New York, NY– Following the release of a sexy teaser trailer, and the launch of a buzz generating social media blitz, GAYS, a new half hour original series about—you guessed it—a group of gay friends in New York City, premiered Jan. 12. The first two episodes went live at gaystheseries.com, as well as on VIMEO, while cast, crew and the extended Gays family screened them at a packed premiere party. The event took place at XES lounge, a late night staple in New York City’s famed neighborhood of Chelsea. Not only did XES host the GAYS premiere, but it also features prominently in the show, as do many New York City landmark spaces.
Strategically timed to premiere the same day as HBO’s GIRLS, GAYS continues to hope to reach a similar, if broader, crowd. Paying homage to, rather than spoofing, the HBO series, GAYS is about four friends trying to make it in New York City. Though the lead characters can be defined as gay, the series aims to transcend labels, rather conveying the struggles that any group 20-something friends faces when living and working in NYC. Episodes three and four take us deeper into the lives of this relatable, flawed and funny group. The episodes will go live March 16, and screen at another exciting premiere party, this time at Therapy in Hells Kitchen.
“I wanted to create a show that followed the lives of four men who happened to be gay, but the show was actually about the bigger universal aspects of life that all of us people deal with: love, work problems, friendship, family, etc.,“ remarks Peter William Dunn, the native New Yorker who conceived and penned GAYS. With the uptick in original gay content, particularly in the online sphere, GAYS characterizes itself apart from the rest: as a true slice-of-life—from the glitz and glam to the harrowing and humiliating—everything one feels in a typical day. “The most fascinating thing with people is that we’re all so different, yet we’re all so shockingly the same That’s what I hope viewers will take away from the show, the realization that the LGBT characters in GAYS are relatable, real and emotionally accessible to everyone, no matter sexual orientation or gender identity/expression.”
So far, Dunn has made good on those aims. The show has garnered numerous write-ups and a wealth of online buzz. Gays’ social media reveals a growing fan base, eagerly awaiting the rest of their freshman season, and praising the show for a fresh, honest, captivating take on it’s subject matter. Thanks to fans, Gays was chosen as the Number One Indie Series of the Week and Peter Dunn was named Favorite Actor of the week on welovesoaps.net, shortly after the series debut. Initially just an idea of Dunn’s, things got real in the latter half of 2013, and his passion project became that of the whole GAYS family, as they now refer to themselves. The investment of the GAYS cast and crew has been remarkable—and with a limited budget, it is for a true belief in and commitment to the project that they have logged 70-80 hour shooting weeks, and an intense, location-based schedule that traversed New York City, often during the same day. As Jay William Thomas, who plays Jackson, noted, “GAYS opened me up to an entirely new world. It’s made me more aware of who I am as a person, actor and friend. When you realize that the people you work with are becoming your family, that’s a good feeling. Everyone should strive for that.”
As authenticity was important to the filming, GAYS was shot entirely on location in NYC: from key city landscapes such as Central Park and Coney Island to New York cultural institutions such as The Village Underground and Tribeca Cinemas to local merchants such as Mezetto and V Bar as well as those with gay ties such as Suite bar and XES.
Aside from Thomas and Dunn, who is acting as well, the GAYS main characters are played by model/actor Thomas Gibbons and NYC nightlife personality Markus Kelle. Rounding out the cast during Season 1 are Justin Garascia, Peter Giessl, Marina Pulido and Corey Wright. GAYS will also co-star comedian Lynne Koplitz, currently of WE’s Joan Knows Best, as well Jenny McCarthy’s Dirty Sexy Funny. The series was shot by Emmy Award-winning cinematographer Ed Blythe.
Episodes and content will continue to become available online over the coming months.
