June 1976

HIGH GEAR

CLEVELAND GAY PRIDE

By John Vogel

In the seven years since the Stonewall Riot in New York City, it has become traditional across the United States to celebrate a Gay Pride Day or Week in commemoration of the massive first step in large scale gay consciousness raising. This celebration is usually held the third or fourth week of June and most often takes the form of marches and other public displays of the sense of self worth which gay men and women have of themselves. Picnics, art shows, seminars, workshops, and prominent gay speakers are other activities usually associated with the public affirmation of the existence and variety of gays.

All of these activities, and more, have been discussed during the past months among the various gay organizations and activists of the Cleveland community as ideas for making a Gay Pride Celebration in Cleveland. The main energies of the Cleveland community this past spring have been directed, however, at the development and opening of a Gay Community Center, and plans for a large organized demonstration of our pride have had to be postponed.

At a recent G.E.A.R. Foundation meeting, therefore, it was decided that Cleveland could mold its gay pride activities around a local positive event rather than a commemoration of the "Stonewall Riots." Be advised that Cleveland will indeed have a gay pride celebration, and it will involve many of the usual activities; but it will also be used as a fitting introduction

to Cleveland for the Gay Community Services Center. It is felt that a site near West 6th and St. Clair will probably be chosen for the center and that work will begin on the remodeling of the site during July. This is an event which all northern Ohio gays can be proud, and thus Cleveland's gay pride will shine during July instead of late June.

To commemorate the opening, a "Bare Walls" dance is being planned in the Center site before much painting and construction begins. A sound system, refreshments, and a great many members of Northern Ohio's gay community will probably be the only furnishings. Although plans for. this, and other events will progress during the next month as plans for the Center become complete, it is expected that the dance will include contests, prizes and general revelry.. Mayor Ralph Perk may be asked to cut the lavender ribbon at the opening (Do you think he would?)

A pot luck picnic is also planned to be held at Edgewater Park in the afternoon preceding the Center opening, and it is hoped that the picnic will be one of the largest gay gatherings in the state of Ohio. Details of suggested foods to bring as well as time, place and other information will be widely publicized before the date. There are other possibilities for our own special gay pride week and some of these will certainly be incorporated in the final schedule.

Traditional gay pride week will also be noted by many gay Clevelanders as part of the

national celebration. Some are intending to take part in rallies in New York, Washington, and Chicago. The local Metropolitan Community Church and Dignity are having a joint pot luck dinner on June 19.

A Gay Pride Week seems especially warranted this year in Northern Ohio and particularly in Cleveland. Over the past year this area has seen a tremendous growth in gay awareness as witnessed by the greatly increased social life (consider, if you will, the large number of gay establishments listed in this paper's social scene), the growth of the gay religious groups, northern Ohio's two newspapers, the C.A.L.F.A. organization, a radio program, Kent's successful conference, the daily working of the Gay Switchboard, the rap groups at the Free Clinic, Baldwin-Wallace College and MCC, political action and CGPU such as the Cleveland Heights hiring law, the visibility of gay's during the Press' attempted repression of Doonesbury and Akron police. harassment, and much more. All of this growing gay activity culminated in the cooperation necessary to establish a Gay Community Services Center.

Anyone wishing to help in organizing any facet of this celebration of Northern Ohio's gay pride should leave their name and number at the Gay Switchboard (696-5330) any evening. Look forward to a good Sunday in July and be there with your friends when gays get together to celebrate by the lake.

SOEDER'S TWO NEW MUSICALS

CLEVELAND Cleveland's foremost theatre director, Fran Soeder, featured in March's High Gear, will direct two serious musicals at Cain Park's Alma Theatre this summer. One will be "Anyone Can Whistle" with music and lyrics by Steven Sondheim. "Anyone Can Whistle" is an allegory and musical fable about a town which desperately needs restoration of its morale and prosperity. Said Soeder: "The book dwells upon our need for miracles and the fine line between sanity and insanity. Many think that the score was Sondheim's finest and that the musical was years ahead of its

a

time."

The other musical Soeder will direct is "Philemon" with music by Tom Jones and book and lyrics by Harvey Schmidt. The duo wrote "I Do! I Do!" and the record-breaking, "The Fantasticks."

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"Philemon is based on an actual event in 287 A.D.," Soeder said. "It concerns street clown who is jailed for vagrancy by the Romans; but is told he will be released if he assumes the identity of Philemon, a Christian leader."

"The Romans want him to keep the Christians calmed down, but in the end he is crucified when he assumes not

only the identity but the function and ideals of Philemon."

Soeder had originally planned to produce "Candide" at Cain. Park but could not obtain copyrights to it because producers had only made 15% of their $850,000 investment, According to Soeder, HaroldPrince, the original director, has decided to tour the show in a mobile fiber glass bubble. "The unfortunate thing is that should the show come to Cleveland, it will not be for two years."

"Anyone Can Whistle" is scheduled for a six week run beginning with the first weekend in July.

North, South, East, or West, all reads

load not to Rome, but to BAKER'S BAR, 24 Public Square, Lima, Oble

LIMA

J. J.'s

Baker's of Lima

Soon

Opening

Page 5

on the strip

DISCO MUSIC

2402 St. Clair, Cleveland

SANDUSKY'S FIRST GAY BAR

THE "DINING" ROOM

912 Hancock St. Sandusky, Ohio (419) 625-8158

OPEN DAILY 10:30 am until 2:30 Sunday 3-1

From Ohio Turnpike follow Milan Road (Rt.. 250) until it becomes Hancock Street

Profits from HIGH GEAR go toward a gay community center