20
GAY PEOPLE'S CHRONICLE FEBRUARY 24, 1995
EVENINGS OUT
Anniversary variety show brings the house down
Reviewed by Tamara Murphy
They've done it again. Or should I say outdone? As in themselves and everyone else. For the 20th time in as many years, Cleveland's Oven Productions has put on a Womyn's Variety Show that had to be seen to be believed, and with upwards of 1,200 women in attendance, record-breaking numbers were there to witness it. If you were anywhere but the Civic on February 18, you are either male or very sorry.
There's something about milestones that seem to bring out the best in this community, and the 20th annual variety show was no exception. According to the show program, the Saturday-night performance was a collaborative effort of more than 100 women, covering every creative and technical detail of the show. Their dedication shone all over.
For those of us who saw the show last year, the huge improvement with the sound system did not go unnoticed. Brava to Marcia and Myrna for getting that act together. Now if only the show had started as scheduled, instead of following Lesbian Standard Time.
One notable difference was in the scheduling of emcees. Rather than performing together, this year's duo did split shifts, Joyce in the first act and Iris in the second. (Oven has a policy of not listing last names in the show's program.) This was a terrific choice, since it allowed the audience to more fully appreciate the very individual comic talents of both women.
Speaking of talent, the show featured a wonderfully broad range of performances, from the sexually charged "Silver Nipple Saloon" to the politically loaded "Newt Wres-
Dykes To Watch Out For
Flagrante Delicto
...
THEN AFTER AN UPDATE FROM THE FUNDRAISING COMMITTEE, LOIS IS GONNA READ THE DRAFT OF THE FACT SHEET WE'LL BE PASSING OUT AT THE ACTION.
tling" and "Women Center/d Women." With poetry by Jan, and photography by Louise, and some pelvic maneuvers by Shirley that put the baddest of the bad girls to shame, skills of all kinds were recognized and celebrated.
The music (always my favorite part) was also exceptional. Penny Rachelle brought the house to their feet with her renditions of "I Have Nothing" and "Why Haven't I Heard From You?" Laura's "Mr. Dragqueen" had us rolling in the aisles, and between the Hagettes' "PMS" and Judith's "News from the Cusp," my empathy pangs were getting out of hand.
The sweetest musical treats, however, were the original compositions from Elise Reid, Carol K. Smith, and the Cyclone Sisters. Smith's "I'm Not a Knowin' was full of quiet conviction, and Reid's poignant "My Undoing" broke my heart twice. I'm thankful she brought it out for this performance. For those locals who haven't yet checked out the Cyclone Sisters, I can only wonder what you're waiting for. These women, who've played at the Cleveland pride festival and the Ohio Lesbian Festival, groove with a passion all their own. I was impressed when I checked them out at First Fridays at U4ia, and Olivia's debut on drums only increased my pleasure. I can't wait to see more of them.
The one aspect of the show which puzzled me in its sheer volume was the male impersonation. Although the performers did a spectacular, sometimes unbelievably believable job of it, and provided some of the funniest moments of the show, I just didn't get it. The Variety Show has a long-standing womenonly tradition. It is one of our only opportu-
OH, NO.
I LEFT
IT AT WORK!
WE HAFTA FINALIZE THAT THING TONIGHT. TOMORROW'S MY LAST DAY TEMPING AT THE LAW FIRM AND I DON'T KNOW WHERE ELSE I CAN SCAM FREE COPIES.
BARBARA BODEMER
Over a thousand women squeezed into the Civic's main social room and two other rooms for the party following the Variety Show.
nities for women-only space. This has caused some tension in the past, but it's a tradition that has been defended and upheld despite the protests. I'm even told that at one time, the show's producers discouraged the use of recordings featuring male voices. How then did we end up with at least seven male impersonation acts? I completely support women making choices that go against the grain, but I couldn't stop wondering why.
MEANWHILE, AT THE BOOKSTORE...
UH...DEIRDRE..
I SHOULD REALLY
BE GETTING TO WORK
ON THAT, UM... BOOK REVIEW.
CLIK
FORGET ABOUT THE BOOK REVIEW.
As for the rest of the show, special thanks to Judith, whose commitment to educating and empowering women is a real blessing, and to the Warrior Women who made up the first-ever "21-Breast Amazon Salute." Joycelyn would have been proud. I certainly was. I was also awestruck. Congratulations to the cast, crew, and to Oven for making this a year to remember.
OFFICE
OKAY, BUT LET'S TAKE IT SLOW.
205
MYSTERIES
NOK NOK
UH... YOU GUYS?
I HATE TO INTERRUPT, BUT...
I JUST HAFTA RUN SOMETHING OFF ON THE COMPUTER QUICK. I'LL ONLY BE A SECOND. GO ON, DON'T MIND ME.
LOIS!
WE WERE UM... JUST, UH...
DON'T RUSH, LOIS. WE'LL JUST GO
OVER TO MY PLACE.
OH, GOD. LISTEN, DEIRDRE... I'M REALLY SORRY, BUT I CAN'T. IF
I MISS THAT I'M IN BIG
DEADLINE, TROUBLE.
WAIT! I'M ALMOST DONE! I'M OUTTA HERE!
No. I'M OUTTA HERE.
DEIRDRE! UH... PUT ON YOUR SWEATER! IT'S COLD OUT.
SMOOTH, MO. WOMEN LOVE GETTING BUMPED FOR A BOOK REPORT.
WAS IT REALLY NECESSARY TO BARGE IN HERE LIKE THAT?
BELIEVE ME, IF IT WASN'T, I'D STILL BE IN THE OTHER ROOM WATCHING YOUR CHARMING LITTLE MATING RITUAL. SUCH ANIMALS.
AARR
Dykes To Watch Out For
the
nightly grind
1995 BY ALISON BECADEL
206
RAFAEL! MAMA HASN'T SEEN YOU
CLARICE, I'M THINKING ABOUT WORKING MORE. IT'S BEEN SO NICE GETTING OUT OF THE HOUSE TO DO THE BOOKS AT MADWIMMIN.
IN TWO DAYS!
I WAS JUST PUTTING HIM TO BED. I THOUGHT HE'D NAP AT MADWIMIN WHILE I DID THE PAYROLL, BUT LOIS GOT HIM TOO WORKED UP. THEN LATER, GLORIA BROUGHT STELLA OVER TO PLAY.
DID I TELL YOU WHAT A MESS JE ZANNA'S BOOKKEEPING WAS?
I GUESS IT WORKED FOR HER, BUT I'VE OVERHAULED THE WHOLE SYSTEM WHILE SHE'S BEEN GONE. SHE'LL BE SO PLEASED.
UH-HUH WHAT'S THE LATEST
ON HER MOTHER?
HE CAN'T GO TO BED! IT'S ONLY SEVEN! I LEFT A TON OF WORK UNFINISHED JUST SO I'D GET TO SPEND SOME TIME WITH HIM!
WHINE.
NOT GREAT. IT TURNS OUT SHE HAD TWO DIFFERENT TUMORS. AND THE CANCER WAS, LIKE, IN HER LYMPH NODES OR SOMETHING. SHE'LL PROBABLY HAVE TO DO CHEMO.
TOO BAD. YOU'LL JUST HAVE TO WASTE YOUR EVENING SPENDING TIME WITH ME.
JESUS! IT MAKES ME SO ANGRY! I'VE SPENT ALL WEEK REVIEWING MEDICAL HISTORIES OF PEOPLE IN THE SOUTH END. THEY'VE GOT THE HIGHEST CANCER RATE IN THE CITY, AND...
<WIP,
LOOK, I'M SORRY. YOU KNOW I'M UNDER A LOT OF PRESSURE WITH THE UNION CARBUNCLE SUIT. HAS HE NURSED?
DON'T SAY THAT WORD! I TOLD! YOU, HE'S FINALLY WEANED OFF THE BEDTIME FEEDING. I'M FREE! HAVEN'T YOU NOTICED, MY BREASTS ARE RETURNING TO THEIR NORMAL SIZE?
ODDLY ENOUGH. THEY'VE ALSO GOT THE MOST CHEMICAL PLANTS AND WASTE DUMPS! MEANWHILE, INSTEAD OF LOOKING FOR WAYS TO PREVENT CANCER, LIKE... OH, I DUNNO! CEASING TO PUMP THE ENVIRONMENT FULL OF CARCINOGENS. MAYBE, WE SPEND ZILLIONS ON CANCER MANAGEMENT!"
RING!
JEEZ, HES TOTALLY PASSED OUT.
GIVE HIM THAT TARANTULA. HELL CRY WITHOUT IT.
G'NIGHT, MONKEY BOY.
SLEEP TIGHT. TILL AROUND NOON, OKAY?
WHY? BECAUSE ALL THE CHEMICAL AND DRUG AND OIL COMPANY EXECS ON THE BOARDS OF ALL THE CANCER ORGANIZATIONS DON'T SEE AN ENVIRON MENTAL LINK!
HELLO?... HI, MO. WHAT'S UP?... WHAT? MADWIMMIN'S RENT CHECK BOUNCED? BUT THERE WAS PLENTY IN THE ACCOUNT! OKAY. YEAH. I'LL COME BY FIRST THING AND FIGURE OUT WHAT WENT WRONG. SORRY!
...
COMPLETELY OVERHAULED THE SYSTEM, HUH?
SHUT UP.