The Gay Easter Parade
Saturday April 7, marked the resurrection of the Thornton Park Easter Bonnet party made famous by former Orlando mover and shaker Russ Crumley, who was also one of the originators of the Central Florida Softball League. Brian Mathis and partner Andy Summers welcomed more than 50 elaborate bonnet adorned guests into their home Saturday evening. Guests, made up of mostly gay men, were judged, awarded prizes, and even paraded thru Thornton Park. Cars halted, people waved from balconies and porches and businesses in the Thornton Park area welcomed the gaggle to strut through to the delight of their patrons. Judy would've been proud.
The Bell Tolls for Rich Kuntz
A program of three short pieces from the gifted and twisted gay playwright Christopher Durang, For Whom The Southern Belle Tolls, is a parody of Tennessee Williams' The Glass Menagerie. However, instead of being about an awkward shy girl fixated on her collection of blown-glass animal figurines, this spoof centers around a misfit gay boy, played by Rich Kuntz aka Gidget Galore, who imagines he has asthma and a limp and is fixated on his collection of glass swizzle sticks. In place of Williams' “Gentleman Caller,” Durang gives us a bull dyke instead. Directed and narrated by Michael Wanzie, the play will feature the talents of Darby Ballard as well as female impersonator Addison Taylor and the Parliament House’s resident hunky, straight bartender and sometime-actor, Vinny. For tickets visit WanziePresents.com
Oh, Bama
On the second anniversary of the “Let's Move!” initiative last week, long-time civil rights activists Nadine Smith and Andrea Hildebran Smith had the opportunity to meet the First Lady, along with their 10-month-old son, Logan. Upon meeting her, Logan jubilantly embraced Mrs. Obama. As community leaders and parents, Logan's moms are strong supporters of President Obama. The President and First Lady have worked tirelessly to ensure that LGBT families are treated with the same dignity and respect as all American families. President Obama advocates for same-sex adoptive families, calling for equal treatment of same-sex adoptive parents and LGBT foster children. The President also promotes the health of LGBT families, ensuring LGBT patients and their partners have rights to hospital visitation and medical decision-making, as well as promoting equal access to quality health care and housing regardless of sexual orientation and gender identity. President Obama and the First Lady also ensure the health and safety of LGBT families through the administration's anti-bullying efforts, working to teach kids, teens, parents, and educators how to end bullying in America's schools.
Pretty in Parliament House
Jeff Jones's kiddie pageant returns to Parliament's Footlight Theater for a special one-night only performance. On Monday April 23, 40- to 50-year old men will once again portray 7-year old female pageant contestants as well as their respective white trash stage mothers. If you missed it the first time, be sure to catch this comedy spoof written and conceived by comedian Jeff Jones, who also serves as pageant emcee. The cast for this special performance will include Doug White, Doug Ba’aser, Addison Taylor, Ginger Minj and Carol Lee. For tickets, visit WanziePresents.com
