Category Archives: LGBTQ Alphabet Soup

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

OUR DAY HAS COME – a personal marriage story with musical accompaniment

Posted on June 26, 2015 by dannyashkenasi

Ed and I got married in 1998.  And again in 2011.  Then our marriage got federally augmented in 2013.  And now finally in 2015 the state of our union will be fully recognized in every state of the Union.   It’s … Continue reading →

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SPEAKEASY – Dream a little Dream of Dreams

Posted on June 14, 2015 by dannyashkenasi

When we first meet John and Jane Allison in the musical Speakeasy they are making love. We don’t see them actually.  The lights are out.  We just hear them, some faint sounds of intimacy followed by a post-coital conversation in … Continue reading →

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SNOW WHITE and the SEVEN HOS: an SCA Benefit Performance

Posted on June 11, 2015 by dannyashkenasi

Be warned.  This will not be the Disney Musical Fairy Tale of your or anyone else’s childhood.  For one, Snow White is a recovering sex addict, and the seven dwarfs she meets all struggle with sex addiction and a variety … Continue reading →

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TONY! TONY! TONY! Just Live-Blogging it is Reward Enough!

Posted on June 7, 2015 by dannyashkenasi

Tonight are the Tony Awards!  Woo-hoo!  The Second Gay High Holy Day!  (Well, let’s face it, the Oscars are indisputably the #1 Gay High Holy Day, Gay Christmas!  But the Tonys are a close second, right?  Gay New Year!  Day … Continue reading →

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CHET CHESHIRE, the WONDERLAND M.C. and his feline and real-life inspirations

Posted on May 29, 2015 by dannyashkenasi

The musical “Speakeasy” begins in darkness.  The overture has concluded, all lights have dimmed, we can’t see anything and all we hear is a chime like tone (on an octave of G). Then a tiny spotlight reveals a debonair smile.  … Continue reading →

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Five Reasons to be GLEE-ful!

Posted on May 11, 2015 by dannyashkenasi

Ed and I watched every episode of Glee.  We remained loyal throughout its wild upswings and downturns in popularity and storytelling.  Being of a generation that grew up with few television shows of a musical nature to turn to, and … Continue reading →

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The Walk in the Park that Conceived “Speakeasy”

Posted on April 16, 2015 by dannyashkenasi

I came up with the idea for “Speakeasy” while strolling in Prospect Park with Ed six or seven years ago. But I had the ideas that would lead to the idea for Speakeasy many years, even decades before that moment. … Continue reading →

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How this young chum came to the Cabaret

Posted on April 14, 2015 by dannyashkenasi

This Christmas one of my “stocking stuffers” from Ed was the gift that thrilled me the most this holiday season: a (battery operated) votive candle with an actual screen cell of Liza Minnelli singing the title song from the movie … Continue reading →

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THE SPEAKEASY INTRODUCTION – A fantastical musical of Prohibition era NYC Queer life.

Posted on April 12, 2015 by dannyashkenasi

The following is the official introduction/synopsis for Speakeasy. While you read it, you may want to listen to the Wonderland’s Master of Ceremonies Chet Cheshire sing the Speakeasy opening number: (If you are “greedy” and want to listen to more … Continue reading →

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THE FIRST “NOTES FROM A COMPOSER“ BLOG POST … Or Why am I doing this, really, why?

Posted on April 11, 2015 by dannyashkenasi

Why am I starting this blog? Did I really have this great need to share my views on the arts in general, music and theater in particular, and my own experience in creating music theater very particularly? Um, actually no, … Continue reading →

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