Category Archives: LGBTQ Alphabet Soup

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

SPEAKEASY REHEARSAL PICTURE SCRAPBOOK 1

Posted on February 6, 2016 by dannyashkenasi

Matias Polar, Allie Radice, Anne Bragg

Posted in LGBTQ Alphabet Soup, Live! On Stage, The Speakeasy Chronicles | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Adam Szymkowicz interviews Danny Ashkenasi

Posted on February 3, 2016 by dannyashkenasi

So there are two last names with lots of letters and lots of Eastern European heritage… Adam Szymkovicz posted his interview with me yesterday on his site.  You can go to it here or read the excerpt below. Those looking … Continue reading →

Posted in LGBTQ Alphabet Soup, Live! On Stage, Notes in the News, The Speakeasy Chronicles | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

AXS INTERVIEW

Posted on February 2, 2016 by dannyashkenasi

The on-line magazine AXS has published an interview with yours truly.  The questions delve into the evolution of Speakeasy as well as musical influences in my childhood and advice to aspiring playwrights and composers. The article is excerpted below: Interview … Continue reading →

Posted in LGBTQ Alphabet Soup, Live! On Stage, Notes in the News, The Speakeasy Chronicles | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

THEATER IN THE NOW SPOTLIGHT ON … Danny Ashkenasi

Posted on January 29, 2016 by dannyashkenasi

Michael Block from Theater in the Now has posted his interview with me.  Click here to read it. Here some excerpts: Why theater?: I’ve loved performing and music since before I can remember.  It’s always been who I am.  I … Continue reading →

Posted in LGBTQ Alphabet Soup, Live! On Stage, Notes in the News, The Speakeasy Chronicles | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

FASCINATING VIDEO OF JULIAN ELTINGE IN DRAG (with bonus clip of Gene Malin in drag too!)

Posted on January 27, 2016 by dannyashkenasi

One of the musical Speakeasy‘s lead characters, Julian Carnation, is based in part on the real life female impersonator Julian Eltinge (as well as the red Queen and the Mad Hatter from Lewis Carroll’s Alice books). I want to share … Continue reading →

Posted in Cinema Scope, LGBTQ Alphabet Soup, Notes in the News, The Speakeasy Chronicles | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Speakeasy – THE LOBSTER QUADRILLE vs. THE LOBSTER CHARLESTON

Posted on January 24, 2016 by dannyashkenasi

Introducing the latest dance craze from the Roaring Twenties: The Lobster Charleston! The Lobster Charleston Yes, it’s a novelty dance, like the Turkey Trot, or the Chicken Dance, or the Macarena, the Mashed Potato and Gangnam Style. But it’s imaginary, … Continue reading →

Posted in LGBTQ Alphabet Soup, Literary Lyricism, The Speakeasy Chronicles | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Official Speakeasy Publicity Photos

Posted on January 18, 2016 by dannyashkenasi

Chet Cheshire with the Tweedle Sisters (Anne Bragg, Bri Molloy, Allie Radice)   Duchess Bentley, Jane Allison, John Allison & Julian Carnation (Camille Atkinson, Rosalie Graziano, Matias Polar & Tim Connell)   The “dip”.   John surrounded by Julian and … Continue reading →

Posted in LGBTQ Alphabet Soup, Live! On Stage, The Speakeasy Chronicles | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Behind the scenes at the SPEAKEASY PRESS PHOTO SHOOT

Posted on January 11, 2016 by dannyashkenasi

It is an odd reality of our production of Speakeasy that our Public Relations officer required press photos before we even launched into rehearsals.  So we had to “create” moments from the show before we had yet gotten around to … Continue reading →

Posted in LGBTQ Alphabet Soup, Literary Lyricism, Live! On Stage, The Speakeasy Chronicles | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

“CAROL” & THERESE – “SPEAKEASY” & JANE – stories from the time when lesbian love dared not say its name

Posted on December 11, 2015 by dannyashkenasi

      I love the movie “Carol”.  It is one of the best movies of the year, masterful on all levels.  While I was watching it, I kept on thinking: “How exquisitely swoony”.  Refined and restrained on the one … Continue reading →

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

SPEAKEASY GOES OFF TO THE BALLROOM – The Great Drag Balls of the 1920’s/1930’s

Posted on December 2, 2015 by dannyashkenasi

The centerpiece in Act Two of the new musical “Speakeasy – John and Jane Allison in the Wonderland” is the great drag ball at the Jefferson Lodge Ball.  Chet Cheshire presides over the festivities, attended by a sparkling variety of … Continue reading →

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

JULIAN CARNATION / JULIAN ELTINGE – Speakeasy’s Red Queen and Mad Hatter & Broadway’s Famous Female Impersonator

Posted on November 20, 2015 by dannyashkenasi

When I was researching Gay Culture of the 1920’s and 1930’s in preparation for writing “Speakeasy”, I came about an anecdote about a once famous female impersonator of the 1910’s and 1920’s, Julian Eltinge, a star of Vaudeville and the … Continue reading →

Posted in LGBTQ Alphabet Soup, Live! On Stage, Notes in the News, The Speakeasy Chronicles | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

SPEAKEASY Campaign Video Update

Posted on November 3, 2015 by dannyashkenasi

Stolis Hadjicharalambous has completed the final edit of the Speakeasy fundraiser campaign video.  The Kickstarter fundraising campaign will launch in about two weeks. Meanwhile, here are stills of some the images and tracks of some of the music that will … Continue reading →

Posted in LGBTQ Alphabet Soup, The Speakeasy Chronicles | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

ENNOBLING TITILLATION – Company XIV’s carnal, campy, classy CINDERELLA

Posted on October 14, 2015 by dannyashkenasi

“a baroque burlesque ballet” That is how AMDM Productions describes the luscious presentation of “Cinderella” currently playing at the Minetta Lane Theatre.  This undeniably adult take on Charles Perrault’s Cinderella (1697) by Company XIV, which deliciously blends “opera, circus, Baroque … Continue reading →

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

Speakeasy Gay Slang – FLOWERS & FLORISTS & MAE WEST, Oh my!

Posted on October 12, 2015 by dannyashkenasi

After Alice goes through the mirror in Lewis Carroll’s “Through the Looking Glass” she wanders through a mirror image fantastical version of the house she left, then discovers a garden with flowers who not only can talk but will also … Continue reading →

Posted in LGBTQ Alphabet Soup, Literary Lyricism, The Speakeasy Chronicles | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

EVOCATION II – Double Stop Etude or Relationship Elegy?

Posted on October 2, 2015 by dannyashkenasi

There were about 200 wedding guests present when Ed and I got married (the first time) April 25, 1998.  It took at least an hour for the reception line to make its full way past us.  And with the expected … Continue reading →

Posted in Beginnings, Chamber Works, LGBTQ Alphabet Soup | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

DRY OUT THE NATION – SPEAKEASY, PROHIBITION and a very DRY SPEECH

Posted on September 24, 2015 by dannyashkenasi

By the time Jane Allison, in the musical “Speakeasy”, has walked through one door into a speakeasy foyer and through another door into an automat, she realizes that the regular rules and expectations of time and space may not apply … Continue reading →

Posted in LGBTQ Alphabet Soup, Literary Lyricism, Notes in the News, The Speakeasy Chronicles | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment