http://www.PlatinumTheMusical.com
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
UnsungMusicalsCo. Inc. presents
a developmental production as part of the 2010
New York International Fringe Festival.

An electrifying story of ambition and survival, Platinum stars Donna Bullock (Ragtime, City of Angels, A Class Act) as Lila Halliday, a dazzling Hollywood legend trying to make a comeback in the explosive music industry of the 1970s. Determined to reignite her career, she turns to rock star Dan Riley and finds herself falling for him as they both fight to stay in the game.

Written by Emmy Award winner Bruce Vilanch (Hairspray, “Hollywood Squares”) and Tony Award nominees Will Holt and Gary William Friedman (The Me Nobody Knows), this new version features revisions and direction by Ben West (How Now, Dow Jones). The musical is choreographed by Rommy Sandhu (How Now, Dow Jones, Mary Poppins) with musical arrangements by Mr. Friedman (“The Electric Company”), musical direction by Fran Minarik (Sessions, The J.A.P. Show), costume design by Janine Marie McCabe (Waiting for the Moon) and lighting design by Joe Hodge (Perfect Crime).

The original Broadway production opened November 12, 1978 at the Mark Hellinger Theatre starring Alexis Smith under the direction of Joe Layton. The musical played 33 performances and received two Tony nominations for Smith and co-star Richard Cox.

Days and nights of jungle fun during Carnival Week in Provincetown
Margaret Cho joins with Bruce Vilanch to act as grand marshal for Carnival parade on Thursday
By Melora B. North
Provincetown Banner

PROVINCETOWN —
If you wake up one morning this August and the weather is humid and sticky, and Commercial Street brimming with madness and fun, then you know it’s time for Carnival — oh, yes, it’s time for a parade, dancing, games, music and so much more.

“Jungle Fantasy” is the theme for this year’s Carnival Week, running Aug. 15 through 20. The grand marshals for the annual Carnival parade are Margaret Cho and Bruce Vilanch, who will also be performing at the Madeira Room at Vixen throughout the coming week.

Cho’s been in town before with her comedy show, and, in fact, she was even Chief of Parade in Sydney, Australia, when she led the Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Festival down Oxford Street back in 2008. So, it should be a no-brainer for her to team up with Vilanch to head the party on Thursday.

Best known for her explicit comedy routines, she takes on all the hot issues of the day, such as substance and alcohol abuse, from which she herself is recovered; eating disorders, another challenge she has faced; her bisexuality and obsession with gay men; and of course, politics, the ever so popular brain tease of heated debate, which in 2004 got her un-invited to speak at the Human Rights Campaign/National Stonewall Democrats benefit at the Democratic National Convention because the powers that be feared her strong voice would cause some unwanted excitement.

Hailing from San Francisco, Cho has worn many hats over the course of her career, which started when she was in high school and got involved in an improvisational comedy group. That led to her building her own routines, which launched her stand-up career practicing her trade in local clubs as well as performing an opening act for Jerry Seinfeld. The Seinfeld stint led to a spot on a Bob Hope special. Along the way she got involved in acting and appeared in the “Golden Girls” spin-off called “The Golden Palace,” as well as an ABC sitcom based on her comedy routine, “All American Girl,” featuring an East Asian family. Unfortunately, the show was cancelled but the outcome was a positive one, the publication of her first book, “I’m the One That I Want.”

She has several stand-up films to her name and had a clothing line which faltered. She has another book on the stands, “I Have Chosen to Stay and Fight,” and a reality show, “The Cho Show.” Cho has worked on the Lifetime series “Drop Dead Diva” and even writes songs and performs belly dances. She is married to artist Al Ridenour, with whom she says she shares a “conventional marriage.”

Cho appears at Vixen doing her stand-up and songs Aug. 15-24 (no show Aug. 19) at 9 p.m. Tickets are $40.

A comedy writer and actor, wisecracking Vilanch became a household name when he appeared on the re-born “Hollywood Squares” along with Whoopie Goldberg. He attended Ohio State University from which he graduated with a BFA in theater. He has appeared on television in “Bosom Buddies” and “Law & Order” and was in the film “The Ice Pirates.” Vilanch writes joke material for awards shows and, back in the ‘70s, wrote material for “The Donny and Marie Show.”

On the big stage he played Edna Turnblad in “Hairspray” in 2005 on Broadway, and he has been the inspiration for two documentaries. Vilanch is gay and an admitted, eager carnivore. He takes the audience on a humorous gig behind the scenes of show biz at Vixen Aug. 21 and 22 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $25.

Some other highlights of Carnival include the Jungle Opening Party on Sunday at 9 p.m. at the Boatslip Resort, with guest appearances by Felicity Layne and music provided by DJ Maryalice.

Nature fans can enjoy a whale watch “Saltwater Safari” on Monday when boarding starts at 9:30 a.m. at MacMillan Pier. Also at the pier from 3 to 8 p.m. is the Jungle Jam Pier Dance and Jungle Fantasy costume contest.

Tuesday morning kicks off the “Rumble in the Jungle” volleyball tournament held at Ryder Street Beach. From 5:30 to 9:00 p.m. that afternoon the party continues to rock at The Banana Boat at MacMillan Pier with beats provided by DJ Lee Thornhill.

Festivities on Wednesday include Drag Bingo at 6:30 p.m. at the UU Meeting House and, at 9 p.m., the “Night of Tarzan’s Temptation” at the Shipwreck Lounge.

On Thursday, starting at 3 p.m., parade fever will storm through town in all its jungle glory, and afterwards, at 10:30 p.m., the party will go on at Club Purgatory.

It will all end on Friday night with the Monkey Business Closing Party at 9 p.m. at the Crown & Anchor.

Every day from 12 p.m. on, beads, T-shirts and event tickets are available for sale at Carnival Headquarters at 258 Commercial St.

For more information, tickets and entry fees, call the Provincetown Business Guild at (508) 487-2313, or visit www.ptown.org to find out about other events such as the Jane Loves Jane Dance Party on Wednesday at the Pied Bar, the Drag Brunch on Friday at Patio, the Inn Stroll through town, the Jungle Beat Dance Party at the Atlantic House, and Kate Clinton at the Crown & Anchor, to name just a few more events.

[Banner correspondent Tsetsi Malinova contributed to this report.]

BRUCE VILANCH | Aug 15
Posted by Robert W. McDowell • August 13th, 2010
FALSTAFFIAN COMEDIAN AND COMEDY WRITER BRUCE VILANCH WILL HEADLINE THE 15TH ANNUAL N.C. GAY & LESBIAN FILM FESTIVAL

With his Falstaffian figure, his wild hair, and his even wilder stand-up routine, BRUCE VILANCH will headline the 15th Annual North Carolina Gay & Lesbian Film Festival, produced by The Carolina Theatre of Durham, NC. The outrageously outspoken gay, Jewish comedian and comedy writer’s performance will begin 9:30 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 13th. It will be preceded by a VIP reception and party for filmmakers and festival sponsors and donors, starting at 7:30 p.m. in the Connie Moses Ballroom. (For a complete schedule of events Aug. 12-15, click http://festivals.carolinatheatre.org/ncglff/schedule/.)

According to Bruce Vilanch’s official bio:

“Bruce Vilanch is a two-faced fella: Bearded, he is one of the most sought-after comedy writers in Hollywood, winner of a bunch of Emmys and noted as the ‘Hollywood Square’ just to the left of Whoopi [Goldberg]. Shaved, he spent two years as Edna Turnblad, Baltimore housewife and superstar, on tour and on Broadway in the smash musical adaptation of the John Waters film HAIRSPRAY.

“Most recently in 2008, Bruce co-wrote ‘The Showgirl Must Go On’ with Bette Midler, which opened at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas and has since received rave reviews. And in 2006 Bruce was seen on VH1′s popular fitness and nutrition reality-series, ‘Celebrity Fit Club.’ Participating in a type of extreme-makeover-body-edition, the Celebrity Fit Clubbers went through 100 days of Fit Club training. Along the way, they learned about fitness, diets, and nutrition.

“Who knows what Bruce will look like for his next performance? In addition to HAIRSPRAY, he has appeared in such legendary epics as ICE PIRATES, MAHOGANY, and THE MORNING AFTER. A frequent guest on talk shows, Bruce won his Emmys for co-writing back-to-back Oscar shows with Billy Crystal. He’s written 16 Oscar-casts so far, as well as a number of Tonys, Grammys, and even Emmys, although he never got an Emmy for writing an Emmy — that would be award-show incest of the lowest order. His bizarre career was documented in the film GET BRUCE!, released by Miramax and perpetually available on Buena Vista Home Video.

“Bruce’s one-man show, ALMOST FAMOUS, tickled Off-Broadway audiences for three months and has made a number of appearances around the country. He is frequently mistaken for Brad Pitt.”

The Carolina Theatre presents BRUCE VILANCH at 9:30 p.m. Aug. 13 at Burning Coal Theatre in Fletcher Hall, 309 W. Morgan, St., Durham, North Carolina 27701.

TICKETS: $27-$37 ($24-$32 member and group rate).

BOX OFFICE: The Carolina Theatre: 888/241-8162 or 919/560-3030 or http://www.carolinatheatre.org/tickets/.

Ticketmaster: 800/745-3000, 919/834-4000

PRESENTER/VENUE: http://www.carolinatheatre.org/.

PARKING/DIRECTIONS: http://www.carolinatheatre.org/plan-your-visit/directions-parking.

OTHER LINKS:
Bruce Vilanch: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bruce_Vilanch (Wikipedia), http://www.jewishfederations.org/page.aspx?id=26920 (Jewish Federations of North America, Inc.), http://www.wegotbruce.com/ (fan site), http://www.lortel.org/ (Internet Off-Broadway Database), http://www.ibdb.com/person.php?id=4613 (Internet Broadway Database), and http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0897358/ (Internet Movie Database).

OTHER LINKS:
The 15th Annual North Carolina Gay & Lesbian Film Festival: http://festivals.carolinatheatre.org/ncglff/ (official web page). For a complete schedule of NCGLFF events, click http://festivals.carolinatheatre.org/ncglff/schedule/.

ExploreLI.com
Florence Henderson, Bruce Vilanch comes to East Hampton
Monday July 26, 2010 11:31 AM By Steve Parks

Photo credit: Barry Gordin Photography

The John Drew Theater at Guild Hall event, titled “A Bipolar Evening With Friends: Florence Henderson and Bruce Vilanch,” benefited, in part, Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, as Henderson literally passed the hat near the opening of her portion of the show.

Promising to “tell the truth” in this musical revue of her life story, Henderson — best known as the wife and mom on the hit ’70s TV series “The Brady Bunch” — dished about her apparently squeaky clean personal past. She says she was a virgin when she married Ira Bernstein, the father of their four children. She never had an affair with Richard Rodgers, her womanizing mentor who discovered her during an audition for the national tour of “Oklahoma!” She “probably could have,” but didn’t have an affair with Frank Sinatra. And, at 76 — she’s in terrific shape: “I do Pilates three times a week, but what happened to the men my age?” — the twice-married widow of eight years is open to dating again.

When asked at a reception after the show, Henderson said that while no one could top Christine Ebersole in the lead role of “Grey Gardens” (Ebersole comes to Guild Hall for a concert this weekend), the John Drew Theater should “deifnintely do ‘Grey Gardens,’ ” the Tony-winning musical set in East Hampton.

Bruce Vilanch, who connected with Henderson in the ill-fated “Brady Bunch Variety Hour,” which lasted all of nine episodes, opened with a standup routine about his career as a writer for beauty pageants, and for the last 21 years, the Academy Awards broadcast. He recalls introducing Sophia Loren to Jack Black. “She had no idea who he was and started talking in menu Italian. That’s when you know you’re in trouble.”

Despite his joke about Montauk Highway traffic — “I got a house out here in April and I’m still trying to get there on [Route] 27″ — Vilanch, who lives in California, doesn’t have a place in the Hamptons. He brought along his mother, Henrietta, for the show.

Henderson, who also lives in California, said the Guild Hall show brought her to the Hamptons for only her second time. “It’s lovely,” she said, “except for the humidity.”

Hamptons.com
“A Bipolar Evening” with Disparate Friends
By Tiffany Razzano

Just when you think that you’ve seen everything in the Hamptons, East Hampton’s Guild Hall is bringing together an unlikely duo on July 24 in an event dubbed “A Bipolar Evening with Friends.”

The two performers on the bill, longtime friends, couldn’t be more different from one another. Comedy writer and performer Bruce Vilanch is best known for his raunchy one-liners and writing for just about every awards show you can think of, while actress Florence Henderson, who has starred on stage, television and in film, is best known for her role as the squeaky clean Carol Brady on TV’s “The Brady Bunch.” The two go back to the 1970s, when Vilanch worked as a writer for “The Brady Bunch Variety Hour.”

It was Vilanch who coined the event “A Bipolar Evening,” to Henderson’s delight. “Nobody expects the two of us together,” he said. “I have a much spicier reputation than Florence. But I plan on changing that for her. It’s not too late for her to be Joan Rivers.”

In the two-part show, Vilanch will take the stage first, telling tales from his career and tackling tabloid fodder. “My half of the show is about my bizarre life behind the scenes, writing for everybody else,” he said. For those quick to consider it a stand-up act, think again. “I like to call it sit-down. I just tell stories.”

Following Vilanch, Henderson will perform her one-woman autobiographical musical, All the Lives of Me, touching upon everything from growing up during the Great Depression to her years as America‘s favorite TV mom. And Henderson says you can expect Vilanch to make a special appearance during her segment and vice versa. “Usually Bruce would work alone or I would work alone,” she said. “This should be a tremendous amount of fun for us and the audience.”

Growing up in Kentucky, Henderson knew she wanted to get into show business at a young age. “Ever since I can remember, I wanted to be an entertainer,” she said. After high school, she received sponsorship to study at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York City, and never looked back.

She debuted on Broadway at 18, with a small role in Wish You Were Here, capturing the attention of the legendary Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein. She was then cast in Oklahoma! in the lead role for its last national tour, leading to many other Broadway roles.

However, Henderson didn’t limit herself to the stage. “My goal always was to have longevity [in this industry.] So I diversified early,” she said. “I loved theater and I still do.” She became the first woman to guest host “The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson” in 1962 and became “The Today Girl” for NBC’s morning show.

Then, in 1969, she landed the iconic role of Carol Brady on “The Brady Bunch,”-a role she still embraces. “I can’t ignore it,” she said. “It’s the elephant in the room.” But she’s never felt pigeon-holed because of it, like many actors known for portraying legendary characters. “For me it’s part of the fabric of my career, not the whole thing.” Carol Brady is a role Henderson revisits. She has lovingly skewered the character in various comedy sketches, made a cameo in the first Brady Bunch parody movie and participated in the reality show “My Fair Brady.”And her career continues to thrive in other ways, with the many charitable organizations she represents, as well as being a product spokeswoman and motivational speaker and appearing at events as varied as singing the national anthem at the Indianapolis 500 to hosting wrestling matches.

As for Vilanch, recently nominated for an Emmy for his role as a writer for the 82nd Annual Academy Awards, his career has been vastly different from Henderson’s, but no less successful. Studying theater and journalism, he began his career covering music for the Chicago Tribune. This is how he met Bette Midler. He began writing bits for her, and slowly built up the list of performers he wrote for: Cher, Eartha Kitt, Diana Ross.

From there he moved on to Hollywood, writing for various variety shows, most notably “The Donny and Marie Show,” and many awards shows. He’s written for 21 consecutive Academy Awards. But he was able to move from behind the scenes and into the limelight while a head writer for “Hollywood Squares” in the 1980s. He was asked to sit in one of the squares, which, as a performer, he says he jumped at. “I got to sit next to Whoopi [Goldberg] for four years and crack wise,” he said. “I think they just wanted someone to tame her. I got lucky.”

This opportunity kick-started his performance career, leading to engagements around the country at various events and venues, performing a one-man off-Broadway show in 2000 and starring in Broadway’s Hairspray as Edna Turnblad. “I had to shave for that,” Vilanch said. “I couldn’t talk them into a bearded lady.” And many of the stories he’ll be telling on July 24, could very well find their way into the book he’s working on about his career.

“A Bipolar Evening with Friends,” featuring Bruce Vilanch and Florence Henderson, John Drew Theater at Guild Hall. Saturday, July 24, 8 p.m. For tickets, go to guildhall.org.

Florence Henderson Teams Up With Bruce Vilanch For AN EVENING WITH FRIENDS 7/24
by BWW News Desk

America’s Favorite Mom, Florence Henderson premiered her concert “All The Lives of Me” two years ago and has been touring throughout the country. Part theatrical, part concert, Florence takes the audience on a journey through all her lives: daughter, mother, musical theater star, TV star and product spokesperson. Whether she’s sharing stories about her friend and mentor, Richard Rodgers, her friend and co-star, Robert Reed or her dad, her show lets audiences into the lives of this “very lovely lady”.

Musical numbers includes songs from her stage roles: “Fanny”, “South Pacific” and others and
includes a no-holds barred Q&A segment.

It’s the long-term friendship between Florence and funnyman Bruce Vilanch that sparked this concert evening. In addition to Bruce writing special material for Florence’s one woman show, Bruce wrote many of the Brady Bunch Variety Hour TV shows which debuted a few years after the sitcom was cancelled. It was the first of many Brady re- incarnations over the years.

Says Bruce: “I wrote the Brady Bunch variety hour, which was writing for a wholesome mom and wholesome dad. He (Reed) was a closet leather queen living with his mother! If I’d known that 30 years later people were going to be interested in this (expletive) I would have paid closer attention, It was 1977 and we were all chemically altered.” So why does Bruce think that 30 years later, there is still so much interest in The Brady’s, the variety shows and Florence’s concerts? “I think “The Brady Bunch Movie” had a lot to do with it. When they brought back the movie, Nickelodeon discovered there were these variety hours that had never been aired.

Both artists are very recognizable. Florence as Mrs. Brady and the Wesson Oil and Polident spokesperson. Everyone knows Bruce from Hollywood Squares with Whoopi Goldberg. He has written classic Oscar Award shows, including the Jack Palance / Billy Crystal bit. He recently wrote his 10 th Oscar Awards for Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin.

In addition, he has written the TV Land awards, People Choice Awards and many others as well as concert acts for Diana Ross and Michael Feinstein. He has also written most of Bette Midlers touring concert shows and one woman Broadway shows. He starred on Broadway in “Hairspray” and in Comedy Clubs across the nation.

An Evening with Friends is at 8 PM at Guild Hall. Tickets are $65 and $45, as well as a special VIP $85 ticket which includes include a Post-Performance Meet & Greet Reception with Florence and Bruce. www.guildhall.org for more information

NAKED BOYS SINGING! Celebrates 11th Anniversary 7/24
by BWW News Desk

NAKED BOYS SINGING!, the fifteen-song celebration of the male form will hit yet another milestone: it will begin its twelfth year on Saturday July 24th. The Naked Boys are appearing on New World Stages – Stage 4, located at 340 West 50th Street, between 8th & 9th Avenues. Naked Boys plays Fridays at 10pm and Saturday evenings at 8pm.

Still drawing both equally gay and straight crowds, NAKED BOYS has become a New York mainstay, while the London production, which opened to critical acclaim in the West End, begins its second year. Other productions are currently running in Las Vegas, which just announced its one-year anniversary, and the annual Provincetown summer production, with more opening within the next year, including anticipated productions in Korea and New Zealand.

Naked Boys Singing! is produced by Jamie Cesa, Carl D. White, Hugh Hayes, and Tom Smedes. It is directed and was conceived by Robert Schrock, and choreographed by Jeffry Denman. Schrock and a team of 12 writers — Stephen Bates, Marie Cain, Perry Hart, Shelly Markham, Jim Morgan, David Pevsner, Rayme Sciaroni, Mark Savage, Ben Schaechter, Trance Thompson, Mark Winkler and two-time Emmy Award winning Bruce Vilanch — have written a bouncy (pun intended) and fabulous musical revue that reminds us that clothes alone do not make the man. The show opened Off-Broadway at The Actors’ Playhouse in July 1999. The film version was released in 2008 by TLA Releasing and remains one of their top sellers on DVD.

Ticket prices are $69.50, which includes $1.50 facility fee. Tickets for Naked Boys Singing! are available through Telecharge.com at 212-239-6200 or at the New World Stages Box Office. For Group Sales, call 212-302-4848, ext 18.

The show runs at a lean, hard 70 minutes, without an intermission.

For more information, visit http://www.NakedBoysSinging.com

Bay Area Reporter
The show must go on!
On the Town
Published 07/22/2010
by Donna Sachet

Last Monday’s Richmond/Ermet AIDS Foundation’s cabaret show featured the touring casts of Wicked and Young Frankenstein, joined by Hollywood funnyman Bruce Vilanch and sensational vocalist Sharon McNight, in the home of Beach Blanket Babylon, Club Fugazi.

These one-night-only events are a rare opportunity to hear these Broadway voices singing music of their own choosing, not from their touring hit shows, while raising needed funds for AIDS-related service organizations. The participants deserve kudos for giving up their one night off to participate in a show of this kind. In addition to some remarkable singing, we were treated to several moving dance numbers and lots of humor along the way.

Juanita Ramirez ‘s psychic reading had the crowd in stitches, especially when she struggled to see the future of REAF’s own Gary Thackeray. Vilanch proved the perfect emcee, often seeming to shock the audience with his no-holds-barred comedy and celebrity skewering.

The highlight of the evening, however, was McNight as she compressed the first half-hour of The Wizard of Oz into a side-splitting 7-minute musical medley, complete with startling character impersonations. Seen in the audience and at the reception afterwards were Larry Horowitz, Don Berger , Richard Sablatura , Beth Schnitzer , Patrik Gallineaux , Sister Dana, and Lawrence Helman.

Florence Henderson Teams Up With Bruce Vilanch For AN EVENING WITH FRIENDS 7/24
Back to the Article
by BWW News Desk

America’s Favorite Mom, Florence Henderson premiered her concert “All The Lives of Me” two years ago and has been touring throughout the country. Part theatrical, part concert, Florence takes the audience on a journey through all her lives: daughter, mother, musical theater star, TV star and product spokesperson. Whether she’s sharing stories about her friend and mentor, Richard Rodgers, her friend and co-star, Robert Reed or her dad, her show lets audiences into the lives of this “very lovely lady”.

Musical numbers includes songs from her stage roles: “Fanny”, “South Pacific” and others and includes a no-holds barred Q&A segment.

It’s the long-term friendship between Florence and funnyman Bruce Vilanch that sparked this concert evening. In addition to Bruce writing special material for Florence’s one woman show, Bruce wrote many of the Brady Bunch Variety Hour TV shows which debuted a few years after the sitcom was cancelled. It was the first of many Brady re- incarnations over the years.

Says Bruce: “I wrote the Brady Bunch variety hour, which was writing for a wholesome mom and wholesome dad. He (Reed) was a closet leather queen living with his mother! If I’d known that 30 years later people were going to be interested in this (expletive) I would have paid closer attention, It was 1977 and we were all chemically altered.” So why does Bruce think that 30 years later, there is still so much interest in The Brady’s, the variety shows and Florence’s concerts? “I think “The Brady Bunch Movie” had a lot to do with it. When they brought back the movie, Nickelodeon discovered there were these variety hours that had never been aired.

Both artists are very recognizable. Florence as Mrs. Brady and the Wesson Oil and Polident spokesperson. Everyone knows Bruce from Hollywood Squares with Whoopi Goldberg. He has written classic Oscar Award shows, including the Jack Palance / Billy Crystal bit. He recently wrote his 10 th Oscar Awards for Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin.

In addition, he has written the TV Land awards, People Choice Awards and many others as well as concert acts for Diana Ross and Michael Feinstein. He has also written most of Bette Midlers touring concert shows and one woman Broadway shows. He starred on Broadway in “Hairspray” and in Comedy Clubs across the nation.

An Evening with Friends is at 8 PM at Guild Hall. Tickets are $65 and $45, as well as a special VIP $85 ticket which includes include a Post-Performance Meet & Greet Reception with Florence and Bruce. www.guildhall.org for more information

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Playbill

Naked Boys Singing! Censorship Lawsuit Settled in Milwaukee
By Thomas Peter

July 15, 2010

A censorship lawsuit that resulted from the premature closing of a Milwaukee production of Naked Boys Singing! has been settled.

The Milwaukee Gay Arts Center received a $20,000 check from the City of Milwaukee July 14 as part of the settlement. The lawsuit had been filed on the Center’s behalf by the ACLU of Wisconsin.

The Center’s production of the Naked Boys revue, an Off-Broadway hit celebrating male nudity and featuring gay content, was closed down by city police in August 2005 after complaints about its content and disputes over whether the theatre’s license had been properly paid. A local ordinance required the theatre to obtain the license that needed to be approved by the Common Council of Milwaukee, who were not meeting until September 2005, after the production was scheduled to close.

The recent settlement found the Center exempt from the license requirements because of its status as a non-profit. The city has now changed its licensing forms to make clear that non-profits are not required to obtain a theatre license, although for-profit theatres must still obtain one. No time limit has been placed on the Common Council’s approval of license applications from for-profit theatres.

Regarding the disputes over the show’s content, Milwaukee Gay Arts Center executive director Paul Masterson said in a statement, “Good theater sometimes challenges convention. The police should not shut down a play because some people find it offensive.”

Regarding the licensing disputes, ACLU of Wisconsin legal director Larry Dupuis stated, “Requiring any theater to get a license before putting on a play comes dangerously close to the kind of ‘prior restraint’ on speech the First Amendment was designed to prohibit. We are pleased that the City has clarified the process so that non-profits will know they are not required to get a license. However, we continue to believe that the City should amend its ordinance to limit the time the City has to issue any theater license. It’s too easy for the authorities to just delay giving the permit to performances they don’t like.”

The Milwaukee production was the fourth production — including previous ones in Provincetown, MA; San Juan, Puerto Rico; and Atlanta, GA — of the musical shut down by local police forces.

Naked Boys Singing!‘s original 16-song score includes such numbers as “Fight the Urge,” “The Bliss of a Bris,” “Muscle Addiction,” “Nothing But the Radio On,” “Members Only” and “Window to Window.” The musical comedy revue opened in New York July 22, 1999, after a successful run at the Celebration Theatre in Los Angeles. The show’s contributing writers are Stephen Bates, Marie Cain, Shelly Markham, Jim Morgan, David Pevsner, Rayme Sciaroni, Mark Savage, Ben Schaechter, Robert Schrock, Mark Winkler and Bruce Vilanch. Schrock directed with choreography by Jeffry Denman (The Producers) and musical direction by Stephen Bates, who died in 2003.

The musical revue currently plays in New York at New World Stages at 340 West 50th Street.