Queer Mondays September 2009

Last night at Highways was their monthly performance Lab for queer performers. This Queer Mondays arrived was blessed by cool autumn weather sweeping across LA and Santa Monica, and a fog-like haze filling the coastal city.

One of the interesting performances happening at Highways was in their gallery. Called Live Feed it was a TV set up with camera, linked to the Carmen, a pleasant Latina, who would answer questions, and had also supplied two bowls, one of black beans, the other of white rice. She was giving it to all who came to speak with her over the closed circuit camera/television feed. I didn’t get much of an opportunity to speak with Carmen, but it seemed many of audience participants did, and the blacks beans smelled really good.

The show began with Michael Lucid. With his typical popular culture commentary focused on Life Coaches, and positive affirmations, he then spiraled into a story about Cassie, a dance superstar, whose hard luck from the economy seeking a small time dance position, seemingly Chorus Line style. His choreographed moves for Cassie’s dance number were very well done, and his skill at executing his multiple roles on stage is really quite something to watch.

Next was Hank Henderson. Hank’s monologues were titled 77, 85, and 91. Stories of life for a gay man as he passes through the ages, from the decadent late 70’s in the Midwest, to the fear driven indulgences of mid 80’s in Los Angeles, and the struggles with Love and identity in the early 90’s of a man struggling with AIDS. They are truly awesome to hear, and the pathos with which Hank tells his story is rich, bring a vividness to the story happening.

A short video followed with Eric Cassario. The content of the video seemed to document the struggle of a young man in dealing with his dual sexual identities, one social driven, the other one derived from his own deeply concealed desires. Towards the end, it seemed to take on the presentation of a sitcom cast opening, but the black+white film gave a glossing of art film to the whole presentation.

Next came Ertha Madre, a two-spirit priestess, who had the audience contribute to creating a piece of Peruvian styled magical fetish. The audience placed and blew their prayers into supplied herbs, in an envelope underneath their chairs, which was added to the fetish. (The fetish had another name, but I honestly can’t even begin to imagine how to spell it, so if someone could, that would be AWESOME!!!) She then added other items to our prayers, which symbolized various elements of nature and the Gods. It was truly a magical ritual, and quintessential juices were flowing hard as the fetish was gently folded and blessed, and some people were allowed to be cleansed with this fetish, which would be burned on Wednesday morning at a beach in Playa Del Rey.

The final performer for the first half was David Stamford. David performed the monologue of a LAUSD school teacher with a very debilitating neurological disorder, where, essentially, her nerves are operating at full ability all the time, especially the pain receptors. This causes this poor school teacher to be in pain, all the time. However, because disability fund does not classify her disorder as a disability, she is required to be in the 2nd grade classroom, unable to move, stand any level of sound, or even over use her eyes, because even something as minor as a spitball could lead to her demise from overload of pain stimulus.

After a short intermission, and the random drawing of Queer Fun Tickets, the 2nd half began. This began with a monologue by Sage, with her debut performance in Los Angeles. Sage is a wonderful dark hair lesbian. Her monologue was addressed to all the straight men that persist in pursuing her after she informs them that she is a lesbian. What started as a seemingly simple statement as to why she likes women, turned into a paean to cunnilingus, and the metaphysical dimension to Sage’s experience of eating pussy, herself, and the ecstasy of her partner. I have only heard someone else describe their experience with similar terminology, and that was Judy Grahn. Sage’s description rivaled some writings of heard of gay men in describing their joy in fellatio. It was really an amazing sharing of her experience, and the true reason of why she is a lesbian.

Hamp Simmons then expressed some of his life history, growing up as queer youth in Louisiana, who was effeminate and different, and was mistreated for it. It began with his experience in returning to his High School’s 30th anniversary, and remembering those days. As a very gifted speaker and story teller, Hamp’s tale of how he lost his friends, and how the indignities that he endured from the “popular kids” is something many queer misfits can related to. At the ending of his story, one of the bullies apologized for his mistreatment when they were younger. Why did he apologize? Because his own son had come to him, and told him he was gay. That was when this bully then understands that all the things he had put Hamp through, had probably been done to his son. Knowing only remorse, he had saved these words until he would see Hamp again, at this 30th reunion.

A 2nd performance by David Stamford, this time it was the story of an older man, who was much ignored by his now, very grown children. However, that didn’t stop him from continuing on with his stories of performing in Vaudeville with his sister, Selma. Selma however, due to an endless series of disasters from performing, had lost her leg, hand, and eye. Yet, she continued to perform, as she loved the audience, and the audience loved her back just as much, it seemed. In the end, it seemed their final performance was knife throwing.

We were then blessed by the appearance of the newest Cardinal of the Catholic Church, Cardinal Samuel LaRue, who was recently appointed to be in charge of relations between the Catholic Church, and the homosexual populace. Cardinal LaRue understand homosexuals, as he had recently risen out of his own sin, that of being a producer and director of pornography in the San Fernando Valley of Los Angeles. He had made himself available to be as Highways, in order to answer any questions that people might have. He did answer a number of questions, as well as raise some new ones, especially about Cardinals, the pope, and his “little honey bears”.

The final performance was by Krys Fox, developing his performances to his show “Who Killed Foxy Cotin?” which will be presented in January. This time, it was Foxy Cotin who was being presented, and he proceeded to engage the audience with frosted cupcakes and glamour, after smearing the cupcakes across his body, and then stuffing them into his face, and his underwear, Foxy was then killed by a masked person wielding a large blade. Unfortunately, the identity of the person still has not yet been revealed, but to find out who was responsible, you should attend the show.

Stay queer!