Naked Boys Filming

What do you get when you combine the lurid thrill of gratuitous onstage nudity with upbeat musical theater song and dance? The answer is Naked Boys Singing, the hit Off-Broadway show that has been wowin' 'em (in more ways then one) since 1999.

And if the bumper crop of movie musicals this year hasn't been enough, the Boys will be hitting the big screen themselves this fall as well (and no, it won't be in 3-D). Naked Boys Singing: The Motion Picture (it isn't really called all that, but don't you wish it was?) will be the opening night feature at Out Takes Dallas, Texas' own gay and lesbian film festival, and it will be appearing at several other festivals as well prior to its limited theatrical release in October.

For a tease of the new movie, visit its official website, filled with cast pictures (sorry, no full frontal -- you'll have to see the movie for that!), video sneak peeks and a pictorial history of the global phenomenon that is Naked Boys Singing.

You can also get a gander at the movie's trailer (for once, that term is tres apropos) over at YouTube, where you can also see Under the Pink Carpet's backstage look at the New York production.

Links via NakedBoysSinging.com, Imdb.com, OutTakesDallas.org, NakedBoysSingingMovie.com, YouTube.com and UnderThePinkCarpet.tv.

Idol/Busch

Today's unrelated announcements that queer theater diva Charles Busch and XXX porn star Ryan Idol will each be trodding the boards in the Big Apple soon is notable for several reasons.

First, the two are both gay icons, though obviously for very different reasons. Second, they both will appear in plays well known to gay audiences. Busch will star in the Off-Broadway debut of his own Die, Mommie, Die!, reprising the role of Angela Arden that he immortalized on film in the hilarious movie adaptation. And in the upcoming Broadway revival of the comedy The Ritz, Idol will play the bit (but hardly small) part of "bathhouse patron". And thirdly: I have met them both.

Now granted, both of these meetings were of the "Oh gee, it's-so-nice-to-meet-you, I-love-your-work, good-bye!" kind, but when you brush up against fame, it sticks with you.

I will recount the less sordid of the two events first. Back in the summer of 1989, my then-boyfriend and I went to Los Angeles on vacation. Our trip coincided with the west coast run of Busch's then most-famous play, Vampire Lesbians of Sodom, headlined by none-other then Busch himself. Having just acted in the Phoenix premiere production of said play, I was thrilled to be able to see the Charles Busch, along with most of the original New York cast, in what turned out to be their final performance there. As a result of a few well-dropped hints to a kindly usher, we met Busch after the show. He was very gracious and even signed my program, which I still treasure.

As for the Idol encounter some years later, my memories are a bit dimmer owing to the locale. It was at the opening of some gay bar in north Scottsdale (now long gone) where free cocktails were flowing and Idol was the main event. He performed a little strip tease dance and was then "auctioned off" to the highest bidder for the remainder of the night. But before his "dream date", Idol took the time to sign some tragically out-of-date publicity shots for the masses, myself included. Idol was trying to be clever (or, as it turns out, as clever as a porn star can be), writing cutesy sayings along with his autograph; you know, things like "Hey Nick, do you like my ....?" You get the idea.

Before I go on, let me say that I love my name. Everybody remembers it, which is nice even if I can rarely return that compliment. However, being a gay man named Kirby can have its drawbacks, considering I share the name with a certain brand of vacuum cleaner.

Yes, I have heard more then my fair share of not-so-original "jokes" alluding to the sucking power of the latest model of Kirby Vacuums. And yes, it gets old. Nevertheless, as I waited in that line to get Mr. Idol's John Hancock (as opposed to his John Thomas), I was prepared to take whatever he dished out (a night's worth of tequila helped too).

"Kirby" I said when he asked me my name, bracing myself for the laughter ... that never came. Apparently, the Idol family didn't have a Kirby Vacuum Cleaner when little Ryan was growing up, as opposed to, oh, everyone else I have ever met in my life. The reference flew right over Idol's over-moussed head as he hemmed and hawed, finally coming up with this little ditty: "To Kirby: On my derby, Ryan Idol."

Yes. "To Kirby: On my derby". He even drew a tiny top hat to illustrate his little funny, even though a top hat looks nothing like a derby. And yes, I still have that photo, although it isn't nearly as treasured as my Charles Busch program.

Click here to purchase Die Mommie Die!on DVD from Amazon.com.

Links via Imdb.com, Wikipedia.org, Playbill.com and Broadway.com.

Priscilla, Queen of Broadway?

At first glance, The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert may not appear to be the ideal choice for a stage musical. Sure, musical numbers abound in the film fave, but these are drag queens, so the songs are all lip-synced. And who wants to hear "I've Never Been to Me" sung by a dude in a dress?

Alas, the producers of the hit Australian stage version came up with the perfect answer: cast three "divas" to belt the disco classics. Add three fabulously coifed and coutured men to play our heroines Mitzi, Felicia and Bernadette (the roles originally played onscreen by Hugo Weaving, Guy Pearce and Terence Stamp). Then have the boys lip sync to the live singing. It is a very theatrical conceit that works, if the big "I Will Survive" number (seen here on the Aussie version of Dancing With the Stars) is any indication.

Fans may also want to take a look-see at the official site of the production from down under, where you can play the "official" Priscilla, Queen of the Desert: The Musical game. Yes, I said game. You maneuver the big silver bus through the Outback, picking up stray stilettos and hormone pills (!) while avoiding wandering wombats and kangaroos. All the while, a medley of 70's hits is blaring in your ear, so you may want to turn down the speakers while your driving. I swear, it is the gayest game since "Mystery Date".

As would be expected, there is now talk that Priscilla may pack up her bus for Broadway, following in the footsteps of fellow Aussie export, The Boy from Oz, another musical gayer then most.

Which leads us to "Armchair Casting- Broadway Edition": what three Broadway "divos" do you see as the leads? I would say Gary Beach was born to play Bernadette. Beach has donned drag in The Producers and La Cage aux Folles, so why stop him now? Leave your thoughts in the comments section below.

Click here to purchase The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Deserton DVD from Amazon.com.
Links via Imdb.com, YouTube.com, PriscillaTheMusical.com and Towleroad.com.

Brokeback Broadway

One thing about rumors is that half the time they are, in a way, wish fulfillment waiting to happen.

Such is the case with the recent gossip of a stage version of the landmark film Brokeback Mountain. Back around the time the Brokeback theme was released as a dance mix (yeah, I know; you can't get much gayer then that), the thought entered my mind of a Broadway musical based on the story of two cowboys in love (OK, maybe you can get gayer then that).

All kidding aside, if Romeo and Juliet can be turned into West Side Story, why not a serious musical drama based on Brokeback? With the right handling, it could work.

Unfortunately, I feel that if this project does turn out to be true, we will be subjected to a whole other round of "gay cowboy" jokes, except with extra "show tune" ammo to fuel the thinly veiled homophobia. Personally, I really don't want to see Jay Leno crooning "Climb Brokeback Mountain" to the tune of "Climb Ev'ry Mountain".

Former X-Men Hugh Jackman (Tony-winner for The Boy from Oz) and James Marsden (who proved he can sing in Hairspray) are mentioned as candidates for the roles of Ennis and Jack, leading AfterElton.com to chime in with their own casting choices: Patrick Wilson (above left, in Oklahoma! drag) and Cheyenne Jackson (middle left, who will hopefully not be reduced to the go-to guy for gay roles on Broadway). I could also see Matthew Morrison (middle right, the original Link Larkin in Hairspray) and Matt Cavenaugh (right, as the Urban Cowboy) in the iconic roles. (Click on the picture for a closer view.)

However, the answer may be more obvious. Remember Jake Gyllenhaal's outrageous Saturday Night Live opening number? That boy's got pipes. Now replace the lyrics "I'm Telling You I'm Not Going" with the words "I Wish I Knew How to Quit You".

Scary how these things work out sometimes.

Click here to purchase Brokeback Mountainon DVD from Amazon.com.

Links via Towleroad.com, AfterElton.com and YouTube.com.