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President Obama today announced that he now supports same-sex marriage, reversing his longstanding opposition amid growing pressure from the Democratic base and even his own vice president.

Telly Leung Godspell By Jeff Walsh

Telly Leung is a force of nature.

In Godspell, now playing at the Circle in the Square Theater on Broadway (see review), Leung has turned his role into an opportunity to showcase what seems to be almost too many talents. He acts, sings, dances, does impressions, and even when people are coming in after intermission, he's at the piano playing riffs from A Chorus Line, Wicked, Rent, and others, before launching into an Elton Johnesque reprise of "Learn Your Lessons Well" from Act One to get act two started.

When I recently ran into Stephen Schwartz, the composer of Godspell and Wicked, he had nothing but praise for Leung.

"His performance has become sort of famous. He's unbelievable, and the nice thing is he gets to show, in this particular production, the range of talents that he has," Schwartz said. "People who have seen him do one thing or another before, but here he gets to sing beautifully, he gets to be really funny, he gets to do amazing imitations, he gets to play the piano, you see a real range of just how much this guy can do. He's extraordinary in the show."

For how long Leung has been on my radar, it's amazing I'm just seeing him now. I originally planned to see him in Godspell years ago, but then the production was delayed. I planned to see him in an early version of Lysistrata Jones in Dallas, but I got delayed in Vegas instead. When the Rent tour came through the Bay Area, he had left the tour already.

So, for a while, I figured there was clearly some conspiracy at work here and I just wasn't meant to see Leung onstage. But once I moved to New York City, and he's in a show eight times a week, the odds greatly shifted in my favor, so we recently sat down in his dressing room before show time to chat about Godspell and his amazing path to Broadway (sorry Gleeks, I totally blanked on him being a Warbler during the interview):

Telly Leung Godspell By Jeff Walsh

Godspell is an odd mix of things that seemingly shouldn't work together: a series of parables from the Gospel of Matthew, amazing songs by Stephen Schwartz, and a lot of freedom in between on how to present both.

But somehow, the spare book, beautiful music, and lack of structure all combine to make something bigger than the sum of its parts. In its current Broadway incarnation, Godspell is a high-energy experience that barely lets you catch your breath.

Before I saw the show, in December, an elderly woman at the Patti Lupone/Mandy Patinkin show was giving me the rundown on all the new Broadway shows. When she came to Godspell, her demeanor changed and she clutched her chest, like even remembering the manic energy was exhausting her: "They keep running around, trying to make us have fun."

I appreciate the comments on my first journal and also the humor! It feels great to finally be part of the gay community.

This coming out story --- together with its expressed uncertainties --- is posted in today's The Link ( student newspaper at Concordia University):

http://thelinknewspaper.ca/article/4082

I found his story quite moving and eloquently expressed... very much reminiscent of what I might have expected from one of our one-time quite prolific Oasies™ who, if my memory serves me right, is (was?) also a student at Concordia...

And... as long as you have today's The Link open, you might as well take a look at this article:

Hey, guys. It's been a while since I've been around. I finished rewatching South of Nowhere tonight. It was a rage inducing show and the acting wasn't always the best but Spashley was cute as hell. :)

Hello!

I'm Riley (my middle name), I'm 15, and live in Florida although I'm originally from Minnesota, moving here two years ago. While this is my first time writing on here, I've been a loyal Oasis reader for over a year now. I finally decided to stop lurking because I think it's time that I start being a part of the gay community, even if it's just online. I'm not out so using my first name on here isn't something I'm comfortable with just yet.

I missed my chance with death, I had the razor going down on my wrists, blinded by emotions, tears streaming down my face and my fucking brain told me to not do it tonight just because today my aunt had her birthday. Typical from me, missing my chances with good things just to make people happy. Anyways I made a tiny cut that will be hard to cover and another 10 that I'll have to explain in 2 weeks if they don't heal fast. I'm fucked up.

Extra information:
This day and last week had been so good (except my suicide night).

So I need to vent and I'm back.

For a while, my OasisJournals wouldn't work for me. Then it began working but I forgot to sign in. I'd remember to do so and then sit down to do it and forget. Which brings me to one of the main things I need to vent about.

I am having a ton of trouble with my memory. I'm not sure if its partially a social phobia/anxiety -related issue or what. But I forget what I'm saying in the middle of a sentence. And I've been very forgetful. I feel like I'm making less sense when I talk but I don't know if that's just a misperception I have.

hey can some people help me out? Ive been under alot of distress recently about who I am. I dont know if Im gay of Bi, or even straight. My sexuality feels like its changing. Like about two weeks ago I was constantly thinking about women. I was thinking about how beautiful they were. I loved everything about them. In fact during a festival that weekend I was over my friends house, and he has this foreign exchange student from saudi arabia and shes very pretty. She usually ignores me but this time she was talking to me, she made me some kind of tea.

If you are not getting confirmation e-mails from Oasis to complete your membership, don't hesitate to e-mail jeff at oasismag dot com. Be sure to include your username.

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Obama supports marriage equality

Telly Leung: Interview

Godspell: Broadway Review

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I Seem Like an Average Straight Guy

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