Category Archives: LGBTQ Alphabet Soup

Special focus on Gay/Lesbian/Bisexual/Transgender/Queer Issues

Rosenkavalier Remembrances and Ruminations

Posted on April 8, 2023 by dannyashkenasi

Childhood Anecdote and Queer Cornucopia Last Tuesday I attended “Der Rosenkavalier” for the first time. Or rather I attended all three acts of Richard Strauss’ opera “Der Rosenkavalier” for the first time. Family lore has it that I attended Act … Continue reading →

Posted in Beginnings, LGBTQ Alphabet Soup, Melodies Linger On | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

P&P ART IS ALIVE NOMINATIONS

Posted on December 19, 2022 by dannyashkenasi

ART IS ALIVE FILM FESTIVAL announced 4 nominations for THE PIT AND THE PENDULUM – A MUSICABRE Best Action/Adventure Short Film  Best Male Actor in a Short Film Best Director – Action/Adventure Short Film Best Cinematography – Action/Adventure Short Film … Continue reading →

Posted in Cinema Scope, LGBTQ Alphabet Soup, Poe Musicabres | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

BROOKLYN PRIDE 2022

Posted on June 12, 2022 by dannyashkenasi
Posted in Arts-a-Poppin', LGBTQ Alphabet Soup, Notes in the News | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Impressions from ASSEMBLY

Posted on February 24, 2022 by dannyashkenasi

Fierce and Fabulous If I was allowed just two words to describe the fantastic performance of Rashaad Newsome’s “Assembly” I enjoyed last night at the Park Avenue Armory, those would be the two. Given more words to describe the experience, … Continue reading →

Posted in Arts-a-Poppin', LGBTQ Alphabet Soup, Live! On Stage | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

2021 YEAR END POP CULTURE QUIZ

Posted on December 30, 2021 by dannyashkenasi

One point for each correct answer. No googling! – since I didn’t use google to come up with these questions (only to spell check afterwards) – which is a bit of a brag, yes, yet maybe also revealing something questionable … Continue reading →

Posted in Cinema Scope, LGBTQ Alphabet Soup, Melodies Linger On, Notes in the News | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Mainstreet Musicals touts FEEDSTORE QUARTET

Posted on December 4, 2021 by dannyashkenasi

“Feedstore Quartet”, a musical created by Jack Hilton Cunningham and myself, has been selected by Mainstreet Musicals, a non-profit that “promotes development opportunities for new musicals throughout regional America”, as a Director’s Choice Award Winner. Jack and I met at … Continue reading →

Posted in LGBTQ Alphabet Soup, Live! On Stage, Musicabilia | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

LOVING – Photographic Treasures from the Nini-Treadwell Collection

Posted on November 13, 2021 by dannyashkenasi

Glimpses at a Photographic History of Men in Love 1850 – 1950 Twenty years ago Hugh Nini and Neal Treadwell were browsing through stacks of vintage photographs in a Dallas antique store when they came upon a 1920s photograph of … Continue reading →

Posted in Arts-a-Poppin', LGBTQ Alphabet Soup, Notes in the News | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Awards Speech That Would Have Been

Posted on September 20, 2020 by dannyashkenasi

And the PIIF Best Actor winner is … not me. But hey, my acceptance video is cute, so let’s play it anyway! As you might remember… who am I kidding, why would you remember, but I won a Best Actor … Continue reading →

Posted in Cinema Scope, LGBTQ Alphabet Soup, Notes in the News, Poe Musicabres | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

So last night I received the JUDY GARLAND AWARD

Posted on September 8, 2020 by dannyashkenasi

I could say I’m over the moon… … actually, I’m over the rainbow Last night the Art is Alive Film Festival held its awards ceremony. Just like the festival, it was a virtual affair. Cindy Mich, festival founder, convened a … Continue reading →

Posted in Cinema Scope, LGBTQ Alphabet Soup, Notes in the News, Poe Musicabres | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, ED

Posted on July 12, 2020 by dannyashkenasi

My husband turns 61 today. Happy birthday, Ed! And just like every year for the past 27, I composed a viola piano duet for us to play. Each one is called an Evocation. This year’s birthday duet, Evocation XXVII, takes … Continue reading →

Posted in Chamber Works, LGBTQ Alphabet Soup, Notes in the News | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

An HIV Positive Gay Man’s Advice on Living in the Age of Covid

Posted on June 27, 2020 by dannyashkenasi

My friend Tim Cusack posted this on Facebook: “For all the straight white people whining about how wearing masks is inconvenient and uncomfortable, how you miss human contact and all the things you used to be able to do, bemoaning … Continue reading →

Posted in LGBTQ Alphabet Soup, Notes in the News | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

30 DAY FILM CHALLENGE

Posted on June 17, 2020 by dannyashkenasi

DAY 1 – the first film you remember watching My memory is tricky here, but it was definitely Disney. I remember being told the first film I saw in the theater (at age 3) was either “Fantasia” or “Pinocchio” (either … Continue reading →

Posted in Cinema Scope, LGBTQ Alphabet Soup | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Trans Women are Women. Trans Men are Men. Non-binary People are Non-binary

Posted on June 11, 2020 by dannyashkenasi

I remember defending my identity as a bisexual man against gay men and women who passionately felt adding the B to what is now LGBTQ somehow attacked their identity. I remember defending same sex marriage against those who passionately believed … Continue reading →

Posted in LGBTQ Alphabet Soup, Notes in the News | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

4/25/20

Posted on April 25, 2020 by dannyashkenasi

  Today is Ed and my anniversary. 27 years together.  22 years married. And it’s a Saturday.  Last time our anniversary fell on a Saturday was five years ago.  It won’t happen again for another six years. So of course … Continue reading →

Posted in Beginnings, LGBTQ Alphabet Soup, Notes in the News | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

CORONAVIRUS DANCERCISING

Posted on April 8, 2020 by dannyashkenasi

  Boogieing Away the COVID 19 Blues New York City’s gyms were shut down four days after Broadway and one day after the schools.  Six days later the whole state would be ordered to shelter at home.  There was to … Continue reading →

Posted in LGBTQ Alphabet Soup, Melodies Linger On, Notes in the News | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

COLUMBUS CIRCLE HOLIDAY MARKET & Yuletide Music Quiz

Posted on December 24, 2019 by dannyashkenasi

  A Photo Stroll around New York City’s biggest Holiday Market, plus a little Yuletide Music Quiz*.   *answers tucked in the tags at the bottom of this post   Yuletide Song Quiz 1: What is the name of the … Continue reading →

Posted in Arts-a-Poppin', LGBTQ Alphabet Soup, Melodies Linger On, Two-fisted Touristing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment