10. Book: So Super Duper
Brian Andersen's gay superhero opus So Super Duper grabbed the attention of LGBT and straight fans alike with thanks to the comic's lovable cast of characters and engaging storyline. Now the entire 12-issue series is serving graphic novel realness with a 326-page collected edition currently available at SoSuperDuper.com. "I created So Super Duper because I wanted a fun, colorful, emotionally rich, unapologetically gay-themed superhero comic that anyone and everyone could enjoy," says Andersen. "This graphic novel collection allows my heartfelt story to dazzle readers in one deliciously delightful, calorie-free meal!"
9. THEATER: The Night Larry Kramer Kissed MeDavid Drake's landmark play about gay and AIDS activism gets a 20th anniversary performance to benefit Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS and the Sero Project. It was originally a one-man show starring Drake, but this new one-night-only production reenvisions it for an ensemble cast that includes Drake, Anthony Rapp, B.D. Wong, Robin De Jesus, Andre De Shields, and other stage luminaries, under the direction of Tony nominee Robert LaFosse. 8 p.m. Monday, Gerard W. Lynch Theater at John Jay College, New York City.
BroadwayCares.org/TheNightLarryKramerKissedMe
8. THEATER: GayFest NYCThis fifth annual festival of gay-themed plays offers a diverse mix, from the love life of a modern-day architect to the romance of Abraham Lincoln and Joshua Speed (pictured above) to the trials (literally) of Oscar Wilde. The fest opens Thursday with Scott C. Sickles's
Moonlight & Love Songs, directed by Steven Petrillo, about a supposedly "motion-picture-perfect" relationship between an architect and a college student that comes up against the hard reality of betrayal; the play runs through June 2.
The Loves of Mr. Lincoln, written by David Brendan Hopes and directed by Sidney J. Burgoyne, examines the 16th president's romance with Speed; it's onstage June 6-16. And the Basic Theatre Project, a company devoted to social change through art, presents Moises Kaufman's
Gross Indecency: The Three Trials of Oscar Wilde, directed by Zi Alikhan, May 30-June 16. Festival proceeds benefit the Harvey Milk High School scholarship fund. Abingdon Theatre Arts Complex, New York City.
GayFestNYC.com7. FILM: Portrait of Jason Shirley Clarke's 1967 documentary
Portrait of Jason is being rereleased for a limited run at the New Beverly Cinema in Los Angeles beginning today. The premiere is part of Milestone Films' ongoing "Project Shirley," an effort to restore and release the movies of the American independent cinema pioneer. Filmed in the heat of the civil rights movement and before the Stonewall uprising, the official synopsis describes the film:
"On the night of December 2, 1966, Clarke and a tiny crew convened in her apartment at the Hotel Chelsea to make a film. There, for twelve straight hours they filmed the one-and-only Jason Holliday as he spun tales, sang, donned costumes and reminisced about good times and bad behavior as a gay hustler, sometime houseboy and aspiring cabaret performer. The result is a mesmerizing portrait of a remarkable, charming and tortured man, who is by turns hilarious and heartbreaking."
6. BOOKS: What I Love About Being QueerVivek Shraya, a Toronto-based artist, offers up a delightful new book
What I Love About Being Queer, which began as
a short film project, turned into a
Tumblr site, and is now a glossy-magazine-meets-coffee-table-book. It features 34 queers (including Tegan Quin of Tegan and Sara fame) tackling the complicated question of its title. There are over 100 answers -- which range from smart to witty to heartfelt, to outrageous and are printed in the subject's original handwriting -- along with essays from Farzana Doctor (
Six Metres of Pavement), Elisha Lim (
100 Butches), and George Brown College professors Kathryn Payne and Marilyn McLean. Among the faves comes from Canadian Pandora Roxstar: "What I love about being queer is that the secret world in me, that I have been dreaming about since I can remember, is real. Like I can walk out of my closet and into Narnia any time I want."
WhatILoveAboutBeingQueer.tumblr.com5. MUSIC: Behind the Candelabra -- Music from the HBO Original FilmYes, Liberace was about fancy cars, gigantic mansions, and flashy bling. But often forgotten was the music behind the persona. So, after you see the HBO docudrama starring Michael Douglas as the closeted pianist and Matt Damon as his controversial boyfriend (airing May 26), check out the soundtrack.
Behind the Candelabra --
Music from the HBO Original Film features songs by the man himself as well as Douglas. Out Tuesday.
4. DVD: FourplayA sexy, humorous romp into four different American cities,
Fourplay compiles a quartet of stories in which characters' lives are changed by unusual sexual encounters. The stories are universally compelling, whether it's a closeted middle-aged lesbian choir member getting closer to the object of her affections -- the minister's wife -- while dog-sitting the couple's high-maintenance pet in Skokie, a
transgender sex worker who goes above and beyond to please a quadriplegic client in San Francisco, or a gay man in Tampa who turns to fantasy when his quest for a bathroom quickie come up short.
Fourplay was a favorite at festivals in 2012 and is now available on DVD. Watch the trailer below;
FOURPLAY - Official Theatrical Trailer from Kyle Henry on Vimeo.
3. MUSIC: Daft Punk: Random Access MemoriesWho knew the world was so hungry for a new Daft Punk album? The French electronica duo, known for wearing shiny motorcycle helmets when they spin, is clearly having a moment, with their fourth album,
Random Access Memories, sparking serious excitement.
RAM, out Tuesday, was the talk of Coachella, and the album's disco-ified first single, "Get Lucky," is Spotify's most-streamed new song on record and has nearly 27 million views on YouTube. Apparently, the '70s influence is strong on
RAM, with collaborations from era legends like Nile Rodgers and Giorgio Moroder.
2. FILM: Star Trek: Into DarknessAfter a year of watching gay actor Zachary Quinto as the reprehensible Bloody Face on
American Horror Story, it's a refreshing change to see him step back into his role as the fiercely aloof Spock in the most recent incarnation of
Star Trek. Alongside the boyishly charming Chris Pine as the reckless Captain Kirk, a stunning Zoe Saldana as Uhura, John Cho as gay fan fave Sulu, and Simon Pegg as the witty and frenetic Scotty, Spock faces a familiar nemesis and a storyline that makes each character question his or her own moral compass. Combining thrilling action with some hot bromance between Spock and Kirk, this is a must-see popcorn movie.
1. DANCE: Shaping Sound National TourEmmy-nominated choreographers and
So You Think You Can Dance stars Travis Wall, Nick Lazzarini, Teddy Forance, and Kyle Robinson lead a company of contemporary dancers from
SYTYCD, Dancing With the Stars, All the Right Moves, top dance troupes, and the pop music world in a showcase of movement, speed, and strength. The tour opens Saturday in Los Angeles, followed by stops in San Francisco, Salt Lake City, Chicago, Atlanta, Denver, Houston, Dallas, Phoenix, Boston, Miami, Toronto, and New York City. The company will present dance workshops in each city as well.
ShapingSoundCo.com