24 March 2022
Trustus Theatre examines Blackness, queerness and the art of pull in the South by getting Terry Guest’s production “At The Wake of a Lifeless Drag Queen” to the stage. Opening on Mar 25, “At The Wake up of a Dead Drag Queen” explores the journey associated with drag queen Courtney Barringer’s life after she has passed away. Directed and choreographed simply by Trustus Company member Terrance Henderson, the two-person comedy drama features Columbia’s Hermon Whaley Jr. and Elena DeVour as Courtney Berringers and Vicky VersaillesIt explores the depth of reality and embracing one’s difficulties as a human, Henderson mentioned. “It’s about identity, as well as the struggle to claim your reality and identity amidst the particular resistance and barriers associated with society – it’s regarding non-conformity and celebrating house and self, ” the particular director Henderson said. The particular play’s author Terry Visitor wrote the play in line with the life of his granddad as a Black, HIV-positive gay and lesbian man living in rural Atlanta. It is a story that targets love and life informed from the intersectional Black, andersrum (umgangssprachlich) and southern lense, based on Henderson. “At the Wake” follows Berringers who has passed away from complications of HELPS. In the play, she has came back to her wake to tell the girl life’s story in her very own words, Henderson said. “It’s a fabulously fun and poignant journey through Courtney’s reminiscences and her relationship along with another drag queen called Vickie Versailles – these are both poor and the southern part of, growing up in Albany, Atlanta, and navigating their life and circumstances, ” this individual explained.
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The story resonates deeply along with real-life drag queens almost everywhere, according to actor and expert drag queen Elena Use. “It’s not always glitz plus glamour – we battle just like everyone else, ” Use said in a release. “From struggles with HIV in order to harassment from the outside world, this particular piece is such an honest plus from-the-heart piece of theatre. “It’s a production that symbolizes both Black culture as well as the LGBTQ community, and in that will, according to Henderson, is “revolutionary” in American theater using its perspective being from those of characters who are Black, andersrum (umgangssprachlich) and Southern. With that in mind, Henderson found it important to put together a diverse cast. “We did process work particularly to address handling the hard topics of race, sex, socio/economic status and entry to health care, ” Henderson mentioned. “It’s important to me whenever working on any artistic task to first establish neighborhood, and then work and create through an empowered place that will feels safe and comprehensive. “
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With that goal in your mind, the theater partnered along with three South Carolina LGBTQ advocacy organizations: PALSS, The Devotion Table and South Carolina Dark Pride. Partnering with Trustus was a natural extension from the PALSS efforts and the enjoy offered a way to address a good underlooked identity, said Carmen Julious, PALSS chief executive officer. “We believe that this is an opportunity to discuss identity in a way that we are rarely able to: highlighting the intersection of being black, gay plus southern, ” Julious mentioned. “The message is about taking on and loving who you are regardless of everything. “While this is a manufacturing set to be comedic plus lighthearted, the defining objective of the story is one Henderson hopes resonates with everyone who watches the production. “Of course, there has been progress, yet there is still so much function to be done on a number of these issues ailing society, and it’s really important for us as storytellers to be connected to the folks who take the ground doing this work on the particular daily, ” Henderson stated. “That network is portion of a multidimensional approach to linking the equity and ethnic equity gaps, and creating meaningful, trusting relationships. “”At The Wake of a Lifeless Drag Queen” opens Fri, March 25 and operates through April 9. More details can be found at trustus. org.
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