Sparkle Patty...sparkle!

Last night at the Castro Theater was a lot of fun. I started my manifestation at work and had to get a little help from a co-worker to zip up - heh. Walking out of the office in a floor length pale green polyester gown with sheer wing sleeves and a wimple and matching veil with my face completely made over was pretty fun. The veil blowing in the wind walking up to the F Line was intense (and cold).

The event "Sparkle Patty Sparkle!" was a really fun affair; a near sold out crowd filled the Castro theater. Before the gala event began, a compilation reel of clips from Patty Duke's film and TV career. Then a few musical and skit numbers recreating scenes from "Valley of the Dolls" with Matthew Martin as Helen Lawson and Connie Champagne as Neely O'Hara. They were a riot. Matthew pulled off a Susan Hayward flawlessly.

After the musicals, Patty Duke was brought out (after another video reel of clips including her amazing performance in "The Miracle Worker") with Bruce Vilanch who conducted the interview. Patty (aka: Anna) was charming, funny, and quite down to earth. She spoke about her growing up, having been taken in by a couple who effectively adopted her from her dysfunctional household only to use her for her talent as a child actor.

Before the screening of "Valley of the Dolls", my partner Nick (aka Sister Mary Juanita High) and myself were called up to take the producer of the gala event, Marc Huestis on stage as we Sainted him in front of the audience. "Sainting" is the Sisters way of recognizing people in our community who do a lot of good, be it philanthropy, volunteerism, supporting our friends and loved ones. Marc has been active in arts and film in San Francico's gay community for many years. He was a founder of the Gay Film Festival which is now Frameline, a world reknowned festival in SF.

Patty's son McKenzie from her second marriage was there, and during an intermission he came up to Mary and me to get a picture. He was a nice guy, and kind of a cut up. I looked him up on IMDB.com today to discover that he's been in a number of films and a lot of TV. He's also the brother to Sean Astin (Patty's other son from the second marriage) who played Samwise in "Lord of the Rings."

The evening was rounded out with the screening of "Valley..." which was a lot of fun to see (again) on the big screen with a full house hooting and hollering at the tackiness and fabulousness of the overdramatic portrayal of three wannabe celebrities in the 60's amidst the proliferation of "dolls" aka - downers or uppers.