Tag: NYC

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NYC: New Monthly Variety Show “Bazaaz! A Sequined Variety”

Rick Skye, who won the 2017 MAC Award for “Best Impersonation,” will star in and host Don’t Tell Mama’s new monthly variety show Bazaaz! A Sequined Variety.

Award-winning impersonations, guest performers, and Skye’s Kit Kat Boyz will all be featured in the new show, as well as Skye’s celebrated impersonation as Liza Minnelli singing in his own voice.

Bazaaz! A Sequined Variety will open on Friday, October 27 at 7:00PM.

Via press release:

Skye is well-known in London and New York for having written and performed in a series of outrageously comic, award-winning shows including The Flip Side of Neil Sedaka, which earned him a Bistro Award, A Slice O’Minnelli and The War of the Mama Roses. His show Its Madame with an E! played Atlantic City and Las Vegas and brought him to television where he appeared on Watch What Happens, Live! With Andy Cohen and Celebrity Apprentice as well as Fox & Friends and the WB. His most recent success was Judy and Liza Together Again which closed after an unprecedented seven-year run at Don’t Tell Mama’s and garnered two MAC Awards.

He has performed in many shows as Liza Minnelli in a number of hit shows that played internationally. He co-starred with Steven Brinberg in the London production of Barbra and Liza LIVE! which played the Dublin Gay Theater Festival and he toured with Liza LIVE! playing the New Players Theater in London and many spots in England. A Slice O’ Minnelli enjoyed successful seasons at the Apollo Theatre in London’s West End, The Dublin and Edinburgh Festivals, and from cities New York to Chicago. Critics called Skye “Masterful…Astonishing…Brilliant (Chicago Sun Times) and the show earned him the 2006 MAC Award for Best Impersonation, the “Best Achievement in Performance” Award at the Dublin Theatre Festival and the Terrier Award at the Edinburgh Fringe.

Don’t Tell Mama’s is located at 343 West 46th Street in New York City. There is a $25.00 Cover/2 Drink Minimum (Cash only). Reservations can be made at www.donttellmamanyc.com.

Check out Skye’s “Liza” below.

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NYC: High School Student Bullied For Sexual Orientation Turns On Tormentors Killing One, Injuring Second

Abel Cedeno (center)

A Wednesday morning history class in the Bronx turned deadly as 18-year-old Abel Cedeno, who has been reportedly bullied regarding his perceived sexual orientation for weeks, snapped and stabbed two of his tormentors.

From the New York Daily News:

Horrified classmates howled in disbelief as Cedeno flew into a homicidal fury, plunging the serrated stainless steel blade into the chests of Matthew McCree, 15, and Ariane Laboy, 16.

The knife-wielding Cedeno just “went crazy,” said witness Jomarlyn Colon, 16. “Everybody just stood back. A few of them were holding Matthew. A few of them were holding towels on the wound.

“All the kids were crying and screaming.”

McCree, who started the deadly confrontation by flicking a pencil at Cedeno, was pronounced dead at St. Barnabas Hospital after the 10:50 a.m. stabbing spree in a fifth-floor classroom, cops said.

Laboy was in critical condition at the same hospital after he was slashed while coming to McCree’s defense.

Cedeno was charged with murder, attempted murder, manslaughter, attempted manslaughter, assault and criminal possession of a weapon.

This marks the first murder to take place inside a New York City school since 1993.

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I’ve Been To A Lovely Party

Eric McCormack, hubby Michael, Jen and me 

Hubby Michael and I were invited to a perfectly lovely cocktail party last night here in New York City thrown by NBC and Vanity Fair to toast the return of iconic sitcom Will & Grace this coming Thursday.

We saw cast members Eric McCormack, Debra Messing and Sean Hayes (didn’t spot Megan Mullally) and tons of fab folks like Harry Connick Jr., Food Network star Geoffrey Zakarian, and MSNBC’s Thomas Roberts. Very attractive crowd 🙂

Posh NYC lounge Mr. Purple was the locale and couldn’t have been better. Large, open patios with perfect September weather made for an uber-comfortable evening with gorgeous views all around.

I love NYC.

Me, Geoffrey Zakarian and hubby Michael

Me, Michael, Jen and Tricia
Nice view, huh?
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Podcast: A Tale Of Two Theatrical Adventures

Join me for “A Tale of Two Theatrical Adventures” as two longtime out actors have separate, but euphoric experiences with New York Theater on the same weekend.

I followed both simultaneously on social media as they shared the elation of their personal milestones, and the journeys made my Grinchy heart swell.

Up first, Stephen Blackwell.

As his 50th birthday approached, Stephen made the decision to venture forth on his own to the Big Bad Apple for the first time and see his first productions on the Great White Way.

We all know New York City can be expensive for visiting fans of Broadway. As he recounts his big adventure, Stephen also has tips that helped him save money along the way, including:

• The app TodayTix (and the website version todaytix.com) helped Stephen buy discounted tickets to Broadway shows in advance without standing in lines or worrying about what his choices would be.

• Instead of pricey hotels, Stephen stayed in an apartment blocks from the theater district and saved hundreds using AirBNB. If you haven’t tried the popular travel site, Stephen shares his experience.

• And don’t be afraid to reach out to friends you’ve made on social media. Stephen met up with someone he knew from Facebook, and that friend acted as a guide to what to do after an evening in the theater.

The other gentleman in this dual adventure, Ed Dixon, has enjoyed a long, successful career on Broadway, off-Broadway and beyond. He’s an actor, playwright, composer and author.

After more than four decades of great work, Ed was honored by the Drama Desk Awards for his latest project, Georgie: My Adventures with George Rose, on the same weekend Stephen was experiencing NY theater for the first time.

I interviewed Ed weeks before during the aftermath of his grand rave-review opening, but watching him share his big Drama Desk win on Facebook felt like I was there.

You can listen to my previous interview with Ed here.

At a time when it feels there’s so much doom, gloom and grousing on social media, I loved watching these stories play out in front of me in real time on the Book of Face.

Hit play below to listen to the two men’s simultaneous journeys.

Sometimes, it’s great to savor the good times 🙂

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New York City: LGBT Solidarity Rally At Stonewall Inn Today

Thousands are attending an LGBT Solidarity Rally this afternoon organized by City Councilman Corey Johnson at the Stonewall Inn in New York City.

The rally received responses from more than 36,000 people on its Facebook event page.

From the New Civil Rights Movement:

The rally, scheduled for 2 p.m. Eastern, is backed by a coalition of more than 60 groups, including pro-immigration, refugee support and LGBT organizations. In addition to Johnson, it is being co-sponsored by dozens of other lawmakers including New York Governor Andrew Cuomo.

“Join us in front of the Stonewall Inn as we stand in solidarity with every immigrant, asylum seeker, refugee and every person impacted by Donald Trump’s illegal, immoral, unconstitutional and un-American executive orders,” the Facebook page for the rally states. “We will also speak out against Trump’s selection of the most anti-LGBT nominees and appointees in modern history.”

As of Saturday afternoon, 11,000 people planned to attend the rally, with another 25,000 listed as “interested.”

The Guardian notes that the rally is being fueled in part by rumors this week that Trump planned to rescind President Barack Obama’s LGBT nondiscrimination order for contractors, or sign a new anti-LGBT “religious freedom” executive order.

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Could WILL & GRACE Even Afford Their Fab NYC Apartment Today?

Everyone I know is thrilled at the news that NBC has ordered 10 new episodes of the hit sitcom, Will & Grace, for later this year. The show has long been credited, in great part, in helping advance LGBT rights just through the sheer visibility it brought our community.

Watching the ten minute “reunion” scene produced for the presidential election, it was nice to find out the apartment set for the show had been stored behind glass at Emerson University these past years. Even though they were fictional, anyone who’s lived in NYC could appreciate what fab digs Will and Grace had during the 8 year run of the show.

But it’s been 11 years since the show closed up shop, and things are a little more expensive than they used to be.

In fact, real estate super-site Trulia took a look at some iconic NYC-based 90s sitcoms to assess what it would cost to live like our favorite TV characters.

Although Grace could work her design magic in any space, her Upper West Side apartment was a good start. The building, located at 155 Riverside Drive in New York City, comes with a steep price tag in today’s market. According to Trulia data, the median rent today for a two bedroom, two bath unit like Will and Grace’s on the Upper West Side is $5,940.

Talk about a nice apartment, the purple abode that belonged to Monica and Rachel from F.R.I.E.N.D.S. is tough to beat. Two bedrooms, one bathroom, a giant living room, kitchen, balcony, a (messy) storage closet, it was always tough to believe that a waitress and a chef could afford this pricey pad. The exterior is located at 90 Bedford Street in New York, NY. Even with rent control, the average rent price for Greenwich village will cost you $4,229 per month for this size of an apartment.

And, of course, Jerry Seinfeld’s apartment seemed like a reasonable place to live. The show always cited 129 W. 81st in New York, NY, however this is not the actual external shot of his apartment from the show. Regardless, Jerry’s place was a nice pad on the Upper West Side, that seemed reasonable for the professional comedian. His one bedroom, one bath place in today’s market would run about $3,856 per month.

Check out the Trulia article to see exactly what Will & Grace or your favorite Friends might be able to afford today.

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NYC: Killer Of Mark Carson Sentenced To 40 Years To Life

Elliott Morales, convicted of the 2013 murder of Mark Carson, a 32 year old gay black man in the West Village of Manhattan, has been sentenced to 40 years to life in prison.

Morales shot Carson at point blank range in the face after spewing homophobic invectives at Mr. Carson and his companion.

From the New York Times:

“I can’t help but perceive or observe the parallel tragedy in Orlando,” the judge, A. Kirke Bartley Jr., said as he imposed the sentence in State Supreme Court in Manhattan. “That parallel is revealed in hatred, self-loathing, fear and death.”

Mr. Morales, 36, was convicted after a two-week trial during which he represented himself, assuming the dual roles of defendant and defense lawyer. Addressing Mr. Morales, Justice Bartley said that the defendant’s ability to appear in the courtroom “calm, intelligent, well-prepared, well-behaved” could not deter from the fact that he was “something worthy of a character in a Stephen King novel, in short, a monster.”

Morales defended his own case in court. At the time, he argued that the murder should not be considered a hate crime because he had had sexual encounters with transgender women in the past.

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"Dallas BBQ" Attacker Found Guilty; Faces 15 Years In Prison

Bayna-Lekheim El-Amin

Bayna-Lekheim El-Amin, 42, was found guilty of attempted assault in the first degree, and assault in the second degree for his participation in a brawl last year at a Dallas BBQ restaurant located in the Chelsea area of Manhattan

From the New York Post:

Lawyers for El-Amin argued during the one-week trial that he was trying to protect himself from Jonathan Snipes, 33, and his boyfriend Ethan Adams, 26.

“This is a case of self-defense,” Percy Diego Gayanilo said during the Manhattan Supreme Court trial. “We are only here because they arrested the wrong person.”

Snipes started the altercation May 5, 2015 when he slapped El-Amin in the face with his purse after he thought he heard him use a racial slur.

An all-out brawl ensued and Gayanilo claimed that El-Amin tossed the chair at the men after Snipes menacingly reached for a knife from a table. This was not corroborated by surveillance video or witness testimony.

Prosecutor Leah Saxtein argued that Snipes’ loud mouth and purse-slapping histrionics didn’t justify the vicious beatdown. She told jurors that El-Amin attacked the men out of rage, not fear.

“The defendant was angry, he was humiliated, and he wasn’t about to let these girly men get the last word,” she said.

El-Amin was convicted of four counts of assault and attempted assault. He faces up to 15 years on the top charge.

The District Attorney’s office issued a statement that read in part:

“There was no justification for this brutal attack,” said District Attorney Vance. “Bayna-Lekheim El-Amin struck both victims in a public restaurant with a heavy wooden chair, knocking one of them unconscious. I commend the victims for their courage and my Office’s prosecutors for ensuring this defendant is held accountable for this horrific attack.”

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History Made As LGBT Group Marches Behind Their Own Banner In NYC St. Patrick’s Day Parade

For the first time in the 255 year history of the NYC St. Patrick’s Day Parade, LGBTs were allowed to walk in the parade behind their own banner.

NBC New York reports:

For years, organizers said gay people could participate but couldn’t carry signs or buttons celebrating their sexual identities. Organizers said they didn’t want to divert focus from honoring Irish heritage.

Mayor de Blasio marched with the Lavender and Green Alliance, marking the first time he had participated in the festivities as mayor. He boycotted the parade his first two years in office because the march excluded gay and lesbian advocacy groups.

“Today everyone is celebrating together,” de Blasio said. “The city is at peace and unified.”

Gov. Cuomo and the entire New York City Council also joined in the parade and were watched by more than 2 million spectators who lined Fifth Avenue from St. Patrick’s Cathedral in Midtown to the 79th Street Transverse in Central Park.

Included in the festivities were DOMA plaintiff Edith Windsor and Irish activist Brendan Fay.