Why I am Thankful

Today I'm celebrating Thanksgiving with my gay family my collection of friends from high school through adulthood. And just like with other families, we all can't be here today on this holiday... but in celebration of today I thought that I should write another Top Ten list:

Top Ten Things I am Most Thankful For:

10. Apple: The Apple Company made my computer and my phone and a few other products around my house. I love all my Apple products and wish I could afford more.

9. Work: In this recession, I have a steady job. And it's my dream job! How could it get better? (Of course more money to buy more Apple products).

8. Live Theatre: Musical or Straight, Classical or Contemporary: I love going to the theatre, it just pleases me a lot and I don't like when I go too long without going to see it.

7. Internet: What good is my computer and other internet enabled devices without the World Wide Web. I use the internet a  lot, it's a great way to communicate, hell, you are reading this on the internet.

6. Family: I like my extended family. I like them enough to see them 2 times a year, nothing more.

5. Literacy: I love reading. And would be very disappointed if I couldn't. I wouldn't be able to enjoy the internet or my job or Apples without being able to read.

4. TV: Don't need reading for this! Lol! My old friend (Actually my new friend, because I just bought a new, big screen!)

3. Erv: My car. It gets me to work. It got me to school. It helps feed me. etc.

2. Parents: My mom rocks! My dad's cool. They take care of me. They allowed me to grow to be an independent, well adjusted, young man

1. Friends: My friends are my family. And I'm upset that they all can't be here tonight to enjoy our time together.

Angels in America

Yesterday I was privileged enough to spend the entire day at the Forum Theatre in Silver Spring, where I just got to see Angels in America: A Gay Fantasia on American Themes by Tony Kushner. This play (in two epic 3.5 hour parts) tells the story of Prior Walter's decent and accent to become a Prophet for the new Millennium and the trials and tribulations of those around him and beyond him in the mid-80s.

The whole play spans 8 acts and an epilogue. (Three in the first play Millennium Approaches and five in Perestroika).

Millennium introduces the main characters of Prior and his lover/boyfriend of 4.5 years, Lewis (over sexed, under paid, Jew, worrier, that can't handle change); the closeted, self-loathing, Republican, Mormon Joe and his Valium-addicted, hallucinating wife;  Roy Cohen, closeted, Republican, lawyer who after dialing 15 numbers can get the president's wife on the phone and feels like he can rule the world; Ethel Rosen (a ghost) killed during the McCarthy Trials - Roy had a hand in her death; Harper, Joe's Mormon mother; Belez, Prior's best friend from their drag days; and The Angel. Along with various other characters that are double and triple cast by the 8 actors.

Prior announces he has AIDS which sets off a chain of events that connects all the characters (Except Ethel).

This is such an amazing script. It talks about AIDS and AZT, McCarthyism, Mormonism, love, sex, drugs and father/son relationships. All this in 7 hours!

Watching the play yesterday was a trial, but worth it. The first part was too reminiscent of the movie (right down to casting and costuming) while the second part had more of the director adding his own ideas. The play was well acted. I believe that this performance was amazing. I hope to one day write a play that is as powerfully performed as this!