Pork has been doing music since he first could.
Ben Rimalower is a director and producer working in theatre in New York.
He directed The Fabulous Life of a Size Zero (Daryl Roth/DR2 Theatre), Joy (Actors Playhouse, Out Magazine: “Top Ten Theatre” & HX Award nomination), Snoopy! (Symphony Space, starring Sutton Foster), And/or (Dixon Place) and Sodom the Musical (Kraine Theatre) as well as staged readings for Second Stage, The York and Ensemble Studio Theatre.
He conceived and directed Leslie Kritzer is Patti LuPone at Les Mouches (Time Out New York Award) and subsequently produced Sh-K-Boom/Ghostlight Records’ long-awaited recording, Patti LuPone at Les Mouches (#25 on Billboard “Heatseekers” Chart), digitally restored from archival tapes of LuPone’s legendary 1980 live performances.
In venues such as Joe’s Pub, Ars Nova and The Zipper Factory, Ben has helmed a slew of solo shows for artists including Alec Mapa, Our Lady J, Natalie Joy Johnson, Lindsey Alley, Wendy Ho, John Hill, Scott Nevins, Kate Pazakis and Lance Horne in addition to producing and hosting the Laurie Beechman Theatre’s recurring variety show, Saturday Night Underground. Assistant Director credits include Lonny Price’s productions of A Class Act (Manhattan Theatre Club, Broadway and Tokyo) and A Little Night Music (starring Patti LuPone, George Hearn and Zoe Caldwell) as well as the Emmy-winning Sweeney Todd.
Ben studied Theatre Arts at U.C. Berkeley where he was the founding Artistic Director of BareStage (now celebrating its 13th anniversary).
Allen Roskoff is Political Director and Columnist for AKA William.
Allen joined the Gay Activist Alliance in 1970. While there, where he served as chair of the GAA’s Municipal Government Committee and was chief lobbyist for the nation’s first gay rights bill, which he co-authored. After GAA, Allen continued his role as lobbyist by working with the Coalition for Lesbian and Gay Rights.
In 1973, Allen and his then-partner Jim Owles — the founding president of the GAA — formed the nation’s first gay democratic club. And in 2004, Allen and other liberal gay Democratic activists formed the Jim Owles Liberal Democratic Club in Owles’ memory. Allen and the other founders did so because they felt that a liberal gay voice within the Democratic party was sorely needed as other gay Democrats were often supporting candidates not worthy of gay support.
Allen was also the first openly gay appointed official in New York City, having served on the executive staff of the New York City Comptroller, followed by appointments to the office’s of Governor Mario Cuomo, Mayor David Dinkins, Public Advocate Mark Green, State Senate Democratic Minority Leaders Martin Connor and David Paterson.
Allen concluded his career in government by serving on the staff of openly gay State Senator Tom Duane.
Allen has received awards from the New York Chapter of PFLAG, the Coalition for Lesbian and Gay Rights, the New York City Human Rights Commission, Gay and Lesbian Independent Democrats, Stonewall Democratic Club of New York and served as Grand Marshall of the Queens Lesbian and Gay Pride Parade.
He has also written regular political columns for various publications since the 1970’s, including The Native, Outweek, QW and the New York Blade.
