Broadway Baby Bares All

“Huh? Come again?”

Hearing my name in the midst of such incredible talent, in front of the Broadway community and the entire audience was a “pinch me” moment. I sat there on the stage, the usual “nonspeaking townsperson, second from the left,” dressed in a bejeweled crown and a jockstrap and, once again, began to cry. 

Now, I want you to know, I do not bring any of this up to brag. I was the kid who was bullied so badly for being gay, I was literally run out of school. I was the kid who stayed home every Friday and Saturday night, binged on deviled eggs and watched Golden Girls all by myself because I didn’t have any friends. There were more days in my childhood when I wanted it all to end than I wanted it to continue. One of the few things that kept me going was the belief that my future would be better and that I would one day be on Broadway. Someone might think Broadway Bares is just a benefit, just an entrance, just a dressing room with a freaking fruit plate and just a mention of a name. But for me, it’s a childhood dream come true.