I always wonder how Black Party director Vance Garrett started creating these fabulous gigs. Couple months ago I asked him. He asked him to follow him one night. He took me to Splash Bar where he staged fetish acts once a week. It was very eye opening for me. First time I saw backstage of Splash Bar where the dancers got ready for the shows. While Vance was preparing hot dancers, I asked him couple questions. I was so curious how Vance started at very young age creating one of the biggest gay parties.
"I started working on the events about six years ago when I met Stephen Pevner, the producer of the Saint At Large, through a short-lived PR job as I was questioning what I wanted to do with my theatre career. I had been assessing how I wanted direct my creative ambitions-transitioning out of gigging and auditioning for other people’s projects (as an actor, dancer, and aerialist). Since I had this strong theatre and circus/dance background and had been bartending for many of the bigger events in town between shows, Stephen and I had much to discuss about the trajectory of live experiences, and he opened a door for me. I started as part of the Saint At Large press team, transitioned into assisting with the direction of the productions, to now, most recently, writing and directing the experiences."
Meanwhile there was little drama right before the show at Splash Bar. One of the dancers was extremely late. Vance was very calm. I thought how on earth he was going to fix this. He immediately re-wrote the first act. Damn!!! No wonder he could put 16 hours shows for Black Party so easily. I asked him how someone could come up all those mind blowing Black Party shows? Was there extensive search involved in the creative process?
"BP can be a hybrid of grand theatre, dance party, carnival, and circus-and probably a political play-and each of those worlds offers up a lot of ideas and tools. I get ideas from choreographers, off-the-radar theatre, some of the seedier corners of New York, and everywhere in between-traveling, walking down the street, exploring unfamiliar music..watching how people behave at parties and so on. I listen as best I can. The research is ongoing, and I do have to keep up with what’s happening at the front of the theatre and club scene ....as well as the general zeitgeist of the community. I spent a couple of decades in different forms of live productions and years on both sides of the bar in clubland-a great vantage point for observing how people work socially. At its simplest though, I just remember what’s fascinated me since I was a kid...and use the resources now of an adult to bring them to life"
Still It was fascinating for me to be involved with such a big production. Of course there gotta be so many difficulties, challenges and dramas along the way. Come on! Someone couldn't put 16 hours show just like that.-- Could Z get some dirt here?
Vance said "I suppose some of the the biggest challenges are keeping the momentum growing and evolving from beginning to end, keeping it awake by establishing different acts, knowing what you can control and being clear about what you can’t. An event with thousands of people has a life of its own, and the last thing I want is for a party is to feel like it’s too tightly controlled. Also, it requires a rock-solid team that is unquestionably able to collaborate and communicate step-by-step. In a room with ear-piercing music, simply getting messages across to the team in the room is a huge challenge, but we do it."
These days Vance Garrett rules Fire Island. He is the entertainment director of all the shows, low tea, high tea, Pavilion etc. I asked with my popping eyes "Vance! How did you land on this gig"
"I actually met one of the new owners, Andrew Kirtzman, over coffee with an old dancer friend from Chicago who happened to be boyfriend’s with Andrew’s boyfriend’s twin (also both dancers). Make sense? We started talking right as he was acquiring the property, and we had a lot to discuss about nightlife, the island, events, what makes a dance, and so on. ...and we just took it from there..."
Boy! New owners of Fire Island hired him. Well! As everyone I'm curious how owners are. Everyone complained about previous owner Eric. How about these new ones?
"They complement each other really well, each having different relationships and experiences with the island, so their strength may be in being able to see it from multiple dimensions. Undoubtedly, they’re as passionate as it gets, and I think that’s a fantastic place to get the ball rolling."
As every gay Fire Islander I see so many new things on the island. Most of them are very positive changes.
Vance agrees "We’re working hard on some exciting new elements-making use of the pool deck, reviving the Pavilion (integrating multimedia elements), literally scouring the globe for hot new DJs and making lots of room for the beloved ones who have brought us this far.. .Much of what we’re doing is opening up space and knocking down walls so people can bring what they want to the table."
When ever I see Vance on the island, he is always multi tasking. He constantly is on the blackberry texting, emailing and calling some people. Even if we are good friends, I can't chat with him more 5 minutes (Yes! Vance! Z is complaining!!) It must be brutal to arrange all those shows.Let's ask Vance!
"There are seventeen events on any given weekend, and unlike Black Party or some of the bigger productions, there’s no time to script these babies out. Communicating with the whole team, being responsive to change, trusting our intuition, maintaining a sense of humor, pacing ourselves, and working with the support of the community will be very important."
Man! 17 events! One weekend!!! Plus so many drunk, fun gays! Is there time to mingle for Vance? I mean I know but I'm sure everyone wonders if Vance is single.
"Oppss! Seriously! Vance! Is there a lucky boy in the picture?"
Well! Vance says " What would Tony Kushner say? --The smallest indivisible human unit is two people, not one; one is a fiction"
"Hmmmm! Anyway! What is next for Vance Garrett? Is there an amazing production right after summer?"
"I’m writing every chance I can, delving deeper into that mash-up world of theatre, spectacle, and nightlife-very much looking forward to producing and directing a few this year. I just want to create the best experiences I can. Who knows yet if Broadway is the best place to house them? Keep your ear to the ground for some events playing with the movie-going experience as well as fashion...and hold on tight for Halloween. Did I mention my performer bug is also starting to bite again? “Something wicked this way comes...”
Honestly! We are still at the peak of summer season. You will see Vance around Pines all the time. He will keep producing to make our Pines experience more fun. He will be busy, busy and busy the rest of the summer.
Well! Boys! Z whispered again!!!
After seminar I forgot all about it. Finally weekend arrived! Hoo! Hoo! Hoo!
