Milwaukee, WI Vice Squad Shuts Down Naked Boys Singing
By: BWW News Desk Aug. 25, 2005
A week after its opening, a production of the off-Broadway hit Naked Boys Singing was shut down by the Milwaukee, Wisconsin Vice Squad; the reasons for the temporary closure were cited as "lack of license and public nuisance."
On August 10th, Vice Squad members called upon the Milwaukee Gay Arts Center, one of the producers of the racy show (the Uncommon Theater is the other), to ensure that they had licenses. While the show initially passed inspection, Detective Garcia and Officer Schallhammer returned four hours prior to showtime on August 18th to inform producers that they did not, after all, have a "small theater license." Although the license was immediately applied and paid for, the city's (which does not reconvene until September) officers said they would be closing down the production of Naked Boys Singing! in the interim. In response, producer Mark Hooker, decided to assemble the press and the 5 member cast for that evening's show.
A Detective Wilcox called and warned Hooker that performing the show without a license was not a wise idea. According to Hooker's statement, the officer "was very gruff and I perceived his voice as threatening. He informed me if I wanted to be all high and mighty and act like I was above the law, that he could take me down to the police station if I sold even one ticket, and have me booked and printed like any drug dealer who was breaking the law."
Since Hooker unfortunately has AIDS and was scared of not being able to receive his medication in jail, he was advised by Larry DuPris of the ACLU Wisconsin to hold a press conference. At the conference, Hooker denounced the actions of the Vice Squad; a second is scheduled for Thursday, August 25th regarding the filing of the Notice of Injury and Claim.
The notice seeks damages of approximately $650,000, "and all other damages authorized by Federal law for violation of civil rights." According to the press article, the notice of injury "filed by MGAC asserts that its rights were violated when the employees of the City selectively enforced the Ordinance in violation of the constitutional rights of MGAC and the staff of NBS! due to the organization's focus on gay-related and AIDS-related causes; that it is a charitable organization which disqualifies the Ordinance in question; and that the City of MKE Ordinance is unconstitutional claiming it as vague and arbitrary. The notice also states that the efforts of the Vice Squad were motivated by a known anti-gay abortion rights leader and the license in question is only held by three of the 28 theaters currently operating in the City."
DuPris stated "it appears that the City has misapplied its own licensing ordinance in this case; which seems like a selective, if not homophobic slant, in response to one homophobic citizen's agitation" in response to the ACLU of Wisconsin's decision not to represent the matter; MGAC is represented by Richard Hart of Hart Law Offices.
This is hardly the first time a production of the show, in which the performers truly live up to the title, has been shut down by authorities. Naked Boys Singing! has been shut down in Provincetown, MA, San Juan, Puerto Rico, and Atlanta, GA. In the San Juan case, producers of the show at the Tapia Theater were awarded 1.2 million dollars in damages.
The MKE production of NBS! currently has four of their 16 performances scheduled to raise money for local AIDS and LGBT charities, which have been cancelled due to the action of the Vice Squad. The production has already raised $2,000 for the LGBT Center in MKE on its opening night.
Naked Boys Singing! is currently playing in New York City and Chicago, with upcoming productions in Denver, CO and Key West, FL in the US and playing a continental European tour and planning a production in Wales, UK in 2006. "The show features fifteen feel-good songs celebrating the trials and tribulations of being naked. The show has played Off-Broadway for more than 2,100 performances and been translated into 5 languages and been performed in 27 cities worldwide. Written and directed legitimate professionals, including award-winning writer Bruce Vilanch, the show has raised over $500,000 for charities and has been seen by 1/2 million people worldwide." Directed by Robert Schrock, with choreography by Jeffry Denman and musical direction by the late Stephen Bates, the show currently runs in New York at the Julia Miles Theater (424 W. 55th St.).
For more information, visit www.nakedboysinging.com.
On August 10th, Vice Squad members called upon the Milwaukee Gay Arts Center, one of the producers of the racy show (the Uncommon Theater is the other), to ensure that they had licenses. While the show initially passed inspection, Detective Garcia and Officer Schallhammer returned four hours prior to showtime on August 18th to inform producers that they did not, after all, have a "small theater license." Although the license was immediately applied and paid for, the city's (which does not reconvene until September) officers said they would be closing down the production of Naked Boys Singing! in the interim. In response, producer Mark Hooker, decided to assemble the press and the 5 member cast for that evening's show.
A Detective Wilcox called and warned Hooker that performing the show without a license was not a wise idea. According to Hooker's statement, the officer "was very gruff and I perceived his voice as threatening. He informed me if I wanted to be all high and mighty and act like I was above the law, that he could take me down to the police station if I sold even one ticket, and have me booked and printed like any drug dealer who was breaking the law."
Since Hooker unfortunately has AIDS and was scared of not being able to receive his medication in jail, he was advised by Larry DuPris of the ACLU Wisconsin to hold a press conference. At the conference, Hooker denounced the actions of the Vice Squad; a second is scheduled for Thursday, August 25th regarding the filing of the Notice of Injury and Claim.
The notice seeks damages of approximately $650,000, "and all other damages authorized by Federal law for violation of civil rights." According to the press article, the notice of injury "filed by MGAC asserts that its rights were violated when the employees of the City selectively enforced the Ordinance in violation of the constitutional rights of MGAC and the staff of NBS! due to the organization's focus on gay-related and AIDS-related causes; that it is a charitable organization which disqualifies the Ordinance in question; and that the City of MKE Ordinance is unconstitutional claiming it as vague and arbitrary. The notice also states that the efforts of the Vice Squad were motivated by a known anti-gay abortion rights leader and the license in question is only held by three of the 28 theaters currently operating in the City."
DuPris stated "it appears that the City has misapplied its own licensing ordinance in this case; which seems like a selective, if not homophobic slant, in response to one homophobic citizen's agitation" in response to the ACLU of Wisconsin's decision not to represent the matter; MGAC is represented by Richard Hart of Hart Law Offices.
This is hardly the first time a production of the show, in which the performers truly live up to the title, has been shut down by authorities. Naked Boys Singing! has been shut down in Provincetown, MA, San Juan, Puerto Rico, and Atlanta, GA. In the San Juan case, producers of the show at the Tapia Theater were awarded 1.2 million dollars in damages.
The MKE production of NBS! currently has four of their 16 performances scheduled to raise money for local AIDS and LGBT charities, which have been cancelled due to the action of the Vice Squad. The production has already raised $2,000 for the LGBT Center in MKE on its opening night.
Naked Boys Singing! is currently playing in New York City and Chicago, with upcoming productions in Denver, CO and Key West, FL in the US and playing a continental European tour and planning a production in Wales, UK in 2006. "The show features fifteen feel-good songs celebrating the trials and tribulations of being naked. The show has played Off-Broadway for more than 2,100 performances and been translated into 5 languages and been performed in 27 cities worldwide. Written and directed legitimate professionals, including award-winning writer Bruce Vilanch, the show has raised over $500,000 for charities and has been seen by 1/2 million people worldwide." Directed by Robert Schrock, with choreography by Jeffry Denman and musical direction by the late Stephen Bates, the show currently runs in New York at the Julia Miles Theater (424 W. 55th St.).
For more information, visit www.nakedboysinging.com.
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