Entertainment
Beverly Glenn-Copeland’s triumphant L.A. debut coincides with forthcoming doc about his dementia
“This took 30 years to write,” Beverly Glenn-Copeland says, laughing, remembering how his song “Prince Caspian’s Dream” came to him in small increments every 10 years starting in the 1990s.
A room of fans and artists wearing their red-carpet best in a downtown L.A. loft hung on Glenn (his preferred name) and his creative and life partner Elizabeth Glenn-Copeland’s every word and note Saturday afternoon. Zooming in from their home in Hamilton, Canada, they shared stories, songs and sacred objects: cherished photos, a Christmas mouse, even a sacred pickle. “This is my alter ego,” Glenn said, holding up a picture of a turtle, “it takes me a very long time to get to any place in my life.”
In 2015, Glenn’s self-released 1986 album “Keyboard Fantasies” received critical acclaim, global recognition and a new life when Ryota Masuko started importing tapes directly from him to collectors in Japan, which was the subject of a 2019 documentary. In the years since, Glenn’s status has gone from local artist to internationally respected genius; this year he’s collaborated with Sam Smith and Devendra Banhart, received a Lifetime Achievement Award for his queer activism, and an honorary doctorate from the University of Toronto. While Glenn is happy that his work has a wider reach today than it did in 1986, he was never waiting around for anyone to find him. A Black trans elder who has refused to sacrifice himself or his art for the sake of playing by the rules, he has cultivated a diverse fan base that finds inspiration and hope in his music and life story. Glenn has always been an active and inspired visionary who sees his music and art connected to a personal and spiritual path. And nothing, not even dementia, can ever change that.
The Glenn-Copelands, accompanied by pianist Alex Samaras, performed Saturday for Level Ground Co.’s Re-Union: 10 Year Anniversary Soirée. Level Ground Co. is an artist collective and production company focused on telling empathetic and experimental stories, supporting diverse creatives, particularly those who are queer, transgender and people of color. The organization hopes to create an “eco-system and community” of artists, co-director Yétúndé Olágbajú said. Level Ground Co, along with artist Josephine Shetty of Pride Month Barbie, worked together to make the soiree an intentional event that embodied this sentiment; indigo dying napkins, sourcing artist-created cakes, drinks and food, and booking DJ Jihaari to remix Glenn’s catalog with dance music.
The celebration doubled as a filming location for “See You Tomorrow,” a new documentary by Level Ground Collective co-founder and co-directors Samantha Curley and Chase Joynt, about the couple’s journey navigating Glenn’s dementia diagnosis. In the film they contemplate complex decisions about his care and well-being while they embark on a mission to preserve his artistic legacy. It also follows them as they work to leave creative offerings for their loved ones, and for the ones ahead.
After a career spanning seven decades, this was Glenn’s first-ever L.A. concert, and he received an incredibly warm welcome. Originally scheduled to be in-person, Level Ground Co. pivoted when the Glenn-Copelands learned that they could not travel to L.A. due to some recent health concerns. The event was an experimental afternoon of singing songs, sharing stories and poetry, and some never-before-seen personal and performance footage. People danced, cried, and sang along, sometimes sustaining Glenn and Elizabeth’s notes, keeping the physical and spiritual connection alive in L.A. in the few moments that digital tech difficulties cut it short.
The crowd at Level Ground Co.’s Re-Union: 10 Year Anniversary Soirée in downtown L.A. watch Beverly Glenn-Copeland and his wife Elizabeth perform via Zoom. The couple were originally scheduled to perform in person but had to switch to a virtual performance due to Glenn’s health concerns.
(Tina June Malek)
“What’s manifested through Glenn and Elizabeth performing virtually is an extraordinary opportunity for the film,” Joynt said, describing the twin film teams, one with Glenn and Elizabeth at their home in Hamilton and one in L.A. “From an audience perspective, you’re going to be able to see that these rooms are vibrating and breathing and living for and through each other. If I do my job right, we will obliterate the Zoom screen.” Curley thinks of this as one of the most hopeful projects she’s been a part of that feels urgent and gentle. “To be close to Glenn and Elizabeth, to be in their world of deep, queer, chosen family is such an honor and a privilege,” said Curley.
Glenn and his wife Elizabeth’s journey together started in the 1990s when she sang backup for Glenn at benefit shows. Their queer love story heated up in 2007, when, after psychic visions in the dream realm and a notorious night of furious dancing at a friend’s wedding, the pair became an inseparable team. Their love continues to unfold around collaborations, social justice advocacy, music and steadfast commitments for each other and their communities. Take for example their work at Kidplayhouse Productions; a not-for-profit theater school the couple founded and sustained for nearly a decade on the Acadian Coast of Canada that provided healing arts programming and education for kids and adults.
Earlier this year, Glenn and Elizabeth announced that the couple were privately navigating a difficult time while also experiencing a massive creative renewal. Glenn made his dementia diagnosis public and declared that his 2024 tour would be his last. However, he and Elizabeth are still working on new projects including music, children’s programming with puppets, and a new book. After the success of Saturday’s event they may be considering doing more hybrid performances.
“As humans and artists, there’s a lot to face, but we are determined to look at where the life is,” Elizabeth said. “As parts of Glenn’s brain are dying, there are parts of him that are actually more alive than I have ever seen. There’s a great deal of beauty interwoven with a great deal of pain.” In thinking about how they proceed in this chapter of their life, and how humanity can overcome the daunting challenges of rising fascism, racism, transphobia and climate disaster, she invokes a lesson from Los Angeles artist-activist (and nun) Corita Kent. Rule No. 4, which also happens to be Level Ground Co.’s current inspiration, demands that students and artists “consider everything an experiment.”
Shot of a vinyl copy of Beverly Glenn-Copeland’s 2023 album “The Ones Ahead” at the DJ booth during Saturday’s performance.
(Tina June Malek)
Glenn’s work has long reveled in the experimental. A groundbreaking album in folk, ambient and electronic music, “Keyboard Fantasies” was composed with only a Roland TR-707 drum machine, a Yamaha Dx7 keyboard, a (at the time) cutting-edge Atari Computer, and Glenn’s unparalleled three-octave vocal range. Optimism and care are themes you could gather from his music without knowing any of his lyrics; “Keyboard Fantasies’” soft and cosmic melodies resonate like a dawning horizon, a message in a bottle retrieved 30 years later by both its recipients and its sender with codes and keys to help us make sense of our ever-changing world. He and Elizabeth opened their set Saturday with the album’s “Let Us Dance,” moving together as Samaras played the instrumental outro on their home piano.
Glenn also performed an a capella version of “Deep River,” his syncopated low voice and skilled falsetto moving the entire room into snaps, whistles and screams. A spiritual written in the 19th century, it is embedded with coded information about the Underground Railroad, Glenn explained. “Jordan” was code for the Ohio River, and “Campground” was code for a community for Black people who were successful in escaping enslavement. He closed this song with a dynamic djembe beat, moving through multiple time signatures.
Glenn and Elizabeth played a string of sold-out shows during fall in New York and Canada that Joynt and Curley filmed. Glenn won the 2024 Joyce Warshow Lifetime Achievement Award from SAGE, an organization that focuses on advocacy and services for LGBTQ+ elders. He and Elizabeth were also a part of Red Hot Org’s new album “Transa,” a massive collection of work from a diverse community of over 100 musicians and artists including (but not limited to) Sade, Eileen Myles, Hunter Schafer, Clairo, Sam Smith and many others, celebrating trans and nonbinary music, and bringing awareness and support to transgender rights.
“In this era of intense backlash against trans rights and freedoms, it felt like a profound and timely gift to collaborate with Sam Smith on a version of ‘Ever New’ for the next generation,” Glenn said. The two formed an instant connection in the studio. “There’s great love there,” Elizabeth remarked, remembering that “as they were hugging, Copeland said, I’m adopting you.” Smith said that singing with Glenn was one of the most important and beautiful moments of their musical life. The backlash against trans rights is palpable this week, as Chase Strangio makes history as the first openly transgender attorney to argue before the Supreme Court, challenging Tennessee’s ban on transgender healthcare — which is expected to be upheld, despite the Biden administration calling it unconstitutional.
The new documentary challenges and complicates one-dimensional narratives about dementia. Working on this has helped both the filmmakers and the doc’s main subjects reimagine staying connected through music and art alongside some of the inevitable changes of aging. Saturday’s event also presented an opportunity to reimagine what supporting aging artists, as fans and as producers, could look like.
“See You Tomorrow” is an unfolding trans history, a living portrait of a queer extended family, rather than a reflection on something that’s happened in the past. It bears “witness to an extraordinary love story as it is still unfolding,” Joynt says.
A crowd watches Beverly Glenn-Copeland and his wife, Elizabeth, perform virtually from their home in Hamilton, Canada
(Tina June Malek)
Queer and trans musicians are often described in relation to time: generally, as being ahead of their time, playing in strange time, or living creative lives outside of values and timelines marked as acceptable by rules of mainstream society. The ahead-of-their-time arc has often plagued stories about so-called forgotten and avant-garde queer talent from electronic to classical genres. It is often queer artists and artists of color like Glenn who inspire culture, change genres and creative fields, rarely benefiting financially from their visions and innovations, but still creating.
As the couple received a roaring ovation at the end of their set on Saturday, Glenn held up a handwritten sign to the camera. The message, scrawled on a white sheet of paper, read “I love you.” For many fans, Glenn represents beloved elders of the queer community and his music is also a love letter to younger generations.
“Glenn’s life and legacy is so precious because we have so few trans elders,” Elizabeth says, noting the historic importance of sharing her husband’s story. “We want to leave this world in a way where we have touched lives, shaken people out of stupors, and woken people up. … In all the years, when nobody knew who the heck we were, we were traveling around from place to place; it’s always been about community.”
Movie Reviews
Bandar Movie Review: Bobby Deol roars in Anurag Kashyap’s unsettling legal thriller that refuses to spoon-feed
Name: Bandar
Director: Anurag Kashyap
Cast: Bobby Deol, Sanya Malhotra, Sapna Pabbi, Saba Azad, Jitendra Joshi, Raj B Shetty
Writer: Sudip Sharma, Abhishek Banerjee
Rating: 3.5/5
Plot:
Bandar follows Sameer Mehra’s character, essayed by Bobby Deol, a fading star who is desperately clinging to his past glory. Just as he attempts to rebuild his life and finds solace in a new relationship, his world comes crashing down. A former girlfriend files a heinous allegation against him, dragging him into a vicious, high-profile legal battle. Written by Sudip Sharma and Abhishek Banerjee, the film moves away from standard Bollywood courtroom setups. Instead, it dives straight into the murky waters of social media trials, public perception, and a sluggish judicial system where the truth gets buried under layers of gray.
What works:
Known for his chaotic energy, Anurag Kashyap takes a remarkably mature and controlled approach here. He avoids sensationalizing a highly sensitive topic, choosing instead to focus on the psychological claustrophobia of the protagonist. The prison sequences are exceptionally well-shot. They create a suffocating, raw atmosphere that makes you feel the weight of the character’s confinement. The script successfully avoids preachy, black-and-white monologues. It bravely forces the audience to confront their own biases regarding modern-day public trials and the digital judge-and-jury culture.
What doesn’t:
Clocking in at nearly two hours and twenty minutes, Bandar feels heavily weighed down in the second half. The narrative stretches thin, and a few subplots demand too much patience, making you wish for a tighter edit. The film stubbornly refuses to take a definitive moral stance or offer a neat resolution. While film enthusiasts might appreciate the complexity, mainstream viewers looking for a clear-cut ending or emotional payoff might walk away feeling detached and frustrated.
Performances:
- Bobby Deol is the beating heart of this film. Stripping away the massive macho swagger and menacing villainy of his recent hits, he delivers a deeply vulnerable, understated performance. He plays Samar with a mix of arrogance, confusion, and raw helplessness, proving his immense range.
- Sanya Malhotra anchors her screen time with her trademark reliability, turning in a grounded and impactful performance.
- Saba Azad and Sapna Pabbi excel in their respective roles, bringing genuine nuance to characters that could have easily been sidelined.
- Jitendra Joshi is an absolute scene-stealer, commanding your attention every single time he steps into the frame.
- Indrajith Sukumaran and Raj B Shetty are absolute show stealers with their raw acting.
Final Verdict:
Bandar is an unsettling, morally complex thriller that refuses to spoon-feed its audience. It isn’t a comfortable watch, nor does it try to be. While the sluggish pacing in the second half prevents it from being an absolute masterpiece, it is worth a watch for Bobby Deol’s spectacular acting reinvention and Anurag Kashyap’s gritty, thought-provoking storytelling.
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not reflect the official policy or position of Pinkvilla. No statement in this article is intended to defame, harm, or malign any individual or entity.
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Kathy Hilton will no longer be the grand marshal of West Hollywood’s pride parade.
The city and WeHo Pride on Wednesday released a joint statement, announcing that “The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” star would no longer serve as the Grand Marshal Icon for the 2026 WeHo Pride Parade. The event is scheduled for Sunday.
“After thoughtful discussions, the City of West Hollywood, the WeHo Pride production team, and Kathy Hilton have determined that the 2026 WeHo Pride Parade will not designate a Grand Marshal Icon honoree,” read the statement.
The decision comes less than a week after Hilton was announced. That May 28 announcement was met with swift backlash from the LGBTQ+ community and allies, who called out Hilton’s ties to President Trump and alleged MAGA-leaning politics. Critics also cited accusations that the socialite had used a homophobic slur while on a trip with other cast members of “The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills,” an action she has previously denied.
In their joint statement, West Hollywood and the WeHo Pride team expressed their appreciation for “the respectful and sincere dialogue” around both the event and the “role and significance” of Pride honorees.
“The City of West Hollywood has always believed that Pride belongs to the community,” the joint statement said. “Since its earliest days, Pride has served as both a celebration and a platform for activism, visibility, resilience, and the ongoing pursuit of equality, dignity, and justice for LGBTQ+ people. … These conversations reflect the passion people have for WeHo Pride and underscore the importance of ensuring that WeHo Pride continues to honor the history, values, and diverse voices of the LGBTQ+ community.”
In a statement, Hilton expressed gratitude for being considered for grand marshal and reaffirmed her commitment to the LGBTQ+ community and causes.
“My reason for wanting to be involved in this year’s WeHo Pride weekend was simple: to celebrate, support, and share in the joy of a community that means a great deal to so many people,” Hilton said. “Pride is, and always will be, about celebrating and uplifting LGBTQ+ voices, experiences, and achievements. … My support for the community and WeHo Pride is unwavering.”
She also mentioned several queer advocacy organizations and events she has supported over the years, including GLAAD, the Elton John AIDS Foundation, the Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation, Dr. Mathilde Krim, God’s Love We Deliver and Project Angel Food.
The latest Pride-related dust-up follows the abrupt cancellation of the Long Beach Pride Festival in May. The city’s Pride Parade took place as planned.
Both snafus have occurred as conservative politicians and advocates continue to attack LGBTQ+ rights and visibility nationwide. Some Republican governors have even pushed for conservative alternatives to Pride month festivities. A recent Gallup poll has found that after years of steady gains, support for marriage equality and same-sex relationships has slipped, particularly among Republicans.
Movie Reviews
Movie Review: Travolta’s “Propeller: One-Way Night Coach” is One for the Ages — All Ages
Back in the good ol’days — the ’90s — John Travolta would love to get off the topic of “Michael,” “Pulp Fiction” or “Get Shorty” in interviews with film journalists like me and regale us with how utterly besotted he had been with his first flying experience, how that drove his passion for piloting and buying planes and airfield-adjacent luxury houses.
He didn’t even seem to mind having to move house when this or that development balked at him flying his Boeing 707 out of there on the way to locations.
Travolta would tell any journalist who asked that he was writing a kid-friendly book, “Propeller: One Way Night Coach,” based on his first flights as a child in old propeller driven airliners — cheap red-eye overnight treks with too many connections for your average jet age traveller to tolerate.
I remember picking up the book when it came out later in the ’90s — at an airport gift shop — and thinking “Well, that’s as cute as I figured.”
And now, decades later and trapped in the B-movie hell of his post “Gotti” career, Travolta’s turned that cute book into the most delightful, fanciful and colorful bon bon of a movie.
“One Way Night Coach” is a child’s fantasy of flight and flying the way it used to be — with pristine, uncrowded, futuristic airports, an early ’60s era of jets and prop planes with over-uniformed stewardesses in white gloves, the days “Back before every Joe Sweatsock could wedge himself behind a lunch tray and jet off to Raleigh-Durham,” as Sideshow Bob memorably sneered on “The Simpsons’.”
It’s a fictionalized account of Travolta’s childhood about an only child (at least two Travolta siblings have bit parts in this movie) of a never-made-it/never-will actress/single-mom (Kelly Eviston-Quinnett) who indulges her aviation-obsessed eight-year-old with a cheap cross-country overnight flight.
Little Jeff (Clark Shotwell) will revel in almost every Idlewild to Pittsburgh to Dayton to Chicago to Kansas City to Denver and Los Angeles minute. He strolls into the cockpit to meet pilots, charms the stewardesses and checks out the sleeping bunks on the TWA Lockheed Super Constellation, loving even the delays if not the Chicken Cordon Bleu he’s offered on legs of the journey that offer a meal.
And as he’s an observant child, he comments (Travolta narrates) on his 50ish mother’s vamping and posing, her choice of cigarettes (Newports) and drinks, the solo traveling men whose attention she pursues and earns.
“I was her best audience,” adult Jeff remembers of the mother who’d read him plays as bedtime stories and delusionally hopes that this trip to Los Angeles might be her “big break” even though she’s pushing 50.
“Hollywood called,” she’d explain about their overnight cheap flight arrangements to ticket agents and crew. “They told me to take the next flight!”
At every turn, Jeff meets or sees kindness — stewardesses who indulge his many questions and bump them up to first class on the mostly-empty planes, a captain who fixes his toy model of a Constellation, a mentally ill flyer who flips out but is calmed by a flight attendant who isn’t overworked and frazzled in jet-powered tin-can jammed with Joe and Jane Sweatsocks who think nothing of traveling in their pajamas.
Normally, I cringe at pictures this reliant on voice-over narration. I recoil from stars who populate their picture with Sandler etc. offspring. But “Propeller” is unfailingly sweet and never cloying.
Sure, it’s fictionalized. But if you’ve followed Travolta’s life and career, a lot of him is in this — his raptoruous engagement with flying, an indulged child who developed a taste for fine food and creature comforts, a mother who was his guiding star as an actor.
I get why there are less adoring reviews than mine floating around “Propeller.” It’s unfailingly sweet. Mom’s man-hunting is seriously dated. This TWA tale is decorated with Gershwin’s majestic “Rhapsody in Blue” — United Airlines’ signature tune. And Travolta’s been around long enough for recent generations to come up and not feel a connection to the “Saturday Night Fever/Get Shorty” star whose career has fallen off and life has been visited by too much tragedy.
But I’d hate to be seated next to anybody who doesn’t appreciate this adorable, pristine and nearly perfect aviation fantasy on any flight, much less an overnight one.
Rating: TV-PG
Cast: Clark Shotwell, Kelly Eviston-Quinnett, Ellen Travolta, Ella Beau Travolta, Olga Hoffmann and John Travolta.
Credits: Scripted and directed by John Travolta, based on his book. An Apple TV+ release.
Running time: 1:01
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