w w w . g a y d a y s . c o m 1 table of contents This Program and C O N T E N T S GayDays 2000 are dedicated to Miss P For 30 years Paul 5 Letters of Introduction Wegman, the actor who embodies the persona 6 Feature: See how we’ve grown of Miss P, has shocked 10 Feature: Circuit Parties and amused not only Gay audiences, but also 12 Feature: GayDays Year byYear our families and friends 1 6 Shopping who just had to see her; and a host of non-Gay 18 Feature: Our Magic Kingdom tourists from around the 20 Attractions Guide globe brave enough to venture into the other-worldly Parliament House to 2 2 Schedule at a Glance witness the outrageous antics of a most talented enigma. Paul is still with us. But Miss P officially 2 4 Events retires this very month. If you have never been for- 2 6 General Services and Theater Listings tunate enough to see her on stage, you have missed a part of history. If you have seen P per- 2 7 Medical Services form, then you have glimpsed a piece of history 28 Scrapbook never to be repeated. P never did anything the same way twice. She kept us laughing when our 30 Feature: Parliament House’s New Look friends were dying; and made us forget, for a few 3 2 Neighborhoods hours each weekend, how cruel the world outside her domain could sometimes be. She introduced 3 3 Transportation an entire generation to the joy of musical theater. She was crass and vulgar. Wise and witty. 3 5 Disney Area Map/Hospitality Passionate and giving. And all the rolling, head 37 Downtown Map banging, wig tossing routines and singing pussy aside, she never failed to remind us that 3 8 LesBiGay Bar Guide within our community we could find family. She 40 International Drive Map/Nightlife regarded us as her family. She allowed us to adopt her into ours. And so we begrudgingly say good 41 Gay Shopping Map/Worship Listings bye, and thank you Miss P. You are loved! 4 2 Support Groups & Helplines 10th Anniversary Program Promotion, Will Harford -Technical & Scott Vorkapic Produced by GayDays Inc. Support, Amy Rivera - Comptroller, Cover Art/2000 Logo: Robert 1011 Virginia Drive Savoir Fair Manager - Skip Alderman. Merrick Suite 101, Orlando, FL 32803 Graphic Designer: John Corolla (407) 896 8431 In association with Cyberian Ad Design & Editorial FAX (407) 897 1187 Management. www.gocyberian.com Assistance: Rachel Gardiner Mi c hael Wanzie: Executive Director PROGRAM STAFF: Research: Michelle O’Donell- & Ac t i ve Mind, In c . Tommy Publisher: Diane Glassman Walsh & David Dorman Manley -President, Nan Schultz- Editor: Michael Wanzie Advertising Directors: Project Director, Rich Charron- Contributing Writers: Tony Hayden McNulty & Associates 2 millennium collectors’ edition letters GLBCC + Active Mind = The GayDays.com web site, now operated by the GayDays.com newly incorporated GayDays, Inc., is the only means by As the Executive which GLBCC benefits finan- Director of the Gay, cially from Orlando’s GayDays Lesbian & Bisexual celebration. Community Center of By entering into agreements Central Florida, I thank with independent producers, you all for coming to our and making their ticket media 10th anniversary celebra- available to you through one-stop online shop- tion of GayDays. What ping, and at the companion Hospitality Center, had started out as a local GayDays.com is able to fund the first ever year gathering in 1991 has round staff, who are working hard to make become an international GayDays a more unified, visitor-friendly event, event. In recent years the as well as giving a portion of every dollar Chris Alexander- Center has begun receiv- earned to GLBCC. So whether making a ticket Manley ing phone calls and purchase, or a hotel reservation, always look to emails from around the world in the late fall for GayDays.com, our partner and friend. the following year’s GayDays activities. Unable This year GayDays.com is donating 100 per- to adequately handle this deluge of inquiries, cent of the Savoir Fair admission fees to GLBCC. we began to explore the possibility of developing This Fashion, Fun & Travel Fair with Flair, will a web site which would not only be informative, offer an eclectic mix of merchandise and sam- but which could create a stream of income for ples that are sure to put a smile on your face. our financially strapped social services organi- Come say hello to friendly GLBCC volunteers zation. GLBCC had owned the GayDays.com who will welcome you to the fair.The minimum domain name for years, but operating on a entry donation is only $1.00 but don’t be the shoestring budget with a mostly volunteer labor least bit shy about giving up an extra buck at the force, made developing the envisioned e-com- entrance, if you feel so inclined. Remember, 100 merce web site an improbable dream rather percent of your donation will support the work than an achievable goal, given the Center’s of GLBCC. more urgent obligations to the community. Active Mind Inc., an industry leader in web Most of all, Have a great GayDays. We’re glad site design and internet development, had long you’re here. been a supporting member of GLBCC. The Orlando-based firm had previously designed Chris Alexander-Manley and developed our own glbcc.org web site as a Executive Director – GLBCC cost-free gift to our organization. Active Mind (GLBCC is a 501c3 non-profit organization) continues to host, promote and update our site at no charge. In kind donations of goods and services from Active Mind to our Center amount Orlando City Commissioner-Elect to tens of thousands of dollars per year. We therefore made the obvious choice, and Patty Sheehan welcomes GayDays visitors approached Active Mind concerning our dream For a message from Orlando’s newly of developing a GayDays web site, and entered elected openly lesbian City Commissioner, into a business arrangement, the happy result please see page 26. of which, is GayDays.com. w w w . g a y d a y s . c o m 3 O r l a n do – G a y D a y s It all started Pleasure Island on any given Thursday, Disney’s reaction to with a dance at the growing number of gays Disneyland… showing up on a weekly basis ran from warmly receptive, to he year was indifferent, to utter disdain. 1980 — a gay Concerns about the safety Tcouple, of gay men and lesbians ventur- Andrew Exler, and ing into the public world of Shawn Elliot were Disney nightlife were being reg- physically escorted istered with Orlando’s gay and from a Tomorrowland lesbian community organization dance floor at The Center (now known as the Disneyland in Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual Anaheim, California Community Center, or GLBCC). and ejected from the Would Disney give in to the Magic Kingdom anti-gay sentiments of the day when they refused to Spontaneous pre-parade entertainment is a expressed by more traditional succumb to demands GayDays norm! family patrons, or would they by park security to respect the court-mandated cease dancing together. The couple filed a dis- change-of-policy resulting from the 1984 court crimination suit. The 1984 court ruling in their ruling? Orlando’s gay community turned to The favor was a landmark decision which not only Center to ascertain an official statement from forced a change in Disneyland policy, but which Walt Disney World management, concerning would later play a role in creating the mindset leading to the event which eventually became known as GayDay in the Magic Kingdom, at Disneyland’s Orlando, Florida counterpart. But that was not the only impetus. A host of other factors would work together to create the cli- mate in which GayDays was born. The dance with Disney continues… Fast forward to 1990 — in an effort to boost mid-week attendance at Mannequins dance club located at Pleasure Island, Walt Disney World began promoting Thursdays as Disney cast member (employee) night. Before long, it became evident that of it’s own accord, employ- Enjoying the 1999 GayDay festivities are Barry Miller ee night was slowly morphing itself into "Gay (from left), GLBCC President; Elaine Ewen, Friend to All; Michael Wanzie, GayDays.com Executive Director; and Night at Mannequins." (Draw your own conclu- Kenny Howard, President Barry’s Life Partner. sions here). Depending on who was on duty at <lm>4 millennium collectors’ edition SeeSee HowHow We’veWe’ve GrownGrown the issue. Multiple inquiries went unanswered generally transient nature of populace, the huge by Disney. influx of younger gays attracted to the area by After threatening to run an article in The the lure of a theme park industry, and Orlando’s Center published newspaper, detailing Disney’s location at the tail of the Bible Belt did little to refusal to take a stance on same gender danc- promote a sense of cohesion, but nonetheless, ing at Walt Disney World, The Center received a shared tensions did exist. At a time when no call from Disney’s legal department. The Disney Orlando theme park included "sexual orienta- spokesperson assured The Center Director that tion" in its equal opportunity employment state- Walt Disney World, while ment and not bound by the California non-discrimination poli- decision, had adopted a cies, there was a grow- "no intervention policy" ing sense that the gay with respect to same gen- and lesbian workforce, der couples dancing at any believed by many to be of its dance facilities.