In 1968, a full year before the era-changing Stonewall Riots put gays in the headlines, Mort Crowleyยs play Boys in the Band put them onstage, right in the face of blue-haired old ladies, during the Saturday matinee. This seminal work, equally praised and condemned, is considered the mother of all contemporary gay stage works. When production started on the movie version of Boys in the Band, playwright Crowley insisted the entire stage cast be used in the film, and director William Friedkin complied. The resulting film, which follows a group of friends as they reflect on their lives and loves, is a fairly accurate snapshot of an era when gays were forced to stay in the closet. As a piece of social and artistic history, Boys is a milestone. The film screens at 8:30 p.m. Domy Books, 1709 Westheimer. For information, call 713-523-3669 or visit www.domystore.com. Free.
Wed., June 17, 8:30 p.m., 2009
This article appears in Jun 11-17, 2009.
