Dr. Maya Cantu
@mayamcantu.bsky.social
Greasepaint Puritan: Boston to 42nd Street in the Queer Backstage Novels of Bradford Ropes, University of Michigan Press ‘24; Drama, Bennington College. www.mayacantu.com/news
Pinned
From ‘Proper Bostonian’ youth to chronicler of gay lives in early show business, ‘Greasepaint Puritan’ goes into & beyond ‘42nd Street’ to explore the paradoxes in the life and work of Bradford Ropes—& it’s available at a 50% discount through Jan. 4! Code: HOLIDAY25 press.umich.edu/Books/G/Grea...
Reposted by Dr. Maya Cantu
Yup. Loved it.
BLUE MOON is written as a play- a single night in the life of a talented, sad, tortured writer who doesn't know he is going from celebrated talent to footnote in history. It is some of Ethan's best work EVER, and Rick Linklater's best movie in years (and I *LOVE* all his recent work.) F'N BRILLIANT.
November 30, 2025 at 11:40 PM
Yup. Loved it.
Reposted by Dr. Maya Cantu
Lee Sang-il’s Kokuho — a nearly three-hour period drama about the cloistered world of traditional kabuki theater — has defied all reasonable expectations to become Japan’s top-grossing domestic live-action film of all time.
Box Office: ‘Kokuho’ Becomes Japan’s Top-Grossing Live-Action Film Ever
Lee Sang-il’s Kokuho — a nearly three-hour period drama about the cloistered world of traditional kabuki theater — has defied all reasonable expectations to become Japan’s top-grossing domestic live-action film of all time.
bit.ly
November 26, 2025 at 4:00 PM
Lee Sang-il’s Kokuho — a nearly three-hour period drama about the cloistered world of traditional kabuki theater — has defied all reasonable expectations to become Japan’s top-grossing domestic live-action film of all time.
Reposted by Dr. Maya Cantu
Perfect Tom Stoppard story from DTel obituary:
His response to a letter from Harold Pinter canvassing support for a proposal to have the Comedy Theatre in London rechristened the Pinter Theatre, “Have you thought, instead, of changing your name to Harold Comedy?”
His response to a letter from Harold Pinter canvassing support for a proposal to have the Comedy Theatre in London rechristened the Pinter Theatre, “Have you thought, instead, of changing your name to Harold Comedy?”
November 29, 2025 at 7:09 PM
Perfect Tom Stoppard story from DTel obituary:
His response to a letter from Harold Pinter canvassing support for a proposal to have the Comedy Theatre in London rechristened the Pinter Theatre, “Have you thought, instead, of changing your name to Harold Comedy?”
His response to a letter from Harold Pinter canvassing support for a proposal to have the Comedy Theatre in London rechristened the Pinter Theatre, “Have you thought, instead, of changing your name to Harold Comedy?”
Reposted by Dr. Maya Cantu
November 29, 2025 at 3:41 PM
Reposted by Dr. Maya Cantu
Thank you, Tom Stoppard, for showing us a way.
November 29, 2025 at 7:53 PM
Thank you, Tom Stoppard, for showing us a way.
Reposted by Dr. Maya Cantu
#RIP Tom Stoppard
📷 Otto Stupakoff for Harper's Bazaar, 1967
"I think most people working with Tom would like to feel they were speaking his language, & if not intellectual equals, somewhere in the same neighborhood. Few of us are, but we all continually seek his approval."
- Jack O'Brien
📷 Otto Stupakoff for Harper's Bazaar, 1967
"I think most people working with Tom would like to feel they were speaking his language, & if not intellectual equals, somewhere in the same neighborhood. Few of us are, but we all continually seek his approval."
- Jack O'Brien
November 29, 2025 at 6:46 PM
#RIP Tom Stoppard
📷 Otto Stupakoff for Harper's Bazaar, 1967
"I think most people working with Tom would like to feel they were speaking his language, & if not intellectual equals, somewhere in the same neighborhood. Few of us are, but we all continually seek his approval."
- Jack O'Brien
📷 Otto Stupakoff for Harper's Bazaar, 1967
"I think most people working with Tom would like to feel they were speaking his language, & if not intellectual equals, somewhere in the same neighborhood. Few of us are, but we all continually seek his approval."
- Jack O'Brien
From ‘Proper Bostonian’ youth to chronicler of gay lives in early show business, ‘Greasepaint Puritan’ goes into & beyond ‘42nd Street’ to explore the paradoxes in the life and work of Bradford Ropes—& it’s available at a 50% discount through Jan. 4! Code: HOLIDAY25 press.umich.edu/Books/G/Grea...
November 28, 2025 at 3:33 PM
From ‘Proper Bostonian’ youth to chronicler of gay lives in early show business, ‘Greasepaint Puritan’ goes into & beyond ‘42nd Street’ to explore the paradoxes in the life and work of Bradford Ropes—& it’s available at a 50% discount through Jan. 4! Code: HOLIDAY25 press.umich.edu/Books/G/Grea...
Reposted by Dr. Maya Cantu
November 22, 2025 at 9:50 PM
Sondheim in Trondheim.
November 21, 2025 at 11:44 AM
Sondheim in Trondheim.
Reposted by Dr. Maya Cantu
Drafting my letter to Santa already
November 20, 2025 at 12:26 AM
Drafting my letter to Santa already
Fastening my seatbelt.
November 18, 2025 at 12:05 AM
Fastening my seatbelt.
Reposted by Dr. Maya Cantu
Pope Leo absolutely cooking
November 16, 2025 at 7:47 AM
Pope Leo absolutely cooking
Reposted by Dr. Maya Cantu
November 3, 2025 at 11:17 AM
Reposted by Dr. Maya Cantu
The opening Nothing Ever Happens, a 1933 Vitaphone short parody of Grand Hotel. Fans of the Oscar-winning feature will enjoy the riffs on the leading performers (e.g., Greta Garbo) and their character's name (e.g., Joan Crawford's Flaemmchen is Jane Gale's Scramchen).
November 14, 2025 at 7:00 PM
The opening Nothing Ever Happens, a 1933 Vitaphone short parody of Grand Hotel. Fans of the Oscar-winning feature will enjoy the riffs on the leading performers (e.g., Greta Garbo) and their character's name (e.g., Joan Crawford's Flaemmchen is Jane Gale's Scramchen).
Reposted by Dr. Maya Cantu
Jack Smith - BOTD in 1932
November 14, 2025 at 3:21 PM
Jack Smith - BOTD in 1932
Reposted by Dr. Maya Cantu
The Inattentive Reader, 1919
https://botfrens.com/collections/48/contents/1113963
https://botfrens.com/collections/48/contents/1113963
November 13, 2025 at 9:49 PM
The Inattentive Reader, 1919
https://botfrens.com/collections/48/contents/1113963
https://botfrens.com/collections/48/contents/1113963
Reposted by Dr. Maya Cantu
-- FOR Outstanding COSTUME DESIGN For A Series (1987)! A first nomination and award for the brilliant Nanrose Buchman, who would go on to nab 4 more noms (most recent: "Perry Mason" 2023) & 1 more award ("The Queen's Gambit" 2021).
November 8, 2025 at 8:37 PM
-- FOR Outstanding COSTUME DESIGN For A Series (1987)! A first nomination and award for the brilliant Nanrose Buchman, who would go on to nab 4 more noms (most recent: "Perry Mason" 2023) & 1 more award ("The Queen's Gambit" 2021).
Reposted by Dr. Maya Cantu
It was the sixth and last season of FAME; Hans and I were invited in to pitch. One of our stories was a "42nd Street" homage; we almost didn't pitch it, because we figured they MUST've already done something like it already. But they hadn't, and they bought it! (And shot it!)
November 8, 2025 at 8:37 PM
It was the sixth and last season of FAME; Hans and I were invited in to pitch. One of our stories was a "42nd Street" homage; we almost didn't pitch it, because we figured they MUST've already done something like it already. But they hadn't, and they bought it! (And shot it!)
Reposted by Dr. Maya Cantu
39 Years Ago Today: An episode of FAME I co-wrote with Hans Beimler -- our second produced TV script! -- got a "Close Up" in TV GUIDE magazine. Not bad for a little show running near-invisibly in syndication (and a troubled script that went to "Third Blue" [i.e., multiple rewrites/revisions)... 🧵
![TV GUIDE [logo]
America s Television Magazine
Vol. 34 No. 45 / November 8, 1986 / Issue #1754
* * *
BROADCAST
Syndicated Fame
Sun., ABC Disney Movie
Sun.,NBC Valerie
Mon.,PBS Story of English
Wed.,PBS Live from Lincoln Center
Thurs.,PBS Mystery!
Fri., NBC A-Team
* * *
This week: seven regular series try something out of the ordinary. Each in its own way succeeds.
* * *
Apart from PBS, Fame serves up an all-singing, all-dancing, hey-kids-Iet's-put-on-a-show show. The show they put on is rather reminiscent of ''42nd Street''--and really very well done. . . .
* * *
(5) FAME-- Drama; 60 min.
"All Talking, All Singing, All Dancing.'' See the Close-up on A-70.
* * *
close
up
FAME
3:30 PM (WGN)
8 PM (5)
9:30 PM (WGN)
[Photo (captioned "Gene Anthony Ray and Elisa Heinsohn"): A young Black man and young white woman in fancy 1930s outfits strike a dance pose.]
GOLDDIGGERS OF 1986
It's time to "put on a show'' as the "Fame'' regulars portray characters in a 1930s Busby Berkeley musical with Jesse (Jesse Borrego) as the harried director; Ian (Michael Cerveris) as the struggling songwriter; and Jillian (Elisa Heinsohn) as the naive chorine thrust into the spotlight when the Ieading Iady gets Iaryngitis on opening night. Miltie: Robert Romanus. Leroy: Gene Anthony Ray. Reggie: Carrie Hamilton. Lou: Dick Miller. Nicole: Nia Peeples. Danny: Carlo Imperator. Christopher: Billy Hufsey. Lydia: Debbie Allen. (60 min.)](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:ot3nzcyg5dqlrs27gvdqhouv/bafkreihah3fubqcysxtwtj7va7ke7it5kxzuml5a5i2iqznzadkzzfibcy@jpeg)
November 8, 2025 at 8:37 PM
39 Years Ago Today: An episode of FAME I co-wrote with Hans Beimler -- our second produced TV script! -- got a "Close Up" in TV GUIDE magazine. Not bad for a little show running near-invisibly in syndication (and a troubled script that went to "Third Blue" [i.e., multiple rewrites/revisions)... 🧵
Reposted by Dr. Maya Cantu
Nov. 13, 1925: A Charleston dance contest in front of St. Louis City Hall.
November 13, 2025 at 1:27 PM
Nov. 13, 1925: A Charleston dance contest in front of St. Louis City Hall.
Passed the time tonight with these two time-travelers.
November 12, 2025 at 3:00 AM
Passed the time tonight with these two time-travelers.
Reposted by Dr. Maya Cantu
Edvard Munch in his studio at Ekely in Norway
Photo: Ragnvald Væring, 1938.
Photo: Ragnvald Væring, 1938.
November 10, 2025 at 7:47 PM
Edvard Munch in his studio at Ekely in Norway
Photo: Ragnvald Væring, 1938.
Photo: Ragnvald Væring, 1938.
Reposted by Dr. Maya Cantu
(Okay, it’s her birthday, so. . .)
Hang on, when did reading become performative?
📸: Michael Berresse
Hang on, when did reading become performative?
📸: Michael Berresse
November 10, 2025 at 4:18 PM
(Okay, it’s her birthday, so. . .)
Hang on, when did reading become performative?
📸: Michael Berresse
Hang on, when did reading become performative?
📸: Michael Berresse