those neon lights

really did shine for Xanadu.


Thanks to Woodruff for pulling together an enthusiastic crew of devotees and virgins for a wonderful showing and surprisingly packed and participatory audience.

I only have to close my eyes, Dear, and suddenly I'm where you are...

neon lights are gonna shine

There is a fun group of like-minded and clearly similarly-aged gay guys rallying around the centerpiece of tonights roller disco triple feature at the Castro Theater tonight.

I think our instigator and organizer Woodruff may be the only guy who loves Xanadu more than I do.  There may be glitter, but I don't think I will repeat the costume enthusiasm of 2007 Midnight Mass.

And it has been fun sharing photos and history stories of the Pan Pacific all day.

Hat tip to Neil for the Disney lesson.

How gay are the Tony's

Gayer than Xanadu?

I don't know, but this clip is killing me!



God Nathan Lane is funny.

Via Towleroad.

Excuze me,

RMJ has a friend, in Chicago, who is planning a trip to New York (City).

Friends of this friend have secured tickets to Xanadu on Broadway. RMJ's friend has never seen the movie (you can take moment to imagine me clutching my pearls with a small gasp). To prep for the show, he went to the video store to rent the movie.

The young clerk had never heard of it, checked the catalog, and said they didn't have it.

He went to another video store.

The young clerk had never heard of it, checked the catalog, and said they didn't have it.

He went to another video store.

The young clerk had never heard of it, checked the catalog, and said they didn't have it.

He went to yet another video store.

The young clerk had never heard of it, checked the catalog, and said they didn't have it.

Finally, while waiting at the counter in the fourth store, gazing at the youth and pondering the odds that none of these video rental stores had a copy of Xanadu, and considering the relative...shall we say "experience" of these baby, video counter clerks, a light bulb flashed and he thought to ask, "Excuse me, but how are you spelling Xanadu?"

Ah.

XanaDo! Do! Do!

While I was disheartened to see that Midnight Mass: Sing Along Xanadu/Drag Queen Roller Derby was sold out online, I was excited to hear that Javits went down to the theater in person and managed to score the last set of tickets.

Kevin, usually up for the adventure but not terribly excited as he hates the movie, did a 180 and texted me that he did in fact want a ticket as he was now "in the mood for a costume."

I freaking love my friends.

And I, of course, did not disappoint him.

Being the sort of guy who can dress in costume out of the items in his closet, we had our choices of main characters, Xanadu dancers, or a franchise glitz dealer.

Give the boy a little sparkly and he's higher than a Lohan.

We wore our costumes to dinner. Here he is with the famous and talented faux queen Bea Dazzler:

I was worried that she was participating in the Drag Queen Roller Derby as the final event is the "Wig Snatch" and that wig looked like a competitive liability.

I went as Sonny Malone, the tragic Michael Beck character ("tragic" here referring to the actor, not the character). To make the costume more detailed, I should have shaved and found a near-mullet wig, but that was way too much trouble. And it was crazy hot as it was.

I did, however, stop at Walgreen's to get some silly putty to approximate Michael Beck's serious schnoz. Unfortunately, all they carry now are the neon colors. I thought it might be a good thing though as a fake nose in bright orange would be funnier.

However, the effect in this photo is a little "Bert."

Even though Midnight Mass has gone a little too mainstream, we were not the only ones in costume. One of my favorite was the non-costume on this cutie. I asked to take his pic and he pointed out that it doesn't really spell "Xanadu," but I thought it was close enough for clever and showed some effort.


Those in sparkles tended to gravitate to one another:


But I had to wonder if he stole this from his mother's closet. Cracked me up.


There were several fabulous "Kira"s for my "Sonny."

Some clearly prettier than others.


The pre-show was awesome. I was able to take some 20/30 second clips with my camera.







Peaches, of course, was HI-larious. But the Main Event of the evening was the Drag Queen Roller Derby.

Now, Kevin and I were at the original event at the Midnight Mass screening of The Apple back in 2004. That was off the hook.

This year, everyone, not just the participants, had to sign a libaility waiver to enter the theater for drag queen roller derby-related injuries. I am not making this up.

The two teams this year were the RollerTards...


...and the Skinny White Bitches.



The final event is the most violent: The Wig Snatch, in which the team who rips the most wigs off the other team wins. This is a timed event.




Our commentary was, of course, painfully funny and insightful. Although I will say I never noticed the homoerotic sub-text of the Danny Maguine/Sonny Malone relationship (to which the audience would chant "NAMBLA" whenever they touched).

Our new best friends (other than the Irish hottie sitting next to me that I let leave without giving my number) are Lesie and Terrence. They were sitting one row in front of us and about six seats over. But she loved our commentary so much she started rewarding the best lines with Whoppers. These two totally "get" Midnight Mass. There were not in Xanadu-themed attire, but rather in their pajamas. It is a midnight show after all (we didn't leave until around 3:30 A.M.).


And of course, one last shot of me with our hostess, Peaches Christ:

A million lights are dancing and then there you are, a shooting star.

[flickr set]



Update!

More clips from other people have been posted to YouTube:

The Drag Queen Roller Derby Beach Ball Keep Away:



And the painful Wig Snatch:

Neon lights are out

I'm so pissed.

I did not buy the Midnight Mass Xanadu tickets last night as I wanted to get a head count first.

It is now sold out.

All of this new press (Peaches and Midnight Mass were on the cover of the Guardian last week) is ruining the edge/fringe appeal of Midnight Mass. Who would have thought that Peaches would go too mainstream? Clearly, this is not underground any more.

And I had already started on my costume.

Grumble. Grumble. Grumble.

No, seriously.

Xanadu on Broadway got a pretty rave review in the New York Times.

The male lead is being played by Cheyenne Jackson as last-minute and temporary substitute for James Carpinelloas he was, and I assume they are not making this up, "injured in a skating accident and will return to the role when he heals."

Yes, Xanadu is painful to many, and to some it seems quite physically.

With apologies to Mr. Coleridge, Mr. Isherwood praises the stage play, and bemoans the original with the line: "In Xanadu did Newton-John a blooming film career destroy."

I may have to make a special trip to NYC for some XXX theater. Xanadu is currently breaking box office records for its theater.

I wonder if they'll make a porn version (they always seem to)-- XXXandadu.

I'm alive...

...and the world shines for me today.

Finally, Xanadu done right. You may remember Xanadu from such posts as this and this and this, and even this.



From recent reviews comments, the Broadway (yes, I said Broadway version of Xanadu is bound for greatness: great songs, acting, and of course, skating.

I think the best part about the Xanadu stage musical is that it knows its silly and not at all "mythical" like tone of the movie. This is pure fun for fun's same. Take a look at their tag line again:



And their own description: "children's theater for 40-year-old gay men."

Right. On.

I am Xo going to Xanadu.

Xing along Xanadu

The Alex Theatre in Glendale is hosting a Sing-A-Long Xanadu tomorrow night. The billing description includes: "Sing-along screening of the film Xanadu , starring Gene Kelly, Olivia Newton-John, and Michael Beck. The screening features live dancers dancing on stage with various musical numbers during the film and special guests to be announced."

But the "best" part is the most forgiving movie review ever:

A young album-painter learns a lesson about daring to dream when he is kissed by a magical muse. Throwing caution to the wind, he partners up with a wealthy former jazz musician to start up a roller disco nightclub but finds that one of his dreams might be too lofty - even for the powers that be. A modern musical also featuring the Electric Light Orchestra, the Tubes, and Cliff Richard, with a touch of cartoon from animator Don Bluth.

My God. Whoever can see Xanadu and come up with that prose merits a high-paying gig as a copy writer.

Or considering the season, campaign manager.


Thanks to Alert Reader Kathryn Grady.

Xanadu's and Don't's

The movie in the park last night was excellent. Kate and I merged our crowds and had a really fun group. And with Xanadu as the show, it was a really silly/retro crowd who knows what is so bad is good.

Joining us was the always changing Stephen Handorf and the always über-sexy Dean. Prrr. Neither of those two had seen the movie before. I must say, the value in Xanadu is in the fuzzy-nostalgia-affliations. Because Lord, it is just not a good movie.

But I love it.

Poor Dean was just agape at how awful it was. He even texted a buddy, "This is the worse movie ever." His buddy replied, "Yes, but in the best way."

Amen.

The crowd around us was hilarious too. I got a little too loud as I forgot it was not Midnight Mass.



Susan and Kate


Jeff and Dean

Afterwards as I was driving the boys and girls home, we passed Kevin and Shawn on the street. They had seen a movie at the Castro theater and were on their way to 440 (previously known as Daddy's) after dinner. The boys joined them and I took the girls home.

I found parking and rejoined the boys at 440—WHERE NIPPLEBALM WAS THE GO-GO DANCER! I don't remember if I blogged that story or not, but Kevin and I met Nipplebalm (our derogatory version of his real name) at Day of the Dead just after Kevin's brother passed away. I had just made Kev some calling cards, including one that read "in search of Bombay Dreams." Nipplebalm called him a "curry queen." Super short version: Nipplebalm sort of stole Kevin's heart, stomped on it, and was a dick. Oh yeah, he was also in a porn movie called Arabesque—where all the guys were supposed to be arab, but in truth were all Indian or Italian or latino. Whatever.

Anyway, it was hilarious for us that Kev was there with his hot partner, and loser Nipplebalm was on the bar shaking his ass in tiny black briefs for singles.

Just a great cap to an evening of "dancing."

The love that we came to know

We call it Xanadu-ooo-oooo...ooooo

Movie in the park tonight: Xanadu!

From their Web site www.doloresparkmovie.org/, my favorite bit is this:

Under "Editor's note:"
Do I really need to write anything here? C'mon. It's Xanadu.

Your neon lights will shine

Last Thursday evening I joined Jeff, Dean, and Wilma in Dolores Park for 'Movies in the Park'-- Which sounds all offical and well-funded but is reeally just three people who produce and pay for it because they think it's fun. Which it is.

And this was one of those rare perfect SF nights when it was actually warm. The crowd took notice of the deep, dark, bank of fog rolling just north of us against the voilet twilight and felt very grateful.

Last week's movie was Caddyshack. Perfect for this crowd. The organizers showed trailers for the two movies vying for the next screening: Grease and Xanadu. The crowd went wild. Of course, it's a win-win for any ONJ fan. In the end, it was clear the ONJ+ELO fans would have their way, as Xanadu was the clear crowd favorite.

And this morning, I read this (thanks to Nervous Breakdown).


(Full disclosure: I have the VHS, DVD, and CD Soundtrack to Xanadu. I've been an embarassed fan since I saw it and taped it from the ABC Sunday Night Movie in 1981. Every time I watch it I cringe at how bad it is, and I love it even more. Gene Kelly is just amazing, and sad heart-throb-wanna-be Michael Beck has no sense of timing/acting. Poor Gene Kelly to find himself in the middle of this disco/roller-skating opera...)