WORKING THE LITERARY SEX SCENE WITH ‘SEBASTIAN’
by Chris Carpenter Take one of gay writer Bret Easton Ellis’ novels, a twist of Alfred Hitchcockian femme fatale/double life sensibility, European indie filmmaking realness, and a lot of male-on-male sex. Shake vigorously, pour, and you will end up with Sebastian, an engrossing new movie from the writer-director of 2018’s acclaimed gay romance, A Moment […]
HEADLINER SHEILA E. IS READY TO LEAVE IT ALL ON THE SAN DIEGO PRIDE FESTIVAL STAGE
by andrew j. stillman San Diego Pride isn’t messing around with the entertainment this year, and couldn’t be more excited to welcome Sheila E. as the festival headliner. The world-famous drummer and percussionist recently released her first salsa-inspired album, Bailar — Spanish for “to dance” — that is part of her ever-evolving collection of music. […]
FROM RIVALRY TO RAINBOWS: THE SICKENING SAGA OF MONÉT X CHANGE
by kevin perry When you emerge from darkness into light, the sensory overload can be bracing. The rods and cones in your retina churn valiantly to process a spectrum of candy-colored splendor, waltzing in kaleidoscopic precision from your irises to your suddenly magnified mind. And once your vision is vibrant, there’s no going back into […]
BEN PLATT EMBARKS ON A PERSONAL JOURNEY WITH HIS ‘HONEYMIND’ TOUR
by tony reverditto Ben Platt was born on September 24th, 1993, in Los Angeles, the fourth of five children of Julie and Marc Platt. His father is a film, television, and theater producer whose credits include the likes of Legally Blonde, Into the Woods, La La Land, Mary Poppins Returns, and the musical version of […]
SWEENEY TODD: DAN HOY CO-STARS IN STEPHEN SONDHEIM’S MUSICAL TALE ABOUT THE INFAMOUS BARBER OF FLEET STREET
by tony reverditto Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street has become a bloody, worldwide success since being awarded eight Tony Awards, including Best Musical, after its Broadway premiere in 1979. Pacific Symphony will present a semi-staged production of the ever-popular show on June 15 and 15. With lyrics and music by the legendary […]
CELEBRATING AN ICON: ALISON ELLWOOD’S INSPIRING DOCUMENTARY EXPLORES THE LIFE OF CYNDI LAUPER
by chris carpenter She’s so unusual. She’s also a star, as her 40+ year career attests. Cyndi Lauper has not only proven herself as an artist but remains beloved today for a number of incarnations: Grammy-winning singer/songwriter, Tony-winning Broadway composer (Kinky Boots), Emmy-winning actress (I love her co-starring performance with Jeff Goldblum in the underrated […]
XAVIER J. BUSH’S LEGALLY BLONDE VISION BRINGS SOME NEEDED DIVERSITY INTO A CLASSIC
XAVIER J. BUSH’S LEGALLY BLONDE VISION BRINGS SOME NEEDED DIVERSITY INTO A CLASSIC by andrew j stillman When you’re given an opportunity to direct your favorite musical, you don’t say no. Director and choreographer Xavier J. Bush knows all about this feeling as he takes on his second run of Legally Blonde at San Diego […]
BLOCKBUSTER LONDON MUSICAL PREMIERES IN SAN DIEGO. READY TO “RIDE”?
It’s 1895, and Annie Londonderry wants to discover if a woman can ride a bicycle around the world. The problem? She’s only ridden one twice! As Annie and her unwitting secretary Martha share unbelievable adventures across four continents, they learn that no matter how far we ride, our past is always right behind us. With […]
SANDRA BERNHARD ON KEEPING IT FRESH AND THE IMPORTANCE OF SELF-CARE
by andrew j stillman When you’ve been in the entertainment industry for over 40 years, one might think your material might be a little dated and stale. However, if your name is Sandra Bernhard, you’re the complete opposite. Known for her upfront, brazen and brutally honest comedy shows as well as a broad range […]
FEMME SPINS A DANGEROUS YET SEXY TALE OF QUEER REVENGE
by chris carpenter The term femme refers to an LGBTQ+ person whose gender expression is considered to be feminine. It was originally used to distinguish feminine lesbian and bisexual women from butch women, and it is still one of the main uses of the term. Today, femme also refers to someone who queers or […]