The Goddess: Part 3*

i expected to post this sooner but other things interrupted this audra concert. let's just say she had a bit of a well deserved intermission.

 next up audra was 'gorgeous'. the song is from the wonderful under appreciated 'the apple tree'. in one of it's 3 segments tony winner barbara harris played a chimney sweep who dreamed of being a 'movie star'. as stars collided and a tv fairy godfather granted her wish the chimney sweep was transformed into a marilyn monroe type movie star. when she saw her new self she saw she was now 'gorgeous' 
for those of us who have followed ms mcdonald from the beginning ('carousel') we have seen her blossom into a sexy, beautiful woman. now to have her sing what was basically a white sex symbol song is a wonder. she is a sexy, beautiful black woman who once again adds the 'color blind'  tag to her many brilliant performances.
'gorgeous'

'go back home' one of kander and ebbs last collaboration's from 'the scottsboro boys'

'i'll be here'. we've all been there. lose is painful but makes for brilliant songs. i really love this one.

'when did i fall in love'. a classic. but no one, i repeat no one, does it as well as audra. she understands it. the voice, the notes, the feeling. exceptional.

'some days'. audra's into was left off this clip. she introduced it by saying she has been singing it for marriage equality as of late. she said it speaks for itself. as a gay man i appreciate all the time she has given to our cause. thank you.

*(i did post this yesterday briefly but took it down in light of the freed florida murderer and then the  death of cory monteith. as well as thinking audra should be overshadowed by madness and a sad premature death, it would have been inappropriate for my sensibilities.)

Holy Crap: Cory Monteith Died, R.I.P.

this was a damn shocker to wake up to on a sunday morning. damn another young death of a talented man. i really enjoyed him on 'glee'.  he was a charming, accessible performer. he will be missed.
 gone to damn soon!

here's some of cory's best

mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

Unfrackin' Real: I'd Like to Smack the Smile Off This Murderer's Face

just for the record: white guy here. the american judicial system again appears a joke. ya know oj and casey anthony and on and on... what the frack. now anyone can get a concealed legal weapon and kill anyone that appears threatening and hell just kill him. i'd have a few on my list if i were so inclined. but i'm not. the 6 women jurors should be ashamed of themselves. if i were on that jury they'd be there till the messiah comes (for the first time). but remember he was not proved 'innocent! not that that matters at all at this point. shame on the system and those 6 women. shame shame shame.

murderer

Cheyenne Jackson

it's possible mr jackson is on his way to being a gay icon. singer, actor, all around entertainer. he's heading toward neil patrick harris stature. we need more like the two of them. open, gay, thoughtful and just damn nice guys. i'll throw the wonderful john barrowman into this category also.

cheyenne has a new cd 'i'm blue, skies' out now. sure i wanted a broadway album but this release written by and sung by cheyenne is top notch.

here's a taste of it with 'don't wanna know'

 to get a glimpse of the real cheyenne check out this interview. the gay world has another good role model. thank you cheyenne.

James McAvoy in 'Filth'

if a trailer is supposed to grab you and draw you into a theater to see it this one succeeds brilliantly. it opens in scotland 9/27 and across the rest of the u.k. on 10/24. the u.s. release date has yet to be announced.

Spotlight: Steve Grand

it's a pleasure and a joy to share 'all-american boy' written and performed by steve grand. steve is an out gay man. he is country. he has heart, soul and balls. as a gay man i always feel a sense of pride when someone comes out. i am proud that young gay men and women will have another role model. not having role models made my childhood and adolesence pure hell. i can only think those days are almost well behind us.
'all-american boy' is 'that' song about unrequited love. the longing of the gay man for his straight buddy. c'mon most of us went through this at least once in our youth.
i congratulate and honor you steve. i wish you great success. you indeed arre the new all american boy.

******

and here's a brief glimpse at the man behind the music 

ABC Family is Unstoppable This Summer

the unstoppable, thank the gods, 'pretty little liars', the new 'twisted' and 'the fosters' shine along with the well written and acted 'switched at birth' and the funny cute zanny 'baby daddy'  all make summer tv watching a good time. (i don't watch melissa and joey but it's here too.)

check the promo. then give these shows a try.

Pet Shop Boys: 'Electric'

their new cd drops on 7/16.

'electric' tour dates:

September 12 - The Jackie Gleason Theatre - Miami Beach, FL

September 13 - Mahaffey Theatre - Saint Petersburg, FL

September 14 - Symphony Hall - Atlanta, GA

September 16 - Beacon Theatre - New York, NY

September 17 - Beacon Theatre - New York, NY

September 19 - Music Centre at Strathmore - Bethesda, MD

September 21 - House of Blues - Boston, MA

September 22 - Mann Centre for the Performing Arts - Philadelphia, PA 

September 24 - Olympia Theatre - Montreal

September 25 - Sony Centre for the Performing Arts - Toronto

September 27 - The Colosseum, Caesar's Windsor - Ontario 

September 28 - Auditorium Theatre - Chicago, IL

October 2 - Paramount Theatre - Seattle, WA

October 3 - Queen Elizabeth Theatre - Vancouver

October 4 - Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall - Portland, OR

October 5 - Fox Theater - Oakland, CA 

October 7 - Fox Theater - Oakland, CA

October 8 - Copley Symphony Hall - San Diego, CA

October 11 - Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, The Joint - Las Vegas, NV

October 12 - Shrine Auditorium - Los Angeles, CA 

October 15 - Mexico City Arena - Mexico City

\

A Glee Moment: 'Hung Up'

from the soundtrack of my life

jenna ushkowitz

(they really need to give this talented cast member a lot more to do)

'Burn'

ellie goulding is new to me. i fell upon this her new release and video. i am impressed.

The Goddess Part 2

next up was audra singing the classic 'summertime' from her tony winning winning performance in 'porgy and bess'.

kander and ebb's 'first you dream from 'steel pier'

'migratory v' is not a favorite of mine but it's redeeming value here is audra playing the piano on stage in concert.

we end this segment with audra going sally bowles with 'maybe this time from 'cabaret' and might i add brilliantly.

(to be continued)

The Goddess

'live from lincoln center' ended it's season in may. it's host for this past season, audra mcdonald, was given her moment to shine with her own concert. for those of you who missed it i will post some of the highlights.

it's fitting that audra began the evening with 'i happen to like new york' the city that is home to the venue.

then came sondheim's 'moment in the woods from the brilliant 'into the woods'.

next up the comedic 'baltimore'

(to be continued)

'Lovelace' First Official Trailer

Kate in the Upcoming 'Labor Day'

The 4th of July

i am the least patriotic person i know. much to the chagrin of family and some friends. i just can't get rahrahrah over any nation state. i don't believe in flag waving. well perhaps the gay pride flag but that's personal. i have not always been thrilled with the course this country has taken nationally or internationally. i think i'd feel this wherever i had been accidentally born into. i mean we are all born by accident into a certain geographical area. and although i feel a certain amount of allegiance especially  now with mr obama as president i just can't be fanatical. i mean there are the john mccain's at one end of the spectrum and well me on the other end of it.  don't send hate mail as i'll just ignore it.

that being said i love the song 'america the beautiful' and offer this as a tribute to the holiday.

(feel free to replace 'america' with the country of  your choice)

and just for the heck of it all...

'god bless america'

(israel and italy too)

'The Out List'

hbo's 'the out list' is  much needed and pretty timely. 16 gay, lesbian and transexual americans tell their 'coming out' stories, the problems growing up gay and the secrets they kept. i kept them. it was hard. there were not films like this when i was younger. there were not men and women like this in my day who shared their stories. their lives. how great that would have been. but it is here now. my hope hope hope is that every young person who is gay sees this film. it might, we wish, help them get through what can be an agonizing childhood and puberty and even beyond. it mat prevent the rash of gay teenage suicides. i can only hope.

Josh's Jukebox: 'Come What May'

from the soundtrack of my mind

a 'glee' moment

darren criss and chris colfer

'The Heat'***stars

this sandra bullock-melissa mccarthy buddy flick is a hoot. i seldom fine consistent laughs on film or tv lately. however i found myself laughing out loud a lot and less out loud often. some critics are comparing it to 'bridesmaids' which is absurd. it shares nothing with that film other than it's director and ms mccarthy. the two stars have real chemistry and it follows through  from mutual dislike to mutual respect.

i have to say ms mccarthy has grown as an actress since 'bridesmaids'. she no longer goes just for the laugh. i think she is becoming a good actress. sandra, well sandra, always impresses me even in her less than stellar films. she remains in my book 'america's sweetheart'.

'Before Midnight'

julie delpy and ethan hawke discuss 'before midnight'

'Before Midnight' ****stars

'before sunrise' celine and jesse had a chance meeting with the promise to meet in six months in vienna when they got their lives in order.  nine years later 'before sunset' we learn that jesse showed up but celine did not due to a death in her family. but the connection was still there although jesse had married and had a son. would he stay with celine and leave his wife? we find the answer to that still another nine  years later 'before midnight'

within this trilogy we go from romantic interlude to the ups and downs of a marriage. each film shows the growth of these two characters and their aging as well. ms delby and mr hawke grow in each film not only in character but in their acting. they triumph in this well written and directed film. it's tougher than the first two installments but life does get tougher as we get older, look back at our choices and wonder what the future will bring.

although it stands on it's own i recommend that you rent the first two installments to fully appreciate the third.

i hope being released early that it does not get lost at year's end. as of this moment it is the best film of the year.