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Ask the AfterElton Flying Monkey! (June 10, 2008)Q: I just saw Spring Awakening. I thought everyone involved was so talented, and the small gay storyline was sweet. The Monkey recently listed his favorite gay movies, so I was wondering if you had a list of favorite gay plays. I do not mean plays with just gay sensibilities (like Hairspray), but shows with actual gay storylines or important gay characters. Much like Hollywood, it is surprising there are so many gays working behind the scenes and yet so few gay-inclusive works. – Joey, Portland, OR A: Great question! I confess I haven’t seen every gay play on stage (and as Jeffrey proves, movie adaptations aren’t the same thing!), but I’ve seen quite a few. (For the record, I liked Spring Awakening’s music and energy, but I didn’t know what to make of its clunky, clichéd plot (based on ancient source material). Ironic? Sure didn’t seem like it. I confess the rapturous reviews didn’t resonate with me at all.) Anyway, I’m ranking the plays I’ve seen into three categories. They are: Gay plays I loved – deliriously, passionately, enduringly!
Angels in America Angels in America: A Gay Fantasia on National Themes * Major characters are gay, but closeted Gay plays I Thought Were Seriously Overrated
Spring Awakening Everything I’ve ever seen by Terrence McNally (including Love! Valor! Compassion!) Gay Plays I Didn’t Like Much at All
March of the Falsettos Discuss! Have a question about gay male entertainment? Ask the Monkey!
Submitted by on Mon, 2008-06-09 20:57. |
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Thore and Jo's reaction.
Thank you Brent!
I was wondering how you got to hear from Jo Weil knowing about his 29th place on the hot 100 list! That's cool, he reads AE (or knows about it) and wrote to you! And Thore has reacted too! That's really awesome! Bravo!
Hallo Thore und Jo - wenn ihr dies liest, seid gegrüsst von einem Fan aus Brüssel! *grin*
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R.I.P. - Heath Ledger [1979 - 2008]
Jo and Thore...
Thore's comment is so cute!
I love how he says it's "nearly incredible."
Both these guys just exude charm at every turn. I hope AE is working on an interview (please, please, please).
Yes, an interview, please!!!
And I think I just fell in love with both of them just a little bit more!
Check out my blog: http://radicalsexy.blogspot.com/
Writer interview
Tricky interview
I agree! That really would be interesting.
I too, would love an interview with Jo and/or Thore though. But I think it's going to be tricky to have just Thore for instance, as his English does not seem advanced enough. Jo on the other hand (from what I read here) is apparently more at ease, not only in English, but generally. I think that was obvious in the interviews or tiny (Christmas) clips we've seen.
But the bestest.. would be writers and both actors, but I guess that's too much of a good thing to hope for. Still, I'm sure something should be possible! I mean, now that we know that Thore and Jo know about AE and that they know how to contact AE!
I wonder though, how much the writers actually welcome so much hype around their characters. It sure puts more pressure on them too, or do they ignore the fact that this Ollian-phenomena is taking place?
I think it's just awesome and I'm dying to know what all conerned have to say about it. Jo and Thore seem to be proud (and they have every right to be!), but I'm sure for Thore at least, it must be weird to have so much attention suddenly, as he is fairly new to the acting-business. I hope he'll be able to cope with it and doesn't lift off the ground and gets all bizarre.. if you know what I mean.
Guys, keep your feet on the ground! We love you, but do not get bigheaded, 'kay? :o)
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R.I.P. - Heath Ledger [1979 - 2008]
I think that's why writers
I think that's why writers (not just VL, but also any show, HO, ATWT, etc) would be more interesting to me.
As for hype, from everything I have heard the VL writers aren't the kind to be swayed much by audience reactions (particularly not of the fickle internet kind) in either the or the bad way too much. I also believe that within Germany the hype around Tom and Ulli was much larger than anything Ollian related has been so far and that they also got certain amounts of international attention for their lesbian couples and the enthusiasm of the fans was definitely comparable.
So while I'm sure it is nice to know that a story is loved, but I do not get the impression that it would be this out of the ordinary for them. Particularly since internet attention does not affect their ratings and therefore doesn't really gain them all that much.
Still, it would be very interesting to read their thoughts, how they are writing the story, what they think the reaction from their (non-internet) audience is, whether the way such stories are received have changed compared to the times of Tom and Ulli, whether being on a public channel allows them to always have at least on LGTB storyline, whether they think that there are still actors in Germany who don't really like playing gay characters, whether they watch any of the other soaps with gay storylines, whether there are any things they would never write for a gay character, whether they have ever included any real life experiences into a storyline etc.
I don't think that language should be that much of a problem though. They could always have somebody do the interview in German and then translate it back. And again, this is not just about VL, hearing from the writers of a show is always interesting.
How great is it that Jo and
How great is it that Jo and Thore both responded to being in the top 100 of hottness. And how brilliant is it that they know about, and I suspect browse this site.
I've read that Jo's English is somewhat stronger than Thore, so bless his sweet little heart for responding in English. And that 'nearly incredible' quote of his is so damn cute!!
Jo's English
The Invention of Love
I would like to also include Tom Stoppard's The Invention of Love, a heartfelt play about A.E. Houseman. It was especially surprising for me since Stoppard is neither gay and is usually and decidedly not heartfelt.
But, Brent, I think Tom Wingfield is a bit of a stretch.
I thought he meant the Gentleman Caller!
I saw a production of GLASS
Great Gay Plays or Musicals
From the ones I have seen, I would also include among great plays or musicals with gay themes and/or characters:
Good choices
The Laramie Project
One more moment in gaycentric theater
"It's just one f**king thing after another!"
afhickman
"It takes a village (to make Village People)"
Love "The Invention of Love" and practically all things Stoppard, but my favorite gay play, bar none, is "The History Boys," by Alan Bennett. It also made a great film (the quote in my subject line is uttered by Russell Tovey). I recently saw a performance of a Harold Pinter play called "The Collection" that was also quite good. It reminded me of something I'd seen on TV, and when I looked it up I was reminded of an earlier production (1976) that starred Malcolm McDowell and Lawrence Olivier as the lovers, with Alan Bates and Helen Mirren in supporting roles. It was obviously rather ahead of its time! The production I saw starred Richard Coyle, Gina McKee, and Timothy West.Simon Gray's Butley
Don't forget 5th of July
The Full Monty
Gay Plays and Sexy Presidents
Check out my blog: http://radicalsexy.blogspot.com/
Franklin Pierce & other thoughts
Future epitaph: "It seemed like a good idea at the time."
I remember seeing a picture of Franklin Pierce in one of my kids books about the Presidents, and lingering over his picture. He had gorgeous curly dark hair and really beautiful features. Unfortunately his personal life was beset by tragedy, and he wasn't a very good President. (To cut him a little slack, the Civil War was looming, and probably very few Presidents could've finessed that situation.) I'm surprised that no one mentioned that, aside from his looks, James Buchanan is often rumored to have been gay, and had a relationship with a man in Washington D.C. (nicknamed "Miss Nancy").
"Fifth of July" was the first gay-themed play I ever saw, and I never quite recovered from the cable showing of it with a steamy kiss between Richard Thomas and a shirtless, sweaty Jeff Daniels. So I'm very fond of it. But I'm also fond of lots of the others mentioned, including "Naked Boys Singing"--hey, it's exactly what it says it is. (I was in the front row of that one with the adorable and very talented Tomm Orr singing "Perky Little Porn Star"--when he started doing gymnastics and flips, and his prodigious endowment started swinging, I thought, "Great, how'm I going to explain it at work if I get a black eye?")
My favorite gay-themed plays are "Him" "Is This Seat Taken" "The Isoceles Heart" "The Duboce Triangle" "Thus With A Kiss" "Darts and Flowers" "Pure"...oh wait a minute, I wrote or co-wrote all those. :) Who knew!
President Buck & Honestly Fugly Abe
Those are my choices?!
I am quite honestly...
...rolling on the floor laughing my a** off!!! Thank you!
Check out my blog: http://radicalsexy.blogspot.com/
My job here is done
That production of "The Collection"
Don't ge me started on that "Tea and Sympathy"
afhickman
"It takes a village (to make Village People)"
A movie that should have been a play, but wasn't, is "Sunday Bloody Sunday," which was also directed by Schleshinger. Maybe it could be rewritten as an opera, like "Brokeback"? By the way, we've forgotten to list "A Taste of Honey" as one of the breakthrough gay plays. And, while we're at it, we might as well include "Hair," which prominently featured a gay/bi character or two. Someone did mention Joe Orton, but forgot to specify "Entertaining Mr. Sloan."
To top it all off, I still find "The Ritz" funny!
Speaking of "The Ritz"
Boy, do you have a great job!
Dear Esteemed Monkey --
Thanks for the information from Cameron Graham of Paradise Falls and The Day Laborers. I'll have to catch up with DiGrassi now, too; Cameron must have been just a teenager when he did that!
I can totally see the resemblance with Martin Sheen, not only in looks, but in the stillness and naturalness of their acting and the depth that they bring to their characters.
BTW: How fun it must be for you, Monkey, to have had the opportunity to talk with all these wonderful actors through the years! My avatar is turning green with envy.
It is truly an honor
Other Gay Plays of Note
The Madness of Lady Bright by Lanford Wilson.
As Is by William M. Hoffman.
The Destiny of Me by Larry Kramer.
The West Street Gang by Doric Wilson.
Suddenly Last Summer by Tennessee Williams
and the collected works of Joe Orton
Stamos in Caberet
My Night With Reg?
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R.I.P. - Heath Ledger [1979 - 2008]
Just came back from London
where I've seen 'Avenue Q'. I think it's one of the best shows I've ever seen and ranks right after Wicked. It was so funny and so true. I also agree about the Glass Menagerie. For me too, Tom was a closeted gay from the beginning, especially as Williams said that he based the character of Tom on himself.
As for the interviews: Why not try to get an interview with out actor Dennis Grabosch who plays gay Roman Wild on AWZ? He's been living in London for years and speaks English fluently, so there shouldn't be a language problem at all.
Tennessee Williams (TW) IS Tom Wingfield (TW)
afhickman
"It takes a village (to make Village People)"
And, no, that doesn't stand for Torchwood. Although the Woodies probably would have appreciated Tennessee's taste for the macabre. Tennessee Williams was born Thomas Lanier Williams. He started life in Mississippi but moved to St. Louis with his family as a teen. Hence his nickname, Tennessee. [I'm joking!] His mother was a Southern belle and his sister was mentally ill (unlike Laura, who had pleurosis). Sound like anyone we know? The parallels are pretty hard to ignore.