Too much of a good thing?

I was raised in an extremely open, liberal household, by professional artists. I have made my life and career in the world of theater, a community in which homosexuals likely represent the majority. I live in New York City, a melting pot not only of cultures but of lifestyles and sexualities. Finally, I have gay family members and friends who I love regardless of, and irrelevant to, their sexual preference.

But along with any signifcant and necessary social rights movement comes a backlash of unnecessary hype.

I couldn't remain quiet when noticed the amount of attention being drawn toward one Newsweek article expressing the author's opinion about openly gay actors playing straight.

Glaring typo aside (ten bucks if you can find it) - the author posed strong opinions on historically controversial topic, and for that, I commend him. I don't agree with everything he says, and I certainly don't agree that Sean Hayes' sexuality posed any significant hindrance to his portrayal of a straight man in Promises, Promises. I also don't agree that the author of said article, however poorly written or uninformed, was even remotely in the wrong.

In not surprisingly dramatic fashion, Hayes' co-star Kristen Chenoweth (love her as I do) got her panties in a twist and fired a letter in response to the article essentially accusing the author of being homophobic, ignorant, intolerant, and a big old meanie-head.

As a petite blonde with a solid High C, I empathize with Ms. Chenoweth's protective impulse. It's almost a gut reaction to jump on anyone who would attack a fellow artist, more so if said artist is in a social minority that, in our industry, represents the majority.

But the subsequent hype - the number of publications that have picked up Chenoweth's response - the social media frenzy that inevitably erupts whenever there is a bandwagon to jump on - is completely outrageous. I happen to agree, as would most seasoned theater critics, that there are oftentimes qualities in an actor that are stronger than the character they play. We as audience members are afforded the opportunity to overlook the literal time, place, and circumstance in order to embrace the one presented before us. The fact that for decades people have erupted into song and perfect harmony in another wise normal situation is something that, while we logically know is unrealistic, we embrace and celebrate in the beloved genre of American Musical Theater. In specific pieces we are even encouraged to overlook the actor's race or gender in favor of their talent, the character, and the piece.

Theater is about the suspension of reality. It gives the audience the benefit of the doubt - that they have the intelligence to know that, while what they are seeing before them is most obviously not real - they are entitled to believe so, at least for the moment. It's the art of make-believe - not precision, accuracy, and literal interpretation. When did we forget this?

I truly believe that gay actors should be just as subject to criticisms about the apparence of their sexuality as I am subject to criticism about my appearance, ethnicity, height and weight - all factors in nearly any role for which I have ever auditioned.

Did I find Sean Hayes to be a most satisfactory, charming, endearing and entertaining 2010 response to Jerry Orbach's role in the original production of Promises, Promises? Certainly. His performance was commendable and his nomination deserved. Did I find there to be an amusing undercurrent of skepticism about his sexuality in the role? Certainly. And, truly, I felt it served the levity of the piece.

The fact that America is a place of differing opinions is what makes it America. This was no hate crime, and even a far cry from homophobic. That some people will take offense is their right. I can only hope that their opinions, however varied, are genuine and their own.