Yay! It’s KC Fringe Fest time again! From July 17 to July 27, Kansas City’s annual arts festival will take over Westport, Midtown, and the Crossroads. If you haven’t attended a Fringe event before, your chance is here. Get on that!
Fringe consists of dozens of brand new plays, spoken word and musical performances, dance, visual art displays, films, and a whole lot of art that is too unusual to be easily categorized. Attending Fringe shows is local culture creation and consumption at its most democratic, surprising, and delightful. Oh, and also affordable. Most shows are $10. You also need to buy a $5 Fringe Button, sold at every performance venue, which you have to keep with you to get into shows; it’s a one-time purchase, good for the duration of Fringe. Tickets to individual shows can be purchased online (http://kc-fringe.ticketleap.com/), through a mobile app, or at each venue’s box office.
Make time to go see some Fringe stuff in July. You don’t have something better to do. You’ll see something strange and new. You’ll meet new people. You’ll look cute and artsy. Taking a date to a Fringe show is worth a drawer full of Andrew Christian.
And there’s a whole lot of great LGBTQ stuff at Fringe this summer! A lot of our artists are getting their stories told in new, weird, powerful ways. Go support them! Here are some of the LGBTQ highlights.
Stairway to Kevin 2: Heavy Fantasy by Kevin Thornton
I saw the first Stairway to Kevin last year at Fringe, and Kevin Thornton is so damn adorable. And talented! We’re talking a one-man comedy rock-n-roll musical here, folks. He’s the writer, the star, and the band. He’s been touring with his shows for the past few years to sold-out houses, as well as popping up on NPR and as a guest lecturer at Berkeley. This year’s installment has Thornton finding himself broke and homeless, but ready to sing adorable songs with his adorable voice and make thought-provoking -- yet adorable -- observations about the search for love, sex, and the meaning of life. Thornton’s also out as a member of the LGBT community, and his work boogies with happy, queer energy. Stairway to Kevin 2: Heavy Fantasy performs Friday, July 18 @ 8 p.m.; Sunday, July 20 @ 6:30 p.m.; Friday, July 25 @ 6:30 p.m.; Saturday, July 26 @ 9:30 p.m. The Buffalo Room (in the Westport Flea Market), 817 Westport Rd., Kansas City, Mo.
Melinda Ryder’s Delicious Divas!!!
Melinda, Melinda! Queen among Queens! Empress of the Plains! Fairy Godmother to even the lowliest of the Kansas City proletariat. Brush against us with but the hem of your gown and we shall be healed. Melinda and Kirk have wrangled up some of their favorite queens for an evening of draggy glamour, live vocal performances, and comedy. The lineup includes Loreal, Loretta Martin, Sandy Kay, and Rozz Smith. All proceeds go to LIKEME Lighthouse and GLAMA (Gay and Lesbian Archives of Mid-America), because Melinda Ryder never met a dollar she didn’t give right back to the community. The schedule for Melinda Ryder’s Delicious Divas!!! isn’t finalized, so keep checking the Fringe website, but it will be performed at Off Center Theatre at Crown Center, 2450 Grand Blvd., Kansas City, Mo.
Drunks from Play On Productions and Pete Bakely
Hilarious jack-of-all-theater Pete Bakely wrote and Brian Moses (The Living Room’s maestro) directs this dark, naughty original comedy. Two actors and a screenwriter, stuck in an abandoned motel for the night, find themselves naked and duct-taped to a chair the next morning. Drinking, drugs, vomiting, banter, and the longest same-sex kiss you’ll see at Fringe this year. Drunks performs Saturday, July 19 @ 7:30 p.m.; Monday, July 21 @ 6:00 p.m.; Tuesday, July 22 @ 7:30 p.m.; Wednesday, July 23 @ 9 p.m.; Saturday, July 26 @10:30 p.m.. Phosphor Studios, 1730 Broadway, Kansas City, Mo.
How I Lost My Virginity at 29 & Other Embarrassing Tales
by Brian Schiller
Stand-up comic Brian Schiller is straight. How I Lost My Virginity… follows Schiller’s journey of self-discovery through surviving sexual abuse, therapy, and grief. None of which are funny topics (well, maybe therapy). But Schiller insists that LGBT audiences love his story. Schiller says one gay audience member said, “I think that your show resonates with a gay crowd because it is a story to which we can relate. As a community, gays have all experienced what it is like to be ‘othered,’ or to have an abnormal experience. …Our experience allows us to appreciate the humor of your show.” How I Lost My Virginity at 29 & Other Embarrassing Tales performs Friday, July 18 @ 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, July 19 @ 3 p.m. and 9 p.m.; Sunday, July 20 @ 6 p.m. The Fishtank, 1715 Wyandotte, Kansas City, Mo.
PathWays: The Digital Musical
by Lei Lei Lashawn
Now here’s the kind of boldly unique, multi-genre piece that makes Fringe so pleasantly unpredictable. LGBT community member and playwright Lei Lei Lashawn stars in this original percussion musical/spoken word/visual art/performance piece hybrid about one woman’s surreal quest to reconnect with her lost brother. The protagonist identifies at times as a butterfly, at other times as a woman whose consciousness leaks out beyond her own self, all over the course of a moving investigation into loss and sanity. Bring tissues and an appetite for the mysterious. PathWays: The Digital Musical performs Tuesday, July 22 @ 9 p.m.; Thursday, July 24 @ 9 p.m.; Saturday, July 26 @ 7:30 p.m. The Fishtank, 1715 Wyandotte, Kansas City, Mo.
Project Pride Presents Queerios!
from The Coterie Theater
The Coterie further cements its standing as the most progressive youth theater company with Queerios! Created by Project Pride, The Coterie’s queer youth theater troupe. You’ll tour Queer Company Labs, utilizing comedy, drama, and movement in dynamic scenes that explore issues of LGBT empowerment, bullying and superheroes. Things are getting better for queer kids, and it’s because of gutsy people like the teenagers who wrote this . A ticket to Queerios is a 2-for-1 deal: a scandalously charming hour of theater and an exhibition of contemporary queer youth courage. Queerios! performs Saturday, July 19 @ 5 p.m.; Sunday, July 20 @ 3 p.m.; Friday, July 25 @ 7:30 p.m. Off Center Theatre at Crown Center, 2450 Grand Ave., Kansas City, Mo.
Kings of Israel, by Schaeffer Nelson
This provocative, original play takes the audience through a gay’d up retelling of the David-King Saul story from the Bible. Kings of Israel picks up the Biblical narrative right after the shepherd David is secretly anointed the next king of Israel. Over a series of bedroom conversations, David must decide how intimate he can be with the paranoid King Saul, whom he is secretly about to overthrow. The show’s already ruffling feathers -- just say the phrase “gay Bible story” aloud and watch the eyebrows rise. But LGBT people of faith, you’re gonna like this one. And Phil Kinen directs, hot off his work on DeDe DeVille’s hilarious First Lady? If you want controversial, arresting gay theater, here’s your ticket. Kings of Israel performs Friday, July 18 @ 6 p.m.; Sunday, July 20 @ 7:30 p.m.; Friday, July 25 @ 9 p.m.; Saturday, July 26 @ 6 p.m. Phosphor Studios, 1730 Broadway, Kansas City, Mo.
Bad Auditions from Whim Productions and Kevin King
From out, proud, and prolific gay KC playwright Kevin King. It takes audiences behind the scenes to the sometimes unintentionally funny experience of auditioning for a play. In theater-giddy Kansas City, Bad Auditions may repeat the big ticket sales of Whim Production’s 2011 Fringe hit Film Classics Presents: Heaven So Far. The phonebook of comic actors that make up the Whim-sized ensemble won’t hurt either — Stefanie Stevens, Genewa Stanwyck, Seth Macchi and Tara Varney, to name a few. The roster of performers will change every night; every performance will be unique. Bad Auditions will be Friday, July 18 @ 10:30 p.m.; Sunday, July 20 @ 4:30 p.m.; Tuesday, July 22 @ 6 p.m.; Thursday, July 24 @ 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, July 26 @ 9 p.m. The Fishtank, 1715 Wyandotte, Kansas City, Mo.
Mighty Mo Combo! from Mighty Mo Combo
From the loins of Kansas City’s LGBT Mid-America Freedom Band comes the Mighty Mo Combo, our very own queer, campy jazz ensemble. Their Fringe show offers a cheeky take on favorite classical works altered to fit jazz and rock idioms. “Fly Me to the Moon,” “Tuxedo Junction,” and high-brow goofball fare like “Funkythrustra” based on “Also Sprach Zarathustra.” Mighty Mo Combo! performs Saturday, July 19 @ 6:30 p.m.; Sunday, July 20 @ 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, July 26 @ 7:30 p.m. Off Center Theatre at Crown Center, 2450 Grand Blvd., Kansas City, Mo.
(Virgin.) by Jesse Ray Metcalf
Out playwright Jesse Ray Metcalf teams up with talented, out director J. Will Fritz for this original send-up of Catholic school girl life. Some damn fine local actresses are performing this story of high school sinfulness, Sapphic tension, and virginities -- Alisa Lynn and Ellen Kirk, to name a few. Oh, and Melissa Fennewald. A word about Melissa Fennewald. There are two types of people in this world. People who have witnessed Melissa Fennewald arch an eyebrow and deadpan a comedic line with goosebump perfection, and people who have not. Only one of those groups of people can die having led a full life. Lead a full life. Go see (Virgin.) (Virgin.) performs Friday, July 18 @ 9:30 p.m.; Saturday, July 19 @ 3:30 p.m.; Monday, July 21 @ 6:30 p.m.; Wednesday, July 23 @ 8 p.m.; Friday, July 25 @ 6 p.m.; Saturday, July 26 @ 9:30 p.m. Just Off Broadway Theatre, 3051 Central in Penn Valley Park, Kansas City, Mo.
More 4Play: Mmm! by Frank Higgins, Forrest Attaway, Teresa Leggard and Schaeffer Nelson
4Play series returns to offer KC audiences maximum pleasure and ultimate satisfaction. More 4Play is a collection of very sexy one-acts, and one of the entries is a gay narrative written by a gay playwright, me (sorry for the shameless self-promotion). My one-act, Fishers of Men, is about the über-awkward encounter between an unwitting evangelist and a man cruising a bathroom for anonymous sex. The other plays are written by local playwright legends. Frank Higgins gives us 99 Ways, the story of a straight couple struggling to incorporate a Cosmo sex article into their relationship. Forrest Attaway’s The Interview depicts a TV interview with a rock star who relates a shattering experience. And Teresa Leggard’s The Birthday sends a daughter back from the future to convince her mother to get into a sexual relationship pronto so that the daughter can eventually be born. And it’s all directed by Scott “Don’t-mind-me,-I’m-just-flawless” Cordes. You know you want to see this … and why resist your burning lust for good theater? More 4Play: Mmm! performs Saturday, July 19 @ 8 p.m.; Sunday, July 20 @ 6 p.m.; Monday, July 21 @ 9 p.m.; Wednesday, July 23 @ 6 p.m.; Thursday, July 24 @ 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, July 26 @ 10:30 p.m.. Off Center Theatre at Crown Center, 2450 Grand Ave., Kansas City, Mo.
WhistlePig and Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake Wind Tunnel-Trialed Whiskey Is a Ryed You Don’t Want to Miss
SHOREHAM, VT (September 13, 2023) — WhistlePig Whiskey, the leaders in independent craft whiskey, and Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake are waving the checkered flag on a legend-worthy release that’s taking whiskey to G-Force levels. The Limited Edition PiggyBack Legends Series: Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake Barrel is a high Rye Whiskey selected by the Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake drivers, with barrels trialed in their wind tunnel to ensure a thrilling taste in every sip.
The third iteration in WhistlePig’s Single Barrel PiggyBack Legends Series, the Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake Barrel is bottled at 96.77 proof, a nod to Valtteri Bottas’ racing number, 77, and the precision of racing. Inspired by Zhou Guanyu, the first Chinese F1 driver, this Rye Whiskey is finished with lychee and oolong tea. Herbal and floral notes of the oolong tea complement the herbaceous notes of WhistlePig’s signature PiggyBack 100% Rye, rounded out with a juicy tropical fruit finish and a touch of spice.
Like Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake’s signature C43 racing vehicles, trial barrels were tested in the team’s wind tunnel in Switzerland before hitting the track. Select barrels then endured varying levels of G-Forces at the WhistlePig farm and distillery for the finishing touch, accelerating the interaction between the whiskey and the wood, staying true to the physical nature of Formula 1.
“Partnering with WhistlePig has been a very exciting experience. Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake is dedicated to being the best on the track, and the crew at WhistlePig is fearless in their pursuit to create the best whiskey out there,” said Valtteri Bottas, Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake’s driver. “We’re really looking forward to fans tasting our custom Rye Whiskey and raising a glass to the rookies, veterans, legends and the exhilarating sport of F1.”
"Joining forces with WhistlePig to release a Single Barrel Rye Whiskey that represents my culture and team has been an honor,” said Zhou Guanyu, Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake’s driver. “Formula 1 brings together fearless, thrill-seeking motorsports professionals, and WhistlePig has a shared passion for boundary-pushing innovation. Together, we’ve selected something alarmingly good for fans to enjoy this season when the cars are not on track.”
The Limited Edition Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake Barrel will be available for purchase online starting around September 13 for $49.99 MSRP per 750ml bottle and sold in select stores across the U.S. Consumers can win VIP merchandise by scanning the QR code on the back of each bottle.
"We're taking our third Legends Series release on a ryed like never before,” said Meghan Ireland, WhistlePig Head Blender. "Our experiments with dynamic aging went full throttle during finishing trials at the Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake wind tunnel, in turn inspiring new ways to expose barrels to G-forces back at the WhistlePig Farm. The herbal and floral notes of the lychee and tea barrel selected with the team create a new, podium-topping experience for PiggyBack Rye."
Fans and collectors have followed WhistlePig PiggyBack Legends Series, celebrating those who give 100% in the name of greatness, since its launch in March 2022 with Major League Baseball Hall of Famer, David Ortiz (“Big Papi”), followed by Country Music Duo Brothers Osborne in November 2022.
To learn more about WhistlePig Whiskey, visit whistlepigwhiskey.com. You can also check out WhistlePig Whiskey on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
About WhistlePig Whiskey
Located off the grid on a 500-acre Vermont farm, WhistlePig Whiskey is crafted by a new generation of whiskey distillers and blenders driven to reinvent and unlock the flavor of Rye whiskey. Through their rebellious pursuit of experimenting and pushing boundaries in the industry, WhistlePig has become the leading independent craft whiskey brand for innovation. WhistlePig is committed to becoming the best whiskey on and for the planet, starting with its locally sourced ingredients and sustainable supply chain and distilling process. For more information, head to whistlepigwhiskey.com.
Nurse Practitioner Ari Kravitz
When I started medical transition at 20 years old, it was very difficult to get the care I needed for hormone replacement therapy because there are very few providers trained in starting hormones for trans people, even though it’s very similar to the hormones that we prescribe to women in menopause or cisgender men with low testosterone.
I hope more providers get trained in LGBTQ+ healthcare, so they can support patients along their individual gender journey, and provide the info needed to make informed decisions about their body. I’ve personally seen my trans patients find hope and experience a better quality of life through hormone replacement therapy.
If you don’t have a primary care physician who specializes in LGBTQ+ care in your community, you may need to educate yourself (and your provider). But, before you seek such therapy, here are five things you should know!
- Monitor closely. At Spectrum Medical Care Center, we screen patients for certain risks before starting anyone on hormones. We frequently monitor patients in the first year to ensure there are no adverse reactions and lab results are within safe ranges. Follow-up care is also important to assess your comfort with the transition as well as the social impact and social support you’re experiencing.
- Some changes are permanent, some temporary. For transmasculine individuals going on testosterone, they’ll experience these permanent changes: deepened voice, clitoral enlargement (also known as bottom growth), more body, facial hair, and male pattern baldness. Reversible changes include cessation of menses, increased muscle mass and strength, body fat redistribution, and skin oiliness or acne. For those going on estrogen therapy, the most permanent change is breast growth. Feminizing hormone therapy can also cause atrophy (shrinkage) of the genitals and loss of erectile function that may not be reversible. Estrogen will thin body hair, soften the skin, can increase scalp hair, and decrease muscle mass and strength, all of which are reversible.
- You can’t pick and choose results. Unfortunately, you can’t pick and choose the physical changes you want, which may feel challenging. Some of my patients will say, ‘Okay, ‘I’ve seen the permanent changes I want, and I don’t want it to go any further,’ and so at that point, we stop therapy. Low-dose hormone therapy can slow down the rate of changes, allowing for a more gradual physical transition. We counsel patients in advance about the common changes, and it’s up to the individual as to when they’d like to scale back and determine whether some benefits are worth the potential risks.
- Be aware of risks. Like any medical treatment, there are potential risks involved. Some risks with testosterone therapy include increased red blood cell mass, acne, hypertension, sleep apnea, weight gain, and dyslipidemia (increases the chance of clogged arteries). Cardiovascular disease is likely increased with additional risk factors for testosterone and estrogen therapy. Transfeminine patients going on estrogen therapy may experience weight gain, thromboembolic disease (when a blood clot breaks off and blocks another blood vessel), and a high level of triglycerides in the blood.
Descanso Resort swimming pool and lounge area
Descanso Resort, Palm Springs' premier destination for gay men, just received Tripadvisor's highest honor, a Travelers' Choice "Best of the Best" award for 2023. Based on guests' reviews and ratings, fewer than 1% of Tripadvisor's 8 million listings around the world receive the coveted "Best of the Best" designation. Descanso ranked 12th in the top 25 small inns and hotels category in the United States. Quite an accomplishment!
Open less than two years, Descanso Resort offers gay men a relaxing and luxurious boutique hotel experience just minutes away from Palm Springs' buzziest restaurants, nightclubs, and shopping. Descanso has quickly established itself as a top destination for sophisticated gay travelers, earning hundreds of 5-star guest reviews and consistently ranking in Trapadvisor's top positions alongside brother properties Santiago Resort and Twin Palms Resort.
"Our entire team is honored to be named Best of the Best. To be the only gay men's resort recognized in the Top 1% is incredibly humbling," said Kent Taylor, General Manager at Descanso. "We appreciate Tripadvisor and we're grateful to all our guests who gave us such high marks and reviews to help us reach this achievement."
“Ranking among the Best of the Best demonstrates that you have provided exemplary experiences to those who maZer most: your guests,” said John Boris, Chief Growth Officer at Tripadvisor. “With changing expectations, continued labor shortages, and rising costs, this is no easy feat, and I am con6nually impressed with the hospitality industry’s resilience and ability to adapt.”
Santiago Resort was once again honored by Tripadvisor with a 2023 Travelers’ Choice award, placing it among the top 10% of travelers’ top reviewed des6na6ons. Twin Palms will become eligible for ranking in 2024.
Check out all the reviews, and discover more about Descanso Resort on Tripadvisor here. We have an excellent library of resort imagery available to accompany editorial and additional resources on our press page. Please contact Descanso Resort’s General Manager, Kent Taylor, at kent@descansoresort.com for further information.
About Descanso Resort
Inspired by Palm Springs’ history as a des6na6on for Hollywood stars to unwind in privacy, Descanso offers guests a casual yet modern take on the legendary style of that 6me. Created by the same hospitality team that revitalized Palm Springs’ much-loved San6ago Resort and recently launched the all-new Twin Palms Resort, the Descanso property opened in 2022 featuring 15 spacious guest rooms with custom-designed furniture, dreamy King-size beds, and luxe details. Ameni6es include continental breakfast, poolside lunch, welcome snack basket, and lots of special touches. For guests who need to stay connected, the entire property is equipped with blazing-fast Wi-Fi. Mul6-speed bikes are available for exploring the surrounding midcentury neighborhoods and public art installations. Like the Hollywood stars before them, guests at Descanso are encouraged to unwind, relax, and rest in style.
About Tripadvisor
Travelers across the globe use the Tripadvisor site and app to discover where to stay, what to do and where to eat based on guidance from those who have been there before. With more than 1 billion reviews and opinions of nearly 8 million businesses, travelers turn to Tripadvisor to find deals on accommodations, book experiences, reserve tables at delicious restaurants and discover great places nearby.