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'The Boys in the Band': A Look at the Groundbreaking Story

'The Boys in the Band': A Look at the Groundbreaking Story

The groundbreaking show that first hit the stage in 1968 is back... but in a whole new way.

In 2018, The Boys in the Band returned to the stage as a Broadway show, 50 years after it first debuted. Now, it's taking on a whole new medium, as a Netflix film. The film bringing back the beloved Broadway cast, which includes Matt Bomer, Jim Parsons, Andrew Rannells, Zachary Quinto and many, many more. The movie is even directed by Joe Mantello and produced by Ryan Murphy.


The Boys in the Band follows a group of nine gay men in New York City, which was a groundbreaking storyline for the time of its initial debut. Mart Crawley, the late playwright of the story, said:

"When I started to write, I had been so advised by so many people in positions of authority not to go there."

But Mart decided to "go there" anyway, and ultimately, paved the way for countless people to follow.

Jim Parsons was just one of the many affected by the moving story. He said:

"It was only once we were doing the play that I realized how many people in my life I knew that this had been such an important part of their own coming to terms with their sexuality."

Tuc Watkins chimed in and shared:

"It's a real reminder to me that any freedom or openness I feel that I can live as a gay man is because of the people who came before."

You can catch The Boys in the Band on Netflix now!

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Cara Glass

Editorial Director, The Advocate Channel
Editorial Director, The Advocate Channel
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