THE MEETING to Tribute SHOWGIRLS, Justin Vivian Bond and More at the Duplex, Spring 2013

The Meeting* hosted by Justin Sayre - the acclaimed gay comedy/variety show - has announced its Spring 2013 season at The Duplex in New York's West Village. Each edition of The Meeting* honors a different gay icon; following the Elaine Stritch tribute in February, the rest of the season will honor Karen Carpenter (March 14), the movie "Showgirls" (April 18) and Justin VivIan Bond (May 16). Special guests will be announced soon. After a sell-out year, The Meeting* will add a second performance each month due to popular demand; there are now shows at 7:000 PM and 9:30 PM.

Thursday, March 14

Karen Carpenter

The beloved pop star - arguably the greatest torch singer of the 70s - captured the world's attention with her smooth tone and the supple, haunting voice behind hits like "We've Only Just Begun," "Rainy Days and Mondays" and "Close To You." Her heartbreaking early passing put an important spotlight on dangerous eating disorders for the first time.

Thursday, April 18

"SHOWGIRLS"

"Showgirls" is widely considered the guiltiest of all "guilty pleasure" movies. The cult classic - with a record 13 Razzie Award nominations - stars Elizabeth Berkley and Gina Gerson delivering gratuitous nudity, campy quips and indelible portraits of two divas clawing their way to the top. The Meeting* will roast this seamy backstage story for the ages.

Thursday, May 16

JUSTIN VIVIan Bond

Justin rose to fame as part of the beloved duo Kiki & Herb, but recently has enjoyed a renaissance as an actor, author, visual artist, perfumer and provocateur. But the most groundbreaking contribution has been V's outspoken advocacy for the trans community, putting a spotlight on their emerging visibility by introducing gender-neutral pronouns.

The Meeting*, the monthly gathering of the I.O.S. (International Order of Sodomites), has become a downtown sensation with its signature blend of outrageous comedy, political and social activism, and cultural education. Justin Sayre - the show's creator, writer and host - serves as the Chairman of the Board. Each month, the I.O.S gathers to educate the membership on essential business of the day through musical performances, skits, trivia and regular features such as "Letters to the Chairman" and "New Rulings from the Board." According to Time Out New York, "The Meeting* has become a cult hit among a young, festive and culturally aware crowd. Sayre is an avatar of modern-retro cultivation."

Justin Sayre was described by Michael Musto in The Village Voice as "Oscar Wilde meets Whoopi Goldberg." In a recent story forEdge New York, Steve Weinstein said "Comedian, raconteur, performing artist, gay rights activist and sexual outlaw: I'm not sure Justin Sayre is classifiable. The veteran performer is on his way to becoming a Downtown Manhattan institution along the lines of Charles Ludlum or Charles Busch." Justin is a child of Forty Fort, Pennsylvania who demonstrated a supernatural instinct for "camp" at an early age. With a voice straight out the MGM finishing school for girls, he moved to New York believing it was still 1947. He was terribly misinformed. As an actor, he has worked and studied with some of the finest professionals in the city. As a gay, Justin has excelled at scarf placement, devilish quips, and a healthy but firm love of the American musical. An evening of his short plays, Justin Sayre Is Alive and Well... Writing - called one of the "Top 10 Events on the New York Stage" by the New York Daily News - sold out two shows at Ars Nova in April. His new play The Click of The Lock, featuring Randy Harrison, Christian Coulson, Blake Daniel and more, recently had its second reading at the Bank Street Theatre.

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