Sexy, Silly and Scandalous

June is hot, steamy, and sweaty in Tallahassee.  And I'm not just talking about the weather.  I'm talking about the rehearsals and preparations for the summer cabaret show, "Faust with Benefits". 

The start of Gay Pride Month means the beginning of the Fourth Annual Queer As Faust Festival in Railroad Square.  Our theater troupe, known for original skits and songs and really bad jokes, has crafted a show that would make the beard of a bullying Archbishop fall out.   We're also bringing back Faustkateer-in-exile and longtime gay activist Rob Nixon for a photography exhibit and sharing his memories of the growth of Pride Week in the capital city back in the early 1990s.   And we'll put our queer-themed skits on local radio station V-89 FM at the end of the month!

To help us pay for all our fun, our Faust member Stacey Abbott is holding a fundraiser at her yoga studio to introduce people to "Flow Yoga" and collect some cash for Faust.

This is one of the more exciting events that Faust does.  A bunch of us who self-identify as "queer" or "gay" or "lesbian" were bemoaning the lack of gaycentric-themed events in Tallahassee during the height of Gay Pride Month.   The local gay community center had moved Pride to April, and while it is more comfortable to spend time outdoors during the more temperate early spring in Tallahassee, it felt out-of-step with the history of why we celebrate in June.  Stonewall did not happen when New York City was enjoying the cool and often rainy spring!  Hence, the Faustkateers boldly decided to brave the sizzle of a Tallahassee summer to entertain the adoring masses.

I'm in many skits in this show.  I'm an android of amazing proportions; a dancing dyke; an M2F bar patron; and a crazy character caught in a spoof of a 1980s video.  I've had more fun directing this show than I have in the past which is a good thing, and I'm hoping that the end product will delight the audience.

Or, at least, make them blush!