March 8, 2004

This Day in My History

Sign the "Million for Marriage" petition

TODAY's QUOTE

Steve is, and I don't say this lightly, a hero to me. He knows who he is inside and out, he's a fighter for life itself, his pursuit of God is real, and his art is life and life is art. To take the most painful aspects of your life and weave them together into a production that changes the lives of those who experience it -- what an act of redemption. I say all these things while still maintaining that homosexuality falls short of God's best... but lately it seems like God continues to speak through the "foolish" in order to shame the "wise." I am thankful to Steve for better acquainting me with the wisdom of foolishness.

~ someone who attended a production of The Last Session

Yesterday's Entries

2001: Tappity-tap-tap-tap
2002: The Pre-Breakfast Club
2003: Too Beautiful a Day

TODAY's FOOD

Breakfast: Raisin Bran
Lunch: Lean Cuisine Pizza
Dinner: Chicken with wild rice (leftovers)

TODAY's READ

Blood and Thunder
(David Gerrold finally writes a new book!)

TODAY on TV

The Sopranos!!!!! (5th season starts)
The L Word

Getting to know me....

"[To] serve God properly we must learn to give up our own wills, thoughts, and desires. Why? Because otherwise we will be wise in our own conceits and will imagine that we can serve God with this or that, and thus spoil everything."

You are John Calvin!
You're the most intellectual and thoroughly intense theologian on the block. You know what you're talking about and you recommend people to ignore you at their own risk. Yeah, baby, you know your stuff. You speak in riddles and confuse people for fun. Still, this hurts your social skills a lot... and you end up always appearing arrogant and rude.

What theologian are you?
A creation of Henderson

THE WINDY CITY

8 March 2004

I don’t know who reads this journal. I know many of you, but I don’t know all of you, obviously. So I’m hoping that there is somebody out there in Chicago.

We’re making our first trip to Chicago later this month. Actually, it won’t be our first time in Chicago, but I don’t call O’Hare Airport "Chicago." I’ve passed through O’Hare countless times, but never left the airport. This time I will actually leave the airport.

Ooooooooooooo.

We’re only going for a long weekend at the end of this month. The trip was originally planned with my work schedule (having Fridays off) in mind, but now that I’m no longer working, it’s too late to change the flight plans and go earlier, to allow myself more time to explore the city.

The purpose of the trip is Steve.

What else?

Why else do I fly around the world to places I’d never go otherwise?

(Well, occasionally for Peggy, but 99% of the time for Steve).

Steve and Jimmy are bringing The Big Voice: God or Merman to Theatre Building Chicago and even though my song is no longer part of the show, I still want to take the opportunity to see it, and use the show as my excuse to see Chicago.

But I’m worried about TBV in Chicago. There is nobody in Steve’s "clique" from Chicago. He has no connections there. And they’re afraid that the show will fall flat because they don’t have any ready-made publicity connections to get the ball rolling. Once people see the show word of mouth sells it, but if nobody knows it's there, or nobody is intrigued enough to come the first couple of weeks of a 3-week run, it could be disappointing.

So--if there is anybody out there in Chicago who can point me in the direction of some nice gay organizations, church groups, appropriate radio programs, or whatever, let me know. Anybody with a sister, cousin, or aunt in Chicago?

The thing is that Steve is very versatile! In his tours around the country he has been invited to speak at lots of places and he has a variety of topics on which he holds people’s attentions. He talks about being gay in a way that even fundamentalists love him...

"Not everyone is normal, but every one has a soul, a heart and feelings. But nothing can open your eyes like seeing someone whose pain can overcome all of us by just saying this is who I am."

"I had never thought of gays falling in love. I try not to be naive in this world, but the concept of gays and love never popped into my head. You hear about gay marriages, but I always thought they fought for marriage in order to set precedent and make a point."

"I've really never had a conversation like this. I come from a small town with little diversity and much prejudice. So this was something new for me... Books can only explain so much."

"I really have never come face to face with homosexuality and I have never heard a homosexual's story face to face. I was amazed that the music helped him, the more he wrote his music the better he felt."

(all quotes from Steve's Journal)

He teaches kids about AIDS without ever talking about sex (he just lets them know what it’s like to live with AIDS). He talks with medical groups and hospice groups from the point of view of a terminally ill patient and what a difference the personal touch makes. He talks with university theatre classes about how an unknown guy can write his first musical and see it produced in New York in only 14 months.

He’s delightful to listen to--and Jimmy is a natural raconteur, who is hired by cruise ships to give programs talking about Hollywood and Broadway. (Jimmy was a friend of Lucille Ball in her last year and wrote a book ("Lucy in the Afternoon") about their conversations during their daily backgammon games)

So these guys are naturals to be invited anywhere to talk to just about anybody about almost anything and yet they’re worried that nobody will come to see the show (well, except for me, of course!).

An added bonus, and one I’m kicking myself for not being able to take advantage of, is that in conjunction with the regular run of The Big Voice, on March 24 there will also be a staged reading of their award-winning The Last Session, the show which has changed many people’s lives, including mine. When I made the reservations for the trip, I didn't realize that I would have the entire week free, not just Friday.

So I’m looking for some good ol’ Chicago folks who are intrigued and would like to invite Steve to come sing at their church, or give a talk to their kid’s high school class, or visit their university campus, or talk to their fellow hospice workers, or attend their medical staff meeting.

Or just come to see the show!! (Walt and I will be there March 26 and 27)

I used to do good publicity for Steve and it would be nice to do it again. I’d love to be relieved to learn that it was fortunate that I bought our tickets for the show early because it’s in danger of selling out.

Anybody know Oprah?

PHOTO OF THE DAY

TBVREDweblogo.jpg (42082 bytes)

See The Big Voice web site

For more photos, please visit My Fotolog and My FoodLog