Special Guests 2009
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Calpernia Addams
 
   
    Calpernia Addams is an actress, activist, musician and author known for her work with GLBT and women's issues. After working in festival-favorite films such as "Casting Pearls", "Beautiful Daughters" and Oscar-nominated "Transamerica", Calpernia was invited personally to perform in the New Orleans Superdome 10th Anniversary Vagina Monologues alongside Eve Ensler, Jane Fonda and more, to benefit victims of Hurricane Katrina. She recently starred in Logo's GLAAD Media Award-winning exploration of transsexual romance, "Transamerican Love Story".
    A former Field Combat Medic in the 1st Gulf War, Calpernia provided medical care to soldiers, sailors and Marines on the ground in Saudi Arabia and later in the remote Aleutian Islands after the war. After the tragic death of her Army boyfriend, which inspired the Golden Globe and Emmy nominated film "Soldiers Girl", Calpernia worked with the Servicemembers' Legal Defense Network to fight "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" in a national awareness campaign. Calpernia was a national spokesperson for PFLAG, and was featured alongside Portia de Rossi, T.R. Knight and others in an MTV public service announcement airing across MTV and VH1 against harassment of GLBT youth. Her YouTube videos educating on trans issues have received almost two million views and some have been picked up for air on MTV's Logo site and used in college classrooms.
 

Ongina
 
   
    Ongina, most recently featured on Logo's hit show, RuPaul's Drag Race currently lives in Los Angeles, CA. She doesn't wear wigs, padding or tuck, but she's still one of the most versatile and focused contestants in RuPaul's Drag Race. Ongina lives her life -- and does drag -- on her own terms.

 
Darryl Stephens
 
   
    Darryl Stephens started acting professionally while attending UC Berkeley, working with a theater troupe called Sassymouth and performing original gay-themed plays by John Fisher in San Francisco’s theater district.  After taking Fisher’s hit show, “Medea, The Musical” to HBO’s Aspen Comedy Festival, he moved back to Los Angeles and started pursuing television and film work.  MTV’s “Undressed” was his first TV gig and Dirk Shafer’s film “Circuit” was his first feature.  After a few years of more supporting roles, Darryl booked the role of Noah in “Noah’s Arc,” Patrik-Ian Polk’s groundbreaking series for the Logo Network.  Soon after, he starred in Q. Allan Brocka’s film “Boy Culture” and made a memorable appearance in Todd Stephens’ “Another Gay Movie.”  Since then, he’s played a supporting role in the upcoming feature, “Bolden” starring Anthony Mackie, voiced a character on the animated series “Rick and Steve” alongside RuPaul and is working on screenplays with two of his best friends that he hopes to produce within the next year or so... 

Shirley Tan and Jay Mercado
 
   
    Shirley Tan, is the mother and housewife from Pacifica, turned courageous activist, who came to the US from Philippines 23 years ago. Living with her partner, Jay Mercado and their 12-year-old twins, Joriene and Jashley, the private life of their family came to an abrupt halt, when this year, ICE agents showed up at their door with a deportation order for Shirley. Detained and handcuffed like a criminal, Shirley was about to be torn away from her beloved family when a unique Private Bill (#867) was introduced by Senator Feinstein to stay her deportation. Shirley remains at risk until legislation such as The Uniting American Families Act is passed to ensure LGBT immigration equality.
 

The Cast of "WICKED"
 
   
    The New York Times calls WICKED “Broadway’s biggest blockbuster” and refers to the show as “one of the most successful shows in Broadway history.”  Variety described WICKED as a “cultural phenomenon.” There’s no place like home, the San Francisco production is a significant homecoming for WICKED, which premiered in San Francisco in May 2003 before casting its spell on Broadway.  WICKED's open-ended San Francisco engagement is now playing at the Orpheum Theatre.