Dark Monday • Sex Is In The Heel

On April 4, 2013, 'Kinky Boots' debuted on Broadway. The musical featured music and lyrics by the incomparable Cyndi Lauper, and a book by the great Harvey Fierstein. The cast was also stellar, with Stark Sands, Annaleigh Ashford, and the outrageously talented Billy Porter. To top it all off, it was both directed and choreographed by Jerry Mitchell. It stole many a heart during the early run, including from several critics. When it came time for the Tony Awards, the show took home six trophies, including one for Mitchell for his choreography, and for Best Musical. Porter took home a Tony for Best Actor in a Musical, and Lauper took one for Best Original Score. In fact, Cyndi was the first woman to take home the Tony as the sole contributor to the score.

The show was inspired by the 2005 film, which was, in fact, inspired by a 1999 documentary about a man's attempt to save a family business. The storyline remained, as Charlie, played by Stark Sands, inherits the family shoe company, and tries to figure out a way to save the failing business. He meets Lola, a drag queen with plenty of style played by Billy Porter. Soon, Charlie asks Lola to help him design a line of footwear for the drag market. In one song, Lola explains to Charlie her philosophy of she design. This is Billy Porter singing "Sex is in the Heel" from 'Kinky Boots'.

I love the album, and it is a great addition to my iTunes playlist. You can purchase the Original Broadway Cast Recording of 'Kinky Boots' from iTunes and Amazon. To learn more about the show, and to find out the schedule for the Broadway production and the upcoming US tour, visit the official website. You can also 'follow' 'Kink Boots' on Twitter, and 'like' the fan page on Facebook.

John Glines Make History in 1983

Top: Poster for Torch Song Trilogy. Bottom, left to right: Harvey Fierstein with Joel Crothers & Matthew Broderick; John Glines; Harvey Fierstein, Court Miller, & Estelle Getty

In getting the 'Dark Monday' post together last night, featuring Betty Buckley and the Broadway cast of 'CATS', I also remembered the other incredible event of the 1983 Tony Awards broadcast. I had just moved to Manhattan a few months before, joining Bill to start a new life. We were in a sublet on West End Avenue on the Upper West Side, trying to find an apartment we could afford. We went to a Tony party, and I know I was hoping 'Torch Song Trilogy', an incredible play written by and starring Harvey Fierstein, would win Best Play. I was lucky enough to see it on more than one occasion, a perk of having a boyfriend working at an Off-Broadway theater, and later working at that same theater. But it was nominated in a strong category, with Lanford Wilson's 'Angel's Fall', Marsha Norman's ''night Mother', and David Hare's 'Plenty'. When Harvey won the Tony for Best Leading Actor in a Play, many thought he would not be called out again. But when the time came, we all took a moment to watch as the Tony Award for Best Play was announced.

As the winner was announced, there was joy in the room filled with theater boys, all happy the play was recognized. When producer John Glines spoke, there was an amazing hush, because we were all amazed what he had said. For the first time on the Tony Awards broadcast, a gay man not only acknowledged he was gay, he also thanked his lover. On national television. In 1983. It was like there was a collective intake of breath, we were all so surprised. Glines mentioned his partner, Lawrence Lane, and called him his lover! This was just thirty years ago, yet it seems much longer than that. The gay community was reeling over the reports of the 'Gay Cancer' that was wreaking havoc, and many were frightened. President Ronald Reagan was in office, and he and his administration refused to mention the pandemic, even after it was labeled as AIDS over a year after the 'discovery' of the problem. There was no talk of marriage equality, we were struggling to find a hope that equality of any kind would be coming. Fourteen years after the Stonewall Riots, it seemed as though little progress was made. In fact, many were still recovering from the murder of San Francisco Supervisor Harvey Milk, and the travesty of justice that was the trial of Dan White, whose defense that a junk food binge made him kill Mayor Moscone and Supervisor Milk. To think of how monumental this speech by John Glines felt at the time, it is hard to express.

Left, The Duplex. Right, Marie's Crisis Cafe.

A few years later I did meet John Glines, and actually spend some time with him socially with a few friends. I remember John to be such a sweet and kind man, and I was able to tell him how much his speech at the Tony Awards meant to me, and to so many in the theater community, and really to so many kids watching the telecast, realizing they were not alone in this world. John was happy I said something, but really just wanted to have some fun. We'd go with my friend Tracy to the Lion's Head, and then to either The Duplex or Marie's Crisis, and often end up at the Five Oaks. We'd drink, sing at the piano bars, or maybe just sit back and people watch. Looking back, it is amazing to see how far we've come. We have a president who not only have mentioned the LGBT community, but has worked to bring about change. Marriage equality is becoming more common place, and "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" is a thing of the past. Neil Patrick Harris can host the Tony Awards, singing songs about how the show is "Not Just For Gays Anymore", and speak of being a parent, and shock no one. But in June of 1983, John Glines made people sit up and take notice of his speech on the Tony Awards.

The Times of Harvey Milk

'The Times of Harvey Milk' is a brilliant documentary film about the great gay rights warrior. The film won the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature for 1984, and was awarded Special Jury Prize at the first Sundance Film Festival, among other awards. To commemorate his passing on November 27, 1978, I offer up this post of the full-length version of the movie, featuring the narration of Harvey Fierstein.

Remembering the life of Harvey Milk, and how he fought for the rights of all, is keeping the hopes and dreams of equality for all alive. Watch this film, and remember why Harvey Milk is still a legend.

Dark Monday with Billy Porter

Now I have to admit something right off the start here. I have a big crush on Billy Porter, and when he sings, it gets even worse. Many will remember him as the singer for "Love Is On The Way", the theme to 'The First Wives Club', starring Goldie Hawn, Diane Keaton, and Bette Midler. But he is also a star in the theater, having been featured in some of the great musicals of our time. He's been featured in show such as 'Grease!', 'Ghetto Superstar (That Man That I Am)', 'Topdog/Underdog', 'Jesus Christ Superstar', 'Dreamgirls' and 'Angels In America'. He is currently working on the production of 'Kinky Boots', the musical with music and lyrics by the fabulous Cyndi Lauper and a book by the great Harvey Fierstein, due on Broadway in 2013. He will, of course, be playing the role of Lola, the drag queen who saves the day for a shoe factory that has lost it's way. While I do regret never having the chance to see him perform live so far, it hasn't stopped me from adding the music he has released so far to my collection.

Sadly, his performance of the great song written by John Kander and Fred Ebb for Liza Minnelli, "And The World Goes 'Round", has yet to be recorded, but thankfully, it was caught on video from a performance at Joe's Pub in New York City. The song was written for the Soundtrack to the 1977 film musical, 'New York New York', starring Minnelli and Robert De Niro, and directed by Martin Scorsese. The movie centered on the troubled relationship of Big Band singer Francine Evans and musician Jimmy Doyle as they explored love and lost their way. One of Francine's hit songs was "And The World Goes 'Round". Here is Billy Porter giving his own take on the song.

When I listen to his brilliant 'At The Corner of Broadway and Soul', an amazing live recording that soars, I swear I hear the angels singing background for him. He sings many of the great songs by some of the great composers of musical theater, including one of my favorites. He does and incredible version of "Sunday" from the musical 'Sunday In The Park With George' by the great Stephen Sondheim. While the following clip is not from the performance captured on the live album, it is a performances with the Broadway Dreams Foundation, performing arts training program. With a faculty made up of talented Broadway stars, casting directors, choreographers and agents dedicated to giving back to the theatrical community, to provide invaluable training to anyone who aspires to a career in musical theater.

The work he did with those kids was amazing, wasn't it? Billy's brilliant album 'At The Corner of Broadway and Soul' can be purchased and downloaded from iTunes and Amazon, and can order the physical CD from CD Universe. For more about Billy Porter, 'like' his page on Facebook.

Dark Monday - La Cage aux Folles

To celebrate Harvey Fierstein going into the cast of Broadway's La Cage Aux Folles, I am reposting this entry from last year.

La Cage aux Folles is a musical with a book by Harvey Fierstein and lyrics and music by Jerry Herman. It was based on the 1973 French play of the same name by Jean Poiret, and focuses on a gay couple: Georges, the manager of a Saint-Tropez nightclub featuring drag entertainment, and Albin, his romantic partner and star attraction. The farcical adventures that ensue when Georges' son, Jean-Michel, brings home his fiancée's ultra-conservative parents to meet them truly allows the show to kick into full-gear.





The musical's original 1983 Broadway production received nine nominations for Tony Awards and won six, including Best Musical, Best Score and Best Book. The success of the musical spawned a West End production and several international runs. The 2004 Broadway revival won the Tony Award for Best Revival, and the 2008 London revival garnered the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Musical Revival.



The show opens with Georges introducing the Cagelles for the first time. In the original Broadway production, there were at least 2 females in the Cagelles, and they ended this number by taking off their wigs, revealing their sex. This caused some controversy, as many thought it a sell-out move to make the audience more at ease. In subsequent productions, they are played by men. The following clip is from the 2008 London revival.



The show was groundbraking, bing the first Broadway musical to star male lovers. This, of course, was made easier by the success of the French movie of the same name, but was still provocative at the time. Song On The Sand was a beautiful love song, with Georges singing about his love for the star of the drag show and his long-time love, Albin. This clip shows Davis Gaines singing from a 1993 concert, Jerry Herman's Broadway at Holiday Bowl.



The most memorable gon from the show is I Am What I Am, a show-stopper to be sure, as well as an international hit pop/disco for Miss Gloria Gaynor. It is sung by Albin, who flies in the face of societal pressures and proudly proclaims 'Life's not worth a damn 'til I can say world, I am what I am.' George Hearn played it to perfection in the original production, but there was many complaints when he went on the Tony Awards and sang the song in a tuxedo rather than doing the number in drag. In the revival on London's West End, the role of Albin was played by many different stars, including Graham Norton and most recently by John Barrowman. This is a clip from Barrowman's appearance on the Paul O'Grady Show in September, followed by an interview.





The show most certainly broke some barriers for the LGBT community, showing gay men and drag queens to be real people to the musical audience. It might not have suited everyone's taste, but it certainly helped open the minds of many who went to see it. And it gave us I Am What I Am, a song that is a staple at every Gay Pride Parade I have ever seem. The official website of the London revival here.

Mae West As Only Mae Can

While just checking out Facebook, I came across a clip posted by the amazing Harvey Fierstein, of the outlandish Mae West, singing opera. Well, I just knew this was something that I had to share, and here is it. From the 1935 film Goin' To Town, here is Mae singing classic French opera.



Now, if you ask me, Mae was about as close to a female drag queen as there has been, till maybe Dolly Parton came along. Mae was larger than life, both in physical appearance, and in her personality. She could say things few others could get away with saying, and found a party far more interesting than any church social could be. When it came to an outfit, Mae never met a sparkle she didn't like. Men liked to be entertained by her, but ultimately, they tended to head back to the mousy-haired girl he was running from in the first place...



Here is a clip with Cary Grant, from the 1933 film She Done Him Wrong. It is classic Mae, from the subject to the delivery. There was very little about Mae that was subtle, something that remained true about her until the end of her career.

Dark Monday - Harvey Fierstein

I have no particular reasoning behind my decision to post about Harvey Fierstein tonight, except to say I just love his work. I first saw him in Torch Song Trilogy a very, very long time ago. I am quite glad to say I think we have both aged well. Harvey has had a remarkable career in theater, starting with his work off-Broadway. Torch Song Trilogy began as three independent one-act plays that were combined into an evening's tour-de-force. For his part in the show, he won two Tony Awards, one for Best Actor in a Play, and Best Play, for the script he had written. While the show had more than enough funny and outright hysterical moments, it was the touching parts that are perhaps the most memorable. It is scenes like this one never failed to leave me in tears.



Working off-Broadway in the 80s, I was also lucky enough to see Harvey in a show at the Actor's Playhouse. Onstage, he is just amazing, so charismatic and yet still very human, very easy to relate to. Harvey has been a veritable force of nature since Torch Song, known for his outspoken nature and his ability to be himself, no matter what. Check out this interview from 1983 that shows at a time when few were talking about LGBT issues, Harvey had no problem at all.



As he mentioned in the interview, he next went on to write the book for La Cage Aux Folles, for which he again won the Tony Award. Harvey earned another Tony Award for his performance of Edna Turnblad in the 2003 production of Hairspray. The show was based on the John Waters film of the same name, starring Divine as Edna.



As is often the case, you can't beat Harvey when it comes to acceptance speeches. Here is a clip when he won Tony for Hairspray.



In 2004, Fierstein stepped into the role of Tevye in Fiddler On The Roof after Topol, who had originated the role in the movie, had to step aside.



In 2007, I went to see him in A Catered Affair, an amazing show that closed far too soon. He wrote the book to the musical, and also had a featured role as the gay uncle. I saw it with Harvey, Faith Prince and Tom Wopat. So, almost 30 years after he opened in Torch Song Trilogy, what is Harvey up to? Plenty. But I'll let him tell you in a clip from a recent appearance.



Harvey collaborating with Cyndi Lauper? Sounds like heaven to me! He is also scheduled to be going into the cast of La Cage Aux Folles next month.

I Am What I Am - John Barrowman

He might not be wearing purple, but he sings the great song from La Cage Aux Folles, a song that has given strength to many in the LGBT community since the show opened in 1983, with a book by Harvey Fierstein, music and lyrics by Jerry Herman. I remember marching in the Pride Parade in NYC in the 80s, and singing this song as we marched down Fifth Avenue. So, to mark the day when people are being asked to wear purple to say they 'give a damn' about the bullying and discrimination in the world today. Here is John saying he gives a damn.

Worth Another Look - Santa Claus & The Munsters

Harvey Fierstein as Mrs. Claus

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! A little bit of the Macy's Parade for you all!