The Western MT LGBTQ+ Center & The Montana Repertory Theatre, in partnership with Room 131 Productions, rooted theatre co., and Griz Downstage, Proudly Present

ONE NIGHT ONLY!

FEBRUARY 1, 2025 / DOORS AT 7 PM / SHOW AT 7:30 PM

MONTANA THEATRE, UM CAMPUS / PARTV BUILDING

The Montana Repertory Theatre and the Western Montana LGBTQ+ Center, in partnership with Room 131 Productions, rooted theatre co., and Griz Downstage, will present SAY GAY PLAYS, an evening of queer theatre to benefit the Center on Saturday, February 1, 2025 at 7:30 PM (doors at 7 PM) in the Montana Theatre on the University of Montana Campus (PARTV Building, 12 Campus Drive).

SAY GAY PLAYS was conceived by Voyage Theater Company in association with Tectonic Theater Project, Miami New Drama, and Provincetown Theater in response to the 2022 passage of the Parental Rights in Education bill in Florida, commonly known as the “Don’t Say Gay” bill. In 2023, more than 520 state bills attacking LGBTQ+ rights were introduced, with more than 75 becoming law. The Human Rights Campaign officially declared a state of emergency for LGBTQ+ people in the United States for the first time in history. And it’s getting worse. According to the ACLU, in 2024 alone, more than 300 anti-LGBTQ+ bills have been introduced in 35 state legislatures around the country. SAY GAY PLAYS is about sharing queer stories of courage, triumph, and joy to counter the harmful narratives used as justification for the passage of these discriminatory bills.

SAY GAY PLAYS in Missoula will feature staged readings of several LGBTQ+ themed short plays in the catalog, the full selection of which includes works by: Fernanda Coppel, Mashuq Mushtaq Deen, Ty Defoe, Marquis D. Gibson, Nina Ki, Derick Edgren Otero, Harrison David Rivers, J. Harvey Stone, Lucy Thurber, and Doug Wright. All ticket sales will directly benefit the Western Montana LGBTQ+ Community Center in Missoula.

We want to make sure everybody can see these wonderful performances, so like other MT Rep performances, tickets are Pick What You Pay. If you can afford a ticket for $5, pay $5! If you can afford a ticket for $50, pay $50! ($20 recommended)

The goal of SAY GAY PLAYS is two-fold: to raise awareness for LGBTQ+ equality and offer financial support to potentially hundreds of not-for-profit organizations across the country. The project’s website, SayGayPlays.org, serves as a hub for applicants and participants, while tracking the project’s impact nationwide.