The Other Side: AIDS in Black (Gay) America

“The Other Side” is a monthly column I write covering issues faced by gay people of color for Outlook Columbus, Central Ohio’s premiere LGBT publication. 

Research by the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows that there are more new HIV infections among young black men who have sex with men (MSM) than any other racial or ethnic group of MSM. And that the number of new infections among young black gay men is nearly twice that of young white gay men.

This is a statistic that’s kept me up at the night for the better part of three years, when I first started volunteering in the prevention department at AIDS Resource Center Ohio, and has stumped decades of HIV prevention specialists and researchers from across the nation.

I recently took a full-time job with ARC Ohio’s newly developed Greater Columbus Mpowerment Center that will address this problem, and with National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day being February 7, outlook and I thought addressing this issue apropos. But hopefully by the end of this article you’ll realize this struggle is one that deserves your attention year-round.

There are 50,000 new HIV infections in America each year. Of those new infections, nearly 44 percent are African American. The U.S. Census Bureau reports that roughly 14 percent of Americans are black. Clearly black America has become disproportionately affected by HIV. But in the last few years, the infection rate among black gay males has reached epidemic levels, on par with the infection rate of white gay males during the initial “AIDS scare” of the 1980s. The CDC reports that in major U.S. cities nearly one in three black gay/bisexual men are infected with HIV, and 60 percent of them don’t know it.

Unfortunately, Columbus is at the forefront of this pandemic. Franklin County has the largest number of people living with an HIV diagnosis in Ohio (around 3,400), and the 25th highest rate of new infections in the nation. MSM still account for the highest affected demographic, actually rising from 63 percent of the reported HIV infections in Franklin County to 72 percent between 2003 and 2008, according to the Ohio Department of Health. The data also shows that of the 3,000+ living cases of HIV in Central Ohio, 25 percent are African American males, while 3 percent are “non-white.”

HIV is no longer The Boogey Man it once was. Information on how HIV is transferred, treated and prevented is now considered common knowledge. In November, Bill Hardy, ARC Ohio’s executive director, returned from the U.S. Conference on AIDS in Chicago with this quote from a researcher presenting there: “We really do now have the means to end the HIV/AIDS epidemic.” So why three decades after the first AIDS diagnosis, are we seeing it ravage another marginalized demographic?

There are many theories: Not enough funds are being focused on HIV advocacy and awareness in the MSM, amongst MSM, including black MSM. The stark and belligerent homophobia that often pervades the African American community, often perpetuated by the “black church.” Along with an unfortunately common habit among black churches to ignore any issue dealing with sexual or mental health. Also the “down low” phenomena; and not the myths or media hype, but the oppressing reality of a group of men trapped in a debilitating cycle of self-hate and secrecy.

These hypotheses have been debated for years, and we may never reach a consensus, but regardless something needs to be done now to curb the devastating reality of the statistics.

The CDC has recognized the need for immediate action and back in September awarded $55 million ($11 million annually for five years) to organizations around the country for HIV prevention programs aimed at young gay men of color and young transgender persons of color. As many are aware, ARC Ohio was recently awarded $1.6 million (approx. $333,000 annually for five years) to create one of these programs. (With nine offices, ARC Ohio is the state’s leading provider of HIV awareness, advocacy and care.)

ARC Ohio CEO Bill Hardy has been a strong advocate for more prevention and testing resources to reach gay and bisexual men.

“Gay and bisexual men still bear an enormously disproportionate burden of this epidemic. Two-thirds of all new HIV cases in Ohio are among this population, but less than a third of state HIV prevention dollars over the past years have been allocated to HIV programs specifically designed to reduce HIV among gay and bisexual men,” he said. “We have got to change the fact that every 25 hours someone in Central Ohio – most often, a young, gay man – becomes HIV-infected.”

It was this disparity, Columbus’ large gay population, and our unfortunate distinction of having the 25th highest rate of HIV in the nation that led ARC Ohio to apply for the CDC grant.

The Greater Columbus Mpowerment Center’s mission is to be at the forefront of HIV prevention, education and advocacy for the same-gender-loving (SGL) black and Latino male community. We also strive to be a visible voice and a vehicle for accountability with the goal of ending stigma and providing mental and social support. The center provides free HIV testing, prevention programming, social and educational events and a general safe space for black and Latino men to congregate. GCMC is currently operating out of ARC Ohio, 4400 N. High Street, Columbus, but will soon move into its own yet-to-be-designated location. We hope to be located near downtown Columbus, and plan to be fully operating from there by March.

“In order to address the impact HIV is having on the youth and men of color a community-level approach is needed to address the various and complex issues faced by this community,” said Malcolm Varner, GCMC’s new director, formerly an Outreach Coordinator with Nationwide Children’s Hospital’s Family and AIDS Clinic and Education Services (FACES) program.

The need for GCMC has been a long time coming. We’ve seen great work done on this issue by other community organizations but there’s never been a center that focuses not only on the need for HIV prevention, advocacy and awareness, but also focuses on the need for a collective mobilization within our community to combat this epidemic.

“I have witnessed firsthand the decimation of our community,” said Ron Murray, the center’s Mpowerment Program Coordinator, a born and bred Columbus native who’s been in the social work field for more than a decade. “What has remained a constant is that the numbers of new infections continued to rise. The uniqueness of GCMC and programs like Mpowerment is that it allows participants to identify the issues they’re dealing with – whether it be HIV prevention, treatment, dating or participating in high risk behaviors – and look at solutions from a more social and collective aspect.”

Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day is February 7 and was established many years ago to shine a fierce and necessary light on the staggering statistics mentioned above. The CDC has taken a great first step, but this needs to only be the beginning. My personal hope is that by this time next year the doomsday media coverage of increased infection will be replaced with human-interest spotlights on decreases instead.

Please join ARC Ohio at Columbus Public Health, 240 Parsons Ave., Columbus, Thursday, February 9, 6p-7:30p, for a Community Information Session about the new center featuring the GCMC staff. Can’t attend? More information about the Greater Columbus Mpowerment Center can be found at Facebook.com/ColumbusMpowerment, email gcmc@arcohio.org or 614.340.6717. More information about the work of ARC Ohio log on to www.arcohio.org.  Info on the National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day visitwww.blackaidsday.org.

~from Outlook Columbus

The Other Side: It’s Time We Start to Diversify the Message

“The Other Side” is a monthly column I write covering issues faced by gay people of color for Outlook Columbus, Central Ohio’s premiere LGBT publication. 

When I think of the bicentennial celebrations laid out for Columbus this year, the festivities aren’t what immediately capture my attention. I think of this as period of reflection. How far has this city come and how far it still needs to go.

In December’s issue, Orie Givens wrote about the invisibility faced by LGBT people of color and how LGBT racial minorities are often left out of the mainstream LGBT conversation. As a black, gay, male writer growing up, and now living in this city I often think of all the stories that aren’t being told, especially among the LGBT people of color population.

As Givens mentioned, we’ve seen some success with shows like Noah’s Arc. But when I think back on the last few years and the LGBT stories that gripped the nation (i.e. Prop 8, Constance McMillen, gay bullying and the It Gets Better Project, Don’t Ask Don’t Tell), I mostly remember seeing white-washed coverage by the mainstream media.

Columbus is doubly guilty of this oversight. The Short North is an amazing, nationally recognized area that prominently features the LGBT community, but it’s also probably one of the least racially diverse areas of the city. And the number of times I’ve seen an openly gay person of color featured on a local news station, be it television, radio or newspaper, can be counted on my two hands.

Givens did a great job of detailing the issues faced by LGBT minorities and the disparities that exist within both the multicultural and LGBT community. Now that the conversation has been started, it’s time to hash out a solution. It’s time we started featuring other sides of the story.

Right now, Traxx Columbus, a Friday night-only dance club at the Outland building in The Brewery District, is the only club in the city that caters to the social and advocacy needs of the black gay community. (None that I know of exist for the gay Latino or Asian communities). New Leaf Columbus is the only local organization with a long and successful history of supporting gay people of color through education, activism and advocacy.

There are many things that could be done to improve this invisibility and disparity that exists for gay people of color here in Columbus. The festivities surrounding Pride need to include events that service EVERYONE in our community. A racially diverse gay club needs to be open daily in the Short North. And we need concerted efforts by organizations like Stonewall Columbus to partner with LGBT of color organizations. This would just be the beginning.

Using Facebook, I conducted a small, unscientific survey amongst some members of the LGBT of color community here in Columbus. I posed just one question: What do you think Columbus needs to make it a more welcoming place for gay people of color? The response was overwhelming. Here is just a small snap shot of what people had to say:“We need a greater, less-fetishized presence on High Street. SOME presence in the night life/drag community, better outreach and mostly some real, legitimate basic-level social gatherings.”

“WE, the gay peeps of color, need to be PRESENT. As I ask this, I am looking in the mirror: ‘Why would anyone include us if we don’t make ourselves present in the conversations?’ It is virtually impossible to change anything from withOUT; change comes from withIN organizations.”

“Mainstream LGBT organizations and media should strive to be much more inclusive in the language that they use, with the understanding that not everyone adheres to terms such as ‘queer,’ ‘LGBT,’ etc.”

“Everyone has the right to be identified as they see fit. With that said, maybe we need to examine why terms like “queer” or ‘LGBT’ are not adhered to, and find out what terms are more appropriate. With this [the media] needs your help.”

“We need to go beyond Stonewall, Equality Ohio and HRC to United Way funded agencies, ADAMH funded agencies, for-profit boards like Nationwide, Limited Brands and political offices like City Council, County Commissioner, State Representative/Senator and so on.”

“I guess my concern is making sure that [we address] the broad scope of diverse communities in the LGBT of Color Community. There’s such a broad scope in the African American community and if you expand beyond that, there’s Latino, South Asian, Asian, etc. I think those are all communities that also need to be addressed or given opportunities to be at the table.”

Though the current situation seems bleak, there is hope. A group of local activists have recently started the Columbus Black Gay Men’s Coalition and the AIDS Resource Center Ohio has recently received a substantial grant from the CDC to open the Greater Columbus Mpowerment Center, an organization that will work to specifically fight HIV/AIDS in the young black gay male community.

There is actually a history of progress being made on this issue in Columbus. In January 2008 New Leaf, Equality Ohio and HRC partnered to present “Community Conservations: Outreach & Community Building for Columbus’ LGBT Communities of Color” at United Way. The event was created in response to an LGBT Needs Assessment Survey that was conducted by United Way, Columbus AIDS Task Force (now AIDS Resource Center Ohio) and Stonewall, which received little to now response from gay people of color. A second conservation was organized in April 2010 to “check in” and discus what needed to be focused on going forward.

Aaron Riley, founder and director of New Leaf, graciously did some digging and sent me the minutes from these two meetings. Many of the responses above were included in the discussion (language barriers, media representation, mobilization, etc.) and there was even talk of starting LGBT of color sports groups, film festivals and youth mentoring programs.

“As a result of the first and second community conversation, there are a number of grass roots efforts that have been started,” Riley said. “Perhaps it is time to host another Community Conversation to make folks aware of what has been accomplished since 2010 and what is needed to continue building these efforts.”

Outlook is currently taking a stand as an ally, and will be starting a new column called “From the Other Side” that will fill this space every month with stories that feature gay people of color and organizations that support them from around the city and the country. Please send submissions or any story ideas to myself (dwayneasteward@gmail.com) or outlook Editor Erin McCalla (emccalla@outlookmedia.com).

Sociologists use the textbook term “the Other” to refer to racial minorities or anyone that falls outside of the dominating white, straight male demographic. Much like the word “queer,” it’s time we take this phrase back and make it something positive. It’s time to make the Other, the norm.

The LGBT community is forever evolving. We may no longer be fighting for the right to serve openly in the military, or to the keep the police from arresting us simply for being in a gay bar, but there are still the deeper roots of inequity that prevail and need to be tended. And Columbus is one of the largest gay Meccas in the country. Why can’t we be the city that leads this movement? We have the tools, now we just need to get to work.

~from Outlook Columbus

It Gets Better for Small Towners, Too

I grew up in Delaware, Ohio, a small rural town just outside of Columbus, and I was picked on mercilessly in junior high and high school for acting “feminine.” I was called a faggot on a regular basis. I was called a lot of things on a regular basis. Every derogatory name used for gays was at some point directed at me. My parents are also extremely religious; my father’s a Pentecostal minister, so I had to deal with bigotry at home, as well.

All of this, of course, made coming out extremely difficult. I was in church every week hearing the pastor preach that gays are going to hell. There was even a rumor started that I was fornicating with another member of the church and we were infecting each other, and those around us, with AIDS. It was pretty bad. I dealt with a lot of inner turmoil and self-hatred for a very long time.

Even though things were pretty bad growing up, the great thing about high school is, it doesn’t last forever. After I graduated I went to Ohio University, a school that’s extremely open and accepting of everybody and anyone. I met a remarkable group of friends who I still keep in touch with. I came out in college and was even a part of starting an amazing support group for LGBT people of color there called SHADES—the first of its kind at OU.

When I told my family I was gay, there was some resistance but they all said the same thing, that they loved me no matter what. My friends were also extremely supportive, and most of them said they had already known. Altogether, coming out wasn’t as bad as I was expecting it to be.

When I came out to my extremely religious mother she said that she didn’t agree with my “lifestyle” but that she loved me just the same. My father echoed this sentiment. My parent’s initial reaction was one of avoidance. My sexuality was just something we didn’t talk about. Biblically, I knew their stance and they knew mine. But they are slowly coming around. When I first came out my mother she didn’t want to hear anything about my love life. Now, she actually wants to meet my boyfriends. And my father has even started inviting my boyfriends to family functions. So, it gets better.

I moved back to Delaware recently and it has dawned on me how important leaving was. I was able to discover people who were just like me, and live a life that was void of any hatred. That experience made me a much stronger person and gave me the ability to confront the stereotypes and bigotry that used to go on here all the time. And Delaware has changed some, too. There are LGBT groups now that never could have existed when I was growing up here. So, sometimes it just takes time.

If you’re a teen in a city like Delaware, Ohio, seek out the gay community where you live. There are groups and organizations that can help you. One great organization in Columbus is the Kaleidoscope Youth Center. It’s an organization specifically designed to be a safe space for LGBT youth in junior high and high school. So find a center like that near you. And, if there isn’t a gay community near you, go to the biggest city around you. Or, find an older gay person or an ally that you can trust, that you can talk to.

Suicide is never the only option. Please, please, please do not let the bullies win. High school is only four years of your life. There is so much more out there that you need to experience. There’s a whole world out there waiting for you that is much better than the one you’re living in. It does get better.

~from “It Gets Better: Coming Out, Overcoming Bullying, and Creating a Life Worth Living,” edited by Dan Savage and Terry Miller, (Dutton/Penguin USA, March 22, 2011) PRE-ORDER HERE

Visit Queer-Corner.com for more about my involvement with the It Gets Better Project.

Trans-Siberian rock opera still rolling

COLUMBUS — The Trans-Siberian Orchestra continues to find success, despite the odds

The emerging alliance of Ticketmaster and Live Nation has elevated ticket prices. That factor, coupled with 2010′s apocalyptic concert sales figures and the record industry’s steady revenue decline, paint a foreboding picture. Yet somehow, during the economic turmoil of 2008 and 2009, the Pink Floyd-esque rock opera began selling more tickets than any single year since its 1993 inception.

“2010 has been the worst year for tours in the history of rock … we were scared going into 2008 and 2009,” said Paul O’Neill, TSO’s co-founder and creative director.

Yet the 55-year-old rock ‘n’ roll veteran said the rapidly changing landscape improved dramatically as the year continued.

“Sales were soft at the beginning, but there was a boom after the election this year,” O’Neil said. “I don’t know why, but I do know that I’ve always been adamant about our ticket prices being no more than $70.”

According to O’Neill’s advisers, 25 percent of any concert’s ticket sales are acquired by scalpers, which is why most arena acts double or triple the price for tickets in the “golden circle,” or the best 2,000 seats. But for years O’Neill has refused to give in to pressures to increase TSO’s price tag.

“I think that the kid who delivers your paper should have just as fair a chance as Steve Jobs or Bill Gates to get good seats,” said O’Neill, himself a rock producer/promoter extraordinaire who’s worked with the likes of Madonna, Sting and Bon Jovi.

Earlier in his career, he worked at Leber- Krebs Inc., a managing firm that represented numerous rock acts during the 1980s, including AC/DC, Def Leppard and Aerosmith.

Instead of following advice to dial down the show’s massive production — which has become famous for its epic lighting cues, pyrotechnics and master sound mixing — O’Neill said the show is bigger and flashier then ever.

“One part of the show has 3,000 lighting changes in 60 seconds,” he said.

O’Neill said he considers Columbus a mainstay on the group’s international touring schedule, because an Ohio date was the first show on its small 1996 debut tour to go on sale.

“It sold out in three hours, and everything kind of took off from there,” he said. “Ohio is really the birthplace of our live tour … it’s like going home.”

The concert at Nationwide Arena will start with a first act featuring music from TSO’s wildly popular holiday trilogy — “Christmas Eve and Other Stories,” “The Christmas Attic” and “The Lost Christmas Eve” — while the second half focuses on the orchestra’s other endeavors, including tunes from its latest album, “Night Castle.”

The second act also will showcase music from TSO’s upcoming rock musical, “Gutter Ballet and the New York City Blues Express,” the orchestra’s first foray into a full theatrical production, with plans to premiere on Broadway.

As for TSO’s future, O’Neill said a television movie adaptation of “Beethoven’s Last Night” (the 2000 album featured on the wildly popular spring tour) is on the horizon as well as a new album, “Romanov: What Kings Must Whisper,” about the Russian Bolshevik Revolution, the music of which already has been written and arranged.

“Right now, I’m just trying to find the voices,” O’Neill said. “Writing the songs and the story is just half the battle. The key is always finding the right singers.”

TSO is working on both albums simultaneously with no set release dates.

“Whichever album is finished first is the one that will be released first,” O’Neill said.

If You Go

TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA WINTER TOUR 2010

Where: Nationwide Arena, 200 W. Nationwide Blvd., Columbus.

When: 3 and 7:30 p.m. Tuesday

Tickets: $25 to $57.

Details: Call 800-745-3000; visit Ticketmaster.com or Trans-Siberian.com.

~from Media Network of Central Ohio

Review: ‘Rock of Ages’

’80s rock musical electrifies Palace Theatre

The über popularity of “Glee” and their remakes of pop tracks from yesteryear already has the charts buzzing with ‘80s rock tunes. But “Rock of Ages” (on view at The Palace Theatre through Dec. 12) takes it a step further presenting a flashy inside look at, not only the music, but the clothes, the hair, the sex, the drugs and the collective irreverence that permeated the times.

A rock concert posing as a musical (strobe lights and fog included), the two-act, three hour show features the clichéd story of two dreamers on the complicated road to love, set at a dying rock ‘n’ roll club called The Bourbon Room on the verge of being shut down by the man (or more specifically a money-grubbing German developer.)

The buzz: “Rock of Ages” opened on Broadway late in the season last year, just in time for five Tony nominations, including a Best Actor nod for the show’s star “American Idol” finalist Constantine Maroulis.

The verdict: Chris D’Arienzo’s tries to pack too many of the era’s themes into his book (gentrification, Reganomics, the rise and fall of classic rock), but packs the show with an entertaining array of ‘80s classic rock tracks by Journey, Styx, REO Speedwagon, Foreigner, Pat Benatar and Whitesnake. The musical is narrated by the oversexed Lonny (Patrick Lewallen), a mere rock ‘n’ roll version of the Master of Ceremonies from “Cabaret,” who comically leads the audience through the tale. Maroulis and Rebecca Faulkenberry have amazing chemistry as the leading couple, with Maroulis showing striking range as the shy-rocker-that-could. Several times his beautiful wail filled the packed theater to hearty applause.

The bottom line: Though presented as the anti-musical (Lewallen pulls out “Musicals for Dummies” while trying to explain the act-two finale), exchanging an orchestra for an eight piece rock band, the show’s fabric is reminiscent of “Hedwig and the Angry Inch,” “Mamma Mia,” “Rent,” and even “Jesus Christ Superstar.” Though not a perfect script, it is a perfect showcase of the music that made rock the classic institution it is today.

“Rock of Ages” runs Dec. 7-12 at the Palace Theatre, 34 W. Broad Street, Columbus. Tickets are $22.50 to $77.50, call 800-745-3000 or visit Ticketmaster.com.

~from Metromix.com

‘Rock of Ages’ heads through the Palace

Tony-nominated, ‘American Idol’ finalist headlines tour of new rock ‘n’ roll musical

Constantine Maroulis’ love for the theater extends back further than most might give him credit for.

Best-known for his stint as a Season Four finalist on “American Idol,” many were slightly surprised when his name showed up among the nominations for Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical at the 2009 Tony Awards for his role in “Rock of Ages” (which sets up shop at the Palace Theatre Dec. 7-12.) But long before his stint on “Idol,” the rock ‘n’ roll singer was being groomed for the stage.

The 35-year-old, Brooklyn native studied at the Boston Conservatory, where he received a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Musical Theater while playing in rock bands in his spare time. (“I really just sort of immersed myself in the performing arts,” he said.) He’s landed starring roles in “Hedwig and the Angry Inch,” “Rent” and “Jesus Christ Superstar,” and after graduating he started rocking seriously with his band “Pray for the Soul of Betty.”

Only at the suggestion of girlfriend in 2004 did he audition for “Idol.”

He quickly became known exclusively as a sensitive rocker, releasing a self-titled solo album in 2007, but his heart remained in the theater, and he jumped at the opportunity to star on Broadway in “The Wedding Singer” in 2006, which led to his Tony-nominated turn in “Rock of Ages,” a flashy tribute to classic ‘80s rock by Chris D’Arienzo and David Gibbs.

After finishing out his contract on Broadway, the producers came calling once again and convinced him to star in show’s national tour.

Maroulis took time out of his touring schedule to chat with Metromix about his role in the show, the Tony Awards craziness and his plans for a new album.

I’m sure you’ve heard this plenty of times, but congratulations on your Tony nomination. For a lot of people the success of this show came out of nowhere. Were you expecting “Rock of Ages” to become as big as it has?
I felt like we had a great show on our hands and we had some great buzz going. It’s kind of the anti-Broadway musical, so we weren’t sure how people would take it, but we got great reviews and the shows were packed every night … We opened the show in early April and the cutoff for Tony considerations is at the end of April. … From the time I was nominated to the actual Tonys was crazy. We were doing eight shows a week, there was tons of press and I was doing all the other Tony stuff, things like appearances and luncheons. It’s definitely unlike awards for the movies, where you’ve wrapped up the show and then you’re doing all this stuff. By the time the awards came up, I basically hadn’t slept in a month. But even still it was a huge day for me and my family. It felt like my work had finally been accepted by the theater community.

For those who are unfamiliar with “Rock of Ages,” what is the show about?
It’s a big ol’ rock ‘n’ roll show. It’s a Broadway musical, it’s a comedy, it’s a love story, it’s a lot of things. It’s told through songs of 1980s. It takes place in 1987 on the Sunset Strip in [Los Angeles] with the big hair, sexy videos, and the rise of the MTV generation. The story happens mostly in the Bourbon Room, a popular spot that’s been threatened to be closed by a German developer, he’s kind of the show’s villain. … I think the audience is taken for quite a ride. It’s a show for everyone, but guys that say they don’t do Broadway shows can come too and have the greatest night of their life.

How does your character fit into the storyline?
I play a guy named Drew who moves out to the Sunset Strip with just a beat up guitar and a duffle bag. He’s a big dreamer. He lands a job at the Bourbon Room, which is a coveted position because it’s where all the rock ‘n’ roll icons partied. Even if you’re cleaning up their puke, it’s a big deal. He meets Sherrie on his first day in L.A.—a girl much like him, she wants to become a movie star. There’s this instant connection, but throughout the show they keep missing each other and of course other madness ensues.

Why did you decide to go on tour with the musical after leaving the show on Broadway?
I did everything I set out to do in New York. I got the message out there and I completed my job as an actor and star of the show. After I was done, the producers came to me with an offer to go on the road. I considered it for a while and decided, let’s go ahead and get out there and engage those “Idol” fans.

What’s the future hold for you? Are you planning to do more theater or are you going to start putting out more of your own music?
This show has been a great extension of my music. I’ve been doing a live show in New York called “A Night at the Rock Show,” where I do a solo tribute to some of my favorite rock songs. I’ve also got a new album in the works. I’ve been working with my independent label Sweet Fire Studios in Brooklyn. I’m not trying to achieve rock stardom or anything—I’m just trying to do good work. I’ve gotten a bunch of songs together that I’m working on. I’m planning to put something out next year sometime. There are still roles I want to play, Broadway shows I want to produce. I’m a hustler, I work really hard. I’m always updating my Twitter page. That’s probably the quickest and easiest way to find out what I’m up to.

“Rock of Ages” runs Dec. 7-12 at the Palace Theatre, 34 W. Broad Street, Columbus. Tickets are $22.50 to $77.50, call 800-745-3000 or visit Ticketmaster.com. For more on Constantine Maroulis visit ConstantineMaroulis.com.

~from Metromix.com

Review: ‘It’s A Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play’

New show has plenty of sentimental holiday spirit

Hoping to offer an alternative to the humbug aftertaste left by their annual showcase of David Sedaris’ “The Santlaland Diaries,” Contemporary American Theatre Company is staging a unique take on the classic holiday film “It’s A Wonderful Life.”

Billed as “A Live Radio Play,” the production features a cast of five (Liam Cronin, Rick Clark, Stanzi Davis, Mary Gray, Don Ervin) on Christmas Eve, 1946 in Studio A of Manhattan radio station WBFR, taking on all the roles in Frank Capra’s iconic tale. We recently caught one of the shows, currently on an extended run through Dec. 18 in Studio One of the Vern Riffe Center.

The buzz: Who hasn’t seen Capra’s famous feel-good tale about the down-and-out George Bailey, his absent-minded guardian angel Clarence and the people of Bedford Falls who ultimately becomes the story’s hero. Joe Landry simply takes that well known tale and filters it through a “live” 1940s radio broadcast, complete with loose-leafed scripts and makeshift sound effects.

The verdict: By definition the phrase “live radio play” denotes an evening of listening, which could also mean a boring night out, but the show’s five actors gives you much more than a stoic reading of the film. Cronin is his own dream team as he hilariously navigates a host of voices and accents including the villainous Henry Potter, an absent-minded Uncle Billy, little Tommy Bailey and the voice of God himself. And under Jon Putnam’s perfectly timed direction the actors scurry about tapping shoes and slamming doors in order to create a bevy of live sound effects to accommodate the story. Missed cues and late arrivals also add to the fun. A beautiful period set (courtesy of set designer Michael S. Brewer) and a collection of everyday equipment used to the create the story’s ambient noise also makes the show a treat for the eyes.

Bottom line: Five strong and tiresome performances, perfect timing and a heaping dose of holiday spirit makes “It’s A Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play” a perfect seasonal diversion. What’s popular can sometimes be right, and if the story’s longevity as a Christmas classic isn’t enough, put your trust in the five vocal masters that turn what could have been a one-trick show into an entertaining night of impressive theater.

“It’s A Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play” runs Nov. 23-Dec. 18 in Studio One of the Vern Riffe Center, 77 S. High Street, Columbus. Tickets are $11.50 to $40. For more information call 614-469-0939 or visit CATCO.org.

Shadowbox moving back downtown

Rock comedy club will head to the Brewery District this summer

Arshot owner Bill Schottenstein and Shadowbox CEO Stev Guyer.

It’s finally official. After seven years of planning and negotiating, Shadowbox Live is moving back downtown.

Stev Guyer, the rock ‘n’ roll/sketch comedy club’s co-founder and CEO, signed a 30-year rent-to-own lease with Arshot Investment Corporation on Dec. 1, with plans to make the official move during the summer of 2011, according to a press release from the troupe.

Shadowbox has secured a 31,000-square-foot space in the Worly Building located at 503 S. Front Street in the Brewery District. The building also houses CD101.

The $3.25 million deal comes after a lengthy negation process. Many people may remember Shadowbox’s original downtown spot in a warehouse on Spring Street, which they inhabited from 1994 to 1999 until a tragic fire destroyed the 120-seat theater.

Ever since their move to Easton Town Center in ’99, plans have been in place to head back downtown. A $5 million to $7 million deal with Arshot was announced back in 2008, with provisions for the company to build a new 350-seat Shadowbox space in the Brewery District, but it was quickly stalled by the recession. A scaled-down deal was finally agreed upon. Shadowbox is kicking in $1 million worth of donations from the club’s beneficiaries and has saved $250,000 for renovations, while Arshot plans to invest the other $2.25 million.

The new space is more then triple the size of the current 8,000-square-foot space at Easton and will allow for a 318-seat theater (up from 214), a new rehearsal space, more offices and storage, and even expanded programming.

The troupe typically runs a themed music/comedy show Thursdays through Saturdays with Sunday musicals operating on a scattered schedule throughout the year. But the new space will feature musicals year-round, a late-night movie series and a variety show much like those held at 2Co’s Cabaret, a Shadowbox spinoff operated in the Short North from 2000 to 2006.

They’ll also be adding a new restaurant/bar called The Backstage Bistro that will open this winter and start with a limited breakfast and lunch menu before expanding to dinner and bar service.

Three more shows are scheduled for the Easton location, and plans for Shadowbox Live’s debut showcase at the Worly Building are underway.

Guyer said the finalized move is a huge sigh of relief for the troupe. The group of musicians, actors, bartenders, waiters, office mangers and entrepreneurs has worked six days a week practically around the clock in a space that has never quite done their talents justice.

“Our plans are still quite fluid,” Guyer said in the release. “But one thing is for sure, we’re going home.”

~from Metromix.com

Review: ‘The Santaland Diaries’

One-man show continues to be entertaining

If you’re the type of person who overflows with holiday spirit this time of year, you might want to have Vince Vaughn’s famous “earmuffs” in tow if you’re planning to catch a performance of “The Santaland Diaries.” The one-man show—David Sedaris’ foul-mouthed tribute to the season—runs at the Vern Riffe Center until Dec. 26.

The story follows Sedaris’ real-life journey as Crumpet the Elf in the “Santaland” section at a Macy’s in New York City. It’s a job he begrudgingly took because his screenwriting career had yet to take off.

We sat in on Contemporary American Theatre Company’s Dec. 2 opening to see what all the fuss was about.

The buzz: Based on the popular essay that practically launched Sedaris’ career as an acclaimed humorist, “Diaries” was transformed into a one-man, one-act play in 1996 by famous Broadway actor/director Joe Mantello. The show’s debut at New York’s Atlantic Theatre Company (originally starring Timothy Olyphant) sparked a cult following that’s been pushed into community and regional theater companies nationwide. CATCO picked up the show five years ago, and Jon Putnam’s recurring portrayal has become a calendar fixture for Columbus theatergoers ever since.

The verdict: Putnam’s portrayal of the sarcastic Crumpet is definitely a comedic force to be reckoned with. He flounces dejectedly in and out of mocking the story’s various characters, all while pulling off Sedaris’ biting comedic timing with ease. Geoff Nelson’s swift direction nimbly moves Putnam about the Riffe’s small Studio Three stage, which helps keep the audience’s attention during the 60-minute monologue.

Bottom line: Sedaris’ dry wit has been transfixing audiences for years, and “Diaries” is no exception. The writer’s pitch-perfect humor is what makes CATCO’s pricey $35 ticket worth the extra dent in your wallet this holiday season

“The Santaland Diaries” runs Dec. 2-26 in Studio Three of the Vern Riffe Center, 77 S. High Street, Columbus. Tickets are $35. For more information call 614-469-0939 or visit CATCO.org.

Take Five with J. Osceola

With all the serious news we’re surrounded by every day, it’s nice to read something fun, short and simple every once in awhile. With that in mind, we’re offering a series of quick interviews called “Take Five.” We’ll feature local athletes, musicians and artists, along with some national celebrities who are passing through town.

This week we caught up with local hip-hop sensation J. Osceola. The 25-year-old rapper (born Jay Willis) was raised on the north side of Columbus’ (on the corner of Hudson and Osceola, hence the stage name) and has been on the rise locally for many years. He recently got attention from Pharrell Williams’ label, Star Trak, (a deal that unfortunately fell through). He’s also been featured on local and regional radio stations. Tracks from his new album, “The Brain Food Project,” are currently making waves, and he’s currently shooting a video for the single “You Can’t Stop Me,” a rousing, feel-good anthem with an inspirational message. The video is set for release by January.

Hoping to present a more intelligent brand of hip-hop, Osceola’s music focuses on the positive, unlike much of the lyrical content in today’s popular hip-hop. “People get confused and think because I don’t cuss in my music that I’m like Will Smith,” said the rapper, who listens to everything from Stevie Wonder to Nirvana and counts The Wu-Tang Clan, Jay-Z and Nas amongst his major influences. “I’m not a gospel rapper or anything like that, but you don’t have to glorify the negative to be cool.”

Osceola took time to chat with us about his start in the music industry and his love for Columbus. Check out what he had to say below:

How long have you been performing, and when did you decide you wanted to pursue the art of rapping as a career?
I’ve been rapping since I was a kid, really. But I’ve only been doing it professionally for about three years now. Back when I was a lot younger my sister took me to a Wu-Tang concert down at [Newport Music Hall]. It had a pretty profound effect on me. I remember watching them and having that ‘a-ha’ moment. I actually got to go backstage and hang and rap with them. It was really at that moment that I decided this is what I wanted to do with my life. I think I was in like fifth grade or something. That was the point when I went from rapping at the lunch table to putting songs together and trying to talk to producers.

Who are some of your favorite independent recording artists in Columbus?
It’s not just because I’m friends with him or have worked with him, but Iyeball from [Fly.Union], and just Fly.U in general—they are definitely my favorite group. [Iyeball] is amazing as an artist and producer. He does everything—he producers, he engineers, he raps. There’s really just no limit to what he can accomplish. I’m also a fan of [Rashad Thomas], who’s in a band called The 3rd, and L.e. for the Uncool is another one of my favorite artists. … There’s definitely a handful of very talented people in this city.

Where’s your favorite place to perform or watch others perform?
I would have to say [Skully’s Music Diner]. It’s a big enough venue to pack out and have a large crowd, but small enough that you can be intimate with the audience. It’s the best [place to perform] in my opinion. You get the best of both worlds. Also it’s in that environment in the Short North area that just has a good vibe.

Where’s your favorite place in Columbus to have dinner or catch a bite to eat after a show?
That would probably be Northstar. I’ve pretty much had almost everything on the menu. And they serve a lot of healthier food and I like that. I’m not a vegetarian or anything but I do like to get a lot of their vegetarian dishes. I also like Sushi Rock. I’m big sushi fan and I like the vibe there. It’s a nice chill spot and it reminds me of a couple of sushi spots I’ve been to in New York where they sometimes bring out a DJ. Taj Mahal is also a favorite. I like Indian food a lot. I like real cultural foods in general.

Put together your dream recording session?
That’s a tough one. Let me see, I’d have Ryan Leslie producing the track, Alicia Keys would be doing the hook, and I’d have Jay-Z as a featuring artists with a sixteen. That song would be pretty major. But I would love to do collaborations with a whole bunch of different artitsts in genres. I’d love to work with Rage Against the Machine, but I heard they’ve broken up. If they were still together I would love to do a song with them. For me it’s all about just putting out good music, I don’t like putting people in a box.

~from Metromix.com