INSIDE THE AUGUST ISSUE:

Publisher's Page - 1 Out of 10

State of the Arts - LGBT A & E

Dear Friends,

    As we wrap up summer 2010 and begin our journey into fall, we felt it pertinent to inform you about the many great up-and-coming Arts and Entertainment festivals, gallery openings and events for the 2010-2011 season. 

BY: SARAH FENTEM

    What does it mean to be a gay artist today? Is it simply a matter of sexual identity? Or does it mean creating art relevant to the community? Each member of Vital VOICE’s “Arts and Entertainment” personalities had a different take on the question. For some, it is a hugely important facet of their work. For others, their “LGBT-ness” is merely an afterthought or not even relevant to their work at all. Still others use their experiences as a catalyst for creating art that is unrelated to their sexuality.

BY: COLIN MURPHY - SENIOR WRITER

    When it comes to the arts—St. Louis may never match the intensity of cities like New York, Chicago or Los Angeles, but we are a formidable metropolis—an oasis of unique culture, history and art straddling the mighty Mississippi. From our world class symphony and art museum to the thriving theatre scene and up and coming art districts, The Gateway City has much to offer even the most refined of tastes.

BY: COREY STULCE

    Julie anxiously clicked the heels of her cowboy boots—pink, to signify she had kicked breast cancer’s ass.

    In walked Melissa, the brown leather fringe on her long coat flickering as she strode into the room to greet a few lucky fans.

    Julie held her restraint, knowing in a few moments she would be meeting her hero. Would she cry? Gush? Lose her mind completely?

BY: MATT JAMIESON

    Though Pridefest 2010 is over, there’s still time to continue celebrating!

    August 20-22 will see the 11th annual celebration of St. Louis Black Pride in Kiener Plaza. The weekend will feature a film festival, a Saturday night White Party, free health screenings and plenty of food to keep everyone happy!

BY: COLIN MURPHY – SENIOR WRITER

    ST. LOUIS, MO  - The National Association of Area Agencies on Aging (n4a) gathered in St. Louis for their annual conference over the July 17 weekend where lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) aging took center stage, Saturday afternoon.

BY: ANDREA BRAUN – THEATRE CORRESPONDENT

    Talking to Liz Callaway is a lot of fun and a little hard to do at the same time. When I rang off on our call, I felt like I’d spent 45 minutes talking with a girlfriend, and that I’d done as much of the sharing as she did. I liked her immediately, and I’m confident you will too.

BY: ANDREA BRAUN – THEATRE CORRESPONDENT

    Last week, I wrote about chatting with Liz Callaway who will appear at the Gala to open this year’s Cabaret Conference. Yesterday, I got a chance to talk with her “partner in crime,” Jason Graae.

VIDEO BY: LEE YOUNG

BY: COLIN MURPHY - SENIOR WRITER

    Fifteen female impersonators from throughout the Show Me State have qualified to compete at the 37th annual Miss Gay Missouri America Pageant, July 22-25, 2010 in Springfield.

    Miss Gay Missouri 2009, Erica Foxx, of St. Louis and Miss Gay America 2010, Coco Montrese, of Florida will headline the storied state pageant. Miss Gay Missouri is the second oldest preliminary in the official Miss Gay America Pageant system.

Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon recently issued Executive Order 10-24 at the National Conference of the NAACP in Kansas Ciity. The Executive order extends employment protections to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) persons working in the Executive Branch of Government of the State of Missouri, requires the Executive Branch to file an annual workplace diversity plan and encourages adoption of the same protections for LGBT employees by all branches of Missouri Government.

BY: MATT JAMIESON

    Lady Gaga and The Monster Ball made their way through St. Louis on July 17 and I'm still trying to process all of it. It's like the absolute best high of my life and I don't want to let it go!

BY: CURTIS COMER

    When I moved to California in 1987, one of the first people I met there was a fifteen year old kid named Nicole. She was going to high school and working weekends at a café in the heart of the Castro, the same café where I was hired as a busboy. I was only twenty-one years old and fresh off the proverbial turnip truck but quickly fell in love with the Castro and the seemingly endless parade of gay men who frequented the cafe.