Show offers gay perspective on history

Jade Esteban Estrada will perform his one-man show, "Icons: The Lesbian and Gay History of the World, Vol. 1," tonight and Tuesday at the University Center in Cape Girardeau.

Five years ago, Estrada was a closeted Latino singer performing at a gay pride festival in Utica, N.Y. Listening to a prominent local politician quote the U.S. Constitution, he remembered black Congresswoman Barbara Jordan, during President Richard Nixon's impeachment hearings, referring to the Constitution as a beautiful document that at the time it was written didn't include her.

He recalled her saying, "Today I do not want to see this document falter. That's why we're here."

On stage that day, Estrada announced to the world that he was proud to be a gay Latino.

Through monologues and songs in "Icons," Estrada portrays the Greek poet Sappho, artist Michelangelo, writers Oscar Wilde and Gertrude Stein and comedian Ellen DeGeneres.

The show is not meant for just a gay and lesbian audience, Estrada said. "These are not just pictures of gays and lesbians, but pictures that are human, timeless and belong to the world. They belong to everybody."

For years, Estrada was the choreographer and lead dancer in singer Charo's show. Parts of his songs have been used in the TV series "The Shield."

Estrada has never presented the show in a city as small as Cape Girardeau before. It just completed a weeklong run in St. Louis and is off to Los Angeles after two nights in Cape Girardeau.

The event is co-sponsored by the Cape Girardeau gay and lesbian organization Visions of Pride, the Southeast Missouri State University gay and lesbian organization Rainbow Alliance, and Student Government at Southeast.

Denise Eaker, director of Visions of Pride, booked Estrada's show, said she hopes people of all sexual orientations will attend.

Josh Rideout, president of the Rainbow Alliance, said his organization has 18 student members and four community members. He is eager to see Estrada's show.

"From what I hear, he has been a good performer at other universities," Rideout said. "That was our main reason for picking him."

sblackwell@semissourian.com

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