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N.Y. Scene April 2011: “Times Two” book launch & Antigone Rising show, Tribeca Film Festival and Sightings Out on the Town

Times Two Private Book Launch Party / Antigone Rising Show – April 8, 2011 – Rockwood Music Hall

All-girl folk-pop rock group Antigone Rising has been around in various incarnations since 1993. Yes, they are still around and very much active. On April 8, a select group of friends and long time supporters of the band were treated to a private show at Rockwood Music Hall in conjunction with the book launch of Times Two, a memoir written by Antigone Rising co-founder Kristen Henderson and her partner Sarah Kate Ellis.

Can you imagine inadvertently getting pregnant with your partner at the same time and birthin’ babies three days apart? Yes, inadvertently. After Ellis made several failed attempts at getting pregnant, Ellis and Henderson became desperate and decided to try at the same time. The utterly improbable happened – both became pregnant, and Times Two follows their journey through the ups and downs of pregnancy.

The book also explores the legal and social challenges they faced as a gay couple. “This book is our family’s personal story,” say Henderson and Ellis in the introduction. “But in many ways, it’s a story for anyone who has taken a pregnancy test and felt the heart-wrenching disappointment of a negative result. It’s for families who would go to any length to conceive a child. It’s for anyone who’s ever been told their way of life is not acceptable.”

Complimentary Dogfish Head beer was also offered at the event. Books, folk rock and microbrews – the lesbian trifecta. What else could a girl ask for?

World premiere of The Perfect Family — April 24, 2011 — Tribeca Film Festival

The Perfect Family, a dramedy about a rigid church lady coming to terms with her less than holy family, made its debut at the Tribeca Film Festival to a highly receptive audience. Boasting an impressive cast including Kathleen Turner and Emily Deschanel, The Perfect Family is out filmmaker Anne Renton‘s feature length directorial debut. You may remember her short film “Love is Love,” featuring Jane Lynch and Margaret Cho

Eileen Cleary (Kathleen Turner) has devoted her life to the Church. She serves on every church committee, delivers food to the disabled, acts as an altar woman, and goes to confession every day. Because of her dedication to the Church, her priest, Monsignor Murphy (Richard Chamberlain) has nominated her for the title of “Catholic Woman of the Year.” When she learns that the title comes bundled with the gift of absolution from all past sins and that her arch nemesis Agnes Dunn (Sharon Lawrence) has also been nominated, Mrs. Cleary becomes determined that nothing will stand in her way in her quest for the prize.

Not even her family.

As part of the selection process, nominees must invite the Archbishop to their homes to present their “perfect” Catholic families, but Mrs. Cleary’s family falls short of the ideal. Husband Frank (Michael McGrady) is a recovering alcoholic. This could pose a small problem. Son Frank Jr. (Jason Ritter) has recently ditched his wife and two kids and is having an affair with a manicurist (Kristen Dalton). This is a bigger problem. Finally, daughter Shannon (Emily Deschanel) is pregnant and about to marry her girlfriend Angela (Angelique Cabral). This is the biggest problem of all. 

And so she does what any devout Catholic in her position would do. She asks her family to deceive the Archbishop by playing their expected roles as members of the archetypal “perfect” Catholic family until the awards ceremony. This means, among other things, that Shannon must be nowhere to be seen, and during the visit, the family fumbles around, fabricating a story about Shannon’s purported boyfriend. Eventually, Mrs. Cleary’s demands become more unbearable over time and threaten to tear the family apart.

Turner shines as the obsessive and closed-minded matriarch. While the role could have become a caricature if given to a less capable actor, Turner’s portrayal of Mrs. Cleary is three-dimensional and sympathetic and tinged with just the right amount of humor. At one point, in an argument with her daughter about same sex adoption, she blurts out the most memorable line in the film, “I don’t have to think! I’m Catholic!” Another scene where otherwise appalling behavior is tempered with comedic relief is during Shannon and Angela’s wedding, where Mrs. Cleary suffers an anxiety attack upon seeing the two kiss and flees the ceremony, only to have an accident that ruins her nice wedding-appropriate apparel, and she is forced to wear a tracksuit during the reception.

A question and answer session followed the premiere. 

Among one of the spectators in the audience was Ebony Haith, an out contestant of America’s Next Top Model Cycle 1. “I just want to say that this was much more than just a movie to me,” she told the cast and creators. Haith mentioned that her family was not supportive when she first came out, and that that she wished she could have given a copy of the film to every member of her family. 

Kathleen Turner was in the house, and she answered questions directed at her with her trademark sass. On one occasion, a man attempted to question director Anne Renton about her personal belief in God, and Turner grabbed the microphone and said, “I’ll answer that. None of your f-king business!” The auditorium erupted with applause.

All in all, the film received a positive reception at the premiere, and hopefully we’ll be seeing more of The Perfect Family in the future.

Out and About

Miss those verbose writeups of the various club and bar nights for women in New York City? What? No? Fine. Instead, here’s a simple photo gallery for the attention deficient. A few familiar faces – and soon to be familiar faces – graced some of Manhattan’s top parties this month. Take a look.

Hey, it’s Claire from The Real L Word: Season 2. She was a busy bee this month. Here she is, second from the left, at Titty Titty Bang Bang, a new bi-weekly Maggie C/Bridget Hauserman production, which will re-launch shortly.

Here she is at Truck Stop NY, the petri dish that LA dumps on New York City every month. Hey now – remember, there is good bacteria too, like the stuff in yogurt! The new season of The Real L Word airs June 5th on Showtime.

Oh hey – it’s Rose Garcia from The Real L Word: Season 1 at Choice C—s, on the left. (That’s Head C–t on the right, Ellie Conant.)

And look, there’s my friend Lauren and I at Maggie C’s Stiletto relaunch! Oh and this chick named Michelle Rodriguez. I think you may have seen her punch someone in a film, fly a badass helicopter on an alien planet in an even bigger film, or get lost on television. 

That’s it for this month. Guess what’s coming up next month. Pride. Are you ready?

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