[OutVoice] Oklahoma City, OK: "Jews, Muslims, Baptists, groundhogs...Oh, my!"

Tue Feb 13 02:48:05 CST 2007

HARD NEWS OKLAHOMA CITY
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Jews, Muslims, Baptists, groundhogs ... Oh my!
By JOHN ROBERTS
Staff Writer

Jade Esteban Estrada at the IAO next weekend. Photo by CHRISTINE CAIN-WEIDNER.

February 7, 2007

Read it online:
http://www.hnokc.net/specialpage.php?pageid=35

I have never been so proud of a groundhog in my life. If I lived in Pennsylvania, I would have ran to Punxsutawney and gave that little furry rodent a big hug. I am not talking about some new sub-species of bear-like homosexual; I am, of course, referring to that world famous weatherman who appears each February to see, or not see, his own shadow. 

My only fear is that his forecast, which predicts an early spring this year, only applies to Pennsylvania. I just don’t know if I can handle six more weeks of winter. I think it would be hard to find anyone who isn’t tired of this damned snow and ice. I can confidently say this has been one of the worst winters I can remember. 

The gloom and the cold just makes me want to eat large amounts of carbohydrates and crawl inside a whiskey bottle. But this year Phil’s forecast gives me some much needed hope. 

Of course if the little bastard is wrong, I may drive to his burrow, abduct him and ship him, along with a jar of Vaseline and some PVC pipe, to Richard Gere’s house; or perhaps some local furniture-selling celebrities. 

Of course the local theaters also give me hope that I can make it until the first buds of spring. Next week you can catch some unique performance fare at the IAO Gallery in Automobile Alley. 

Jade Esteban Estrada will bring the premiere of his controversial new solo play "Gay Christian, Gay Muslim, Gay Jew" written by award-winning playwright Jerry Rabushka to the gallery for two 8 p.m. performances Feb. 16 and 17. Admission is $10 and $5 for students at the door. 

Does he have a migraine? Or is he just hot? Photo by SCOTT SMITH.

The play features a lesbian wedding in India, gay bar in Israel, a funeral in Brooklyn and a southern Baptist brunch that might as well be set in my Oklahoma hometown. 

The story follows Jake, who is run out of his church for confessing his sexuality. Santosh, a Bollywood fanatic realizes she loves the women onscreen more than the men, and just like in the movies, tries to get out of an arranged marriage. Levi, a young gay Jewish man, travels to Israel to live among his own people and free of his family's disapproval and others. 

Estrada is best known for his solo shows which have toured the globe over the past five years, including "Pico de Gallo," "Tortilla Heaven," " TransWorld! The Transgender History of the World" and the multiple award-winning "ICONS: The Lesbian and Gay History of the World" trilogy. 

On television, he appears currently on "Friday Night Lights" and has appeared on Comedy Central's "The Graham Norton Effect," "In the Life TV" and as host of the National Puerto Rican Day Parade Pageant on HBO. 

Playwright Rabushka performed at the IAO Gallery last year, and this play promises to be just as exciting. 

For more information on the play, visit www.getjaded.com. All performances will be followed by a short question and answer session. 

I hope to have more from Rabushka and Estrada next week, so stay tuned. 

Pick up the "ANGEL" CD  at:
http://www.cdbaby.com/jadeestrada

Upcoming Performances:

Feb 16-17 – Oklahoma City, OK
Feb 21 – Los Angeles, CA
Mar 1 - Pullman, WA
Mar 3 - Cape May, NJ
Mar 9 - Columbus, OH
Mar 22 - Bethlehem, PA
Mar 24 - New Britain, CT
Mar 26 - Bowling Green, OH
Mar 27 - Cincinnati, OH
Mar 31 - Corpus Christi, TX
Apr 4 - San Antonio, TX
Apr 11 – Mexico City, MEXICO
Apr 13 – Philadelphia, PA
Apr 16 – Muncie, IN
May 10 – Miami, FL
May 18 – Yakima, WA
May 27 – Moscow, RUSSIA
Jun 2 - Lincoln, NE
Jun 8 - San Antonio, TX
Jun 14 - Wilmington, DE

www.GetJaded.com
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