Douglas Lyons’ talent for writing is certainly undeniable. The guy is a GLAAD and Emmy nominee for previous work so it’s no surprise that he can deliver a quality piece of theater. But what he does with Pure Glitter was something transcendent. Under the guise of a comedy-drama is a heartfelt and heartbreaking story of friendships, chosen family and vulnerability among a group of gay men in their 40s who have clear love for each other which can also get complicated.
Director Emerson Collins described the show as an heir to The Boys in the Band, the seminal queer play that centers on a group of gay men coming together – only in that show, they seem more in competition with each other. Lyons’ characters are affable, sassy, loving and easygoing. Humor is a big foundation for this gang where shady reads and dramatic flourishes punctuate the vocabulary among these five men.
The show centers on an anniversary party hosted by Stan who plans to surprise his husband Tony with all their friends. The invites include Stan’s bestie Rance who arrives early and is prone to break out in a showtune and Dwight who brings a special – younger – friend. By accident, Rance invites Blair, Dwight’s recent ex who isn’t handling all that quite so well.
As they gather waiting for Tony, alcohol and accusations begin to fly.
What worked to Pure Glitter’s advantage was the effortless chemistry of this cast and Collins’ ease of direction. Gerald Taylor and L. Walter as Stan and Rance respectively conveyed a deep friendship that was palpable and sweet and convincingly long-termed which resulted in a remarkable dynamic that also centered the play.
Kelly Groves delivered Blair with a neurotic energy and humor. Without saying a word, he conveyed so much through his face and body that Blair was a guy on edge because of the breakup. When Blair begins imbibing, Groves’ performance swelled into a sassy mean drunk. Groves still kept Blair likeable despite the character’s bad choices and attitude. In quieter moments, the actor tapped so well into Blair’s brokenness.
Most of the time Blair and Dwight bicker in front of everyone but when the two talk it out privately, Groves and Jake Shanahan shared a lovely rapport that felt deep-rooted, easily convincing that these two characters had been together a while. Shanahan’s Dwight was perhaps the least flashiest of the bunch, but his performance was magnetic and warm.
Niko, the pansexual 20-something they/them character, shakes things up a bit as Dwight’s date which of course, doesn’t sit well with Blair. Galileo Segura Rady embodied the new generation of queer with a solid performance. Almost understated, Rady’s Niko was a confident character who held his own with these older queens. Niko could have been reductive, but instead, Lyons presented a strongly grounded character bolstered by Rady’s portrayal.
Ian Mead Moore’s Tony was a late introduction to the story as the surprise guest of honor. Of all the characters, Tony was perhaps the most one-dimensional, reduced mostly to a repetitive phrase, but Moore succeeded in crafting a full character hindered by a secret kept from the rest of the gang. He and Taylor held a nuanced chemistry as the anniversary couple.
Lyons’ dialogue was a healthy mix of hilarious and earnest that made for a compelling story. The humor was smart and fabulous as expected among a gaggle of gays. But Lyons hit hard with profound monologues and eye-opening conversation that will resonate far beyond the stage.
Pure Glitter certainly echoed The Boys in the Band only here it contained a modern queer joy that thrives and survives through pain and discord. It’s a gay superpower to love your besties even when they throw shade at you and Lyons nailed it with his story lifted up by this cast and crew. Pure Glitter was packed with all the emotions and delivered with love by Uptown Players.
The show runs through Sunday.
–Rich Lopez
