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by Jim Farmer
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March 04, 2011 00:00 |
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It’s an iconic image: 17 eager dancers on a bare stage auditioning to get a role in an upcoming musical. “A Chorus Line” — the longest running American Broadway musical ever and winner of nine Tony awards — is about to return to Atlanta as part of the Gas South Broadway Series, with openly gay actor Paul Flanagan in the cast.
Flanagan stars as Al in the musical. Al is 30 years old, from the Bronx, and a very experienced dancer who is in the audition with his wife, Christine. “He is ready to settle down and is at the audition to settle down Christine,” he says.
The actor has been in “A Chorus Line” once before, back in a Hilton Head production when he was 20. He started with this tour back in the fall and will be with it until the late spring, when the tour goes international in Tokyo.
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by Bo Shell
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February 23, 2011 16:58 |
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 Actor's Express, one of several Atlanta theater organizations known for producing gay and gay-favorite plays and musicals, is in dire need of financial support, according to an e-mail sent out today by Artistic Director Freddie Ashley.
“Our theatre is at a critical juncture — a true life or death moment,” Ashley, who is gay, says in the e-mail. “As you know from our many recent calls for support, we are fighting to make it through an extraordinarily difficult time for the arts in Atlanta.”
Ashley says in order to save Actor's Express, the organization must raise $50,000 in four weeks and $150,000 in the next four months.
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by Jim Farmer
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February 18, 2011 00:00 |
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Playwright and former Atlantan Lauren Gunderson’s comedy “Exit, Pursued by a Bear” is about to have its world premiere locally, courtesy of Synchronicity Performance Group, with gay actor Clifton Guterman part of the cast.
Described as one part “I Love Lucy,” one part revenge tragedy and one part feminist ballad, “Exit, Pursued by a Bear” is the tale of Nan (Veronika Duerr), a woman living in the North Georgia mountains. She loves her husband Kyle but is in an abusive relationship with him.
With the help of her best friend Simon (Guterman), a gay man, and a stripper named Sweetheart, Nan decides to leave and get revenge. Revenge is served by tying Kyle up and re-enacting bad moments from his past, making him realize what a bad husband he has been — and by putting meat and honey beside him to draw attention from bears.
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by Jim Farmer
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February 04, 2011 00:00 |
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In an era where Cirque du Soleil productions wow audiences around the globe, it takes more than ever to impress theater-goers. The producers of the new touring version of “Peter Pan” have a catch – the world’s first 360-degree CGI theater. The production, now in Atlanta, features at least two gay performers in its large cast. Atlanta is one of only three cities scheduled for the U.S. tour and the first outside of California. This production follows the traditional J.M. Barrie plot with characters such as Wendy, Tinkerbell, Captain Hook and of course Peter Pan, the boy who doesn’t want to grow up. Ian Street plays Curly, one of the Lost Boys, while Josh Swales is Starkey, one of the pirates. The big difference here is that instead of a traditional stage, “Peter Pan” takes place in a tent, in an “in the round” setting. The interior of the tent is lit up with more than 15,000 square feet of hi-resolution video. That is three times the size of IMAX screens. It’s a terrific show visually, making audience members feel as if they are flying with the characters to Neverland.
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by Jim Farmer
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January 21, 2011 00:00 |
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A key player on the all-star team launching the world premiere “Bring It On: The Musical” in Atlanta is a familiar name to gay theatregoers – Jeff Whitty, who shot to fame when his puppet play “Avenue Q” became a sensation. Whitty, who is gay, is writing the new musical, which plays at the Alliance Theatre through Feb. 20.
The cheerleading musical features a rich array of talent. Besides Whitty, there is Tony winner Andy Blankenbuehler (In the Heights).Blankenbuehler, who directed “In the Heights” and is directing and choreographing this production. The music and lyrics are by Tony winner Lin-Manuel Miranda, also of “In the Heights.” Also in the collaborative team are Tony winner Tom Kitt (“Next to Normal”) and Amanda Green (“High Fidelity”).
Unlike the creative team for “Avenue Q,” which was mostly gay, this is a largely heterosexual crew, yet Whitty is positive that they will be able to make a show that pleases everyone. He feels that the world of cheerleading – with all its drama, intrigue and politics – will resonate LGBT theater fans.
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