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| Matt Baney Celebrates Homecoming Queens, the Grove's Living "Legends" |
by Bruce-Michael Gelbert
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| Homecoming Queens & (back row center) Matt Baney |
| Photo by Joseph R. Saporito |
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The Arts Project of Cherry Grove's (APCG) Labor Day weekend show, directed by Matt Baney at the Community House on September 1, was a frothy celebration of the Grove's Homecoming Queens entitled "Legends II," a follow-up to Matt's 2005 "Legends in Their Own Minds." Fourteen past HQs and reigning Queen Lola participated.
As MC, Matt introduced the Queens, who carried hatboxes bearing the year(s) of their reigns. They were: Panzi (1976 & 1977); Philomena (1990); Scarlet Oh! (1994), the only female HQ; Sylvia Shapiro, who reigned as Legs Labohn (1995); Timothea (1996); Cobra (1997); Luisa Verde (1999); Angela Mercy, who reigned with Freeda Chews as Good 'n' Plenty (2000); China (2001); Ariel Sinclair (2002); Charity (2003), also Miss Fire Island 1968; Donna Piranha (2004); Ivanna Cocktail (2005); Coco (2006), who takes over the APCG Presidency next year; and Lola. Wielding cans of 'Ultra Clutch,' they joined Matt for the title song from "Hairspray."
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After an interlude from pianist and composer Nina, introduced as La Putanza, and playing her own mellow "Letting Go," Bella, longtime HQ contest MC, as mad Norma Desmond, from "Sunset Boulevard," and Peter B, as the no-less-loopy Phantom of the Opera, scared and wooed each other with "It's as if We Never Said Goodbye," "Music of the Night," "My Funny Valentine," "Touch Me," "I Feel Pretty," and "You Better Shape up."
For "One Night Only," 'Dreamgirl' Lola played a pregnant beauty, insisting that, "We don't have the time." Charity invited "Treat Me Rough," in Gershwin's song. Donna's "Band of Gold" was an often recalcitrant hula hoop, which she kept aloft after an oxygen break. Ivanna declared "Nobody's gonna take my crown," although Donna tried. Philomena went French for a determinedly anti-Piaf chanson, "I Regret Everything."
In "I who have nothing," Ariel, who entered flinging herself to the floor, was a messy mass of self-pity--straps askew; one shoe on, one shoe off; runs in her stockings; missing teeth; and unruly hair. For "Son of a Preacher Man," Coco, in trailer trash look from big hair to platform shoes, brought Arthur Cohen on stage and away from his backstage duties, to man ... um, womanhandle him. To close Act One, Luisa became a Country/Western Bo Peep, who was backed by white sheep Gary Greene, Doreen Rallo and Joanne Tavis, and hooked black sheep Bobbie Green for her own.
Bella, MC of Act Two, introduced Panzi, who was assisted by Cobra and China for "Who's that girl?" complete with high kicks. Lola, as Maria; Luisa, as Anita; Gary, as Tony; and Doreen, as Bernardo, offered a revisionist take on "West Side Story," at the end of which Luisa, rejecting meat cleaver, chain, and so on, shot Gary and Lola, who took one last look in her mirror before expiring. Timothea crisply expounded on the subjects of "royalty and service." Bella presented "the tramps of Fire Island," Ariel, as Colette; Donna, as Camille; and Ivanna, as Fifi, women of easy virtue, who competed for and dismissed sailor Doreen, and threw undergarments out to the audience.
Coco and Cobra seduced each other during "Sex Bomb." Charity, as Mame, and Sylvia, as Vera, bared claws and fangs, fumed, and swore eternal friendship in "Bosom Buddies." Angela, as Edie Bouvier Beale, from "Grey Gardens," proffered anti-fashion tips on "The Revolutionary Costume for Today." Scarlet portrayed earnest teenager Tracy Turnblad, starting her day with "Good Morning, Baltimore." China made a rare performing appearance doing "Miss Celie's Blues," from the film "The Color Purple."
Following another piano piece by Nina, Matt returned to the stage, in drag, for the title song from "Applause," backed by the HQs and their escorts, to conclude the entertaining evening.
Urban Sprawl assisted with costumes and wigs; Harold Seeley created the set; Jeffrey Wallach took responsibility for props; Martha Pitkin was the stage manager; Craig Williams, Alison Brackman, Michael Romanelli and Norman Cherubino assumed technical duties; and Sherri Rase, Lorie Bradshaw, Jimmy, and Arthur made up the stage crew.
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