There was no knowing what to expect upon entering the Homo Expo: A Queer Theatre Extravaganza judging by the title, and even if the poster told the passerby what to expect, you would never believe it.
The lights went down in the intimate quarters of Gist Theatre and the spotlight focused on a beautiful drag queen as he strutted glittering and proud toward the stage.
"I've always wanted to be a diva!" Greag Brown said, proudly soaking in the spotlight, allowing it to shimmer across the sequins of his dress.
The Homo Expo is running for one more weekend starting Thursday. It is more than just drag queens dancing around lip-syncing to Tina Turner classics and fabulous gay men and women recruiting audience members to their over-the-top lifestyle. It was a journey of the soul to those hidden places we have within ourselves that we never let anyone see.
The actors gave heartbreaking accounts of the pain and suffering that goes along with being the person they cannot change and the person they want to be.
"You've got to know what you want you for," said Traci Thomas in her monologue about being the only Asian lesbian stand-up comedian in the world. So precedes the theme of the night; the true desires of people and how they are forced to explain themselves to society every moment of the day.
One of the major issues that recurred throughout the show was the reaction of parents finding out their son or daughter is gay. Noe Tolenetino told of a father who refused to allow his son to enroll in ballet lessons as a small child because he thought "ballet would turn him gay" and allowed him to enroll in tap dancing instead.
"Ballet won't turn you into a big homo," Tolentino said, "tap dancing will." Despite all the fear and anticipation of coming out to their parents, the reaction each mother and father had was filled with love and support.
The second act gives a rare glimpse into the world of those who were born as the wrong gender and the circus that goes on around them in their quest to look the way they feel on the inside.
Brendon O'Loughlin, who played a transgendered character named Kate, felt challenged and honored to portray the character and have the opportunity to show the community the hardships and risks that transgender people must face coming out to friends and family and in everyday life.
Director Jean O' Hara was proud to see her circus come to life through her actors. Many actors were learning new talents, such a stilt walking for the show. They gave the community a rare glimpse of what it is like to live with the discrimination people face on an everyday basis because of their differences.
Published October 10, 2007. The Lumberjack.
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