They’re havin’ a gay old time in Bareback, Idaho. Foot stompin’, lumber jackin’, and high steppin’ dance moves are all part of the charm as the townsfolk prepare for Stacey’s (Marla Mindelle) wedding. Welcome to The Big Gay Jamboree.
The only problem is that no one in the town quite understands the leading lady and, after a night of heavy drinking, she can’t make sense of them either.
Somehow, she’s trapped in a time warp with Flora (Natalie Walker), a nymph shunned for her sexual proclivities, Bert (Constanine Rousouli), a sexy serial killer who is coming to terms with his own sexuality, Clarence (Paris Nix), a handsome, African-American man who is tired of being the token black in the story, but who wins Stacey’s affection, and an ensemble of townspeople whose squeaky clean, perma-smile demeanors suggest a Peyton Place vibe with jazz hands.
Musical theater has long been catnip for much of the queer community, but here it is set in overdrive as references from the entire canon are implemented. Particular standouts include a schooling of the Gay-B-C’s, which riffs on The Sound of Music‘s “Do-Re-Mi” (no stereotypes are safe here) and another nod to Cassie’s “The Music and the Mirror” from A Chorus Line.
But it’s not just the classics that are skewered. Mindelle, the book writer, composer, lyricist, and star, along with co-book author Jonathan Parks-Ramage and co-lyricist Phillip Drennen, also rake contemporary show tunes across the coals by describing how unmusical and awful they sound compared to traditional fare. Those moments, along with a minor subplot involving AI and the importance of real humans creating art, deliver a smart, satirical edge to this otherwise silly, but hugely entertaining show.
Mindelle, the self-described “Queen of Off-Broadway” made a splash as the co-creator of another smash hit, Titanique. Still running, it lampoons the iconic nineties film Titanic and pop diva Celine Dion. Mindelle flexes a different set of muscles here, constructing an entirely new show that doesn’t rely on source material or true-to-life personalities.
Jamboree is an impressive follow-up that won’t shortchange audiences who loved her first project. While it could use some trimming, it is most definitely not without Broadway quality set design by dots, dazzling costumes by Sarah Cubbage, and eye-popping projections by Aaron Rhyne.
Much like Titanique, which continues to get extended, it’s a safe bet that Big Jay Jamboree will follow the same lead, having just announced performances through March 2025, two months more than it was originally slated to run.
The Big Gay Jamboree (★★★★☆) is playing through March 23, 2025, at the Orpheum Theatre, 126 Second Ave. in New York City. Tickets are $55 to $115. Visit www.biggayjamboreethemusical.com.
Lady Gaga has explained how she became a target of Internet misinformation at the start of her career and why she refused to address rumors claiming that she had a penis or may have been intersex.
Last week, Netflix dropped its new show, What's Next? The Future with Bill Gates, a five-episode series looking at cutting-edge technologies with the potential to reshape the world or society. The second episode addresses Internet misinformation, something that has become more prolific in the past eight years as political actors have sought to manipulate public opinion by spreading falsehoods in the hope of shaping world events.
Advocates for Trans Equality, the nation's largest transgender-led advocacy organization (the result of a merging of the National Center for Transgender Equality and the Transgender Legal Defense and Education Fund), recently released its first "Trans Equality Champions" report.
The report lists members of Congress who have co-sponsored six bills aimed at advancing the rights of transgender people and the LGBTQ community, as well as those who have cast votes against legislation or amendments to bills seeking to restrict transgender and LGBTQ rights.
Because Republicans control the House of Representatives, the number of anti-LGBTQ bills or provisions has significantly increased, especially as Republicans ramp up anti-transgender messaging and use Democrat support of trans rights as a wedge issue leading into November's election.
This section is always a grabbag of events and activities, a multi-genre arts smorgasbord we lovingly compile every season to cover those performances that aren't quite one thing or another, and don't quite fit within the confines of our other sections. It's a mix of stand-up comedy, drag shows, dance parties, exhibits, readings, book and poetry readings, and a sampling of the many restaurants in Bethesda. And it adds up to a lot of additional offerings apart from our other categories of film, stage, dance, classical music and pop.
This fall, you could dust off your cowboy boots and dance with the DC Rawhides as they host their debut evening at Glen Echo Park. Or take in a reading of a queer author at D.C.'s newest bookstore, the LGBTQ-owned Little District Books. Or set your sights on a queer extravaganza put together to honor Hispanic Heritage Month at DC9. Or maybe you'd like to take in a rare in-person evening with Bob The Drag Queen at the Lincoln Theatre -- or opt for the Jinx and DeLa holiday brew at the Lincoln.
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