Bright Lights, Big Gaye Yawn

Boyz and girlz, Gaye is bored. Bored to tears. Again. The Ivey’s are over, and I’m looking for the next Gay Show! But I don’t see many diamonds in the rough. I thought maybe MMT’s production of Bright Light’s Big City might do the trick. But I read a little more about it online, and looked at a few clips of the show, and I was extremely unimpressed. Maybe I’m just straight up in a bad mood, but there is nothing about this show that makes me want to see it. Other than maybe the cheesy draw of 80’s nostalgia. But much like myself, it’s been done. A lot. Throw backs to the 80’s was so five minutes ago. Also, if you hate yourself a little bit, take a peek at the clips they posted. In my humble and queer opinion, it doesn’t sound good [ed. note — this one is much better]. You might be saying, “but gay, it’s just a recording and it’s a rehearsal. What did you expect.” Well, my misguided gay, I expect that when you post something, bragging about your show, make sure it’s good. The point is to get people to think that you actually have a good show. Not to make them think, “they sound okay for a rehearsal, maybe they got better.” Who knows, maybe they did. I am a fan of Patrick Morgan, and I have confidence that he might be one of two or three saving graces in the show (Courtney Miner and Joe Bombard would be the other two) [ed. note — Tom Karki is usually pretty awesome, as well]. But I’m still more than likely going to watch old episodes of “Maude”, instead of going to this show.

I was however, able to find a glimmer of hope. Walking Shadow’s production of Amazons and Their Men, has promise shooting out of it’s…men. If you’ve not read the script, do so. It’s outstanding. The show has a comically dramatic director, a little bit of homo-erotic love, and a Minister of Propaganda. I actually, can’t wait to see this show. If I’ve learned one thing from this year’s Fringe Festival, it’s that Walking Shadow knows how to put on a good show.

Lastly, I’m a little bit on the queer-link fence about Chanhassen Dinner Theatre’s production of The Producers. I was an advocate of this show for a while. It is one of my favorite musicals. I’m just a tiny bit nervous about Chanhassen’s tendency to dumb down their productions for the sake of the hearing-impaired and post hip replacement audience members. The good thing about this show is that the humor and style of the show is written into the script, so you’d think it would be hard to completely ruin. But, Chanhassen is the same theater that cast someone as “Jean Valjean”, with the singing talents of an ailing tiger cub. For an extra good yawn, check out their website and watch the clip of Michael Brindisi. Why on God’s Gay Earth would you put that clip up [ed. note — Brindisi is a self-indulgent dicknose]. I kept hoping that something fun would happen, or that he would say something interesting. It never happened. My cat did sneeze while I was watching it though. So that made me laugh.

At the end of the day, Gaye is still bored, but I will say, Good job Walking Shadow for keeping it Gay In a Good Way. Better luck next time Minneapolis Musical Theatre, you’re just not gay enough. And, don’t disappoint me Chanhassen. Take advice from the script: “keep it light, keep it bright, keep it gay.”