Politics are used as little markers, as
historical footnotes in the play, because
you've got to have context. But within those
historical footnotes, you have gay men
changing and growing, and you have the idea
of gay men learning how to love themselves,
how to communicate with themselves, how
to be strong, and how to become
empowered. This whole play is about
empowerment. And it's not just shaking your
fist in the street. Empowerment is about
selfdiscovery. It's not just working out on a
Soloflex; it's knowledge."

This becomes clear as Cabot talks about
working with the predominantly straight
ensemble for Jeffiey. "There were
moments when their embarrassment was
embarrassing for me," he admits. "For
example, when I had to be kissed, or we
had some intimate physical contact  this
could not have happened without Mike's
incredible talent for creating space that is
safe and nurturing for people. That
explains two thirds of the success of

Jefirey. "

Evans responds quickly, admitting that at
first he was nervous about the straight
actors coming to terms with the kissing
scenes in the play, but that he didn't think
twice about the gay actors dealing with the
intimacy. When Craig revealed that he was
nervous about kissing someone he didn't
know, the issue of sexual orientation got
set aside. "It became not just a man kissing
a man, but two people who didn't know
each other kissing each other," Evans says,
noting that the problems were the same in
each case. This common ground allowed
the group as whole to grow closer, and to
more fully develop their craft on stage.

"When you break down that sexual barrier,
you find a whole new world of ways to

relate to people," Cabot says. "You just
have to recognize and use the feelings you
have at the moment  and use that on
stage. When we found ourselves in that
moment on stage, when we were
connecting and it was real for us, our
sexualities were probably the least
important thing. But it did take work to
get there."

Cabot likens the work to therapy, but
Evans, who is quick to avoid any pat
definitions, disagrees. "It's not therapy,
but it is applying a psychology." He likens
it to the creation of ritual masks in both a
physical and psychic sense: "We create
our personalities, our personas, our masks
to guard ourselves from the outside, and
also from our inner shadows and ghosts
and monsters. An actor uses that mask to
create another character creating
another mask in front of the mask they
have, so they're two steps away from
themselves. (As actors), we put the mask
aside during rehearsal, and we create
another persona, but this one is built to
show. In ancient or primitive cultures,
when they put on a mask, they were able
to become something greater than
themselves. That's essentially what
creating the character is. (As Jeffrey or
Jason Troy), Craig is able to be in the
world in a way that he isn't allowed to be
in our culture because we're such a
repressed culture. That vulnerability -
showing the very essence of the self — is
where the power comes from."

"This is the kind of theater that has made
me excited for life," Cabot says by way of
encapsulating up his ongoing experience
with The Night Larry Kramer Kissed Me,
"and in order for me as a gay man to get
the most out of life, I have to act on my

TELEPHONE (802) 524-9595

OFFICE HOURS
BY APPOINTMENT

CAROL L. THAYER, M.D.
FAMILY PRACTICE

R. D. 2, BOX 1160
FAIRFAX, VERMONT 05454

‘Hi

100 Acres 0 Pool
Hot Tub I Trails

‘Cf

January 1994

gayness. I have to show people what it's
like to be me, and what it is to be gay."

"Is that because you haven't been
reflected?" Evans asks. "Heterosexuals are
reflected in society, whereas gays aren't
reflected."

"Yes," Cabot replies, adding with the
commitment of one who knows, "and you
have to constantly work on that."

He becomes even more impassioned as he
continues. "As gay people, we have to
recognize the power of being a
community. In order for that community to
exist, it has to be healthy. In order to be
healthy, we have to be functioning. In
order to be functioning, we've got to
understand ourselves. We've got to delve
inside ourselves. This is what the play is
doing for me."

And so the work continues. Judging from
our our conversation, it may never end.
This would appear to suit Evans and
Cabot just fine as both continue to chart the
depths of their respective souls in the
context of theater.

At press time, perfomtance dates and times
for The Night Larry Kramer Kissed Me
had not been set. For more information,
call Michael Evans at (802)660-9706. V

Give st subscription to
Out In The Mountains
as at gift!

20 Charming Rooms
Peace & Privacy

elandg ‘Inn

P.O. Box 118
Bethlehem, NH 03574
(603) 869-5978

A LESBIAN PARADISE