'Queering History' staged Oct. 13 to 15

By Chloe Gregg
Associate Editor

LCC’s Performing Arts is putting on a fun and informative show this week with “Queering History.” This play is written by Maggie Keenan-Bolger and directed by Paige Tufford-Dunckel, the Performing Arts coordinator at LCC.

Students can find the play in the Black Box Theatre on the first floor of the Gannon Building, Thursday, Oct. 13 through Saturday, Oct. 15, starting at 8 p.m. each evening. Admission to “Queering History” is $10 for adults and $5 for students with valid IDs.

The play is about a young queer girl named Emma, who is in her history class in high school. Suddenly, her Fairy Queen God Mother, Kinsey Scale, and his Gaggle of Historical Gays, teach her all about queer history.

“This play is really a passion project for the playwright and her work on gathering the material through personal interview with homeless LGBTQ youth in New York – (it is) incredible,” Tufford-Dunckel said. “The play is both funny and touching - informing us, teaching us, getting in our face. It isn't preachy, but tells the story of LGBTQ history through personal stories and humorous scenes.

“I really love the convention the playwright used by bringing in the Fairy God Mother, Kinsey Scale, and the use of the chorus - The Gaggle of Gays - to help tell the story.”

Kinsey Scale, the Fairy Queen God Mother, is played by Vahlarèe Aidan Kakela.

“This role means so much to be able to portray,” Kakela said. “In all the shows I’ve been in, there was never this ‘leading role’ I was destined to play just because most of the roles were for straight white people.

“As someone (who) is non-binary and part of the LGBTQ community, it means so much that the reoccurring stereotype of someone who is a cis white individual isn’t at the forefront of the conversation. It’s about inclusion of everyone, especially myself as a non-binary person of color.”

Kakela said they are most excited for people to take away something from the show because of how much amazing information that is provided to the audience in fun ways.

“There is a lot of factual information that comes out of this show,” Kakela said. “(It would be amazing) for the audience to hear that, and then hopefully start a conversation with others who haven’t seen this show, to be able to shed a little light on not only the history of the LGBTQ community, but also the stories, triumphs and tribulations that go along, too.”

For more information on the show, visit the LCC Performing Arts website here.