Passion Play

A powerful play about the devastation wreaked by a real-life 1950s gay witch-hunt in Middle America

BY JONATHAN RIGGS

True story: On Halloween night, 1955, in Boise, Idaho, three men are arrested for “lewd and lascivious” conduct with three teenage boys, sparking a gay witch-hunt that divided families and destroyed lives. Award-winning playwright Gene Franklin Smith dramatizes this real-life event in his powerful new play, Boise, USA.

FRONTIERS: What's the connection between modern American and Boise, USA?

GENE FRANKLIN SMITH: The events of 1955-56 are eerily similar to current-day sex scandals and the homophobia still haunting many American small towns. As the Bush administration continues its assault on our Bill of Rights, the parallels of what Boise's government tried to do—purge all homosexuals from the city—becomes very clear.

What does the play say about being gay in 2008 America?

What happened in Boise could definitely happen today. America is a breeding ground for sex scandals because we're so steeped in Puritanism. I encounter homophobia every single day of my life, as I'm sure most gay men and women do. In Los Angeles, it's subtle. But in Middle America, homophobia is relentlessly aggressive. On a daily basis, our government thrusts its prejudice, judgment, and hatred into our lives. I truly believe that most of America would rather all gay people just leave the country, which was the exact attitude of Boiseans in 1955.

That's a very provocative statement.

One interesting factoid about the Boise State Penitentiary: the eight men who were imprisoned were all placed in a cellblock directly above the tuberculosis ward. Nobody cared if the men were infected and died. This is a dramatic example of what the attitudes towards homosexuality were then—and continue to be today.

What's the theme of the play?

The cycle of abuse and intolerance continues unless we have the strength and convictions to stop it.

Who are some writers you look up to?

Well, first and foremost, F.D. Reeve, as he was such an influence on me. My other favorite playwrights are Lanford Wilson, for his theatrical naturalism and deep understanding of people's hearts, and Tom Stoppard, for his extreme theatricality and wit. Naturally, as a gay playwright, I adore Oscar Wilde. His plays are not all successful efforts, but I do think he has written some of the funniest one-liners ever.

When you're not writing, what do you like to do?

As most people know, playwriting is rarely lucrative, so I have a private chef business. I've always thrown fabulous parties, but now I get paid for doing it. My partner and I have three rambunctious dogs (everything you read about a border collie is true), who help make our lives action-packed and frequently hysterical.

What's the first play you ever saw?

My first Broadway play was the musical 1776, and I still go to every revival when and wherever there is one. The two other plays that affected me enormously are Fifth of July and The Real Thing, because both plays explore the complexities of the heart. I confess I'm a romantic. In my next play, I'm determined to get all “swoony.” (It's about the love affair between Cary Grant and Randolph Scott.)

Now that's romantic! What can Boise, USA audiences expect when the house lights go down and the curtain goes up?

For the gay audience, we have some exceedingly handsome men! From the production's standpoint, we're re-creating the 1950s, a time of prosperity and fathoms-deep repression, a world not too dissimilar from 2008. There is a lot of humor to be mined from the 1950s—did you know that Lysol was advertised as a woman's douching aid? But, as evident from iconic films as East of Eden and Rebel Without a Cause, the parent/child conflicts were, and continue to be, emotionally captivating.

Anything else you'd like to say?

Boise USA isn't just a gay play. In fact, it's one of my few plays in which a cute boy isn't taking off his clothes! I'm not an enormous fan of Arthur Miller (which is practically heresy for a playwright to admit), but there are moments in Boise USA that I've been told capture the emotional realism that Miller is famous for. If our audience feels small flickers of recognition of their own familial conflicts, I will have achieved something very big after all.

Boise, USA runs May 16-June 29 at the Matrix Theatre, 7657 Melrose Ave. in West Hollywood. For tickets, call 323/960-4420 or visit www.salemktheatreco.org or www.plays411.com/boise.

ON STAGE

Don Juan

A Noise Within, Through May 24
***

Who doesn't love a bad boy, and they come no badder than serial seducer Don Juan de Tenorio. Elijah Alexander, a tall and bearded young actor, rocks the white jeans and open bathrobe look in the title role (briefly), but the show belongs to J.D. Cullum in his brilliantly comic turn as Sganarelle, Don Juan's manservant. There's not a moment for which Cullum is unable to explore its full comic potential. Michael Michetti's direction is spirited and lively, particularly when wool is being pulled over unsuspecting eyes, whether the dupes be maidens (the delightful duo of Abby Craden and Sarah Green) or creditors (Apollo Dukakis, a master of bafflement). It's supposed to be a cautionary tale, but Alexander makes Don Juan's philandering look like such a delightful sport, it's not until the incorrigible rake is borne off to hell that we remember he's not the good guy. —WENZEL JONES

The Lost Plays of Tennessee Williams

The Davidson/Valenti Theatre, Through June 8
***

Goodness, what a collection. The first, "Mister Paradise," is a tone-perfect gem under the direction of Robert Burgos about an infatuated society girl (Melissa Lechner) and the derelict poet whose standing in the artistic community she sets out to revive (Jack Heller). There's an uncharacteristically butch little piece, "The Palooka," rather a slight framework for a tale, but the visual appeal of boxers (Timothy V. Murphy and Jason Lopez) working out cannot be denied. The final offering, "And Tell Sad Stories of the Deaths of Queens," has an almost historical appeal, offering as it does an all-male warmup for Blanche and Stanley, and containing a character, Mr. Delaney, who is not only gay but a self-loathing, moribund, transvestite, decorator. Director Heller keeps the camp factor low, fortunately, since the misapplied eyelash might have gone one element too far. Brian Foyster manages to essay the troublesome role of Delaney with dignity, however, and the bit of rough trade he falls in with is well-played by Chris Rydell. —W.J.

LIMITED RUN

And Her Hair Went With Her

Tony Award winner Tonya Pinkins and Tracie Thoms (Rent) star in this comedic tour de force celebrating black women and the importance placed on their hair. The Fountain Theatre. Through June 15. $25. 323/663-1525. www.fountaintheatre.com.

Chico's Angels: Chicas Are Forever

The critically acclaimed underground smash comedy has been extended! Kay Sedia, Frieda Laye, and Chita Parole's stiletto cha-cha heels might not be able to save them this time! Cavern Club Celebrity Theater. Thurs.-Sun. through May 18. $26.50 online; $30 at the door. 323/969-2530. www.cavernclubtheater.com.

Highways 19th Birthday Celebration: Nervous Breakdown

The Highways Performance Space celebrates 19 years of developing brave and uncensored work with a two-night benefit incorporating dance, music, performance, and spoken word by nationally-renowned performers and Highways veterans! Highways Performance Space. May 9-10. 8:30 p.m. $30 ($50 for both nights.) 310/315-1459. www.highwaysperformance.org.

Boise, USA

Inspired by true events on Halloween night in 1955 Boise, Idaho, this play examines the “witch hunt” that transpired to rid the town of suspected homosexuals after the allegations of “lewd and lascivious conduct.” Matrix Theatre. May 16-June 29. (Thurs.-Sun.) $25-30. 323/960-4420. www.salemktheatre co.org.

Homo Must

Dream Man

AIDS activist James Carroll Pickett's depiction of a harrowing night in the life of a phone sex hustler, Dream Man is Directed by Frontiers’ contributor Michael Kearns, who originated the role and performed throughout the U.S. and Europe. Skylight Theatre. May 10-June 1. (Fri.-Sun.) $20. 310/358-9936. www.camelotartists.com.