Defying Inequality

Raising money for non-profit and political causes has become difficult in the current economic downturn.  At least with a non-profit charitable fundraiser, the attendants get a tax deduction, but for a political event, there is no tax deduction, just the feeling of doing good and advancing a cause.  Which makes it all the more remarkable that the Gershwin Theater on Broadway was actually packed last night as hundreds of theater and music professionals donated their night off for "Defying Inequality," a musical review to raise money to fight for marriage equality for LGBT people. 

This was an extraordinary night!  And it took all night, starting around 8:15 and running to midnight with just one brief intermission.  There was no list of numbers in the program, probably because it just kept growing and growing as more people volunteered.  It seemed like just about every chorus boy and girl now working the Broadway stage was there, and lots of stars from major shows were doing their thing.  There was music and comedy and political speeches.  Keith Olbermann came on and did a re-creation of his famous on-air commentary about the passage of Prop 8.  Jane Fonda was there, and Cyndi Lauper.  Stephen Schwartz accompanied himself at the piano.  A famous youtube anti-Prop 8 spoof was re-enacted, with Nathan Lane as Jesus (it was Jack Black in the youtube version).  It just seemed to go on and on and on, until presenters started joking about the show that started on Monday and ended on Tuesday. 

But most importantly, there was that incredible feeling of being part of an enormous, charged-up audience, comprised mainly of gay folk, that was hysterically happy about everybody who was up there on the stage, and performers feeling a special charge -- the electricity generated by a turned-on house -- and giving their very best.  No feeling of amateur night, whatsoever - these were pros showing off their very best work.

So it was truly a night to remember -  and a reminder that the theater commmunity is a truly progressive bunch.  Thanks to the people of "Wicked" -- the musical that regularly occupies that space -- for donating their theater and many of their players, and to the enormous sea of talented people who donated their services, and to everybody who showed up.  It was wild.

Postscript:  Who was responsible for this awesome evening?  The producers were Anthony Galde, Di Ana Pisarri, Jen Waldman, and Schele Williams.  Production Supervisor: Chris Jamros.  Line Producer: Susan Sampliner.  And an entire page of production credits in the program.

The beneficiary organizations: Family Equality Council, Empire State Pride Agenda, Equality California, Garden State Equality, Vermont Freedom to Marry Task Force.

And another postscript - This morning, the NY Times called editorially for advance of the same-sex marriage bill now pending in the Rhode Island legislature.  Actually, it is silly for Rhode Island legislators to refrain from passing it as a practical matter, since the two adjacent states -- Connecticut and Massachusetts -- both issue marriage licenses to non-resident same-sex couples, so it is easy for residents of tiny R.I. to go next door to get married, and silly to forfeit the marriage business as a practical matter.  But, of course, the main reason to vote for a same-sex marriage bill is to DO THE RIGHT THING!