Mr. Charles, Currently of Palm Beach.What causes homosexuality?" asks Mr. Charles, settling himself on the, throne of his cable-access empire, sporting a, lemon-custard jacket, a paisley necktie for a belt, and a gleam in his eye born of more than one martini. "I do!" Like a creature fashioned from the DNA DNA: see nucleic acid. DNA or deoxyribonucleic acid One of two types of nucleic acid (the other is RNA); a complex organic compound found in all living cells and many viruses. It is the chemical substance of genes. of Paul Lynde Paul Edward Lynde (June 13, 1926 — January 11, 1982) was an American comedian and actor. A noted character actor, Lynde was well known for his roles as Uncle Arthur on Bewitched and Harry McAfee, the befuddled father in Bye Bye Birdie. in some fabulous laboratory, the title character of Paul Rudnick's hilarious new one-act Mr. Charles, Currently of Palm Beach embodies a gay archetype archetype (är`kĭtīp') [Gr. arch=first, typos=mold], term whose earlier meaning, "original model," or "prototype," has been enlarged by C. G. Jung and by several contemporary literary critics. that Carl Jung Noun 1. Carl Jung - Swiss psychologist (1875-1961) Carl Gustav Jung, Jung image, persona - (Jungian psychology) a personal facade that one presents to the world; "a public image is as fragile as Humpty Dumpty" overlooked: the Stereotype That Gives Us All a Bad Name. Mr. Charles apparently became so notorious So NoTORIous was a sitcom on VH1, loosely based on the life of Tori Spelling. The series debuted on April 2, 2006 and despite lasting only ten episodes, received substantial acclaim from critics. for taking "nellie breaks" at politically incorrect times that he was asked to leave New York New York, state, United States New York, Middle Atlantic state of the United States. It is bordered by Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and the Atlantic Ocean (E), New Jersey and Pennsylvania (S), Lakes Erie and Ontario and the Canadian province of . As revenge, he has repaired to southern Florida and taken to the airwaves with his late-night cable show, Too Gay. Besides proclaiming that he can turn anyone gay with a look--which makes his impromptu visits to maternity wards disturbing to new parents--Mr. Charles provides breezy answers to questions sent in by viewers. Should gays be allowed to serve in the military? Mr. Charles thinks not. "Make remarks, not war." Should gays be allowed to marry? "Of course, to wealthy older women." He astutely notes that only a gay disease would be treated by something called a cocktail. And he has in mind writing a few more children's books on homosexuality, such as Uncle Patrick Has a Beautiful Apartment and Aunt Cathy's Large Friend. Mr. Charles (the magnificently prissy Peter Bartlett) is assisted throughout the program by the lovely and talented Shane (Ross Gibby), who models a new costume with each entrance. When Mr. Charles runs through his 60-capsule history of gay theater, which he summarizes as "Love, Valour, and Gratuitous Male Frontal Nudity," Shane appears in his best costume of the show. "Danke, Shane," coos the host. Paul Rudnick is one of America's funniest writers. As playwright (Jeffrey), screenwriter (In & Out), and columnist (Premiere's pseudonymous Libby Gelman-Waxner), he creates high-density topical humor with gay sensibility. But he's not just a laugh machine: Mr. Charles deftly and sincerely celebrates a gay population usually ignored or ridiculed. This half-hour play was seen briefly last month (May 6-17) as part of Ensemble Studio Theater's annual one-act marathon (through June 14). It is clearly a sketch, with echoes of Saturday Night Live's Church Lady and Christopher Durang's Sister Mary Ignatius Explains It All for You Sister Mary Ignatius Explains It All for You is a play by Christopher Durang first performed on December 14, 1979, at the Ensemble Studio Theatre in New York City. It was performed on a bill with one-act plays that included David Mamet, Marsha Norman, and Tennessee Williams. (which premiered at the same theater). Think of it as a snack to tide us over until Rudnick's next full meal. Shewey is the editor of Out Front: Contemporary Gay and Lesbian Plays, published by Grove Press. RELATED ARTICLE: Theater update The shows did go on--and The Advocate will review it. Theater buffs--who look forward to any play by gay playwright Craig Lucas--were disappointed last month when the New York opening of his new play, The Dying Gaul, was postponed. The show's star, Cotter cot·ter n. 1. A bolt, wedge, key, or pin inserted through a slot in order to hold parts together. 2. A cotter pin. [Origin unknown. Smith, suffered a back injury. Actor Tony Goldwyn, who played gay brilliantly in 1990's off-Broadway hit The Sum of Us, took over Smith's role. Look for our review next issue. In other theater news, Sir Ian McKellen, who wowed Los Angeles last summer with his one-man show, A Knight Out in Los Angeles, returns to the city of angles in July to star in Henrik Ibsen's An Enemy of the People An Enemy of the People (original Norwegian title: En folkefiende) is an 1882 play written by Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen. Ibsen wrote this play in the response to the public outcry against his play Ghosts, which was considered scandalous for the time. . Trevor Nunn directs the Royal National Theater production. |
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