THINK PINK! A GAY PLAY FESTIVAL Presented By Pink Pen Theatre Tackles Ticklish Situations With Sensitivity And Heart

Short shows you’ve never seen? Check! Modular, crayon-colored set elements? Check! Multiple wigs? Check! Scenic projections? Check! Gender-irrelevant restroom? Check! Tie-in with the biggest blockbuster summer movie? Check! And it’s gay!

As a reviewer, I support new material presented in the form of short plays. A short play festival gives new playwrights a platform, seasoned playwrights the opportunity to determine whether an idea is worth developing, and those who don't consider themselves playwrights a forum to express their voices. I don’t consider “gay theater” as a separate genre, but when special groups focus on differences to broaden representation, as Strand does with female-identifying theater, as ChesShakes does with the Black Classical Acting Ensemble, I support that, too. 

THINK PINK! A Gay Play Festival makes its debut this year. The brainchild of Director William Kamberger, it features short pieces by Q+ playwrights. The shows are of varying length and focus on a number of topics. Some are abstract, some are cozy, some are static, most are male-centric. Many of the pieces are not per se about being gay, though some are. Each of them contains gay characters, and if it’s my opinion that the stories would be little affected were they otherwise, I believe that points to a universality of human experience.

The program warns that there’s language and some nudity. I wonder if there is “shock the straights” content, but we’re in a church, so probably not? No, definitely not. They’re a mixed bag of humor and heartbreak, interesting, surprising, sad, funny, all of them well cast and carefully rehearsed. There’s one piece with a sweet bit of audience involvement. A couple of the pieces are a little spooky. Several include issues of lonlyness. A couple of pieces particularly resonate for me, due to shared experience factors. What they are not is camp. These are snippets of humanity, gently delivered, often with a little twist on a topic you might take for granted. 

The ensemble cast has a depth of performance history and are all very excellent. In some cases, the performances are better than the writing. J Parnell Hargrove is strong and colorful in each of the four pieces he appears in, and Nancy Kelso is a delight in her roles, singing beautifully between them. Louisa Davis displays an aptitude for a variety of characters, as does Anthony Case, whom I greatly enjoyed in Variations earlier this year. Christian Gonzalez is fascinating to watch and Cellina Denaro Taormino is earnest and convincing. Todd Krickler brings a quiet, grounding energy to his roles, and Richard Goldberg has excellent physicality. Morgan Stanton shows a great range of performance ability and has an effective Jersey accent, while playwright/actor Jamie McElhatton delivers a monologue in “Don’t Wait” which is simultaneously gut-wrenching and inspiring.

Playwrights DC Cathro, Steve Satta, William Kamberger, Rich Espey, Jamie McElhatton, John Bavoso and Emily M. D. Scott give the audience a variety of vignettes and I can practically guarantee that at least one of them is likely to touch your heart or spirit in a way you didn't expect. 

The lighting, by Lighting Designer Charles Danforth, is more sophisticated than I expected, and elevates each sequence with a specific ethos. John Seeley, Set Designer, gives us an inspecific background of canvas drop-cloths, artfully spattered with the same crayon colors as the many modular rectangles which arrange and rearrange to become each set. Some almost realistic rooms, others merely suggestive. Most are further enhanced with projections by John Seeley, Kathy Case and Nick Logue of SL Show Tech, some of which really make a difference to the piece. The quality of sound is the same as the quality of the actors’ voices, which is to say quite good. The room is acoustically lovely, neither absorbent nor echoey. Sound effects, provided by Max Garner, are used sparingly to augment the environment of each piece. 

Musical interludes are thematic and a capella, though the songs add to the total length of the show. I understand the intent of having a vocalist draw interest away from the cast/crew’s preparatory activities. The performers who work also as stage crew, quite literally put together each set from the modular pieces, which I conceptually applaud, but it’s not always a speedy transition.

The venue is historic, radically inclusive and full of worthy causes. Access to the upstairs may be challenging for mobility impaired persons, though outside there’s a ramp for folk to enter the church part. I didn’t see a designated lot, though there might be one. I parked on the street, for free, and close. The restroom upstairs is all-gender, and it’s a two-stall, one sink facility. There may be other restrooms downstairs, but I did not inquire. 

Clocking in at over three hours, the show could benefit from some judicious editing. If, however, you know in advance that it’s a lengthy proposition, you’ll prepare with snacks or drinks, available in the lobby for monetary donations. There seems to be no official mask policy in place at this time. 

Run Time: 3 hours 20 minutes, with one 15 minute intermission

 Pink Pen Theatre presents THINK PINK! A GAY PLAY FESTIVAL at St Mark’s Lutheran Church, 1900 St Paul Street, Baltimore, weekends through October 15th: Fridays & Saturdays at 8 PM, Sundays at 7 PM

Tickets are $25 and are available at the door or online.

For more information, contact Bill Kamberger at William.kamberger@outlook.com

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