Thanks for coming to see PERFORMING MEMORIES @ the Vancouver Fringe Festival!
Read all the way to the bottom for more info, games, and prizes!
Thank you to the many people who helped out in bringing this production to life:
Sarah Jo Kirsch, Héctor Rivera, Sharon Grove, Holy Trinity Anglican Church, Chelsea Stuyt, Christophe Rondeau, Megan Phillips, Nick Thornton, Tegan and Darren for trucking in the piano, and the staff and volunteers of Vancouver Fringe 2023!
Creator and Performer, Michael Park
Director, Laura Fukumoto
Director’s Note
For so many of us, desire and sex are inextricably linked to shame. Whether by our parents' trying to keep us safe, or the invasive and sometimes judgemental questions of our peers, the cultural soup in which many 2SLGBTQ+ adults grew up (for Michael and I, the 1990s to early 2000s) was enough to tell our child selves to hide. For every stride forward to update the laws that govern the ways we love and express through our bodies, there continue to be that small but prevalent minority that ring the alarm bells of their so-called morality, resulting in the policing of some bodies more than others. Let me be clear: there have always been baby gays. There have always been little girls dreaming about making out with their gal pals. There have always been and always will be trans children needing love, guidance, and comprehensive health care. We are here and always have been.
As Michael tells us in his tender-hearted words: "for twenty years, I robbed that little boy of the freedom to be his fabulous little self". We rob ourselves and each other when we don't give ourselves the grace and space to test our desires, feel our joys. We rob children when we shame them for their curiosities. This beautiful memoir piece by Michael Park is a silly explosion of colour, a brave exploration, and a big hug to your inner child. In this show, we decided to realize our desires and try something new: it's imperfect, playful, and, obviously, GAY. We hope you're inspired to feel your joy!
