Words of Wisdumb from a Fun Nun–
By Sister Dana Van Iquity–
Sister Dana sez, “Let me be your APRIL FOOL’S DAY prankster. Imagine I switched your salt shaker with sugar. Or slipped a whoopee cushion onto your chair. Ha ha ha. Were you amused?!”
What was NOT a joke was when several of our members from KREWE DE KINQUE including our reigning Queen XVIII Christina Ashton helped with a flawless fundraiser for the Ukraine LGBTQ emergency fund coordinated by our local RAINBOW WORLD FUND humanitarian organization. Queen Christina co-hosted with Terry Moxie Penn and an amazing cast in a show at Harvey’s in the Castro on March 12.
The Every Third Thursday LOCKDOWN COMEDY Zoom show on March 17 featured the fun lineup of Cathy Ladman (LA), Wendy Liebman (LA), Nina G (Oakland, who called herself “N-n-n Nina, Bay Area’s foremost st-st-stuttering comic”), producer/comedian Lisa Geduldig (SF & Florida), and her 90 year-old mom, Arline Geduldig (Florida). Lisa had prefaced her publicity noting, “With Lockdown Comedy coinciding this month with the wild and wacky Jewish holiday Purim, we are partnering with the JEWISH COMMUNITY CENTER OF SAN FRANCISCO (JCCSF) to present our March show. The JCCSF’s Rabbi Batshir Torchio will say a few words at the start of the show to introduce the audience to Purim, which invites us to revel, dress up in costumes, and celebrate the randomness of life.” Rabbi called us viewers “honorary Jews!” Of course, I had to add that it was additionally SAINT PATRICK’S DAY, meaning the wearing of green was also customary, so I wore a green shirt and green Mardi Gras beads! For info on the next Lockdown Comedy, check out https://tinyurl.com/39hkjtpp
Sister Dana sez, “Botox will now stop shipping to Russia—meaning uber vain Putin’s face will wrinkle and shrink until he gives in and finally gives up his senseless War against Ukraine!”
Senator Scott Wiener has announced he will introduce legislation to protect and provide refuge for transgender kids and their parents if they flee to California from Texas, Idaho, or any other state criminalizing the parents of trans kids for allowing them to receive gender-affirming care. If these parents and their kids come to California, the legislation will help protect them from having their kids taken away from them or from being criminally prosecuted for supporting their trans kids’ access to healthcare.
Sister Dana sez, “Manchin blocked voting rights. And now he was the only Democrat to vote NO on the groundbreaking legislation to codify Roe v. Wade into law. He needs to be voted out!”
San Francisco residents will now get in free at the Conservatory of Flowers and Japanese Tea Garden in Golden Gate Park following a vote by the city’s Board of Supervisors. The San Francisco Botanical Garden, the third garden in Golden Gate Park, is already free to residents.
THE COCKETTES: ACID DRAG & SEXUAL ANARCHY is on display at the JAMES C. HORMEL LGBTQIA CENTER—3rd Floor now through August 11. This is a joyful celebration of the avantgarde psychedelic hippie theater troupe’s 50th anniversary, in conjunction with original member Fayette Hauser ’s newly-published pictorial history by the same title. This site-specific installation invokes the Cockettes’ adage “too much is never enough!” Dozens of rare photographs, posters, and memorabilia from personal as well as Hormel Center archives depict the pioneering group’s impact on San Francisco’s cultural scene and beyond. I recall coming to the old Palace Theatre to delight in the Cockettes’ hilarious, bizarre, risqué, live shows before I had a clue I was gay! https://sfpl.org/exhibits/
According to Dailykos, facing yet another midnight Friday deadline to avert a government shutdown, the Senate finally passed an omnibus spending bill to keep the government open through September and provide more aid to Ukraine. It took three stopgap bills and chewed up much of the fiscal year the funding is intended for, but this is what success looks like in the era of one party doing its best to break the government. The bill passed 68 to 31.
Sister Dana sez, “How can we possibly expect democracy in Ukraine when we are fighting for democracy right here at home?!”
The HARVEY MILK LGBTQ DEMOCRATIC CLUB, SAN FRANCISCO PRINCIPLES 2020, THE HIV ADVOCACY NETWORK, and WARD 86 met at the steps of San Francisco City Hall on March 21 to urge the city to make the fight against HIV a priority. 37.7 million people worldwide living with HIV means HIV/AIDS is STILL a plague, they emphasized, and Silence STILL Equals Death! They pointed out alarming statistics: HIV testing is down by 44% from 2019. Rates of viral suppression have dropped from 75% to 70%. Among homeless persons living with HIV, only 20% have reached viral suppression, a decrease from 50% in 2019. PrEP use has decreased, leading to potential new HIV transmissions. During times of lockdowns, clinic visits decreased, interrupting testing and early detection and treatment. The city’s long-term survivors of HIV/AIDS still lack adequate access to deeply affordable housing, harm reduction, mental health care, social housing, and economic assistance.
Summing it up: 2021 marked the 40th year of the HIV/AIDS pandemic. 40 years with no cure and no vaccine. As we enter the 41st year of the HIV/AIDS pandemic, the City of San Francisco MUST recommit to treating HIV/AIDS as an urgent public health issue and must recommit funds to make up for recent losses.
SAN FRANCISCO BAY TIMES & THE ACADEMY invite you to DIVAS & DRINKS “Unity with Ukraine” on Thursday, March 24, 6–10 pm at The Academy, 2166 Market Street. This month will include a raffle sponsored by RAINBOW WORLD FUND’s fundraiser forLGBTQ Ukrainians. Donna Sachet will emcee with DJ Rockaway presented by Olivia spinning tunes. https://www.academy-sf.com/
Somewhere in Philadelphia, Elliot has returned from Iraq and is working at Subway while trying to jumpstart his acting career. Scattered throughout the world in chat rooms, recovering addicts keep each other alive, hour by hour, day by day. In this surging drama by Quiara Alegría Hudes (In the Heights), the boundaries of family and community are stretched across continents and cyberspace as birth families splinter and online families collide. Winner of the 2012 Pulitzer Prize for Drama, WATER BY THE SPOONFUL is a heartfelt meditation on lives on the brink of redemption. SAN FRANCISCO PLAYHOUSE, 450 Post Street. Now through April 23. Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays 7 pm, Fridays 8 pm, Saturdays 3 and 8 pm, Sundays 2 and 7 pm. https://www.sfplayhouse.org/sfph/
THEATRE RHINOCEROS continues to present HOW BLACK MOTHERS SAY I LOVE YOU. Claudette travels to visit her dying mother, Daphne, in Brooklyn. But that doesn’t stop her anger and abandonment issues from bubbling up. It doesn’t stop Daphne from voicing her opinions on how Claudette lives her life, either. With Daphne, Claudette, and another daughter, Valerie, all under one roof again, each family member is forced to confront her emotions while there’s still time—until April 3, 4229 18th Street, live and intimate in the Castro. http://therhino.org/
LANDMARK MUSICAL THEATRE continues to present YOU’RE A GOOD MAN, CHARLIE BROWN. Based on the beloved comic strip by Charles Schultz, the Peanuts gang is brought to life in this classic musical by the talented group of Landmark Musical Theatre regulars. Good ol’ Charlie Brown is joined by his little sister Sally, Charlie’s principal nemesis Lucy Van Pelt, her blanket-loving brother Linus, young pianist Schroeder, and Charlie’s favorite dog Snoopy for a delightful evening of songs and scenes depicting a typical day in the life of Charlie Brown. This revised version of the original 1967 production includes two new songs written by Andrew Lippa for the 1997 Broadway revival: Sally’s “New Philosophy” and Schroeder’s “Beethoven Day” along with all of the wonderful songs from the original including “Suppertime,” “Baseball Game,” and “Happiness.” Now through April 10, 8 pm at 533 Sutter Street, 2nd Floor. https://www.landmarkmusicals.com/
Broadway’s Golden Age keeps coming to life in A GRAND NIGHT FOR SINGING, a stunning tribute to the legendary Rodgers and Hammerstein—with a modern twist by San Francisco’s 42ND STREET MOON, 215 Jackson Street. Thirty-two of Broadway’s greatest songs written by one of Broadway’s most iconic partnerships celebrate both the hits and hidden gems—showing off Rodgers’s exquisite melodies and Hammerstein’s evocative lyrics featuring favorites from Oklahoma!, Carousel, South Pacific, The King and I, and more. Must end March 27. https://42ndstmoon.org/
42ND STREET MOON’s ANNUAL GALA is Saturday, April 9, with arrivals at 5 pm and performances at 7 pm. Join them either live or online! This year’s theme, “Raise You Up,” looks to the future towards a better, brighter Moon where students, artists, audiences, and the Bay Area arts community will all be able to share in the joy and magic of live theatre for many years to come. With a cast filled with Moon veterans, Bay Area favorites, and special guests from Broadway and beyond. Gateway Theatre, 215 Jackson Street. https://tinyurl.com/ymbtv36p
Sister Dana sez, “Miracle of miracles! I still find it hard to believe that the Senate actually unanimously passed a bill! I’m thrilled it made DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME PERMANENT with no more troublesome clock-changing!”
Published on March 24, 2022
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