Buddies in Bad Times Theatre, through its Youth/Elders Program (YEP) is excited to invite six (6) Rainbow Seniors (aged 50+) to create and perform a 7-10 minute original piece in its Rainbow Seniors Showcase. The program is facilitated by leZlie lee kam, Usman Khan, and Philip Geller.
This program prioritizes rainbow (2SLGBTQ+) seniors (50+) who are:
- Two-Spirit and LGBTQI+ people of colour,
- folx with disabilities,
- deaf and hard of hearing folx and
- LBGT+ newcomers
The Rainbow Seniors Project is an intergenerational creative and community-building process that will culminate in a cabaret presentation of new work centring the experiences and stories of queer seniors. Providing opportunities for queer elders to develop performance and storytelling skills alongside artist mentors, network with queer youth, and share their stories at the Rainbow Seniors Showcase. The new, season-long program will have a broad impact through the creation of a handbook as a resource for organizations engaging in similar work with intergenerational queer communities.
The showcase will occur on Saturday, May 25 (1-4PM), in-person at Buddies in Bad Times Theatre. The full program begins in February 2024 and will include pairing with a mentor for monthly check-ins and monthly skill building workshops. These workshops will be held in-person and online.
Each participant will receive a payment for the monthly mentorship workshops and a separate performance payment for showcase.
We welcome all forms of expression including dancing, singing, burlesque, drag, music, comedy, or anything creative that you would like to show the public and tell your story.
We are mindful of keeping this process comfortable and welcoming for all participants.
How to apply
Application deadline: February 2, 2024
Please e-mail your responses to the following questions to jacob@buddiesinbadtimes.com:
- Name and Contact Info (best time of day to reach you)
- Please share a bit about yourself and why you want to perform in the showcase.
- What kind of performance are you thinking of doing on stage? Drag, burlesque, song, dance, spoken word, comedy, etc.
- Are you available for 4 months? Monthly workshops run from February to May.
- Please share any accessibility requirements you have in participating.
Or, fill out this google form.
More from leZlie and Usman
Program partners
community + education partner
The Rainbow Seniors Project sponsor