MIKE JEKNAVORIAN National Interviews

MOTHER JUAN AVIANCE

You may have seen Pose, the hit TV series about the ball room scene, but let’s not forget about the real house mothers please.  Ladies and gentlemen, meet one of the longest-reigning mothers of them all—Mother Juan Aviance.

PHOTOGRAPH BY FRANCO AVIANCE

By Mike Jeknavorian 

You were raised in Boston.  What do you miss about it?  It was an easier way of life when I grew up in Boston.  So, if anything, that’s what I miss.  Other than yourself, who was the fiercest voguer of all time?  Well, to be fair, we’re all fierce in our own special way!  What’s the most complex style of vogue?  In vogue, it’s all pretty complex.  For me, I tend not to vogue any particular way but my own.  What D.C. venue do you miss that’s gone?  Where it all started—Tracks.  What politician were you the most excited to meet in D.C.?  One time my house did a vogue show at a D.C. festival, and we met Mayor Marion Berry, so that was pretty exciting.  What New York Venue do you miss that’s gone?  Hands-down, the Sound Factory! 

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What’s your favorite house song?  The House of Aviance adopted theme song, “You Gotta Believe,” by Fierce Ruling Diva.  Of all the collaborations that you’ve done, which was the most special to you?  That would be an event that I vogued in starring Jennifer Hudson.  She was kind, witty, and down-to-earth.  Who would you kill to produce musically?  (laughs) I wouldn’t “kill” anybody, but whoever’s ready and willing to be produced by David Ohana Aviance of Aviance Records, hit us up!  How did you come up with your name?  It actually came to mind one day while shopping for fragrances.  The Aviance Night Musk commercial popped into my head, and I said, “That’s it…  “Aviance.”  If God were to take you tomorrow, how would you like to be remembered?  When that day comes, I’ll let the people have their say. 

PHOTOGRAPH BY BAYARDO ALVAREZ AVIANCE

What do you want to live long enough to see?  Peace on earth!  Will you ever retire?  I plan to but not sure if it will ever be a 100% retirement.  What’s the weirdest question that a fan’s asked you?  I’ve been asked, “Will you ever do drag or transition to be a women, since you’re the ‘mother’ of the house.”  FYI, the answer is, “No!”  How long have you been the “mother” of the House of Aviance?  Thirty years!  I founded the house in August 1989, so August 2019 is our 30th anniversary.  What other celebrity did you act like a “fan” around?  Hmm…  I’ve met many celebs, but I pretty much held myself together, or I’d like to think I did.  What’s the last thing that you looked at online?  All the Trump drama!

PHOTOGRAPH BY BAYARDO ALVAREZ AVIANCE

What’s the best place that you’ve visited?  Unfortunately, I don’t travel much, but the few places that I’ve been I loved…  San Francisco, Tel Aviv and Puerto Rico.  What’s something that you learned in life only when you got older?  To live each day to the fullest, cuz’ life is short.  What did you learn from your parents?  To live life with honor, compassion and integrity.  Who’s your favorite performer?  As a lover of the arts, it’s hard for me to pick a “favorite” anything.  Let’s just say that I love a good performance when I see it!  What’s your best characteristic?  My compassion for others.  How do you enjoy spending your time?  I love lazy days at home watching TV and talking on the phone.  I also love the beach, but being in New York City, there’s only a few months of summer, which sucks. 

PHOTOGRAPHY BY ARTURO GUCCI GUEVARA

What celebrity do you have a crush on?  Well he’s not a celebrity per-se, but I love me some Prince Harry!  Who do you admire? Billy Porter.  If you could bring one person back from the dead, who would it be?  My Mom.  Where would you go in a time machine?  To the beginning of time.  What would your last meal be?  Tons of seafood…  Please!  What do you worry about?  The state of the world today.  What are you afraid of?  Not being able to provide for myself.  If you were a musical instrument, what would you be?  A harp.  Are you more like a sheep or a wolf?  A wolf for sure! 

PHOTOGRAPH BY BAYARDO ALVAREZ AVIANCE

Other than your house children, who depends on you, and for what?  My friends and fans outside of the house depend on my guidance, advice, or just for me to sit and listen.  Who are you closest with?  God.  What would your autobiography be called?  Who Said Gay Men Don’t Have Children.  What’s on your bucket list?  To travel the world and teach vogue.  What’s your greatest regret in life?  I have no regrets!  What’s something secretive about you that people don’t know?  I’m a cry baby and a sucker for love stories.  Where can we see you?  Currently, I’m hosting a party at Christina Visca’s “Birdcage” every Sunday at Le Bain in the Standard Hotel.  You can also see me on my website or at my pride party in New York City on Monday July 1!

MIKE JEKNAVORIAN Local Events

LA CAGE AUX FOLLES

SHADE-O-METER RATING

4 OUTTA 5 WERKS: “SHE GAVE GOOD FACE – SHE SERVED IT”

By Mike Jeknavorian

What’s La Cage aux Folles?  It’s a musical from 1983, which is based on a French play of the same name.  Harvey Fierstein wrote the book, and Jerry Herman wrote the music and lyrics.  The show is a farcical comedy about a gay couple’s son that’s marrying into a conservative family.  The original cast starred Gene Barry and George Hearn as the couple.  The play was also turned into the American film, The Birdcage.

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Michel Serrault and Ugo Tognazzi star as two partners torn between cross-dressing and chaos!

What’s the Lauderhill Performing Arts Center (LPAC)?  It’s a new-ish theater in Lauderhill, Florida.  The theater holds over 1,100 people, and it opened in 2016.  It has two levels.  Also, the orchestra pit, which was at the front of the stage, was the biggest one that I’ve ever seen, ready to gobble up a performer—who took one wrong step—like some kind of theatrical version of The Mighty Sarlacc.

How was the venue?  The theater is nice enough, but, given its size, it’s more suited to big road shows or for big stars.  The lobby is probably its most impressive feature.  How was the parking?  Weird.  You’re directed to meander all around the back of the venue, just to get to a parking lot that’s directly to the right of the venue.  Why can’t you just turn right and drive into the parking lot?  In any case, parking is free.

Does the venue serve liquor?  Only wine.  How were the drinks?  Fine, I supposed.  One glass of wine, which was served in a plastic cup, was $7.  Does the venue serve food?  Only finger food and candy.  Strangely, they have someone peddling popcorn.  How was the food?  We didn’t get any.  How much were the tickets?  $48 each.  Where were the seats?  They were in the orchestra.  And any seat offers a good view.  I can’t comment on the view from the mezzanine.  Was the show sold out?  Not even close.

How was the show?  Regarding the book, it’s not quite as strong or as clever with the situational comedy as the original French film is (I never saw the play, so I don’t know about that).  This is the first production that the Stage Door Theater, the longstanding theater company in Broward County, has had at their new residence, the LPAC.  There are issues that have to be worked out with the audio, as the sound was cutting in and out at times.  There were also some problems with the costumes.  Some didn’t necessarily look of sufficient quality to be worn in the “hottest drag club on the Riviera,” and there was one number where the back of Zaza’s dress was either ripped or it wasn’t zipped up.  In addition, strangely, some of the Les Cagelles dances—which are supposed to be drag performers—appeared to be biological women.  But despite these minor complaints, the show was excellent.  The production shinned in the numbers that featured the leads, Larry Buzzeo as Albin/Zaza and Jamie Michael Parnell as Georges, with appropriate humor and chemistry between them.  What singing expertise Buzzeo may have lacked in some numbers, he made up for in the famous, “I Am What I Am.”  And although Parnell might have looked too young to play Georges, rarely will one hear a voice of this caliber outside of the walls of a first-rate Broadway show.  His numbers were hands-down the most enthusiastically received of the evening.  Elijah Word cleverly channeled the edginess of the leads from the hit TV show, Pose, with his characterization of the couple’s longsuffering butler/maid, Jacob.  Regarding the ensemble, they gleamed the brightest in “La Cage aux Folles,” with wild can-can-type dancing.

How was the crowd?  They appeared to consist primarily of season pass holders, and, not to be ageist, they were rather on the elderly side.  The company could probably stand to market to a younger demographic to even out the crowd.  What could have improved the show?  The audio needs to be fixed, and more attention needs to be paid to the costumes.  Regarding the venue, to each his own, but, to me, much of the production’s energy is gobbled up by the vastness of the house.  Maybe the runs should be shorter, in hopes that the theater would be fuller?  It’s a shame that they didn’t build another house that held about 400.

What was surprising about the show?  The quality of Parnell’s voice, the size of the cast (over 20), and the number of people in the live band (seven).

The Lauderhill Performing Arts Center is located at 3800 NW 11thPlace, in Lauderhill, Florida.  The production runs to September 23.