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Out in the Tropics
A Five-Day Festival of International Award-Winning, Cutting-Edge Artists
by James Cubby on July 06, 2010
Out in the Tropics, South Florida's first Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender contemporary performing arts festival, brings an amazing group of award-winning, cutting-edge artists from around the world to the Colony Theater for a five-day festival from June 7-11. Like a three-ring circus of performing arts, there's an astounding range of talent and performances that will captivate audiences with gender-bending, lesbian marriage, queer circus arts (without a net), and racy humor. Teatro El Público, one of Cuba's most important and daring theater companies, opens the Festival on July 8 (show also plays July 9) with Las Amargas Lágrimas de Petra Von Kant (The Bitter Tears of Petra Von Kant), their Spanish-language theatrical reinterpretation of the classic film by famed bad-boy German director Rainer Werner Fassbinder (note: Spanish with English sub-titles). Taylor Mac, the sensational gender deconstructionist, performer, actor, composer and director, follows on July 10 with his solo show The Be(a)st of Taylor Mac. Sara Felder, theater artist, playwright and juggler, will close the Festival on July 11 with the South Florida premiere of June Bride, her one-woman multi-character theater piece that blends traditional theater with a zany range of circus arts including juggling, sharp knives, colorful scarves, a crystal ball and a straitjacket escape. Audiences will be astounded, amazed, entertained, and educated by this international mix of accomplished artists who will own the stage of the Colony Theater for this five-day Festival. "We are so excited to be able to present this international mix of amazingly talented, accomplished artists who address the subjects of gender, identity and sexuality from both personal and political perspectives," says Robert Rosenberg, Artistic Director of Out in the Tropics.
“Out in the Tropics is a wonderful five-day new festival that is about and for the GLBT audience but also for ALL adventurous arts loving audiences,” said Robert Rosenberg when asked to describe the Festival. “Artists such as these regularly perform in cities like London, San Francisco and New York but this will be a new experience for Miami,” stated Robert. Truly proud of the talented performers that he has amassed for this Festival, he speaks about them as if he's bragging about his own children. “These are international top-notch performers, the best in their fields.” Of course, when asked which one was the best he merely said, “How could you ask me to choose? They're like my children, they are all incredible and I can't place one over the other.” Rosenberg did suggest that audiences should come to the opening kick-off for Out in the Tropics (Wednesday, July 7 at 7 p.m.), a free event at the Shore Club Hotel which will feature all of the performers in a panel discussion. That way you can make your own choices. Audiences will be able to meet and greet the performers. The evening begins with Queer Culture, Global Culture, a panel discussion with festival artists Carlos Diaz, founder of Teatro El Público, Sara Felder, and Taylor Mac, plus South Florida-based singer Beverly McClellan, in an in-depth discussion about the state of GLBT arts and culture, moderated by Festival Artistic Director Robert Rosenberg.
While all the performers of Out in the Tropics are amazing accomplished artists, the gender-bending Taylor Mac seemed the most colorful. The promotional images of Taylor feature him with blonde dreadlocks and bright colorful, but haphazardly applied, clown-like makeup. In a phone interview with Taylor, I was excited to speak with the man who TimeOut New York called “One of the most exciting theater artists of our time.” Taylor was bald in the video I watched of him performing, so I was curious to find out what he'd look like for Out in the Tropics. “I not sure what I'll look like when I come to Miami,” said Taylor. He did promise to bring the wig that he was was wearing in the photo. “I'm always in my kind of drag,” he replied. “We're all in drag every day and I'll be wearing my own kind of drag on stage.” Taylor sports a unique type of drag on- and off-stage. Not your typical drag diva, Taylor Mac's make-up is more like a wild clown on acid. “It's clown makeup I've used to paint on my face over my inner self. There's lots of color and a lot of glitter...it's beautiful but a little messy.” If you're shocked by Taylor's look, then you had better prepare yourself for his show. The subject matter is in your face, no holds barred brutally honest. “I try to surprise audiences so they feel things,” says Taylor. “Surprise is different from shock.” “I want to make audiences feel.” The London Times said, “With scattershot brilliance he uses his many talents to get us to listen, think and feel. The effect is heartening, vital and liberating.”
For Out in the Tropics, Taylor Mac will be performing his show The Be(a)st of Taylor Mac, a series of songs and monologues from the past 9 years. Taylor relies on the audience response and often changes the show depending on the reaction of the audience. “I make sure that the audience is part of the performance.” Taylor is known for serving up a show that is funny, surprising and adults-only outrageous (no subject is tabu for this performer) while slipping in and out of a variety of stunning costumes while he tells heart-felt, shocking and humorous stories peppered with his stash of smart and provocative songs. “You marvel at how assured and in control this brash, genial performer is,” raved The New York Times. “Mr. Mac, working in drag but not in drag cliches, has the ease and bantering skills of a veteran stand-up comic, yet he can shift effortlessly to a more somber tone when he wants to drive home a message.”
Taylor Mac may shock the audience with his profound yet humorously ribald monologues and songs but he speaks with such positive assertiveness one would think he's a contestant for the Miss America Pageant. “I want to make the world a better place,” he says. Of course, Taylor Mac won't be twirling batons or singing some sugar-sweet show tune. Taylor Mac confronts audiences with their humanity. “I want to make the audiences feel alive.” Taylor Mac surprises audiences with revelations. “I wake up the audience and force them to see themselves.” Taylor Mac has waking up audiences all over the world and receiving rave reviews along the way. The Irish Times also raved about Taylor Mac saying, “Taylor Mac seduces you, breaks your heart, patches it back up again and sews sequins along the scars.”
Out in the Tropics offers an amazing line-up of performances that you won't want to miss The incredible line-up of performers include Teatro El Público, Taylor Mac and Sara Felder. There will be glitter, knife throwing, juggling, theatrics, pathos and joy, songs and tantrums, gender-bending, lesbian marriage, Cuban theater, queer circus arts, and racy humor, all in a five-day Festival that you won't forget.
Out in the Tropics runs from July 8-11 at The Colony Theater, 1040 Lincoln Road, Miami Beach. For tickets call 800.745.3000 or visit www.ticketmaster.com. For more information visit www.outinthetropics.com.
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