This week, we talked to Michael Urie from Ugly Betty, Thomas Jay Ryan, and Nick Westrate about the shows they’re currently appearing in about the gays.

That’s right! What’s better than an historical play that focuses on gay men? TWO historical plays that focus on gay men! Also, Christmas. This week on Logo Drama Club, we chilled with the casts of “The Boys in the Band” and “The Temperamentals,” two plays currently running in New York.

The Boys in the Band is being staged in a renovated loft space that The Transport Group has turned into an “apartment” of sorts with the audience sitting inches from the action. Meanwhile, The Temperamentals has recently moved from a smaller theater to its new home at New World Stages. Meanwhile, I’ve recently moved into both of these cast’s lives to talk to them about their current show. And I’m staying for a while.

However, who *wouldn’t* be excited to see Lea Michele belt out “Don’t Rain on My Parade” live onstage?!  Let’s hope she runs pleadingly down the aisles a la the season finale.  I’m sure the Glee kids will be performing the favorites: “Don’t Stop Believing”, “Somebody To Love”, etc., but I urge them to consider the following setlist, which I have painstakingly assembled after minutes upon minutes of tasteful digression.  The straight guys have their fantasy football, I have my fantasy Glee tour set list.  Obvi.

1.) Opening – “The Audition (I Hope I Get It)” (from A Chorus Line)

There is no better song to open with than this audition song… “God I hope I get it!  I hope I get it!”  Accompanied, of course, by the requisite jazz dance combination, this would be a perfect opener.  I’m imagining poor Artie in his wheelchair attempting to follow along with the nameless tall Asian guy, who happens to be a fabulous dancer.   Eat your heart out, Michael Bennett.

2.)  “Didn’t We Almost Have It All” – Whitney Houston

Remember that awkward plotline where Mercedes was lusting after the CLEARLY gay Kurt?  I mean, really?  Suspension of disbelief I guess…  regardless.  Picture Mercedes belting out some classic Whitney to Kurt: “We can take the night into tomorrow / Living on feelings / Touching you, I feel it all again…”  I think Kurt would be akwardly rolling his eyes as she poured her heart out to him as the song crescendoed to the finale, where he slaps her in the face and says “Girl!  Open your eyes!”  Annnd scene.

3.) “Party in the U.S.A.” – Miley Cyrus

First of all, the gayest song ever, but we’re doing it with a twist here.  The football team comes onstage, and a grizzled Puck emerges from the huddle.  “Hopped off the plane in LAX with a dream and my cardigan…”  Ok so it may not be the most believable plotline, but they did “Single Ladies”, so anything short of that falls under the acceptable umbrella.  Eventually all the boys join in, nodding their heads like yeah, and also moving their hips like yeah.

4.)  “Open Arms” – (as performed by Mariah Carey, via Journey)

Lights up on Rachel Berry, who is cradling a picture of Finn in her bed.  “Lying beside you / Here in the dark / Feeling your heart beat with mine”… sadly, it’s all imaginary, along with the dreams that her friends at school actually like her.  Poor Rachel Berry.  In typical Glee fashion, maybe Finn and Quinn Fabray are seen canoodling on the side of the stage as Lea Michele commissions at least 2 key changes to raise the tension.

5.) “Omigod You Guys!” – (from Legally Blonde)

To offset the previous downer song, lights up on the Cheerios as they get ready for the big game.  The cheerleaders are excitedly putting on makeup and helping Quinn pick out which cheerleading outfit she’s going to wear when she tells Finn that she’s having twins!  “Mad props, he’s the campus catch / You’re a perfect match! / Cause you both have such great taste in clothes!”  Perfect.  This song is loads fun, and will totally give the Cheerios a chance to twirl and flip and sing out of their noses.

I think they secretly love each other.

6.) ‘Ego” – Beyonce

Rachel Berry comes onstage and sings out this ridiculously suggestive song about Finn.  “It’s too big / It’s too wide / It’s too strong / It won’t fit”.  I really want to see Lea Michele channel Beyonce’s unbridled diva attitude.  Yes girl, we DO love your big ego.

7.) “With You” – Chris Brown ft. Karina Pasian

Up until this point, Mr. Shue and cutest-guidance-counselor-ever Emma Pillsbury have been relatively silent, but since everyone just wants them to get together already, they come out to sing this cute duet.  “I need you boo / Gotta see ya boo”.  They have a cute “holding hands and spinning in a circle” moment, the audience claps, and we move on.

8.) Mash-Up “Come On Over” (Christina Aguilera)/ “You Can’t Win” (from The Wiz)

Rachel Berry implores Finn to “Come on Over” as he struggles to decide between Quinn and Rachel (“You Can’t Win”).  I’m not EXACTLY sure how the songs fit together, but they do in my head, and onstage Rachel is leading a pack of Gleeks in a pyramid-shaped chorus that ultimately makes Finn’s head spin.  “I’m not just talking about your sexuality / I can’t help myself when you put your hands on me.”  Go get it, girl!

9.) “Who Will Love Me As I Am” (from Sideshow)

Artie/Ken Tanaka duet.  This is it.  In case you don’t know it, Sideshow is about a pair of conjoined twins.  How this relates to Artie in a wheelchair and the woefully homely Ken Takaka is beyond me, but they share the stage in this underdog power ballad.  “Who will ever call to say I love you / Send me flowers or a telegram? / Who could proudly stand beside me? / Who will love me as I am?”  I think it would bring the house to its feet.

Sing it, Artie.

10.) “A Song For You” – Whitney Houston

Another Whitney song, yes.  This one (if you haven’t downloaded her album yet, shame on you) starts with a reflective gospel piano and gradually builds into an amazingly energetic dance power ballad.  Everyone can riff on this one!  Group song, and one that is both emotionally powerful and fun at the same time.

That’s my fantasy Glee Tour set list… Ryan Murphy, take note!  How about everyone else, what did I miss?!  Post your fantasy set lists below!

Singer. Actress. Dancer. Diva. Author.

Patti LuPone has written a memoir! Yeah! But she needs help coming up with a title. I’m guessing it will be a bit difficult to summarize a career spanning Evita, Sweeney Todd, and Gypsy, but if you think you’ve got what it takes, by all means. Too bad Audition is already taken.

According to LuPone, she expects the title to be “suitable and fabulous.” Indeed! The winner will get a signed copy of the book, tickets to her next show, and a personal backstage meet-and-greet. Is this contest sponsored by Absolut? If you want your winning phrase immortalized by Patti you better get cracking, because the contest ends March 30th! Visit PattiLuPone.Net for details, and check out the fabulous “memorable roles” slide show while you’re there.

My suggestion? Perhaps, “Baby Boomers and Their Babies?”

This week on Logo Drama Club, the team took the bus up to beautiful Lincoln Center for the 5th Annual performance of Broadway Backwards. Broadway Backwards is an annual charity event for The NYC LGBT Community Center and Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS where male performers sing female songs and vice versa. I have a killer rendition of “Send In The Clowns” just begging for a night like this, but I guess it’ll just have to wait.

Even though I didn’t get to perform, we did get to chat up quite a few of the performers at the glamorous after party. Bruce Vilanch, Nick Adams, Julia Murney, and Tituss Burgess are all honorary members of the club now, too! Suck it, haters. I hope we’ll have enough seats on the bus from Jersey now. Unfortunately, as you will see, we won’t have to hold one for a Ms. Florence Henderson.

Bobby Steggert (Ragtime, 110 in the Shade) plays Stu, the bleary-eyed young ingenue through whose eyes we see this troop tragedy unfold.  Through the prism of his journal entries (which admittedly, gets to be a tiresome writer’s tool), we hear the story of how he fell in love with a fellow serviceman (Mitch, played by Ivan Hernandez), and how the doomed romance proceeded throughout the war.  Steggert and Hernandez don’t have the most chemistry I’ve ever seen, but they’re both pretty to look at and both put their all into the roles.

Bobby Steggert and Ivan Hernandez, the gay GIs

Other cast standouts were the magnetic Nancy Anderson and the “I’ve-got-a-secret-wink-wink” Jeffry Denham.  Anderson plays all the female roles, and while her voice is clearly perfect for this period 1940’s style, most of those female roles are relegated to comic relief, which saddens me because I’m sure she could give so much more.  She DOES get a chance to show her versatility however, singing and dancing all over the place and even duly playing a lesbian (!) higher ranking servicewoman later on in the show.

Jeffry Denham plays Artie, the “super gay but not really out” guy who shows Stu the ropes.  It was a bit confusing to me whether or not he and Stu were sleeping together or not, but either way, he plays the gay mentor/teacher like a pro, and was always a delight to see onstage.

Jeffry Denham, Nancy Anderson, Bobby Steggert, and Ivan Hernandez

Overall, for a period show about 1940’s wartime (wah wah), “YANK!” actually proves to be pretty fun. There is legit singing, tap dancing, ballet dancing (A Male Pas de Deux?  Yes please!), campiness up the wazoo, and of course with any sausagefest musical about the army, plenty of shirtless guys. I would like to think that this show was written for the older theatregoing generations who can more easily identify with this “don’t ask don’t tell” thing, but even as I write that, there are still gays in the military who can’t come out.  It is a small way to make a difference, given that anyone who goes to see “YANK!” is probably already pro-gay, but maybe someone can buy Obama a ticket to this show?

“YANK!” is playing at the York Theatre through March 21 in New York City.

This week on Logo Drama Club, we headed over to Henry Miller’s Theatre on 43rd Street for some auditions! Theater excitement! The “Dame Edna Honorary Understudy” auditions were being held to find a very special Dame Edna Plan B for her and Michael Feinstein’s new show, All About Me. (Not that she’ll ever need it as she’s reputedly never missed a performance.)

The NY Post’s Michael Riedel was judging and talking hair dye, along with Frank DiLella of NY1 and Michael Musto of the Village Voice. Barry Humphries, Dame Edna’s “manager,” himself eventually showed up to critique the Auditioning Edna’s performances as well. It was like watching an American Idol episode while robotripping!

Michael Feinstein, Dame Edna’s Honorary Understudy Scott Mason & Barry Humphries

All in all, I think I learned a lot from this gaggle of purple haired ladies about the “glamour, wit, and effervescence” that the Australian diva possesses. More importantly, however, Drama Club now has a solid 3 members! And one of them is a famous interpreter of the American Songbook. And it’s not me or a random Dame Edna impersonator…

Curtain Up, Light the Lights… Of your computer monitors!!!

It’s time for the first installment of new online video series, “Logo Drama Club!” Who’s excited about theater?!? Me! And you know I am, because excessive punctuation is the blog equivalent of projecting.

Over the next few weeks, we’ll be using this series to interview cast members of current and upcoming Theatrical Events, cover happenings around the New York theater scene, and as an outlet for all of our repressed energy and sparkle. Get excited, because a lot of really great celebrity interviews/stalking is waiting in the wings, along with some sassy event coverage and Vaudeville shenanigans. What else?

The main purpose of this series is to convince unsuspecting actors to join our Drama Club. After getting their secret Hotmail accounts on our listserve, we will then plan regular outings to Pinkberry and trust falls with each other on 9th Ave. This is something that can happen, isn’t that right AngieLansburied@hotmail.com?

This week, I totally bonded with the cast of Next Fall. The play is currently in previews and opens on Broadway March 11th. I couldn’t convince any of them to join the Drama Club for which I am still the sole member/President, but their show looks pretty awesome so check it out.

Ben Whishaw and Hugh Dancy Share a Kiss in The Pride

The Pride, now playing at the Lucille Lortel theater in New York, stars Hugh Dancy and Ben Whishaw as lovers in two different time periods. Ben Whishaw, who recently drew attention for appearing out of the closet in an Out Magazine profile and closeted in New York Magazine, has apparently not grown wary of reporters. Today, an article in The Times explored the themes of his current play as well as his beliefs about sexual identity and art.

The Times writes: “With the people I like as artists there is an intrigue, and you want to know what they are really like,” he said in deflecting the inquiry about his own sexual identity. “But I think it’s essential for there to be some distance and privacy. It’s hard for it to remain an imaginative engagement if you know you’re watching a guy onstage who’s sleeping with — whoever. I find that puts up a wall.”

Don’t worry, Ben. You have nothing to fear about people ending their “imaginary engagements” with you. Mine’s still going strong and two people have already bought things off our registry at The Container Store. The Pride plays at the Lucille Lortel theater through March 20th.

Ben Whishaw, An Enigma In Suspenders

Miss Michelle Dupree snagged the crown this past weekend at the Miss’d America Pageant in Atlantic City. Attagirl! Photo by Joey A. Wright.

There is a whole lot of drag going on these days, honey. RuPaul’s Drag Race premiered this week, and we even heard that Tuesday’s groundhog was wearing a dress when he saw his shadow, so it doesn’t look like it’s going to end any time soon.

Not to be outdone by that “other” drag competition, the Miss’d America Pageant arose from the ashes on Sunday, after a five-year dormancy, full of feathers, falsies and fierceness in Atlantic City’s historic Boardwalk Hall.

Oh, the drama! Miss Michell Dupree (center) gets crowned! Photo by Joey A. Wright.

Miss Michelle Dupree snagged the coveted crown after being judged against six other queens in swimwear, evening wear and talent competitions that would have given the fiercest Drag Race dolls a run for their money. By day, Miss Dupree is known as Scott Cooper, a registered nurse and a single adoptive father. Looks, talent, a career – and a 15-month-old kid? I guess you really can have it all. And what a wonderful ambassador for drag, to boot!

See an interview with the Miss Dupree from Philly’s local news. Glam!

The dragtastic pageant, hosted by hilarious and conspicuously charming Carson Kressley, and written and directed by Philadelphia drag queen Sandy Beach, took place, as ever, the day after the Miss America Pageant. (Miss Virginia who? Caressa Cameron sounds suspiciously like a drag name to me!) Judges included the Village Voice’s Michael Musto and Philadelphia Gay News editor Mark Segal.

Emcee Carson Kressley interviews Miss Michelle Dupree. Glam!!!! Photo by Joey A. Wright.

Miss’d America, a fundraiser that’s raised over $250,000 in its history for charities in New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania, sold more than 1,200 tickets this year. This little girl’s got to make some coin, honey. And she sure is growing up fast!

When the pageant was founded in 1993, the whole thing fit within the confines of the now-defunct A.C. gay bar Studio Six. This year, for the first time, the event was produced in the very building where Miss America was crowned every year until 2004. In fact, the 42-foot runway was the actual Miss America runway, in storage all these years since the pageant packed up its sequins and tiaras and headed west to take its chances in Vegas.

This drag resurrection is a welcome addition to the social calendar for gay and straight alike, and we are definitely looking forward to next year.

Pageant director Sandy Beach (blue sequins) leads a coterie of former Miss’d America titleholders in a sketch featuring the Anita Bryant Home for Washed-Up Beauty Queens. Photo by Eric Walter.

Who will claim next year’s Miss’d America crown? Who will Michelle Dupree pass the torch to? Come back next year and find out!!! Photo by Joey A. Wright.

The Cast of American Idiot

There has been a lot of buzz surrounding this show – is this another jukebox musical?  What is the plot going to be like?  Will overly trained Broadway singers ruin the authentic rock feel?  Personally, I used to listen to Green Day while getting dressed in my hypermasculine ice hockey locker room in high school, so to see it theatricalized on a Broadway stage is kind of a sweet irony.   I actually can’t wait to hear a GIRL sing “She” (Ok, I don’t think that is actually happening, but I love the genderbending idea of it).

The Green Day guys:  Tre Cool, Billie Joe Armstrong and Mike Dirnt

Jam-packed with some of young Broadway’s best (John Gallagher Jr. from Spring Awakening!), this show is sure to be both LOUD and SASSY.  I’m sure it’ll be broad enough for both the theater fan and the rock music fan to sing along, but will it be more like a concert… or a play?

Does anyone else have fond adolescent memories of Green Day?  I feel like I can’t hear “Basket Case” without feeling scads of residual angst from middle school.  But it’s GOOD angst, the kind of feeling that makes you want to damn the man and go out and protest something.  Either way, I love it and can’t wait for this show!  More info here!