Seven Guitars Two Trains Running - Ambush Mag · 36 • The Official Mag: AmbushMag.COM • Nov....

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New Orleans was recentlytreated to a mini-AugustWilson festival, part of

which is still going on. Dillard Universitypresented Two Trains Running whileSeven Guitars continues at the An-thony Bean Community Theaterthrough November 25. Both plays arePulitzer Prize and Tony Award nomi-nees and are part of Wilson’s 10 playcycle about the African-American ex-perience in the twentieth century; see-

ing them in two successive days wasmost instructive..

Both plays begin when a funeral isabout to or has recently taken place. Ineach there is a young, or relativelyyoung, firebrand of a man who wants tomake his mark on the world and whohas recently been released from incar-ceration. Each is frustrated when hedoesn’t receive money that he believesis rightfully his. Both are involved withwomen who, at first, resist the

gentleman’s overtures of marriage or adeeper relationship.

Both plays feature another man,slightly older, who butts heads with theprotagonist, and another who is moreof a resident philosopher and who pro-vides a greater frame of reference forthe play’s story. And in each of thesedramas, there’s a character who is “notquite right in the head”, though the onein Seven Guitars proves to be morecentral to the plot.

Not surprisingly, in each work thereis a sense of oppression of blacks bywhites often seen in deals that areunfair or not honored. At least TwoTrains Running, set in 1969, twenty-one years after Seven Guitars takesplace, posits an evolving world where ablack man can eventually triumph.

Two Trains Running and SevenGuitars, produced four years apart onBroadway (1992 and 1996, respec-tively), each feature Wilson’s signa-ture muscular language which defineshis characters with detailed backstoriesand idiosyncratic dialog while placingthem in the context of national issues.And if each suffers from Wilson’s wordi-ness and repetitiousness that causeseach work to become dramatically in-ert around the middle of the first act,they both explore the theme of howdoes a person stay true to himself inorder to fulfill his destiny.

How fascinating it would be to seethem in repertory!

Interestingly, in one unexpectedway, Dillard’s production had a slightadvantage over Bean’s. As all the rolesin it were played by students (all excel-lent), talcum powder was used to “age”some of the actors. Though clearlyinauthentic, it allowed the audience toappreciate the various relationshipssome of which turn on one character’sexperience and seniority to the others.

Seven Guitars was originallyscheduled to be done in Septemberand then was pushed back due toHurricane Isaac-related damage suf-fered by Bean’s theater. This necessi-tated recasting certain roles. DirectorBean understandably went with theactor who could best perform each partbut resulted in a spread of about twentyyears among three of the characterswho should all be around the sameage. This was by no means a fatal flawbut it did throw off some of the script’sinner balance.

Otherwise, as Floyd Barton, an up-and-coming musician, Roscoe Reddixbursts with the cocksure pride andconfidence that comes with success.He also lets Floyd’s darker side comethrough while giving countless varia-tions to his wooing of Vera.

As Vera, whom Floyd had oncedumped for another woman, CotiGayles mixes wariness with wounded,bitter pride, refusing to let herself behurt again; when at last she blossoms,like the paper flowers Vera makes forMother’s Day gifts, her new-found hoperadiates warmth.

trodding the boards ...from 35

Seven Guitars at the Anthony Bean CommunityTheater through Nov. 25, Two Trains Running atDillard University

How wonderful it is to haveGwendolyne Foxworth, an AmbieAward winner for ABCT’s 2004 pro-duction of King Hedley II, a relatedplay in Wilson’s cycle, back on stage ina major role. Her Louise, a friend andneighbor of Vera’s, is by turns compas-sionate, sly and entrepreneurial; with-out any ostentation, Foxworth conveysLouise’s subconscious hurt at no longerbeing an object of the men’s romanticattention.

Sean Beard, a newcomer to theABCT stage, and that estimable vet-eran Will Williams are both fine asFloyd’s sidemen, with Beard memora-bly describing how he can tell the differ-ence between various types of roost-ers and Williams forever needling Floydfor not taking his advice that couldhave made him a rich man when hesigned the contract for what came tobe his hit song.

Alfred Aubrey, whose King Hedleyfollows his own logic and personal vi-sions with tragic results, continues tostretch as an actor. With his imposingphysique and an accent of indetermi-nate origins, Aubrey’s King (he wasnamed after “King” Buddy Bolden) isthe type of person any wise man givesa wide berth to; avoiding the typicalcadences of Wilson’s “mad” prophetswhile still making Hedley a bit “off”,Aubrey brings out this food vendor’sgentler, human side, a city version ofOf Mice and Men’s Lenny.

Giselle Nakhid completes the castas Ruby, Louise’s niece, sent up Northfrom Alabama after getting mixed up ina scandalous affair. Her Ruby is asmoldering tease and flirt but not with-out a grounding common sense. Atfirst entrance, I felt Nakhid was givingus a vampish caricature but as the playprogressed and she revealed Ruby’svarious aspects, Nakhid had me con-vinced that this woman is the type ofperson, like so many of New Orleans’colorful folks, who you think could neverbe made up; leave it to master story-teller Wilson to do so.

Unlike some of the other plays inthe cycle, Seven Guitars tends toamble along in an almost expression-istic manner and not all of its sectionscome into focus. Whether the fault lieswith the script, director Bean, or that Iattended a performance on thisproduction’s first weekend is hard tosay; it could be all three. Unlike TwoTrains Running, however, there is anunmistakable distance to this play—acontemporary audience doesn’t sharethe visceral excitement the charactersfeel listening to a victorious Joe Louismatch on the radio—that an abruptending merely compounds; the resultis that Seven Guitars’ emotional pull ismore muted.

Still, as these vital, workaday char-acters’ fates play out on John Grimsley’snaturalistic backyard set, one of hisfinest, in the words of one of the mostfamous plays of that era, attention mustbe paid.

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by Tony LeggioEmail: [email protected] by: Larry Graham, GrahamStudioOne.COM

pharmacy spotlight

Interview:Rodney Culotta with Mumfrey’s Pharmacy

There are many people who help in the combat of the AIDS diseasefrom doctor and scientists to drug companies and educators. Butthere are so many people who never get noticed, yet do so much for

the cause. With the approach of World AIDS Day on December 1, Ambushdecided to spotlight someone who is not only a huge supporter of the LGBTcommunity but plays a vital role in his neighborhood and beyond.

Rodney Culotta is a second generation pharmacist who has been in thebusiness for 34 years and is the owner of Mumfrey’s Pharmacy in Chalmette. Tosay that being a pharmacist runs in his family’s blood is an understatement.Rodney’s father owned a pharmacy most of his life so he grew up in the business.He just recently retired at the age of 89, after 69 years in the industry. His brotheris also a pharmacist and an attorney. In fact, Rodney walked to what is now hispharmacy as a kid growing up.

In 1990, Culotta purchasedMumfrey’s when it was still located nextto the Courthouse and has since relo-cated to its current spot on Judge Perez.Since Hurricane Katrina, half of hiscustomer base is new, but his businessis thriving. The key to his success ispersonal service and customer satis-faction. His staff know most of thepeople who walk through the door byname sometimes having their prescrip-tion ready before they even make it tothe counter. It is not an uncommonoccurrence to have people drop by justto hang out and talk.

“I have some customers who comeby here just to get happy and talk to mystaff if they are having a bad day,”Rodney goes on to say. That is a truetestament to a business that is an intri-cate part of the community. In a culturewhere independent pharmacies arerare, it is refreshing to see one sosuccessful. But is more than just know-

ing a person’s name that keeps peoplecoming back to Mumfrey’s. Rodney’sstaff helps customers get hooked upwith certain programs to save themmoney. They are familiar with rebatesand special coupons that can bring thecost down on their prescriptions. Inthese trying economic times, a busi-ness that affords such savings to theircustomers is a godsend.

Mumfrey’s Pharmacy also deliv-ers throughout the metro area, in addi-tion to shipping medication around thecountry. Even through many of theirclientele is from the parish, they have alarge and growing number around thearea even as far as Lake Charles andMandeville.

25% of his business is HIV relatedand has been for years. Culotta evensits on the board of Belle Reve. WithNew Orleans and Baton Rouge seem-ingly seeing one of the largest increasesin HIV and AIDS, his services areneeded more than ever. They neverturn down a customer, sometimesopening up after hours to help a per-son. Couple this outstanding customerservice with the ability to save peoplemoney through rebates and coupons;it is easy to see why people come fromall over the city to bring their businessto Mumfrey’s.

But Mumfrey’s has changed withthe times also, people can order theirmedication on-line and their storefrontwill be getting a new digital sign to helpdrive even more sales traffic.Mumfrey’s Pharmacy is located at 1021Judge Perez in Chalmette. Their hoursof operation are Monday 9am to 6pm;Tuesday through Friday 9am to 5pmand Saturday 9am to 1pm. On-line youcan go towww.mumfreyspharmacy.com.

Next Deadline:Next Deadline:Next Deadline:Next Deadline:Next Deadline:TTTTTuesdauesdauesdauesdauesdayyyyy,,,,, No No No No Novvvvv..... 27th 27th 27th 27th 27th504.522.8049504.522.8049504.522.8049504.522.8049504.522.8049

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a community within communities

by The Rev. Bill Terry, Rector St. Anna’s Episcopal ChurchEmail: [email protected]

Gobble gobble gobble! Tur-key Day! The myth ofThanksgiving with Native

Americans and Puritans at table to-gether all in perfect harmony; well thatdidn’t seem to work out too well in thelong run, did it? The myth of a just andloving society is equally as elusive,isn’t it? So, in this “just and lovingsociety” what will you/we give thanksfor? In my last article I brought atten-tion to a man who could not see theblessings around him because of hisown burdens which ate up his veryspirit. There is certainly a lot to dislike,reprove of, and disdain in our commu-nity. Certainly many of these articlespoint toward desperate circumstances,exhort engagement in our broader so-ciety, and reprove the self absorbedand self serving. But, wouldn’t it be niceto just for a moment give thanks.

Thank you, Lord for this very daythat I write where the winter southernsky is as deep and profound a blue asany ocean. It hangs above in resplen-dent color. Not the wisp of a cloud butjust the breath of fresh air in a coolnessthat says all will be well. It is a good dayto read outside in the sun but in theshade, a sweater is a must. Yes, asweater perhaps an old style cardiganto play the part of an afternoon withnature sidled up with a cup of good hotEnglish tea.

Thank you Lord for laughter andthe gift of a smile and the warmth thatit brings. I shaved my beard this week

and a small child, one of Anna’s Artskids that I see almost every day, lookedat me so strangely and reaching out,rubbed my chin. She, with a smile, agiggle and yet stern eyes said, “It’sscratchy. But you know Santa’s com-ing and he has a beard.” No, it doesn’thave to make sense, it just is delightful.Or pants in a catalog called “ball room”pants and yes, it really did say extralarge crotch for a comfortable fit. No, itreally is in a workman’s clothing cata-log. Thank you for the gift of humor andlaughter.

Thank you for simple pleasureslike cornbread made in an iron skillet.Thank you for a dark roux or dark beeror dark nights where the stars simplyshimmer. Thank you for that small blueflower that pushes through the crack inthe sidewalk that I see when I amlooking at the ground, self absorbedand then, I feel better. Thank you foreccentric family members who havebig hair, no hair, or comb over’s withplaid shirts and knee high socks.

Thank you for putting me in a citythat takes time out for the silliness ofMardi Gras, Decadence, and SecondLines. Thank you for crooked streets,houses, and street lamps that makethis a quirky little village. Thank you forbalconies, draped with sweet potatovines and vegetables like mirlitons thatgrow in the back yard. Thank you forthe occasional rooster that still runs thestreets.

Thank you for dark, raging thun-

derstorms that passes in the night.Thank you for the fog that shrouds thecity streets, that adds romance andmystery. Thank you for the calliope ona steamboat that echoes lightly in thenoon day sun. Thank you for that furryfriend dog or cat that is always aroundand always willing to put up with us.Thank you for a city that is many shadesof brown, black, peach, pink, yellow,and red in the fabric that is our humanrace.

Thank you for good hearts anddeep longings. Thank you for the giftthat you have given us called love.

Giving Thanks on Thanksgiving

Thank you for my grandmother’sthimble and the memories it brings.Thank you for friendships through hard-ships and good and bad times. Thankyou for my life companion along theway.

This Thanksgiving I give thanksfor all of this and more those thingsseen and unseen, for it is in the unseenthrough you that I know all things arepossible. Thank you Lord my brother,my companion, my trusted friend, myGod, and my eternal hope. Thank youfor this Thanksgiving.

[continued on 40]

LGBT Capitol Miracleby Mark Segal

It’s magic time in Washington,D.C., and our LGBT media,bloggers and particularly lobby-

ists like Human Rights Campaign arenot feeling that magic. Most are trip-ping over themselves to give what theybelieve should be the LGBT prioritiesfor the Obama administration’s sec-ond term. All their suggestions areworthy, but they all miss the Washing-ton magic. They’re looking in the wrongplace.

Let’s take a cue from the Latinocommunity. It’s the other side of Penn-sylvania Avenue we should be focus-ing on — the U.S. Senate and House ofRepresentatives. The Latino commu-nity gets the game: Their lobbyists havea focus and make it simple for legisla-tors to understand. For them, it’s theDream Act. For us, it should be theEmployment Nondiscrimination Act.

Magic time in D.C. happens rarely.It comes every four to eight years andonly when there is a true shift in thepopulace that one of the political par-

ties begins to look inward to try and findtheir deficiencies. That magic time usu-ally runs from the election to the end ofthe current congressional term, sincethe congressional leadership can counton the majority of outgoing membersfor their votes in trade for future assis-tance, and on current members look-ing for plum positions in the new Con-gress.

ENDA is the only major part of ourpriority list that is not accomplished. It’simportant, since most LGBT Ameri-cans are still not protected in employ-ment. Military servicemembers are; ifyou work for the U.S. government youare. To our lobbyists in D.C., isn’t it timeto use our political capital for the rest ofthe people?

How to make it happen: It takesthree steps. First, ENDA must passboth the House and Senate, then besigned by the president, whose sup-port we already have. We know wealso have the support of Democraticleadership and the overwhelming ma-

commentary

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For all of these reasons and more,when my daughter called from Wash-ington State, to tell me: “Dad, did youknow that you can smoke a joint inWashington State while at the sametime getting married to your same sexpartner?” I congratulated her verystraight self for being so modern, but itdid not make me want to return to therain and the cold of the Northwest forthose two new reasons people mightwant to live there.

In the recent election, a tremen-dous amount of people in this countryvoted for inclusion and for the rights ofcitizens to marry and party legally re-gardless of their sexual orientation.This was the first time that three stateshad put the subject to the public forelection and the voters said “yes.”

The states of Maine, Marylandand Washington approved same-sexmarriage. In Minnesota they defeateda proposed constitutional amendment,modeled on federal law, that wouldhave banned same-sex marriage inthe state.

That now brings us nine states—Connecticut, Iowa, Maryland, Maine,Massachusetts, New Hampshire, NewYork, Vermont, Washington and theDistrict of Columbia — that have em-braced Gay Marriage. There exist rightnow 12 other states who allow “CivilUnions.” or “Domestic Partnerships”which give many rights in those states.(The laws in New Jersey, Californiaand Oregon give same-sex couplesvirtually all the state law rights oppo-site-sex married couples have.)

These landmark votes mean a lotto the LGBT community, and it hasbeen won with a lot of fundraising anda lot of hard work.

I spoke with Janice Langbehn (whowas the subject of an article in therecent Gay History Issue of AmbushVolume 20, Issue 20) on the issuerecently, as she is very active in Wash-ington state politics for the LGBT com-munity and she pointed out that a lot ofresearch and hard work went into thisvote.

“The campaign collected over 14million dollars and had high profile con-tributors like Michael Bloomberg do-

Still, the biggest challenge, regard-less of how many states approve GayMarriage is the federal Defense ofMarriage Act or DOMA, which defines“marriage” and “spouse” as limited toone man and one woman, and barsfederal recognition of all same-sexmarriages. DOMA prohibits benefits tospouses of same-sex marriages, evenin states that have recognized GayMarriage which include inheritance andsocial security, among other vital ben-efits of interest to all couples.

Is it possible that Gay Marriagecould become legal in all 50 States?There are a couple of ways that couldhappen, but just a few weeks ago, thefederal appeals court ruled that theDefense of Marriage Act (DOMA) wasunconstitutional. This is big news!Here is what happened: Judge DennisJacobs of New York’s 2nd Circuit Courtof Appeals, (appointed by George H.W. Bush) declared for the first time thathomosexuals have been discriminatedagainst as a “quasi-suspect class”which necessitates subjecting any lawapplying to them be be subject to“heightened scrutiny.”

Now what is extremely interestingabout this ruling, is that it uses the

same language found to protect womenand racial minorities in the past againstdiscrimination.

This may end up being thrown outby the Supreme Court, or it could be alandmark decision that grants gaymarried folks, all federal benefitsawarded by marriage to their straightfriends and neighbors.

The headline of this article asks,DO YOU CARE? Some couples I havetalked to don’t care about marriage, orthe traditionally straight institutions inour country. It reminds me of the ques-tion put to Cher years ago, the questionwas: “Cher, do you believe in the insti-tution of marriage?” to which she re-plied with a smile and a glint in her eye,“Sure, but...who wants to live in aninstitution?”

Whether YOU care or not, thereare a lot of couples who do, and theylook forward to having the same rightsand privileges that other marriedcouples historically have enjoyed. Tobe able to take care of your partner,without antiquated laws and restric-tions that make passing on propertyand wealth a taxable event, is worthy ofour effort and our support.

This will all be interesting as itplays out over the next few years, andit will always be part of Gay History. Wehave a national movement moving for-ward in support of all LGBT people inAmerica and there are many folks con-tributing to the writing of Gay Historyaround the country.

If you have anything to contributeor any articles you want to see, pleasewrite [email protected].

nated $250.000 to the campaign andsaid he would match anyone’s dona-tions up to $500,000. Bill Gates founderof Microsoft and Jeff Bezos, founderand owner of Amazon.com each dona-tion large sums to the effort. TheOpposition raised about 2 million dol-lars.”

“I expected this to pass this timebecause I was there last Feb. 13 withthe Governor when she signed the billinto law, but we all held our breathbecause we knew the opposition wasgoing to come back to fight it, and itonly took them about four months to doso and it was then on the ballot for thisNovember election. I was involved in alot of different political campaigns. Andcauses which stretched me pretty thin.The group United for Marriage ran anexcellent campaign. There was a lot ofresearch and a lot of grass roots workto accomplish this but in the end peopleof Washington state understood thatthe same values and goals that straightpeople have are shared by gay coupleswho want the same things they do.”

I asked her if she thought thatPresident Obama communicating thathe was in support now of Gay Marriageafter meeting a number of gay couplesand talking to many people over histerm, did she think his support mademuch of a difference. She said: “I thinkit may have had a small impact, I thinkhe came out in favor of Gay Marriagepublicly on May 9 of this year. Peoplehave such a short memory these daysabout politics, but western Washing-ton turned out in large numbers par-tially because it was a presidential elec-tion but there was a lot of support forthis. And as I grew up in eastern Wash-ington, I want to point out there was alot of support there but that part of thestate has always been more conserva-tive and traditionally does not vote theway western Washington does.”

This was a major shift from theoutcomes of voting in many states inthe past, for gay and lesbian advo-cates, who historically have not donewell at the polls. During the past de-cade 30 of the 31 measures put to thevoters have banned same-sex mar-riage.

Gay Marriage, Do You Care?

This writer moved here about a year and a half ago to live and work inNew Orleans by choice, and it was for many different reasons. TheFrench Quarter was one of them, such a fascinating and ever

changing place, yet always remaining the same. Then there was the weather;mostly sunny and mostly warm, and sometimes unbearably hot. People I thoughtwere my friends and family would ask, “Why would you move to a place withhurricanes, big bugs, heat and humidity where it floods for God's sake.” And myanswer is and was, “I love it here, the people, the food, the houses, the trees, theriver and the Quarter.”

by Rory WrightEmail: [email protected]

on the prowl

commentary ...from 38

AMBUSHMAG.COM

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jority of Democrats in the House andSenate. OK, here comes the problem,and a suggestion.

>From that scenario, you shoulddevise that the hold-up would be in theHouse of Representatives, whosespeaker is Congressman JohnBoehner. The speaker controls all. Ifhe wishes, legislation will make it to thefloor and to a vote. He does not neces-sarily have to have his name on thelegislation. The point is, he has theRepublican votes and the authority toget it through the House. And as magicseason has it, he’s very much aware ofnot only the future of Republicans inthe House, but those around him whowant his job. That, my friends, spellsopportunity. Choose your partner anddance. Anyone in for a fox trot withCongressman Cantor?

Time for our friends at GOProudand Log Cabin and people like KenMehlman to prove themselves. Theyshould either, on their own or with acoalition of organizations, focus like alaser beam on ENDA and Boehner. Ifyou guys don’t have the access, thenit’s time for you to stand your ground,as Latinos have with the Dream Act.Ken, raising money for marriage equal-

ity will not wash the blood off yourhands, but standing in front of the Capi-tol at a news conference fighting fornondiscrimination starts you on thatpath.

Here’s the rub: We have aboutfour weeks left of this Congress. Thinkthat is not enough time? Rememberthe end of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”? That’sall it took, just two years ago.

Mark Segal, PGN publisher, is thenation’s most-award-winning commen-tator in LGBT media. He can be reachedat [email protected].

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