On The Purple Circuit With Bill Kaiser Volume 8, Number 4 THE MEMORIAM ISSUE WELCOME TO ON THE PURPLE CIRCUIT! of ANGELS IN AMERICA -- with the support of Kilgore College president William M. Holda -- he and the production were attacked This is our last issue of the 20th century! It has been a rewarding 8 by the homophobic community. And the Gregg Country Board of years of reporting on the activities of The Purple Circuit that is all of Commissioners voted not to fund $50,000 for Mr. Caldwell's ongoing you! The Purple Circuit (for newcomers) is an informal network which pet project, The Texas Shakespeare Festival, an highlight of the exists to promote, nurture and preserve GLQBT culture especially cultural community of East Texas! I urge you to do what you can to theatre and performance. help support this Festival. President Holda asks people to publicize This Issue is in Memoriam to our Brothers and Sisters who have left the actions of the County commissioners and for help in restoring the us. Especially since AIDS, we have lost a generation of writers, funds needed for the Festival as well as suggest other funding performers and artists of all kinds. Our culture has been profoundly sources. You can reach Raymond Caldwell or President Holda at affected. I am heartened to know that there are still individuals and Kilgore College, 1100 Broadway, Kilgore, Texas 75662-3299, 903- groups creating for the future. As an archivist I am committed to 983-8100 or fax 903-983-8600 Bravo to them! preserving our culture and the memory of these special people. So I On some positive notes -- Out North, which had its funding killed in wish us all to remember them and their work. The latest is Quentin Anchorage two years ago, has received a $14,000 grant from the Crisp who died in his sleep at 90 while on tour with his one-man current city Assembly on an 11-0 vote. Kudos to the city of show in England. Anchorage and Out North. Another brava goes to Marjorie Conn who I am concerned that World AIDS Day has gotten so low key in my received recognition from the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force area and also that plays seem to go out of their way to avoid for her work in theatre in Provincetown. She and her Conn Artist mentioning AIDS at all. I had a serious discussion with Beto Araiza Performance Event provide a risk free experience for any performer about this subject. He continues touring the country with his powerful that wants to come on board. I also congratulate David King and his piece H.I.VATO, but playing at conferences and colleges where compatriots at Out Productions in Montreal for creating The Pink there is still great interest. I see a lot of theatre and it is a great Network [www.out.ca]. They have patterned themselves a bit after surprise for me that AIDS was a major theme of Luis Alfaro's The Purple Circuit and provide information and communication remarkable new play STRAIGHT AS A LINE. throughout Canada to support our culture. Another person who deserves credit for not forgetting is Producer Charles Lago and Chip Snell, Authors On Tour Productions who David Reid whose organization AIDS WATCH broadcast the names produced Quentin Crisp's show are forming The Quentin Crisp of those who need to be remembered on Dec. 1 on cable stations Foundation which will help gender-confused youth, a cause near and and online throughout the world at www.aidswatch.org. Bravo to dear to Mr. Crisp. There will be a talent-studded Benefit held on David and all who work with him on this important project. AIDS is Friday, Jan. 21, 2000 at The Village, Ed Gould Plaza, 1125 n not over either in our cultural community or sub-Saharan Africa. McCadden Pl. in LA. For tickets call The Village, 323-860-7300. For Foundation information, 619-497-0203. Bravo to Charles and Chip! I specifically want to remember some creative people that touched my life and that of The Purple Circuit. A founding member was As to the future of The Purple Circuit, we will continue into the new Playwright James (Jim) Carroll Pickett, who set up our early issues, Millennium. We hope to go online in one form or another. A home Michael Stuart Shere, David Stebbins and Joe Fraser, Robert page at wonderful for years now and I personally am very grateful to Chesley, Wilson DiPalma (who starred in GUNSEL that I produced), them. They are just not structured to continue supporting us and the talented Vincent Barron. There are certainly many, many indefinitely. We are an informal organization that limits our sources others from AIDS and not who have an important memory for me: of funding. So I will ASK YOU outright to RENEW your subscription if Chuck Rowland, the founder of Celebration Theatre, dear Jim it is due and send a CONTRIBUTION if it isn't payable to Bill Kaiser. Kepner, Martin Block and Ernie Potvin, all creative stalwarts of You could consider sponsoring an Individual Issue and we will Celebration Theatre and The International Gay and Lesbian consider ads too that are compatible with our philosophy. Archives. I miss them all more than I can say. I want to thank everyone who made this Issue possible: Dr. Fritz In this issue, we have columns by Tom W Kelly, Howard Casner and Klein and C.I.C.A, my associate Editor and Art Director Jim Russell, Gerald Semas who have written for OTPC for a long time and we Sally Barron and my partner Glen Moore for their technical support, welcome Marian Jones with a book review and Barry Lowe who has Subscribers and Donors, Publicists who sent material (it's the best sent a lot of information about Australia. There are recurring topics way to be mentioned), Tom W. Kelly, Howard Casner, Gerald that continue to concern The Purple Circuit and me. One is the Semas, Marian Jones, Barry Lowe, Beto Araiza, Ronnie Larsen, treatment of playwrights by producers and the other is censorship Caryn Horwitz, Linda Eisenstein,, Steve Lovett, Michelle Weiss, and acts on artistic freedom through de-funding and other violent Carolyn Gage, Charles Lago ,David King, Brian Gross, Sidney means. Art in the broadest sense can be powerful and our Morris, Tom O'Neil and John O'Brien. playwrights are that voice of art. Their names should never be left off Lastly I want to tell you about my efforts at preservation of our press releases, flyers, or programs. They deserve respect as does cultural history. As you know, I am Director of The Performing Arts their work in regards to changing it and responding to it timely. Collection at ONE Institute. Once our new building at 909 West Likewise playwrights need to appreciate the immense effort Adams at University of Southern California is open in 2000 I want to producing their work entails for producers and both should cooperate! acquire Materials to preserve that culture from Theatres and Regarding censorship, several cases come to mind recently. One is Individuals. I am also beginning an Oral History project. The first Mayor Guliani's efforts to censor The Brooklyn Museum Of Art's video interview will be with Playwright Sidney Morris conducted by exhibit "Sensation". You can still write to the Mayor at City Hall, New media celebrity Tom O'Neil. Once I receive grant funding I hope York NY 10007. Another much less publicized case is that of have Purple Circuit people interviewed all over the world. Raymond Caldwell and The Texas Shakespeare Festival in Kilgore, Thank you for your Support, Happy Holidays and 2000 to you all! Texas. Because Mr. Caldwell decided to go ahead with a production Bill Kaiser, editor Volume 8, No.4 Page 1 Die! Mommy! Die! by Charles Busch, a tour-de-force by the Divine Charles with our own Wendy Worthington in support; Coast ON THE BOARDS Playhouse, West Hollywood; July-Sept. 1999. *Divine Thing: The Joey Stefano Story by Michael Patrick Spillers, Note: Descriptions are based on press releases or personal Authors On Tour at The St. Genesius Theater, West Hollywood; knowledge. An * indicates a current or future show, opened Dec. 3, 1999; 310-399-9182. *Drapes by Stephen House, a twisted human drama about love, information subject to change, shows may be extended so sexuality and family; The Chapel, Theatre 62, Adelaide; opens check them out and remember to see a Gay or Lesbian show March 2, 2000. tonight. *Dream Boy adapted by Eric Rosen from Jim Grimsley's southern gothic novel about two adolescent boys in love in rural North *Adam's Wedding by James Rosenfield, Adam's marrying a guy Carolina; New Conservatory, San Francisco; opened Nov. 20, 1999; and people are being urbane about it-but is it a wedding and brings 415-861-8972. out the comic worst in everyone!, Wings, NYC, opens Feb. 4, 2000; Dyslexic Heart by Robyn Dettman. An explosive drama among 8 212-627-2961. artists, musicians and students; Wings, NYC; Oct.-Nov. 1999. Amma: In Search of My Clitoris with Sia Amma Solo, humor in *Escape from Happiness by George F. Walker, Open Fist Theater, poverty, racism, and female circumcision? Josie's, San Francisco, Hollywood, Calif.; ongoing; 323-882-6912. Oct. 1999. *Falsettos by William Finn and Jame Lapine; Triangle Productions, Amphibians by Billy Roche, in a close-knit village in Ireland secrets Portland; Apr. 21-May 21, 2000; 503-239-5919. are opened up that had long been buried; New Conservatory, San A Fairy Tale by Daniel T.