Diversionary Theatre Launches New Open Mic Night, Storytelling Slam, And Theatre Industry Mondays In Its Clark Cabaret & Bar

Diversionary Theatre has announced its Clark Cabaret & Bar's November 2022 event calendar featuring a new open mic night, a storytelling slam, and a series of Monday events designed to support members of the San Diego theatre community, as well as several one-night-only events. The Clark Cabaret & Bar is an intimate space inside Diversionary Theatre in University Heights, San Diego, that includes a stage, a large patio, and a full bar.

The new Open Mic night launches Thursday, November 10, as well as the new storytelling slam called Open Flame on Saturday, November 19. The Clark Cabaret's new series of events designed for theatre artists and practitioners called Theatre Industry Mondays features Musical Mondays with Rayme Sciaroni, Play Date with Kian Kline-Chilton, and Necessary Roughness with Nicole Le, all designed to offer theatre artists a chance to collaborate and share their work, on the first, second, and third Mondays of the month, respectively. On November 15 the Clark Cabaret & Bar will feature a panel of women ballplayers diverse in age and background for a panel led by Lillian Faderman called In a League of Their Own: Why Lesbians Play Ball. This event is one-night-only with a suggested donation of $25; visit diversionary.org/cabaret to reserve your ticket.

This November also includes the monthly movie night, Queer Iconic Film Series, this month featuring "The Manifest of Mallery" on November 13 - a short documentary about the life of an AfraCarribean trans woman navigating the complexities of growing up in the Deep South, with the director of the film, Victor Llang Alexio and Mallery herself participating in a Q&A after the film! The San Diego Black LGBTQ Coalition will be screening a documentary series about the Black Queer and Trans experience in San Diego on November 11 followed by an after party open to all. Mariam T's Comedy Cabernet comes to the Cabaret this month for the first time on November 12, featuring drag, improv, and stand-up comedy with "the Crankiest Drag Queen in San Diego," Mariam T. And finally, the Janice Edwards Trio returns on November 26.

The Clark Cabaret & Bar also features a full roster of regular and repeating free events, with specific November dates referenced below in our events list. Wednesdays at the Cabaret are Live Music Wednesdays with Aaron Turner, Kenny Ard, and Don LeMaster in rotation, followed by Karaoke hosted by Flamy Grant every Wednesday. Sunday Funday featuring Ria Carey and Aaron Turner takes the stage on the second and fourth Sundays of each month. Our Queer Poetry Night falls on the final Monday of the month, and the monthly Wide World of Women's Sports watch party on the first Saturday of the month. Other monthly events include Big Queer Trivia Night, the Sassy Salon variety show hosted by Danielle Levsky, Nina Bel Vande's Top Shelf Tease, and Eliza Vedar's Slay Dreamers on the first Sunday of the month.

The Clark Cabaret & Bar is a new space at the University Heights-based Diversionary Theatre that has been welcoming its community six nights a week to enjoy drinks and live entertainment in a piano bar atmosphere since opening in the fall of 2021. It presents performances by beloved local favorites, up-and-coming artists, and local theatre companies. It features a full bar and a permanent historical display created in partnership with LAMBDA Archives of San Diego commemorating the space in the tradition of the iconic "Gay Bar" where the LGBTQ+ community and movement coalesced. From drag kings and queens to stand-up comedy and hosted movie nights, Diversionary will be bursting at the seams in the coming months with an eclectic assortment of queer-themed entertainment with an emphasis on non-profit groups and diverse artists, as well as serving as a hub for organizing and meeting.

The Clark Cabaret & Bar is open Wednesday through Monday from 5:00 PM to close, with happy hour daily from 5:00 PM to 6:30 PM. More information is available on the Clark Cabaret & Bar's website at https://www.diversionary.org/cabaret and by calling 619.220.6830.