Boys in the Band

 "Boys in the Band" made its debut on Broadway in 1968. The play tells the story of nine friends who get together to celebrate a birthday in their social circle. The play made history as all nine characters featured are gay males. It was the first time that gay male life had ever been depicted in such a way. Important to remember, it was a crime to be gay in 1968. 

The movie adaptation of "Boys" was released in 1969, the same year as the Stonewall Riots. The first Pride parade was in the following year, in 1970.

The play was brought back to Broadway in 2018 in another historic run. In this version of the play, all of the actors are out gay men.

The movie, now streaming on Netflix, has the same cast as the 2018 play.

The play is a time capsule which takes the viewers back to a time when it was illegal to be gay. The play helped normalize gay culture. The play showed gay men as complex beings, not tropes and stereotypes. 

Full of laughter and tears, the film and play have had a positive impact on the fabric of America since its debut. Now streaming Netflix, 4 stars.