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Gala East Village Bash Celebrates
Miss Sweetie's Birthday
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by Bruce-Michael Gelbert
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A stellar array of downtown performers joined together at Parkside Lounge, on East Houston Street, on January 14 for a belated celebration of beloved New York City and Cherry Grove travesti entertainer Miss Sweetie's New Year's Eve birthday, or as Miss Sweetie described it, "this amazing performance community coming together and turning it out." Sammy Jo served as DJ.
Venerable Rose Royalle and Mother Flawless Sabrina, once Sweetie's mentors, joined their erstwhile charge to open the show in riotous fashion with the title song from "Dreamgirls."
Miss Ginger generously offered her advice: "Say Yes." Boston Girl Norell Gardener was on hand to swing and scat in "Mr. Paganini." Inviting, in "Clap Yo' Hands," "Everybody come along, join the Jubilee," "Boy Bar legend" Perfidia roused the crowd to revival meeting fervor. Poison Eve begged "Jolene" not to take her man and stripped down to a black slip. Linda James brought a bloody meat cleaver and a pulsating heart on stage in birthday tribute to Sweetie. Destiny energetically told us how it feels when "I think about you" and wished one and all a happy Martin Luther King Day.
more photos ... visit the gallery by Bruce-Michael Gelbert
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Singers dominated the second half of the evening. Cowboy Randy Jones, of the original Village People, turned Mary Tyler Moore's theme song into a salute to Sweetie and, from his new CD, "Ticket to the World," offered "New York City Boy," a song with a real Village People feel to it. Lovely chanteuse Bianca Leigh insisted, in Martina McBride's song, "(I'll get by...) 'Til I Can Make It on My Own." Epiphany, towering over almost everyone, got hot with "Roxie," from "Chicago." Erica Couture Aviance honored Sweetie by singing "Shadows of the Night," complete with tap dance and high kicks. Burlesque's Dirty Martini offered a bit of Chinoiserie with her exotic fan dance and striptease. Hattie Hathaway sang Grace Slick song "Dreams" ("I believe in magic") to acknowledge Sweetie's creativity. Kiki (Justin Bond), accompanied by Herb (Kenny Mellman, irreverently remembered those we've lost, saying, "If all the talented people had lived, we wouldn't be here tonight," and tipsily asked Sweetie, in a Stevie Nicks number, "Has Anyone Ever Written Anything for You?"
Miss Sweetie herself brought the show to a close with a Bob Dylan wish: "(May you stay) Forever Young," and the crowd, close to idolatrous, went wild once more.
more photos ... visit the gallery by Bruce-Michael Gelbert
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photos by Bruce-Michael Gelbert |
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