WEBVTT 00:00:02.720 --> 00:00:05.839 You're listening to Queer Voices on KPFT Houston. 00:00:06.000 --> 00:00:07.120 I am Brett Cullum. 00:00:07.360 --> 00:00:19.679 On this episode, we have Lloyd Powell and Robert Kahn talking about the Mary's naturally bar tops that are going to be on display at the match this coming month in September. 00:00:19.920 --> 00:00:28.480 We also have Brett Martinez and Cindy Wang from Mildred's Umbrellas production of Jen Silverman's Collective Rage. 00:00:28.640 --> 00:00:30.800 That is going to be running in September as well. 00:00:30.960 --> 00:00:32.960 We are so glad that you are here. 00:00:33.280 --> 00:00:36.159 Queer Voices starts now. 00:00:39.759 --> 00:00:45.600 Hi there, and this is Brett Cullum, and today I'm joined by Lloyd Powell, also known as Daddy Lloyd. 00:00:45.679 --> 00:00:50.560 He is a fundraiser, an activist, and an icon of the LGBTQIA Plus community. 00:00:50.719 --> 00:00:57.200 He served as a longtime chairman of the Houston Council of Clubs, helped organize the historic Louie weekend events. 00:00:57.280 --> 00:01:03.679 He has won all sorts of kink and bear titles and known for his unique charisma and appeal in that world as well. 00:01:03.840 --> 00:01:10.959 He is currently the director of Heart of Leather, who is planning a public display of the bar tops from Mary's Naturally. 00:01:11.040 --> 00:01:17.200 They will be exhibited September 9th through the 12th at MATS, the Midtown Arts and Theater Center Houston. 00:01:17.359 --> 00:01:18.400 So welcome, Lloyd. 00:01:18.640 --> 00:01:19.840 Well, thank you very much. 00:01:20.000 --> 00:01:28.079 And with me, we've got Robert Kahn, who is my husband of 30, or my partner of 31 years, husband just since 2017. 00:01:28.159 --> 00:01:29.680 But oh just since. 00:01:30.079 --> 00:01:30.719 Yes, since. 00:01:30.879 --> 00:01:32.079 Yes, yes, yes, yes. 00:01:32.319 --> 00:01:41.840 And we've we've done pretty much most of that that you just talked about side by side all these years, as well as raised two sons and now have six grandchildren. 00:01:42.079 --> 00:01:44.000 Wait, two sons? 00:01:44.560 --> 00:01:45.200 Yeah. 00:01:45.680 --> 00:01:46.640 My gosh. 00:01:46.799 --> 00:01:47.120 All right. 00:01:47.200 --> 00:01:47.680 Well, bless you. 00:01:49.120 --> 00:01:50.000 Did I say 31? 00:01:50.159 --> 00:01:50.719 Oh well. 00:01:50.879 --> 00:01:52.079 Don't listen to what I say. 00:01:52.239 --> 00:01:53.920 Just uh listen to what you think I say. 00:01:54.159 --> 00:01:54.480 All right. 00:01:54.879 --> 00:01:55.439 I'm fine. 00:01:55.599 --> 00:01:59.599 I I'm glad to have the the ride-along and your ride or die with you. 00:01:59.840 --> 00:02:05.439 Now, Mary's naturally, the bar, it opened in 1972, closed in 2009. 00:02:05.840 --> 00:02:09.280 When did you all get these bar tops? 00:02:09.360 --> 00:02:12.159 And if people know it's it's they're photos, basically. 00:02:12.479 --> 00:02:15.280 No, we have we have the bar top. 00:02:15.520 --> 00:02:17.439 Well, heyman, right that's covered in photos. 00:02:17.520 --> 00:02:17.680 Yes. 00:02:17.840 --> 00:02:19.039 That's covered in photos, yes. 00:02:19.199 --> 00:02:19.759 Oh, I'm sorry. 00:02:19.840 --> 00:02:20.479 If I'm mistaken. 00:02:20.639 --> 00:02:21.280 No, no problem. 00:02:21.520 --> 00:02:24.800 Yeah, no, we yeah, we have all the physical evidence, absolutely. 00:02:25.120 --> 00:02:31.599 Heart of Leather was formerly known as Gulf Coast Archiven Museum of LGBT History, Inc., also known as G Cam. 00:02:31.919 --> 00:02:37.280 G CAM actually got the bar tops several months after the bar closed in 2009. 00:02:37.759 --> 00:02:42.639 There was already an agreement that they would receive them knowing that the bar was closing. 00:02:42.800 --> 00:02:47.280 When it closed, everything got locked up and we didn't get access to them. 00:02:47.599 --> 00:02:55.280 And the building got broken into a couple of times, and the the bar pieces actually got damaged and and basically ripped out. 00:02:55.360 --> 00:03:01.680 Instead of letting G Cam come in and take them out carefully, they got ripped out. 00:03:01.840 --> 00:03:04.800 So that's why their pieces are not, they're broken. 00:03:04.960 --> 00:03:05.199 Yeah. 00:03:05.599 --> 00:03:06.400 They're they're broken. 00:03:06.800 --> 00:03:09.120 The ends are frayed and shattered and all that. 00:03:09.360 --> 00:03:12.479 But now it's just another piece of their history. 00:03:12.719 --> 00:03:19.360 So that's they're they're still in, you know, in our eyes, they're still absolutely beautiful. 00:03:19.680 --> 00:03:21.360 And yeah, they can bring me to tears. 00:03:21.840 --> 00:03:23.919 I don't know if these bar tops could talk. 00:03:24.400 --> 00:03:25.919 Yeah, yeah, yeah. 00:03:26.560 --> 00:03:59.840 And one of the most exciting things that's happened recently is the fact that a photographer here in Houston by the name of Chad Redmond, who has photographed some of the finest arts in the world, including tapestries and historical pieces, has used some of the world's most advanced photography equipment to dig down into the layers of urethane that's over the photos that are on the bar tops to bring out the best colors possible. 00:04:00.080 --> 00:04:12.639 And the bar tops have been photographed, and then now there's a team of people working on piecing those partial images together so that we can get all of that online ultimately. 00:04:12.960 --> 00:04:13.199 Wow. 00:04:13.360 --> 00:04:14.479 Yeah, no, that's amazing. 00:04:14.639 --> 00:04:16.319 I mean, and it's hard to believe. 00:04:16.560 --> 00:04:20.079 How do you know how these bar tops were even made back in the day? 00:04:20.240 --> 00:04:24.800 Like, did they just slip these underneath the thing and then put the polyurethane on them? 00:04:24.879 --> 00:04:46.639 Or what no, actually actually the the owner at the time, Fanny Farmer, you know, saw a lot of his customers dying of AIDS, and this was in the mid-80s, and he's like, you know, we're gonna do something to commemorate all these people, and started laying the photos down, and whatever it whatever type of resin it was that he put over them. 00:04:46.800 --> 00:04:48.240 I mean, it's it's there. 00:04:48.399 --> 00:04:50.240 It's it's it's a bit discolored. 00:04:50.319 --> 00:05:02.480 Of course, some of the bar tops were in the bar inside, some of the bar tops were in the bar outside, so some are in better shape than others, but you can still see through all of that to see what the photos are. 00:05:02.720 --> 00:05:11.839 So we're very excited just to have them and keep them safe and hopefully be able to ultimately restore some of the clarity to it. 00:05:11.920 --> 00:05:15.439 But in the meantime, the photography is gonna work beautifully. 00:05:15.600 --> 00:05:16.000 Yeah. 00:05:16.240 --> 00:05:18.959 Now you've got the match, September 9th through the 12th. 00:05:19.120 --> 00:05:23.839 It's are you gonna be in the exhibition hall or are you gonna be in one of the actual match spaces? 00:05:24.079 --> 00:05:26.240 It is it is the entire gallery there. 00:05:26.319 --> 00:05:28.560 It's a 3,000 square foot gallery. 00:05:28.720 --> 00:05:48.800 So we have the whole thing, and we are not we're going to show the entire the entire Mary's bar top, you know, collection, and then there will be additional smaller exhibits that basically represent just different parts of the community that made up the patrons of Mary's, which was just everybody, really. 00:05:49.040 --> 00:06:04.720 And if you if you were ever actually at Mary's and you saw the things that went on there, there will be remnants, even if we just have to recreate them, and some of them will make you giggle, but they'll bring back some really fond and sexy memories for some people. 00:06:05.040 --> 00:06:06.560 There's always a good time at Mary's. 00:06:06.639 --> 00:06:07.199 I mean, definitely. 00:06:07.519 --> 00:06:08.000 Very interesting. 00:06:08.079 --> 00:06:10.399 And and it tied to your Louis past too. 00:06:10.480 --> 00:06:14.000 I mean, Mary's was a big host of Louie for many years. 00:06:14.399 --> 00:06:14.639 Yeah. 00:06:14.800 --> 00:06:17.360 So, I mean, and those those were some wild parties too. 00:06:17.439 --> 00:06:20.240 So the public can see them September 9th through the 12th. 00:06:20.399 --> 00:06:24.879 Is it it's just they walk in and see them like at any time where they're specific that are gonna be there? 00:06:25.199 --> 00:06:30.720 We the hours, the hours we set, and I can't I can't remember what they are at the moment. 00:06:30.959 --> 00:06:33.680 Honestly, I can't remember exactly what they are. 00:06:33.839 --> 00:06:43.040 I I will tell you though, that we are plan planning on opening up at 10 o'clock on Saturday, the less the last day. 00:06:43.199 --> 00:06:52.720 So from 10 till noon, we're gonna about to start putting the word out for those people who spent time at Mary's to come on over, spend a couple of hours. 00:06:52.879 --> 00:06:56.480 We'll set a bunch of chairs out, and everybody can just sit around. 00:06:56.639 --> 00:07:01.439 And we'd love to hear some of your favorite memories of being at Mary's. 00:07:01.600 --> 00:07:02.480 And we'll record those. 00:07:02.639 --> 00:07:04.399 We yeah, those will be recorded. 00:07:04.480 --> 00:07:05.519 So yeah, yeah. 00:07:05.759 --> 00:07:06.319 That's great. 00:07:06.480 --> 00:07:10.240 Well, tell me a little bit about Heart of Leather, this organization now. 00:07:10.399 --> 00:07:15.040 And and you had referenced earlier that it's it's what GCAM has evolved into. 00:07:15.279 --> 00:07:16.000 Yep, correct. 00:07:16.399 --> 00:07:20.720 G Cam started with 13 people by 2024. 00:07:20.800 --> 00:07:29.040 There was pretty much one person left, and that's Judy trying to keep a hold of all of this stuff in Minnesota. 00:07:29.360 --> 00:07:31.920 So she started talking to us about that before. 00:07:32.079 --> 00:07:36.319 And in October of 2024, we actually made the transition. 00:07:36.480 --> 00:07:52.319 And at first, we were just going to be keeping the leather portion of the community in and and we realized that we can't do that because our community, the Houston community in particular, is so unique in that everybody works together. 00:07:52.480 --> 00:08:00.560 We don't, we don't have a leather community and a drag community and a you know, a lesbian community, and and we all we all are intermingled. 00:08:00.639 --> 00:08:06.879 We we all had to pull together to get through all of the crises that our community has faced over the years. 00:08:07.120 --> 00:08:15.040 So even though we kept the name Heart of Leather, we've transitioned our thought process of what Heart of Leather means. 00:08:15.120 --> 00:08:21.600 And that's for us, leather is durable, leather is strong, leather is tough, and so is our community. 00:08:21.759 --> 00:08:26.000 And our history is the heart of the tough, tough parts of our community. 00:08:26.319 --> 00:08:26.560 Yeah. 00:08:26.800 --> 00:08:29.519 Well, it's a it's incredible to think about these things. 00:08:29.600 --> 00:08:35.600 And and going forward, you know, obviously you're helping to store these, but where do these bar tops go after this exhibition? 00:08:35.759 --> 00:08:37.759 I mean, where are they where are they held? 00:08:38.399 --> 00:09:05.120 They they they will go back into the current storage and everything's gonna stay there until we actually feel like we have the income coming into the foundation where we can at least have a lease space where we have space to not only store the items, but some area to work for cleaning, for restoration purposes, and people can come in and help work with that collection. 00:09:05.279 --> 00:09:13.759 We also need enough space where we can do at least, you know, a small exhibit that we can change out maybe once a quarter or once every couple of months. 00:09:13.919 --> 00:09:42.480 Ultimately, we have hope to have a brick and mortar that belongs to the community where we'll have all of that plus meeting space, education space, and the community can come in and we can have classes where they can learn about our history, they can learn about other things, and just let it be almost like a community center and hold, you know, some of the better events of the community there. 00:09:42.639 --> 00:09:44.159 I mean, that's that's the grand hope. 00:09:44.320 --> 00:09:46.000 That's where we're we're headed with this. 00:09:46.320 --> 00:09:48.720 Well, if anybody can do that, I believe you too can. 00:09:48.879 --> 00:10:00.720 I know you're both connected to so many organizations and so many different things, and and this whole idea, part of your lives have been getting these clubs to work together and collaborate and create that community. 00:10:00.879 --> 00:10:04.720 Because I can tell you, when I first came to Houston, it did feel a little bit disparate. 00:10:04.799 --> 00:10:09.440 It did feel like there was a leather community and then there was a lesbian community, and then there was this and that. 00:10:09.519 --> 00:10:11.200 I think we've evolved over time, you know. 00:10:11.519 --> 00:10:13.200 And it's interesting to watch us, you know. 00:10:13.519 --> 00:10:16.159 You're definitely one of those couples that have rallied that around. 00:10:16.320 --> 00:10:16.559 Yeah. 00:10:16.720 --> 00:10:30.960 And there still really is, but I think our our yeah, our our community, even though there there are those separate pods, I still believe our community has the ability to work together and uh do great things, absolutely great things. 00:10:31.120 --> 00:10:37.759 But uh yeah, that's that's that's to our sponsorship levels, moving forward. 00:10:38.080 --> 00:10:40.960 It's it's gonna take a lot to do what we need to do. 00:10:41.519 --> 00:10:48.240 Everybody everybody needs money, all aspects of our community do, especially when we're trying to help other people at the same time. 00:10:48.480 --> 00:10:51.600 And we don't we don't wanna lay any of that aside. 00:10:51.759 --> 00:10:58.240 But when somebody's got something that they can put into a project like this, because this will help future generations. 00:10:58.559 --> 00:10:58.799 Yeah. 00:10:59.039 --> 00:10:59.840 Well, where can we find you? 00:11:00.000 --> 00:11:00.559 Heart of Leather. 00:11:00.639 --> 00:11:06.559 What what are your heartofleather.org or on Facebook, Heart of Leather Foundation. 00:11:06.799 --> 00:11:09.519 And then we're also on Instagram, Heart of Leather Foundation. 00:11:09.679 --> 00:11:10.080 That's right. 00:11:10.399 --> 00:11:10.639 Okay. 00:11:10.799 --> 00:11:11.919 Well, we will see you. 00:11:12.080 --> 00:11:16.720 I will definitely be there September 9th through the 12th, and I will plan on the 12th, 10 a.m., right? 00:11:16.879 --> 00:11:18.080 That's the gonna be the story time. 00:11:18.320 --> 00:11:19.279 Yes, that's a given. 00:11:19.679 --> 00:11:22.080 Yeah, you can also find out more information. 00:11:22.240 --> 00:11:30.320 We'll be posting a little more information on the website, and then also Match will have a link to it in just probably about a week. 00:11:30.480 --> 00:11:32.320 We have paperwork to fill out for them, by the way. 00:11:32.399 --> 00:11:33.679 Yeah, you've got a job. 00:11:33.840 --> 00:11:34.240 Yeah. 00:11:35.840 --> 00:11:36.320 All right. 00:11:36.480 --> 00:11:38.320 Well, thank you so much for doing this. 00:11:38.399 --> 00:11:39.679 I appreciate it. 00:11:40.000 --> 00:11:40.320 Okay. 00:11:40.720 --> 00:11:42.159 Well, thank you so much. 00:11:42.399 --> 00:11:43.039 Yes. 00:11:52.000 --> 00:12:00.159 Hi there, this is Brett Cullum, and Mildred's Umbrella is producing a new show to kick off their 25th season on September 3rd. 00:12:00.320 --> 00:12:03.440 It runs through the 19th at Spring Street Studio. 00:12:03.679 --> 00:12:10.320 Collective Rage by Jen Silverman follows five very different women, all named Betty. 00:12:10.720 --> 00:12:17.519 One is rich, one is lonely, one is charismatic, one is lovelorn, and one spends her time, well, working on her truck. 00:12:17.679 --> 00:12:24.000 So when one Betty decides to stage a play, their lives collide at the intersection of rage, love, and like theatre. 00:12:24.320 --> 00:12:28.799 Wildly funny, fiercely queer, and unapologetically theatrical. 00:12:29.039 --> 00:12:33.919 This play explores identity, desire, connection in unexpected ways. 00:12:34.159 --> 00:12:43.360 And here is the off-color full title, Collective Rage, a play in five beddies, in essence, a queer and occasionally hazardous exploration. 00:12:43.600 --> 00:12:48.480 Do you remember when you were in middle school and you read about Shackleton and how he explored the Antarctic? 00:12:48.639 --> 00:12:52.720 Imagine the Antarctic as a something that I can't say on the radio. 00:12:53.279 --> 00:12:54.559 And it's sort of like that. 00:12:54.799 --> 00:12:55.120 Okay. 00:12:55.360 --> 00:13:00.080 So with me today are director Rhett Martinez and actress Cindy Wang. 00:13:00.559 --> 00:13:02.559 So welcome, both of you. 00:13:02.799 --> 00:13:03.679 Thank you for having us. 00:13:03.840 --> 00:13:04.639 Hello, hello. 00:13:05.039 --> 00:13:08.559 I feel so ganged up on, but first two against one. 00:13:08.639 --> 00:13:09.279 Get ready. 00:13:10.240 --> 00:13:12.960 And some angry Betty's energy in the room. 00:13:13.120 --> 00:13:14.320 But Mildred's Umbrella. 00:13:14.399 --> 00:13:15.200 Let's talk about that first. 00:13:15.279 --> 00:13:16.159 Tell me about the company. 00:13:16.320 --> 00:13:18.639 What is the vision of Mildred's Umbrella? 00:13:18.879 --> 00:13:20.399 So this is the 25th season. 00:13:20.559 --> 00:13:28.639 Jennifer Decker, our artistic director, had created this company with a few other people 25 years ago to represent women in the theater. 00:13:28.720 --> 00:13:31.840 And their mission is to center women in the space. 00:13:31.919 --> 00:13:35.120 And that usually means a women playwright, but not always. 00:13:35.279 --> 00:13:42.320 And it usually means mostly female, or in this case, an all-female cast, or at least a central female storyline. 00:13:42.399 --> 00:13:45.919 The whole idea is to just center women in every way possible. 00:13:46.080 --> 00:13:47.360 And that's just been the mission forever. 00:13:47.600 --> 00:13:52.320 The name Mildred's umbrella actually comes from a Gertrude Stein quote. 00:13:52.480 --> 00:13:53.519 You have to talk to Ms. 00:13:53.679 --> 00:13:54.639 Decker about that one. 00:13:54.720 --> 00:13:56.159 I forget the actual origin of it. 00:13:56.320 --> 00:14:01.039 It's a poetic reference to the struggles that women have had throughout, you know, history. 00:14:01.200 --> 00:14:06.960 And I guess it's it's like it's the year 2026, so back to 2020, 2001, excuse me. 00:14:07.120 --> 00:14:09.519 You know, things were a little different back in 2001. 00:14:09.679 --> 00:14:12.240 The Houston theater scene was quite different, as I recall. 00:14:12.399 --> 00:14:15.360 Back in 2001, there just weren't that many companies around. 00:14:15.440 --> 00:14:16.879 And now there are a lot more companies. 00:14:17.120 --> 00:14:23.120 Even now, 25 years later, there's a lot of great women out there working on the stage, a lot of great women directors and writers. 00:14:23.200 --> 00:14:26.000 But I still think we are the only one that censors women. 00:14:26.159 --> 00:14:30.320 That sounds kind of funny coming from a man, but they still have men roles in some of the plays. 00:14:30.480 --> 00:14:32.559 And me and Jen work very well together. 00:14:32.720 --> 00:14:36.960 But uh, it is it is definitely a women's company, and I'm just there to support the mission. 00:14:37.200 --> 00:14:38.720 So, how do you describe this play? 00:14:39.360 --> 00:14:41.200 Collective Rage by Jen Silverman. 00:14:41.360 --> 00:14:44.000 I think, I think Jen Silverman has said quite a few things. 00:14:44.080 --> 00:14:47.279 We read something in the in the rehearsal that put it in her words. 00:14:47.360 --> 00:14:51.039 I can look it up and I'll try to sort of summarize it as best I can. 00:14:51.200 --> 00:15:03.840 But it's about, it began with her feeling like she wasn't safe in certain spaces and that rage that women get when they walk down the street and they get catcalled and their voice gets minimized. 00:15:04.000 --> 00:15:10.240 And so she sort of took that and tried to find, I guess, the most concentrated industrial strength version of that. 00:15:10.559 --> 00:15:14.639 But the other thing the play is about is that it's universal. 00:15:14.799 --> 00:15:21.120 And in fact, one of the things we talked about in our dramaturgy, Jen Silverman, did an essay about this play and what it's about. 00:15:21.679 --> 00:15:30.879 And I specifically love that because I am not a woman and I am not gay, and yet I feel like this play is for me. 00:15:31.120 --> 00:15:35.039 And it's not only for me, of course, but I feel like I'm welcome to the party. 00:15:35.200 --> 00:15:36.399 That's really what it is, isn't it? 00:15:36.559 --> 00:15:42.240 I'd love to hear what Cindy thinks, but I I think it's in my head, it's a party that we're all invited to. 00:15:42.399 --> 00:15:54.799 And it happens to be that the five people at this party are women, and it happens to be that the driving force of some of their narrative is queer-centered struggles, queer-centered identity. 00:15:54.960 --> 00:16:04.000 But like all great works of art, it is universal, and you don't need to be those things to get something from this, to actually glean something from the story. 00:16:04.240 --> 00:16:13.200 And that's what gay women have been forced to do forever by looking at stories like Death of a Salesman, which doesn't represent them. 00:16:13.360 --> 00:16:17.120 But yet they're expected to find the universal in that. 00:16:17.360 --> 00:16:25.519 However, when it comes time for a play that's all women cast and a woman playwright, suddenly somehow it's not for everyone. 00:16:25.679 --> 00:16:29.279 And this play really challenges that idea, and I think it does it brilliantly. 00:16:29.360 --> 00:16:32.399 It it breaks my heart and makes me laugh every single day. 00:16:32.480 --> 00:16:34.000 And I don't feel excluded at all. 00:16:34.159 --> 00:16:35.519 I feel very much included. 00:16:35.840 --> 00:16:36.639 Well, Cindy? 00:16:36.879 --> 00:16:37.360 Yeah. 00:16:37.679 --> 00:16:44.000 So speaking upon the collective rage, there is so much rage in being a woman. 00:16:44.159 --> 00:16:47.440 Like our bodies literally attack us every month. 00:16:47.679 --> 00:16:51.120 We like we have to have babies. 00:16:51.600 --> 00:16:54.799 If anyone's gonna have babies, we have to have babies. 00:16:55.120 --> 00:17:15.039 And something that kind of resonated me with me as well about what Brett was talking about was just this experience I actually kind of had recently and that I have regularly, which is often male workers will come to my house to work on my garden or on the AC unit or something in the house. 00:17:15.279 --> 00:17:16.960 And I'm from Chinatown. 00:17:17.200 --> 00:17:21.039 So if I look at them and I'm like, I could take them, it's fine. 00:17:21.519 --> 00:17:32.640 Every once in a while, if the guy looks real big and like I might not be able to overpower him, I do turn on a YouTube video in my office and tell them that my husband is upstairs working. 00:17:32.880 --> 00:17:36.079 That's the like reality of the world that we live in. 00:17:36.720 --> 00:17:47.119 And as a bisexual woman, it also is a world that we live in that sometimes when you like talk about that with males, it's really sexy. 00:17:47.359 --> 00:17:48.319 It's really cool. 00:17:48.640 --> 00:17:49.200 That's cool. 00:17:49.359 --> 00:17:50.799 So, do you make out with girls? 00:17:51.039 --> 00:18:07.359 There's a lot, there's a lot of things to have rage about, and there's a lot of ways in this world that both as someone who presents or identifies as female or any type of queer that we have to make ourselves smaller and take up less space. 00:18:07.599 --> 00:18:10.640 And I think that that's what this show is about. 00:18:11.039 --> 00:18:19.200 And it it's true, it's not just about women, but it's about feeling like you don't deserve to take up space. 00:18:19.440 --> 00:18:26.400 No matter who you are, no matter how confident you are, no matter no matter how charismatic you are, no matter how straight or gay you are. 00:18:26.640 --> 00:18:34.240 It's feeling like you aren't, you don't have a right to that space for some reason because it's dominated by so many other things. 00:18:34.480 --> 00:18:42.880 And the way I see it is this show is about five very, very different people, but also they're the same person. 00:18:43.680 --> 00:19:09.839 And they are all coming to this journey both separately and together to accept themselves as they are, and that they are enough, even if they don't all get the outcomes that they want, they still come away from it and from this experience, which is really, really crazy and whimsical and nonsensical and graphic. 00:19:10.079 --> 00:19:12.400 And some of these characters are like, I'm here for it. 00:19:12.480 --> 00:19:15.119 And some of these characters are like, What's happening? 00:19:15.359 --> 00:19:22.400 But at the end of it all, everyone reaches a certain place where it's like, if I was down with it, that's okay. 00:19:22.640 --> 00:19:26.240 If I wasn't down with it, that doesn't make me an addict. 00:19:26.400 --> 00:19:30.720 I'm enough as I am, and I just need to speak my truth and be who I am. 00:19:30.880 --> 00:19:38.720 And as long as I check the honesty box on myself, then I have the power to do anything. 00:19:38.960 --> 00:19:42.720 Well, I was curious, um, Jen Silverman, would I know any of her other works? 00:19:43.200 --> 00:19:47.440 The most famous thing that was probably recent was The Roommate, which was on Broadway. 00:19:47.759 --> 00:19:52.000 And uh that was starring Patty Lapone and Mia Farrow. 00:19:52.160 --> 00:19:53.519 I've reached the age, Mia Farrow. 00:19:53.680 --> 00:19:54.319 Yes, thank you. 00:19:54.480 --> 00:19:59.920 Strangely enough, those two women, of course, wonderful actresses, and I imagine it was a f fabulous show. 00:20:00.000 --> 00:20:09.680 Uh, they're a little older than the part is actually the parts are written in that play because I know this because I think is it stages that's doing that play this year in their season? 00:20:09.920 --> 00:20:14.640 And they're gonna, I think they're going to get casted a little closer to the age of the two characters. 00:20:14.720 --> 00:20:15.759 They're supposed to have children. 00:20:16.160 --> 00:20:19.359 I think they're supposed to be in their 50s or something, and Patty Lapone and Ms. 00:20:19.519 --> 00:20:21.920 Farrow are certainly not in their 50s anymore. 00:20:22.240 --> 00:20:22.640 Who cares? 00:20:22.720 --> 00:20:23.519 I would love to see them. 00:20:23.599 --> 00:20:25.039 I'd watch them read the phone book. 00:20:25.119 --> 00:20:26.160 They would be wonderful either. 00:20:26.319 --> 00:20:33.440 But that is, pardon the pun, a bit of a straight play in that it is much more contemporary modern realism. 00:20:33.839 --> 00:20:42.079 I don't remember a single surrealist or absurdist or farcical element in that play, but it's brilliantly crafted. 00:20:42.240 --> 00:20:47.119 As opposed to another play of hers you might know, The Moors, which Mildred's Umbrella did years ago. 00:20:47.279 --> 00:20:50.960 And that is wacky, zany, over the top, big, theatrical. 00:20:51.039 --> 00:20:53.839 But it's always grounded in a reality. 00:20:54.079 --> 00:20:57.200 Jennifer Decker and I read a lot of plays. 00:20:57.279 --> 00:21:05.920 And you get to the point after you've read so many that you can really start to see plays that are even very good and have had good productions and good production histories. 00:21:06.079 --> 00:21:11.200 You can start to sometimes the second or third time see the seams a little bit where the connections are made. 00:21:11.279 --> 00:21:16.880 And I wouldn't say flaws, but a little bit of the like inner workings are kind of showing through when they shouldn't be. 00:21:17.039 --> 00:21:19.519 And what I I have not found that to be the case with Ms. 00:21:19.680 --> 00:21:20.799 Silverman ever. 00:21:20.960 --> 00:21:22.559 She can do no wrong in my book. 00:21:22.880 --> 00:21:23.839 Well, I think it's interesting. 00:21:23.920 --> 00:21:25.759 The is it the roommate? 00:21:26.000 --> 00:21:26.799 Yeah, the roommate. 00:21:27.039 --> 00:21:27.279 Yes. 00:21:27.440 --> 00:21:27.599 Yeah. 00:21:27.839 --> 00:21:32.319 Stages is doing it this year, but last season, the suburbia did it. 00:21:32.559 --> 00:21:33.279 Which is crazy. 00:21:33.440 --> 00:21:33.599 Yeah. 00:21:33.759 --> 00:21:34.799 They were beating them to the punch. 00:21:34.880 --> 00:21:36.319 So Jen Silverman everywhere. 00:21:36.559 --> 00:21:39.119 She is dominating our local scene right now. 00:21:39.279 --> 00:21:43.200 So why does this kind of feel new for Mildred's umbrella in a weird way? 00:21:44.000 --> 00:21:49.359 You know, I I feel like Mildred's umbrella has always championed the outside the box. 00:21:49.519 --> 00:22:01.680 I want to when I was started coming to the theater in Houston and I didn't know everybody, I gravitated towards Mildred's because Jennifer Decker always chooses the most amazing material and it's Not material you're going to see anywhere else. 00:22:01.839 --> 00:22:08.799 I could say similarly that Jason at Catastrophic Theater picks material that you're not going to see anywhere else in Houston. 00:22:08.960 --> 00:22:17.519 But that is a different, more of an avant-garde, experimental theater that Catastrophic does brilliantly and nobody else is doing it, what they do, the way they do it. 00:22:17.680 --> 00:22:35.839 And I really think despite even if Jennifer hadn't made it her mission to have a theater company that was women-centered, if she just had a theater company that was less specific than that in its mission statement, she would still have always picked plays that, in my humble opinion, were under the radar. 00:22:37.200 --> 00:22:40.640 They were not off Broadway last season with a movie star in them. 00:22:40.720 --> 00:22:43.359 So we have to do them this year now in the regional theaters. 00:22:43.519 --> 00:22:48.079 Nothing wrong with those plays, but you're not going to find these for sale at Barnes and Noble. 00:22:48.160 --> 00:22:49.119 It's not going to happen. 00:22:49.359 --> 00:22:56.000 So, but they're there and they are brilliant and they are known within the theater world, but they're not as well known. 00:22:56.160 --> 00:22:58.079 Their names don't ring out as much. 00:22:58.319 --> 00:23:00.960 And yet they resonate and stay with you forever. 00:23:01.119 --> 00:23:06.960 And she's just always had the most uncanny ability to find those material. 00:23:07.200 --> 00:23:13.359 So I don't know that this particular script feels very different than the Mildred's experience. 00:23:13.680 --> 00:23:20.799 This season might be the first season ever that Mildred's has had exclusively women actors on the stage. 00:23:20.880 --> 00:23:23.759 There will be no male actors on the stage at Mildred's this season. 00:23:24.240 --> 00:23:25.839 Exclusively women playwrights. 00:23:26.079 --> 00:23:26.799 There's only two women. 00:23:27.119 --> 00:23:31.920 And in both plays, Anthropology and Collective Rage, center queer characters. 00:23:32.079 --> 00:23:34.799 And that wasn't necessarily what we set out to do. 00:23:34.960 --> 00:23:36.480 It just sort of happened. 00:23:36.640 --> 00:23:38.799 And yet it's somehow perfect. 00:23:38.960 --> 00:23:41.200 So in that way, I guess it is new for Mildred's. 00:23:41.519 --> 00:23:42.640 Yeah, no, definitely. 00:23:42.880 --> 00:23:51.599 There is this sense of I went for a long time trying to get Jennifer onto queer voices, and she kept telling me, well, there's nothing really queer about this play that I've chosen. 00:23:51.680 --> 00:23:53.039 And I'm I'm like, oh, okay. 00:23:53.200 --> 00:23:56.400 And then finally she came to me and was like, this season I'm gonna be talking to you. 00:23:57.279 --> 00:23:58.799 And I was like, okay. 00:24:00.079 --> 00:24:04.559 You can make anything queer, just saying anything can be made queer. 00:24:05.039 --> 00:24:06.000 Come on, it's theater. 00:24:06.160 --> 00:24:06.880 It's already there. 00:24:10.799 --> 00:24:21.279 Brent, in the last conversation we had, I think we talked a little bit about growing up and and maybe the kids today, these kids today in their schools have the gay straight alliance. 00:24:21.359 --> 00:24:23.359 But in our day, it was just called drama club. 00:24:23.519 --> 00:24:24.799 Yes, it was. 00:24:25.839 --> 00:24:29.759 And it wasn't just for the queer kids, it was for anybody that just didn't fit. 00:24:29.920 --> 00:24:30.160 Exactly. 00:24:30.400 --> 00:24:32.000 So it was back to the vetting. 00:24:32.400 --> 00:24:33.359 Neurospicy and queer. 00:24:33.680 --> 00:24:34.960 Neurospicy, I love it. 00:24:35.039 --> 00:24:35.599 And allies. 00:24:35.680 --> 00:24:37.119 I mean, that's where allies were born. 00:24:37.200 --> 00:24:39.440 That's where my ally to the community was born. 00:24:39.519 --> 00:24:42.160 It was just, you know, being around people from the age of 14. 00:24:42.240 --> 00:24:45.359 And by the time I was a little bit older, I was like, I don't even understand what we're talking about. 00:24:45.519 --> 00:24:46.480 What does it matter? 00:24:46.799 --> 00:24:48.240 But not everybody's exposed to that. 00:24:48.480 --> 00:24:49.039 No, they're not. 00:24:49.119 --> 00:24:51.279 But Cindy, how did you end up in this mix? 00:24:51.359 --> 00:24:54.160 I know this is your first production with Mildred's? 00:24:54.400 --> 00:24:55.440 With Mildred's, yes. 00:24:55.680 --> 00:24:57.359 What have you been doing since before? 00:24:58.480 --> 00:25:03.920 Well, I recently just finished directing Phenomenomaly at Meow Wolf. 00:25:04.480 --> 00:25:09.599 And it's been very interesting because there's been an overlap with my time here at Mildred's. 00:25:09.839 --> 00:25:14.960 And like Phenomenomaly is about a cosmic animal migration. 00:25:15.440 --> 00:25:27.039 It's like really crazy, kind of sleep no more, but family friendly, where there's different scenes unfolding and different rooms, and there's like a lot of whimsies, and the costumes are larger than life. 00:25:27.200 --> 00:25:34.640 And they are they were actually, I think, originally created by the costume for Lady Gaga's last tour. 00:25:34.960 --> 00:25:41.039 But it it's interesting coming in from that to this because it's kind of the same thing. 00:25:43.119 --> 00:26:09.200 Except like instead of a like cosmic animal migration, it's the journey of a so it it's been interesting, especially like sitting in a director's seat for another show and like milling out like all of these resources to like force people to get up on their feet and like drop all conventions that like immediately I now have to test those skills on myself. 00:26:10.079 --> 00:26:17.759 Um, and previous to that, um, I'm an actor, I'm a director, I've done some production. 00:26:18.400 --> 00:26:30.240 I originally born and raised here in Houston, Chinatown, went to college in Minnesota, did some time abroad, where studied abroad and worked in Ireland and England for a while. 00:26:30.559 --> 00:26:38.799 And then I decided all of it was too white, too white, too many white people, too many white people specifically calling me Ching Chong. 00:26:39.039 --> 00:26:41.680 And I was like, man, I gotta go. 00:26:42.079 --> 00:26:53.119 And I ended up going to Washington, DC, finish my degree there, and did some did some like gay stuff there, both in my personal life and in my career. 00:26:54.240 --> 00:27:01.039 And some of the material that we did got into some like really cool stuff in my like earl 20s, early 20s. 00:27:01.359 --> 00:27:02.640 And then I came back to Houston. 00:27:02.799 --> 00:27:07.519 I actually heard about Mildred's umbrella theater pretty quickly as soon as I came back to Houston. 00:27:07.599 --> 00:27:23.119 And I I heard of it as the theater company that produced all female written plays and had was like female-centered, and I've always been interested in actually since 2019, since I came back to Houston, I've auditioned almost every year. 00:27:23.680 --> 00:27:38.559 And I am like really, really psyched to get into this specific show this year because, like I said, my entire journey up to this point, and then coming from the stuff that I'm doing at Meowwolf, it just kind of feels like his name. 00:27:38.799 --> 00:27:39.039 Yeah. 00:27:39.200 --> 00:27:40.160 No, absolutely. 00:27:40.400 --> 00:27:43.680 Well, I was gonna ask you, you know, obviously you identify as part of the community. 00:27:44.079 --> 00:27:44.319 Yes. 00:27:44.799 --> 00:27:47.039 Yeah, you recognize yourself as okay. 00:27:47.599 --> 00:27:50.400 Um, so I mainly say bisexual. 00:27:50.960 --> 00:27:59.680 I have not taken the time to sit down and like look at every possible thing I could label myself as. 00:28:00.319 --> 00:28:05.680 I am attracted to both men and women, but I'm also attracted to non-binary people. 00:28:05.839 --> 00:28:08.559 I'm also attracted to trans men and women. 00:28:08.880 --> 00:28:24.960 So I guess I'm attracted to most people, but I know that there's certain like there's a difference between being like yummy, and there's a difference between being like like a a lot of different categories, and so I'm queer. 00:28:25.279 --> 00:28:26.799 Yeah, no, it's the easiest way to do it. 00:28:26.960 --> 00:28:32.160 I would suggest maybe pan because you're kind of breaking the binary a little bit on all of this. 00:28:32.640 --> 00:28:36.319 But yes, no, for convenience, I just throw queer out there. 00:28:36.640 --> 00:28:38.640 But Rhythmartinez, how do you identify? 00:28:38.880 --> 00:28:43.119 So I'm a heterosexual, cisgender, boring guy. 00:28:44.079 --> 00:28:46.319 But Cindy inspired me a couple of different ways. 00:28:46.480 --> 00:28:50.559 First of all, I want to hear more later about the meow wolf thing because I didn't know that. 00:28:50.640 --> 00:28:52.480 I was today years old when I learned about that. 00:28:52.640 --> 00:28:56.559 I think you might have mentioned something, but I didn't quite know exactly what that sounds amazing. 00:28:56.799 --> 00:29:11.680 But isn't it interesting that Cindy, who is absolutely in the community, still within the community, is a little bit, I don't know what the word struggling is correct, like to find an I a label, not necessarily an identity. 00:29:11.759 --> 00:29:21.039 I don't want to speak for you, Cindy, but but what I heard was Well, my main thing in therapy is that I I I um uh need to discover what my true identity is. 00:29:21.279 --> 00:29:21.440 Okay. 00:29:21.839 --> 00:29:23.599 I've been in identity crisis all the time. 00:29:23.839 --> 00:29:26.000 And which acting is perfect for that. 00:29:26.400 --> 00:29:26.960 Right? 00:29:28.079 --> 00:29:28.799 Exactly. 00:29:29.039 --> 00:29:36.559 And when you Brett, when you asked what the play is about, I really think that's one of, if not the key thing it's about. 00:29:36.720 --> 00:29:38.160 It is about that identity. 00:29:38.240 --> 00:29:58.000 And Jen Silverman, who is a queer woman, has a little bit of tongue-in-cheek fun poking at the liberal community, the inclusive community, us who proudly wave our ally flag, have a big gay pride flag on the front of my house, even though nobody in this house is gay, because we want to support the community. 00:29:58.240 --> 00:30:08.000 There's this, there's this constant back and forth within the community about who counts and how do you count and what's your label and where specifically do you fall. 00:30:08.240 --> 00:30:14.720 And I had always thought that the word queer came from a kind of inclusivity to sort of include the whole group. 00:30:14.880 --> 00:30:18.960 And then from there, maybe people can look at those, you know, sub-categories. 00:30:19.039 --> 00:30:24.400 And but isn't it amazing, Cindy, that you're kind of struggling or or dealing, maybe dealing with is the right way. 00:30:24.640 --> 00:30:27.200 Some of the things Jen Silverman is talking about in this play. 00:30:27.279 --> 00:30:34.000 I mean, Sammy's character wants to be an ally and wants to get the verbs right and wants to get the nouns right and struggles with it. 00:30:34.160 --> 00:30:38.559 And at the same time, there's a little bit of like, isn't it more important that your heart is in the right place? 00:30:38.720 --> 00:30:41.279 And get that from the character. 00:30:41.680 --> 00:30:53.920 And so maybe we need to be a little kinder and gentler to ourselves on this side, not just looking to the right and the extreme conservatives who are against all of us, but within our community, let's be a little kinder to each other. 00:30:54.000 --> 00:30:54.960 Let's have a little more chill. 00:30:55.440 --> 00:30:57.920 Well, it's an interesting debate that we've had for a long time. 00:30:58.000 --> 00:31:00.240 And particularly with this show, Queer Voices. 00:31:00.400 --> 00:31:02.960 Some people see queer as a pejorative term. 00:31:03.119 --> 00:31:06.400 It certainly was used as an insult decades ago. 00:31:06.559 --> 00:31:17.680