Why do gay men love musicalsa

We turned to author and theatre historian Patrick Pacheco for an exploration of the connection between gay people and musicals. But there were these parallel tracks, that continue probably to this day: on one hand, the revulsion of sexuality and the repression of it.

Why Do Gay Men

He inherited it from other, older gay men when he was a teen. She was a sexual outlaw. Toxic Masculinity The other reason why theatre is sometimes labeled as queer, most often by men, is that there are aspects of stagecraft that run contrary to entrenched ideas of masculinity.

What is it about The Wizard of Oz that held such appeal for gay audiences? I think if straight men just gave it a chance and made sure they picked the right kind of musical, many of them would change their opinion. I think that gay men and women wanted to be protective of her.

It’s okay if you genuinely don’t like musicals, but don’t just dismiss them as “gay” just because you don’t like them. Early on, these were two role models. And, just as a little historical fillip, Mae West based her character on Julian Eltinge, who was a female impersonator.

That's culture. I inherited a certain love of musical theater and opera from him. What was it about Judy Garland that gay audiences were so drawn to? Musical Theatre is widely regarded as an art form with particular appeal to the gay community.

Well, I did it because Lenny did. In the beginnings of American musical theatre, gay people were not represented directly onstage. But it does present a straight relationship…. Then, of course, the Hays Code came up [in ] and all these early gay references were staunched fairly brutally — there was a conservative backlash.

That started in the 20s and exists to this day: the idea of the gay icon as a sexual outlaw. But you have to go back even further to Mae West and the twenties: Mae West was a gay icon, no question about it. I admire these people.

But at the same time, [gay sensibility] was elevated and held up as to what culture was. And Kiss Me, Kate certainly flirts with some naughtiness. In the early days of theater people, difference was tolerated. That is your safe place. Gays on Broadway is an essential chronological review of the long journey to bring the culture of gay men and women onto the American stage.

Yes, resiliency, but also extreme vulnerability. I like pansies. But why? When something like The Wizard of Oz comes along…. How and why are so many LGBTQ+ people – particularly gay men – drawn to musical theatre as creators and fans? Musical Theatre is widely regarded as an art form with particular appeal to the gay community.

There is this lineage of the Garland myth: she has a reportedly gay father, marries a gay man in Vincente Minnelli, has a daughter who then marries a gay man in Peter Allen. They were out there and brave on some level, too.

They had inherited it too, and the generation before them. I think gay men identified with people that were sexual outlaws, because they were outside the norm. Gay people may find solace and comfort in theatre, but there are other groups who do not, and we should make every effort to change that.

So is there anything inherently gay about musicals? Spoken plays and musicals, playwrights, directors, and actors all played their part in popularizing the gay movement through art. I think you could identify with any of the characters, particularly Dorothy.

Was it her resiliency? We turned to author and theatre historian Patrick Pacheco for an exploration of the connection between gay people and musicals. That's how culture works. I don’t think so.