The original St. Louis cast
Some of My Best Friends Are...
A gay and lesbian review for people of all preferences Music and lyrics by Tom Clear Written upon the anniversary of the Stonewall Riots, the popularly-recognized beginning of the American Gay and Lesbian Liberation Movement, this play drew culturally diverse, sold-out crowds for three and a half months when it first opened at the St. Marcus Theatre in St. Louis. Voted Best Play of the Year by the Riverfront Times and Spotlight Magazine, "Friends" has been produced in St. Louis, Seattle, Ann Arbor, Phoenix, Buffalo and Canada. A lively, satirical piece with comic scenes and musical numbers, it offers something for everyone. Well, maybe not Jesse Helms!
Highlights include the saga of a heterosexual couple making their way through a gay world, a boot camp run by a drag queen to instruct biological females on the tactics of femininity, and fantasies of a recovering disco-holic. The show calls for minimal set and costuming. It has been done with casts ranging from four men and four women, to three men and three women, with cross-gendered casting. One of the male actors should be African-American. Although the play has been done with prerecorded synthesized music, we recommend a live pianist. "Some very good jokes and an enjoyable evening of contemporary theatre in a style we see all too rarely... Lipkin doesn't allow any particular sexual preference to take itself too seriously; there are spoofs in all directions. Clear's music and lyrics are a splendid addition." - Joe Pollack, St. Louis Post-Dispatch "A sprightly, intelligent and very funny review...the only bad thing about Some of My Best Friends Are... is that there isn't more theatre like it. Keep Lipkin's name in mind and get to her work. She's the real article." - Harry Weber, The Riverfront Times "Hilarious ... you don't have to be gay to enjoy Some of My Best Friends Are... The only thing you have to be is someone who likes to laugh." - Terry L. Murphy, Niagara Gazette "A satirical review for people of all preferences. It's light, but not without calories." - Martin F. Kohn, Detroit Free Press
UPPITY Plays