Last year, Gadfly Theatre Company debuted Drunk Queer History, a queer riff off of the popular Comedy Central/Funny Or Die history show featuring drunk historians story-telling while actors re-enact scenes.

Gadfly’s interpretation involves a drunken queer storyteller with two improv artists.

“It was a really relaxed environment and just got funnier as the event went on,” Gadfly Theatre’s Cassandra Snow said of last year’s event. “It’s more like being at a comedy show than a storytelling or theater event, because it’s an informal setting but still with awesome performances.”

Last year’s show featured “tales of Stonewall, how our community was affected by McCarthyism, and reminding us of Christine Jorgensen’s long-forgotten musical career,” according to marketing materials. The cast had such a blast that they formed a new queer improv group called Lavender Panic.

This year’s Drunk Queer History will be at Bryant Lake Bowl, and will feature Chandler Daily as the storyteller, and James Satter and Ally Rae as the improvisers.

Satter is a Twin Cities actor/improviser and a member of the LGBT troupe Lavender Panic. He will perform in Gadfly Theatre Productions’ Final Frontier Festival in June 2016. James has a master’s degree in History of Science & Technology from the University of Minnesota.

Daily is a trans and queer artist, stage manager and organizer. You may have seen their work at Gadfly Theatre Productions, Fox Egg Gallery, 20% Theater Company, Patrick’s Cabaret, American Theater Company, or Hamline University, where they are a senior.

Rae is an improv performer in the Twin Cities, currently studying and working at both Huge and ComedySportz. She’s been seen recently at the Phoenix Theater in “Legend of the Flaming Eye,” a three-part fantasy improv play. She mainly does improv and film work, and has a background in drama and musical theater. Ally will be featured in the upcoming MNKINO film festival in the film “La Loba,” as well as the Twin Cities Film Festival in the short film, “Murmur.”
Ally studied at the Pratt Institute in New York City under Jennifer Miller, formerly known as the Bearded Lady from Coney Island. Miller taught Ally how to walk in high-heels and how to express her queer-dom on stage without fear in the Pratt Institute’s first play, “The Golden Racket: A Gay Fantasia on Political Themes.” She also acted off-Broadway during her studies at the Pratt Institute in “Marriage Counseling or Plato.”

Gadfly is quick to note that the substance use theme of the show is not for everyone. In an email, the group noted:

We at Gadfly are completely supportive of the substantive LGBTQ+ sober community here in the Twin Cities, and if you feel this event is not for you, please do not feel obligated to attend or support it. We do several really amazing queer events a year, and know we’ll get to see and celebrate you soon. However, if you aren’t worried about being triggered by inebriated performers and are curious about attending, please know that audience members are NOT obligated to drink, and your boundaries will be respected.

Drunk Queer History will hit the stage on May 21 at Bryant Lake Bowl. Tickets, at an affordable $10, are available though Brown Paper Tickets.