Golden Girls

Matthew joined me tonight for dinner and the show. He kept mentioning how well he knows Justin, and they've been such close friends for so many years, and Matthew knew him back when they were performing "South of Market" all those long years ago. I reminded Matthew that he STILL performs South of Market...and just North of South Van Ness. He didn't want to say "hello" after the show, and high-tailed it home for a night of frantic smoking and packing before boarding a 6am flight to Seattle where he and his cohorts are doing a hit-and-run with a couple of "Golden Girls" episodes in drag. Heklina is quite the producer, having created "Trannyshack" ten or twelve years ago he continues to put together a monthly revue, and licenses the rights to produce "Trannyshack" events internationally.

In the true spirit of the thespian artistry, he sells the tickets for cheap and jacks up the prices on the two drinks minimum. Oh, and these are the "must-see" sold-out shows of the season. Really. I had to apologize for not making it to Theater Rhino to see him perform as a marine in Iraq, and it really was a shame because the experience really taught Matthew a new way to look at the war. (I didn't mention that "enthusiasm and energy" aren't necessarily terms that are used with the intention of meaning "good theater."

Matthew shared a horrific tale of a near brush with death experience he had while performing a "Golden Girls" episode at the home of Mike Finn, former circus performer and cat sitter whose favorite cat-sitting clients left him their cat, and their Victorian home in their will. Well, they were doing this without any sort of permit, four nights only (sold out!) and raking in the bills selling shots of hooch. Saturday night they had so many oversold seats, they pushed the audience forward into the space that had been considered downstage. Matthew had to step over legs and feet in the dark as he took his place in a straightbacked kitchen chair, when he heard a nearby crashing of glass. The lights came up to reveal Matthew in a pink peignoir, the large plate glass window directly behind his head in large, grizzly shards.

Being the professional that he is, he didn't turn around to look. He barely acknowledged the audience's gasps, but when it came time for his character to turn to the window and comment on how much she enjoys the rain he cleverly said that she enjoys "looking at the rain through the broken window."

It. just.doesn't.get.any.better.