2023 Queerly Festival (Part 4)

Founded in 2014, Queerly is FRIGID New York’s annual celebration of LGBTQA+ artists.  Queerly strives for diversity on and off stage, seeking out queer teams and artists of all kinds as well as a wide range of shows and performances.  In light of the barrage of anti-trans legislation across the country, they are prioritizing work by or featuring trans artists as well as work that speaks to queer resilience past, present, and future.

Anna May Wong: Persona

A time travel back a century ago finds a Chinese family operating a laundromat in 1924.  Anna May Wong’s father owns this business.  She asks pointedly, “What other business besides restaurants are Chinese allowed to have?”  This woman will later become the first Chinese American movie star in Hollywood.

Anna always dreamed of becoming an actress.  When The Good Earth was being cast in 1934 the part went to Luise Rainer (in yellowface) who spoke “better chop suey English” and had a “better body type”.  In order to work Ms. Wong was forced to accept Dragon Lady and Lotus Blossom (concubine) roles.  Exhausted from demeaning parts she flees to Europe and hangs out with Marlene Dietrich, Paul Robeson and Josephine Baker.

Her father equated acting with prostitution.  Her race limited her opportunities but also came with insults.  A Producer notes “I suppose you can’t see well due to the shape of your eyes”.  A visit to China unearths similar backlash as the people were not happy with her chosen roles and the costumes she wore.

Anna Mae Wong: Persona was staged as a developmental reading.  There is much material covered.  In addition to racism, there are sapphic dalliances. The work could be enhanced by solidifying the period language.  Calling someone “the bee’s knees” is incongruous with “what happens in Berlin, stays in Berlin”.

The subject matter, however, insightfully portrays rampant systemic racism.  Her great successes such as Shanghai Express are reminiscent of another marginalized actress of the period, Hattie McDaniel, who took maid’s roles in order to work (and people looked down at her as well).  Fulfilling one’s dreams is the grand motif here and the ending nicely foreshadows Ms. Wong’s contribution to future generations.

Paper Kraine

Since 2016 this monthly variety show has been performed to showcase works in development curated around a theme related to an nonprofit organization.  For the Queerly Festival, all ticket sales and a passed hat are directed to the Ali Forney Center which offers LGBTQ+ youth shelter and services.  This show’s tone is a jubilant “ok to try new things” and “ok to fail” environment.  Halleloo!

The first act was a dance piece entitled “Don’t Panic” which considered how one starts a new sapphic relationship.  Mirror image movements eventually morph into playful couplings.

“Rights in Education” was an interesting solo piece by Floridian who has a complicated relationship with his anti-gay home state politics.  Some history was proffered including the tale of a gay nightclub in 1937 separately raided by the KKK and police.  A true story of a 1959 M/M wedding was approved by the Florida legislature as “nothing violates state law”.

A hilariously conceived and executed clown act followed.  “What are you?” bellows the loud deep voice toward the performer onstage.  You cannot be both an angel and a clown.  This evolves into a silly yet pitch perfect and unique commentary on gender norms.  The angel is told to do it more “precious”.  The voice advises “if you can’t pick one gender, I mean performance, everyone will think you’re weird”.

The next act was “inspired by short attention spans”.  Nicole Kidman welcomes us to her TikTok about Scientology.  She is not a fan.  Quick scene change and he’s playing with a Snow White doll.  A true crime television segment gleefully highlights a grisly murder.  We meet an old friend (Jesus) and then a carrot is eaten.  These frantic vignettes are creative lunacy which actually hold together through a story arc of sorts.

All We Know of Love and Fire was a sampling of songs from a new musical in development  Three young women open with their message “love is all there is”.  Love forlorn is the vibe of this piece with some nice harmonies sprinkled throughout.  A nod to Stephen Sondheim is always welcome too.

The Luddite was an interactive AI play between an onstage actor and a character on a phone.  A promising premise needs a little plot tightening.  However, the impact of social media is sharply skewered.  “Live public disclosure is the closest thing to a trial these days”.

The final act was a short burlesque strip tease by a queer Palestinian person who owns “two identities experiencing erasure”.  As Bridget Everitt sings “and then they bounce, bounce, bounce”.  If this is a representative sampling of the work assembled each month then Paper Kraine is a diversion worth exploring.

The 9th Annual Queerly Festival is running downtown at the Kraine Theater from June 15 though July 3, 2023.  Paper Kraine is also a monthly curated event at this venue

www.frigid.nyc/festivals/queerly

www.aliforneycenter.org

2023 Queerly Festival (Part 3)

Founded in 2014, Queerly is FRIGID New York’s annual celebration of LGBTQA+ artists.  Queerly strives for diversity on and off stage, seeking out queer teams and artists of all kinds as well as a wide range of shows and performances.  In light of the barrage of anti-trans legislation across the country, they are prioritizing work by or featuring trans artists as well as work that speaks to queer resilience past, present, and future.

Funny Women of a Certain Age

Carol Montgomery is a veteran stand-up comedienne for forty years.  She noticed her bookings never contained two females in the same show.  She created a group to feature women comics over 50 years old.  Showtime specials followed.  Ms. Montgomery curated this selection for the festival and their camaraderie is evident.  They have been in residency at the Kraine Theater for six years.

Of course Showtime wanted the women to be younger.  She opens the show with their history followed by some targeted humor.  When COVID subsided Target stocked prairie dresses.  They are “a potato sack with ruffles and a bow”.  She then asks, “How much weight do they think we gained during the pandemic?”  Then the punch line delivers.  “Just because we ate bread doesn’t mean we want to look like Laura Ingalls”.  As it happens Target was ahead of its time.  They knew Roe v. Wade would be overturned.

Three additional comics performed on this show.  One was a recovering alcoholic who prefers the term “inactive lush”.  Another laments how easily we offend each other.  “Can we all agree that skim milk is not milk?” she asks.  It’s “just white water”.  Something we all can surely agree on.

Does God exist?  Apparently the answer is yes.  He sent the pandemic so she did not have to holiday with her argumentative family.  In the final set, a dreaded trip to the dentist required some self-directed advice.  “If you behave yourself, I’ll take you to the liquor store”.

Like all comedy shows there are highs and lows, blue humor and witty pokes at our society.  You can even learn a few things.  “Serial killing is a hobby”.  “Assassin is a career”.

 

walkOver

Elena Freck’s probing and well-performed play considers life after “you’ve completed the first line of your obituary”.  Martin was a teenage gymnastics phenom.  He was also openly trans.  A wrist injury ended his career and now he is broke.  There are no sponsorships for trans athletes.  What’s the next step?

A close friend and ex-gymnast carved out a second career as a sports writer.  En is also trans.  All Martin wants is his bong and the lighter.  En offers sympathy and advice.  He reluctantly goes back to his hometown.  At a bar he meets Jenna who stayed local and is now a teacher.  A small room in her apartment becomes his new world.

While the main character may be trans, the themes are universal.  What does one do when the lifelong dream is no longer a reality at 25 years old?  The play effectively uses two friends as positively influencing guideposts to ensure Martin does not travel down a quite possible destructive path.

The plot continues its believable trajectory and a missed bus becomes a reckoning moment as he makes phone calls.  One is to his mother.  “Was she like a Dance Mom or Allison Janney in I, Tonya” is a vividly asked question.  A flashback to the injury is nicely staged with crisp body movements recognizable to anyone who watches the sport.  An impressively executed scene on a very small stage.

Kyr Siegel (Martin), Miller Koppang (En) and Linda Shewokis (Jenna) are all very good inhabiting these characters.  On stage physicality is notably fine throughout.  There is a scene near the end when En returns.  The tension created is earned by what preceded before.  Jake Tolentino’s direction was additive to experiencing this play with extra nods to the lighting choices.  walkOver is an excellent entry into this festival both in terms of content and quality.

The 9th Annual Queerly Festival is running downtown at the Kraine Theater from June 15 though July 3, 2023.  walkOver will be performed again on July 2nd both live and livestreamed.

www.frigid.nyc/festivals/queerly

2023 Queerly Festival (Part 2)

Founded in 2014, Queerly is FRIGID New York’s annual celebration of LGBTQA+ artists.  Queerly strives for diversity on and off stage, seeking out queer teams and artists of all kinds as well as a wide range of shows and performances.  In light of the barrage of anti-trans legislation across the country, they are prioritizing work by or featuring trans artists as well as work that speaks to queer resilience past, present, and future.

Transhumance

A straphanger is riding the subway.  When this clown arrives at their destination a sign promises INFORMATION.  The suitcase is so very heavy.  A mishap occurs.  Pantomime is employed to entertaining effect in Transhumance.  Ania Upstill is this particular clown and gender confusion is on the menu.

The information sheet shows a stick figure representation of a woman.  The triangle dress.  The long hair.  The breasts.  Our clown opens the suitcase and removes a dress.  Figuring out what to do with the dress and the shoes inspires silliness and giggles.  What are heels for anyway?  A handbag?  Hammering nails?  Answering the “ring ring” of a phone?

This wordless performance continues in a lighthearted manner.  After our clown gets into the lady uniform, a confidence builds.  Walking becomes strutting.  Then the voiceover jumps in.  “Legs together,” she implores.  More advice is proffered with a hopeful “let’s turn that frown upside down”.  The subtext is clear.

One more subway stop leads to another visit to the information desk.  This time the sheet contains a stick figure of a male.  A pair of pants is all this clown needs to exude manly confidence.  “Hah,” “Yah,” and “Fwah” are the sounds of this specimen.  A masculine voiceover demands “go big or go home” and “let me see that swagger”.

A final subway stop will involve the peeling, eating and sharing of a tangerine plus neckerchief realness.  The vibe is a delightfully breezy riff on gender norms and how binary thinking submerges individuality and creativity.  The laughs are earned and the voiceover lines are consistently on point.  Listen hard and you will be rewarded with “only men open jars”.  A witty approach to a topical issue makes Transhumance a ride worth taking.

The Real Black Swan

Les Kurkendaal Barrett knows that numbing oneself is a way to survive in an America where George Floyd’s murder can happen.  He mimics Glinda and envelops his being in a big pink bubble of protection.  Drinking makes the bubble indestructible.

Today’s world is contrasted with the true story of William Dorsey Swann.  A slave from birth, he was freed after the Civil War and eventually landed in Washington, D.C.  In the late nineteenth century Swann organized a series of drag balls for men to gather.  This self-proclaimed Queen is the first queer activist on record.  That fact alone makes this tale a fascinating peek into a different time where crossdressing had to be hidden in private residences.

That did not stop the police from interfering as you would expect.  These plights from yesteryear are contrasted with the realities faced by black men today.  Personal experiences of police interactions are vividly told.  No use challenging a falsely written ticket in court since no one would believe him.  A sad but understandable conclusion.

The storyline alternates between these two elements to highlight what has changed.  Frequently switching perspectives occasionally creates abrupt transitions.  Clear messaging, however, makes sure the listener is wide awake to what is happening in our country with the drag bans.  “We all need to get in there and fight before it’s too late while we still can”.

There is power in this performance with notably good vocalizations when multiple characters are being portrayed.  Adding in the scant details of the Queen provides a truly interesting backbone which makes this piece unique.  Grab your umbrella.  It’s time for a cakewalk.  Let your body go with the flow.  You know you can do it.

The 9th Annual Queerly Festival is running downtown at the Kraine Theater from June 15 though July 3, 2023.  Many shows are also available for streaming.  Transhumance will be performed again on June 22nd.  The Real Black Swan has another show scheduled on June 24th.

www.frigid.nyc/festivals/queerly

2023 Queerly Festival (Part 1)

Founded in 2014, Queerly is FRIGID New York’s annual celebration of LGBTQA+ artists.  Queerly strives for diversity on and off stage, seeking out queer teams and artists of all kinds as well as a wide range of shows and performances.  In light of the barrage of anti-trans legislation across the country, they are prioritizing work by or featuring trans artists as well as work that speaks to queer resilience past, present, and future.

BECOMING AUSTIN NATION: From Crack to PhD – One Drag Queen’s Story

How did I become a drug addict?  That question is posed at the start of this detailed autobiographical monologue.  The answer is not a simple one.  Austin Nation tells his story as a mature sixty year old who has been clean and sober for twenty years.  That perspective provides historical context, clear-headed analysis and, ultimately, a refreshing spritz of self-positivity.

His youth includes a dysfunctional family dynamic amidst being the “only black family in a middle class neighborhood”.  This was the era where bussing began and cruelty was always lurking around the bend.  The experimentation with drugs was a reach for happiness.  His early forays into mom’s alcohol stash are colorfully rendered.

Major Don West from the television show Lost in Space was an early crush.  His sexuality was developing as the family moved around a few times.  He finally arrives in West Hollywood and felt like he “died and went to heaven”.  Then the AIDS epidemic sweeps into the community and, tragically, his immediate circle.  Those with vague knowledge regarding the uncertainly, confusion and frightfulness of that era can experience an intimate glimpse of that very scary time here.

Austin Nation became a Nurse and much later gets a PhD.  His thirties, however, were a “blur”.  Like many kindred souls, he found himself helped by complete strangers.  He realizes “chosen families are there when you need them the most” unlike biological relatives.  The honesty is unflinching throughout the entire performance.

There’s a lovely In Memoriam section of this show followed by deserved accusations against those who were indifferent to the plight of all the men dying.  The memoir then touches on the fun he has had developing his drag persona.  A heartwarming lip synch sprinkles reaffirming energy into the atmosphere.

Prior to that ending, he highlights a superb Nina Simone quote.  “I’m learning to get up from tables where love is no longer being served”.  That is one hell of a piece of advice.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Drag Album

The emcee of the evening, Sam Bam Thankyoumaam, announces that this cabaret show is a “celebration of doing drag and writing original music”.  Six acts present their unique artistry in various forms.  Some head scratching should be anticipated.

Senerio kicked things off with rap numbers and a kinetic energy which utilized the whole stage.  He admits “I got a lot on my brain”.  One nugget:  “like America not taking care of Puerto Rico”.  The repeated verse “give me that cliché rap” was memorable.

Daddy Dallon lipped synched original tunes with an old-timey sound.  Make up and clothing changes also occurred.  The high point for me was the effervescent lyric “you make the butterflies in my stomach lift me high in the clouds”.

The hilariously named Lena Horné created her show “out of a whim and some whimsy”.  The Bodyguard movie medley challenged Ms. Horné to vocalize Whitney Houston.  That’s a challenge few dare to take for good reason.  A foray into a disco tune seemed an easier choice to execute.

Drag King and host Sam Bam sang “Caesar” and we hear “who’s taking Rome all the way to the top?”  Then followed a deeply intense and very personal song about wanting top surgery at a young age.  Again, perspective from the passage of time provides clarity and healing.

Samara Slaughter performed music with sound distortions and thunderstorms.  I am not sure I can describe what I saw.  I was like a dog whose head tilts sideways.  A little confused but watching.

The last act was a band.  The Space Station’s singer Aladdin Firm belted out “Dancing on My Grave,” a vampire pop ditty.  Romance was hinted at with “the night we first kissed behind mausoleum doors”.  More typical was “press the dagger into my skin” and “sink your teeth into my flesh”.  A rap song followed about, amongst other things, our “racist bullshit nation”.

The Drag Album was a collection of free form expressionism.  Festivals like this are supposed to enable risk-taking content.  I found this show to be a mixed bag and, admittedly, geared toward a younger listener.

The 9th Annual Queerly Festival is running downtown at the Kraine Theater from June 15 though July 3, 2023.  Many shows are also available for streaming.  BECOMING AUSTIN NATION is being performed again on June 19th and July 3rd.

www.frigid.nyc/festivals/queerly