People
on the Island
By
Ann Walton Sieber
Photos
by Susan Henry, except for Ric Watson (uncredited)
 THEATER
DIRECTOR
Ric Watson
Ric Watson is artistic director of Strand Theatre, Galveston’s
top-notch community theater. A Galveston standby for
22 years, Strand Street has been on a roller-coaster
ride of peaks and troughs, and was in a bad downslide
when Ric was hired. Despite having recently moved into
a gorgeous new facility, a brick warehouse from the
1850s remade into a comfy theater, the ticket sales
were so bad that some Saturday nights only found a dozen
people in the audience. Now, Ric proudly reports that
their last show was packed—at one high point, they
counted 116 reservations for a Sunday night.
Ric moved to Galveston from Los Angeles in June of last
year when his partner took a job on the faculty of UTMB.
At first, Ric was not a happy camper. “I came here
kicking and screaming,” Ric reports. “We’re
going to a small town in Texas?—Are you freaking
out of your mind?! There were claw marks all the
way across the country.” When Ric arrived and found
out how gay-friendly and cosmopolitan Galveston is,
“I was shocked,” he says. “For being
a small town in Texas, it’s really very liberal.
To have the kind of arts we do, it’s very unusual
for any town in the country, let alone Texas.”
Ric’s current season at Strand Street is keeping
to the tried-and-true theater classics, although he
has plans in the works for a gay and lesbian film retrospective
in 2001, and maybe even a John Waters retrospective
in 2002.
Strand Theatre is located at 2317 Ships Mechanic
Row (across from Tremont House), and can be reached
at 409/763-4591,
www.galveston.com/strandtheatre, or e-mail: strandtheatre@galveton.com.
 PIANIST
Oma Galloway
Born on the island, entertainer Oma Galloway remembers
the days when Galveston was a mecca for big-name entertainers
like Mel Tormé and others, who would perform
at the Balinese Room and at the Galvez Hotel. He remembers
Splash Day before its gay days, when Esther Williams
and Johnny Weissmuller would come to proclaim the official
opening of the summer season. “Which was ridiculous,”
Oma says, laughing in his soft-spoken way, “we
have no winter here.”
Oma left the island in 1946, majored in music at TSU,
and went on to tour the piano bars of the world, making
an annual circuit to such disparate tourist destinations
as Palm Beach, Japan, and Amsterdam. (“I let my
fingers do the walking.”) He added Galveston to
his circuit, and moved back in 1986 when his parents
fell into ill health. Soon thereafter, he was introduced
to George Mitchell and began a two-month contract playing
at Mitchell’s showpiece Tremont House...an engagement
which has been continued for 14 years and running.
“I think Galveston is accepting of everybody,”
he says. “I have not run into any human prejudice,
period. If people draw lines, they draw them to limit
themselves due to fear, or I don’t know what.”
Ever humorous and understated, Oma is a wonder at the
piano, playing rippling lilting versions of whatever
the cocktail-hour patrons request, simultaneously talking
to me or whoever in his manner that bespeaks an old-school
gentility and charm. Oma also periodically stages an
evening of songs and performance at the Strand Theatre,
in which he also sings. “I guess I’m the princess
in the ivory tower,” Oma says as he plays a song
from Cinderella, the music floating up into the
lofty three-story atrium of the Tremont, which is indeed
ivory-colored. A regal older woman in large jewelry
and hair pulled suavely back sways in her seat, her
hands making wave motions in front of her. “That’s
one of her favorites,” Oma says, nodding a smile
at her, which she acknowledges with a little finger
wave.
“Galveston is a very forgiving place,” Oma
says for perhaps the third time in our conversation,
with shades of meaning known only to him. “It’s
a lost little jewel.”
You can hear Oma Galloway play at the Tremont House,
2300 Ship’s Mechanic Row, Tues. 5-7 p.m., Wed.
6-9, Fri. 5-11, Sat. 6:30-11, Sun. 11 a.m.-2 p.m., 409/763-0300.
 WRITER
AND AIDS ADVOCATE
Janet Cohen
Janet Cohen (right) with partner Melody Blake and daughter
Joy.
Janet Cohen came to Galveston in 1990 with her partner
Melody Blake to be the first executive director of Galveston’s
AIDS Coalition.
“Initially it was really hard to find gay community,
and the lesbian community was basically invisible,”
Janet says. But wherever Janet goes she creates community,
whether writing commentary in the local newspaper, founding
the Galveston branch of PFLAG, organizing a clergy panel
on gay and lesbian issues in the Bible, or even throwing
a massively successful party at the Galvez Hotel for
the coming-out episode of Ellen.
A robust outgoing woman, Janet brings an optimistic
flair to any project. She is a frequent guest commentator
for the Galveston County Daily News, as well
as Houston publications, writing about issues of social
justice, from hate crimes, to religious freedom, to
gay rights, as well as lighter “be grateful for
the seagulls” pieces.
“I have to say the Galveston Daily News
is really remarkable,” Janet says. “Every
time I submitted something about AIDS, it got in. Everything
related to events in the gay and lesbian community got
in.”
When writing about the April 1999 protest at the Hollywood
Guest House, although her column was very serious, she
also brought in a touch of wry humor, writing: “The
grand wizard/dragon of the Ku Klux Klan stole the show.
Tell me why that closet drag queen even bothered....
He took care of that robe better than I took care of
my prom dress 25 years ago.”
Although Janet is no longer on staff at the AIDS Coalition,
she is involved as a volunteer. She now makes a living
as a consultant and as an independent broker for viatical
settlements. (She named her company ViAdvocate, which
reflects her consumer-advocate approach to this sometimes
tricky field.) Her latest project is to start a group
for LGBT youth and their friends; called GAYS (Galveston
Area Youth Support), they had their first meeting in
April. Janet has found an easy peace in Galveston—as
a gay person, and just as a person—and seems to
have settled in for the long haul.
“Galveston’s such an integrated city that
if you are gay or lesbian, it doesn’t matter,”
she says. This was especially apparent when Janet and
Melody brought their beloved daughter Joy into the family
last year, and were congratulated by everyone from one
of the powerful women leaders of the African-American
community to a local rabbi. When the couple enrolled
her in a daycare, Joy was the first child with lesbian
parents. Were there protests or any discomfort from
the other parents? “Quite the contrary,” Janet
laughs. “Within a year, I was asked to be president
of the parents’ advisory committee.” A large
step for humankind, perhaps, a shrug for Galveston.
To contact Janet Cohen about any of her various community
projects, call 409/744-3200 or 888/744-GIVE, janettexas@aol.com.
 POLITICIAN/REALTOR
& FLORIST/UNITARIAN
David Bowers (left) and Larry Jentzen
Although Larry Jentzen and David Bowers may be Galveston’s
most well-known gay couple, they have struck a laudable
balance—a very Galveston kind of balance—of
neither emphasizing the fact of being gay, nor ever
abnegating it. When David staged his almost-successful
campaign for mayor in Galveston’s May elections,
everybody seemed to know he was gay, yet there were
very few rumblings that this was in any way an issue
in the race.
“It’s just no big deal anymore,” David
said about the island’s attitude toward its diverse
citizenry.
Apart from his political career (he has been on the
Galveston City Council since 1994 and voted “Best
City Council Person” three years straight by the
readers of the Galveston County Daily News),
David runs one of the island’s most successful
real estate businesses. And in addition to playing the
ever-thankless role of political spouse with wry ease,
Larry runs an upscale floral and wreath business; his
creations have been used in so many layouts in national
home and garden magazines that Larry can’t keep
track of them all.
Larry is also president of the very gay-friendly Unitarian
fellowship, and helped put together the long-standing
gay and lesbian potluck club, dubbed 28 Barnaby Lane,
after the famous address in Armistead Maupin’s
Tales of the City.
“The bar scene here doesn’t dictate gay life,”
Larry says. “People network a lot. It’s common
in Galveston gay life that people’s work is their
life—it’s not so much where your whole life
revolves around the gay scene.”
The couple moved to Galveston in 1986 because David
thought it was a good place to use as a springboard
for a political career.
“Galveston’s favorite pastime is politics,”
David says. “Everyone has an opinion, or rather
a collection of opinions. No two collections are the
same, even among close friends. There are those of us
that are progressive and then there are those that don’t
want to upset the apple cart that has held all of the
wonderful cocktail invitations these many years.”
The Galveston Wreath Company is located at 1124 25th
Street, 409/765-8597. The House Company is located at
2615 Broadway, 409/763-8030.
 NURSE
AND AIDS VOLUNTEER
John
Rodriguez
Recognized as AIDS volunteer of the year at Misty Valdez’s
drag fundraiser for AIDS in June, John Rodriguez knows
about this illness from both sides of the fence. In
the early ’90s, he worked as a nurse on a project
doing AIDS clinical trials. When he was diagnosed HIV
positive in 1992, he worked for as long as he could,
and then kept on helping as a volunteer.
“When I stopped being a nurse, it was kind of strange
because you wonder, What do I do now? Just wait to
die?”
Not quite. John is a soft-spoken, amiable man, gentle-humored,
who gets excited in a non-egotistical way about things
like his collage artworks, and his many posters and
“historic” relics of gay life from Galveston
and the Montrose. He’s fashioned a rich island
life with his partner, Paul Garrison.
John was young when he met Paul, who is 12 years his
senior (“We got together real fast, like by the
end of the week”), and he moved from Montrose to
Galveston in 1981 to live together. Eighteen years later,
the quick-start affair is still going strong.
John and Paul live in a garage apartment so interesting
and comfortable, I wanted to move in on the spot. Paul
has modified and added on to it through the years, till
it is filled with inviting nooks, a second story deck
amidst the trees, antique day sofas, historic relics.
In front, Paul has created a garden paradise with a
flowering frangipani tree and crepe myrtle, fruit trees,
an enclosed bower with pond (in which their boisterous
dogs like to submerge themselves). John served me Long
Life Tea and fresh strawberries; Paul brought me a bag
full of tart apples he’d just picked.
Although he confesses that he sometimes feels pretty
lousy, John works every Tuesday afternoon in the Food
Pantry, and is on the community advisory board for the
AIDS Clinical Trial Unit (ACUTE), the same project in
which he was earlier employed as a nurse, and one of
several sites around the country doing AIDS trials.
(They’re always in need of volunteers, John says.
If you’re interested, call Karen Waterman at 409/747-0214.)
There isn’t much of a formal AIDS community in
Galveston, John says, but those who work in the field
are “there because they want to be.”
“I’ve been on both sides, as client, as nurse,”
he says, “and there’s no difference.... There’s
a lot of compassion, genuine compassion and interest.
“I’ve got to give credit to these folks.”
He points at a smiling group portrait taken of the ACTU
nurses before they went on the AIDS walk two years ago.
“I’ve created a wonderful family in Galveston.”
 PHOTOGRAPHER
Susan
Henry
Susan Henry photographs Galveston’s children and
much of island life. A lengthy feature article in the
Galveston County Daily News said that Susan “has
developed her natural talent for photography into an
art form that not only captures the likeness of her
subjects, but their personality as well.” She is
also one of the island’s most friendly and helpful
guides (she generously donated her time to take most
of the portraits in this article), promoting Galveston’s
arts and sense of community with down-to-earth enthusiasm.
A lot of Susan’s world revolves around Postoffice
Street, where her photography studio is located, which
has started becoming quite a
center for artists and visitors, thanks in large part
to Susan’s loving involvement.
“This whole street’s like a neighborhood,”
she says earnestly. “It’s the most unique
environment I’ve ever worked in.”
The last attempt to make something of Postoffice Street
was when it was paved as a mall back in the late ’70s.
This actually had the opposite effect, “cratering”
all the business, until it degenerated into a dingy
boarded-up hangout for Galveston’s down and out.
But as the Strand’s success began to raise its
rents, businesses and individuals began to look at Postoffice
again, starting about six years ago, and really picking
up steam in the past three. Billing itself as the Postoffice
Street Arts and Entertainment District, it runs parallel
to the Strand just three blocks to the south (closer
to Broadway), and has nine art galleries, three antique
stores, and numerous restaurants, bars, and shops, with
the Grand 1894 Opera House as its showpiece attraction.
If you haven’t focused on Galveston’s downtown
recently, you’re in for an agreeable surpass.
Susan moved from Kentucky to Houston in the 1980s to
go to the Art Institute, and first started coming to
Galveston to complete student assignments. “That’s
a long drive to come down as a student,” she says.
“But it had incredible appeal for me. The historic
houses were like they were frozen in time.” Although
she tried living in Houston, Galveston’s allure
brought her back, and she made the move in 1984. “I’m
from trees and grass and I love all those things,”
she says. “But they say you get cursed, you get
sand between your toes.”
As far as being gay, Galveston has been one big open-arm
experience for Susan, which it’s clear she tries
to pass on.
“It’s like you’re welcomed by everybody,”
she says. “It’s good for young people because
it makes you feel better about who you are. Postoffice
itself, it’s been a haven.”
Susan’s young protégé at the shop,
Tamisha Franklin, who recently graduated from high school
in Texas City, nods emphatically, although she adds
the complaint, “Everyone’s older and taken.”
Susan laughs sympathetically. “Being single in
Galveston is hard—people do come here in couples.”
Susan Henry Photography is located at 2115 Postoffice
Street, 409/762-6454.
 ARCHITECT
David Watson
David Watson’s architectural firm has overseen
some of the most significant restoration projects in
this preservation-conscious town. His firm oversaw the
restoration of the U.S. Custom House into the Galveston
Historical Foundation, and won the American Institute
of Architects Houston chapter’s award for best
preservation project this year for their restoration
of the stately Garten-Verein, the dancing pavilion and
park complex where 1880 Galveston society hob-nobbed
and flirted.
David started coming to Galveston in 1980 when he wrote
his grad school thesis on restoration in Galveston,
and just stayed on. When David first arrived, the downtown
area was so rundown that “we were literally mowing
the Strand sidewalks” because it was overgrown
with grass. After decades of ups and downs, Galveston
has been in a slow upswing since the early ’90s,
and has really taken off in the last two years. David
says people have been moving to the island “nonstop,”
and wanting to build or restore homes. “Usually
December gives our office some downtime,” he says,
“but not this year. We’ve been running full
out. I don’t know how long this much development
can keep up.”
In terms of preserving Galveston’s magnificent
Silk Stocking District and other historic areas, the
gay members of the island community have played a key
role.
“A lot of the gay community has been more adventurous
in going into the old areas and doing restorations.
For one, the school districts in the central area are
not as advantageous, so that might make it harder for
families with children.”
Part of David’s dream as an architect is to see
a downtown where people are living and working—this
is finally coming true, with historic buildings being
renovated for use as living spaces, such as with Randall
Davis’ Clarke & Courts apartments next door
to the Tremont House. Likewise, the 10-story Gene Lafitte
Hotel and the old Medical Arts Building will soon be
offering downtown living spaces.
David has been discovering firsthand the exhilirations
and exasperations of restoring a historic building.
In 1994, he bought the 1889 Wegner building, a former
dry-goods store, which he has turned into both office
and living space, situated rather symbolically between
the Galveston Historical Foundation on one side and
the tall modern (and out of place) American National
building on the other. “When we cleaned out the
termites and rot, all I had was four walls,” he
says. It has proved an ongoing project, with unexpected
costs, and surprises, like the time the winds off the
American National building knocked all the scaffolding
into a tangled mess in the middle of his lobby. “It’s
taking what I tell my clients it’s going to take,”
he says, smiling a little bemusedly. “It was a
purchase of love.”
David Watson’s architectural practice is located
at 1921 Market Street, 409/762-8000.
 UNITARIAN/B&B
OWNER/WRITER
Val Richardson
As a young woman, Val Richardson was a die-hard missionary-Bible-school
student, although, she says, “I had a migraine
headache every weekend...that should have told me.”
Eventually, she just couldn’t find peace with their
portrayal of a God who condemned the sexuality that
she felt blossoming within her. “I dropped out
of the church for 30 years,” she says, “until
I moved to Galveston. I had never heard of the Unitarian
fellowship. I went with a friend and knew—I’ve
found my home.”
A writer, free spirit, and all-around outgoing and friendly
woman, Val is now so involved with this gay-embracing
religious fellowship that she wrote the Galveston Unitarian
church’s brochure for the gay and lesbian community.
Among many other gay-affirming statements, the leaflet
tells how the Unitarians first called for an end to
discrimination against gays and lesbians in 1970, and
started performing same-sex unions in 1984. In a recent
bulletin, they have an item about the Pride Parade and
a sermon on “Holy Humor Month.”
Since arriving on the island five years ago, Val has
written articles for the Galveston Daily News, served
as treasurer of David Bowers’ mayoral campaign,
run a small B&B , sponsored women’s concerts,
and has even been working on a science-fiction novel
in which all the gay people suddenly get transported
into another world, leaving those left in all sorts
of amusing predicaments.
Val calls her women-only B&B Rainbow Reflections;
it’s situated a half-block off the ocean in a comfy
house that she’s filled with paintings and statues
of women. She says she’s found more of a network
of friends on the island than she has ever found in
all her years of traveling up until now. Val’s
happy to extend that welcoming Galveston spirit to all,
inviting any OutSmart readers to give her a call, and
she’ll show you around the island. “We’re
all BOIs,” she says with an earnest smile. “Either
born on the island, or born off the island.”
To reach Val Richardson or to inquire about her B&B
for women, Rainbow Reflections, call 409/763-2450. You
can reach the Unitarian Fellowship at 409//765-8330.
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