Rolling Out The ‘Black Carpet’ On Fire Island

Sebastian C. Alverius Hosts A Mixer At The Pines Benefits Langston’s Film Project

By Nathan James

Every year, throngs of beachgoers flock to Cherry Grove onNew York’sFire Island, a sandy hideaway about fifty miles east of the city, for the annual Fire Island Black Out (FIBO) weekend celebration.

For a decade now, this signature event of the LGBT community of color in and aroundNew York Cityhas drawn thousands to the small seaside resort. But last Saturday, an extra dimension was added to the festivities a couple of miles away on the other side ofFire Island, in the small hamlet of The Pines.

This was the exclusive Black Carpet VIP mixer, on behalf of the upcoming Off the Clock film project, Langston’s, a “drama about the urban nightlife scene”, according to producer Dane Joseph. Hosted by Sebastian Alverius of Alverius and Company, Inc.(ACI), the gathering brought together some significant names in the LGBT-entertainment community, including actor/screenwriter/producer Dwight Allen O’Neal, creator of the Christopher Street TV (CSTV) series, and its new spin-off, CockTales, set to premiere August 31 at Atlanta Black Pride.

Noted R & B artist and poet Likwuid kept the music going as house DJ, and such artists as Baron made their appearances as well. Sponsor/host Sebastian Alverius is known as a major supporter of artistic projects within and without the LGBT community.

During the get-together in a fine, private cottage near the docks,hors d’oeuvres and complimentary cocktails were accompanied by screenings of the hit NovoNovus Web series Drama Queenz, whose breakout success has made it ine of the most talked-about shows on the Internet.

“Projects like [Drama Queenz] are examples of the artistic talent in our community”, said Joseph, who also stars in the dramedy. ”Now we’re doing a feature film.” Author and actor Delvon Johnson, who has roles in CockTales and Queenz, said “These are fabulous stories about us.”

Off The Clock head Dwight Allen O’Neal remained coy, however, when asked about a timetable for the release of each new CockTales episode. “A boy has to have his secrets, you know”, O’Neal demurred.

The evening was highlighted by a spoken-word poetry recital, and attendees were presented with gift bags provided by ACI, that included R & B vocalist FrankOcean’s latest album, flash drives, and Apple iPod devices. To learn more about the film Langston’s, visit: www.langstonsthemovie.com.