By Romeo San Vicente
Frank-N-Furter sings for spam
Tim Curry, everyone's favorite "sweet transvestite" from "The Rocky Horror Picture Show," will join David Hyde Pierce and Hank Azaria as King Arthur, Sir Robin, and Sir Lancelot, respectively, in "Spamalot," a Broadway musical based on the hit film "Monty Python and the Holy Grail." The satirical take on King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table has been reworked for the stage by founding Python member Eric Idle, who also collaborated on the score with composer John Du Prez. Oscar- and Tony-winning director Mike Nichols has signed on to helm the show, which is scheduled to open in February 2005. Romeo will be in the front row for the Knights Who Say Ni and the killer bunny.
Annette Bening's 'Skin' condition
Annette Bening is about to play a gay divorcee – gay as in happy and free-spirited, that is – in the new film "Under My Skin." Based on a play by Catherine Butterfield, who also wrote the screenplay, the story is set in the 1960s and concerns the relationship between a once-married lady (Bening) and a conservative young female neighbor. So what's really gay about it? That would be Michael Mayer, the director. The Tony-nominated Broadway helmer of "Thoroughly Modern Millie" seeks to establish himself as a Hollywood directing fixture by shepherding Bening through the film, his second feature after the Colin Farrell-starring "A Home at the End of the World." "Skin" is still in the development phase, so no word on a start date or who'll co-star alongside Bening. In the meantime, check out Mayer's chops (and that infamously chopped nude scene) with Farrell.
You want fries with that?
Armin Meiwes may not be a household name in this country, but in Germany he's as famous as Jeffrey Dahmer. Meiwes made international headlines recently when he courted one of his countrymen online with the promise of killing and cannibalizing his willing victim. He did exactly that when the pair met, and now Meiwes is serving time in prison for manslaughter. When he gets out, he'll find that a film has been made based on his gruesome experience. "Your Heart in My Brain," to be directed by legendary gay filmmaker Rosa von Praunheim, will mix fact and fiction to tell the story of what happens when a sexual fetish goes a "little" too far. Not surprisingly, the project, which will be partially paid for by a publicly funded film foundation, has already caused controversy and cries of exploitation from, well, concerned people against gay cannibalism.
The center square, resurrected
Gay saint Paul Lynde, who joked on "The Hollywood Squares" three decades ago about bikers wearing chiffon and who made a career out of being a sarcastic queen, died in 1982, but he's been brought back to life on stage. "A Night with Paul Lynde," created by Michael Airington, has been cracking up Los Angeles theater audiences this summer and is moving to a larger venue to meet ticket demand. Directed by James Buglewicz and based in part on Lynde's own 1976 touring show, the musical has been given the seal of approval by the Lynde estate. An added bonus: the show also features the voice of Lynde's longtime punchline-propping straight man, former "Squares" host Peter Marshall.
