LGBTQ Seniors Present I DO!, An Evening Of Stories And Songs About Gay Love, Relationships And Marriage

On the day the Obergefell Vs. Hodges ruling was announced, a group of LGBTQ seniors was busy rehearsing a show. There was so much excitement about the legalization of gay marriage, the performers could barely concentrate. This group of people, ages 60 - 91, had seen the full spectrum of gay rights, played out in their lifetimes.

The group was New Stages, a Los Angeles-based arts program for LGBTQ seniors. On May 25 (7:00PM) and 26 (2:00PM), New Stages presents I DO!, an evening of stories and songs celebrating LGBTQ love and marriage at the Renberg Theatre.

"I remember the joy on stage the day of the ruling," says director Mark Salyer. "We cried and celebrated. I couldn't have had a better group people to have shared this experience with - people who had seen it all. Now we are telling stories about love and marriage. It's perfect!."

Lauren Peterson, a Los Angeles based actress, is performing in her third year with New Stages. "Visibility is power," says Peterson. "What you see on stage are human beings - their loves, their losses, their flaws, their insecurities, their strengths."

I DO! is presented with the support of the City of West Hollywood's Arts Division as part of the City's One City One Pride LGBTQ Arts Festival (May 22 - June 30). For more info about the festival at www.weho.org/pride or WeHo Arts.

"This is our seventh year as part of this amazing arts festival celebrating pride month," says Salyer. "This year's theme is Love is Love and I think our performance will be such a great addition."

I DO! is directed by Salyer and Broadway veteran Kay Cole. Musical direction is by Debbie Lawrence. The performance is the culmination of two months of workshops in music, voice development and storytelling.

The Los Angeles LGBT Center co-sponsors the programs of New Stages each year. The performers are part of the Center's Senior Services program which provides more than 100 events monthly to LGBT older adults at the Village and Triangle Square apartments. New Stages is an integral part of Senior Services at the Center and a signature Pride month event.

New Stages is a program of Oasis Theater Company, a Los Angeles based collective of artists dedicated to cultivating creative communities.

For more information about contributing to or joining New Stages' workshops, please visit us at www.newstages.org. For reservations to I DO! please call 323.860.5830 or by email to seniors@lalgbtcenter.org.

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