Contents:
- BRANDON VICTOR DIXON GAY TALKS, SEXUALY & WIFE
- BRANDON VICTOR DIXON ON DATG, THE RIGHT GIRLIEND & GAY LABEL
- BRANDON VICTOR DIXON ON ‘J CHRIST SUPERSTAR,’ RACISM, BROADWAY, MIKE PENCE, AND GLTERG MCLBREAKOUTIN AN EXCLIVE TERVIEW WH TIM TEEMAN, BRANDON VICTOR DIXON TALKS POLICE—AND BROADWAY—RACISM, WHAT HE’D TELL MIKE PENCE NOW, BEG SGLE, AND HIS HOPE TO STAR ‘RENT’ ON TV.TIM TEEMANSENR EDOR AND WRERUPDATED APR. 11, 2018 11:18AM EDT / PUBLISHED APR. 11, 2018 5:07AM EDT EXCLIVENBCWE MET FOUR DAYS AFTER BRANDON VICTOR DIXON HAD LAST BEEN SEEN DANCG, SGG, BELTG, AND EMOTG NBC’S J CHRIST SUPERSTAR, WHILE WEARG A TIGHT MH GLTER TOP AND JT AS TIGHT GLTERG TROERS.IN BROADWAY WATERG HOLE THE GLASS HOE TAVERN, DIXON SURPRISED ME FIRST BY REVEALG HE HAD ONLY SEEN THE FIRST FOUR MUT OF NBC’S CRILLY HAILED LIVE PRODUCTN, PERFORMED ON EASTER SUNDAY. THE TONY-NOMATED ACTOR (FOR THE COLOR PURPLE AND SHUFFLE ALONG; HE WON A TONY AS A PRODUCER OF HEDWIG AND THE ANGRY INCH) SAID HE WAS “OVERWHELMED” BY THE RPONSE TO HIS POWERFUL PERFORMANCE AS JUDAS ISRT.“I’M A VERY SENSIVE PERSON, AND I’VE SPENT THE LAST FEW DAYS PRETTY MUCH CRYG SEEG WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYG,” DIXON SAID. “I’VE MA THROUGH TEXTS AND EMAILS AND INSTAGRAM. NOW I’M MOVG ON TO FACEBOOK AND TWTER BEE EACH MSAGE MEANS SOMETHG TO ME, SO I’M TAKG MY TIME TAKG ALL , AND TAKG THE ACTUAL SHOW AS WELL.” ADMIRERS RAVED NOT ONLY ABOUT THE 36-YEAR-OLD ACTOR’S TENSE PORTRAYAL OF J’ BETRAYER, BUT ALSO HIS SEXS AND THE PL TAZEWELL-SIGNED BODY-NTOURED OUTFS HE WORE: THE PLUNGG V-NECK SLEEVELS SHIRT, THE SLEEVELS LEATHER JACKET, AND THEN THOSE GLTERG TROERS AND SLEEVELS TEE HE WORE WHILE SGG “SUPERSTAR.” TIM TEEMAN/THE DAILY BEAST FOUR DAYS LATER HE WAS DRSED SUBTLER RATHER THAN DOWN, WEARG A BETIFUL LORFUL CHECK AT (CHOSEN BY HIS , HIS STYLIST), RED HAT, AND LIGHT PK SWEATSHIRT; HIS SPEAKG VOICE IS A PRECISE OFFSTAGE ECHO OF HIS STRONG, WARM SGG VOICE. HE IS ELOQUENT, THOUGHTFUL, AND PASSNATE.HIS IENDS HAVE JOKED THAT THIS IS DIXON’S STAR-MAKG MOMENT. SURE, HE SAID, THE PHONE IS RGG, AND THERE ARE ALREADY DNS FOR MOVIE ROL, AN IMMENT SONG AND VIO RELEASE, THE FIFTH SERI OF STARZ’S POWER, WHICH DIXON NOW HAS A SERI REGULAR ROLE, AND AN APP HE HAS CREATED THAT IS ABOUT TO BUT.AND, HE REVEALS TO ME, HE WOULD LOVE TO DO ANOTHER TV MIL, SIGNALG A SIRE TO APPEAR THE FORTHG FOX PRODUCTN OF RENT, DIXON HAVG ONCE STARRED THE MUCH-LOVED JONATHAN LARSEN MIL OFF-BROADWAY. “AT THE END JOHN [LEGEND] AND I GRABBED EACH OTHER. JOHN IS THE MOST CHILLED, UNRSTATED PERSON YOU HAVE EVER MET, AND I’M A CHILL PERSON TOO. HE GAVE ME A BIG HUG AND SAID, ‘WE DID .’” “‘YOU’RE GOG PLAC,’ PEOPLE KEEP SAYG AFTER J CHRIST SUPERSTAR,” DIXON SAID. “Y, THE PHONE IS RGG, LIFE HAS CHANGED. BUT, FOR ME, THE GIFT I’VE BEEN GIVEN IS WORKG FOR SIX WEEKS WH 100 PEOPLE DYNAMILLY ENGAGED A WONRFUL PROJECT.”DIXON BASED HIS VOL ON CARL ANRSON, WHO PLAYED JUDAS THE 1973 MOVIE OF J CHRIST SUPERSTAR, TENDG TO BE A “SOULFUL, OLD-TOWN BLACK SGER YELLG ABOUT HIS LOVE, JT GOG THERE.” DIXON GRNED. I THOUGHT, ‘IT’S NOT PERFECT, BUT MAN YOU WENT FOR AND THAT’S FUCKG OL.'“AT THE END JOHN [LEGEND, WHO PLAYED J] AND I GRABBED EACH OTHER. JOHN IS THE MOST CHILLED, UNRSTATED PERSON YOU HAVE EVER MET, AND I’M A CHILL PERSON TOO. HE GAVE ME A BIG HUG AND SAID, ‘WE DID .’ THERE WAS THAT SENSE OF JOYFUL ACPLISHMENT. WE GOT THROUGH THIS THG TOGETHER. WE ALL PHED OURSELV DIFFERENTLY. IT WASN’T PERFECT, BUT FELT HONT.”AS WELL AS A SUPREME ENTERTAER, DIXON, WHO READ THE FAMO STATEMENT OM THE HATON ST TO THEN-VICE PRINT ELECT MIKE PENCE NOVEMBER 2016, IS ALSO PROUDLY POLIL, PARTICULARLY AROUND ISSU OF RACIAL JTICE AND RACISM ON BROADWAY AND HOLLYWOOD, AND KEEN THAT HIS WORK “HAS SOMETHG TO SAY.”“I AM POLILLY ACTIVE AND ACTIVE THE MUNY,” DIXON SAID. “I’M AN ACTIVIST AND ADVOTE. I HAVE EMPATHY. IT IS HARD TO IGNORE . I TRY TO ENSURE I DO SPEAK TO THE ISSU AT HAND BEE OTHERWISE, WHAT ARE WE DOG? THE TIME FOR IVOLO ENTERTAMENT HAS PASSED. YOU N BE ENTERTAED WHILE AT THE SAME TIME LEARNG OM AND GROWG WH THE PEOPLE AROUND YOU.”DIXON RELLED HOW A WOMAN ON THE TRA HAD TURNED TO HIM AND SAID, “‘I THK I KNOW YOU. OH, THAT’S RIGHT. SUNDAY NIGHT. THANK YOU.’”HIS EY WELLED UP. IF LEGEND AS J WAS ALL LANGUID RTRAT THAT HIGH-OCTANE EASTER SUNDAY NIGHT, DIXON'S JUDAS WAS FEROCLY NFLICTED. “IT’S GOG TO TAKE ME A WHILE TO WATCH ,” DIXON SAID OF J CHRIST SUPERSTAR. “I’M GOG TO BE CRIL OF MYSELF: ‘YOU ULD HAVE DONE THIS, YOU ULD HAVE DONE THAT.’ OVERALL I KNOW WHAT WAS NOT PERFECT, BUT I KNOW WAS HONT AND SEEMS TO HAVE NNECTED WH THE DIENCE. I FEEL VERY FULL. I FEEL WONRFUL. I STGGLE WH THGS LIKE SELF-DOUBT AND SELF-TEEM BEE I DON’T ACTUALLY KNOW HOW GOOD I N BE. “I’M ARTISTILLY CRIL OF MY OWN WORK. I FELT LIKE HAD THE POTENTIAL TO BE REALLY GREAT, AND NOT EVERYTHG FEELS THAT WAY. A LOT OF HAD THE FEELG THIS WAS SPECIAL. EVERYBODY THE ENSEMBLE AND PRODUCTN WAS WORKG THEIR HARST AND BT. TO BE PART OF SOMETHG WHERE EVERYONE WANTS TO GIVE THAT MUCH IS A GIFT. THE MIL IS A HARD MEDIUM TO TRANSLATE TO TELEVISN, AND I THK NBC HAS LEARNED OM EACH ONE ’S DONE TO MAKE BETTER.” JUDAS WAS “A GIFT OF A ROLE,” DIXON SAID. “HEAVEN ON THEIR MDS,” THE TV SPECTACULAR’S OPENG NUMBER, WAS THE ONLY SONG HE KNEW, PROVIDG AN IMMEDIATE AME FOR THE DIENCE AT HOME OF THE STORY “AND THE MENTAL AND EMOTNAL LANDSPE OF JUDAS HIMSELF, WHO EVERYBODY HAS ALREADY ASSIGNED AS VILLA AND BETRAYER. I GREW UP AS A CHRISTIAN, AND ONE OF THE MANY THGS CHRISTIAN MYTHOLOGY THAT DID NOT DOVETAIL WH REAL LIFE IS THAT HUMAN BEGS ARE NOT MONOCHROMATIC THEIR BEG.”DIXON PONRED AND TERROGATED JUDAS’ CHARACTER WHILE STG HIS BATHTUB. “I WASN’T MOTIVATED BY DOG ANYTHG DIFFERENT. I WANTED TO TELL THE STORY OF HOW THIS PERSON ENDS UP STROYG HIMSELF AND THE PERSON HE LOV. I WANTED TO CHANGE THE WAY PEOPLE MAYBE FELT ABOUT THE CHARACTER OF JUDAS THEY THOUGHT THEY KNEW, MAYBE SHOWG HOW THEY N FEEL DIFFERENTLY ABOUT PEOPLE THEY KNOW THEIR OWN LIV, CLUDG THEMSELV.”ONE IEND SENT HIM A MSAGE SAYG HIS PERFORMANCE HAD CHANGED THE WAY SHE VIEWED THE WORLD, “AND THAT’S WHAT I HOPED FOR. I WEPT WHEN I READ THAT.”RELLG THAT, DIXON’S VOICE CRACKED AND TEARS ME TO HIS EY AGA.“WHILE WE WERE REHEARSG THIS, THERE WAS THE NEWS ABOUT STEPHON CLARK [THE UNARMED BLACK MAN SHOT AD BY SACRAMENTO POLICE OFFICERS LAST MONTH], AND THEN ABOUT THE ALTON STERLG OFFICERS NOT BEG CHARGED. AND I THOUGHT ABOUT PHILANDO CASTILE, SEAN BELL, MICHAEL BROWN, ERIC GARNER—ALL THE UNARMED BLACK MEN AND BOYS GUNNED DOWN OR KILLED.” “I’M NOT SAYG ALL THE OFFICERS ARE RELICTN OF THEIR DUTI, BUT WE HAVE TO THOROUGHLY VTIGATE THE PROCS PENNTLY AND OPENLY FOR THE SAFETY OF OFFICERS AND THE PUBLIC.” DIXON PSED. “I WANTG MY ROLE OF JUDAS TO CHANGE HOW PEOPLE FELT ABOUT THE PERSON OR PEOPLE THEY THK THEY KNOW. THE POLICE ARE GUNNG THE MEN DOWN BEE THEY ARE AAID OF THEM. THEY ARE NOT LYG ABOUT THAT, THEY ARE GENUELY SRED. WE AS A SOCIETY DO NOT HOLD A PROCS OF ACUNTABILY THE CIRCUMSTANC UP TO AS STRGENT A STANDARD AS WE SHOULD.“I’M NOT SAYG ALL THE OFFICERS ARE RELICTN OF THEIR DUTI, BUT WE HAVE TO THOROUGHLY VTIGATE THE PROCS PENNTLY AND OPENLY FOR THE SAFETY OF OFFICERS AND THE PUBLIC. “WE AS A SOCIETY DON’T FORCE THE POLICE TO BE ACUNTABLE BEE WE AS A SOCIETY ARE AAID OF UNARMED BLACK BOYS. THAT’S NOT A WHE THG: IT EXISTS ACROSS NATNALI AND GENRS. I REGNIZE EVEN MYSELF. I GREW UP A PREDOMANTLY WHE MIDDLE-CLASS NEIGHBORHOOD. I WENT TO PRIVATE SCHOOLS MY WHOLE LIFE. I REMEMBER ONE SUMMER HAVG TO TAKE A MATH CLASS AT THE PUBLIC SCHOOL AND BEG SRED BEE EVERY IMAGE PUMPED TO MY LIVG ROOM WAS OF VLENT BLACK PEOPLE. “I WAS AAID BASED ON NO TERACTN WH THE PEOPLE, BUT BEE WE AS A SOCIETY HAVE STIGMATIZED THE BLACK MALE.”HOW HAVE WE E TO “POLICE OFFICERS BODY ARMOR AND WH GUNS SHOOTG A 12-YEAR-OLD KID WHEN HE IS HOLDG A TOY?” DIXON ASKED, REFERRG TO THE KILLG OF TAMIR RICE 2014. “WE MT BEG TO THK DIFFERENTLY ABOUT THE THGS WE THK WE KNOW. WE MT NONT OUR OWN THOUGHTS ABOUT THE PERSON NEXT TO AND OURSELV.” HUMANS SILO THEMSELV, AND LABEL AND FE OTHERS TO ALL OUR TRIMENT, SAID DIXON. WH JUDAS, HE WANTED TO GROUND THIS ALLEGORIL FIGURE AS A REGNIZABLE HUMAN BEG. “WE OFTEN FEEL WE N’T ASK QUTNS OF OURSELV FOR FEAR OF OFFENSE OR DISPTG EACH OTHER’S TTH THE WORLD.” “WHY DID THE POLICE FEEL THEY NEED TO APPROACH THIS WH SUCH A LEVEL OF FORCE? WHAT’S PROCRALLY HAPPENG RIGHT NOW? WHY IS EVERYTHG MORE DIFFICULT FOR PEOPLE WHO LOOK DIFFERENT? IT’S HEARTBREAKG.” THE LACK OF TRANSPARENCY THE VTIGATNS OF POLICE KILLGS HELPS NEHER THE OFFICERS NOR THE MUNY, SAID DIXON. THE POLICE E TO BELIEVE THEY N BEHAVE WH IMPUNY, WHILE THE MEMBERS OF THE MUNY ARE LS CLED TO LISTEN TO THE THORI GIVEN WHAT HAS HAPPENED THE PAST, AND THE SENSE THEY WILL NOT RECEIVE JTICE. WHEN STEPHON CLARK WAS SHOT, SAID DIXON, MA HIM THK THAT “SOMETIM I GET ANNOYED WH MYSELF. I THOUGHT, ‘YOU KNOW HOW THE THGS HAPPEN. THIS IS THE STATE OF AMERI AND THE WORLD. IT’S SO SAD. IN HIS GRANDMOTHER’S YARD. WHY DID THE POLICE FEEL THEY NEED TO APPROACH THIS WH SUCH A LEVEL OF FORCE? WHAT’S PROCRALLY HAPPENG RIGHT NOW? WHY IS EVERYTHG MORE DIFFICULT FOR PEOPLE WHO LOOK DIFFERENT? IT’S HEARTBREAKG. IT’S HAPPENG OVER AND OVER AGA. THERE’S NO TRIAL. OFFICERS ARE NOT EVEN DICTED.” THE ATTENTN THAT J CHRIST SUPERSTAR HAS BROUGHT IS NOT DIXON’S FIRST BSH WH HEADL, HAVG LIVERED THAT 'HATON' SPEECH TO PENCE NOVEMBER 2016.“WE, SIR—WE—ARE THE DIVERSE AMERI WHO ARE ALARMED AND ANX THAT YOUR NEW ADMISTRATN WILL NOT PROTECT , OUR PLA, OUR CHILDREN, OUR PARENTS, OR FEND AND UPHOLD OUR ALIENABLE RIGHTS. WE TLY HOPE THAT THIS SHOW HAS SPIRED YOU TO UPHOLD OUR AMERIN VALU AND TO WORK ON BEHALF OF ALL OF ,” DIXON TOLD PENCE, WHO STOPPED TO LISTEN AS HE EXED THE THEATER.DONALD TMP CLAIMED THE ST HAD “HARASSED” PENCE (NO MATTER THAT PENCE HAS MA DISENANCHISG LGBT PEOPLE A RNERSTONE OF HOLDG PUBLIC OFFICE). THE STATEMENT WAS, FACT, READ OUT EXTREMELY POLELY, AND WAS A SIMPLE, CRYSTALLIZG MOMENT OF SPEAKG TTH TO POWER. IT WAS A REQUT FOR RPECT, A PLEA FOR RPECTG DIVERSY.SUBSEQUENTLY, THE TMP ADMISTRATN’S ATTACKS ON LGBT PEOPLE, PARTICULARLY NOTABLE THE ATTEMPTED TRANS ARY BAN, HAVE ED NSIRABLE ALARM AND OUTRAGE.I ASKED DIXON WHAT HE WOULD SAY TO PENCE NOW. HE SED TIGHTLY. “IT’S A HARD QUTN. I BELIEVE ULTIMATELY YOU HAVE TO FD WAY TO HAVE NVERSATNS TO VE DIALOGUE, BEE OTHERWISE YOU HAVE NFLICT, BUT ’S ALSO IMPORTANT TO REGNIZE WHAT PEOPLE ARE WILLG TO DO, GOG TO DO, AND WHAT THEY ARE PRENTG TO YOU.“THE ADMISTRATN HAS MA VERY CLEAR THAT THEY ARE ABOUT THEIR OWN SELF-TERTS. I’M NOT MAKG THIS REPUBLIN OR DEMOCRAT. THE TMP ADMISTRATN IS JT A GROUP OF PEOPLE WHO DON’T KNOW OR TST EACH OTHER. I WOULD PROBABLY SIMPLY EXPRS TRATN AND MORAL JUDGMENT AND DISTASTE FOR THE VERY PAFUL AND TENTNAL STEPS THEY HAVE TAKEN TO NOT SAVE AND HELP PEOPLE, BUT TO LIM PEOPLE STEAD.”DID PENCE HEAR YOU THAT DAY? I ASKED DIXON.“I’M SURE HE HEARD ME, BUT I DON’T THK HE SIRED TO LISTEN.”ALL THE ST WAS DOG, HE SAID, WAS ASKG PENCE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE SPECTM OF PEOPLE WHO HAD JT PERFORMED A SHOW ABOUT THE FOUNDG OF THE UNTRY. PENCE NOW REPRENTED THAT SPECTM. “THE MSAGE WAS SO NOCUO AND NONPARTISAN THAT YOU N’T HAVE A PROBLEM WH UNLS YOU’RE TRYG TO W,” SAID DIXON. “AND THAT IS WHERE WE ARE: AMERIN SOCIETY IS A PALIST ONE, BASED ON WNG OR LOSG. IT’S NOT MER-BASED. FIRST IS BT, WHETHER YOU ARE THE STROYER, OR THE TALLT. WE’VE STOPPED LOOKG FOR TTHS, OR HAVG BAT. WE JT HAVE ARGUMENTS. ONE SI HAS TO TEAR DOWN THE OTHER.” “WHEN YOU SEE THE DIVIDUALS YOU MT SPEAK TO THEM, PARTICULARLY WHEN THE DIVIDUALS ARE BEHAVG WAYS THAT AFFECT THE LIV OF THE PEOPLE THEY REPRENT. I’M NOT STANDG ON CEREMONY. ‘ETIQUETTE’ N ONLY GO SO FAR. WE HAVE TO HOLD EACH OTHER ACUNTABLE.” DIXON SED. PENCE MPAIGNED AS A POLICIAN TO REPRENT PEOPLE, AND YET ACTUALLY ADDRSG HIM AND REMDG HIM OF THE SPE OF HIS CIVIC RPONSIBILI WAS SEEN AS A TRPASS OF ETIQUETTE ON THE PART OF THE HATON ST. DIXON IS NOT APOLOGIZG. “WHEN YOU SEE THE DIVIDUALS YOU MT SPEAK TO THEM, PARTICULARLY WHEN THE DIVIDUALS ARE BEHAVG WAYS THAT AFFECT THE LIV OF THE PEOPLE THEY REPRENT. I’M NOT STANDG ON CEREMONY. ‘ETIQUETTE’ N ONLY GO SO FAR. WE HAVE TO HOLD EACH OTHER ACUNTABLE.”THAT DAY, DIXON FELT SUPPORTED BY HIS LLEAGU AND THE DIENCE, AND PENCE DID STOP TO LISTEN AS HE WAS LEAVG THE THEATER. “HE WAS VERY GRAC THE NEXT DAY ON TELEVISN. THERE’S SOMETHG TO BE SAID FOR THAT, AND THERE ARE MANY PEOPLE WHO AGREE WH HIM. BUT PENCE AND TMP AREN’T GODS, OR GREAT MEN. THEY ARE DIVIDUALS THE POSNS THAT THEY HOLD. THEY E OM MUNI THAT FEEL A LOT OF THE THGS THEY REPRENT.”AMERI IS SO BIG, IS EASY TO STIGMATIZE THOSE WHO ARE NOT YOUR CIRCLE, DIXON SAID, PARTICULARLY IF YOU ARE, AND THEY ARE NOT, OM MAJOR URBAN CENTERS. “WE SHOULD WORK VERY HARD SEEKG TO SEE HOW A PERSON ME TO THIS STCTIVE PLACE WHOUT LABELG THEM A VILLA OR MON.” “I DON’T KNOW WHAT I ULD SAY. I JT WANT TO GIVE THE BROTHER A HUG. A LOT OF TIM PEOPLE ARE DOG THGS BASED ON THE PA SI THEM. I WANT TO SAY TO MIKE PENCE, ‘YOU DON’T HAVE TO DO THIS, BROTHER.’” FAH IOLOGI SHOULDN’T BE ED TO “CHA OURSELV” TO ANY SYSTEM OF THKG, DIXON ADD. “WE SHOULDN’T BE A PLACE DOG THGS WE DID CENTURI AGO. WE SHOULD TRY TO CHANGE.”WHAT WOULD DIXON SAY TO PENCE TODAY?DIXON PSED. “I DON’T KNOW WHAT I ULD SAY. I JT WANT TO GIVE THE BROTHER A HUG. A LOT OF TIM PEOPLE ARE DOG THGS BASED ON THE PA SI THEM. I WANT TO SAY TO MIKE PENCE, ‘YOU DON’T HAVE TO DO THIS, BROTHER.’ OUR ACTNS ARE ABOUT ALLEVIATG PA ONE WAY OR ANOTHER. IT DON’T MEAN WE’RE DOG THE RIGHT THG. I WOULD ASK HIM, ‘DO YOU WHOLLY BELIEVE THE WAY YOU’RE BEHAVG? ARE YOU SO AAID OF FEELG UNLOVED THAT YOU’VE GRADUATED TO ANOTHER PERSONALY AND SYSTEM OF ACTIVY, WHICH IS G WAY MORE DAMAGE THAN GOOD?’” DIXON’S SPEECH TO PENCE NOTED THAT HATON WAS “TOLD BY A DIVERSE GROUP OF MEN AND WOMEN OF DIFFERENT LORS, CREEDS, AND ORIENTATNS,” AND THAT TMP AND PENCE SHOULD ERN FOR “ALL OF .” “WE ARE AN AGE,” DIXON TOLD ME, “WHERE IF YOU ARE NOT ADVOTG FOR YOURSELF AND OTHERS, WHAT ARE YOU DOG? THAT’S ONE THG I LOVE ABOUT THE NEW YOUTH MOVEMENT LED BY THOSE PARKLAND TEENS. THEY REGNIZE THEIR POWER, AND ALSO THEIR PRIVILEGE, AND ARE FIGHTG TO MAKE SURE THAT THEIR UNRSTANDG OF TERSECTNALY IS BEG MUNITED TO THE MEDIA. THEY’RE SAYG, ‘THIS VOICE THAT WE’VE BEEN GIVEN HAS NOT BEEN GIVEN TO YOUNG BLACK BOYS AND GIRLS FOR YEARS.’ THEY’RE MAKG SURE THEIR PLATFORM IS SPREAD TO OTHERS.” “I OPERATE A FLUID WAY THE WORLD. I AM A FER, AND I’M SURE THAT’S AFFECTED HOW I AM RECEIVED OR PERCEIVED AS AN DIVIDUAL AND TRSILLY WRAPPED UP THAT, AS A BLACK MAN.” DIXON HIMSELF HAS NOT RECEIVED “MANY OVERT RACIST OVERTUR” HIS LIFE, APART OM THE PARENTS OF SOME OF THE NON-BLACK WOMEN HE HAS DATED. TALKG TO YOUNG PEOPLE OF LOR ENTERG THE ARTS, HE HAS SAID RACE IS ONE OF MANY OBSTACL THEY MAY FACE. “YOU ARE SIMPLY GOG TO HAVE TO FIGURE OUT THE OBSTACL. IT WON’T DO ANY GOOD TO ALWAYS THK ABOUT THOSE THGS A MACRO PERSPECTIVE.“I OPERATE A FLUID WAY THE WORLD. I AM A FER, AND I’M SURE THAT’S AFFECTED HOW I AM RECEIVED OR PERCEIVED AS AN DIVIDUAL AND TRSILLY WRAPPED UP THAT, AS A BLACK MAN. I AM VERY APPROACHABLE. PEOPLE S NEXT TO ME ON THE TRA OR B WHEN THERE ARE LOTS OF OTHER SEATS. THAT DO ANNOY ME.” HE LGHED. “I SEE THGS HAPPEN TO OTHERS, AND THE EMPATHY I HAVE MEANS THE THGS THAT DO HAPPEN TO ME I DON’T FEEL AS ACUTELY AS THE THGS THAT HAPPEN TO OTHERS.”AS HE HAS “MOVED THROUGH THE DOORS” ON BROADWAY, DIXON HOP HE HAS MA ROOM FOR OTHER PEOPLE OF LOR G BEHD HIM, HE SAID. “IF SOMEONE IS BEG A RACIST, THEY ARE SAYG MORE ABOUT THEMSELV THAN THEY ARE ABOUT YOU.”“THE EXTRAORDARY THG ABOUT HATON,” SAID DIXON, “IS THAT ’S AN CREDIBLY, FTLY ED WEAPON. IT’S AN SURGENT. IT’S SO DYNAMIC AND WONRFULLY END THAT UPLOADS TO THE MATRIX AND THE MATRIX DON’T EVEN KNOW . YOU’RE TAKEN BY THE BEATS, CLEVER RHYM, AND SPECTACLE, BUT THE MSAG G THROUGH ABOUT TERSECTNALY ARE CHANGG YOU, CREATG EMPATHY YOU WHOUT YOU EVEN KNOWG .” “BROADWAY’S RACE ISSU ARE RELATIVELY THE SAME PLACE AS BEFORE, WHICH IS NOT A TERRIBLE PLACE BUT IS NOT A PLACE THAT WE N CELEBRATE AS MUCH AS WE CHOOSE TO.” OFF-STAGE HATON’S IMPACT HAS ALSO BEEN HUGE, HE ADD. “EVERYONE WHO TO NTACT WH , THEIR LIFE EXPANDS. IT’S MA MOVIE AND TV STARS OF SOME PEOPLE, AND ’S GIVEN WELL-WRTEN ROL TO PEOPLE—BLACK AND LGBT ACTORS—WHO OFTEN DON’T GET WELL-WRTEN ROL. THAT CREAT A NEW KD OF GENERATNAL WEALTH, THAT’S A TECTONIC SHIFT, AND HAS CHANGED A GENERATN.”I ASKED IF HATON HAD HELPED BROADWAY AL WH S OWN RACE ISSU.“BROADWAY’S RACE ISSU ARE RELATIVELY THE SAME PLACE AS BEFORE, WHICH IS NOT A TERRIBLE PLACE BUT IS NOT A PLACE THAT WE N CELEBRATE AS MUCH AS WE CHOOSE TO,” SAID DIXON. “IT’S NOT JT ABOUT DIVERSY THE ST, ’S ABOUT DIVERSY REAL POSNS OF POWER YOUR PRODUCTN TEAMS: DIRECTORS, WRERS, MIL DIRECTORS, STAGE CREW, THE ENTIRE THG. “ENTERTAMENT GENERAL HAS MA SURFACE CHANG. BUT JT BEE SOMETHG LOOKS MORE DIVERSE DON’T MEAN THAT IS MORE DIVERSE. YOU N’T NFLATE THE CHANGE FOR THE GOOD HAPPENG ‘HERE’ WH WHAT HASN’T HAPPENED ‘OVER THERE.’“WE SHOULD CELEBRATE BLACK PANTHER. WHAT HAS DONE FOR REPRENTATN IS LCULABLE. BUT REMEMBER THAT NO PERSON OF LOR OWNS . IT’S EARNED BILLNS OF DOLLARS FOR THE STUD. THOSE PEOPLE AREN’T PEOPLE OF LOR. LET’S CELEBRATE, BUT REGNIZE THAT THE BEAT GO ON AND THE WORK GO ON.”DIXON NS A PRODUCTN PANY, WALKRUNFLY, WH CHOREOGRAPHER WARREN ADAMS. HE RELLED THAT ADAMS HAD ONCE REMONSTRATED A MEETG WH EXECUTIV WHEN THEY WERE STG ROL FOR A CISE SHIP PRODUCTN OF TOY STORY. THE BETTER BLACK FEMALE DANCER UNR NSIRATN WAS GIVEN THE ROLE OF THE MONKEY TOY; THE LS-GOOD WHE FEMALE DANCER WAS GIVEN THE LEAD, SAID DIXON. ADAMS TOLD THE EXECUTIV THAT THE BLACK DANCER SHOULD BE THE LEAD AND SUGGTED EXECUTIV LL JOHN LASSETER, CHIEF CREATIVE OFFICER OF PIXAR.WHEN ADAMS RETURNED TO THE ROOM A FEW MOMENTS LATER, HE DISVERED LASSETER HAD GIVEN THE GREEN LIGHT FOR THE BLACK DANCER TO BE GIVEN THE LEAD ROLE.ADAMS’ SPEAKG UP SHOWS WHY PEOPLE MT MAKE A STAND AT SUCH MOMENTS THAT PRENT THEMSELV, SAID DIXON. ONE EXECUTIVE THANKED ADAMS FOR HIS TERVENTN AFTERWARD. “THE SEND YOU THK WHAT YOU MIGHT LOSE IS THE MOMENT YOU KNOW YOU SHOULD DO SOMETHG,” SAID DIXON. DIXON WAS RAISED, THE YOUNGT OF THREE BROTHERS, GAHERSBURG, MARYLAND. IT WAS A DISCIPLED UPBRGG - HE WENT TO CHAPEL EVERY MORNG AND CHURCH MOST SUNDAYS - BUT WAS NOT STRICTLY RELIG. HIS MOTHER LEFT THE EPISPALIAN CHURCH TO ATTEND THE UNARIAN. “SHE HAS ALWAYS LOOKED FOR NNECTN AND GROWTH. WE MEDATE TOGETHER,” HE SAID. PHOTOGRAPHERS HAVE PTURED HER ALONGSI DIXON ON OPENG NIGHTS ON RED RPETS OUTFS SHE HAS SIGNED HERSELF.HIS FATHER OWNED AN ELECTRIL NTRACTG PANY, HIS MOTHER RAN THE BS. THE YOUNG DIXON WAS AMIC, MISCHIEVO, AND SPORTY: HE WRTLED AND PLAYED SOCCER. HE ATTEND THE EXCLIVE ST. ALBANS SCHOOL, ALMA MATER OF GORE VIDAL, AND LATER COLUMBIA UNIVERSY NEW YORK, SO HE ULD BE "THE RIGHT PLACE" TO DN FOR PRODUCTNS. HE AND HIS BROTHERS, NOW ALL SUCCSFUL THEIR RPECTIVE FIELDS, HELP TO SUPPORT THEIR PARENTS FANCIALLY, “WHICH MAK ME VERY HAPPY. IT’S THE WAY SHOULD BE, AFTER ALL THEY HAVE DONE FOR .” HIS FATHER WAS WARY ABOUT HIM ENTERG AN ACTG LIFE, BUT DIXON’S MIDDLE BROTHER SPOKE TO HIM; THEN LATER, SWEETLY, HIS FATHER SPOKE TO HIM AND REPEATED HIS BROTHER’S POSIVE WORDS.DIXON SAID HE OUTGREW HIS CHRISTIAN TEACHGS EARLY, “THE MORE I ASKED OF FAH AND THE PRACTICE OF FAH, AND HISTORY AT LARGE.” HOW ULD BE THAT, AS A CHRISTIAN, AS LONG AS HE REPENTED, THEN “I’M ALL GOOD,” WHEREAS SOMEONE WHO LIV ACRDG TO CHRISTIAN PRCIPL BUT DON’T BELIEVE J IS DAMNED. “IT DON’T MAKE SENSE.”IF ANY OF WERE TE, HOW WOULD JTIFY THE AMOUNT OF ATH, STCTN, AND DISRD NDUCTED CHRISTIANY AND GOD’S NAME, HE ASKED. HIS DOUBTS DIDN’T MEAN HE THOUGHT CHRISTIANY HAD NO VALUE, HE EMPHASIZED; MORE THAT WASN’T THE ONLY THG OF VALUE. “I REALIZED WHAT TGHT ME AT 6, ULDN’T TEACH ME AT 25, OR 37.” AT SCHOOL DIXON ATTEND A MIC CLASS EVERY DAY, AND APPEARED MILS EVERY YEAR. IN ANOTHER WORLD, HE MAY HAVE BEEN AN ARCHEOLOGIST OR MARE BLOGIST—HE LIKED MATH UNTIL HE GOT TO LCUL—BUT PERFORMANCE WAS HIS PASSN.HE FIRST PLAYED ONE OF THE ENSEMBLE, AGED AROUND 6, A PRODUCTN OF KISS ME KATE WHICH HIS MIDDLE BROTHER WAS PLAYG FRED GRAHAM/PETCH. NEXT ME PRODUCTNS OF OLIVER!, THE PIRAT OF PENZANCE, AND MARY POPPS.MRS. WORTH, HIS MIC TEACHER, SAW DIXON’S APTU AND MARKED HIM OUT FOR SOLOS, AND STARTED PICKG PLAYS FOR HIM TOO, LIKE NEIL SIMON’S FOOLS AND THEN THE MIC MAN. “I LOVE MIC, THE NNECTIVE ASPECT OF . IT HAS A UNIQUE ABILY TO OPEN UP,” DIXON SAID. “WHEN I’M ON STAGE SGG, I AM TRYG TO OPEN MY HEART AND SPIR TO A EPER LEVEL OF UNRSTANDG OF MYSELF AND THE PEOPLE, THE DIENCE, I AM TRYG TO NNECT TO.”HIS BIG BREAK ME 2005 PLAYG SIMBA A TOURG PRODUCTN OF THE LN KG. “THAT WAS THE MOST DIFFICULT ARTISTIC EXPERIENCE OF MY LIFE. I WAS STGGLG FOR THE FIRST TIME A THG THAT HAD FELT SO NATURAL TO DO. I WAS LEADG A MULTILN-DOLLAR PRODUCTN, AND I DIDN’T HAVE THE NFINCE. IT TOOK A LARGE EMOTNAL AND PHYSIL TOLL. FOR THE FIRST TIME MY LIFE, I THOUGHT, ‘I’M NOT SURE I’M GOG TO MAKE THROUGH THIS.’” THE REGISTER OF THE SONGS WAS ADAPTED TO BETTER F DIXON’S VOICE, AND THE PRODUCTN BEME A “GROWTH EXPERIENCE.” HE STARTED MEDATG, AND STILL DO . “I LEARNED THAT YOUR VOICE SHOWS UP. THERE’S NO REASON WHY THAT WOULDN’T HAPPEN NOW. I ALWAYS SAY, ‘DON’T LET YOURSELF GET TO THE FEAR OF .’”THEN ME BROADWAY ROL THE COLOR PURPLE, WHICH HE ORIGATED THE ON-STAGE CHARACTER OF HARPO, THE STTSBORO BOYS, AND HE ALSO CREATED THE ROLE OF BERRY GORDY MOTOWN: THE MIL. OFF-BROADWAY HE PERFORMED RENT ( WHICH HE PLAYED TOM COLLS).DIXON SED AS HE RELLED THAT HE THOUGHT THE STTSBORO BOYS WOULD BE A MSTREL SHOW, UNTIL HE READ THE SCRIPT. HE RECENTLY WROTE A POTED CRIQUE OF THE RACIAL POLICS OF THE MIL ONCE ON THIS ISLAND. “THE #METOO MOVEMENT WAS STARTED BY A BLACK WOMAN, AND YET BLACK WOMEN ARE THE MOST VISIBLE, MOST DISENANCHISED. I’VE NEVER SEEN A GROUP MARCHG FOR BLACK WOMEN, BUT YOU’LL FD THEM AT THE HEART OF ALL THE MOVEMENTS.” HOW APPEALG WAS FAME? “I’M SURE AT A CERTA POT THOSE THGS HAVE DRAWN ME , BUT I’M A NSC ENOUGH HUMAN BEG TO KNOW THOSE THGS N’T DRIVE YOU. THEY CERTALY WON’T STA YOU. I ALSO REGNIZE THAT IF YOU DO THE WORK, PEOPLE ARE GOG TO KNOW ABOUT .”DIXON SAID HE HAD NOT PERSONALLY EXPERIENCED SEXUAL HARASSMENT OR ABE THE THEATER WORLD, BUT IS “HAPPY FOR THAT MOMENT OF RECKONG TO HAVE E. THE #METOO MOVEMENT WAS STARTED BY A BLACK WOMAN [TARANA BURKE], AND YET BLACK WOMEN ARE THE MOST VISIBLE, MOST DISENANCHISED. I’VE NEVER SEEN A GROUP MARCHG FOR BLACK WOMEN, BUT YOU’LL FD THEM AT THE HEART OF ALL THE MOVEMENTS.”COLOR-BLD STG, WHICH IS NOW BEG MUCH MORE PREVALENT, IS “A GREAT THG,” DIXON SAID, “JT OM UNHOOKG THE SENSE OF SOMETHG HAVG TO BE SEEN A CERTA WAY. WE ARE TRYG TO TELL HUMAN STORI. ONE THG THAT ART TEACH IS THAT WE N ALL EMPATHIZE WH THE SAME THG. EVERYONE LOV THE LN KG, EVERYTHG IS ROMEO AND JULIET AND HAMLET, AND WILLIAM [SHAKPEARE] EVEN RECYCLED THAT SH HIMSELF.”DIXON BEME A PRODUCER TO ASSERT SOME LEVEL OF NTROL. HE IS HOPEFUL FOR A BROADWAY TRANSFER OF RCERATN DRAMA WHORL INSI A LOOP NEXT SEASON.“DOG SHOWS ABOUT SAM COOKE, RAY CHARL, JAM BROWN, AND BERRY GORDY, YOU REALIZE THAT ALL THE ARTISTS TALK ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF OWNERSHIP AND POWER,” DIXON SAID. “JAM BROWN ONCE SANG, ‘I DON’T WANT NOBODY / TO GIVE ME NOTHG / OPEN UP THE DOOR / I’LL GET MYSELF.’ IT’S SELF-ACTUALIZATN. AS A PRODUCER YOU N VELOP SOMETHG. THE PRODUCER FACILAT STORI BEG TOLD, AND RETAS A PIECE OF .”PROCEEDS OM HIS FORTHG SGLE AND VIO WILL GO TO SUPPORT CHILDREN UGHT THE RCERATN SYSTEM. WHAT DIXON REALLY HOP FAME BRGS IS AN CREASED PLATFORM TO SPEAK ON THE SUBJECTS HE FEELS MOST PASSNATELY ABOUT, PARTICULARLY THIS ONE, CREASG HIS TERMATN TO PRODUCE WHORL INSI A LOOP ON BROADWAY.“INRCERATN DISPROPORTNATELY AFFECTS PEOPLE OF LOR AND WOMEN, AND THE MENTALLY CHALLENGED,” HE SAID. “HOLDG A CHILD SOLELY RPONSIBLE FOR THEIR ACTNS IS A SIGN OF WARDICE.”THE RCERATN SYSTEM IS N FOR PROF TOO, SAID DIXON. “THERE IS A MOARY AND EXPLOATIVE CENTIVE TO RCERATE. PRISONS HAVE QUOTAS TO FILL. THE SYSTEM ISN’T REHABILATIVE.”DIXON CED THE SE OF KALIEF BROWR, A 16-YEAR-OLD WHO SPENT NEARLY TWO YEARS ALONE A JAIL CELL FOR AS MUCH AS 23 HOURS A DAY AT RIKERS ISLAND, AFTER BEG ACCED OF HAVG A STOLEN BACKPACK.“THAT LEVEL OF JTICE IS UNNSCNABLE,” SAID DIXON. “THE ISSUE THIS UNTRY IS NOT WHE PEOPLE, IS WHE SUPREMACIST IOLOGY. IF WHE PEOPLE DON’T ATTACK WHE SUPREMACY, OR THROUGH THEIR APATHY DON’T GET TO THE ONTL TO ROOT OUT, THAT’S WHEN THGS GET BAD.” HE NOTED HOW “ANNOYG” WAS THAT ORR TO ENGAGE PEOPLE NVERSATN ABOUT SUCH ISSU “YOU HAVE TO FE THEIR SENSIVI.”“THE ISSUE THIS UNTRY IS NOT WHE PEOPLE, IS WHE SUPREMACIST IOLOGY,” DIXON SAID. “IF WHE PEOPLE DON’T ATTACK WHE SUPREMACY, OR THROUGH THEIR APATHY DON’T GET TO THE ONTL TO ROOT OUT, THAT’S WHEN THGS GET BAD. YOU BEE PLIC, MAYBE BEE YOU ARE APPRECIATIVE OF THE PRIVILEG GIVEN TO YOU, SO WHY MAKE LIFE HARR?“THE THG IS, LIFE IS HARD FOR A LOT OF WHE PEOPLE. RACE AND RACISM IS A TACTIC ED TO DIVI , WHERE THERE SHOULDN’T BE ANY DIVISN AND FIGHTG—STEAD OF LOOKG TO THE PEOPLE WHO TOLD TO FIGHT EACH OTHER. WHE SUPREMACY IS A PROBLEM FOR ALL OF .”DO DIXON THK N EVER BE ROLVED OR ERADITED? “Y, BEE THE FALLACY IS CLEAR, AND THE IOLOGY IS CLEARER AND CLEARER. IT IS S FAL THRO, AND AS MUCH CHAOS AND NFLICT N E PUMPED BY SOCIAL MEDIA, THERE IS ALSO GROWG UNY AND HARMONY. PEOPLE’S NSCNS IS EXPANDG AND GROWG. THERE’S FAR MORE GROWTH AND UNN THAN THERE IS DISRD. IN ORR FOR THGS TO CHANGE THEY HAVE TO BREAK, AND THAT N BE PAFUL—THAT’S ALL.” POWER STARTS S FIFTH SEASON JUNE, “THE HIGHT-RATED PROGRAM ON BLE NEXT TO GAME OF THRON,” DIXON NOTED PROUDLY. HE WILL LNCH A CULTURE-ORIENTED APP, CURATOR, THIS SUMMER. THE FIRST FEATURE FILM HE IS PRODUCG GO TO PRE-PRODUCTN NEXT MONTH; 88 IS A POLIL THRILLER ABOUT TERRORISM AND SUPER PACS. AMONG ANY DREAM ROL, JEAN VALJEAN L MISéRABL IS ONE DIXON WOULD LOVE TO DO. “I ULD SG THAT THG WORD FOR WORD RIGHT NOW,” HE SAID, AS WELL PRACTICED AS HAD BEE DURG DNS. IF THE PRODUCERS OF FOX’S RENT ARE READG THIS, HAVG PLAYED COLLS, DIXON WOULD LOVE TO PLAY ROGER, “ALTHOUGH COLLS HAS THE BT SONGS, THE REPRISE IS THE BT SONG, AND,” HE PUT ON AN ARCH VOICE, “I DO A PRETTY FAB RENDN, TIM. WE’LL SEE. I WOULD LOVE TO DO RENT. IT’S A REALLY WONRFUL SHOW AND HIGHLY RONANT RIGHT NOW IF YOU DO RIGHT.”DIXON IS SGLE. “I’M NOT LOOKG FOR ANYTHG RIGHT NOW, WHICH IS PROBABLY WHY THAT PART OF MY LIFE IS NOT AS FULLY FORMED AS SOME OF THE OTHER THGS I’M DOG.” WOULD HE LIKE TO BE? “Y, I WOULD. I ME THROUGH A RELATNSHIP TWO AND A HALF YEARS AGO THAT I’M STILL SORTG THROUGH AND TRYG TO UNRSTAND WHAT SAID ABOUT ME. EVERYBODY SAYS, ‘THGS HAPPEN FOR A REASON,’ OR ‘IT WASN’T MEANT TO BE,’ BUT YOU N ALSO TAKE AN HONT LOOK AT YOUR LIFE, AND ASK IF THERE ARE CERTA THGS I DID OR DIDN’T DO TO MAXIMIZE THE OPPORTUNY FOR BOTH OF . “YOU ASK QUTNS ABOUT YOURSELF: WAS YOUR IMMATURY, OR YOUR SELFISHNS, OR YOUR LACK OF SELF-WORTH? HAVE YOU GROWN SCE THEN? IF YOU GET THE SHOT AGA, WILL YOU GET RIGHT? IS THERE SOMETHG WRONG WH YOU? JT DON’T SAY I’M DAMNED FOR ALL TIME.”WAS THIS RELATNSHIP WH A WOMAN? Y, DIXON SAID.SO, BREAKG THE HEARTS OF GAY AMERI, HE’S STRAIGHT? I ASKED, SG. DIXON LGHED. “Y, IF YOU HAVE TO LABEL ME.”HE HAS A LOT OF GAY FANS, PECIALLY AFTER HIS FLH-CELEBRATG OUTF CHOIC J CHRIST SUPERSTAR. “IT’S ABSOLUTELY VERY FLATTERG FOR ME,” DIXON SAID, “FLATTERG JT THAT MY ENERGY WOULD BE SOMETHG PEOPLE WOULD WANT TO HAVE AROUND.”DO HE WANT TO MARRY AND HAVE CHILDREN? “I WANT TO HAVE A FAY HOWEVER THAT MANIFTS SELF. I DON’T KNOW IF MARRIAGE IS FOR ME. I SOUND LIKE JERRY MAGUIRE: ‘I DON’T KNOW IF I’M BUILT THAT WAY.’ I FELY WANT A FAY. I FELY WANT TO FORM AN TIMATE PARTNERSHIP WH SOMEBODY. I’M ALSO AAID OF PURSUG AND G THE PERSON I RE ABOUT THE MOST. I DON’T QUE TST MYSELF EMOTNALLY THAT RPECT. I’M REALLY WORKG ON THAT, SO IF I GET ANOTHER OPPORTUNY I REALLY MAXIMIZE .”DIXON HAD ANOTHER RELATNSHIP RECENTLY, HOPG A LONG-TERM ATTACHMENT MIGHT BE POSSIBLE, BUT HE FEELS HE FAILED AGA, BEG “UNRELIABLE, A DISAPPOTMENT. BUT I’M NOT GIVG UP. I’M JT BEG PATIENT WH MY HUMAN GROWTH RIGHT NOW.”HOW DID HE FEEL BEG A LT OBJECT, THOSE PECS-REVEALG, V-SHAPED SHIRTS?DIXON LGHED. “IT’S ODD, OVERWHELMG, AND GRATIFYG. THERE ARE SOME VERY FUNNY MSAG MY BOX, VATNS FOR CERTA ACTIVI I NEVER KNEW ABOUT. I’VE DONE SEX SCEN ON TV. I’VE SEEN THE RPONSE TO THAT. I KNOW HOW THE THGS GO.” “I WOULD GO TO PL TAZEWELL, THE STUME SIGNER, AND LOOK AT THE SHIRTS AND SAY, ‘BRG THIS DOWN A B. I HAVEN’T EATEN WEEKS. I HAVE BEEN SUBSUMG ON LETTUCE LEAV. LET ME SHOW SOMETHG, PL!’” HE WORKS OUT REGULARLY (SWEARG BY NNG—“I HAVE DONE EVERYWHERE, AND ’S EVERYTHG, CLEARS OUT ALL THE GUNK AND HELPS THE VOICE”—AND CORE RHYTHM FNS). “I WOULD GO TO PL TAZEWELL, THE STUME SIGNER, AND LOOK AT THE SHIRTS AND SAY, ‘BRG THIS DOWN A B. I HAVEN’T EATEN WEEKS. I HAVE BEEN SUBSUMG ON LETTUCE LEAV. LET ME SHOW SOMETHG, PL!’ HE GAVE ME THE ‘V.’ HE GAVE JOHN [LEGEND] THE ‘V.’ JOHN’S SHIRT SURE GOT A B MORE OPEN AS THE DAYS WENT ON. HE SAW MY SHIRT! I SAID, ‘OK, JOHN, I’VE GOT THE ARMS TOO, YOU N’T HAVE EVERYTHG.'”HE DIDN’T GET TO KEEP ANY OF THE AMAZG OUTFS, SADLY; NBC HAS ARCHIVED THEM, DIXON SAID.“I DON’T KNOW IF I KNOW ANYWHERE WHERE I ULD WEAR THAT SEQU OUTF,” HE SAID, ROARG WH LGHTER. “IT WAS AMAZG. PL ADD THOSE STUDD BRACELETS AT THE END, AND I WAS LIKE, ‘ABSOLUTELY Y, PRCS OF POWER! LET’S GO! I’VE NEVER WORN WORE ANYTHG LIKE THAT. IT WAS AWOME. “IN THE CLIPS I’VE SEEN I’M DOG THGS I ALWAYS THOUGHT WOULD BE ELECTRIFYG IF I EVER SAW ANYTHG LIKE . I MEAN, YOU DREAM OF A SEQUENCE OF 30 PEOPLE DANCG AROUND YOU, THE SPOTLIGHT, SGG A SONG LIKE THAT WH A 32-PIECE ORCHTRA!” DIXON LGHED HEARTILY AGA. “THAT DON’T HAPPEN ON A REGULAR BASIS.”TE, THOUGH 9.4 LN VIEWERS ON EASTER SUNDAY WERE HAPPY THAT HAPPENED AT LEAST ONCE. TIM TEEMAN
BRANDON VICTOR DIXON GAY TALKS, SEXUALY & WIFE
Albans School and later graduated om Columbia Universy 2003 wh a gree Read: Is John Basedow Gay?
Most recently 2016, Dixon performed the lead role Broadway productn Haton as Aaron Burr which got him wispread admiratn and May Like: CBS’ Errol Bart Wiki: From Gay Rumors To Complete BgraphyDixon is also to productns as he is the -founr of WalkRunFly productns.
BRANDON VICTOR DIXON ON DATG, THE RIGHT GIRLIEND & GAY LABEL
Brandon Dixon's Lack Of Romantic Life/Gay RumorsBrandon’s lack of romantic life, spe him gettg a lot of female attentn, has rulted people and media qutng his sexualy. Siar: Gay Brianna Hilbrand Reveals Datg Requirements: Girliend Isn't LimEher the celebry is very good at skippg media attentn, or he uld be really choosy when to girls and relatnships. That void of relatnships has also seen him beg labeled a gay on var ter a profile published Daily Beast wrten by Tim Teeman April 2018, Brandon mented on 'gay mors' wh humor sayg he was flattered and was enjoyg his sglehood at the moment.
BRANDON VICTOR DIXON ON ‘J CHRIST SUPERSTAR,’ RACISM, BROADWAY, MIKE PENCE, AND GLTERG MCLBREAKOUTIN AN EXCLIVE TERVIEW WH TIM TEEMAN, BRANDON VICTOR DIXON TALKS POLICE—AND BROADWAY—RACISM, WHAT HE’D TELL MIKE PENCE NOW, BEG SGLE, AND HIS HOPE TO STAR ‘RENT’ ON TV.TIM TEEMANSENR EDOR AND WRERUPDATED APR. 11, 2018 11:18AM EDT / PUBLISHED APR. 11, 2018 5:07AM EDT EXCLIVENBCWE MET FOUR DAYS AFTER BRANDON VICTOR DIXON HAD LAST BEEN SEEN DANCG, SGG, BELTG, AND EMOTG NBC’S J CHRIST SUPERSTAR, WHILE WEARG A TIGHT MH GLTER TOP AND JT AS TIGHT GLTERG TROERS.IN BROADWAY WATERG HOLE THE GLASS HOE TAVERN, DIXON SURPRISED ME FIRST BY REVEALG HE HAD ONLY SEEN THE FIRST FOUR MUT OF NBC’S CRILLY HAILED LIVE PRODUCTN, PERFORMED ON EASTER SUNDAY. THE TONY-NOMATED ACTOR (FOR THE COLOR PURPLE AND SHUFFLE ALONG; HE WON A TONY AS A PRODUCER OF HEDWIG AND THE ANGRY INCH) SAID HE WAS “OVERWHELMED” BY THE RPONSE TO HIS POWERFUL PERFORMANCE AS JUDAS ISRT.“I’M A VERY SENSIVE PERSON, AND I’VE SPENT THE LAST FEW DAYS PRETTY MUCH CRYG SEEG WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYG,” DIXON SAID. “I’VE MA THROUGH TEXTS AND EMAILS AND INSTAGRAM. NOW I’M MOVG ON TO FACEBOOK AND TWTER BEE EACH MSAGE MEANS SOMETHG TO ME, SO I’M TAKG MY TIME TAKG ALL , AND TAKG THE ACTUAL SHOW AS WELL.” ADMIRERS RAVED NOT ONLY ABOUT THE 36-YEAR-OLD ACTOR’S TENSE PORTRAYAL OF J’ BETRAYER, BUT ALSO HIS SEXS AND THE PL TAZEWELL-SIGNED BODY-NTOURED OUTFS HE WORE: THE PLUNGG V-NECK SLEEVELS SHIRT, THE SLEEVELS LEATHER JACKET, AND THEN THOSE GLTERG TROERS AND SLEEVELS TEE HE WORE WHILE SGG “SUPERSTAR.” TIM TEEMAN/THE DAILY BEAST FOUR DAYS LATER HE WAS DRSED SUBTLER RATHER THAN DOWN, WEARG A BETIFUL LORFUL CHECK AT (CHOSEN BY HIS , HIS STYLIST), RED HAT, AND LIGHT PK SWEATSHIRT; HIS SPEAKG VOICE IS A PRECISE OFFSTAGE ECHO OF HIS STRONG, WARM SGG VOICE. HE IS ELOQUENT, THOUGHTFUL, AND PASSNATE.HIS IENDS HAVE JOKED THAT THIS IS DIXON’S STAR-MAKG MOMENT. SURE, HE SAID, THE PHONE IS RGG, AND THERE ARE ALREADY DNS FOR MOVIE ROL, AN IMMENT SONG AND VIO RELEASE, THE FIFTH SERI OF STARZ’S POWER, WHICH DIXON NOW HAS A SERI REGULAR ROLE, AND AN APP HE HAS CREATED THAT IS ABOUT TO BUT.AND, HE REVEALS TO ME, HE WOULD LOVE TO DO ANOTHER TV MIL, SIGNALG A SIRE TO APPEAR THE FORTHG FOX PRODUCTN OF RENT, DIXON HAVG ONCE STARRED THE MUCH-LOVED JONATHAN LARSEN MIL OFF-BROADWAY. “AT THE END JOHN [LEGEND] AND I GRABBED EACH OTHER. JOHN IS THE MOST CHILLED, UNRSTATED PERSON YOU HAVE EVER MET, AND I’M A CHILL PERSON TOO. HE GAVE ME A BIG HUG AND SAID, ‘WE DID .’” “‘YOU’RE GOG PLAC,’ PEOPLE KEEP SAYG AFTER J CHRIST SUPERSTAR,” DIXON SAID. “Y, THE PHONE IS RGG, LIFE HAS CHANGED. BUT, FOR ME, THE GIFT I’VE BEEN GIVEN IS WORKG FOR SIX WEEKS WH 100 PEOPLE DYNAMILLY ENGAGED A WONRFUL PROJECT.”DIXON BASED HIS VOL ON CARL ANRSON, WHO PLAYED JUDAS THE 1973 MOVIE OF J CHRIST SUPERSTAR, TENDG TO BE A “SOULFUL, OLD-TOWN BLACK SGER YELLG ABOUT HIS LOVE, JT GOG THERE.” DIXON GRNED. I THOUGHT, ‘IT’S NOT PERFECT, BUT MAN YOU WENT FOR AND THAT’S FUCKG OL.'“AT THE END JOHN [LEGEND, WHO PLAYED J] AND I GRABBED EACH OTHER. JOHN IS THE MOST CHILLED, UNRSTATED PERSON YOU HAVE EVER MET, AND I’M A CHILL PERSON TOO. HE GAVE ME A BIG HUG AND SAID, ‘WE DID .’ THERE WAS THAT SENSE OF JOYFUL ACPLISHMENT. WE GOT THROUGH THIS THG TOGETHER. WE ALL PHED OURSELV DIFFERENTLY. IT WASN’T PERFECT, BUT FELT HONT.”AS WELL AS A SUPREME ENTERTAER, DIXON, WHO READ THE FAMO STATEMENT OM THE HATON ST TO THEN-VICE PRINT ELECT MIKE PENCE NOVEMBER 2016, IS ALSO PROUDLY POLIL, PARTICULARLY AROUND ISSU OF RACIAL JTICE AND RACISM ON BROADWAY AND HOLLYWOOD, AND KEEN THAT HIS WORK “HAS SOMETHG TO SAY.”“I AM POLILLY ACTIVE AND ACTIVE THE MUNY,” DIXON SAID. “I’M AN ACTIVIST AND ADVOTE. I HAVE EMPATHY. IT IS HARD TO IGNORE . I TRY TO ENSURE I DO SPEAK TO THE ISSU AT HAND BEE OTHERWISE, WHAT ARE WE DOG? THE TIME FOR IVOLO ENTERTAMENT HAS PASSED. YOU N BE ENTERTAED WHILE AT THE SAME TIME LEARNG OM AND GROWG WH THE PEOPLE AROUND YOU.”DIXON RELLED HOW A WOMAN ON THE TRA HAD TURNED TO HIM AND SAID, “‘I THK I KNOW YOU. OH, THAT’S RIGHT. SUNDAY NIGHT. THANK YOU.’”HIS EY WELLED UP. IF LEGEND AS J WAS ALL LANGUID RTRAT THAT HIGH-OCTANE EASTER SUNDAY NIGHT, DIXON'S JUDAS WAS FEROCLY NFLICTED. “IT’S GOG TO TAKE ME A WHILE TO WATCH ,” DIXON SAID OF J CHRIST SUPERSTAR. “I’M GOG TO BE CRIL OF MYSELF: ‘YOU ULD HAVE DONE THIS, YOU ULD HAVE DONE THAT.’ OVERALL I KNOW WHAT WAS NOT PERFECT, BUT I KNOW WAS HONT AND SEEMS TO HAVE NNECTED WH THE DIENCE. I FEEL VERY FULL. I FEEL WONRFUL. I STGGLE WH THGS LIKE SELF-DOUBT AND SELF-TEEM BEE I DON’T ACTUALLY KNOW HOW GOOD I N BE. “I’M ARTISTILLY CRIL OF MY OWN WORK. I FELT LIKE HAD THE POTENTIAL TO BE REALLY GREAT, AND NOT EVERYTHG FEELS THAT WAY. A LOT OF HAD THE FEELG THIS WAS SPECIAL. EVERYBODY THE ENSEMBLE AND PRODUCTN WAS WORKG THEIR HARST AND BT. TO BE PART OF SOMETHG WHERE EVERYONE WANTS TO GIVE THAT MUCH IS A GIFT. THE MIL IS A HARD MEDIUM TO TRANSLATE TO TELEVISN, AND I THK NBC HAS LEARNED OM EACH ONE ’S DONE TO MAKE BETTER.” JUDAS WAS “A GIFT OF A ROLE,” DIXON SAID. “HEAVEN ON THEIR MDS,” THE TV SPECTACULAR’S OPENG NUMBER, WAS THE ONLY SONG HE KNEW, PROVIDG AN IMMEDIATE AME FOR THE DIENCE AT HOME OF THE STORY “AND THE MENTAL AND EMOTNAL LANDSPE OF JUDAS HIMSELF, WHO EVERYBODY HAS ALREADY ASSIGNED AS VILLA AND BETRAYER. I GREW UP AS A CHRISTIAN, AND ONE OF THE MANY THGS CHRISTIAN MYTHOLOGY THAT DID NOT DOVETAIL WH REAL LIFE IS THAT HUMAN BEGS ARE NOT MONOCHROMATIC THEIR BEG.”DIXON PONRED AND TERROGATED JUDAS’ CHARACTER WHILE STG HIS BATHTUB. “I WASN’T MOTIVATED BY DOG ANYTHG DIFFERENT. I WANTED TO TELL THE STORY OF HOW THIS PERSON ENDS UP STROYG HIMSELF AND THE PERSON HE LOV. I WANTED TO CHANGE THE WAY PEOPLE MAYBE FELT ABOUT THE CHARACTER OF JUDAS THEY THOUGHT THEY KNEW, MAYBE SHOWG HOW THEY N FEEL DIFFERENTLY ABOUT PEOPLE THEY KNOW THEIR OWN LIV, CLUDG THEMSELV.”ONE IEND SENT HIM A MSAGE SAYG HIS PERFORMANCE HAD CHANGED THE WAY SHE VIEWED THE WORLD, “AND THAT’S WHAT I HOPED FOR. I WEPT WHEN I READ THAT.”RELLG THAT, DIXON’S VOICE CRACKED AND TEARS ME TO HIS EY AGA.“WHILE WE WERE REHEARSG THIS, THERE WAS THE NEWS ABOUT STEPHON CLARK [THE UNARMED BLACK MAN SHOT AD BY SACRAMENTO POLICE OFFICERS LAST MONTH], AND THEN ABOUT THE ALTON STERLG OFFICERS NOT BEG CHARGED. AND I THOUGHT ABOUT PHILANDO CASTILE, SEAN BELL, MICHAEL BROWN, ERIC GARNER—ALL THE UNARMED BLACK MEN AND BOYS GUNNED DOWN OR KILLED.” “I’M NOT SAYG ALL THE OFFICERS ARE RELICTN OF THEIR DUTI, BUT WE HAVE TO THOROUGHLY VTIGATE THE PROCS PENNTLY AND OPENLY FOR THE SAFETY OF OFFICERS AND THE PUBLIC.” DIXON PSED. “I WANTG MY ROLE OF JUDAS TO CHANGE HOW PEOPLE FELT ABOUT THE PERSON OR PEOPLE THEY THK THEY KNOW. THE POLICE ARE GUNNG THE MEN DOWN BEE THEY ARE AAID OF THEM. THEY ARE NOT LYG ABOUT THAT, THEY ARE GENUELY SRED. WE AS A SOCIETY DO NOT HOLD A PROCS OF ACUNTABILY THE CIRCUMSTANC UP TO AS STRGENT A STANDARD AS WE SHOULD.“I’M NOT SAYG ALL THE OFFICERS ARE RELICTN OF THEIR DUTI, BUT WE HAVE TO THOROUGHLY VTIGATE THE PROCS PENNTLY AND OPENLY FOR THE SAFETY OF OFFICERS AND THE PUBLIC. “WE AS A SOCIETY DON’T FORCE THE POLICE TO BE ACUNTABLE BEE WE AS A SOCIETY ARE AAID OF UNARMED BLACK BOYS. THAT’S NOT A WHE THG: IT EXISTS ACROSS NATNALI AND GENRS. I REGNIZE EVEN MYSELF. I GREW UP A PREDOMANTLY WHE MIDDLE-CLASS NEIGHBORHOOD. I WENT TO PRIVATE SCHOOLS MY WHOLE LIFE. I REMEMBER ONE SUMMER HAVG TO TAKE A MATH CLASS AT THE PUBLIC SCHOOL AND BEG SRED BEE EVERY IMAGE PUMPED TO MY LIVG ROOM WAS OF VLENT BLACK PEOPLE. “I WAS AAID BASED ON NO TERACTN WH THE PEOPLE, BUT BEE WE AS A SOCIETY HAVE STIGMATIZED THE BLACK MALE.”HOW HAVE WE E TO “POLICE OFFICERS BODY ARMOR AND WH GUNS SHOOTG A 12-YEAR-OLD KID WHEN HE IS HOLDG A TOY?” DIXON ASKED, REFERRG TO THE KILLG OF TAMIR RICE 2014. “WE MT BEG TO THK DIFFERENTLY ABOUT THE THGS WE THK WE KNOW. WE MT NONT OUR OWN THOUGHTS ABOUT THE PERSON NEXT TO AND OURSELV.” HUMANS SILO THEMSELV, AND LABEL AND FE OTHERS TO ALL OUR TRIMENT, SAID DIXON. WH JUDAS, HE WANTED TO GROUND THIS ALLEGORIL FIGURE AS A REGNIZABLE HUMAN BEG. “WE OFTEN FEEL WE N’T ASK QUTNS OF OURSELV FOR FEAR OF OFFENSE OR DISPTG EACH OTHER’S TTH THE WORLD.” “WHY DID THE POLICE FEEL THEY NEED TO APPROACH THIS WH SUCH A LEVEL OF FORCE? WHAT’S PROCRALLY HAPPENG RIGHT NOW? WHY IS EVERYTHG MORE DIFFICULT FOR PEOPLE WHO LOOK DIFFERENT? IT’S HEARTBREAKG.” THE LACK OF TRANSPARENCY THE VTIGATNS OF POLICE KILLGS HELPS NEHER THE OFFICERS NOR THE MUNY, SAID DIXON. THE POLICE E TO BELIEVE THEY N BEHAVE WH IMPUNY, WHILE THE MEMBERS OF THE MUNY ARE LS CLED TO LISTEN TO THE THORI GIVEN WHAT HAS HAPPENED THE PAST, AND THE SENSE THEY WILL NOT RECEIVE JTICE. WHEN STEPHON CLARK WAS SHOT, SAID DIXON, MA HIM THK THAT “SOMETIM I GET ANNOYED WH MYSELF. I THOUGHT, ‘YOU KNOW HOW THE THGS HAPPEN. THIS IS THE STATE OF AMERI AND THE WORLD. IT’S SO SAD. IN HIS GRANDMOTHER’S YARD. WHY DID THE POLICE FEEL THEY NEED TO APPROACH THIS WH SUCH A LEVEL OF FORCE? WHAT’S PROCRALLY HAPPENG RIGHT NOW? WHY IS EVERYTHG MORE DIFFICULT FOR PEOPLE WHO LOOK DIFFERENT? IT’S HEARTBREAKG. IT’S HAPPENG OVER AND OVER AGA. THERE’S NO TRIAL. OFFICERS ARE NOT EVEN DICTED.” THE ATTENTN THAT J CHRIST SUPERSTAR HAS BROUGHT IS NOT DIXON’S FIRST BSH WH HEADL, HAVG LIVERED THAT 'HATON' SPEECH TO PENCE NOVEMBER 2016.“WE, SIR—WE—ARE THE DIVERSE AMERI WHO ARE ALARMED AND ANX THAT YOUR NEW ADMISTRATN WILL NOT PROTECT , OUR PLA, OUR CHILDREN, OUR PARENTS, OR FEND AND UPHOLD OUR ALIENABLE RIGHTS. WE TLY HOPE THAT THIS SHOW HAS SPIRED YOU TO UPHOLD OUR AMERIN VALU AND TO WORK ON BEHALF OF ALL OF ,” DIXON TOLD PENCE, WHO STOPPED TO LISTEN AS HE EXED THE THEATER.DONALD TMP CLAIMED THE ST HAD “HARASSED” PENCE (NO MATTER THAT PENCE HAS MA DISENANCHISG LGBT PEOPLE A RNERSTONE OF HOLDG PUBLIC OFFICE). THE STATEMENT WAS, FACT, READ OUT EXTREMELY POLELY, AND WAS A SIMPLE, CRYSTALLIZG MOMENT OF SPEAKG TTH TO POWER. IT WAS A REQUT FOR RPECT, A PLEA FOR RPECTG DIVERSY.SUBSEQUENTLY, THE TMP ADMISTRATN’S ATTACKS ON LGBT PEOPLE, PARTICULARLY NOTABLE THE ATTEMPTED TRANS ARY BAN, HAVE ED NSIRABLE ALARM AND OUTRAGE.I ASKED DIXON WHAT HE WOULD SAY TO PENCE NOW. HE SED TIGHTLY. “IT’S A HARD QUTN. I BELIEVE ULTIMATELY YOU HAVE TO FD WAY TO HAVE NVERSATNS TO VE DIALOGUE, BEE OTHERWISE YOU HAVE NFLICT, BUT ’S ALSO IMPORTANT TO REGNIZE WHAT PEOPLE ARE WILLG TO DO, GOG TO DO, AND WHAT THEY ARE PRENTG TO YOU.“THE ADMISTRATN HAS MA VERY CLEAR THAT THEY ARE ABOUT THEIR OWN SELF-TERTS. I’M NOT MAKG THIS REPUBLIN OR DEMOCRAT. THE TMP ADMISTRATN IS JT A GROUP OF PEOPLE WHO DON’T KNOW OR TST EACH OTHER. I WOULD PROBABLY SIMPLY EXPRS TRATN AND MORAL JUDGMENT AND DISTASTE FOR THE VERY PAFUL AND TENTNAL STEPS THEY HAVE TAKEN TO NOT SAVE AND HELP PEOPLE, BUT TO LIM PEOPLE STEAD.”DID PENCE HEAR YOU THAT DAY? I ASKED DIXON.“I’M SURE HE HEARD ME, BUT I DON’T THK HE SIRED TO LISTEN.”ALL THE ST WAS DOG, HE SAID, WAS ASKG PENCE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE SPECTM OF PEOPLE WHO HAD JT PERFORMED A SHOW ABOUT THE FOUNDG OF THE UNTRY. PENCE NOW REPRENTED THAT SPECTM. “THE MSAGE WAS SO NOCUO AND NONPARTISAN THAT YOU N’T HAVE A PROBLEM WH UNLS YOU’RE TRYG TO W,” SAID DIXON. “AND THAT IS WHERE WE ARE: AMERIN SOCIETY IS A PALIST ONE, BASED ON WNG OR LOSG. IT’S NOT MER-BASED. FIRST IS BT, WHETHER YOU ARE THE STROYER, OR THE TALLT. WE’VE STOPPED LOOKG FOR TTHS, OR HAVG BAT. WE JT HAVE ARGUMENTS. ONE SI HAS TO TEAR DOWN THE OTHER.” “WHEN YOU SEE THE DIVIDUALS YOU MT SPEAK TO THEM, PARTICULARLY WHEN THE DIVIDUALS ARE BEHAVG WAYS THAT AFFECT THE LIV OF THE PEOPLE THEY REPRENT. I’M NOT STANDG ON CEREMONY. ‘ETIQUETTE’ N ONLY GO SO FAR. WE HAVE TO HOLD EACH OTHER ACUNTABLE.” DIXON SED. PENCE MPAIGNED AS A POLICIAN TO REPRENT PEOPLE, AND YET ACTUALLY ADDRSG HIM AND REMDG HIM OF THE SPE OF HIS CIVIC RPONSIBILI WAS SEEN AS A TRPASS OF ETIQUETTE ON THE PART OF THE HATON ST. DIXON IS NOT APOLOGIZG. “WHEN YOU SEE THE DIVIDUALS YOU MT SPEAK TO THEM, PARTICULARLY WHEN THE DIVIDUALS ARE BEHAVG WAYS THAT AFFECT THE LIV OF THE PEOPLE THEY REPRENT. I’M NOT STANDG ON CEREMONY. ‘ETIQUETTE’ N ONLY GO SO FAR. WE HAVE TO HOLD EACH OTHER ACUNTABLE.”THAT DAY, DIXON FELT SUPPORTED BY HIS LLEAGU AND THE DIENCE, AND PENCE DID STOP TO LISTEN AS HE WAS LEAVG THE THEATER. “HE WAS VERY GRAC THE NEXT DAY ON TELEVISN. THERE’S SOMETHG TO BE SAID FOR THAT, AND THERE ARE MANY PEOPLE WHO AGREE WH HIM. BUT PENCE AND TMP AREN’T GODS, OR GREAT MEN. THEY ARE DIVIDUALS THE POSNS THAT THEY HOLD. THEY E OM MUNI THAT FEEL A LOT OF THE THGS THEY REPRENT.”AMERI IS SO BIG, IS EASY TO STIGMATIZE THOSE WHO ARE NOT YOUR CIRCLE, DIXON SAID, PARTICULARLY IF YOU ARE, AND THEY ARE NOT, OM MAJOR URBAN CENTERS. “WE SHOULD WORK VERY HARD SEEKG TO SEE HOW A PERSON ME TO THIS STCTIVE PLACE WHOUT LABELG THEM A VILLA OR MON.” “I DON’T KNOW WHAT I ULD SAY. I JT WANT TO GIVE THE BROTHER A HUG. A LOT OF TIM PEOPLE ARE DOG THGS BASED ON THE PA SI THEM. I WANT TO SAY TO MIKE PENCE, ‘YOU DON’T HAVE TO DO THIS, BROTHER.’” FAH IOLOGI SHOULDN’T BE ED TO “CHA OURSELV” TO ANY SYSTEM OF THKG, DIXON ADD. “WE SHOULDN’T BE A PLACE DOG THGS WE DID CENTURI AGO. WE SHOULD TRY TO CHANGE.”WHAT WOULD DIXON SAY TO PENCE TODAY?DIXON PSED. “I DON’T KNOW WHAT I ULD SAY. I JT WANT TO GIVE THE BROTHER A HUG. A LOT OF TIM PEOPLE ARE DOG THGS BASED ON THE PA SI THEM. I WANT TO SAY TO MIKE PENCE, ‘YOU DON’T HAVE TO DO THIS, BROTHER.’ OUR ACTNS ARE ABOUT ALLEVIATG PA ONE WAY OR ANOTHER. IT DON’T MEAN WE’RE DOG THE RIGHT THG. I WOULD ASK HIM, ‘DO YOU WHOLLY BELIEVE THE WAY YOU’RE BEHAVG? ARE YOU SO AAID OF FEELG UNLOVED THAT YOU’VE GRADUATED TO ANOTHER PERSONALY AND SYSTEM OF ACTIVY, WHICH IS G WAY MORE DAMAGE THAN GOOD?’” DIXON’S SPEECH TO PENCE NOTED THAT HATON WAS “TOLD BY A DIVERSE GROUP OF MEN AND WOMEN OF DIFFERENT LORS, CREEDS, AND ORIENTATNS,” AND THAT TMP AND PENCE SHOULD ERN FOR “ALL OF .” “WE ARE AN AGE,” DIXON TOLD ME, “WHERE IF YOU ARE NOT ADVOTG FOR YOURSELF AND OTHERS, WHAT ARE YOU DOG? THAT’S ONE THG I LOVE ABOUT THE NEW YOUTH MOVEMENT LED BY THOSE PARKLAND TEENS. THEY REGNIZE THEIR POWER, AND ALSO THEIR PRIVILEGE, AND ARE FIGHTG TO MAKE SURE THAT THEIR UNRSTANDG OF TERSECTNALY IS BEG MUNITED TO THE MEDIA. THEY’RE SAYG, ‘THIS VOICE THAT WE’VE BEEN GIVEN HAS NOT BEEN GIVEN TO YOUNG BLACK BOYS AND GIRLS FOR YEARS.’ THEY’RE MAKG SURE THEIR PLATFORM IS SPREAD TO OTHERS.” “I OPERATE A FLUID WAY THE WORLD. I AM A FER, AND I’M SURE THAT’S AFFECTED HOW I AM RECEIVED OR PERCEIVED AS AN DIVIDUAL AND TRSILLY WRAPPED UP THAT, AS A BLACK MAN.” DIXON HIMSELF HAS NOT RECEIVED “MANY OVERT RACIST OVERTUR” HIS LIFE, APART OM THE PARENTS OF SOME OF THE NON-BLACK WOMEN HE HAS DATED. TALKG TO YOUNG PEOPLE OF LOR ENTERG THE ARTS, HE HAS SAID RACE IS ONE OF MANY OBSTACL THEY MAY FACE. “YOU ARE SIMPLY GOG TO HAVE TO FIGURE OUT THE OBSTACL. IT WON’T DO ANY GOOD TO ALWAYS THK ABOUT THOSE THGS A MACRO PERSPECTIVE.“I OPERATE A FLUID WAY THE WORLD. I AM A FER, AND I’M SURE THAT’S AFFECTED HOW I AM RECEIVED OR PERCEIVED AS AN DIVIDUAL AND TRSILLY WRAPPED UP THAT, AS A BLACK MAN. I AM VERY APPROACHABLE. PEOPLE S NEXT TO ME ON THE TRA OR B WHEN THERE ARE LOTS OF OTHER SEATS. THAT DO ANNOY ME.” HE LGHED. “I SEE THGS HAPPEN TO OTHERS, AND THE EMPATHY I HAVE MEANS THE THGS THAT DO HAPPEN TO ME I DON’T FEEL AS ACUTELY AS THE THGS THAT HAPPEN TO OTHERS.”AS HE HAS “MOVED THROUGH THE DOORS” ON BROADWAY, DIXON HOP HE HAS MA ROOM FOR OTHER PEOPLE OF LOR G BEHD HIM, HE SAID. “IF SOMEONE IS BEG A RACIST, THEY ARE SAYG MORE ABOUT THEMSELV THAN THEY ARE ABOUT YOU.”“THE EXTRAORDARY THG ABOUT HATON,” SAID DIXON, “IS THAT ’S AN CREDIBLY, FTLY ED WEAPON. IT’S AN SURGENT. IT’S SO DYNAMIC AND WONRFULLY END THAT UPLOADS TO THE MATRIX AND THE MATRIX DON’T EVEN KNOW . YOU’RE TAKEN BY THE BEATS, CLEVER RHYM, AND SPECTACLE, BUT THE MSAG G THROUGH ABOUT TERSECTNALY ARE CHANGG YOU, CREATG EMPATHY YOU WHOUT YOU EVEN KNOWG .” “BROADWAY’S RACE ISSU ARE RELATIVELY THE SAME PLACE AS BEFORE, WHICH IS NOT A TERRIBLE PLACE BUT IS NOT A PLACE THAT WE N CELEBRATE AS MUCH AS WE CHOOSE TO.” OFF-STAGE HATON’S IMPACT HAS ALSO BEEN HUGE, HE ADD. “EVERYONE WHO TO NTACT WH , THEIR LIFE EXPANDS. IT’S MA MOVIE AND TV STARS OF SOME PEOPLE, AND ’S GIVEN WELL-WRTEN ROL TO PEOPLE—BLACK AND LGBT ACTORS—WHO OFTEN DON’T GET WELL-WRTEN ROL. THAT CREAT A NEW KD OF GENERATNAL WEALTH, THAT’S A TECTONIC SHIFT, AND HAS CHANGED A GENERATN.”I ASKED IF HATON HAD HELPED BROADWAY AL WH S OWN RACE ISSU.“BROADWAY’S RACE ISSU ARE RELATIVELY THE SAME PLACE AS BEFORE, WHICH IS NOT A TERRIBLE PLACE BUT IS NOT A PLACE THAT WE N CELEBRATE AS MUCH AS WE CHOOSE TO,” SAID DIXON. “IT’S NOT JT ABOUT DIVERSY THE ST, ’S ABOUT DIVERSY REAL POSNS OF POWER YOUR PRODUCTN TEAMS: DIRECTORS, WRERS, MIL DIRECTORS, STAGE CREW, THE ENTIRE THG. “ENTERTAMENT GENERAL HAS MA SURFACE CHANG. BUT JT BEE SOMETHG LOOKS MORE DIVERSE DON’T MEAN THAT IS MORE DIVERSE. YOU N’T NFLATE THE CHANGE FOR THE GOOD HAPPENG ‘HERE’ WH WHAT HASN’T HAPPENED ‘OVER THERE.’“WE SHOULD CELEBRATE BLACK PANTHER. WHAT HAS DONE FOR REPRENTATN IS LCULABLE. BUT REMEMBER THAT NO PERSON OF LOR OWNS . IT’S EARNED BILLNS OF DOLLARS FOR THE STUD. THOSE PEOPLE AREN’T PEOPLE OF LOR. LET’S CELEBRATE, BUT REGNIZE THAT THE BEAT GO ON AND THE WORK GO ON.”DIXON NS A PRODUCTN PANY, WALKRUNFLY, WH CHOREOGRAPHER WARREN ADAMS. HE RELLED THAT ADAMS HAD ONCE REMONSTRATED A MEETG WH EXECUTIV WHEN THEY WERE STG ROL FOR A CISE SHIP PRODUCTN OF TOY STORY. THE BETTER BLACK FEMALE DANCER UNR NSIRATN WAS GIVEN THE ROLE OF THE MONKEY TOY; THE LS-GOOD WHE FEMALE DANCER WAS GIVEN THE LEAD, SAID DIXON. ADAMS TOLD THE EXECUTIV THAT THE BLACK DANCER SHOULD BE THE LEAD AND SUGGTED EXECUTIV LL JOHN LASSETER, CHIEF CREATIVE OFFICER OF PIXAR.WHEN ADAMS RETURNED TO THE ROOM A FEW MOMENTS LATER, HE DISVERED LASSETER HAD GIVEN THE GREEN LIGHT FOR THE BLACK DANCER TO BE GIVEN THE LEAD ROLE.ADAMS’ SPEAKG UP SHOWS WHY PEOPLE MT MAKE A STAND AT SUCH MOMENTS THAT PRENT THEMSELV, SAID DIXON. ONE EXECUTIVE THANKED ADAMS FOR HIS TERVENTN AFTERWARD. “THE SEND YOU THK WHAT YOU MIGHT LOSE IS THE MOMENT YOU KNOW YOU SHOULD DO SOMETHG,” SAID DIXON. DIXON WAS RAISED, THE YOUNGT OF THREE BROTHERS, GAHERSBURG, MARYLAND. IT WAS A DISCIPLED UPBRGG - HE WENT TO CHAPEL EVERY MORNG AND CHURCH MOST SUNDAYS - BUT WAS NOT STRICTLY RELIG. HIS MOTHER LEFT THE EPISPALIAN CHURCH TO ATTEND THE UNARIAN. “SHE HAS ALWAYS LOOKED FOR NNECTN AND GROWTH. WE MEDATE TOGETHER,” HE SAID. PHOTOGRAPHERS HAVE PTURED HER ALONGSI DIXON ON OPENG NIGHTS ON RED RPETS OUTFS SHE HAS SIGNED HERSELF.HIS FATHER OWNED AN ELECTRIL NTRACTG PANY, HIS MOTHER RAN THE BS. THE YOUNG DIXON WAS AMIC, MISCHIEVO, AND SPORTY: HE WRTLED AND PLAYED SOCCER. HE ATTEND THE EXCLIVE ST. ALBANS SCHOOL, ALMA MATER OF GORE VIDAL, AND LATER COLUMBIA UNIVERSY NEW YORK, SO HE ULD BE "THE RIGHT PLACE" TO DN FOR PRODUCTNS. HE AND HIS BROTHERS, NOW ALL SUCCSFUL THEIR RPECTIVE FIELDS, HELP TO SUPPORT THEIR PARENTS FANCIALLY, “WHICH MAK ME VERY HAPPY. IT’S THE WAY SHOULD BE, AFTER ALL THEY HAVE DONE FOR .” HIS FATHER WAS WARY ABOUT HIM ENTERG AN ACTG LIFE, BUT DIXON’S MIDDLE BROTHER SPOKE TO HIM; THEN LATER, SWEETLY, HIS FATHER SPOKE TO HIM AND REPEATED HIS BROTHER’S POSIVE WORDS.DIXON SAID HE OUTGREW HIS CHRISTIAN TEACHGS EARLY, “THE MORE I ASKED OF FAH AND THE PRACTICE OF FAH, AND HISTORY AT LARGE.” HOW ULD BE THAT, AS A CHRISTIAN, AS LONG AS HE REPENTED, THEN “I’M ALL GOOD,” WHEREAS SOMEONE WHO LIV ACRDG TO CHRISTIAN PRCIPL BUT DON’T BELIEVE J IS DAMNED. “IT DON’T MAKE SENSE.”IF ANY OF WERE TE, HOW WOULD JTIFY THE AMOUNT OF ATH, STCTN, AND DISRD NDUCTED CHRISTIANY AND GOD’S NAME, HE ASKED. HIS DOUBTS DIDN’T MEAN HE THOUGHT CHRISTIANY HAD NO VALUE, HE EMPHASIZED; MORE THAT WASN’T THE ONLY THG OF VALUE. “I REALIZED WHAT TGHT ME AT 6, ULDN’T TEACH ME AT 25, OR 37.” AT SCHOOL DIXON ATTEND A MIC CLASS EVERY DAY, AND APPEARED MILS EVERY YEAR. IN ANOTHER WORLD, HE MAY HAVE BEEN AN ARCHEOLOGIST OR MARE BLOGIST—HE LIKED MATH UNTIL HE GOT TO LCUL—BUT PERFORMANCE WAS HIS PASSN.HE FIRST PLAYED ONE OF THE ENSEMBLE, AGED AROUND 6, A PRODUCTN OF KISS ME KATE WHICH HIS MIDDLE BROTHER WAS PLAYG FRED GRAHAM/PETCH. NEXT ME PRODUCTNS OF OLIVER!, THE PIRAT OF PENZANCE, AND MARY POPPS.MRS. WORTH, HIS MIC TEACHER, SAW DIXON’S APTU AND MARKED HIM OUT FOR SOLOS, AND STARTED PICKG PLAYS FOR HIM TOO, LIKE NEIL SIMON’S FOOLS AND THEN THE MIC MAN. “I LOVE MIC, THE NNECTIVE ASPECT OF . IT HAS A UNIQUE ABILY TO OPEN UP,” DIXON SAID. “WHEN I’M ON STAGE SGG, I AM TRYG TO OPEN MY HEART AND SPIR TO A EPER LEVEL OF UNRSTANDG OF MYSELF AND THE PEOPLE, THE DIENCE, I AM TRYG TO NNECT TO.”HIS BIG BREAK ME 2005 PLAYG SIMBA A TOURG PRODUCTN OF THE LN KG. “THAT WAS THE MOST DIFFICULT ARTISTIC EXPERIENCE OF MY LIFE. I WAS STGGLG FOR THE FIRST TIME A THG THAT HAD FELT SO NATURAL TO DO. I WAS LEADG A MULTILN-DOLLAR PRODUCTN, AND I DIDN’T HAVE THE NFINCE. IT TOOK A LARGE EMOTNAL AND PHYSIL TOLL. FOR THE FIRST TIME MY LIFE, I THOUGHT, ‘I’M NOT SURE I’M GOG TO MAKE THROUGH THIS.’” THE REGISTER OF THE SONGS WAS ADAPTED TO BETTER F DIXON’S VOICE, AND THE PRODUCTN BEME A “GROWTH EXPERIENCE.” HE STARTED MEDATG, AND STILL DO . “I LEARNED THAT YOUR VOICE SHOWS UP. THERE’S NO REASON WHY THAT WOULDN’T HAPPEN NOW. I ALWAYS SAY, ‘DON’T LET YOURSELF GET TO THE FEAR OF .’”THEN ME BROADWAY ROL THE COLOR PURPLE, WHICH HE ORIGATED THE ON-STAGE CHARACTER OF HARPO, THE STTSBORO BOYS, AND HE ALSO CREATED THE ROLE OF BERRY GORDY MOTOWN: THE MIL. OFF-BROADWAY HE PERFORMED RENT ( WHICH HE PLAYED TOM COLLS).DIXON SED AS HE RELLED THAT HE THOUGHT THE STTSBORO BOYS WOULD BE A MSTREL SHOW, UNTIL HE READ THE SCRIPT. HE RECENTLY WROTE A POTED CRIQUE OF THE RACIAL POLICS OF THE MIL ONCE ON THIS ISLAND. “THE #METOO MOVEMENT WAS STARTED BY A BLACK WOMAN, AND YET BLACK WOMEN ARE THE MOST VISIBLE, MOST DISENANCHISED. I’VE NEVER SEEN A GROUP MARCHG FOR BLACK WOMEN, BUT YOU’LL FD THEM AT THE HEART OF ALL THE MOVEMENTS.” HOW APPEALG WAS FAME? “I’M SURE AT A CERTA POT THOSE THGS HAVE DRAWN ME , BUT I’M A NSC ENOUGH HUMAN BEG TO KNOW THOSE THGS N’T DRIVE YOU. THEY CERTALY WON’T STA YOU. I ALSO REGNIZE THAT IF YOU DO THE WORK, PEOPLE ARE GOG TO KNOW ABOUT .”DIXON SAID HE HAD NOT PERSONALLY EXPERIENCED SEXUAL HARASSMENT OR ABE THE THEATER WORLD, BUT IS “HAPPY FOR THAT MOMENT OF RECKONG TO HAVE E. THE #METOO MOVEMENT WAS STARTED BY A BLACK WOMAN [TARANA BURKE], AND YET BLACK WOMEN ARE THE MOST VISIBLE, MOST DISENANCHISED. I’VE NEVER SEEN A GROUP MARCHG FOR BLACK WOMEN, BUT YOU’LL FD THEM AT THE HEART OF ALL THE MOVEMENTS.”COLOR-BLD STG, WHICH IS NOW BEG MUCH MORE PREVALENT, IS “A GREAT THG,” DIXON SAID, “JT OM UNHOOKG THE SENSE OF SOMETHG HAVG TO BE SEEN A CERTA WAY. WE ARE TRYG TO TELL HUMAN STORI. ONE THG THAT ART TEACH IS THAT WE N ALL EMPATHIZE WH THE SAME THG. EVERYONE LOV THE LN KG, EVERYTHG IS ROMEO AND JULIET AND HAMLET, AND WILLIAM [SHAKPEARE] EVEN RECYCLED THAT SH HIMSELF.”DIXON BEME A PRODUCER TO ASSERT SOME LEVEL OF NTROL. HE IS HOPEFUL FOR A BROADWAY TRANSFER OF RCERATN DRAMA WHORL INSI A LOOP NEXT SEASON.“DOG SHOWS ABOUT SAM COOKE, RAY CHARL, JAM BROWN, AND BERRY GORDY, YOU REALIZE THAT ALL THE ARTISTS TALK ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF OWNERSHIP AND POWER,” DIXON SAID. “JAM BROWN ONCE SANG, ‘I DON’T WANT NOBODY / TO GIVE ME NOTHG / OPEN UP THE DOOR / I’LL GET MYSELF.’ IT’S SELF-ACTUALIZATN. AS A PRODUCER YOU N VELOP SOMETHG. THE PRODUCER FACILAT STORI BEG TOLD, AND RETAS A PIECE OF .”PROCEEDS OM HIS FORTHG SGLE AND VIO WILL GO TO SUPPORT CHILDREN UGHT THE RCERATN SYSTEM. WHAT DIXON REALLY HOP FAME BRGS IS AN CREASED PLATFORM TO SPEAK ON THE SUBJECTS HE FEELS MOST PASSNATELY ABOUT, PARTICULARLY THIS ONE, CREASG HIS TERMATN TO PRODUCE WHORL INSI A LOOP ON BROADWAY.“INRCERATN DISPROPORTNATELY AFFECTS PEOPLE OF LOR AND WOMEN, AND THE MENTALLY CHALLENGED,” HE SAID. “HOLDG A CHILD SOLELY RPONSIBLE FOR THEIR ACTNS IS A SIGN OF WARDICE.”THE RCERATN SYSTEM IS N FOR PROF TOO, SAID DIXON. “THERE IS A MOARY AND EXPLOATIVE CENTIVE TO RCERATE. PRISONS HAVE QUOTAS TO FILL. THE SYSTEM ISN’T REHABILATIVE.”DIXON CED THE SE OF KALIEF BROWR, A 16-YEAR-OLD WHO SPENT NEARLY TWO YEARS ALONE A JAIL CELL FOR AS MUCH AS 23 HOURS A DAY AT RIKERS ISLAND, AFTER BEG ACCED OF HAVG A STOLEN BACKPACK.“THAT LEVEL OF JTICE IS UNNSCNABLE,” SAID DIXON. “THE ISSUE THIS UNTRY IS NOT WHE PEOPLE, IS WHE SUPREMACIST IOLOGY. IF WHE PEOPLE DON’T ATTACK WHE SUPREMACY, OR THROUGH THEIR APATHY DON’T GET TO THE ONTL TO ROOT OUT, THAT’S WHEN THGS GET BAD.” HE NOTED HOW “ANNOYG” WAS THAT ORR TO ENGAGE PEOPLE NVERSATN ABOUT SUCH ISSU “YOU HAVE TO FE THEIR SENSIVI.”“THE ISSUE THIS UNTRY IS NOT WHE PEOPLE, IS WHE SUPREMACIST IOLOGY,” DIXON SAID. “IF WHE PEOPLE DON’T ATTACK WHE SUPREMACY, OR THROUGH THEIR APATHY DON’T GET TO THE ONTL TO ROOT OUT, THAT’S WHEN THGS GET BAD. YOU BEE PLIC, MAYBE BEE YOU ARE APPRECIATIVE OF THE PRIVILEG GIVEN TO YOU, SO WHY MAKE LIFE HARR?“THE THG IS, LIFE IS HARD FOR A LOT OF WHE PEOPLE. RACE AND RACISM IS A TACTIC ED TO DIVI , WHERE THERE SHOULDN’T BE ANY DIVISN AND FIGHTG—STEAD OF LOOKG TO THE PEOPLE WHO TOLD TO FIGHT EACH OTHER. WHE SUPREMACY IS A PROBLEM FOR ALL OF .”DO DIXON THK N EVER BE ROLVED OR ERADITED? “Y, BEE THE FALLACY IS CLEAR, AND THE IOLOGY IS CLEARER AND CLEARER. IT IS S FAL THRO, AND AS MUCH CHAOS AND NFLICT N E PUMPED BY SOCIAL MEDIA, THERE IS ALSO GROWG UNY AND HARMONY. PEOPLE’S NSCNS IS EXPANDG AND GROWG. THERE’S FAR MORE GROWTH AND UNN THAN THERE IS DISRD. IN ORR FOR THGS TO CHANGE THEY HAVE TO BREAK, AND THAT N BE PAFUL—THAT’S ALL.” POWER STARTS S FIFTH SEASON JUNE, “THE HIGHT-RATED PROGRAM ON BLE NEXT TO GAME OF THRON,” DIXON NOTED PROUDLY. HE WILL LNCH A CULTURE-ORIENTED APP, CURATOR, THIS SUMMER. THE FIRST FEATURE FILM HE IS PRODUCG GO TO PRE-PRODUCTN NEXT MONTH; 88 IS A POLIL THRILLER ABOUT TERRORISM AND SUPER PACS. AMONG ANY DREAM ROL, JEAN VALJEAN L MISéRABL IS ONE DIXON WOULD LOVE TO DO. “I ULD SG THAT THG WORD FOR WORD RIGHT NOW,” HE SAID, AS WELL PRACTICED AS HAD BEE DURG DNS. IF THE PRODUCERS OF FOX’S RENT ARE READG THIS, HAVG PLAYED COLLS, DIXON WOULD LOVE TO PLAY ROGER, “ALTHOUGH COLLS HAS THE BT SONGS, THE REPRISE IS THE BT SONG, AND,” HE PUT ON AN ARCH VOICE, “I DO A PRETTY FAB RENDN, TIM. WE’LL SEE. I WOULD LOVE TO DO RENT. IT’S A REALLY WONRFUL SHOW AND HIGHLY RONANT RIGHT NOW IF YOU DO RIGHT.”DIXON IS SGLE. “I’M NOT LOOKG FOR ANYTHG RIGHT NOW, WHICH IS PROBABLY WHY THAT PART OF MY LIFE IS NOT AS FULLY FORMED AS SOME OF THE OTHER THGS I’M DOG.” WOULD HE LIKE TO BE? “Y, I WOULD. I ME THROUGH A RELATNSHIP TWO AND A HALF YEARS AGO THAT I’M STILL SORTG THROUGH AND TRYG TO UNRSTAND WHAT SAID ABOUT ME. EVERYBODY SAYS, ‘THGS HAPPEN FOR A REASON,’ OR ‘IT WASN’T MEANT TO BE,’ BUT YOU N ALSO TAKE AN HONT LOOK AT YOUR LIFE, AND ASK IF THERE ARE CERTA THGS I DID OR DIDN’T DO TO MAXIMIZE THE OPPORTUNY FOR BOTH OF . “YOU ASK QUTNS ABOUT YOURSELF: WAS YOUR IMMATURY, OR YOUR SELFISHNS, OR YOUR LACK OF SELF-WORTH? HAVE YOU GROWN SCE THEN? IF YOU GET THE SHOT AGA, WILL YOU GET RIGHT? IS THERE SOMETHG WRONG WH YOU? JT DON’T SAY I’M DAMNED FOR ALL TIME.”WAS THIS RELATNSHIP WH A WOMAN? Y, DIXON SAID.SO, BREAKG THE HEARTS OF GAY AMERI, HE’S STRAIGHT? I ASKED, SG. DIXON LGHED. “Y, IF YOU HAVE TO LABEL ME.”HE HAS A LOT OF GAY FANS, PECIALLY AFTER HIS FLH-CELEBRATG OUTF CHOIC J CHRIST SUPERSTAR. “IT’S ABSOLUTELY VERY FLATTERG FOR ME,” DIXON SAID, “FLATTERG JT THAT MY ENERGY WOULD BE SOMETHG PEOPLE WOULD WANT TO HAVE AROUND.”DO HE WANT TO MARRY AND HAVE CHILDREN? “I WANT TO HAVE A FAY HOWEVER THAT MANIFTS SELF. I DON’T KNOW IF MARRIAGE IS FOR ME. I SOUND LIKE JERRY MAGUIRE: ‘I DON’T KNOW IF I’M BUILT THAT WAY.’ I FELY WANT A FAY. I FELY WANT TO FORM AN TIMATE PARTNERSHIP WH SOMEBODY. I’M ALSO AAID OF PURSUG AND G THE PERSON I RE ABOUT THE MOST. I DON’T QUE TST MYSELF EMOTNALLY THAT RPECT. I’M REALLY WORKG ON THAT, SO IF I GET ANOTHER OPPORTUNY I REALLY MAXIMIZE .”DIXON HAD ANOTHER RELATNSHIP RECENTLY, HOPG A LONG-TERM ATTACHMENT MIGHT BE POSSIBLE, BUT HE FEELS HE FAILED AGA, BEG “UNRELIABLE, A DISAPPOTMENT. BUT I’M NOT GIVG UP. I’M JT BEG PATIENT WH MY HUMAN GROWTH RIGHT NOW.”HOW DID HE FEEL BEG A LT OBJECT, THOSE PECS-REVEALG, V-SHAPED SHIRTS?DIXON LGHED. “IT’S ODD, OVERWHELMG, AND GRATIFYG. THERE ARE SOME VERY FUNNY MSAG MY BOX, VATNS FOR CERTA ACTIVI I NEVER KNEW ABOUT. I’VE DONE SEX SCEN ON TV. I’VE SEEN THE RPONSE TO THAT. I KNOW HOW THE THGS GO.” “I WOULD GO TO PL TAZEWELL, THE STUME SIGNER, AND LOOK AT THE SHIRTS AND SAY, ‘BRG THIS DOWN A B. I HAVEN’T EATEN WEEKS. I HAVE BEEN SUBSUMG ON LETTUCE LEAV. LET ME SHOW SOMETHG, PL!’” HE WORKS OUT REGULARLY (SWEARG BY NNG—“I HAVE DONE EVERYWHERE, AND ’S EVERYTHG, CLEARS OUT ALL THE GUNK AND HELPS THE VOICE”—AND CORE RHYTHM FNS). “I WOULD GO TO PL TAZEWELL, THE STUME SIGNER, AND LOOK AT THE SHIRTS AND SAY, ‘BRG THIS DOWN A B. I HAVEN’T EATEN WEEKS. I HAVE BEEN SUBSUMG ON LETTUCE LEAV. LET ME SHOW SOMETHG, PL!’ HE GAVE ME THE ‘V.’ HE GAVE JOHN [LEGEND] THE ‘V.’ JOHN’S SHIRT SURE GOT A B MORE OPEN AS THE DAYS WENT ON. HE SAW MY SHIRT! I SAID, ‘OK, JOHN, I’VE GOT THE ARMS TOO, YOU N’T HAVE EVERYTHG.'”HE DIDN’T GET TO KEEP ANY OF THE AMAZG OUTFS, SADLY; NBC HAS ARCHIVED THEM, DIXON SAID.“I DON’T KNOW IF I KNOW ANYWHERE WHERE I ULD WEAR THAT SEQU OUTF,” HE SAID, ROARG WH LGHTER. “IT WAS AMAZG. PL ADD THOSE STUDD BRACELETS AT THE END, AND I WAS LIKE, ‘ABSOLUTELY Y, PRCS OF POWER! LET’S GO! I’VE NEVER WORN WORE ANYTHG LIKE THAT. IT WAS AWOME. “IN THE CLIPS I’VE SEEN I’M DOG THGS I ALWAYS THOUGHT WOULD BE ELECTRIFYG IF I EVER SAW ANYTHG LIKE . I MEAN, YOU DREAM OF A SEQUENCE OF 30 PEOPLE DANCG AROUND YOU, THE SPOTLIGHT, SGG A SONG LIKE THAT WH A 32-PIECE ORCHTRA!” DIXON LGHED HEARTILY AGA. “THAT DON’T HAPPEN ON A REGULAR BASIS.”TE, THOUGH 9.4 LN VIEWERS ON EASTER SUNDAY WERE HAPPY THAT HAPPENED AT LEAST ONCE. TIM TEEMAN
There’s a strong stigma attached to beg a male Broadway star -- jt a mere act of beltg out a mil number on the whistle register and drsg flamboyantly durg stage performanc is enough for you to labeled gay.