Metrosource April/May 2017 by Metrosource

april/may 2017

METROSOURCE METROSOURCE

the travel issue

lisa edelstein Hey, Girlfriend

april/may 2017 FEBRUARY/MARCH 2017

Hawaiian Hot Spots worldpride madrid

travel ENTERTAINMENT

Salzburg Sounds

SO MANY ONE-OF-A-KIND EXPERIENCES. ALL WAITING FOR YOU. Travelers take pride in exploring New York State, from thundering Niagara Falls to Finger Lakes wine trails, high peaks in The Adirondacks, beach communities on Fire Island, the excitement of New York City, and everywhere in between. Enjoy a New York State getaway you’ll love—and one that you can only find here.

DEPARTMENTS the travel issue

culture

5 Metroscope The Royal National Theater brings stars to America; Tina Fey helps launch a new TV comedy and the results are in at the GLAAD media awards. All that and more...in scope!

courtesy the bucket list from universe books.

14 MUSIC Nelly Furtado, LeAnn Rimes and Michelle Branch offer big comeback albums.

16 books Get a taste of Sicily, see the beautiful buildings of Old Cuba and find inspiration for your travel Bucket List.

22 screen cover photo andrew eccles/Bravo

Anne Hathaway doesn’t realize she’s a monster, and Shirley MacLaine gets the Last Word.

Body 17 metro hiv We look for HIV on TV and ask how to encourage more representation.

42 HEALTH What we can learn — and burn — from our favorite gym class sports.

views 13 diary Wade makes homes in resort destinations but forgets to actually relax.

41 POV Kevin heads to Australia in search of sun and finds another kind of warmth. 52 LAST CALL Michael Urie dishes dream roles, gay cult films and pursuing new directions.

“We asked ourselves: why shouldn’t we live in places we always wanted to go vacation? After we moved came the reality check: we’d also have to work in places we’d rather be on vacation.” —wade rouse froM “tourist alert” in DIARY

CONTENTS April/May 2017 | VOLUME 28, NO. 2

26 lisa edelstein

30 SALZBURG

35 WORLDPRIDE

Nathan Lane has a surprising new role.

49 hawaii

the actress and long-

OUR ULTIMATE GUIDE TO

we look back at the

YOU’VE DONE THE HULA

time community ally holds forth on her favorite travel destinations and talks about how she’s championed gay rights –– both on and off camera.

walking in the footsteps of Maria von Trapp and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart in one of Europe’s loveliest cities — plus its one-of-a-kind restaurant you just can’t miss.

evolution of Madrid’s gay community over the past three decades and look forward to the Spanish capital hosting this summer’s sure-to-be epic WorldPride celebration.

and picked at the poi — now it’s time to return to the fiftieth state for some island hopping adventure that will have you flying high and catching some waves.

courtesy jason bell and the national theatre

publisher’s letter

Finding Your Passion our travel issue presents a great opportunity to think about the journeys we take — both those past and those still ahead of us. This is always one of my favorite issues, because travel has been a lifelong passion of mine: discovering new places, new cultures and — most importantly — new people. At Metrosource, we have always strived to give you information, resources and tips that you’re not going to find in a Fodor’s guide. We aim to help you immerse yourself in a place — setting aside the kind of attractions where tourists flock and instead seeking out one-of-a-kind experiences worth the time it takes to get there. In this issue, we look ahead to WorldPride 2017 in Madrid with a writer who has seen the city’s gay community blossom into a place that draws gay travelers from all over the world. Personally, I am a huge fan of Spain, its food and its people’s lust for life. I am sure that those of you who will be able to attend the WorldPride festivities this summer will find them to be spectacular. I’m also pleased to share with you our story on Salzburg, Austria. So many of us have grown up loving The Sound of Music, and I thought it was a great celebration of nostalgia to see our editor embark on a journey to experience the places where its most memorable moments were filmed. But I should also say that — though we would not likely recommend visiting Paris’ Eiffel Tower or London’s Big Ben in our pages — it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t go. I actually think the Eiffel Tower is quite beautiful (but I was alarmed when I recently heard that they would be forced to erect new glass walls at its base to protect it from potential terror attacks). So when we recommend adventurous new ways you can experience Hawaii, don’t rule out learning to hula or any of the traditional activities that have been drawing people to these beautiful islands for centuries. Cover girl Lisa Edelstein recounts in our feature interview how impressed she was to be standing at the foot of a volcano — watching earth created and destroyed. Our passion for travel — and many of the other topics we love to cover in the pages of Metrosource — is what has kept me and our wonderful staff constantly in search of exciting new things to share with you over the years. I am so proud of their work and of the fact that finding ways to bring together our community has been such an important part of our journey as a team. I hope you are excited to discover your next great destination as I am. ■

metropoll: GUEST AGAIN? belle and the beast courtesy walt disney studios

Beauty and the Beast may be Disney’s most enchanting ani-

mated feature. The 1991 film introduced a new generation of moreempowered Disney heroines, and its stellar score made it a natural fit to adapt for Broadway in 1994. Now on March 17, a new live-action Beauty and the Beast hits the big screen — helmed by Bill Condon, the gay musical guru who gave us Chicago and Dreamgirls. Harry Potter’s Emma Watson as Belle and Downton Abbey’s Dan Stevens as the Beast will lead a huge cast of stars including Ewan McGregor, Ian McKellan, Emma Thompson, Stanley Tucci and Audra McDonald. But will you be their guest for yet another incarnation of the fairytale? Or when it comes to Beauty and the Beast, is the bloom already off the enchanted rose? Weigh in by tweeting us @MetrosourceMag with the hashtag #MetroGuestAgain or by commenting at metrosource.com.

Beauty and the Beast

editor’s letter

Journeys to the Past when wondering where to venture on my next vacation, i have often considered whether I

could visit someplace that would allow me to explore part of my family history. I’ve wondered what it would be like to seek out my mom’s proud clan of Irish Catholics or my Dad’s Viking ancestors from Norway. I once went so far as to plan a trip down the Norwegian coastline but was waylaid at the last minute by the flu. I could almost hear my rugged Norse ancestors laughing in pity at my weakness — though that could have been the delirium. I hope to someday reschedule. In the meantime, I remain fascinated by the idea that we are all deeply connected to people we have never met in places we have never been. So when Gimlet Media announced it was producing a new podcast about geneology called Twice Removed, I was excited. I had long been a fan of its host A.J. Jacobs, who is adept at turning brainy experiments (like reading the entirety of the Encyclopedia Britannica) into funny, insightful prose. The show’s premise also seemed promising: it would delve into the family histories of well-known individuals, pausing to take deeper dives into the more intriguing figures they encountered along the way. Eventually they would introduce their guests to a mystery relative living today — ostensibly someone so far removed from them by generations of blood and marriage that they never would’ve guessed they are “cousins.” However, I’d been burnt by a similar premise before. Who Do You Think You Are? was a genealogy docu-series that debuted on NBC in 2010. It had a solid pedigree — executive produced by Lisa Kudrow and adapted from an already popular British series. It had great stars: the first season alone boasted the family trees of Sarah Jessica Parker, Susan Sarandon and Spike Lee. But the results were, well, static. I recall sequences of celebrities staring at empty fields where something supposedly once happened. There were many long, ponderous visits with historians. And, frankly — no matter how fiercely dressed SJP is — watching her look at an old piece of paper and say, “Oh, wow…” is only interesting so many times. Fortunately, I am pleased to report that Twice Removed avoids these pitfalls and manages to be utterly absorbing. Unfettered by the need to ferry celebrities and cameras around the world, they can paint vivid mental pictures of truly extraordinary people and events — no matter how many seas or centuries they need to cross to find them. The show also makes efforts to link the ancestors they highlight along a theme that applies to the person at hand. Thus, outspoken activist Dan Savage learns about some of his most rule-breaking, boundary-pushing relatives, while culinarian Ted Allen gets a focus on people who had interesting relationships to food. The producers leave no stone unturned — exploring archival documents, genetics, even folklore. The show also perpetually packs an emotional wallop by allowing us to hear its guests’ genuine reactions once they find out they are descended from slaves or slave owners, scientists or artists, mobsters or royalty. Plus, the revelation of the mystery guest ensures that each episode ends with wonderful moment of, “Wow!” I heartily recommend catching up with the show at gimletmedia.com. Most Americans come from backgrounds whose twists and turns offer us exciting avenues to explore where we came from. It’s something we can appreciate about each other — from those whose relatives came over on the Mayflower to the latest holder of a green card. If you’re wondering where in the world you can go to explore your family history, you can use resources like ancestry.com or 23andme.com and do your research in the style of Twice Removed. But I’d suggest you start by reaching out to your oldest living relatives. Not only do I bet they’ll have plenty of stories they’d be glad to share, they may also point you toward exciting destinations you can explore today that were an important a part of your story long before you were ever born. comment on this letter at metrosource.com.

april/may 2017

metrosource.com

publisher Rob Davis associate publisher Evelyn Vayner editor-in-chief Paul Hagen creative director Gayle Van Wely associate editor Kevin Phinney SEnior Designer Jayson Mena copy editor Kevin Phinney proofreader Barbara Mele Contributing writers Mathew Gross,

Madison Gulbin, Jeffrey James Keyes, Christopher Lisotta, Kevin Phinney, Jonathan Roche, Eric Rosen, Wade Rouse, Jeff Simmons, Megan Venzin

Office Manager Luswin Cote INTERN Madison Gulbin

For national advertising inquiries, call 212-691-5127. Subscriptions - One year (six issues): $19.95; 12 issues: $34.95. Direct editorial inquiries and subscription orders to the NY office. For local advertising contact the local sales office.

Metrosource Publishing Inc. Metrosource LA Inc. 111 West 19th Street, 6th Floor New York, NY 10011 212-691-5127 Or contact us on the web at www.metrosource.com. Reproduction of any article, listing or advertisement without the written permission of the publisher is strictly prohibited. The people, businesses and organizations appearing in Metrosource are supportive of the gay community. Mention of any person, business or organization is not a reflection of their sexual orientation. © 2017 Metrosource Publishing Incorporated. All rights reserved. Metrosource is a registered trademark of Metrosource Publishing Incorporated.

Printed in the United States.

MetroScope

1} can’t MISS

it’s a glaad, glaad, glaad, GLAAD WORLD courtesy glaad

Since 1985, Glaad has been an invaluable watchdog for insensitive and unfair media coverage of our

community, but the organization also takes time annually to recognize media that gets it right. In 2017, that mission will continue at GLAAD Media Awards events in Los Angeles on April 1 and in New York on May 6. Nominees for this year’s honors include Tig Notaro’s dark new comedy series One Mississippi, music by wig enthusiast Sia, and news coverage from programs such as The Rachel Maddow Show. For a complete list of nominees and to purchase tickets for the event, visit GLAAD’s web site. glaad.org/mediaawards

IN SCOPE: pierre et gilles  met gala  angels in america  tribeca film festival  More… metrosource.com april/may 2017

3 } ink spotted

the new 40 and Gilles Blanchard solidified their romantic partnership; to celebrate, they’ve released a masterpiece: Pierre et Gilles: 40 (Flammarion, $60). The book demonstrates the artistic fruits of their union, but — more than a salute to their work — it’s also a celebration of two men who spent decades fighting for recognition of their love and their art. The pieces are proudly extravagant — incorporating photography, painting and costuming (the latter sometimes employed sparingly to great effect, pictured). Unafraid to tackle big themes like love, mythology, and religion, Pierre et Gilles are a match made in heaven. facebook.com/ PierreetGillesPageOfficielle

Ancient Greek mythology never looked more alluring.

round trip

2 } art beat

it’s not often that we see 20

REI OF LIGHT Rei

Kawakubo

world

renowned designer, known for adding edgy twists to conventional styles. This year’s spring Met Costume Institute exhibition will showcase her work — going all the way back to her first Paris runway show in 1981 and exploring how she blurred the line between genders and geographical styles. As in years past, the exhibition will also set the theme for the fashion red carpet of the season, the Met Gala, which takes place May 1 before the exhibition opens May 4. metmuseum.org

4} now & then

Rei Kawakubo’s work for the house of Commes des Garçons is legendary.

years go by between the release of an iconic film and its sequel. But that’s exactly the case with Trainspotting — a film that was largely responsible for catapulting its star Ewan McGregor and director Danny Boyle to heights of cinematic royalty. Its recentlyreleased sequel, T2 Trainspotting, was written by John Hodge (who won a BAFTA for the original) and features a return of many of the characters who were so famously down-on-their-luck in the original. Even the cult classic’s famous “Choose Life” monologue has gotten a 21st century update: “Choose Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and hope that someone, somewhere cares.” It is rumored that McGregor cried when he saw the sequel for the first time. facebook.com/T2TrainspottingMovie

Pierre et Gilles photo courtesy flammarion • Rei Kawakubo photo Courtesy The Metropolitan Museum of Art & Paolo Roversi

Forty years ago, Pierre Commoy

5} circuit shakers

6 } Pack up

two great reasons to visit

The

spring action

Florida and more amazing parties: Miami Beach Gay Pride April 7-9 Miami Beach Gay Pride draws

over 130,000 people to celebrate on the beach each year. Over time, this massive celebration has grown from a neighborhood party into a world-class event featuring stars like Gloria Estefan and Adam Lambert. miamibeachgaypride.com matinée easter weekend April 13-16 the third edition of europe’s hot

spring festival returns to Barcelona for four days of internationally known DJs and events to share with attendees from all over the world — including parties like “Mega Woof!” matineeeaster.net White Party Palm Springs May 5-8 Russell Tovey Photo courtesy Jason Bell.• Tribeca Film Fest Photo Courtesy Tribeca Film Festival

The Largest Gay Dance Music

Festival in the World will summon thousands of men to work up a sweat in Palm Springs and redefine the term “desert heat.” jeffreysanker.com Dallas Purple Party April 27-May 1 Texas is preparing for one of the

biggest events of the gay calendar: their annual Purple Party, featuring globally renowned Djs and a healthy dose of Lone Star hospitality. purplefoundation.org gay days orlando may 30-june 4 what could be more magical

than a theme park full of gay people? How about a bevy of additional special events — from pool parties to dancing to unforgettable performances? gaydays.com

Angels in britain hotly-anticipated

Royal

National Theatre’s production of Angels in America could not arrive in a more polarized climate. The play’s highlighting of past prejudices will hopefully serve to shed light on the world’s current state of political turmoil. The stellar cast includes recent Oscar-nominee Andrew Garfield in the role of AIDS-ravaged Prior Walter, and playing villain-for-the-ages Roy Cohn is the singular Nathan Lane, who says of the production: “In light of recent political events here in the U.S. I can’t think of a better or more timely play to be doing.” The show runs April through August. nationaltheatre.org.uk

7} Screen it

the best fest? As in past years, the 2017 Tribeca

Film Festival’s impressive lineup of films is reason enough to attend. But the news that really had us clutching our pearls is that the divine Barbra Streisand and the extraordinary Alejandro González Iñárritu will headline the festival’s signature “Tribeca Talks” series. Also worth noting: Kathryn Bigelow and Imraan Ismail’s virtual reality documentary short The Protectors: Walk in the Ranger’s

Looking alum Russell Tovey plays the sexually awakened Joe Pitt.

Over time, Tribeca’s film fest has grown to rival Utah’s Sundance.

Shoes will premiere here; the piece captures a day in the life of African rangers protecting elephants from ivory poaching. This year’s festival is slated to run April 19-30 and expected to exceed last year’s diverse roster of 102 features, 74 short films and 38 immersive storytelling projects. tribecafilm.com

Text by Paul Hagen, Madison Gulbin and Jeffrey James Keyes. metrosource.com april/may 2017

WHAT IS ODEFSEY®? ODEFSEY is a 1-pill, once-a-day prescription medicine used to treat HIV-1 in people 12 years and older. It can either be used in people who are starting HIV-1 treatment, have never taken HIV-1 medicines before, and have an amount of HIV-1 in their blood (“viral load”) that is no more than 100,000 copies/mL; or in people who are replacing their current HIV-1 medicines and whose healthcare provider determines they meet certain requirements. These include having an undetectable viral load (less than 50 copies/mL) for 6 months or more on their current HIV-1 treatment. ODEFSEY combines 3 medicines into 1 pill taken once a day with a meal. ODEFSEY is a complete HIV-1 treatment and should not be used with other HIV-1 medicines. ODEFSEY does not cure HIV-1 infection or AIDS. To control HIV-1 infection and decrease HIV-related illnesses, you must keep taking ODEFSEY. Ask your healthcare provider if you have questions about how to reduce the risk of passing HIV-1 to others. Always practice safer sex and use condoms to lower the chance of sexual contact with body ﬂuids. Never reuse or share needles or other items that have body ﬂuids on them.

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION

What is the most important information I should know about ODEFSEY?

ODEFSEY may cause serious side effects: • Buildup of an acid in your blood (lactic acidosis), which is a serious medical emergency. Symptoms of lactic acidosis include feeling very weak or tired, unusual muscle pain, trouble breathing, stomach pain with nausea or vomiting, feeling cold (especially in your arms and legs), feeling dizzy or lightheaded, and/or a fast or irregular heartbeat. • Serious liver problems. The liver may become large and fatty. Symptoms of liver problems include your skin or the white part of your eyes turning yellow (jaundice); dark “tea-colored” urine; loss of appetite; light-colored bowel movements (stools); nausea; and/or pain, aching, or tenderness on the right side of your stomach area. • You may be more likely to get lactic acidosis or serious liver problems if you are female, very overweight, or have been taking ODEFSEY or a similar medicine for a long time. In some cases, lactic acidosis and serious liver problems have led to death. Call your healthcare provider right away if you have any symptoms of these conditions.

• Worsening of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. ODEFSEY

is not approved to treat HBV. If you have both HIV-1 and HBV and stop taking ODEFSEY, your HBV may suddenly get worse. Do not stop taking ODEFSEY without ﬁrst talking to your healthcare provider, as they will need to monitor your health.

Who should not take ODEFSEY?

Do not take ODEFSEY if you take: • Certain prescription medicines for other conditions. It is important to ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist about medicines that should not be taken with ODEFSEY. Do not start a new medicine without telling your healthcare provider. • The herbal supplement St. John’s wort. • Any other medicines to treat HIV-1 infection.

What are the other possible side effects of ODEFSEY?

Serious side effects of ODEFSEY may also include: • Severe skin rash and allergic reactions. Skin rash is a common side effect of ODEFSEY. Call your healthcare provider right away if you get a rash, as some rashes and allergic reactions may need to be treated in a hospital. Stop taking ODEFSEY and get medical help right away if you get a rash with any of the following symptoms: fever, skin blisters, mouth sores, redness or swelling of the eyes (conjunctivitis), swelling of the face, lips, mouth, or throat, trouble breathing or swallowing, pain on the right side of the stomach (abdominal) area, and/or dark “tea-colored” urine. • Depression or mood changes. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you: feel sad or hopeless, feel anxious or restless, have thoughts of hurting yourself (suicide) or have tried to hurt yourself. • Changes in liver enzymes. People who have had hepatitis B or C or who have certain liver enzyme changes may have a higher risk for new or worse liver problems while taking ODEFSEY. Liver problems can also happen in people who have not had liver disease. Your healthcare provider may do tests to check your liver enzymes before and during treatment with ODEFSEY. • Changes in body fat, which can happen in people taking HIV-1 medicines. • Changes in your immune system. Your immune system may get stronger and begin to ﬁght infections. Tell your healthcare provider if you have any new symptoms after you start taking ODEFSEY. • Kidney problems, including kidney failure. Your healthcare provider should do blood and urine tests to check your kidneys. Your healthcare provider may tell you to stop taking ODEFSEY if you develop new or worse kidney problems. • Bone problems, such as bone pain, softening, or thinning, which may lead to fractures. Your healthcare provider may do tests to check your bones. The most common side effects of rilpivirine, one of the medicines in ODEFSEY, are depression, trouble sleeping (insomnia), and headache. The most common side effect of emtricitabine and tenofovir alafenamide, two of the medicines in ODEFSEY, is nausea. Tell your healthcare provider if you have any side effects that bother you or do not go away.

What should I tell my healthcare provider before taking ODEFSEY?

• All your health problems. Be sure to tell your healthcare

provider if you have or have had any kidney, bone, mental health (depression or suicidal thoughts), or liver problems, including hepatitis virus infection. • All the medicines you take, including prescription and overthe-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. Other medicines may affect how ODEFSEY works. Keep a list of all your medicines and show it to your healthcare provider and pharmacist. Ask your healthcare provider if it is safe to take ODEFSEY with all of your other medicines. • If you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if ODEFSEY can harm your unborn baby. Tell your healthcare provider if you become pregnant while taking ODEFSEY. • If you are breastfeeding (nursing) or plan to breastfeed. Do not breastfeed. HIV-1 can be passed to the baby in breast milk.

Ask your healthcare provider if ODEFSEY is right for you, and visit ODEFSEY.com to learn more. You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch, or call 1-800-FDA-1088.

Please see Important Facts about ODEFSEY including important warnings on the following page.

ODEFSEY does not cure HIV-1 or AIDS.

SHOW YOUR

RADIANCE

ODEFSEY is a complete, 1-pill, once-a-day HIV-1 treatment for people 12 years and older who are either new to treatment and have less than 100,000 copies/mL of virus in their blood or people whose healthcare provider determines they can replace their current HIV-1 medicines with ODEFSEY.

IMPORTANT FACTS This is only a brief summary of important information about ODEFSEY® and does not replace talking to your healthcare provider about your condition and your treatment.

(oh-DEF-see) MOST IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT ODEFSEY

POSSIBLE SIDE EFFECTS OF ODEFSEY

ODEFSEY may cause serious side effects, including:

ODEFSEY can cause serious side effects, including:

•

Buildup of lactic acid in your blood (lactic acidosis), which is a serious medical emergency that can lead to death. Call your healthcare provider right away if you have any of these symptoms: feeling very weak or tired, unusual muscle pain, trouble breathing, stomach pain with nausea or vomiting, feeling cold (especially in your arms and legs), feeling dizzy or lightheaded, and/or a fast or irregular heartbeat. Severe liver problems, which in some cases can lead to death. Call your healthcare provider right away if you have any of these symptoms: your skin or the white part of your eyes turns yellow (jaundice); dark “tea-colored” urine; loss of appetite; light-colored bowel movements (stools); nausea; and/ or pain, aching, or tenderness on the right side of your stomach area. Worsening of hepatitis B (HBV) infection. ODEFSEY is not approved to treat HBV. If you have both HIV-1 and HBV, your HBV may suddenly get worse if you stop taking ODEFSEY. Do not stop taking ODEFSEY without first talking to your healthcare provider, as they will need to check your health regularly for several months.

You may be more likely to get lactic acidosis or severe liver problems if you are female, very overweight, or have been taking ODEFSEY or a similar medicine for a long time.

•

• • • • • • •

Those in the “Most Important Information About ODEFSEY” section. Severe skin rash and allergic reactions. Depression or mood changes. Changes in liver enzymes. Changes in body fat. Changes in your immune system. New or worse kidney problems, including kidney failure. Bone problems.

The most common side effects of rilpivirine, one of the medicines in ODEFSEY, are depression, trouble sleeping (insomnia), and headache. The most common side effect of emtricitabine and tenofovir alafenamide, two of the medicines in ODEFSEY, is nausea. These are not all the possible side effects of ODEFSEY. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you have any new symptoms while taking ODEFSEY. Your healthcare provider will need to do tests to monitor your health before and during treatment with ODEFSEY.

BEFORE TAKING ODEFSEY

ABOUT ODEFSEY •

•

ODEFSEY is a prescription medicine used to treat HIV-1 in people 12 years of age and older who have never taken HIV-1 medicines before and who have an amount of HIV-1 in their blood (“viral load”) that is no more than 100,000 copies/mL. ODEFSEY can also be used to replace current HIV-1 medicines for some people who have an undetectable viral load (less than 50 copies/ mL), have been on the same HIV-1 medicines for at least 6 months, have never failed HIV-1 treatment, and whose healthcare provider determines that they meet certain other requirements. ODEFSEY does not cure HIV-1 or AIDS. Ask your healthcare provider about how to prevent passing HIV-1 to others.

Do NOT take ODEFSEY if you: • Take a medicine that contains: carbamazepine (Carbatrol®, Epitol®, Equetro®, Tegretol®, Tegretol-XR®, Teril®), dexamethasone (Ozurdex®, Maxidex®, Decadron®, Baycadron™), dexlansoprazole (Dexilant®), esomeprazole (Nexium®, Vimovo®), lansoprazole (Prevacid®), omeprazole (Prilosec®, Zegerid®), oxcarbazepine (Trileptal®), pantoprazole sodium (Protonix®), phenobarbital (Luminal®), phenytoin (Dilantin®, Dilantin-125®, Phenytek®), rabeprazole (Aciphex®), rifampin (Rifadin®, Rifamate®, Rifater®, Rimactane®), or rifapentine (Priftin®). •

Take the herbal supplement St. John’s wort.

•

Take any other HIV-1 medicines at the same time.

Tell your healthcare provider if you: • Have or have had any kidney, bone, mental health (depression or suicidal thoughts), or liver problems, including hepatitis infection. • Have any other medical condition. • Are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. • Are breastfeeding (nursing) or plan to breastfeed. Do not breastfeed if you have HIV-1 because of the risk of passing HIV-1 to your baby. Tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines you take: • Keep a list that includes all prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements, and show it to your healthcare provider and pharmacist. • Ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist about medicines that should not be taken with ODEFSEY.

HOW TO TAKE ODEFSEY • •

ODEFSEY is a complete 1-pill, once-a-day HIV-1 medicine. Take ODEFSEY with a meal.

GET MORE INFORMATION •

• •

This is only a brief summary of important information about ODEFSEY. Talk to your healthcare provider or pharmacist to learn more. Go to ODEFSEY.com or call 1-800-GILEAD-5 If you need help paying for your medicine, visit ODEFSEY.com for program information.

ODEFSEY, the ODEFSEY Logo, GILEAD, and the GILEAD Logo are trademarks of Gilead Sciences, Inc., or its related companies. All other marks referenced herein are the property of their respective owners. Version date: March 2016 © 2016 Gilead Sciences, Inc. All rights reserved. ODEC0026 06/16

8} Tech bits

Radar tv radar.tv is a live streaming app

that combines the power of live video and social media to allow LGBT users to connect as never before. It features fitness enthusiasts (pictured), drag personalities, comedians, musicians and people of every walk of life who seek to share their passions and experiences via live video — while allowing real-time interaction with those who are watching. Download the app via iTunes or the Google Play store to connect with an ever-growing number of intriguing streamers or start building a fan base of your very own. Your new favorite LGBT artist may be just a click away. radar.tv

9} What’s next?

enjoy the view

Tune in for live fitness advice — or kick back and enjoy the view.

The past and present intertwine in a vibrant new gay musical.

This Page: Photo courtesy Radar.Tv • “The View upStairs” courtesy of the production

musicals are so often thought

of as “gay,” it can be easy to forget that every once in a while one of of them actually addresses the LGBT experience, like La Cage Aux Folles, Falsettos, or Kiss of the Spider Woman. The latest such addition to the canon, The View UpStairs, recently opened at NYC’s Lynn Redgrave Theater. The show explores multiple generations of gay history, transporting audiences to The UpStairs Lounge — a gritty, glamorous ‘70s gay bar in the French Quarter of New Orleans — which comes back to life when a fashion designer from 2017 buys the space, setting off an exhilarating journey of seduction and self-exploration, partly inspired by a significant but rarely spoken-about attacks on our community. Performances are currently scheduled through late May. theviewupstairs.com metrosource.com

April/may 2017

10} ART BEAT

this just in as though tina fey and robert

11} FUNNY THING

DRINKING WHAT?!

Shake up your beverage routine with the unexpected tang of vinegar.

it might sound like we’re jokWill Nicole Richie hold her own with a cast of comedy pros?

ing, but Andy Ricker has been

serving drinking vinegars at Portland’s Pok Pok restaurant since 2005. Bizarre as it seems, it turns out that this vinegar makes for a refreshing, sweet/tart concentrate that can be spritzed with seltzer for an all-natural soda alternative or used as a unique mixer. Handcrafted in Portland, the delicious beverage blends organic cane sugar, vinegar and other natural flavors to create taste sensations from the more-traditional (apple, honey and ginger) to the more exotic (thai basil, turmeric or chinese celery). Explore the possibilities at pokpoksom.com.

This Page: “Great News” Photo Courtesy NBC • Som Photo courtesy Pok pok som Group

Carlock had not already given the world enough laughter (in the form of hit shows like 30 Rock and Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt), they are now producing what may be the next great behind-the-scenes comedy. Great News is the story of a mother (comedy legend Andrea Martin) who takes an internship at her daughter’s news station. Her producer-daughter is sure it will all end in disaster, but we’re guessing hilarity and hijinks ensue instead. The cast also features a host of zany characters, played by the likes of SNL alum Horatio Sanz and ex-reality star Nicole Richie. A product of the twisted mind of Tracey Wigfield, whose resume includes work with Fey on 30 Rock and Mindy Kaling on The Mindy Project, expect the kind of fast paced jokes those shows deliver so well. Great News premiers April 25 on NBC. nbc.com

diary

Tourist Alert

BY WADE ROUSE

From living in two popular destinations, Wade learns to loathe tourists — until one of them finally reminds him why he moved there in the first place. if i ever end up on an episode of dateline nbc, Odds

are that my husband Gary and I have run over a tourist, dragged his body into the trunk of our SUV and been caught attempting to dispose of it in some nefarious way. Not only do Gary and I live in two resort towns — Saugatuck, MI and Palm Springs, CA — but we also live in each during their respective high seasons for tourists. During summer in Saugatuck, tourists jam the sidewalks and clog the beaches. They can most often be seen shuffling around in a stupor, shopping and eating fudge. “Watch out for the Red Hat Ladies at nine o’clock,”I’ll yell at Gary as he barrels through our town, trying to run errands in the midst of busy schedules. “Move!”Gary will bellow at a couple on a bicycle built for two.“I have a prescription to fill!” A similar phenomenon greets us winters in Palm Springs, where snowbirds fill the restaurants while millennial hipsters crowd the pools, sharing deep thoughts like: “Wouldn’t ‘Wisconsin’ be a good name for a new cologne?” At times, our lives feel like an episode of The Walking Dead — except tourists seem to move way slower than zombies and can be even more irritating. The irony is that we chose to make our homes in these towns because of the very beauty that makes tourists flock to them. When we were making the career changes that allowed us to relocate, I vividly remember Gary and I asking ourselves, “Why shouldn’t we live in places we always wanted to go on vacation?”After we moved came the reality check: we’d also have to work in places where we would rather be on vacation. As my writing career picked up, though it was a blessing to be busy with work, I rarely (if ever) got to enjoy the beauty and fun of our new towns. And when I saw others blissfully experiencing them unencumbered by job obligations, it made me annoyed. So, one beautiful afternoon in Palm Springs, Gary found me working and said, “We’re done for the day. Change into a swimsuit.”

I hesitated.“Now!” he added emphatically. We headed to a local hotel where we had purchased a rarely used membership to the gym and pool, pulled two lounge chairs up to the edge of the water and settled down to relax in the sun. I was perusing the drink menu and discussing some good news I’d received about my latest book, when a random woman approached to introduce herself. She said she’d overheard our conversation and bought me a drink to celebrate. When the pool boy returned, drink in hand, I thanked her and asked,“What’s in it?” “Don’t worry about it,” the stranger said, lowering her mammoth sunglasses to give me a wink.“That’s the whole point of being on vacation, isn’t it? To simply not worry for a little while.” I smiled, nodded and sipped the drink. It was strong, but I enjoyed it and ordered another. I hardly moved for the rest of the day. I stared at the stunning vista: the mountains hovering over the desert, the sun shimmering through the palms, the pool glistening like diamonds. Since then, Gary and I have made a pact: Each year — during the height of the tourist seasons in both Saugatuck and Palm Springs — we’ll set aside work and transform ourselves into tourists in our own backyards. We shop. We eat fudge. We shuffle around like The Walking Dead. We find it’s worthwhile to briefly become the kind of tourists we’d normally get enraged about because we finally learned that it’s not enough for us to live somewhere worth going on vacation. We have to put aside the worries of everyday life and actually be on vacation. Otherwise, the tourists win. ■ You can learn more about Wade’s writing — including his latest novel The Hope Chest, which is available this March under the pen name Viola Shipman — at waderouse.com. have you ever had to remind yourself to relax? share your story with us at metrosource.com.

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april/may 2017

MUSIC

Everything Aughts Is New Again

Big-voiced singers — who first came to prominence in the late 1990s and early 2000s — return with new albums that successfully shake up their winning formulas. BY MATT GROSS

APRIL/MAY 2017

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NELLY FURTADO The Ride (Nelstar Entertainment / 10th Street Entertainment) INSPIRED HEAVILY BY EARLY ‘90S R&B SLOW JAMS, THE CANADIAN SINGER-SONGWRITER’S NEW

album is simultaneously sensual, confident and uplifting. The record was largely produced by Grammy-winner John Congleton (celebrated for his work with Blondie, Goldfrapp and Erykah Badu, among others). On The Ride, he beautifully highlights Nelly’s tender, romantic side while also giving her ample space to spread her wings — “like a bird,” if you will. On lead single and video “Pipe Dreams,” Furtado turns her traditional sound completely on its head — crafting a Prince-reminiscent gospel ballad that demands attention. Lyrically, Furtado takes listeners on a rollercoaster ride, detailing the highs and lows of love and fame. Though some Furtado fans prefer her big, thumping, Timbaland-produced party bangers like “Promiscuous,”“Meaneater” and “Say It Right,” even they should be able to appreciate that The Ride provides the perfect playlist for a glorious after-party.

LeAnn Rimes Remnants (Sony / RCA Records) The country crossover’s latest release finds her

nelly furtado courtesy the artist. leann rimes courtesy sara hertel. michelle branch courtesy alaina buzas.

co-writing and co-producing some of her best songs to date. In recent years, Rimes has struggled with both tabloid drama related to her family life and a series of devastating health issues. However, she takes that sadness and turns it into optimism on Remnants. Perhaps the most surprising track on the record is her reinterpretation of Brandi Carlile’s mega-hit “The Story” — transforming the radio staple into a gorgeous, country-tinged power ballad. Elsewhere on the album, Rimes teams again with revered songwriter Diane Warren (who has worked with the likes of Lady Gaga, Whitney Houston and Celine Dion) on the introspective track, “I Couldn’t Do That to Me.” Remnants ends with a bang on “Dang Dang,” a stunning collaboration with Darren Brown and Mark Batson (a pair is best known for their work on various Alicia Keys hits). Check out her upcoming tour dates at facebook.com/leannrimesmusic.

Michelle Branch Hopeless Romantic (Verve Records) during the early 2000s, michelle branch was

inescapable: her major-label debut The Spirit Room spawned ubiquitous hits like “Everywhere” and “Goodbye to You”and she won a Grammy for her collaboration with Santana on “The Game of Love.” Though she’s continued to write and record in the meantime, Hopeless Romantic is her first new fulllength release in 14 years. The singer/songwriter returns with an edgy sound inspired by ‘70s rock and the blues. The album was produced and co-written by Branche’s now-boyfriend Patrick Carney of the band The Black Keys. The pair first met at a Grammy party in 2015 and hit it off instantly; almost immediately after the serendipitous encounter, they hit the studio to work on this album. Hopeless Romantic is not only clearly a chronicle of the Branch’s bitter recent divorce — showcasing deeply personal lyrics about love, lust and heartbreak — but also addresses other issues, such as her conflict with various record labels over the last decade. Though it’s been a while since the early aughts when Michelle’s music was ubiquitous, loyal fans are sure to feel rewarded for their patience in awaiting this return.

books

Sicily: the cookbook

By Melissa Muller | Rizzoli; $40 Sicily is a center of fusion cuisine — spicing traditional

Italian recipes with flair from elsewhere in the Mediterranean. Here Melissa Muller funnels summers spent visiting her grandparents on the island into recipes for antipasti, fish, meat and dessert in language even novice cooks can understand. It feels like learning family recipes in her grandparents’ kitchen. Her text also offers tips on finding great produce and attending festivals if you plan to visit.

Once on These Islands The Bucket List

Old Cuba

Life is short, but the bucket list is here to help you fill it with priceless memories.

Since relations between the United States and Cuba Are

Its adventures are geographically organized by latitude — from north to south. They are also helpfully sorted by scale (micro adventures; epic journeys), focus (cultural discoveries, wildlife encounters) and results (life affirmation, learning new skills). There are far-flung experiences such as bird watching in Kenya or driving through the clouds of Sri Lanka. There are also items closer to home, including sampling unfamiliar cuisines and learning a new language. Author Kath Stathers makes the book user-friendly by not simply profiling these cool experiences, but also offering practical advice on how to best go about checking them off of your personal bucket list. Whether you’re looking for life goals or ideas for your next vacation, you’ll find plenty here to consider.

thawing, the chance to visit this long-forbidden nation is finally becoming a reality. You can start your exploration early on the pages of Old Cuba. Author Alicia García was born there and has dedicated her life to the preservation of her country’s culture. The imagery of its proud-yet-weathered architectural heritage is provided by Julio A. Larramendi, an accomplished photographer featured in numerous books and exhibits. The combination of her words and his pictures puts the island nation at your fingertips.

Edited by Kath Stathers | Universe; $35

april/may 2017

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By Alicia E. García | Rizzoli; $55

images this page courtesy their respective publishers.

Taste Sicily, see Cuba and plan a lifetime of adventures. BY Madison gulbin

Metrohiv

Where is HIV on TV? Characters with HIV are disappearing from screens, though their presence is crucial. By Jeff Simmons

courtesy abc/craig SJODIN

Oliver Hampton is charting a lonely path. Not only

did a potential lover spurn him when he disclosed his HIV status on the most recent season of ABC’s hit drama How to Get a Away with Murder, but the tech wizard played by Conrad Ricamora (pictured) is the sole recurring HIV-positive main character on primetime television. Two decades after Physician’s Assistant Jeanie Boulet contracted HIV from her ex-husband on NBC medical drama ER, the network television landscape is sorely lacking in ongoing roles featuring characters living with HIV and AIDS. “If you go back to the early days of the epidemic, the entertainment industry played a huge role in helping the American public understand HIV and AIDS,” says Joel Goldman, Managing Director of The Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation (ETAF). He is concerned that lack of representation will translate to complacency, which in turn will lead to new infections. “We feel if we don’t do something now to curb the direction of the new infection rate in this country, we’re going to see much bigger numbers.” ETAF recently presented Our Role in the Fight: The Entertainment Industry & HIV/AIDS, during which an entertainment industry panel emphasized the dearth of ongoing HIV storylines and how the small screen can have a big impact on awareness that HIV and AIDS still present a very genuine health hazard. Playwright and actor Tarell Alvin McCraney, — whose script was developed into acclaimed film Moonlight — reminded the assembly that “People get sick, and if it’s not a part of the tapestry with which we tell our stories and understand ourselves, it will always remain outside of our conversations.” It has been five years since “Uncle Saul” Holden tested positive on ABC’s groundbreaking Brothers & Sisters. More recently, HBO’s Looking featured substantive discussions of PrEP and undetectable viral loads — and notably (continued on page 21)

Conrad Ricamora

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april/may 2017

geoscope Now available on Metrosource.com, a whole new way to explore your world...

photography by edwin santiago

courtesy john p. johnson/hbo.

Metrohiv (continued from page 17) culminated in the wedding of Agustín and Eddie (pictured, right) — a character living with HIV, but the series concluded after two seasons and a feature finale. In its most recent season, Amazon’s Transparent featured trans characters with HIV, but they were secondary characters. Experts suggest that presenting stories that address issues surrounding HIV is crucial to reaching younger audiences who have grown up in the period since HIV and AIDS were viewed largely as a death sentence. Veteran television producer and writer Neal Baer still recalls how ER’s HIV storyline “opened people’s eyes and hearts,” and he predicts that future audiences may be similarly reached by new media, which creates opportunities for more personal, reality-based content addressing HIV. “As he sees it, “I think we’re going to see a lot more self-shot shows.” In the meantime, social media can help remind TV creators of the importance of telling these stories today. Says Goldman: “As we go into pilot season, it’s a great time to put this issue back into people’s minds.” ■

Frankie J. Alvarez and Daniel Franzese played a mixed-status couple who married on Looking.

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Sweet Mysteries of Life Anne Hathaway’s alter ego is a havoc-wreaking monster, Charlie Hunnam searches for a lost city, God futzes around on his computer in Belgium, and Shirley MacLaine writes her own obituary. by Jonathan roche frantz In the calm after the cruel storm of the first world war, a mysterious Frenchman visits a German town to put flowers on the grave of A

soldier named Frantz. As he is welcomed by Frantz’s financée and kind family, the Frenchman’s secret story slowly unspools — as does his desire for connection and forgiveness in a world torn by war. Francois Ozon writes and directs a film that is all the more rich for being shot in both color and black and white. The fact that it speaks both French and German lends added dimension. Dashing actor Pierre Niney — so memorable as the titlular star of Yves Saint Laurent — plays the haunted Frenchman. Opposite him, in the role of Frantz’s former fiancée, is Paula Beer (pictured) — a striking actress who steals the show as her character becomes the center of a story about love, healing and learning to survive in face of heartbreaking loss. THE WORD: Though romance is involved, it would be an injustice to call this film a love story; it’s far more than that. Coming to: Theaters

april/may 2017

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This Page: Paula Beer courtesy of Jean-Claude Moireau and Music Box Films

screen

This Page: Brand New testament photo courtesy Fabrizio Maltese and Music Box Films • Tommy’s Honour photo courtesy roadside attractions

brand new testament if you’re looking for high-concept cinema, you’ve come to the right place: in brand new testament, God exists. he lives in Belgium. He hangs

out in his bathrobe all day drinking beer, watching sports and being cruel to his browbeaten wife and defiant young daughter. God also likes to muck about on his computer, making bad things happen on Earth and inventing annoying laws, including the dictum that dropped toast must always land jam-side down. One day, God’s errant daughter sneaks into his office and proceeds to send everyone on Earth a message informing them exactly how long they have to live. This plunges the natural order into utter chaos of course, and in its wake, the girl escapes her prison-like home in search of apostles to help her compose her own testament. THE WORD: Featuring a cast of famous French actors including the great Catherine Deneuve (pictured, above center) this unusual film will bring to mind the whimsy of Amelie, although this tale is decidedly darker. coming to: Theaters

tommy’s honour With no disrespect intended, I think it’s fair

to say that golf is often quite boring to watch. Films about golf, however, have proven much more interesting (see: The Legend of Bagger Vance, Caddyshack, Happy Gilmore, Tin Cup). This holds true of Tommy’s Honour, which deftly chronicles some of the sport’s earliest glory. Jason Connery (son of Sean) helms this inspiring story of Tom Morris, who is credited with shaping the game as we know it today, and his son Tommy, widely considered to be one of its all-time great players. The remarkably appealing Jack Lowden (pictured, right) beautifully portrays Tommy as he struggles against a rigid class structure to display his mastery of sport and strength of character. THE WORD: Of any golf film to date, Tommy’s story may be the most worthy of telling. coming to: Theaters metrosource.com

april/may 2017

screen

departures staying with his mum in the French countryside as they prepare their summer house for sale. He spends most of his time wandering about with a dreamy look in his eyes — until he makes a new summer friend in Clément (pictured), a strapping boy from Paris with a cigarette perpetually dangling from his full lips just so. Langorous, sun-drenched shots of rural France will doubtlessly fill viewers with a longing to visit — equal to the longing Elliot has for Clément and the passion they might share if he could only allow himself to act. Meanwhile, we see Elliot’s mother struggle with her own deferred dreams as this coming-of-age drama unfolds. THE WORD: Alex Lawther — who was so excellent as young Alan Turing in The Imitation Game — leads a cast of actors quietly brimming with emotion in this well-made and visually beautiful film. coming to: Theaters

the LAST WORD it seems like — ever since steel magnolias

— Shirley MacLaine has practically cornered one role: playing rude old ladies who just don’t give a damn. This time, the lady in question is Harriet, a perfectionist and once-successful business woman on a quest to get one more thing right before her life is done — her own obituary. Enter Amanda Seyfried as a local writer who ends up with the dual challenge of meeting Harriet’s high standards and finding anyone with something nice to say about the old battleaxe. However, after the two initially butt heads, initially unlovable Harriet is revealed to possess numerous sassy charms that ultimately better the lives of others. In return, Seyfried’s character helps Harriet by reminding her older confidant that she may have more left to learn. THE WORD: Perhaps the best part of the film is its use of pictures from throughout MacLaine’s life that serve as reminders of her beauty throughout the years. coming to: Theaters

april/may 2017

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This Page: Departures photo courtesy of wolfe video • Last word photo courtesy Beth Dubber / Bleecker Street

Elliot, a homosexual English teenager, is

the lost city of z

This Page: Lost city of Z photo courtesy Aidan Monaghan / Amazon Studios & Bleecker Street • colossal photo courtesy Neon films

Charlie Hunnam — who played a beguiling

twink in the original British Queer as Folk and a gruff biker in Sons of Anarchy — here takes on the role of real-life explorer Percival Fawcett, who mounted multiple expeditions into the Amazon from 1906 to 1925, in search of an ancient lost city he called “Z.”Time and again, we see him plunge into the deadly jungle, aided by a faithful lieutenant and eventually bringing his son along as well. These adventures take a heavy toll in the form of long, painful absences from his family and the insults of treacherous detractors. Though there are some exciting action sequences in the jungle, the film’s focus is on Fawcett’s lifelong struggle against those who doubted him. THE WORD: Audiences will feel director James Gary reaching to uncover an eternal truth about the nature of exploration that haunts Fawcett’s story. coming to: Theaters

colossal Some indie films rely on big ideas, and the

one behind this film is as big as its title might suggest. Colossal is the story of a writer, played by Anne Hathaway, who can’t stop partying and get her life together. After her handsome British boyfriend — Downton Abbey heartthrob Dan Stevens — kicks her to the curb, she moves back to her small hometown and reconnects with a childhood friend played by SNL veteran Jason Sudeikis. Now here’s the Big Idea: when Hathaway enters the small playground across from her childhood home, a colossal Godzilla-like monster materializes in Seoul, South Korea and mirrors her exact movements, destroying large portions of the city and causing mounting terror. THE WORD: There are many twists in this story, which I won’t spoil since they are high points; suffice it to say that (despite the intricate set-up it takes to get there) the film’s parting message defies expectations. coming to: Theaters metrosource.com

april/may 2017

Lisa Edelstein

Surprised by

Lisa

Nearly fifteen years after House made her a household name, Lisa Edelstein opens up about favorite destinations, her ongoing support for the LGBTQ community and the surprising sexual politics behind her current starring role. By kevin phinney photography By andrew eccles

How you know Lisa Edelstein says more about you than it does

about her. She’s been an activist, playwright and “celebutante” — or at least that’s what The New York Times Magazine called her as part of the 1980s cavalcade of party monster club kids. On screen, she’s played George Costanza’s squeeze on Seinfeld, a lesbian on Relativity, trans on Ally McBeal, Rob Lowe’s call girl on The West Wing and (most famously) Hugh Laurie’s foil and flame on House. Nowadays, Edelstein is center stage as the lead of Bravo’s dramedy Girlfriends’ Guide to Divorce, which recently returned for its third season. We caught up with her to talk about sex, politics and travel — including exploring the real India, the fertile earth of Hawaii and places to find the ancient alongside the au courant. You’re a long-time supporter of gay rights. Did that have a starting point for you? Well, the first person I knew was gay was my ice-skating coach, John. He was a tall, handsome, glamorous man who saw a spark in me and nurtured it. I was eight years old when we met. For whatever reason, my mom wanted me to know that John liked men. A kid that age rarely thinks of grown-ups as sexual beings. So when she told me that, I had to think of John liking men. That meant I had to think of John kissing men, and I found it awesome and hilarious. I loved knowing that he was gay; he loved me knowing he was gay. We were at ease with each other. It made me know him better then any other adult in my life at that time. Years later as part of the club scene, I’d see quite clearly how homophobia ruined lives, caused deep suffering and created an environment where an entire generation of gorgeous people could die of AIDS before a president would even be willing to say the word AIDS out loud.

Are you concerned that recent advances in equality might now be in jeopardy? I was so grateful to be living in a time where we were finally making ground against bigotry and fear and the extreme far-right sexual and gender politics. Now, I’m scared: as a woman, as a supporter of LGBTQ rights and as a human being. Honestly, any argument against any form of sexuality is just completely absurd to me. I don’t get it. We are all just animals with awesome brains looking to survive and thrive and love. What’s it like being outside the country as this new administration takes over? It was very isolating to be out of the country on this election day. I felt powerless. What hit me hardest was my fear about the environment. We can and should continue to fight for and protect human rights and equal metrosource.com April/may 2017

Edelstein and the impeccably dressed gals of Girlfriend’s Guide

Speaking of spending time outside the U.S., do you have a favorite getaway? I don’t really have a favorite, but I have an unending desire to see more and more. A recent trip I took with my husband was our belated honeymoon in Greece. I’m not one for crowds, so being there just before the real tourist season began was spectacular. We did a little island hopping, but then — and I apologize for how this sounds — we stayed at a friend’s villa in the Pelopenese. ... After that, we spent our last few days in Athens. ... We love cities like Athens or Jerusalem or Rome because of the incredible history that butts up against incredible modernity.

At a dinner party, when travel comes up, do you have a favorite story to tell? One of my favorite adventures was a trip to India I took in my late 30s. I was traveling alone, starting in Jaipur. So I hired a guide that had worked many times with some acquaintances that did business there. After three days, two forts, three palaces and a ton of jewelry shops, sari shops and spice markets, I told him this was not the kind of traveling I was interested in. I wanted to see actual people living actual lives. I didn’t want any more tourist sites or places to only spend money. So we went on an adventure: we drove six hours into the desert to a tiny village that his uncle lived in. Most of the huts were made of cow dung. The house I stayed in was cement. I slept on the roof for several days. The children spoke a bit of English; so that helped, and the family was strict Hindu; so I knew the food was all vegetarian, even though I recognized very little of it. My time there was incredible. The mother of the house, Vidya, and I were the same age. We silently marveled at each other, our lives so wildly different, our world views unrecognizable to each other.

How about travel for work: What’s the most exotic place you’ve ever shot? Hawaii. Hawaii is an amazing place: ... these beautiful islands, with incredible air and light like I’ve never seen elsewhere. To be standing at the foot of a living volcano, to watch as fertile earth is created and destroyed, it’s a place that can bring clarity; perspective. And there is a deeply felt culture there, a culture whose heart beats at a different pace.

Are you ever concerned about challenges you might face while traveling? I always look forward to traveling. We are careful to understand what kind of experience we want to have before heading out. For a challenging, mind-blowing adventure you need to push yourself beyond comfort and recognizable culture. You need to be willing to be illiterate. You need to be prepared to work hard for your experience. .... Last year we went to

rights and LGBTQ rights and reproductive rights, but none of that will mean anything if we don’t protect our water, our air, our soil. Nothing matters without a livable, breathable environment. And so I stay informed, I donate, I make phone calls, I march. If we can take anything from the AIDS crisis, it is that even in seemingly insurmountable conditions, unity of purpose matters.

april/may 2017

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Patagonia. I’ve never physically worked that hard on a vacation, and I will say this: there is absolutely no reason to walk 29 kilometers in one day. My knees were furious, but the trip was so beautiful! To see glaciers, to walk on glaciers, to remember the magnificence of our world, it was — maybe — worth the knee-ache. Last year you hosted the Anti-Defamation League’s annual concert against hate. What about their work appeals to you? What other causes are you supporting? Language is powerful and the language we were subjected to during that horrible campaign season was disturbing, upsetting, frightening, offensive ... The ADL has a big job ahead of them, making sure that bigotry of all kinds is called out, has a light shone on it, and is loudly proclaimed as unacceptable. ... Right now I’m doing some work with the Center for Reproductive Rights and the ACLU. I was grateful to be able to participate in the Women’s March on Washington and am generally just trying to stay politically awake, alert, and active. Your Girlfriend’s Guide character Abby has a gay brother, Max. Do you think their closeness is a signifier to the audience that she’s cool and forward-thinking? Ha! No, I think it’s a signifier that sometimes people are gay! Do you think your show makes an effort to portray gay parents as ideal parents? I believe [the creator’s] intention was to show that conservative thinking

can come from all sides. In this case, Max was not supportive of Abby’s divorce. He’d fought so hard for the right to marry his husband that the idea that she would “throw it all away” over anything — particularly over an emotional affair — was beyond him. Max and his husband Ford have had to negotiate their monogamy. Do you think, when it comes to such arrangements, that gay people are ahead of the curve? I do. Though let me just say, times have changed. The conversation has changed and this young generation may be different. So all bets are off regarding anyone born this millennium. But here’s my very very lay opinion: Straight people live in a tightly restricted story of “normal.”You are a virgin for as long as you can be, then you get married, then you have babies, then you never have sex with another person for the rest of your life, and then you die. So just by being a horny, promiscuous young person you have already ousted yourself from this extremely conservative norm. The show also explores alternative sexual scenarios when Abby finds a connection with a male escort. Did you have any input into how that played out? I had no input in the story, but was all for it. Abby pays a big price when she is outed for her relationship with Carl because society’s judgement of sex work in general is so harsh. Personally I have no problem with the sex industry, assuming no one is being trafficked, of course. Though I’m not sure if I could hire a hooker myself. I think I’d be too self-conscious, wondering how they feel or why they’re there or what their story is. My loss, I suppose! We have to talk about the clothes: Do you think your show is an heir to Sex and the City in terms of chronicling the lives of fabulously dressed women? I think we definitely go for it with the outfits: we have to be fabulous or ridiculously fabulous. It is Bravo after all, and they take Bravoliciousness very seriously. If an actor is the sum of all their characters, what do yours say about you? I suppose all the parts I’ve played share my own personal humanity — the core of who I am — but twisted and contorted into different shapes and sizes. As an actor, all you ever have to offer is yourself. That’s your palette. You just push different aspects forward for display or you tuck them away, depending on the needs of the story. You have been credited with taking part in one of the earliest lesbian kisses on primetime television on Relativity. Is that a point of personal pride for you? Excuse me, but it was the first lesbian kiss on network television. Ahem. And, yes, I take great pride in that. It was awesome that they wrote it, and it was awesome that ABC aired it. Sadly, a little kiss like that was radical for its day. But hey, step by step, moving forward. That’s what matters. ■ Catch up with Season Three of Girlfriend’s Guide to Divorce OnDemand and at Bravo.com, and follow Lisa on Twitter @LisaEdelstein.

Edelstein with the object of the show’s titular Divorce, co-star Paul Adelstein

lisa talks about the genesis of girlfriend’s guide and what it’s like to play everything from call girls to career girls as this conversation continues exclusively on metrosource.com.

the sound of salzburg from the story of maria von trapp to the work of wolfgang amadeus mozart, the many-faceted charms of this austrian jewel are crafted with music lovers in mind. by paul hagen

april/may 2017

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courtesy Tourismus Salzburg GmbH

Mirabell Gardens

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The Pegasus Fountain

The “Sixteen Going on Seventeen” Gazebo

Growing up, I must have watched Julie Andrews go from shoddy nun

to SuperNanny in The Sound of Music hundreds of times. The musical life story of Maria von Trapp fed my early love of things theatrical with its music, its dancing and its drama. Setting aside the question of whether I might have been a little young to understand what was going on with the Nazis, it was one of the most magical parts of my childhood. So when my fiancé proposed a trip that would allow us to relive many of that classic film’s most memorable moments, he definitely had my attention. When I found out the same journey would also allow us to walk in the footsteps of one of history’s greatest composers and dine in a one-of-a-kind restaurant founded by an eccentric billionaire, I was pretty sure Salzburg was about to become one of My Favorite Things.

THE HILLS ARE ALIVE For starters, when it comes to seeing the Salzburg of Sound of Music, avoid anything involving a bus and book an individual or small group tour (bobstours.com), so you can spend extra time taking Instagram-worthy pictures at the places you love and skip the spots that don’t grab you by the lederhosen. As we got into the van with our guide, she said, “Look — three Marias!” and pointed out a trio of young nuns passing under an arch. It seemed an omen of good things to come. Our first stop was Mirabell Palace (pictured, page 30), where we headed directly for its ornate Baroque Garden. While it’s undoubtedly a horticultural wonder, for us it was all about “Do Re Mi” — the song

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filmed there when Maria first busts the children out of the mansion to play. Don’t miss the chance to march around the Pegasus Fountain (pictured, top left) like a Von Trapp trouper learning to sing or to climb the stairs they ascend along with the music at the end. I recommend snagging a picture holding the top of your head and pointing to the sky just like Julie does when she hits her high note. Then it was off to the Von Trapp Mansion — or, more specifically, the multiple locations that came together to give the illusion of one fabulous home. Leopoldskron Palace is instantly recognizeable as the Von Trapp’s back patio, where the Baronness plots while sipping lemonade. The film’s famous gazebo (pictured, bottom left) was once located here, as well, but to accomodate visitors, it was moved to Hellbrunn Palace. Not only can you do your best impression of “Sixteen Going on Seventeen” there, but you’ll also recognize its yellow walls from early in the film where Maria skips down the road singing “I Have Confidence in Sunshine.” Closer to the center of the town, we stopped at the Felsenreitschule, (salzburgerfestspiele.at). It’s a truly spectacular concert venue that still hosts huge music festivals. Sound of Music fans will get chills looking up at the famous arch-surrounded stage, where the Von Trapp Family Singers perform their final concert before escaping the Nazis. Next, we headed farther out past the towers of Maria’s convent, Nonnberg Abbey, around the mountains of the film’s majestic opening and over the rolling hills where Julie did her famous spinning. Our

fountain and gazebo courtesy Tourismus Salzburg GmbH • basilica courtesy www.mondsee.at

Basilica St. Michael

Mozartsgeburtshaus Tourismus Salzburg GmbH • Violin courtesy Internationale Stiftung Mozarteum, W. Lienbacher

Mozart’s Birthplace

ultimate destination was the Basilica St. Michael (pictured, opposite page) in Mondsee — site of the wedding of Maria and Captain von Trapp. Its grandeur is instantly recognizable, but if it seems slightly different from the movie, there’s a reason. Through filmmaking magic, they made the cathedral appear twice as long — giving Julie double the time to work that massive train. Across the church square, we noticed a shop with a sign bearing a single word: “Edelweiss.” Its proprietor was eager to tell us about the history of the starburst-shaped white flower. Long before it became a Sound of Music song lyric, it was the ultimate love token. Because the flower only grows above a certain altitude, would-be-grooms would climb every mountain until they found a sprig to offer as a marriage proposal. Tourists can conveniently buy the flowers here, already pressed and dried. I went home with a music box with an actual edelweiss flower embedded in its top that also plays the “Edelweiss” melody — and snagged one for my Sound of Music loving mom, as well.

A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC From a memorable musical of the 20th century, we leapt back further in time to the greatest music of the 18th century. Though Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart would ultimately move on to Vienna, he began his life and career in Salzburg, and there may be no more exciting a place to experience both his music and the story of his tragically short life. As Mozart is Salzburg’s favorite son, you’ll have your choice of

Mozart’s Violin

venues where you can experience works by the Maestro. We started our journey with one of his most beloved operas, The Magic Flute, at the beautiful Salzburg State Theatre. Construction on this jewel box of a venue began shortly before Mozart’s death, and it has hosted some of his most revered work over the years. The space — with its intricately made chandeliers and spectacular painted ceiling — feels filled with history. Speaking of history, it’s hard to put into words the sensation of visiting Mozart’s Birthplace (pictured, above left), where he spent the earliest years of his life) and the Mozart Residence, where the family moved when the composer was about 17. They are shrines to all things Mozart — equipped with delightful modern touches like codes you can scan with your smartphone to hear details of Mozart’s story along with samples of his music. They drive home how young he was when he began to compose — five; the immense speed at which he wrote — over 600 pieces in three decades; and the regrettably young age at which he passed — just 35. Though both the Birthplace and Residence possess a wealth of treasures — from sheet music to models for opera sets — for me, it was the instruments that imparted the greatest sense of wonder. Knowing Mozart’s fingers pressed the strings of this very violin (pictured) or first figured out famous overtures on the clavichord in front of you is like seeing the beginning of music that ended up echoing for centuries. Our final Mozart-specific event was a splendid visit to St. Peter’s Stiftskeller (stpeter-stiftskeller.at/en). It bills itself as the oldest restaurant in Europe — dating back to 800 A.D. — and records suggest that its metrosource.com APRIL/MAY 2017

Travel

Hangar 7

patrons have included both Christopher Columbus and the Holy Roman Emperor Charlemagne. (Don’t worry, though — they’ve kept up with improvements over the centuries.) Nevertheless we were transported back in time by their Mozart Dinner, at which we were entertained as we dined in a stately baroque hall by an ensemble of six musicians and two singers. The music was sublime — particularly the performance of a beautiful and expressive soprano, and being seranaded between courses felt like a whole new kind of glamorous living.

ON TOP OF THE WORLD From almost anywhere in Salzburg, you can see the Festungsberg — an elevated plateau that hosts both the old — the very explorable Hohensalzburg Castle — and the new — the Salzburg Museum of Modern Art (pictured, left,museumdermoderne.at/en). Of the former, I’ll warn you that people were much shorter in the 1400s, and you need to be very careful walking through certain doorways lest you end up smacking yourself hard on the noggin like I did. And of the latter, I’ll suggest you be careful on the stairs (pictured). But if you’re looking for the ultimate luxury in Salzburg, head back toward the airport to enjoy the passion project of one of the world’s wealthiest men. Dietrich Mateschitz is the Austrian entrepreneur who launched Red Bull, and when you have that kind of money, you can amass some pretty cool toys. In Mateschitz’ case, that means things that go vroom: race cars, airplanes, even jetpacks. Once he collected enough, he needed a place to put them. So Mateschitz bought an entire airport

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Black Cod from the Ikarus Kitchen

hangar, Hangar 7 (pictured, top right, hangar-7.com). Floating above it all, like its namesake, is a Michelin-starred experiment in fine dining: Ikarus. The restaurant turns over its kitchen to a new chef each month, allowing them to create as they see fit, and we’re talking about the kind of culinary minds showcased on Netflix’s Chef’s Table. (Superstar Daniel Boulud is slated to take a turn in July of 2017.) They can serve anything from classic cuisine to the wild molecular gastronomy — as long as the dishes are extraordinary. When we visited, the guru of the moment was Virgilio Martínez Véliz — a Peruvian who revolutionized Lima’s dining scene. We were wowed by the flavors and textures, from violet corn puree to flash frozen blood orange. The service shined with equal luster: with each course delivered by a phalanx of servers and plates revealed in tandem with a dramatic flourish. Between courses, our charming sommelier conspiritorially confided which flavor notes in each dish led him to his inspired choices. I almost couldn’t believe when — after ten decadent courses — they also presented us with a box of perfect petit fours for the road. In some ways, Salzburg feels like many lovely European cities —

cobblestones, fountains, motorists driving down streets that seem too small to accommodate them. But there’s also a special magic to trekking down the very streets where Maria Von Trapp and Mozart once walked. It gives the place a certain hum — as though at any moment everyone passing by you might break out into song. And ultimately it may be that which truly is the sound of Salzburg. ■

stairs courtesy museum de moderne • hangar-7 and cod courtesy helge kirchenberger photography

Salzburg Museum of Modern Art

courtesy dan allen

a proud madrid welcomes the world Madrid prepares to push its phenomenal Pride into overdrive for this year’s WorldPride — the crowning glory of the city’s rebirth as a global gay Mecca. By Dan Allen metrosource.com

april/may 2017

real effort into tracking down any gay people. The year was 1990, and Madrid’s gay community was exponentially more discreet than they are today, but I knew Chueca (pictured, above) — the then-scruffy neighborhood I’d only glimpsed onscreen in Pedro Almodóvar movies — was where the city’s few gay bars hid in the shadows. So as I headed out for the evening on my first Friday in Madrid, I asked my hotel’s front desk clerk for directions to Chueca. “Oh, no! You don’t want to go there,” she cautioned, glaring me like I’d asked her how to get to Hell. I assured her that I most definitely did want to go there. She hesitantly scrawled some directions onto a map, which I followed to Chueca. As promised, it was a little unkempt, but it was also packed with young people having a good time, in the style of La Movida Madrileña. I would later learn that this was a way of life for young Madridians — a devil-may-care response to Spain’s decades of oppression under Franco. Chueca was the movement’s spiritual nucleus, and to me, the place didn’t feel dangerous: It felt totally alive. The streets weren’t overtly queer by any means, but I managed to find my way to the area’s few small gay bars, and I knew I had found what I was looking for.

since, and I’ve watched the astoundingly explosive growth of the city’s gay scene over the years. Starting in the mid ’90s, Madrid’s ever-less-closeted gays settled in Chueca en masse and transformed it into a bona fide gayborhood — one of the world’s best-known — which is now a magnet for gay travelers. I’ve been lucky enough to be in town twice for Madrid’s incredible Pride, a multi-day celebration that the entire city turns out to share. It certainly transforms Chueca into a nonstop, giant street event. And the climax to this exhilarating experience is the largest Pride parade in Europe — the second biggest on the planet. This year, Madrid will kick its Pride into hyperdrive by becoming only the fifth city to ever host WorldPride, a global event organized by the InterPride organization. The event was last held in Toronto in 2014 — the first time it was held in North America. New York will be next to host in 2019, to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots. But this year, WorldPride belongs to Madrid, where some three million people are expected to congregate for an 11-day extravaganza. It officially opens June 22 — and promises to be a truly international celebration of culture, sports, human rights and more.

CHUECA TRANSFORMED

A CELEBRATION FOR A SPECIAL YEAR

I fell in love during that first trip — not with anyone in particular, but with Madrid itself. It’s a city that radiates vitality, a place that warmly and instantly sweeps you up into its love of life. I’ve been back several times

Madrid’s gay community marks a number of milestones in 2017, so it’s only fitting that this is the year the world’s attention will shift to the Spanish capital. It’s the fortieth anniversary of the first-ever Pride dem-

It’s hard to believe now, but the first time I visited Madrid, I had to put

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photos this page courtesy worldpride • opposite page courtesy the thyssen-Bornemisza Museum

In the gayborhood of Chueca, Pride crowds surge around local restaurant Taberna el Buo (above) and past the area Metro station (below).

The Thyssen-Bornemisza will hold LGBT-themed tours of its collection.

onstrations in Spain; the thirtieth year that Pride events will be anchored around Chueca; the twentieth time that the parade will include floats; and the tenth anniversary of EuroPride 2007 — when Madrid first hosted the annual European Pride event (the best-attended EuroPride on record). Technically, this year, Madrid is again the host of EuroPride, though it will all be subsumed into the greater celebration of WorldPride. As it usually does, Chueca will serve as the busy epicenter of the Pride festivities. Most of the main events will be mounted here, including concerts and performances on six open-air stages. Some events will take place in the streets themselves — like the fantastic annual “high heel” race: always a mad stiletto-clad dash. Chueca will be officially declared the WorldPride hub with a Pride Proclamation on June 28 in Plaza Pedro Zerolo — a public square recently renamed for the late Spanish LGBT rights activist who passed away in 2015. On June 24, a special WorldPride Park will also spring up in Madrid Río, the huge green space running along the city’s Manzanares riverfront. Just a 15-minute walk from Chueca, WorldPride Park will be free to the public and packed with exhibition stalls for local and global LGBT organizations and vendors. A cultural stage will feature music, dance and other stage performers. Food offerings will reflect both Spanish cuisine and a dazzling array of global culinary diversity. For the athletically inclined, a full slate of sports and games have also been organized for the park. If your sport preferences lean more toward rooting than running, you can head to the ninth edition of Madrid’s Pride Games. Scheduled from

June 23 to 25, the games will include basketball, football, track, swimming, table tennis and volleyball. Last year’s Pride Games drew 900 international and local participants; WorldPride’s numbers are expected to be markedly higher. For the culture-minded, WorldPride will also be packed with a variety of options, largely under the banner of Madrid Pride’s official“Muestra•t” cultural festival, centered on Chueca’s Plaza del Rey. Theater, music, film, dance, literature, art, drag and cabaret events will take over spaces throughout Chueca and beyond, with acts ranging from talented upand-comers to bona fide superstars. Headlining musical performers for Madrid WorldPride are yet to be announced, but should be hefty names if 2014’s Toronto WorldPride is any indication: that year featured major acts like Tegan and Sara, Carly Rae Jepsen and Peaches. Many of the city’s best-known arts venues, like the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum (pictured above, museothyssen.org/en), will also get in on the WorldPride action. Smallish but packing a big punch, the ThyssenBornemisza boasts one of the world’s most impressive private collections, and the venue will be showcasing LGBT-themed works with special tours during WorldPride. Matadero Madrid (mataderomadrid.org), a sprawling industrial complex that once served as Madrid’s main slaughterhouse, is now one of its most cutting-edge contemporary arts settings and will also host a number of WorldPride-related performances and events. Expect even Madrid’s landmark buildings to embrace the mood — decking themselves out in special Pride colors. An enormous rainbow metrosource.com

april/may 2017

Madrid’s Town Hall, Cibeles Palace, Dressed for Pride

flag, for instance, will drape the front of Cibeles Palace — Madrid’s City Hall (pictured, above left), while rainbow-colored lights will illuminate Spain’s Congress of Deputies (pictured, page 36). One likely crowd-pleasing highlight will be the annual Mr. Gay Spain pageant (pictured, above center), where hunky male titleholders from across Spain work the runway as they compete for the coveted nationwide prize. As an added bonus — while contestants slip from formalwear into swimsuits backstage between rounds — some of the club scene’s favorite performers will keep the crowd pumped. In addition, the community will gather for Madrid Summit 17 — WorldPride’s human rights conference. It was organized by the Harvey Milk Foundation and Autónoma University of Madrid. Under the umbrella themes of education, health, culture, workplace and politics, the conference — which runs from June 26 to 28 — will focus on current hot-button topics like bullying, refugees, discrimination and legal issues. Naturally, parties will be a major part of WorldPride and Madrid’s electric gay scene will be offering scores of them — from theme nights in smaller bars to massive clubs where thousands of revelers will amass. Madrid club leader We Party will be the go-to (and is, in fact, the official) megaclub brand for Pride, with nine full nights of special We Pride parties launching June 24. Those with more frothy tastes may prefer the Viva Pop Festival, which hosts more lighthearted parties focusing on drag, eclectic fashion and fun. WorldPride Madrid’s main event will be its massive parade — which,

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Mr. Gay Spain

in typical Madrid Pride fashion, will be actually less a parade than a legion of celebrants hundreds of thousands strong, packing the wide boulevards of Paseo del Prado and Paseo de Recoletos, from the Calle de Atocha to the Plaza de Colón. They’ll all be cheering on a series of very slowly moving “floats” — which are actually doubledecker buses each sponsored by a different company or organization — inching their way through the surging sea of people, which this year is expected to top out at well over two million. Madrid’s WorldPride Parade is slated for Saturday, July 1, kicking off in the late afternoon and extending past sunset and into the early evening. Much of the crowd will then migrate to the streets of Chueca for the incomparable climax of every Madrid Pride: the street party. For many, the best part of any Madrid Pride night is simply hanging out with friends (old and new) in the packed and jubilant streets of Chueca — where there’s a bar for virtually every LGBT proclivity. During Pride, they usually get so packed that patrons spill out onto the streets, eventually merging into one colossal neighborhood-wide party that extends into the wee hours. So, yes, things have certainly changed since my first trip to Madrid. In 2017, there will be no longer be any mystery about where Chueca is — and you certainly won’t have any trouble finding the gay scene. ■ Learn more about Spain at spain.info, about Madrid at esmadrid.com/en, and about WorldPride at madridorgullo.com/en.

cibeles palace and mr. gay spain courtesy dan allen. dancer courtesy edwin santiago. revelers courtesy worldpride.

Pride Revelers Sparkle

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photography by edwin santiago

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The AIDS Quilt: 30 Years Later Thirty years have passed since San Francisco gay

rights activist Cleve Jones decided to honor his friend, Marvin Feldman, who died from AIDS complications. Jones did so by creating a fabric panel with his friend’s name — written in white over a gray background covered in pink triangles. “It was part of a healing process,” Jones said at the time. “Afterward, I had a real sense of resolution and completion.” However, the true work had just begun. Within months, Jones and his friends received two thousand more panels and began sewing together a memorial. Known as the AIDS Memorial Quilt, it has grown to include more than 48,000 panels and 96,000 names. “It is the most democratic memorial of our time,” says Julie Rhoad, President and CEO of The NAMES Project Foundation (aidsquilt.org), which manages the Quilt. “It is created by the people for the people they love; it is a reflection of so much that is good in humanity. And I think it continues to be so.” The Quilt was first hung from the San Francisco mayor’s balcony in June 1987 and then displayed on the National Mall in Washington, DC, that October. “It was certainly a time of great sorrow, loss and an-

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ger,” says Rhoad. ”Going to DC was a wakeup call.” As the size of the Quilt has grown — it is now 1.3 million square feet, and would span 50 miles if all panels were laid end to end — so has the demand for it to be presented across the country. Each year, portions of the Quilt are displayed at schools and community centers, often coinciding with World AIDS Day. The Names Project annually welcomes 1,500 students to visit and understand its history. This year, the 30th anniversary of the Quilt will be marked with special displays to remind the public both of lives lost and those who continue to struggle today. The Quilt is now a piece of history that chronicles pain while demonstrating progress, and in so doing elicits sadness as well as hope. “It is both epic and intimate at the same time,” Rhoad says. “When our founders conceived of the Quilt, they never imagined that what started with a single panel would end up being 54 tons of material [with] so many different roles ... locally, nationally and internationally. This particular piece of fabric has endured, has shifted and changed in its role and has maintained its place in society as a vital expression of people.” ■

This Page: Photo Courtesy The Names Project

What did it mean then, and what does it mean now? BY jeff simmons

POV

The Warm Welcome

By Kevin Phinney

When he heads Down Under for a break from winter weather, Kevin also finds himself charmed by the sunny dispositions of his new Aussie pals. At the end of 2008, my partner ray and i were eager

for a break from the gloomy Seattle winter, where from October to July it’s like living in a supermarket produce aisle. You’re constantly being spritzed. It’s nothing umbrella-worthy (tourists disagree), but you’re also never completely dry. The sun rises late in the morning, begins to set mid-afternoon, and even during the short hours of daylight, it’s often so densely overcast that the sky merely goes from pitch black to shades of gray and back again. I volunteered to seek out someplace sunny to escape. A few days later, I spotted a magazine emblazoned with a headline announcing “The Happiest Places On Earth.” Scanning it, I was immediately drawn to number seven: Australia! “Land of sunshine and sharks,” as the Monty Pythons liked to joke. I called the one fellow I knew on the continent — an amiable Aussie wine rep named Patrick — who reported that he and his mates were suffering through a summer heat wave. A great problem to have, I thought. We informed him we’d soon be headed his way. The change began before we even arrived. Maybe it had to do with crossing the International Date Line — I tracked the sun as it crept across our plane cabin only to disappear and return a scant few hours later. Watching the in-flight programming switch from American to Australian was also illuminating. In the twinkling of an eye, the female TV anchors sprouted actual cleavage, leaving the impression that Aussies are a lot less Puritanical — at least when it comes to how they get their news. Once we landed, we phoned Patrick, who declared that not having slept in 23 hours was a lame excuse not to meet him for a drink immediately. At his instruction, we met him at a“bank”— which turned out to be a“bar”because, apparently, bars are often called banks in Australia. I never learned what actual banks were called because, frankly, we spent a lot more time in bars than banks. By the end of the evening, we’d been warmly welcomed by Patrick’s circle of friends. One declared it was time for pizza: his treat. At the restaurant, we went around the table introducing ourselves. When it was my turn, I

launched into the same shopworn spiel I’d done for relatives and classrooms at home about covering celebrities. An unhappy hush fell over the table. I quickly changed the subject, and the high spirits resumed. Patrick later explained my faux pas had everything to do with a social phenomenon in Australia called “tall poppy syndrome.”According to this mindset, it’s considered rude to act in a way that makes you appear more impressive than others, even unintentionally. Not only did I learn a valuable lesson in how to make nice-nice with my new Aussie mates, but it also proved an interesting personal challenge: to present myself as who I am, not what I do. In the nights that followed, Patrick squired us to his favorite gay bars, including the spot where Priscilla, Queen of the Desert was filmed (where I met a lovely drag queen named Minnie Cooper). Mornings I spent people watching at a local cafe. I’ve never witnessed a more fit or better attired bunch than Sydneysiders. It’s as though the entire city prepares each day for a satellite photo shoot. We were having a great time until we informed Patrick of our January 25 departure date. “You can’t leave, mates. The 26th is Australia Day, ”he said, explaining the holiday is equivalent to their Fourth of July. “You’ve got to come to the barbie I’m throwing!” For the first time ever, we changed our flights. Usually for us, a week away was too much. With Sydney, 10 days was still not enough. A week later, I was back in the same Seattle gay bar I’d haunted for years — watching people chat quietly in their closed off little cliques. It dawned on me how strongly I attach to people, and how tough that can be in Seattle. I was a duct-tape person living in a Post-It city. It’s not their fault that I wasn’t one of them, but I knew I’d never fit in. Australia taught me that in order to thrive, I needed to be someplace warmer — in every sense of the word. ■

has traveling somewhere new ever made you think twice about home? share with us at metrosource.com.

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health

Gym Class Throwbacks Phys Ed wasn’t all frustrating rope climbs and locker room towel-snapping. We look at the history of some of the sports we played then — and how they can help us burn calories now. By Jeffrey James Keyes coach in questionably-fitted shorts hustled us into a high school gym are little more than a distant memory. And we’ve been glad to trade the rigors of calisthenics and rope climbing for regular dates with elliptical machines, free weights and yoga instructors. But let’s not forget that gym class was also a time when we got to try a wide variety of sports that offered valuable exercise while we were too busy having fun (or trying not to embarrass ourselves) to notice. Some of these sports remain great ways to shake up a stale gym routine today. That could mean organizing a game of dodgeball at your next barbecue or checking out the wide variety of leagues (including those that are gay-specific) available in such sports as basketball, dodgeball, football, volleyball and more. So now, let’s take a look at some of our favorite Gym Class Throwbacks — and the calorie-burning reasons why you might want to get back in the game.

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Volleyball Looking for an all-American sport? Volleyball was created in Massachusetts in 1895 when physical education teacher William G. Morgan blended tennis and handball to come up with the game as we know it — in which teams (most often of two, six or nine players) knock the ball across a net on a beach or hard court. THE BURN: 150-260 calories per half hour Badminton You might be surprised to learn that the second most popular sport in the world (after soccer) is badminton. The game evolved in British-colonized India, a combination of the existing games of battledore and shuttlecock sometime in the mid 19th century. Badminton players can increase speed and improve reflexes, build muscle tone in the quads, glutes, calves and hamstrings as they dash around the court. THE BURN: 450 calories per hour

photo courtesy istock.com/ dell640

for most of us, the days when a whistle-wearing

HEALTH

BASKETBALL This sport was invented back in 1891 by Dr. James Naismith — a physical education instructor who was looking for a way to keep his gym class active on a rainy day. Originally the two teams of five players tested their dexterity by tossing balls into literal baskets; it wasn’t until the early 1900s that now-familiar innovations like backboards and nets were introduced. Today, the game generates over $5 billion dollars a year for the NBA alone. THE BURN: 160-765 calories per half hour DODGEBALL In this quintessential gym class throwback, players hurl balls at their opponents with the goal of hitting and eliminating them. But its history can actually can be traced back to Africa over 200 years ago, when it was far more deadly as participants hurled rocks and other large objects instead of balls. Missionary Dr. James H. Carlisle observed tribal peoples participating in the activity and brought it back to London — also wisely switching out the rocks. THE BURN: 150-200 calories per half hour FOOTBALL Not to be confused with soccer, American football finds much of its roots in the game of rugby but can also be traced all the way back to the ancient Greek sport of Episkyros — which also featured a fair amount of ball throwing and violence. THE BURN: 300-600 calories per half hour. KICKBALL This is a variation on the historically popular bat-

and-ball games that can be traced back to the 1300s and evolved into modern baseball. However, kickball trades sticks for kicks — while keeping crucial components like circling the bases to score and using the ball to tag opponents out. It was invented just before 1920 by Nicholas C. Seuss in Cincinnati, Ohio. THE BURN: Between 350-500 calories in a half hour. PICKLEBALL The most recently-invented entry on our list, Pickleball was created by Joel Pritchard and Bill Bell in 1965 when they started improvising and came up with a game that involves paddles or rackets used to volley a special light ball over a net — akin to an oversized game of ping pong. Its piquant name comes from the fact that one of its earliest fans, while it was being developed, was the family cocker spaniel named Pickles. THE BURN: 250-350 calories per half hour. TENNIS Believed to have been developed in the monasteries of 12th Century France, tennis has evolved into a massively popular sport with over 17 million people playing annually in the U.S. alone. Its “Grand Slam” events — Wimbleton, the U.S. Open, the French Open and the Australian Open — are among the most prestigious in the world. THE BURN: 250-636 calories per hour. WRESTLING One of humanity’s oldest recorded sports, cave drawings depict wrestlers engaging in throws, locks and takedowns as long as 15,000 years ago. THE BURN: 180-300 calories per hour ■

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health

Great Fruit? Grapefruit can be a delicious delicacy. Some like it

with a little sweetener; some prefer a few sprinkles of salt; still others squeeze them for juice or toss them into a salad. The tart citrus fruit offers offers assorted health benefits. A study by the Scripps Clinic found that it’s been associated with increased weight loss when dieting and it may help prevent insulin resistance (a cause of Type 2 Diabetes). The American Heart Association reports that grapefruit can lower the risk of stroke in some by as much as 20 percent. Its potassium content has also been credited with protecting bones and preventing kidney stones. (Potassium has also been linked to lowered blood pressure because of its ability to help open blood vessels.) There’s more: the antioxidants and Vitamin C in grapefruit have been found to lower the risk of developing certain cancers and asthma. Enjoying grapefruit is also a natural way to stay hydrated since it’s composed of ninety percent water, and its high fiber content can assist regulating the digestive system. However, many remain unaware of the dangerous ways grapefruit interacts with certain types of medications. How? Well, for any drug to work correctly, it

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needs to be properly absorbed. The heavy lifting in this process is commonly done by an enzyme called CYP3A4. Unfortunately, chemical compounds in grapefruit can block that enzyme from accomplishing its mission. This can have two effects on medications: In one instance, blocking the enzyme prevents proper absorbtion — causing there to be a surplus in the system. That can be perilous, according to FDA deputy director Shiew Mei Huang. “When there is a higher concentration of a drug, you tend to have more adverse events,”she explains. In another case, grapefruit might also block transport enzymes from carrying the drug to its intended destination, causing patients to receive an insufficient dosage. The results can range from mildly irritating to life-threatening. Drugs that interact poorly with grapefruit include some designed to lower cholesterol or to lower blood pressure. Certain anti-anxiety and antiarrhythmia drugs may also be affected — in addition to some antihistamines and organ transplant rejection drugs. If you take medication designed to address any of these conditions, definitely consult the proper medical professionals before digging in. ■

photo courtesy istock / ValentynVolkov

Grapefruit is a snack with a variety of health benefits — but if you take certain medications, you may have to take it off the menu. BY MADISON GULBIN

Tuna Times Two By Gayle Van Wely What could be more inviting than a beautifully prepared wedge of tuna? Try two takes on this delicious

fish — pairing a raw Hawaiian preparation (poke) with a classic: seared tuna steak. On the health front, tuna offers high levels of both protein and great-for-you selenium. Tuna is also rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which lowers heart disease risk by fighting bad cholesterol, can help curb joint pain, aids in combatting depression, and may even help prevent alzheimer’s disease and dementia. Try out the tuna recipes here (which serves four ), then head to metrosource.com for a spiced herb oil recipe that will take those flavors to the next level.

ingredients

photo by gayle van wely

TUNA POKE 12 oz. yellowfin tuna, in ¼-inch cubes 1 scallion, thinly sliced 1 tsp. white or black sesame seeds 4 tsp. low sodium soy sauce, to taste 2 tsp. toasted sesame oil, to taste Crushed dried red shishito pepper 2 avocados in ¼-inch cubes 1 tsp. trout roe per serving

SEARED PEPPERCORN TUNA 2 Tbsp. coarsely cracked black pepper 4 1.5-inch-thick tuna steaks 2 tbsps olive oil sea salt

preparation tuna poke Add tuna, chives/scallions, sesame seeds, soy sauce, sesame oil, and crushed red shishito dried pepper (optional) to bowl; fold gently to combine. Taste and adjust with more soy sauce, sesame oil, or red pepper as desired. Let sit five minutes at room temperature. Seared peppercorn tuna Rub with olive oil and entirely coat one side of each tuna steak with cracked pepper and sprinkle lightly with sea salt. Heat oil in heavy medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add tuna to skillet and sear to desired doneness — about two minutes on only one side — leaving the other side rare. Finish with a squeeze of fresh lemon. Set aside and tent with foil to keep warm until plating. PLATING Cover the bottom of the ring mold with two Tbsp. of avocado; then fill the mold with poke until it’s at least two inches high. Spoon trout roe in center (optional). Place seared tuna next to the poke, seared side up. Top with a blackberry and sprigs of peashoots. ■ metrosource.com April/may 2017

HOW DO WE HELP STOP HIV? A. PREVENT IT. B. TEST FOR IT. C. TREAT IT. D. ALL OF THE ABOVE. Learn how it all works together at HelpStopTheVirus.com Â© 2015 Gilead Sciences, Inc. All rights reserved. UNBC1856 03/15

Metrohiv

Survival Skills Looking to the past for lessons on struggling against stubborn silence. By Jeff Simmons As 2016 concluded, The New York Times reported

that the number of people diagnosed HIV positive in Russia has surpassed a million, making it the largest HIV epidemic in Europe with one of the highest rates of infection anywhere around the globe. Yet that news was met with stubborn silence from the Russian government and leaves little hope for any increased efforts to address the problem. It’s an unsettling but not unprecedented scenario. As David France documents in his disquieting book, How to Survive a Plague, early efforts to rally a response to the AIDS pandemic here in the U.S. required heroic efforts from unrelenting champions. The book — expanding on the message of a companion documentary film of the same title — educates readers about the spread of the disease and the growth of the community of activists demanding support. It’s worth noting that the book’s more than 600 pages allow France to more fully flesh out the frustration and exploitation that stalled early progress toward identifying both causes and treatments. “AIDS, which desperately needed an emergency

medical response, was instead mired in spasms of ineptitude, opportunism and greed,” explains Vivian Shapiro, former co-chair of the Human Rights Campaign Fund. This depiction of government and healthcare leaders who remained indifferent as the epidemic progressed is eye-opening and infuriating. Achievements and missteps alike are chronicled. France charts the growth and influence of organizations such as ACT UP — even noting the philosophical disagreements that caused division within their ranks. Along the trail readers meet heroes who risked arrest, alienating friends, and their own health issues while raising awareness and clamoring for action. Over time, their passion led to relationships with the scientific community, unprecedented collaboration and progress. “What the human community — with collaborators inside and outside of the pharmaceutical industry — have been able to accomplish is extraordinary,” France asserts. Ultimately it’s a message of hope that pays due respects to the more than 40 million lost to the disease worldwide — while making it clear that AIDS is far from over. ■ metrosource.com

april/may 2017

It's Time to Update

If you enjoy reading Metrosource on your iPhone, iPad, Amazon Kindle or Android device, it’s time to download the updated Metrosource app from the App Store, Google Play store or wherever you get your apps. The updated app offers an even more user-friendly experience, and it’s a great way to conveniently carry all the benefits of Metrosource wherever you go.

we've got all the fabulous that fits — on the page, at metrosource.com, on facebook, on twitter @Metrosourcemag and now, on your tablet or smartphone.

courtesy hawaii mermaid adventures

Swim like a Merman in Maui

Hawaiian Island Hopping One Adventure at a Time if you want to follow hot lava to the sea, hang out with dolphins, rappel down waterfalls and swim like a mermaid, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re going to need more than one island. by david Duran metrosource.com

april/may 2017

When it comes to Hawaii, you might assume that with all

the beautiful beaches and water to enjoy, one island is much the same as any other. But of the eight official islands here, six are easily accessible to visitors, and each offers something unique; so choosing which ones you are going to visit will certainly determine whether your experience is one of relaxation or exhilaration. The best bet for visitors who want to dive into the variety Hawaii has to offer is to plan a trip that includes stops on multiple islands. That way, you’ll be sure to head home having experienced the unique charms of several — not to mention your Instagram photos sure to make friends wish they could have come along for the ride. Selecting which islands to visit and in what order is all part of the fun in the planning stages, so let’s take a look at some that you might want to mix and match for your own ideal island-hop.

THE TWO-SIDED ISLAND You’ve likely heard it referred to as “the Big Island,” but more recently, locals have been trying to shy away from that moniker and embrace its traditional name: Hawaii. Hawaii Island is essentially separated into two sides with utterly distinct personalities. As such, each also has its own airport; so for a wilder welcome, begin your journey by arriving at Hilo International Airport. Hilo is where lava lovers come to explore volcanoes. With Hawaii Volcanoes National Park (nps.gov/havo) right in its backyard, getting to the hot stuff is pretty convenient. While the park’s welcome center and park rangers can be helpful resources for visitors, take your trip to the next level by booking a trip with Hawaii Outdoor Guides (hawaiioutdoorguides.com). Their full-day hiking tour will escort you to an active lava flow en route to the ocean. Being within mere feet of the slow moving red-hot lava and witnessing it descend into the ocean — creating a massive

april/may 2017

metrosource.com

steam cloud — is unforgettable. But also consider your fitness level when making plans: the active hike can take 2-4 hours each way, depending on the speed of the group and it traverses some uneven terrain. After spending quality time with the volcanoes, drive across the island to the more resort-oriented side of Kona. Starting off with a hike will make this part feel all that much more like a relaxing reward. Feel like taking a swim with dolphins for company? Kona is the place to do it, and Sunlight on Water (sunlightonwater.com) ensures the experience feels special. The company, which has been operating for almost two decades, is committed to providing a natural bonding experience with the dolphins and prides itself on being eco-aware. Their morning swim launches with a ceremonial greeting of the day before heading out on the boat “Uhane Nui O Nai’a” — which means “Great Spirit of the Dolphin” — to swim with completely free Hawaiian Spinner Dolphins. Communing with these intelligent gentle creatures is an experience that can best be described as spiritual.

A SECRET ESCAPE Your next island is known for being privately owned by billionaires and has long been a secret escape for those in the know. Thanks to massive renovation efforts — ensuring daily flights in and out — Lanai is experiencing a rebirth. What makes the place unique is its variety of different micro-climates and terrain — from tropical beaches to lush forests. Once there, you’ll want to rent a four-wheel drive vehicle, since there are only about 30 miles of paved road here, compared to more than 400 miles of dirt roads. Drive north along the rocky road that leads to Kaiolohia — also known as “Shipwreck Beach” — where you can hike an eight-mile stretch of shoreline to see the husk of a huge tanker ship claimed by its reef. Head back to Lanai City to check out its quaint little town square; then hike the Munro Trail to Koloiki Ridge to enjoy

courtesy Island of Hawaii Visitors Bureau (IHVB) / Tyler Schmitt

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park

TK Waterfall Rappelling in Maui

the vistas of neighboring islands. Jump in the saddle to ride horseback through ironwood forests or explore heritage sites on guided UTV tours. Afterwards, head south on Manele Road to the incredible Hulopoe Bay for some of the best snorkeling the islands have to offer, and make sure to take the short jaunt to Puu Pehe (“Sweetheart Rock”). Lanai also offers you a chance to test your aim (regardless of skill level), in the form of archery or a clay target shooting. Expert instructors will stand at your side as you encounter a mix of 3-D and traditional targets. The local courses have recently been revamped and enhanced to provide some incredible experiences. While you’re sporting, Lanai is also home to the award-winning Signature Jack Nicklaus Manele Golf Course, with its cliffside holes and seaside landscapes. From here, hop aboard Expeditions Maui (go-lanai.com) for a 40-minute ferry ride to your next destination, where you’ll disembark at Lahaina, directly across from the famous sprawling Banyan Tree which was planted here nearly a century and a half ago.

Courtesy of Maui Rappel Photo

FOR EPIC ADVENTURES Maui may be an island known for romance and relaxation, but it’s also home to some big time thrills. Start off with a leisurely visit to Hawaii Sea Spirits Organic Farm and Distillery (hawaiiseaspirits.com) for a tour and tasting. Then it’s time to take to the sky with Proflyght Paragliding (paraglidemaui.com), where you’ll dash down a hill, then soar into the air — with the help of a certified instructor, of course. To keep your adrenaline levels high, head over to Rappel Maui (rappelmaui.com) — one of the coolest waterfall tours of all the islands. Rappelling (descending a rockface by rope) is gravity-defying fun under any circumstances. But picture doing it down the side of a waterfall — feeling the cool fresh water around you as you descend. No previous experience is necessary, as the guides will provide necessary lessons and

help build your confidence before eventually hanging back and letting you make your way down the ancient cliffs. Another great way to get wet and experience nature is with Ka’anapali Surf Club’s Kayak and Eco Tour (kaanapalisurfclub.com). You and your guide will kayak over to the Pu’u Keka’a (“Black Rock”), which was created by a lava flow that entered the sea hundreds of years ago. This area provides some of the best opportunities to see green sea turtles and tropical fish; it also offers amazing offshore views of the West Maui Mountains and the neighbor islands Lanai and Molokai. These tours are particularly interesting as the guides provide a good balance of info about island’s rich history, its local folklore and facts about its marine wildlife. After seeing some beautiful creatures in the sea, it’s time to become one. With Hawaii Mermaid Adventures (hawaiimermaidadventures.com), visitors can “transform” into mermaids or mermen (pictured, page 49). Experienced instructors will help you shimmy into your “tail” and teach you the skills you need to swim like Ariel and company. You can make your way casually around the bay or test your skills by navigating a gauntlet of underwater obstacles. Don’t forget to have your instructors snap a few photos to commemorate the fishy fun.

TWO FOR THE ROAD This time around, we didn’t try to fit in Molokai, one of the lesser known islands, which welcomes less in the way of tourism traffic for a very specific reason: It’s one of the last places where travelers can truly be immersed in traditional Hawaiian culture. However, it takes a special type of visitor to appreciate the authentic but rustic experience. Also absent is Kauai, which does offer unconventional activities for the extreme sports lover. That island could be a thrill-seeking trip all its own. But hey, it’s always good to have a reason to return to paradise. metrosource.com

april/may 2017

LAST CALL

Brighter and Bolder On the heels of a recent success, Michael Urie talks making the leap from acting to directing. By Jeffrey James Keyes

Urie has recently been taking turns in the director’s chair as well. We caught up with Urie to discuss his evolving career after the success of his recent directing project, Bright Colors and Bold Patterns, a one man show written and performed by gay funnyman Drew Droege. It seems you’ve been something of a pioneer when it comes to being openly gay in entertainment. Thank you. I have to say I was lucky. People first learned who I was in a major way from Ugly Betty in a very specific role, and it was successful. When it first came on TV, there were people who said to me, “Don’t come out of the closet because if this doesn’t work out, you won’t be able to play straight roles and blah blah blah.” I heard that and weighed that as an option. ... Even recently people have told me that I need to stop playing so many gay roles, but I just think: I work! I’m busy! And you don’t only play gay roles. My next job is not a gay role! ... But yeah, I do a lot of gay roles because they’re awesome! And because they’re different. I think the concern is being typecast as gay. But being typecast as gay is as silly as being typecast as straight. The idea that there’s only one type of gay character is an antiquated idea. How do you think your career would be different if you had chosen to shy away from gay material? If I didn’t play gay characters — if I wasn’t out of the closet — I would just not work as much. You wouldn’t know who I was. And I certainly wouldn’t have the opportunity to direct plays off Broadway about a gay person. Or be in [certain] plays off Broadway. Or host a show about movies on a gay network. Speaking of your show about movies, it’s fun to

watch you and your guests dish cinema with gayappeal on Cocktails and Classics. But how do you define a classic? I think that part of being a classic isn’t necessarily being a good movie. For example, I don’t exactly think Mommy Dearest is a good movie. Is it a classic? Absolutely. Is it a gay cult classic? One hundred percent; so it is totally on brand. But then we did Cabaret, which I think is one of the greatest movies ever made, but it didn’t rate so well because you also have to take into account it’s on basic cable, so people are flipping channels, and ... we have to choose movies that people will want to stay on. Have you always been interested in directing? Before I ever wanted to be an actor, I wanted to be a director. When I was a kid, Steven Spielberg was my hero, and I wanted to be a film director. I had no idea how one went about doing that. So once I was in high school, and started being in plays, I thought “Oh, I could direct plays. I understand that.” I would talk my teachers into letting me direct. How do you approach a show as a director — as opposed to as a performer? They always say, “If you can read a script and you want to play every role, then you’re the director of it. And if you read a script and you want to play one role, then you should act in it.” What are some dream projects for you? There are lots of plays that I want to be in: classic Shakespeare and Chekhov. And I love working on new plays. I just did a new play at the Labyrinth Theater Company. It’s really thrilling to work on new plays because you are a part of the creation of something. ... I’ve been lucky enough to perform in a lot of plays on my bucket list — like Angels in America and Amadeus. I hope I get to do more. But as far as directing —

no [dream projects] really. I’m certainly open to the idea of directing another play. But I don’t feel like I should find a script and push it. I feel like I should let it find me again. What are your hopes for the rest of 2017? Hopefully, Bright Colors will be back — either to New York or elsewhere — because we’re not done with it. I’ll be performing Government Inspector off-Broadway. ... I’m hosting the Drama Desk Awards again this year. So I’m going to have a pretty busy spring. And then there are some things looming for the fall. I think I’m going to be kept nice and busy doing theater, but I love TV. I did a great stint on Younger this past season and hopefully they’ll have me back. So: more work, more friends, more family — more of all that. ■

urie talks more about bright colors, his julliard days, his love life, and upcoming classics picks as this conversation continues on the metrosource app and metrosource.com.

courtesy michael urie

he rose to fame as a performer, but Michael

last call extra

Michael takes us on a deep dive into Bright Colors and Bold Patterns, back to his college days at Juilliard, and inside the process of creating with his partner. BY JEFFREY JAMES KEYES Tell me more about working on Bright Colors! Working on this with Drew Droege and [producer] Zach Laks was just the most wonderful way to finish up 2016. It was such a crazy year. I had some great experiences in 2016 for sure, but so much craziness happening, and [it felt great] to end with a surprise smash. People came! We did it for a short stint in September, and then we brought it back after the election. There was something about the world changing that really just made the play funnier, deeper, more resonant and sweeter. ... I think that Drew is such a brilliant performer and brilliant mind.

courtesy cocktails & classics

How did you react to what Drew had created with Bright Colors before you came onboard to direct? I thought, “This is not just a monologue. This is not just sketch/improv/rambling. This is a play — a fully realized play with a beginning, middle and end, and all that’s missing is the production around it.”I just felt called to it. I knew that I could fill in the blanks that he needed filled in. I have experience of my own doing a one-man show. I could help Drew to know how to do eight shows a week, and I could be there from night to night to guide him through what it’s like. So I basically just said: “Hey, can I join you? Can I help you and be the director of this, and we’ll go find some producers?” Since the show has now played both coasts, I wanted to ask how you would you compare NY and LA audiences? NY audiences are tricky. If they love you, they love you, but you do have to earn it. In LA, the stakes are not quite as high. Ticket prices are lower, and the theaters are smaller; it’s not as much of a business. When something’s good, it can really pop, but it doesn’t necessarily have to be considered as good to be a success. Whereas in New York, something can be brilliant but if nobody comes, then it doesn’t matter. How about each city’s responses to this piece? Certainly in Bright Colors and Bold Patterns, there are a lot of references to Los Angeles, which ring very differently in LA versus New York. I noticed this at Buyer and Celler, too, which I did in New York and LA. They’re both so well written that the jokes work, but

they ring truer in LA because everyone there is acutely aware of Palm Springs or Malibu or whatever. What’s your favorite thing about the show? To me, what is most aesthetically special about Drew’s play is that he’s alone, but there are four characters. It is a naturalistic play ... where the characters interact with each other in a real way — the way that they would pretty much in the real world. The only difference is, there’s only one actor, and the other three characters don’t appear. ... What is most exciting to me as a director is finding the moments where I get to direct the other characters. Obviously, I had to do it for Drew and the way that Drew responds to the other characters, but it’s really thrilling to watch those moments work for an audience ... if I’m staring at them, spying on them [laughs] — to notice them get the other characters and what’s happening with them: it’s really cool, thrilling and totally unique to this play. If you’ve wanted to direct since you were a kid, how did you end up focusing so heavily on acting? I was winning competitions as an actor. I was getting

last call extra

Urie and Droege on the set of Bright Colors

Tell us about your time at Juilliard. It was really perfect for me. I went to a community college in Texas for a year after high school, and it was the teacher at the community college that urged me to audition. Then I got in. I had no ulterior motive. I had no preconceived idea. I just knew Juilliard was good, and that I wanted to learn everything I could. So I got there and just sponged it all up, and it was really great for me. I really responded to the material we worked on: the classic stuff. And all the different techniques you get to take part in. I had great classmates, great teachers, [and I met friends and collaborators I am close with] to this day: it really put me in the right place. I find myself using my training from Juilliard in everything that I do. I don’t know what other training programs are like; so I can’t speak to them, but I know that Juilliard strives to be a place where you leave with your own technique: you don’t leave with “their technique.” In other words, they’re not pressing a certain kind of acting technique on you. They’re giving you lots to chose from, and you take what you need, and you leave the rest. When did you first consider directing for the screen? It wasn’t until my partner Ryan [Spahn] and his writing partner Halley Feiffer started working on a screenplay. They thought that I might be the right person to direct it. At first I was like “Okay, sure, whatever you guys think; let me know.” But then it sort of materialized. The script was great; I loved it, and I could see myself directing it. ... I felt ready, and I felt like I could do it, and if ever there was just a safe place to try it, it would

be with Ryan and Halley. We got the producers on board, and we made this movie called He’s Way More Famous Than You. It was a small movie, and it did pretty well — didn’t make a ton of money, but it’s out there, and it’s available. What were your next steps? I took a short film [The Hyperglot] that won a bunch of awards at festivals and is also out there and available; then a web series [What’s Your Emergency]; then after the web series —which was a wonderful experience but extremely challenging — I needed to take a break from being a producer/director. Because, inevitably, when you direct low budget things, you’re also producing, and it’s just a lot of work, energy and time. How did you and Ryan meet? First we met through mutual friends, and it didn’t really take. Then — two years later — we met again through mutual friends, and it did. We met first in LA; then I relocated to New York, and he moved to New York. When we met again, that’s when it kind of sparked. I think we were both in better places in our lives, where we were both open to a relationship. And we worked together a lot — Cocktails & Classics but also we were in a play together, and we have made these films together. We just acted in a film together, playing a couple, at the end of 2016. And he’s written a play that I’ve done workshops of as an actor. It’s fun that we get to work together! Speaking of Cocktails & Classics, what’s coming up? Clue, Soapdish, Showgirls, Sister Act I and II, Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion and Rosemary’s Baby — it’s a really good season. ■

Courtesy Russ Rowland

scholarships as an actor. Then I got into Juilliard, and I was like,“Well I guess I should be an actor!”

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