SPOTLIGHT
friend and mentor, told me that he thought Tales of the City and More Tales of the City should’ve been one big novel. This, in essence, is what they’ve done. It sounds like the show has all of the makings a hit—are there any plans to possibly have this version of Tales become a silver screen musical ala Hairspray—or is that putting the cart before the horse? It has to succeed on the stage first (laughs). Of course I have fantasies, some of which include it
moving beyond this non-profit theater company to a theater elsewhere. We try to make this the best that we could make it at this point and go from there. To be honest with you, I have a very good instinct about it. But I’m not really capable of judging these things. So all I’m riding on is the high hopes and belief in the artists who are creating it—and we’re having fun, that’s always a good sign! The people involved with it are all very excited, and the cast is completely revved. This is a three-parter: Since we are getting closer to the curtain raising on a brand new Tales experience, have you seen the show in its entirety? What do you think of its cast, and what experience will fans come away with in seeing this new incarnation? Well, I’ve seen workshop versions of it, but it’s a fluid entity right now, so it’s always changing. I will see sets and costumes for the first time next Monday and I’m really excited about that! Sometime, in the next few weeks, I’ll see a run through of the way it is in its current incarnation. Well, the cast members are all Broadway veterans; that’s quite a boon to what is fundamentally a production for a non-profit regional theater. We’ve attracted a lot of great talent, and I’m very happy about it. Oh I hope they’ll feel moved and exhilarated, and all of the usual things that you want a musical
to do (laughs). I think a lot of its themes having to do with coming out and being yourself (fighting the narrow minds of the world) are still as relevant now as they were 35 years ago. We have a moment with Anita Bryant in this musical that is no different from anything Michele Bachmann and Sarah Palin are saying. I think we’re hearing a louder noise from the religious radical right because they know they’re losing the battle. Puritans almost never win out in America, we’ve had them from the very beginning. They were the ones burning witches, after all. It’s a very un-American thing, in the end, to try to tell people how to live. The trick is to fight consistency in your own attitude about yourself, and not worry too much about what the tides are. Life shouldn’t be run by opposing poles.
To purchase tickets for Armistead Maupin’s Tales of the City: A New Musical, log onto
act-sf.org. For a new social networking experience, check out his husband Christopher Turner’s new website,
bearcentral.com.
On his friendship with Laura Linney… She’s a lovely, talented, kind, generous person, so she makes
a terrific friend. When my partner Chris and I got married, back in 2008, we asked Laura to come and read a poem that had figured in our courtship. So Laura came and read the poem at our wedding, and a few
months later, she asked me if we would come east and read the same poem at her wedding. We both have that poem hanging on our walls in our respective homes now. She is quite remark-
able...she’s a good gal.
On reviews of his work, including
salon.com’s “The most sublime piece of popular literature America has ever produced…” Well, it doesn’t hurt when somebody says something that nice (laughs). You can’t take it too seriously, because then you’ll also have to take seriously the negative reviews.
On furthering his Tales of the City series… I don’t know (laughs)…there’s a strong likelihood that there
will be. But, I never commit at this point, because I like to leave all of my options open. I’m happy to report that there will soon be e-book versions of all of the books.
On summing up his life, at this exact moment in time… I’m feeling as if a journey of 35 years is about to arrive at a
very exciting destination. I have many things to look forward to, and at my age that’s quite a plus. I know people who, at the age of 66, spend all of their time looking back, and all I do these days is look forward to some wonderful new thing that I’m anticipating. And I feel really blessed in that way. There’s no reason why life can’t keep getting interesting.
50 RAGE monthly | MAY 2011
RAGE monthly | MAY 2011
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