Spectrum South’s first-ever Vie de Femme event celebrating queer femme identity across the spectrum was held on March 29, 2018 at the Sharespace Preston Warehouse. The evening was a queer twist on Women’s History Month and featured musical, burlesque, and spoken word performances by artists of various femme expressions.…
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Providing Platforms: Emilio Rodriguez Brings Queer Latino Play ‘Swimming While Drowning’ to UH
Posted on March 30, 2018“You just don’t have the look.” This was the argument that queer Latino actor and playwright Emilio Rodriguez continuously faced from casting directors. After receiving his Bachelor of Fine Arts in theatre studies from the University of California at Irvine, Rodriguez eagerly entered the industry only to have one audition inquiry after another declined. “So, I began writing roles for characters that look like me,” Rodriguez explains. “To represent characters who were experiencing what I went through, no matter what…
Rebel Mariposa Creates Vegan Tex-Mex Eats and Queer-Inclusive Nightlife at La Botánica
Posted on March 21, 2018La Botánica, a vegan eatery and bar, is defying norms in the San Antonio restaurant scene. In a city that loves queso-filled Tex-Mex food and in a state that boasts damn good barbecue, La Botánica offers an alternative option with Mexican-inspired, plant-based food created by queer chef and co-owner, Rebel Mariposa.…
Josh Inocéncio’s ‘The Little Edelweiss’ Brings Queer Theatre to Houston
Posted on March 12, 2018While queer theatre certainly hasn’t breached mainstream Houston culture, one local playwright is trying to change that. On March 24, Houston-native, playwright, and performer Josh Inocéncio brings audiences a developmental production of The Little Edelweiss; or, An Immigrant’s Fairytale, the second installment in Splintered in Three: An American Trilogy, a trilogy that shines light on each of his three cultural backgrounds—Latino, Austrian, and Appalachian. The first play, Purple Eyes, which dramatizes the intersections of Latinidad and queerness, recently had its…
That Damn Dame: Mars Capone Promotes Body Positivity Through Burlesque
Posted on March 9, 2018It’s the last Friday night of the month, and a burlesque troupe dressed in pirate-themed garb takes the stage at Numbers night club in Houston. The dancers of Dem Damn Dames slink their way through tantalizing choreography, peeling off layers of costume jewelry, dresses, and hats. During an interlude, dancers swing to a piano- and drum-heavy tune about pirate code.…
Spectrum South Night at The Catastrophic Theatre Photos
Posted on March 7, 2018The Spectrum South Night performance of Leap and the Net Will Appear was held on February 23 at The Catastrophic Theatre. The thought-provoking, gender-bending play was followed by a post-show discussion led by Spectrum South writers Josh Inocéncio and Crimson Jordan, who answered audience questions about queer identities presented in the evening’s performance.…
WATCH: Asking for a Friend is Now A Queer Love + Sex Video Blog!
Posted on March 2, 2018Asking for a Friend is now a queer love and sex video blog! In this month’s episode, host Dr. Laura McGuire reveals what it means to be a certified sexologist, how to avoid fake “sexperts,” and creating queer-inclusive, sex-positive spaces.…
Talk Derby to Me: Meet Valkyries Power Couple Slayer and Dexter Moon
Posted on February 13, 2018The stars and skates were aligned as Laura Pruett and Amie D. Sue rolled full force into their relationship. This dynamic duo, also known to their Houston Roller Derby Valkyries teammates as Captain Slayer Moon (Pruett) and Coach Dexter Moon (Sue), took their courtship beyond the rink in 2011.…
Take Risks, and the Audience Will Appear: Catastrophic Theatre Premieres Brave Queer Play
Posted on February 12, 2018Rarely do theatres in Houston offer rich experimental plays that depart starkly from the theatrical canon. But The Catastrophic Theatre, building upon its tradition of producing work that “will destroy you,” is premiering a play that is experimental and queer. The company, housed in the MATCH through the facility’s residency program, has consistently produced harrowing works, from Sam Shepard’s Buried Child to Eugene Ionesco’s Rhinoceros. But Leap and the Net Will Appear, which premiered on February 9 and runs through…
OUT of Time: OUTsider Queer Transmedia Fest Returns to Austin
Posted on February 8, 2018Our queer hearts are swelling because OUTsider returns to Austin this Valentine’s Day weekend, February 14 to 18. The queer transmedia festival, known for pushing artistic boundaries, meshes all creative disciplines (film, performances, music, writing, and visual art) for a provocative, out-of-the-box experience.…