“ANIMAL HUSBANDRY”
Under St. Marks Theatre October 10-28, 2019
NY Fringe Festival “Fringepeachment”
Produced by Lone Star Theatre Co
Written by David Davila
Directed by Sidney Erik Wright
Starring David Michael Kirby and Daniel Anthony Hidalgo
Lighting Design by Hao Bai
Costume Design by Keyon Woods
Intimacy/Fight Choreography by Adele Rylands
Stage Management by Cory Alexander
Like two doomed stars circling a black hole, Danny and Gerry are the most passionate of lovers who can't seem to stay away from each other even as they burn toward oblivion. Gerry sees in Danny a chance to right his regrets while Danny sees in Gerry a way out; but are they helping each other or hurting each other? Animal Husbandry is a gay bedroom drama that explores an explosive Daddy/Son romance and deconstructs the roles that psychosexual desires play in adult relationships.
***WARNING: explicit content, violence, and nudity***
Director’s Note: I can't comprehend that as we open this production, the Supreme Court considers the legal right to discriminate against LGBTQ in the workplace. In 1964, Title VII in the Civil Rights Act banned discrimination on the basis of sex; in 2019 we're still litigating the freedom of our trans brothers and sisters to exist as their authentic selves (never mind the non-binary folk for whom the 'on the basis of sex' becomes an even thornier issue...). The moral arc of the universe may bend towards justice, but that's cold comfort to the people who desperately need change NOW. We need unabashedly queer stories. We need unapologetic gay plays that help to close the empathy gap. We need art by queer folk for queer folk that allows audiences of every orientation to see a broader perspective of the world. This play dives full-force into some pretty provocative themes. Age differentials. Power dynamics. Fetishization. Kink. Sexual violence. This piece is intimate (pun intended), but underneath the flash lies a thread of acceptance, both of oneself and of one another. Reclamation, connection, and healing. Thank you for coming into our cozy bedroom, where two men are allowed to be hard and soft with each other. May everyone enjoy such freedom everywhere.
