Celebration Productions Corporation

THEATRICAL PERFORMANCES CELEBRATING THE LGBTQIA+ COMMUNITY

IN JULY 2021 AFTER DECADES OF VOLUNTEERISM CELEBRATION THEATRE HIRED ITS FIRST PAID PART-TIME ARTISTIC DIRECTOR ONTO ITS OPERATING STAFF. IN NOVEMBER 2021 THE THEATRE HIRED ITS FIRST FULL-TIME EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR. IN JANUARY 2022 THE THEATRE HIRED TWO PART-TIME PAID ROLES: ASSOCIATE ARTISTIC DIRECTOR AND DIRECTOR OF PRODUCTION. THIS IS PART OF A BROAD EFFORT TO MOVE ARTISTS AND ARTS WORKERS INTO COMPENSATED POSITIONS TO REFLECT OUR COMMUNITY VALUES AND LONG-TERM SUSTAINABILITY EFFORTS AS WELL AS RESPOND TO COMPLIANCE MANDATES DUE TO CALIFORNIA'S AB5 LAW. IN OCTOBER 2021 CELEBRATION THEATRE PRESENTED THE OUTOBER FESTIVAL A WEEKLONG SERIES OF FOUR EVENTS HONORING "COMING OUT" STORIES AMONG OUR LGBTQIA+ COMMUNITY. THE FESTIVAL ENGAGED 46 ARTISTS AND SAW 166 IN-PERSON AND 670 STREAM ATTENDANCE. IT WAS THE THEATRE'S FIRST IN-PERSON PROGRAMMING SINCE THE 2020 PANDEMIC CLOSURES. THE FIRST PRESENTATION WAS A SITE-SPECIFIC STAGED READING OF MERRILL MUSHROOM'S BAR DYKES ON LOCATION AT HOLLYWOOD'S BROADWATER PLUNGE BAR. THE ENTIRE CAST AND CREATIVE TEAM WAS COMPOSED OF QUEER WOMEN TRANS FEMME ARTISTS. THE THEATRE THEN PRESENTED A PANEL CONVERSATION WITH THEATER MAKERS DISCUSSING STIGMA AROUND BISEXUALITY PAIRED WITH A READING OF A NEW PLAY BY A CELEBRATION THEATRE COMPANY MEMBER. THE THIRD PRESENTATION WAS THE DEBUT OF HEAR THEM LOUD A ONE-NIGHT PROGRAM OF NEW WORKS PERFORMANCES FROM TGNC TRANSGENDER NONBINARY GENDER NONCONFORMING ARTISTS DIRECTED AND PRODUCED BY TGNC ARTISTS. THE FESTIVAL CONCLUDED WITH A ONE-NIGHT CABARET CALLED RING OF KEYS WHICH INCLUDED REVELATORY COMING-OUT SONGS WEAVED WITH TESTIMONIAL-DRIVEN STORYTELLING FROM THE LGBTQIA+ ENSEMBLE. IN DECEMBER 2021 CELEBRATION THEATRE FILMED ITS GRANT-SUPPORTED PROJECT INDIGIQUEER IDENTITY: RECLAIMING PAST PRESENT AND FUTURE WHICH COMMISSIONED A SERIES OF SHORT PLAYS AS A DIGITAL THEATRE OFFERING FREE TO THE PUBLIC. THE PROJECT ENGAGED 5 LGBTQIA+ ARTISTS OF INDIGENOUS IDENTITY TWO SPIRIT QUEER TRANSFEMME AND PAN AND SAW 217 ONLINE VIEWS THROUGH FEBRUARY 2022. THE PROJECT WAS THE FIRST OF A TWO-YEAR PILOT PROGRAM. IN MARCH APRIL 2022 THE THEATRE RETURNED TO MAIN STAGE PRODUCTION RUNS WITH A REVIVAL OF THE JONATHAN TOLINS SOLO PLAY BUYER & CELLAR STARRING MIKE MILLAN DIRECTED BY KATIE LINDSAY. THE PLAY ENGAGED 12 ARTISTS AND SAW LIVE ATTENDANCE OF 648 PATRONS OVER 25 PERFORMANCES. IN MAY 2022 CELEBRATION THEATRE CONTINUED ITS PARTNERSHIP WITH CITY OF WEST HOLLYWOOD TO PRODUCE A DIGITAL THEATRE PRESENTATION OF THE PATRICIA LOUGHREY PLAY DEAR HARVEY TO COMMEMORATE HARVEY MILK DAY AND KICK OFF THE CITY'S "ONE CITY ONE PRIDE" FESTIVAL. THE PIECE INCLUDED AN ALL-TRANSGENDER AND NONBINARY CAST ENGAGING 10 ARTISTS AND GARNERING 300 VIEWS ONLINE. FOR PRIDE MONTH IN JUNE 2022 CELEBRATION THEATRE CREATED A NEW SERIES TO CENTER STORIES OF TGNC HISTORICAL FIGURES CALLED TALES OF THE TRANCESTORS. BASED ON TRUE ACCOUNTS THE PROGRAM WAS AN INTERPRETIVE FIRST-TIME LIVE TELLING OF TRANSGENDER STORIES ACROSS HISTORY. A MULTI-GENRE EXPERIENCE INCLUSIVE OF MUSIC POETRY AND ONE-ACTS 6 ARTISTS OF INTERSECTIONAL TRANSGENDER EXPERIENCE BROUGHT THEIR INTERPRETATION OF THESE STORIES TO THE STAGE. PILOTED DURING THE HOLLYWOOD FRINGE FESTIVAL THE SERIES ENGAGED 9 TGNC ARTS WORKERS OVER 7 PERFORMANCES FOR 159 THEATRE PATRONS. AMONG MANY POSITIVE REVIEW ONE TGNC PATRON SHARED: "A DEEPLY EMOTIONAL POWERFUL SHOW. [...] THE SHOW PERFORMS A VALUABLE SERVICE BY SPOTLIGHTING THESE OFT-FORGOTTEN PEOPLE BUT NEVER FORGETS TO MOVE AND ENTERTAIN IN THE PROCESS; I FOUND MYSELF INSPIRED MOVED TO LAUGHTER AND MOVED TO TEARS AT VARIOUS POINTS THROUGHOUT. IT'S A PROFOUND AND WORTHWHILE EXPERIENCE FOR TRANS ATTENDEES LIKE MYSELF AND CIS ATTENDEES ALIKE." THE IMPACT OF THIS DEBUT INSPIRED THE THEATRE TO CONTINUE THE PROGRAM AS AN ANNUAL SERIES.