Fab 50
/August 20, 2004.By Lavender.
21. Theatrical Production: A Man of No Importance Runner-up: Pirates of Penzance
Theatre Latte Da’s production of A Man of No Importance was overwhelmingly popular with queer audiences.
On one hand, the Flaherty-Ahrens-McNally musical reflects a page in queer cultural history. On the other hand, it speaks to how many queer folk still are shunned today, 40 years later.
As directed by Peter Rothstein, A Man of No Importance became a cryptically luminous vision. Bathed in deep purples and pine greens, Latte Da bleakly reflected on the lonely abyss engulfing humble gay bus conductor/amateur stage director Alfie, relflecting a kind of heterosexual purgatory.
Music director Denise Prosek exquisitely balanced the gifted ensemble with simple orchestral accompaniments. “Streets of Dublin” stirringly was sung by Dieter Bierbrauer as Robbie, the straight guy Alfie yearns for.
And Petersen’s Alfie was brave, anguished portrayal of being gay in an insidiously Catholicized culture.
