Scranton Fringe Fest moves Big Gay StorySlam to June 6 for LGBT Pride Month at Scranton Cultural Center
From a press release:
Breaking out of the long-running Scranton StorySlam series, the Big Gay StorySlam is a celebration of LGBTQ+ voices, welcoming members of the community to share their stories of triumph, disappointment, humor, and heartbreak with supportive audiences.
The joy of a StorySlam is that any kind of yarn can be spun, so the audience never knows what might happen next. Big Gay StorySlam storytellers have shared tales of coming out, hooking up, breaking up, getting married, getting divorced, transitioning, having children, and everything in between. Stories can range from pants-peeing hilarity to soul-wrenching heartbreak. StorySlams are an irresistible fusion of theater, memoir, and documentary art.
In 2019, the Scranton Fringe Festival produced its fifth local installment of the event as well as off-Broadway at the SoHo Playhouse in New York City and for the entire month of August at the world’s largest arts festival, the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in Scotland.
After five years of producing the Big Gay StorySlam as part of its annual fall festival, the Scranton Fringe will present the next event in Shopland Hall at the Scranton Cultural Center (420 N. Washington Ave., Scranton) on Saturday, June 6 in conjunction with national LGBT Pride Month.
Tickets are $10 and can be purchased in advance online via Eventbrite or at the door while supplies last.
New Jersey drag comedian, singer, and hostess Pissi Myles, who has hosted the Big Gay StorySlam for the past few years, will be returning to emcee and entertain the audience once again. Myles received international attention in November when she attended the Congressional impeachment hearing working as a special contributor with Happs News and gaining the nickname “The Impeachment Drag Queen.”
“We believe moving the Big Gay StorySlam to June will not only be a great addition to the fabulous local Pride Month schedule of events, but also give the audience the chance to enjoy this slam outside of Scranton Fringe for the first time,” StorySlam Director Camille Reinecke said.
The Scranton Fringe will partner with organizations such as Queer NEPA to augment the event and further connect with the regional LGBTQ+ community on this new date. Other Scranton StorySlam events are slated to take place in 2020 as well.
Founded in 2015, the Scranton Fringe Festival is a yearly celebration of the performing arts dedicated to creating an accessible artistic platform for artists and audiences, all while promoting the greater Scranton area as a viable creative marketplace. A true incubator of the arts, the Scranton Fringe has grown in size and scope each year and now produces year-round programming, which includes workshops, children’s theatre, concerts, and other special events in Northeastern Pennsylvania and beyond as it begins to develop work to tour.
Over 10,000 audience members have taken part in the work of the Scranton Fringe. Regional as well as international touring artists are welcomed to present original theatre, dramas, music, stand-up comedy, children’s programming, dance performances, and more with no censorship placed on content or artistic expression.
