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SAM HARRIS CONCERT
Pike Performing Arts Center
On Saturday, November 29, 2008 at 8:00 p.m., the Pike Performing Arts Center provides the opportunity to take a break from the Thanksgiving turkey and holiday shopping rush and spend an evening with multi-million album selling recording artist, Sam Harris. Sam's will be a Christmas show like none other, because he doesn't just stand up and sing Christmas carols. In a theatrical style that has become his hallmark, Sam combines great showmanship, humor, soul and a legendary voice that Los Angeles Magazine claims "makes the angels cry tears of joy." Liza Minnelli calls Sam "the greatest entertainer of our time – bar none!" Sam will also be joined on a couple of songs by members of the Indianapolis Children's Choir.
In an oversized tailcoat and Converse sneakers, Sam became a household name on Star Search in its premiere season. 25 million viewers tuned in week after week to follow him as he created his own pop, gospel and theatre brand of emotionally charged performances, finally winning the grand prize and the hearts of America.
His phenomenal "overnight" rise catapulted him into recording industry, where he sold over a million copies of both Sam Harris and Sam-I-Am, which he also produced. Concert tours, including a legendary performance at Carnegie Hall, meant that the little white kid with the soulful voice was suddenly in every magazine and on every talk show. After touring in concert for several years, Broadway called and Sam moved to New York, where he received a Drama Desk nomination for his role in Tommy Tune's Grease. Immediately following, he toured for 15 months in the Broadway National tour of Andrew Lloyd Webber's Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, where sales records were broken all over the country. Soon after, Sam next starred in Cy Coleman's The Life, for which he received the Drama League Award as well as Tony, Outer Critic's Circle and Drama Desk nominations.
While he continued to tour nationally, Sam supervised and arranged several songs and supervised segments of Michael Jackson's 30 Year Anniversary Special. Sam then moved back to Los Angeles and had barely unpacked when he returned to New York in Mel Brook's smash hit The Producers on Broadway.
As the "Star Search Poster Boy" image finally began to take a back seat to other aspects of his career, he appeared on numerous shows such as The Tonight Show, The Today Show, Rosie, The View, Barbara Walters Show, and, in an historic time, performed a stirring "You'll Never Walk Alone" on The Oprah Winfrey Show in the week following September 11, 2001.
As "Perry Pearl" on The Class, Sam's chameleonic career took a new turn as a series regular on network television. Popular columnist Liz Smith wrote, "Sam Harris is the comic breakout of the television season!" Currently, Sam continues to tour (he recently participated in Cyndi Lauper's "True Colors" Tour at Los Angeles' Greek Theatre), and is working on several film and television projects as well as a new cd. He lives in Los Angeles with his partner of 12 years."
For more information about Sam's performance, or to order tickets, call the Pike Performing Arts Center box office at (317) 216-5455 or visit www.pikePAC.org.
[10/15/08]
TRAILBLAZING MINNESOTA STATE SENATOR ALLAN SPEAR HAS DIED
WASHINGTON – Allan Spear, who served as a Minnesota State Senator for nearly 30 years, eight of them as president of the Senate, has died at age 71. Spear was the first openly gay state legislator and one of the first openly gay elected officials in the nation. > Full Story. [10/13/08]
PEPSICO, GOLDMAN SACHS AND WILLIAM C. THOMPSON, JR. RECOGNIZED FOR LEADERSHIP ON LGBT WORKPLACE EQUALITY
AUSTIN, TX and SAN FRANCISCO, CA – September 15, 2008 – PepsiCo, Goldman Sachs and New York City Comptroller and longtime ally William C. Thompson, Jr. received Out & Equal Workplace Awards (commonly known as "Outies") on September 12 from Out & Equal for advancing fair, safe and equitable work environments for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people. > Full Story. [10/2/08]
MASSIVE STORM SURGE REACHING TEXAS
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. – September 12, 2008 – The storm surge that has already reached the Gulf Coast of Texas will increase to a potentially deadly level as Hurricane Ike roars toward landfall near Galveston early on Saturday. > Full Story. [9/12/08]
DESTRUCTIVE IKE TARGETS HOUSTON
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. – September 11, 2008 – The AccuWeather.com Hurricane Center reports Hurricane Ike could cause widespread damage in Galveston and Houston area in Texas on a level not seen since Hurricane Alicia tore a path of destruction through the city in 1983. > Full Story. [9/11/08]
DANGEROUS ANTI-PARENTING MEASURE TO APPEAR ON NOVEMBER BALLOT
This November, Arkansas voters will decide whether to prohibit unmarried couples from adopting or serving as foster parents. Since gay and lesbian couples are prohibited from marrying in Arkansas, this measure would effectively bar all gay and lesbian couples in the state from adopting or serving as foster parents. In August 2008, the Secretary of State certified the measure http://www.365gay.com/news/082508-arkansas-adoption-ban/ , finding that there were enough signatures gathered to place the question on this November's ballot. Arkansas Families First http://arkansasfamiliesfirst.org/ opposes the measure. > Full Story. [9/8/08]
SPECTER OF GUSTAV ON KATRINA ANNIVERSARY
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. – August 29, 2008 – Preparations to protect lives and property ahead of the arrival of Gustav continue today along the U.S. Gulf Coast on the third anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. > Full Story. [8/29/08]
A STEP BACKWARDS FOR EQUALITY IN LOUISIANA
When we think of the fight for equal rights, we tend, of course, to be forward-looking, with an eye toward building on existing protections. Sometimes, though, opponents of equality try to move things in the opposite direction, away from equality. The discriminatory marriage amendments in California, Arizona, and Florida, as well as the repeal efforts in Montgomery County, Maryland and Gainesville, Florida are stark reminders of that. > Full Story. [8/29/08]
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