Countertenor or eye candy?
The very handsome and rugged Jacques Snyman returned to Tampa Bay on Sept. 29 with a concert held at Studio@620 in downtown St. Petersburg. The former rugby player and fitness model is raising money for an upcoming trip to Europe, where he hopes to audition in front of international directors. Snyman, who turned 40 just days before his St. Pete concert, lives in the Washington, D.C., area with his husband, Victor, and previously performed in Tampa Bay as part of the Tampa Bay Bears Masquerade Ball two years ago. Snyman used his impressive vocals to belt out selections from classical composers Vivaldi, Beethoven and Handel. He closed the concert with a Stephen Sondheim song from the 1986 production Into the Woods. After the concert, Snyman hinted that he may return to Tampa Bay over the upcoming holiday season, but he said he couldn’t elaborate on details just yet, as the concert is still “in the works.”
Cher brings back Bobby York
Much like the iconic figure she impersonates, Bobby York seems to never fully retire. The performer known for her Cher impersonations returned to the stage of the Flamingo Resort on Sept. 29 with a high-energy performance of both a compilation mix of classic Cher songs and a headdress-wearing take on the superstar’s newest single, “Woman’s World.” York was the original show director at the Flamingo Resort when it opened four years ago and was invited back to the stage by current director Iman, who also performed that evening. Fans of York’s packed the main bar of the resort and afterward, they lined up to have their photos taken with her. York was her regular gracious self, and strategically positioned herself by a box fan to stay cool as she smiled for every camera.
Laughing for charity
Keeping with tradition, the Suncoast AIDS Theater Project brought out the laughs to benefit Trinity Charities in Sarasota on Sept. 30 as Prelude to Sarasota Pride returned to the Unitarian Universalist Church. The show was written by Matthew McGee, who played “Patty Melt” and was a spin-off of sorts of the Scott and Patty Show, which also stars Scott Daniel as Patty’s son. This version featured Sarasota performers Joey Panek, Beneva Fruitville and Lindsay Carlton as well and was partly scripted (okay, loosely scripted) and mostly improvisational comedy. The musical comedy raised nearly $3,000 for charity and the performers managed to pick on specific members of the audience, including Sarasota Pride organizer Cindy Barnes, theater director Steven Flaa and Watermark editor Steve Blanchard.
Leather drama
A planned Leather Sir/boy contest at the Flamingo sparked some drama on Oct. 5 when many members of the leather community opted to boycott the contest and celebrate at a different location in Pinellas County. According to a Watermark photographer on site, a disagreement between an outgoing title holder and organizers sparked the controversy, which resulted in the split. Members of St. Petersburg’s leather community have continuously discussed the situation on the event’s Facebook page. The show went on as planned, however, despite the smaller crowd, but was wrapped by 11 p.m. No word yet on if organizers and past title holders plan to make nice.
