Wire Magazine Issue 3.2022 Miami Beach Pride 2022 Special Issue

ISSUE #03 | 03.31.22 DISPLAY UNTIL 04.27.22

FEATURE:

OUTSHINE FILM FESTIVAL MIAMI

ARTS NEWSIE:

FLAMENCO FESTIVAL MIAMI

OUT & ABOUT:

CATS BROADWAY MUSICAL

MIAMI BEACH PRIDE 2022 INTERVIEWS: GRAND MARSHALS TRACY YOUNG & ENRIQUE SANTOS + SEXY COVER MODEL JAVIER MONTERO

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TABLE OF CONTENTS: 5. ARTS NEWSIE: FLAMENCO FESTIVAL MIAMI The Flamenco Festival Miami is returning to the Arsht Center with three outstanding performances.

10. COVER STORY: MIAMI BEACH PRIDE RETURNS APRIL 1-10

Grand Marshals Tracy Young and Enrique Santos tell us what Pride means to them and why it is so important that we celebrate Pride with our community.

12. COVER STORY: COVER MODEL JAVIER MONTERO We interview sexy cover model and mixologist Javier Montero about Pride and working at Palace Bar.

16. FEATURE: OUTSHINE LGBTQ+ FILM FESTIVAL MIAMI IS BACK IN-PERSON APRIL 22

We showcase some of the best films of the upcoming OUTshine LGBTQ+ Film Festival Miami edition.

20. OUT & ABOUT: CATS BROADWAY MUSICAL We preview CATS, coming to the Broward Center, through the eyes of cast member John Anker Bow.

WIREMAG.COM:

ENJOY OUR MAGAZINE LIFESTYLE CONTENT Visit wiremag.com to read all our past issues of Wire Magazine with beautiful men and interesting lifestyle content for the LGBTQ community.

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ARTS NEWSIE

By Rafa Carvajal

FLAMENCO FESTIVAL MIAMI RETURNS TO THE ARSHT CENTER RC: Tell our readers about ¡VIVA! ML: For me, it is to get back part of my childhood. When I was little, I liked to cross-dress and dance normally and with formality, but people laughed at me. They made me feel that this was not right, so I did it secretly out of fear.

Today, I have the courage to do it openly and share it.

RC: Why did you decide to create a show with six other bailaores-bailarinas, male dancers dressed in traditional female costume?

ML: I did not want to be alone. My situation has also been experienced by other colleagues and I wanted them to be with me.

Manuel Liñán Company Photos by Marcos G. Punto

I am excited to report that Flamenco Festival Miami is returning to the Arsht Center for the Performing Arts after being cancelled during the COVID-19 pandemic. For anyone who loves flamenco, the Festival is a wonderful opportunity to see some of the best Spanish performers of this extraordinarily energetic, rhythmical music and dance during three outstanding performances: 1) Miguel Poveda in Concert on April 10, with the Spanish superstar performing traditional flamenco songs; 2) Stars of Flamenco on April 21, with Mercedes Ruíz, María Moreno and Eduardo Guerrero demonstrating the diversity and vibrancy of flamenco with special guest Maria Terremoto; and 3) Compañía Manuel Liñán: ¡VIVA! on April 23, with the all-male dance company exploring gender identity through characterizations inspired by the flamenco woman.

I sat down with dancer, choreographer and director Manuel Liñán to preview his performance ¡VIVA! Manuel was born in Granada, Spain, studied with the renowned bailaores Manolete and Mario Maya, and has choreographed shows by acclaimed companies such as the National Ballet of Spain, Rafaela Carrasco, Teresa Nieto and the New Spanish Ballet.

Rafa Carvajal: Why do you enjoy performing in the Flamenco Festival Miami at the Arsht Center for the Performing Arts?

Manuel Liñán: It is a very special place. I have been at the Arsht Center on previous occasions, and I have very good memories of the place and the warm welcome from the public.

RC: Why should someone who has never seen you dance Flamenco come see ¡VIVA!?

ML: It is a show that shows different disciplines of Spanish dance, flamenco, stylized dance, bolera school – a great diversity. In addition, the interpreters have a unique personality.

RC: What is it like to dance Flamenco on a large stage in a packed performance center?

ML: It is a wonderful feeling to see the theater when it is full. I think a special energy arises. We are often moved by how they welcome us. We have really felt the affection and warmth of the public very intensely and that moves us a lot. It’s very special.

RC: How do you prepare for your shows? It seems that you must have great stamina to dance Flamenco.

ML: You have to be in shape and rehearse a lot, preparation is very important, the dancer always has to be practicing to be in shape.

RC: What does Flamenco mean to you?

ML: My life, my voice, the best tool with which to express myself freely.

RC: What else would you like to share with Wire Magazine readers about yourself or ¡VIVA!?

ML: That we are very excited to be in Miami and share our message with the public.

#3 2022 WIREMAG.COM 5

PUBLISHER’S CORNER LET’S CELEBRATE MIAMI BEACH PRIDE LOUDER THAN EVER! Given the recent passage of the ‘Don't Say Gay’ Florida House Bill 1557, it is very important that we celebrate Pride louder and stronger than ever as a community with the full support of our allies. Let’s do so at Miami Beach Pride! This year’s expanded celebration will take place April 1-10 with a Pride Week, Festival and Parade returning to its traditional April scheduling with the theme ‘There's No Place Like Home.’

Be sure to check out the full schedule of events and parties at miamibeachpride.com and purchase your tickets. If you buy VIP tickets, you can enjoy a new and larger Celebrity Cruises VIP Lounge with premium viewing of the Main Stage, private airconditioned restrooms, light bites provided by Osteria Morini restaurant, and a full bar.

Some of this year’s event highlights include: Pride Lights the Night honoring the Pulse victims with special guest speaker and Pulse survivor Kenneth Melendez on April 1 at 7 p.m. (1111 Lincoln Rd.); the Fun Dip Official Kick-Off Pool Party on April 2, 2-8 p.m. (Kimpton Hotel Palomar South Beach Rooftop, 1750 Alton Road) which will feature DJ Deanne and special guest Hex Hector; the 2nd Annual Legends Ball on April 7, starting a 6:30 p.m. (Exchange Miami, 1532 Washington Avenue); and the new T-Mobile VIP Beach Affair on Friday, April 8th (Lummus Park) that will provide you a sneak-peek to the Festival with special celebrity guests, live entertainment, and an open bar – including a performance by Celebrity Grand Marshal Max Emerson.

International recording artist Raye will make her U.S. debut at Miami Beach Pride as the closing headliner for the Festival on April 10. The Miami Beach Pride Parade will take place Sunday, April 10 at 12 p.m. with thousands marching along Ocean Drive to celebrate their Pride.

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For this week’s special issue, we sat down with Miami Beach Pride Community Grand Marshal Tracy Young and Advocate Grand Marshal Enrique Santos to discuss why it is so important that we celebrate Pride. We also feature the very sexy Javier Montero, who works as a mixologist at Palace Bar on Ocean Drive, as our cover model and in an interview about celebrating Pride. Also in this issue, we preview the iconic Broadway Musical CATS at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts (April 5-10); the Flamenco Festival Miami returning to the Arsht Center for the Performing Arts (April 10, 21 & 23); and the OUTshine LGBTQ+ Film Festival Miami edition returning in-person (April 22 to May 1) with a number of fun social events and film programming that will inspire, entertain and educate our community and allies.

Cheers,

Rafa Carvajal Publisher & Editor in Chief rafa@wiremag.com

“IT IS ABSOLUTELY IMPERATIVE THAT EVERY HUMAN BEING’S FREEDOM AND HUMAN RIGHTS ARE RESPECTED, ALL OVER THE WORLD.” - JÓHANNA SIGUR!ARDÓTTIR 8 WIREMAG.COM #3 2022

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MIAMI BEACH PRIDE RETURNS APRIL 1-10 WITH A PRIDE WEEK, FESTIVAL AND PARADE

By Rafa Carvajal | Model Photos By Photostudiomiami.com | Other Photos Provided By Interviewees

The 2022 expanded Miami Beach Pride celebration will take place April 1-10 with a Pride Week, Festival and Parade returning to its traditional April scheduling with the theme ‘There's No Place Like Home,’ which, according to the Festival, "is in tribute to our chosen families that have become an even stronger lifeline through two years of a pandemic that has disproportionately affected our community. As a nod to the iconic film The Wizard of Oz, we also see the yellow brick road as an allegory for the journey that befalls our community whether coming out, transitioning, finding love and seeking a place in a world that still has a way to go in fully accepting and embracing our community.” Check out this year’s full schedule of events and parties at miamibeachpride.com and purchase tickets to everything you would like to attend.

We sat down with Miami Beach Pride Community Grand Marshal Tracy Young and Advocate Grand Marshal Enrique Santos to discuss why it is so important that we celebrate Pride.

Rafa Carvajal: Why do you think it's important to celebrate Pride?

Tracy Young: It is important to celebrate Pride for a lot of reasons. The most important is to stand together to commemorate the Stonewall Riots, which began in the early hours of June 28, 1969, after police raided the Stonewall Inn bar in New York City's Greenwich Village neighborhood. This launched the gay movement in most major cities, specifically in the United States and now the world.

Enrique Santos: It’s important that we celebrate Pride to ensure that the discrimination, struggles and sacrifices of the LGBTQ+ community are never forgotten.

RC: What does Pride mean to you?

TY: Pride is my favorite time of year. It's a time to accept our differences as individuals and come together and accept people from all walks of life. It’s also a time to recognize and express self-love without judgement! Pride is about LOVE! ES: Pride to me is much more than a yearly celebration. It is a lifestyle of compassion, love and understanding. Our sexual orientation does not determine our character, so for me Pride is much more than a party. It’s a call to unite, educate and to help our community be better understood and accepted.

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RC: What are you looking forward to the most about being this year's Miami Beach Pride Community Grand Marshal?

TY: It’s an honor to be chosen as the Grand Marshal for Miami Pride! I have lived in South Florida for over 20 years and love this community! I have always made it a priority to give back to the people who have supported me for many years, and it’s an honor to be recognized by this LGBTQ community who are my friends and family.

RC: What are you looking forward to the most about being this year's Miami Beach Pride Advocate Grand Marshal?

ES: As Grand Marshal, I’m really looking forward to seeing the families at Miami Beach Pride attending in support of their LGBTQ+ loved ones. When I was young, this was not something I felt comfortable talking to anyone about, so to see young people at Pride along with their supportive parents always makes me proud and happy for them.

RC: What would you tell a young LGBTQ+ person regarding coming out and being proud about who they are?

TY: I would tell them that its takes courage and a brave person to be themselves and let that person know they are not alone!

ES: I would say to come out on your own terms. Not because it’s popular or because someone else is pushing you. Follow your heart and your instinct. In doing so, the right words and way will come to you. Understanding and loving yourself is actually more important than others doing so – at least that’s what my journey has taught me.

RC: What message would you send to someone who opposes LGBTQ+ rights?

TY: I would ask them to educate themselves and realize that Love is Love.

ES: Well, LGBTQ+ rights are human rights. You may not realize it, but EVERY person has at least one LGBTQ+ person in their family, whether they realize and/or recognize it. I challenge all who oppose these rights to do some soul-searching and to dig into some history on our struggles. Not only here in the U.S., but currently around the world. You’ll be shocked on exactly how different our people have been treated throughout history and around the world.

Tracy Young. Photo by Mike Ruiz

Enrique Santos

RC: Is there anything else you would like to share with Wire Magazine readers?

TY: HAPPY PRIDE South Florida and Miami! Please visit tracyyoung.com for more information.

ES: Make sure to check out my syndicated morning radio show that originates live every morning 6-10 a.m. from Miami on TÚ 94.9 FM and on iHeartRadio. Everyone is welcome and everyone is represented! And just FYI, I’m doing sit ups in hopes of being selected as the cover of Wire Magazine soon. Lol! Follow me on the gram @enriquesantos. #3 2022 WIREMAG.COM 11

MIXING IT UP AT PRIDE PALACE BAR’S JAVIER MONTERO SERVES GOOD SMILES AND, OH YEAH, DELICIOUS DRINKS TOO

By Michael Nelson | Model Photos By Photostudiomiami.com

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What better place to celebrate Pride in Miami Beach than at Palace Bar on Ocean Drive with this week’s sexy cover model? This year the legendary drag venue is toasting the most colorful Sunday of the year with a special prix fixe drag brunch that includes a front row seat from which to view the parade with unlimited mimosas made by mixologist Javier Montero.

“We have so much to celebrate this year,” says Palace owner Thomas Donall. “We have emerged from the pandemic stronger than ever.” He also acknowledges there have been some disappointments, especially in our state of Florida where Governor DeSantis signed the discriminatory ‘Don't Say Gay’ bill into law. “It’s a huge set-back for the community,” he reflects, “but we’ve been kicked down before and we always get back up fighting.

We will persevere.”

In the meantime, there is a place in Florida that does not discriminate. For the past 33 years, Palace on Ocean Drive has welcomed every gender of all ages with jaw dropping performances featuring the best drag talent in town, and some of the city’s most eye-catching spectacles serving food and drinks, including mixologist Javier Montero. We’re celebrating Pride by getting to know Javier a little more.

Michael Nelson: Who is the real Javier Montero?

Javier Montero: (Laughing) Only a few actually get to know the real Javier Montero. What I can tell you is that when I’m not behind the bar at Palace, you can usually find me at the beach spiking volleyballs with friends or tossing frisbees for my dogs.

MN: Where did you grow up?

JM: Most of my youth was spent here in Miami. My family settled here from Cuba when I was seven. We won the ‘bombo,’ which is the Cuban lottery to come to the USA and to live ‘The American Dream.’

MN: What did you think of the city when you first arrived?

JM: At first, I just wanted to go back to Cuba! I was so young. I missed my friends and things were so different up here. Kids in Miami didn’t have the same freedom to run around and play outside like we did in Cuba. I didn’t get to have that same freedom until my teens.

MN: Were you a sports kid and what were your games?

JM: Not at first. I was more into video games like Guitar Hero. Most kids arriving from Cuba were held back in school a year, but I wasn’t, so I was always smaller and weaker than the other boys. I started learning and playing sports in the 6th grade and my small stature made me push and work harder than the rest. I played soccer, track and field, football, volleyball and baseball, but only stuck with football and volleyball in high school.

MN: How did you find your way to Palace?

JM: Everyone in Miami knows there is no place more fun than Palace! I love coming here every day. You never know what will be in store! Also, have you seen the rooftop pool and bar? It has the best office view in the city.

#3 2022 WIREMAG.COM 13

MN: Not many people can say their coworkers are drag queens.

JM: Exactly! Never a dull day!

MN: Do they make you strip for audiences?

JM: Of course! Although it is the servers that get pulled into the performances more than I do because when they’re in the dining area serving food and drinks, they’re basically sitting ducks!

MN: Have you experienced a drag queen getting ‘diva’ with you?

JM: Sure, from time to time their diva attitudes will emerge. It’s a part of who they are! Just like how my fiery Latino temper might come out every now and then.

MN: Meow! Will this be your first Pride?

JM: My first Pride? No, this isn’t my first rodeo. I love Pride. It’s probably the most hectic time at Palace because it is busy, but it’s also the most fun. The outfits that come in here are incredible!

MN: What’s been the most memorable experience during Pride?

JM: Oh wow, so many. Let’s just say I have seen some things happen at Pride that can’t be unseen.

MN: How many guys try to pick you up?

JM: During Pride? A lot. But doesn’t everyone get that?

MN: What is something readers would be surprised to know about you?

JM: I’m very blunt.

MN: What makes you smile?

JM: Jokes, being with friends… Truthfully, I’m always smiling. It’s part of my job to flirt behind the bar. What better way to start it off then with a smile?

MN: What makes you angry?

JM: Liars. Unfortunately, Miami is full of them.

MN: If you could run the world for a day, what would you do?

JM: I would give everyone the day off to reflect on how good they have it and to remind themselves to enjoy every second.

MN: You came to America to live the ‘American Dream.’ Has it truly been a dream?

JM: I certainly cannot complain. I have met some incredible friends along the way, including my Palace family. I’ve learned that it’s all about working hard and trying to do what’s right. Do that and it’ll all work out.

Palace is located at 1052 Ocean Drive. The special Pride prix fixe drag brunch with unlimited mimosas begins Sunday, April 10th at 10:30 a.m. $50. For reservations, visit palacesouthbeach.com or call 305-531-7234.

14 WIREMAG.COM #3 2022

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FEATURE

By Rafa Carvajal

OUTSHINE LGBTQ+ FILM FESTIVAL MIAMI IS BACK IN-PERSON APRIL 22 The OUTshine LGBTQ+ Film Festival Miami edition returns in-person April 22 to May 1 with a number of fun social events and film programming that will inspire, entertain and educate our community and allies. This year’s Miami Festival will include over 45 international features and documentary screenings, three shorts programs, exclusive virtual showings, diverse venues, Cocktails & Cinema happy hours, and several parties. The Festival will also honor Venezuelan actress, model, and philanthropist Patricia Velásquez with its Vanguard Award. Visit outshinefilm.com to review the film program and purchase tickets to your favorite films and parties.

The OUTshine Film Festival theme for this year is ‘Find Yourself Here’ because audiences of all ages and backgrounds can find themselves represented and reflected in the films. The Festival opens on April 22, at 7 p.m., at the Black Archives - Historic Lyric Theater with the South Florida debut of the African-American comedy-drama B-Boy Blues, based on the 1994 groundbreaking and beloved classic book by James Earl Hardy, followed by an opening night party.

Other notable Festival highlights include: 1) The premiere of the Festival Centerpiece film Girl Picture (TYOT TYOT TYOT) on April 28 (8 p.m.) at the Miami Beach Botanical Gardens, followed by an afterparty. This Sundance Film Festival Audience Award winner film follows three girls coming of age in Finland who redefine relationships and sexuality along their journey. 2) The Men’s Spotlight Australian feature film Lonesome on April 30 (8:30 p.m.) at the Regal Cinemas South Beach. An evening of erotic romance will take the audience on a thrilling, hedonistic, titillating journey, depicting two young men who seek sexual fulfillment, acceptance and a meaningful bond. 3) The Closing Night film Cop Secret on May 1 (6 p.m.) at the Sandrell Rivers Theater, an Icelandic action comedy, followed by the annual film awards soiree.

B-BOY BLUES

Director: Jussie Smollett. U.S., 2021 Mitchell, a successful college-educated journalist, finds himself falling for the smoking hot Raheim, a Harlem bike courier and bboy. Despite his friends’ misgivings and several red flags, Mitchell is enraptured by the incredibly sexy and smooth Raheim, but the repercussions of their mutual obsession will affect his work, friendships, and family. With so much eye candy you won’t be able to look away, as well as a story brimming with drama, romance, heart, and charisma. Moonlight meets Queer As Folk, B-Boy Blues will captivate you from start to glorious finish and leave you wanting more, more, more in this unapologetic celebration of African-American gay men.

COP SECRET (LEYNILlOGGA)

Director: Hannes Thor Halldorsson. Iceland, 2021 Cop movie clichés have been sent up before, but this Icelandic action comedy takes the homoerotic subtext of so many buddy movies and unapologetically comes ‘out’ all guns blazing. Rival law enforcers, rough-edged Bussi and slick hunky, ex-model Hördur reluctantly join forces to stop criminal mastermind Rikki Ferrari. Desperate as they are to stop Ferrari’s bank heists, they may just, despite Bússi’s initial denial, want each other even more. Cop Secret embraces the genre’s more ludicrous tropes and gleefully squeezes them tighter. While a hard-hitting action flick, at its core it’s a tender romance. If Michael Bay made a gay Lethal Weapon… this would be what it looks like.

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Photos Provided by OUTshine Film Festival

LONESOME

Director: Craig Boreham. Australia, 2021 Casey, a hot, hunky young man from the countryside running from a small-town scandal, finds himself down and out in the big city of Sydney. When he meets Tib, a young city lad, struggling with his own scars of isolation, there’s chemistry, not only sexually but also emotionally, as both men find something they have been missing. Can they overcome their own insecurities and let the other in or are the walls they have built too strong to knockdown? Lonesome takes audiences on a thrilling, hedonistic, erotic journey, depicting two characters, who not only seek sexual fulfillment but also acceptance and a meaningful bond.

MONEYBOYS

Director: C.B. YI. Austria/France/Taiwan, 2021 Moneyboys examines the tight-knit community of gay hustlers in Beijing. The film centers on Fei, a hustler who sends much of his money back home. But while returning to his village, Fei is humiliated by his father’s friends and family. They want his dirty money but prefer to disavow him completely. Life back home now impossible, Fei fully commits himself to his gay hustler friends. He eventually hooks up with Long, a young man from his village who has moved to Beijing to start over. But he has never gotten over Xiaolai, his mentor and first love, who disappeared after being brutally injured while protecting Fei from a violent john.

THE SCHOOLMASTER GAMES (MAGISTERLEKARNA) Director: Ylva Forner. Sweden, 2022

The school year at St. Sebastian, exclusively populated by queer guys, has just started. The much-desired Charles enters a secret sexual power game orchestrated by the strict schoolmaster, who is tortured by memories from a time long before the erotic acceptance that currently prevails at the boarding school. When the competition for the prestigious singing event tightens, friendships crack and the utopian existence begins to fall apart piece by piece. Based on a novel and inspired by high school films and gay porn, The Schoolmaster Games illustrates a world where sexuality is free, but power games simmer beneath the surface.

THE SWIMMER

Adam Kalderon. Israel, 2021 Erez, a rising star in the Israeli swimming scene, arrives at a godforsaken training camp held in a boarding school, where the one to win the competition gets a ticket to the Olympics. There he meets the beautiful and talented Nevo, who awakens subconscious desires in him. However, their swimming coach does not believe in friendship between competitors. Warned to stay away from Nevo, Erez is still too attracted to him. In between practices, he attempts to act upon his feelings and understands that winning a medal is less important than winning Nevo’s heart. The Swimmer is tender and tense with an ending unlike any you will see this year… in a good way.

18 WIREMAG.COM #3 2022

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OUT & ABOUT

By Rafa Carvajal

CATS THROUGH THE EYES OF CAST MEMBER JOHN ANKER BOW 2021-2022 National Tour of CATS. Photos By Matthew Murphy. Murphymade

I have been very fortunate to watch numerous Broadway shows, and one of my favorites is CATS – which I saw for the first time on Broadway in New York City. I highly recommend seeing CATS when it comes to the Broward Center for the Performing Arts from Tuesday, April 5 to Sunday, April 10 as part of a new North American tour.

You can purchase tickets at browardcenter.org. CATS was composed by Andrew Lloyd Webber and it’s based on T.S. Eliot’s Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats. This outstanding, record-breaking musical has been seen by over 75 million people worldwide. I sat down with CATS cast member John Anker Bow, whose roles on stage include Bustopher Jones and Gus the Theatre Cat, to preview the new production of CATS.

JAB: Walking into a new theatre in a new town each week is an experience I’ve always enjoyed. The size of the house, the layout of backstage, the signatures on the walls, the color of the seats, the chandeliers, the proscenium arches – no two places are alike, and yet thousands of actors and musicians and technicians have come and gone over the years and left their mark. There’s a certain strange and wonderful presence in each place, particularly right before the audience arrives.

RC: Why should someone who has never seen CATS buy tickets to see it at the Broward Center?

JAB: CATS is such a unique theatrical experience and it's that uniqueness that has allowed it to stand the test of time. We capture the audience’s attention right at the beginning in the quiet darkness and then take them on a wild ride in multiple emotional directions. I’m always interested to hear what friends have to say after a performance because they each notice something a little bit different. Forty years after the original production and people still leave the theatre saying, “Wow, I could not have predicted any of what I saw tonight."

John Anker Bow as Bustopher Jones and the company of CATS

Rafa Carvajal: What is it like being a cast member of such an iconic Broadway Musical as CATS? John Anker Bow: A pleasure, particularly after such a long hiatus. I’m so grateful to be working again as live theatre makes its comeback. This show in particular is such a crowd-pleaser. It feels so energizing to hear the audience respond every night.

RC: Tell our readers about yourself.

JAB: I’m from Hamilton, New Jersey originally, but live in Brooklyn, New York now when I’m not on the road. I’ve always been something of a jack-of-all-trades when it came to my career. I’ve had the pleasure of teaching and directing theatre, writing theatre, casting and managing theatre, as well as performing. I’ve worked in a box office, painted backdrops, played in a pit and worked a spotlight. Being creative has always been part of who I am, and I’ve always enjoyed reading and telling stories. I feel the best stories are told on stage under the lights and so that’s where I’ve spent most of my time!

RC: What do you enjoy the most about performing with the cast of CATS? 20 WIREMAG.COM #3 2022

RC: What else would you like to share with Wire Magazine readers about yourself or CATS? JAB: During the pandemic, I started hosting a podcast called Flop of the Heap, which delves into the absurd and (often) hilarious history behind Broadway ’s biggest musical flops. It’s really a fun listen for anyone who’s a fan of Broadway musicals. Episodes can be found on iTunes, Stitcher and all the usual places. Oh! and for any diehard CATS fans out there, I highly recommend a little book called A Cat’s Diary: How the Broadway Production of Cats was Born. It was adapted from journal entries written by Stephen Hanan, Broadway’s original Bustopher/ Gus, and is a fascinating peek into the initial rehearsal process through opening night.