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‘Love Is All’ actress Trine Dyrholm cares about — even same-sex love

Posted on 24 May 2013 at 1:31pm
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Trine Dyrholm as Ida in ‘Love Is All You Need’

In the charming Danish import Love Is All You Need, a gay subplot complicates the life of Ida (Trine Dyrholm), a hairdresser suffering through a round of chemotherapy.

Cancer and closeted gay folks aren’t the only things weighing on Ida. Her husband is cheating on her with a bimbo, and her son is off to military service just before her daughter’s wedding. Worst of all, Ida meets Philip (Pierce Brosnan), the father of the groom to her mother of the bride, by running into him … literally. But Love Is All You Need — directed by acclaimed, Oscar-winning Danish filmmaker Susanne Bier — is not so much a tragedy as a romantic parable that recalls Moonstruck, Enchanted April and other relationship comedies with darker themes.

It also marks a 1-2-3 punch for Dyrholm, who last year made an impression as the vicious Queen Juliane Marie in the Oscar-nominated historical drama A Royal Affair and co-starred another acclaimed import in 2010, the Oscar winning foreign language film In a Better World. But Ida is a real change of pace for the actress.

“I’m known [in Denmark] for drama,” she says over sparkling water at the Crescent Court Hotel on a recent visit to Dallas. “That was the big challenge for me, to be in a lighter film.”

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— Arnold Wayne Jones

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REVIEW: ‘Behind the Candelabra’

Posted on 24 May 2013 at 12:35pm
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Douglas, left, as Lee Liberace, and Matt Damon as Scott Thorson.

That fact has been largely forgotten in the 25 years since he died — still closeted! — of complications from AIDS. By the end (hell, decades before it), he had become a caricature, but the image of the facelifted, lisping Vegas showboy has obscured his humanity.

So its especially impressive that a bunch of straight guys — director Steven Soderbergh, screenwriter Richard LaGravanese, and actors Matt Damon and Michael Douglas — have done do an astonishing job of capturing the truth of gay men in the pre-AIDS, barely-post-Stonewall decade of the 1970s with Behind the Candelabra, the HBO biopic debuting Sunday at 9. They could have soft-pedaled the sex; they could have idealized and mystified the era; they could have taken any number of “safer” routes. Instead, they told a story with such a savvy understanding of gay culture, you might think you’re watching a documentary.

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— Arnold Wayne Jones

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BREAKING: WaterTower Theatre announces 2013-14 season

Posted on 23 May 2013 at 6:01pm
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Terry Martin

Terry Martin, the producing artistic director for WaterTower Theatre, announced his theater’s upcoming season tonight, which includes the return of the (often very gay) Out of the Loop Fringe Festival as well as five mainstage productions.

Among the shows are a musical about a country music pioneer, a screwball comedy and several regional premieres, some by gay playwrights.

WTT’s next production, Black Tie (directed by Rene Moreno), opens May 31; the final show of the company’s 2012-13 season will be Xanadu.

Here’s the full lineup for 2013-14:

Hank Williams: Lost Highway (Oct. 11–Nov.3). This jukebox musical features the songs of the C&W legend, who died on New Year’s Day 1953 at the age of 29.

The Game’s Afoot (Holmes for the Holidays) (Dec. 13–Jan. 5, 2014). Ken Ludwig, the Tony-nominated author of Lend Me a Tenor and Crazy for You, wrote this regional premiere, a farce about actor William Gillette — famed for his performances as Sherliock Holmes — solving a real crime.

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (Jan. 24–Feb. 12, 2014). Another regional premiere, adapted from Mark Twain’s classic novel about the mischievous teenager involved in murder and intrigue.

Out of the Loop Fringe Festival (Mar. 6–16, 2014). The return of the annual celebration of unique theater. No lineup will be announced until next year, but the content usually runs toward racier, edgy productions.

Spunk (Apr. 11–May 4, 2014). Gay director and author George C. Wolfe — probably best known for mounting the original Broadway production of Angels in America, as well as the recent revival of The Normal Heart — wrote this play, adapted from short stories by celebrated African-American author Zora Neale Hurston (Their Eyes Were Watching God).

Good People (June 6–29, 2014). Pulitzer Prize-winner David Lindsay-Abaire (Rabbit Hole) wrote this comic and insightful character study about old friends and new lives.

Dogfight: A New Musical (July 25–Aug. 17, 2014). Based on the 1991 film, this regional premiere musical, co-written by openly gay composer/lyricist Benj Pasek, is set on the eve of the Kennedy assassination, where a man tries to win a contest by bringing the ugliest girl to a party.

— Arnold Wayne Jones

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Steven Soderbergh: The gay interview

Posted on 23 May 2013 at 9:46am
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Steven Soderbergh, director of ‘Behind the Candelabra’

The new HBO film about Liberace’s relationship with Scott Thorson, Behind the Candelabra, debuts on HBO Sunday; next Friday, I’ll have a review of it. Until then, enjoy Chris Azzopardi’s interview with the film’s director, Steven Soderbergh … who, following this, Side Effects and Magic Mike must be considered the patron saint of gay Hollywood.

By Chris Azzopardi

Steven Soderbergh knows who’s significantly responsible for the major success of his male-stripper romp Magic Mike: gay men eager to ogle the barely-covered bits of Channing Tatum and his hunky posse. The Oscar-winning director’s upcoming feature will obviously court the same audience — and not just because Matt Damon lets it all hang out, too.

Behind the Candelabra the biopic about Liberace, is so gay that major Hollywood studios would have nothing to do with it. HBO took it up, though, and it debuts Sunday. The revealing story stars Michael Douglas as the shiny showman who died of AIDS complications at age 67 and Damon as his much younger beau, Scott Thorson.

In our interview, Soderbergh spoke in depth about their real-life relationship, the “flamboyancy scale” used to guide the actors’ gayness onset, diversity in film and why Damon wanted to flaunt the junk in his trunk.

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— Arnold Wayne Jones

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Scenes from the Miss Gay USofA Classic Pageant at the Round-Up

Posted on 21 May 2013 at 4:24pm

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The Round-Up Saloon played host to Night Two of the annual Miss Gay USofA Classic Pageant on Monday. Similar to the Miss Gay USofA Pageant in every way save for an age requirement, Classic boasted 29 contestants, all ages 40 or above as per the rules. Contestants hailed from all over the country, the closest being Dallas’ very own Edna Jean Robinson and UnShante DeFoxx, and the farthest being Marina Del Rey, who traveled from Hawaii. Amy DeMilo won the title with Roxie Hart and Victoria Lace finishing as first and second runners-up, respectively.

Night One of the pageant set the stage for the elimination of all but the top 12 competitors. Remaining contestants competed in two categories: Evening Gown and Talent. In many instances multiple talent presentations were as flashy, intricate and creative as the gowns worn. With five minutes allotted to each contestant to set up the stage, many took advantage, and — with the help of each contestant’s own personal team — assembled elaborate sets adorned with props, hidden places for costume changes, and specially made backdrops. One in particular was Billie Jean, the winner of Miss Gay New England USofA Classic. With three costume changes during the allotted seven minutes of performance time, Jean began with a costume bearing a striking resemblance to Wonder Woman, then transformed to impersonate Annie Lennox from the Eurythmics, and ended as a priest(ess), complete with collar and rosary. Another over-the-top performance was given by first runner-up Roxie Hart. With the help of two professional ballet dancers, Hart put on her own rendition of Black Swan, with herself in the title role, and received a standing ovation at the conclusion of her talent presentation.

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— Patrick Hoffman

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Jewel’s observations on gay Texans

Posted on 21 May 2013 at 2:40pm

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In a recent interview with our contributor Chris Azzopardi, singer-songwriter Jewel talked about her move from the largest state in the union, Alaska, to the second largest, our very own Texas. Azzopardi asked her about the move, as well as her gay friends there and here.

The following excerpt really caught my attention. Read on, and have a good laugh:

Question: You started out at biker bars, where you performed for lots of lesbians. Are there a lot of lesbians in your life now? Jewel:  You know, I don’t have any lesbians right now. I used to when I lived in San Diego, but in Texas, it’s been a little bit slim on the lesbian front. [Laughs] But what’s really cool is, I have to do a reality show about the gays in Texas, because there’s this whole gay culture in this really cowboy town that I live in that when guys break up, it’s like, “I’m gonna come get my cows off your place!” “Well, I’m gonna take down the fence I built!” “You better come get your mineral feeders!”

You’re living Brokeback Mountain down there.  It really is like that. And thank god for Grindr, otherwise they could never find each other.

Read the full interview with Jewel after the jump.

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— Arnold Wayne Jones

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Jenna Skyy retires as Gaybingo host after more than 7 years

Posted on 20 May 2013 at 2:41pm
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Jenna Skyy (Photo courtesy of Musico Roots)

Joe Hoselton, known on stage as Jenna Skyy, announced at GayBingo that Saturday’s show was her last. Skyy has hosted GayBingo for more than seven years.

Johnny Humphrey, event manager at Resource Center Dallas, said he knew Skyy planned to take some time off, but didn’t know ahead of time it would be her last show.

“She will be missed,” Humphrey said. “We’re proud of the productions she’s done.”

Hoselton called the change good for everyone. He said he spoke to the GayBingo performance group, Something Fabulous, ahead of time.

He said he’ll miss doing the show but made the decision because of the time commitment.

“I discovered Jenna through that show,” he said.

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— David Taffet

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Celebrating diversity at IML

Posted on 20 May 2013 at 1:51pm

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In Chicago, IML is something almost everyone knows. The abbreviation stands for International Mister Leather, and it’s a contest that is in its 35th year. What started as an event in the Gold Coast bar in the 1970s has become one of the biggest private conventions to hit the Windy City each year. It fills hotels on Michigan Avenue and brings thousands of leathermen, leatherwomen and their admirers to town — and that is big business.

This year, I have the honor of being a judge at the event, and so this week, my partner and I board the Amtrak Texas Eagle for a trip to Chicago and a five-day flurry of events that make up the contest. It should be a lot of fun and for me, a lot of work. Still, spending time interviewing 50-plus hot leathermen from around the world is something I can suffer through.

What is interesting to me is the place IML holds in Chicago. It is an event that is recognized by almost everyone in the city, and it has become part of Chicago’s culture and character. In Chicago the yearly arrival of thousands of leatherman and leatherwomen is something seen as part of the city’s character. It wouldn’t be spring in Chicago without it!

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— Hardy Haberman

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This week’s takeaways: Life+Style

Posted on 17 May 2013 at 11:20am
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For tickets to Pam Ann, go here.

Indigo Girls, the lesbian folk band, plays at the McKinney Arts Center on Friday night, but there are lots of other gay-friendly things to do closer to downtown.

Also on Friday, photographer Alex Remington opens his one-man show of Dallas landmarks, Architectura, at the ilume Gallerie; it will play there through June. And Dallas ComicCon bursts into the Irving Convention Center in Las Colinas for a weekend of events.

On Saturday night, the Turtle Creek Chorale holds its annual Turtle Ball, this time at Trinity Groves, the new development near our fancy Calatrava bridge.

This is the last weekend to see Re-Designing Women at the Rose Room, as well as Fela! at the Winspear. And it’s your only chance to see Pam Ann, pictured, in her one-woman comedy act at the Majestic. But you still have time to catch Priscilla Queen of the Desert at Fair Park and the Dallas Theater Center’s Fly By Night at the Kalita.

— Arnold Wayne Jones

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REVIEW: ‘Priscilla’ — queens on the verge of a nervous breakdown

Posted on 17 May 2013 at 10:27am
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The queens of ‘Priscilla’

It is a small perturbation that the two longest-running Broadway musicals about drag queens — La Cage aux Folles and Priscilla Queen of the Desert, now playing at Fair Park Music Hall — involved plots where gay men have ill-advised sex with women and produce sons, only hoping not to embarrass their offspring. My guess is, this is done intentionally, to remind mainstream hetero audiences that gay or straight, we are all basically the same (as if showing our emotions weren’t already enough).

Still, you can practically hear the jaws drop inside the auditorium during many of the numbers of Priscilla, which makes La Cage look like a church social by comparison. Its outrageousness is less offensive and shocking than merely unbridled: It’s out-and-proud about its camp factor, and you’d better adjust or stay away.

Adjust. Do, do adjust, because Priscilla is a hoot, as glamorously trashy and enjoyable as the best drag show you’ve ever seen. Some people didn’t stay through Act 2; that was their loss.

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— Arnold Wayne Jones

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