Get Out! GAY Magazine – Issue 342 – November 15, 2017

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stories GET OUT! MAGAZINE >> GETOUTMAG.COM
BY IAN-MICHAEL BERGERON
@ianmichaelinwonderland
Up All Night
I’ve written about Sleeping
Beauty before—called so
because, after inviting me
over to his place at 1 a.m.,
he fell asleep, and I couldn’t
get into his apartment. But
I barely talked about what it
was actually like to date him.
See, I really liked Sleeping
PHOTO BY STEVE BRENNAN
Beauty. I liked that he was
an editor, which seemed
the perfect boyfriend for a
writer. I liked that I had to go
on my toes to kiss him, and
that when he hugged me
with his big arms I felt safe.
I even liked watching stupid
TV with him, like the “Real
Housewives of Who-The-Fuck-
Cares.”
Sleeping Beauty was not as
big a fan of me. He liked me,
sure—liked that I was always
available, even though he
wasn’t, liked that I would
cancel plans just to see him,
liked that I was good in bed.
(Self proclaimed, anyway…)
But I wanted a relationship
with Sleeping Beauty—and
he definitely did not want one
with me.
I knew how much I liked him
from our second date. Before
he became Sleeping Beauty,
he was just S—and that first
night I spent with him, we
didn’t do any sleeping. (It’s
not as sexy as you’d think.)
After dinner, he invited me
back to his place.
“I love music,” he told me,
taking me into his bedroom.
“Uh, doesn’t everyone?” I
said, a little tipsy. “That’s like
saying you like oxygen.”
But then he showed me his
CD collection: He had sleeves
upon sleeves upon sleeves,
all filled with CDs. I felt so
nostalgic, like I was back in
the ‘90s, and I remembered
my very first CD: Spice Girls.
(Which he had.)
While flipping through his
music collection, I came upon
a small zip bag full of white
powder. “Oh.”
“Shit,” he said, quickly
grabbing the bag. “Sorry.”
“Don’t be sorry,” I smiled,
shrugging. “I’m not, like,
offended or anything.”
He held the bag in his hands.
“Did you want to…”
“Whatever you want,” I
shrugged again, still smiling.
One small baggy later, I was
wired. Suddenly I couldn’t
stop talking: I wanted to tell
him all about the music I liked,
getting my Spice Girls CD on
my birthday, how many times
I’d listened to it—I didn’t
stop to let him add to the
conversation. I didn’t even
stop to breathe. When I got
bored of talking about music,
I seamlessly started talking
about movies I liked, then
books I liked, then my favorite
clothing designers...
When the sun rose, I realized
we didn’t get any sleep the
whole night through—and
that I’d been talking, by
myself, since we got to
his apartment. I knew he
liked music—and he knew
everything about me. On date
two.
Luckily, he still asked me out
on date three—but I never did
coke during a date again.

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BY EILEEN SHAPIRO
CELEBRITY CORRESPONDENT
Michael Urie
‘Bright Colors And Bold Patterns’
“Bright Colors And Bold Patterns,”
directed by screen, film and stage actor,
producer and director, Michael Urie,
and written and performed by Drew
Droege, will be celebrated off Broadway
at the Soho Playhouse on November
20 through January 7. The play is
an audaciously hilarious production
premised upon the eve of a Palm Springs
gay wedding, whose invitation dictates
a dress code. A friend of the groom’s,
Gerry, shows up the night before and
turns the night into a drunken, drug-filled
riot as he questions the validity of the
romance, and marriages in general.
Michael Urie’s superb direction lends depth to the audience’s imagination of
Droege’s brilliantly themed one-man show in myriad ways, including the addition
of props, scenery and insight.
Urie is currently starring in his own off-Broadway play, Harvey Fierstein’s “Torch
Song” at Second Stage Theatre (305 West 43rd Street, NYC, 2st.com or
(212) 246-4422 for tickets). Urie is very well known for his role of Marc St. James
on ABC’s hit series “Ugly Betty” and his hosting role on Logo’s series “Cocktails
and Classics.” He has also appeared on the Broadway and off-Broadway stage
in productions including “The Temperamentals,” “How to Succeed in Business
Without Really Trying” and “Buyer and Cellar,” a one-man show. He also received
the John Houseman Prize for Excellence in Classical Theatre from the Juilliard
School.
I spoke with Urie about his role and inspiration for his direction of “Bright Colors
And Bold Patterns.” He is by far the happiest, warmest and friendliest actor ever!
For tickets to the play visit BrightColorsAndBoldPatterns.com.
You are the illustrious director of the
upcoming off-Broadway play “Bright
Colors And Bold Patterns,” written
and performed by Drew Droege. What
inspired you to take on the role of
director?
So, I don’t know if he told you, but he
and my other half Ryan, who produces
“Cocktails and Classics,” was Drew’s first
friend in LA ever when he moved there
so many years ago. So I became friends
with Drew through Ryan, just as a mutual
friend. Then for “Cocktails and Classics,”
Drew was the first name we thought of
as a panelist. So then as we would do
“Cocktails and Classics,” Drew would
come out and stay with us, and we would
do the show. One time, when he came to
do it, he booked a gig doing this show
that he had written at Ars Nova.

I assumed, like I think many people do,
that it was going to be an extension of his
online persona, his sketch comedy, which
I’ve seen in LA, and his Chloe videos. Sort
of a sketch, improvised kind of show. I
was very excited and totally eager to see
something like that, to watch Drew for
an hour and a half. He’s wonderful and
hysterical, and it would be an easy night
in the theater watching him for an hour
and a half. But instead what we got was a
full play. It started with what we thought
was going to be an evening of comedy,
and it is chock full of comedy, but then it’s
a real play! With a really clever concept,
and then ultimately an interesting story
and a wonderful message, and something
to talk about. Something to think about,
which is what good theater does. So I
saw it, and he was doing it on his own. He
worked with a director out in LA, and had
done it in LA, but he was always doing
it with almost nothing. He was doing it
with a couple of chairs, a beach towel
and a margarita, and a couple of empty
Corona bottles. Basically that was it. So
after I saw it I was really inspired. Now, I
have directed for the camera before, and
I produced stuff, but in theater I just never
really had the inspiration to direct. I always
felt very, very strongly as an actor I needed
a director. I never really thought that was
something I would be compelled to do.
But I spent, over the course of four years,
many, many nights on stage in a one-man
show called “Buyer and Cellar.” So when
I watched Drew do the show, I can get
this play so well, knowing what it’s like to
be an actor in a one-man show. I think I
can help him create a production around
this brilliant idea and this brilliant script
and help him figure out how to sustain
this show night to night. He’d only been
doing it here and there. You do that in
sketch comedy in LA until it becomes a
production. Similarly, our producer, Zach
Laks, saw the show at Ars Nova and felt
the same way. He felt, not as a director but
as a producer, that it was something he
could get behind and create. So he came
onboard and helped develop a production
around Drew’s play. Obviously Drew had
been doing it, and it was working so well;
my work really became about noticing
things that I felt could be improved upon,
which were few: noticing moments that I
thought were untapped, places where he
could go further, places where he didn’t
need to go so far, but mostly about the
physical production.
PHOTO BY RUSS ROWLAND

Putting it in a place—whereas the
audience really had to imagine the place
originally—we could create a world. In
the play the concept is that he’s the only
character we see. There are three other
characters that he interacts with that we
do not see or hear. We glean what they
say based on Gerry’s interaction with
them. So I was able to help with staging
and scenery and props and things
like that to really give the audience
everything they needed to imagine with
those people. I think it really opened
up Drew’s performance. He was able to
relax so much more because the work
is done for him. He has to obviously still
create the entire conflict and the entire
story and the characters, but he has so
many more tools with which to do it.
He said that you helped him a great
deal in helping him imagine the other
characters, and we both wanted to
know why you are always so happy?
I’m on pot. Well, not now, I have a show
tonight.
Every time I see you you’re just the
happiest person ever.
Well, pot is a wonderful thing.
Will you be doing “Cocktails and
Classics” again?
We are hoping to have a new cycle.
That would be wonderful. There are so
many movies we haven’t done that we
want to do. But, I’m currently starring
in a play off Broadway as well called
“Torch Song,” Harvey Fierstein’s play,
and I’m playing the Harvey role through
December 9. So I’ll be doing double
duty. Luckily we’ve already done Drew’s
play, so my work is going to be minimal.
It really just is about fitting it in the new
space, The Soho Playhouse, where we
are performing. It’s just an awesome
theater downtown. It’s very different from
where we did it before at the Barrow
Street Theater. It’s going to take some
re-staging. That will be part of what I’ll
do, and going to as many performances
as I can. Luckily our schedules are pretty
different. I’ll be able to get to a lot of
performances.
That is so cool.
It’s going to be an off-Broadway fall.

BY EILEEN SHAPIRO
CELEBRITY CORRESPONDENT
Drew Droege
‘Bright Colors And Bold Patterns’
Actor, producer and king of video parodies,
Drew Droege, will be proudly presenting
“Bright Colors And Bold Patterns.” He will be
performing the hysterically riotous one-man
play, both written and performed by him, in
an exclusive engagement from November 20
to January 7 at Soho Playhouse, 15 Vandam
Street, NYC. The play is directed by Michael
Urie (“Ugly Betty,” “Cocktails and Classics”).
For more information and ticket sales, visit
BrightColorsAndBoldPatterns.com.
The play celebrates the night before the
Palm Springs wedding of Josh and Brennan,
when their friend Gerry arrives furious about
their matrimonial dress code stated on the
invitation: “Please refrain from wearing bright
colors or bold patterns.” Gerry transforms
the evening into a relentlessly funny “night
before” drunken, drug-filled riot.
I spoke with the very friendly author Droege about what the audience can look
forward to, as well as the topic of marriage equality itself. Droege can also be seen
online in his video parodies, featuring his impressions of Chloe Sevigny; on the Logo
hit series “Cocktails and Classics,” hosted by Michael Urie with guest appearances by
Michael Musto and other stars; and in Paramount Network’s TV remake of “Heathers,”
set to air in early spring. Other film and TV credits include “Transparent,” “Drunk
History,” “Happy Endings,” “Zombie Apocalypse,” “You’re Killing Me” and “Drama
Camp,” to name a few.
Tell me a little bit about
the play and what
audiences can look
forward to.
It’s called “Bright Colors
And Bold Patterns,” and it’s
based on a real wedding
invitation that I got years
ago that asked the guests
to have a certain dress
code. It inspired me to
think about gay marriage.
The wedding invitation was
from a straight wedding.
So just as gay marriage
became legal, I saw this
trend of keeping up with
the Joneses. … Obviously
this is a wonderful thing -
equality - but there is also
a trend toward everybody
thinking that we needed
that personally, to be
married. I wanted to write
a character who was a bit
loud, gay, drunk, a mess,
who wanted to question
that. In the play I’m playing
a character named Gerry
who shows up the night
before the wedding at the
house in Palm Springs,
who reeks havoc on the
house the night before the
wedding. So it’s a lot of
fun. It’s mainly a comedy;
there are some dark
moments, and it’s a blast.
It’s a play talking to three
other characters who you
don’t see on stage. They
are just represented by
chairs. It’s a four-character
play, which I only play one
character on stage.

So you never get to really meet
the wedding couple?
Well, you don’t meet them, the
ones getting married, no. I’m a
friend of one of the grooms. I’m
not a fan of the other groom that
he’s marrying, a twink that he’s
going to spend the rest of his
life with. It’s a lot to do with the
marriage and this couple, but it
also has a lot to do with someone
who’s maybe like 40 years old,
he thinks the rules don’t apply to
him, he thinks you can make your
own, and then all of a sudden we
have this possibility now, and I’m
40, but I’m nowhere near being
an adult. It’s about a lot of those
things.
Don’t you think that just because it’s legal,
gays are getting married for the principle of
it instead of the love?
Absolutely. I think that it’s this pressure that we
put on ourselves. I feel like with women, when
they’re little girls, they are taught that the
most important day of your life is the day you
get married.
I can’t wait to see gay divorce
court. The play sounds like it’s a
lot of fun.
It is. It’s a lot of fun to do, and
it’s totally different every night.
It’s 99% the same words, but
occasionally I’ll throw something
else in. It’s really fun doing a play
that I wrote. I get to play around
with it. I am in the middle of my
run right now in LA, and last
night I realized it was really fun
to go, “Oh, maybe that needs
to be where I put it last night,
or maybe it’s better where I had
it scripted.” It sort of moves
and breathes differently every
night, and audiences react to it
differently every night. So it’s a lot
of fun, and it feels like a party.
Reminds me a little of “Tony
and Tina’s Wedding.”
Oh yeah, I loved that show.
Would be cool to do a gay
version of it.
Oh, I know. I know there was
something called “Joni and
Gina’s Lesbian Wedding,” and
I think there was a gay one as
well, but it’s crazy. It’s part of our
culture now. Gays are getting
married right and left.
PHOTO BY RUSS ROWLAND

All that stuff that is so harmful, I
think. I’m all about the fight for
equality for those who want to be
married. Also for hospital benefits,
for legal reasons, all of that stuff.
There are other reasons why I totally
understand, on top of the romance,
but I also just think that there is
something really awesome about
being queer and being “other” and
sort of making our own rules. I feel
like the option should exist 100%.
Marriage should be legal, of course,
but we shouldn’t feel pressured
to be in this race for “normal,”
whatever “normal” means. That’s
scary that we feel like everybody
should want the same thing. I see
a lot of couples in their early 20s
getting married, and you don’t even
know who you are when you’re 20.
I don’t know, it’s a lot. I was at a gay
wedding a few weeks ago, and it
was beautiful, and I cried, and I was
so happy for them, but... I didn’t
want to explore a play about how
straight people have oppressed us.
I just felt that was not interesting.
I thought it would be way more
appealing to sort of look within
our own community and sort of ask
what maybe we are losing in the
struggle for being like everybody
else.
Michael Urie directed the show. That
had to be a blast.
He did. Michael saw the show that I did one
night, and so he really worked at making it
this full-fledged play. He really worked with
me on fleshing it out and imagining the
other characters. He so incredible on top of
that. He’s magical for that.
He always seems like the happiest man in
the world. He’s always smiling.
I know. He’s so full of energy. We did a
show on Logo together called “Cocktails
and Classics.” We would shoot the entire
season in a week. We would do eight
episodes in a week, and he would be doing
a play, on top of these eight episodes in
a week, and he was never in a bad mood.
I was staying with him, so I saw him at his
apartment in the morning. I mean, he was
constantly moving and going. He was such
a reminder - I thought, if Michael can be in
a good mood, then I could be in a good
mood too.
Well, I’m looking forward to seeing your
play!
I hope you can stay after.
That’s a great point!
Thanks.
Aside from the play, what are you
up to?
I’m going to be on “Heathers,”
the remake of the film, which is
going to be on the Paramount
Network. It’s a new network, and it
will be next year. I play the drama
teacher on that, which is a blast.
Then I have a podcast called
“Minor Revelations” where I bring
guests on and they can talk about
something they’ve never talked
about before. That’s always really
fun. I’m doing that every week.
Then just getting ready to do
the show in New York. I’m just so
excited.

week in pictures >> Photographer Bryan Bedder / Getty Images for OUT Magazine
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IAN-MICHAEL BERGERON
ISSUE 342 - NOVEMBER 15 2017
Cover: Michael Urie & Drew Droege
Photos by Russ Rowland
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GET OUT! MAGAZINE >> GETOUTMAG.COM
BY DUSTIN FITZHARRIS
Diana Ross is a diamond. She shines.
She’s elegant. And she has stood the
test of time.
It’s only fitting her new album release
is titled “Diamond Diana: The Legacy
Collection.” Released digitally on
Diamond
Diana
November 17, the 15-song collection
contains some of Ross’ biggest and
most treasured songs in her iconic
career. Whether she’s belting out
an anthem like “I’m Coming Out” or
spreading love and hope in “Reach Out
and Touch (Somebody’s Hand),” Ross’
music has been the soundtrack of
our lives.
“I send this special gift to you all,”
Ross says about her new album.
“This collection of songs is from
my heart to yours, and I send my
love and thanks and appreciation
to you for my joyous and amazing
journey.”
“Diamond Diana: The Legacy
Collection” also includes a
brand-new dance remix of
Ross’ signature song, “Ain’t No
Mountain High Enough.” Producer
extraordinaire Eric Kupper says he
was “floored” when he was asked
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“What an honor, but quite daunting
as well,” Kupper says. “The
original is so magical and timeless.
I’ve loved it since I was a child.
My goal was to keep the integrity
of the original while bringing it to
a modern-day dance floor, but
without adhering to trends.”
November 19 the American Music
Awards will pay tribute to Ross
by honoring her with a Lifetime
Achievement Award. Over the years,
Ross hasn’t been a stranger to the
award show. She has taken home seven
AMAs and hosted the show twice.
“I have endless memories of all the
years that I have appeared on the
American Music Awards,” Ross says.
“I am so excited to be receiving this
honorable award.”
Ross is one of only a handful of
performers who inspires generations
of artists, lights up the big screen and
defines the fashion industry.
Ross is still making her dreams come
true. “Diamond Diana,” a new fragrance
created by Ross, will launch on HSN on
December 5.
“This personal fragrance is inspired by
the powerful connection between music
and sensual
memories,”
says Ross.
“Sensual
scent
vibrations
are carried
from heart
to heart
like music.
Everyone
should have
a diamond!”
With all the
creative
endeavors
Ross is
tackling
these days,
she is still
performing
across the
globe. She’s
recently
become the
new darling
of the Las Vegas Strip after several
recent triumphant residences.
Ross is also finding new ways to
connect with her audience by using
social media platforms Last month she
joined Instagram by posting, “I’m getting
more social.” In addition to Instagram,
Ross frequently shares inspiring
messages on Twitter. She recently
tweeted: “Look for reasons to feel good.”
As a diamond, Ross would most likely
be a beautiful emerald cut, forever shiny
and forever timeless.
“Diamond Diana: The Legacy
Collection” is available Nov. 17.
Follow Diana Ross on Instagram
@dianaross. The American Music
Awards airs on November 19 on ABC
at 8 p.m. “Diamond Diana,” a new
fragrance is available
this December.
Photo Credit Firooz Zahedi

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SINGING FOR THE
HOLIDAYS AT
THE RIDGEFIELD
PLAYHOUSE
MELISSA
ETHERIDGE
Singer-songwriter, Grammy
winner, musician and
activist Melissa Etheridge
will be rocking the
Ridgefield Playhouse in
Ridgefield, Connecticut,
on December 6, with what
she refers to as her holiday
show—although she will be
performing all the hits that
you love her for.
For years, songs such
as “I’m the Only One,”
“Come to My Window”
and “Like the Way I Do”
have brought joy to her
audiences as well as
celebrated inspiration
from her musical stories,
outspoken themes and
activism. She has won two
Grammys and has been
nominated 15 times. In
2011 she received a star
on the Hollywood Walk of
Fame.
I spoke with Etheridge
about her upcoming
performance at Ridgefield,
as well as relevant topics
and musical life in general.
I have interviewed her
before and experienced
her compelling live
performances. Aside
from the fact that she
is an awesome person,
her artistry is majestic
and should be seen by
every living human being.
For tickets visit tickets.
ridgefieldplayhouse.org.
You are doing a huge
tour.
Yeah, I like to go out this
time of year, the end of
the year, and kind of do a
holiday show. There’s such
a feeling out there right
before the end of the year,
and there’s so much hope,
and I think now we really
need a lot of hope and
inspiration. I think music is a
good place to do that. So I
enjoy bringing my… I call it
my holiday show. I’m doing
all the hits and everything,
but I also put in some of
the music from my 2008
holiday record, “A New
Thought for Christmas.”
It’s also a very cold time
of year up north.
I know, and I always
appreciate going back to
California.
I bet you do. Besides your
tour and holiday songs
and tremendous hits, are
you working on any new
projects?
I am, yes. I just got back
from Nashville last week,
where I started working on
my new project. It’s more
of “me.” I’ve done so many
collaborations lately, and
this one is all me. There’s
very inspirational things
happening in the world
these days.
If you could have your
ultimate stage fantasy,
what would you need to
happen?
I pretty much get to do that
every night I stand up there.
My ultimate stage fantasy
is that people want to hear
my music, and that comes
true every night I play. I
certainly love performing
with other people, and I
invite many people up,
but those things happen
naturally. Really, singing
and playing the guitar for
people is such a joy for me,
that I live out my ultimate
fantasy every show.
That’s a really great
answer. Do you feel that
you were destined to be a
singer and a songwriter?
I think as a child and as
a human being I always
wanted to be an inspirer, a
healer. I think that whether
that meant in this day and
age that I can do my work
with music is the best.
Maybe that’s what it is.
People sometimes ask me if
I wasn’t a singer what would
I be? I always said like a
teacher. I think I like leading
people and inspiring
people.
Out of many different
people who perform in
some way or another, I
think you are one of the
most inspiring people out
there.
Thank you, that means so
much to me.

If you could
give your
younger self
advice, what
would it be?
I’d say, just enjoy
the ride. I’d say
you don’t want
everything to
happen at once.
You want the
experience as it
is unfolding, and
don’t worry, it
unfolds, it’s OK.
Then I would
say to learn to
love myself as
much as I want
others to love
me. Looking for
someone else to
fill up the holes
doesn’t work. I
would definitely
say stop
wasting your
time doing that
and start filling
those holes up
yourself.
Do you love yourself?
Oh my gosh, yes I do! I had to learn how to do
that, but it’s so important.
Do you have a hero?
You know, I have many inspirations. A hero,
I don’t really know the definition of hero,
but I have people that just inspire me, that
have lived their life and made their choices,
like Oprah, and Andy Reid, who coaches the
Kansas City Chiefs. People that have been
making their choices and doing their work and
helping their work along the way have been
heroes to me.
What things currently influence your
songwriting?
I found that inspiration always comes in
different packages. It’s what moves me, and
of course now I’m being very moved by the
fear that has gripped our nation and the
world, and also the exact opposite of that:
the great wave of love and sort of peace
that people understand that we really need
to work toward. That’s very inspiring. Then
the personal stories of our own love and
fear inside of ourselves. That’s really what’s
inspiring me.