This isn't your ordinary history project.
In what has become an important piece of contemporary queer theatre, three of Canada's most gifted performers - Damien Atkins, Paul Dunn, and Andrew Kushnir - go on a search way past Google in order to find the history of gay people.
The trio start their quest by looking back at their own lineages and move along to the library, the Yellow Brick Road, Ukraine, a game show, and a court. They discover handfuls of forgotten heroes and stories, but also visit some well-known names, compiling everything into one extraordinary history lesson that shines new light on contemporary gay culture.
Equal parts personal curiosity, answers to the past, and information for the future, The Gay Heritage Project is a hilarious, thought-provoking meta tale that inspires, comforts, challenges, and empowers.
Author Biography:
Damien Atkins is an actor and playwright who was born in Australia and grew up in Edmonton. As author and performer, his work includes the solo shows miss chatelaine, Real Live Girl, and We Are Not Alone, as well as the full-length plays Good Mother, Lucy, and The Mill, Part Four: Ash.
He has been playwright-in-residence at the Canadian Stage Company, Factory Theatre, Crow's Theatre, and at the University of British Columbia. He is the recipient of four Dora Mavor Moore Awards and six additional nominations for acting and writing. Damien is a member of the Theatrefront Ensemble and a former guest instructor at the National Theatre School. He makes his home in Toronto.
Paul Dunn is a playwright based in Stratford, Ontario. His plays have been produced by Theatre Direct (BOYS), the Stratford Festival (High-Gravel-Blind), Studio 180 Theatre (Offensive Shadows—Audience Choice Award, SummerWorks Festival), cart/horse theatre (Dalton and Company), and Roseneath Theatre (Outside—Dora Award Nomination, Outstanding New Play, TYA). His play Memorial received an honourable mention from the Herman Voaden National Playwriting Competition. He is also an actor and has worked in theatres across the country.
Andrew Kushnir is a playwright, actor, and director based in Toronto. He is the artistic director of Project: Humanity (www.projecthumanity.ca), a leading developer of Verbatim Theatre. His produced plays include The Middle Place (Canadian national tour, Toronto Theatre Critics Award), Small Axe, Wormwood (as playwright-in-residence at Tarragon Theatre), and Freedom Singer (co-created with Khari Wendell McClelland, two Canadian national tours). He is a four-time Dora Mavor Moore Award nominee, a graduate of the University of Alberta, and a Loran Scholar.