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Written by Gregg Shapiro, Staff writer
May 20, 2010
“The Big Gay Musical” – Courtesy Photo
‘The Big Gay Musical’
(Embrem)
A musical within a movie, “The Big Gay Musical” (Embrem) takes us behind the scenes of the off-Broadway show “Adam & Steve … Just the Way God Made Them,” as well as behind the scenes of some of the cast members’ lives. Paul (Daniel Robinson), who plays Adam, is a seasoned theater performer who also works at a cabaret bar called Mostly Sondheim. Inexperienced Eddie (Joel Dudding) is so excited about being in his first New York production that he calls his fundamentalist religious parents to share his happiness, only to have it dashed when they tell him they plan on coming to town for opening night. The problem is that Eddie’s not out to them.
The stage is set, so to speak, for all sorts of things to happen. And they do. Both the movie and the play within the movie are full of messages about modern gay life, including HIV/AIDS prevention, relationships, ex-gay ministries and religious extremism, family, friendship, the coming out process, losing one’s virginity, monogamy, online dating, disillusionment and sex work, just to mention a few.
As a cinematic device, the interweaving of the play and the musical work well together, and the musical numbers (some of which include scantily clad performers) are clever. In fact, the Effie from “Dreamgirls” homage is not to be missed.
Co-directors Caspar Andreas and Fred M. Caruso prove to be a successful creative team on this unexpectedly ambitious project. DVD special features include the entire 45-minute “Adam & Steve” musical, a “Making of the Big Gay Musical” featurette, with outtakes and cast and crew interviews and more.
