Gay youths raising their voices

by Erik Piepenburg

CHICAGO - To mark this Sunday's Gay and Lesbian Pride Parade, the folks at About Face Theatre, Chicago's only resident professional gay and lesbian theatre, present a new play about gay youths finding space in an often hostile world.

About Face Youth Theatre: Raising Voices is a new play performed by Chicago-area lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning youths and their allies. It addresses such issues as sexuality, violence, human rights, and relationships.

Based on oral histories, community stories, archival research and Participant's life stories, the show explores what it means for young gays to uncover the past and connect to the future.

"Raising Voices is an evocation of youth finding their place in their communities by discovering and interpreting the historical lineage that connects them to their past and their future," said co-artistic director Eric Rosen.

Raising Voices is About Face's second piece about the perils and pleasures of growing up gay.

Last year's hit show First Breath, which incorporated first-person narratives written and performed by area high school students, was seen in a condensed version by almost 7,000 Chicagoland students since its debut in October 1999.

"It is incredibly rewarding to help the youth find their individual voices, and to enable them to express themselves through performance," said Brian Goodman, About Face's director of educational programs.

With the debut of Raising Voices, About Face hopes to kick off a new collaboration that will resonate long after the gay pride floats have come to a stop.

* About Face Theatre: Raising Voices runs through July 23 at the About Face Theatre, 3212 North Broadway. For more information, call (773) 549-7943 or visit the theatre's Web site, http://www.aboutfacetheatre.com/

Return to P.E.R.S.O.N. Project Home Page