by Tim Brookover
SUDDENLY STOCKARD
Even before she portrayed the acerbic, powerhouse Abby Bartlett on The West Wing, we loved Stockard Channing for The Girl Most Likely To…, Lily Dale, The Matthew Shepard Story, To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar, and more. We even watch Grease on AMC until she belts “There Are Worse Things I Could Do.” Channing has long been an ally through her support of GLBT and HIV/AIDS organizations and with her choice of roles. On March 15, she flies into town for a screening of Six Degrees of Separation, a benefit for the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston film department. We still admire the 1993 drama, even though Will Smith made such a fuss over not really kissing a man on screen to protect his image (hello, the character was a gay hustler). After the closing credits, Channing and Alley Theatre artistic director Gregory Boyd will chat in the museum’s Brown Auditorium. Go see Stockard (in a still from Six Degrees with Donald Sutherland and Smith, above). There are much worse things you could do.
GOOD WORKS
On March 12, John Danielson will host Bringin’ in the Green, the annual Montrose Counseling Center benefit. Stalwart fundraiser Jack Jackson is listed as Resident Leprechaun for the event, and Jerry Atwood and Julie Link will perform. The guys from the Four Seasons Club will pour drinks.
Marion Coleman will preside over the annual party in honor of her late, great bar Kindred Spirits on March 13. The evening at the Hornberger Center will again raise funds for Houston Buyer’s Club, Lesbian Health Initiative, and Montrose Clinic/Montrose Counseling Center women’s programs. Bocados and Boca Chica owner Terry Flores will provide tunes for dancing.
A performance by the cast of the touring production of Rent will kick off AIDS Walk Houston on March 14 in Sam Houston Park. The 15th annual event benefits the foundation and 18 other local HIV/AIDS service organizations.
Throughout 2004, agent Tom Tinsley of Beth Wolff Realtors will donate $100 to AIDS Foundation Houston for every sale he closes (when the buyer refers to this offer). In conjunction with the AIDS walk, Tinsley will give $200 for every sale closed in March. Additionally, Robert M. Spiegel of RMC Vanguard Mortgage Corporation will match Tinsley’s donations for every referred loan he closes this year. Details: Tinsley, 281/610-0454.
Tom Downing, Sheri Heyen, and Steven Wagner are co-chairing the March 20 Human Rights Campaign dinner.
On March 28, Camille Waters will toss her annual garden party and picnic in the West End. The afternoon, including a festive-hat contest, will benefit Urban Harvest and Chefs’ Collaborative.
IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD
Beginning this month, Bryan Lari teaches a Monday yoga class at the Houston GLBT Community Center. Lari also plans to teach a class for the HIV-affected clients at Thomas Street Clinic.
At Joe Watts’s Theatre New West, Leigh Anne Patterson and Shannon Woelk star in Parallel Lives: The Kathy & Mo Show through March 13. John Mitsakis directs the women, who play more than 24 characters in the sketch comedy favorite (reservations: 281/224-3170 or 713/522-2204).
Also through March 13, Masquerade Theatre presents the Tony-winning musical A New Brain, by openly gay composer/lyricist William Finn.
On March 18, Chances celebrates a year of Thursday open-mike nights at the bar with a performance by Michelle Malone, the singer/songwriter. Cindy Pruitt wrangles the weekly tune-up.
Oklahoma City émigré James B. Hughes has taken the helm of Gay Men’s Chorus of Houston as executive director. The singers croon the songs of Cole Porter, the big queen, in March 20, 21, and 23 concerts at Hobby Center.
Judy Reeves, Gulf Coast Archive & Museum of GLBT History maven, directs The Illustrated Woman at Theatre Suburbia through March 27. Speaking of the museum, super fundraiser Don Gill speaks at the March 28 Fourth Sunday program.
CLOSE THE BOOK
As we prepared to go to press, Lobo Bookshop & Café shuttered. We will have more coverage in a future issue on the death of the community institution owned by Larry Lingle. In the meantime, Lobo habitué Al Almado contacted us about plans to keep up with “the displaced Lobo regulars—customers and employees.” He has slated a March 13, 10 a.m., gathering at Diedrich’s Coffee on Westheimer. “I like the idea of getting the old kibitzers from Lobo together,” Almado e-mailed. “I want to try to do this once a month, if there is interest.” Intrigued? Contact him at [email protected].
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