HBO Documentary on Rosie O'Donnell's Gay Family Cruise Premieres April 6

"All Aboard!: Rosie's Family Cruise," HBO's documentary about the landmark R Families Vacation cruise for gay people and their families that Rosie and Kelli O'Donnell launched in summer of 2004, will have its premiere on April 6th.

"One cruise. Five hundred families. Thousands of memories. For years, Rosie and Kelli O'Donnell dreamed of a society free of discrimination against gay and lesbian families in America. In 2004, they made that dream come true when 1,500 people-gay, lesbian and straight-set sail on a seven-day cruise to the Caribbean. This documentary takes viewers on board the Norwegian Dawn cruise ship...The result is a joyous look at the birth of a new community in a judgment-free setting, as passengers celebrated their freedom and made a positive, progressive statement about what 'family' means today," states HBO's website. The documentary was directed by Shari Cookson.

The R Families Vacations cruise included a number of Broadway performers, many of whom sing and danced aboard the cruise ship. Among the stars were Darius DeHaas, Jose Llana, Julia Murney, Billy Porter, Liz McCartney, Euan Morton, Seth Rudetsky, Gavin Creel, and Christine Ebersole.

O'Donnell most recently appeared as Golde in the recent Broadway revival of Fiddler on the Roof; she had previously appeared on Broadway in Seussical (as The Cat in the Hat) and in Grease (as Rizzo). O'Donnell, who began her career as a stand-up comedian, also produced the Boy George musical Taboo, and film and TV credits include Tarzan, Harriet the Spy, Now and Then, Exit to Eden, A League of Their Own, Sleepless in Seattle, "Will & Grace," and "Queer as Folk." O'Donnell, who is a also known as a vocal advocate of gay and lesbian rights, is married to Kelli Carpenter O'Donnell, with whom she has four children.

To watch a video preview of the documentary, visit this link, and to read performer Brian Nash's cruise diary, visit here. Visit this link for more information on "All Aboard!," as well as its airing schedule.