the "official" dish ...from Main-4 Photography category. Forster shut out all other published and non-published fash- Forster’s photography work is included in the ion photographers from the states of Loui- Permanent Historic New Orleans Collection, The Per- siana, Mississippi, Arkansas, Alabama manent Collection of The New Orleans Museum of Art, and the Florida panhandle for his fashion The Permanent Collection of the Ogden Museum of and jazz work. Forster is now an eight-time Southern Art, The Contemporary Arts Center, The Rob- Alpha Award winning photographer whose ert Bruno Gallery, the Mario Villa Gallery and the John work is featured in his own award-winning Stinson Gallery. His work has been included in exhibi- newspaper page, the Big Easy Page in the tions of master photographers Ansel Adams, Walker Sunday editions of the Times-Picayune, Evans, Clarence John Laughlin, and Weegee (Usher Louisiana’s largest newspaper as well as Arthur “Weegee” Felig) as well as exhibitions with Yoko his monthly fashion column My Way in the Ono, Leroy Neiman, Peter Max and Tony Bennett. His Times-Picayune WISH Magazine. clients have included Random House Books for the For more information, contact cover jacket photograph of Pulitzer Prize winning author [email protected]. Robert Bruno Rick Bragg (#1 New York Times Best Seller, I Am A Gallery is in the Warehouse Arts District of Soldier, Too; The Jessica Lynch Story). Forster and New Orleans, 900 S. Peters St., the cover jacket photograph of the great writer Ernest 504.495.8287. Gaines for Mozart and Leadbelly: Stories and Es- says. Mario Cantone Does Le Petit Forster swept the Fashion Photography category for both published and non-published work at the Nov. 3, 8pm annual Alpha Awards presented by the Fashion Group ario Cantone, best known International (founded in 1930) of New Orleans in 2004 as Anthony Marentino, the and still remains the holder of First, Second and Third Mwedding planner and deco- Place from the Alpha Awards presented by the Fashion rator to character Charlotte York on SEX Group International of New Orleans in the Fashion AND THE CITY, and for his one-man LAUGH WHORE on Broadway and Showtime, will appear in a one-night, ben- efit performance Saturday, November 3, 8pm, at Le Petit Theatre du Vieux Carre, 616 St. Peter St. on Jackson Square in New Orleans. Peter Marks of The New York Times wrote of Mario Cantone: “In the realm of outrageously joyful stand-up, there is the Mario Cantone shrieking, windup-toy sensibility of Mario Cantone, a comedian of extravagant tan- trums and extravagant gifts who is a pro- ponent of the comedy of outrage.” Over the years, the stage, screen and television star’s routines have included musical parodies of Judy Garland, Jim Morrison, Peggy Lee, Bruce Springsteen and Liza Minnelli. Tickets to the one-man musical show are $60 per person and on sale now at the Le Petit box office, 504.522.2081 and at the theater’s web site, www.lepetittheatre.com. Varla Jean’s New Show - One Night Only at Le Chat! arla Jean Merman, in a bid for total dominance of the world Vstage, has straddled the globe this year researching her latest show [continued on Main-8] MAIN~6 of 56 • AmbushMag.COM • Oct. 23-Nov. 5, 2007 • The One & Only Official Gay Mardi Gras Guide • GayMardiGras.COM GayNewOrleans.COM • SouthernDecadence.COM • GayEasterParade.COM • Oct. 23-Nov. 5, 2007 • AmbushMag.COM • MAIN~7 of 56 the "official" dish ... from Main-6 VARLA JEAN MERMAN LOVES A FOR- EIGN TONGUE. After SRO engagements in such exotic locales as Australia (at the world-famous Sydney Opera House), Mexico, Austria, Baltimore and Provincetown, everyone’s favorite cop- per-topped live-wire returns to super- charge New Orleans’ Le Chat Noir with an electrifying travel-themed extravaganza. Featuring new videos, songs, dance and eye-popping native garb, VARLA JEAN MERMAN LOVES A FOREIGN TONGUE is your passport to cross comic borders long forbidden to decent society. The new show runs for one night only on Hallow- een, October 31 at 8pm at Le Chat Noir. Varla Jean, the purported love-child of Ethel Merman and Ernerst Borgnine, re- cently completed a world tour of Anatomi- cally Incorrect that culminated in a weeklong engagement this past April at the Sydney Opera House. See why the LA Varla Jean Merman Times raved, “Not since Divine and ’50s (photo: Austin Young) cult icon Rae Bourbon has a drag artiste so nailed the risqué, old-school plea- Ludlam. Other film and TV credits include sures of the genre, and Varla Jean Merman HBO’s Dragtime, E!’s Fashion Emer- does a body good! Jeffery Roberson’s gency, E! Goes to Cannes, MTV’s True incomparable drag creation revisits her Life: Mardi Gras, and Francesca Page cabaret roots in peak sidesplitting form.” with Rossy DePalma. Jeffery has ap- Directed by Michael Schiralli, the show is peared in many TWEED Fraktured cowritten by Roberson and Jacques Classiks productions in New York City, Lamarre and features tenor Mark Cortale. including The Mailman Always Comes Costumes are by Michael Velasquez and Twice, Screen Door and CAGED! with Cecile Casey, props are by Allen Cutler Lily Tomlin, Joan Rivers and Isabella and Matthew Scott and wigs are by Gerard Rossellini, Lypsinka is Harriet Craig, Kelly. The Miracle Worker (with Charles Busch) Jeffery shared the Outfest Film Festi- and Varla Jean Merman is The Bad val “Best Actor” Award and the Aspen HBO Seedling. Jeffery has opened for Jennifer Film Festival “Best Actress” Award with his Holliday and has also shared the stage costars Jack Plotnick and Clinton Leupp with Betty Buckley, fulfilling his utmost gay for his featured performance in Girls Will fantasy, singing excerpts from the notori- Be Girls (Sundance 2003) directed by ous Broadway flop Carrie as part of Ms. Richard Day. He also played the role of Buckley’s cabaret act at the Bottom Line. Mary Sunshine in the revival of Chicago on Broadway. His shows Varla Jean Forum For Equality Host Merman’s I’m Not Paying For This, Girl With A Pearl Necklace; An Act Of Love, Valhalla Preview Nov. 1 Under A Big Top, Holiday Ham!, All ight on the heels of it’s Washed Up! and The Very Worst of successful run of Naked Boys Varla Jean Merman have filled concert R Singing, To Do Productions halls and cabarets across the world in- is proud to announce the New Orleans cluding Carnegie Hall, the New York Pub- premier of Valhalla. The Forum For Equal- lic Theater, London’s Soho Theatre, LA’s ity will sponsor the preview of Valhalla on Renberg Theatre, and San Francisco’s Thursday, November 1, 8pm, at The Victoria Theatre. He recently wrote and Marigny Theatre. Tickets for this perfor- starred in the short Improve Your History mance only are available by calling with Varla Jean: Stonewall, for the launch 504.569.9156. of the MTV’s new television network Logo. The regular run begins Friday, No- Last May, he was the opening act at vember 2. The outrageous comedy by Vienna’s LifeBall, Europe’s largest Paul Rudnick (I Hate Hamlet, The Most fundraiser for AIDS research, where he Fabulous Story Ever Told) has been ac- performed on the same bill with Sharon claimed as his funniest work to date. Stone, Catherine Deneuve and Naomi Valhalla will play at The Marigny Theatre, Campbell. He recently won rave reviews 1030 Marigny Street (directly behind Cow- last season as both director and star of pokes) through November 18, with Shut Up! Sweet Charlotte at Le Petit showtimes on Fridays and Saturdays at Theatre in New Orleans. The production 8pm, and Sundays at 6pm. Tickets at the also won three Big Easy Awards including door will be $25, but you can reserve for Best Comedy and Best Direction. $20 (a $5 savings) by charging to your VISA Jeffery also made his network televi- or MasterCard in advance. sion debut on ABC’s All My Children in Glenn Meche, director has as- the recurring role of lady of the evening sembled a fine cast which includes Keith Rosemary Chicken. He also appeared at Launey, Shannon Williams, Cammie the Long Wharf Theatre in Hartford Stage’s West, Liz Mills, Chris Weaver, and Carlos production of The Mystery of Irma Vep Gonzalez. Lighting and Sound design is directed by Michael Wilson performing the by Timm Holt with costumes by Donnie roles originally made famous by Charles Jay and Regina Adams, along with Sets and Props by David Fuller. It is sure to be a first rate production. Warning this com- Advertise Today edy is for mature audiences - brief male nudity, adult themes and language. 504.522.8049 [continued on Main-10] MAIN~8 of 56 • AmbushMag.COM • Oct. 23-Nov. 5, 2007 • The One & Only Official Gay Mardi Gras Guide • GayMardiGras.COM GayNewOrleans.COM • SouthernDecadence.COM • GayEasterParade.COM • Oct. 23-Nov. 5, 2007 • AmbushMag.COM • MAIN~9 of 56 the "official" dish ...from Main-8 For advance tickets, call 504.948.9608 or 504.218.8559. New Orleans PFLAG Receives Support Award FLAG National is proud to an- nounce that the New Orleans Pchapter of PFLAG (Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays) has been awarded the 2007 Chap- ter Award for their outstanding achieve- ments in advocacy on behalf of gay, les- bian, bisexual, transgender and straight ally (GLBTA) support. In the wake of Hurricane Katrina, PFLAG New Orleans was able to re- emerge and continue providing support to a community in need. With the help of PFLAGers around the nation they replaced vital equipment and rebuilt the chapter even as many other nonprofit organiza- tions in the area shut down.