THE WILL CLARK PRIDE GUIDE 2010 EDITION PART 4

You know there are all sorts of great super gay shows to go to this Pride season courtesy of Chip Duckett over at Spin Cycle … such as Alison Arngrim in “Confessions of a Prairie Bitch” at the Laurie Beechman (June 17, 18, 19 at 7:30pm) or the “Thank You For Being a Friend” Golden Girls rip off er homage er satire on Sundays at the Kraine Theatre starting this Sunday June 13^th and running through Sunday August 1^st. Tickets for both shows, $20 each.

And there are a bunch more which I’ll get to in this fourth part of my annual Will Clark’s Pride Guide NYC 2010… I’m not pretending it’s comprehensive but it’s a little insight into what I think is funky or cool or affordable or worth the trouble/expense this Pride season.

As mentioned in a previous post, I really dug BLOODY  BLOODY ANDREW JACKSON which, at this writing runs only through June 27^th, so if you’ve not caught it, grab it now while you can.

Back to the annual Pride Guide – one event I did forget to mention in the earlier section (don’t worry kiddies, I’ll be posting each days events at the start of each day for you) for June 20^th is her Sunday Jazz Brunch at Smoke Jazz and Supper Club located at 2751 Broadway up at W. 106^th street (get off on the 1 line 103^rd – how do I know, I used to live up there!). It’s from 2 to 4:30 and there’s no cover although apparently the last one on June 6^th was sold out so you might want to make your reservations today 212 864 6662. The brunch will continue through til August, check the Smoke Jazz Club website for deets. No music charge but it's a great place for drinks and brunch and prices vary.

Now, then once you’ve taken your first hit of hangover aspirin for the season (I would expect nothing less from a day/night that included the triple threat of Folsom, DeLaria, Sea Tea and Broadway Bares) you can hit the city where boys and girls will no doubt be walking the runway – the Runway for those of you who are new to the Will Clark World blog is that stretch of 8^th Ave. between 14^th and 23^rd. In the old days (read: the 90s) it used to be commonplace to walk up and down the street to show off and probably get picked up and have some afternoon lovin. Times have changed here in New York and it’s harder to do with baby strollers in the way but I’ve also noticed that it’s a rare day when there’s the walk, scope out the hot guy, walk past, wait three seconds, and turn and meet his gaze as he’s turned back and smile. Now if you’re really a super ho (which I am happy to say I have been in my day) you will walk a few more steps just to make them sweat and turn around again – and if they’re looking, you can legitimately turn around and walk back (because they are undoubtedly doing the same thing) and uhm close the deal. Skyrockets in flight and all that.

Now, granted, I had this happen to me when I was in LA. It was just Monday morning and I was walking through the terminal and passed by this incredibly hot pilot about my age and instinctively I waited three seconds and turned and whatdoyaknow he had done the exact same thing (how I love my fellow fortysomethings). It was that instant moment of recognition and, yes, embarrassment that we are as old as we are and still acting like kids but then in that same instant realized that we’d found a kindred spirit – someone who’d survived all the stuff the community throws at us and had just done something super gay and super primal. And we both guffawed out loud and both turned beat red and continued on in our separate directions. A friend said ‘why didn’t you go after him?” and I was like ‘well, presumably he was getting on a plane to fly it somewhere.. what would we have done, fucked in the cockpit?’ at which point I reflected and wondered, why DIDN’T I follow him? Cockpit sex!!! (and btw can I just quickly say how much I love FLY GIRLS? It's so not remotely anything resembling 'reality TV' but I love it anyway...)

Anyway, so if you’re lucky, maybe some of that spirit still lives in Chelsea – I’ve seen remnants of it these past few months, it’s struggling to survive. Frankly I think that the online hookups and crystal meth epidemic did away with a lot of that over the past decade. Not only were people hooking up online but then when they did venture out, the brain wiring was so fucked up that a flirtatious look was seen as something sinister (because that’s what meth does – it literally re- circuits the brain.

So, If you’re lucky, you may get a little action on the Runway.  Sex will certainly be in the air starting that Monday.

On the evening of Monday June 21^st, Midsummer Night’s Day, the annual Garden Party takes place and it’s not so much about entertainment (it can’t be because the Garden Party page makes no mention of who is appearing but I suspect the Cast of HAIR will appear since HAIR is this year’s Dustin Lance Black i.e. appearing everywhere) as much as it about food food food and there’s some 46 delicious oral delights at this year’s fest. Yet, it also starts out at $75 which is a lot of coin to drop in these times (although it does go to a great cause – keeping the LGBT Center open for another year). The party runs from 6pm to 10pm at Hudson River Park Trust’s Pier 54 at W. 14^th Street and the West Side Highway.

 

Or you could go to the Colonel and get a bucket of KFC and sit out under the stars to watch GOLDFINGER at Bryant Park for free. Not especially gay per se but it is a lot of fun and one of those uniquely New York things to do that most people don’t do. Here’s the secret tip though – get there early when the gates open at 5pm and get a good seat and throw down a blanket. Bring a friend, your phone and food and you’re good for the three/four hours til the show starts. We went to see HAROLD AND MAUDE last year and since the sound system is terrible, we couldn’t hear worth a darn but the company sure was fantastic and the movie almost a secondary part of the evening.

But if you want to do something super gay and super cheap you could go to Splash’s Monday night showtunes night (free before 10pm) something which surprisingly doesn’t tire out or for live cabaret, you can head up to VIG27 (119 E. 27^th between Park and Lexington) at 9pm for Sherry Vine’s weekly show where she insists on “razzle dazzle, broadway, jazz, torch and old fashioned Hollywood glamour”. Free and five buck drink specials (plus Monday night is Mojito night! Woo hoo!).(and if you want some free Sherry, click on her website and rummage around... it's like she's still alive!)

Being a HUGE Dina Martina fan, I am sad that I won’t get the chance to see her show on Tuesday June 22nd which is unfortunately sold out  already for both the 7 and 9pm shows at the Laurie Beechman. (insert sad panda face here)

But hey I’ll have the fun of joining my friend Elizabeth Soychak of Renegade Cabaret and her producer Patty Heffley at their one night only SideShow at TheatreLab located at W. 14^th street from 7 to 10pm. Patty MCs and Elizabeth will do a number every half hour or so. Again, it’s not especially gay, but you do need to expand the horizons a bit. And with performers with names like Minni Tonka and Mary Jo CamelToe, how could it be anything but awesome? Get more information at The Renegade Cabaret site!  And hey, it's only $5!

Part 5 of the Pride Guide tomorrow! 

Click here for Part 1,

Click here for Part 2,

Click here for Part 3

Comments

[grandiva1968.livejournal.com]

I hate the hell out of Little House on the Prairie, but I love me some Alison Arngrim. Mostly because she came to see me in a production of As Is I was in about 20 bazillion years ago.

I hate the fact that every time I'm in an AIDS drama I get cast in the ensemble part that has the drug dealer in it. I just can't work with that. :-D