Time to enjoy the season
spring sports and fun!
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1 ^
I*
S3
Interview
Patti Austin is truly awesome
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Latina trans murder
Victim called freak’
page 10
Noted. Notable . Noteworthy. LGBT News & Views
Volume 21 . Number 24 www.q-notes.com April 7.2007
An interview with Cherry Jones
Out, award-winning and much
acclaimed actress tdks about life,
love and why she’s so happy
by David Moore . Q-Notes staff
Cherry Jones is talking to Q-Notes
from a posh hotel room in Hershey, Pa.,
where she’s currently starring in the
touring theatrical production of “Doubt.”
“It’s a beautiful, chilly spring morn
ing here,” says Jones. “The sunshine is
pouring through the windows, I just had
a big breakfast and I’m going on a walk
after we talk so I can get some exercise.
I’d say everything is just about perfect.”
It’s hard to discern whether Jones’
upbeat attitude came about from an
almost charmed life or if the positive out
look begat her successful existence —
both personally and professionally.
Jones isn’t quite sure either — she
just knows she’s happy and lucky.
The role she’s playing now, for exam
ple, she originally played on Broadway last
year where she captured a Tony Award for
her performance. It’s not too often that
you’ll find a Broadway actress of Jones’ stature
accepting the touring company role.
“I’m just glad they didn’t stick some ’90s
TV actress in the role,” she says with a laugh.
“People are usually happy to come to see these
touring shows with their favorite from some
show they used to watch. I’ve enjoyed having
another shot at this role.
As for touring versus a regular production
in the same venue night after night, Jones says
the experience has been educating. “I’ve toured
before — it’s not like I’m some little touring
virgin — but it is an interesting experience.
Each new venue has its own personality and
the audience does, too. When you’re in the
same theater month after month you create a
familial world. On the road like this — you do
it so many times in different places — I’ve
talked about this with fellow cast members —
we feel we could do “Doubt” at a giant statdi-
um. I knew 1 wanted to tour with this play
because it transcends the limitations that some
other plays have. You don’t have to see our faces
— you just have to hear us. I’ve never seen a
play that engagaed an audience like‘Doubt.’”
John Patrick Shanley’s Pulitzer Prize-win
ning drama is the story of a nun named Sister
Aloyisus who suspects that one of the charis
matic young priests at her Bronx Catholic
school is a pedophile.
“I love her vigor and her rigouros commit
ment to her flock,” Jones says of the character.
“‘Doubt’ is a parable. My character —
Aloysius —
is certainty.
As an
actress that
has played
heriones so
often —
they are like
an arrow
shot from
the bow and
everyone on
stage is an
obstacle —
they are the
prey. In this
case just the
preist is her
prey. She’s
absolutely
certain he’s
guilty —
although the
audience is
not.”
It wouldn’t be exactly appropriate to say
Jones is a household name. She is a Broadway
legend — many feel cast in the mold of a Helen
Hayes or a Julie Harris — but she herself con
cedes that “there’s only a small coterie of people
in each town who have a clue as to who I am.”
If you’re gay or lesbian chances are you
know who Jones is. She skyrocketed to national
fame when she captured a Tony Award for her
role in the 1995 revival of “The Heiress.” She
made history by becoming the first award-
winner to publicly thank her same-sex partner.
Of the award, she says: “On the one hand,
winning it is like your own fourth grade
dream come true. On the other hand, I know
the reality and the politics behind it. It’s about
promoting the show.”
On outing herself on the 1995 Tony Awards
and thanking her partner of the time, she’s
see cherry on 11
The consumate professional:
Broadway legend Cherry Jones.
Artist says anti-atheist bias
lead to blog suspension
Charles Merrill still defying IRS
by Donald Miller
HENDERSONVILLE, N.C.—
Charles Merrill first came to the atten
tion of Q-Notes two years ago when he
sent out a press release announcing that
he would not pay taxes because the fed
eral government refused to grant him
and his partner the same privileges
afforded same-sex married couples.
“I have no intention of paying
Federal and State Income taxes because
my same-sex partner and I cannot...
receive the same-tax benefits as other
married couples,” Merrill explained. “We
just want the same federal tax benefits
afforded to everyone else. A marriage
license in exchange for a tax payment
— sounds reasonable to us.”
Merrill describes himself as a “blue blood’
and a “self-made millionaire” who reportedly
comes from the same family as the founders
of Merrill Lynch &
Company.
According to his
own website he
was once married
to Princess
Evangeline
Johnson Zalstem-
Zalessky,-the
daughter of the
founder of the
pharmaceutical
company Johnson
& Johnson.
To date,
Merrill has con
tinued to refuse
to file a report
with the IRS,
which is with
holding 28 percent of his income.
see merrill on 7
just call me the anti-christ:
artist and wealthy gay eccen
tric Charles Merrill is hoppin’
mad that a N.C. newspaper
refuses to allow him to use
the blog handle of his choice.
Five Equality Riders arrested at Mississippi stop
Group detained for a week; LGBT
organizations protest
by Brandon Kneeful
CLINTON, Miss. — The Soulforce Equality
Riders arrived at the Mississippi College cam
pus in Clinton March 20 seeking to end reli
gion-based oppression of LGBT people at
Christian colleges across the country. The rid
ers are attempting to engage in a dialogue
concerning the harmful effects of policies that
silence or exclude LGBT students. Twenty-five
LGBT and allied young adults made the trip.
Four of the group’s members were arrested
when they stepped off a public sidewalk and
onto the grass in front of the college’s admin
istration building. The fifth was
Historic White House meeting
page 23
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arrested about an
hour later for the
same thing. The rid
ers were given the
choice of staying in
jail for a week or per
forming three days of
community service.
They chose the latter
and stayed behind in
Clinton and recon
nected with the bus
in Alabama.
Authorities con
tinued to harass the
Equality Riders
throughout the day.
Local
Since 1986
>-tes
One of Soulforce’s
Equality Riders being
taken away by police.
officers used harsh and intimidating lan
guage with the Riders.
SWAT teams from Clinton Township
were also called in. The Soulforce
Equality bus was continuously followed
and forced to leave Clinton. As riders
were waiting for some of the members of
Soulforce to return a police vehicle
approached the bus with its lights flash
ing, signaling the bus to move. The bus
driver immediately turned down the
nearest road and into a church parking
lot to await the Equality Riders. The same
officer once again followed them into the
parking lot, with his lights on, and asked
the driver to speak with him. The officer
cchtntiRg 20 inan
Mming LOT imn
utheCaniRas
I Tax equfdity for gaft-
see arrests on 5