The Dublin Gay Theatre Festival
Dates: 5th - 18th May 2008

Venues: Various, City Centre

  

Launched in  2003 to commemorate the 150th Anniversary of Dublin's greatest theatrical son, Oscar Wilde, The Dublin Gay Theatre Festival is the world's festival dedicated to solely to gay  theatre. And this year's festival promises to be bigger and better than ever, with over 35 production in 10 venues around the city centre. There's a whole fortnight of drama, comedy, tragedy, musical theatre and opera from America, Canada, South Africa, Mexico, Italy, Brazil, The Netherlands, Britain and - of course - Ireland.

This year's Festival see the return of youth theatre, the women's programme, the nightly festival club and the Trinity College academic seminar. There'll also be a brand new series of FREE drama at The George every Sunday afternoon, and a very special guest appearance from multiple Tony and Emmy Award winning playwright  Terrence McNally, whose controversial hit 'Corpus Christi' runs from May 12th to 18th at Smock Alley Theatre.

 

 

 

EVENTS

GAY POSTER ARTWORK EXHIBITION
VENUE:  The Front Lounge, Parliment Street
DATE: 1st - 30th May
TIME: 20.30
ADMISSION: FREE
Visit the 'walk though billboard' of posters and artwork of almost forty plays that can be seen in this year's Festival.

THE STORY OF ZRAZY
VENUE: The George, George's Street
DATE: 11th & 18th May
TIME: 14.30
ADMISSION: FREE
Performing in The George, Ireland's leading lesbian duo Carol and Maria give an insight into their successful careers as jazz musicians.

BEST MAN
VENUE: The New Theatre
DATE:12th - 17th May
TIME: 15.00 (17th only) / 20.00
ADMISSION: €14 / €12 / €10
Childhood friends Eoin and Michael haven't seen each other in seven years when an unexpected invitation to Michael's engagement party drops through Eoin's letter box. How much have they and their lives changed, and how do they reconcile their past with who they are now? 

CHRISTMAS IN BAKERSFIELD
VENUE: Theatre@Capel Street
DATE: 12th - 17th May
TIME: 15.00 (17th only) / 20.00
ADMISSION: €14.00 / €12.00 / €10.00
It's a case of "Guess Who's Coming to Brokeback Mountain" in this real-life one-man tale of a man bringing his perfect, black boyfriend home to meet his white, ultra-conservative in Bakersfield - the Californian headquarters of the KKK!

SOME ARE PEOPLE
VENUE: The Teacher's Club
DATE: 12th - 17th May
TIME: 15.00 (17th only) / 20.00
ADMISSION: €14.00 / €12.00 / €10.00
Beautiful and mysterious Lydia arrives at gay summer resort mecca Provincetown, and soon bumps into Miss Fitt (aka Tommy) hostess of drag karaoke at the "Gay Bouy" and Anna, the landlady, a massage therapist/tattoo artist who nurses her own wounds.

CORPUS CHRISTI
VENUE:Smock Alley (Studio)
DATE: 12th - 17th May
TIME: 15.00 (17th only) / 20.00
ADMISSION: €18.00 / €16.00 / €14.00 / €12.00
A revival of Terrence McNally's controversial play, which sets the story of a (gay) Jesus in 1950's Corpus Christi, Texas. 

SHORT SHORTS AND VERY SHORTS
VENUE: The Cobalt Cafe
DATE: 12th - 17th
TIME: 20.00
ADMISSION:€14 / 12
A new innovation of short pieces from Ireland and around the world, including:
BLIND DATE (IRELAND) by Vickey Curtis
EMILY BREATHES (USA) by Matt Casarino
TUMBLING DOWN (IRELAND) by Brian Merriman
MAMMY'S BOY (IRELAND) by Suzanne Lakes
TOM CRUISE GET OFF THE COUCH (USA) by Kevin Brofsky
CONNUBIAL CELTS (IRELAND) by Shawn Sturnick

THE COUNTESS & THE LESBIANS
VENUE: Liberty Hall, Smock alley
DATE: 12th - 17th May
TIME: 15.00 (17th only) / 21.00
ADMISSION: €15.00 / €14.00 / €12.00 / €10.00
Irish Revoluntionary Countess Markiewicz, her pacifist sister Eva Gore-Booth and Eva's girlfriend Esther rehearse a play based on Eva's writings while tensions between the three threaten to disrupt the production.

CONFESSIONS OF A MORMON BOY
VENUE:The New Theatre
DATE: 12th - 17th May
TIME:16:30 (17th only)/ 21:30
ADMISSION: €14.00 / €10.00 / €12.00
Steven Fales autobiographical play tells how, after  excommunication, divorce, prostitution and drugs,the sixth-generation Utah Mormon reclaimed more than his kids and a 'Donny Osmond' smile.

LOVE SCENES
VENUE: Theatre @ 105 Capel Street
DATE: 12th - 17th May
TIME: 16:30 (17th )/ 21:30
ADMISSION: €14.00 / €10.00 / €12.00
A sexy, touching, laugh-out-loud funny one-man show about the love lives of six very different gay New Yorkers.

DALLIANCES
VENUE: The Teacher's Club
DATE: 12th - 17th May
TIME: 16:30 (17th )/ 21:30
ADMISSION: €14.00 / €10.00 / €12.00
The lives of three men and one women intertwine in a love quadrangle with very unexpected results.

DOWN DANGEROUS ROAD PASSES
VENUE: Liberty Hall, Smock Alley
DATE: 12th - 17th May
TIME: 16:30 (17th )/ 21:30
ADMISSION: €15.00 / €10.00
Three brothers at very different points in their love lives drive to the spot where their father died fifteen years earlier. Could they have prevented his death? And what secrets are they hiding from eachother?

SLIPPING
VENUE: Smock Alley Studio
DATE: 12th - 17th May
TIME: 16:30 (17th )/ 21:30
ADMISSION: €15.00 / €10.00
Gay high school senior Eli gets a fresh start in Iowa, after his father dies and his abusive lover abandons him - but will he seize it or continue his emotionally destructive ways?

A CONVERSATION WITH TERRENCE MCNALLY
VENUE:Project Arts Centre
DATE:15th March
TIME:18.00
ADMISSION: FREE

(Booking essential - Email: bookconversation@gaytheatre.ie) Four times Tony Award Winner, Emmy Award Winner, Double Guggenheim Fellowship, Vice President of the US Council of Dramatists Guild and playwright Terrence McNally in conversation with double IFTA Award Winner Mark O'Halloran.

SINGING OUT FIVE
VENUE: Cobalt Cafe
DATE:16th & 17th May
TIME: 23.00
ADMISSION:€14.00 / €12.00
What is it about gays and musical theatre?. Festival Director Brian Merriman returns in the fifth is a series of gay interpretations of music, with special Guests Mark Power and Thomas Creighton as they lift the veil and finally answer what lies 'over the rainbow' in a late night show of music, comedy and theatre.

A STINT IN YOUR SPOTLIGHT
VENUE: The George, George's Street
DATE:18th May
TIME: 15.00
ADMISSION: FREE!
Ex-boybander Jack is now a 28 year old semi-recluse with a drug habit and a failed marriage. When he's approached by three drama students who want stage a play about his life, he's forced to face a whole heap of home truths - including his enduring love for premiership footballer Danny.

GALA CELEBRATION & AWARDS
VENUE: The Button Factory
DATE: 18th May
TIME:19.30
ADMISSION: €14
Join the stars of this year's festival for two hours of music, dance, comedy and drama, plus the announcement of six major awards for excellence. Dress to impress and celebrate this special evening. Wrap Party to follow!