Scranton Fringe Fest celebrates Pride Month with Big Gay StorySlam at Radisson Hotel on June 4 – NEPA Scene
From a press release:
The Scranton StorySlam has been a popular recurring event in Northeastern Pennsylvanian, starting with its first slam in March of 2012 and becoming part of the Scranton Fringe Festival’s year-round arts programming in the spring of 2016.
The joy of StorySlam is that any kind of story can be spun within the theme. Stories can range from pants-peeing hilarity to soul-wrenching heartbreak. Within the framework of (approximately) five-minute true, firsthand stories, StorySlams are an irresistible fusion of theatre, memoir, and documentary art.
Breaking out of the long-running 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 heartache with supportive audiences.
Presented by Realty Network Group and Glint of Gold, the next Big Gay StorySlam is coming to the Radisson Lackawanna Station Hotel (700 Lackawanna Ave., Scranton) on Saturday, June 4 at 7 p.m.
Reviving the show for the first time since 2019 in tandem with Pride Month, featured storytellers include creatives and community leaders from across the region, such as Glynis M. Johns (she/her), Anne Wolfe (they/them), John Piv (he/him), Rabbi Daniel Swartz (he/him), Arthur W. Breese (he/him), and Savanah Drummond (they/them), among others.
The emcee, Pissi Myles, is an accomplished drag comedian, singer, and hostess. Always one to make a scene, she partnered with the streaming news app Happs in 2019 to cover Donald Trump’s impeachment. Donning a red mini dress and a patriotic updo, Myles caused a stir on Capital Hill, leading to stories from The Washington Post, NBC, and the New York Post.
In addition to her weekly shows in New York City, she continues to produce hilarious parodies like her viral hit single “Babashook.” She has performed at the legendary Wigstock and has been featured on Billboard, Vogue, Cosmopolitan, Huffington Post, RuPaul’s “What’s the Tee?” podcast, and more.
Funds raised by this event support Scranton Fringe and allow it to continue bringing dynamic arts programming to life in the city. At a time when LGBTQ+ hate crimes and oppressive legislation are on the rise, this nonprofit organization believes an evening celebrating the queer community and supportive allies is a much-needed event. In March, the CDC released data that one in five LGBTQ+ youth seriously considered attempting suicide in the 12 months before the survey.
Tickets, which are $15, are on sale now via Eventbrite and scrantonfringe.org and will also be available at the door.
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