True dat

From DallasVoice.com

Music
True dat
By Daniel A. Kusner - Life+Style Editor
Jun 11, 2008 - 3:09:17 PM

Cyndi Lauper says if Jenna Bush would open the show, she’ll bring the ‘True Colors’ tour to Crawford, Texas

NEVER TOO OLD TO DISCO: Lauper has a new sound — booty-swaying dance music.

Cyndi Lauper is the hardest working-woman in gay showbiz. And she’s not even gay. gay.

The 56-year-old pop queen is spending her summer headlining “True Colors,” a queer touring version of Woodstock: 24 cities; each gig is five hours long. Last summer’s inaugural tour was successful enough to be repeated.

Aside from slightly tweaking the lineups, this year’s tour won’t be dramatically different — except that the tour is partnering with local LGBT centers, like the Resource Center of Dallas.

Lauper’s plate isn’t exactly empty. If “True Colors” had never happened, she’d still have a busy career. On top of the tour, she just released, “Bring Ya to the Brink” (Epic) a dance-obsessed album that shows she’s as innovative and relevant as ever.

Lauper’s schedule is tighter than a pair of black denim jeans. We caught up with her via e-mail before her Minneapolis gig to herald the Dallas “True Colors” tour stop on Sunday, June 22.

You’re not just the True Colors headliner — if the tour tanks, won’t you lose money? I am taking a financial risk. I have invested time and money into the True Colors tour. But the risk is definitely worth it. And I am doing what I need to do to make the tour work.

What's the most important element that makes a gay lollapalooza successful? I recommend lots of sun block and a raincoat in your purse at all times.

You traded in your dulcimer for booty-swaying disco. How much of your True Colors performance will be dance flavored? I like that — “booty swaying disco.” I am doing some of the new songs. And to keep it fresh, I’m doing a new take on the old ones.

When was the last time you got dressed up to boogie at a nightclub? I went out a lot with my dear friend Alan Cumming when we were working on “Three Penny Opera.” And we would just show up at a club and have a great time That’s really when I decided that I wanted to make a record that got me back to the dance floor.

How would you feel if HRC called Jenna Bush and asked her to proudly introduce your Dallas performance? If Jenna will open the show, we’ll bring our very next performance to the East Room or Crawford, Texas — whichever is easier. True Colors welcomes everyone.

Do you see yourself playing True Colors in 2010? I think I will always be involved, but not necessarily headlining the tour. I’ll be like be Barbara Walters on “The View.” I may not be on every day, but I’ll be popping in and out throughout the tour. Yes, it’s all about bringing upcoming, new and heritage acts to keep the music and the message moving forward.

If last year’s tour had never happened, what would you have done with your career instead — and what opportunities did you pass up to make True Colors happen? Well, I probably would have finished my new CD sooner and jumped back into some of my acting projects. But it was definitely worth the hustle to balance them all to get the tour going.

Name any three performers — living or dead — you’d like to play True Colors-Dallas. Edith Piaf, Greta Garbo and Laura Nyro.

Coming out is considered the most important political decision a person can make. Many gay folks are breathlessly waiting for both Wanda Sykes and Joan Jett (both performing in Dallas) to publicly confirm or deny that they are lesbian. Can you think of any reason why a successful entertainer on the True Colors tour would refrain from disclosing whether or not they’re gay? That’s a very personal question to ask me about someone else, and I never answer for anyone. More important — both are here along with all of our artists because they believe as much as I do that coming out voting is the single most important thing you can do this year.

‘TRUE’ TO DALLAS
‘True Colors” stops in Big D at the Superpages.com Center
(formerly Smirnoff Music Centre),
1818 First Ave.
June 22 at 6 p.m., gates at 4:30 p.m.
Lineup: Cyndi Lauper, The B-52s,
Joan Jett and The Blackhearts, Andy Bell,
Wanda Sykes, Lili Haydn
and host, Carson Kressley.
$26-$126
214-373-8000 Ticketmaster.com
A dollar from every ticket sold goes to the Human Rights Campaign.٫