Quaint, Quirky and Queer festival going online

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The Quaint, Quirky and Queer Festival in Southern Alberta goes on online in less that two weeks.Jay Whitehead from Theatre Outre. Photo by Richard Amery
 Theatre Outré artistic director Jay Whitehead is excited to present three big events happening, Feb. 18 to20.
 “The Quaint, Quirky and Queer Cabaret is  an excellent opportunity for the community to gather in person, but obviously we can[t do that this year,” he said.
“But we have three  big events happening online.


Whitehead will premiere a play he penned called 333 via Zoom at 7 p.m. Feb. 18.
 Theatre Outré veterans Brett Dahl, Nick Bohle and Halifax actor  Garry Williamson will be reading Whitehead’s play.
“ 333 tells the story of three men at a bathhouse in Toronto which the police raided in 1981. It’s based on a real life event. It‘s an important part of queer history in Canada that isn’t often talked about,” Whitehead said, noting he wrote it last year.


“ It’s something that's been on my mind for a long time, but I banged it out over Christmas. It spurred the Canadian pride movement,’” he said.

 Aaron Collier created a play called “Frequencies, which he will be presenting from Halifax.
“It’s a multi-media piece of theatre that tells the story of his life through storytelling, music and multi-media. He always does really good work,” whitehead said. Frequencies will be broadcast on Feb. 19 at 7 p.m. and Feb. 21 at 1 p.m.


 The main event is the Quaint, Quirky and Queer cabaret which will air Feb. 20 at 8 p.m.. Jay Whitehead and David Gabert will host an evening of stories, song, lip synching and dancing.
“There will be local, provincial and out of provincial talent doing everything including clogging AND dancing. And there will be  a new music video from me as Didi which I did with Aaron (Collier) called ‘Monique on 4th,  directed by Erica Barr and Nick Bohle which is about us shopping at Moniques,” Whitehead said.


 Tickets are available at www.theatreoutre.com.
“ There’s different prices if you can afford to pay more or if you can’t because of the pandemic,” Whitehead said.
“It’s just nice to be doing something. We hope it will be a celebration of celebration of queer culture here,” he said.

— by Richard Amery, L.A. Beat Editor


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