The YANK! Cast Recording Is Now Available And It's A Classic

Last night, I went to the York Theater to celebrate the official release of the cast album for YANK!, a musical about gay soldiers in WWII written by my colleagues David and Joe Zellnik. (You can download it today via iTunes for just 10 clams!) From when I first heard about the idea for this show, I've been a big fan and I've seen it more than a few times, in it's many incarnations, from a reading in a rehearsal studio on 42nd Street to a beautiful production at the Gallery Players in Brooklyn.
But these did not prepare me for how amazing this recording is.

With rich orchestrations by Bway vet Jonathan Tunick and a jazzy Big Band sound, listening to these songs is now somewhat like discovering the old '40s era journal that kicks off the show's opening scene; these songs sound like a time capsule from a long lost past that is familiar yet strikingly different too. If you like your musical theatre old school, this show is like something from the 1940s except for the fact that it's memorable songs, especially the aching "Reme'bring You", are about two men who fall in love during WWII.

I was a supporter of the Kickstarter campaign that made this beautiful CD possible. Now that its available to the public, David and Joe are hoping that as this music gets out into the world, more productions of the show will happen and eventually the show will end up where it deserves to be--on Broadway. Hey...if the gays can play for the NBA, anything is possible!  :)

The Gays Are Getting Engaged In Primetime

This week, the broadcast networks started their traditional fall season with premieres of many shows, old and new. The premieres of two network stalwarts, ABC's MODERN FAMILY and Fox's GLEE, were notable for sharing a similar storyline; on both opening episodes, two of the main male characters were engaged as a direct result of the Supreme Court ruling this summer.

Cam and Mitchell on MF had been long rumored to be tying the knot this season...in fact some viewers were getting impatient with the show, wondering what was taking them so long as they had already adopted a child. Cam and Mitchell's proposal was comically brilliant as they both schemed to outdo each other with the best engagement scenario, only to be foiled in a most ordinary way (no spoilers!) leading to what was actually a completely charming/moving proposal.

Over at McKinley High, Kurt and Blaine finally figured it all out and got back together after some ups and downs over 2 seasons of their relationship.  Being show kids, they did their engagement waaaay over the top with a surprise flash mob proposal scenario involving the Warblers, the Cheerios and just about every cast member of the show singing and dancing to the Beatles "All You Need Is Love". It was extravagant and insane and a little bit ridiculous--just like GLEE in general. But it was also groundbreaking television in its own way as it ended with a big, passionate kiss too. I can recall 10-15 years ago when this sort of event on primetime network television would have sent advertisers scurrying and executives panicking. And now it seemed the most natural and normal and romantic thing in the world--which it should be, obviously! :)

Anyway, big shout-outs to both of these wonderful shows for celebrating gay couples committing to one another. Until that is, the proposals get called off...after all, this is TV and they've got a whole season full of drama to fill.

Marriage Equality Marches On To It's 11th...and 12th State

Double vistories for marriage equality this week in Delaware and Minnesota. The "First State" is now the 11th in the country to ratify marriage equality and Minnesota is now on track to be the first non-coastal state to approve marriage equality by an act of the legislature (Iowa got it through the courts). It's a remarkable measure of progress since last November when 4 states voted on marriage equality and won.  As of this month, a full 25% of the 50 United States will have recognized marriage equality. And, note to conservative church and Republican types, this number is only increasing...Illinois is likely to be next.

There's a great article on Mother Jones' website today postulating that the surge in marriage equality could be directly related to the Mormon Church. Last year, the Church gave up it's well publicized and incredibly well funded crusade against gay marriage.  You'll recall the Mormons were crucial in defeating Proposition 8 in 2008 which set off the recent push for marriage equality across the country and at the federal level as well. Now that they are out of the fight, the Catholic church has been trying to pick up the slack but when they lost Maryland (a large Catholic state and originally a Catholic colony), the writing was on the wall. They can't fight this fight the way the Mormons can.

I'm glad that the Mormons cames to their senses and realized this was only hurting their image and, obviously, was not exactly in line with the phrase "what would Jesus do."  Jesus believed in love not hate and fear. If only the Catholic church would come to its senses on this issue too they could save themselves a lot of time, effort and money.

After Furor, The AP Stylebook Recognizes Marriage Equality

Last week, the AP caused on online fury when it said that it's Stylebook, which sets the standard for journalism in the US, would not recognize gay marriage. Essentially, they said that the use of the word husband and/or wife were exclusively the domain of heterosexual couples, regardless of whether gay couples were legally married in states where it is now an option. Bloggers went nuts, as did journalism watchdogs, and today the AP relented and, in a statement, made public it's new inclusive entry for husband and wife.

Americablog, which was one of the most critical voices in the discussion, today has some great details on the back and forth of this and the advocacy both inside and outside the company that put on the pressure when this broke last week.  It started out, apparently, as an internal debate which got leaked when some irked AP employees  got the word out. And good thing---because words matter. And the AP Stylebook is the essential for writers/journalists (some of whom are often covering the issue of marriage equality itself).

Despite the initial AP misstep, it's good news in the news room. And for the acceptance of marriage equality as well.

Some Amazing Photos Of Gay Marriage In Washington State

It was a big week for marriage equality, with Maryland's governor signing the marriage equality bill into law and actual marriages starting in Washington state. BuzzFeed's LGBT blogger Matt Stopera was out in Seattle for all the romantic action on day one and posted this photo above of two mature gentlemen taking their vows. It's a picture that is truly amazing and sweet and makes you wonder what all the fuss about gay marriage is after all, right? I mean these guys look like they could've voted for Romney even--though I'm guessing they didn't.

Here's a link to Stopera's photo album of 64 shots he took of all the couples lined up at city hall with some moving captions as well. And below is the photo that was seen in many newspapers of the first LGBT couple to get married in Washington State at the stroke of midnight. Jane Lighty, 77, and Pete-e Peterson, 85 (85!!!!) took their vows after having been together for 35 years. Cheers, ladies!

Accidentally Gay Married

In what appears to be a small but growing trend, a gay couple here in NYC were accidentally married, according to an article in today's New York POST. The girl picture here on the right is actually a boy, with a boy's name (Jason!), but in a classic bureaucratic screw-up, no one quite noticed the bride was a dude. Which is maybe understandable looking at the picture. Less so when you think that the city might have some records on exactly what sex you are.

A similar "whoops" happened in Tennessee when two guys, one in jail who was claiming to be a woman, got married last year. It took the state a year to figure that one out.

So, given the questionable status of legal gay marriage, in California and New York State and across the country as the Obama Administration shockingly defends DOMA, your best bet might be to find a nice set of pumps and a colorful summer skirt and see how far you can get through the system.