APRIL 4, 2008
just|out«i
Sing, Sing, Sing
Broadway legend visits Portland
usicals are back! Not
only was Tim Burton’s
heim in conversation with former New
York Times theater critic Frank Rich
luminaries of the Great White Way,
including Leonard Bernstein, Jerome
Robbins and Arthur Laurents. Among
the enthralled was John Ellingson, who
works at Northwest Children’s Theater
as an actor and resident designer. The
23-year-old beauty said he enjoyed “the
casualness of the evening,” while Rob
ert Hill, author of the Oregon Book
Award-nominated When All Is Said
and Done, told me a hilariousty racy
(in honorary bold for his bold stances in
favor of gay rights) at the Portland Arts
& Lectures series. The sold-out crowd
broke out into song to wish Sondheim
a happy birthday—in tune.
anecdote about Sondheim and a friend
that 1 can’t repeat. Neil Wilburn and
Jody Clemmons were also there, as
was Brian Wilson, who reminded me
that Desperate Housewives creator Marc
Sondheim mesmerized the audi
ence with stories of working with other
Cherry names each episode of that hit
show after Sondheim songs.
Two nights later
JOHN BATISTE
movie version of Swee
ney Todd a hit, but the
Facebook group “Why
Yes, I Do Frequently Break Out into
Song” has more than 350,000 members.
Some of them must have shown up to
hear Broadway legend Stephen Sond
I was at the eighth
annual Investments
in Dignity Awards,
presented by Equity
Foundation.
1 was
still bubbling about
Sondheim’s visit, so
I asked everyone I
met, “What’s your
favorite musical?”
Kendall Claw
Floyd kicks up his heels with Red Dress Party
volunteers.
lout
lout
son, co-chairwoman
oak
out
eat
of the event, said Sondheim’s Gypsy
is her No. 1 choice because “I love a
powerful broad.” A powerful broad
herself, Kendall also shared the news
that Q Center has outgrown its space
and is looking for a new home. Speak
ing of powerful broads, Kregg Amt-
son dreams of being reincarnated as a
Dreamgirl; Jim Baker agreed, saying, “I
could be Effie.”
David Kahl digs Rent because “it’s
edgier than most typical Broadway fare,
and the music is awesome.” Michael
Traylor has seen it at least six times. “I
grew up in Indiana, and the bohemian
lifestyle was far from my experience,”
he said. “Plus it was the only play I’d
ever seen with a gay character.” (In
cidentally, Rent returns to Portland in
June 2009 as part of Portland Opera’s
Broadway Across America series.)
Curtis Thompson loves Evita be
cause “I love Argentina,” a country he
spent three months in during medical
school. Documentary filmmaker David
Weissman says Cabaret is his favorite
because “it mixes politics, sexual
ity and camp.” Shaun Simpkins also
fancies Cabaret but for a different rea
son—he couldn’t stop staring at Wade
McCollum’s newly buff body in Port
eatinglout
out
land Center Stage’s recent
production.
Jonathan
Weedman chose West Side
Story because “I’m a good
gay son, and I watched it
all the time with my moth
er.” Greg Suits was swept
away by West Side Story at
the opening night last season of PCS’
Gerding Theater, where, incidentally,
the awards ceremony was held.
The stylish Gwenn Baldwin singled
out My Fair Lady because of “the stylish
costumes and oversized hats.” Trevor
Scott “cried my eyes out” during Billy
Elliot in London, and Hans Bernard
fell in love with Les Misérables because
“I saw Ricky Martin in it on Broad
way.” Speaking of Les Mi?, Chicago ac
tor Rob Hunt, who starred as Inspector
Javert in the national tour, will direct
Broadway Rose Theatre Company’s
production opening June 27.
Finally, last weekend 1 headed over
to Brian (BoBo) Wilson’s warehouse
(not to be confused with the other
Brian Wilson) in Northeast Portland,
where the eighth annual Red Dress
Party will take place April 12. The
event will be bigger and better than
ever, with performances by Storm
eatindout • eatH lout
eak lout
Large and aerialist Benn Mendoza,
according to committee chairman Reid
Decker, who expects a crowd of more
than 2,000.
Among the three dozen construct
ing the mammoth sets that afternoon
were Jeff Smith, who says “Follies is
fabulous because it captures a bygone
era of glamour.” He’s seen the Sond
heim musical seven times. Tiffany
Thompson told me, “I like a musical
you can’t take a child to—like Hed
wig.” And Joyce Reilly took her mama
to see her favorite, Mamma Mia!
Michael Ruberg told me he’s never
seen a musical. Neither had Mike
Brown, who admitted, “I’m just not
that gay.” He may not be that gay, but
if he shows up at the Red Dress Party,
he’d better be Out Going. ©
F loyd S klaver wants to know about
your event. E-mail him at floydsklaver@
comcast.net.
eatnvlout
eatinc.lout
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