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Queer Theatre Festival |
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For Immediate Release May 29, 2013 Arts and Culture Centre Celebrates Pride Week Through Queer Theatre Festival Partnership St. John’s - The Arts and Culture Centre (ACC) together with Engine Productions and For the Love of Learning present NL’s first Queer Theatre Festival taking place July 19th and 20th in the ACC’s Barbara Barrett Theatre. “We are excited about this partnership and are happy to be part of St. John’s Pride Celebrations once again this year,” said Aiden Flynn, manager of programming and partnerships at the Arts and Culture Centre. Created by Jenn Brown, co-founder of Engine Productions, the Festival debuted as a pop-up show in 2012. The now-annual Queer Theatre Festival coincides with Pride Week (July 15-21) and celebrates the talents and stories of Lesbian, Bi-sexual, Gay and Transgendered (LBGT) artists and their contributions to the arts, culture and history of our province. “Topics such as gender and sexual identity aren't readily seen on our stages, nor are the voices of queer artists often shared, and what better place to embrace these important thoughts, stories, and experiences than on our stages,” said Brown. Opening the festival on July 19th is the Queer Monologues, presented by For the Love of Learning (FTLOL). Accompanying the monologues is a performance by Spectrum - a queer vocal choir, and an opening reception. Gemma Hickey, FTLOL’s Executive Director said the monologues will include a range of topics intended to be broad in nature, while being inclusive and respectful of the diversity of personal experiences expressed by the individual. “The Queer Monologues will provide a safe, inclusive space that allows the concerns, hopes and personal stories of LBGT youth to be shared,” Hickey said. “The LBGT community is marginalized and because of this LBGT youth are at a higher risk of suicide, addiction and homelessness than heterosexual youth. It is essential to give them a forum to share their discourses, while fostering an environment that promotes equality for all.” Day two, July 20th, is Engine Production's Short & Queer II, the follow up to last year’s debut festival show. Short & Queer II is a night of five original short plays written by LBGT playwrights and/or have a theme or relevance to the LBGT community. The shorts this year include The Intervention by Robert Chafe, Two Dudes by Mark White, Adult Children by Liz Solo, In The Bedroom by Amy Anthony and Secret Learnings by Megan Coles. All pieces are performed and directed by an amazing cast of local actors and directors who will also share teaser readings with audiences of next year's shorts, which include work by playwrights Meghan Greeley, Dave Sullivan, Philip Goodridge, Mitch McGee Herritt and Rory Lambert. Tickets for the Queer Theatre Festival are $25 per night or $20 per night in advance. For more information visit or to purchase tickets visit artsandculturecentre.com or call the ACC box office at 729-3900. -30-
Media contacts:
Jenn Brown |
