The AfterElton.com 2007 Visibility Awards

The Best of the Rest

Actor of the Year

Cheyenne Jackson

This Broadway veteran with leading man looks is having a fantastic year. When James Carpinello, the original leading man in the Broadway musical Xanadu broke his leg, Jackson singlehandedly skated in and saved the day, garnering wonderful reviews as Sonny. Following up on his well-reviewed performance in United 93, Jackson is next set to star in the Lifetime show Family Practice. And he’s doing it all as an out gay man. While other actors have come out due to onset altercations and internet rumors, Jackson chose to be an out actor of his own volition and has proven himself to be a wonderful role model for the gay community.

Best Broadway Theatrical Production

Xanadu

While Xanadu isn’t gay in any obvious way, it was written by a gay man, features the out Cheyenne Jackson in the lead, and exhibits a sensibility more gay than all of Bravo’s programming combined. Did we mention it features disco balls, disco music, and roller skates and is all based on Olivia Newton John’s box office flop of the same name? Now that’s gay!

Honorable Mention:

The Ritz may not have received rave reviews from all quarters, but our own Michael Portantiere found this Terrence McNally revival hilarious.

Author of the Year

Armistead Maupin

Maupin’s Tales of the City is one of gay literature’s most beloved series of all time and after an eighteen-year gap, this year Maupin brought the tales back to life with Michael Tolliver Lives. While not technically a sequel to the original Tales, Maupin catches his fans up with the lives and loves of their favorite characters. Kudos to Maupin for reinventing his Tales without simply rehashing them.