PODCAST: (It's FAB w/ MK Scott) Hopelessly Devoted to Olivia and OITNB!

It's Fab podcast is BACK with Summer Lovin' from Olivia Newton-John who has been busy in the last few years with her Vegas Residency at the Flamingo, three albums and a new one on the way, and in her free time she devotes the proceeds and countless hours to her Cancer Wellness charities. Now she is on tour.

After a little phone tag, we finally chatted by phone and she has a lot to be proud of after 50 years of entertainment:

(OUTview NW) RE-view: Olivia Newton-John at Snoqualmie was simply a magical 'Twist of Fate'!

(Snoqualmie)

by MK Scott

Olivia Newton-John is an icon and is clearly a pioneer as a crossover artist and I realized just how much like Taylor Swift she was when I learned of Olivia's journey as a crossover artist from country to Pop in the mid-70's to being a cultural icon from Grease to Xanadu to, of course, the 'Physical' phenomenon in the '80s and once again re-inventing herself in the '90s and beyond.

In my interview published in the SGN August 19 she was ecstatic to be back in Seattle and that the Aug 25th concert would at Snoqualmie Casino's Outdoor amphitheater. The show started only 15 minutes late with no opening act. Olivia, wearing a black suit with a gorgeous white jacket brought back the 'Magic' and 'Xanadu.' Then 'Suddenly,' with one of her back-up singers, she took on the Cliff Richard part.

(OUTview NW) RE-view: SOUND Theater's Amazing "Ensemble" Season continues with the Sensational 'One Man and Two Guvnors'!

(Ken Holmes)

by MK Scott

When I attended the opening night performance of Sound Theater's production of One Man and Two Guvnors by Richard Bean, it felt oddly familiar and I knew of the story and then it hit me that this was an adaptation of a play staged by Seattle Rep in 2013 called a Servant of Two Masters, an Italian play that was written in 1753 by Carlo Goldoni.

For Two Guvs (written in 2011) the play is updated to 1963 England with contemporary Songs added that each cast member takes turns performing.

Compared to Two Masters, that featured so much Improv, that got a little too much as I wrote in 2013:

Truffadino is more like the Aladden's Genie with the modern references and slapstick Inprov. By Act 2, the constant Improv, which in the theater, can be misunderstood as Ad-libbing. Sometimes it went on for too long. 

EXCLUSIVE: After 50 years, Olivia Newton-John still 'hopelessly devoted' to her Gay audience!

by MK Scott


Olivia Newton-John has been busy in the last few years with her Vegas residency at the Flamingo, three albums and a new one on the way, and in her free time, she devotes the proceeds and countless hours to her Cancer Wellness charities. Now she is on tour and will hit Seattle's Snoqualmie Casino next Thursday, August 25th.

After a little phone tag, we finally chatted by phone and she has a lot to be proud of after 50 years of entertainment:



MK Scott: Olivia, thanks for joining us! First, I wanted to congratulate you on your 50th year in show business.

Olivia Newton-John: Oh, thank you! Yea!

MK: It's gone by so quickly!

ONJ: I'm very lucky; it has for me, I don't know about you!

MK: Well, especially since it's been almost 40 years since Grease, and I remember that so well!

ONJ: Yes, yes, it's been a long time since that as well; it's all been a wonderful great journey!

MK: Yes, and your Las Vegas show just keeps on getting extended and extended at the Flamingo.

ONJ: Yes. It's been a lot of fun!

MK: I guess the summer nights have continued.

ONJ: Yes, it's just one long night. It's been great!

MK: And finally you're on tour and you're coming to Seattle. We're looking forward to that. What can we expect?

ONJ: Me, too! I love Seattle, love Seattle; it's one of my favorite places and the San Juan Islands. You can expect a show of my hits, the songs people expect from me. Songs from my country time, from Grease, from Xanadu, from, you know, my earlier songs when I first started, my rock and roll era, and then some of my environmental music, because I've written quite a few songs about the planet, like 'Care Deeply For Her' and 'What's Going To Happen,' so I do a little medley of environmental songs, but it's a fun show and it's been going really well in Vegas and I'm excited to bring it there!

MK: Wonderful, and also this is at Snoqualmie; they have an outdoor amphitheater they use for the summer.

ONJ: Oh, wonderful! I think it will, that will be a change, I haven't done that for a while.

MK: Awesome, and you also have a new album coming out called Liv On (how appropriate) out in September.

ONJ: Yes, it comes out on September 30th, that I recorded with my dear friends Amy Skye and Beth Chapman who are wonderful singer/songwriters, who are dear longtime friends of mine. And we wrote an album. I lost my sister three years ago to cancer and it was a difficult time, and I wrote a song for her kind of as my way of expressing how I felt about losing her and I miss her. So I called my friend Amy Skye who produced my Grace and Gratitude album and asked if she would help me finish it, and we got talking about loss and grief and how these things started our music really for people going through that. She had just lost her mother and Beth, we knew, had lost her husband not so many weeks before and [Beth] had written a wonderful song called 'Sand and Water' about that time, a beautiful song that I've also sung. So I thought it would be wonderful to create a trio of women to sing about these things that are so important about grief and how you get to the other side, how you move on, which is the name of the title, title of the album rather, and so we wrote these songs and we also re-recorded songs of ours that have been successful. Beth re-recorded 'Sand and Water,' Amy re-recorded a song that was a hit called 'I'll Take Care of You' and I recorded, re-recorded 'Grace and Gratitude' and the rest are all new songs and them kind of take you on a journey through grief and re-birth. Really it's, I'm really excited about this album, I'm very proud of it.

MK: And I hear a portion of the Vegas show goes to your cancer research and wellness centers.

ONJ: Yes. A portion of every ticket goes to the wellness program of my cancer center in Melbourne, so that is wonderful and inspires me every time.

MK: In fact the Gaia wellness retreat is now in it's 10th year, congrats!

ONJ: Yea, Gaia just celebrated our 10th year. I'm also very proud of that. It was something born out of a dream of my friend Greg and I, we both dreamt about it, which is wild, and we started with no idea, we had never had a retreat before, we just knew we wanted to create a space where our friends could come and a place that we would like to go to, and now we are an award-winning spa, and it's a heaven, a heavenly place.

MK: And now do you have any message for your Gay fans?

ONJ: Oh! Oh yea! Well, thank you for all your support! I think Gay fans have been extremely loyal and loving towards me and I really appreciate that. And, I look forward to seeing them at the shows!

MK: Now what is next for you? Are you going to continue, do you think you'll continue, the Vegas residency past December?

ONJ: I don't know yet, there are no plans at the moment, but you never know what can happen. (Laughter.) I'm planning on next year to have some more downtime, and um, following some more of my other pursuits, and um, playing and spending time with my animals, and also working on the Liv On an album with my friends Amy and Beth. I'd like to do a few shows with them. So um, yea it's an open book right now.

MK: Any acting coming up?

ONJ: No plans right now.

MK: Yea, I was disappointed when I saw you were not going to be in the Sordid Lives movie.

ONJ: Yea, well, you know I did that one and that was fun, but I was so busy with everything that I'm doing, that it just didn't work out, but I wish Del all the best. I'm sure it will be wonderful and very funny.

MK: Yea, we've chatted with Del before and he's great.

ONJ: Yea, he is.

MK: Well then, at the end of the interview I usually end with my burning question, my burning question, which is the most important question.

ONJ: Uh-huh?

MK: Who was a better dancer? John Travolta your Grease co-star, or Gene Kelly your Xanadu co-star?

ONJ: Oh goodness, you can't, you can't compare; that's like comparing apples and oranges. Both different; both different and both wonderful.

MK: I bet it was amazing to be one of the last people to dance with Gene Kelly.

ONJ: It really, I know, what an honor, yes really, and he was such a lovely man, a fantastic experience I will never forget, to dance with him. Thank you very much.

MK: Thank you so much. I'm glad we were able to connect; and hopefully, I'll meet you in person sometime, either at the Snoqualmie show or in Vegas sometime.

ONJ: Okay, lovely, thank you.

MK: Thank you so much, we adore you.

ONJ: Thank you!

For all things Olivia Newton-John, please visit her site at olivianewton-john.com.

(OUTview NW) Concert RE-view: For the first time in 15 years Culture Club is Back, Mature and really Wowed Chateau Ste. Michelle!

Photo: Drew Lienau

by MK Scott

Another concert on my bucket list was finally fulfilled on Thurs, August 11th, when Culture Club toured the US for the first time in 15 years with a visit at Chateau Ste. Michelle's summer concert series in Woodinville.

With Boy George's muse (and ex-lover), Jon Moss taking center stage at his drum set and followed by Roy Hay and Mikey Craig and finally Boy George, 55, himself belting out Church of the Poison Mind without Helen Terry, but with the key backupsinger mimicking her voice perfectly. Boy George's voice sounded lower (ongoing throat issues) but didn't disappoint.

(OUTview NW) RE-view: After 32 years, 'Weird Al' is Still Ageless and Weird-ly Funny!

MKS

by MK Scott

It was 1984, when I first heard this singer/comedian hit the airwaves with parodies of hit songs from Madonna and Michael Jackson and while those music videos were comic gold, we thought he had disappeared from the spotlight until a few years ago with some you song, but it was eminent that "Weird Al' Yankovic has always been in pop culture and even the punchline in many TV shows and films as evidence on his Seattle stop on July 26th at Woodland Parks' Zoo Tunes.

The concert was family-friendly and started at 6:00 pm on a Tuesday night, and most probably had no idea of 'Weird Al's' iconic status.

(OUTview AMERICA) Director, Gillian Armstrong on "ORRY-KELLY: Women He's Undressed', Coming to DVD and VOD ON 8/9!

by MK Scott

Who was Orry-Kelly? The name is forgotten but he was the King of Hollywood costumes from the 1930's to the early 1960's and was Australia's first Hollywood Star.

Kelly had a secret long-term relationship with Archie Leach (aka Cary Grant) before even moving to Hollywood and garnered 3 Oscars for his designs for An American in Paris, Les Girls, and Some Like It Hot.

Now, his life and work can finally celebrated in the DVD release of  Women He's Undressed. It is more than a documentary, it is part narrative as Orry (played very campy by Aussie, Darren Gilshenan) as well as some great interviews from Jane Fonda, Angela Lansbury, Scotty Bowers (At your Service) and Gay Hollywood expert, William Mann (Wisecracker).

I had a chance to chat with the director, Gillian Armstrong about her film and legacy of Orry-Kelly.

(OUTview NW) RE-view: With Sound Theater's 'Judas', Everyone Sees the Light!

Satan Stuns Cunningham!              (Holmes)

by MK Scott

A few years back, I reviewed 2 plays back to back about famous people in the after life, and I would assume,  the Mountaintop (staged by Artswest) and Sleep, Marilyn and Dream (staged by SPT) were most likely inspired by Stephen Adly Guirgis' 2005 Play, The Last Days of Judas Iscariot, currently staged by Sound Theater.

Judas (played by the incredible, Jose Abaoag, recently from WET's 99 Ways) is catatonic in Hell, while top Attorney, Cunningham (Played by the always FAB, Caitlyn Francis) is in a pugatory courtroom pleading ex-confederate soldier and judge (Keith Dahlgren) to plead Judas' right for an appeal of betraying Jesus. On the prosecution side, we have the very flamboyant Egyptian, Yusef (the super entertaining, Yusef Mahmoud, recently seen in Artswest's American Idiot) and finally as the trial begins, so do the incredible performances of several of the actors.

Remembering our Dearly Departed Pal, Doug Titus!

Reprinted From SGN

Doug was huge supporter of OUTview and was our Pride driver in '11 and '12.  More photos Below! 

PODCAST: (It's FAB w/ MK) Celebrating Pride with Martha Wash and Randy Jones!

It's Fab podcast is BACK just in time for Pride week. we got 2 icons all in the same show. Later, Damon Jacobs starts his GLAAD coverage the Iconic, Randy 'Cowboy' Jones of the Village People. But first, MK speaks Exclusively with former Weather Girl, Martha Wash, who hits Seattle this weekend for Pride.

Also we close out our show with new music by Eli Lieb and Brandon Skeie's haunting tribute to Orlando with 'Pulse'.

(OUTview NW) INTER-view: Gershowitz's 'OZ ANEW', set for PRIDE Weekend Preview!

by MK Scott


This brand new production of America's favorite American Classic story is brought to you by a Award winning NYC Director and Writer, Michael Gershowitz and based on the original book of the Wonderful Wizard of oz, and the backstories of the character's that Dorothy and Toto are introduced to.

Oz is not a happy fairy tale, politics and intrigue are rampant as power struggles between opposing forces divides the land and its people. It is here that a young Orphan girl from Kansas first enters the story as a helpless traveler and later becomes Oz's greatest heroine. Lifted from the pages of L.Frank Baum's Oz books, the history of the land and its strange inhabitants are presented by Page 2 Stage Entertainment. With lush and exciting and at time's intoxicating Score, this World Premiere of OZ ANEW should not be missed by any Oz fan or book reader.


Cone see a free preview this weekend on Seattle's Broadway,  I had a chance to chat with Gershowitz:

(OUTview NW) INTER-view: MK gets the Dirt from Peaches Christ on "Whatever Happened to Bianca Del Rio?"

by MK Scott

She's  BACK! After taking 'Return to Grey Gardens' on the road in the last few years, Peaches Christ is back at Seattle's Egytian Theater this Thursday, June 23rd for 2 shows only!

Sister, sister, oh so big, why is their blood all over your wig...? Peaches Christ invites you to attend the Seattle Premiere of her hag-a-rific theatrical showcase "Whatever Happened to Bianca Del Rio?" starring the unmatched talents of...PEACHES and the Super crazy, BIANCA DEL RIO.


Don't miss the SEATTLE PREMIERE of the Peaches Christ production, "Whatever Happened To Bianca Del Rio?" Find out what happens when two aging drag sisters live out their later years together in a hag-arrific house of horrors.

Former child-star and RuPaul's Drag Race winner Bianca Del Rio wants to re-mount the show she did as a little girl when her hit song "I've Written A Letter To Draggy" dominated the vaudeville circuit but her drag-sister Peaches Christ proves to be a burden on wheels. Don't miss this psycho biddy stage-show celebration of insanity. Bianca dolls and rat sandwiches included!

We were lucky to catch up with Peaches at last monthes, Sinema at Crypticon, and got a preview of the new show. 

(OUTview AMERICA): INTER-view: Jake Biondi Previews Boystown Season 5!

by MK Scott

The BOYSTOWN series has a fascinating history. It began as an online story released in installments, each ending with a cliffhanger that left readers wondering what would happen to their favorite characters. Enthusiastic BOYSTOWN fans from all over the world petitioned Biondi to release the installments more quickly; they simply couldn’t wait to find out what happened next. Overwhelmed by and grateful for the fans’ responses to the series, Biondi began to write more quickly and also began to publish the series in book format.

Like the first four books, BOYSTOWN Season Five is available at bookstores across the country as well at online at amazon.com, bn.com, and iTunes. The series is available in paperback, audio book, and all e-book formats. Readers may order autographed paperback copies of the books directly from BoystownTheSeries.com.

(OUTview NW) RE-view: Fantastic Z's Psycho Beach Party is Camp, Beefcake and More!

Mommie Issues?                                  (Garland)

by MK Scott

Last year at this time, Fantastic Z (a Seattle LGBTQ theater company) brought us a Trans/Western called Sidewinders (Yes, Really) that I gave a mixed review. What a difference a year makes, their latest, Psycho Beach Party by the genus, Charles Busch, is a Campy HIT. Considering the source of the material, it was going to be a hit, but in this production it is the actors that make the show shine.

As a fan of the film, this was my first viewing of the original play. The play is more about Chicklet and her multiple personalities than the film's major plot of a serial killer on the loose.

(OUTview NW) RE-view: Artswest's Season of Substance, ends with the 'Heartbreaking' SALESMAN!

Thankful for no more traveling! (Brunk)

by MK Scott

This was quite an Arthur Miller season, having started at Seattle Rep last fall with a View from the Bridge to Artswest closing its "roller coaster" season  of substance with Miller's American Classic, Death with a Salesman . 

They say that Willy Lohman is one of the best characters that every character actor will play eventually. In this he isn't really sympathetic as well as his 2 sons, only Mrs. Lohman has any rooting value.

So, Artswest delivers this classic, thanks to director, Matthew Wright and including a FAB performance by Seattle legend, David Pichette as Willy, the aging salesman who wastes his life and humiliates himself to pay off his house payments for his family. The guilt and pain is so overwhelming that his family ignores all the signs of his depression.

(OUTview NW) Seattle Rep's "Sherlock Holmes and the American Problem" Brings IT and More!

"Blame the Americans"            (Bennion)

by MK Scott

It has been 3 years, since we first saw R. Hamilton Wright's (and David Pichette) hugely adaptation of The Hound of the Baskervilles and is poised to create a series of plays based on the Holmes and Watson but not a particular Sir Arthur Conan Doyle book. Wright's (without Pichette) latest is a new and original play with Sherlock Holmes and the American Problem.

This play we actually get to see more of Darragh Kennen's Hysterical Holmes, in Baskerville,  he was mostly MIA in Act 1 and shows up in Act 2 in disguise. Not so in this version and Kennen is quite entertaining as he gets involved in a case with an American Celebrity, Annie Oakley (Christine Marie Brown), herself!

(OUTview NW) RE-view: My Name is Asher Lev is Perfect Testament of the Battle between ART and FAITH!

(Bakketun)

by MK Scott

Last Fall, I reviewed the unforgettable and chilling FESTEN at New Century Theater Company and was intrigued with what they would do with, "My Name is Asher Lev” Based on the best-selling book by Chaim Potok, this adaptation by Aaron Posner and Directed by Sheila Daniels.

The play is about Asher Lev (the always Fab, Conner Neddersen), a Brooklyn bred Hasidic Jewish Painter with Conservative parents and the talent and drive to paint.

His parents are played by Amy Thone and Bradford Farwell, who played the father and mother in FESTEN and this time you have an overbearing, but passionate father and the ultra religious mother horrified at Asher's nude sketches that they drew as a teen.

Then we see Farwell as the supportive Rebbe who refers Asher to Jacob Kahn (also played by Farwell with a Brooklyn accent) to mentor the young Asher to come to terms that Art should be separate from religious morals. In one scene, Thone appears as a Topless model for Asher that helps to create a forbidden piece of his parents that goes against his religious beliefs to a crushing conclusion.

Separate, but Equal.

NCTC's My Name is Asher Lev continues through May 21st at 12th Ave Arts. Click HERE for TIX and INFO.

(OUTview NW) RE-view: Theater Schmeater's 'Fatal Footlights' is a "What If" Whodunit, with Great Performances!

Elementary, my dear sis, Gwendolyn! (Hastings)

by MK Scott

Last October I attend my first production ever at Theater Schmeater for our fave, Tom Stewart's performance in 'Welcome to my Secret Lair" and found it to be quite entertaining. So when Stewart stars in a show, you go and be prepared to be mesmerized.

This time around it is a Steampunk murder mystery set in 1885 London called Fatal Footlights by our pal, John Longenbaugh along with Louis Broome with a "What if" scenario that brings George Bernard Shaw (Matthew Middleton), Bram Stoker (John McCenna) Dame Ellen Terry (Niki Visel) and Oscar Wilde (Tadd Morgan) all together to tell this story in a very Phantom of the Opera way with little Sherlock Holmes in the form of the Sexually fluid,  Cyril (Jeremy Adams) aided by his sister, Gwendolyn  (Katherine Grant-Suttie). I realized this was part of a Series of plays, and now I am intrigued for more.

(It's FAB w/ MK Scott) Project Runway All-star, Mondo Guerra and Sean Dorsey's 'Missing Generation'!

It's Fab podcast is BACK after our Spring Break! This Week, MK chats with Project Runway All-star, Mondo Guerra on why you should "Dine Out for life". Plus Trans-Choregrapher, Sean Dorsey on the 'Missing Generation'!

Finally, New Music from Alive or Awake/Joe Moralez!

(OUTscene America) RE-view: Zumanity still one of sexiest shows on the Vegas Strip!

by MK Scott

It has been 5 years since we last saw Zumanity in Vegas at New York, New York, From the Creative artists from Cirque du Soleil.


I was thrilled to have a opportunity see this Sexy production and was not disappointed (well, Maybe too many Nude Show Girls and Ariel artists) but this time a around was a mixed bag, cause there wasn't the same balance I saw in 2011. I will get that that later.

Billing itself as "Another side of Cirque du Soleil," this New York-New York Hotel & Casino resident production makes the most of its difference from other Cirque shows. A combination burlesque/cabaret, ZUMANITY, recalls the ribald Rocky Horror Picture Show of years gone by. The flavor of ZUMANITY can best be tasted on its menu of production numbers like Body2Body, Dislocation, 2Men and Midnight Bath and Orgy. Needless to say, ZUMANITY is not a show for the little ones, but it's pure Las Vegas entertainment, with a sharp sexual edge.