Alexis Mateo to be on Drag Race
Florida will once again get major plugs on a national scale come the end of January. St. Petersburg’s Alexis Mateo is a contestant on the third season of RuPaul’s Drag Race on Logo. Mateo’s debut comes one year after Orlando’s Tyra Sanchez took the title in 2010. Very few details are available about the season so far, but you can bet Watermark has been in touch with Logo to schedule an interview for an upcoming issue. We’re sure there will be plenty of drama to discuss as the season unfolds and personalities clash once again. We wish Mateo the best of luck in bringing the title back to Florida in 2011. Season 3 premieres Jan. 24.
WMNF cancels gay program
It seems as though WMNF’s only totally gay-themed LGBT program has seen its last broadcast. According to a e-mail sent to media outlets, Out in the Open continuously broadcasted to the LGBT market of Tampa Bay for 15 years. There was no immediate explanation given for the cancelation but some close to the station think management made the decision well in advance of the announcement, citing that the program was not included on a recent “listener survey.” A call to WMNF, which does have LGBT DJs and employees, was not immediately returned.
Gypsy back on hiatus
What looked to be a promising reboot for Gypsy Productions in 2010 is turning out to be the exact opposite. Trevor Keller, artistic director of professional theater company, announced the cancelation of the ambitious seventh season Watermark announced in the fall. Gypsy, which produced An Evening With Mr. Johnson at the L-Train in St. Petersburg recently, had difficulty finding actors for its first play of 2011, which was slated for January. Keller expressed frustration, saying that the ongoing financial struggles of supporting the theater and the difficulties encountered in casting had led to the closure. When asked about future plans, Keller said he was unsure and that he and Gypsy’s business manager, Darryl Epperly, were going to discuss options after the holidays.
