Meena Harris, JJ Maley, and George Strus Join the Producing Team of MY SON'S A QUEER (BUT WHAT CAN YOU DO?)

Three new names have been revealed as part of the producing team for My Son's A Queer (But What Can You Do?), coming to Broadway next year. Meena Harris and Phenomenal Media, JJ Maley, and George Strus have joined the show’s producing team. Additionally, Maley and Strus' non-profit organizations, Queer Arts Coalition and Breaking the Binary Theatre respectively, will be leading the production's training and community engagement efforts.

My Son’s A Queer (But What Can You Do?) is a hilarious, poignant, and infectiously joyous one-person play featuring West End artist Rob Madge (they/them). The show follows the journey of a family as they explore their son's love for all things Disney, theatre, and their identity as a Queer human. As much a hilarious ode to musical theatre and VHS tapes as it is the power of a family’s acceptance, the production beautifully weaves together themes of love and self-discovery with a pop-culture love-in for fairy tale fanboy/girls (and everyone in between).

“Meena Harris's commitment to social justice and her track record of amplifying underrepresented voices aligns perfectly with the ethos of our production,” said Tom Smedes and Heather Shields. “Phenomenal Media’s  passion for storytelling that drives change is exactly what My Son's a Queer embodies. This collaboration marks a significant step in bringing this poignant and necessary story to a broader audience, and we couldn't be more excited about the energy they bring to our team."

“In addition, we are thrilled to have JJ Maley and George Strus joining as co-producers. With a story that is so grounded in the experience of the queer community, it’s integral to have partners who are advocates and experts that will help to bring this important story to the Broadway stage. Their individual experiences supporting representation in theatre will be invaluable to the team.”

The play is set to begin preview performances on February 27, 2024, with opening night slated for March 12 at the Lyceum Theatre (149 West 45th St.).

Phenomenal Media is a Tony Award-winning consumer and media company founded by Meena Harris (she/her) that elevates the stories of women and historically excluded communities through entertainment, digital content, brand partnerships, book clubs, and more. They co-produced the Tony Award-winning musical A Strange Loop and the Olivier Award-winning Broadway revival of Death of A Salesman. Phenomenal Media also recently served as executive producers on The Graduates, the Tribeca Festival 2023 award winner for Best Cinematography in a U.S. Narrative Feature. In addition to being a lawyer and children's book author, Meena Harris is a respected industry leader and influential voice for gender and racial equity.  

JJ Maley (they/he/ze) is a trans nonbinary actor, writer, producer, director, consultant, and the founder of the Queer Arts Coalition (QAC). QAC seeks to provide opportunities and resources for artists who identify within the myriad of identities under the "queer" umbrella, and is committed to serving the queer community in pursuit of artistic endeavors. Given the history of erased trans, nonbinary, Two-Spirit, and queer narratives, QAC empowers artists to tell their own stories with identity at the forefront. As a producer, their recent shows on Broadway include A Strange Loop (Tony Winner), What the Constitution Means to Me (Tony Nomination), Indecent (Tony Nomination), and Be More Chill. As a Line Producer, Associate Producer, or Executive Producer, Maley has had the pleasure of working with amazing artists and companies such as The Neon Coven, Prospect Theater Company, Ars Nova, and Second Stage Theater. Maley also recently starred in the series “Command Z” directed by Steven Soderbergh.

George Strus (they/them) is a trans non-binary Latiné artist. They are the Founding Artistic Director of Breaking the Binary Theatre: a new work development and community building hub wherein transgender, non-binary, and Two-Spirit+ (TNB2S+) artists come together to reclaim their artistic license and liberty. Since its founding in 2022, Breaking the Binary Theatre has paid out over a quarter of a million dollars to over 230 TNB2S+ artists through a number of initiatives and programs, including the yearly all-TNB2S+ Breaking the Binary Theatre Festival each October. Strus is a co-producer on Stephen Sondheim’s Here We Are and currently serves as the Seasonal Producing Manager at The Public Theater, Producers Cohort Program Facilitator at The Tank, and Theatre Scout at Curate Management. My Son’s A Queer (But What Can You Do?) marks their Broadway producorial debut.

Tickets for My Son's A Queer (But What Can You Do?) start at $39 and can be purchased now at Telecharge.com or by phone at 212-239-6200.

My Son's A Queer (But What Can You Do?) is written by Rob Madge, directed by Luke Sheppard (&Juliet), and features songs by Pippa Cleary (The Great British Bake Off Musical). The production also features scenic and costumes by Ryan Dawson Laight (Torch Song at The Turbine Theatre, London), lighting by Jai Morjaria (Othello at Lyttleton Theatre), sound by Tingying Dong (The Crucible at Gielgud Theatre), video by George Reeve (Old Friends), and orchestrations by Simon Nathan (Brexit: The Musical at Edinburgh Fringe).

My Son's A Queer (But What Can You Do?) is produced by Tom Smedes, Heather Shields, and Peter Stern, by arrangement with Bill Kenwright and Paul Taylor Mills.

 

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