Stage Door Jonny, and Jonny's dear, sweet, bodacious editor Tracy, took a lot of heat after Jonny's last column two weeks ago. The folks at Bailiwick weren't happy with the way Jonny promoted their Trailblazer Awards. The folks at Wilde Nites weren't happy with the way Jonny promoted their Whoopi Goldberg concert. The divas of Diva Diaries weren't happy with the way Jonny promoted their show. They all are gifted, talented, productive people who seriously need to LIGHTEN UP!
The purpose of this column is to report theater news of interest to the GLBT community in a way the GLBT community will enjoy: sometimes a bit catty, perhaps a bit gossipy, and frequently self-mocking, but ALWAYS with tongue-in-cheek. What could be more boring than Jonny spouting press releases at you, dear readers? Jonny prefers to do it with a twist, and will continue to do it with a twist.
For the record: there is not now, nor has there ever been, a sexual relationship between Jonny and David Zak. While Jonny may be the Mother of All Sluts, he cannot claim that Mr. Zak is the Father. Having thrown himself at Mr. Zak on numerous occasions, only to be rejected, Jonny can state categorically that the rumors about the Bailiwick casting couch are fables and nothing more. As Mr. Zak has pointedly pointed out to Jonny, he would need the stamina of a heard of buffalo if even half the rumors were true. The Trailblazer Awards are a fine and original idea, being given this year to outstanding recipients.
For the record: Jonny called the publicist for Wilde Nites, presenters of Whoopi Goldberg, to ask what, precisely, is the LGBT connection. The publicist didn't know and promised to make inquiries of the producer; perhaps even have the producer speak to Jonny. The rest is silence. Inquiring Jonny still wants to know: what's the LGBT connection and why should the LGBT community support Wilde Nites over other commercial promoters?
For the record: Jonny reported that Diva Diaries "is an original musical about the lives of three drag queens ... seen both old and young. ... The score includes original songs, plus hits of the 1970's-1990's." Jonny also referred to it as "a more-or-less legitimate work of musical theater" (that was the tongue-in-cheek part) and later made a passing reference to The Baton. From this, one or more of the divas concluded that Jonny was calling it a bar drag show. Well, Jonny didn't and wasn't. Cluck-cluck! Such a tempest in a teapot.
Now, gentle readers, perhaps Jonny can get back to show business.
One doesn't usually think of the Rosemont Theatre as the home of gay icons, but so it will be at least four times this year as the Chicagoland Pops Orchestra welcomes Michael Feinstein, Jonny Mathis, Linda Eder and Art Garfunkel as concert soloists Oct. 23, Dec. 18, Feb. 12 and April 9 respectively. The Feinstein concert will highlight the Great American Songbook with tunes by Gershwin, Berlin, Porter, Ellington, Kern and others. The Mathis appearance is a holiday concert. The Eder program is billed as a Valentine's Day treat. Garfunkel will run through the Simon and Garfunkel songbook, without Simon; that's why there's a big orchestra. The Chicagoland Pops Orchestra is in only its second season, and already has a new musical director as it takes a sharp turn away from light classics to pop music.
The Ruth Page Foundation has honored visionary dance leader Keith Elliott with its 2004 Ruth Page Award, Chicago's highest dance honor. Elliott, already a member of Chicago's Gay and Lesbian Hall of Fame, began his career in Chicago as a dancer with the Joseph Holmes Chicago Dance Theatre. But his renown is as the remarkable creator of the annual Dance for Life concerts (and related events throughout the year) that have raised over $1.8 million for AIDS-related charities since 1992. As Jonny himself has not danced since he tried on his sister's tutu at age four, Jonny can think of no worthier a person to honor than Keith Elliott.
