BULLIES ARE SO LAST WEEK
Broadwayworld.com has the scoop on the New York Musical Theater Festival running from now until Oct. 2nd. Already getting raves are two new gay shows, Yank and Fairies. Yank! by Joseph and David Zellnik tells the story of 19 year old Stu, who enters the Army during WWII not understanding that he is gay. The show is getting rave reviews, but it is Doug Kreeger as Stu about whom critics are most excited.

Fairies is another gay themed show with a lot of buzz. It tells the story of a young man bullied in high school. Fairies originally surfaced as a short film musical by Tom Gustafson and is being given a staged reading at NYMF in hopes of boosting the musical's profile on its way to becoming a full-fledged movie. The reading has attracted a great deal of Broadway talent, including Peter Reardon (Urinetown), Mike Cannon (All Shook Up), and Judy McClane (Mama Mia). The only fly in the ointment thus far? Says Gustafson, "People on the 'liberal' coasts tend to have the opinion that we are ready to move on from stories about bullied gay kids." Yeah, that so never happens anymore.

SURE TO MAKE A CIRCUIT PARTY LOOK TAME IN COMPARISION
Or...maybe not. I'm talking about Out in the Heartland, The National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association's 15th annual convention being held today through Sunday in Chicago. But this isn't just any NLGJA convention. Organizers are set to induct the first members into the association's newly launched Hall of Fame. Among the initial inductees are the late Sarah Petit, co-founder and editor of Out magazine, as well as the late, irreplaceable Randy Shilts. Better inductees I can't imagine. I've finally come to terms with the fact that I was passed over for induction, but am shocked--just shocked!--that Jeff Gannon, gay escort AND gay journalist-extraordinaire was not selected for a special mention. Or at least a public tar-and-feathering.

FIRST IT WAS RENEE AND KENNY
Hollywood was still reeling from shock over the end of Renee Zelwegger's marriage to country western singer Kenny Chesney when news broke about the end of another power-couple's relationship: Roy and Silo, the New York Zoo's internationally famous gay penguins. Silo recently dumped Roy for Scrappy, a female penguin with whom he is now trying to reproduce. Roy has remained single--and presumably somewhat bitter--while hanging out with a group of other un-matched penguins. News of the break-up has spread far and wide, even all the way to Focus on the Family, which takes a certain amount of pleasure in touting the news of an ex-gay penguin. (No word if Silo was born again, as well). The gay community on the other hand, only wants Silo to be true to himself, whether that means being straight, gay, bisexual, lesbian, left-handed, or vegan. As long as he doesn't vote Republican anyway.

Fear not gay animal lovers, for gay penguins still canoodle happily in Japan and Germany, although controversy recently erupted when German zoo officials were accused of trying to make the gay penguins go 'straight' by bringing in a flock of single ladies. German officials said no harm was meant and offered upset zoo members copies of Madonna’s new album. Closer to home, Boston officials recently announced that Romeo and Juliet, a famous pair of swans in the city park, are really Juliet and Juliet. Hopefully, the city will leave the pair alone and avoid any tragic Shakespearean misunderstandings that lead to the use of sleeping potions, melodramatic suicides, and the wearing of pastel tights.

YOU CAN SAY YOU KNEW ME WHEN
No, I'm not talking about myself, although if the shoe fits... You can Say You Knew Me When is actually the title of the new novel by KM Soenliehn, the gay author of the bestselling, critically acclaimed The World of Normal Boys. Karl is currently out on the road promoting You Can Say, and I have the good fortune to be able to attend his reading this evening at Seattle's Third Place Books. Pop over to Karl's webpage and see when he's visiting your town.

That's it for this week! Check back next Friday for a new installment of Best. Gay. Week. Ever., or read previous installments here.

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