Casting Announced For Upcoming Criminal Queerness Festival

Casting has been announced for National Queer Theater's inaugural Criminal Queerness Festival, a WorldPride partner event, which will run from June 13-July 7 at IRT Theater in Manhattan.

The Criminal Queerness Festival explores the criminalization of LGBTQ communities in some 70 countries where same-sex sexual relations are punishable by law and queer artists are otherwise censored. This year, the Criminal Queerness Festival will feature the work of four LGBTQ playwrights: Adam Ashraf Elsayigh (Drowning in Cairo, Egypt), Nick Hadikwa Mwaluko (Waafrika 123, Tanzania), Fatima Maan (Jhaanjar Di Paanwan Chhankaar, Pakistan), and Yilong Liu (Joker, China).

The festival stars T Thompson (Straight White Men), Karen Eilbacher (National Tour, Fun Home), James A Pierce III (Lion King, Anastasia), and Fady Kerko (Russian Doll).

Also joining the casts are Sergio Mauritz Ang, Arjun Dhawan, Paris Dickenson, Danish Farooqui, Noor Hamdi, Shiro Kihagi, Ronald Kuang, Kristi Donna Ng, Uma Paranjpe, Jeremy Rafal, Mahima Saigal, Arif Silverman, and Renelle Chorilette Wilson.

The creative team includes directors Celine Rosenthal, Éamon Boylan, Nicky Maggio, and Gaven Trinidad. Jiawen Hu has also joined the festival as stage manager.

For tickets, please visit www.brownpapertickets.com/event/4196167.

The Criminal Queerness Festival, presented by National Queer Theater as part of IRT Theater's 3B Development Series, showcases the top LGBTQ plays from around the world focusing on the 70 countries where it is illegal to be LGBTQ. The festival challenges audiences to engage and reflect upon the status of civil rights in the United States in order to better support LGBTQ people abroad. Through their work, the participating playwrights inspire activism and shape our culture towards the equitable treatment of LGBTQ people globally.

In its first year, the Criminal Queerness Festival coincides with WorldPride 2019 and the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots in New York City. All performances will take place between June 13 and July 7, 2019, at IRT Theater at 154 Christopher Street, New York, NY 10014. Shows will begin at 8pm Thursday through Sunday. There is a matinee performance on Saturday at 2pm. Festival partners include Immigration Equality, Heritage of Pride/NYC Pride, Stonewall Community Foundation, and Trans Pride Pakistan (Track-T).