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Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Conflict of Interest / Theater Straight

Posted by Brendan Kiley on Wed, Feb 25, 2009 at 1:43 PM

Seattle: This is your lucky weekend. I've wanted (and periodically asked) David Schmader to bring back his awesome monologues—Letter to Axl, Straight, etc.—for years. This Friday and Saturday, my prayers have been (partially) answered.

This weekend, Schmader will reprise Straight: A Conversion Comedy, his hilarious and tragic monologue about his hilarious and tragic undercover adventures through the world of ex-gay conversion.

Straight premiered at Re-bar in 1999, when I was 20 years old and writing for my college paper. I snuck into the bar, sat in the back, and had one of the strongest, most memorable theater experiences of my life. I still remember the story about the ex-gay talent show, with somebody (Schmader?) playing guitar while singing out horrible, God-sent afflictions from the Old Testament. And the urinal showdown—will he look? won't he?—with an ex-gay in the bathroom. And the butch, ex-gay lesbian stuffed into a Laura Ashley dress "about as comfortably as a German Shepherd wears a sweater."

And I remember Schmader being tortured by the desire to blow his cover—to grab her and shake her and remind her that she was, is, and always will be a dyke, but: "in the words of Thomas Jefferson, it's a free fucking country." Mostly, I remember how the audience veered from howling laughter to quiet, almost wincing silence.

The first version of Straight was directed by Dan Savage and ran for six months. The OBIE-winning Chay Yew, with support from the fancy-pants Mark Taper Forum in Los Angeles, directed a second iteration. This run is a warm-up before the show, which is basted and broiled in Texas culture, makes its Texas debut.

Says Schmader: Pray for us.

Straight—which I totally would have suggested if Schmader didn't work for this paper—runs Friday and Saturday at 8 pm at Annex Theater, at Pike and 11th. It's $15 from Brown Paper Tickets. More information in our theater calendar.

Comments (14) RSS

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There have not been enough posts about gay buttsex on Slog today. Please post at least ten more items about gay buttsex by the end of the work day. Thank you.

Posted by Not enough gaybuttsex articles on Slog - it's very important on February 25, 2009 at 1:50 PM

Is this a moderinzed version where David will stuff his face with junk food? I mean it should be current as well as timely as well right?

Posted by Better than writing new material on February 25, 2009 at 1:51 PM

I remember the original Straight. Fucking awesome.

Posted by Billy the Cid on February 25, 2009 at 1:52 PM

Break a leg, Schmader!

Posted by Cracker Jack on February 25, 2009 at 1:58 PM

So, um, what is he giving up for Lent?

Posted by Will in Seattle on February 25, 2009 at 2:01 PM

don't hate the schmader, hate the game.

your vitriol is sooooooooooooooooooo boring.

Posted by ScrewYouRusty on February 25, 2009 at 2:36 PM

Sounds fucking hilarious.

Posted by Employed American Commie Librul Dyke on February 25, 2009 at 2:38 PM

And - we have a bar!

Posted by The Fightin' "A" on February 25, 2009 at 3:35 PM

I saw this in 1999 and LOVED it. It was hilarious but also touching and sad and informative and entertaining. It was brilliant, brilliant work. I recommend it strongly.

Posted by Simac on February 25, 2009 at 3:45 PM

I saw this at Theater Off-Jackson many years ago...and I was struck not only by how entertaining David was in presenting thus...but the fact that his pre-show music was the Magnetic Fields' "69 Love Songs" at a time where I was foolishly resisting its charms.

Posted by pg on February 25, 2009 at 4:56 PM

Of the times I wish I lived in Seattle, this is up there.

Fuck you guys.

Posted by Jennifer in Chicago on February 25, 2009 at 7:10 PM

Where in Texas will it be playing? Tell us, tell us!

Posted by Pi on February 26, 2009 at 6:12 AM

Son of a bitch. I won't be able to go. Dammit, this sounds great.

Posted by Geni on February 26, 2009 at 4:37 PM

King County Library System has a copy of "Straight" on VHS. That's how I first saw it, and I loved it. Although I imagine it's even better live, that being how theater works.

Posted by GrammarCop on February 26, 2009 at 4:42 PM