www.ExpressGayNews.com • March 24, 2003 • Q1 CYMK Q_COVERstory All About the World of Curbside The Express Welcomes Aboard New Comic Strip by Artist Robert Kirby By Andy Zeffer local gay paper approached Kirby and asked however, is entirely autobiographical Features Editor him if he would like to create a comic strip for in a sense that he takes inspiration Asked if he was drawing at an early age, them. Kirby felt like the time was right to put from observing people and Robert Kirby’s answer is that his artistic his cartooning ambitions to the test and situations around him. For Kirby, inclinations came about even earlier. He says accepted the offer. His boyfriend at the time, nothing is more inspirational than he was born a cartoonist. Tony, suggested the title, a clever takeoff of real life. As far as the subject matter “I drew over everything as a child— Kirby’s last name. of Curbside, keeping readers books, walls, even the air,” Kirby says. “My “I even thought of spelling it ‘Kirbside’ entertained is a priority above all else mother learned quickly to supply me with art but came to my senses and dropped that for Kirby. materials to stem the flow of destruction.” notion pretty quickly,” Kirby says. “My big political act with Years later, his cartoon strip, Curbside, Curbside is to feature stories about entertains readers across the country. gay people, not to have a strip Featured in dozens of gay newspapers that’s about being gay,” he nationwide, Curbside deals with the trials says. “I know I’m lucky to and travails of modern gay life. Complete with be able to take my liberation a cast of fun characters, the strip tells for granted. I avoid all the Gay their ordeals with candor and 101 subjects and simply try to clever humor. Even when write a compelling narrative addressing serious issues that keeps my readers such as awaiting an HIV test interested. If I’m lucky, I or trying to make the bills, can get a laugh or two in Kirby conveys a hope and zest for there as well.” life that keeps things from getting Hard work and determination cynical or desensitized. Reading has made Curbside a successful Robert Kirby Curbside each week is like an intimate comic strip. Well-known newspapers peek into a world of souls one has come to In the early days, Tony was also a such as The Washington Blade, know and love. It’s a few minutes escape, character in his work. During the first few Philadelphia Gay News and Chicago himself after receiving a grant from the Xeric almost a mini soap opera. With Curbside years of Curbside, the strip was pretty much Nightlines all feature the strip in their pages. Foundation. In November 2002, Cleis Press coming your way every week, who needs based upon Kirby’s own life, friends, family All in all, Kirby has received a fair shake released his latest book, Curbside Boys. reality TV? and acquaintances. In fact, people he knew from the gay press. The fact that the strip is “I’m really happy with Curbside Boys; I The Express has just recently begun to lobbied all the time to appear as characters. a continuing story makes it a hard sell at think it turned out great,” Kirby says. feature the comic strip in its pages, giving “But I never accepted bribes from times, as it takes a commitment from editors As for joining The Express, Kirby readers in South Florida the voyeuristic anyone; they only appeared if it served to go with it. But Kirby is grateful for all the couldn’t be more delighted. “My only regret delight of getting their Curbside fix. So what artistic purposes,” Kirby quips. publications that have stood by it. with appearing in The Express is waiting as better time to profile the newest addition to These days, the plot lines and characters And fans can find Curbside in more than long as I did. I’m very happy to be a part of The Express family? are purely fictional, but anyone he meets is a their local paper. Kirby’s first book, Curbside, the paper and to be appearing alongside so Curbside was born when a now defunct potential inspiration for Kirby. The work, came out in 1998. He published the book many of my cartoonist peers.” Musical Celebrates Gay Life ‘In Gay Company’ Debuts in Wilton Manors By Mary Damiano When creating In Gay Company, Silver Arts & Entertainment Editor decided to stick to a subject he knew. “Being Fred Silver was looking for a way to give a gay man and having come out in the late something back to his church, so he decided ’50s and early ’60s, I wrote about what life to give them the gift of musical theater. was like in the ’60s, coming out as a gay Silver’s show, In Gay Company, which man,” Silver says. premiered in New York in the early 1970s, will The show opened to rave reviews and make its South Florida debut this week at played for about a year and a half before Religious Science Fort Lauderdale in Wilton going on the road. In Gay Company was Manors and will play for two weekends, nominated for an Obie Award, which honors March 29 and 30 and April 5 and 6. “I wanted off-Broadway shows. It lost, ironically, to A to tithe to the church my time and my talent, Chorus Line. so I suggested that this would be a perfect Silver feels that gay theater has changed time to revive the show,” says Silver, who is just as gay life has changed in the time since a member of the church All proceeds from In In Gay Company originally debuted. “I think Gay Company will benefit Religious Science that a lot of gay theater is written for gay Fort Lauderdale. audiences, and I wrote In Gay Company for In Gay Company is a cabaret style-show everybody,” he says. “People adored the celebrating gay life. Silver has updated it show because it was honest and it wasn’t throughout the years, to keep it fresh. insular. It wasn’t only for a select few.” The production boasts a cast of five Silver believes that South Florida local favorites: Dan Kelley, Peter Sentkowski, audiences will enjoy this new production just Stefani Wells, Danny Ducello and Greg Fucci. as New York audiences enjoyed it nearly 30 The show is directed by Alan Saban, with years ago. “People will be moved by it,” he Silver on board as musical director. says. “It’s a timeless, classy show. They’ll In Gay Company was born in a laugh like they never laughed before.” workshop Silver attended in the early 1970s, the same workshop in which A Chorus Line In Gay Company runs March 29 and began. He completed the show in three 30 and April 5 and 6 at the Religious weeks. Science Fort Lauderdale, 1550 NE 26 The revue was Silver’s stab at doing St., Wilton Manors. Showtimes are both music and lyrics. He had been making a 8pm. Tickets are $20 and $25. To name for himself as a composer—he was even purchase tickets or for more a Richard Rodgers protégée while he was at information, call 954.566.2868 or visit www.rsiftl.com Julliard in 1960. Q2 • www.ExpressGayNews.com • March 24, 2003 CYMK Q_UPCOMINGevent Cruising with Paul van Dyk ‘The Express’ Accompanies Producer and DJ on an Exclusive Voyage By Andy Zeffer These works established him as one of the The performance on the yacht is a taste Features Editor world’s truly great electronic artists, topping of what fans can expect from Global, a CD/ Music is never far from world-renowned dance charts and garnering raves from the DVD disc set that features past productions DJ and dance music producer Paul van Dyk’s media. Van Dyk found himself traveling the for which van Dyk recently regained the mind. globe and playing venues worldwide. More rights. [See the Global review in “Maximum Van Dyk was in Miami recently for the international club hits and chart toppers Volume” on page Q11]. Winter Music Conference, the most important followed, as did more releases. “The general idea was to make tracks convergence of the dance music scene on Van Dyk is promoting a new single, that hadn’t been available anymore and to the planet. On the day The Express caught “Nothing But You,” which features a make them available again,” van Dyk says. up with him, van Dyk was on his way to an Norwegian vocal, a departure from anything “The second thought was that just exclusive event where he was slated to he has done before. He says the music he putting them on a CD was kind of headline an afternoon yacht cruise and spin admires is not so much a particular style, but boring, so we started to re-record his sounds for a select group of music an artist who makes an impact on him, such everything in 5.1 surround sound industry VIPs and press. as Alanis Morrissette or Eminem. to make it even more special. And Van Dyk has been making music for 10 It is a sunny day, and perfect for a yacht the next thing was having a camera years. He grew up in East Berlin before the excursion. The boat is filled with a crowd of crew with me when we traveled reunification of Germany. He was fascinated funky and casual music industry people.