Live Out Fest Comes to Planet Ant

For the second year in a row, Planet Ant Theatre proudly recognizes National Coming Out Day with the Second Annual Live Out Fest: A Celebration of LGBTQ+ Identity & Freedom. The four-day festival takes place October 10-13, 2019 across Planet Ant's performance venues in Hamtramck, MI: The Planet Ant Black Box Theater, Ant Hall, and Ghost Light Bar.

The first of its kind in Hamtramck, Live Out Fest spotlights local queer artists and performers to showcase the profound presence and impact of their contributions to their creative communities and beyond. The festival features the return of Not In My House from Kristi Faulkner Dance and The "Gender Bender" Drag Marathon; plus a World Premiere play, As They Like It, adapted from the Shakespearean classic and directed by Jared Scott Morin; "Quix Women & Queers" comedy showcase hosted by Kai Quix; Detroit musical artist and performer DUANE; dance party with DJ's Auntie Chanel and Ariel Sports; "Haireoke" hosted by Cole Davis; and the introduction of Drag Bingo & Brunch, Queer Market, Queer Open Mic, and much more throughout the weekend. Festival passes and a single event tickets can be purchased at www.planetant.com/liveout.

"After an uplifting and inspiring first year in 2018, we are excited to expand this year's festival to include more artists and performers, representing a broader range of creative mediums throughout even more queer communities," said Live Out Fest producer, Kaitlyn Valor Bourque. "We hope to see the vast and varied identities who make up these communities turn up in all of their glory to support their fellow artists and makers throughout this jam-packed weekend."

Celebrating National Coming Out Day, Live Out Fest is a tribute to the healing, liberating, revolutionary power of art to the LGBTQ+ community. Live Out seeks to bring local communities together from all corners of metro Detroit to celebrate and connect with one another through our collective commitment to stand in truth and consciously live out our most beautiful, authentic, queer selves - expressed through the creation and integration of art in all its forms. The festival features dance, music, spoken-word poetry, theatre, visual & performance art, comedy, burlesque, and more from local artists and creatives in the LGBTQ+ community. Festival proceeds will support the festival performers as well as local charities that embody Live Out's mission.

Live Out Fest is actively seeking sponsors to support their second annual festival: sponsorship packages and details can be found at planetant.com/sponsorliveout. All contributions are tax-deductible and go directly toward compensating the performers of this year's festival.

Live Out Fest 2019 kicks off on Thursday, October 10th with a special edition of Planet Ant's weekly comedy variety show: "ThursGay Night Live," at 7pm in the Ant Hall; followed by "Haireoke" hosted by Cole Davis: a wig-centric karaoke takeover at Ghost Light bar.

Friday, October 11th marks the World Premiere Opening Night of As They Like It at 8pm in the Planet Ant Black Box Theater, as well as the Not In My House dance performance at 9pm in the Ant Hall. Late-night entertainment features Quix, Women & Queers Comedy Showcase at 10pm in the Ant Hall and live music from DUANE (Detroit) and special guests First Responders (Kalamazoo) at Ghost Light.

On Saturday, October 12th, the first Queer Market fills Ghost Light from noon to 5pm with vendors selling and presenting a wide variety of goods (interested vendors are invited to register at planetant.com/queermarket). A Queer Open Mic in Ghost Light begins that evening at 6pm; the second-night performances of As They Like It (8pm) and Not In My House (9pm), followed by GenderBender Drag Marathon at 10pm in the Ant Hall and a closing night dance party in Ghost Light with DJ's Auntie Chanel & Ariel Sports.

Sunday, October 13th, Planet Ant launches their first official Drag Bingo & Sunday Brunch at Ghost Light, followed by a premiere screening of the much-anticipated Not In My House documentary in the Ant Hall. The bar opens 11am that day, brunch and bingo begins at noon, and the documentary screening begins at 3pm. The festival closes with a 6pm twilight matinee performance of As They Like It in the Black Box.

Earlybird All-Access festival passes are on sale now through Monday, October 7 at midnight. A la carte tickets are also available. All tickets and passes can be purchased at planetant.com/liveout.

Individuals interested in volunteering during the festival can sign up at bit.ly/liveoutvolunteer.