Seussical: The Musical review by Steven Skelley

Seussical: The Musical
A theater review by Steven  Skelley

With more progress being made each month toward LGBT equality and acceptance, LGBT families are looking for entertainment options. "Seussical: The Musical" is an excellent and empowering production that is a delightful blend of characters we have come to know and love and the important theme that anything is possible if you are true to yourself.

"Seussical: The Musical" by Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty debuted on Broadway in 2000 and is based on a mixture of characters and storylines from the iconic books of Dr. Seuss. After its’ Broadway run, "Seussical: The Musical" enjoyed two national tours and a United Kingdom tour. Because of its’ positive theme and familiar characters, it has become a favorite for regional theaters, community theaters and schools.

If you enjoy community theater, you will definitely find yourself smiling often throughout the Emma Parrish Theater/Titusville Playhouse production of "Seussical: The Musical." The team at the Titusville Theater seems to thrive under the energetic and charismatic leadership of General Manager Steven Heron.

The Titusville Playhouse production of "Seussical: The Musical" was the first full-scale musical production directed by Director/Choreographer Michael Biggs, who has an M.F.A. in Musical Theater from the University of Central Florida.

"As for my first full scale production, it was a blast. I had the opportunity to bring the childlike wonder of Dr. Seuss to the stage in a bright, colorful, over-the-top fashion and I felt like I had the support of all 60 actors, designers, and technicians. This team was goal oriented and accomplished all I had imagined and more," Biggs told Edge.

Biggs believes that what made "Seussical: The Musical" really special was the cast. "This show not only has powerful voices, great actors, and talented dancers, but stilt walkers, jugglers, and demonstrations from a third degree black belt in Tae Kwan Do. There is such an incredible variety of people in this production as well ranging from elementary students, high school, college, teachers, and friends of the theatre. I was blessed with an amazing cast, not only for their talents but their personal contributions as well."

The "Seussical: The Musical" storyline follows the adventures of Horton the elephant who discovers a speck of dust where the tiny Whos live. Unfortunately, no one can hear the Whos but Horton.

Sunny Gay, a senior at Titusville High School, s the perfect choice to portray Gertrude. Her vocals are the best of the show.

A separate plotline follows the trials of a young Who named JoJo who lives on the speck of dust. JoJo is constantly berated for "thinking too many thinks." JoJo’s habit of letting his imagination explore all possibilities lands him in trouble with his parents and he is sent off to military school where he is meant to conform to society’s way of thinking and to fight those who do not conform.

Horton’s community does not believe his story that there is a tiny community of Whos living on the speck of dust and sets out to destroy it and put an end to Horton’s foolishness. It is only through JoJo’s discovery of self confidence and the Whos recognition that JoJo’s "thinks" may be their salvation that the Whos are able to make themselves known and avoid destruction.

Even though the plot may seem a tad heavy, there are many Seuss characters and laughs along the way.

Sunny Gay, a senior at Titusville High School, portrays a bird named Gertrude who is in love with Horton and tries endlessly and hilariously to make her feelings known to the clueless elephant.

Sunny Gay is the perfect choice to portray Gertrude. Her vocals are the best of the show. She has a seemingly effortless comedic talent. She is a natural!

Horton the elephant is portrayed by Junior Thespian State Director Rodney Savickis. As a local educator, Savisckis believes "Seussical: The Musical" offers a very important message to society.

"As a theatre educator one teaches the tools of the craft on a daily bases. It is very important to take those tools and sharpen them by performing. Horton is such a great role model. Regardless of how big you are, bullying occurs. But one must stand up for one’s self and well as those who cannot defend or protect themselves. Horton is a real superhero," Savickis told Edge.

"Seussical: The Musical" is a family-friendly production that teaches its’ audience that every person is unique and that uniqueness is an asset not a weakness.

"Seussical: The Musical" runs through March 17 at the Titusville Playhouse, 301 Julia Street, Titusville. For info or tickets call 321-268-3711 or visit http://titusvilleplayhouse.com

Steven Skelley is a published author of several nonfiction works and the novella The Gargoyle Scrolls. He has been a newspaper columnist, travel writer, news writer, music director, creative arts director, theater reviewer and tennis instructor.

(This review published in EDGE magazine at http://www.edgeonthenet.com/index.php?ch=entertainment&sc=theatre&sc2=reviews&sc3=theatre_reviews&id=142539)

The Idiocy Behind SODOMY Laws by Steven Skelley

The Idiocy Behind SODOMY Laws 
by Steven Skelley

Religious fanatics and the right-wing politicians they have purchased have begun proclaiming the need to reinstate sodomy laws. They claim that if LGBTQ citizens are allowed the same basic civil rights as every other American citizen, God's wrath will surely descend upon us because of the acceptance of "sodomizers."

As ridiculous as that claim seems in itself, the story behind the term "sodomy" is even more ridiculous. Let us take a look.

The Old Testament section of the Bible that is so often quoted by religious fanatics contains a Jewish writing commonly called The Book of Genesis. One of the heroes of this section is a man named Lot.

Lot took his wife and daughters and moved to a city named Sodom. This is where the term sodomy will originate.

God is not happy that Lot has relocated to Sodom. Apparently God has a lot of time on his hands and worries about what suburb you move into. God is so unhappy with Lot's choice of neighborhoods that He sends two "angels" to Sodom to speak to Lot. In religious writings, angels usually have wings, or glow like the sun, or appear and disappear at will, or fly. Lot's angels walked into Sodom. Flying and teleporting can be sooooo tiresome, apparently.

Lot noticed that the angels had dirty feet from walking and invited them into his home to wash their feet. He also fed them a nice meal. Angels get awfully hungry when they walk instead of teleporting, after all.

Here's where the "sodomy" stuff really begins!

According to Genesis, "Before they had gone to bed, all the men from every part of the city of Sodom —both young and old—surrounded the house. They called to Lot, 'Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us so that we can have sex with them.'”

Lot certainly doesn't want his full bellied, dirty-footed angels involved in a gay orgy so he comes up with a "creative" solution. Lot says, "If you let my angel buddies alone, I'll let you rape my daughters!"

I am not joking.

Here is the script from Genesis, "Look, I have two daughters who have never slept with a man. Let me bring them out to you, and you can do what you like with them. But don’t do anything to these men, for they have come under the protection of my roof.” Also notice - Lot identifies his guests as MEN not angels.

Am I the only one who sees a problem with old Lot protecting his non-flying, supposed angel buds while offering up his virgin daughters for gang rape? He hardly sounds heroic to me. The story goes on to say that the angels attacked the would-be gang rapists and Lot and his family ran from Sodom. Unfortunately not everyone survived. Lot's wife had second thoughts about leaving their home - so God turned her into a giant pile of salt!

Really? God was cool with Lot offering up his virgin daughters to gang rape but turns Lot's wife into a tasty food seasoning just for glancing back at their home?

Is the ridiculousness beginning to sink in yet? Does this sound to you like a story made up by Lot to justify the disappearance of his wife and the incest with his daughters? (Yes, incest is entering the story very soon).

Back to Sodom - God is so mad that the two dirty-footed, walking, angel-men were threatened by gay, gang rapists that he sends "fire-rain" to destroy Sodom. That fire-rain can be a bitch. Happens all the time. Apparently, the offer of a father to have his virgin daughters gang raped is not something you send fire-rain down for. That - apparently - is cool with God.

Sodom is destroyed (allegedly) and the term sodomy is forever tied to those gay, would-be, angel-men  rapists.

Believe it or not, things get even grosser. Lot's daughters get him drunk and take turns sleeping with him over and over again over a period of days until they get pregnant BY THEIR OWN FATHER!

So, Lot's story is that a) We had to move because the whole town was full of gay gang-rapists that wouldn't rape my virgin daughters even after I offered them to be raped freely b) God killed my wife and that means that I can't be blamed for her disappearance c) I impregnated BOTH of my virgin daughters but it was their fault for getting me drunk first.

Had Lot spewed this stupidity in ANY courtroom anywhere, the jury would find him guilty of murdering his wife and incest with his daughters in about two minutes.

For centuries, religious fanatics have used the term sodomy to describe sex between consenting adults of the same gender.

In many instances, they have been able to harass LGBTQ citizens by producing laws that make it illegal to have sex between two consenting adults. Republican presidential candidates and running mates have all called for these laws.

Some religious and political zealots have even called for the death penalty for law abiding American citizens who love people of the same gender.

Isn't it difficult to believe that people actually kill LGBTQ citizens over foolishness like a story about the dirty-footed, walking angel-men, a woman turned to salt, the father-approved offer to gang-rape his virgin daughters, and the incestuous father who impregnated his own daughters?

Isn't it ridiculous that what the religious fanatics get from this unbelievable story told by Lot is that the allegedly gay citizens of Sodom are the evil ones? Wow!!!!! Now you know the idiocy behind the term sodomy and sodomy laws.

Perhaps if we treated religious texts as windows into history instead of magic spell books we would find real truths. Perhaps these religious stories reveal both people who had spiritual victories as well as people who had spiritual failures. Perhaps Lot's story is one about how gullible patriarchal society can be to simply believe the story of a man whose wife disappeared mysteriously and who impregnated both of his own daughters. Perhaps it is also to show us the idiocy of bigotry toward LGBTQ people.

(Here are the actual Genesis Bible passages. Read it for yourself.)

Genesis 19
New International Version (NIV)
Sodom and Gomorrah

19 The two angels arrived at Sodom in the evening, and Lot was sitting in the gateway of the city. When he saw them, he got up to meet them and bowed down with his face to the ground. 2 “My lords,” he said, “please turn aside to your servant’s house. You can wash your feet and spend the night and then go on your way early in the morning.”

“No,” they answered, “we will spend the night in the square.”

3 But he insisted so strongly that they did go with him and entered his house. He prepared a meal for them, baking bread without yeast, and they ate. 4 Before they had gone to bed, all the men from every part of the city of Sodom —both young and old—surrounded the house. 5 They called to Lot, “Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us so that we can have sex with them.”

6 Lot went outside to meet them and shut the door behind him 7 and said, “No, my friends. Don’t do this wicked thing. 8 Look, I have two daughters who have never slept with a man. Let me bring them out to you, and you can do what you like with them. But don’t do anything to these men, for they have come under the protection of my roof.”

9 “Get out of our way,” they replied. “This fellow came here as a foreigner, and now he wants to play the judge! We’ll treat you worse than them.” They kept bringing pressure on Lot and moved forward to break down the door.

10 But the men inside reached out and pulled Lot back into the house and shut the door. 11 Then they struck the men who were at the door of the house, young and old, with blindness so that they could not find the door.

12 The two men said to Lot, “Do you have anyone else here—sons-in-law, sons or daughters, or anyone else in the city who belongs to you? Get them out of here, 13 because we are going to destroy this place. The outcry to the Lord against its people is so great that he has sent us to destroy it.”

14 So Lot went out and spoke to his sons-in-law, who were pledged to marry[a] his daughters. He said, “Hurry and get out of this place, because the Lord is about to destroy the city! ” But his sons-in-law thought he was joking.

15 With the coming of dawn, the angels urged Lot, saying, “Hurry! Take your wife and your two daughters who are here, or you will be swept away when the city is punished. ”

16 When he hesitated, the men grasped his hand and the hands of his wife and of his two daughters and led them safely out of the city, for the Lord was merciful to them. 17 As soon as they had brought them out, one of them said, “Flee for your lives! Don’t look back, and don’t stop anywhere in the plain! Flee to the mountains or you will be swept away!”

18 But Lot said to them, “No, my lords,[b] please! 19 Your[c] servant has found favor in your[d] eyes, and you[e] have shown great kindness to me in sparing my life. But I can’t flee to the mountains; this disaster will overtake me, and I’ll die. 20 Look, here is a town near enough to run to, and it is small. Let me flee to it—it is very small, isn’t it? Then my life will be spared.”

21 He said to him, “Very well, I will grant this request too; I will not overthrow the town you speak of. 22 But flee there quickly, because I cannot do anything until you reach it.” (That is why the town was called Zoar.[f] )

23 By the time Lot reached Zoar, the sun had risen over the land. 24 Then the Lord rained down burning sulfur on Sodom and Gomorrah —from the Lord out of the heavens. 25 Thus he overthrew those cities and the entire plain, destroying all those living in the cities—and also the vegetation in the land. 26 But Lot’s wife looked back, and she became a pillar of salt.

27 Early the next morning Abraham got up and returned to the place where he had stood before the Lord. 28 He looked down toward Sodom and Gomorrah, toward all the land of the plain, and he saw dense smoke rising from the land, like smoke from a furnace.

29 So when God destroyed the cities of the plain, he remembered Abraham, and he brought Lot out of the catastrophe that overthrew the cities where Lot had lived.

30 Lot and his two daughters left Zoar and settled in the mountains, for he was afraid to stay in Zoar. He and his two daughters lived in a cave. 31 One day the older daughter said to the younger, “Our father is old, and there is no man around here to give us children—as is the custom all over the earth. 32 Let’s get our father to drink wine and then sleep with him and preserve our family line through our father.”

33 That night they got their father to drink wine, and the older daughter went in and slept with him. He was not aware of it when she lay down or when she got up.

34 The next day the older daughter said to the younger, “Last night I slept with my father. Let’s get him to drink wine again tonight, and you go in and sleep with him so we can preserve our family line through our father.” 35 So they got their father to drink wine that night also, and the younger daughter went in and slept with him. Again he was not aware of it when she lay down or when she got up.

36 So both of Lot’s daughters became pregnant by their father.


**Steven Skelley is a published author of several nonfiction works and the novella The Gargoyle Scrolls. He has been a newspaper columnist, travel writer, news writer, ordained minister, music director, creative arts director, theater reviewer and tennis instructor.

American Family Association Calls For Underground Railroad To Kidnap Children Of Gay Parents

Disgusting!

THE AMERICAN FAMILY ASSOCIATION (one of the hate groups the Chik Fil A owner has admitted donating hundreds of thousands of dollars to) has tweeted that we need "an Underground Railroad to deliver innocent children from same-sex households."

AFA's Bryan Fischer went on to say he supported KIDNAPPING children of gay parents to save them.

You want to know why Chik Fil A's owner disgusts me? Because he financially supports bullshit like this.

If he had said, "I gave several hundred thousand dollars to an organization that supports the kidnap and rescue of African American children from their parents," the whole country would be outraged. Because he targets LGBT American citizens instead of African Americans or Latinos, he is supported - by fools.

Calling the man a Christian is an insult to Christianity. He belongs in the same category as Westboro Baptist Church.

And - just for the record - if anyone had tried "kidnapping and rescuing" my child from me, it would have been the last thing they'd ever done on planet earth.

Sincerely,

Steven Skelley

**http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/08/bryan-fischer-underground-railroad-gay-parents-kidnapping-_n_1757378.html

**http://www.advocate.com/politics/religion/2012/08/09/bryan-fischer-advocates-underground-railroad-abduct-children-same-sex

**http://thenewcivilrightsmovement.com/fischer-we-need-an-underground-railroad-to-abduct-children-from-gays/discrimination/2012/08/08/45849

**http://thinkprogress.org/lgbt/2012/08/08/655951/bryan-fischer-children-of-same-sex-couples-must-be-saved-through-underground-railroad-kidnapping/



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Steven Skelley is a published author of several nonfiction works and the novella The Gargoyle Scrolls. He has been a newspaper columnist, travel writer, news writer, ordained minister, music director, creative arts director, theater reviewer and tennis instructor.

State Lawmakers Introduce Non-Discrimination Bill by Steven Skelley

State Lawmakers Introduce Non-Discrimination Bill

by Steven  Skelley

EDGE Contributor

Published at http://www.edgeonthenet.com/index.php?ch=news&sc=local&sc2=news&sc3=&id=125774

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State Sen. Nan Rich (D-Sunrise)  

Two state lawmakers have introduced a bill that would ban discrimination against LGBT Floridians in the workplace, public accommodations and housing.

State Sen. Nan Rich (D-Sunrise) and state Rep. Scott Randolph (D-Orlando) introduced the Florida Competitive Workforce Act-Senate Bill 340 and House Bill 247-in Tallahassee earlier this month. Randolph said his bill would improve the quality of life of LGBT Floridians and extend additional economic opportunities to them.

"The Florida Competitive Workforce Act would greatly improve that quality of life for our state’s growing GLBT population," said Randolph, noting a Human Rights Campaign report that shows 89 percent of Fortune 500 companies have already adopted LGBT-inclusive non-discrimination policies. "They do so, because diversity is good for business and they want to recruit top talent to make their companies more successful."

Broward, Leon, Miami-Dade, Monroe, Orange, Palm Beach and Volusia Counties and the cities of Dunedin, Gainesville, Gulfport, Key West, Lake Worth, Miami Beach, North Miami, Oakland Park, Palm Beach and West Palm Beach, Sarasota and Tampa have already adopted ordinances that ban discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.

"The Florida Competitive Workforce Act will not only ensure equal protection of the law for all Floridians," said Rich. "It will also show that Florida understands that the one of the best ways to grow our economy is to ensure we have a diverse workforce that capitalizes on the skills, perspectives and talents of all our people."

LGBT activists across the state welcomed Rich and Randolph’s bill.

"Passing the FCWA would help to improve Florida’s reputation nationally and internationally as a welcoming place to live, work and play," said Mallory Wells, director of public policy for Equality Florida. 

"Cities and counties all over Florida are doing the same. 10.2 million Floridians live in a place that has protections based on sexual orientation, and 5.98 million live in a place with gender identity and expression protections. It’s time for Florida to do what its own cities and leading businesses are already doing and adopt protections for everyone."

Equality Florida executive director Nadine Smith added she feels Florida’s economy and especially its lucrative tourism industry would actually suffer if lawmakers fail to pass these bills.

"Florida suffers economically when it comes to attracting and retaining the best and the brightest in our workforce. Universities have lost or failed to recruit top talent - both students and professors," she said. "Businesses that rely on a highly skilled workforce have given Florida a look but gone elsewhere because quality of life-including respect for diversity-are important indicators of how competitive the workforce in Florida will be. Passage of the bill would go a long way in improving Florida’s national and international reputation as a welcoming place to live, work and visit."

It remains to be seen, however, whether the state’s Republican-controlled Legislature will even take up these measures.

Randolph remains optimistic that the bill stands a "real chance" of passing once the Republican majority understands the potential economic implications. "Once they see the connection between fair employment and economic growth, common sense would suggest they should support the measure," he said.

Economics are only one of the bill’s considerations.

"It is unimaginable that in this day in age, Florida law still allows businesses to fire their employees simply for being who they are," said Randolph. "Not only is it wrong, but it also sends a terrible message to a community that has made invaluable contributions to our society, our culture, and our everyday lives. It’s even more important during these challenging economic times that we do not let the fear of discrimination prevent anyone from bringing their business, their family, or their talents to our state."

Smith agrees.

"Ending discrimination in employment is absolutely critical. Local ordinances are important but we have to move beyond a patchwork quilt of protections that vary city by city and county by county," he said. "Our rights shouldn’t vary from one end of the state to the other."

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Steven Skelley is a published author of several nonfiction works and the novella The Gargoyle Scrolls. He has been a newspaper columnist, travel writer, news writer, ordained minister, music director, creative arts director, theater reviewer and tennis instructor.

Do New Gay Census Statistics Matter to Fla. Lawmakers? by Steven Skelley

Do New Gay Census Statistics Matter to Fla. Lawmakers?

by Steven  Skelley

EDGE Contributor

Published at http://www.edgeonthenet.com/index.php?ch=news&sc=local&sc2=news&sc3=&id=124045

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Gov. Rick Scott  

Statistics from the 2010 census show the number of same-sex couples in Florida increased by more than 21,000 over the last decade, but the question remains whether these figures will translate into any tangible LGBT legislative advances in Tallahassee.

The 2010 census showed there are at least 65,601 same-sex couples Florida--these identified couples comprise only about a tenth of the more than 610,000 gay, lesbian and bisexual people who live in the Sunshine State, according to research the Williams Institute at the UCLA School of Law published

"I think it is great that they marked it on form and are comfortable," said Brian Longstreth, owner of the Gay StPeteHouse bed and breakfast who organizes the annual St. Pete PRIDE each June. He questioned, however, whether these statistics actually matter.

"It shows a lot of people have come a long way but I don’t think it will have an impact on legislation as long as we have politicians in office who oppose equal rights," said Longstreth. "Things have gotten worse and worse for us in Florida since the Republicans became veto-proof."

Florida remains a conservative Republican stronghold.

Governor Rick Scott, U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio and a variety of other Tea Party and conservative politicians have touted their anti-marriage equality and other positions in their campaigns. This trend has continued once they have taken office.

Rubio delivered the keynote at the Florida Family Policy Council’s fifth annual Public Policy Dinner in Orlando in May 2010. The FFPC was one of the groups behind Amendment 2 that voters approved in 2009. The measure bans marriages, civil unions and any other legal recognition for same-sex couples.

Congressman Allen West has also sought to solidify his conservative bonafides.

"The term gay marriage is an oxymoron... marriage is a union and a bond between a man and a woman," he said at the Eagle Forum Collegians’ 2011 Summit in Washington, D.C. Scott has also done the same.

"I’m an across-the-board conservative. I am pro-life and support traditional marriage. We need to protect our values as well as our tax dollars," he said on his gubernatorial campaign’s website. When asked by a reporter if gay marriage could ever come to Florida, Scott’s response was, "It’s not really a discussion here."

Longstreth notes there are some politicians who advocate on behalf of LGBT Floridians. "U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson and State Representative Rick Kriseman are great supporters, but they are outnumbered," he said.

Nelson voted against the proposed Federal Marriage Amendment and supported the addition of sexual orientation and gender identity and expression to the federal hate crimes laws.

State Rep. Rick Kriseman (D-St. Petersburg) remains one of Tallahassee’s most pro-LGBT politicians.

He led the charge for an expanded human rights local ordinance, sponsored and co-sponsored a multitude of bills that address discrimination and sexual orientation and urged Congress to repeal ’don’t ask, don’t tell.’ Kriseman also co-sponsored a statewide domestic partnership bill, a measure to repeal Florida’s ban on gay and lesbian adoption, proposed legislation that would ensure no Floridian would be fired due to sexual orientation or gender identity and the inclusion of LGBT youth into an anti-bullying bill.

When St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Baker was asked to sign a proclamation and attend the annual St. Pete PRIDE festival, which brings almost 100,000 attendees and generates tens of thousands of dollars in revenue to the Pinellas County city, he refused. Kriseman stepped in and has hosted the state’s largest Pride event ever since.

"We need to get more involved in supporting candidates that are supportive of us-be careful," said Longstreth. "Take voting responsibility. Too many people just don’t vote. Get educated about whom to vote for."

Koren, a receptionist at the Camp Mars gay campground in Venus, was somewhat pragmatic about the statistics.

"I am 85 years old. We’ve come a long way in my life but we still have a long way to go," she told EDGE. "It shouldn’t be so hard. There shouldn’t be so many biases and prejudices. There is too much interference from powerful religion and politicians. Hatred is a terrible disease...and it is a disease. Prejudice and hate are things that are taught to children. We need to educate children to love and accept all people for who they are."

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Steven Skelley is a published author of several nonfiction works and the novella The Gargoyle Scrolls. He has been a newspaper columnist, travel writer, news writer, ordained minister, music director, creative arts director, theater reviewer and tennis instructor.