Zee Zee Theatre's Annual Storytelling Project Returns with THE RAINBOW ELDERS & ALLIES COLLECTION

Following the digital pivot of the company's annual storytelling project, Zee Zee Theatre returns to a free, in-person model, honouring the protest and perspectives of Vancouver's Rainbow Elders, hosted at the Vancouver Public Library, Central Library on November 5-6 and 12-13, 2022.

Co-curated by Allan Morgan, Melanie Ray, Alysha Collie, and Dallas Yellowfly, this year's theme amplifies the stories of 2SLGBTQI+ elders whose histories have led to the advancements of Vancouver's queer history, and future. The Rainbow Elders & Allies Collection is Zee Zee's 12th edition of this community engagement project,

providing the opportunity for event-goers to speak one-on-one with a Rainbow Elder to break down their ideas of difference, twenty minutes at a time.

"The stories of our Rainbow Elders come from the perspective of a singular experience in the history of the world. Many of us navigated through a time where being homosexual was diagnosed as a mental illness, and societal disdain rampant and dangerous" says co-curator, Allan Morgan. "The changes we have witnessed and advocated for have changed the landscape immensely. Through these simple tales from our elders shared one-on-one with another human, we can help weave the tapestry of our rainbow cloth."

Meant to build intergenerational understanding and dismantle misconceptions, Producer Jordy Matheson reminds audiences that this event "consists of storytellers of diverse sexualities, genders, and lived experience sharing true stories from their lives. As an audience participant you get the chance to sit across from one of these storytellers in a 20 minute one-on-one experience. Perhaps you will find out the lengths a lesbian couple went to to adopt a child in the 1990s - or what it was like to be an out gay Canadian immigrant in the 1960s? Because so much of LGBTQ2SI+ history has not been documented, it is vital to listen to the people who hold this history, to remember them, and to carry these stories forward. Some are painful, others heartwarming, but all deserve to be told."

Sharing queer histories that were once lost, The Rainbow Elders & Allies Collection invites participants to authentically listen in an intimate discussion with a Rainbow Elder whose worldview may differ from their own. Through these explorations of story, division is tackled head on in a safe, and accessible space in order to find common ground, and narrow the ideological gaps that divide us. As Vancouver's Rainbow Elders battled power structures in order to live proudly today, The Rainbow Elders & Allies Collection reminds us that there is empowerment in experience, and perspective, as knowledge of our histories can only lead to a prouder and louder future.

The Rainbow Elders & Allies Collection is free and sign-up is at the door of the Third Floor Atrium at the Vancouver Public Library's central branch, located at 350 W Georgia St. No RSVP necessary.

Founded in 2008 by Cameron Mackenzie, for nearly fourteen years, Zee Zee Theatre has shared individual stories that provoke and inspire us, and that foster common understanding and empathy across our diverse human experiences. Zee Zee Theatre is devoted to telling diverse stories and amplifying the voices of those on the margins with a focus on LGBTQ2SI+ communities. We explore intimate moments through which the infinite complexity of human character can be revealed.

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