Kaiser Permanente's Educational Theatre Program Presents the Intergenerational Queer Audio Project: MESSAGE TO OURSELVES

In response to COVID-19 and the ongoing challenges of gathering in-person, Oregon Children's Theatre has announced its first-ever audio play, to be released as a podcast. The Intergenerational Queer Audio Project is presented in two parts, titled "Message to Ourselves," and is inspired by the question: "what is your message to your younger self?"

The podcast will include stories, reflections, poems, and songs from seventeen members of our queer community, ranging in ages from fourteen to eighty. Themes of the podcast include "generations"- our relationships to family and ancestors, moments that feel like "the eye of the hurricane", and dreams for a future of justice and caring.

This year, the project is led by Director Cambria Herrera, Music Director Ash (Amir Shirazi), and Co-Directors Marissa Sanchez and Justin Charles. The project is edited by Jason Rouse.

In previous years, the Intergenerational Queer Theatre Project has been a collection of live performances, many of which were self-written works such as poems and monologues. Now in its fourth year, the COVID-19 pandemic forced Program Director Jeff Desautels to rethink how to produce these important stories in a different way. "We chose the podcast approach, as opposed to a virtual production, because it made the production much more accessible for participants," he explained. "My mom is far away, and so I would call during the pandemic and check in often. She's older and doesn't have a computer, and she would talk about how she can't use Zoom when she talks with her group of friends and has to phone in and feels left out. I wanted to make sure everyone felt included and that it was accessible. A phone conversation is, I think, somewhat of a lost art, so I wanted to center the experience around that."

The choice to create a podcast was also reflective of how the isolation of the pandemic, and how producing a conversation of many voices could be healing and uplifting for many. "Podcasts were really important for my mental health, and I thought it would be a cool medium to explore," Desautels commented. "I like listening to podcasts where it's a group of friends talking, and it feels like I'm in the room with them. I thought it would be amazing if young queer kids can have that experience, where they feel like they are in conversation with someone, since the past year or so has been so isolating."

The Intergenerational Queer Theatre Project is, at its core, about amplifying LGBTQIA+ voices and providing a safe, inclusive space for their stories to be told. "These artists did the challenging work of deep introspection and courageously imagining a future world with greater support for the most vulnerable of us to craft this project," said Director Cambria Herrera. By centering the podcast around cross-generational conversations, it provides a unique perspective for both participants and listeners alike. "Their messages to their younger selves are heartfelt and thought-provoking for folks of any age or cultural identities," Herrera continued; "It was an absolute honor to experience the respect, artistry, vulnerability, and joy this group of once-strangers brought to make a community in artistic practice together. There are not enough spaces where queer, trans, and BIPOC work is prioritized and celebrated in this way, and as soon as I heard about this project, I knew I had to be involved in whatever way I could."

The podcast will be released in three parts on June 28, 2021, and can be found on all major podcast channels, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartRadio, and Amazon Music. The cast and creative team will also host a livestreamed "sneak peek" of the podcast on June 24 at 7:00 pm. This "talk-forward" is available for free, but viewers will need to reserve a ticket through the Oregon Children's Theatre website at https://www.octc.org/intergenerational-project. A trailer for the podcast can be found here.

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