(Ryan Dietz and his partner, Josh Levine, were among three gay couples wed at a special ceremony after Monday night’s performance of Hair.)
I arrived at Broadway’s St. James Theatre at 9:15pm on Monday, July 25—one day after gay marriage was legalized in New York. The marquee for Hair extended above me–and there was a bustle of press and tourists itching to find out what was about to take place. I was quickly ushered into the lobby of the theater, where I heard the cast belting out “Let the Sun Shine” at the end of the performance.
Once the audience started applauding, I dashed in front of the audience to get a front row view of a true New York moment: Broadway Impact teamed up with Oscar Eustis, Artistic Director of the Public Theater and Jordan Roth, president of Jujamcyn Theaters, to host a triple same-sex wedding of members of the Broadway community. Actress and singer Terri White and her partner, jewelry designer Donna Barnett; actor Ryan Dietz and his partner, playwright Josh Levine; and Broadway stage doorman John Raymond Barker and his partner, Jujamcyn usher Jared Pike, all said “I do” in one of the most momentous ways.
Tony Award nominee Colman Domingo (MAD TV, Scottsboro Boys) officiated the ceremony, which was followed by a big gay dance party with cast members, family and the most loving audience on Broadway. Forget about 1967, 2011 truly is the summer of love.
If you want to “Believe in Love,” you better hurry: Hair only runs at the St. James through September 10.
Images by Jeffrey James Keyes
Scott Hester-Johnson
They are married now, so can you please stop using the accursed “P” (partners)word? Unless, of course, they are also starting a law firm or tennis match.