The Ringwald Theatre Takes GAY4DETROIT Festival Online

In response to the COVID-19 crisis, The Ringwald Theatre takes its annual Gay Arts Festival, Gay4Detroit, to the streaming world. This move will allow The Ringwald to keep creating content for its audiences and will allow the theatre to maintain a revenue stream during these unprecedented times.

The three day festival will occur virtually October 23-25, 2020. Streaming of all programming will occur on The Ringwald's website (theRingwald.com), Facebook page (Facebook.com/TheRingwald), and YouTube Channel (YouTube.com/TheRingwaldTheatre).

The Gay One Act Festival will premiere on Friday, October 23 at 8am and be available to stream until Sunday, October 25th at 9pm. This year, playwrights were asked to submit short scripts based on their experiences during quarantine. The five selected to go to production were:

CUT SHORT by Shawntai Brown

directed by Bréon Canady

featuring Luna Alexander and Kayla Von

FACE TO FACE by Erik Gernand

directed by Lynn Lammers

featuring Aral Gribble

JOHNNY & BABS VS THE APOCALYPSE by Michael Mizerany

directed by Kryssy Becker

featuring Miles Bond and N'Jeri Nicholson

VANILLA by Scott C Sickles

directed by Matthew Smith

featuring Alice Duffy and Dani Poppe

WENDY AND TERRENCE AT THE PORTS DU PARADIS by Ian Bonner

directed by Kaitlyn Valor Bourque
featuring Ryan Ernst and Tiaja Sabrie

All productions will be filmed remotely (and safely) and packaged into one streaming experience. Viewers will be asked to vote for their favorite production by tipping that show at the link provided with the video. The playwright whose show receives the most money, will receive that sum. The winner will be announced on Monday, October 26th, 2020.

Next up: Fruit Cocktail 2020, Friday, October 23 8:00 PM (and available to stream for 24 hours on the Ringwald's website, Facebook and YouTube pages).

A fabulous night of drag performances (filmed remotely and safely) will stream beginning Friday, October 23 at 8:00 PM and available to stream for 24 hours.

Hosted by Ann Arbor's own Crystal Geyser, Fruit Cocktail 2020 will feature sickening performances by Rose Ritz, Chelsea Wedgewood, Lavender Scare, Jezebel, Remy LaFontaine and more! Viewers will be able to tip each girl through their personal money transfer app displayed during their performance.

Finally: Pride Comedy Gala 2020, Saturday, October 24 8:00 PM (and available to stream for 24 hours on the Ringwald's website, Facebook and YouTube pages).

We are proud to bring you the second annual Pride Comedy Gala 2020, benefitting The Ruth Ellis Center, premiering Saturday, October 24 at 8:00 PM and available to stream for 24 hours. This is an evening of comedy, a fabulous silent auction, and other surprises and delights--all to raise money for The Ruth Ellis Center.

Featuring comedians (filmed remotely and safely) Alex Bozinovic, Asia Marie Hicks, Carolyn Paul, Diana Graham, Laura Witkowski, Leah Cartright, Mike Boone, Sam Meier, and Hailey Zureich!

There is a $15 suggested entry donation. All monies will be collected by The Ringwald Venmo account (@TheRingwald) and sent to The Ruth Ellis Center after the event has concluded.

The Ringwald opened their doors 13 years ago on May 11, 2007 with Fatal Attraction: A Greek Tragedy. Quickly, The Ringwald became a mainstay of Detroit's theatre community. Past highlights include: Dance Nation, Head Over Heels,Clue, Company, Merrily We Roll Along, Life Sucks, The Rocky Horror Show, Heathers The Musical, The Legend of Georgia McBride, Mr. Burns: a post-electric play, Stupid f-ing Bird, Angels in America, Into the Woods, A Streetcar Named Desire, August: Osage County, Mercury Fur, The Bad Seed, The Book of Liz, and Evil Dead: The Musical. The Ringwald was named 2009, 2012 and 2013 Best Theatrical Troupe by Real Detroit and Best Place to See Local Theatre in 2010, 2011 and 2012 by the readers of Metro Times.

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