Murder in Ybor
You may have noticed something missing in Ybor. On Friday, Sept 21, over 90 treesâ┚¬â€Âmost more than 15 years oldâ┚¬â€Âwere cut down in Ybor City by the City of Tampa. â┚¬Å”The tall and luscious trees' only crime was providing shade and beauty to historic Ybor City,â┚¬Â said MC Film Fest and GaYbor Coalition Board Member Carrie West. The trees were located between 6th Ave. and 9th Ave. and 14th St. and 19th St. West said they are missed already. The city sent out a statementâ┚¬â€Âafter the trees were cut downâ┚¬â€Âdescribing the tree removal as a â┚¬Å”much needed faceliftâ┚¬Â that will result in the planning of Olive and Crepe Myrtle trees to replace the ones that have been removed. But West says this is a facelift that isn't welcome. â┚¬Å”To say the community and visiting guests to Ybor are outraged is an understatement,â┚¬Â said West.
Passion for Love
Beginning Oct. 19, Corpus Christâ┚¬â€Âboth the movie and playâ┚¬â€Âwill debut at MCC Tampa as part of a benefit for the I Am Love Campaign sponsored jointly by the church and Metro Wellness and Community Centers. On Friday, Oct. 19, there will be a preview screening of the documentary, Corpus Christi: Playing with Redemption, followed by a Community Forum. On Oct. 20, a live theatrical presentation of the play will be performed. Corpus Christi is a passion play by St. Pete-born gay playwright Terrence McNally. First staged in New York in 1998, it depicts Jesus and the Apostles as gay men living in modern-day Texas. Judas betrays Jesus because of sexual jealousy. Jesus officiates at a gay wedding between two apostles. Controversial? You bet.
Make the Most of that Costume
Hundreds of gay men are already creating their costumes for the 36th Annual All Hallows Masquerade Ball on Saturday, Oct. 27 at the Tampa Convention Center. This year's theme, â┚¬Å”It's a Small World,â┚¬Â offers tons of potential for creative costume makers. And this year they can hop a trolley to Ybor City and show off their costumes at Guavaweenâ┚¬â€Âfor free! For the first time in decades, the Ybor City Chamber has dropped the cover chargeâ┚¬â€Â$12 last yearâ┚¬â€Âfor the huge Halloween Party to stem recent dipping attendance. With parking and bar cover charges, Guavaween had turned into Expensaween!
