I Tapped My Husband's Back & What Makes a Man (Comme Ils Disent)

"I Tapped My Husband's Back" and Charles Aznavour's "What Makes a Man (Comme Ils Disent)" closed Act 1 of the 2014 run of TingleTangle. Here is video of this segment, one of my favorites to perform in the production. These pieces talk about societal, familial, and ingrained prejudices, as well as Love in various forms.

I'll never forget performing and exploring these pieces—their words—the day marriage equality became a thing, which happened to be the closing performance of TingleTangle's second run! To say they took on an entirely new meaning would be an understatement.

(You'll also hear a bit of Mischa Spoliansky's "Maskulinum-Femininum" at the beginning of the video.)

from TingleTangle
produced by Theater Ninjas (2014-2015)
conceived & performed by Ray Caspio
original compositions, arrangements & accompanied by agleam/Eric M. C. Gonzalez
directed by Jeremy Paul
lighting design by Ben Gantose
costumes by Kevenn T. Smith
stage managed by Kaitlin Kelly
assistant stage managed by Christina Dennis
at Guide to Kulchur

Theater Ninjas’ original production, TingleTangle, was an evening of personal storytelling, songs and conversations about sexuality, marriage equality, the many angles of oppression and the power of compassion. It reveled in the nuances of identity and how we all use performance to communicate our truest selves to the world. Monologues I wrote and performed, drawing on my experiences as a married gay man in Ohio, formed TingleTangle’s core. TingleTangle sold out and extended its run in Fall 2014, and returned in June 2015, poignantly closing the day marriage equality was fully legalized nationwide.

"Maskulinum-Femininum" music and lyrics by Mischa Spoliansky
"I Tapped My Husband's Back" written by Ray Caspio
"What Makes a Man (Comme Ils Disent)" music and lyrics by Charles Aznavour, arranged and accompanied by agleam/Eric M. C. Gonzalez