Seattle Gay News has launched GoFundMe campaign

Seattle Gay News recently launched a GoFundMe campaign to help cover operating expenses impacted by COVID-19 and the subsequent loss of considerable advertising revenue.

Seattle Gay News and Angela Cragin are organizing this fundraiser.

Seattle Gay News Needs Your Support Now!
As the third oldest LGBTQ+ publication in the U.S, the SGN has been your independent advocate and voice of the LGBTQ+ community in Seattle and Washington state for 47 years.

From gay marriage, child adoption, AIDS, domestic rights, and every other issue affecting the community, the SGN has been and is a central force of change – for you!

(SHOWcase) New Musical Supporting True Colors Fund!

The struggle for social justice is under siege in the United States. A new play from award-winning novelist Marc Acito and composer-lyricist and Grammy nominee Amy Engelhardt, “Bastard Jones,” aims to fight back.


Inspired by the 1963 film Tom Jones, the pair believes that you can substitute any discriminated minority for the word “bastard,” and the tale is as relevant today as it was over 250 years ago. Everyone is entitled to the pursuit of happiness, no matter their birth circumstances, and Bastard Jones is about young people banished from their families simply for expressing their true selves. It’s a farce with a rock score is about an outsider’s quest for acceptance.


Broadway librettist (ALLEGIANCE) and award-winning novelist (HOW I PAID FOR COLLEGE) Marc Acito and composer-lyricist Amy Engelhardt (genre-busting Grammy noms THE BOBS). Together they've written BASTARD JONES, a rock musical comedy.

(SHOWCASE) Broadway Composers Team Up to Raise Money for Beaverton High School Spring Musical!

By MK Scott

If you have lived in Portland for the past 40 plus years, you may have heard of the late great musical theater director, James N. Erickson, who was a staple at the Lakewood Center as well as the now defunct Portland Civic Theatre, Sylvia’s Class Act Dinner Theatre and the Musical Company. Plus he produced Breakfast with Santa for Meier and Frank for over 30 years.

Erickson was also the head of the Beaverton High School Theater Arts Department for 29 years from 1970 to 1999, and was an enduring mentor for many of Portland’s thriving theater scene from Jay Horenstein, Greg Tamblyn, Dale Johannes, and John Oules to Broadway stars such as Brooks Ashmanskas and Shoshanna Bean.

After Erickson’s retirement in 1999 and sudden death in 2004, the Beaverton High Drama Department struggled for over a decade up until last year, when Shannon Dery stepped up to lead a new generation of theater (and queer) students.

To gain some support, I contacted my celebrity friends and was able to get Olivia Newton-John to do a small shout out to ask people to help save the school’s 2016 production of “Grease.”

We raised over $3,000, and as a bonus, many alumni that hadn’t visited their high school in decades came back and pledged their support for Erickson’s successor.

So how do we top Olivia Newton-John? It was luck that Beaverton chose Terrence McNally’s adaptation of the classic film of “Catch Me If You Can,” which made its world premiere at Seattle’s famed Fifth Avenue Theater, which I have a connection to. They encouraged me to get in touch with the composers, Marc Shaiman and Scott Whitman (Hairspray), who agreed to record the shout-out — and totally surprised me with a cameo by the king of Broadway himself, Lin-Manuel Miranda (Hamilton)!

We need volunteers and contributions to give these kids the professionalism and the support that only the legacy of Erickson can provide.

Check out our Campaign video at www.gofundme.com/support-bhss-musical-fund.

(SHOWCASE) Best of 2015 and Updates!

OPEN is Looking FINE!

In 2015, our Showcase series focused on highlighting some of the best projects, film, and TV series that needed that extra special attention for their crowd funding campaigns.

The following are the top 5 posts of our showcase series (and yes most were successful) based on page views:

(SHOWcase) Olivia Newton-John wants You to Save a Oregon High School's Production of 'Grease'!

We Go Together.

As many of you know, MK's Alma Mater, Beaverton High School in Beaverton, Oregon, had at one time been one of the Best Theater Departments on the West Coast and world Famous, back in the 80's and 90's some stars to come out of that time were our very own, Jesse Archer, Broadway's Brooks Ashmanskas and Shoshana Bean and more.

After a decade of hits and misses, BHS finally has the opportunity to be great again and as it celebrates its 100th anniversary they are doing it with a production of GREASE with alums part of the Production. OUTview OUTreach's James N. Erickson Legacy Project is proud to help raise the $50K needed to make this production as great as the 1990 production was. BTW..Sandy was played by Music Sensation, Stephanie Schneiderman.

So, we needed a Powerhouse Star, and luckily our Pal, Olivia Newton-John was willing to tape a special message. Please Help Us raise the 1st $5,000 by Christmas and please join us for an incredible show in May 2016. Click HERE to support this project!

(SHOWCASE) Playing Gay!

Playing Gay: How America Came Out on Television is a documentary film that needs the support of the LGBT community and its allies in order to be made. The film will tell -- for the first time -- the story of how television changed the way America views LGBT people.

There has been a major shift in the hearts and minds of America over the past four decades. Television has been both the catalyst for and a powerful reflection of Americans’ views on gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people.

We are lining up interviews with actors and directors who have played key roles in the history of LGBT people on TV. But in order to shoot and edit this film, we need you.

Without you, we won't be able to tell this story! Please Support this Project!

(SHOWCASE) Open....a gay bedroom comedy!

Welcome to the Indiegogo crowd-funding campaign for Open!, the new gay comedy from VanderHart productions, produced by Bruce Hart. We are over the moon to be producing this film but we are counting on your help to make it happen!

Open is a bedroom comedy evocative of those fun 1960s romps but updated for the new millennium. The script is truly a hilarious sexy gay rom-com that explores both monogamy and open relationships. We have some terrific names attached to the project and are in talks with several other surprise names to be announced soon!


A married gay couple are celebrating their anniversary (ten years of monogamy) when they begin to wonder if they are missing out on something. Their best friends are in an open relationship and somehow the grass appears to be a little greener on their side of the fence.

So…they decide to experiment. They draft a set of rules for exploring an open relationship and then dive right in—to hilarious sometimes disastrous results! Add in some very sexy guys, and some crazy messed up dates and some poignant moments and this couple is about to learn a lot about redefining a relationship — or not.

(SHOWcase) John Simpson's The Beach House, the Film!

The Beach House will be one of the first LGBT films focusing on gays in the military. More importantly, what happens when they return to the states, often with PTSD.

As the filmmaking team, our goal is to make an important film that sheds light on the struggles that our vets, both gay and straight, have when they return home. The Beach House will be a beautiful, engrossing and romantically charged film.

It will have a realistic budget, efficient shooting schedule and will show a love story never before seen in an LGBT film.

That said, the total minimum budget for this film is forty thousand dollars, ($40,000) Any money raised above that amount will go towards the cost of conducting this campaign and then to entering the finished film into well-known film festivals and advertising.

Michael Simon has been retained to direct The Beach House. Michael's last film, The Love Patient, which was both written and directed by him, received a global distribution deal with TLA Releasing and was shown on Here! TV. The film won TLA's Gaybie Award for Best Romance/Comedy 2012.

Just one reason that John Simpson, the screenwriter, has such confidence in the creativity and professionalism of Michael Simon. Michael, along with John, will also act as Producer and co-producer. We are happy to give substantial donors the title of Executive Producer.

(SHOWcase) THE AUTOMAT, The Horn & Hardart Documentary!

Americans once sipped coffee and ate pie around communal tables, sharing their struggles and dreams with strangers at Horn & Hardart’s iconic Automat. Lifetimes ago, these working class palaces nourished a sense of unity that bridged the diversity of class, language, gender and race in the urban melting pots of the East Coast.

The story begins in a booming Philadelphia in the late 1800s. White-collar workers are flooding into the offices of newly built skyscrapers, and lunchrooms are springing up to feed them. Coentrepreneurs Joseph Horn and Frank Hardart seize their chance and by the early 1900s have BUILT a thriving chain of small restaurants and cafeterias, the latter a brand new trend of its own. Hardart brings back from Europe inspiration for the Automat, a ‘waiterless’ cafeteria that proves enormously popular, making the Horn and Hardart chain the dominant American restaurant company for the next half century. Kings of the New York and Philly restaurant scenes, the Automats feed millions throughout the Depression and two World Wars, serving all comers in palaces of marble, silver, and steel. Good food served cheap, and the enduring thrill of the automat machines themselves wins the Automat a place in our culture and hearts alike.

(Old Dogs SPECIAL) Bruce & Nelson Vs Nathan & Leon!

8-1/2 minutes of gossip, clips of their bitchiest scenes & never-seen backstage footage! Old Dogs & New Tricks stars Leon Acord & Bruce L. Hart discuss the sick relationship of Nathan & on the popular gay digital series. For a full, final season pls help at igg.me/at/ODNTs4 !

Watch the first 3 seasons at www.odnt.tv

(SHOWcase) Help Build the NEW Outview News Network!

It was this month in 2010 when I started  OUTview Online,  and what a great ride it has been. We started up slow, and then got to high rankings on Google. We are a leader in collaborative Multi-media Journalism and have scored from Politics to Entertainment. From Portland to Seattle to up and down the west coast to New York and beyond. We have been the little engine that can and are about to jump start in a big way.

Everything from News to Web Programs, Regional News, Interviews, Podcasts and more have all been at Outviewonline.com.

Now, we will begin the process of creating 3 new sites, starting with the International Outview News Network site on its own server.

This site will have News and Opinions, in the style of Salon and HuffGay.

OUTview Online has a huge presence on Google (Thanks to Blogger) but it has kept us from growing the way we should. When people actually make it the site, they are astounded with all our progress and exclusives. Staying independent means that YOU, the readers, are our bosses, rather than some corporation. We pride ourselves on being accessible to readers and receptive to their needs and requests.

But, lacking corporate support means we lack the in-house tech support (and the access to funds to pay for that), expert web development and programming and Social Media to get more followers.

Thanks to some advertising revenue as well as lots of Trades, We have survived.

(SHOWcase) We need More Coffee House Chronicles!

Coffee House Chronicles is an anthology web series that explores the many ways that we connect in this brave new world of the Internet, social media — and coffee houses on every corner.

The first episode, Secret Asian Man, is sexy and funny — but also explores racism in the LGBT community. It stars two gorgeous and talented actors, Mykee Steen and Cesar Cipriano.

In the second episode, The Exception, Jeff is haunted — literally — by his perfect ex. Can his quirky and less-than-perfect BFF, Anthony, get him to leave behind the idealized past in exchange for a messy, imperfect future together? The cast includes the talented actors Darryl Stephens (Noah's Arc), Drew Droege (Sassy Pants, the Chloë shorts), and Chris Salvatore (the Eating Out movies).

(SHOWcase) Support VJ Band's Music Video, 'THE BONES OF RICHARD III'!

Photo: Karla Eskro

To promote the launch of VJ Band's brand New CD "Living In A Blue State" the group is making its very first Music Video in collaboration with Northwest Filmmaker Sebastien Scandiuzzi (of Pressing Pictures); The band's first single, an original tune "The Bones of Richard III" (Music & Lyrics by VJ) is a fun, rollicking waltz that expresses the excitement of finding the bones of the long lost monarch (and subject of Shakespeare's tragic play). The storyboard (frame-by-frame drawing of the four-and-a-half-minute video) shows the Band performing the song -- featuring a harmonic duet by Victor Janusz & Angie Louise-- inter-cut with scenes of well-known Seattle actors in vignettes from the play (Tim Gouran of Seattle Shakespeare Company is cast as Richard III). Funds raised will cover stipends (fees) for five actors, five band members, and the camera crew. Pressing Pictures offers a very generous work model -- and Seattle's ACT Theatre offers the perfect venue to film.

(SHOWcase) We want "Where The Bears are": Season 4!

Season 4 of the award-winning gay comedy mystery web series promises more laughs, intrigue, sex, and peril than ever before! And…a wedding!!!

“Where the Bears Are” is a smash hit, with over 11 Million views worldwide and tons of positive press, acclaim, and social media buzz. We also won the "Best Gay Web Series" award from Queerty and afterelton.

After three successful seasons, we are now ready to shoot a Season 4!

BUT THE ONLY WAY WE CAN MAKE ANOTHER SEASON IS WITH YOUR HELP!

(OUTView @ 6) Help Build the NEW Outview News Network!

OUTview is 6 this month and we have barely scratched the surface! Please support our new Look!

An International Biligual News Network site! This site will have News and Opinions, in the style of Queerty, Salon and HuffGay.

Please show us some Love, so we can truly get to our true potential. We have INCREDIBLE PERKS!

Please Support our Project! 

(SHOWcase) NICK and NICKY!

"NICK and NICKY" is a modern day screwball comedy and murder mystery inspired by the classic Hollywood comedies of the 1930s and 40s. Ever wonder "Why don't they make movies like that anymore?"  The answer: WE ARE! "NICK and NICKY" takes the witty sparkling spirit of these films and recreates it in a modern day, upscale, Gay setting.

The movie will be marketed as a mainstream comedy featuring a lovable and witty couple that happens to be GAY. The current goal is to raise enough funds($2,500) to finance the filming of the climactic wedding scene this summer at a magnificent ocean side estate in The Hamptons. This scene is not only funny and romantic but will also help further the promotion of MARRIAGE EQUALITY to a mainstream audience. What makes NICK and NICKY unique is that it is a genre film that challenges traditional gender roles.  Sometimes the best way to sell an idea is through comedy. Hopefully,we will raise enough funds to film the entire movie. The overall budget is $200,000.

Several staged readings of the script were done to wildly enthusiastic response from audiences both Gay and Straight.  The goal is to make NICK and NICKY a big crossover hit.  But we can only do it with your help. The project is a fun one so please be a part of the FUN!

(SHOWcase) Old Dogs & New Tricks 4th & Final Season! You Decide the Ending!

How Will It End? YOU DECIDE! Full Final Season? Mini-Movie Wrap Up? Something In Between?

Old Dogs & New Tricks' Unanswered Questions...

Has Nathan given up on love?
Does Muscles return from Ohio?
Can Brad get the TV gig?
Will Nelson get what's coming?
Who will Ross choose--IF he survives his heart attack?

How much ODNT do YOU want before it all ends?

Leon Acord hasn't yet written a season-four script, which gives our audience an unique opportunity. YOU will tell us how many episodes YOU want to see, by the amount YOU contribute!

Please Support this Project!

(SHOWcase) Jake Wilson's Los Feliz, 90027!

"Los Feliz, 90027" is a soapy dramedy that follows the over-the-top lives of the staff of Rockwell restaurant and bar: the waiters, waitresses and bartenders who are aspiring actors, musicians and... porn stars. (and yes, we have actual porn stars).

The series stars the incomparable Rumer Willis (The House Bunny, Sorority Row), adult film superstar Bridgette B., and a supporting cast with credits that include Orange Is The New Black, Homeland, Arrested Development, Curb Your Enthusiasm, True Blood, The Big C, Friends, Pretty Little Liars, the new 90210, Will & Grace, All My Children and Bad Judge just to name a few.

Jake Wilson is the creator/writer/director of "90027" and also responsible for the hit musical web series "The Battery's Down" which featured original musical numbers from Broadway's best including Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award winners. MK chatted with Jake about his FAB Film, You must be Joke, which made its Debut at SIFF and look for the film to be released sometime in 2015.Please Support this Project!

(SHOWCASE) Best of 2014 and Updates!

In 2014, our Showcase series focused on highlighting some of the best projects, film, and TV series that needed that extra special attention for their crowd funding campaigns.

The following are the top 5 posts of our showcase series (and yes most were successful) based on page views:

(SHOWcase) 'Something Like Summer'!

Something Like Summer is Blue Seraph Productions’ third feature project, following our second film, The Dark Place (in wide release on December 2!), and our critically and commercially successful debut, Judas Kiss.

This movie is our first adaptation, based on the acclaimed young adult novel by Jay Bell, which is itself something of a phenomenon. Independently published, the book resonated with readers all over the world, who spread the word to others, turning it into a full-fledged social media sensation.

“What a compelling film this unique coming-of-age story would make.”
The Huffington Post