Video Rewind: The Big Gay Musical

I'm not afraid to admit I like musicals and although I feel Hairspray ruined any chance at modern day musicals, The Big Gay Musical has the potential to bring them back.

The Big Gay Musical is definitely not your average musical from more than half a century ago.

The characters don't break out in song and dance at any given moment but do sing and dance while they star in the musical "Adam and Steve Just the Way God Made 'Em."

Leading the cast are Daniel Robinson as Paul/Adam and Joey Dudding as Eddie/Steve. Both are struggling actors and during the previews of the off Broadway play, their personal lives are somewhat chaotic.

Generally after the show Paul goes to work at his other job (kind of a gay karaoke bar) where the theme is Mostly Sondheim (patrons there should be singing Sondheim but it seems any show tune will work) and the place is usually filled with the same patrons night after night.

Meanwhile, Eddie is struggling with his sexuality. He knows he's gay and is saving himself for the proverbial "Mr. Right." But he also has to come to terms with how to tell his religious parents about the show and himself. Once it gets out amongst the dancers of the show, they take him out and he meets a guy whom he likes. Sadly he waits by the phone for the usual one night stands non call.

On stage, Eddie can be himself and there's a lot of sexual tension between him and Paul which seems to carry offstage but neither act upon what could be their underlying feelings toward one another.

Writer Fred M. Caruso has written some very great characters. They're the type you really can root and care for while exploring a lot of different issues. Once Paul's "boyfriend" dumps him he feels that he should become a slut and with the help of the other dancers he creates an online profile.

Of course this wouldn't be complete with smooth bare-chested dancers in skimpy boxer briefs, but the characters don't come close to what people are used to (i.e. Queer As Folk). They're not in a bar every night and even the minor characters are fun to be with.

While "Adam and Steve" is a play within a movie, the play itself tends to poke fun at religion (especially televangelists) and Liz McCartney as Patty-Maye tends to "carry" the play. On opening night, the cast learns Patty-Maye has a new number to end the show which if you listen carefully is summed up by society's view of same sex relationships.

What also makes this movie work is the on/off stage sequences. Throughout the movie, there's a little off stage story and then we're back on stage in the "safe world" where Paul and Eddie can become other people for a couple of hours.

This is one of those movies which is really underrated and deserves more. It's one that you have to see because everything about it is excellent.