Review: Mason Alexander Park Incites A PANSY CRAZE at The Green Room 42

It would be nice to say that a wonderful cabaret show played The Green Room 42 on Saturday night. It would be nice to say that a fabulous concert was performed at The Green Room 42 on Saturday night. It would be nice to say but it wouldn't be accurate. For what occurred at The Green Room 42 Saturday night wasn't cabaret and it wasn't a concert. It was a happening. This was one of those nights that doesn't come along every day, every week, even every month... although... with Mason Alexander Park in the center spot, indeed with Mason Alexander Park in the room, maybe it is something that comes along every day. There is every chance and every evidence that wherever Mason Alexander Park is, there is a Happening.

Mx. Park is having a moment, to be sure, and wherever they go, more unsuspecting folks fall into the fold, hoping to witness even the tiniest bit of their moment. Park may be best known for leading the national tour of the Broadway production of Hedwig and The Angry Inch or for checking off historical boxes as the first non-binary actor to (fill in the blank) but even though their life as a non-binary trailblazer informs every moment of that life and of their work, that isn't what has given them this moment. That which is responsible for their success in life and in their work is two simple things that humans, all humans, either have or they don't have: talent and charisma. And when it comes to talent and charisma, Mason Alexander Park won the lottery.

The show that MAP presented on Saturday night was titled THE PANSY CRAZE and this was their first outing with the event. Opening the evening (on Gay Pride Saturday) with an appropriate tune from The Rocky Horror Show (can you guess which one?), Park yelled out in the most scrumptiously deep speaking voice, "Happy F*cking Pride!" and the completely sold-out house screamed back with love and affection. If it had been a Warner Brothers cartoon or a Peanuts TV special there would have been visible squiggle lines representing the devotion emotion that rolled up to the stage to where they stood in their flawless flowing pantsuit and spectacularly beat face, striking poses, making faces, creating art, telling stories, and allowing the love to wash over them, as they should, because they earned it. Mx. Park has a very obvious following, not just of fans but of friends who wouldn't dare to miss one of their performances, and those not yet informed of Mason Alexander Park's particular gifts should look them up and see if there is one coming up because their shooting schedule on two different Netflix TV shows will probably inhibit their ability to perform live for a while.

For ninety minutes the talent tornado ran the gamut, singing queer songs composed a century ago, owning the music of David Bowie (who, by the way, they should portray on a stage or screen sometime very soon, if there is any justice in show business or the world), serving up lots of Hedwig, and performing an oration about queer history centering around the topic of The Pansy Craze (it was a real thing, it's not just a clever title), and though Park admitted that they and the band didn't rehearse, it didn't show. WIthout a prepared script Mx. Park spoke extemporaneously on the topic of queer history, stopping to ask questions of the audience that required the raising of hands to clock how many people knew the topics of which they spoke, going so far as to cry out, "You all have FAILED as homosexual people!" when nobody knew about The Pansy Craze period of the LGBTQIA+ history. Park's wonderfully casual Queer Ted Talk was inviting and inciting and most enjoyably informative, although the conceit and the topic was abandoned about half-way through the show, making way for more music and guest stars. Nobody minded except, possibly, this writer who loves follow-through and would have preferred to see the storytelling aspect seen safely across the finale finish line. It didn't matter, though, because Mason Alexander Park can anything they darn well like, so intoxicating are they, and the truth is, all it takes to become one of the MAP fan family is four minutes... four minutes of the most tender and sublimely perfect "If Love Were All" are enough to show anybody the depth and scope of Mason Alexander Park's heart, soul, and art. And who can't spare four minutes to look inside the beating heart of a work of art?

Whether singing alone, performing with their glittery guest stars, reciting queer history, or just standing in the solo spot talking to the audience, or their partner (via Facetime), Mason Alexander Park is a person to be loved. There are those people who were born to be loved and those artists who were born to be stars, and Mason Alexander Park is both. Simply by nature of being in the room with them, there is an insistence that you like them. Maybe it is their take-no-prisoners attitude to their performing, maybe it is their insistence upon living out loud, maybe it is their commitment to being precisely who they are, but a tacit dare hangs in the air, asking you if you can get through the next ninety minutes without falling in love. Accept the challenge but know you will lose. For this is one of the most likable, interesting, lovable, fascinating, intelligent, and talented people whose path will ever cross yours. Observe how Mason's friends look at them, touch them, hug them, watch them, and it is clear that this is a magical person.

And when you get a chance to spend ninety minutes in a room with a magical person, shouldn't you take it?

The answer, to the question and to Mason Alexander Park, should always be yes.

Mason Alexander Park THE PANSY CRAZE was a one-off performance. To find more great shows, visit The Green Room 42 calendar HERE.

Visit the Mason Alexander Park website HERE.

The Pansy Craze was director by Hunter Bird and Mason Alexander Park was styled by Brian Meller. Mason Alexander Park's guests were (in order of appearance) Shannon Conley, Trent Saunders, and Eden Espinosa.

Photos by Stephen Mosher

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