A riotous blend of satire, heart, politics and chaos, Here & Queer – A Series of Short Plays About Living Out Loud is set to bring audiences an evening of bold queer storytelling that is equal parts hilarious and heartfelt.
Created by Penrith based playwright and theatre-maker Jye Bryant, Here & Queer is a vibrant collection of short plays exploring identity, love, family, class, community politics and the beautifully messy business of being queer.
From conspiracy-fuelled activists and gay “membership revocations” to awkward family revelations and existential spirals, the production celebrates the complexity of queer life while embracing humour as both survival and resistance.
“Living out loud isn’t always neat – but it is always necessary,” says Bryant.
The season features six short plays drawn from a larger twelve-play collection developed by Bryant over recent years. Several works have already received productions and staged readings across Australia, the United States and the United Kingdom, reflecting a growing appetite for queer stories that balance humour with emotional honesty.
Bryant describes the project as both an artistic evolution and a personal creative rediscovery.
“In 2007, I wrote Rainbow Tears – Three Short Plays for the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras festival. At the time, I was younger and took life - and theatre - very seriously. Those plays explored coming out, youth suicide and the lack of LGBTQIA+ rights before marriage equality,” Bryant explains.
“Since then, I’ve softened without losing my politics. Here & Queer reflects a writer who still cares deeply, but now understands the power of laughter as resistance.”
The project also emerged from Bryant’s desire to reconnect with the fundamentals of playwriting after experiencing a creative slowdown in musical theatre writing.
“What began as a way to rebuild creative confidence became something much more personal - a reconnection to queer storytelling, community and the joy of writing for the stage.”
The production features an accomplished cast of performers whose careers span musical theatre, opera, cabaret, television and education.
Tim Martin brings more than two decades of performance and drama education experience to the production. A respected theatre maker and Drama Specialist Teacher for CAPTIVATE Catholic Schools Parramatta Diocese, Tim recently appeared as Benny Southstreet in Guys and Dolls and has directed numerous productions across Sydney. Here & Queer marks his second collaboration with Bryant following The Things I Could Never Tell Steven in 2019.
Gail Waizer joins the production following an extensive career in musical theatre and vocal performance. A university-trained performer and acclaimed vocal coach, Gail has appeared in productions including Les Misérables, Sweeney Todd, Chess, Nine and The Phantom of the Opera. She has previously collaborated with Bryant through workshop productions and recording projects and describes herself as being “filled with glittering rainbow joy” to bring these characters to life.
Damien Noyce brings an international performance career spanning opera houses, cabaret venues and West End stages. A former World Championships of Performing Arts Overall World Champion, Damien has performed throughout Europe and Australia as both a Young Helden Tenor and stage performer. His return to the stage follows several years dedicated to caring for his mother during her battle with Parkinson’s Disease.
Ben Palumbo is a Sydney-based actor and cabaret artist recognised for emotionally fearless and boundary-pushing performances. Trained at WAAPA and NIDA, Ben’s work spans theatre, circus, cabaret and international television appearances including The Voice, Australia’s Got Talent, Britain’s Got Talent and America’s Got Talent. Known for blending physical theatre with a striking soprano-range falsetto, his work frequently explores identity, transformation and gender fluidity.
With biting wit, camp theatricality and emotional sincerity, Here & Queer offers audiences a celebration of queer voices in all their contradiction, vulnerability and joy.
June 10 – 13 at Flight Path Theatre, Marrickville
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