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21:. out in the mountains I OCTOBER 2006 I MOUNTAINPRIDEMEDIAORG

  

Boston Performer Tnmmv Ilelruntz llisits Burlington

BY LANI STACK
"5 hat is ‘queer theory’ and how '
does it relate to ME?” That’s the
question Dr. Thomas DeFrantz

  

will ask, and try to answer, during a
weeklong Burlington residency, from
October 30 to November 5. “Do queer

theorists help me understand myself? Or
do they spin on gerbil wheels, spouting
ideas without any consideration for

everyday pleasures and pains?” DeFrantz _"

wondered in a recent interview.

DeFrantz, a professor of music and A
theater arts at the Massachusetts Institute
of Technology, will share his discoveries

in two premiere performances of Queer’ ’ ‘ '

Theory! at the Flynn Center, and in pre-

and post—performance discussions. Dur-
ing his residency, he will also impa.rt his
insights in a public forum on queer arts

at R.U.1.2? Community Center, and in dis-
cussions at UVM and other local colleges.
With Margaret Ann Brady, a member of his
theater troupe, the Slippage Ensemble, De-
Frantz will lead a two-part physical theater

workshop and a special Halloween improv
comedy workshop at Flyrmspace, and a
comedy improv workshop for LGBTQA
youth at Outright Vermont.
Boston—area actors Thomas Bardwell,

Amatul Harman, and Albert Chan will join

DeFrantz and Brady in the performances.

Queer _a wickedly satiric “musi-

» cal travesty” co§com,rnissionéd‘by the Flynn -

and Bosborfs acclairfied gay theater company

Theater Offensive, “brings together charac-
ters from the pantheon of ‘queer studies’ to
tease the underpinnings of this new branch
of the academy,” DeFrantz said. “Will queer
studies be useful to queers of any persua-
sion? Or Will it be an ivory-tower distorting
mirror that stretches the everyday into high
theory — just because it can?"

He added, “As someone who identifies
as queer at times, but always as African
American; and as a Midwestemer at times,
but always as male; and as an academic
at times, but always as a performance
artist open to asking questions and trying
new things, I wondered how queer theory
could help me bridge some of the and/but
divides that press on me. This fantastical
movement/music/theater work questions
the foundations of this new branch of the
academy. As I developed the work with
an amazing company of collaborators, we

I found that the sparks fly when people dis-

agree about the importance of race, class,
gender, popular culture, philosophy, and

materialist analyses of everyday queer life.

In other words, the characters ‘carry on,’
as academics do, but in the process come
to see each other as members of a ‘queer
tribe,’ one that must work together or fall
way, way apart.”

Christopher Kaufman, the Flynn's new
programming manager and the founding
executive director of R.U.1.2?, organized
DeFrantz’s Burlington itinerary as one of
his first tasks with the arts venue.

‘He said the Flynn’s artist residencies F

“give audiences and people _in Chittenden

queer lhenrv: Pertnrmrrnres unrl Illnrkshnps

County the opportunity to learn much
more about the artists we’re presenting
than just by buying tickets to the show.” He
added, “Vermont has a very rich tradition
of organizing around lesbian, bisexual, gay,
and transgender issues. The opportunity to’
match Tommy up with R.U.1.2? and Out-
right Vermont is a great partnership." ,

Kara DeLeonardis, executive director of
R.U.1._2? agreed. “One of the reasons we’re
interested in Queer Theory! and having
a discussion group here is to emphasize
the importance of art for the queer com-
munity and let people share their experi-
erices and their stories in an art form like
[DeF‘rantz’s],” she said. “The other reason
is education - to increase the knowledge of
queer life and reduce homophobia through
the visibility and education it can provide
to our allies and the rest of the community.”

Lluvia Mulvaney-Stanak, executive
director of Outright Vermont said she ex-
pects DeFrantz’s comedy improv workshop
for teens, in particular, to resonate with A
local youth.

“We’re always excited to work with any
national queer-related or queer-identified
performers who come to the area," she
said. “Living in Burlington, it's really rare
for our community to have an opportunity
to interact with these people, who seem
larger-than-life, so it’s always a special
treat to have thoseperformers interact
with our youth."

She added, “We’re really excited about
Tommy’s visit in particular because it’s a
comedy workshop. The number one goal
of all our activity-based programs is to
have fun, have a new experience, maybe
spark a new interest. It would be awesome
to have someone be awakened to a whole
new realm they’ve never tried before.” V

Queer Theory! will premiere at the

Flynn Center for the Performing Arts’
F|ynnSpace on Friday and Saturday,
November 3 and 4, at 8 pm. A Q&A
session with the audience will follow the
Friday show and a free pre-performance
lecture on "Transforming Queer Theory
into Laughter" will precede the Saturday
"show at 6:30 pm in the Flynn's adjacent
Amy E. Tarrant Gallery.

5 Tickets for Queer Theory! performances

at the Flynn are $23 for adults and $19
for students — with 25% ticket discounts *
for members of R.U.1.2?, Outright
Vermont, and Vermont Gay Social
Alternatives. Reserve your tickets by
calling 802-86—FLYNN, 802-863-5966, or ._
at www.flynncenter.org.

Lani Stack is a marketing coordinator
V with the Flynn Center.

'A.