And So It Begins, Again

I know the JTMF summer show is right around the corner when our brilliant graphic designer, Brian Valachovic presents us with his always amazing poster. And this year's is no exception. Brian designed our gorgeously simple posters for The Most Fabulous Story Ever Told and Sordid Lives.

Brian always manages to capture the show's essence in his posters and this year's poster carries on the tradition of excellence we've come to appreciate so very much. The scissors, the gun, the hot pink legs and the sploogy/bloody comma are all perfectly in tune with the show and what it's about. For those unfamiliar, Die Mommie Die! is Charles Busch's parody of soapy 1960's thrillers, most notably the 1964 Bette Davis movie Dead Ringer, co-starring Peter Lawford and Karl Malden.

Set in 1967 (during the so-called "Summer of Love"), Die Mommie Die! tells the story of former musical star Angela Arden, a has-been from the 40's and 50's who dropped out of the limelight to raise her children Edith (a spoiled Daddy's girl) and Lance (a gay hippie). When her husband, movie producer Sol Sussman dies under mysterious circumstances, Edith and Lance conspire to get the truth out of the woman they think is their mother. Angela's alcoholic maid Bootsie and gigolo Tony Parker also have their suspicions, but it's up to Lance, Edith and a tab of LSD to get to the truth. Inspired insanity from the author of Vampire Lesbians of Sodom; Psycho Beach Party and The Tale of the Allergist's Wife, Die Mommie Die may well be the funniest and most twisted JTMF production yet.

For newer readers, The James Tolin Memorial Fund is an organization with which I have have been proud to be associated since its inception in 2003. We produce events which feature shows with an LGBT theme to raise money for AIDS, Arts Education and Suicide Prevention charities. Our beneficiaries include The Open Arms Foundation of Hilssborough, NJ: The James Tolin memorial Scholarship at Mercer County Community Collge and The Trevor Project. James was a local actor in NJ and a former Theatrer student at MCCC. Some of our past productions have included Jeffrey; Torch Song Trilogy; The Altruists; Psycho Beach Party; What the Butler Saw and Sordid Lives. Our annual June gala includes a catered reception and silent auction. Last year, we added a Winter Event with our December production of It's a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play and will present a staged radio version of A Christmas Carol this coming December. Yours truly appeared in our first two productions and has directed every production since, including this one and I will make an appearance as a few characters in A Christmas Carol.

Tickets are now available for Die Mommie Die! at www.kelseyatmccc.org. You can also visit our blog (where you can also see a super-scary pic of Uncle P in drag) for updates or join us on Facebook (search "James Tolin Memorial Fund"). You only have three chances to catch the show: June 24th & 25th at 8:00 PM (Silent Auction opens at 7:00) and June 26th at 2:00 PM (does not include reception or Silent Auction). If you are unable to attend (though we would love to see you there), you can always make a safe and secure donation via PayPal at our website, www.jtmf.org.

Here's a little video about who we are, from last year:

Okay - enough shameless plugging for tonight. Join me tomorrow when I let you into the deepest depths of Uncle P's psyche and share one of the strangest dreams I've ever had... (bet you're chomping at the bit to attempt to psychoanalyze this particular psycho... or not. I don't really care, as long as you keep reading).

More, anon.

Prospero