SEP| OCT 2013
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Kathy Griffin Boston
‘It’s a dream audience: people who are smart and get your references,’ says gay fave comedienne of Bostonians
Happy 30th Club Café!
Our multiplex community center shows no signs of aging
Mayor Races Then and Now
The last open Boston campaign— 1983—was first time gays wooed
November 18, 2003
The day that changed the gay rights movement forever
Our annual listings of what’s hot this season
From The Publisher Every once in a while we, here at Boston Spirit, are reminded how lucky we are to publish this magazine, an LGBT magazine, in Massachusetts. Massachusetts really is one of the best places in the world to live and work if you are LGBT. We led the way on marriage equality, our state and local governments are remarkably supportive, as is, for the most part, the corporate community. We’ve got amazing non-profit organizations from GLAD to Fenway Health, AIDS Action, Boston Living Center and so many more. And this year we were chosen as host city for the National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association. Last month more than 300 LGBT journalists from around the country descended on Boston for a multi-day conference on a variety of topics all related to LGBT media. We discussed the past, the present, and the future. Boston Spirit was proud to be a part of the convention (and equally proud to serve with our friends at Bay Windows who also took part in the conference). As we read the daily stories about the upcoming Olympics in Sochi and the antiLGBT laws being put in place in Russia we should take a minute to look around at our beautiful state and take it all in. It’s been such a great summer. Now we are getting into the magic of autumn and not only do we get to enjoy it all, we get to do so in a place that values and welcomes all of us. Is it perfect, nope. Is it getting better, yes. As with the LGBT journalism conference, it’s great to look at the past and to dream about the future, but don’t forget to enjoy today … it’s a pretty good day.
David Zimmerman Publisher
2 | BOSTON SPIRIT
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13 67 THE GUIDE 53 37 79 28 42 73 66 COVER 91 52 44 THE GUIDE 50 75 91 95 7 35 21 33 8 69 36 17 29 19 COVER 70 82 1 38 11 71 14 93 5 30 43 COVER 31 68 55 32 65 9 39 THE GUIDE 91 15 THE GUIDE 25
As We Go To Press …
Contribute your opinion: editor@bostonspiritmagazine.com
Who doesn’t have a Club Café story? I was a waiter at the storied multipurpose LGBT community center many years ago. I was young and cute, but not very good. I remember turning to one table and asking them what they wanted for dessert. The nice gentlemen looked up at me and smiled and said, “We’d love to order dinner first.” Sigh. I was not cut out for table service. I lasted a month. That didn’t prevent me from hanging out there in the Moonshine room in evenings, dining there on weekdays and attending community organizational development meetings during the daytime, and taking aerobics classes in the Metropolitan Health club at 6:30 am before heading to my tech job at the time. Whether we have hung out at Club Café much or not, we owe the facility a great deal of thanks. When it opened thirty years ago it provided the first real open (think of those big windows that provide the view to the street) setting for LGBTs to say “we’re here, we’re queer, and we’re not gonna hide.” Frank Ribaudo and his co-owners took a lot of risk to get the place off the ground and keep it running. Along the way they offered their space, their expertise and their generous spirits to help so many LGBT groups — political, athletic, social, artistic — get organized and started. Club Café survived Reagan, AIDS, and two Bushes. And it’s warm, convivial and generous spirit made it possible for me and the rest of us to survive all of that as well. The first time I shook hands with Mayor Menino was at Club Café . My first encounter with gay Republicans in debate
Celebrating Another Marriage Victory!
4 | BOSTON SPIRIT
occurred there. I helped to stage-manage a show called Alive With AIDS, during a time when musical theater offered important solace for so many of us who were experiencing the death of loved ones happening at an unconscionable rate all around us. More laughter, more poignant moments, more political moments, more love and joy has happened at Club Café for our community than can be summed up here. Today, Club Café continues to offer so much. A few months ago I was fortunate enough to attend a gathering of the Hispanic Black Gay Coalition in the Napoleon Room. Club Café stepped up to offer a home for the popular women’s’ night at Laurel’s when that establishment folded. It’s heartening to see a new generation embracing the 30-year-old complex. Every time I step into Club Café, I feel young again. This fall, let’s toast to Club Café. Here’s to the first anniversary of its 29th birthday! Cheers!
James A. Lopata Editor in Chief
You can now get your dose of Boston Spirit on New England’s online leader, Boston.com. Visit Boston.com/lgbt where Boston Spirit brings you all things LGBT-related, including breaking local and national news, party and event updates, and lots more! Visit Boston.com/lgbt today.
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Contents SEP|OCT 2013 | VOLUME 9 | ISSUE 5
10 Hit List
12
64
Spotlight
You Better Work
Hit List You Better Work Song of Support Winning Hand Go Figure Word Is Out Ricardo Recommends Nice ‘n Easy
30 years ago, the Hub’s mayoral field was wide open, and the candidates vied openly for gay voters for the first time
10 12 14 16 18 20 22
24
27
November 18, 2003
34
The day that changed the gay rights movement forever
Seasonal
40 Arts Preview
ON THE COVER Kathy Griffin 60
62
Salem’s Magic Makers
64
Margaret Cho is a straight shooter on her new tour The famous North Shore town’s gay scene is thriving. Here are eight folks making it happen
Who in the ‘H*ck’ is Prescott Townsend 72 He may just be the most influential gay rights pioneer you’ve never heard of
Culture Love In Bloom
74
Cross-Dressing Guys with Wives Find Freedom in P’town
80
For over 35 years, Fantasia Fair has been providing a liberating environment for men of all orientations who love to wear women’s clothing
Scene GLAD Summer Party 83 Boston Spirit Sunset Cruise 84 The Fourth Annual Taste of Provincetown 88 Community Research Initiative (CRI) 89
Arts Preview ‘5 Lesbians Eating a Quiche’ for a cause
40
Think Mink
42
Calendar
Artistry abounds at Ptown Tennessee Williams fest Play it again, Boston
47 49
Coda
A show that demands to be heard
51
Jeff Ross wants to be the first out person to hold a city-wide elected office in Boston
Under a Brazilian Moon
56
Face Time
58
Comedy benefits Provincetown Cares
Cult film legend Mink Stole returns Provincetown as a Tennessee Williams heroine
Celebrity series brings the Street Piano Festival to town For its lighting designer, Speakeasy Stage’s season opener “Tribes” is personal
New film explores the passionate romance of poet Elizabeth Bishop and Lota de Macedo Soares Queer artist Steve Locke’s first major museum show at the ICA
6 | BOSTON SPIRIT
The Mother Load
A creative couple sees their love and home blossom
The Beat Goes On
Club Café celebrates 30 years as the heart of Boston’s gay scene
60
Gay favorite Griffin has big love for Boston
Features Boston Mayor’s Race: Then and Now
Chatty Kathy
41
New England 90 Provincetown 91
Ross-At-Large 96
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Host a table and invite others to join you. Become a Table Captain and encourage others to sit at your table.
Sponsor this event with a gift of $500, $1,000 or more. Honoring Chief Justice Margaret H. Marshall Reception 6:30 PM • Dinner 7:30 PM • Dancing 10:00 PM Tickets $225 • Business Attire
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Get ready.
Winter is just around the bend.
SEP|OCT 2013 | VOLUME 9 | ISSUE 5 PUBLISHER
David Zimmerman EDITOR IN CHIEF
James A. Lopata ART DIRECTOR
EDITORIAL CONTACT
Dean Burchell
editor@bostonspiritmagazine.com
DIRECTOR OF ADVERTISING
PUBLISHING/SALES CONTACT
Jenn Dettmann jenn@bostonspiritmagazine.com
ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES
Chris George, Michael Poulin CONTRIBUTING LIFESTYLE EDITOR
Scott Kearnan
CONTRIBUTING ARTS EDITOR
Loren King
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Tony Giampetruzzi, Scott Kearnan, Mark Krone, Ricardo Rodriguez EDITORIAL INTERN Frankie Olito CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS
Joel Benjamin, Dave Dietz, Gina Manning, Craig Montague, Natasha Moustache, Tony Scarpetta INTERN º Frank Olito COVER IMAGE Mike Ruiz/Bravo
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TALK TO US Send comments, questions and encomia to feedback@bostonspiritmagazine.com
publisher@bostonspiritmagazine.com 781-223-8538 Boston Spirit magazine. A Division of Jake Publishing, LLC Published by Jake Publishing, LLC. Copyright 2004 by Jake Publishing, LLC. All rights reserved. No part of this periodical may be reproduced without the written permission of Boston Spirit magazine. Neither the publishers nor the advertisers will be held responsible for any errors found in the magazine. The publishers accept no liability for the accuracy of statements made by advertisers. Publication of the name or photograph of any person, organization or business in this magazine does not reflect upon one’s sexual orientation in any way. Boston Spirit Magazine 398 Columbus Ave #395 Boston, MA 02116
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Kathy Griffin Boston
‘It’s a dream audience: people who are smart and get your references,’ says gay fave comedienne of Bostonians
Happy 30th Club Café!
Our multiplex community center shows no signs of aging
Mayor Races Then and Now
The last open Boston campaign— 1983—was first time gays wooed
November 18, 2003
ARTS ARTS ARTS ARTS PREVIEW PREVIEW PREVIEW The day that changed the gay rights movement forever
PREVIEW
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SPOTLIGHT Trends STORY Scott Kearnan
Hit List
NEWS, NOTES, AND TO-DOS FOR EVERY GAY AGENDA PHOTO Eric James
PULL A LEVER for
gay state rep Carl AUTHOR MARK Sciortino. At least, ROSENBERG that’s what the Human Rights Campaign hopes you’ll do; the national LGBT organization endorsed Sciortino in December’s special election to replace US Rep. Ed Markey in the House. (Markey is taking John Kerry’s seat in the Senate.) To get there Sciortino will first have to prevail in the primaries, scheduled for October 15.
DOWNLOAD IPTOWN,
a justreleased smartphone app that offers hundreds of profiles of businesses (restaurants, bars, and shops), cultural attractions and historic landmarks with just a tap. Get contact info and GPS-enabled directions, access special events calendars, and of course, integrate it with your social media accounts to let everyone know where you’re doing dinner and what show you’re seeing after. #Winning.
DUST OFF
your dancing shoes and boogie down to Boston’s Hynes Convention Center for the first annual Boston Open Same-Sex Ballroom Dance Competition. The first event of its kind in New England, the competition will showcase same-sex partners doing their best foxtrot, rumba, cha-cha and more. So you think you can dance? Prove it: registration is open until September 14,
body image-obsessed gay male culture. And on October 22, Worcester’s Hanover Theatre hosts An Evening with David Sedaris, where the literary funnyman will present from his latest tome, Let’s Explore Diabetes with Owls.
FIND MISTER RIGHT with
Mister, a relaunched dating website and mobile app aimed at guys who have aged out of the Grindr scene. Developed for the more mature set, it boasts a “Mr. Right” feature that intuitively recognizes user preferences and automatically scouts for nearby guys that fit the bill. If there’s mutual interest, it alerts you to break the ice. More: misterapp.com.
SUIT UP
or just show up as a spectator on September 21. More: bostonopendancesport.com.
BOOK IT over to readings
from two gay humorists this fall: on September 26, out author and comedian Mark Brennan Rosenberg visits Brown University to read from Eating My Feelings, his just-released memoir about coping with a chubby adolescence and navigating
10 | BOSTON SPIRIT
with Saint Harridan, a brand offering classic menswear-style suits, dress shirts, and formal accessories with tailoring adapted for a female form. Because Ellen’s personal shopper notwithstanding, most women hunting for handsome suits have a hard time PACKAGING finding DESIGN BY those that
HOOD DESIGN
fit. (Assuming the salesperson is even willing to help.) Saint Harridan offers online instructions for self-measurement, and ships custom tailored suits to your door in six to eight weeks.
SATISFY
your sweet tooth with the latest from Salem Harbor Sweets. In time for Halloween, and the company’s 40th anniversary, its new Salt & Ayre truffles line includes chocolate selections with decadent accents like caramel, crystallized ginger, almond buttercrunch and sea salt. And the Tiffany’s-like sky blue packaging? That’s the design of LGBT-owned, South End design firm Hood Design.
GRAB A SEAT
at Back Bay Harry’s, slated to open in September and named for owner Harry Collings, a notable out former BRA honcho. HGTV designer Taniya Nayak gave the former home of Geoffrey’s Café a total redesign, doubling the bar area and lending a vintage Hollywood-inspired feel. Expect casual American bistro fare, weekend brunch and a bar scene that bustles until 2 a.m.
#ONLY ONE STAR Brings you Fall’s biggest fashion stories
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SPOTLIGHT Fashion STORY Scott Kearnan
You Better Work LOCAL, GAY-OWNED CLOTHING BRAND LAUNCHES ITS COOL CAREER COLLECTION For some designers, haute couture is what turns their head. But for John Robb, co-owner of Jamaica Plainbased Inseam, the perfect fit, precise cut, and sharp shape of a well-made garment is what really gets his sewing machine’s motor running. “My father used to love Brooks Brothers, and I was fascinated by the clothes,” says Robb, a graduate of New York’s esteemed Fashion Institute of Technology. He laughs. “I still have some of his old shirts in their original packaging. Some still have the price tags: eight ninety-five!” Okay, you’ll have to shell out a little more for something from Inseam’s newly released Workforce Collection. (Hey, inflation!) But for longtime fans of the gay-favorite brand and curious new customers alike, it’s worth every penny. The menswear brand, which has always prided itself on its clothing’s flawless fit and
versatility, is launching Workforce as a work- and travel-ready line that contemporizes the classically handsome vibe of the 1930s. Think Brooks Brothers by way of a uniform party: there’s the cool Kent pant, made of plaid men’s suiting fabric, a handsome pub cap, and funky but refined patterned neckties. Dress them up and the designs are perfect for the boardroom; dress them down, and they’ll look rocking on a dance floor. Which is where, in its earliest days, where the company almost fell apart. Literally. “There was a knock on our door,” recalls co-owner Jeff Diaz. “It was a customer, and he said to us, ‘I went out last night and my pants fell apart on the dance floor!’” The evidence: a pair so extravagantly ripped, it looked “like a shark had gotten hold of them.” The culprit: a batch of fabric that had been improperly stored before it was sold to Inseam. “We were horrified,” admits Diaz. It was pure bad luck that could have happened to anyone. But it could be damaging early buzz for a fledgling company that was just getting off the ground. Robb and Diaz became a couple and business partners 12 years ago; when they met, Diaz was running his own silkscreen and embroidering business and Robb was designing neckties and boxer shorts for the gift market. Together they launched Inseam from a Provincetown studio one summer. On a single sewing machine Robb hand sewed an entire inventory of pants (still the company’s cornerstone) that combine urbane style with a sense of durable, rugged masculinity. Then they’d crash the shirtless throngs at T-Dance parties in full Inseam ensembles to build big word-of-mouth. Which meant early chatter about a single bad batch of fabric could be very damaging. Enter: ingenious thinking. “We made it a marketing campaign,” smiles Diaz. Too young to afford traditional advertising,
12 | BOSTON SPIRIT
though the couple continues to handcraft each design and sample from their live-work studio in JP, where they relocated six years ago in response to the difficulty of running a year-round retail business in a seasonal resort destination.
Jeff Diaz and John Robb, Inseam co-owners Inseam gave away its inventory of the pants, pitching it like some sexy reverse lottery. “We’d say, ‘we’re going to give you these to wear for free. And if they fall apart, you have to tell everyone you had a fucking good time!’” The couple laughs. Now. “It built great word-of-mouth!” Indeed, as important as it is to be stylish, it’s being smart, crafty and spirited that has helped the couple build a successful partnership and thriving business. The company has certainly grown from its humble, single sewing machine beginnings. Inseam now fills thousands of orders each year for online shoppers and boutiques from P’town to Paris, from the west coast to the land down under. It employs six full-time seamstresses,
$
Not only has the company grown, its styles have evolved. Between its P’town heritage and an early fan base of adult film actors (bearish star Tom Chase was an original customer), Inseam initially established a toehold as a popular club-wear brand. But over the years it has become recognized for more diverse designs and its customer base expand to include straight men and even women who appreciate the all-occasions style. And that’s especially true of the new Workforce Collection, with its embrace of professional world fierceness. A dozen years later, Robb and Diaz remain a perfect fit: “We have very different points of view, but always manage to come together,” says Robb. But there’s one area in which, well, things are feeling a little snug. “Our biggest challenge now is that we’ve grown out of this space,” says Robb. Yes, the Inseam team is toying with plans to open a brick and mortar store of its own soon. And for once, we’re looking forward to going up a size. [x]
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October 2013
Martha’s Vineyard inspires. It has long served as a haven for creative individuals. Be a part of the Island’s cultural vibrancy this year during Fall for the Arts!
SPOTLIGHT Music STORY Scott Kearnan
Song of Support The month-long celebration showcases arts & culture with theater performances, artisans festivals, studio tours, a creative economy speaker series, vibrant weekend events, and so much more! Discover one of the Vineyard’s best-kept secrets:
There’s no better time than autumn for a relaxing Island getaway! Join us and immerse yourself in the unique creative spirit of Martha’s Vineyard!
artsmarthasvineyard.org/fall-for-the-arts
14 | BOSTON SPIRIT
TEACHER AND MUSICIAN MIKE FLANAGAN HELPS KIDS ‘BE STRONG’ “It gets better.” For a lot of bullied LGBT kids, those encouraging words can be hard to believe. But Mike Flanagan is teaching them it’s the truth. As an out Boston Public Schools music teacher, Flanagan fosters a classroom climate of respect and stands up for the safety of gay youth. And as a musician working under the moniker MRF, the multi-instrumentalist, producer and songwriter spreads positive messages: like “Be Strong,” an affirming R&B anthem inspired by the epidemic of LGBT teen suicides, and included on his album Mob Music, out in September. “I do it for my kids,” says Flanagan, who has also co-run school GSA groups. He says his most important lessons are on respect and empathy. “I can teach you how to read music, play jazz, or sing. That’s awesome and important,” says Flanagan. “But what good does it do if you don’t feel safe?” Not much, and Flanagan understands that all too well. Today he’s a successful solo artist and ringleader of Mob Music, a group that performs regularly at festivals, Pride events, and venues like Club Café, where the band had a year-long residency.
But Flanagan grew up in rough high school hallways of Brockton where he saw gay kids ostracized and found dealing with his sexuality “incredibly traumatic.” “It was terrifying,” says Flanagan. “I was afraid my life would be ruined if I came out.” Those fears followed him to Berklee College of Music, where other students, assuming he was straight, were vocal about anti-gay prejudices. “I almost had a nervous breakdown,” he admits. Eventually he went through the cathartic coming out process. And by the time he started teaching in Boston K-8 schools five years ago, he was strong enough to serve as a powerful role model for students. He puts a familiar face to the word “gay,” proving it’s anything but
he returned to school and antigay taunting resumed, Flanagan had another student translate his words of encouragement to the victim, a young immigrant who spoke little English: “I said, ‘I don’t what know your story is, but I’m gay, I’m in a relationship, we’re happy and we have a family with the friends we have made. … I’m going to help you with this bullying situation. If anyone messes with you, find me. They are not worth your life.’”
[ABOVE] Mike Flanagan and [OPPOSITE, TOP]at center with Mob Music
un-cool. “I’m not some mythical creature, but someone they respect,” says Flanagan. Being honest about his committed relationship when asked was a no-brainer decision, he said, and supported by administration, teachers, and parents. “It doesn’t make sense to convince these kids to respect something
that I’m hiding from them,” says Flanagan, who encourages classroom discussions about tolerance and brings students’ attention to offensive language. Sometimes he may literally save lives. Flanagan remembers an eighth grader who was hospitalized after attempting suicide due to incessant bullying. When
WHAT IS
“He looked up at me with this light shining in his eyes,” says Flanagan of the student, who for the first time started coming to school with a smile. But Flanagan has impacted all his students. Many excitedly appear in his music video for “Be Strong,” sales of which benefit PFLAG and The Trevor Project. “It’s been incredible to see so many kids fall in love with it,” says Flanagan, who points to rapper Macklemore’s pro-equality hit “Same Love” as another example of how music can
a pr ivate bank with a legacy of creating legacies
connect with youth. That such a song can be successful in hip hop, a genre often considered hostile to gay issues, shows how quickly attitudes are changing among younger generations. Flanagan, inspired largely by classic jazz and the ‘90s R&B of his adolescence, had an uneasy experience recording his debut album, Elevator Music, in 2008: “It was a primarily hip hop studio, and a very uncomfortable experience. There was a lot of homophobia, rappers saying ‘faggot’ all the time.” “I think even since then we’ve seen this change [in the music world],” says Flanagan, who hopes to capture both personal and cultural evolution in Mob Music. More importantly, whether as a musician or teacher, he’ll continue inspiring that change in the world - one young person at a time. [x]
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SPOTLIGHT Profile STORY Scott Kearnan
Winning Hand OUT MANAGER HELPS FOXWOODS HIT THE JACKPOT WITH LGBT GUESTS When you work in hospitality, the goal is to make every guest feel special. But as the hotel manager of MGM Grand at Foxwoods Resort Casino, Stacy Morataya-Pilkington understands that in an oft-intolerant world, it can be extra important to make LGBT guests feel VIP. “I think I’ve been able to show my team a different side of what a family is,” says Morataya-Pilkington. An out and married lesbian and mom of three, she’s the woman running a four-diamond hotel at America’s largest casino. But she’s also leading by example, using policy and personality to enhance the resort’s pro-LGBT culture — something she sees embodied by her hundred-plus employees.
MGM Grand at Foxwoods Resort Casino
She points to people like her head concierge, who took great steps to welcome back an older lesbian couple that had once heard rude remarks from a homophobic patron. “She did all this espionage to find out their favorite things, favorite colors, and decorated the whole room in a way [that was] personal to them,” explains MoratayaPilkington with a smile. “When I met them, they put their arms around me. Now they’re here two or three times a year.” Offering comfort to the community is important to Morataya-Pilkington, who has faced her own difficulties and discriminations. Raised in Las Vegas, she married young and had three children with her
Her own family took it tough too. “It was terrible,” she recalls of the day she came out to her mother on a canyon hike. “She said something about ‘Ellen Degenerate.’ She told me the rainbow flag stood for perversity, not diversity. And she asked me, ‘How do you think I feel knowing both my daughters are going to burn in hell for all eternity?’” Morataya-Pilkington’s sister is also gay. Stacy Morataya-Pilkington
LGBT TO VIP: AN INSIDER GUIDE TO THE HIGH (ROLLING) LIFE er 6,000 slot Foxwoods boasts ov ders tables, but big spen machines and game ed argazer Casino, tuck know to scope the St d 25th floor of the Gran away quietly on the nd imum bets start arou Pequot Tower. (Min from rve the millionaires $200.) Rather obse tre, the MGM Grand Thea afar? Grab a seat at dary rmers like the legen this fall hosting perfo hn tie R&B crooner Jo Lionel Richie and cu Legend.
PLAY:
16 | BOSTON SPIRIT
then-husband. “Like a lot of people, I was in a hurry to get over everything that was going on in my head,” she says. After her divorce, her ex-husband abandoned her and the children emotionally and financially. “He just told his family, ‘She’s a dyke and she left me,’” she says.
EAT: There are over 30 eateries at Foxwoods. But the aptly named Paragon, a four-diamond rated French- and Asianinfluenced restaurant, probably has the most elevated and under-the-radar rep. For the celebrity chef experience, opt for gourmet steakhouse David Burke Prime. And if you’re homesick, acclaimed Boston-based chef Michael Schlow has his high-end Italian eatery Alta Strada.
And yet, she bet on the hope that things would change. It paid off.
PARTY:
Keep an eye on the Boston LGB social group Th T e Welcoming Com mittee (thewelcomin gcommittee. com), which is planning a gr oup getaway in November. But any night is grea t for booking bo ttle service at Asian restaurant slash epic danc e club Shrine, or at tequila-inf used ultra loun ge Scorpion Bar. Boston’s Big Nig ht Entertainmen t Group owns them both, and is in talks to laun ch recurring gay events. (BN EG Boston club The Estate is home to Chris H arris Presents’ lo ng-running Glamlife party.) After all the fun, detox with a body wrap or m assage at the ul tr aluxe Gspa. Ah, hits the spot .
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“Today she’s a PFLAG mom, and she lives with me and my wife,” says a proud Morataya-Pilkington, who celebrates her twoyear wedding anniversary in September.
“It was important to me that I know I can be myself here,” says Morataya-Pilkington. “Everyone has to be okay with who I am and what I am.”
There has been professional progress, too. Her work has taken her from high-profile hotels between Vegas, Denver and Boston, and along the way she’s encountered behind-the-scenes backlash. One former coworker complained about MoratayaPilkington’s girlfriend visiting at work; another confided that her sexuality cost her a promotion. That all changed at Foxwoods, says Morataya-Pilkington, who came out to VP of hotel operations Jason Guyot, whom she calls a strong straight ally, in her first interview.
Before long, it was Guyot who came to her with the idea to plan LGBT events with Connecticut Alliance for Business Opportunities (CABO): a New Haven-based LGBT Chamber of Commerce of which Foxwoods is considered a Cornerstone Partner, and for which Morataya-Pilkington served as director of operations. (She’s now on the leadership council of Out and Equal, a Connecticut LGBT workplace advocacy organization.)
$
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it comes to being pro-LGBT, taking steps more substantive than simply throwing special parties or creating politically correct marketing material. The casino includes LGBT-specific language to its Employment Policy, and has designed LGBT-specific sensitivity training for employees. The casino’s purchasing department recognizes LGBT companies as part its minority vendor program; gender neutral bathrooms are offered; and the casino ensures transgender employees can wear the uniform of the gender with which they identify, regardless of medical documentation. Next on the agenda: a push to get an LGBT employee resource group up and running. And after seeing how far her own personal and professional life has come, Morataya-Pilkington is full of optimism. “There’s been such headway and growth, and I think Foxwoods is really doing things right,” says Morataya-Pilkington, who also marched on behalf of Foxwoods in NYC Pride. “I had custom-designed posters that said, ‘Who doesn’t prefer a full house to a straight?’” she laughs. A full house, indeed. The more the merrier. [x]
But Morataya-Pilkington wants to make it clear the Foxwoods “walks the walk” when
We take
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At Harvard Vanguard Medical Associates, we serve our communities with true quality care in an environment where everyone fits in. We are proud of the diverse communities we serve and workforce we employ. Diversity and inclusion make us better.
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To join us at Harvard Vanguard Medical Associates for a career that takes pride in you, please visit: Harvard Vanguard Medical Associates is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer.
SEP|OCT 2013 | 17
SPOTLIGHT Numbers COMPILED Frank Olito
Go Figure
7.6%
18.8% of male African-American same-sex couples are living in poverty, compared to 8.8% of heterosexual African-American couples. [The Williams
of lesbian couples live in poverty, as opposed to 5.7% of heterosexual couples. [The
Institute, June 2013]
Williams Institute, June 2013]
47%
49%
of Americans believe one’s sexual orientation is inherent and not a nurtured choice. [Gallup Poll, May 2013]
of Americans believe LGBT people should be able to marry legally. [Pew Research
21%
Center, March 2013]
of LGBT workers say their employers have treated them unfairly and have experienced workplace discrimination. [The
Williams Institute: PEW Survey, July 2013]
42%
of LGBT youth say they are growing up in a community not accepting of their lifestyle.
[Human Rights Campaign: Growing Up LGBT in America]
75%
of openly LGBT youth say their peers do not have a problem with their orientation. [Human Rights Campaign: Growing up LGBT in America]
h r c n e w en gl an d g a l a din n e r + au c t io n
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SPOTLIGHT News COMPILED Frankie Olito
Word Is Out
Fenway Health has partnered with AIDS Action Committee of Massachusetts to better care for New Englanders living with HIV/AIDS. This new pair will help make services for patients more efficient with this strategic partnership. The board of directors from each organization say they hope this fusion will provide more resources and services for patients.
The Massachusetts Transgender Political Coalition welcomes a new face to its organization. Mason Dunn has been named the new executive director of MTPC. Dunn has been working as an advocate for LGBT rights for ten years. As a recent graduate of New Hampshire School of Law, Dunn is excited to start working towards trans equality.
The Human Rights Campaign has endorsed Carl Sciortino for a seat in the House of Representatives for Massachusetts’ 5th district. Sciortino is an openly gay man who was elected to Massachusetts’s state House in 2004. The Human Rights Campaign says he is a leader in LGBT rights.
Twenty-five New England health providers earned top honors in the Human Rights Campaign’s 2013 Health Equality Index (HEI)’s Leadership. Each met the highest standards of leadership in four ares: patient non-discrimination, equal visitaion, employment non-discrimation, and training in LGBT patient-centered care.
Maine still has work to do. Although the state legalized same-sex marriage last year, EqualityMaine, an advocacy organization based out of Portland, says that broad social acceptance is still elusive. The group released a five-year plan to gain acceptance in the most rural areas. They are planning to educate the people of Maine on the LGBT community.
20 | BOSTON SPIRIT
Sen. Elizabeth Warren called on the federal government to reevaluate its ban on the donation of blood from gay men, calling the policy, “contrary to science,” according to a statement released from her office. Warren was prompted to act when a constituent contacted her office saying that he had been denied the ability to donate blood in the wake of the Boston Marathon bombings.
Gay and Lesbian Advocates and Defenders (GLAD) honor Chief Justice Margaret H. Marshall at an award dinner. Marshall wrote the Goodridge v. Department of Public Health decision, allowing Massachusetts to become the first state to legalize gay marriage. This landmark decision created a pathway for the other states to follow—and we owe it all to Justice Marshall.
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SPOTLIGHT Design STORY Ricardo Rodriguez PHOTOS Randy Gross
MAKE IT BIGGER AND OBVIOUS
Ricardo Recommends Nice ‘n Easy
MAKE YOUR HOME READY FOR THE FALL/WINTER Real estate is local. And our local market has certainly taken a turn in the past few months. With historically low levels of inventory and low interest rates the demand for properties has become a royal battle between prospective buyers. Multiple offers over the asking price are not the exception any longer. So if you are one of those homeowners getting ready to list your home for the Fall/ Winter market, keep in mind what I consider to be the most important fact in real estate: it is emotional. People buy what they love and are willing to pay for it. All this emotion starts with how your place looks and feels. So here are some suggestions on what to do to accomplish that chic, warm and “home” feeling everyone is looking for, mostly using things you already have at hand. And even if you are not selling, go ahead and have fun.
MAKE IT BIGGER AND OBVIOUS People love to imagine their furniture in their new space (where would grandpa’s hutch go!) and how to use it. So make it obvious and design a multi-functional space by creating additional sitting areas or working corners within your already existing layout. It might even make your space feel larger.
NOT A DRINKING PROBLEM Don’t hide all those bottles of wine and booze under the kitchen sink. Display them by creating a “bar area” within your living space. Add a nice ice shaker or your auntie’s antique ice bucket and voila! Not only will you create an adult, warm and personal detail, but you will hint to your buyers the fabulous parties they could have.
PUT THEM TO WORK Is your home filled with all those books you read before you bought your Kindle? Well, put them to work once more. Properly
22 | BOSTON SPIRIT
stacked books make for very chic side-end coffee tables. Simply top each stack with a tray. But don’t overdue it, one or two are more than enough — you don’t want your place to look like a Harry Potter set. Properly placed, they add a touch of sophistication your buyers cannot escape. And they show how smart you are — and who wouldn’t want to do business with you?
JUST HANG THEM Don’t know what to do with art or wall hanging pieces? An easy solution is to create a well-proportioned cluster. The great thing about clusters of art is that anything goes: your Picasso next to your kid’s drawing next to a framed postcard. This makes for a tremendously impactful décor element that shows your sensibility and good taste.
ODDS AND PIECES Do you have a ton of odd pieces around? Create an interesting collection of objects making sure it is not too incongruous or large. It should be a fun unexpected detail
PUT THEM TO WORK
NOT A DRINKING PROBLEM
JUST HANG THEM ODDS AND PIECES
that puts a smile on your new buyer’s face. And aren’t you worldly?
MAKE IT LONG LASTING Florals and plants are extremely important when presenting your home to prospective buyers. They add color, warmth, and a sense of vibrancy that nothing else can do. The problem is that they could get expensive. Bringing your outdoor plants into your space for the cold season could make for a nice touch. My recommendation is to put your cash on long-lasting flowering plants. Orchids are a perfect choice. They are understated, neutral and could last for a couple of months (if well taken care for). Remember, getting your home ready for sale is about de-cluttering but not devoiding it of any personal connection. You are not trying to sell a hospital lobby. You are selling a home and it should feel like it. And don’t forget to call me … [x]
MAKE IT LONG LASTING
Ricardo Rodriguez Is a celebrated and award-winning real estate and lifestyle expert based in Boston. He regularly appears in local and national TV shows, contributes to various publications in the areas of real estate, home, living and fashion, and is a tireless advocate and supporter of many and various charitable causes.
SEP|OCT 2013 | 23
FEATURE Politics STORY Mark Krone
First openly gay Boston city councillor David Scondras and Boston Mayor Ray Flynn
Larry DiCara
Mel King
Boston Mayor’s Race: Then and Now 30 years ago, the Hub’s mayoral field was wide open, and the candidates vied openly for gay voters for the first time For the first time in years, a troop of Boston mayoral candidates sift city neighborhoods for votes. At T stops and in coffee shops candidates reach for every hand, seeking just enough votes to lift them into the final when the bulky field shrinks to a two-person runoff. It’s hard work. After so many years with the same mayor, Bostonians are not used to choosing from such a large field. For the longest time, it was either the Mayor or the fly in the ointment. And the mayor won, no problem. Look back 30 years ago and the above paragraph still stands, with one difference.
That was the last time voters chose from such a large group of mayoral candidates, but it was the first time in the city’s history that they openly sought the gay vote. Like current Mayor Tom Menino, then Mayor Kevin White had served so long at City Hall, his persona and the city’s fused until it was hard to tell them apart. Though White ended his tenure amid lingering ethical questions, he exited to general applause. Where Menino embodies the city’s blue-collar outer neighborhood work ethic, White was all glamour and big ideas; 1983 Boston was after all, an era
24 | BOSTON SPIRIT
still in the shadow of John F. Kennedy. While there is a thriving LGBT community in most Boston neighborhoods today, back then, the city’s gay population was clustered in the Fenway, Jamaica Plain, the north slope of Beacon Hill, and in the South End. Issues were more basic, centering foremost on survival. It was common for women leaving bars to be followed and harassed by young men. Murders of queer people, especially transgendered people, went unsolved amidst claims of police indifference. The summer before, The Gay Community News office on Bromfield Street was destroyed by a fire, which later was ruled arson. And a few years before that, the paper’s police reporter, David Brill, was found dead the day after attending a fundraising party at a new bar
on Boylston Street called Buddies. Cyanide was found in his body and his death was ruled a suicide, but his friend, the late Eric Rofes said at the time that Brill was “full of plans” the night before his death and that “no way” was it a suicide. And just two summers before the 1983 mayoral election, a New York Times story reported that “a rare cancer [was] seen in 41 homosexuals.” AIDS had arrived. After city officials ignored years of federal injunctions to integrate the public schools, Judge Arthur Garrity ordered school buses to roll through South Boston and Roxbury in 1974. The result was a mass exodus of the city, leaving relatively cheap housing for young gays escaping small towns from Maine to Connecticut, and gay college graduates from all over. According to a 1994 Boston Globe article, between
BE SOCIAL IN BOSTON
1983 was the last time voters chose from such a large group of mayoral candidates, but it was the first time in the city’s history that they openly sought the gay vote. 1970-1980, “12 percent of the population had left Boston... Nearly every neighborhood had lost between a sixth and a quarter of its residents.” The city was shabby then. Litter flew atop breezes down city streets and if you fell into the Charles River or Boston Harbor, you were advised to get a tetanus shot. On a mild spring evening in May 1983, a candidate’s night sponsored by the Boston Lesbian/Gay Political Alliance was held to an overflowing crowd of 250. It was the first time mayoral candidates had ever attended a forum sponsored by a gay group in Boston. At the end of the night, two candidates emerged with the strongest support, former State Representative Mel King and former City Councilor Larry DiCara. DiCara, who had supported gay rights bills in the City Council since his election in 1971, eventually won the endorsement of the two gay political organizations that existed then, the Massachusetts Gay Political Caucus and the Boston Lesbian/Gay Political Alliance. He was also endorsed by a new gay paper,
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Bay Windows. Founder and editor, Sasha Alyson, recently recounted why he went with DiCara, “It was definitely our first endorsement. [DiCara] was well-qualified to be mayor in terms of both experience and ability, and was fully supportive on gay and lesbian issues.” For his part, Mel King who had long supported gay rights, also received strong gay support which helped push him into the runoff with Flynn. Flynn won the final easily and was re-elected mayor twice. David Scondras also gave gay voters in downtown Boston motivation to go to the polls. He won, becoming the first openly gay Boston city councilor. Musing on the current mayoral contest, Larry DiCara sees a dramatically different city from 30 years ago. “A lot of the haters got out of the city in the 1970s. ... The vacuum was filled by people who wanted to live in a neighborhood that was multiracial and included gays. The good news is I don’t think there is any [mayoral] candidate now who is not supportive of gay rights, marriage equality, and adoption.” [x] C
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26 | BOSTON SPIRIT
FEATURE Community STORY Scott Kearnan
The Beat Goes On Club Café celebrates 30 years as the heart of Boston’s gay scene Club Café founder Frank Ribaudo will never forget his anniversary. Either of them. On October 13, Ribaudo will marry his longtime partner Joe Posa. They’ll celebrate their reception, which after certain hours will be open to the whole community, at Club Café. That’s because their wedding coincides with a second reason to celebrate. October marks the 30th anniversary of Club Café, which has become iconic in New England’s gay scene. For one generation, it has been a community center: a comfortable second home filled with old friends. For another, it’s a party palace: where stepping inside, grabbing your first drink, and scoring your first date has become a veritable rite of passage. And Club Café shows no sign of slowing down. “2013 has been a banner year for us,” says Ribaudo joyfully. In a more accepting world, where it’s harder and harder to keep gay establishments afloat, Club Café is enjoying some of its best business. But that success wasn’t always a sure thing, and Ribaudo admits that early on he never would have believed that Club Café could wind up a decades-spanning landmark in New England’s LGBT culture. “To be honest, for the first five years all I thought about was how to keep from going bankrupt,” says Ribaudo. “I don’t think we made a dime.” That’s because 30 years ago, everything about Club Café was a calculated risk: from its willingness to challenge a bullying nearby business to its wide wall of windows that, in a brazen move at the time, planted a highly visible gay establishment right on the Boston streetscape. Here’s the story of how it stayed there.
Joe Posa and Frank Ribaudo
“ For the first five years all I thought about was how to keep from going bankrupt. I don’t think we made a dime. ” Frank Ribaudo, Owner, Club Café
Building Its Muscle The story of Club Café actually starts elsewhere: at Café Calypso, a gay South End restaurant founded over 30 years ago by Franco Campanello and his partner Caleb Davis. “It was like a big frat house,” recalls Campanello of the early ‘80s South End, Boston’s gay ghetto. “You had all these twenty-somethings acting like college
kids. For the first time they were free and easy. It was a wild place.” Of course, the then-low income neighborhood was also kept like a frat house, a far cry from today’s post-gentrification landscape of fabulous restaurants and tony condos. Café Calypso shared space on Tremont Street, where it occupied the space that now belongs to upscale Indian restaurant Mela, with boarded up businesses and rat-infested tenements. “Neighbors would shoot BB guns through our window,” says Campanello. That wasn’t gay bashing, he clarifies, just a standard sign o’ the South End times. Café Calypso helped spur the area’s redevelopment as a gay restaurant Mecca. “I like to think we showed that businesses could do well there,” says Campanello. “We broke the ice.” And so did Boston’s early gay leaders and activists, who gathered at Café Calypso to hammer out political moves and launch organizations over weekly breakfast meetings. There was one especially important person who walked through the door, says Campanello: developer Frank Ribaudo. “I loved him because he was a mover and shaker who knew how to get things done,” says Campanello. Soon Ribaudo had invested in Café Calypso. Then the group tapped a fourth partner, Joe McAllister, for a risky new idea: a gay-focused gym, to be named Metropolitan Health Club, over at 209 Columbus Avenue. It was a response to anti-gay discrimination at Back Bay Racquet Club, a block away in the space that now houses Da Vinci Ristorante, where gay clientele were harassed, intimidated, and threatened with physical harm. “If they thought someone was gay or seemed effeminate, they’d pull them into the office and push them around,” says Ribaudo. “They’d say, ‘We’ll break your legs if you come back here.’” Ribaudo and his partners saw both a business opportunity and a chance for the gay community to fight back. But securing
SEP|OCT 2013 | 27
money was tough. Campanello says banks balked at loaning money to start a health club. “They were considered kind of sleazy,” says Campanello. “Not something a respectable bank would invest in.” He says the spot’s landlord, on board with the plan since the beginning, used his leverage on their behalf. “He picked up the loan, took it down to Shawmut Bank and said, ‘Do this loan,’” says Campanello. “And they did.” Of course, that wasn’t all of it. “We tapped all our credit cards, sold stock, and borrowed money everywhere we could borrow,” says Ribaudo. But it quickly became clear that Metropolitan Health Club and its adjacent Club Café, then a small, annexed afterthought, would be filling a vital void in the gay community. Metropolitan began by offering 90-day memberships for $90: turn in your member’s card
from another gym, and you’d get an additional 30 days free. “We set up tables in the lobby and sold $100,000 worth of memberships before we even opened,” says Campanello. Metropolitan Health Club opened in October 1983. In four months it took in 800 members from Back Bay Racquet Club alone. Nine months later that gym was out of business. An abused community had flexed its muscle. “That was the power of the gay community,” says Ribaudo. By the mid-’80s, the founders decided to split the business. Campanello and Davis continued to own Metropolitan Health Club (later Columbus Athletic Club) downstairs until 2006. Ribaudo and McAllister took over the upstairs Club Café, then a mere fraction of its current size: 1800 square feet, versus today’s sprawling 8000 square feet space.
SIT LESS. PLAY MORE.
“ For the first five years all I thought about was how to keep from going bankrupt. I don’t think we made a dime. ” Frank Ribaudo, Owner, Club Café
“It was just a little wine and beer bar,” says Ribaudo, who soon realized the real money was in liquor sales. So he scrounged up $31,000 to buy a license, a then-astronomical amount. And then he began the first of several additions to the space. Soon Club Café had a dining room and a nightclub component; at one point, Ribaudo even leased out space to a small tanning salon.
There was one element, though, that especially stood out: Club Café’s wide wall of curved windows. They were revolutionary, offering public visibility during a time when other local gay establishments, like Buddy’s, Chaps and The Napoleon Club were windowless, often-subterranean spaces that kept the community cloistered. The windows, says Ribaudo, symbolized a refusal to remain
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hidden. And the profound effect of this new kind of space, one that brought the community out of the shadows and into the light, was not lost on its clientele. “This place was far ahead of its time,” says Jim Morgrage. He started working at Club Café as a cocktail waiter in 1996; today he’s general manager and co-owner. But he still remembers the impact when he first started stopping in as a guest in the ‘80s. “Club Café was so different. We take it for granted now, but back in the ‘80s you didn’t sit at a tablecloth in the window, eating dinner with your same-sex partner. There wasn’t a place where you bring your mom or dad and be surrounded by your community.” And though Ribaudo admits those first few years were lean (it didn’t help that Club Café was tucked down a dead-end
passage amid an Orange Line construction zone), the spot soon became exactly that: a bustling community space. It wasn’t just a place to get liquored up and let loose. It became known as a de facto destination for gay-related social events and non-profit fundraisers. In Boston, it built a gay community. Which was a response, partly, to almost losing one.
Opening Its Arms There is an entire generation that remembers where they were when they first heard the news. That someone, a friend or a lover, was sick. And that no one knew much, except this: it was bad. “Me and Caleb had just come back from a trip back from Hawaii, the same trip where he told me his idea for the gym,” recalls Campanello. “We found
AU T H E N T I C A L LY B O S TO N
5 0 0 C o m m o n w e a l t h Av e n u e , B o s t o n , M A 0 0 2 2 1 5
Jim Morgrage, second from the left, and Frank Ribaudo on the far right
out that our baker at Café Calypso was sick with this strange disease.” “He died in February, 1983.” During the 1980s, the AIDS epidemic ravaged the gay community in Boston, as it did everywhere else. “Some guys would come into the
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health club so emaciated, so sick,” recalls Campanello, who held AIDS “health circles” at Metropolitan on Sunday afterhours. “You’d see people in the peak of fitness and bloom of health. And then you’d see these scarecrows. Every week there was a different memorial
I N D I V I D UA L LY Y O U R S
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Club Café staff at the turn of the millennium service.” He says he knew at least one hundred men who died from the disease. “My entire phone book was decimated,” says Ribaudo. Every day, it seemed, another friend was lost. “A whole host of people who worked here
passed. Most of the people I socialized with were gone.” The disease would eventually claim Club Café co-founder Joe McAllister in 1993. And it took from Ribaudo his own partner, Tim Reed. “He used to work here,” says
Ribaudo. “He was diagnosed in 1985. He passed on July 15, 1986.” Reed died in Ribaudo’s arms, taking his last breath as he was carried from the bed to the bathroom. The experience was devastating to Ribaudo. And the
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30 | BOSTON SPIRIT
loss of so many loved ones left the community profoundly saddened and deeply afraid, armed with plenty of prejudice but little education about how the disease actually spread. “We had customers come in for dinner, and they would bring their own silverware,” says Ribaudo. “That’s how petrified people were.” The epidemic offered something else, though: a chance to come together, stronger than before. “It sort of thrust us into the middle of the epidemic,” says Ribaudo. “It forced the question, ‘What do we do about it?’” The answer was to act: from hosting Monday night pasta dinners to give early AIDS sufferers physical nourishment and emotional comfort, to launching large-scale events ever since. In 2003, Ribaudo
YOUR DENTAL
“ My entire phone book was decimated. Every day, it seemed, another friend was lost. A whole host of people who worked here passed. Most of the people I socialized with were gone ”
HOME
WHERE PATIENTS ARE OUR DENTAL FAMILY.
Frank Ribaudo Owner, Club Café
worked with Michael Tye, a prominent Boston businessman and the AIDS activist who helped found Community Servings, to create Harbor to the Bay. That Boston-to-Provincetown bicycling benefit has since raised over $3 million, and over the years, Club Café’s commitment to social service has broadened to host major fundraisers for nearly every gay-related organization and issue. Sometimes, its existence alone has been enough to make a difference.
Changing Others’ Minds Though it has remained a major issue, better education and new medications began to quell much anxiety and panic over AIDS in the ‘90s. That collective exhale, coupled with a booming economy, made life at Club Café a gay old time, indeed. “That was a really strong time for us,” says Ribaudo of the Clinton era. “Everybody was going out then!” And they had a new reason. In the ‘90s Club Café began hosting cabaret shows in its nightclub space. From local
productions to big names like Eartha Kitt, shows were regular sell-outs. And whether as performers or VIP guests, celebrities started to swing through more often: Joan Rivers, Barry Manilow, Lily Tomlin, Leonard Nimoy and Kathleen Turner are just a few of the stars who have popped in for a drink (or three) over the years. But the cabaret shows offered something more important than stargazing. “The crowds for the cabaret shows were predominantly straight, and there was this wonderful blending of clientele,” says Ribaudo, who prominently marketed the cabaret through mainstream media outlets. So even before Will & Grace plopped a gay best friend in every American’s living room, Club Café was giving many local straight folks their first real glimpse at gay culture. “Frank was so forward thinking,” says straight singer Carol O’Shaughnessy, a longtime fixture on the cabaret scene. She has been a regular performer at Club Café since the day doors opened, and she says she always invited her straight crowds so they could see the community up close and personal. “It’s considered a
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gay club, but Frank always wanted it to be a place where everyone felt welcome.” Because once worlds collide, society shifts. “I remember once a man and woman came in with their two children,” says bar manager Tony McCormick, who started working at Club Café in 1990 and has seen how its inclusive atmosphere redefined relationships with the straight community. “They asked for a table for four. I said sure, I just want you to know that we have a large gay clientele.” He’ll never forget her quick retort. “Oh, do you think my children will offend them?” the woman responded, not missing a beat. Of course not, McCormick replied. “Well then,” she nodded. “We’d like a 2_Layout 1 2/13/13 table.” 7:43 PM Page 1
Staying True To Its Heart Of course, there’s a downside to assimilation. Over the last fifteen years or so, cities around the country have seen their gay clubs shutter. As acceptance grows and new generations grow up without the specter of discrimination looming
overhead, the need for a safe space — somewhere explicitly aimed at the gay community — becomes less important to many. “Things slowed down at the turn of the century,” admits Ribaudo. “As we’ve become accepted as a community, gay people have felt comfortable going anywhere. We lost a lot of business to straight establishments that opened their arms and embraced the gay community. The South End became very gentrified. More straight people moved in, and all these new restaurants opened up that were very well blended.” In fact, Morgrage admits that one Club Café misstep was to try and compete with those spots. In 2005 the dining room was renovated and re-branded with a distinct restaurant identity, 209, and given a more ambitious menu. The effort was shortlived, and the period was “probably our toughest time,” says Morgrage. “We spent too much time and energy going after the dining room. There are five thousand restaurants in Boston and it’s hard to compete.” So rather than belabor competing in a crowded culinary-driven marketplace,
the spot refocused its attention on being a multipurpose venue. “We embraced who we are,” says Morgrage. “A lounge and nightclub where you can get live entertainment, a good meal, and a good value.” Re-embracing that identity was accompanied by big, very expensive renovations. In 2010 the main dining room was partitioned with a gorgeous, soundproof glass wall to create the Napoleon Room, an intimate area devoted to nightly live entertainment: sing-along piano bars, jazz musicians and other performers with especial appeal to older crowds. The more expansive back room was outfitted with a new, state-of-the-art audiovisual system; as the Moonshine Dance Club, it breathed new life into Club Café’s younger partiers. The lounge connecting these spaces received a layout tweak and second bar, and the whole club began emphasizing nightly programming: like Monday’s “Drag Bingo,” Tuesday’s “Stump Trivia,” Wednesday’s “Karaoke Kween” and Sunday’s “Back 2 Basics Tea Dance.” This summer Club Café also launched “Lady Love” on Thursdays, a collaboration with Lesbiannightlife.com, as an option
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for Boston’s underserved women’s community. Ribaudo believes that evolving with the times and offering something for everyone is the key to Club Café’s continued success. “We keep making these little changes to maintain interest and operate in the middle of the bell curve,” says Ribaudo. “We’ve never looked to be too extreme. If you are, you’ll be hot to a limited number of people for a short period of time.” If anything, Club Café has broadened its appeal. Between bachelorette parties seeking a grope-free zone to the ally friends of gay regulars, straight folks constitute nearly a third of weekend crowds, says Ribaudo. Club Café has also managed to retain a large number of longtime staff. There are about 50 employees, says Ribaudo, and many have been with the place nearly as long as its younger customers have been alive. “It’s like a family, and Frank is the dad,” laughs bartender Mary Squires, who has worked at Club Café for 19 years. “When it comes to life in Boston, Club Café is my first family,” agrees bartender Todd
“ It’s like a family, and Frank is the dad. ” Mary Squires bartender
Askew, whose first day of work happened to be Club Café’s 10th anniversary party. He says the place has always had a unique way of inspiring camaraderie. “We used to have a really fun staff shows to raise money for one cause or another,” says Askew. “I remember once stepping on stage wearing just a cowboy hat and boots. I sang a song to my penis while I held a guitar over it,” he laughs. “I found it very odd that the loudest applause came when I turned to leave the stage.”
Those warm memories and familiar faces represent the ensconced sense of history Club Café has, and explains why even when some guests move away, they never quite move on. “I may not see someone for a couple years,” says McCormick. “But whenever there’s a reason to pull together, in celebration or mourning, everyone comes to Club Café. It’s a home base for the gay community.” And even in a more accepting world, it will remain so for many years to come. “On a Friday or Saturday night, half the people partying inside Club Café weren’t even born when it opened,” laughs McCormick. Yet they still seek it out, immersing themselves in what is, at this point, a legitimate landmark for the region’s gay community. “They still have their struggles, which are as important to them as ours were to us. Club Café gives them comfort, courage, and provides a place to play.” “Every school has a playground,” says McCormick. Let the music play on. [x]
SEP|OCT 2013 | 33
FEATURE Marriage STORY Anthony Giampetruzzi
November 18, 2003 The day that changed the gay rights movement forever For many, it seems like a lifetime since marriage equality became a reality for the residents of Massachusetts. But, indeed, it’s only been a decade since the Massachusetts became the first state to allow gays to marry after a Supreme Judicial Court decision in November 2003 and a subsequent fight in the legislature in 2004. Sure, there had been a sprinkling of gay marriage activity throughout the U.S. to that point, with Hawaii seriously approaching the issue nearly 10 years earlier, and Vermont coming the closest to an actual tide change in 2000 when thenGovernor Howard Dean signed the first civil unions bill into law. But it was Massachusetts that triggered a hurricane of activity in New England and across the U.S., leading today to full marriage equality in all New England states, a repeal of key provisions of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) by
34 | BOSTON SPIRIT
Mary Bonoauto the Supreme Court, and a tipping of public opinion in favor of gay marriage countrywide. Throughout, thousands of individuals worked both in the trenches and in much
more public ways to advance what many believe to be the panacea of GLBT equality, marriage. Here, in the words of some of the most influential players, is an oral history of the ups and downs of the past decade.
ON NOVEMBER 18, 2003, MASSACHUSETTS BECAME THE FIRST STATE TO LEGALIZE SAME-SEX MARRIAGE WHEN THE SJC ORDERED THE STATE LEGISLATURE TO OPEN MARRIAGE TO SAME-SEX COUPLES IN THE LANDMARK GOODRIDGE V. DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH RULING. THE COURT ALSO RULED THAT IF THE LEGISLATURE FAILED TO DO SO IN 180 DAYS, SAME-SEX COUPLES WOULD BE ABLE TO MARRY WITHOUT ANY IMPEDIMENT. “[On November 18, 2003] I was on my way to the Connecticut state house to testify about a relationship recognition
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issue when I received a call in my car that the SJC’s web site stated that Goodridge would be released at 10 a.m. Suffice it to say that I detoured and went back to Boston. At 10, I was in line at the courthouse to receive a copy of the opinion with plenty of people were ahead of me. I went out on the courthouse plaza to be alone and read the decision. Before I had even had a chance to do so, I received a call from then-Sen. Jarrett Barrios saying we had won. I looked at the opinion and made my way back to the GLAD office. I encountered plenty of jubilant people along the way!”—Mary Bonauto, GLAD attorney who filed suit in Massachusetts on behalf of the seven gay and lesbian couples who wished to marry. The case became known as Goodridge v. Department of Public Health. “I had heard that it was coming down that day, but we had been waiting and waiting and waiting so no one ever really knew. I was in a Masters program at Harvard and I remember getting an email from Gary Buseck [GLAD Executive Director] saying that “today’s the day.” For some reason, that day I was wearing a
“I
was working in the Rhode Island State House at the time and I remember talking to Charlie Fogarty who was the lieutenant governor and he said, “you know, this is going to change everything ... and it did.” RAY SULLIVAN , Marc Solomon plaid shirt when the decision came down and I had to go on NECN for an interview! Plaid! For two hours! I looked very Maine that day.” Marc Solomon, who was a volunteer with the Massachusetts Freedom to Marry in 2003 and today is the National Campaign Director for Freedom to Marry.
FORMER RHODE ISLAND STATE LEGISLATOR AND, MORE RECENTLY, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF MARRIAGE EQUALITY RHODE ISLAND
“I honestly don’t remember where I was. I imagine I was in the office, but isn’t that funny that I don’t remember the moment? What I can say is I remember how historic and important it was that a court said that we can no longer deny marriage based on sexual orientation because THAT is discrimination.” BETSY SMITH , OUTGOING EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF EQUALITY MAINE
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“Six by Twelve” to ensure that same-sex couples in all six New England states would be able to marry in their home state by 2012.
“We were all working together at the time, GLAD, Marc Solomon, Mary Bonauto … I thought it was a great goal because I love catchy phrases that are real and motivational and inspirational. It was so full of hope that, my gosh, we could actually get all six states by 2012! And, 2012 didn’t seem like all that far away at that point, although it was ambitious when they set it.” BETSY SMITH.
IN 2003, MAINE WAS THE ONLY STATE IN NEW ENGLAND NOT TO HAVE A BASIC ANTI-DISCRIMINATION LAW ON THE BOOKS, RESULTING FROM A 2000 FAILURE AT THE POLLS TO UPHOLD A PRO-GAY MEASURE PASSED BY THE LEGISLATURE EARLIER THAT YEAR. “Maine might have been a little bit behind when marriage became legal in Massachusetts, but we knew that, because we are a ballot initiative state, we just had a harder hill to climb to get those protections. We were so thrilled, it was not bittersweet at all that Massachusetts had marriage—it was thrilling and exciting. What we knew is that we had to get a nondiscrimination bill done and uphold it at the polls. And, that was our strategy, we had to learn how to win a ballot measure.” BETSY SMITH
Betsy Smith By October 2008, Connecticut had became the second New England state to allow same-sex marriage with a ruling by the state’s highest court in Kerrigan & Mock v. Department of Public Health. And Maine, along with the rest of the New England states, had anti-discrimination as well as a litany of other protection laws. On the fifth anniversary of the Goodridge decision, GLAD announced the goal of
“Looking back, did I believe that the ‘6 in 12’ campaign would have come as close as it actually did to fruition? Yes. With a gulp. I thought we could do it. But I knew we would have to work, and it wouldn’t just happen magically.” MARY BONAUTO
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SEP|OCT 2013 | 37
IN 2009 , ONLY WEEKS AFTER VERMONT’S GOVERNOR SIGNED A SAME-SEX MARRIAGE BILL INTO LAW, THE MAINE LEGISLATURE PASSED ITS OWN GAY MARRIAGE LAW THAT APRIL, FOLLOWED SOON AFTER BY THE APPROVAL OF A SIMILAR LAW IN NEW HAMPSHIRE. SADLY, VOTERS OVERTURNED THE MAINE LAW AT THE POLLS THAT NOVEMBER. THE MOVE CAME ON THE HEELS OF THE CALIFORNIA SUPREME COURT’S DECISION TO UPHOLD PROPOSITION 8, CONSTITUTIONALLY BANNING SAME-SEX MARRIAGE. THE CONFLUENCE OF EVENTS PROMPTED SOME TO QUESTION WHETHER 6 IN 12 COULD BE ACHIEVED.
“The biggest punch in the gut for me was the obvious one, having successfully passed marriage in the legislature and then not being able to uphold it at the polls. It was devastating. You know, we were the first state to have it passed by the legislature and have it signed by the governor, but we knew that it would be challenged and we’d have to uphold it at the polls. Honestly, we just didn’t have enough Mainers who supported marriage at the time and it was devastating, heartbreaking … we really thought we were gonna win.” BETSY SMITH. “When we lost at the polls in Maine in 2009, right on the heels of Prop 8 in California, we were really trying to figure out “can we win, can we make this happen. It was without question the biggest blow to 6 in 12.” MARC SOLOMON.
“I was not alone in needing months to recover. But thankfully, our same coalition of GLAD, Equality Maine, Maine Women’s Lobby, ACLU of ME, & Engage ME went back to work together. We were unbelievably fortunate that a committed donor agreed to help us figure out what happened and how to connect with voters on this issue. That allowed GLAD to hire Matt McTighe and his public education team. The lessons they learned were foundational for the campaigns in Maine and the other 2012 campaigns [Rhode Island among them] as well, and Matt and his team transitioned over to serving as key campaign staff, with Matt as the campaign manager.” MARY BONAUTO
IN NOVEMBER 2012, MAINE BECAME THE FIRST STATE TO ASK VOTERS TO APPROVE SAME-SEX MARRIAGE AT THE POLLS. THEY DID SO, OVERWHELMINGLY.
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“It’s always nice to be a first, but to date, we are still the first and only state where we have taken marriage equality directly to the people and asked them to support it, and they did. I’m incredibly proud of that effort.” BETSY SMITH
WHILE 6 IN 12 WASN’T COMPLETELY ACHIEVED, IT WOULD TAKE ONLY A FEW EXTRA MONTHS TO BRING RHODE ISLAND INTO THE FOLD WHEN. IN MAY 2013, GOVERNOR LINCOLN CHAFEE SIGNED A SAME-SEX MARRIAGE BILL INTO LAW. “It was bittersweet to have not made the 6 in 12, but we had an amazing, textbook campaign! We were so proud that now those couples are recognized and respected and finally treated as equal.” RAY SULLIVAN.
LAST JULY , THE U.S. SUPREME COURT RULED AGAINST PROPOSITION 8, THUS LEGALIZING SAME-SEX MARRIAGE IN CALIFORNIA. MARRIAGES RESUMED IN THE STATE TWO DAYS LATER. THE COURT ALSO DECLARED SECTION 3 OF THE DEFENSE OF MARRIAGE ACT, THE PORTION OF THE LAW THAT BARRED FEDERAL RECOGNITION OF SAME-SEX MARRIAGES, UNCONSTITUTIONAL. “I won’t say it was a shock, but it’s a lot of progress in a short amount of time. The credit goes to so many people in the states and nationally who have been resolute in the belief that same-sex couples should not be denied the right to marry, and then coming together to share resources and research and to campaign together.” BETSY SMITH.
“We are all about welcoming late comers! Rhode Island may have been just a little bit late, but the campaign there was really strong and overwhelmingly successful. I was really proud of what they achieved.” MARC SOLOMON
“I’d say I’m an optimist and I believe in our cause, so I always had a sense that things were going to get better. I don’t know that I would have predicted a decade ago that things would have moved quite as quickly as they have in terms of public support, which is now 58% nationwide. I always thought things would go well for us, but, in the context of things going well, this has all been very remarkable.” MARC SOLOMON “Twenty years ago, in 1993, we were facing the disappointments from Congress and the President on the enactment of Don’t Ask Don’t Tell. Hawaii’s Supreme Court had just ruled that a marriage case had to go back for a hearing on why the state was discriminating against same-sex couples. So it would have been hard to believe, then, [that we could come as far as we have] because we had so few friends. All the same I would like to think I would have believed [we’d be where we are] because we were accomplishing so much. And after all, we’re right on the merits of the issues.” MARY BONAUTO. [x]
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ARTS ARTS ARTS ARTS PREVIEW PREVIEW PREVIE 40 | BOSTON SPIRIT
SEASONAL Arts Preview STORY Loren King
‘5 Lesbians Eating a Quiche’ for a cause
•
DANCE
BOSTON BALLET
Boston Ballet, Boston Opera House 539 Washington St, Boston 617-6956955, | bostonballet.org
La Bayadère
THU OCT 24 - SUN NOV 3
Florence Clerc's spellbinding adaptation of of Marius Petipa's passionate tale of love, betrayal, and revenge.
The Nutcracker
Comedy benefits Provincetown Cares
FRI NOV 29 - SUN DEC 29
Boston Ballet's production of Mikko Nissinen's The Nutcracker.
Close to Chuck In the spirit of “let’s put on a show,” a stellar cast again assembles for a fullfledged production at Provincetown Town Hall for two performances only, October 18 and 19, during Women’s Week to benefit Provincetown Cares. This year, the ensemble cast of Georgia Lyman, Maureen Keiller, Kelly McAndrew, Hannah Yelland and Darlene VanAlstyne star in the madcap comedy 5 Lesbians Eating a Quiche by off-Broadway vets Evan Linder and Andrew Hobgood. Lynn d’Angona directs the show, which gathers the members of the Susan B. Anthony Society for the Sisters of Gertrude Stein, all self-described “widows,” for a meeting in 1956. (The members include the audience who are supplied with nametags — that’s the guys, too; everyone’s a lady for this show.) The sisters have gathered for the society’s annual quiche breakfast where double-entendres fly from the mouths of these pillars of the society, which boasts the motto: “No Men. No Meat. All Manners.” But the Cold War is raging, after all, and fears of The Bomb unleash fits of confessions and floods of suppressed emotions and sexual tension. Besides directing the shows, d’Angona is the founder of Provincetown Cares, which raises funds and awareness for breast cancer and other women’s health issues. “In 2008, I had friends battling cancer and I felt helpless,” says d’Angona, a television and film director who divides her time between Los Angeles and Boston. “I came up with the idea to introduce people to a place I love and put on a show for a good cause. I’m proud that in such a short time we’ve made a big impact.” D’Angona directed The Women for the benefit last year and says that this time,
THU FEB 20 - SUN MAR 2
Close to Chuck features the company premiere of Resident Choreographer Jorma Elo's C to C, Jíri Kylián's transcendant Bella Figura, and a world premiere by Jose Martinez.
Night of Stars SAT SEP 21
This first-ever Boston Common performance kicks off the celebratory 50th season. Boston common
Boston actress Maureen Keiller stars in 5 Lesbians Eating a Quiche
CELEBRITY SERIES
www.celebrityseries.org
TAO Dance Theater THU FEB 27 - FRI FEB 28
she wanted to return to a more intimate, interactive comedy similar to the 2011 production of Pulp. 5 Lesbians Eating a Quiche features a live band and seven songs. “We like to kick it up a notch each year,” says d’Angona. It wasn’t hard to get talented actresses to sign on, despite busy schedules. “No one gets paid, they all volunteer. They fly in from New York, Chicago and LA on donated miles. They come in on a Wednesday, meet each other for the first time, rehearse all day Thursday, have a dress rehearsal Friday afternoon, and perform for an audience Friday night. It’s a whirlwind and a lot of fun,” says d’Angona. “The actors love it. It’s live; there are no second takes.” One hundred percent of the proceeds from the play and a silent auction on October 18 go to the health organizations Army of Women Foundation, The Fenway Community Health Center’s Women’s Services, Outer Cape Heath and Helping Our Women. [x]
‘5 Lesbians Eating a Quiche’ www.provincetowncares.com
Boston debut. A a radical new presence on the country’s burgeoning contemporary dance scene. SCHUBERT THEATRE, 265 Tremont Street, Boston 617-931-2787, www.citicenter.org/theatres/shubert/
•
MUSIC
ARTSEMERSON
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Baritone Unbound: Celebrating the Uncommon Voice of the Common Man TUE OCT 8 - SUN OCT 20
One enchanted evening filled with song.
Step Afrika
THU NOV 7 - SAT NOV 9
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BOSTON GAY MEN'S CHORUS www.bgmc.org
OMG!!! A Gay Cabaret SAT FEB 8 - MON FEB 10
Funny. Sexy. Gay! It’s not your traditional cabaret, it’s better. From Boston Gay Men's Chorus.
[CONTINUES 46] SEP|OCT 2013 | 41
SEASONAL Arts Preview STORY Loren King
Think Mink Cult film legend Mink Stole returns Provincetown as a Tennessee Williams heroine She’s got one of the best names in show business, and a resume packed with indie cred. Now Mink Stole, the cult film legend who has appeared in every John Waters movie from Mondo Trasho to A Dirty Shame is back with another larger-than-life character sprung from the mind of a gay man. This time, it’s Tennessee Williams. Stole heads to Provincetown September 26th to 29th for the 8th Provincetown Tennessee Williams Theater Festival, the nation’s largest performing arts festival dedicated to
celebrating America’s great playwright. She’ll star in Williams’ 1966 one-act play, The Mutilated which Stole calls an “ebony black comedy.” Stole plays Trinket, a Texas oil heiress living in the seedy French Quarter of New Orleans in the 1930s. Ashamed of her mastectomy, she shares a complicated friendship with Celeste (played by New York avant-garde performance artist Penny Arcade), a drunk and a derelict who uses Trinket for her money.
The Mutilated Frenemies Penny Arcade (as Celeste) and Mink Stole (as Trinket) compete for sailor Jack Dilday in The Mutilated Director Cosmin Chivu calls the play “wickedly funny and touching.” Chivu has directed many of Williams’ plays for the Festival including Something Cloudy, Something Clear in 2011. After four performances in Provincetown, Stole and Arcade head to New York City where “The Mutilated” opens November 1 at the New Ohio Theater on Christopher Street. It was Festival curator David Kaplan who sent Stole The Mutilated after Stole earned stellar reviews for her performance in another late-career Williams play, Now the Cats With Jeweled Claws alongside Zachary Quinto at the 2011 Festival. “I told David, ‘Tennessee Williams died before he knew that he wrote The Mutilated for me,’” says Stole over the telephone from her home in Baltimore. Besides juicy Williams characters, The Mutilated, which
takes place on Christmas Eve, also features music and an on-stage orchestra, which also appeals to Stole. A singer, she’s just released her first CD, Do Re MiNK. The Tennessee Williams Theater Festival is just the latest chapter in Stole’s long relationship with to Provincetown, a place that’s played “a significant role in my history,” she says. Stole, 65, grew up Nancy Stoll, one of 10 kids in Baltimore where she returned in 2007 after 30 years living in L.A. and New York. She was 18 and visiting her sister in Provincetown back in 1966 when she was introduced to a fellow Baltimore native, John Waters. “I’d never liked the name Nancy. I’d always wanted a new name,” she says. Waters christened her with the Warhol-esque moniker ‘Mink Stole.’ As her career blossomed
[CONTINUES 46]
He said, she said On June 26, 2013, the Supreme Court of the United States struck down the federal Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) by declaring it unconstitutional. This landmark ruling has myriad implications and touches upon many areas of law affecting same-sex couples across the country.
of portability of same-sex marriages and the incongruent availability of federal and state benefits for same-sex spouses. For example, if a couple marries in Massachusetts and relocates to a state that has a state DOMA law, the federal government will not recognize the marriage.
The door has now been opened for same-sex couples living in those states that allow same-sex marriage to take advantage of the federal estate planning opportunities afforded by straight couples, such as estate tax planning and retirement benefit planning. Same-sex spouses may need to rethink their wealth management strategies and estate plans in order to redistribute wealth, change beneficiary designations and amend estate plans.
Additional implications for same-sex couples resulting from yesterday’s decision relate to Social Security benefits, VA benefits, immigration issues, ERISA and health insurance benefits.
Importantly, this decision also creates new complexities for divorcing same-sex couples given the continued lack
The attorneys at Burns & Levinson have watched these historic events unfold and are continuing to analyze the impact on our clients. Following are some tidbits of insight from attorneys Peter Zupcofska and Lisa M. Cukier that have been printed in Boston Spirit Magazine’s own blog on Boston.com.
DOMA Decision’s Dichotomy Boston Spirit’s Blog on Boston.com June 26, 2013 The US Supreme Court DOMA ruling means that gay and lesbian married couples in same sex marriage states will now be able to file as married 1040 tax returns. In addition, divorcing couples will have the right to significant tax benefits that run to divorcing straight couples, specifically, alimony tax treatment and the ability to make property transfer without incurring capital gains taxes. On the death of a spouse, the surviving gay or lesbian spouse will not have to pay the federal taxes just as a surviving straight spouse has not had to pay such taxes.
What if a Massachusetts gay couple married for 5 years moves to Florida or a whole host of other states that do not recognize marriage between same sex partnerswould that mean that those federal benefits received by the gay and lesbian couples in Massachusetts would be erased because they moved to these other states? This dichotomy creates significant and rarely discussed complications. Since individual states can refuse to follow federal law, couples who are married in a state where gay marriage is recognized and then live in a state that does not recognize gay marriage can encounter difficulties in many aspects of normal life. - Peter Zupcofska
This article by Burns & Levinson LLP provides general information and does not constitute legal advice. All views expressed here are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of Boston Spirit Magazine. Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
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Don’t Pop the Cork Just Yet Boston Spirit’s Blog on Boston.com June 26, 2013 With today’s rulings in United States v. Windsor and Hollingsworth v Perry, the US Supreme Court delivered a ruling of immense importance in the landscape of equality. Same sex couples who are married in states that permit gay couples to marry, may finally enjoy the full panoply of rights enjoyed by straight couples. Married same-sex couples in those states can finally enjoy all state and federal benefits, rights and protections of marriage. But don’t pop a cork yet. And don’t be lulled into complacency and a belief that the marriage equality fight has concluded. To the contrary, same-sex marriages are still largely a second class status. The federal government will still deny same sex marriages and not recognize the marriages of same-sex spouses who marry in states that permit same-sex marriage, but who then relocate to or travel to any of the 36 other states that have state DOMA laws. Don’t be lulled into thinking that your marriage can cross state borders! If a couple marries in Massachusetts, for example, and relocates to a state that has a state DOMA law, the federal government can still deny Social Security benefits and VA benefits. The marriage will not be recognized by immigration
authorities. The couple will not be protected by marital deduction estate planning for estate tax purposes. ERISA retirement protections will dissolve upon crossing the border. Health insurance benefits may be denied. Crossing state lines will mean that the couple may not be able to secure a divorce if needed, and even if a divorce were somehow granted by a state with a DOMA law, assets divided incident to the divorce will not be subject to tax protections and advantages aimed at preventing spousal impoverishment. And what if one spouse remains in the state that permitted the marriage and the other spouse relocates to a state that prohibits same-sex marriages; how will state and federal law be applied to protect the marriages of couples whose marriage cross jurisdictions? Which law applies? While today’s decisions are awesome and incredible given the sea change in national recognition of gay relationships, the fact remains that same-sex marriages are not reliable marriages. Until same sex marriage is portable across state lines, it is a second class status. And separate is not equal. - Lisa Cukier
Lisa M. Cukier 617-345-3471 l lcukier@burnslev.com Lisa is a partner at Burns & Levinson and concentrates her practice on all aspects of estate and trust litigation, fiduciary litigation, probate law, child custody, parentage issues and divorce, planning and litigation for blended families and samesex couples, adoption, guardianship and conservatorship, and elder financial exploitation.
Peter F. Zupcofska 617-345-3755 l pzupcofska@burnslev.com Peter is a partner at Burns & Levinson and concentrates his practice on divorce, pre- and post-nuptial agreements, adoption, guardianship, conservatorship, paternity proceedings and the specialized needs of the gay and lesbian community in all areas relevant to private client issues, including will contests, contested accountings and reformation of trusts.
Burns & Levinson is a Boston-based law firm with over 125 attorneys and offices in Providence and New York, as well as in the Merrimack Valley / North Shore, Metro West and South Shore areas of Massachusetts. We work with entrepreneurs, emerging businesses, private and public companies and individuals in sophisticated business transactions, litigation and private client services – family law, trusts & estates, marriage and divorce law.
[FROM 41] [MINK STOLE FROM 43]
BOSTON LYRIC OPERA
with one Waters movie after another, including her memorable turns as Connie Marble in Pink Flamingos and Taffy Davenport in Female Trouble, she had to trademark the name due to copycats. Her legacy, she admits, is both a blessing and a curse. “I’m so proud of my association with John but I’ve had trouble over the years getting people to take me seriously,” says Stole. “I remember walking by a group of men in Provincetown and one of them said, ‘Oh my God, that’s Mink Stole!’ The other said, ‘Who’s Mink Stole?’ and his friend answered, ‘A very famous drag queen!’ It cracked me up! Many people have made that mistake over the years. I have a funny name. But it’s my name.” Although she’s not gay, Stole loves being a gay icon. Lately she’s traveled to many LGBT film festivals, including Boston’s last May, with director Jeffery Schwartz and his documentary I Am Divine, that traces the life and career of the late Glenn Milstead who, as Divine, became a star in Waters’ films. “I cried the first time I saw it,” says Stole. “It’s candid about his struggles. It’s affectionate and respectful but not fawning.” In one of the film’s most hilarious and revealing moments, Divine in full drag struts along a downtown Baltimore street. People stop in their tracks and visibly gasp. Stole remembers that she rode alongside Waters in a car while he shot the footage from the street. “Divine was hopping in and out of the car. People were astonished. We’d do anything back then; I was more afraid of not doing it.” That conquer-your-fears sprit still drives her, from singing with a band or tackling Tennessee Williams. Stole admits her energy level pales next to her pal Waters, who she describes as “amazing, brilliant and driven.” “I love working but I move more slowly,” she says. “I’m the Miss Daisy of driven.” [x] Tennessee Williams Theater Festiva
Tickets can be purchased individually or in special packages. September 26 —September 29 866-789-TENN (8366) www.twptown.org
46 | BOSTON SPIRIT
Boston Lyric OperaBoston , MA 617-5426772, | blo.org
The Magic of Mozart: Family Opera Day at the BPL SAT SEP 28
A free Family Opera Day at the BPL, inspired by BLO’s production of Mozart’s The Magic Flute. Meet special animal guests from Zoo New England, explore and sing along to Mozart's magical score, and hear the Handel and Haydn Youth Chorus perform the beloved Pa! Pa! Pa! Duet from Mozart’s final opera.
CELEBRITY SERIES
www.celebrityseries.org
Béla Fleck’s Banjo Summit
Step Afrika: If you like STOMP, you’ll love Step Afrika (Arts Emerson)
THU OCT 10
featuring Béla Fleck, Bill Keith, Eric Weissberg, Noam Pikelny, Richie Stearns and Tony Trischka. SANDERS THEATRE, 45 Quincy St, Cambridge, MA ,
Yuja Wang FRI OCT 18
Stunning technique she has a fabulous range of sonority and colour. JORDAN HALL/NEW ENGLAND CONSERVATORY, 30 Gainsborough St, Boston 617-585-1260,
Chris Tile
Newport Jazz Festival: NOW 60 THU FEB 13
The Newport Jazz Festival has put together lineup of ferociously talented superstars to celebrate their legacy. BERKLEE PERFORMANCE CENTER, 136 Massachusetts Ave, Boston ,
Sweet Honey in the Rock: Forty and Fierce! SUN MAR 2
SUN OCT 20
Reigning virtuoso of the mandolin. SANDERS THEATRE, 45 Quincy St, Cambridge, MA ,
Celebrate 40 years of this vital and innovative a capella ensemble. SYMPHONY HALL, 301 Massachusetts Ave, Boston 617-266-1492,
David Finckel, cello; Wu Han, piano
Natalie Dessay, Philippe Cassard
When a pair of genuine artists explodes on the stage, exuding not only glamour and theatrical flair but also superb musical insight, the audience's thrill is twofold.” JORDAN HALL/NEW ENGLAND CONSERVATORY, 30 Gainsborough St, Boston 617-585-1260,
Soprano and piano. Program to include works by Clara Schumann, Brahms, Pfitzner, Strauss, Poulenc, Duparc, Chabrier, Chausson and Debussy. JORDAN HALL/NEW ENGLAND CONSERVATORY, 30 Gainsborough St, Boston 617-585-1260,
SUN OCT 27
What Makes It Great? Rob Kapilow and the Gryphon Trio Mendelssohn FRI JAN 24
Trio in D minor, Opus 49. JORDAN HALL/NEW ENGLAND CONSERVATORY, 30 Gainsborough St, Boston 617-585-1260,
David Shifrin, Sasha Cooke and Opus 1 TUE JAN 28
Gerard Finley and Julius Drake FRI FEB 7
Bass-baritone & piano. Baritone Gerald Finley delivered the solos with the clarity of an orator, and the visionary nobility of a prophet. JORDAN HALL/NEW ENGLAND CONSERVATORY, 30 Gainsborough St, Boston 617-585-1260,
SAT MAR 8
Israel Philharmonic Orchestra WED MAR 19
BRUCKNER, Symphony No. 8 SYMPHONY HALL, 301 Massachusetts Ave, Boston 617-266-1492,
Jason Moran: Fats Waller Dance Party FRI APR 4
Pianist Jason Moran views Waller’s music through two lenses: the jazz piano trio and as contemporary dance music. BERKLEE PERFORMANCE CENTER, 136 Massachusetts Ave, Boston ,
The Assad Family: A Brazilian Songbook SAT APR 5
Sergio and Odair Assad bring the extended family for an exciting program of Brazilian music. JORDAN HALL/NEW ENGLAND CONSERVATORY, 30 Gainsborough St, Boston 617-585-1260,
CORO ALLEGRO
www.coroallegro.org
Hail, Bright Cecilia!
TUE NOV 19 - SAT NOV 23
A celebration of music on the 100th anniversary of Benjamin Britten's birth.
HANDEL AND HAYDN SOCIETY handelandhaydn.org
Bach Mass in B Minor FRI SEP 27 - SUN SEP 29
The 199th season opens with Bach’s glorious masterwork, the Mass in B Minor, which features a large period instrument orchestra, chorus, vocal soloists from the H&H choir, and Harry Christophers at the helm. H&H’s acclaimed chorus will dazzle audiences in this extraordinary work by one of the greatest composers of all time.
Mozart and Beethoven FRI NOV 1 - SUN NOV 3
Former Music Director Grant Llewellyn returns to H&H for the first time since 2008 to lead the Period Instrument Orchestra in Beethoven’s Symphony No. 2 and Mozart’s Haffner Symphony. The program also features H&H’s concertmaster Aisslinn Nosky and principal players as soloists in Haydn’s virtuosic Sinfonia Concertante.
Handel Messiah
FRI NOV 29 - SUN DEC 1
A holiday tradition for 160 years— make it yours! Join H&H for an outstanding rendition of Handel’s masterwork, performed in the US by H&H in its first concert in 1815. No holiday season is complete without this stunning oratorio.
Marcel Meyer in Kingdom of Earth PHOTO Pat Bromilow Downing
Artistry abounds at Ptown Tennessee Williams fest The Mutilated fits well with the theme of this year’s Provincetown Tennessee Williams Festival: Tennessee Williams and Women: 50% Illusion. The playwright has long been credited for creating some of the greatest stage roles for women. But the Festival, says curator David Kaplan, aims to put his work into context with some of his lesserknown, experimental plays as well as connect it with that of writers who influenced him, such as Gertrude Stein and Jane
Beethoven Symphony No. 4 FRI JAN 24 - SUN JAN 26
JONATHAN'S RESTAURANT
Bowles, whose work is also represented in this year’s Festival. “It is a political action to put a woman on stage. A half-undressed woman onstage isn’t just a statement. As a gay man, Williams understood that,” says Kaplan. “Power and sexual desire are not supposed to be assigned to women; that is what’s radical about Tennessee Williams’ portraits of women.” The four-day celebration at various venues in Provincetown includes Williams’
Jonathan's Restaurant, 92 Bournes Lane, Ogunquit, ME 207-646-4777, | jonathansrestaurant.com
David Wilcox FRI SEP 13
Considered a 'songwriter's songwriter', his songs have been covered by artists such as k.d. lang and many others.
Judy Collins SAT SEP 21
Few singers have the staying power of folk icon, Judy Collins.
[CONTINUES 48]
[CONTINUES 48] SEP|OCT 2013 | 47
[FROM 47]
Suede
SUN OCT 13
Like Adele meets Diana Krall meets Bette Midler - sassy, smooth, intoxicating - and funny!
Ian MacKenzie and Cilantr SAT OCT 19
He has been singing and playing acoustic guitar sine he was a teenager.
Ari Hest
FRI NOV 22
Hest's music has been featured on numerous television shows including Private Practice, Army Wives, and One Tree Hill.
The Magic Flute Variations SUN SEP 22
Provocative preludes to the operas in BLO’s season,employing a variety of art forms such as film, visual arts, theater, and music in one imaginative presentation.
NORTH SHORE MUSIC THEATRE
North Shore Music Theatre, 62 Dunham Rd, Beverly, MA 978-232-7200, | www.nsmt.org
Barbra and Frank: The Concert That Never Was SAT OCT 12
Jennifer Steyn The Milk Train Doesn’t Stop Here Anymore PHOTO Fiona Macpherson
•
Pulitzer Prize-winning classic Cat on a Hot Tin Roof boasting what Kaplan calls a casting coup in real-life married couple Keir Dullea as Big Daddy and Mia Dillon as Big Mama. Dullea played the role of Brick opposite Elizabeth Ashley in the 1974 Broadway revival. This production comes from Wellfleet Harbor Actors Theater and is directed by Elizabeth Falk, known for her work in classical and contemporary dramatic theater, musical theater, and opera at such venues as Carnegie Hall, Kennedy Center, Off-Broadway, and Shakespeare’s Globe London where she was the first woman ever to direct. This year offers an encore performance of Kingdom of Earth, which captivated Festival audiences last year and sold out, so Kaplan has brought it back this year. This production from Cape Town, South Africa features returning stars Anthea Thompson, Marcel Meyer and Nicholas Dallas. Also heading to the Festival is the ‘unconventional and provocative’ production of Williams’ ‘sophisticated fairy tale’ The Milk Train Doesn’t Stop Here Anymore. It stars leading South African stage and screen actress Jennifer Steyn as Sissy Goforth, an eccentric millionaire
It is unlikely that the two powerhouse voices of the century would have ever shared the same stage...until now!
B.B. King
SAT OCT 26
PERFORMANCE
CELEBRITY SERIES
www.celebrityseries.org
Brian Stokes Mitchell: Simply Broadway THU JAN 23
Brian Stokes Mitchell has enjoyed a rich and varied career on Broadway. SANDERS THEATRE, 45 Quincy St, Cambridge, MA ,
Circus Oz: From the Ground Up WED FEB 19 - SUN FEB 23
Acrobatic daredevils from down-under bring pluck and sass to their wildly entertaining, irreverent performances. SCHUBERT THEATRE, 265 Tremont Street, Boston 617-931-2787, www.citicenter.org/theatres/shubert/
Ira Glass: Reinventing Radio SUN MAR 9
The creator of the public radio show This American Life talks about his program and how it's put together. SYMPHONY HALL, 301 Massachusetts Ave, Boston 617-266-1492,
48 | BOSTON SPIRIT
Anthea Thompson and Nicholas Dallas in Kingdom of Earth at Provincetown Tennessee Williams Theater Festival 2012 PHOTO Josh Andrus consumed with writing her memoirs confronted by an enigmatic young poet, companion to wealthy women as they near death. Marcel Meyer, Nicholas Dallas and Roelof Storm also star in this production Kaplan is enthusiastic about The Chorus Girl Plays which consist of the world premiere of Williams’ Curtains for the Gentleman along with two other early plays by Tom Williams (not yet Tennessee), with good time girls in central roles. This innovative show comes to the Festival from Danszloop Chicago with choreography by Paula Frasz. Tennessee Williams Theater Festiva
Tickets can be purchased individually or in special packages September 26 —September 29 866-789-TENN (8366). www.twptown.org
JONATHAN'S RESTAURANT
Jonathan's Restaurant, 92 Bournes Lane, Ogunquit, ME 207-646-4777, | jonathansrestaurant.com
Paula Poundstone SAT SEP 28
Jason Stuart Comedy FRI OCT 18
When you think one of the most prolific character actors, who’s also an outrageous openly gay stand-up comedian, one name comes to mind…. Jason Stuart.
CELEBRITY SERIES
www.celebrityseries.org
Celebrity Series 75th Anniversary Gala SAT APR 12
•
A black-tie gathering of friends, both old and new.
THEATER
AMERICAN REPERTORY THEATER
www.americanrepertorytheater.org
The Elephant Man
SEASONAL Arts Preview STORY Loren King
SAT SEP 7 - SUN SEP 29
Play it again, Boston Celebrity series brings the Street Piano Festival to town Melding art, performance, music and human connection, Street Pianos is a worldwide phenomenon that finally comes to Boston this fall, courtesy of the Celebrity Series. Created by British artist and musician Luke Jerram, the installation consists of placing upright pianos in various public spaces around the city where everyone from beginners to seasoned pros can play them for the enjoyment of all who pass by or stop to listen. The pianos are donated — Jerram says there’s no shortage of households eager to be rid of old pianos — and when the event ends, the pianos are given to schools, community centers, social clubs and other public places. Jerram said it’s important to the project that in addition to tourist magnets the pianos are also
placed in communities where the “artist experience” isn’t commonly found. “I saw Street Pianos in New York City in 2010 and it was great. So when I got here, it was high on my list to see Boston bring the festival here to celebrate the 75th year of the Celebrity Series,” says Gary Dunning, Celebrity Series executive director. The Boston Street Piano Festival, which runs September 27 to October 15, will have 75 pianos placed in public spots throughout Boston — City Hall Plaza alone will have two or three — as well as a few in Cambridge, Somerville and Brookline. Passersby can stop and play them, offering not just creative expression but a way for people to engage, sing or simply stop and listen. Street Pianos Boston will also be the centerpiece of the 75th season kick-off party on Oct. 5 at the Galleria at 10 St. James Avenue., with pianos set up indoors for the milestone celebration. Boston joins Munich, Geneva, Paris, Cleveland and Omaha in hosting Street
This Tony Award-winning drama offers an intense look at a physically deformed Londoner of the late 1880s.
All the Way
FRI SEP 13 - SAT OCT 12
An assassin’s bullet catapults Lyndon B. Johnson into the presidency. This charismatic, conflicted Texan hurls himself into the Civil Rights Act.
Rancho Mirage
SAT OCT 12 - SUN NOV 3
Stephen Dietz’ black comedy looks at affluent suburban couples whose truths finally catch up with them.
Camelot
SAT NOV 23 - SUN DEC 22
Tony Award winning musical weaves a tumultuous love triangle between King Arthur, his wife-to-be Guinevere, and Lancelot.
The Heart of Robin Hood TUE DEC 10 - SUN JAN 19
The notorious Robin Hood and his band of merry men steal from the rich, but refuse to share with the oppressed peasantry.
Imagining Madoff
SAT JAN 4 - SUN JAN 26
Obie Award-winning playwright Deborah Margolin’s recently controversial play. Imagined jail-time conversations between Ponzi schemer Bernie Madoff and Solomon Galkin, a poet and philosopher.
[CONTINUES 51] SEP|OCT 2013 | 49
October performances now on sale! Bela Fleck’s Banjo Summit 10/10 Yuja Wang piano 10/18 Chris Thile 10/20 David Finckel cello and Wu Han piano 10/27 Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra 10/27 with Wynton Marsalis Abyssinian: A Gospel Celebration 75th Anniversary Season Print Media Sponsor
More than 40 performances on sale on Monday, September 9 at 9:00AM Including Paul Taylor Dance Company | Voigt Lessons: Deborah Voigt’s onewoman musical tell-all, written with Terrence McNally | Wayne Shorter’s 80th Birthday Celebration | Sweet Honey in the Rock | Ira Glass, Reinventing Radio | Evgeny Kissin | Yo-Yo Ma with Kathryn Stott | Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra with Gustavo Dudamel | Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater | Mark Morris Dance Group, Acis and Galatea
And many more!
Order early for best seats! Tickets through
www.celebrityseries.org or 617-482-6661 50 | BOSTON SPIRIT
Pianos this year. Since it was launched in 2008, the project has entertained residents and visitors in cities around the globe including Sydney, London, Barcelona, New York, Sao Paulo and Jerram’s hometown of Bristol, England. Birmingham, England was the first to host Street Pianos, which was born from a disaster, says Jerram, who’ll be coming to Boston for the opening of the installation. In 2007, he had conceived a major art installation of air balloons that would fly over Birmingham to accompany the symphony orchestra. But gusty winds proved too difficult and the whole plan was scraped, but not before balloons were purchased and everyone was paid. “I had promised the city that we’d reach 100,000 people with a large scale artwork,” says Jerram. “We had 10,000 pounds left, so I came up with the idea for the pianos.” Each host city brings different cultural and social experiences to the event. In Geneva, people carried classical sheet music in their briefcases when they sat down to play. In New York, young people dressed like pop stars and filmed themselves like they were on ‘X Factor,’” he says. Famous musicians have sat down at the pianos, from Jamie Cullum in Paris to Cyndi Lauper in New York. A group calling itself “Piano Pilgrims” follows the project
around the world, even as far as Perth, Australia. “It’s a catalyst to get people to talk to one another,” says Jerram. “In Liverpool, two people met playing the piano, began taking lessons from each other, and a year later got married and used the piano at their wedding.” In San Paulo, he recalls, a young mother who’d struggled to provide piano lessons for her daughter burst into tears when she heard the child play for the first time on a street piano installed in a train station. Over the six years since its inception, Jerram and host cities have refined practical aspects of the installations. Each piano has a “caretaker” — often the recipient of the donated piano at the festival’s close —who watches over it. The instruments are covered with tarps in inclement weather and locked down at night if they’re in residential areas, so that neighbors are not disturbed by after-hours revelers who decide to play show tunes. Although, says Jerram, “drunken revelry is a lot of fun especially in London whee people need a couple of drinks to loosen themselves up.” [x] Street Pianos
www.celebrityseries.org www.streetpianos.com
SEASONAL Arts Preview STORY by Loren King
A show that demands to be heard For its lighting designer, Speakeasy Stage’s season opener Tribes is personal Much is said, little is heard. That’s one of the themes of Tribes, the acclaimed play by Nina Raines that opens Speakeasy Stage’s season September 13 to October 12. Raines’ play, which had its world premiere in 2010 in London’s before moving off-Broadway a year later, deals with the ability, and inability, to communicate and, metaphorically, what it means to hear. It’s about a raucous British family that does a lot of talking, debating and arguing, often to great comic effect. Billy, the youngest of the family’s three children, is deaf but has learned to lip-read and speak in order to fit in. When Billy starts to connect with a deaf woman and the larger deaf community, he begins to question his identity and challenge his family to learn American Sign Language (ASL). M. Bevin O’Gara, who helmed the gripping Clybourne Park at Speakeasy last season, directs the play, which includes deaf actors. Also working on the production is deaf lighting designer Annie Wiegand, who earned her MFA at Boston University while working in the local theater scene. It was while living in Boston that Wiegand met her fiancé, Staci Borowsky; the couple now live in New York. Boston Spirit had the following email interview with Wiegand about the challenges she deals with as a deaf lighting designer and her role with Tribes.
[ BOSTON SPIRIT] Why did Tribes appeal
to you and what are the particular technical challenges on this play?
[ANNIE WIEGAND] I found a lot in common
with the main character, Billy, in Tribes. He grew up Deaf like me, and was not aware of such a thing as Deaf community
[FROM 49]
The Whipping Man
SAT JAN 25 - SUN FEB 16
As the Civil War ends, a Jewish Confederate soldier returns home to find that only his two former slaves, raised as Jews in his household, remain. As they cobble together a Passover Seder, they grapple with a changing social order, newfound freedom, and long-buried secrets that threaten them all.
Witness Uganda
TUE FEB 4 - SUN MAR 16
A.R.T. Artistic Director Diane Paulus exposes the challenges confronted by American aid workers around the world: “Is changing the world possible?”
Tongue of a Bird
SAT MAR 8 - SUN MAR 30
An emotionally wounded young search and rescue pilot returns to her childhood home in the Adirondacks to search for Charlotte, a missing 12-year-old girl.
Our Lady
THU APR 3 - SUN APR 27
Fresh off the New York Fringe Festival, this dynamic one-person performance piece exposes James Fluhr’s own coming out as a gay man. Created in response to toxic homophobia causing many gay suicides.
In Between
FRI APR 4 - SUN APR 20
Son of a Palestinian-Muslim father and a Jewish-Israeli mother, Ibrahim Miari recalls his childhood in Acco, Israel, memories of his Jewish and Palestinian grandmothers, and war.
The Shape She Makes M. Bevin O’Gara
or a Deaf identity until he was older. I grew up using sign language in school and with my parents, but aside from that I had no idea that there were Deaf communities, and nothing such as a Deaf identity. It wasn’t until I was older that I felt almost proud to be a Deaf person—that I had found my identity. There will be a lot of technical challenges with this particular production. The scenic design has made way for challenges that I look forward to solving. We also have a projection designer on our creative team who will be responsible for the subtitles. Lighting will need to work with and around both the scenic and projection designs. Bevin and I have talked about highlighting key
SAT APR 5 - SUN APR 27
This profoundly moving and heartrending production uses a fusion of dance and theater to explore how the echoes of childhood relentlessly shape our lives.
Columbinus TUE SEP 17 SUN SEP 29
Columbinus
Poignant drama bringing light to an American tragedy.
Kiss & Cry
THU OCT 10 - SAT OCT 12
A blend of film, dance and text. that brings together a diverse group of Belgian artists to create a sweeping, romantic work.
Waiting for Godot
THU OCT 31 - SUN NOV 10
Internationally acclaimed interpretation of Beckett's work from Gare St Lazare Players Ireland and Dublin Theatre Festival.
[CONTINUES 54] SEP|OCT 2013 | 51
“ I’ve always been in theatre—it’s my life. I did community theatre growing up and was involved in an in-depth program in high school ” moments of the script. We also have discussed creating a sense of pressure at times throughout the story. [BS] You’ve worked with director
Bevin O’Gara before?
[AW] This will be the third
show that Bevin and I have worked on together. We connect and work together very well—almost having developed a language of our own when it comes to designing the worlds of our shows. Our first two shows were under Company One. The first one was Loveperson,
which had an emphasis on ASL and Deaf culture, much like Tribes. It was that show that Bevin strongly felt that a Deaf lighting designer would provide an interesting perspective to the story. From there, Bevin and Company One invited me back with You For Me For You, and now I’m very excited to work with her on
Speakeasy’s production of Tribes. It will be my first time with Speakeasy. [BS] Did you want to
work in theater while you were growing up? [AW] I’ve always been in
theatre—it’s my life. I did community theatre growing up and was involved in an in-depth program in high school. I continued doing theatre in college and now it’s become my career. Over the years, I’ve come to realize that as a Deaf individual, the dependency on my eyes allows me a unique perspective to
stories on stage. I feel that I provide a different viewpoint as a Deaf designer and a fellow theatre aficionado. This unique standpoint has well been worth the reason for me to pursue my career, despite the challenges. [BS] While you lived in Boston, did you connect with the LGBT community or the deaf community? [AW] While I was excited to
attend BU (in 2007), it was also a scary prospect going somewhere where I knew almost no one. Gratefully, I found a place within the Deaf community—they welcomed me with open arms. The Office of Disability Services at BU allowed me to connect with the Boston Deaf community quickly—through fellow Deaf students and ASL interpreters alike. There were also events, such as Deaf Professional Happy Hour, where I was
It’s your BSO. 2013–2014 season september 21 – april 26
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PRODUCTIONS FROM AROUND THE WORLD THIS FALL! able to connect with the local Deaf/signing folk. In fact, now that I’ve lived in the three major northeastern cities of Boston, NYC, and DC—I can say that I felt most comfortable and supported as a Deaf individual in Boston. I was also able to connect with the GLBT community, although not on a larger scale. Most of my time in Boston was devoted to graduate school, and the few times I did get to go out, I wanted to spend with my Deaf/signing peers. I did attend a couple GLBT events and always felt very comfortable— that I could always be myself. I have always found that Boston is open and accepting of many different walks of life. [BS] Your bio says that as far
as you know, you’re the only working deaf lighting designer in the industry. What are some of the challenges you face? Would it be easier for deaf theater techs as well as the audience if more productions were signed or subtitled? It must be frustrating that so many are not. [AW] Especially in theatre,
I think there is some sensitivity towards modern communication. Since technology has allowed us to connect without actually seeing each other’s faces, that has impacted theatre. People today seem less interested in attending theatre because that requires real human interaction, in real time. This is something that modern communication doesn’t provide. I can see why some people would shy away from attending such events. The theatre design world is for most part hearing-based as I like to call it. Communication happens through headsets across the board when you’re working on a show. Most venues require that LDs communicate with their stage managers, assistants,
programmers, what have you through headset. This is obviously the biggest obstacle I face as a LD. In fact, I do very little assistant work due to this reason. Young designers work their way up by assisting other designers, and this is just something that’s not feasible for me right now. It would be absolutely amazing if more productions were accessible to the Deaf/hardof-hearing audience. I would probably attend much more shows since I would then be able to enjoy them equally. Much of my craft is fine-tuned and inspired by seeing other work. I commend productions that try to incorporate both Deaf and hearing audiences, since that is very challenging. [BS] What’s after Tribes for you?
12 PERFORMANCES ONLY! OCT 08 - 20
BARITONES UNBOUND:
CELEBRATING THE UNCOMMON VOICE OF THE COMMON MAN MARC KUDISCH & FRIENDS
One enchanted evening
[AW] I’ll return home. Much of
my work is across many states as I am freelance. I take the work where I can get it. I will be lighting a show with the New York Theatre Workshop in October. It is The Medicine Showdown with The Flying Carpet Theatre Company—a turn-of-the-century traveling medicine show inspired by Henrik Ibsen’s Enemy of the People. Immediately after, I’ll be happily returning to Gallaudet University—a university catered to Deaf students. There, I’ll light two separate productions in their two spaces. One is written and directed by one of the university’s theatre department professors, Willy Conley and it is Broken Spokes. The other is directed by the department director Ethan Sinnott and this one is Lysistrata. [x]
Tribes
Speakeasy Stage www.speakeasystage.com
PARAMOUNT CENTER MAINSTAGE 559 WASHINGSTON ST BOSTON
#BaritoneBOS
ARTSEMERSON.ORG / 617.824.8400
10 PERFORMANCES ONLY! OCT 31 - NOV 10
WAITING FOR GODOT
GARE ST LAZARE PLAYERS IRELAND AND DUBLIN THEATRE FESTIVAL
60th anniversary production PARAMOUNT CENTER MAINSTAGE 559 WASHINGSTON ST BOSTON
#GodotBOS
[FROM 51]
Rigoletto
The Power of Duff
Rigoletto is obsessed with protecting his innocent daughter, Gilda, from the corruption which has become a way of life in the Duke’s court. But he cannot contain the passion stirring in her young heart.
Local newscaster Charlie Duff begins offering a prayer at the end of his nightly broadcasts. But as his prayers inspire millions, Charlie struggles with his own beliefs and his inability to connect with his estranged son.
FRI MAR 14 - SUN MAR 23
Million Dollar Quartet
The Cocktail Hour
Hit musical inspired by the true story of the famed recording session that brought together Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis and Carl Perkins.
The pre-dinner cocktail is a revered ritual in John's parents' elegant home, but when he returns to announce that he has written a play about them, their calm demeanor dissolves.
TUE OCT 8 - SUN OCT 20
Venus in Fur
From London’s West End, the worldwide smash hit musical by Queen and Ben Elton.
An adaptation of the classic erotic novel.
A Christmas Story
WED NOV 20 - SUN DEC 8
The classic holiday movie arrives on stage!
I Love Lucy
TUE DEC 3 - SUN DEC 22
A brand-new stage show based on the classic television program.
Magnificent marionettes from legendary Italian company.
Mies Julie
The Magic Flute
Explosive South African adaptation of Strindberg’s classic.
Mozart’s magical world is unearthed when a group of college students goes on an archeological trip to the Yucatan and one is bitten by a snake.
FRI OCT 4 - SUN OCT 13
SAT NOV 30 - SUN DEC 8
House Divided
THU JAN 30 - SUN FEB 2
An immersive multimedia experience inspired by The Grapes of Wrath.
Lizzie Borden – Opera Annex WED NOV 20 - SUN NOV 24
Based on the famous Fall River crime.
54 | BOSTON SPIRIT
Nicholas Martin and Kate Burton, renowned interpreters of Chekhov's blend of humor and pathos, reunite for this emotionally rich classic.
Becoming Cuba
FRI MAR 28 - SAT APR 26
LYRIC STAGE
FRI FEB 7 - SUN FEB 9
Based on Green Day's Awardwinning multi-platinum album, taking the American musical where it's never gone before. The pop culture phenomenon and runaway international success is now live on stage!
Boston Lyric OperaBoston , MA 617542-6772, | blo.org
FRI MAR 7 - SUN APR 6
American Idiot
The Tony-winning musical based on the Academy Awardwinning film.
TUE MAR 11 - SUN MAR 23
BOSTON LYRIC OPERA
The Seagull
TUE JAN 7 - SUN JAN 19
Flashdance
WED NOV 13 - SUN NOV 17
FRI JAN 3 - SUN FEB 2
Funny, steamy, and political, this powerful new drama from Playwright-in-Residence Melinda Lopez asks whether freedom is something we all want.
Once
Sleeping Beauty
FRI NOV 15 - SUN DEC 15
We Will Rock You
TUE NOV 5 - SUN NOV 10
A small smapling of the Boston Celebrity Series 2013 performances: Brian Stokes Michell, Circus Oz From the Ground Up, TOA Dance Company
FRI OCT 11 - SAT NOV 9
lyricstage.com
One Man, Two Guv'nors FRI SEP 6 - SAT OCT 5
Richard Bean’s award-winning play is a glorious celebration of British comedy: a unique, laugh-out-loud satire.
Water by the Spoonful FRI OCT 18 - SAT NOV 16
A new musical from the creators of South Park and Avenue Q.
A group of seemingly unrelated characters search for human connection in a harsh and destabilizing world, looking for hope among their new-found “family.”
HUNTINGTON THEATRE COMPANY
About Becky's New Car
The Book of Mormon TUE APR 1 - SUN APR 27
www.huntingtontheatre.org/
The Jungle Book
SAT SEP 7 - SUN OCT 13
A captivating new musical adaptation of a timeless favorite.
FRI NOV 29 - SUN DEC 22
This clevery and witty nee comedy takes us on one woman’s unexpected, hilarious, and ultimately moving escape from the midlife doldrums.
Boston Spirit Sept_Boston Spirit Sept 8/15/13 3:32 PM Page 1
sCullers jazz Club Upcoming Featured Performances September 27 & 28
GARY BURTON
70TH BIRTHDAY TOUR Featuring Julian Lage, Antonio Sanchez & Scott Colley
October 3 Sleeping Beauty: Magnificent marionettes at American Repertory Theater
Working
Make Up For You Mind
Working reveals the hopes, dreams, joys, and concerns of the average working American by following them through one 24-hour workday.
Alternately hilarious and touching, Kurt Vonnegut's Make Up Your Mind is about that rarest of all commodities, human connection.
FRI JAN 3 - SAT FEB 1
FRI NOV 1 - SAT NOV 30
Death of a Salesman
The Color Purple
In the person of Willy Loman, Arthur Miller redefined the tragic hero as a man whose dreams are at once insupportably vast and dangerously insubstantial.
Based on Alice Walker’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel.
FRI FEB 14 - SAT MAR 15
Rich Girl
FRI MAR 28 - SAT APR 26
When sheltered Claudine meets starving artist Henry, she falls head over heels. But her mother, a tough-talking celebrity financial guru, has her doubts.
SPEAKEASY STAGE COMPANY www.SpeakEasyStage.com
Tribes
FRI SEP 13 - SAT OCT 12
Born deaf, Billy is introduced to the Deaf community and decides it is time his family learns to communicate with him on his terms.
The Motherf**ker with the Hat
SAT SEP 14 - SUN OCT 13
A 2011 Tony nominee for Best Play and a ferociously funny play about love, fidelity, and facing one’s demons. SPEAKEASY STAGE COMPANY, The Calderwood Pavillion at the Boston Center for the Arts, 539 Tremont St Boston, 617-482-3279,SpeakEasyStage.com
FRI JAN 10 - SAT FEB 8
The Whale
FRI MAR 7 - SAT APR 5
A 600-pound recluse who is in his final days reaches out to his estranged teenaged daughter in this big-hearted, humorous work about grief, beauty, and redemption.
House & Garden
ONGOING THRU SUN JUN 30
The theatrical event of the season: two plays taking place simultaneously in different theaters by the same actors. Audience members stay put, seeing each production one at a time. Expect wacky characters, gin-soaked truths, and high-speed topsy turvey stories.
TRINITY REPERTORY THEATER
Trinity Repertory Theater, 201 Washington Street, Providence 401-351-4242, | www.trinityrep. com
King Lear
ONGOING THRU MON OCT 21
The aging King Lear decides to divide England among his three daughters. Driven by flattery, foolishness, ambition and greed, one generation betrays another.
TIERNEY SUTTON October 4, 5, & 6
STEVE TYRELL October 11
GRACE KELLY October 17
LORETTA LAROCHE “Jest and Jazz” October 23
DANE VANNATTER October 25 & 26
CHARO November 1
NNEENA FREELON November 8 & 9
MANHATTAN TRANSFER November 21
FRED HERSCH & JULIAN LAGE
DOUBLETREE SUITES B Y H I LT O N ™
BOSTON – CAMBRIDGE RESERVATIONS: (617) 562-4111 ON-LINE TICKETING: www.scullersjazz.com • SHOW TIMES: Tu-Sat 8 & 10 pm
[CONTINUES 57] SEP|OCT 2013 | 55
SEASONAL Arts Preview STORY Loren King
[ABOVE AND OPPOSITE] Director Bruno Barreto’s Reaching for the Moon
Under a Brazilian Moon New film explores the passionate romance of poet Elizabeth Bishop and Lota de Macedo Soares Both were magnetic women, stars in their professions and each a respected figure in her own country. Their passionate, tempestuous romance is the stuff of melodrama — but it all happens to be true. Reaching for the Moon, currently playing film festivals and scheduled to be released theatrically and then on DVD by Wolfe Releasing, is the compelling story of the Worcester-born American poet Elizabeth Bishop (Miranda Otto) and her 15-year relationship during the 1950s in Brazil with the brilliant, self-taught architect Lota de Macedo Soares,(Glória Pires), who designed the famed Flamengo Park
56 | BOSTON SPIRIT
in Rio de Janeiro. The film played the Provincetown International Film Festival in June. It won the Audience Award for Best Feature at the 2013 Toronto Inside Out Lesbian and Gay Film and Video Festival. Reaching for the Moon also took home the Audience Award for Outstanding Dramatic Feature Film at this year’s Outfest Los Angeles, Director Bruno Barreto, whose films include Dona Flor and Her Two Husbands, sets Reaching for the Moon against the backdrop of political upheaval in Brazil, where Bishop, winner of the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry in 1956, takes a vacation to visit
her old Vassar classmate, Mary Morse (Tracy Middendorf ). On the rustic estate where Mary’s lover Lota built an ultramodern house into the side of a mountain, Bishop and Lota fall in love. As the years go on, Bishop’s alcoholism, a military coup and Lota’s obsession with creating the park on a former landfill stress their relationship and their lives as two extraordinary artists. Screenwriters Carolina Kotscho and Matthew Chapman based the film on the highly regarded 2002 book Rare and Commonplace Flowers, by Carmen Oliveira, a bestseller in Brazil. It spans the early 1950s when Bishop, a world traveler, tells her close friend, the poet Robert Lowell (Treat Williams) that she’s taking a vacation to South America, to Lota’s death in 1967. Bishop died in Boston in 1979.
[FROM 55]
The Grapes of Wrath THU SEP 5 - SUN OCT 6
Oliver!
•
THU FEB 20 - SUN MAR 30
Musical based on the Dickens classic.
VISUAL ARTS
Amy Sillman: One Lump or Two THU OCT 3 - SUN JAN 5
The first museum survey of works by New York–based artist Amy Sillman traces her development from cartoon figures to her growing concern with the bodily and erotic dimensions of paint.
Christina Ramberg
TUE NOV 12 - MON MAR 3
Latoya Ruby Frazer
TUE NOV 12 - SUN MAR 2
MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS/BOSTON
Museum of Fine Arts/Boston, 465 Huntington Ave. Avenue of the Arts, Boston 617-2679300, | www.mfa.org
Holland on Paper: The Age of Art Nouveau ONGOING THRU SUN JUL 7
Early drawings by well-known artists such as Mondrian and Bart van der Leck as well as many fascinating artists little known outside of Holland.
She Who Tells a Story Pulitzer prize-winning poet and UMass Boston professor Lloyd Schwartz is a Bishop scholar who also became her friend after she moved back to the U.S. in 1970. He wrote the foreword to Rare and Commonplace Flowers and edited the 2011 volume of Bishop’s prose published by Farrar, Straus and Giroux that includes essays about Brazil, where she lived for nearly 20 years, and her translations of works by Brazilian poets and authors. Three years earlier, Schwartz also edited a Library of America book about Bishop, the first woman poet to have a Library of America volume, he notes. “She wasn’t well known in her lifetime outside the literary world,” says Schwartz. “She would be so amazed that someone would want to do a movie about her.” Schwartz describes Bishop as “very lively and amusing. ... She thought private lives needed to be private, but she was not exactly closeted and everyone knew” about her relationships with Lota and with other women. “She never went out of her way to hide. She lived her life. Brazil was such a comfortable place for her in many ways because sexuality in Brazil wasn’t as much of an issue, particularly
in Lota’s circle of artists, aristocrats and literary figures,” he says. Brazil opened up Bishop’s passions, creatively and emotionally. “For the first six or seven years in Brazil, she was the happiest she’d ever been,” says Schwartz. “Brazil have her new subject matter and opened her up to writing about her awful childhood. The dam burst; work was flowing out of her. She had a good time and it was great for her writing.” The film is bookended by Otto’s recitation of two different drafts of one of Bishop’s signature poems, “One Art,” with the famous refrain, “The art of losing isn’t hard to master.” Schwartz says One Art “wasn’t about Lota but about a different relationship.” Still, in the context of the film, it works beautifully, a perfect example of Bishop’s skillful weaving of wit, brevity and irony. “Literary history aside,” writes Schwartz in his foreword to Rare and Commonplace Flowers, “this is a poignant love story that is as well a sad human story about the helplessness of two intelligent, strong-willed people to overcome their tragic capacity for self-destruction.” [x]
TUE AUG 27 - SUN JAN 12
“She Who Tells a Story” introduces the pioneering work of twelve leading women photographers from Iran and the Arab world.
American Gestures: Abstract Expressionism SAT SEP 21 - SUN JUN 1
American art of the 1940s and ’50s was dominated by the gestural style known as Abstract Expressionism: in love with spontaneity and happy accidents.
Think Pink
THU OCT 3 - MON MAY 26
Explore the changing meaning of pink in art and fashion.
John Singer Sargent's Watercolors SUN OCT 13 - MON JAN 20
More than 90 of Sargent’s dazzling works, this exhibition combines for the first time his two most significant collections of watercolor paintings.
Dawn L. Petros: Sense of Place SAT OCT 26 - SUN APR 13
Features the photographs, video art, and sculpture of this 2007 SMFA Masters degree recipient.
[CONTINUES 59] SEP|OCT 2013 | 57
SEASONAL Arts Preview STORY Scott Kearnan
Face Time
[BELOW] a brief history verso, Steve Locke [OPPOSITE] the rising up, Steve Locke
Queer artist Steve Locke’s first major museum show at the ICA Some stick their tongues out mischievously. Others gaze longingly at the viewer, or seem lost in thought and reverie. Boston artist Steve Locke presents a whole host of fascinating faces in his first major museum exhibition, there is no one left to blame. But these faces represent just a fraction of those he sees every night in his dreams, hold every day in his heart, and keep locked away in the deep recesses of his memory. “I walk around with all these ghosts, and the memory of a plague,” says Locke, who saw friend after friend succumb to the height of the ‘80s AIDS epidemic: abandoned by family, ignored by the mainstream medical community, their possessions picked apart by vulture-like family that left partners with nothing by which to remember their loved one. “I can’t convey how horrifying it was,” says Locke. “Someone would have a head cold and a week later they’d be dead.” “And no one gave a fuck.” The experience “fueled almost every decision I make” as an artist, says Locke, who says that one exhibition piece in particular, Requiem, specifically references the loss of a community to a crisis. But more generally, Locke’s work in there is no one left to blame, seen at the Institute of Contemporary Art Boston through October 20, uses his brightly colored paintings of (mostly) disembodied faces — and their ambiguous, open-to-interpretation expressions — to explore cultural ideas of masculine identity from the perspective of someone especially attuned to prejudice. A queer black man, Locke came out during his undergrad days at Boston University. But the Detroit native says he was “shocked by the intensity” of racism he encountered in his new home,
58 | BOSTON SPIRIT
where he eventually found community in underground clubs like Chaps, Venus de Milo and The Emergency Room. There, diverse crowds helped “break down color barriers” that persist even in the modern LGBT rights movement. The relative openness with which today’s young gay people live is a fantastic thing, says Locke. But he says his portraiture benefits from the outsider perspective that comes with being marginalized. “This is the work of a queer person looking at people,” says Locke. “The way a gay person talks about masculinity is very different than the way a straight man does. We’re more interested and invested in it. It’s why a straight man looks at the Village People and thinks they’re funny, while gay person thinks, ‘I see those as models, archetypes.’” Locke says he doesn’t generally base his portraits on real people. Many are inspired by the haunting visions that the artist, a lifelong insomniac, sees in fits of sleep. The motif of jutting tongues has precedence throughout art history, says Locke, offering myriad readings: from the lascivious and sexual to the horror and anxiety invoked by, say, the Medusa. Many of these pieces receive titular identities (The Emigrant, The Coward, The First) that Locke settles on after their completion. And most are freestanding: rather than hang them on a wall, Locke has been
[FROM 57]
mounting his portraits on industrial metal poles and wooden platforms, painted or wallpapered (often for a note of comic irony) and standing throughout the gallery space like people might. They are party guests that museum visitors don’t just observe, but engage with in a more visually interactive manner. And if each piece starts a different conversation with every guest — well, that’s the point, says Locke, whose ethereal style allows his painted subjects to develop different biographies imbued by the unique perspective of a viewer. That gives them constant new life, says the artist, who is represented by Samson gallery in the South End and is an associate professor of art education at MassArt. Interestingly given his success, he admits that his traditional upbringing stressed a certain practicality that didn’t originally allow him to consider he could pursue “a serious career as an artist.” (“It was something you did on weekends,” he says.) But that Midwestern work ethic is what ultimately spurred his career: he funded art school by cashing in his 401K after 12 years at an insurance company. And for someone that reflects often on the ghosts he can’t leave behind, Locke’s there is no one left to blame, his first major museum show, ensures that the artist and his vision will resonate with art lovers for years to come. “I’ll be dead and gone one day, but these will still be around,” says Locke. “I think what matters in the end is that they have a life of their own.” [x] Steve Locke
there is no one left to blame Paul and Catherine Buttenwieser Gallery Boston ICA July 31 – October 27
FreePort [NO. 007] by Céleste Boursier-Mougenot: Within a gallery-turned aviary, the artist introduces a flock of 70 brightly plumed Zebra Finches to live among iconic Gibson Les Paul and Thunderbird bass guitars in January at the Peabody Essex Museuam oin Salem, MA
PEABODY ESSEX MUSEUM
Peabody Essex Museum, East India Square 161 Essex St, Salem, MA 978-745-9500, | www.pem.org
In Conversation: Modern African American Art from the Smithsonian American Art Museum ONGOING THRU MON SEP 2
Meditations on art, identity, and the rights of the individual are presented in this collection of 43 prominent African American artists.
Beyond Human, ArtistAnimal Collaborations SAT OCT 19 - SUN SEP 7
The redesigned Art & Nature Center opens in October. Elephants paint pictures, dogs pose for photographs and birds create art installations.
Impressionists on the Water SAT NOV 9 - MON FEB 17
Through nearly 60 oil paintings, works on paper, models and small craft, this exhibition illuminates the importance that access to the sea played in impressionism.
Future Beauty: AvantGarde Japanese Fashion SAT NOV 16 - SUN JAN 26
Japanese designers such as Issey Miyake, Rei Kawakubo and Yohji Yamamoto reshaped fashion in the early 1980s.
FreePort [No. 007]: Céleste Boursier-Mougenot SAT JAN 18 - SUN APR 13
Within a gallery-turned aviary, the artist introduces a flock of 70 brightly plumed Zebra Finches to live among iconic Gibson Les Paul and Thunderbird bass guitars.
California Design
SAT MAR 29 - SUN JUL 6
More than 200 examples of mid-century modern design reveal the distinctive role California had in shaping material culture from 1930-1965.
SEASONAL Arts Preview STORY Scott Kearnan
Chatty Kathy Gay favorite Griffin has big love for Boston “Boston is my second home,” says flamehaired and razor-tongued Kathy Griffin. Well roll out the welcome mat, because the gay favorite actress-comedian hits the Hub on October 25 for two shows at the Wilbur Theatre; she also plays MGM Grand at Foxwoods on November 9. (Head to ticketmaster. com.) Griffin always regales audiences with the latest, greatest gossip about her life on the D-list. But she has become a VIP among LGBT audiences thanks to her strong ally politicking. Plus, let’s be honest. A little campy self-deprecation goes a long way with gays. Griffin, meanwhile, is a big fan of Boston. It’s here that she taped Gurrl Down!, one of 16 standup specials she recorded for Bravo: a comedy record. And though the famous funny lady alights audiences with her sass, she says it’s Boston’s smarts that most turn her on. So she talked to Boston Spirit about her insatiable lust for Ben Affleck (sort of ), Harvard brainiacs (really) and Boston politics. [BOSTON SPIRIT] How are you today? [KATHY GRIFFIN] I’m great! Though I’m
on the Boston Spirit website right now, checking things out, and I see there’s an LGBT executive networking night that was postponed. I’m very disappointed by this and think I need to talk to somebody about it. [BS] Will you come to our next
meeting? Lay down the law?
[KG] Let’s do it! I’m there. I have a lot
of things to say. Heads will roll.
60 | BOSTON SPIRIT
… that’s what I love about the gay community: they come together, mobilize, get things done … [BS] I’ve heard you don’t decide what you’re going
to say until ten minutes before show time. True?
[KG] Certainly: especially in Boston!
For instance, I remember one time I discovered this place that serves poutine and waffles… Oh, what was it?
[BS] Saus? [KG] Yes! Saus! See, I could take that
experience and do an entire show just on that place. You had this mix of Boston foodies and drunk bros, which is what I call straight guys. And it just wasn’t the right time and place for a drunk bro who had one too many to go up to a girl: a girl who feels very empowered sitting with other girls, having her poutine waffles. You know they’re saying things like, “Fuck men, I don’t care!” Or, “Oh Jordanna, he says you’re fat? You’re not, girl! You have more poutine! You’re beautiful just the way you are!” I just sat in the little park across from it, watching drunk people. It was epic. I get inspired everywhere, and Boston is a rich, rich city for inspiration. I could hang outside the W with a flip-cam all day.
[BS] We’re a colorful city! [KG] You know what else? I’ve watched
The Town so many times. I think Ben Affleck’s character is really what I want in a guy: a townie. Some townie who had a bad day and killed someone but turns out to be sensitive. … But you know, I can fall madly in love with anyone. Once at a backstage meet-and-greet I was with Jonathan Knight and Harvard professor David Gergen, who I know from Anderson Cooper. It was basically me trying to explain to them who the other one was. Gergen is talking about all these lofty cerebral things, and then it’s, “This is my friend Jonathan, he’s in New Kids on the Block. The first openly gay member of a boy band!” Gergen is looking at him like he’s from Mars. This represents what I’m attracted to: from gay guys and New Kids to Harvard professors.
[BS] You like nerds, don’t you? [KG] Well I’m actually seeing someone
now, but—once I was in Boston and single. I went to MIT, bought a sweatshirt in the gift shop, and just stood outside the men’s room all day. I think that’s something that may be quite familiar to a few of your readers. I’m surprised I didn’t see you there. Anyway then I went and did the same thing at Harvard. I was like, “I’m going to snag a smart, nerdy guy.”
[BS] Which had hotter nerds? MIT or Harvard? [KG] You’re going to get me slaughtered.
I think MIT had more inquisitive guys. They’d talk to me outside the bathroom: “Can I help you?” More like, “Can you fuck me?”
[BS] Boston’s also the birthplace
of gay marriage in America!
[KG] Yes! I just love Boston politics. I was
a big Ten Kennedy fan. I’m a big John Kerry fan. I’m not the biggest Scott Brown fan, but he was cute. My gays were like, “He looks like a Ken doll!” Move past it, girl. We have bills to pass. … But Boston gays are just smart, let’s cut the shit. I’m from Chicago, and like Boston it’s a city where it’s simply unacceptable to not read the paper. And I mean the paper. I don’t mean a blog. I don’t mean Showbiz Tonight. I read the paper. Growing up, when you were at the dinner table you had to bring the heat! Everyone in my family read the papers cover to cover. That’s what I love about Boston. You get involved in the conversation. For a comedian it’s a dream audience: people who are smart and get your references, but also have this tough-talking, no-bullshit, I-don’t-give-a-fuck Rihanna attitude. That’s what it is: a little Professor Gergen with a little Rihanna attitude.
[BS] You usually get some
protesters at your shows.
bummer. My protest went from five to two. I’m sorry, that’s pitiful. I expect more from Boston. Some right-wing nut-job better gather something a little more organized than five people. Oh! And this one guy, he takes his cross and puts it on the sidewalk for a moment because he’s tired. Are you kidding me? My gays have more commitment in one thumb. But you know, seriously, that’s what I love about the gay community: they come together, mobilize, get things done. I find that inspirational as a woman. Feminist causes are important to me — and women, we’re always taking each other down and tearing each other apart. The gay community stays together and engaged. That’s the key to getting things done. [BS] You also embraced your gay fans
before it was popular to do so.
[KG] You know, I’ll often start my shows
with, “Where are my gays at?” Sometimes I used to do that and first I’d get cheers — and then I’d get boos! It’s like, excuse me: which of you is sitting next to a gay guy? Because he’s going to be better built than you and can kick your ass.
[BS] Okay, three rapid-fire Twitter-
submitted questions. Ready? “Who’d you rather: Ben Affleck or Matt Damon?”
[KG] Ben Affleck. Hands down.
Totally based on The Town.
[BS] “If you could trade places with
any gay icon, who would it be?”
[KG] Cher. She’s the one I know best
and she lives by her own rules.
[BS] “I want to do Kathy Griffin drag for
Halloween. Your number one tip is … ?”
[KG] No one does it better than
Pandora Boxx, so look at pictures of her. Or a nice picture of Andy Dick. That’s also good for inspiration. [x]
[KG] I’m usually quite proud of my
protesters, but I just did a show in Huntsville, Alabama that was kind of a SEP|OCT 2013 | 61
SEASONAL Arts Preview STORY Scott Kearnan
The Mother Load Margaret Cho is a straight shooter on her new tour She’s not shy about sharing her opinion on politics, pop culture, race, class and sex. And her candor can cause controversy: like after a recent show where she offered that her Face/Off costar John Travolta was “Oscar Wilde gay.” But that’s why we love her. On November 6, queer comedian Margaret Cho brings her Mother tour to Boston’s Wilbur Theatre. Besides bringing her usual uproarious assaults on the right wing to live audiences, she’s also pushing in new directions: she’s launched a new comedy webseries, In Transition, about a trio of badass women dealing with post-penitentiary life. (Jackie Beat costars.) And she’s vying hard, via hilarious self-promotional YouTube clips involving catsuits and Madonna parodies, to fill the most recently vacated seat on The View. We snagged her for a quick chat. [BOSTON SPIRIT] What kind of topics will you tackle in Mother? {MARGARET CHO] A lot of it focuses on attitudes of what
has changed about gay rights. For instance in terms of gay marriage, Massachusetts has had it for a long time now, ahead of the rest of the country. With these changes in DOMA, it’s a different world. But I’m not sure exactly how it applies to the rest of the country. I live in Georgia a lot of the time. Gay marriage is not legal here yet. They say it is on a federal level, but what does that actually mean? It means a lot of different things to a lot of different people. A lot of the show also gets into this area where I feel kind of maternal, like a mother of comedy in a way. I’m older now and in this giant business that’s my small role.
62 | BOSTON SPIRIT
A lot of the show also gets into this area where I feel kind of maternal, like a mother of comedy in a way. I’m older now and in this giant business that’s my small role. [BS] You’re right that while there’s a lot
[BS] It’s a diverse cast, too. Your All-American
[MC] In some places it’s not even as if
[MC] Yeah it’s weird. I’d think that
to celebrate about DOMA, there are many states that won’t benefit.
anything truly has changed. In a state like Georgia there are places where there’s very progressive people. But most of the state is not like that. You encounter a lot of homophobia. It’s looking at different ideas of gay marriage and how they affect these states where you still have sodomy laws. It’s pretty difficult to be here and be queer in a lot of ways. I wonder what affect [DOMA] has on places that don’t have the same sort of activism and reach as others.
[BS] What inspired you to start In Transition? [MC] I like stories about women who
are going through some form of change: women who are changing worlds. I think a big shift is coming from prison to the outside world. I work in a lot of different capacities with prisoner rights and people on death row. That’s a world I’m familiar with and a different side of my work. So I thought it would be a really good comedy to have this kind of thing where women are transitioning. Plus the other women are all my friends and we love to do stuff together anyway. Our only opportunity to hang out is to work on something.
Girl was the last sitcom to star an AsianAmerican family. Does that surprise you?
red, chapped asshole and having a Helen Mirren on Prime Suspect moment. It turned into this larger argument about outing. I don’t really know, there have always been people I’ve imagined are gay. I don’t know they’re gay. But people like Tom Cruise, or maybe Jeremy Renner. I don’t know personally but it’s fun to speculate. It’s funny to think about people who have this certain public image, what the other side is like.
there would be something else. There are definitely more Asian-American characters on things. There’s a presence. There’s a new show, Sullivan & Son, about a Korean-American family. The mother on that, Jodi Long, actually played my mother on All-American Girl. But that’s been the only other one I’ve seen and it just premiered this year.
[BS] Speaking of entertainers. Lady Gaga: New
[BS] You’re angling to get on The View.
[MC] I think she makes really good music.
Who would you fight with most?
[MC] I don’t think anyone! I love Jenny
McCarthy. She agreed to do it and she’ll be another great voice on there. When I’ve been on there I’ve never argued with anyone. Even Elisabeth Hasselbeck, she was a really sweet person. There are a lot of times when—you know, sometimes the different opposing sides are amplified because there is a need to show the difference in the way a culture perceives something. So I never found her to be argumentative. I don’t know who I’d fight with.
[BS] You caught flak for supposedly outing
John Travolta in a recent performance. What do you think about that controversy—and anyone else we should know about?
[MC] It’s not about outing anyone. It
started as a joke about a police sketch artist comparing drawings [from Travolta’s sexual battery accusers] of a
gay icon, or guilty of cultural appropriation? Go. I think she’s really positive for the gay community, kind of how Madonna was. I mean Madonna has probably done more for gay rights than any other big star, in terms of being the most vocal and active. In terms of bringing awareness to AIDS, she’s like this Princess Diana-type figure. When I look at Lady Gaga, I like her music. And I think it’s so wonderful that younger gay people can have someone they can freak out about, like the Beatles in the ‘60s. I think it’s cool.
[BS] If you could put any one of your tour
DVDs in a time capsule, to preserve for future generations as your work, which would it be?
[MC] Ooh. Maybe Revolution. That
has probably the longest routine in the history of comedy about shitting yourself. I think just for the sheer length at which I speak about it, it deserves some kind of special recognition. [x]
SEP|OCT 2013 | 63
Salem’s Magic Makers The famous North Shore town’s gay scene is thriving. Here are eight folks making it happen
There’s magic in the air in Salem. Thanks to a supportive city government, thriving social networking groups, and its distinction as the epicenter of newly created North Shore Pride, the “Witch City” is emerging as a major local hub of queer community. Fall is the season when America’s Halloween capital gets an abundance of attention,—but
we wanted to highlight eight folks from the LGBT community who are making it a better and more diverse place to live, work and play all year round. Ta-da!
Callie Lipton Salem’s live music scene rocks. Its annual Jazz and Soul Festival attracts great talent,
64 | BOSTON SPIRIT
and you’ll find independent artists tuning up at trendy bars and coffee shops like GuluGulu Café. For the last seven years, Lipton has been the lead voice and guitar in The Dejas, an ethereal folk-pop duo that scores major music industry kudos, prominent song placements (listen for them in an upcoming film adaptation of the lesbian TV drama Lip Service),
and huge gigs: from Pride performances to September’s inaugural Stargaze Festival, a women’s camping and music weekend in New Hampshire. As an out singer-songwriter, candid reflections on love and loss figure prominently in Lipton’s lyrics. But she also helps local youth explore their emotions, including those associated with bullying and
“ The kids know they can come to me for mentorship and support about self-identity ”
coming out, through volunteer work with several area organizations: like the Salem Boys and Girls Club, where she and straight bandmate Aaron Katz are co-music directors. “It’s important to me to be a positive role model,” says Lipton. “The kids know they can come to me for mentorship and support about self-identity, and use music as an outlet to express these issues. I remember when I was their age, dealing with my own questioning, that releasing things via lyrics and music was extremely therapeutic.” It still is. The Dejas’ forthcoming album includes several songs Lipton wrote, like the uplifting “Rise Up,” about getting sober and becoming a happier, healthier artist. That process helped her undertake many surprising side projects, including an upcoming hiphop collaboration with former
New England Patriots champ Tully Banta-Cain, and joining the cast of Scary Mary and the Audio Corsette, a campy theatrical music group that lets her stretch her sonic legs (she inhabits the role of an ‘80s hair band chick)—and her real ones, too. “I learned to walk in high heels for it!” laughs Lipton. Girl, write a song about that. There’s no worse pain than a stiletto scorned.
Kristian Hoysradt During last year’s inaugural North Shore Pride, Salem became the first North Shore town to fly the Pride flag from its City Hall; Beverly, Newburyport, Lynn and others have since followed suit. But it’s the commitment to diversity that thrives inside that building which truly inspires, says Hoysradt, who this year was officially designated the
Mayor Office’s first LGBT liaison by Kim Driscoll, the city’s first woman mayor. Lieutenant Conrad Prosniewski simultaneously became the police department’s LGBT liaison. The creation of the roles was a step suggested by the Salem No Place for Hate Committee, an anti-discrimination board on which Hoysradt and Prosniewski serve, to ready Salem for evaluation by the Human Rights Campaign’s Municipal Equality Index (MEI), an annual nationwide ranking of pro-LGBT city policies and services. “We hope to see it recognized that
Kristian Hoysradt [RIGHT] with Kevin Letourneau, Go Out Loud Salem is at the forefront of LGBT issues and promoting equality, a flagship on the North Shore,” says Hoysradt, who previously worked for the HRC in Washington, DC before returning to his native North Shore to serve as political director for Congressman John Tierney’s 2012 reelection campaign. He was then tapped to be Mayor Driscoll’s
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director of constituent services and special projects. The LGBT liaison role is a perfect fit for Hoysradt, for whom political activism was part of the coming out process. “I think supporting the [LGBT] community first as an ally really helped me be honest with myself,” says Hoysradt, who began by volunteering with MassEquality in his high school days. Now, he says, he is honestly thrilled to have a first-of-its kind role working for a mayor he considers a dedicated ally. “Mayor Driscoll brought her kids to this year’s Pride parade to help pass out rainbow stickers,” recalls Hoysradt. “I remember watching and thinking, I can’t believe I’m working for an elected official who is here with her family promoting LGBT equality so openly and honestly. It encourages others to step up to the plate.” Homerun.
Michael Quijano-West Even among those who work in preservation, things change. Just look at Quijano-West: the openly gay superintendent of Salem Maritime National Historic Site, the very first such site in America’s venerated National Park System. (It celebrates its 75th anniversary this year.) Yet though he’s
dedicated his career to protecting clearly delineated parcels of valuable land, Quijano-West believes the best kind of world is one without borderlines. “We’re working to make the parks feel more dynamic and relevant to all populations,” says Quijano-West, who wants Salem Maritime Historic Site to more emphatically incorporate (in its festivals and educational programs) elements of far-flung global
cultures that were long connected to America via Salem, once the country’s busiest seaport. Quijano-West, who studied cultural anthropology and speaks six languages, sees great value in the multicultural experience. He’s of part Native American descent and grew up in El Paso, Texas on the US/Mexico border, which fostered a value of inclusiveness that made coming out to his family relatively painless. “Growing up in two cultures, you learn to be flexible and not too entrenched in anything,” says Quijano-West. Assignments have taken him to park posts all over the country, often functioning as a liaison between tribal and state governments. But he says he and his husband appreciate the relative embrace of diversity in New England, where he’s also superintendent of Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site.
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The region leads the country on issues of LGBT equality, and he has “hope for the next generation” he sees visiting parks with schools and scouts groups: one to which differences between ethnicities and sexualities seem increasingly irrelevant. Still, he seizes the moment to serve as a role model for those who need one. “I want to show them that, though you can’t be a leader in your organization yet, you can be a leader in many other places,” says Quijano-West of the parks’ visiting Boy Scout groups. Hmm. It sounds like pride might be the most important thing he works to preserve.
Mickey Northcutt Every community has the capacity for change. “That
my old high school now has a GSA is shocking. That would have been unheard of in the mid-90s,” says Northcutt, who grew up outside of Houston, Texas, where his family was accepting but the greater culture more conservative. Now as CEO of North Shore Community Development Coalition (CDC), Northcutt wants others to enjoy the progressive, transformative potential of community. “Growing up in a white middle-class household, I took for granted not having to
worry about a roof over my head,” says Northcutt, who was raised in Texas by a family that was accepting of his sexuality. “If you can offer access to quality housing, a lot of other social issues fall into place.” So several years ago he led the creation of North Shore CDC by merging his former agency, the active but understaffed Beverly Affordable Housing Coalition, with the well outfitted but inert Salem Harbor CDC. His resulting new, robust organization is paving the way for energy-efficient housing development in the region’s neighborhoods with large low-income and immigrant populations. That’s important to Northcutt. His role model is his 91–year old grandmother, whose Dutch village was occupied by the Germans during World War II until liberated
by American troops. “She instilled in me a deep sense of social justice,” says Northcutt, whose CDC also looks to activate and revitalize a sense of neighborhood pride and engagement in community: through its YouthBuild program for low-income teens, for instance. The organization’s portfolio includes 300 housing units around the North Shore and of millions in investments. What’s next? This summer North Shore CDC kicked off a seven-year Action Plan to improve opportunities for housing, career development and civic engagement in Salem’s largely immigrant Point neighborhood; and it’s in talks to work with the city of Peabody to reactive the downtown. “I pinch myself every day for being able to do what I love,” says Northcutt. We think grandma is pretty proud too.
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Sicuranza doesn’t like the status quo—or feeling silenced. He’s the marketing pro and vice-president of Go Out Loud, an LGBT networking group that works to “reclaim our backyards” by giving the community increased visibility on the North Shore. And as a longtime politico who has worked in multiple campaigns, he has witnessed the way in which sexuality can be perceived as a liability. “I recognized how important it is to have LGBT leadership on the Salem City Council,” says Sicuranza, who says he was encouraged not to “advertise” being gay during his own run to fill a vacant council seat earlier this year. That run started promising, but ultimately revealed the provincial and intransigent nature of local politics, where legacies and backroom deals can take priority over embracing new leadership and serving the public’s interest, says Sicuranza. (In one all-night session, council members submitted the same tied vote 300 times rather than change position.) So he launched Salem First Coalition, a web-based initiative to get more residents, especially
those in the social mediasavvy generation, engaged in civic issues and mobilized through voter drives and special events. Elected officials are also invited to submit their platforms on pressing issues, an approach Sicuranza says underscores Salem First’s role as a nonpartisan factfinder for constituents. And if some in Salem’s ensconced political elite find that scary? Boo-hoo. “It’s about engaging our democratic roots and building community through accountability,” says Sicuranza, for whom being an active community member (he’s also communications director for the New England Police Benevolent Association) has swayed opinions from another important constituency: family. “My father knew I was gay, but comes from the perspective of this very old school Italian man,” says Sicuranza. This year his once reticent dad came to Salem Pride. “That my family showcased their support for me was really touching,” he says. And if living proud and transparently can move them, Salem politicians should be a cinch. “My family can be quite stubborn,” he laughs. “What I try to do is be a bridge.”
Christian Day Salem is famously associated with the witch trials of 1692. But Christian Day is the male face most famously associated with the modern
PHOTO Scott Lane
witch community in Salem, and maybe the world. That Day is gay is somewhat fitting. “I see many powerful parallels between being a witch and owning your sexuality as a gay person,” says Day, who notes
that gay and trans people have often been venerated within folk magic cultures. “In both cases you must challenge authority and find the inner bravery to say, ‘This is who I am, not the template society imposed on me.’” Reclamation of identity is something Day knows well. In the early ‘00s, Salem tried to downplay its witch history and encourage tourism around other associations. Day launched a powerful push to keep celebrating the city’s more magical qualities: now he runs the annual Festival of the Dead event series (a darker counterpoint to the city’s kitschy “Haunted Happenings”), authored The Witches’ Book of the Dead, owns three witchcraft stores (including one in New Orleans, where he splits his time), and has become the
go-to guy when news media from CNN to TMZ need a talking head from the witch world. “I’ve been an agent of change, and it has taken a while for some people even in the witch world to embrace that,” says Day, who has been critiqued within his community as a too commercialized, controversybaiting showman. (That he’s working with a major cable network to launch a reality show about modern witches won’t quiet those critics.) But Day says that ultimately, his methods educate mainstream crowds about witches and dispel assumptions of immorality to which, like the gay community, they’re often subjected. It’s a mission he undertakes with trademark smarts and sass. For instance, ask him why he calls himself a warlock, not a witch, and you’ll get two answers. The long one: “I embrace the divine feminine
within, but don’t want to devalue the divine masculine.” The short one: “It’s ten times more fuck-able,” laughs Day. “Let’s call a spade a spade.”
Chad O’connell Gay kids hassled in high school might want to take a cue from O’Connell: get your freak on. “I wasn’t bulled in high school. I was a weirdo, but everyone was afraid of me,” laughs the Connecticutraised Salem artist. The moment he laid childhood eyes on the Wicked Witch in The Wizard of Oz, O’Connell became obsessed with makeup and masks: and by extension, Halloween, New England autumns, and anything other kids might find scary. At 14 years old he was the youngest artist accepted to train with Oscar-winning special effects makeup artist Dick Smith, the
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“ I wasn’t bulled in high school. I was a weirdo, but everyone was afraid of me ”
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man who, among other claims to fame, transformed babyfaced Linda Blair into the grotesque Satanic spawn in The Exorcist. The mentorship with Smith helped O’Connell cultivate his eventual artistic specialty: intricate, strikingly lifelike wax figures that are ordered as personal commissions (The Craft star Fairuza Balk is a client), used for elaborate haunted attractions, and displayed in museums like Count Orlok’s Nightmare Gallery in Salem. It’s filled with many of his replicas of creepy characters, like Bette Midler from the Salem-filmed flick Hocus Pocus. Indeed, O’Connell draws much inspiration for his figures, which can take many painstaking months to sculpt, mold, and paint, from forgotten horror flicks and dark comedies of the ‘90s: those that, to a younger generation of gays, are now adopting an air of classic nostalgia. For instance, this
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year he launched a successful Kickstarter campaign to fund the creation of Meryl Streep and Goldie Hawn’s gothicglam characters from the 1992’s campy Death Becomes Her. “I think anything with a cult following tends to find a place in the gay community,” says O’Connell of the gay horror and B-movie subculture embodied by stars like RuPaul’s Drag Race winner Sharon Needles. (Yes, he’s “waxed” her.) “It’s the gay community that tends to keep more obscure movies alive, and breathe new life into them.” And that’s exactly what this fabulous Dr. Frankenstein does better than anyone: make sure that in Salem and beyond, the most marvelous monsters never die.
Alyssa Jones In her undergrad days as a sociology student at Mount Holyoke College, Jones
“ I tend to stay on the fringe. I’m someone who likes to watch and observe phenomenon, take it all in before I get in the middle. ’” Alyssa Jones learned the power of observation. “It informs me to this day,” she says of those studies. “I tend to stay on the fringe. I’m someone who likes to watch and observe phenomenon, take it all in before I get in the middle.” That approach serves her well in her current studies: besides a day job as a project coordinator for a digital media agency, Jones is earning her master’s degree at Bentley University in Human Factors in Information Design. (That’s a fancy way of saying that she studies the way people instinctively use objects—from cars to computers to ATM kiosks—in order to design more intuitive, user-friendly devices.) Yet as an activist, Jones seems anything but unwilling to jump right in. Over the last few years she has become increasingly active with the Human Rights Campaign, tracing a route that reminds us anyone with dedication and enthusiasm has the potential to be a player in his or her community. (Yes, even if you’re balancing
volunteerism with work and school.) Jones serves on the HRC’s Boston steering committee as the marketing co-chair, a role she hopes will further a mission of making the organization feel more inclusive: to women, people of color, and trans folks in particular. Earlier this year she was one of just 24 women from around the country selected to attend the 2013 HRC Women’s Learning Retreat in Washington, DC, part of the organization’s Equality Leaders for the 21st Century program, which recognizes and develops promising LGBT leadership talent. She’s since been nominated to serve on the HRC Board of Governors. Observing from the sidelines can be fine; but Jones’s willingness to work toward increasingly active roles in her community is a humbling reminder that all LGBT folks can find ways to dive in and help out. [x]
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CULTURE HISTORY STORY Mark Krone
Who in the ‘H*ck’ is Prescott Townsend He may just be the most influential gay rights pioneer you’ve never heard of Prescott Townsend may be the most influential Boston gay rights pioneer you have never heard of. If so, hang on; before we’re through, Townsend will cross paths with Andre Gide, 1960s hippies, John Waters and his star, Mink Stole. And that’s not counting the army of young men who lived with him on Beacon Hill and in Provincetown, as long as their waist sizes hovered very close to 30-inches. Born in 1894, Townsend was Brahmin from head to toe. He claimed relation to no fewer than 23 Mayflower passengers and bragged that his third great-great grandfather signed the Declaration of Independence, Articles of Confederation and the Constitution. Author Douglass Shand-Tucci quotes a sardonic Townsend who referred to this relative as “the only man to be so inconsistent.”
Townsend’s early life followed a prescribed Brahmin path of prep school, Harvard, and military service. That path soon veered sensationally. At Harvard, he had his first homosexual encounter “with a polo player.” Restless after graduation, Townsend decided to travel in search of a more vital world. He worked at a logging camp out west where he lived among men who seemed not to miss the company of women. That some of them were members of the Industrial Workers of the World (Wobblies), which opposed capitalism must have influenced Townsend, though he was never particularly sympathetic to organized labor and was a lifelong Republican. Returning to Boston, Townsend moved to Beacon Hill where he met Elliot Paul, an experimental theater producer. Writer, Lucius Beebe, a contemporary of Townsend’s,
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described Paul as the quintessential 1920s Bohemian who wore a Van Dyke beard and favored broad-brimmed hats. He and Townsend quickly became inseparable. Together, they created The Barn Experimental Theatre in 1922. Townsend’s steady if modest trust income came in handy. Beacon Hill during the Roaring Twenties bristled with Bohemian culture. Soon, Townsend and Paul traveled to the tip of Cape Cod were they met members of the Provincetown Players, who were also staging avantgarde productions, including those of Eugene O’Neill, that helped create modern American drama. If O’Neill and Townsend ever met is not known, but he became friendly with other members of the group, including journalist, Mary Heaton Vorse and playwright, Susan Glaspell. Again, Townsend’s trust fund
was tapped. Adrian Cathcart, Townsend’s authorized biographer, noted that Vorse “gave (Townsend) to know in no uncertain terms, just how his money could best be spent.” Townsend loved to travel. In the early 1920s, he and Elliot Paul visited Paris, which was at its Bohemian peak. Since Paul already knew Gertrude Stein, Picasso and Earnest Hemingway, it is impossible to imagine that Townsend failed to meet them. But for Townsend, his most significant encounter was with André Gide. Since coming out in print in 1926, Gide was already known as a potential successor to Oscar Wilde. Years later, Townsend claimed that Gide had presented him with a Bedouin cloak first owned by T.E. Lawrence. During the 1930s, Townsend entered history by testifying at the State House for a gay rights bill. As a Brahmin, he was politely received but swiftly dismissed. He was back the next year and the next after that, meeting with the same polite indifference. The Depression did not slow Townsend down. He opened several “tea rooms” on Beacon Hill: the Joy Barn, the Brick Oven, and the Saracen’s Head. Though he had no license, liquor was served discreetly.
C O M I N G T H I S FA L L
The year 1943 marked another turning point for Townsend. He was arrested for “committing an unnatural and lascivious act” and sentenced to 18 months hard labor at Deer Island House of Correction. As it turned out, he was released on VJ Day. He said later, when he saw the celebrations in town, he thought they were for him. This arrest severed ties with most members of his family and got him thrown out of the Social Register, which delighted him. In the 1950s, Townsend started the Boston chapter of the Mattachine Society, the first national gay rights organization that had began in Los Angeles under Harry Hay. He organized meetings, wrote letters and subscribed to One Magazine, an early gay publication. He also developed his “Snowflake Theory” which essentially posited that a person’s sexuality is as unique to them as one snowflake is to another. When the 1960s arrived, Townsend enthusiastically welcomed hippies and runaways to
his Lindall Place and Phillips Street buildings and his house made of driftwood in Provincetown, called “Provincetownsend.” Joe McGrath recently recounted a story from his time as “one of the boys.” At 15, he had gone to Provincetown in the summer of 1962 with some friends. Somehow, he had gotten separated from them. Without enough money to get back home, he sat dejectedly on a bench front of Town Hall when another young man approached him. “He asked me why I looked so sad and I told him my story. He said, ‘I know where you can stay for 35 cents a night.’ He took me to Prescott’s place. When I got there, Prescott welcomed me and showed me to the second floor where I slept.” There were always boys coming and going. A few years later, John Waters met his future star, Mink Stole, who was staying at Provincetonsend. Waters later described the house and its occupants as “a lunatic Swiss
CULTURE House Proud STORY Scott Kearnan PHOTOS Tony Scarpetta
Love In Bloom A creative couple sees their love and home blossom It takes time to grow something beautiful. Just take a look around the lawn of Tony Scarpetta and Miro Oliveira. From rows of fresh flowers that welcome visitors at the front door to a lush organic garden of veggies and berries in the backyard, their green space bursts with color. But when the couple moved to their North Shore home two years ago, it sat on a pretty empty parcel. And the couple, then together for about four years, was looking to grow too: beyond the confines of a smaller Winthrop townhouse, and into the next step of a relationship.
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So they planted a seed, buying a big home and making a big commitment. Scarpetta and Oliveira were married in an outdoor ceremony at their home last September. Tents, balloons and elaborate spreads of food transformed the space into a huge celebration for 120 guests from around the world. (No surprise. Oliveira has years of experience working in the restaurant industry and knows how to elegantly entertain at home.) The couple walked down the aisle in matching brocade jackets, flanked by Sam and Fred: their beloved pets, a pair of brightly colored birds. Members of the Boston Gay Men’s Chorus even performed. (Scarpetta sings in the group.) It was the beginning of a year that saw Scarpetta and Oliveira build a new home together as husbands, supported by friends and family.
But Scarpetta saw the day coming a long time ago. “I knew I was going to be with him forever the first time I met him,” he says, reflecting on their first date. “There was just something different than all the other people I’d met.” If only Oliveira had realized it. “He told me he would ‘call me later,’ and where I’m from that really means, ‘later!’” says Oliveira, who was raised in Brazil and started primping for a second, evening date shortly after they first met. Not catching the more casual meaning, he thought he was stood up. “Then he called the next week. I said, ‘You never called me!’” Luckily their love for one another didn’t get lost in translation. The couple laughs, seated beside each other in their main living room. The space is warm and inviting, reflecting what Scarpetta describes as their “warm, welcoming” style. They
The living room’s bar area makes it a perfect space for entertaining. And Oliveira’s hosting skills, honed through years in the restaurant world, don’t hurt. “He makes beautiful spreads like you wouldn’t believe,” dotes Scarpetta. [OPPOSITE] The “his and his” chairs in this sitting area embody the more Victorian style of the home’s formal space. For furniture, the couple turned largely to Jordan’s Furniture. For accents, they got innovative: the valances they made with extra curtain fabric.
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may only have one wedding, but they still do plenty of entertaining at home: hence a handy bar area stocked to the hilt and a discrete stereo system that fills the room with relaxing tunes. (These music lovers even sent home every wedding guest with a CD of favorite romance songs.) And throughout the home there are examples of their main passion: art. The living room walls are adorned with Scarpetta’s photos from The Neon Museum, a boneyard of kitschy casino architecture and discarded marquees in Las Vegas, where the couple vacations often. You’ll also spot many watercolors by Oliveira, who attended fine art school and keeps a studio space upstairs. Scarpetta and Oliveira share a creative mind, but they hail from different parts of the world. Oliveira held a government job in Brazil before relocating to Washington, DC, London, and eventually Boston. Scarpetta grew up in East Boston with parents who “didn’t make a lot of money,” he says. He discovered photography in high school, and borrowed $200 from his grandmother to buy his first camera, paying her back with money made from sweeping floors in a factory. Over the
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[OPPOSITE] Getting in on the ground floor (literally) allowed the couple to oversee construction and take control of major decisions. For instance, the builder’s plans for a small secondary room near the double doors were scrapped in favor of a larger main dining room.
Family is very important to the couple. By the window bench in this master bedroom is a framed collection of bowties that belonged to Scarpetta’s late father. And overnight visitors in a nearby guest room are always surprised with a bedside photo of a spouse or loved one, to keep homesickness at bay.
The couple is fine with trading city life to get more square footage for their dollar. “It takes me ten minutes to get to town from Saugus for rehearsal,” says Scarpetta, who sings in the Boston Gay Men’s Chorus and spends plenty of time on the road for photo shoots.
The gleaming modern kitchen boasts deep, handsome woods and granite countertops. More whimsical are Scarpetta’s living room photos of Vegas marquees, prints of originals taken on a Polaroid SX-70. Scarpetta gets creative with a handheld burnisher, warming the inks so that he can manipulate the colors to cool effect. [OPPOSITE] The master bathroom and walk-in closet are larger than an entire bedroom in his old East Boston neighborhood says Scarpetta, who kick-started his photo career in high school by borrowing $200 for a camera.
years he’s worked for a wide array of clients: from publishing giant Houghton Mifflin to major magazines. He built his own photography business from the ground up. And now they can say the same about their home. “All that was here was the two-byfour studding. There were no walls, but you could see the landscape of the home,” says Scarpetta, thinking back on when they stopped by the underconstruction property during a house hunt. As a professional photographer, his career relies on a knack for seeing the world through a wider emotional lens. Based solely on the framework, he instinctively knew this was the place for them. “I said, ‘I am buying this home tomorrow,’” says Scarpetta. And he did. Papers moved within hours. Sometimes you just know what feels like home. Whether you’re looking with your eyes, or with your heart. [x]
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CULTURE Convention STORY Frankie Olito
Cross-Dressing Guys with Wives Find Freedom in P’town For over 35 years, Fantasia Fair has been providing a liberating environment for men of all orientations who love to wear women’s clothing Eighteen years ago Michael Gilbert arrived in Provincetown for a week of new beginnings. He remembers walking into his hotel room, greeted by flowers his wife had arranged. Gilbert then proceeded to put on a skirt, a habit he has done in private for all of his life. But, this day he did something different. He went outside in daylight and walked the streets of Provincetown for the first time as a cross dresser. “I was so overcome with joy and feeling that I had to sit down on a bench and have a little cry,” Gilbert says. “I was moved by the experience. It was overwhelming.” Gilbert describes his first experience at the Fantasia Fair in Provincetown as a turning point in his life.
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Now, eighteen years later, Gilbert is the executive director of the Fair, and devotes his life to helping other people have a similar experience. The Fantasia Fair is a annual seven day event in Provincetown for men who dress in women’s clothing. With a plethora of events, workshops, and shows, all types of people are welcomed to celebrate the art of cross-dressing. “Fantasia Fair is a unique experience for trans people who have not had the opportunity to be out a great deal,” Gilbert says. “It provides a very safe place to experiment, to be yourself, to feel free without being scared of harassment.” This freeing event started in 1975 when the Cherrystone group created a ten-day fair so cross-dressers and transgender
people could learn in an open environment. The Fantasia Fair was the first of its kind. It was modeled after nothing else and started a precedent for all other crossdressing fairs. By 1980, the event drew local interest and public attention to eto se the abnormally large ladies. The Fair grew far beyond the streets of its hometown, attracting people from South America and Europe, and started to include transgender people as well. The group of people typically are older than 40 years old. The maximum amount of participants are 160 people each year. Gilbert describes the size as in between a small local event and the thousand-participant Southern Comfort event in Atlanta. He says this is the perfect size because participants come back every year, and they begin to know each other. “My favorite part is the people. They are so warm and loving and supportive,” he says. The Fair is big on tradition. Along with keeping the size constant, many of the
original, staple events are still held today. Gilbert says the two favorites—the Fashion Show and Follies — have been ongoing since the fari’s conception. The Fashion Show allows all men to dress in their best attire, typically in a casual outfit, a beach outfit, and lunch with the girls. He says most of the participants wear clothing from second hand stores. “Going into the fashion show at Fantasia Fair is worth five years of therapy,” Gilbert says, jokingly. “They have this feeling of really being accepted.” Gilbert points to the fact the audience is not only made up of other participants,
but also the town locals and the general public. The acceptance of such a mixture of people can be truly enlightening for people who never experienced such a welcoming. Along with the fashion show, the Fair holds an event called Follies. It gives the Fair participants, both professional and amateur, a chance to perform. They can dance, act out a skit, or even lip sing their favorite pop star. “Everyone up there is taking a personal risk,” Gilbert says. “They are offering something, and are unafraid to offer it... or if they are afraid, they are not showing they are afraid.”
These performances are open to the public, so the audience is usually expected to be large. “People who live in town come for years and years and just wouldn’t miss it. The room is packed,” Gilbert says, about the approximately 200-member crowd at the Follies. Even with the entertainment, the Fair holds numerous educational workshops, which include topics ranging from politics to haircare. While all events are built on making these cross-dressers feel more confident and comfortable in their looks, most of it is rooted in the security of Provincetown.
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Gilbert says since the community is so welcoming and open, participants at the Fair can feel safe to be who they are. “Provincetown is extremely welcoming and accepting,” he says, going on to explain the police talk to the Fair participants to ensure them that they have zero tolerance on discrimination. Anthony Fuccillo, the director of tourism at the Town of Provincetown, says the town and the Fair are a perfect mix. “Provincetown is well known for its diversity. Fantasia Fair is an organization with members who feel comfortable and welcome here,” he says. “I have met many of the members and find them to be interesting people and enjoy welcoming them.” Along with its warm welcome, the Town of Provincetown also gives the Fair a marketing grant to support their events. “People from all walks of life are truly welcome here. We strive to support everyone we are able to,” Fuccillo says. Although the participants pay to register for the week’s events, the Fair is still nonprofit and relies heavily on volunteers and benefactors. Gilbert says some see the fees as a heavy burden. It costs
people $500 to participate in the week’s events. He says he realizes it is not cheap, but it is a bargain for the amount of entertainment and workshops. All the money goes into scholarships, to allow a couple of people every year to come to the Fair who would not be able to afford it otherwise. Gilbert says the Fair also fundraises for charity. In the past, it raised money for a defibrillator for the local fire department, for the women’s senior society, and for AIDS/HIV organizations. This year they will be raising money for an LGBT camp called Lightbulb. The proceeds, the sense of confidence, and the security are not the only benefits from the Fair, Gilbert says—it is also a celebration. “Fantasia Fair is a celebration for people who couldn’t celebrate when they were younger,” Gilbert says. “Celebrating is extremely important, it’s vital.” [x] Fantasia Fair
October 20 though 27 Provincetown www.fantasiafair.org
SCENE Benefit PHOTOS Ellen Shub and Susan R. Symonds for InfinityPortraitDesign.com
GLAD Summer Party Pilgrim Monument | Provincetown | July 27
The folks who brought us marriage equality brought special guest Edie Windsor up to P’town for their annual super duper fundraiser at Pilgrim Monument. Celeb auctioneer Kate Clinton kept the crowd in stitches as usual.
GLAD board member Marcy Feller, Gabby Hanna, GLAD board member Alix Ritchie and Marty Davis.
Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Doug Talhelm, GLAD Executive Director Lee Swislow and Ashley Eaton
Silent Auction winners of Kinky Boots show package
GLAD board members David Wilson and Anderson Clark
Lyn Ketter and Maura Healey.
Eunice X of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence and Board President Dianne Phillips.
John Shope, Marcelo Stephen Sampang and their son GLAD Director of Development Marie Long and Gail Williams
Barbara Cohen, Edie Windsor and Donna Pomponio [FAR LEFT ] Kate Clinton and Dean Hara [LEFT] Melba Abreu, Beatrice Hernandez, GLAD Civil Rights
Project Director Mary L. Bonauto and Edie Windsor
SEP|OCT 2013 | 83
Diane Knolen, Erica Peck Jared Worful, Michael Harding, Greg Browne
Mark McGrath, Jonathan Lavash Shane McCann, Maryssa McLean, Kevin Cherry
Deborah Peeples (President of Greater Boston PFLAG), Gabe Peeples Ernie Berardine, Jim Keating
Erin McConaughey, Marion Bell, Sharon O’Toole
Sister Kristall Mighty, Sister Tori D’Affair
Lance Brisbois, Adam Leveille
Keri Aulita, Nan Dumas, Jen Jones
SCENE Benefit PHOTOS Craig Montague
Boston Spirit Sunset Cruise
Justin Bauman, Annie Pattison, John Haas Paul Miller, Rachel Alexander, Ameli Kotte
Boston Harbor | Boston | June 19
Hundreds and hundreds of local LGBTs boogied to DJ Mocha’s sensational sounds aboard the Bay State Cruise company’s Provincetown II and noshed on the fab food of Jasper White’s Summer Shack. All to benefit Fenway Health! Michael Chagros, Kelli Collagan, Jeff Whitlock
Alvaro Senta Rosa, Kev Krammer, Joe Todaro
Jon Klein, Donnell Graves
Mike MacDougall, Thomas Dayton, Nelson Fernandes, Accent Limousine sponsor
Michelle Michaelis, Susan Scampoli
Paul Twitchell, Victor John
Vijay Vaswani, Niamh Foley, John Winterle, Regina Lawless
Denise Cook, Matthew Dromgoole, Brian Ramos
Gina Savageau, Teresa Murray, Jodi Meehan (former Fenway Chairs)
Becky Sniderman, Kim Altomere, Tara Watts
Erica Jordan, Kurt Lortz
Teresa Murray, John Costello
Michael Jubinville, Bryan Buckus, Joshua Baldwin
Tony Scarpetta, Miro Scarpetta
Matt Crowell, Adam Garrison
Vijay Vaswani, Shawn O’neill
Nancy Dizio, David Reilly
Reid Nichols, Laura Bilotas
Neal Minahan, Jason McCoy
SEP|OCT 2013 | 85
Jacqui Maiorana, Dustin Hoffman, Ken Caranglo
Mark Schianca, Mike Marcoux
Andy Clifford, Jason Lambrese
Lauren Matysiak, Lisa Feigenbaum, Julian Dormitzer
Jeff Legendie, Lauren Aloisio, Courtney Roy, Paul Howard
Don Frattaroli, Rob Santiago
Adam Bogacz, Andrew Pike, Mindy Davis
Joe Todaro, Glenn Ridgoff
Carter Lowrie, Sister Eunice X
Mark McQuade, Adam Gamerman, Dave Frank
Lisa Kelly, Marcy Ford, Laura Flanigan
Donna Borges, Sister Rosetta Stone
Trey Leotti, Althea Smith
Terri Davis, Francesco Cella, Gigi Goso
Brian Ramos, Troy Keiser
Trey Leotti, Aygela Blue, Sigmud Lewis, Michael Williams, Angela Haymes
Deb Noe, Kathy Field, Elizabeth Fekete
Maria Borges, Donna Borges 86 | BOSTON SPIRIT
Anaol Fetale (Ryan Trufant)
Jane Rainsford, Carin Zuchero
Elyse Wilk, Harvey Wilk of Tresca
Bevin Commock, Steve Arena, Ed Haskins
Jake Tinsley, Joseph Morrissey
Jeremy McCulla, Benjamin Barstrom, Patrick Mearey, Eric Shiroma, Kyle Ridolfo
Davyd Rosking, Brenda Rodriguez, Paul Xavier, Affredo Rodriguez, Bob Cananepa, Dave Burt, Peter Helms
Jay Domen, Bill Hickey, Neill Kovash, Robert Coppola
Ryan Paul, Alyssa Baldino, Geoff Brownell, Ryan Couch, Dennis, Alfred Anderon-Villaluz, Rod Ferguson
Tom Walmsley, Howard Thompson, Paul Neumann, Eli Segev, Jay Prilomena, Ed LeMay
Patrick Priest, Virian Zhu, Mitch Brown, Tim Howell, Angel Moran, Melanna Carroll, Bryn VanAlstyne, Jenna Weakland
Mike Meehan, Chris Viveiros, Jeff Dugan (owner of Summer Shack), Bill Webster
Angel Moran, Teresa Murray, John Costello, Gina Savageau, Jodi Meehan
Erin Bradley, DeeDee Edmondson, Ann Marie Blythe, Damien Paroctor
SEP|OCT 2013 | 87
SCENE Benefit PHOTOS courtesy MassEquality
The Fourth Annual Taste of Provincetown Town Hall | Provincetown | July 20
Sweet Cheeks chef-owner Tiffani Faison headlined the fourth annual MassEquality fundraiser. She refereed a cooking challenge. “I’m thrilled to be participating again in MassEquality’s Taste of Provincetown,” said Faison, who was one of two finalists on the first season of Bravo’s Top Chef and was the winner of Bravo’s 2007 Top Chef Holiday Special. “This event combines my passion for good food and fun, with my commitment to equality.” The food fest included some of Cape Cod’s most highly-rated restaurants and celebrity chefs.
88 | BOSTON SPIRIT
SCENE Benefit PHOTOS Courtesy CRI
Community Research Initiative (CRI) Red Inn | Provincetown | July 20
Community Research Initiative, a non-profit community-based organization dedicated to HIV and Hepatitis C clinical research, treatment education, and financial assistance for approved drug treatments and health insurance coverage, hosted it’s 10th Annual Summer Party. This year’s record-breaking event, which raised over $75,000 for CRI’s lifesaving research, brought together supporters, clients, providers, organization donors, and celebrity host Omar Sharif, Jr., actor, activist, and GLAAD national spokesperson for an exciting brunch and silent art auction. This event was made possible by over 250 guests, many sponsors, and very generous artists who donated their beautiful works to the event.
SEP|OCT 2013 | 89
Calendar
P'TOWN
This season's music, performance and theater events are presented in our seasonal Arts Preview | PAGE 40
FESTIVAL EDITOR'S PICK
32nd Annual Salem Haunted Happenings
TUE OCT 1 - THU OCT 31
SALEM, MA
Costume creativity will highlight the 32nd Annual Salem Haunted Happenings, October 1-31, 2013. A month-long celebration of Halloween and fall in New England in Salem, Massachusetts, the festival
will feature more than 150 events for all ages. Children can unveil their Halloween costumes during the Grand Parade, athletes will dress to kill for the Devil's Chase 6.66 mile run around Salem, and the competition will be fierce for the grand prize at the Hawthorne Hotel's annual Halloween Ball. New events planned for 2013 include “Kung Fu Fighting,” an afterhours event at the Peabody Essex Museum, “Welcome to the Graveyard”, a unique look into local cemeteries put on by the Salem Witch
Bark Out Loud: Go Out Loud’s first pet social in Saugus, MA, Sun Sep 8.
Presented by special arrangement with Dramatists Play Service, Inc., New York.
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Museum, and a spell-binding Halloween extravaganza hosted by Go Out Loud. In addition to the special events in October, most Salem attractions, museums, and tours will have extended hours and most restaurants will feature special programming including parties and live music. HauntedHappenings.org.
FUNDRAISER EDITOR'S PICK
GLAD's 14th Annual Spirit of Justice Award
FRI OCT 25
BOSTON | BOSTON MARRIOTT COPLEY
On the tenth anniversary of the landmark Goodridge decision, GLAD honors Chief Justice Margaret Marshall for lifelong commitment to civil rights for all people, and her dedication to the rule of law. It was an historic decision to rule that gays and lesbians in Massachusetts should be treated as equal citizens. It shifted the national dialogue and re-energized the LGBT equality movement. GLAD — Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders | glad.org
So-Long! Summer Cruise
PRIDE
SAT SEP 21
SALEM, MA | MAHI MAHI CRUISES
EDITOR’S PICK
Worcester Pride
WED SEP 4 - SUN SEP 8
WORCESTER PRIDE, MA
The Worcester Pride celebration is on the Worcester Common September 7, but the festivities begin earlier in the week and last through Sunday. Including the Miss Gay, Mr. Gay, & Ms. Lesbian Worcester Pageant on Sept. 6 and Drag Brunch at Bar FX on Sept. 8. worcesterpride.org
SOCIALIZING Bark Out Loud
SUN SEP 8
SAUGUS, MA | SAUGUS BREAKHEART RESERVATION
Go Out Loud's first pet social. LGBT owners gather up the pups for a funfilled afternoon of furry new friends and treats for all walks! Meet in the Barking Lot, a leash-free zone. Go Out Loud | gooutloud.com
Go Out Loud teams up with Mahi Mahi Cruises for 2nd annual end-ofsummer cruise! Music, dancing, complimentary snacks and cash bar! Go Out Loud | gooutloud.com EDITOR'S PICK
#ScreamOutLoud
THU OCT 31
SALEM, MA | HAWTHORNE HOTEL
Go Out Loud presents #ScreamOutLoud, a gay-friendly Halloween premiere event at the Historic Hawthorne Hotel. Celebrating the 20th anniversary of the film “Hocus Pocus,” the extravagant dance party feature live '80s music by Scary Mary and the Audio Corsette, emcee “Gay Jim” from KISS 108, a competition to crown Salem's “Official Scream Queen,” and an appearance by ghoulishly glam “RuPaul's Drag Race” winner SHARON NEEDLES! Go Out Loud | gooutloud.com
PERFORMANCE Miss Coco Peru
ONGOING THRU THU SEP 5
PROVINCEOTWN | CROWN AND ANCHOR In “She’s Got Balls,” Coco reflects on early childhood dreams, her crush on the Creature from the Black Lagoon, her love/hate relationship with Facebook, why she left her beloved hometown of NYC, and her summers spent on a nude beach. A little something for everyone. [x]
Visit our online calendar for the latest events and submit listings for upcoming events: BostonSpiritMagazine.com
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Outrageous Halloween dance party with and the DJ GAY JIM (Kiss 108), SCARY MARY US! 20th Anniversary Tribute of HOCUS POC
SEP|OCT 2013 | 91
BEAUTY | BODY
Beauty Medicine Boston
Botox®, Dermal Fillers & Skin Therapies
Your Source for Equalityminded People, Places, Services and Adventures in New England and beyond.
Rejuvenate yourself with state of the art cosmetic injections and advanced skin therapies and treatments, including: Botox®. Juvederm®, Radiesse®, Belotero® and Ultherapy. Personalized, artistic and compassionate skin care administered by Advanced Practice Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist, Nelson Aquino. Two convenient locations: Office of Joseph Russo, MD, FACS: 575 Boylston Street Newton Centre, MA 02459 and 1318 Beacon Street, Ste. 7 (2nd floor) Brookline, MA 617.953.6261 http://www.beautymedicineboston.com
EMERGE Spa & Salon
Boston's Only Urban Resort Destination Spa
ARTS | ENTERTAINMENT
For those with a discerning taste for unparalleled luxury, we have devoted an entire Back Bay building to the pursuit of excellence in beauty, health and well-being. 275 Newbury Street Boston, MA 617-437-0006 www.EMERGESPASALON.com
AUTO SALES | SERVICE
BEAUTY | BODY
G2O Spa & Salon
Enjoy the latest revolutions in spa + salon services
Come for a whole body + mind experience that compliments your contemporary urban lifestyle 338 Newbury Street Boston, MA 617-262-2220 www.g2ospasalon.com
Seligman Dental Designs DINING | NIGHTLIFE
Personalized dental care and comfortable, caring service in our state-of-the-art dental facility in the heart of Boston’s South End. 617-451-0011 SouthEndDental.com
HOME | GARDEN
PROFESSIONAL | SERVICES
Wellspring Weight Loss
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The country’s largest and most respected network of weight loss programs, includes an adults-only residential facility with upscale amenities, state-of-the art facilities, and chef prepared meals. or call us at 1-866-364-0808 wellspringweightloss.com
RETAIL | SHOPPING
HOME | GARDEN Circle Furniture
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Furniture ... Made for Real Life
TRAVEL | ADVENTURE
WEDDINGS | EVENTS
Circle Furniture offers an eclectic selection of furniture for traditional and contemporary homes, fast delivery times for made-to-order items, corporate philanthropy, support of the regional economy, and most of all, fun. 31 St. James Ave. Boston, MA 617-778-0887 www.circlefurniture.com
Designer Bath
Bath and kitchen products, since 1945. Experience our beautiful 4,500 square foot showroom, north of Boston. For information on including your business, e-mail Jenn@BostonSpiritMagazine.com
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Dover Rug
7
New Showroom Now Open
Dover Rug & Home offers the largest selection of fine floor coverings and window treatments in New England. Visit their BRAND NEW location at 721 Worcester Street in Natick (RT-9) As the “Best of Boston Home 2011” recipient, their larger showroom has something for every budget. Natick, MA and Hanover, MA locations. 721 Worcester Street (Route 9) Natick, MA 508-651-3500 www.doverrug.com
Lucia Lighting
38
Bright ideas begin at lucia
"Our unique lighting store features 12 showrooms in 8,000 square feet of a lovingly restored mansion staffed with certified lighting specialists who are both educated and customer focused. Whether you want to visit our showroom or have one of our team visit you at your location in the Boston area, lucÃa lighting & design is the answer." 311 Western Ave. (RT-107 Lynn, MA 781-595-0026 www.lucialighting.com
Seasons Four
The Outdoor Living Store
For over 40 years, Seasons Four has been a destination for everyone in New England that values outdoor spaces. We are a trusted source for quality, heirloom furniture for your sunroom, porch, patio, deck, and garden. We also provide unique plant material, statuary, fountains and garden accessories to complete your outdoor room. 1265 Massachusetts Avenue Lexington, MA 781-861-1200 seasonsfour.com
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Vice President–Investments ubs.com/fa/peternee 55 William Street, 3rd Floor Chartered Retirement Planning CounselorSM and CRPC® are registered service marks of Wellesley, MAand 02481 Chartered Planning Counselor UBS CRPC areServices registeredInc. service of the of College the CollegeRetirement for Financial Planning®. Financial is amarks subsidiary UBS for AG. 781-446-8918 800-828-0717 . UBS Financial Services Inc. isreserved. a subsidiary of UBS AG. FinancialUBS Planning ©2010 Financial Services Inc. All rights Member SIPC. ©2010 UBS Financial Services Inc. All rights reserved. Member SIPC. 12.00_Ad_4.5x7.5_WF1110_NeeP peter.nee@ubs.com SM
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12.00_Ad_4.5x7.5_WF1110_NeeP Chartered Retirement Planning CounselorSM and CRPC® are registered service marks of the College for Financial Planning®. UBS Financial Services Inc. is a subsidiary of UBS AG. ©2010 UBS Financial Dimensions 4.5 x 7.5" 12.00_Ad_4.5x7.5_WF1110_NeeP Services Inc. All rights reserved. Member SIPC.
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Inks Publication Insertion date(s) Case number 12.00_Ad_4.5x7.5_WF1110_NeeP.indd 1 Request number Last revision Revision initials 12.00_Ad_4.5x7.5_WF1110_NeeP November 11, 2010 2:44 PM Associate Created
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Yale Appliance & Lighting Turn it On!!
Over 3500 lights, 800 appliances and 200 plumbing products on display. We service what we sell.
Your financial needs are unique.
296 Freeport St Dorchester, MA 1-866-849-7838 www.yaleappliance.com
PROFESSIONAL | SERVICES Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc.
Call me today at (877) 524.5522
Frank X Addonizio
94
CFP®, CRPC®, CLTC Financial Advisor
Frank Addonizio, CFP®, CRPC®
A unique and collaborative approach to financial planning. In Boston and Danvers. 877-524-5522 x202 http://www.ameripriseadvisors.com/frank.x.addonizio
Burns & Levinson, LLP
44
617-345-3000 www.burnslev.com
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Harvard University Careers
If you can work, you can work at Harvard! We are so much more than just students and professors. We are the 5th largest private employer in Massachusetts, with over 16,000 employees. Almost any job you can think of exists at the University. employment.harvard.edu
UBS Financial Services, Inc.
93
Peter Hamilton Nee and Robert S. Edmunds
Caring for yourself, your family, your community. It might not be possible without a plan. Wellesley, MA 781-446-8918 or 800-828-0717 ubs.com/team/neeedmunds
TRAVEL | ADVENTURE 5 Star Travel Services
13
Since 1982, 5 Star has been providing optimal travel services to our Community, and is one of the most respected and prestigious gay travel companies in the country.
Awarded 2013 FIVE STAR Wealth Manager SM
Marriott Copley Place
ArtBar
ArtBar is a warm, intimate retreat for food and art lovers located at the Royal Sonesta Hotel in Cambridge, MA. The ArtBar boasts stellar selections from the hotel's world-class art collection while the restaurant features innovative cuisine, a well curated wine list and seasonal specialty cocktails. Patio seating along the Charles River, with full bar service offer unparalleled riverside dining with views of the Boston Skyline. 40 Edwin H. Land Boulevard Cambridge, MA 617-806-4122 artbarcambridge.com/index.php
Located in the Back Bay and a few blocks from the South End, the Boston Marriott Copley Place is perfect for business or leisure travel. The hotel features deluxe rooms, Champions, Connexion Lounge, Starbucks, indoor pool, fitness center, 70,000 sq. ft. of meeting space and is minutes from top attractions. 110 Huntington Avenue (Boston) , MA 617-236-5800 http://www.marriott.com/setSCtracking.mi?scid=1896e0f3-167b-4195-aff9890305a1bb2b&ppc=ppc&mid=/hotels/travel/bosco-boston-marriott-copley-place/
Royal Sonesta Hotel Boston
68
Spectacular city views, luxury accommodations, regional cuisine, and contemporary art
All of our 400 well-appointed guest rooms and suites offer guests the comforts of home with first-class amenities and overlook the Charles River, Cambridge or Boston’s stunning skyline. The Royal Sonesta Hotel Boston features both casual and elegant dining and delicious inspired cuisine in two highly acclaimed riverfront restaurants with seasonal patios, ArtBar and Restaurant dante. 40 Edwin H. Land Boulevard Cambridge, MA 617-806-4200 www.sonesta.com/Boston/
WEDDING | EVENTS
67
LGBT Owned & Operated Accent Limousine & Car Service
You can rest assured that our team of professionals will deliver exceptional service each and every time. Satisfaction guaranteed. www.accentlimo.com/spirit
DJ Mocha
Affordable great music for your party!
95
Serving the community since 1998. DJ Mocha provides a multigenerational mix of music. Requests welcomed to customize your playlist. 617-784-1663 MochaDJ.com
94 | BOSTON SPIRIT
71
Great Location. Great Amenities. Boston Marriott Copley Place
Accent Limousine
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Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc. Member FINRA
Leading Boston-based, mid-size law firm, works with businesses and individuals in sophisticated matters in both MA and RI.
Harvard University
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Gourmet Caterers
Peace of mind. Now that’s a wedding vow.
This is a day when only perfection will do. GourmetCaterers’ attention to detail means peace of mind, so you can enjoy your wedding along with your guests. Whether your dream wedding is a large event or intimate affair, Gourmet’s team of innovative planners, chefs, stylists and servers will be by your side to ensure that everything is perfectly, uniquely, your own.
RELAX | RENEW | REFLECT
World-Class Luxury Guesthouse and Spa
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Konditor Meister
70
Konditor Meister — Voted #1 Wedding Cakes in Boston
Extraordinarily Beautiful & Elaborate Wedding Cakes & fine European pastries. Delicious Custom Holiday & Party Cakes for all occasions. 32 Wood Road (Just South of Boston) Braintree, MA 781-849-1970 KonditorMeister.com
Long's Jewelers
1
Your Source for Diamonds, Wedding Rings, Fine Jewelry & Watches
Long's Jewelers has been in the business of happy moments since 1878. We're honored to help our customers celebrate milestones like engagements, weddings, birthdays, anniversaries, and retirements and not to mention "just because" moments! Whether you're looking for diamonds, wedding rings, fine jewelry, Swiss watches, awards, or corporate gifts, Long's has you covered. Boston, Braintree, Burlington, Natick, and Peabody, MA 877-845-6647 www.longsjewelers.com
14 Johnson Street, Provincetown | 800.487.0132
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FEATURE Politics STORY Frankie Olito
Ross-At-Large Jeff Ross wants to be the first out person to hold a city-wide elected office in Boston Jess Ross was never supposed to be in the running to be the first openly gay Boston City Councilor-at-large. He was in college studying science and struggling with his identity. Then, he became inspired by Harvey Milk’s story. When the first openly gay city councilor of San Francisco, Harvey Milk was assassinated, Ross noticed the LGBT community needed help. He then turned toward a woman in power—the new mayor of the city Diane Feinstein. “I knew the LGBT community had a long way to go, and I knew Diane Feinstein was a champion of the LGBT community in California, so I followed her to Washington D.C. for a year,” Ross says. And, Ross’ political career began. Ross worked with senator Feinstein where he worked specifically on an assault weapons ban—a far cry from his original science track. So, he started taking political science classes and began his pre-law curriculum. Once he graduated, he made a move. Nineteen years ago, Ross arrived in Boston from California for law school at Northeastern. He remembers a very different city from what it is today. “It was 1994, so there were a lot of neighborhoods that were unsafe, or less safe then they are now. Boston had been through some tough economic times, so over the last 20 years, the city came into its golden
age under the leadership we had,” Ross says. Ross is now hoping to take a new leadership position in the city and to see it improve even more as he runs for Boston City Council. If he wins, he will be the first out person to be elected to a city-wide office in the history of Boston. But Ross will not be the first openly gay person to hold an elected position in city government. David Scondras holds that distinction. Scondras was the first homosexual on the city’s council. Scondras represented the Fenway area, where he helped found and build many of that community’s most important organizations, such as the Fenway Community Development Corporation. Scondras term on council was also marked by controversy involving staff members who were advocating for sex between adults and minors. Today no openly gay elected representatives are currently serving in City Hall. Ross wants to change that. He says that the fact that he is openly gay will help bring a new point of view to the council. “I think it’s important for the city to have diversity on the council,” he says. “People talk about social issues like bullying, sex education in schools, and I can bring a perspective to that debate.” Ross used his position on the Democratic State Committee to increase voter engagement. He also protested the exclusion of LGBT people from the St. Patrick’s Day parade, which
96 | BOSTON SPIRIT
Jeff Ross marching in the 2013 Boston Pride parade. PHOTO courtesy Jeff Ross for Boston City Council At-Large
was debated in the past special senate election — a triumph Ross says. But Ross is not only focusing on his sexuality in his campaign. He is leaning on his ability to connect with the diversity of Boston. As a bilingual person, Ross has a strong hispanic support. After law school, he became a bilingual immigration attorney. Over the past three years, he worked with Felix Arroyo. Wes Ritchie, Ross’ campaign manager, says he remembers how well accepted Ross was at a Latino celebration event at the Museum of Fine Arts. “He is embraced by all different segments of people.” Ritchie says. “It’s electric.” Ross also worked with unaccompanied minors to give them a family when they come to this country, but his passion for helping youth does not stop there. He is a strong supporter of education reform in the city. As a father of two teenagers, he says education is very important to him. One way he wishes to help schools is to prevent bullying. Children still experience verbal and physical abuse in schools which cause long lasting effects — a situation Ross knows all too well. He says he suffered from severe bullying when he was in school.
“I’m running because I want to continue that work on the council, being involved in education programs, and working to help improve the quality of schools in the city of Boston and working with homeless youth,” he says. Ross is attempting to make a changes in Boston by uniting people and flourishing in the city’s diversity, but he has one challenge: He is running against 19 other people for the four city-wide positions. With powerhouses like incumbents Ayanna Pressley and Stephen Murphy, Ross has great competition. Ross’s name will appear on the ballot for the primary elections on September 24. The top eight will compete for the four councilor-at-large positions in the general election on November 4. Ritchie says Ross is a perfect fit for the new seat on the council. “Boston has changed so much, and Jeff is representative of that new city,” he says. Ross agrees, saying his love for the city is why voters need to vote for him. “Boston needs Jeff Ross because I am a committed member of my community,” Ross says. “I love the city of Boston, I love my neighbors, and I love every neighborhood as much as I love my own.” [x]
October 24-27, 2013 ANTIQUES • JEWELRY • FINE ART • ANTIQUITIES October 24-27, DECORATIVE ARTS •2013 RARE MAPS • PRINTS AND MORE Boston's oldest and newest antiques tradition! ANTIQUES • JEWELRY • FINE ART • ANTIQUITIES Featuring 40 exhibitors of the highest quality DECORATIVE ARTS • RARE MAPS • PRINTS AND MORE from the United States and Europe. Boston's oldest and newest antiques tradition! Gala Preview, Thursday of October 24 to quality benefit Featuring 40 exhibitors the highest Ellis Memorial www.EllisBoston.com from the United States and Europe. Presenting Sponsor: BNY Mellon Gala Preview, Thursday October 24 to benefit Ellis Memorial www.EllisBoston.com Presenting Sponsor: BNY Mellon
November 21-24, 2013 CONTEMPORARY & TRADITIONAL PAINTINGS • SCULPTURE November 21-24, 2013 WORKS ON PAPER • FINE PRINTS • MIXED MEDIA AND MORE 40 galleries from the United States and Europe offering CONTEMPORARY & TRADITIONAL PAINTINGS • SCULPTURE more than 3,000 original works of art at the only fine art WORKS ON PAPER • FINE PRINTS • MIXED MEDIA AND MORE show of its kind in New England. 40 galleries from the United States and Europe offering Gala Thursday 21,at tothe benefit morePreview, than 3,000 originalNovember works of art only fine art Shriners Hospitals for Children-Boston show of its kind in New England. www.FineArtBoston.com Gala Preview, Thursday November 21, to benefit Shriners Hospitals for Children-Boston www.FineArtBoston.com
Both shows take place at:
Sponsored by:
The Cyclorama at The Boston Center for the Arts 539 Tremont Street, in Boston's South End
Sponsored by:
Weekend show hours for both shows: The Cyclorama at The Boston Center for the Arts 539 Tremont Street, in Boston's South End Friday 1-9,Saturday 11-8,Sunday 11-5, Admission $15,under 12 free Complimentary special programs daily. Weekend show hours both shows: Free readmission, showfor catalog and coat check. Café the show.Valet and discount parking available. Fridayat1-9,Saturday 11-8,Sunday 11-5, Admission $15,under 12 free Complimentary special programs daily. Phone days of the shows: 617-299-6096 Free readmission, show catalog and coat check. Café at the show.Valet and discount parking available. Phone days of the shows: 617-299-6096
Both shows take place at:
BostonSpiritMagazine.com
For complimentary admission visit:
www.BostonArtFairs.com/VIP
BostonSpiritMagazine.com
For complimentary admission visit:
www.BostonArtFairs.com/VIP BostonSpiritMagazine.com
SPARKLE & SPIRIT IN ONE A S PA R K L I N G F U S I O N O F A B S O L U T V O D K A AND CRISP WHITE WINE
ENJOY WITH ABSOLUT RESPONSIBILITY® A B S O L U T T U N E ™ . S PA R K L I N G F U S I O N O F V O D K A W I T H W H I T E W I N E A N D C A R B O N AT I O N . 14 % A L C . / V O L © 2 0 1 2 I M P O R T E D B Y A B S O L U T S P I R I T S C O . N E W Y O R K N Y.