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Before we go any further, let's define two terms that are central to this
discussion --
1. What is a "Musical"?
According to Webster's New Collegiate Dictionary:
"musical (noun,
singular) a film or theatrical production typically of a sentimental or humorous
nature that consists of musical numbers and dialogue based upon a unifying
plot."
Not bad, but it leaves a few bases uncovered. For the
purposes of this essay,
musical (noun, singular) - a stage, screen or film
entertainment utilizing popular style (as in non-classical) songs to either tell a
story (book musicals), or to showcase the talents of varied performers
(revues).
Whether a musical's origin is on stage, screen, or
television, it matters to devoted fans of the genre. The fact
that Singin' In The Rain or Gigi began as films does not reduce their
importance, and one's first encounter with The Sound of Music or West Side
Story can be unforgettable on stage or screen even a television
screen. There is a big world beyond New York and that street
called Broadway. As the lead character in Boys In The Band (Crowley 1968)
puts it, "Pardon me if your sense of art is offended, but odd as it may seem there
wasn't a Shubert Theatre in Hot Coffee, Mississippi!" So all you stage snobs out
there will just have to take a deep breath and face the fact that Mickey and Judy (Rooney
and Garland, respectively) mean as much to true musical theatre queens as George
and Ira (Gershwin and Gershwin, respectively). It is all part of the same wonderful
history.
(Important disclaimer: This essay
will not attempt to examine that most mystical of gay cults, Judy Garland Queens.
Although many Judy queens are also musical queens, these "Boy's Next Door"
deserve separate examination -- perhaps in a future piece.)
2. What are "Musical Queens"?
Webster's gives no help on this one (some hets can be
sooooo limited, n'est ce pas?), so we're on our own
Musical queens (noun, plural) - gay men
(and their sympathizers) enlightened enough to realize that stage and screen
musicals are the be all and end all, the ultimate cultural flowering of the human
race.
At a time when the musical is an
endangered art form, ours is not a hobby it is a cause. Becoming a true "musical theatre queen" is less a matter
of taste or artistic preference than of degree. This is not a classification open to dilettantes. We
don't
merely care . . . we believe.
Most gay men have some interest in musical theatre, but
not all make the grade as musical theatre queens. Do you? A handful of cast
recordings and soundtracks scattered among your Madonna's, U-2's and K.D.
Lang's? A Playbill or two hidden in a drawer? One musical poster on
your bedroom wall for decorative purposes? If so, sorry honey you don't rate.
Musical theatre queens collect recordings, videos and
memorabilia with a vengeance, attend screenings and
performances often, argue about musicals at the drop of a hat, and do all of the above
with the subtlety of a chain saw at a prayer meeting. Musical queens love
non-musical theatre and film too, but it is a different sort of passion. Face it; you
cannot sing along with the greatest works of Arthur Miller or Michael Tarantino.
Many people have asked over the years if it is possible for enlightened
lesbians and heterosexuals to rate as "musical theatre queens." I
believe it is no insult to salute other musical buffs as beloved comrades
with a difference. Just as sexual preference matters in choosing the cast
for Queer Eye For the Straight Guy, so too it usually matters in
defining musical theatre queens. However, there is no denying that a special
few share the mania, the sense of belief -- so some lesbians and
heterosexuals deserve to be considered honorary members of our enchanted
circle. (I refuse to even guess where bisexuals fit into all this -- as a
classic lyric so aptly puts it, "indecision is a bore.")
For Us, It's Like Football . . . Sort of
For gay believers, musicals are what football is to many straight men. We relish souvenirs
and statistics, root for our favorites, and know all too well the difference between
a winning season and a losing one. They have the Superbowl – we have Tony Award night. And
just as football-loving hets are not
required to throw a great forward pass, musical queens are not required to tap dance.
Granted, musical theatre queens don't strip half naked and paint their torsos
with show logos, but we had to leave straight men some form of unrepressed expression,
didn't we?
Having defined the genre and its gay adherents, let's look at their joint history. To
do this we must step back to a time when (horror of horrors!) musicals did not exist, and
the Deity realized something was needed to bring color to a dreary, drama-heavy world.
Next: 1800s "How Long Has This Been
Going On?" |