IN BOX

September 26, 1997 GAY PEOPle's ChronICLE 11

Akron to host its first Gay-Lesbian Pride celebration

Akron-From Friday, October 10 through Sunday, October 12, the gay and lesbian community in Akron will celebrate the first-ever Akron area gay pride event, aptly named "Out in Akron.” Coinciding with National Coming Out Day on Saturday, October 11, several events are planned throughout the city to enlighten, educate and entertain the area's gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered citizens as well as the larger community.

The event will kick off with a public rally at the Ocasek Government Building on Friday, October 10 at noon. Members of Akron's lesbian and gay community will participate in a press conference sponsored by Stonewall Akron to draw attention to the civil rights, employment and family issues faced by the lesbigay community.

On Saturday, October 11, the Out in Akron Film Night will take place at the Highland Theater, 826 West Market St. The evening features two critically-acclaimed (and rightwing opposed) films: The Delta and Cheryl Dunye's The Watermelon Woman.

Prior to the 8:30 showtime, there will be an hors d'oeuvres reception, followed by lesbian comedienne Karen Williams, who will perform at 7:30. The photo exhibit "Love Makes a Family" will also be on display. Tickets for this event are $15 and can be charged by phone at 330-945-9400 in Akron, or 216-2415555 in Cleveland. On Sunday, October 12 at 3:00 p.m. at the Highland Theater, Mark Sadlek and Steve Habgood of Dallas will tell the story of their "journey into accidental activism." The couple was recently featured in a story about same-sex marriage in Life magazine. An open discussion on samesex marriage will follow.

Frank Barnhart

On Sunday evening, Out in Akron wraps up the weekend of events with a performance of David Drake's one-man play The Night Larry Kramer Kissed Me, featuring Frank Barnhart. The Columbus Dispatch called the play "one of the most accurate and entertaining portraits of gay life." This will be the only area performance of the play, and will be held at the Highland Theater at 7:30 p.m. Admission is free, and a cash bar will be open one hour before the performance.

For more information about Out in Akron, call the 24-hour InfoLine at 330-849-1520 or email: StoneAkron@aol.com

-Doreen Cudnik

ASC has delicious fundraiser

Columbus-On Saturday, October 11, AIDS Service Connection will hold its third annual fundraiser, “Dining With Friends."

Across the city, dozens of private parties will be hosted to support the work of ASC with donations from their dinner guests. The evening will culminate in a Grand Finale dessert reception at 8:30 p.m. at the Galbreath Pavilion of the Ohio Theater and will include a silent auction of dining experiences donated by many of the fine restaurants in Columbus. Dinner guests and hosts will attend the reception at no charge. Others interested may purchase a $10 ticket at the reception.

All proceeds go directly to ASC to continue its work of making a difference in the lives of people in the HIV spectrum. ASC provides Central Ohio's most comprehensive range of direct services for people living with HIV, their families and friends.

Sponsors include Outlook, German Village Floral and Nursery, the Columbus chapter of the American Culinary Federation, Cup o' Joe and Catering by Scott.

For more information, contact Jim Bowling or Joanna Cray at 614-221-7979.

-Doreen Cudnik

Musical benefits Lake HIV work

Kirtland Lakeland Community College Theater will present its third AIDS_benefit performance, The World Goes 'Round-The

Songs of Kander & Ebb, on Friday, October 10 at 8:00 p.m. in the Lakeland Center for the Fine and Performing Arts.

Proceeds from the show will benefit the Lake County General Health District AIDS Initiative. Tickets are $12 for adults and $10 for students and senior citizens.

The World Goes Round is an exhilarating celebration of American composers and songwriters John Kander and Fred Ebb. The musical spotlights songs from many of their Broadway and television shows.

Lakeland Theatre's AIDS benefit, created by Artistic Director Richard M. Parison, Jr. in 1993, has raised over $5,000 for people living with AIDS. Parison received the Cultural Diversity Award presented by Lakeland Community College.

For more information, tickets or reservations, call the Lakeland Theatre box office at 216-975-4774.

-Doreen Cudnik

P-FLAG to help stop suicide

Cleveland The Next Step Group of Cleveland Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays has begun a project to help secondary school counselors and principals address the threat of suicide among gay and lesbian youth.

Named in memory of a gay 14-year-old St. Ignatius High School student who took his own life last January 2, the Robbie Kirkland Project has the whole-hearted support of Robbie's family. The parents and family members of P-FLAG Cleveland-including Robbie's mom Leslie Sadasivan-are planning to assist school counselors in learning more about the struggles of gay and lesbian teens by offering literature, consultation and speakers.

If you know of a high school counselor or principal who might benefit from a packet of free information, call P-FLAG Cleveland at 216-556-4317 and leave a message with the administrator's name and complete address, including the name of the school and its zip code.

We may have lost Robbie, but through the work that P-FLAG is doing in his name, hopefully there will be no more.

-Doreen Cudnik

One-man musical at Dobama Cleveland-There are only a few performances left of Steven Goldring's one-man musical And Now, For My Next Life.

Goldring narrates his own true life story through monologues and original songs. He tells about growing up gay and Jewish in Orrville, west of Canton, his coming out experience, and learning that he is HIV positive. While the show certainly has its sad moments, it is mostly upbeat, and ends on a note of hope. In the intimate

setting of Dobama Theater, the story feels especially personal. Goldring's show is sincere, touching and funny. He does not shy away from a painfully honest portrayal of himself as

a flamboyant and slightly narcissistic

dreamer and lover Steven Goldring. of life.

And Now, For My Next Life continues Fridays and Saturdays until October 4 at Dobama Theater, 1846 Coventry Road, Cleveland Heights, 216-932-6838.

-Dawn Leach

'L-G-B Report' wins award

Columbus Congratulations to Mike Dittmer and Susan Bader, producers of the cable TV Lesbian-Gay-Bisexual Report. The show is carried by the three central Ohio cable systems on Community 21, Columbus' public access cable television station. It airs on Mondays and Saturdays at 11:30 p.m., following the local news.

Bader and Dittmer were honored at the 13th Annual Community 21 Pyramid Award cer-

emony, held Sunday, September 14 at the Columbus Museum of Art. The show won a Pyramid Award for programming in the Minority, Ethnic, and Cultural category.

The Pyramid Award winners are chosen from fifty tapes in sixteen different categories, judged by members of the community. Other Pyramid awards were given to producers and volunteers chosen by a vote of the staff.

-Doreen Cudnik

How to raise money effectively

Columbus Ohio's capital has been selected as one of nine pilot cities in the United States for a new national training initiative program called OutGiving InCommunity.

OutGiving targets lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered communities in "underresourced cities" and will provide valuable skill development in fundraising for gay and lesbian, and other nonprofit organizations.

The trainings begin on Tuesday,

October 7, and are sponsored by Stonewall Columbus and the Gill Foundation, a Colorado gay and lesbian fund begun in 1994 by Tim Gill, founder of the Quark software company.

The first of four training sessions is called "Fundraising Fundamentals” and is open to everyone. The training will be held at Out on Main, 122 E. Main St., at 6:00 p.m. Soda and pizza will be provided. The event is free, but registration is required by September 29.

OutGiving InCommunity focuses on basic to more advanced methods for raising money, with the goal of creating better-financed and longer-lasting organizations that will remain strong and prosperous.

Other future training topics include face-toface solicitation, direct mail and marketing, fundraising events, and planned giving. For more information about the initiative, call Phil Martin at Stonewall Columbus at 614-2997764. ✓ -Doreen Cudnik

The

NORTH COAST MEN'S CHORUS presents...

Coastliners... AAAAAAA

A Little Light in their Loafers!

Join the favorite ensemble of the North Coast Men's Chorus for a concert of their own! You'll be treated to some of your favorite numbers, some new ones, and a few surprises along the way. This single performance features limited cabaret-style seating, so be sure to get your tickets today!

Saturday, October 4, 1997 8:00 PM West Shore Unitarian Universalist Church 20401 Hilliard Blvd, Rocky River, Ohio

All Tickets: $10 Limited Seating Available

Tickets available through Advantix: (216) 241-6000

THE

Hay Ride

CCT's Eleventh Annual

Saturday, October 18th 7:00 PM Midnight Boyert's Farm in Medina Highlights Include:

A Barn for music (DJ Karen Lovell), dancing and food

Free hotdog, chips, cider, coffee and doughnuts

Two camp fires

Square dancing with Rainbow Wranglers and City Country Dancers

A Hayride through the pumpkin patch, to harvest the pumpkin of your choice

A great evening

CLEVELAND COUPLES TOGETHER

Tickets are $15.

Call (216) 556-5731 for locations where tickets can be purchased.