NEW QUEER ON THE BLOCK: Titillations…Throw Down the Towel and Just Dance! From Katy Perry to Richard O’Brien

November 7, 2011• byBrian Peterson

Mama Tits and DJ PBear at ElektroPOP at The Baltic Room. Photo Credit: ER3 Photography.

While Conan O’Brein performed certain duties for the wedding ceremony of costume designer Scott Cronick and his partner David Gorshein in New York City, there were the rest of us creating dance fever down at The Baltic Room for the weekly ElektroPOP. The night was a bit crazy and there so many great moments, where do I begin? Let’s first start off with the mountain-top flavorful hostess, Mama Tits, and the delectable Ursula Major – who brought nothing but fierceness and eleganza, with a Seattle twist! To some, this may just be another circuit party on the market, but it has essential qualities of a successful theme party in New York City. Bravo and props to Arden Turnbull and Jimmy Scarpello for bringing a great night to The Baltic Room. I had so so much fun at last week’s ElektroPOP, that it’s now a permanent event on my google calendar. Don’t judge me – yes, I place events and parties on my calendar. How else am I supposed to keep up with the Gay Scene in Seattle? In passing, I’ve gotten to know Mama Tits and she has such a great personality that I’ve grown to cherish and respect!

“Manila Luzon has ‘Manilas’, Mama Tits has ‘titillations’”

-Mama Tits, aka McGee

I hear a rumor that this Thursday is going to be BIG! This means that we’ve gotta start planning out our costumes and outfits for the next party! So do yourself a favor and mark you Thursday nights for the start of your weekend with the hottest dance party on the hill. What else do you have to lose?

Joan Jankowski as the new "Magenta", currently playing in The Schoolyard's production of "The Rocky Horror Show" at Re-Bar.

You know it’s fall season when you hear the scratching sounds of Richard O’Briens’ “The Rocky Horror Show”. Whether you’re intaking the picture show or the live show produced by The Schoolyard at Re-Bar, it is an item on your bucketlist for this month! As a writer who critiques art, it makes sense to me that I’m not allowed to review theater in Seattle. The reasoning is simple – I, myself, am a theater artists and all my theater colleagues are also my friends, so it’s a double-entrandre in the common journalism law of “conflict of interest”. Besides, how do you tell your friend the negatives and positives without breaking their feelings? Several people have asked me if I am going to be writing a theater review of this show and the answer is no. I value friendship far more than a million hits on a website.

However, there are a couple of great moments that I did notice from the current production and a few shout outs I’ve got to give. Joan Jankowski had tough shoes to fill as Magenta and she brought her own style and taste to the role, and which compliments the role of Riff-Raff, played by Andrew Murray. Todd Hull played Doctor Scott and I was shocked at his singing voice – what a powerhouse voice he has! Peter Benjamin Farrar gives Rocky humor, taste and a style that is normally given to the stylings of your stereotypical “blonde hair, blue eyes” type of guy. And of course, the man of the hour, Josh Hartvigson delivers a unique presence to the character of Frankenfurter. Overall, it’s a great show and you should check out this current production before they close the doors until next time.

Josh Hartvigson, Joan Jankowski and Andrew Miller in The Rocky Horror Show at Re-Bar.

Another weekend has come and gone and we are all recouping to prepare thyself for the next one. This is what we have been doing for years, so raise up that glass and let’s toast to another fun-filled upcoming weekend with so much arts & culture around the corner, in our own backyard that we call home. Until then, enjoy these Rocky Horror photos and be sure to check them out at Re-Bar and you better hurry, because the show closes in just a few weeks! You’ll only regret missing this remount during your Thanksgiving dinner with the family!