potn by Jan Carroll

'buttercup buds'

bloglog

Love this latest entry from Jan. Mysterious cosmic order, and a floaty quality (my favorite thing) especially on a morning when my mind is pathetically forensic.

later)

no luck with even remote focus, so spent the morning hatchetting away at my freezer iceover. I have the remaining fridge in Philly that takes defrosting. Course I love wielding the ax, and I was accompanied by Tchaikovsky on the radio, so I was imagining digging a potato out in Petrograd.

potd by Jan Carroll

'Whitey wish'

bloggerdriller

The decision by the California Supreme Court to uphold Prop 8 and the uphold the validity of the 18,000 gay couples who were married before its passage, isn't as schitzoid as it seems on the surface.

Chief Justice Ronald M. George wrote the opinion of the for a 6-to-1 majority, states that same-sex couples still had a right to civil unions, to “choose one’s life partner and enter with that person into a committed, officially recognized and protected family relationship that enjoys all of the constitutionally based incidents of marriage.”

George reinterates that that Proposition 8 did not “entirely repeal or abrogate” the right to such a protected relationship. It “carves out a narrow and limited exception to these state constitutional rights, reserving the official designation of the term ‘marriage’ for the union of opposite-sex couples as a matter of state constitutional law.”

That parameter points to what is essentially wrong about an 'civil-union' appropriation for gay couples. Separate is never equal. It's possible that from the longterm goal of marriage equality rights, this technical loss will be turned into a decisive constitutional victory.

LOTD

"Just like the old days gay America is on its way to see the Supremes." overheard at the modest anti-prop 8 rally at City Hall last night.

booksbooksbooks

I happened to be reading this passage from gay historian Martin Duberman's new memoir 'Waiting to Land' when I heard that the Cal. Supremes upheld Prop 8 today. Martin's entry revisits July 1, 1986, the day the US the Supreme Court decided Bowers v. Hardwick which gave states the right to police pivate relations between consenting gay adults. It was also a time when the Justice Department ruled that employers could fire people with AIDS.

"The best (and possibly only) comfort available at the moment is the 'long view'-battles are inevitably lost along the route to progressive change. Still, it's a rough moment."

Keep the faith, babe.

Gay America responds

potd by Jan Carroll

A jitterbug wrapped in a lindy around a jive

Dive
Stomps
Scissor
over
my neck
flip fall
Arrest
Grind
Hold my eyes in your
Stare
Break out cyclone drug
drag
a gassed boil
Rolled down to a sweat drop
Bounce on the piston
To swing out
Basie’s One o’clock jump
On the downbeat
A riptide
floor slide
Between my legs
And back
The cramp recovers in the
Vaults
Flying Charleston
black bottoms
Rump rounds
pagopago
meringue
Tango dips
Tightass foxtrots and
There was one floras
Our heads rested
On each others necks
Our bodies jack-hammered
Over the dance hall
We signed the floor
Louie & Myra ‘43
A jitterbug
Wrappedinalindyaaaa
round a jive.

Politictictic

The Advocate is reporting that Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is "pleased to announce that the Department of State will be extending a number of benefits and allowances to domestic partners of members of the Foreign Service assigned abroad." Clinton says in her statement that it is "the right thing to do."

Stage

Philadelphia’s Walnut Street Theater is 200 this year and has seen its share of slimey producers, but no hype needed for their current production of Mel Brooks’ The Producers. It is a bubbling over gay soufflé.

Mel Brooks dishes out the burlesque and schmaltz, but this show has a glittering camp of its own. Max and Leo’s bromance is sweet, but we are blinded by Adolf’s lame jumpsuit in ’Springtime for Hitler’.

Ben Lipitz, veteran of the Walnut stage, stars as portly gigolo producer Max Bialystock and Ben Dibble is the little blue-blanket clutching accountant Leo Bloom. The supporting cast includes Jeffrey Coon as Franz the neo-Nazi playwright and Amy Bodnar as ripe Swedish bombshell Ulla.

Jeremy Webb and Robert McClure (star of the last year's national touring co of ’Avenue Q’) play the gayer than gay couple Roger DeBris and Carmen Ghia.

In an interview during previews, Dibble said that the show is licensed with all of the Broadway minted Brooks-Susan Stroman comedy bits, but the Walnut team wanted to go in other directions. He credits Marc Robin, the show’s director - choreographer for keeping this Producers fresh.

"Marc came in with everything blocked, including the choreography, in a week, which is amazing for a show this size. After that, we got to play a lot. He wanted to make this a pretty bawdy production and pushing the line. We were shocked some of what we were rehearsing stayed in."

Ben is a triple threat in this show and vocal prowess can handle what most Leos can't. He is also co-starring with another fine singer Jeffrey Coon, who plays Franz. The pair just finished a successful revival of ‘A Year of Frog and Toad’ at the Arden. He said “Doing ‘Frog’ before this was great because it is the most exhausting show I’ve ever done…and this was easy by comparison because I was already in good physical condition jumping around the stage as Toad.”

The actor and his wife Amy have three children under four years old (who they dub The Diblettes). “My daughter Lila would have come every day if we’d let her. My son Jonah, who is two, made it a few times, until he got bored and started screaming for daddy. At home, we all sing the songs together now.” Dibble said.

Dibble loves ending up in more than one homogag during such numbers as ’Keep it Gay. "Mel is both an equal opportunity offender, but gets to it from a position of love. Carmen and Roger are so funny that you know that he loves those characters. He doesn’t mock them with distain. And it’s not at all homophobic."

McClure is completely unhinged as Carmen. How do Max and Leo withstand Carmen’s infamous hiss? "Every time it’s a struggle for us not to break." Dibble describes.

LOTD

David Letterman deadpanning about Dick Cheney's speech this week.

"Cheney was interupted five time by applause and 50 times by people yelling stop I'll tell you everything."

more than just passing through

Rodger McFarlane committed suicide this week as an alternative to further debilitation from heart and back ailments. He had broken his back in 2002. His brother made public a suicide note in which Rodger explained his reasons for ending his life.

Rodger was a fearless AIDS and gay civil rights advocate who started the first AIDS crisis hotline in 1981 when the disease was called GRID (Gay related immune deficiency). McFarlane subsequently was director of Gay Men's Health Crisis, Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS and Bailey House, which provides housing for homeless people with AIDS.

Larry Kramer, founder of GMHC, told the NYTs this week, "Mr. McFarlane walked in one day and asked to do volunteer work. He started a hot line on his home phone, which grew into the G.M.H.C. hot line, which became the lifeblood of information for the organization, G.M.H.C. is essentially what he started: crisis counseling, legal aid, volunteers, the buddy system, social workers.”

potd by Jan Carroll

'The unwished'



The Silent Era

Dead reeds
rustle at last
bent in
exact lines
arc and snap back
collidiing weatherbands
untractable and unnamed
conserve the integrity
of the winds
herald untimed
movement in the trees
unstudied, loveless

There may be an oasis
or a trap or drapery
for bug continents
scared bioscapes
writhing and sacrificial

the gold and mud
of the reeds is still
a dream
It flashes with other
early memory
That boy is marked out
on an endless field
Its silence rips down
with sordid and violent
images unconscious then, not now
a primal document
then, as now, a lewd
imprisonment
just now, the
quieted delusion
For always,
peace is disturbed.

potn by Jan Carroll

'But of course'

potd by Jan Carroll

'violet and'

dancemetros

Jorma Elo's Le Sacre du Printemps on The Boston Ballet. Elo choreographed Scenes View 2 for Philly's Ballet X two years ago. The work's neo-ballet architecture was fitted to BX's aesthetic. Matt Neenan, co-director of BX, is a BostBal alum.

wordswordswords

DOWD, Maureen. Brilliant New York Times commentator and namecaller (Rummy, The Boy King,etc.). Egghead journalist who eventually squandered her journalistic talent on political shtick. Was reduced to lying about blogger plagiarism. See- Talking Points Memo's Josh Marshall.

Dowd purloined a graph about Bush White House memos, but when exposed, claimed that she had heard the sentence from a friend. The passage is verbatim save for one phrase.

Josh clarified. "All Dowd did was change "we were" to "the Bush crowd was". Now, I'm all for cutting & pasting. As a blogger I do it all the time, but I always give credit."

Keep the journalistic faith babe.

Maureen, Un-ibidded or unattributed, it comes to the same thing. see- adj. Dowdy,Dowdier,Dowdiest

media politic

Gay news sideshows

At the Equality Forum rally in front of Independence Hall last weekend gay civil rights pioneer Frank Kameney stood on the platform looking out over hundreds of people out in the rain to stand for GLBT rights. Kameney stood on the exact spot that he stood 45 years earlier one of about a dozen, looking like young Republicans in dull suits, marching for ‘homosexual rights.’

Great story right. But not quite worthy of any attention from mainstream media.

The ‘gay angle’ story continued to be the Miss America contest where Carrie Prejean, now deposed Miss California got to espouse her beliefs there should be no same-sex marriage, but assures she supports ‘opposite’ marriage because that’s how she was raised. The story had legs.

As much fun as it was to read that Miss Malabu was assuming the crown as Miss California and she has been ‘thoroughly vetted’ so no nude photos are about to tumble out, it just adds insult to injury.

It trumped stories about Maine was the 5th state to pass a same-sex marriage bill, the story didn’t get as much play because Prejean was exposed for posing for nude photos when she was 17, so she was stripped of her crown.

And then of course there was Joe, The Plummer having gay friends but not wanting them to be around his kids. The fake plummer’s opinions, of course, are so much more newsworthy than say gay parents who are trying to adopt or the millions of gay relatives who provide their love, support and resources to their immediate and extended families.

Also missing from the mainstream broadcasts was the firing of U.S. Army first lieutenant Dan Choi, Iraq war veteran, Arab linguist and the front man of Knights Out, a group of out West Point graduates, committed to fighting his dismissal from his reserve unit for coming out.

Choi’s mere announcement resulted in being fired for ‘dereliction’ by the Army for harming ‘the good order and discipline’ of the New York Army National Guard. The reality check is that nothing could be further from the truth.

“That’s a big insult to my unit.“ Lieutenant Choi told MSNBC gay anchor Rachel Maddox, “So many people came up to me and said…hey sir, we know and we don’t care. What we care about is that you can contribute to the team.“

The real disruption happens to be this destructive policy that actually props up institutionized discrimination and homophobia where it doesn’t exist.

Choi‘s could resign with an honorable discharge, but he plans to fight the dismissal “ tooth and nail.” His words- “Don’t lie, don’t hide, don’t discriminate and don’t weaken the military.”

President Obama has indicated that he will move carefully to repeal DADT, but cases like Choi’s point to ‘a fierce urgency of now.’ It is time for him as Commander in Chief to publicly come out and lead this fight, without equivocation or apology.

The most glaring disappointment is the nullification of the gross hypocrisies that exist in the military under DADT. Most people probably missed the penetrating Washington Post article last week calling on President Obama to start being the ‘fierce advocate’ for gay civil rights that he had promised.

Sunday, on ABC’s ‘This Week’ General James Jones spoke about dismantling DADT, telling George Stephanopoulos “it’s a complicated issue.” Stephanopoulos asked Jones if it will be overturned and the general said flatly “I don’t know.”

This exchange wasn’t worthy of the more pressing issue on all news outlets of the fate of Carrie Prejean. Tuesday, the teasers and lede story in all national markets was whether, nude photos or not, by the power of Donald Trump, will retain her title. She is allowed to stay in. Thank god she wasn’t fired like Lt. Choi, who would be so glad to fight for her freedom to reign, if he were allowed to serve as a clothed gay soldier.

dancemetros

For anyone who would think that master choreographer Spain's master choreographer Nacho Duato's 2nd company La Compañía Nacional de Danza 2 is in the shadow of his principal company, they would be mistaken. The troupe of 14, all under 25, could be considered apprendices just in name only. As co-artistic director, Tony Fabre said during their performances this week “People don’t really see this as a junior company, because of the level of dance.”

A current month long tour is winding down in Philly. They showed no tour fatigue with this stellar all-Duato program- dancing in the moment. A smaller crowd at yesterday's matinee performance at the Annenberg, filled up the hall with livid applause for the sheer power and beauty of La CNdD2.

‘Duende‘ set to music by Debussy, ’Without Words’ scored to a Schubert song cycle and the mesmerizing ’Gnawa’ first premiered on the Annenberg stage by Hubbard Dance Street Chicago in 2006.

‘Gnawa’s’ Moroccan polyrhythm and African songs provide the sound field for Duato’s motifs rooted in regional rituals. Duato's communals deeply rooted in eternal pan Medeterrian dance. The central pas de deux spins into transcendent intimacy past any sexual scenario.

Fabre says that Duato “is incredibly busy with the first company, but he rehearses with us as much as he can. This work has so much of that energy. The young dancers are from all over the world and are really tuned in to this work.”

Cough (1947)

cough (1947)

What I was doing up
up doing what
I do not now know.
Sean was coughing, I
seem to remember
oh yes, hacking away actually.
He'd been attacked by a boozy
friend owing to his
rabid laughing and coughing
Anyway he re-cracked a rib
(he also complained about vibrations
in the kidney region).

I moved to the couch.

It was still raining
residuals
from the downpour last night
outside the theater, more
dramatic than the Brecht inside
Here, now, it is just dreary (Bertold
wins after all)
I could hear it
Splash down on all of the city surfaces
For about 20 minutes I listened to
water falling
without being drowned out by autos.
A rare and remarkable occurance.

drowned out coughing would be too disquieting

5:45, dawn.
Dawn in the city is an event
because it rarely occurs
It is most only rumored to occur
In any case, no one discusses it
within the city limits
outside of French cinema.

Well, oh yes, if I am up
For dawn I must do the sun salutation
Dawn making the body more powerful,
said the Omaymsyrayswatyahnumuha.

I hear,
Sean's cracked rib reverbarate.

Om, that rain is so poetic
Hari, even the grayness in this
cracked apartment is luminous
Shiva, put your foot down on purity
Krishna, morning erections are transcendant
In concert with these coughs.

potn by Jan Carroll

'frilly'

dancemetros

The draw for PAB’s 2nd modern program this year 'Five Tangos’ because who doesn’t like the tango, but as it turns out the couples in Matt Neenan’s premiere ‘Keep’ have more fire and smolder. The music is Borodin and Rimsky Korsokov, supplely played by live chamber orchestra.

Music is the coherent thread of drama and passione in the ballet's fragmented choreographic lines. Abstractions puntuate, yet Neenan continues to hone choreographic shorthand with skill and invention.

Neenan peeks into intimate scenes, emotions and the abstract signatures for five couples. Duets flare, are framed with odd body angles, odd looks and unexpected configurations. The dancers respond with thrilling performances.

The choreographic palate is given unexpected elegance by Martha Chamberlain’s costumes of fuchsia, blood and burnish yellow twirly dresses on the women and buff burgundy & brown vests on the men. Mysterious and airy ‘Keep‘ just blooms on these dancers.

potd by Jan Carroll

'wet wish'

Executive Orders

U.S. Army first lieutenant Dan Choi, Iraq war veteran, Arab linguist and the front man of Knights Out, a group of out West Point graduates, is committed to fighting his dismissal from his reserve unit for coming out.

His mere announcement resulted in being fired for ‘dereliction’ by the Army for harming ‘the good order and discipline’ of the New York Army National Guard. The reality check is that nothing could be further from the truth.

“That’s a big insult to my unit.“ Lieutenant Choi told Rachel Maddox, “so many people came up to me and said…hey sir, we know and we don’t care. What we care about is that you can contribute to the team.“ The real disruption is this destructive policy that actually props up institutionized discrimination and homophobia where it doesn’t exist.

Choi‘s could resign with an honorable discharge, but he plans to fight the dismissal “ tooth and nail.” His words- “Don’t lie, don’t hide, don’t discriminate and don’t weaken the military.”

President Obama has indicated that he will move carefully to repeal DADT, but cases like Choi’s point to ‘a fierce urgency of now.’ It is time for him as Commander in Chief to publicly come out and lead this fight, without equivocation or apology.

Queens & queens

At the Equality Forum rally in front of Independence Hall last week gay civil rights pioneer Frank Kameney stood on on the exact spot that he stood 45 years earlier one of about a dozen, looking like young Republicans in dull suits, marching for ‘homosexual rights.’

Great story right. But not worthy of any attention from mainstream media. The ‘gay angle’ story on CNN and other outlets continued to be the Miss America incident of (stripped!) Miss California Carrie Prejean belief there should be no same-sex marriage but wholly supports ‘opposite’ marriage because that’s how she was raised. Good for her. So articulate she was in her position. For career advancement, because her crown looks so gaudy in the mall parking lots, Prejean became the instant right wing antigay spokeswoman to ‘protect’ straight marriage.

This week when Maine was the 5th state to pass a same-sex marriage bill, the story was scuttled, because Prejean was exposed for posing for nude photos when she was 17, so she was stripped of her crown. At presstime Miss Malibu was assuming the crown as Miss California and she has been ‘thoroughly vetted.’ Dear CNN, Vet this.

potd by Jan Carroll

'moss again'

Bloggerslacker

So distracted in opera world I almost missed the Equality Forum rally in front of Independence Hall yesterday. The steady rain didn't overshadow those inner rainbows that brought a spectral of diversity within the GLBT&Allies crowd on the Mall.

Primary among them, one of the fathers of the gay movement Frank Kameney who carried signs for 'homosexual rights' on the very same spot in the 60s. A few years ago I asked Frank if he was bothered by the apathy of gay Americans who thought all the gay rights battles were over. He said, graciously, he was not. On this day, there was plenty of activism, from gay boomers to kids from HS Gay-Straight alliances.

And those carrying the RepentAmerica ominous signs of Biblical wrath to rein terror on sodomites (love that lexicon, so dramaqueeny)? A little layout work would help, meanwhile, feast on those selected passages.

Gianni Schicchi/L’Enfant

As much fun as comic opera can be, the laughs don’t always prevent productions from snoring along. Opera Company of Philadelphia director Robert Driver doesn’t have that worry with his two fleet single- act operas on the same program - Puccini’s Gianni Schicchi and Ravel’s ‘L ‘Enfant et Les Sortileges’ - inspired programming in the case by the lusty applause. Doubly fun with the appearance by AVA trained tenor Stephen Costello, fresh from 2009 Richard Tucker Award.

Driver turned Ravel into a high concept romp with interactive computer animation design by Lorenzo Curone, decorated by inventive choreography by Amanda Miller (co-director of Miro Ballet). Richard St. Clair’s vibrant costume design, as usual, is inspired. Yet, these elements do not overwhelm the star of this show- Ravel! annotated with sumptuous clarity by OCP orchestra & Corrado Rovaris.

Laren McNeese, a soprano with a wicked kick, plays ’L’enfant’ the boy who won’t listen to his mother and breaks up everything in his tuturial room. His tantrums provoke the armchair basso Jeremy Milner to trap him and Teapot David Portillo to box with him with his hangers. Jamie - Rose Guarrine is the lead flame (and her male flamettes) who steps out of the fireplace and menace him.

An inspired frog ballet is at the center, with Miller’s dancers taking over from the film projections. Miller often uses film elements with her company Miro Ballet and is equally integrating here.

Marion Pop, last year’s Cyrano, subverted his baritone as the surreal grandfather clock gone completely amok. He spazes out to his own time, later Pop is a sexed cat burgler who doesn’t change his prowl and growl. In his sailor pants, midnight shirt and beret, he was a Genet dream.

bloglog

speaking of subterreania, I'm back. I was just in the other room and couldn't get out for a few days.

potn by Jan Carroll

'underbark'