Morgan Bassichis on 'Can I Be Frank?' - Honoring Comedian Frank Maya

The Life and Work of Frank Maya

• 🎭 The show "Can I Be Frank?" is a one-person performance by Morgan Bassichis interpreting the life and work of gay comedian Frank Maya.
• 💔 Frank Maya was a writer, comic, provocateur, singer, and storyteller who died at 45 from heart failure due to AIDS, just as he was nearing mainstream success.
• 🌟 Maya was one of the first openly gay male comics to gain a foothold in mainstream stand-up comedy, a significant achievement given the era's climate.
• 🎨 Beyond comedy, Maya was also an amazing visual artist, creating paintings and the backdrop for the show.

Morgan Bassichis's Artistic Process

• 💡 Bassichis discovered Maya's work through his brother and digitized videos, leading to an obsession that culminated in the show.
• 🎤 The performance involves Bassichis interpreting Maya's monologues, songs, and rants, while also incorporating their own persona as an interruption.
• 🤝 Bassichis collaborated with director Sam Pinkleton, focusing on creating an entertaining night of theater that balances gravity and levity.
• 🎤 The use of a long microphone cord is a deliberate choreographic element, symbolizing an umbilical cord and the passing down of the mic across generations of queer performers.

Themes and Significance

• 🎯 Frank Maya's comedy aimed to be seen, delight others, and make people laugh, using his own story to create space for others.
• 🏳️‍🌈 In 1987, Maya's presence on national television was a big deal due to the national gay panic and the terrifying reality of the AIDS crisis, where gay people were vilified.
• 🍽️ A notable rant by Maya from 1987 criticized corporations for convincing people not to cook at home, targeting