Since debuting its first show 10 years ago, the Coalition Theater has cultivated a diverse body of work from artists and comedians nationwide. From creative collaboration with local nonprofits like Art180 to hosting Mark Kendall’s one-man show, “The Magic Negro and Other Blackness,” the theater strives to showcase talent from all walks.
“OUTBURST: Queer and Present Danger” will be no different. The third annual all-LGBTQ+ sketch show will feature sketches, videos, and songs written by the Coalition’s very own. Produced by Josh Wright, August Butler, and Patrick Allen, OUTBURST is a comedy show rooted in real-life experiences that the audience is sure to laugh (and cry) about.
“It’s important to have this event each year to keep the LGBTQ+ community visible in the theater community, as well as to continue growing in our representation of varied LGBTQ+ voices and experiences,” Butler said.
Running in tandem with the Virginia PrideFest, OUTBURST shows are on Thursday, Sept. 26 through Saturday, Sept. 28. All proceeds will go to the Virginia Anti-Violence Project, an organization working to address and prevent violence within and against diverse LGBTQ+ communities across Virginia.
Above all else, OUTBURST is a show to celebrate LGBTQ+ stories and curate a space for the audience to feel excited and proud to share their experiences.
“It is vital for people to see themselves represented in entertainment,” Wright said. “We want to take time to recognize all the great work that our LGBTQ+ cast and crew are doing in comedy. Their voices deserve to be heard and I’m glad that the Coalition Theater provides the opportunity to do that.”
Tickets are $15. And you better buy them fast, because OUTBURST: Queer and Present Danger is bound to be a sell-out.