Justin Vivian Bond and More Sign on for THE MEETING*'s Final Shows at Joe's Pub

The Meeting* hosted by Justin Sayre - the monthly gathering of the International Order of Sodomites, the centuries-old organization which sets the mythic Gay Agenda - will conclude its acclaimed eight year run this Sunday, May 14 with two performances at 7:00 PM and 9:30 PM at Joe's Pub at The Public Theater.

Both shows are sold-out but will be broadcast globally online for the first time with Joe's Pub Livestream, which is available at www.youtube.com/JoesPubNY.

The acclaimed comedy/variety show is known for its audacious humor, trailblazing political discourse and button-pushing cultural exploration. Special guests at the 7:00 PM show include Erin Markey, Julian Fleisher, Natalie Joy Johnson, Rob Maitner, Angela Di Carlo, Jenn Harris, Bowen Yang and Matt Rogers. Special guests for the 9:30 PM show include Justin VivIan Bond, Gabrielle Stravelli, Nathan Lee Graham, Jaime Cepero, Aaron Jackson and Josh Sharp. Lance Horne serves as the evening's music director.

"The Meeting* has been a tremendous gift to me," says I.O.S Chairman Justin Sayre. "It's given me a voice and a platform to talk about all the things that weighed on my mind and for that I am eternally grateful. But sometimes you need to know when to say goodbye. Being the chairman has brought me so much joy that I feel like if I continued to hold in my hand it would melt away. I will still be around. Performing, writing, singing the occasional song, but for now, The Meeting* will be officially adjourned. We've formed a family and that was always at the heart of the show. But families change and grow. For our last hurrah we're going to present a dazzling array of guest stars and many of your favorite performers who have graced our stage over the years. Kids, we're going out with a bang!"

The Meeting* has been called "delicious and delightfully droll" by The New York Post and "hilarious and sardonic" by The Village Voice. A story for Slate.com called the evening "so deliciously icy that it left me shivering with fear and delight." Last season's shows sold out after a profile in The New York Times "Arts & Leisure" section. After originally opening at the historic Duplex in the West Village, The Meeting* has also enjoyed successful runs at the Broadway nightclub 54 Below in New York, the Bootleg Theater in Los Angeles and Oasis in San Francisco. Sparkle & Circulate with Justin Sayre, the official podcast of the International Order of Sodomites, was recently named among "10 Comedy Podcasts You Should Listen To" by Backstage. The show, featuring interviews with Lady Bunny, Randy Harrison, Alaska 5000, Nellie McKay, Justin VivIan Bond, Michael Musto and R&B legend Sarah Dash, is available on iTunes HERE.

"The Gay Agenda" - the debut comedy album from Justin Sayre - was called one of 2016's "Best Things in Comedy" by The Comedy Bureau. It's currently available on iTunes HERE and as a physical CD at www.InternationalOrderofSodomites.com.

Justin Sayre and The Meeting* - known for a signature blend of outrageous comedy, politics, culture and everything in between - were named among the Top nightclub shows of 2013 by Time Out New York, and received the 2012 Bistro Award for "Comedy Artistry" and a 2011 MAC Award nomination for Best Male Comedy Performance. Each month, the I.O.S gathers to honor an artist or a cultural work that is iconic to the gay community. Justin Sayre, the show's creator, writer and host, serves as the Chairman of the Board of the International Order of Sodomites and brings his singular wit to essential business of the day through such regular features such as "Letters to the Chairman" and "New Rulings from the Board."

Justin Sayre's video "The New Hanky Code" was a surprise online hit with over 74,000 views. It debuted on The Huffington Post and was picked up by several major outlets around the world. To keep up to date with videos from recent shows, subscribe to the I.O.S. YouTube channel.

Night of a Thousand Judys - the special all-star concert presentation of The Meeting* to benefit the Ali Forney Center - will return for its seventh annual installment later in 2017. The sold-out annual concerts have featured the talents as R&B legends Martha Wash and Sarah Dash; jazz vocalists Madeleine Peyroux, Jane Monheit and Jessica Molaskey & John Pizzarelli; singer/songwriters Nellie McKay and Erin McKeown;Broadway ladies Carolee Carmello, Jackie Hoffman, Tonya Pinkins and leading men Howard McGillin, Telly Leung, Rory O'Malley and Daniel Reichard; downtown stars Justin VivIan Bond, Bridget Everett and Lady Rizo; nightlife fixtures Karen Mason, Maude Maggart and Karen Akers; and New York personalities Michael Musto, Austin Scarlett and Frank DeCaro, among many others. For more information, visit www.AliForneyCenter.org.

Justin Sayre, who has been described by Michael Musto in The Village Voice as "Oscar Wilde meets Whoopi Goldberg," was recently hailed as one the "Funniest People in Brooklyn" by Brooklyn Magazine and among "LA's 16 Most Talented LGBT Comics" by Frontiers Magazine. He currently works as a staff writer on the CBS sitcom "2 Broke Girls" and has appeared opposite Lisa Kudrow on HBO's "The Comeback." His first young adult novel, Husky, was published by Penguin Books in 2015 and a sequel will hit stands in 2017. His works for the theatre include: The Boy Sonata, presented at Hot! Queer Theatre Festival and The Wild Project; Rite of Water for Queer Pop-Up Museum; Justin Sayre Is Alive and Well...Writing at Ars Nova, which was called one of the "Top 10 Events on the New York Stage" by the New York Daily News; and The Click of the Lock which was a finalist for the Eugene O'Neill Festival and was last presented at The Players Club with Zachary Booth and Justin VivIan Bond. As Edge New York said: "Comedian, raconteur, performing artist, gay rights activist and sexual outlaw: I'm not sure Justin Sayre is classifiable. The veteran performer is on his way to becoming a Downtown Manhattan institution along the lines of Charles Ludlum or Charles Busch."

The Meeting* monthly events have featured popular guest stars such as Lea DeLaria, Tonya Pinkins, Tituss Burgess, Robin Byrd, Marilyn Maye, Christian Campbell, Joe Iconis, Frank DeCaro, Lance Horne, Lady Rizo, Kenny Mellman, Maude Maggart, Jack Ferver, Murray Hill, Jeffery Self, Cole Escola, Bridget Everett and more. Previous shows have paid tribute to singers such as Dolly Parton and Diana Ross; films like "Valley of the Dolls" and "Beaches"; actresses such as Bea Arthur and Molly Ringwald; as well as playwrights and filmmakers like Tennessee Williams and John Waters. According to Time Out New York, "The Meeting* has become a cult hit among a young, festive and culturally aware crowd. Sayre is an avatar of modern-retro cultivation."

Visit www.InternationalOrderofSodomites.com for more information.

The Meeting* hosted by Justin Sayre will be presented at JOE'S PUB at The Public Theater. The venue is located in The Public Theater, 425 Lafayette Street (between East 4th and Astor Place) NYC. For tickets - which cost $20 - call (212) 967-7555 from 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM or visit joespub.com, or visit in person at The Public Theater Box Office at 425 Lafayette Street from 2:00 PM daily. There is a $12 food / two (2) drink minimum per person per show, unless otherwise noted. The Meeting* hosted by Justin Sayre is produced by Dan Fortune and Adam J. Rosen, with Dan Fortune serving as executive producer.

Named for Public Theater founder Joe Papp, Joe's Pub at The Public opened in 1998 and plays a vital role in The Public's mission of supporting young artists while providing established artists with an intimate space to perform and develop new work. Joe's Pub consistently presents the best in live music and performance nightly, continuing its commitment to diversity, production values, community and artistic freedom. The organization also offers unique opportunities like New York Voices, an artist commissioning program that provides musicians the resources and tools needed to develop original theater works. Commissioned artists have included Ethan Lipton, Toshi Reagon, Bridget Everett, Allen Toussaint and more. In 2011, the Pub received a top-to-bottom renovation, leading to improved sightlines, expanded seating capacity and a new menu from acclaimed Chef Andrew Carmellini. With its intimate atmosphere and superior acoustics, Joe's Pub presents talent from all over the world as part of The Public's programming downtown at its Astor Place home, hosting approximately 800 shows and serving over 100,000 audience members annually.

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