First Ever Broadway Con
FINALLY!
A CONVENTION FOR
BROADWAY AND THEATRE FANS
NOW IN PARTNERSHIP WITH
The third and final batch of tickets is on sale now! Learn more about tickets.
Created by long-time fans and professionals of the theatre community, BroadwayCon is theatre’s answer to a comic con, tailor-made for fans like you.
Featuring three exciting days ! Jan 22-24th, 2016 Broadway Con
Free Contest – PUERTO VALLARTA
The start of winter in Puerto Vallarta is cause for celebration as December marks the beginning of the whale watching season, traditional pilgrimages in honor of the Virgin of Guadalupe, free daily guided Artwalks in historic downtown, culinary treats all around town, the International Pro Am golf tournament, the release of baby sea turtles, perfect weather with temperatures in the low 80’s and a calendar full of holiday festivities and free activities.
The Puerto Vallarta Tourism Board is inviting everyone to join in the celebration with the launch of a mega “12 DAYS OF WINTER” (#12DaysOfWinter) promotion and participate for a chance to win daily prizes during the first 12 days of December, including artworks, bottles of tequila and raicilla and trip getaways, with the top prize being a 12-day all-expense paid vacation for two in Puerto Vallarta.
To participate register at visitpuertovallarta.com/12daysofwinter and tell the Puerto Vallarta Tourism Board what you would do on a 12-day all-expense paid holiday for two in the destination. All registrants will have a chance to win one of 12 prizes. Drawings will take place every day from December 1st to 12th. Following are the details of the prizes that will be awarded:
Winners of the getaway prizes to be awarded between December 5th through 12th will also receive a choice of 2 activities in Puerto Vallarta courtesy of Vallarta Adventures and Dolphin Discovery.
ENTER!
Puerto Vallarta Brings Day of the Dead to New York
Puerto Vallarta Celebrates the
Day of the Dead in New York
The Puerto Vallarta Tourism Board will promote its annual Day of the Dead Festival in the city of New York with participation in events across the tristate area of New York.
Puerto Vallarta Day of the Dead celebrations are a five-day cultural festival that includes a series of events and activities intended to make it one of the most colorful of the end of the year and beginning of Puerto Vallarta’s high season.
Held from October 29 to November 2, the Puerto Vallarta Day of the Dead Festival will promote traditional elements of the celebration as well as new artistic angles and interpretations. Traditional installation of altars will be done in hotels, restaurants and public spaces while an interactive altar will be on display at Lazaro Cardenas Park. Organizers will be giving out a passport to the installations for those interested in doing their own tour of the altars.
The festival will also include a film festival, a food tasting and a series of concerts, folkloric ballet and a presentation of a series of photos on the theme of death, as it is viewed by popular Mexican culture. Organizers will also try to break the record for the number of Catrinas in one place.
In the New York tristate area, Puerto Vallarta will be participating in the following event to promote the celebration.
New York Botanical Gardens – Puerto Vallarta continues its celebration of the gardens’ exhibition: FRIDA KAHLO: Art, Garden, Life. Now on its last week, the Day of the Dead weekend is the perfect time to see the show. Patrons were able to win a trip to Puerto Vallarta at the beginning of the exhibition when the Mexico Tourism Board held its private event on the location and visitors will once again be able to win a trip to Puerto Vallarta with stay at Garlands del Rio by registering online at https://goo.gl/yIwi8G
El Museo del Barrio – Puerto Vallarta will be mounting a 10 feet tall Day of the Dead altar when it joins the Mexico Tourism Board, El Museo del Barrio and the Junior Council for its annual arts education benefit. This year, it is using marriage vows as inspiration to celebrate love – gained and lost. DIA DE LOS MUERTOS: Till Death Do Us Part will take place on Thursday, October 29th from 8PM – 11PM at the Angel Orensanz Foundation. Participants will also be able to participate on a silent auction and bid on trips to Puerto Vallarta with stays at Velas Resorts. http://goo.gl/R1mRje
Daniel Valle’s 5th Annual Dia de los Muertos Celebrations- the Family friendly day-long event embraces traditional elements of the Day of the Dead as celebrated in Mexico and offers an educational opportunity to learn its history and reasons behind the holiday. With food vendors and folkloric dancers the event will be fun for all. The celebration will take place at Court Square Studios with doors opening at 10 AM. Participants will be able to sign up for a trip to Puerto Vallarta as well as beach bags full of goodies from the destination. http://goo.gl/tZ2fqV
For more Information please visit: www.visitpuertovallarta.com
Demi Lovato @ The Monster
DEMI LOVATO stopped by the MONSTER this week to sing her new song!
just a typical night out in NYC at the Monster bar in west village when Demi Lovato made a surprise guest appearance . It was the stripper who was more excited than anyone who took over the show..i was in the front row so it was right in my face…it was friggin enourmous…yes its reall….real friggin hard and hugeeeeee.
WATCH
Blind Yorkie Needs Home in New York
PLEASE HELP MITCHELL!
Poor little Mitchell; who could be so cruel? The ten-year-old blind Yorkshire terrier is so afraid when he was picked up by New York City Animal Care and Control and brought to the Brooklyn shelter this past week. Some miserable culprit had spray painted little Mitchell green on his face, in his eyes, and on his back soaking right into the skin of his caudal spine. (base of his spine)
Mitchell was brought in on October 22, and is due out and ready for rescue on Sunday, October 25. According to his medical notes, even though he is extremely stressed, Mitchell did allow handling although it is advised to move very slowly as this little guy must have been through more than most animal advocates even want to know. The emaciated, six-pound dog is heavily matted around his legs and face and has extensive dental issues, however no flea infestation or active parasites were noted. A volunteer writes the following: “Mitchell is a 10 year old Yorkie mix who came in as a stray- matted and emaciated. During Mitchell’s medical exam, it was noted that he is also BLIND. This little guy needs some TLC- Can you give him some?”
When making inquiries about Mitchell, reference A1055686. For more information on adopting from the New York City Animal Care and Control, click here. A Facebook page for Mitchell can be found here. To adopt from the General Adoption List, click here. To adopt from the At Risk List, click here. Please share Mitchell’s story with friends, family and social media contacts. Sharing saves lives, and every life counts.
Alan Cummings gay New York Restaurateur FLORENT
Showtime is working on a comedy project named “Florent,” which would star everyone’s favorite openly bisexual actor Alan Cumming as a New York City restaurateur Florent Morellet. Cumming’s passion project, “Florent” will reportedly be directed by CBS drama series “The Good Wife’s” Rosemary Rodriguez.
The half-hour show “Florent” was shopped to Sundance Channel earlier this summer. According to Deadline, the show is being written by “Nine to Five’s” Patricia Resnick. The two executive producers, Jonathan Baruch and Howard Braunstein, will also work for the project. If “Florent” goes to series, the 50-year old Cumming would make a transition to it after the completion of “The Good Wife.”
The outlet reported that the show is inspired by the original story of Morellet who had opened a restaurant in a Meatpacking District in New York during early 1980s. “Florent” is aimed to explore the light and dark of that time and will gradually turn into a destination for everyone starting from New York’s literati, the neighborhood hookers and hustlers, AIDS activists, sex workers to New York city’s cops and local LGBT community.
read more at Movie News
New York Broadway and Ballet Benefit
BROADWAY AND BALLET’S BIGGEST NAMES UNITE TO FIGHT HIV/AIDS AT SECOND ANNUAL BROADWAY AND BALLET
HERO AWARDS
THE BEST OF BOTH WORLDS PERFORMING TOGETHER
The HIV Experience Resources Organization (HERO) has announced that on October 26th 2015 at 8pm it will present, in partnership with Broadway Cares, Equity Fights AIDS, and in association with Stage48, the second annual “BROADWAY AND BALLET, HERO AWARDS,” at Stage 48, 605 West 48th Street in Manhattan. The event will benefit HERO, a 501(c)(3) charitable organization that helps newly diagnosed and people living with HIV/AIDS. www.hivhero.org
The 2015 Honorees are: MELBA MOORE, receiving the Broadway HERO Award; GAREN PRICE SCRIBNER (An American in Paris) receiving the John Adams HERO Award and GAY MEN’S HEALTH CRISIS receiving the HERO Partner Award.
HERO awards are given to those organizations and individuals who have gone above and beyond to help the HIV/AIDS community. The event will screen short tribute videos highlighting the accomplishments of the honorees and organizations, and feature many stellar performances by Broadway and the ballet world’s finest. LBGT advocate, communication consultant, and NGLCCNY Director Jonathan D. Lovitz will emcee. The TONY Award winner and GRAMMY nominated Melba Moore will be giving a performance of her new single “JUST DANCE,” choreographed by Nathan Madden. Attila Joey Csiki and Tobin Del Cuore will perform a duet by Lar Lubovitch called “Concerto 622,” a legendary piece of choreography that was created during the AIDS epidemic.
The event features 14 original performances from top dance companies and Broadway shows: Olympic gold medalist Ioannis Melissanidis, Michael Leon Wooley (Little Shop of Horrors, American Buffalo, Walt Disney’s The Princess and the Frog), Stephen Hanna (On The Town, Billy Elliot), Michael Cusumano (All Shook Up, Chicago, American in Paris), Attila Joey Csiki (An American in Paris), Tobin Del Cuore (Lar Lubovitch Dance Company), Josh Green (Wicked), Daniel Robinson (Hairspray), Patrick Boyd (Grease, The Wizard of Oz, Gypsy, Touch: A Love Story), Cristy Candler (Wicked, Chicago, Rock of Ages), top 20 recording artist Kelly King, Sean Michael Murray (American Idiot), Sean Stewart (American Ballet Theatre), Alina Fay (American Ballet Theatre alumni), Jose Sabastian (ABT), founders and dancers of “Ten Hairy Legs” Dance Company – Tyner Dumortier & Alex Biegelson, Luis Villabon (A Chorus Line), Nathan Madden (An American In Paris, Chicago),directed by Mark Robinson.
Tickets are $25 for general admission and $100 for limited premium seating and are available at the Stage 48 Box Office. For advance tickets and/or to learn more about HERO, visit www.hivhero.org and/or http://www.heronews.org.
HIV Experience Resources Organization (HERO) is a non-profit 501(3)(c) organization founded in 2009 by Michael Cavnaugh, former vice president of Event Presentation at Madison Square Garden. HERO helps people find the most pressing, up-to-date information available critical to their heath. HERO’s websites, HIVhero.org and HEROnews.org, provide local, national and international resources and interactive tools which provide assistance in: finding doctors; getting medication; mental health counseling; housing; financial assistance; medical insurance; and much more. It also serves as a portal site providing free content and video production, promoting the services, activities and fundraising efforts of many community/partner organizations. HERO chooses and features a video interview of a Broadway HERO of the Month on its website. Many of the performers at this year’s Broadway and Ballet HERO Awards are Broadway HEROes for www.hivhero.org.
Gay Men’s Health Crisis (GMHC) is the nation’s leading provider of HIV and AIDS care, prevention services and advocacy, serving nearly 9,000 people living with and affected by HIV and AIDS in New York City, the epidemic’s largest U.S. epicenter. As the world’s first HIV and AIDS service organization GMHC is an expert in providing services that every person affected by the epidemic deserves. GMHC is on the front lines caring for people who are both HIV negative and positive, including: testing, nutrition, legal, mental health and education services. GMHC also advocates for stronger public policies at the local, state and federal level with the goal ofending AIDS as an epidemic in New York State by 2020. Most recently, GMHC and other HIV and AIDS organizations successfully persuaded the federal government to recommend widespread use ofPrEP, a new daily treatment that is over 90% effective in preventing HIV infection. For more information, visit www.gmhc.org.
Gay Palm Springs Getaway
Just in time to book a warm winter getaway, JetBlue Airways has announced it will begin a seasonal flight schedule to include the return of a nonstop flight from JFK to PSP starting January 14, 2016.
The new flight will operate five times a week, Thursday through Monday until May 1, 2016. Seats are on sale today with introductory fares of $99 one way. This is the ninth destination in California for JetBlue.
“The City of Palm Springs continues to experience a tremendous renaissance and we are delighted to welcome JetBlue to Palm Springs International Airport,” said Mayor Steve Pougnet. “Their arrival is just more proof that Palm Springs is the premiere resort destination in Southern California and beyond.”
This sun drenched desert oasis vacation destination is returning to its glory days as a Hollywood playground, a central gathering spot for modern architectural design aficionados, musicians and artists drawn by nature’s inspiration, and an increasing crowd of cool-seekers.
It could be the surge of super hip (and becoming super large) events like the Palm Springs International Film Festival, Modernism Week, and Coachella and Stagecoach Music Festivals. Or the openings of incredibly unique museums such as the Architecture and Design Center in downtown Palm Springs, or nearby Sunnylands, with an public garden and walking paths inspired by Vincent Van Gogh’s paintings.
Perhaps it’s the parties… pool parties in the summer, cocktail parties by the pool in winter. Mai Tais at tiki bars. S’mores by firepits in the evening under the stars. Bachelorette parties abound. This is where people get away to.
Maybe it’s the Hollywood glitz and glamour. The Rat Pack lived, loved and played here…it doesn’t get any better than that. Stars such as Frank Sinatra, Bob Hope and Lucille Ball all built homes here (that you can now rent!), adding a touch of stardust. Wearing a favorite vintage outfit, shopping for midcentury modern treasures in Uptown Design District, dining alfresco in downtown bistros under the warm sun…now that’s a vacation.
But frantic and hurried it is not. The pace is relaxed, the colors are saturated by the warm desert light, and the living is easy. Nestled at the base of the majestic San Jacinto Mountains, the City of Palm Springs is the ancestral home of the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians. The streets, lined with palm trees, are perfect for exploring boutique shops, art galleries and museums while soaking up the warm sunshine.
WHERE TO STAY?
INNdulge, of course!
Our favorite place to stay in Palm Springs! Whether you want to socialize with friends or spend time with someone special – we love this place!
Book now for the winter and grab a $99 a night room special!
- 24 Poolside Rooms & Garden Suites
- Complimentary Continental Breakfast
- Large Heated 24-hr Pool
- Pool chiller during summer months
- In room DVD Players
- DVD Library
- 12 Man 24-hr Jacuzzi
- Wi-Fi Property Wide
- Full Kitchens in all Suites
- Microwaves
- King Sized Beds
- Refrigerators
- Coffee Makers
- Hair Dryers
- On Site Gym
Seth Sikes Sings Judy Garland
He has only performed his show Seth Sikes Sings Judy Garland four times but sold-out on each time at New York’s premiere nightclub!
And he is garnering draw-dropping reviews:
Chip Deffaa of Theater Scene said, “He has a very engaging presence on-stage. He looks like he belongs there on that stage, singing these songs with unbridled zest. He holds back nothing. And I hope he will do more singing. I enjoyed every minute of his act. It’s the best tribute to Garland I’ve ever seen. When he sings “You Made Me Love You”–and he sings it as well as anyone you are ever likely to hear sing it today–you can sense his love for Garland. Seth Sikes has made his return to performing in a very big way.”
Liz Smith said, “I went off to see him last week and couldn’t have been more charmed. He’s young and handsome and enthusiastic. He doesn’t look Judy-ish (he’s blonde, for one thing) and he doesn’t try to duplicate her sound. He tells his tales of being attracted by early MGM musicals, Judy, and later overwhelmed by the lady alone onstage, at Carnegie Hall. Sikes has boundless energy and a true, strong voice, with just the right amount of throb and drive and melancholy, depending on the number. But not too much. He never, ever veers into caricature. He wrote a good deal of the beautifully melded patter and links between the songs. The place was packed….”
Rex Reed of the NY Observer said, “Seth Sikes, a new kid on the block from Paris (Paris, Texas, that is) with a voice loud as a cymbal and brassy as Merman singing a duet with a trumpet belted out small gems and big treasures alike to a sold-out house screaming for more.”
Besides his incredible talent Seth has a unique story. After attending acting school he decided he didn’t have the talent to break through so he worked behind-the-scenes instead. In recent years he directed BUNKED! (Outstanding Musical at the NY Fringe Festival) and The 7th Annual Broadway Beauty Pageant. On Broadway he was the Assistant Director of The Nance and Off-Broadway’s Tribes, Pageant and Lincoln Center’s Sondheim: The Birthday Concert.
But the call to perform was too great and he put together a show which has enabled him to get back on-stage. Seth‘s next performance is on September 18th at 54 Below. GET TICKETS NOW!
Sneak Peak video HERE
New York City Gay Pride 2015
WANT TO FEEL GOOD TODAY! Watch This!
This is what GAY PRIDE is all about. Celebration and Family!
2015 was a record-breaking year for NYC Pride, with more than 2 million people attending 11 amazing events over 8 days. Check out some of our favorite moments in this video, produced by the amazing team at Boxing Rooster Productions, with music from NYC’s own Joe Gauthreaux.
Louis Falcone’s lawsuit against the NYPD
Gay Staten Island Man To Sue Four NYPD Officers Over Homophobic Beating/ Hate Crime in front of victim’s 66 year old mother.
- On June 19, 2015, 4 NYPD officers arrived at the Staten Island home of 31 year old Louis Falcone. Mr. Falcone and his brother got into a verbal disagreement and the police showed up about an hour later after Mr. Falcone’s brother had left and all had calmed down.
- 1 of the 4 police officers entered plaintiff’s home, dragged him outside and then all four police officers forced plaintiff to the ground and beat him.
- While the beating was taking place the police officers were calling him a “fag” and a “faggot”. Mr. Falcone is openly homosexual. The police officers stomped on plaintiff’s head and on his ankle causing him multiple fractures which required surgery. Mr. Falcone’s face was forced into the mud and he was unable to breathe. When Mr. Falcone was finally able to lift his head from the mud and spit out the mud that had gotten in his mouth one police officer said to the others that they needed to watch out because he was spitting up blood and that “all faggots have AIDS so I’m sure this one does too.” The vicious beating took place in front of the victim’s distraught 66 year old mother.
- The police officers also threatened to kill Mr. Falcone’s dog “Looch” who was crying at the sight of his owner being beaten.
- After the beating was over, Mr. Falcone was handcuffed on his front lawn. While in cuffs an ambulance came (Mr. Falcone does not know who called the ambulance) and the cuffs were removed. Mr. Falcone was treated in the emergency room and required two surgeries. Mr. Falcone was never arrested by these police officers for anything and he was never taken to the precinct for any reason whatsoever. The incident was caught on camera by a neighbor across the street.
- Press conference to discuss Louis Falcone’s
lawsuit against the NYPD will take place Tuesday August 4th, 2015. More details soon!
Bronx LGBTQ Gay Pride July 18th
Join us on Saturday, July 18th in Crotona Park for our 3rd annual Bronx LGBTQ Pride & Health Fair! Hostesses Appolonia Cruz, Lady Clover Honey, and Vivika Westwood are going to WERQ it out for our community in Crotona park!
Music by DJ Chauncey Dandridge and DJ TK, with entertainment by numerous local LGBTQ talent, including our headliner, Aaron Paul — who’s come all the way from London, England to support us!
Crotona Park at the amphitheatre (between Indian Lake and the picnic area).
Bea Arthur LGBT Residence
On Monday, July 20, 2015, there will be a groundbreaking ceremony for the Bea Arthur Residence, an 18-bed residence for homeless LGBT youth operated by the Ali Forney Center.
In 2012 the New York City Council and the Manhattan Borough President awarded $3,300,000 for the renovation of a long vacant building owned by the New York City Department of Housing and Preservation Development.
The building has now been turned over to the Ali Forney Center in partnership with Cooper Square Committee, and renovations are beginning this month. It is anticipated that the building will begin to provide housing by the end of 2016.
Bea Arthur gave one of her final public performances as a benefit for the Ali Forney Center in 2005. She was very upset to learn that hundreds of thousands of LGBT teens were rejected by their families, and driven to homelessness. She said that she would do anything in her power to help these teens. When she died in 2009 the Ali Forney Center learned that she had bequeathed $300,000 to us in her will. At that time, Carl Siciliano, the Executive Director of the Ali Forney Center, pledged that the first building they owned would be named in her memory.
The groundbreaking ceremony will be held at the building site, located at 222 East 13th Street at 1pm. In attendance will be the staff and clients of the Ali Forney Center, as well as invited politicians who have supported this project and the work of the AFC, including Brad Hoylman, Democratic Senator for the New York State Senate in Manhattan’s 27th district, New York City Council Members Richie Torres, Danny Drum, Carlos Menchaca and Rosie Mendez, a representative from Mayor DiBlasio’s office and Steve Herrick, Executive Director of Cooper Square.
Said Carl Siciliano, Founder and Executive Director of the Ali Forney Center:
“It meant the world to me that a star of the magnitude of Bea Arthur would do so much to help the Ali Forney Center in our work of housing homeless LGBT youths.” says Carl Siciliano, Executive Director of the Ali Forney Center. “I am very grateful that we will now be able to honor Bea and continue to keep her compassion alive through the establishment of the Bea Arthur Residence for Homeless LGBT Youth.”
In an article prior to her passing, Bea Arthur said this:
“I’m very, very involved in charities involving youth. These kids at the Ali Forney Center are literally dumped by their families because of the fact that they are lesbian, gay or transgender — this organization really is saving lives.”
Matthew Camp – Getting GO
How did I miss this?
I stumbled upon this cute little movie by accident this week – it’s a Sexy, innovative gay romance with Tanner Cohen & Matthew Camp!
“An affecting drama full of heart and humor, reminiscent of instant classics like Weekend.” — Edge Boston
This wonderfully innovative and exceptionally sexy drama has an infectious energy and a completely unique aesthetic as it tells a classic story of lust becoming love — and then some. Super cute Tanner Cohen (Were The World Mine) returns to the big screen as a college boy named Doc who drunkenly cruises a gay go-go boy named Go (super hot Matthew Camp – well known New York night life performer) with the pretense of making a documentary about him.
“As they grow closer, flirtation blurs the line between subject and filmmaker,” the film’s description reads, “until a steamy night together solidifies deeper feelings.”
Though his character “Go” was inspired directly by his dancing alter-ego, Matthew Camp says he’s actually pretty different from what most believe him to be behind closed doors — he’s quite reserved, completely monogamous, an artist, a perfumer, and nothing like what you’d assume a New York City bar star to be.
“What you see in Getting Go is a rough representation of me,” he says. “I mean, I do run around shirtless all the time, Go and I are both not afraid of a lot of things, and we danced in our underwear, so we’re both confident. But I wouldn’t have handled most of the situations in the same way Go did. I’m not as sexual as him… I don’t go on a lot of dates, I’m very reclusive, hanging out at my house. Go-go dancing was very much a job for me and after I’d perform, I’d leave right away rather than hang out at the club.”
Now 30, Camp reveals that he began go-go dancing when he moved to the city at 21 in order to pay his bills. “I’ve never felt I should be embarrassed by go-go dancing,” he says. “It’s not prostitution – which I’m not judgmental about – but I view dancing more as performance. I don’t like opening myself up to people, so with go-go dancing, people get to just see my body, they don’t see what’s going on in my head.”
See more at Queerty.
WOLFE movies on demand
WIGSTOCK Returns August 16
Wigstock’s Sea Tea Cruise Sets Sail on Sunday August 16th!
Ahoy! It’s been over 10 years since the last Wigstock festival was held. The famed NYC drag Labor Day bash attracted 30,000 revelers at it’s height and became the subject of the film Wigstock: The Movie in 1995. But after 20+ years of sequins, fake lashes and immaculate coiffures, organizers Lady Bunny and Scott Lifshutz needed a break. A long one! But the celebration of wigs hasn’t completely curled up and dyed.
On August 16th, the gang will take hi-jack Michael Fesco’s Sea Tea for a 4 hour cruise to recapture some of the wiggy magic from festivals past. Bunny will host, emcee and perform, along with many of the event’s most celebrated acts, including downtown legends Sister Dimension, Linda Simpson, HRH Princess Diandra, Flotilla Debarge, Sweetie, Sugga Pie Koko, David Ilku and Ffloyd. DJ Johnny Dynell of Jackie 60 fame will recreate the 90s club sound from when Wigstock was at it’s peak, along with DC’s Ed Bailey. So prepare to boogie to the sounds of CeCe Peniston, Ultra Nate, Crystal Waters, Barbara Tucker and all of the tunes that made going out such a non-stop blast during NYC’s golden club years. Think The Love Boat on acid with a killer new soundtrack of classic NYC house music.
To kick it off, Linda Simpson will present her 90s Drag Explosion photo exhibit complete with her hysterical commentary. It’s basically a retelling of every time Linda was sober enough to pull out a camera and snap it during her My Comrade days with pics of every queen from RuPaul to trans model Page.
Why revive a Wigstock-themed event now?
Says, Bunny: “Someone recently sent me an photo spread from the UK’s Guardian featuring Michael James O’Brien’s shots from Wigstock during the 90s, calling it “New York’s hair-raising 90s drag scene.” It made me nostalgic, just as people are nostalgic for clubs which don’t only play top 40 tunes and drag acts which focus more on talent than on contouring ability. Then I got wind of a new Wigstock party in South Africa in addition to other annual events in Tel Aviv, Sweden and Melbourne, Australia and had to ask myself “Why should everyone else have all the fun?” and “How much should I sue for?” Everyone is always telling me “Bring back Wigstock!” so this Sea Tea cruise will test the waters, literally, and relive the party on a smaller scale. This may lead to other full-scale Wigstock festivals in the future. I’ve performed on Michael Fesco’s Sea Tea in the past and this boat ride seems like the perfect way to reunite the crazy crew of very gifted performers. And to show that the Wigstock vibe is unsinkable! This cruise offers a unique opportunity to relive one of the Village’s maddest moments, since many considered Wigstock to be a hipper version of gay pride day for decades.
A lot of people complain about how the Manhattan scene has lost it, so we’re trying to recapture some of that zaniness by doing something about it. Revelers are encouraged to come in costume—and we’ll award $250 for the freakiest wig. I always marveled at wigs’ powers to bring out people’s crazier sides—whether they’re real women, body builders or even dogs. But enough about Linda! Nothing makes a “girl” feel more “fish” than gliding along the sparkling waters of the Hudson. But please, wear wedges or sensible heels! Rock The Boat isn’t just a song and this ride is definitely ill-suited to spikes!” No VIP nothing and no tired bottle service. Just a rollicking, wigged out bash!
The Hornblower boards at 6PM promptly, sails at 7:30PM and is back on the dock at 10PM. It departs from Pier 40 near Christopher Street. Tickets are $40 in advance and $50 at Pier 40 the day of. 21 and over. Admission includes a free dinner buffet, two decks with deejays Johnny Dynell and DC’s Ed Bailey spinning actual music and an hour and a half of entertainment in the typically wacky Wigstock style which ranges from singing live, lip-synching the house down, live singing, comedy, and of course one of those filthy Laugh-In skits that Bunny still milks in her own act!
Don’t miss the boat on this one—come and join us!
FOR TICKETS
Joey Contreras Love Wildly
The FEEL GOOD song of summer is HERE!
NYC-based, pop/broadway artist, Joey Contreras, announces his brand new music video for “Love Wildly,” featuring the vocals of Eric Krop.
Watch HERE.
The video was featured on The Advocate who called it “A day-in-the-life montage from a sexier Fame.” Additionally, Contreras just announced his appearance at the New York Musical Theatre Festival on Thursday, 7/16.
“Love Wildly” is featured on Contreras’ LP, Young Kind of Love, which showcases sounds of both pop and contemporary musical theatre. The album features notable artists such as Loren Allred (The Voice) and numerous Broadway talents. Contreras was hailed one of Playbill’s “Contemporary Musical Theatre Songwriters You Should Know.”
Stonewall Inn gets Landmark Status
The Stonewall Inn, the Greenwich Village bar where resistance to a police raid sparked the modern gay rights movement, was made a city landmark Tuesday, the first time a site has been named primarily because of its significance to the LGBT history.
“New York City’s greatness lies in its inclusivity and diversity,” Meenakshi Srinivasan, chairwoman of the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission, said before the unanimous vote. “The events at Stonewall were a turning point in the LGBT rights movement and in the history of our nation.”
Patrons fought back against a police raid on the Stonewall Inn on June 28, 1969, and the street protests that followed for several days are credited with galvanizing gay activism in New York and globally. The rebellion is commemorated with annual gay pride parades in hundreds of cities. (JUDY GARLAND had died June 22nd that same week. So the queens were in no mood that week!)
The two buildings that comprised the Stonewall Inn were originally built in the 1840s as stables, and in 1930 were merged at the first story and given a unified facade. Their combined ground floor commercial space originally housed a bakery, and in 1934 it was taken over by the Stonewall Inn Restaurant. The property reopened in 1967 as a gay club, retaining the name Stonewall Inn
To read The REAL History of the Stonewall Riots CLICK HERE
Suspect Sought in Gay Bashing
The suspect was captured on film violently beating a gay couple over the head with a chair inside the restaurant on 8th Avenue and 23rd Street after an altercation in which homophobic slurs were allegedly used.
The incident is being investigated as a possible hate crime.
Anyone with information in regards to this incident is asked to call the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers Hotline at 800-577-TIPS. The public can also submit their tips by logging onto the Crime Stoppers Website at WWW.NYPDCRIMESTOPPERS.COM or texting their tips to 274637(CRIMES) then enter TIP577.
See video footage of suspect HERE
Loisaida Festival and LES History Month
Continuing its commitment to showcase the Lower East Side’s independent and diverse spirit, Loisaida Inc. announced its lineup for the 2015 Loisaida Festival.
The programming includes: Chicano Batman, Calma Carmona, Herencia de Plena, and Papote Jimenez y su Orquesta.
Latin Soul, plena, salsa, psychedelic beats, from east L.A. to Puerto Rico, will all converge in one spot. Beloved actor, and Loisaida’s own, Luis Guzman will host the Festival, which takes place on Sunday May 24th, 2015 from 11:00AM to 5:00PM.
Speaking of the long-standing power of the Festival, Libertad Guerra of Loisaida, Inc. said, “The success of Loisaida Inc. and the Loisaida Festival year after year is a testament of what we can accomplish in our communities. We are moving with full force to reactivate awareness of Latino cultural vitality, heritage and contributions to the Lower East Side while maintaining our footprint in the Downtown area. This year’s programming really captures that irreverent, resilient, ethos that made Loisaida a creative hub for NYC’s Latino community.”
Leading up to the festival Loisaida, Inc. will host two days of activities at its new Center on 710 east 9th Street that will highlight the contributions of the LGBTQ Latin@ community on the Lower East Side. The Friday and Saturday expanded programming, a new element introduced last year, integrates the Festival with LES History Month during the month of May. The programs, Performing Queer Latin@ Loisaida: A Cabaret and Reconstructing Queer Latin@ Loisaida in Cinema, Literature, and Art, will celebrate the often-overlooked cultural contributions of LGTB Queer Latino Loisaida.
On Sunday May 24th, these elements merge into the Festival, where a host of culinary, cultural, artistic and musical experiences will come together under the theme of one neighborhood…an entire community. A Carnival Procession, rare these days in the downtown area, will open the event. Parallel to the main stage programming, the festival also includes a Theater Lab initiative, where diverse Latino, Spanish or bilingual theater companies will present original site-specific pieces.
The revamped Loisaida Festival will capture the meaning the event held in its early days back in the 80s. What may have started as an impromptu community gathering for neighborhood children unable to leave the city during Memorial Day weekend soon became an event to share and celebrate community, Puerto Rican and Latino culture, as well as the social and cultural differences that make Loisaida such a vibrant neighborhood.
Today, with the over 15,000 attendants from all walks of life and ages that congregate at the festival each year, #LoisaidaFest2015 is the landmark event for Latino historical and contemporary contributions to the downtown area, bridging cultural and generational divides.
Schedule of Events and Details:
Friday, May 22, 2015 (8:00PM-10:00PM) – In Performing Queer Latin@ Loisaida: A Cabaret some of New York City’s most legendary Queen Latin@ performance artists pay tribute to Loisaida’s long-standing tradition of LGBTQ Latin@ artistic expression, experimentation, and activism with a one night performance.
Saturday, May 23, 2015 (1:00PM – 5:30PM) – Reconstructing Queer Latin@ Loisaida in Cinema, Literature, and Art: An event to celebrate the often overlooked contribution of Queer Latin@ artists and activists to the Lower East Side’s rich cultural fabric.
Sunday, May 24, 2015 (11:00AM – 5:00PM) – Loisaida Inc. will celebrate the 28th Annual Loisaida Festival, which includes an opening Carnival Procession, Main Stage performances, and a Theater Lab at La Plaza Cultural. Hosted by actor Luis Guzman.
