Is enjoyment of live entertainment dependent on knowledge of the sexual orientation of the performers?- Page 2

[Rathnait62]

Posted: 9/10/05 at 4:10pm

I've had amazing chemistry with some males. And I'm gay. And most of them are gay. Doesn't mean we'd sleep with each other, just means that it's very easy and even desirable to be as physical with them as you'd have to be onstage.

I've also had pretty strong chemistry with straight women. Same thing.

Updated On: 9/10/05 at 04:10 PM

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 9/10/05 at 4:17pm

No, of course. I absolutely think it CAN happen, and very often does. I'm saying I've seen on stage relationships that are not at all believable - and part of me wonders if it has anything to do with the fact that one of the actors is gay. The truth is that it's probably not such an easy answer, because any heterosexual man is not attracted to all women, etc, etc, and the lack of chemistry could happen to anybody in any combination. I think more than sexually, it's just a matter of finding some kind of connection - the two I have in mind are good friends, even, but they have no chemistry. It's a bit odd's all, though probably not entirely based on the actor's sexuality.

Updated On: 9/10/05 at 04:17 PM

[BroadwayBettini2]

Posted: 9/10/05 at 5:44pm

I truly doesn't matter wether a performer is Gay or Straight. I thier a good actor you would never be able to guess, because they take you so far away from reality that you are steeped into this amazing show, and nothing else in the world matters.

But as Broadway Fans was all get a little curious about an actors sexual orentaition. And we can't help it, we want to know, just like we need to know celeb gossip. But that has no relevance to the talent or performance of an actor, because when it comes down to it it makes nbo differance.

theater is such an amazing communtiy that excepts people for who they are, and allows them to live thier lived openly.

[grizzabella]

Posted: 9/10/05 at 7:41pm

If an actor is good, his or her sexual orientation is of absolutely no interest to me. As several people have already pointed out, it is acting, and the ability to make me believe that for two hours or so, that actor is the character whose story I'm watching onstage. If he or she can't do that, or their own sexual preferences hamper their ability to play a specific part, for me, it says more about the person's ability as an actor in a particular part, than whether one is gay or straight.
That said, a prior knowledge of a person's orientation can sometimes inform how I see a particular performance, or what I read into it. We all bring our own past knowledge and experience to anything we watch, so any knowledge we have about the performer is bound to affect what we see, at least on some level.

[Marquise]

Posted: 9/10/05 at 8:04pm

I don't think sexual orientation should even come into play.

[jrb_actor]

Posted: 9/10/05 at 11:30pm

I think this thread is discussing two different things:

-whether a performer's sexual orientation should/does affect their performance

-whether that person's coming out serves as a role model

MEF--I COMPLETELY got what you were saying. My post was saying that even though "we" may know doesn't mean that middle America knows. And, it doesn't mean that the person is living openly, which is something that many open gays and lesbians can respect and many closeted gays and lesbians can look up to.

All of "us" knew that Ellen and Rosie were gay. It was very obvious to all of "us". But, think about two things:

-middle America didn't know and/or acknowledge their being gay to be true until they said it.

-their coming out was a different "message" or image than just "us" knowing they were gay.

[Phantom2]

Posted: 9/10/05 at 11:38pm

This is absurd.

[jrb_actor]

Posted: 9/10/05 at 11:46pm

It's ok, phanty. We don't let your sexual orientation affect our opinion of your performance.

Though you could butch up that one dance number...

Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!

[Logainne]

Posted: 9/11/05 at 12:05am

I'm not saying I would EVER judge an actors ultimate performance on their sexual orientation, just saying I would have more respect for them. True, a lot of actors have to go out of their comfort zone despite sexual orientation, but being straight, if I had to play Maureen in Rent, I think I'd have more respect for MYSELF as an actress if I could pull it off. It still doesn't effect and shouldn't in judging their overall talent and performance. And jrb is right, its two seperate things..their performance and them being a role model. Here I'm talking about respect for them as a role model.

[Link Larkin Wanabe]

Posted: 9/11/05 at 12:16am

I think my generation has way too little of a seperation between art and the artist. I think we need to start looking at works in their own right, rather than going in with all our pre-conceived notions. The internet has made it far too easy to get all the information on all our favourite actors/writer/musicians/directors, that we expect certain things.

Akiva