march 5. 2004 • Ju st out 41
DIVERSIONS
premiere of a little Canadian
“ I like to do things big,” says Bridon. “I
gem, The Drawer Boy, star
i wanted to see if the street would go for
ring Hurt, ART artistic direc
it...com e together and participate with each
tor Allen Nause and Patrick
other. And they did.”
Wohlmut.
To enter, send a photo and 100 words or
Turns out Nause knows Hurt
less on why you deserve to be Spanked to
from the Oregon Shakespeare
Mitch at 1433 N.E. Alberta St., Portland,
Festival, where the two acted in
O R 97211. You may enter on another’s
the 1970s. “Through a serendipi-
behalf, and you don’t have to be a straight
texjs encounter at ART a couple
guy or anything. Spanking Portland is open
of years ago, we discovered that
to men and women, queer and not.
we would like to share that
“We don’t want to leave anybixly out,”
experience together again,” says
explains Bridon, who says they’ll he looking
Nause. “I lcx>ked for just the
for people who have compelling reasons for
right kind of project: a small cast
needing a day of pampering and perking up.
play with a compelling human
“Spanking can feel good, too, you know.”
hen I arrived wirh my partner at the
story and in-depth roles.”
Enjoy
the
ambiance
that
is
Rory
Stitt
on
March
5
at
Nocturnal
Multnomah Building on Southeast
The three-person “sleeper”
Hawthorne Boulevard at 8:30 a.m.
play by Michael Healy casts
March 3,1 immediately ran into Just
Hurt and Nause as fellow World War II veter
ortland Center Stage has canceled G ay
Out columnist Marc Acito. “Where have you ory Stitt has a pretty loyal following.
ans and farmers who share a mysterious secret
and Lesbian Audience N ight beginning
been?!” he screeched.
Which isn’t to say you’ll have trouble get
that threatens to explixle when a young actor
next season. T he event, normally the
Because 8:30 was late for queer activists,
ting tickets to his March 5 show at Noc
(Wohlmut) arrives on the farm.
second Tuesday o f a production’s run, will
writers and just plain folks in love that day.
turnal. You won’t have any trouble— go ahead,
The Drawer Boy runs March 14 to April 25
continue for the last two plays of this year.
Els and 1 didn’t plan to get married on
buy tickets at the dcxir, no worries.
at 1516 S.W. Alder St. Tickets are $20-$40
G A LA goers may have noticed a bit o f a
March 3; we just wanted the license. We’ll get
from 503-241-1278.
But be prepared to be surrounded by the Port
miffed Poison W aters, the event’s hostess,
it, he a part of history and see how we feel in a
land gay singer’s friends— all of them. At a recent
couple of weeks, we said. Very levelheaded are
show, there were a ton, all smiley and supportive
me and Els.
and getting the inside jokes between themselves
Besides, Els is from Belgium, and we plan
and the slight young man on stage. At a Rory
to move there eventually and get married in
Stitt show there’s a lot of love in the rextm.
one of the two countries where all marriages
There’s also a lot of talent. Stitt’s hazy, crazy
are created equal. We wanted to get legally
rock ’n’ roll piano groove is mellow but with
married for the first and only time in front of
just enough edge to keep your hearing aid on
some members of her family, have a recep
high. What was that lyric? What did his ex-
tion, etc.
boyfriend say to him in London? I missed it!
Plus, if Belgium recognizes this marriage,
When Stitt talks from the stage it's not to
they might not grant us a Belgian marriage
spout bullshit. It’s to use his quiet voice to say
license. Then there would be no legal ceremo
stuff like “What time is it?” and “I’m going now
ny there. That was not what we wanted.
on what I like to call a smoke break.” Stitt is
And the nonprofit Immigration Equality
just cool, which is why his music keeps his peo
advised binational queer couples not to get
ple coming hack for more. The room might not
be full, but that’s not their fault. They know
married. It won’t help you get a green card,
because it’s not federally recognized and it
what they’re doing.
could hinder you leaving and re-entering the
country. Play it safe, they said.
Then we saw the first people to walk
around the ever-lengthening line waving their
et thee to Tahla! And partake of the
new marriage license. Soon after that, there
vino! All during March, the Northeast
was another dashing male couple doing the
Portland wine bar and eatery will donate
same. “Thar was the N o Fish! G o Fish! guys,”
$3 of every glass of lesbian-owned Hip Chicks
Els said, referring to the owners of the charm
Do Wine to O ur House of Portland, which
ing Hawthorne eatery. “It was?” I said. We
provides housing and health services to people
brooded.
living in advanced stages of AIDS.
To spend time with (from left) Ali Wykhuis and Angie Coffin of Frock and Mitch Bridon of
A hunch of officiates cruising the line gave
This good-for-business, good-for-the-
Spank! one must only ask for a makeover
us their cards. One we particularly liked (sort
community collaboration came about because,
of because she had no card). She just “took the
well, the owners just like each other. Tabla is
day off” from Universal Life Church, she said,
during February’s 36 Views run. Because o f a
the first restaurant to serve wine by the glass
to come perform marriages outside the build
from the Portland winery.
confused transition, G A L A had been
ing. No fee. We brooded.
moved from the Portland Center for the
“I love Tahla’s whole atmosphere," says Hip
ay-owned hair salon Spank! has already
Performing Arts rotunda to the Newinark
When we finally got our license three
Chick’s Laurie Lewis. “The whole small plate idea
provocatively announced its birth on
Theatre lobby, where nary a treat nor drink
hours later, we both burst into tears. How
helps people get into an adventurous mcxle about
Alberta Street with an image in its sec
could he found.
the ftxxl they’re eating.” She notes they hope to
sappy, we said, I hope no one we know is
ond story o f a hand about to
watching.
go through a case of wine a week.
“W hat makes this any different from any
lay into a naked ass.
other night?” she queried in the fast-empty
But then when we found our officiate and
Supposedly there are several
Now owner Mitch Bridon
ing space. Two days later she resigned as
two friends outside to act as witnesses, we
Tabla/Hip Chick events in the off
hostess.
wants to get the whole city
didn’t care who was watching— not about the
ing. Check future issues for details.
involved in his playtime.
strangers still in line, not about the hate-
“W e’ve really had to kxik at all our pro
Hence, Spanking Portland,
grams this year and say, ‘What do we think
mongers in the street, not about the others
a makeover contest, in
waiting for the officiate to hurry up please and
is the most effective’ and ‘W ho’s coming?’ ”
which three winners will he
explains K athy Budas, P C S director of mar
get to them, not about the news camera in our
hen was the last time a
chosen from entries due to
keting. G A L A , she says, “wasn’t really
megastar appeared along
faces. In fact, we relished them.
the salon by March 31.
attracting new people.” Rather, “they were
side Portlanders in a kx:al
Queer performance artist Tim Miller, who
Bridon has half the street
getting smaller.”
theater prexiuction? Well, hold
was in town last month wirh his latest one-
involved in his project.
She attributes this in part to the compa
onto your hats because William
man show about the lack of essential rights
While
Spank!
does
up
your
ny’s
new preview performance night, Fade to
Hurt, star of Body Heat, The Big
for gay couples, recently said to me, “ I think
’do, Frock will outfit you,
Black. T his first-Tuesday preview includes
Chill, Children of a Ixsser God, Kiss
gay people are so still afraid to actually take
Picasso
Beads
will
jewel
you,
the
play and an after-party with fcxxJ, drinks
of
the
Spider
Woman
(in
which
he
any power and see the systems of hom o
Venus Envy Day Spa will
and a DJ or live music, all for $20. Budas
played a big queen and won an
phobia in our country...our cultural power is
relax you and Tin Shed will
notes that many patrons “moved over from
Oscar) and other major films, as
so much greater than our political power at
feed you. Other retailers and
the G A L A night to the Fade to Black
well as more than 70 plays, is on
this point.”
restaurants are jumping
night.
his way to our fine town.
On March 3, 422 couples made one hell of
aboard wirh services and gift
On March 14, Artists Reperto
a political statement at 500 S.E. Hawthorne
certificates for winners.
ry Theatre launches the Northwest
Compiled by L isa B radshaw and M eg D aly
Blvd. Maybe we’re catching up. J D
We’re so married
W
No more GALA
No bullstitt
P
R
W
’Cause everyone
deserves a spanking
G
So good it Hurts
W
”jn
PHOTO BY MARTY DAVIS
Hip Chicks Do Tabla