Friday, August 25, 2006

Millie Shayntwrite's Lavender Vaudeville at the Nuyorican Poets Cafe


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Lavender Vaudeville is a hysterical live-series launching September 13 at the Nuyorican Poets Café. Hosted by drag personality Millie Shayntwrite, the program includes cabaret performances, the only exclusively Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender poetry slam in the city, and live interviews with gay celebrities. Featured guests include Brini Maxwell, Lypsinka, Kevin Aviance, Norah Vincent, and more. Sept 13, Oct 11, Nov 8, Dec 13, Jan 10, 7 to 9pm, 236 E 3rd St between Aves B and C; $7. Press inquiries: Aaron Kinchen at 551-208-4372. Visit www.lavendervaudeville.blogspot.com or www.nuyorican.org.

Millie Shayntwrite to launch new series in the east village with first guest Ben Sander, creator of Brini Maxwell, September 13.

Budding theatrical drag aesthete, Millie Shayntwrite, announces the upcoming launch of her series at the Nuyorican Poets Café. Lavender Vaudeville will play host to live interviews - a la James Lipton - with gay luminaries, panel discussions, musical performances, and of course, the only running GLBT poetry slam in the city. On the roster of live one-on-one interviews, there are prominent figures such as Brini Maxwell, Lypsinka, and Kevin Aviance.

Just a few of those assembled for panel discussions are activists like Helena Stone, a 71 year old male to female transgender voice of equality. Karl Giant, the make up artist turned photographer that painted Kevin Aviance’s face the night of his attack. Karl now uses the attention he receives in the press as an outspoken advocate for gay rights. Norah Vincent, best-selling lesbian author of “Self Made Man” will also be a major contributor to roundtable discussions, as well as take part in a one-on-one interview with Millie.

The series’ producers seized the opportunity to expose a larger slice of the LGBT community to the art form known as the “spoken-word poetry slam.” Considered by many to be the unofficial birthplace of poetry slams, the Nuyorican Poets Café is an especially significant venue for GLBT poets and writers. Readers from every corner of the gay life are slated to share original poetry in the "Glam Slam", currently the only exclusively GLBT poetry slam in the city.

This is the first time in more than five years that the thirty-four year old fixture of East Village cultural life will be playing host to a running series of GLBT events. Many years ago, there was an ongoing “gay night” at the Café. When the Nuyorican’s gay outreach facilitator passed away the events were discontinued. By hosting these events the administration of the Nuyorican Poets Cafe wishes to reaffirm their position in solidarity with the GLBT struggle for civil rights.

Ben Sander, the genius behind the character Brini Maxwell will be the series’ first guest on September 13 at 7pm. Brini Maxwell makes kitsch feel classy with her flair for home design, entertaining and household tips. She began sharing her vintage/classic know-how with other Manhattanites through her 1998 self-titled show on cable access. After five years on the local airwaves, she signed a deal with the Style Network. During Brini’s subsequent build-up to stardom, she has attracted a diverse audience through The Brini Maxwell Show’s national reach. “There’s a whole audience out there that has no idea that Brini is played by a man. I’ve decided to promote openness around my own identity and start doing interviews as Ben Sander,” he said at a recent interview.“

I like to describe the program as Inside the Actor’s Studio meets Def Poetry Slam,” says Millie. “I want to know what makes these luminaries tick. The questions I’m interested in involving learning about their childhoods, particular vices, traumatic life experiences, political perspectives, and what motivates them as artists.” Lavender Vaudeville will be running second Wednesdays from 7 to 9pm at the Nuyorican Poets Café. $7.

Visit www.lavendervaudeville.blogspot.com for more information. (October 11 Guest: Lypsinka)

Available for Comment: For comment from any of the names listed in the press release, please contact: Aaron Kinchen - amknyc@comcast.net or 551-208-4372. Aaron will forward you their information. Ben Sander / Brini Maxwell at jennifer@savorypr.com. Lois Griffith (Dir. of programming at the Café) at Nuyorican@mindspring.com or 718-522-5893.

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A 34 year-old non-profit organization, the Millie Shayntwrite’s Lavender Vaudeville will bring a monthly mix of gay spoken-word Poetry Slam, Music, Performance Art, and in-depth live interviews with GLBT Luminaries. Aaron Kinchen is the host, promoter, and the producer of the series. The Nuyorican Poets Café is located between Avenues B and C on East 3rd Street. 212-505-8183-Cafe.

www.lavendervaudeville.blogspot.com . www.nuyorican.org . www.brinimaxwell.com

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