Be Totally Proud but Not Totally Satisfied

Pride is such a great time of year—especially when there have been notable victories in our never ending struggle to achieve full equality.  Last year, we in Maryland celebrated the historic passage of marriage equality and we were in the midst of a referendum battle that created uncertainty but also a degree of activism on the part of the LGBT community that had not been seen in previous years. 

Every Pride, it seems, there is something different we can cheer about and reflect upon our improving fortunes, particularly in light of the struggles our predecessors had to endure at the time of Stonewall—the consensus onset of Gay Pride.

This time around we have myriad reasons to be proud.  Marriage equality was finally achieved in Maryland after many years of disappointments.  Having won last November at the ballot box makes the victory even more gratifying 

Starting New Year’s Day, marriage for same-sex couples became legal and hundreds of couples have since rejoiced.  At the Pride festival, there will be a mass wedding.  How sweet is that? Thousands more will be afforded the same standing as our heterosexual counterparts if we can get key portions of the federal Defense of Marriage Act or DOMA repealed. 

Two other states joined Maryland on Election Night while another beat back a hostile constitutional amendment.  Since then several others rapidly jumped on the bandwagon resulting in a total of 12 states plus DC that have legalized same-sex marriages and adding much momentum to the cause.  Plus a few foreign countries joined the party.  Moreover, some Republicans (gasp!) in Congress announced their support for marriage equality. 

On top of that, we eagerly anticipate a potentially historic Supreme Court ruling on Prop 8 in California and DOMA.  While most observers do not see sweeping, broad rulings from the Court on these cases, both decisions could (and should) be favorable.  We expect to find out by the end of Pride month.  What timing!

Then in the world of sports—a major component of our culture—we witnessed for the first time male athletes coming out in pro basketball and pro soccer while active as did a college basketball player.  There were athletes from various sports publicly declaring their acceptance of a gay teammate with a whopping 92 percent of players in the National Hockey League, according to a recent survey, asserting that a gay teammate would be welcome.  

These developments, one would think, should put an added spring in the steps of the parade marchers on Saturday and make the rainbows a little bit brighter throughout the weekend.  While we can bask in the glow of these victories and prospective ones to come, it goes without saying that there is so much, no, too much work to be done to be fully satisfied.

While basis protections for transgender individuals exist in Baltimore City and in Baltimore, Howard and Montgomery counties, there continues to be a barrier at the state level.  For the past few years, strong efforts to achieve non-discrimination in housing, employment and public accommodations based on gender identity and expression remain elusive.

We also need to address the plight of those LGBT youth who have been discarded by non-accepting family members or as a consequence of poverty and become homeless.  There is a disproportionate amount of LGBT youth among the homeless in Baltimore and it is especially acute among trans youth.  As such, homelessness among our youth increases the chances for violence, poor health and crime—as perpetrators or victims.

And make no mistake, we can enjoy the benefits of marriage equality and other advances, but no matter the decisions by elected officials or votes at the ballot box, there are way too many people out there who do not like us.  It may not be visible or obvious to casual observers, but it is quite apparent when we learn about violence directed towards our community.

You can see evidence of this “anonymous” vitriol spewed on blogs and other Internet-based threads that discuss LGBT rights.  Hiding behind the security and obscurity of a keyboard, folks from all over the country lash into our community with alarming intensity and frequency.  Some of this is attributable to the culture they grew up in that breeds contempt for LGBT people; other causes are probably due to a backlash in the unprecedented rapidity of advances in LGBT rights.

As we have witnessed here, LGBT folks have been attacked, beaten or murdered simply because of who they are.  Law enforcement can do their job and they try, but we need to be vigilant and conscious of our surroundings.  There remains much hatred out there.

This continued disdain towards our community extends into bullying habits at schools.  While jurisdictions have adopted anti-bullying initiatives, the bullying against LGBT teens and pre-teens or those who are perceived to be LGBT, has not waned significantly.  Pressure needs to be applied to localities and school districts to help curtail these incidents.  Bullying contributes to low self-esteem and dropping out and worse, suicides among the kids.

There are also issues on the national stage that need to be legislated like job non-discrimination, immigration reform as it pertains to LGBT people, and HIV/AIDS funding.  Unfortunately the Republicans in the Congress have a stranglehold on any progressive legislation, and redistricting will keep them in place for an extended time.

So while I don’t want to cloudy up a sunny and bright Pride weekend especially in the aftermath of significant political victories, reality has a way of seeping into the mix.  We should all be proud of ourselves, our accomplishments, and the upward trends towards equality, but we should not rest on those laurels or be satisfied.  Understand that our work is far from finished.

An Abundance of 'Nunsense' at Toby's Baltimore

Most of us probably do not know what actually goes on behind the stark, sturdy walls of a traditional convent.  We believe that such an edifice would reflect austerity, include much prayer as well as “proper” behavior among the nuns.  Not so with the Order of the Little Sisters of Dundalk—yes, Dundalk, Md.—whose loopy, hilarious antics take us on an irreverent, non-stop ride,  while good-naturedly spoofing Catholicism and nuns themselves in Nunsense, now playing at Toby’s the Dinner Theatre of Baltimore. 

Dan Goggin superbly penned the book, music and lyrics for this farce and as such, Nunsense, which debuted in 1985, became the second longest running off-Broadway show in history behind the Fantasticks.

The production at Toby’s is mostly a madcap combination of vaudeville and slapstick with an ample supply of puns and outstanding music that keeps the audience howling in laughter.  Add to the mix an amazingly talented ensemble under the direction of Mark Minnick and you have one terrific show.

To read the full review, visit Maryland Theater Guide.

Mark Patro: A Man of Pride and Passion

The battle for marriage equality in Maryland was moving into high gear by July 3^rd of last year.  Polls indicated a tight contest on Question 6, creating much uncertainty and apprehension among the state’s thousands of same-sex couples and supporters who were hoping beyond hope that the bill that Governor O’Malley signed into law in March legalizing same-sex marriage would withstand a robust referendum attempt. 

While trying to combat the efforts from well-funded opponents seeking to overturn the law at the ballot box, most advocates knew it would be a struggle to prevail.  Every possible vote was needed to be harvested.  It would be particularly important to register college students, as they represent a large number of the state’s unregistered voters and, based on polling data, would more likely to be supportive.

Accordingly, on that July 3^rd evening, a group of 20 folks from Baltimore and beyond gathered at the GLCCB’s edifice on Chase Street to be trained and certified as voter registration volunteers.  The instruction was to have taken place inside the building but someone didn’t get that memo; the doors were locked.  Undaunted, activist Mark Patro who was to deliver the training, held the session on the sidewalk outside the GLCCB on this particularly sultry, sweat-producing evening.  Despite that speed bump, the voter registration drive was well underway.

Mark didn’t stop there.   He bolstered the Question 6 effort by organizing Light Brigade Maryland—whereby groups of people held battery-charged lit panels that spelled out messages promoting marriage equality.  They visited over two dozen road overpasses, bridges and other venues around the state, but mostly in the Baltimore metropolitan area, to gain the attention of motorists and pedestrians.  It turned out to be a key component of the superior and creative messaging the pro-equality forces crafted during the campaign that helped sway people to vote our way.

This is what Mark Patro does.  Always forward thinking, always strategic, always creative, Mark finds a cause that is clearly progressive and manages to inspire others to reach a specific goal.  He is not a fiery, rah-rah type; in fact, he is rather soft-spoken.  But Mark possesses a lot of energy and passion, and people love to follow his brand of activism, of which he’s had considerable experience.

“My initial involvement in activism was with the impeachment of Richard Nixon; at seventeen I carried a petition for his removal from door to door in the Reisterstown suburb where I spent my teen years,” says Mark, a Towson University graduate and native of Baltimore who was educated in the Baltimore City and Baltimore County public school systems.

Mark decided to come out as gay in the late 1970's and was seeking “community” at the GLCCB. In the early 1980’s he volunteered as a photographer and worked on layout—a manual paste-up process—for the Community Center’s Gay Paper prior to the advent of computer-based page design programs. 

Light Brigade, formed by Mark Patro, in action

Mark explains that “during this period of time I got a closer look at organizing on the grassroots level when others, who were more involved than I, attempted to get an LGB housing and employment protections act through the Baltimore City Council. By the time this passed I was no longer involved with the Community Center.”

He continued his advocacy through intense letter writing to advance LGBT civil rights.  This, along with the efforts of many others, culminated with the passage of statewide protections in 2001 for gays and lesbians.

Things changed dramatically for Mark in 2005.  “I attended my first PFLAG meeting in Howard County, which was a 45 minute drive from my Baltimore County home,” he says.  “For a brief time I drove 30 minutes in the other direction to Churchville where there was a second PFLAG meeting group. While attending both meetings, I decided there was too big a gap between Columbia and Churchville and decided to start the PFLAG chapter in Lutherville.”

He remains as the president of that PFLAG chapter, and the name was changed from PFLAG-Baltimore County to PFLAG-Baltimore to reflect a broader reach.  “The PFLAG work that I’ve done is very near and dear to my heart; and the direct advocacy work that I learned how to do while working with PFLAG has become my new passion. I see my future more full of this kind of work on a broader range of issues,” Mark says.

Mark stepped up that political advocacy when passage of equal rights for same-sex couples was emerging as a top priority.  During the Maryland legislative session of 2009 he testified in favor of the Inheritance Equality bill written by Senator Rich Madaleno.  This bill passed and became law later that year.

Being one of only a handful of LGBT advocates in his northeast Baltimore County legislative district, he volunteered to become district coordinator for Equality Maryland’s annual Lobby Day. With several other dedicated district voters he made this trip for each of the last five years of that seven-year process.  

“I grew comfortable with talking to my senator and delegates to a point where I thought my conversations were sometimes having a positive impact,” Mark points out. “When the law finally passed [in 2012] and the opposition took the signed law to referendum I worked to ensure we would hold on to the right to marry.”

While the battles for marriage equality were being waged in Annapolis, Mark also turned his sights on extending protections in employment, housing and public accommodations based on gender identity and expression.  And for him, it was very significant.

“My proudest moment as an LGBT advocate happened in January 2011,” Mark explains. “This is when the Baltimore County Council passed by a 5-2 vote and amended language to the Baltimore County Code to protect people in Baltimore County on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. I was happy to work with a well-organized coalition of groups including PFLAG, Gender Rights Maryland, Equality Maryland, the Esimorp Network, The National Gay & Lesbian Task Force and many clergy and citizen advocates. Councilman Tom Quirk led this effort and I, for one, will be eternally grateful.”

His work with PFLAG, the legislative conversations, and the referendum work resulted in an invitation in the fall of 2012 to join the Moving Maryland Forward Network (MMFN), and in January 2013, he was invited to join the board of the Unitarian Universalist Legislative Ministries (UULM).

“As a member of PFLAG, MMFN & UULM in 2013, I am proud to have worked side by side with folks like Sharon Brackett, Matt Thorn, June Horner, Lea Gilmore, Charlie Cooper, Vinny DeMarco, Lisa Ward and Betty Crowley.”

Mark’s work seems just to be starting.  As stated earlier, his advocacy work brought on a desire to broaden the scope of issues.  “We may have passed a very strong Fire Arm Safety Act in Maryland this year but there is still work to do,” Mark reflects. “The gender identity/expression protections bill still needs to pass on the state level. I feel strongly that we need to understand and implement strong regulations, if not an outright ban on fracking.

“The simple things in our life, which are even more basic than our civil rights, are now being threatened. Labeling genetically modified food should be considered such a right. People need to be able to make a choice about what they eat and feed their children.  Fracking threatens our water supply and our ability to grow food.”

Pride…passion…and limitless issues to confront.  That’s Mark Patro.

Words Do Matter in 'The Submission' at Olney



Ari Butler (Pete), Craig Dolezel (Trevor), Lellee Knighten Hough (Emilie)

and Frank DeJulio (Danny) Photo: Stan Barough

Historically there have been tensions between African-Americans and white gay folks that are rooted in race, privilege, and victimization.  Such conflicts emerged during the debates surrounding same-sex marriage when some of the skirmishes centered on the term “civil rights”.  

Although not related to marriage equality, these strains are ignited in The Submission, now playing at the Olney Theatre Center’s Mulitz-Gudelsky Lab.  The venue is smaller than Olney’s Main Stage and, therefore, provides an intimate, personal view of intense conflict with humorous dialogue interspersed especially in the first part.

Jeff Talbott flexed his writing muscles in The Submission that throws political correctness out the window in a provocative, daring, fast-paced play. Director David Elliott deftly allows the four-member ensemble to perform with both intensity and restraint among a cornucopia of emotions contained in Talbott’s script.

Frank DeJulio plays Danny Larson, a white gay man and a graduate from an unnamed university in New Haven, Conn.   He has been distressed that none of his previous four plays have ever been picked up.  But it seems that his latest work about a poor black family trying to escape the projects just might be his ticket to early retirement.  The problem is, as a white middle-class male, he knows he cannot instill credibility in the play because of his disconnect between himself and the subject matter, so he devises a plan—one that the audience knows has zero chance of success with disaster on the horizon.

Danny submits the play under an “African-sounding” female penname (Shaleeha G’ntamobi to be exact) to the career-launching Humana Festival in Louisville.  When shockingly the play is accepted for production, he hires an African-American actress, Emilie, played by Kellee Knighten Hough to stand in for him at the crucial festival.

Suspicious from the start, Emilie accepts the odd assignment mainly because she loves the play and can use the portion of the profits from the production.  Ultimately she loves the attention, too.   But she cannot understand how a man of Danny’s race could describe so accurately the black experience.

What starts out as two people wary of each other but finding this arrangement to be mutually beneficial, it soon devolves into a bitter, combustible war of words laced with f-bombs and worse.  Emilie doesn’t buy into the idea that Danny’s experience as a gay man can equate to that of a black woman, which becomes the core of the conflict.  With that as the heat, incendiary racial and homophobic epithets become the fuel. 

Emilie presents herself as an intelligent, tough young woman who is well-aware and protective of her culture.  Danny seems too self-absorbed to be fully likeable but can elicit some degree of sympathy from his previous failures. Neither one ostensibly appears to be a racist or a homophobe, but in the heat of verbal combat, they turn into just that.  Words do matter.

Photo: Stan Barough

Danny’s straight, even-keeled friend from college, Trevor, played by Craig Dolezel, becomes Emilie’s lover.  He has the unenviable task of attempting to mediate between two people for whom he deeply cares.  One flaw is that Dolezel’s Trevor and Hough’s Emilie lack the chemistry and warmth to be credible as lovers. 

Until the climactic end, Danny gets support from his more affluent partner Pete, played by Ari Butler.  Pete injects some humor into the drama and had his big moment during a surprising temper tantrum near the end that targets “theatre people”.
As supporting actors in the ensemble, Dolezel and Butler, performed well in their roles.  DeJulio is superb, embracing a full range of emotions that was a joy to observe. 

Hough is also magnificent.  She and DeJulio played off each other brilliantly with passion and force —each vehemently defending their own turf with neither willing to yield the last word. 

Emilie is a sturdy character, but even her apparent strength is compromised by her knee-jerk homophobic reactions during the fiery exchanges that nearly cause them to come to blows in the next to last scene.  And Danny’s racist comments are ironic in that his play about black poverty and dreams for a better life so impressed his adversary.

Scenic and Costume Designer Bill Clark crafted a stellar set with two art deco-style walls on both sides of the intimate, compact stage with colorful rectangular panels.  These panels are cleverly used in scene changes whereby a coffee shop sign would be shown in one and then it would flip to a painting to signify Danny and Pete’s apartment.  Pullout-beds augment the apartment and hotel scenes while two small upholstered benches are used to bisect the stage in half.

Scene changes were also marked by Max Krembs’ rock guitar soundtrack, which was a bit loud, and Chris Dallos’ lighting effects.

Talbott’s The Submission is pure dynamite in more ways than one.  It raises lots of issues, such as competing claims of victimhood and that prejudice may dwell at some level in all of us.  He questions whether a playwright or author needs to have the same racial, ethnic or sexual background as the characters to write about them honestly. 

Fortunately, those are not answered in this play.  But it brings these issues to the surface so that the audience can contemplate them and have those conversations after the performance.  With solid directing, acting, staging and a good thought-provoking script, The Submission is highly recommended.

Running Time: Approximately 1 hour and 45 minutes with no intermission.

Advisory: The Submission contains adult subject matter and a considerable amount of profanity and is not recommended for children.

The Submission plays through June 9 at Olney Theatre Center, 2001 Olney-Sandy Spring Rd., Olney, MD. For tickets and information call 301-924-3400 or visit online .

Scouts' (Dis)honor

Some issues are simply too thorny to resolve, especially when both sides of the ledger are entrenched in their positions.  It’s difficult, if not impossible, to reach common ground.  While they seem desirable on the surface, compromises don’t always work.  

One example that stands out is the now defunct “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy that President Clinton was forced to accept if he wanted gay and lesbian individuals to be able to legally serve in the military.  Neither advocates for gay service members nor anti-gay opponents in the military and Congress were satisfied with the deal.  It was a total flop.

Now we have another so-called compromise from the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) which once again satisfies few and disappoints many—from both sides.

On May 23, BSA by an historic vote of 61 percent of the national delegates removed the restriction denying membership to youth on the basis of sexual orientation.  But left in place was the organization’s membership policy for all adult leaders of the BSA, which means gay adult scout leaders are still banned. 

This created a situation where a gay youth could become a scout and then be forced to resign when he reaches age 18.  The message is mixed: you’re OK if you’re a gay kid, but not so when you become an adult.  Gay parents of scouts would be barred from being leaders in the organization.

Understandably, the anticipated decision not to end the ban on gay adult leaders elicited significant reactions in the LGBT community. 

PFLAG National perhaps said it best in a statement: “Inclusion, by its very nature, cannot be selective: either you are a welcoming organization or you are not. In going halfway with this policy, the BSA suggests that their members are only capable of being trustworthy, loyal, helpful, courteous and kind until their 18^th birthdays. Once taught, do these traits diminish or disappear once a child comes of age? Shouldn’t being a scout serve as the best training to then lead other scouts in the future? And for same-sex parents who want to participate as leaders in their children’s troops, should the message be that their commitment to their child’s scouting activities is suspect?”

What I find appalling about the policy is the continuation of the stereotype that adult gay men are predatory and must be kept away from children. The unstated implication is that gay men have the desire to prey on minors or even recruit them to play on the gay team.  That is purely inaccurate, discriminatory and inflammatory nonsense.

The same fiction was used by opponents of President Clinton’s initial attempt to stop the ban of gays and lesbians in the military.  Remember how they instilled fear in members of Congress with the “shower” scenario?  “How can there be unit cohesion and effectiveness if openly gay soldiers took showers with their straight comrades?  How can they sleep in the same barracks?”  As we know, this fear-mongering proved to be total bunk.  The repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” has not caused problems within the military.

That gay men should not be allowed to be around children is preposterous.  Incidences of sexual abuse of minors are mostly perpetrated by straight individuals like relatives, clergy and even former college football coaches. 

In our society, children are around adults—gay and straight—all the time.  They are teachers, school bus drivers, pediatricians, police officers, barbers, soccer coaches—you name it.  While many of the homophobes object to openly gay adults being around kids, life goes on anyway with nary a problem.

BSA should be no different.  But religious organizations like the Mormon Church, which has a big footprint on the BSA, employs the same tired arguments and stereotyping that were frequently heard during the efforts to achieve marriage equality.  The policy that bans gay adult leaders caters to that church and other right wing religious institutions and does not make things right.

Though gay kids will now be allowed in the Scouts, the continued discrimination against gay adults would send the wrong and confusing and precarious message to the millions of young scouts—straight or gay.

“The decision to lift the ban is the first time the organization has welcomed openly gay youth — an important step in the right direction,” Ted Martin, Executive Director of Equality Pennsylvania acknowledged in a statement.  “But the Boy Scouts of America still has a long way to go before it will regain the trust of its donors, members, and the American people, a majority of which think this ban must end not only for kids, but for adults too.  Maintaining the ban on gay adults sends a dangerous message to young people that gay adults, like their friends' parents or even their teachers, can't be trusted.  By banning gay parents, the Boy Scouts are giving credence to long-debunked myths and stereotypes that promote fear, misunderstanding, discrimination, and hate.”

Eventually this policy will change.  But for now, this is just another failed attempt at compromise while BSA basically compromised itself.

Reaching the Heights at Toby's



The ensemble for In The Heights at Toby's Columbia

Qué espectáculo! There are 96,000 reasons to love In The Heights now playing at Toby’s The Dinner Theatre in Columbia through July 21.  But space constraints permit me to go over just a few.  Toby Orenstein and Lawrence B. Munsey ably co-directed this production and took it to new heights with outstanding orchestration, a talented likeable cast, and a superb set.

Lin-Manuel Miranda composed the music and lyrics, and Quiara Alegria Hudes wrote the book for the four-time 2008 Tony Award-winning show, which captured Best Musical among the statues.  It also won a Grammy for Best Musical Album.  Miranda wrote the first draft in 1999 as a sophomore in college, and it was an ongoing project until it moved to Broadway.

The action takes place in the gritty, largely Hispanic Washington Heights neighborhood of Upper Manhattan, near the George Washington Bridge during a typically sultry three-day period surrounding July 4.  Each character has his or her story, but they are all connected in some fashion.  A youthful, vibrant ensemble added spice to this rich mixture of contemporary urban hip-hop, Latin rhythms, family drama, economic hard times, community, love, devotion, expectations, dreams realized and those not fulfilled. 

The setting is realistically amplified by the creative design work by David A. Hopkins.  Placing a series of three dimensional panels depicting New York’s skylines around the upper walls of the theater, it allows Lighting Director Lynn Joslin to illuminate a silhouetted sky to coincide with the time of the day—a wonderful effect.  So detailed is Hopkins that he even had chewing gum stuck to the neighborhood’s light posts.

In the Heights contains many high points in the way of individual musical performances, either as solos or duets.  The main performers along with the rest of the ensemble also burnished their talents in the stirring high-energy production numbers like “96,000,” “Blackout,” and “Carnaval Del Barrio.” 

The ensemble sang and danced with dazzling energy to the music that in some instances contained a mix of Spanish and English lyrics.  However, the songs were composed in a way that one didn’t have to know Spanish to understand their messages.  While some of the numbers are not necessarily melodious, they are all solid because of the powerful and affecting lyrics as well as the amazing vocals by the cast members. 

Numbers, such as “In The Heights,” “Breathe,” “Inutil,” “No Me Diga,” “Paciencia Y Fe,”  “When You’re Home,” “Sunrise,” and “Everything I Know” stood out.  Most of the high tempo songs (and the better ones) are performed in the first act while more ballads can be heard in the second—a distinct change in mood.

Christen Svingos’ choreography presented solid, realistic urban Latino dancing to the thumping beats supplied by the magnificent orchestra led by Cedric D. Lyles.

David Gregory is remarkable in the role of Usnavi, a Dominican-born owner of a small bodega (corner store)  who is a central character throughout.  His passion and hopes are conveyed with great skill.  Most of his dialogue and songs are performed in rap, and he is quite proficient at it.

Crystal Freeman is moving as Abuela (Grandmother) Claudia who practically raised Usnavi after his parents died.  She is the neighborhood’s loveable matriarch, the moral anchor.  Her stellar voice is evident in the tender “Paciencia Y Fe” and “Hundreds of Stories.”

Nadia Harika who plays Vanessa, Unvavi’s love interest, also possesses a glorious singing voice. Her performance in “It Won’t Be Long Now” shined.

Also spectacular with her vocals is Alyssa V. Gomez as Nina.  She was the one member of the “barrio” (neighborhood) who went off to college (Stanford University) on a scholarship only to fail in her first year, deeply disappointing her parents. Her rendition of “Breathe” is memorable, and fortunately she performed in a few other selections.

Nina’s father, the overprotective Kevin and owner of the local taxicab business played by David Bosley-Reynolds, is sturdy in both acting and singing.  He brought his commanding baritone voice that audiences loved as Tevye in Toby’s recent presentation of Fiddler On The Roof  to this production, especially in his emotional solo “Inutil (Useless).”

The always reliable and talented Tina Marie DeSimone is wonderful as Nina’s strong-willed mother Camilla. Skillful in her acting, she shined in her powerful rendition of “Enough.”

Another standout is Marquise White as Benny, who is in love with Nina and an employee of Kevin’s taxi service and is the only non-Hispanic character.  Also possessing strong acting and musical ability, Mr. White was particularly effective in the duets “When You’re Home” and “When The Sun Goes Down” with Ms. Gomez.

Santina Maiolatesi as Daniela, the chatty owner of a beauty salon, was effective in that role and also demonstrated her vocal prowess in “No Me Diga.”  Her employee, Carla, was played well by Olivia Ashley Reed.

Then there is Usnavi’s cousin Sonny, who works with him at the bodega.  Played fabulously by Ryan Alvarado, the character provided most of the comedic moments in the show.  Mr. Alvarado’s timing and stage movements excelled.

Rounding out the sterling cast is Tobias Young, another strong vocalist, as the Piragua Guy and Calvin McCullough as Graffiti Pete.

This production of In The Heights at Toby’s soared thanks to the amazing work in all the theatrical elements as well as the efforts from an enthusiastic, youthful and talented ensemble.

Running Time: Two hours and thirty minutes with an intermission.

In the Heights runs through July 21 at The Dinner Theatre of Columbia, 5900 Symphony Woods Rd., Columbia, MD 21044.  For tickets and information, call 410-730-8311, 1-800-88TOBYS or online.  hocoblogs@@@

The Senseless Loss of Dennis Lane

With Dennis (l.) and Paul Skalny (r.)  on his podcast in 2011

I was devastated by the shocking news of the murder of a great guy Dennis Lane. I was honored to have been a guest on his excellent podcast "And Then There's That," and he made me feel so welcome and comfortable while asking probing questions about the progress of marriage equality in Maryland. 

Dennis cared deeply about the citizens in Howard County and those of Maryland. This is a tragic loss and Dennis will surely be missed by so many. 

My heart goes out to all the people who loved Dennis and were touched by his affability, intelligence and class.

R.I.P Dennis

An Eyewitness to 10 Years of History

The debut article in Baltimore OUTloud

One of the blessings of writing a regular column for Baltimore OUTloud over the past ten years has been the opportunity to witness and report on the myriad events—good and bad—that shaped the continuing progress of LGBT rights.  It has been an eye-opening ride, and I am happy to have chronicled the movement over the years, having missed only three issues during that time.

Of course, I had been writing for Gay Life and before that, the Baltimore Gay Paper, for two decades prior to OUTloud’s debut.  So providing commentary about political and social issues was not new to me. 

Ironically, my first column in the May 16, 2003 issue of Baltimore OUTloud did not discuss an LGBT-specific topic.   Instead, the column titled “Tale of Two Cities” pointed out the economic dysfunction that was taking place in Annapolis and the war-torn morass that was just beginning in Baghdad.  Here, I was surprisingly prophetic; I correctly predicted just two months into the initial attack on Iraq that the conflict would eventually devolve into a quagmire with enormous casualties.

The next installment changed gears dramatically as I opined that the defeat of Clay Aiken in the finale of Season 2 of American Idol was caused in part by his mannerisms and appearance that may have been perceived by the public as his being gay.  That stereotyping probably turned off numerous people who voted instead for the less vocally gifted Ruben Studdard.  For his part, Aiken denied being gay and remained in the closet until just a few years ago.

The “OUTspoken” moniker didn’t occur until the April 1, 2005 issue.  That article, “Come Out and Play Ball,” presented reasons why it would be advantageous for a gay baseball player to come out amidst the steroid scandal that was besetting the sport.  I was proud that piece found its way onto Outsports.com—a site that relates LGBT issues to the world of sports at all levels.

Through the years, covering several hundred editions of the paper, I focused on political matters pertaining to our community both nationally and locally.  The presidential elections of 2004, 2008 and 2012 were illustrative of the challenges we faced and how, as time passed, attitudes towards LGBT folks have shifted. 

We saw the advent of same-sex marriage in Massachusetts and the predictable backlash that was a key component of the 2004 election.  We also witnessed the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” arguably the greatest achievement thus far for LGBT equality at the federal level.

The climate for gays in Maryland was dim but improving.  The gubernatorial elections of 2006 and 2010 saw Governor Martin O’Malley defeat the not-so-gay-friendly Robert L. Ehrlich, Jr.  In 2012 O’Malley was able to come to terms with his religious beliefs and enthusiastically backed marriage for same-sex couples.  Following previous failures in the legislature this development, along with other factors, led to the historic victory of marriage equality in the General Assembly and at the ballot box, which was unprecedented.

While political roads were traveled frequently in my column during this 10-year period, numerous other issues were explored.  Among them were the plight of LGBT homelessness, the impact of our youth on future achievements, hate crimes, homophobia and race, the meaning of Pride (an annual staple), the dangers of political apathy, strategizing to win over the persuadable political center, transgender discrimination and violence, how the legalization of same-sex marriage would benefit all LGBT folks regardless of their relationship status, the challenges of gays in sports, trashing opponents of LGBT rights, and a number of columns devoted to the influence of our culture, especially television, on our community.

My greatest thrill in writing over this period was being stationed just a few feet from Governor O’Malley’s historic signing of the bill that legalized same-sex marriage for Marylanders and the ensuing raucous celebration.  With his stroke of the pen (and the eventual victory on Election Day) the lives of gay and lesbian families in Maryland were profoundly changed and there existed the sense that all of us—married or not—are no longer considered second class citizens in the eyes of the law.  Following that was the joy of covering the first same-sex marriages that took place in Baltimore’s City Hall on New Year’s Eve.

While I can pat myself on the back for making some predictions that were ultimately correct and being afforded the opportunity to cover significant milestones in the LGBT rights movement, I must also slap myself on the wrist for failing to bring to light other matters involving our community.

In an effort to be positive, I overlooked information I received pertaining to several local LGBT organizations that included mismanagement and the lack of transparency.  Despite the column header “OUTspoken,” in these matters, I confess I had been anything but.  When one is in journalism, there is a responsibility to enlighten readers as to any defects that may exist within those institutions to which community members provide donations.

Journalists who offer their opinions are duty bound to demand accountability from these organizations and not be concerned that their officials will lash out and blame the messenger for their own failures. 

Again, in trying to be positive, I fell into the trap of letting things slide, looking the other way, or not doing due diligence in investigating specific charges in order to avoid being accused of trying to destroy these organizations.  That was never a goal; rather it would simply be to expose these weaknesses and allow the community to demand better results.  Who could argue with that?

During the next 10 years, I hope to improve upon that record and truly be “OUTspoken.”

Brooklyn Should Net This Trailblazer

 

 National Basketball Association journeyman Jason Collins, a free agent, came out with a superbly written and personal essay for Sports Illustrated online.  His story as to how and why he decided to come out (“I’m a 34-year-old NBA center. I’m black. And I’m gay”) is appearing in the May 6 publication.

His coming out should open doors for closeted athletes everywhere and will turn him into an instant hero for gay kids.  There is no way one can overstate the significance of this development.  It is yet another seminal event in the history of gay rights.

The 12-year veteran is well-known and from all indications, he is well-liked around the NBA. Collins bounced around, playing on a half dozen teams, the last being the Washington Wizards.  At no point in his career was his average point total over 6.4 per game.  Since the 2006-2007 season, he never played more than in half the game.   And at age 34 and a marginal producer, it is questionable if another NBA team was willing to take a chance on this free agent.

Until now.

Jason Collins has thrust himself into the glare of the media spotlight—a situation that clearly would not have taken place without his disclosure.  We hear that David Stern, the NBA Commissioner, badly wants a team to sign him, if nothing else, for the betterment of the league’s image and its place in social history.

Should that transpire, the signing team would surely have to cope with the media attention and the resulting distractions.  While most of his teammates will undoubtedly embrace him, Collins would still have to deal with fans, especially in other cities.

Would he be subject to taunting, ridicule, death threats, and other forms of horrific treatment?  Not likely, but nothing would be surprising today given that a guy would unload over a 100 bullets into 6 year-old kids.  Plus there are still a large number of gay-hating people out there. 

Would he receive the broad hostile treatment Brooklyn Dodger Jackie Robinson had to endure when he broke the color barrier in baseball back in 1947 as brilliantly portrayed in the film 42?  Probably not.  Gay rights have advanced so far, so quickly to suspect that outcome.  Racial prejudice was deep-seated then, and it included Robinson’s own teammates and Brooklyn fans.

Which team would be willing to sign Jason Collins given that his basketball skills are not in demand any longer?  It would have to be a team that can handle the distractions, at least in the short term.  It would be best if that team played in a city with a vibrant LGBT community.  I could be wrong, but I suspect the Oklahoma City Thunder would not be the first on the list.

Perhaps the Portland Trail Blazers.  It has a great LGBT community, an open-minded progressive population; heck, it even had a gay mayor.  Moreover, the name “Trail Blazers” would be a perfect moniker for Collins.

But I would hope it would be the Brooklyn Nets.  When the franchise moved from Newark, NJ to Brooklyn in 2012, I thought this was good karma.  Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier in Brooklyn; it would be great if Jason Collins breaks the rainbow barrier in the same borough.  Perfect symmetry.

Brooklyn possesses a growing LGBT community and no one can question the vibrancy of New York City’s overall LGBT community.  Unquestionably, any team playing in New York is battle-tested regarding the media and its hyper-scrutiny.  The Nets would endure.

One of the minority owners of the Nets but one who is most visible is rap icon Jay-Z.  Reacting to President Obama’s announced support for same sex marriage last year, Jay-Z said, “What people do in their own homes is their business, and you can choose to love whoever you love. That’s their business. It’s no different than discriminating against blacks. It's discrimination, plain and simple.”

Here’s another point.  Jason Collins began his career with the Nets.  He should end it with them as well.  Again, perfect symmetry.

Still Plenty of Room on the Bandwagon

Hillary Clinton comes out in support of marriage equality

Momentum for marriage equality is so powerful right now it’s surreal.  Much has happened over the past year in this regard; it’s nearly impossible to chronicle in limited space.  But since March alone, major steps to knock down previously sturdy barriers have taken place.

Most of these developments occurred before, during and after the justices of the U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments on two central cases (Prop 8 and DOMA) that potentially can cover the landscape in rainbows.  How the justices will rule will be determined in June—Pride month no less—and regardless of the outcome, the march towards equality will continue.

What is driving this momentum is a shift in attitudes among Americans regarding marriage equality.  The most recent of these surveys, the NBC/WSJpoll, shows that 53 percent of Americans now support same-sex marriage, which is an uptick of two points since December. Some other polls indicate even greater support.  This is a dramatic sea change over the past ten years.

Though politicians are often slow to follow the attitudes of the electorate (e.g. gun control, immigration reform, etc.), they seem to be jumping on the marriage equality bandwagon rather rapidly.  A couple of weeks prior to the Supreme Court arguments, Senator Rob Portman, a Ohio Republican who was a possible VP candidate on the Romney ticket, became the first GOP senator to publicly support same-sex marriage.  He did so because his son, Will, is gay, which clearly put a family member’s well-being above party dogma. 

“It allowed me to think of this issue from a new perspective, and that’s of a dad who loves his son a lot and wants him to have the same opportunities that his brother and sister would have — to have a relationship like Jane and I have had for over 26 years,” Portman was quoted as saying.

Republican Senator Mark Kirk (IL) swiftly followed suit as did a number of Dems, resulting in 54 senators supporting marriage equality and still counting.  Only three Democrats have not as yet: Sens. Mark Pryor (Ark.), Joe Manchin (W.Va.) and Mary Landrieu (La.)—all representing red states.

A little over a week before the Supreme Court proceedings, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton also climbed aboard the bandwagon.  In a six-minute video for HRC Clinton said, “LGBT Americans are our colleagues, our teachers, our soldiers, our friends, our loved ones, and they are full and equal citizens and deserve the rights of citizenship. That includes gay marriage.”   Many political pundits saw this as an important step if she decides to run for president in 2016.

Despite the two Republican senators announcing support, the fact that many Republicans submitted friends-of-court briefs to advocate for marriage rights in the Supreme Court arguments, and the party rhetoric saying that the GOP needs to be more inclusive, it is clear their rank-in-file is not ready to approve same-sex marriage.  In that same NBC/WSJ poll, two-thirds of Republicans oppose marriage equality—most of whom are in rural areas.  But the numbers are improving, albeit slower than Democrats and Independents.

The Republican National Committee on April 5 approved a resolution that stated: “The Republican National Committee affirms its support for marriage as the union of one man and one woman, and as the optimum environment in which to raise healthy children for the future of America; and be it further resolved, the Republican National Committee implores the U.S. Supreme Court to uphold the sanctity of marriage in its rulings on California’s Proposition 8 and the Federal Defense of Marriage Act.”

This is the trap the GOP officials are falling in: they continue to pander to their rural and shrinking base and ignore the fact younger people including young Evangelicals are supporting same-sex marriage.  The issue most likely will hurt the party in 2016 and beyond as these younger people vote and the older, more conservative voters leave us, resulting in more elected officials jumping on the bandwagon.

Evan Wolfson, President and Founder of Freedom to Marry, commented: “With Republican support for the freedom to marry increasing every day—aided by the journeys of leaders like Senators Mark Kirk and Rob Portman—the RNC is showing itself out of touch with this resolution.”

Aside from marriage there is also some LGBT progress in the world of sports, which is by no means insignificant.  Although those in the sports industry do not make laws, their influence on our culture cannot be overstated.  Los Angeles Dodgers co-owner Magic Johnson (who has a gay son) and Mark Cuban, owner of the NBA’s Dallas Mavericks both said they would welcome a gay player on their team.  A growing number of hockey players as part of the You Can Play Project have also publicly stated their acceptance of a gay teammate should one come out.

Ex-Raven Brendon Ayanbadejo told the Baltimore Sun that he is in discussions with as many as four gay players in the NFL who may come out soon as a group in a coordinated effort to mitigate the pressure that would normally be heaped on one individual under that circumstance.

Though much work in other areas needs to be done, the marriage efforts have been paying dividends as well as a possible improvement in the sports environment.  The bandwagon still has lots of room for those to jump on.  France, for instance, is about a month away from approving same-sex marriage. Bienvenue à bord!

Shakespeare Factory Produces a Fresh 'Romeo & Juliet'



Brendan Edward Kennedy (Romeo)

and Kathryn Zoerb (Juliet) Photo: Will Kirk

William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet is an ancient play as it was written sometime between 1591 and 1595.  The language used, Elizabethan English, is rather arcane.  And the costumes reflect 16^th century everyday wardrobe.  But the Baltimore Shakespeare Factory’s production of Romeo and Juliet, though staying true to the original work, adds a dose of freshness and contemporary whimsy that makes it a fun experience—the play’s tragedies notwithstanding.  An unexpected moment, for example, occurs when cast members begin to dance to “Call Me Maybe” during the play.

The Baltimore Shakespeare Factory prides itself on presenting their plays that are authentically Shakespeare in the manner in which they are staged.  Three productions this season take place in a venue that was once a church but is formatted so that the seating, all pews, is arranged on both sides of the stage as well as in front.  (Two other plays this season will be performed in an outdoor setting.) 

To read full review, visit MD Theatre Guide.

Lots of Horsepower in Spotlighters' Equus

When Spotlighters Theatre Artistic Director Fuzz Roark enthusiastically told the audience prior to the performance of Equus that this production is “special,” he rather understated it.  In fact, Roark would have been on target had he called it a “masterpiece,” for that it surely is.

The 1973 play was written by Peter Shaffer and won a Tony Award for Best Play in 1975.  It tells the story of a child psychiatrist Dr. Martin Dysart attempting to treat a 17 year-old boy, Alan Strang, after the lad blinded five horses with a hoof pick.  Shaffer was inspired by an actual similar incident in Suffolk, England and crafted the play as a fictional account to uncover what could have led to this act without his knowledge of the crime’s details.

As Shaffer pens it, Alan has an abnormal obsession with horses that encompasses religious worshiping of and a sexual attraction to them.  Dysart’s mission is get to the core of the problem while dealing with what appears to be his own rather insipid existence.

Director Sherrionne Brown, who is no stranger to the cozy, in-the-round stage at Spotlighters, does an exemplary job of handing the powerful script over to the talented cast while staging a picture perfect play.  At one point, Ms. Brown deviates from previous productions of Equus and with the guidance of choreographer Alani Harris, presented a superb, mesmerizing dance scene by five horses that slowly surround Alan in a graceful but heart-pounding experience. 

Donned in velour leggings and leather harnesses (some readers may recognize) and sporting spectacular silver horse heads and hooves that were provided by San Francisco’s American Conservatory Theatre, the dancers emulated large majestic horses in appearance and movement.  It is a striking scene that allows the audience to take in what Alan is experiencing.

Credit Ms. Brown again for her ability to impeccably transition to numerous short scene changes without the choppiness that such tasks would ordinarily entail.  Some of these locales include Dysart’s office, Alan’s room, a beach, Dysart’s mind, stables, a cinema, etc. So to accomplish these varied settings with only three benches that comprise the Spartan set is quite creative.  Brad Ranno’s lighting design is also a key component of these effects.  By keeping the set simple, Ms. Brown places all the focus directly on the performers as it should be in this performer-driven play. 

Another unique staging approach is that the actors who are not in a particular scene are seated as observers off on the side but still in view of the audience.  When called upon, they effortlessly appear on stage and by doing so in this manner, contribute to the fluidity of the action.

As exceptional as the staging and costuming are in this production, the acting takes it to another level.  In previous versions of Equus, there had been such theatrical heavyweights as Anthony Hopkins, Richard Burton, Anthony Perkins as well as Charles S. Dutton (when it appeared in Baltimore’s Longrove Alley Theatre in 1979) who played the part of Dr. Martin Dysart.  I cannot see how Phil Gallagher in this production could have taken a back seat to any of them. 



Martin Dysart (Phil Gallagher) comforts Alan Strang (Thomas Bowers)

It would be tempting to overact in the Dysart role, but Mr. Gallagher does not cross that line.  Instead, he offers a commanding performance, displaying impassioned determination in ferreting out the underlying issues with Alan while realizing the emptiness in his own life.  Dysart pulls out from his bag of tricks such techniques as hypnotism and placebo truth drugs, to untangle the mystery as to why Alan could perform such a dastardly act. Never missing a line even during several hard-driving, passionate soliloquies, the Cambridge University (England) graduate and stage veteran puts on an acting clinic.  Gallagher also serves as an Assistant Director in this production.

Making his debut on a main stage, American University student Thomas Bowers also came through, effectively exhibiting the rage and stubbornness bottled up in the Alan Strang role.  The tension between the two main characters is palpable, which is how the play is designed.  Feeding off each other’s frustrations, they executed their lines and movements flawlessly with an abundance of chemistry and flair.  A sexual moment Alan experiences while on the back of a horse is tastefully but realistically presented as is the nude scene towards the play’s end.

Alan’s mother is an extremely devout Christian and his father is an atheist.  (What could possible go wrong with that?)  But it’s his mother, Dora, played solidly by Kathryn Falcone, who seemed to have the most influence on him by constantly reading to him from the Bible. 

Alan’s father, Frank Strang, well-played by Frank Vince, was concerned that Alan was mostly focused on the violent aspects of Scripture.  He destroyed a violent picture of the Crucifixion Alan had placed at the foot of his bed.  The boy replaced it with one of a horse with large staring eyes.

Also in the cast is Karina Ferry as Hesther Salomon, a court magistrate, who is one of the saner characters in the play.  She provides a steadying, soothing hand for Dysart.  Ms. Ferry, who had performed well in Tea and Sympathy, another Spotlighters hit, is also strong in this role.

Kerry Brady played nicely by Jill Mason, is a young woman who attempted to seduce Alan with tragic results.  Stephy Miller plays the Nurse, and David Morey is effective as the stables owner Harry Dalton.

Rounding out the cast are the five horses: Ruta Douglas Smith, Megan Farber, Kevin Gordon, Alani Harris, and Alan’s favorite horse “Nugget,” Warren Smith.  Kudos to all.

Equus is not your everyday boy and his horse story.  It is an intense, psychological drama that is gripping and that has the audience on the edge of their seats.  The production at Spotlighters is magnificent to the core in every respect—a complete masterpiece—and should not be missed.

Running Time: Two hours and 20 minutes with an intermission.

Advisory: The play contains adult themes and full nudity and is not recommended for children.

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Equus plays through May 5 at the Spotlighters Theatre, 817 St. Paul St. in Baltimore.  Tickets can be obtained by calling 410-752-1225 or online. 

Photos by Ken Stanek Photography