24

GAY PEOPLE'S CHRONICLE DECEMBER 23, 1994

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Dykes To Watch Out For

the

Fatalist

YEAH? AND

AND THEN SHE KISSED ME.

THEN WHAT?

EVENINGS OUT

Moving into the mainstream

Continued from previous page

like any other set of human lives, or maybe more so." This is precicesly the point I want to make. It is a good sign for the future that our lives can be so honestly presented and that this kind of work can become an important part of the national culture.

This same attitude was present in the brilliant and very homoerotic staging by George C. Wolfe of Blade to the Heat that was the season's opening production at the distinguished New York Shakespeare Festival. And I was pleased to learn that the Ridiculous Theatrical Production of A Midsum-

mer Dream-

queer

ganza

Night's a totally

extravahas been a

huge success at the box office. I believe that having work that represents us and our sensibilities in the mainstream will gradually affect the

Terrence McNally's new gay play Love! Valour! Compassion! opens on Broadway January 20.

way we are perceived. It is one of the subtle, but important ways, that voters can be influenced to oppose oppressive legislation.

Although I'm generally optimistic, I should note the way in which the New York press dealt with the Five Lesbian Brothers' new work, The Secretaries, was depressing. Reviews were generally favorable, although occasionally patronizing, and the six-week run sold out; but without the kind of attention their work truly merited they were unable to extend the run as they had hoped. I spoke with one of the Brothers about this recently. She was clearly as disappointed as I was, but smiled and quipped that at least she had the right wig for her return to temp work. It's a good example of how lesbian work continues to be marginalized and has a harder time entering the mainstream.

I hope that readers of the Chronicle have understood the change in direction my coverage has taken this fall. After a year of trying to cover the general Cleveland theatre I've opted to focus almost solely on

scene,

HAH! THEA OWES ME FIVE BUCKS!

WHOA! SHE JUST, LIKE, KISSED YOU? WHAT DID You Do?

I DUNNO! I MEAN, WHAT COULD I DO? I KISSED HER BACK. SHE TOOK ME BY SURPRISE.

WHAT KIND OF KISS ARE WE TALKING HERE? POLITE PECK? SISTERLY SMOOCH? OR A REAL SPITSWAPPER?

IT WAS... YOU KNOW, A REGULAR KISS. SHE TASTED LIKE POPCORN AND VIENNESE ROAST.

gay and lesbian work. It is a decision that seems more in line with current space available in the paper, although I sometimes regret the pride I felt at seeing my reviews posted in theatres alongside those of the other critics because it made our paper visible to people who might not know about it. As the year ends, I'm making an important transition in my own life by moving back to my New York home. And I'm pleased to announce that the Theatre Communications Group has recently republished the book I edited, Joseph Chaikin and Sam Shepard: Letters and Texts, 1972-1984. It documents the collaboration between a gay and a straight artist.

I'll still be teaching in Ohio in 1995, and still be trying to cover gay and lesbian theatre in Cleveland as well as in New York for the Chronicle. My New Year's wish will be that the arts in Cleveland will start to catch up with what seems to be happening nationally. May you all have Happy Holidays and enjoy a proud New Year.

THEN WHAT HAPPENED?

THEN

SHE LEFT.

LET ME GUESS. YOU DIDN'T TRY TO STOP HER.

SHE WAS READY TO GO.

MO, D'YOU MIND IF I INCLUDE THIS STORY IN THE PAPER I'M PRESENTING AT THE QUEER THEORY CONFERENCE NEXT WEEK?

RING!

CRUNCH

201

I'M LOOKING AT HOW THE HYPERSEXUALIZED PERSONAE OF BLACK WOMEN AND LESBIANS IN THE MALE LITERARY CANON CONTRAST WITH OUR ACTUAL EXPERIENCES OF DESIRE, FOCUSING ON INTERSUBJECTIVE MODALITIES OF LESBIAN IMPOTENCE.

YOU KNOW WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOU, mo? YOU'RE AFRAID OF LETTING ANYTHING GOOD HAPPEN.

OF COURSE I AM! AS SOON AS SOMETHING GOOD HAPPENS, SOMETHING BAD IS RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER!

ARE YOU STILL IN THERAPY? AND WHAT ABOUT THIS DEIRDRE ? IS SHE PRE-SHRUNK?

JEEZIZ, SPARROW!

WELL DON'T COME IT WAS OUR FIRST CRYING TO ME DATE! I DIDN'T WHEN YOU FIND OUT TAKE HER MENTAL SHE STILL THINKS HEALTH HISTORY! SHE HAD A HAPPY CHILDHOOD.

MO, THAT WAS JEZANNA ON THE PHONE. SHE WANTS US TO COME OVER TO THE BOOKSTORE TONIGHT. RIGHT NOW, IF WE CAN.

WHAT'S WRONG?!

HER MOM IS REALLY SICK.

SO SHE HAS TO FLY HOME. SHE WANTS TO GO OVER STUFF AT WORK WITH US BEFORE HER FLIGHT LEAVES.

ว

WHAT'S THE MATTER WITH HER MOTHER? DID SHE SAY?

NO. SHE

SOUNDED

PRETTY UPSET.

THOUGH.

MAYBE I SHOULD COME WITH YOU, IN CASE SHE NEEDS TO TALK. I MEAN, MY MOM'S BEEN SICK A LOT. Do you

PROBABLY. BUT IT'S WORTH A

TRY. LET'S GO

THINK SHE'D MIND?