepper LaBeija, a Harlem drag queen featured in the film
Paris Is Burning. Snyder also raises to mythic stature people like La
Beija who he sees as “dis
tinguished by their
humanity” and whom he
wants “to be part of our
history.”
The paintings are
beautiful and eerie and
cool and worth the trip.
ince Grants Pass’ Connect the Dots Theatre
Company opened its d(x>rs in January 2003,
executive directors James Pate and Shane Skin
ner have wanted to produce The Laram ie Project.
Now, just over a year later, Southern Oregon will
experience the dtx:udrama through Feb. 25.
An eclectic cast of more than 50 lcx:al actors will
tell the story of the aftermath of Matthew Shepard’s
murder. Bobhi Kidder, theater instructor at Rogue
Community College, is directing. She calls the play
“brilliant,” saying it’s “about a brutal murder. It’s
about a community becoming aware. It’s about the
courage to forgive."
Pate and Skinner’s goal for Connect the Dots is to
J jjl eaf & Hearing O U T
deal with social issues through community theater.
Reach marks an
They designed a three-part prelude to the play called
auspicious two years
“For All That We Are,” f<x:using on the history of
Feb. 28 with a Second
hate crimes and acceptance in Southern Oregon. Judy
Anniversary Gala at the
Shepard was a featured keynote speaker in January.
Gerry Snyder’s balloony, cartoony interpretations of Red Lion Hotel’s Win
Connect the Dots has six projects slated for 2004, various colorful personalities are on view through
dows Lounge, 1021 N.E.
including The Vagina Monologues in March. The
Grand Ave.
March 14 at Hoffman Gallery
Laramie Project runs Feb. 2 0 to 22 at Rogue Com
The nonprofit organi
munity College in Grants Pass. Tickets are $10-$ 12 from Service
zation offers queer American Sign Language classes and social
Drugs or Connect the Dots. The show then plays Feb. 25 at the
events, including a unique comedy night that has become increas
Craterian Ginger Rogers Theater in Medford. Tickets are $8-$ 16
ingly popular with both the deaf and hearing communities. “What
from the box office or 541-779-3000.
started as a fund-raiser for us has turned into a community educa
tion tool,” notes member Jeska Duckworth.
“We reach out to as much of the community
as possible by creating a space that welcomes
everyone in everything we do.”
The gala includes a sampling of deaf come
his year’s diverse crop o f
dy skits, a silent and live auction, African-
Academy Award nominees
inspired dance and D J Harmony. Entry is $8
actually reminds us why we
or $10 for two, and all pnxieeds go toward
get excited about these annual
office space. Contact DHOR at 503-235-0840
accolades in the first place.
(voice) or dhor@deafvision.net.
The 2004 nods include un
expected unknowns from as far
away as New Zealand (Whale
Ruler’s Keisha Castle-Hughes), Iran
(House (if Sand and Fog’s Shohreh
Aghdashloo), Benin (In America’s
Charlize Theron should run away with the
riangle productions! offers up a bit of cir
Djimon Hounsou) anti Japan (The O scar for Best Actress, while G us Van Sant
cular, sexular fun in its new show Circle
Last Samurai's Ken Waranabe).
may well amble off with the Independent Spirit
through March 6
Queers have lots to look for Award for Best Director
Based on Austrian playwright Arthur
ward to, as well. Here’s who we
Schnitzler’s
1897 play in which a character
think deserves to take home trophies:
Cold Mountain was overrated, Renée Zell
from each scene interacts with a new character
• Best Actor/Supporting Actor: It
weger stole every scene from Nicole Kid
in the next scene until a full-circle connection
would he great to see Lost in Translatum's
man—with some Sapphic subtext to boot.
is made, triangle has queered up the normally
Bill Murray (hee!) and The Cooler’s Alec
• Best Documentary: Give the gold
straight
relationships, bringing an additional
Baldwin (woof!) at the ptxlium, but
to Capturing the Friedmans, an exposé
element of emotional and sexual questioning
drama queens should root for Mystic
about a pedophilia scandal that shattered
to the popular story, which has also been
River’s Scan Penn and Tim Robbins. Sure,
a family (including gay CJjegonian
adapted by filmmakers and novelists.
their acting was stellar, but c’mon; This is
Howard Friedman).
“People are searching for love through sex
a pivotal election year, and we need some
The Oscars air 5 p.m. Feb. 29 on ABC.
ual contact,” says triangle’s Sherry Okamura,
juicy political speeches from these out
The really cool kids, however, will tune in
“with mixed results.”
spoken liberals.
the day before for the infinitely edgier
Circle is at Theater! Theatre!, 3430 S.E.
• Best Actress: Charlize Theron
Independent Spirit Awards hosted by
Belmont St. Tickets are $17-$23 from
channeled lesbian serial killer Aileen
queer trashmeister John Waters. Our fin
503-239-5919
or TicketsWest. J H
Wuomos in Monster, delivering the
gers are crossed for gay Portlander Gus
year’s best performance in any category.
Van Sant, tapped for directing Elephant.
Compiled by L isa B radshaw , M ec ; D aly ,
• Best Supporting Actress: Although
Check it out 9 p.m. Feb. 28 on Bravo. j n
C helsea F ine and J im R adosta
Two years
and counting
We’d like te thank
the academy
T
■k
é
triangle comes
full Circle
t ;