Fringe 2015 review: “Field Guide to the Gays 2”

In my theater career I’ve produced gay-themed plays, performed in drag, and worked with Logan Donahoo, Orlando’s self-appointed homosexual ambassador to the hetro community. But as queer-friendly as I am, I never fully earned my honorary gay card until I attended “Field Guide to the Gays 2,” the followup to Donahoo’s fabulous first multimedia extravaganza that’s best described as “LGBTQ for Dummies.”

For this second installment, Donahoo (dressed in his trademark pink construction helmet and safety vest) leads the audience through a five-part primer on that secret gay agenda that you’ve been hearing so much about. Turns out, their insidious plot involves getting straight people to visit gay bars, imbuing colored handkerchiefs with coded meaning, and generally ruining the English language.

There are plenty of silly stereotypes – gay and straight alike – getting skewered in this quick-witted survey, and Donahoo (sharply directed by Rob Ward) has dynamite comic timing with his projector’s remote control; if only every PowerPoint could be this entertaining. But behind the belly laughs about bears and bottoms, there’s an important education about the struggle for civil rights, and the inclusive message that everyone can “go forth and be fabulous.” No matter how secure you might be with your sexuality, Donahoo’s show is funny and heartfelt enough to make you consider converting.

FIELD GUIDE TO THE GAYS 2
Logan Donahoo – Orlando, FL
Venue: Purple
Length: 60 minutes
Rating: 18 and up
Price: $11 

This article appears in May 13-19, 2015.