Comments on: Theater review: `Some Men’ http://www.theaterdogs.net/2009/06/07/theater-review-some-men%e2%80%99/ San Francisco Bay Area backstage Wed, 21 Jul 2010 22:35:09 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Richard Connema http://www.theaterdogs.net/2009/06/07/theater-review-some-men%e2%80%99/comment-page-1/#comment-1724 Richard Connema Mon, 08 Jun 2009 20:08:19 +0000 http://www.theaterdogs.net/?p=1716#comment-1724 Chad: I did not know you were into the internet scene. Just kidding. all that chat should have a special X rated line just for old queens like me. However we could not do anything just dream. :-) Chad: I did not know you were into the internet scene. Just kidding.

all that chat should have a special X rated line just for old queens like me. However we could not do anything just dream. :-)

]]> By: P.A. Cooley http://www.theaterdogs.net/2009/06/07/theater-review-some-men%e2%80%99/comment-page-1/#comment-1701 P.A. Cooley Sun, 07 Jun 2009 21:35:50 +0000 http://www.theaterdogs.net/?p=1716#comment-1701 It's obvious that Mr. McNalley's work speaks to all generations based on both of Mr. Jones and Mr. Connema's reactions. Mr Jones was drawn to the internet scene and Mr. Connema was drawn to the elderly couple in the park reflecting on the secret gay life of yesteryear. This work truly does run the gamut of Gay history and is worthy of watching because of all the things we may have forgotten-good and bad. Just a correction note that George Patrick Scott's character was called "Angel Eyes"not Green Eyes. It’s obvious that Mr. McNalley’s work speaks to all generations based on both of Mr. Jones and Mr. Connema’s reactions. Mr Jones was drawn to the internet scene and Mr. Connema was drawn to the elderly couple in the park reflecting on the secret gay life of yesteryear. This work truly does run the gamut of Gay history and is worthy of watching because of all the things we may have forgotten-good and bad. Just a correction note that George Patrick Scott’s character was called “Angel Eyes”not Green Eyes.

]]> By: Richard Connema http://www.theaterdogs.net/2009/06/07/theater-review-some-men%e2%80%99/comment-page-1/#comment-1700 Richard Connema Sun, 07 Jun 2009 20:46:43 +0000 http://www.theaterdogs.net/?p=1716#comment-1700 I liked that last sentence "hermetically sealed". My favorite scene has to be P.A. Cooley and Patrick Michael Dukeman sitting on a bench as two old queens being interviewed by the new openly gay students Brandon Finch and Tim Redmond. This was so real. Since I am at that elderly age I remember the secret gay life before Stonewall. I was fortuneate to work with studios like Warners and Paramount that had many gay workers. They did have the policy of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" and when we were working we did not flaunt our life style. There were no rag sheets telling secrets of the actors The studio heads had a deal with the L.A. police department that if one of their actors got into a bad situation it was hushed up immediately. When P.A. Cooley said "we were special people" that rang a note and it was true. The gay bars in the 50's and 60's were mostly private clubs. Not everyone could go into these bars. It was like a speak easy where you knocked on the door and if you were known you were let into the bar. The bars were lovely and not trashy and there was away a pianist playing the piano. Dress code was suit or sport coat and tie. I knew famous lead and supporting actors of the 50's and 60's who would come to clubs. We would discuss films of course and after several hours of good converstion you just might be lucky for the rest of the night or maybe for a long term relationship. However in film land it was hard to have a long term relationship. I thought the gay bar scene where the boys were discussing Broadway musicals was a bit over the top. Not all of us who loved to talk about musicals were that silly. I am sure Terrence was using this scene as a parody and not real life of a musical comedy queen. I love the bit when the kids are talking about "Wish You Were Here". I saw the show in New York and the only thing I can remember was a swimming pool on stage and a bunch of guys running around in swimming trucks. I remember the song "Wish You were Here" The other thing that struck me about that scene was the guys talking about the death of Judy Garland. I remember the year Judy died and I personally morned her since I had worked on "Star is Born" at Warners and I got to know Judy as a friend during the shooting. I remember a bunch of us were at the wonderful gay bar on Ventura Blvd called "The Valley House". It was New Years Eve and all night long they played records of Judy. At midnight we all stopped talking and we raised a glass to our beloved Judy Garland. It was not campy believe me. It was sad. I liked that last sentence “hermetically sealed”. My favorite scene has to be P.A. Cooley and Patrick Michael Dukeman sitting on a bench as two old queens being interviewed by the new openly gay students Brandon Finch and Tim Redmond. This was so real. Since I am at that elderly age I remember the secret gay life before Stonewall. I was fortuneate to work with studios like Warners and Paramount that had many gay workers. They did have the policy of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” and when we were working we did not flaunt our life style. There were no rag sheets telling secrets of the actors The studio heads had a deal with the L.A. police department that if one of their actors got into a bad situation it was hushed up immediately.

When P.A. Cooley said “we were special people” that rang a note and it was true. The gay bars in the 50’s and 60’s were mostly private clubs. Not everyone could go into these bars. It was like a speak easy where you knocked on the door and if you were known you were let into the bar. The bars were lovely and not trashy and there was away a pianist playing the piano. Dress code was suit or sport coat and tie. I knew famous lead and supporting actors of the 50’s and 60’s who would come to clubs. We would discuss films of course and after several hours of good converstion you just might be lucky for the rest of the night or maybe for a long term relationship. However in film land it was hard to have a long term relationship.

I thought the gay bar scene where the boys were discussing Broadway musicals was a bit over the top. Not all of us who loved to talk about musicals were that silly. I am sure Terrence was using this scene as a parody and not real life of a musical comedy queen. I love the bit when the kids are talking about “Wish You Were Here”. I saw the show in New York and the only thing I can remember was a swimming pool on stage and a bunch of guys running around in swimming trucks. I remember the song “Wish You were Here” The other thing that struck me about that scene was the guys talking about the death of Judy Garland.

I remember the year Judy died and I personally morned her since I had worked on “Star is Born” at Warners and I got to know Judy as a friend during the shooting. I remember a bunch of us were at the wonderful gay bar on Ventura Blvd called “The Valley House”. It was New Years Eve and all night long they played records of Judy. At midnight we all stopped talking and we raised a glass to our beloved Judy Garland. It was not campy believe me. It was sad.

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