1 Eugene Center. $25 from box office,
541-682-5000 or www.huftcenter.org.)
The Embers presents Deaf
Comedy Night, a popular annual
showcase of deaf actors using
American Sign Language with a voice
interpreter. (7:30-9:30 pm. 110 NW
Broadway. $5.)
Find out what all of Europe has been
talking about: Berlin cabaret diva Dahlia
revisits Dietrich—if Dietrich had done
post-punk electro disco—with 3asic and
DJs Boy and Puppet at Porky's Pub.
(9 pm. 835 N Lombard St. $5.)
San Francisco trio True Margrit performs
piano-pop vignettes featuring catchy
choruses and the husky/sweet/surreal
voice of queer vocalist Margrit Eichler at
Mississippi Studios. (9 pm. 3939 N
Mississippi Ave. $10.)
DJ Suppoz spins at gay-owned Crush.
(9 pm. 1400 SE Morrison St. $2.)
Singer/songwriter Garrison Star opens for
Roger Clyne and Peacemakers at Berbatis.
(9:30 pm. 231 SW Ankeny St. $15 at the
door, $13.50 in advance from TicketWeb.)
White Bird presents Inbal Pinto Dance Company's surreal
circus fable May 3.
Amnesty International USA convenes for its 2006 Annual
General Meeting through April 30 at the Hilton Hotel.
Highlights include a panel discussion covering police
brutality against queers and a Saturday night concert at
Roseland Theater featuring Collective Soul, Suzanne Vega
and Oscar-winning actress Mira Sorvino. (921 SW Sixth
Ave. $80 $ 100 from www.amnestyusa.org/events/agm.)
Bad Girls presents Dyke Night at the Eagle featuring an
auction, a raffle and live performers. Proceeds benefit
Bradley-Angle House. (9 pm-midnight. 1300 W Burnside St
$4-$10 donation.)
The Blow performs with Scout Niblett, Faerie Talk and
Everything Is Fine at Berbati's. (9:30 pm. 231 SW Ankeny
St. $7.)
DJ Chef Gabriel spins during Hot Misery at Gotham Bldg
Tavern. (10 pm-1 am. 2240 N Interstate Ave.)
SAT • APRIL 29
Discover high-paying, high-skilled careers in the construction-
related trades during the 14th annual Women in Trades
Career Fair at the National Electrical Contractors
Association/lnternational Brotherhood of Electrical Workers
Training Center. (9 am-4 pm. 16021 NE Airport Way.)
The Imperial Sovereign Court of the Emerald Empire presents
Damsels, Divas and Dudes, a family-friendly evening of
music, dance and impersonation, at Hult Center's Soreng
Theater in Eugene. Proceeds benefit HIV Alliance. (7 pm.
S a Hie Tisdale reads from Women of
the Way: Discovering 2,500 Years of
Buddhist Wisdom, a groundbreaking
new book celebrating women's
Buddhist lineage, at In Other Words.
(7:30 pm. 8 NE Killingsworth St.)
WED • MAY 3
Elder Resource Alliance holds a
business meeting at Friendly House.
(3:30-4:30 pm. 1737 NW 26th Ave.)
Turner Classic Movies premieres
Stardust: The Bette Davis Story,
a startling portrait of one of
Hollywood's most gifted and enig
matic legends. (5 and 8 pm.)
THU • MAY 4
Celebrate the return of golfing weather April 30 with Ladies on
Blackfish Gallery, Classic Greek
the Links.
Theatre
of
Oregon,
CoHo
Productions and Readers Theatre
Repertory join together to create the
Portland's best drag performers face off during Kings and
first-ever MythFest, a collaborative celebration of the
Queens Battle Royale followed by a huge dance party at
power of myth, through June 10. (Fora complete sched
the Egyptian Club. Proceeds benefit Basic Rights Oregon.
ule visit www.mythfest.org.)
(9 pm. 3701 SE Division St. $5.)
Missnomer presents Funk Is Its Own
Reward during Hot Misery at Gotham Bldg
Tavern. (10pm-1 am. 2240 N Interstate Ave.)
SUN • APRIL 30
Regdy for sunshine, fun and the return of golfing weather?
Ladies on the Links and the Hambleton Project host a
Spring Extravaganza featuring three bands and two per
formances at Vitis Enoteca. Proceeds benefit the Leukemia
B Lymphoma Society Team in Training. (5-9 pm. 535 NW
16th Ave. $7 donation, www.ladiesonthelinkspdx.org.)
MON • MAY 1
Pull down your fedora, grab your trench coat and
join 2Boards Productions for Gala “Noir'' at
Theater Theatre. The fund-raiser features a silent
auction, food, drink, music, a classic radio play and a
sneak preview of the new theater company's summer
show, Private Eyes. (6:30 pm. 3430 SE Belmont St. $10
from 503-232-5375.)
The Bisexual Community Forum hosts a casual discussion
group every first Monday at 3 Friends Coffeehouse.
(7:30 pm. 201 SE 12th Ave 503-285-4848.)
TUE • MAY 2
Gay pianist Bill Wells and Portland superstar
Susannah Mars present Make Your Own Party—
Part Deux, an eclectic evening of music including
songs by Jacques Brel, Jason Robert Brown, Dave
Frishberg, Stephen Sondheim and Kurt Weill, at Wilf's
Restaurant and Piano Bar. (7:30 pm. 800 NW Sixth Ave.
$15 from 503-223-0070.)
She's got Bette Davis eyes.
Stardust Memories
To whet our appetites for a tantalizing monthlong marathon of films starring Bette Davis, Turner
Classic Movies is airing a new documentary on the life and legendary Hollywood career of the iconic
Do You Need a Kahneeta?
actress, who might be remembered more as a gay cultural hero than as a phenomenal performer and
Rochelle Sprunk was talking with some friends about how often socializing is done in bars and
taverns. They casually outlined ways to get their lives out of the bars and into other experiences.
groundbreaking celebrity.
Though Stardust: The Bette Davis Story gives her inspiration to countless gay men and drag queens
It was just conversation at that point, but Sprunk couldn’t stop thinking about those ideas. Her back
its due—mostly thanks to an interview with out playwright Charles Busch (Die, Momrnie, Die! ), who nice
ground in marketing and desire to offer different options led her to start a company focused on fun and
ly juggles reverence and astuteness in his assessments—neither is it the best source of deep insight into
socializing for women who love women.
that aspect of this great star’s appeal. For that, see Daniel Harris’ invaluable essay “The Death of Camp.”
The result was Girls on Gay. Sprunk handles the marketing, sales and executive management, while
Rather, Stardust is an excellent, informative, well-researched and balanced introductory survey of Davis’
her lover, Karen Hooper, conducts all computer-related tasks, including the Web site and advertising
life and times: from the Puritan upbringing that gave her the work ethic required for studio-era Hollywood
package design.
stardom to the endlessly strained familial, romantic and work relationships through which she forged and
A year later, after such successes as lesbian speed dating and The L Word premiere, Girls on Gay
practiced her immensely compelling willfulness—and, not least, her impressive body of work in film and
presents I Needa Kahneeta, a weekend lesbian getaway at the popular Central Oregon resort. Sprunk
television. Interviews with subsequent female movie legends who rose to fame and acclaim in Davis’ wake—
hopes to offer this package at least twice a year, including a future event that will include children.
Jane Fonda, Ellen Burstyn and, as narrator, Susan Sarandon—shed some clarifying light on what specifi
Fees include transportation to and from the resort (either by shuttle or, for a $45 upgrade, in a limo
cally made her a hero to them personally and a one-of-a-kind, too-often-overlooked but genuinely worthy
with lots of extras) and all meals, including a Friday evening private dinner and a Saturday evening
acting talent. Best of all, surprisingly, is the ever-unlikable James Wtxxls, who sounds almost homophobic
outdoor traditional salmon bake featuring tribal dancers. Participants have three options for Saturday
when he recalls avoiding What Ever Happened to Baby Jane/ for years based on its campy reputation, rolling
activities: 18 holes of golf, kayaking the Warm Springs River or a deluxe spa treatment that, Sprunk
his eyes as he says “gay icon”—but that makes it all the more vindicating when he goes on to acknowledge
notes, has been mentioned in Shape Magazine as one of the five best in the United States. In addition,
the actual fineness of both the film and Davis’ performance.
guests will receive vouchers for the double Olympic-size pool (with a 140-foot slide), horseback riding,
And Davis is a figure more in need of vindication than most. Unlike her notorious rival (and fellow
gay saint) Joan Crawford, Davis was utterly allergic to ingratiating herself, making her something like
hiking, biking and volleyball.
Sprunk stresses the commitment Girls on Gay has to the queer community and acknowledges support
for political as well as social needs. The goal of Girls on Gay is “to bring the community together.”
The weekend costs $390 per person, $770 per couple or $1,380 per foursome. Register online at
the Courtney Love of her era—a talent whose “unladylike” antics overshadowed her achievements. She
is ripe for just the kind of rediscovery TCM is offering the uninitiated—and on that front, Stardust serves
www.girlsongay.com by May 15 (May 5 if paying by check). For more information call 877-630-7900 or
its primary purpose.
Stardust airs 8 p.m. May 3 followed by an all-night marathon of Davis films, plus another Davis all-
360-260-7900.
nighter every Wednesday through the end of May.
—Patricia L. MacAodha
—Christopher McQuam