Raise your glasses in preparation: Buddies in Bad Times Theatre, a staple in the Toronto community and one of the world’s longest-running queer theatres, celebrates its 35th anniversary by joining the WorldPride festivities with some major productions. Buddies’ annual Queer Pride Festival runs throughout June, and they are proud to join WorldPride with readings of two important plays: Adong Lucy Judith’s Just Me, You, and the Silence and Sarah Schulman’s The Lady Hamlet.
“Since 1979, Buddies in Bad Times Theatre has played an essential role in sharing the stories of our communities through provocative theatre and performance art,” writes TK, arts and culture manager for Pride Toronto, in a press release. “We are very excited that this partnership will present international and Canadian works to a global audience coming to Toronto this year.”
With the Queer Pride Festival, Buddies will be hosting a birthday party to celebrate 35 years of incredible history and the people who have made it possible. Other plans for the festival include a comedy night with such acts as Andrew Johnston’s Bitch Salad and Elvira Kurt. The Bizarre Ball returns, and so do the B-Girlz and the Butch Femme Salon. There’s also a classy new night called Rise, described as “a decadent cocktail of art, dance, striptease and aerial acrobatics . . . the gravity-defying ladies and gentlemen of the brass pole transform Buddies into a sexy, steamy playground.”
“Buddies is thrilled to partner with WorldPride 2014 to present these important international works,” writes Brendan Healey, artistic director for Buddies. “We will see a stellar lineup of Toronto’s most exciting queer entertainers in our theatre.”
Buddies’ Queer Pride Festival runs Sat, May 31–Sun, June 29.
There’s just too much great programming to list here, so check out the Buddies website for more details.
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