Thursday, November 3, 2011

OUT Magazine's OUT100: The Broadway Connection

UPDATED!  SCROLL TO THE BOTTOM FOR THE MOST RECENT ADDITION.

OUT Magazine has come out (no pun intended) with its annual list of the 100 most influential LGBT (as well as a few "straight" individuals) members of the community who have contributed significantly to society in the past year.  I suppose it isn't too surprising that the New York theatre scene is well represented on the list.

As of this writing, the magazine is offering only a preview of the list, with photos by Gavin Bond, which are based on other famous photos.  Even within the short preview, there are 7 theatre people featured.

Not pictured (so far) but mentioned in the associated article are Larry Kramer and Sandra Bernhard. 

Kramer, an author, playwright and activist, was selected for his enduring voice in the fight for rights for people afflicted with AIDS, as well as gay marriage.  This year, a stunning revival of his masterwork The Normal Heart marked his Broadway debut, winning the Tony for Best Revival of a Play.  His continued relevance is inspirational.

Bernhard, actress, comedienne and activist was selected for her continued campaign for equality and for bringing her message to the mainstream.  A New York fixture, Bernhard's stand up act is a perpetual sell out  and she has appeared in several off-Broadway shows, including one-woman shows and Love, Loss and What I Wore.


Dustin Lance Black
(Photo by Gavin Bond)

Dustin Lance Black - Screenwriter, Playwright, Activist
  • Known For: Oscar-winning script for Milk and the upcoming film, J. Edgar
  • Theatre Connection: He wrote the play 8, which recently had an all-star staged reading on Broadway.
  • Activism: Black has been an outspoken leader in the fight against Proposition 8 in Claifornia and the campaign to legalize gay marriage in New York.


Colman Domingo
Photo by Gavin Bond
Colman Domingo - Actor
  • Known For: Wide-ranging roles on the New York stage
  • Theatre Connection: In just this past year, he starred in The Scottsboro Boys and earned a Tony nomination for his role as minstrel showman and bigotted sheriff.  And he played Billy Flynn in Chicago.
  • Activism: Vocal in the fight for marriage rights, Domingo officiated some of the first gay weddings in New York onstage at the St. James Theatre following a performance of Hair.


Rory O'Malley and Matt Doyle
Photo by Gavin Bond
Matt Doyle - Singer, Actor (right in photo)
  • Known For: Roles in plays and musicals
  • Theatre Connection: He currently appears in the Tony-winning Best Play, War Horse.  His other credits include Spring Awakening and Bye Bye Birdie.
  • Activism: Doyle is active in Broadway Impact and events for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS.

Rory O'Malley - Actor, Activist (left in photo)
  • Known For: Co-founding Broadway Impact with Gavin Creel and a Broadway career on the rise
  • Theatre Connection: This year, he was Tony-nominated for his role in the Tony-winning Best Musical, The Book of Mormon.  Previously, he appeared on Broadway in The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee.
  • Activism: O'Malley co-founded Broadway Impact, an organization that represents the New York theatre community in the continued national fight for marriage equality rights.  He and his co-founders have taken a highly visible part in the recent approval of gay marriage rights in the state of New York.


Dan Savage
Photo by Gavin Bond

Dan Savage - Writer and Activist
  • Known For: His outspoken columns including Savage Love
  • Theatre Connection: A hit off-Broadway musical, The Kid, was based on his book which chronicled the troubles he had adopting a child with his partner.
  • Activism: He co-founded, with his partner Terry Miller, the It Gets Better campaign, aimed at letting teens who are struggling with their sexuality that, despite current bullying and shunning by their peers, life improves significantly for adults in the LGBT community.

Influential Gay Writers: Jeff Whitty is second from the right

Jeff Whitty - Playwright/Musical Librettist

  • Known For: The Tony-winning Best Book of Avenue Q
  • Theatre Connection: This year, he has written the book for the probably Broadway-bound and highly successful Tales of the City, and the just-opened touring musical (and possibly Broadway-bound) Bring It On: The Musical.
  • Activism: Well, he is a voice for modern gay men and women.  All of his projects deal directly with the gay American experience in the 20th and 21st century.  Not bad.



As the OUT100 list is revealed, look for more of this blog, and possibly follow-up blogs.  To see more go to: www.out.com/out100.

LYSISTRATA JONES TICKET CONTEST QUESTION #4

In Promises, Promises, Chuck Baxter finds out that Fran Kubelik loves basketball (just like Lysistrata Jones and her Athens U friends!).  All of the following actresses have played Fran Kubelik in New York or London, EXCEPT:

A.  Jill O'Hara
B.  Betty Buckley
C.  Kristin Chenoweth
D.  Katie Finneran




For full rules and question 1, click HERE.  Question 2 is at the end of Tuesday's blog, question 3 is at the end of Wednesday's blog.

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Jeff
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