Brandon Delivers!

Nine New Songs Finished!!

As you’ve read in previous editions of this newsletter, Lube: The Web Series added nine new songs to the musical mix. We’ve been waiting with bated breath, and our patience has been rewarded. Brandon Bowerman, composer extraordinaire, delivered all nine songs to Playwright/Lyricist/Producer Jack Turner last month.

These songs include:

· The sarcastic, self-deprecating “Gay Sex” sung by in-the-closet David during a bout of depression

· “Peevish,” a light-hearted song sung by Lizzie as she’s trying to help our hero Andy through a rough time

· “Gaydar,” a sarcastic look at the ridiculous terms used to describe gays, sung by homophobic Mary, with rebuttals sung by Lizzie, Tammy, and Mitzie

· “It’s Obvious There’s Something Wrong,” sung by Andy in a desperate attempt to  help his depressed, suicidal friend David ‘off the ledge,’ so to speak

· “Polyamory,” sung by Biff’s girlfriend, Mitize, with her unique solution to her oversexed boyfriend’s ‘needs’

· “Fags Make Me Sick,” sung by gay-basher Don. Still, is he taking things too far? They say the most  homophobic are hiding their own attraction…

Now, all you need to do is wait to hear the new songs! The Creative Team is sorry, but with the World Premiere happening in only a couple of months, all eye are on that production, and the Web Series has been shelved until next year sometime. Stay tuned for news in a future issue of this very newsletter!

Lube Director Announced

 Andy Scott Takes The Helm

 The Creative Team is extremely excited to welcome Director Andy Scott to the team. He’s agreed to assume the awesome responsibilities of director as we wind our way to the World Premiere being held this fall between October 8^th and 28^th (subject to change). Playwright/Lyricist Jack Turner is looking forward to working with Andy to bring you, our fans, the best possible version of our beloved gay-themed, Broadway-style musical.

To list just a few of Andy’s credits, he directed:

· The world premiere of Nowhere Man at the Black Box Festival

· A revival of Aphrodisiac at Loft 227/Sokoloff Arts

· Damn Yankees at Ozark Actors Theatre

· Rent at Annapolis Summer Garden Theatre

· Completeness at West of 10th Theatre Company

· Agatha Christie’s The Mousetrap at Johns Hopkins University - The Barnstormers

· The Mystery of Edwin Drood at the Annapolis Summer Garden Theatre

As you can see, Andy is, how do I put it... well-versed with both World Premieres and Musicals, the perfect combination for the world premiere of this musical. To quote Andy, “I am really excited you have approached me for the project.” Well, Andy, we are collectively really excited as well to have you on board.

Andy’s enthusiasm and experience means you’ll be guaranteed a wonderful time, to quote David in the web series, “when in that seat you start a slumpin’” to enjoy the, well, experience is the only word I can think of to describe the show.

Lube: A Modern Love Story is a musical that’s a bit unlike most anything you’ve ever seen before. It’s the first musical to address the unique challenges of growing up gay. It takes a hard look at bigotry, prejudice, bullying, and religious persecution. But it also shows changing attitudes, friendship, and acceptance — especially what is sometimes the hardest of all, self-acceptance.

Welcome, Andy, and we’re happy to have you with us as we make musical history. And as Queen Angel says in a climatic scene, “Just love yourself; the rest will fall in place.”

Lube Scene 5 Reading

Set For The Diversionary Theatre

Mark your calendars!! On MAY 8^th, 8 pm at the nation’s third-oldest LGBT Theater, The Diversionary Theatre, 4545 Park Blvd #101, San Diego, CA 92116, The Creative Team has arranged for a public reading of Scene 5 from Lube: A Modern Love Story. Come early for best seats and because parking can be a challenge in the area. Doors open at 7:30 pm to select actors for the reading, and the even starts at 8 pm.

Hosted by San Diego Playwrights as part of their Wordplay Tuesdays series, the scene will be read along with two other 10-minute excerpts and short plays. The event is offered free of charge.

This scene finds our football hero, Biff, alone with his girlfriend Mitzie at Lover’s Lane. In the last scene, Biff was humiliated by his friends for constantly acting like a ‘Horn Dog’ while, they suspect, still remaining a virgin. With this fresh in his mind, Biff is determined to talk Mitzie into giving him a little something extra.

Come join us and watch Biff’s hilarious antics as he tries to persuade Mitzie to ‘do more than kiss.’ You’ll hear the uproarious song, “Just a Hand Job.” It’ll be an experience you won’t soon forget.

Warning: The scene contains adult themes and content similar to an ’R’ rating at the movies. 

Lube posts new Music Video

Sampler of Lube Music Videos

The Creative Team from Lube: A Modern Love Story is proud to announce it has posted, on its YouTube Channel, a new Music Video Sampler that contains clips from five of the published videos. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1IWYR0lTzLo

This Sampler is a great way for those wondering about the gay-themed, Broadway-style musical to get a quick feel for what the music sounds like, and to get a first impression of the topics related to growing up gay that Lube brings to music for, in many cases, the first time.

This video contains the theme song from Lube that contains the appropriate observation, "We talk of 'love' but all they hear is 'sex,' if they could understand it's something more complex."

It also shows the way our two main characters, Andy and Manny, deal with the breakup of their relationship. Out-of-the-closet Andy sings how “Helplessly Addicted” he is to Manny, while firmly-in-the-closet Manny is having a hard time dealing with his desire for another man in “Damn These Feelings Anyway.”

Next, homophobic Mary calls our hero Andy a “Drama Queen.” Andy, who is having a hard time dealing with the depression that his friend David is experiencing, has been a bit peevish of late.

Finally, our movie buff David reacts to seeing his best friend Andy getting bullied. He is feeling overwhelmed, afraid to come out of the closet, and ashamed that he is afraid to help his out-of-the-closet friend Andy deal with the guy who's bullying him in “Achin’ in the High School Hall.”

Lube has many other songs that deal with the issues that gay youth experience:

· Meeting your first gay love, and the sheer joy and relief at no longer having to hide behind 'walls,' with at least with one other human.

· Wondering why simply being gay is such a terrible thing, when there are so many other terrible things people do.

· When a gay guy has a 'beard', what happens when a woman finds out the guy she loves is actually deeply hiding in a self-imposed closet?

· Gay youth who are 'fed up' with the lack of gay role models, and overwhelmed with gay stereotypes.

· About the many gay people who hide in the closet and have to lie and tailor their experiences, moving to gender-neutral pronouns or outright lies, using female pronouns to disguise the fact that they were with a guy instead of a gal.

· A makeover scene to help a suicidal gay teen realize that it doesn't really matter what others think -- the important thing is to know that you  must "Just love yourself; the rest will fall in place."

In addition to the 24 songs in the original musical, nine additional songs have been written for the planned web series, and are awaiting music composition. Included are gems like "Peevish," "Polyamory," "Queers Make Me Sick, "Movie Buff," and "Gaydar."

Bullying Statistics

 The Numbers Are Shocking

Here are statistics from studies that journalists and other content creators can feel comfortable including in their pieces. If you find data that looks significantly different, examine it critically, or ask an expert.

Taken from https://www.stopbullying.gov/media/facts/index.html

National Statistics

Been Bullied:

· 28% of U.S. students in grades 6–12 experienced bullying.

· 20% of U.S. students in grades 9–12 experienced bullying.

Bullied Others:

· Approximately 30% of young people admit to bullying others in surveys.

Seen Bullying:

· 70.6% of young people say they have seen bullying in their schools.

· 70.4% of school staff have seen bullying. 62% witnessed bullying two or more times in the last month and 41% witness bullying once a week or more.

· When bystanders intervene, bullying stops within 10 seconds 57% of the time.

Been Cyberbullied:

· 9% of students in grades 6–12 experienced cyberbullying.

· 15% of high school students (grades 9–12) were electronically bullied in the past year.

· However, 55.2% of LGBTQ students experienced cyberbullying.

How Often Bullied:

· In one large study, about 49% of children in grades 4–12 reported being bullied by other students at school at least once during the past month, whereas 30.8% reported bullying others during that time.

· Defining "frequent" involvement in bullying as occurring two or more times within the past month, 40.6% of students reported some type of frequent involvement in bullying, with 23.2% being the youth frequently bullied, 8.0% being the youth who frequently bullied others, and 9.4% playing both roles frequently.

Types of Bullying:

· The most common types of bullying are verbal and social. Physical bullying happens less often. Cyberbullying happens the least frequently.

· According to one large study, the following percentages of middle schools students had experienced these various types of bullying:

¨ Name calling (44.2 %)

¨ Teasing (43.3 %)

¨ Spreading rumors or lies (36.3%)

¨ Pushing or shoving (32.4%)

¨ Hitting, slapping, or kicking (29.2%)

¨ Leaving out (28.5%)

¨ Threatening (27.4%)

¨ Stealing belongings (27.3%)

¨ Sexual comments / gestures (23.7%)

¨ E-mail or blogging (9.9%).

Where Bullying Occurs:

· Most bullying takes place in school, outside on school grounds, and on the school bus. Bullying also happens wherever kids gather in the community. And of course, cyberbullying occurs on cell phones and online.

· According to one large study, the following percentages of middle schools students had experienced bullying in these various places at school:

¨ Classroom (29.3%)

¨ Hallway or lockers (29.0%)

¨ Cafeteria (23.4%)

¨ Gym or PE class (19.5%)

¨ Bathroom (12.2%)

¨ Playground or recess (6.2%).

How Often Adult Notified:

· Only about 20 to 30% of students who are bullied notify adults about the bullying.

Lube World Premiere in New York City!

New York City? Git a Rope.

Playwright and lyricist Jack Turner received word from Paul Adams of the Emerging Artists Theater (EAT) in New York that Lube: A Modern Love Story was chosen to be part of their Spring New Work Series which runs Feb 26th thru March 18th. There were 125 submissions, they had 42 slots open for pieces to participate, and Lube was selected to be staged!!

     The Lube Creative Team was offered a chance to participate in their Fall New Work Series that takes place in November as an alternate choice. Since Jack felt that one month was insufficient time to get the play ready to be staged, considering the preparations for getting the music recorded, and the fact that the Creative Team is in San Diego, this alternative was deemed a better choice. Paul confirmed that Lube is now slated for staging in November.

     When their Spring New Work Series is over, the Lube Creative Team will  begin serious planning. This Newsletter will keep you posted as:

1. Final dates are set for performances

2. The director, music director, and choreographer are brought on board

3. The music is recorded, or a band is selected to perform live

4. Actors, singers, and dancers  are hired

5. Rehearsals begin

The available slots for performances are 7 pm and 9 pm - seven days a week, Monday through Sunday for 3 weeks.  Each piece gets one presentation. The 7 pm slots are for 60 minutes or less. The 9 pm slots are for musicals, plays and solo works that exceed 60 minutes. As a longer piece, Lube will need to be scheduled in the later time slot.

The Lube Creative Team is also reaching out to local LGBTQ organizations in New York to collaborate with, to support with a portion of the proceeds, and for their help in getting the word out about Lube and its important message: “Just love yourself; the rest will fall in place.” Lube was also written as an out-of-the-box attempt to help address the national tragedy that is the epidemic of young adult suicides, especially among young gay adults. They’re also looking at the possibility of getting an LGBTQ Celebrity or two to star in the show.

The Lube Creative Team sends a huge thanks to Paul, Vanessa, and Scott from the Emerging Artists Theatre for helping bring Lube to life.

Lube Cookbook

All The Lubalicious Recipes Inspired by Lube: A Modern Love Story

Inspired Director and member of the Lube Creative Team, Wiz, is putting together a new Cookbook inspired by our favorite gay-themed, Broadway-style musical.

    Check back here in our Newsletter for more information as the work progresses, and for information on how to get your very own Spec-tube-ular copy of what is sure to be a national number one best seller.

Well, in our own fevered imaginations, at least. 

Lube: The Web Series Trivia

A Few Fun Facts You Never Knew

The Creative Team here at Lube: A Modern Love Story recently completed a script analysis of the current version of the script for the planned web series. This will help us plan our shoots, get costume designs underway, and let us know which actors need to be present on specific days of the shoot.

Here are a few things we’re sure you didn’t know about Lube, since even we didn’t know most of this until now:

· Number of Characters: 18
(Plus Dancers and Backup Singers — and multiple parts may be played by the same actor)

· Number of Gays: 4 or 5
(Depending on how you interpret it  — and assuming the Drag Queens are gay — but never assume!!)

· Number of Lesbians: 1

· Number of Straights: 10
(Isn’t that always the case — the straights outnumber the gays!)

· Number of Bisexuals: 1
(Or is he just a Horn Dog?)

· Number of Transsexuals: 1
(Or is he Gay, or a Drag Queen? To quote the Tootsie Pops Owl, “The world may never know!”)

· Number of ‘Not Specified’: 1
(Have to leave you wondering ab out something)

· Number of Drag Queens: 2
(Or maybe 3, depending on your point of view – I know, intriguing, isn’t it)

· Number of Male Characters: 11
(Counting Drag Queens as male)

· Number of Female Characters: 6

· Number of Gender-Not-Specified Characters: 1
(May be played by male or female)

· Number of Religious Bigots: 3
(Seems like you just can’t get away from them)

· Number of Unique Locations: 9

· Number of Costumes: 85
(Individual costumes may be composed of the same pieces from other costumes in different combinations)

· Number of Songs: 35
(One song for each of the 33 episodes, along with an additional Short Instrumental Piece and the Theme Song in Episode 1)

· Number of Duets: 6
(And a couple of songs with multiple singers)

· Number of Songs with Backup Singers: 7

· Number of Choreographed Dance Sequences: 2

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