Theater
W.Va. theater festival presents uncannily timed lesbian wedding cake play
No connection to the Supreme Court case, but new work tackles thorny questions
āThe Cakeā
Contemporary American Theater Festival
Shepherd University Frank Center
620 University Drive, Shepherdstown, W.Va.
July 7-29
Runs two hours
$32-62
A play about a Christian bakerās dilemma to make a wedding cake for a same-sex couple probably sounds more tragic than funny. But Bekah Brunstetter, writer and producer of NBCās hit dramady āThis Is Us,ā has written a comedy on just this topic.
This yearās Contemporary American Theater Festival (CATF) presents āThe Cakeā āBrunstetterās new comedy about a Christian baker whoās forced to question her fundamental beliefs. The festival runs through July 29. Shepherdstown, W.Va., a small college town, is about 72 miles from Washington. Many Washingtonians visit the festival each summer where six new plays are performed with Equity actors in rotation. Package deals are available.
Brunstetter began writing her play in 2015 after hearing about cake-based conflicts across the country and reflecting on her own upbringing in North Carolina with parents who oppose same-sex marriage. Although the play was not directly inspired by the recent Masterpiece Cakeshop Supreme Court case, the parallels are striking and the timing prescient.
Courtney Sale, the playās director, recalls receiving the ruling alongside the cast during rehearsal and how āheavyā their hearts were. She says that although neither the case nor the ruling influenced the way she directed the play, it will āchange peopleās experience of the play ā no doubt about it.ā
āWhen we go the theater, weāre all haunted houses, and we come in with our own meanings and questions and perspectives,ā Sale says. āSo I think (the ruling) is going to color it.ā
The Virginia-native has directed at CATF the past two summers and says itās āone of the most exciting places for new work in the American theater.ā So when Ed Herendeen, founder and producing director of CATF, called and invited her back for a third summer to work on āThe Cake,ā she was ecstatic.
Sale first read the playās script in February and immediately loved it, both for the writing itself and its āresonance and relevance to whatās happening right now.ā
āItās a comedy,ā she says, ābut itās so much more than that.ā
Sale describes how Brunstetter āmasterfullyā creates and develops four characters who are all relatable in their own right, even Della, the Christian baker. She says this complexity makes the play thought-provoking and nuanced and less caricatured than other works. Beyond the characters themselves, Sale says the comedic nature of the play also encourages the audience to re-examine their preconceived notions and lean into their discomfort.
āThe comedyā¦ (which) is in the DNA of the writing ā¦ helps us go deeper and talk about stuff that may be uncomfortable,ā Sale says.
Sale also hopes the play will remind audience members of what a productive dialogue space looks like ā a phenomenon, she says, that has been blaringly absent in the past couple years.
āWhat I love, love, love about (the characters) that weāre not seeing in national dialogue is that these people stay in the room together, and they donāt walk away from the argument, and they donāt walk away from the awkward, and they donāt walk away from the uncomfortable, and thatās where the play lives,ā Sale says.
Although LGBT themes are not the primary focus of Saleās work, she says her lens āis always about inclusivity.ā
āWhen I make a play, I think what Iām trying to make is the world that we all want to live in, and one that is radical and feminist and inclusive.ā
Sale is excited about what she and the cast have created since their first read through at the end of May and is hopeful the play will leave a lasting impact on audience members of all backgrounds.
āI think people are going to be very moved and awakened.ā
Theater
Woman crashes ex-girlfriendās wedding to a man in new play
Nonbinary playwright Bryna Turner brings āAt the Weddingā to Studio
āAt the Weddingā
Through April 21
Studio Theatre
1501 14th St., N.W.
$45-$99
Studiotheatre.org
For nonbinary playwright Bryna Turner, the way to theater was first as an actor. But as gender non-conforming, they couldnāt really see a future in it, so they decided to write their own plays.
āAt the Wedding,ā Turnerās play about a woman named Carlo who crashes her ex-girlfriendās wedding to a man, is currently making its area debut at Studio Theatre with a production staged by out director Tom Story. The comedy made its world premiere at LCT3 at Lincoln Center Theater and was featured in the New York Times Best of 2022 āUnforgettable Theatrical Momentsā category.
Brooklyn-based Turner, 33, is inspired by experience, storytelling, and language. With āAt the Wedding,ā they humorously explore loneliness, estrangement, and a love for living.
WASHINGTON BLADE: How do we meet Carlo?
BRYNA TURNER: In the opening monologue, Carlo is at the kids table at a wedding reception telling them not to make her mistake. Youāll fall in love but that will only break your heart. That kicks the show off and this is who weāre dealing with.
BLADE: How was falling in love for you?
TURNER: My experience when I fell in love was that I was joining the human race. But then comes heartbreakā¦. that other thing everyone was always talking about. Poems and music took on new meaning.
BLADE: But you can find a laugh in pain?
TURNER: Comedic tone is important to me because thatās how I view the world. I like to have a laugh when things are hard or sad.
Also, I feel like itās a way to bring people in. You relate to a character who makes you laugh. Two of my plays begin with a lesbian yelling at the audience. Itās almost like crowd work.
BLADE: Were you ever hesitant about writing queer plays?
TURNER: I was lucky at Holyoke [Mount Holyoke College where Turner was an undergrad]. Director Brooke OāHara was teaching there when I attended and she brought in some queer plays; she showed me there was a canon to join and that was exciting.
BLADE: When did you first identify as nonbinary?
TURNER: In 2022. Iād been butch-presenting for over a decade. Then during the pandemic, I began spending more time alone. When alone, you grant yourself more permission to think.
For me, Iād always wanted to be independent and not ask for anything, to be butch on my own. As nonbinary, suddenly I had to ask people to use my pronouns. Also, it granted the opportunity to allow people to surprise me in mostly positive ways.
BLADE: Was becoming a produced playwright tough?
TURNER: I wanted to be a playwright at 21 and I had a play produced when I was 27. Now, looking back, I can see it happened pretty quickly, but at the time it felt like forever.
While doing my MFA in playwriting at Rutgers University, I was working in the box office at the Public Theater in New York where I managed to see things like āFun Homeā and āHamilton.ā
If I wasnāt working, I was commuting to Rutgers in New Jersey, and I was always writing. I had to be diligent. Iām a perfectionist, but I got things done. I wrote scenes in between waiting for customers at the box office or on the train. It took a lot of energy; drive pushes you.
BLADE: A while before āAt the Wedding,ā you wrote āPhases of the Moonā about lesbian poet Elizabeth Bishop. What sparked that interest?
TURNER: Itās about her time at Vassar College when she fell in love with a woman. Itās set in the 1930s but itās bit anachronistic. Thereās a scene with a Tegan and Sara song.
Bishop identified as a socialist vegetarian while at one of the most expensive womenās colleges during the height of the Great Depression. I thought to myself, āI know that girl, too.ā I love how we can know this person across nearly 100 years.
BLADE: Can you describe your formative years?
TURNER: I grew up the youngest of four in a small coastal town surrounded by redwoods. It was pretty rural but included an enclave of hippies. Despite being a shy kid, I developed an interest in theater. My parents were relieved. I had tried a lot of things and quickly lost interest: soccer, ballet, Tee-Ball. I remember striking out and all my family laughing. I threw down the bat and that was it.
BLADE: Do you think about who youāre writing for?
TURNER: I do. Iām thinking of a queer audience, and writing things that I want to see. In doing that, Iāve been happily surprised that straight people want to come along too.
Theater
D.C.ās spring theater scene offers āMacbeth,ā āPeter Pan,ā Sedaris and more
Queer themes well represented in seasonās productions
Thereās a lot on for theater this spring. And hereās a queer heavy sampling.
If itās āCompanyā youāre after, try the Kennedy Center. The national tour of the Tony-winning, gender-swapped revival of out legend Stephen Sondheimās hit musical withBritney Colemanas forever single Bobbie is moored to the Opera House through March 31. Kennedy-center.orgĀ
Signature Theatre in Arlington presents āPenelopeā (through April 21), a one-woman musical featuring out Broadway star Jessica Phillips. With glass of bourbon in hand, Penelope, the wife of Odysseus, gets a few things off her chest. Think Trojan War. Sigtheatre.org
At Studio Theatre, nonbinary playwright Bryna Turnerās āAt the Weddingā is currently making its regional debut in a production helmed by out director Tom Story. Itās a queer comedy about a woman crashing her exās wedding with the intention of not making a scene. Good luck with that. Out actor Holly Twyford plays Maria, mother of the bride. Studiotheatre.org
At Woolly Mammoth Theatre, Helen Hayes Award-winning actor Justin Weaks is workshopping his new play āA Fine Madnessā (March 17-24)). The solo piece is inspired by the talented out actorās 2016 HIV diagnosis and the ensuing years he spent alone and processing. (Tickets are pay what you will – starting at $5.)
Also slated for Woolly is āAmm(i)goneā (April 20āMay 12). Created and performed by queer theater maker Adil Mansoor, the personal story is about inviting his Pakistani mother to translate āAntigoneā into Urdu as means of exploring the tensions between family and faith. Woollymammoth.net
At Atlas Performing Arts Center on H Street, N.E., Mosaic Theater presents Rhiana Yazzieās āNancyā (March 30- April 21), a tale of ambition and ancestry soaked in ā80s nostalgia. Staged by out director Ken-Matt Martin, the seven-person cast includes Lynn Hawley as Nancy, out actor Michael Kevin Darnall as Ronnie, and Anaseini Katoa is Esmeralda, a Navajo woman advocating for her community. Mosaictheater.org
Wolf Trap in Vienna, Va., delivers divas. Meow Meow, the post-post-modern phenom from down under, brings her globally celebrated act to the parkās Barns venue on March 21. And on June 8, a single show featuring both Patti LaBelle and Gladys Knight promises to light up Wolf Trapās cavernous Filene Center with legendary star power.Wolftrap.org Ā
Arena Stage presents āUnknown Solderā (March 29-May 5), Daniel Goldstein and Michael Friedmanās sweeping musical about a woman in search of her familyās past. The topnotch cast includes Lori Lee Gayer, out actor Adam Chanler-Berat, and Broadwayās Judy Kuhn. Arenastage.org
At 1st Stage in Tysons, Va., wonderful out actor Michael Rusotto plays the titular sissy in Douglas Carter Beaneās āThe Nanceā (April 4-21). Set in 1930s New York, the action follows a queer burlesque actor as he navigates his way through a world where itās safer to be gay onstage than off. Nick Olcott directs. 1ststage.org
Broadway at the National moves musically into spring with āPeter Panā (April 9-21). Playwright Larissa FastHorseās fresh adaptation of the eternal boyās classic tale feels fresh without losing the familiar including terrific tunes like āIām Flying,ā āI Gotta Crow,ā and āI Wonāt Grow Up.ā Broadwayatthenational.com
Shakespeare Theatre Company (STC) presents āMacbethā (April 9-May 5) starring movie star Ralph Fiennes as the Thane of Glamis, and Indira Varma as sleepwalking Lady M. Staged by STCās artistic director Simon Godwin, the production wonāt be performed in the companyās usual digs but rather a borrowed former BET soundstage (1301 W St., N.E.) where the world of the Scottish play will be created. Exciting stuff. Shakespearetheatre.org
Attention dance lovers! In Fairfax, GMU Center of the Arts presents Martha Graham Dance Company ā the oldest modern dance ensemble in the countryā for just one night (April 13) with a program that showcases the companyās legacy through iconic classics and new work. Cfa.gmu.edu
Also on April 13, bestselling gay author David Sedaris brings his inimitably hilarious take on life to the Strathmore in North Bethesda. Strathmore.orgĀ
Kennedy Centerās Terrace Theater presents Opera Lafayetteās modern premiere of āMouret’s Les FĆŖtes de Thalieā (May 3 and 4), an opĆ©ra-ballet that broke with serious French operas by putting contemporary characters on stage. Renowned French conductor/musician Christophe Rousset conducts. Operalayette.org
At GALA Hispanic Theatre, itās Gustavo Ott and Mariano Valeās āThe Return of Eva PerĆ³n: Momia en el closetā (May 9āJune 9), a dark musical comedy filled with āhistorical intrigue and spine-chilling entertainment.ā (Performed in Spanish with English surtitles.) Galatheatre.org
This spring, Creative Cauldron in Falls Church presents Kirsten Childsā new musical āThe Bubbly Black Girl Sheds Her Chameleon Skinā (May 16-June 9), the humorous and pointed story of a seemingly confident womanās journey through racism, sexism, showbiz, and finally self-acceptance. Angelisa Gilyard directs. Creativecauldron.orgĀ
For one night only, the Alden Theatre in Mclean, Va., presents āMama, Iām a Big Girl Now ā The Three Leading Ladies of āHairsprayāā (Saturday, June 8) with Marissa Jaret Winokur, Kerry Butler, and Laura Bell Bundy. Broadwayās original Tracy, Penny, and Amber are staging a rare reunion to celebrate the hit musicalās 20th anniversary. Mcleancenter.org
And on time for Pride, the Gay Menās Chorus of Washington presents what promises to be a beautifully rendered multidisciplinary event. Titled āPortraitsā (Sunday, June 16 at Lincoln Theatre), the concert features visual art, music, and dance, representing a vibrant spectrum of sexual, gender, racial, ethnic, and cultural identities in a nine-movement commission combining the work of nine visual artists, nine composers, nine choreographers, and sung by the Chorus and featuring 17th Street Dance. Gmcw.org
Theater
āAvaazā traces journey from Iran to California
Olney production brings comedy, singing, improv, and even magic
āAvaazā
Through April 7
Olney Theatre Center
2001 Olney-Sandy Spring Road
Olney, MD 20832
$55-$90
Olneytheatre.org
How better to understand your own motherās psyche than by playing her on stage?
In his solo show āAvaaz,ā queer actor/writer Michael Shayan pretty much does just that. As āRoyaā (not his motherās actual name), he explores how a womanās fun, larger-than-life presence might belie a deeper sadness. Itās a party but not without truth and moving drama.
And now, after a successful world premiere run in Californiaās South Coast Repertory last spring, his play is at Olney Theatre Center (through April 7) before kicking off on a national tour.
āAvaaz,ā a Farsi word for āa song as it is being sung,ā follows Royaās journey from Tehran to what Shayan cheekily tags āTehran-geles, CA, formerly known as Westwood.ā Itās here where the courageous single mother carves out a life for herself and her closeted queer son.
Recently, via phone, Shayan offered a glimpse into his show, describing how we first meet Roya in her heavily chandeliered L.A. living room where sheās marking Nowruz (Persian New Year) with a lavish party; but despite the festive atmosphere thereās some detectable tension in the air.
Over 80 minutes, Royaās story unfolds, alternating between dark revelations and her return to fabulous hostess mode. After all, Roya is entertaining guests ā in this case itās the 200 theatergoers seated in Olney Theaterās intimate Mulitz-Gudelsky space.
He adds, āThereās a lot going on. This show brings everything together: writing, acting, comedy, a little singing, lots of improv, and even some magic.ā
For Shayan, an early and ardent interest in magic set the stage for theater: āAs an illusionist, I was big on the bar mitzvah circuit. With magic, youāre a one man show. There was acting, directing, learning about audience and theatricality. I learned a lot.ā
He also did characters — Elaine Stitch, Bernadette Peters, all the divas, but other than a few snippets of her Persian accent, never his mom.
Higher education lured Shayan eastward. A Harvard grad with an MFA in playwriting from Brooklyn College, his bio includes gigs such as Emmy-nominated writer and consulting producer on āThe Book of Queerā for Max and worked on āWeāre Here,ā the Emmy-winning Max show featuring former āDrag Raceā contestants.
But the actual genesis of Roya, and in turn āAvaaz,ā was sparked at a Lambda Literary Retreat. āWe were doing an exercise where you put your hand on your heart and feel the heartbeat of a character. I felt my momās heartbeat, and listened to what she had to say.
āIād always wanted to better understand my mother and had even interviewed her in the past, but it was at the Lambda retreat that a first draft really poured out. And still, more continues to be revealed about her past and our dynamic.ā
When asked exactly how he approaches the part, Shayan, who exudes warmth and humor, replies, āItās about the channeling of energy and personality.ā
Visually, heās not exactly going for total realness. Shayan paints his nails but keeps his full beard. Emmy-winning costume designer Joshua “Domino” Schwartz dresses him in a golden Persian-inspired robe over pants emblazoned by a single outsized Gucci logo. Ā
āWhen I put that on, I become Roya, baby,ā Shayan says. āItās very powerful. Itās a ritual. There are several pieces. My posture changes.ā
Royaās over the top dĆ©cor comes compliments of Tony Award-winning set designer Beowulf Borritt.
And because Roya leans on humor to pivot away from whatās uncomfortable, Shayan indulges in a bit of standup: āTony-nominated director Moritz von Stuelpnagel and I share a language ā not Farsi, but humor. Recently he surprised me by singing a Persian pop song pitch perfect and almost word perfect. I call him Persian adjacent. Heās a comic genius.ā
As both performer and writer, his solo show is serving up new opportunities for the Iranian American theater maker.
Playwright Stephen Adly Guirgis, whom Shayan describes as both an inspiration and a friend, has given him parts in several readings of some funny and moving new works. He says, āIād like to be acting more, but my writing career is busier than ever.ā
These days, Shayan very happily splits time between New York and L.A., depending on when and where heās needed for each of his many projects.
There isnāt a lot of down time, and he couldnāt be happier.
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