THE LEADING MEN: Much Ado About Taboo
By Wayman Wong
WILSON IS TOUCHED BY AN ‘ANGEL' Oklahoma! and The Full Monty played Joe Pitt, a closeted gay Mormon lawyer, opposite Al Pacino and Meryl Streep. Besides his rave reviews, he got a Golden Globe nomination for Best Supporting Actor.
We chatted briefly with Wilson after Seth Rudetsky interviewed him at his lively "Broadway Chatterbox" talk show at Don't Tell Mama. There, he revealed that though he's seen kissing Ben Shenkman in "Angels in America," the 30-year-old heartthrob said there was a scene of him "making out" with Pacino, but it got cut.
From "Angels in America," Wilson goes to an "angel of music." He's now in London, wrapping up his role as Raoul in Joel Schumacher's film version of Andrew Lloyd Webber's The Phantom of the Opera. Starring Gerald Butler as the masked man, it'll open next Christmas. Wilson says, "It's a big, ol' epic. In my last scene [with Gerald], we're gonna be on horseback and sword-fighting through the cemetery."
Plus, he plays Col. William Travis in "The Alamo," a blockbuster opening this spring with Dennis Quaid as Sam Houston and Billy Bob Thornton as Davy Crockett. Asked if he's leaving Broadway for Hollywood, Wilson says, "I'd love to come back. I'll find something. I've never considered Broadway, or the movies, the pinnacle of my career. I want to do it all. Broadway isn't a steppingstone. That's horseshit. Do you know how many people want to be in this community? I'll never take it for granted."
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For more information, visit www.patrickwilson.org.
JUSTIN TIME FOR JANUARY Urinetown to stage it. I had such a great time!" For more information, visit www.justindaniel.net.
VOCAL HEROES OF 2003 The Boy From Oz and adds, "You can pick any song and it would be a contender, but THE amazing moment has to be ‘Once Before I Go.' Absolutely huge!" There were so many incredible candidates, but here are our picks in alphabetical order:
7 TERRIFIC TOUR DE FORCES: Antonio Banderas (Nine ) Matt Cavenaugh (Urban Cowboy )Hugh Jackman (The Boy From Oz )Noah Racey (Never Gonna Dance )Daniel Reichard (Radiant Baby )Seth Rudetsky (Rhapsody in Seth )John Tartaglia (Avenue Q )
12 AMAZING MUSICAL MOMENTS: Kane Alexander , "Crying" (The Algonquin)Tom Andersen , "Right Field" (Cabaret Convention)Scott Coulter , "Walkin' After Midnight" (Mama Rose's)Gavin Creel, Richard Kind , "You" (Bounce )Brian D'Arcy James , "Every Single Day" (Harmony benefit)Tim Di Pasqua , "One Thing" (The Duplex)Jonathan Dokuchitz , "The Games I Play" (Falsettos )Raul Esparza , "Petrified" (Taboo )Ty Giordano, Dan Jenkins, Michael McElroy , "Muddy Water" (Big River )Josh Groban , "Anthem" (Chess concert)Adam Pascal , "Pity the Child" (Chess concert)Cary Shields , "I See Through You" (Taboo )Tom D'Angora , "Somewhere That's Pink" (Mama's)
WHERE THE GUYS ARE John Bucchino's beautiful songs — and his champions include Stephen Schwartz and Adam Guettel — you'll be "Grateful" to see this composer kick off the "Queer Songbook" series on Jan. 18 at 7 PM at the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Community Center, 208 W. 13th St. (212 620-7310). He'll also unveil his exquisite new CD, "On Richard Rodgers' Piano," and play a few of his "favorite things." His guest will be Lucas Steele , an All American Boy with an amazing voice.
Matt Zarley will celebrate his own pop songs from his dynamic "Debut" album on Jan. 19 at 7 PM at the King Kong Room, 240 W. 47th St. (212-921-1904). Though once named one of People magazine's top 50 bachelors, Zarley won't be doing the show single-handedly; he'll be joined by Jerry Dixon, Billy Porter and many more. … Bistro Award winner David Gurland re-releases his self-titled CD on Jan. 30 at 9:30 PM at Mama Rose's, 219 Second Ave. (212-533-0558). With every breath he takes, the sweet-sounding tenor will do terrific tunes by Sting , as well as Tom Andersen, Tim Di Pasqua, Billy Joel and Burt Bacharach.
When it comes to special events, don't miss Scott Siegel's "2004 Nightlife Awards Concert," a star-studded salute to New York cabaret, comedy and jazz, on Jan. 12 at 7 PM at Town Hall, 123 W. 43rd St. (212 307-4100). Presenters and performers will include such great guys as Jim Caruso, Mark Nadler, Phillip Officer, Steve Ross, John Selya, Douglas Sills and Billy Stritch .
Got comments or questions? E-mail me at waymanwong@hotmail.com.
Until next month, let's hear it for the "boys"!
Wayman Wong edits entertainment for the New York Daily News. He has been a movie and theater critic for The San Francisco Examiner, a writer for The Sondheim Review and a Drama-Logue Award-winning playwright.
Max von Essen (left) , Justin Daniel and Patrick Wilson
photo by Ben Strothmann, Wayman Wong and Aubrey Reuben
