Make Me Gorgeous!—A Dazzling Star Turn
By Joseph Cervelli
I must confess that I never heard of Kenneth Marlowe the gay icon and "trailblazer" from the 1960's. It was not only a very difficult time to be gay but becoming trans a nightmare. At that time it was called sex reassignment. The most famous was Christine Jorgensen who gained most of the notoriety.
The funny but mostly very moving new play by Donnie (full name is Donald Horn) "Make Me Gorgeous!" at Playhouse 46 at St. Luke's is blessed with a knockout performance by the amazingly gifted Wade McCollum. McCollum flirts and jokes with the audience while telling about his gay life in both an amusing and then a touching manner that almost can bring tears to your eyes. He by no means plays it over the top as he could easily have. Sure, he camps it up here and there but knows when to rein it in.
His alcoholic mother always wanted a girl so for the first three years dressed him as such. This would be difficult for a young boy at any time but 1926 in Iowa had to be devastating. It did not help that his father who was a sanitation worker (garbageman at the time) left the family in disgust. Kenneth was starting to have sex at age 14 in bathrooms. He is lucky he lived as long as he did.
Eventually, he moves to California to live with his aunt and uncle. He met 60 year old Charley a man that Kenneth found almost repulsive but he needed him to support himself. McCollum's imitation of the older man is startlingly realistic. Charly never had sex with Kenneth but just liked having him around and always gave him money. Things don't even turn sour when he finds out that Kenneth has been bringing men to his apartment in Long Beach until he has had enough with Charley. What is surprising is that how Kenneth was so involved in Bible studies (even becoming a Catholic missionary!) which was so out of place in the gay world especially at that time.
He really finds his niche sexually that is in the gay area of LA called Pershing Square. He then moves to Chicago and becomes a beautician. He moves further south and deals dice at a club owned (unbeknownst to Kenneth) by a mobster. This is where he becomes a female impersonator doing a made up song. McCollum does a fine job as a drag performer even though he admits the song is not very good. That is true but still fun. I would have preferred if he did only two not three performances in drag during the moving 90 minutes. But understand why director Donnie decided upon this. I did enjoy his impersonation of Sally Rand though it was filmed in too dark blue light even though the rest of the lush lighting is perfectly designed by Jamie Roderick. Escaping from a mobster is not easy, and he almost does not make it as Kenneth goes to Indianapolis.
There is a heartbreaking scene as he is gang raped after being drafted and the audacity at the time of being dismissed with a dishonorable discharge.
He moves to LA and meets his mother who is now a recovering alcoholic. Things become comical as he runs Mr. Madam Answering Service setting up sexual meetings between various people who call in. How he accomplished this probably on his own was quite an achievement.
He then became a hairdresser to the stars including Phyllis Diller and Lucille Ball. Shortly, thereafter when he sees a pamphlet about sex assignment he decides to have it done. The issue is it was far from easy at that time. He arranged for a fund raiser and was able to raise $8000.
There is nothing mentioned about the end of his life which is unnecessary.
Jeffrey Hinshaw's costume design is astonishingly varied from simple to glorious dresses and Walt Spangler has designed a lovely set that mostly features Kenneth's dressing table.
The evening certainly belongs to the remarkable and unforgettable McCollum. With his sweet, bright wide eyed grin to his moments of fear knowing what is going to happen to a young gay man when accosted by a group of men he could not be better. He lived life to the fullest even writing 9 books.
After the show the writer/director Donnie spoke to me and his coming to NY from Portland. Lovely, unassuming man. He told me the show would run longer but McCollum is appearing in a new Broadway show. McCollum has provided additional material to the show.
Photos: Maria Baranova
Tickets are available at Playhouse 46 at St. Luke's 308 West. 46th Street.
