I had intended to publish a final post to coincide with the 13th anniversary of Matthew Shepard’s death, October 12, 2011. Instead, it comes today, October 18, 2011, a day which brought news that the LGBT Center on NC State’s campus was vandalized with homophobic slurs. It comes four days after UNC-Chapel Hill’s Office of Student Affairs cleared a student group, the a capella group Psalm 100, of any possible charge of violating the university’s anti-discrimination policy a month and a half after the group voted to remove a Senior group member who revealed that he was gay. The ouster did not rise to the level of discrimination because, in the words of Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs Winston Crisp, there was no evidence that Psalm 100 expelled the student because he was gay; he was removed because he espoused pro-gay beliefs which were incompatible with the group’s “specific [Christian] beliefs.”

There is a wonderful editorial response to this needle-thread reasoning on the part of the university administration in Durham’s The Herald-Sun, especially the way the decision reinforces Psalm 100′s implied assertion that being gay is incompatible with being Christian. I’m happy to say that in this year’s NC Pride parade the number of religious affiliated marchers seemed to have tripled from the year before. Perhaps it is the looming vote on the anti-LGBT constitutional amendment that has rallied communities of faith to speak out against discrimination. I can only hope it also marks a sea-change when religion cannot be easily welded as a weapon for discrimination. I must confess, I’m less optimistic that it marks a permanent change.

Just 2 weeks ago, Governor Beverly Purdue, who is facing a difficult reelection campaign and who has been strong and decisive in many positive ways in the past few years, issued her own tepid response to the proposed amendment, which reads in part:

I believe that marriage is between one man and one woman: That’s why I voted for the law in 1996 that defines marriage as between one man and one woman, and that’s why I continue to support that law today. But I’m going to vote against the amendment because I cannot in good conscience look an unemployed man or woman in the eye and tell them that this amendment is more important than finding them a job. In addition, a number of legal experts have argued that this amendment, if passed, could eliminate legal protections for all unmarried couples in our state, regardless of sexual orientation.

There are many reasons why I found this statement disappointing but first and foremost is the way it simultaneously asserts the rightness of LGBT inequality while it also decries the effects of discrimination. I know the Governor is walking a tightrope, and I am not sure what I expected from a politician fighting for her political life in a state that swung hard to the right in the last elections. But I had the same reaction to her statement as I did upon first reading the lines of Laramie characters who casually denigrate gay men and lesbians but see no relationship between their “beliefs” about homosexuality and the actions of Matthew’s attackers: He doesn’t condone that kind of violence. But he doesn’t condone that kind of lifestyle.

So the need for action and dialogue continues but the focus of the department shifts to new projects, new investigations. Perhaps I will break open the blog again in May 2012 to report positive news about the defeat of Amendment 1. I hope so. Until then …

Things in the state move on as well. As I’ve mentioned before, there has been a push for an anti-LGBT amendment to the NC constitution in the guise of “defense of marriage” language.  In September 2011, the North Carolina Assembly, now controlled by Republicans for the first time since Reconstruction, passed the amendment, which moved to a floor vote after 7 years of being stymied in committee by Democratic lawmakers. The legislation flew through the approval process, without public debate, by more than the 2/3rds margin needed in the House but by only 1 vote in the Senate (some Democrats in both bodies did sign on in support). This move means that the amendment’s fate will be decided by voters on the May 8, 2012 primary ballot. For information about the impact of this legislation on same-sex citizens of NC and for ways to get involved in efforts to defeat its passage, visit Equality NC.

Two weeks after the amendment’s passage in the Assembly, Jacob Tobia, Laramie cast member and native North Carolinian, penned an open letter to his legislature, the same body where he served as a Senate page and lobbied vigorously for anti-bullying legislation, which did squeak by for passage (by 1 vote in the House) in 2009. Its passage was so close because it included language of protection for LGBT students. As is his style, Jacob’s letter was both eloquent and passionate, insistent yet respectful. His piece was picked up by LGBT blogger Pam Spaulding, who served as a post-show discussant for one of our productions of Laramie. You can read the letter in its entirety here, but I want to quote just a little snippet,

When you signed into law a referendum putting my minority rights to a majority vote, you erased me from your memory. When you decided that my right to one day marry the love of my life was less important than your own political goals, you showed me that you don’t remember me at all. Two weeks ago, when you decided to denigrate my identity in our state’s founding document, when you decided to slander my pride and self-esteem in the most permanent, public way possible, you denied that we ever met. Last week, while you were on the house and senate floors rejecting my worth as a citizen and trampling on my human dignity, I was crying in the LGBT Center at Duke, lamenting the fact that you can’t even remember my face.

I wish I could insure, for Jacob, for myself, for all LGBT North Carolinians, that we will buck the national trend and the truth about the discrimination at the heart of this amendment will rally citizens to beat back its passage. Such an outcome will be difficult if not impossible to achieve.

At times like these it is sometimes difficult to see how a theater production that takes place on a set stage for a set time and then closes/disappears can significantly influence larger social/civic actions. However, in an interview with our producer Miriam Sauls, Jacob reminds me to see through my despair and see the things that theater makes possible. Since he says it so well, I’ll leave the last words to him.

http://www.tcg.org/fifty/video_submit.cfm

Enjoy video #1 from Rachel Grossman of the acclaimed Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company in Washington, DC.

There are a lot of gay households in places other than the large metropolitan (read solid Blue) areas of the country, and the Williams Institute has sliced and diced census numbers to give a better picture of where we are.

The Williams Institutes will be releasing Census Snapshot: 2010 reports throughout the summer and will provide demographic and geographic information about same-sex couples and same-sex couples raising children for all 50 states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico. These most recent batch is about Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Nebraska, and North Carolina.

The authors of these reports are Gary J. Gates, PhD, the Williams Distinguished Scholar at the Williams Institute, UCLA School of Law and Abigail M. Cooke, a PhD candidate in the Department of Geography at UCLA, affiliated with the California Center for Population Research.

In looking at my state – North Carolina, it’s no surprise that we have a lot of same-sex households as a percentage of the population, particularly in Durham, Carrboro and Asheville (notably, not Raleigh, though nearby Garner makes the list).  Total census-declared came-sex couples in NC: 27,250; Same-sex couples per 1,000 households: 7.28.

Those aren’t insignificant numbers, given our state has zero employment discrimination protections, and a hostile judiciary (for second parent adoptions in particular). Individual cities have offered same-sex partner benefits and have anti-discrimination laws in place; and the state has passed a gender identity and presentation-inclusive anti-bullying bill, something several Blue states have yet to get around to passing.

So with all of the talk and push to eliminate DOMA to obtain full marriage rights, LGBTs in states like Alaska, Nebraska, and North Carolina are restless and hopeful that the focus will return to federal ENDA – in order to marshall more LGBTs to political activism, these folks need to know they won’t be fired for being out of the closet.

To put these numbers in perspective and as a reminder for what is at stake this year for equality for LGBT North Carolinians, I refer you to an interview published by the Asheville Citizen-Times with NC State House Speaker Tom Tillis about his plans to bring the anti-LGBT marriage (or anything “resembling” marriage) amendment to a vote in an upcoming special legislative session. The ultimate plan is to have this “red meat” amendment serve as a lure to draw out large number of conservative evangelicals to the voting booth in the 2012 election. Here is how Tillis chose to frame the decision to bring the amendment to a full vote in the legislature (bolded text is my emphasis):

“The defense of marriage is one that a number of folks in our base feel very strongly about,” Tillis said, noting the issue would definitely be brought up in a special fall session. “Generally speaking, it polls fairly high across the voter base. It’s not a particularly partisan thing.”

Asked how he personally feels about gay marriage, Tillis said “data” show that traditional marriages between men and women are more stable and nurturing.

He expects the measure, which can’t be vetoed by the governor, to pass the House with the minimum 72 votes and go to voters in 2012.

As for whether the ballot measure should prohibit same-sex partner benefits given by some businesses and a few local governments such as Asheville, Tillis said he hasn’t taken a formal position.

“We’re doing our homework. We do need to understand that and have that factor in to what will ultimately be put into the language,” he said.

You all know that I am not even-minded about this issue. (Does that make me a less than effective teacher? A recent study suggests some students perceive political bias, whether spoken or not, when an instructor identifies as LGBTQ.) The issue affects me and my very ability to have a legally recognized family.  So it’s not surprising that I find it particularly ironic that while the #s above show LGBT families are on the rise in North Carolina, that while at their recent national conference the American Medical Association firmly affirms the full and equal rights of LGBT patients and their families, and while New York’s state legislators (even three Republicans) sign on to bring full marriage equality to their state (and Rhode Island passes a less than full step towards equality with civil unions), Rep. Tillis espouses unfounded assertions (assertions that have been shown to be patently false) about the relationships of LGBT folks who live, work, pay taxes, and make their homes in this state.

There will be equally nasty sentiments expressed on the legislative floor when this bill is brought for a vote and even more when it makes its way onto the general ballot. It puts me in mind of Jonas Slonaker, “I mean, imagine if more gay people stayed in  But it’s easier said than done, of course.”

20 colleges making good use of social media | USA TODAY College

Revival cast production photo by Joan Marcus.

Such a viewing experience would give us a chance to continue our discussions about how theater makes, shapes, and reflects history just as we did after watching the full staging of Angels. An article in today’s New York Times features interviews with various audience members immediately after they’ve seen Heart. One quote from a spectator lept out at me:

“And you see this play and you’re like, ‘The ’80s seem a long time ago, and yet we’re making the same dumb mistakes.’ ”

I think such an idea is at the heart of arguments about continued relevance for/of political theater. There are ways in which the genre (under which I’d include most documentary performance) can be mistaken for history — so tied to the particular time and place from which it draws its material that it seems staid, archival without activism — but its best examples find ways to keep audiences very aware of their present circumstances while also realizing their present is inextricably linked to the past. Now, what we do with that realization … that’s another story.

Today, the Williams Institute released new Census Snapshot: 2010 Reports: 125,516 same-sex couples were counted in California, 33,602 in Pennsylvania, 3,352 in Delaware, 6,176 in Kansas, and 1,147 in Wyoming.

Of the seven states released so far:

• California has the highest proportion of same-sex couples at nearly 10 per 1,000 households
• Palm Springs, California has the highest proportion of same-sex couples among cities (115 per 1,000 households), followed closely by Rehoboth Beach, Delaware at 107 per 1,000 households
• Same-sex couples in Wyoming are the most likely to be raising children (28%)
• In all states, child-rearing tends to be much higher in more rural areas
• Same-sex couples are present in 100% of the counties tabulated so far

Data from North Carolina’s census will be released June 30.

I write today because I couldn’t resist sharing that this week’s episode of Law & Order: Criminal Intent centered its storyline on a death at an over-budget, over-hyped, and over-wrought Broadway production. I haven’t seen the episode in its entirety; however, the national dramaturgy listserv was all abuzz because the cast of characters included … wait for it … a DRAMATURG! Perhaps the first mention of that position on primetime television!

My quick quip to a colleague was that knowing Law & Order‘s own dramaturgy as a series I suspected this character was going to be an over-educated, under-appreciated male who commits the murder either as revenge for lack of attention or as a way to advance into a new, more prominent career. I won’t give away the ending, but I’m proud to say that my dramaturgical insights were pretty spot on.

It’s worth noting that three contemporary female playwrights

• Theresa Rebeck (Spike Heels, The Understudy),
• Diana Son (Stop Kiss, Satellites),
• Marlane Meyer (Etta Jenks, Why Things Burn),

along with

• playwright Eric Overmeyer (whose long collaboration with David Simon of The Wire fame began when they worked on Homicide: Life on the Streets; Overmeyer is now a producer on Simon’s new HBO series Treme)

were all formative in the early years of this particular Law & Order franchise.  From what I can tell none of these folks are involved in the most recent season, but the intimate relationship between Law & Order: Criminal Intent and the New York theater community is well established. In fact, after the tentpole series Law & Order was canceled there were articles bemoaning the loss of well-paying NYC-based production work. Criminal Intent had been shut down too; however, appeared on this summer’s NBC/USA schedule for an 8-episode “send-off,” which, if ratings remain strong, might be extended further. CBS’ The Good Wife films in New York and has filled some of the void, but with the cancellation of long-running daytime soap operas there is trouble ahead for NYC based actors and crew who look to television gigs to gain AFTRA credits, supplement low/no-paying theater gigs with more steady, if small-scale, paying work.

The aforementioned Law & Order episode certainly benefits from all the public attention focused on the Spiderman musical reboot and the removal/exit of Julie Taymor from the project, and I wonder if there might not be a little bit of playwright wish-fulfillment going on by making the dramaturg a running joke however true it may be that when people hear that term they have to blink and ask again, “What did you say?” and “What is that?” Below, courtesy of YouTube, you can find the episode’s first introduction of the dramaturg character. Notice that the scene designer calls him the “director’s assistant.”

The full episode, “Icarus,” will be rebroadcast on USA Network tonight (Tuesday, June 21) and you might be able to find it on Hulu or at USA’s homepage for a time thereafter.

For those undergraduate students who might be interested in taking a more direct role in securing and supporting LGBTQ rights here in North Carolina, Equality NC is looking for Fall 2011 interns for a whole host of jobs. It’s an absolutely critical time for Equality NC due in no small part to the threat posed by bills circulating in the NC legislature that are geared toward outlawing any recognition of gay and lesbian relationships (including protections and insurance coverage offered by private industries and various municipalities across the state).

These descriptions below are from their website:

Internships – Seeking Fall 2011 Interns

General Information

Equality NC is looking for outstanding students (and graduates who have a comparable amount of hours to devote to an internship) who are committed to winning equal rights and justice for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender North Carolinians to serve as part-time interns for the upcoming semester. Specific intern positions are listed below.

Interns will gain valuable experience working for a nonprofit advocacy organization.  Internship duties will depend on the skills, background, and interests of the intern. Many of our former interns have gone on to secure jobs in LGBT organizations and other political and non-profit groups.

While we don’t offer stipends at this time, we are glad to work with you to secure course credit.

How to Apply

Submit resume and cover letter via email to Rebecca Mann, Director of Community Organizing and Outreach, at rebecca@equalitync.org. Please submit applications for Fall internships by May 13th.

Intern Positions

Communities of Color Outreach Internship – Equality NC seeks a talented, motivated intern to help us strengthen our outreach and organizing in communities of color. Tasks include attending meetings and providing support to our People of Color Task Force, promoting Equality NC at events, working with staff to identify LGBT and allies of color to engage in our work, assessing the policy needs of LGBT people of color, and other outreach duties. Experience working in communities of color a plus. Updated 1/3/11

Story-Gathering Internship - Friendly, outgoing, compassionate “people-person” sought to lead story collection project for multiple issue campaigns. The ideal candidate will be a great listener with top-notch communication skills, flexible hours, basic film editing skills (YouTube-style), and a passion for helping people turn their negative experiences into positive legislative change. Updated 1/3/11

Community Organizing Internship - Energetic, organized, confident, hardworking, can-do students and community members with time to dedicate sought to rally North Carolinians in support of LGBT rights. As a Community Organizing Intern, you will work with individuals and organizations in your area to raise awareness of LGBT issues and empower community members to become activists through formation of local advocacy groups. Some understanding of the legislative process is a plus, and a passion for equal rights is a must. Fans of racism, sexism, classism, and the like need not apply. We are in need of Community Organizing Interns in areas across the state. Previous organizing experience a plus. Updated 1/3/11

Development/Fundraising Internship – The number one need within the state LGBT equality movement is for solid fundraising skills. Equality North Carolina’s director of development seeks a development intern to provide assistance with grant applications, leadership gifts, and special events including the annual Equality Conference & Gala.

You will need to have unbridled enthusiasm for our work, strong intuition, great people skills, and excellent writing and communication skills. You will also need to love working in a fast-paced environment with dedicated staff and other talented interns.

In return, we will teach you great skills that will help you move into a career in nonprofit fundraising/management, and we will make every effort to make your internship stimulating and rewarding. (Questions? Call Kay at 919.829.0343 x 112 or email her at kay@equalitync.org.) Updated 10/7/09

Communications Internship – This intern will assist with the organizations communications efforts, including development of online content and press releases, and managing an effort to collect personal stories of how laws and policies affect LGBT North Carolinians. Rising college senior, recent graduate, or graduate student with background in journalism, communications or public relations preferred. Please submit three writing samples with your cover letter. Updated 2/25/10

Volunteer Management/Outreach Internship - Equality NC seeks a qualified, highly motivated intern to perform volunteer management and outreach duties. Specific tasks include drafting and sending information about ENC’s events to community organizations and our list of supporters, coordinating volunteer events for ongoing projects, and new volunteer recruitment, amongst other duties. Good communication skills and a flexible schedule are imperative. Updated 2/25/10

Transgender Issues Internship – Equality North Carolina is looking for an intern with interest working on issues related to transgender and gender non-conforming individuals. This person would support our Transgender Policy Task Force and help us engage transgender people in our organization’s work. Updated 10/7/09

Some time has passed since we closed Laramie, but somehow I still don’t feel like I’ve let it go. I know all of my posts have been about how Laramie went completely against everything that I normally expect from a show, and I’m afraid that this post won’t be any different. Usually, in the weeks that follow a show, it starts to slip away from you. All the lines that you unintentionally memorized fade from consciousness, the number and order of cues becomes hazy, and you start to move on. Somehow that hasn’t happened yet.

Laramie is still very much in my head, and I’m not exactly sure why. I mean, the show had a huge emotional impact on me and was an absolute joy to work on, but that doesn’t really explain why every single technical detail is still sitting in my head, does it? I don’t know. “It’s weird, man.” (That line happens right after LX 164, if you’re curious). I’m ready for all of the Laramie tech to get out of my head.

What I’m not ready to lose, however, is the connection I still feel to the entire cast. Unlike with any other show I’ve done, I still feel hugely excited when I see any member of the cast walking around campus. I’ve always felt close to the casts that I’ve worked with, but never quite like this. It’s one of the many reasons that Laramie is one of the best experiences I’ve ever had with a show.

So, that’s where I am. Laramie is still very much stuck in my head. Part of me wants it to leave, part of me doesn’t. I’m still trying to figure out how to deal with that. But, as always, I know it will be an experience that I will always treasure.

Thanks,
Don