 |
| Click pic for larger view |
Rachelle Rak – “I’M IN”
Rachelle Rak is the ultimate Broadway gypsy. After over twenty years on and off Broadway, Rachelle is now wrapping her indomitable talent, spirit and ‘sas’ around her own show – I’M IN.
Rachelle is known to NYC audiences as the “I Gotcha Girl” Fosse dancer, the ultimate Gypsy, a rock star and The Broadway Bares Diva. She holds no one title, but you can call her ‘Sas.’ With I’M IN, Rachelle shares her successes, struggles, heartaches and triumphs through a dynamic score of well-known classics and brand new original songs.
In speaking with Rachelle, she made it clear “this isn’t going to be ‘stand and sing. I call it an ‘event’ – ‘a night.’ You’re not going to come watch me go down memory lane.”
When asked where the title of the event comes from, Rachelle says “For years everyone’s been telling me that I’m “full out.” I remember being in rehearsals with Susan Stroman and she would say “mark” and then I’d do the number full-out. The other dancers would say “child, she said ‘mark'” and I’d say “I don’t know how to ‘mark’, you know?” And so it got to where I was like “People, I’m ‘in’ – whatever show I’m in, ‘I’m IN’ – all the way. No half-way. So if you can’t stand next to me, then move.”
The event will not only showcase Rachelle’s famous ‘sas’ but also touch on the darker sides of a Broadway actor’s life and the sometimes slow periods between Broadway shows.
“For five years I wasn’t in a Broadway show. I couldn’t get arrested. After (losing the role of Sheila) in the revival of A Chorus Line, it almost broke me and that’s when I realized my career was too important in my life. I started to value my worth with what show I was doing. Now I’m doing this for me. I’m a passionate creature. It’s what fuels me. That’s why “I’M IN.”
Rachelle emphasizes that “The ‘everybody gets a medal generation’ has passed. Can you take ‘no’ for an answer? If not, it’s time to toughen up and speak a new language. In her own special language, Rachelle says “it’s time to ‘sas’ it up with a dose of ‘cha cha pus’ – I’m IN, are you?”
Rachelle’s credits include “Cats”, “Fosse”, “Thou Shalt Not”, “Oklahoma!”, “The Look of Love”, “Dirty Rotten Scoundrels”, “Catch Me if You Can”, “Sessions” and “An Evening at the Carlyle”.
I’ve personally known Rachelle for over 20 years and I can personally guarantee you she is a force of nature. GO SEE “I’M IN” – you’ll be glad you did. I promise you’ll walk out with a smile. And some sas.
The creative team includes Director Daniel Robinson (Broadway’s Hairspray and owner Daniel Robinson Productions), Music Director Steven Jamail (Music Supervisor at Rosie’s Theater Kids), Martyn Axe (Co-Writer) and Brad Musgrove (Costume Designer).
Performances will take place Sunday, January 22nd at 7:00pm and Monday, January 23rd at 10:30pm at Le Poisson Rouge, 158 Bleecker Street.
Tickets are $40 for premium seating (limited availability) $30 for reserved seating, and $20 for general admission. Please visit lepoissonrouge.com to purchase tickets.
Elton John’s husband backtracks on Madonna comments
Washington state: Gay marriage within one vote of passage
State Sen. Jim Kastama announced today he will support gay-marriage legislation.
Kastama was one of six undecided senators on marriage equality – and a current candidate for Secretary of State.
The Puyallup Democrat is the 24th announced supporter of same-sex marriage in a Senate where 25 votes make a majority. Although Democrats hold majorities in both our state’ chambers, a bill is not certain to pass, as some conservative Democrats have sided with Republicans on the issue.
Six U.S. states currently allow same-sex marriage: New York, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Vermont, New Hampshire and Iowa. Gay marriage is also legal in the District of Columbia.
NJ: Gay marriage approaches possible veto-proof support
New Jersey Democrats believe they are within spitting distance of securing enough support to override a veto of same-sex marriage legislation if Gov. Chris Christie chooses not support it. State Sen. Raymond Lesniak, one of the bill’s sponsors, estimated the chamber had between 24 and 27 supporters for legislation to allow for same-sex marriage in New Jersey. It takes 27 votes in the 40-member state senate to override a governor’s veto. “I’m wishing and hoping,” said Lesniak, who also acknowledged that some potential supporters still needed “shoring up.”
Lesniak, a Democrat representing Union County, counted up to 23 Democrats and four Republicans as supporting a gay marriage, but wouldn’t disclose specific names of those he believes would vote to override a veto. Assembly Speaker Shelia Oliver, a Democrat, has said that she has majority support for same-sex marriage legislation, and that she would work to garner the 54 votes necessary for a veto override in the 80-member Assembly.
A new Quinnipiac poll released Thursday morning reveals that for the first time a majority of New Jersey voters (52 percent) support marriage equality with just 42 percent opposing.
(source)
GLAAD Award nominations announced
On Thursday (January 19), GLAAD announced their nominees for the annual awards, which “recognize and honor media for their fair, accurate and inclusive representations of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community and the issues that affect their lives.”
“As media continue to tell new stories about LGBT people and families, a majority of Americans now support full equality of LGBT Americans,” Mike Thompson, GLAAD’s acting president, said in a statement about this year’s nominees. “This year’s nominees enlighten and entertain, while spotlighting the diversity of our community. Audiences expect to see their own worlds reflected in media, and today more than ever, those include the lives of LGBT people. Viewers know that LGBT characters and stories are simply natural extensions of, and glimpses into, their own experiences from across America.”
Three ceremonies will be held to hand out awards, in New York on March 24, Los Angeles on April 21 and San Francisco on June 2.
Outstanding Film – Wide Release
Albert Nobbs
Roadside Attractions
Beginners
Focus Features
J. Edgar
Warner Bros. Pictures
Outstanding Film – Limited Release
Circumstance
Roadside Attractions
Gun Hill Road
Motion Film Group
Pariah
Focus Features
Tomboy
Rocket Releasing
Weekend
Sundance Selects
Outstanding Drama Series
Degrassi – TeenNick
Grey’s Anatomy – ABC
Pretty Little Liars – ABC Family
Shameless – Showtime
Torchwood: Miracle Day – Starz
Outstanding Comedy Series
Exes and Ohs – Logo
Glee – Fox
Happy Endings – ABC
Modern Family – ABC
The Big C – Showtime
Outstanding Individual Episode (in a series without a regular LGBT character)
“Acceptance” Man Up! ABC
“Beards” Hot in Cleveland TV Land
“Prom” Drop Dead Diva Lifetime
“Recruited” NCIS CBS
“The Boy Has Style” Are We There Yet? TBS
Outstanding TV Movie or Mini-Series
Cinema Verite HBO
Outstanding Documentary
Becoming Chaz – OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network
The Strange History of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell – HBO
The World’s Worst Place to be Gay? – Logo
Two Spirits – PBS
We Were Here – Red Flag Releasing
Outstanding Reality Program
Dancing with the Stars – ABC
Girls Who Like Boys Who Like Boys – Sundance Channel
The Glee Project – Oxygen
The Real L Word – Showtime
The Voice – NBC
Outstanding Talk Show Episode
“Chaz Bono” Late Show with David Letterman – CBS
“Children & Teens Caught in the Wrong Bodies” Anderson – syndicated
“Coming Out on the Oprah Show: 25 Years of Unforgettable Guests” The Oprah Winfrey Show – syndicated
“The Wedding of Scott Cronick & David Gorshein” Conan – TBS
“Zach Wahls” The Ellen DeGeneres Show – syndicated
Outstanding Daily Drama
All My Children – ABC
Days of Our Lives – NBC
Outstanding TV Journalism – News Magazine
“Day One” The Rachel Maddow Show – MSNBC
“Finding Home” In the Life – PBS
“GLBT in Texas” Spotlight DFW – KXAS TV-5 [Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas]
“The ‘Sissy Boy’ Experiments” Anderson Cooper 360 – CNN
“They Call it Corrective Rape” World’s Untold Stories – CNN
Outstanding TV Journalism Segment
“Battle Against Bullying” ABC World News With Diane Sawyer ABC
“Children of LGBT Parents” MSNBC News Live MSNBC
“Gay Dads Adopt 12 Kids” Good Morning America ABC
“Kye Allums” Outside the Lines ESPN
“Split by Potential Deportation” CNN Newsroom CNN
Outstanding Newspaper Article
“AIDS @ 30” (series) Windy City Times [Chicago, Ill.]
“Coming Out to America” by Melanie Asmar, Westword [Denver, Colo.]
“Even on Religious Campuses, Students Fight for Gay Identity” by Erik Eckholm, The New York Times
“Led by the Child Who Simply Knew” by Bella English, The Boston Globe
“Local Lesbian Couple Navigates Life’s Daily Challenges as Parents” by Najla Amundson, The Forum of Fargo-Moorhead [Fargo, N.D.]
Outstanding Newspaper Columnist
Alfred Doblin The Record [Bergen, N.J.]
Craig Wilson USA Today
Frank Bruni The New York Times
Maureen Dowd The New York Times
Peg McEntee The Salt Lake Tribune
Outstanding Newspaper Overall Coverage
Pioneer Press [St. Paul, Minn.]
The Boston Globe
The New York Times
The Oregonian [Portland, Ore.]
The Salt Lake Tribune
Outstanding Magazine Article
“15th Anniversary of the Passage of the Defense of Marriage Act” (series) by Chris Geidner, Metro Weekly
“Black & Gay in Corporate America” by Carolyn M. Brown, Black Enterprise
“Making It Work” by Rod McCullom, Ebony
“The Secret I Don’t Want to Keep Anymore” by Janet Mock as told to Kierna Mayo, Marie Claire
“Transitions” by Eliza Gray, The New Republic
Outstanding Magazine Overall Coverage
Entertainment Weekly
People
The Advocate/Out
Time
US Weekly
Outstanding Digital Journalism Article
“Adam and Pete: Love in a Time of War” by Max J. Rosenthal, HuffingtonPost.com
“Black and Transgender: A Double Burden” by Kellee Terrell, TheRoot.com
“Soldier Leaves Legacy Much Larger Than ‘He Was Gay'” by Wayne Drash, CNN.com
“The Rainbow Struggle” (series) GlobalPost.com
“What are Little Boys Made Of” by Jim Burroway, BoxTurtleBulletin.com
Outstanding Digital Journalism – Multimedia
“Breaking Boundaries” by Eliza Gray, Joe Heroun and Margy Slattery, TheNewRepublic.com
“Coming Out” by Sarah Kramer and Nicole Bengiveno, NYTimes.com
“Glamorous Gay Dance Scene a ‘Family Affair'” by Brooke Sopelsa, Drew Katchen and David Britt-Friedman, MSNBC.com
“Injustice at Every Turn” ITLMedia.org
“Transgender: A Special Report” (series) TimesUnion.com [Albany, N.Y.]
Outstanding Blog
Bilerico Project
Mombian
New Civil Rights Movement
Rod 2.0
Towleroad
Outstanding Music Artist
Beverly McClellan, Fear Nothing Oarfin Records
Girl in a Coma, Exits & All the Rest Blackheart Records
Hunx and His Punx, Too Young to Be in Love Hardly Art
Lady Gaga, Born This Way Interscope Records
MEN, Talk About Body IAMSOUND Records
Outstanding Comic Book
Avengers: The Children’s Crusade by Allan Heinberg, Marvel
Batwoman by J.H. Williams III and W. Haden Blackman, DC Comics
Secret Six by Gail Simone, DC Comics
Veronica Presents: Kevin Keller by Dan Parent, Archie Comics
X-Factor by Peter David, Marvel Comics
Outstanding Los Angeles Theater
Bonded by Donald Jolly
House of the Rising Son by Tom Jacobson
Killer Queen: The Story of Paco the Pink Pounder by Peter Griggs
No Word in Guyanese for Me by Wendy Graf
Who’s Your Daddy? by Johnny O’Callaghan
Outstanding New York Theater: Broadway and Off-Broadway
Maple & Vine by Jordan Harrison
Priscilla Queen of the Desert: The Musical by Stephan Elliott and Allan Scott
Sons of the Prophet by Stephen Karam
The Intelligent Homosexual’s Guide to Capitalism and Socialism with a Key to the Scriptures by Tony Kushner
Unnatural Acts: Harvard’s Secret Court of 1920 conceived by Tony Speciale
Outstanding New York Theater: Off-Off Broadway
She Kills Monsters by Qui Nguyen
Southern Comfort book and lyrics by Dan Collins, music by Julianne Wick Davis
The Dog and Pony Show (Bring Your Own Pony) by Holly Hughes
The Escape Artist book by John Kelly, songs by John Kelly & Carol Lipnik
The Momentum by Boo Killebrew, Geoffrey Decas O’Donnell & Jordan Seavey
Rick Perry reportedly dropping out of GOP race
(via JMG)
Newt Gingrich’s ex wife allegedly gives “damaging” interview
After a few minutes of drama on Twitter, The Drudge Report posted this news: “Marianne Gingrich has said she could end her ex-husband’s career with a single interview…” adding that the interview was earlier this week with ABC News’ Brian Ross, lasted two hours, and the debate was whether it was ethical to air it before the South Carolina primary.
Drudge then added that “ABCNEWS suits determined it would be ‘unethical’ to run the Marianne Gingrich interview so close to the South Carolina Primary,” which might imply that the reporters and producers further down from the “suits” may be the ones lobbying or it to air.
Drudge reports that the interview is tentatively scheduled for Monday, “after all the votes have been counted.” And adds this salacious tidbit: “Ex-wife of 18 years: Newt not fit to be President… during Lewinsky, Clinton warned cheating Newt ‘You’re alot like me’…”
UPDATE: Drudge adds that Gingrich “canceled a press conference” today to deal with the interview, and added more quotes:
“He believes that what he says in public and how he lives don’t have to be connected,” Marianne Gingrich, Newt’s wife of 18 years, explained to ESQUIRE last year. “When you try and change your history too much, and try and recolor it because you don’t like the way it was or you want it to be different to prove something new … you lose touch with who you really are.”
Nick Jonas: “We love our gay fans”
|
| Click pic for larger view |
In a recent interview with the Advocate, Nick Jonas discusses his new role in Broadway’s How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, as well as his relationship with the gay community.
“Our gay fans been incredible over the years,” says Jonas. “My brothers and I totally look forward to meeting them, because they really respond to our style, and it’s cool to see how our influence has impacted what they’re wearing… They always have good taste.”
As far as he and his brother’s strict Christian upbringing is concerned, Jonas says, “My upbringing was faith-based, but we believed you should love all others as you want to be loved, because everyone should be treated equally. That’s helped me have an understanding of people on different journeys and in different walks of life. At the end of the day, we’re all the same, because we all want to be loved.”
When asked about marriage equality, he says “My thoughts on gay marriage are that everyone has the right to love and be loved, and that’s the position I take.”
Aside from starring in the show, Jonas also discusses plans to get involved with Trevor Project and the It Gets Better campaign: “Once I join the show, I plan to do all I can on a few different efforts, including Trevor Project and Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. I want to inspire all young people, whether they’re diabetic, being bullied, or just having a hard time at home.”
Jonas follows Daniel Radcliffe and Darren Criss starring in the Broadway revival. He begins his performance as J. Pierrepont Finch on January 24, 2012.
Promo video for new Broadway “Porgy and Bess”
The Gershwins’ PORGY AND BESS officially opened on Thursday, January 12th, 2012 at the Richard Rodgers Theatre (226 West 46th Street).
The cast is led by four-time Tony Award winner Audra McDonald as ‘Bess,’ Drama Desk nominee Norm Lewis as ‘Porgy’ and two-time Tony nominee David Alan Grier as ‘Sporting Life.’
Audra is brilliant in everything she does – rave reviews all over the place.
And I always love me some Norm Lewis. Go see the show on Broadway.