The Arts Project of Cherry Grove (APCG) kicked off its 2017 pre-season of events, away from Fire Island, with a fourth annual Winter Spectacular, at the historic Stonewall Inn, on Christopher Street in Greenwich Village, on January 29, organized by Homecoming Queen and Ms. Fire Island 2014 Whore D’Oeuvre and co-hosted by Whore D’Oeuvre and reigning Homecoming Queen and Miss Fire Island 2011 Logan Hardcore. Chauncey Dandridge served as DJ, Mike Salinari was behind the bar, and Mr. Fire Island Leather 2010 Danny Logan was a cocktail server. All performers donated our services and tips and the event raised $1,011 for APCG, according to treasurer Eric Coyne.
After an introduction by Whore D’Oeuvre, Logan Hardcore began the entertainment with “(I’m a) Bitch,” with appropriate interpolated dialogue, followed by our other hostess’ “One Heart (Love lights your way through the night).” Gusty Winds gave us Grace Slick’s “Dreams,” always a tour-de-force. And this writer, Mr. Fire Island Leather 2001 (the first) sang “Someone to Watch Over Me,” from the Gershwins’ “Oh, Kay!,” and “I’m Still Here,” from Stephen Sondheim’s “Follies.”
Working the room and executing striking dance steps, Miss Fire Island 2014 Brenda Dharling offered a mash-up of “People Like Us” and “I’m Coming Out.” Saline Dijon sang near-namesake Celine Dion’s “If You Asked Me To.” Logan returned with “And I Am Telling You I Am Not Going (to rehab),” mixing “Dreamgirls” with Amy Winehouse, and Whore D’Oeuvre declared “(This is my) Fight Song.”
Gusty Winds returned to the stage with an intensely moving “Fifty Percent,” from “Ballroom.” Logan and Whore waxed spiritual with “Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee,” to music from the fourth movement of Ludwig van Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony, and “Oh Happy Day.” Brenda offered an energetic dance to Megan Trainor’s “Me Too.” Saline rounded off her afternoon by singing Pat Benatar song “Shadows of the Night.”
Whore D’Oeuvre closed the show in style with Tracy Chapman’s still-pertinent “Talkin’ ’Bout a Revolution” (1988) and Ella Henderson’s “(You’re) Hard Work (but you’re good for me).”
APCG next spends a day, February 26, in Fort Lauderdale, with the Out-of-Town In-Town Party, at J. Marks Restaurant, at 1245 North Federal Highway; followed by a meet and greet with filmmaker Parker Sargent and Grove Invasion of the Pines legends, at the Mod Wine Lounge, at Gateway Shopping Center, 1828 East Sunrise Boulevard; and the Florida premiere of Parker’s film “The Panzi Invasion,” at the Classic Gateway Theater, 1820 East Sunrise Boulevard, these last two in conjunction with the Stonewall Museum.
The In-Town Party, in New York City, will take place on March 5, at Bocca di Bacco Restaurant, 169 Ninth Avenue at 20th Street, hopefully with piano entertainment by Vernon Larsen, music director for past APCG shows.
On March 11, at the Marriott Marquis Hotel, as part of the Imperial Court of New York’s (ICNY) 31st Annual Night of a Thousand Gowns, the Casino Royale charity ball, APCG will run a casino, with proceeds to be shared by ICNY and APCG.
Visit www.artprojectcg.org for more information.