MBLGTACC09 Blog!

For well over a decade, The Kinsey Sicks, America’s Favorite Dragapella Beautyshop Quartet, have served up a feast of music and comedy to audiences across the United States. Combining award winning a cappella singing, sharp satire and over-the-top drag, The Kinsey Sicks have developed a large and loyal following.

The Kinsey Sicks began in 1993 as a group of friends who went to a Bette Midler concert in San Francisco, dressed as the Andrews Sisters. Assuming they’d be among many drag queens, they found themselves to be the only ones (other than Bette, of course). They were approached that night to perform at an upcoming event. Their reply — “we don’t sing” — was quickly disproved when they realized that all of them had musical backgrounds. They began singing and harmonizing that night, and the seed for The Kinsey Sicks was planted.

In July 1994, The Kinsey Sicks drew a large and enthusiastic crowd at their first public performance on a street corner in San Francisco’s Castro District. Since then, The Kinsey Sicks have produced and performed full-length theatrical productions around the country in such prestigious venues as the Herbst Theatre in San Francisco, the Nordstrom Recital Hall in Seattle, the Ogden Theatre in Denver, the Colony Theatre in South Beach, and the Wheeler Opera Hall in Aspen. They have packed the houses with shows such as The Balled Sopranos, Motel Sicks: A Dragapella Summer Vacation, Everything But the Kitsch ‘n’Synch and GreatesTits, all of which premiered at San Francisco’s New Conservatory Theatre Center. In 2001, the girls produced and starred in their critically acclaimed Off-Broadway hit, DRAGAPELLA! Starring the Kinsey Sicks” at New York’s legendary Studio 54. That production received a nomination for a Lucille Lortel award (the Off-Broadway Tony) as Best Musical of 2001 and a Drama Desk Award nomination for Best Lyrics.

The Kinseys Sicks have been profiled on national television, including on 20/20 and CBS Early Show with Bryant Gumbel, and were the subjects of a lengthy cover feature in the arts section of the New York Times. (That article is posted on their website) They have won numerous a cappella awards and have recorded five CDs: Dragapella, Boyz 2 Girlz, Sicks in the City, I Wanna Be a Republican, and Oy Vey in a Manger: Christmas Carols and Other Jewish Music.

In 2006, the Kinsey Sicks performed an extended engagement at the Las Vegas Hilton. In addition, their first feature film, “Kinsey Sicks: I Wanna Be a Republican,” premiered at the 30th San Francisco International Gay and Lesbian Film Festival. Another documentary, ALMOST INFAMOUS! On the Road with the Kinsey Sicks following the Kinsey Sicks backstage on tour is due for release late in 2006.

The Boys Behind the Girlz: When THE KINSEY SICKS began in 1993, its founders were a group of refugees from successful careers as professionals and activists. Original member Ben Schatz (”Rachel”) is a Harvard- trained civil rights lawyer, former Director of the national Gay and Lesbian Medical Association. Schatz created the first national AIDS legal project and authored Clinton’s HIV policy during the 1992 presidential campaign. Irwin Keller (”Winnie”) is a University of Chicago-trained lawyer and linguist and former director of the AIDS Legal Referral Panel of the San Francisco Bay Area. Keller authored Chicago’s gay rights ordinance, passed into law in 1989. The KINSEY SICKS sound was sweetened in 1998 by the addition of the golden pipes of actor/singer/theatre educator Chris Dilley (”Trampolina”). Since 2004, the KINSEY SICKS have been joined by actor/singer Jeff Manabat (”Trixie”), a veteran San Francisco performer, previously seen in “When Pigs Fly” at the New Conservatory Theatre Center.

http://www.outmedia.org/music/thekinseysicks.htm

When you think one of the most prolific character actors, who’s also an outrageous openly gay stand-up comedian, one name comes to mind…. Jason Stuart.  Stuart has been making people laugh out loud with his hysterical performances all over the country since coming out in 1993. He has accomplished what few other gay comics have ever achieved: brutal honesty with humor in a world that’s not always kind.  Not only is Stuart an all-out crowd pleaser, but he transcends the boundaries of race, gender and sexual orientation with his edgy comedic style. Stuart’s material about his experiences as a single Jewish gay man living in Hollywood is original, cutting edge and just plain funny. Stuart has performed at all of the top comedy clubs & comedy festivals and hundred‘s of gay events & prides, colleges & universities, and even on Broadway. Since Stuart makes such a strong connection with his audience, he is in high demand by corporate programs with his lecture, Coming Out In Hollywood, on being openly gay in the workplace.

Although his semi-celebrity came via stand-up, Stuart is also well-known for his work as an actor playing gay & straight roles on over forty popular television shows.  Stuart has wowed audiences on the TV screen with guest roles in hits such shows as Will & Grace, George Lopez, Everybody Hates Chris, House, M.D. and Charmed, to name a few. He will always be best know playing “Dr. Thomas”, the gay family therapist on My Wife and Kids.

As a character actor, filmmakers say his talent is a cross between the depth of Philip Seymour Hoffman, the comedy timing of John Ritter and the quirkiness of Steve Buscemi.  He has worked with heavy hitters George Clooney, Faye Dunaway, Angelina Jolie, Damon Wayans, Drew Carey, George Lopez, David Spade and even Arnold Schwarzenegger.  Stuart was featured in the comedy hit A Day Without a Mexican, and the HBO award winning drama Gia.  Among the big studio pictures he appeared in, Kindergarten Cop and Vegas Vacation are favorites among TV fans.

Stuart has become a major player in the independent film world after being nominated for a Gay International Film Award for best supporting actor in Coffee Date.  Proving that he is more than just an actor and comedian, Stuart also produced and starred in his own totally improvised independent film 10 Attitudes. This award winning romantic comedy proved to be a huge success both in the U.S. and abroad.

Stuart uses his talents as an openly gay actor and comedian to support the community by performing at countless benefits for issues from AIDS to the homeless.  He is the Chairman of the first ever Screen Actors Guild LGBT Committee, and also chairs the comedy shows for Lifeworks Mentoring Program.

Stuart released his stand-up comedy CD, Jason Stuart: Gay Comedy Without A Dress with great success.  Now he has just completed his very first standup comedy special, Jason Stuart: Making It To The Middle for Here! TV, with a Hollywood benefit premiere for the Lifework Mentoring Program, a non-profit organization that mentors gay kids between the ages of 14-24.

His groundbreaking stand up comedy and his versatility as an actor make his career an amazing ride.

From http://www.outmedia.org/comedy/JasonStuart.htm

Vidur Kapur was selected in Nov.’07 as a finalist in NYC by NBC’s “Stand Up for Diversity” initiative. He was also one of the top four Asian comics to perform at the prestigious “Montreal Comedy Festival”. Vidur was the subject of a film called “Laughing Out Loud: A Comic Journey” shown on Spielberg’s “On The Lot” on FOX tv. He’s co-starred with Margaret Cho in MTV LOGO’s “Outlaugh Festival”. Vidur has toured internationally including Canada, Mexico, India, the UK, Ireland, the Caribbean and South Africa. Vidur is featured in a documentary on leading US comedians called “Making Funny”, is part of a recent DVD called “The Indian Invasion” and was seen in a feature on ‘HinJew Hysteria’ which has been televised by AVStv from Jersey City, to Jaipur, to Johannesburg.

Vidur Kapur has become an international sensation with his edgy, urban, groundbreaking comedy which focuses on his experiences as a gay, Indian immigrant. Vidur wows global audiences at clubs, colleges and festivals, and was an original “Guru of Comedy” with Russell Peters. Catch him on myspace and Facebook and join the phenomenon!

Vidur was recently featured in a Reuters Television piece around the world on ” Prominent South Asians in the Media” where they are interviewing Vidur and showing clips of his stand up comedy act, along with internationally known celebrities such as Mira Nair, Director of “Monsoon Wedding” and “The Namesake”, Naveen Andrews of ABC’s “LOST” and “ER” and “Bend it Like Beckham’s star Parminder Nagra and Suketu Mehta, the Pulitzer Prize Finalist author. Vidur has been seen in international media and television including, NBC, CBC in Canada, NPR, AVStv, New Delhi TV, MTV Desi and PBS’s Asian America.

Vidur was nominated in the category of “Favorite South Asian Comedian” for the South Asian Media Awards. He has been given his own show at NYC’s celebrated Gotham Comedy Club. On January 9th at Gotham, Stanford Pride invites you to “Diversity Gone Wild Starring Vidur Kapur.” He’s received raves at colleges including U. of Louisville, Montana St. U., Rutgers, Yale, Stanford, Campus Pride Leadership Camp at Towson University, Haverford, Washington St. U., U. of Chicago, Loyola University and Davidson. He’s been brought to campuses by collaborations between queer organizations, Asian and South Asian organizations and by student activities boards. He will be showcasing mainstage at the prestigious National Association for Campus Activities National Conference in St. Louis on 2/16.

Vidur Kapur’s stand-up comedy is based on the social commentary of a one-man culture clash. A South Asian raised in a conservative upper middle class family in New Delhi, an overachiever with a degree from The London School of Economics and Ph.D. coursework from the University of Chicago, a misfit in a family focused on arranged marriages and social status, a chic urban trend-crazy gay fashion victim in West Hollywood and Manhattan, a corporate executive from blue chip international firms, an immigrant to the US and a person horrified at being mistaken for a terrorist in a post 9/11 America.

Vidur’s act incorporates multiple colorful characters that range from traditional Indian to outrageous and funky. Vidur comically shares his experiences with issues including homophobia, racism, classism, cultural sensitivities and gender identity in a performance that is personal, vulnerable, irreverent and brutally honest.

From http://www.outmedia.org/comedy/VidurKapur.htm

For years, comedian and actor Julie Goldman has been winning over audiences - gay and straight alike - with her charmingly deviant brand of humor. Goldman may be best known as an ensemble member of LOGO’s The Big Gay Sketch Show, the world’s first ever comedy sketch show with an LGBT slant. This year Julie presents a live, monthly all-female comedy review, appropriately named Julie Goldman’s Offensive Women. Being the very busy woman that she is, you can also find Julie in a number of films and see her standup act, Live at Gotham, on Comedy Central.

Don’t miss your chance to see Julie Goldman live at MBLGTACC09.