Bay Area Reporter
James Bidgood March 28, 1933 - January 31, 2022
Known mostly for his underground gay art film 'Pink Narcissus,' artist James Bidgood died in his New York City apartment on January 31. He was 88.
Billy Porter's Memoir 'Unprotected' - Broadway & TV Actor's Life Story
After reading "Unprotected," Porter's frank, blunt, raw memoir, no one can ever accuse him of dissembling on a 30-year, rocky, circuitous journey to reach his current level of fame.
'Swept Away' — Avett Brothers' Musical Sets Sail at Berkeley Rep
There are sparkling bits of beauty bobbing on the surface, and treasures that one hopes will eventually be salvaged, in 'Swept Away,' an earnest, engrossing new musical with songs by the Avett Brothers now in its world premiere at Berkeley Rep.
'Minyan' - Coming Out Kosher in the '80s
Eric Steel's feature debut, "Minyan," for which he also co-wrote the screenplay, should be added to anyone's list of outstanding LGBTQ films.
Memory Serves: Nate Lippens' 'My Dead Book'
If the best things come in small packages, the diminutive chapbook by author Nate Lippens should pack a punch, and it certainly does. This fictional excavation of a man's past through the dead friends and lovers he'd managed to survive is worth the ride.
Edmund White Faces the Future in 'A Previous Life'
With the publication of his latest novel, "A Previous Life,'"Edmund White joins the ranks of the great prolific artists who end their careers on a note of high ribaldry.
Sounds Like the Past: Neil Young, The Band, Peggy Lee Reissues
Our astute music columnist samples diverse reissued classic albums by Neil Young (who's making headlines again), The Band, Peggy Lee, Japan and The Beat Farmers.
50 Years in 50 Weeks; 2013's Heroic Hunks
This week, we're showcasing two admirable men in very different community subcultures, because we can. Filmmaker James Broughton and leatherman Andy Cross were featured in our June 13, 2013 issue, and both share a connection to gay erotic liberation.
Skating into History: The Lavender Tube on Sports, 'SVU,' and M&Ms
From crime show and game shows, sporty athletes and Fox "news" cranks, our intrepid television columnist Victoria A. Brownworth recaps must-sees ("Law & Order: Special Victims Unit"'s kid coming out) and some potential hate-watching.
Karen Mason Lets the Music Play
If you've ever listened to a Karen Mason album, you will be blown away by her interpretive skills and the ease with which she makes even the best-known songs all her own.
Making a Pointe: Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo Returns to Zellerbach Hall
Dancer Joshua Thake's life journey has brought him from rural Massachusetts to some of the world's most revered stages as a member of Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo, the celebrated all-male drag ballet troupe.
'80s Awakening: Ken Harvey's 'The Book of Casey Adair'
After a novel and a short story collection, Ken Harvey's latest effort chronicles the life of a young gay man in the 1980s as he wanders stateside and internationally in search of love and adventure.
Lady Camden, Former Smuin Ballet Dancer, on 'RuPaul's Drag Race'
When Lady Camden sashayed into the spotlight for the first time on "RuPaul's Drag Race" in the Season 14 premiere, proudly proclaiming, "Hello, you sexy bitches!," drag aficionados got to meet one of Northern California's most uniquely talented queens.
Musical Moments: 'The Band's Visit' and 'Freestyle Love Supreme'
San Francisco stages are now hosting two of the more unorthodox musicals to hit big on Broadway in recent years, one subtle and poetic ("The Band's Visit"), the other boisterous and participatory ("Freestyle Love Supreme").
'The Gilded Age' - Julian Fellowes' New New York
Julian Fellowes debuts his long-awaited period drama series, a tale of an emerging new world at the height of New York City's industrial age, and the society members who ruled and invaded it, or tried to.
Latinx Love: Edgar Gomez' 'High-Risk Homosexual'
In his outstanding new coming-of-age memoir, Florida-born queer Latinx author Edgar Gomez navigates a modest 13-year-old adolescence dominated by poverty and cultural machismo.
Arts Update: Plays, Comedy Fest Postponed; Chorus' Center Funding
It's one step forward and two steps back in the local arts scene as theater companies close their doors yet again, a comedy festival is postponed, and the San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus gets funding from Amazon.
James Magruder: Playwright's New Novel, 'Vamp Until Ready'
James Magruder is a funny guy. His wonderfully wicked sense of humor comes through in his plays, and in his new novel, "Vamp Until Ready."
Circus Boy: Acrobatic Gay Parenting Documentary
At a mere 52 minutes, Lester Alfonso's new documentary 'Circus Boy' is short and sweet. There are many lovely moments in the film, yet Alfonso's work also leaves many unanswered questions.
Matthew Aucoin on 'The Impossible Art: Adventures in Opera'
Matthew Aucoin's new book, "The Impossible Art: Adventures in Opera," focuses on opera's mysteries, the alchemy of opposites that fires it, and, perhaps most surprising of all, its unique and lasting power.