TL;DR Thelma Louise; Dyke Remix at Diversionary Theatre
Dates: (5/9/2024 - 6/2/2024 )
Diversionary Theatre |
4545 Park Boulevard
San Diego,CA 92116
Phone: 6192200097
Tickets: Start at $20
SUBMIT UPDATES
Winner of the 2021 Richard Rodgers Award for Musical Theatre Writing.
T and L drive their 1966 Ford Thunderbird Convertible off the edge of the Grand Canyon. Suspended in mid air, the two discover their authentic selves and embark on a queer odyssey that defies conventions and dares to ask: “Why do strong female characters always gotta die?” Aided by a kick-ass Riot Grrrl band, T and L attempt to sort out their new identities, how those identities impact their relationships with each other, and seek out the gay happy ending they’ve always deserved.
Cast and Creative team for TL;DR Thelma Louise; Dyke Remix at Diversionary Theatre
Cast
Sophia Araujo-Johnson
T
is so excited to be making her Diversionary debut with this amazing new work. She is a San Diego native and has been performing in various productions at San Diego theme parks for the past eight years.
Sara Porkalob
L
is so excited to be back at Diversionary after having her San Diego premiere of her play, DRAGON MAMA, here last fall! She is a theater maker, cultural worker, and creator of the DRAGON CYCLE, a trilogy of matrilineal musicals about her Filipino-American, badass family. Awards and nominations include: 2023 San Diego Critics Circle Outstanding Lead Performance in a Play, 2021 Princess Grace Award Winner for Theater, Seattle Times 11 Movers and Shakers to Watch this Decade, 2019 nominee for Americans for the Arts Johnson Fellowship for Artists Transforming Communities, Seattle Magazine’s 2018's Most Influential People. Broadway: Edward Rutledge 1776. She’s a consultant with the City of Seattle and their Creative Strategies Initiative (CSI), a new City effort that uses arts- and culture-based approaches to build racial equity in non-arts policy areas like the environment, housing, workforce and community development. @sporkalob, www.saraporkalob.com
Steph LeHane
Cubby/Drums
is beyond pumped to make their Diversionary debut in the world premiere of this incredible show! They began playing drums (along with guitar and bass) as a teen, and always seems to find their way back behind the kit in the undisclosed number of years since. Off-Broadway: With A Little Help…It’s John Belushi (Theatre 80 St. Marks). LA: Frozen Fluid (LGBT Center), Shame of Thrones: The Musical (Whitefire Theatre). Film: Bullets Over Antebellum. Steph would like to thank the entire Diversionary team, their friends, family, and wife Hannah. IG: @steph.lehane www.stephlehane.net
Faith Carrion
Henrietta/ Aux Instruments
is thrilled to be back at Diversionary after playing “Pythio'' in Head Over Heels last spring! Their favorite credits include “Dromio of Ephesus'' in Comedy of Errors (The Old Globe), “Johnna” in August: Osage County (Backyard Renaissance), “Madame Thenardier” in Les Miserables (Haugh Performing Arts Center), and “Sour Kangaroo” in Seussical (Candlelight Pavilion). She is a teaching artist for The Old Globe and is currently writing an original musical as an ‘Artist in Residency’ with Blindspot Collective.
Lyric Boothe
Marie/Keys 2
Lyric is a New York State Native and moved to San Diego in 2019. She re-entered the theatre world in 2022 after a 10-year hiatus in which she earned her Bachelor’s degree in Music Therapy and began her career as a Music Therapist, supporting people with disabilities and those in end-of-life, through music. Some of her notable roles in San Diego include Kelly in The Mad Ones (Wildsong Productions), Justice Charlier in Rock of Ages (Wildsong Productions), Jessica/Amy in Ensemble: The Musical (Benjamin Monts Original), and Mimi and Joanne in Rent (Wildsong Productions). Find Lyric on social media @lyricmakesmusic on Instagram and @lyricontok and @lyricmakesmusic on TikTok.
MG Green
Blazer/Bass/Guitar
is a multi-racial, trans and non-binary performer, writer, storyteller, facilitator, public speaker, cultural strategist, energy healer and arts administrator. With a longstanding dedication to uplifting the stories of marginalized folx, they are thrilled to debut as a performer at Diversionary! They were recently seen as Aaron in Man and Moon (MOXIE Theatre) and was the keynote speaker for The Backsliding of Gender Rights in the U.S. Part II: Queer Resilience and Resistance at the University of San Diego Kroc School of Peace and Justice. Their short play Spectrum was recently featured in the Powers New Voices Festival at the Old Globe. In their earlier years, they co-created and performed in Epic Tales from the Land of Melanin (produced at Free Street Theatre, American Alliance for Theatre Education, and LTC Theatre for Young Audiences Sin Fronteras Festival). They also have performed in and produced devised work with Chicago-based companies that center arts education (Playmakers Laboratory), mental health awareness (Erasing the Distance), and sexual health education (For Youth Inquiry). At the heart of their practice is elevating stories of marginalized folks to increase empowerment and awareness.
Creative Team
EllaRose Chary
Book and Lyrics
is a writer and advocate for inclusion in media. She likes telling stories with music and building community through artistic practice. She is a Richard Rodgers Award Winner, Drama League Nominee, Dramatists Guild Fellow, Ars Nova Uncharted resident, O’Neill NMTC Finalist/Incubator Resident, Rhinebeck Writers Retreat Triple R Resident, a New Georges Affiliated Artist and Jam Member, Relentless Award Honorable Mention, and recipient of the Anna Sosenko and multiple NAMT Frank Young Foundation grants. Diversionary Theater is producing the World Premiere of her musical TL;DR: THELMA LOUISE; DYKE REMIX in 2024. She has been a guest lecturer and production studio lead artist at Harvard University in the Theater, Dance and Media department. Her debut album, PLACE AND TIME was released in December 2021 and featured in “The Advocate.” She believes the future of theater is universal healthcare. www.ellarosechary.com
Brandon James Gwinn
Music and Lyrics
is a Drama League nominated and Richard Rodgers Award and Bistro Award winning composer-lyricist, performer, pianist and producer, and Winner of the Broadway World Award for Best Piano Bar Entertainer. A LiveNation artist, Brandon opened for Trixie Mattel’s North American Tour and appears in MOVING PARTS on Netflix. Solo albums: BULLIT (Queer Global Arts Festival Winner) & NOT TOO LATE Music producer: TWO BIRDS & ONE STONE (Billboard #1) by Trixie Mattel, LOVE FOOL by Alexis Michelle for Broadway Records, PLACE & TIME. Theatre: THE SEANCE MACHINE (The Tank, Obie-Award) TL;DR. THELMA LOUISE; DYKE REMIX (Richard Rodgers Award, Rhinebeck Writer’s Retreat, UArts Polyphone Festival, O’Neill, NAMT), COTTON CANDY & COCAINE (Theatre C), QUEER.PEOPLE.TIME. (Catwalk Residency), MATCHMAKER MATCHMAKER, I’M WILLING TO SETTLE (A.R.T., NYMF) SMALL TOWN STORY (Village Originals, Seattle. World Premiere: American Theatre Group) Residencies: Ars Nova, Dramatists Guild Fellow, Roundabout Space Jam, Catwalk. Proud Recording Academy Grammy Voter, Local 802 AFM and ASCAP. MFA NYU’s Graduate Musical Theatre Writing Program. Represented by WME.www.brandonjamesgwinn.com @brandojamesmusic
Sherri Eden Barber
Director
is a director, Artistic Director of Ricochet Collective, and Resident Director of Hamilton on the West Coast. Recent productions include Tiny Beautiful Things with Nia Vardalos (Pasadena Playhouse), To Let Go and Fall (Theater Latté Da), Esperanza Spalding’s Emily’s D+Evolution (Development on European Tour), Happily After Ever (Ricochet Collective – 59E59, Edinburgh Fringe), good friday (The Flea Theater), Only You Can Prevent Wildfires (Ricochet Collective – Teatro Circulo), Gordy Crashes (Ricochet Collective – IRT), Mr. Landing Takes A Fall (The Flea), Herman Kline’s Midlife Crisis (The Beckett), 24 Hour Plays on Broadway with Pablo Schreiber, Laverne Cox, and Melanie Griffith (American Airlines Theatre).
Erika R. Gamez
Musical Director
is a music director and keyboardist based in NYC. While in San Diego, Erika music directed productions of LITTLE WOMEN and MISS YOU LIKE HELL and conducted collegiate wind ensembles year-round. Erika was also music director for the La Jolla Playhouse WOW Festival performances of ALLEGORY. Erika wrapped their first national tour as MD/Key 1 for SUMMER: THE DONNA SUMMER MUSICAL in 2022. After a successful run as MD/Key 1 for ON YOUR FEET! at the Engeman Theater, she was brought in to rehearse the 2nd national tour of ON YOUR FEET! with director Luis Salgado and music supervisor Miami Sound Machine’s Clay Ostwald. Erika was recently Off-Broadway as Associate MD/Keys 2 for the musical adaptation of THE HARDER THEY COME at The Public. Since then, they have music directed AIDA with STAGES St. Louis, NEXT TO NORMAL at Greenbrier Valley Theater, and LIZZIE at TheaterWorks Hartford. MM Conducting, San Diego State University; BA Music Education, Fresno State. Erikargamez.com
Steven Leffue
Sound Design
is a San Diego-based sound designer and musician. He is a co-founder of the OBIE award-winning performance venue JACK (jackny.org), and serves as Director of the Americas Region for the International Computer Music Association (computermusic.org). In addition to local designs with East West Players, San Diego Opera, Cygnet Theater, and North Coast Repertory Theater, current projects are appearing at the Under the Radar Festival 2024 (NYC), ICMC 2024 (Seoul), and the Vienna Festwoche 2024. More info at www.stevenleffue.com.
Annelise Salazar
Co Lighting Design
is a San Diego based Theatre and Festival Lighting Designer. Her past theater credits include, Irma Vep, The High Table, and Dragon Mama (Diversonary) Elsewhere: Clyde’s and Mother of the Maid (MOXIE); Desert Rock Garden, The Ferryman, The Roommate, And Singing in the Rain (New Village Arts Theatre); Water by the Spoonful (Cygnet Theatre, ALD) How the Grinch Stole Christmas (The Old Globe, ALD) Past worked at Old Globe Theatre, Bay Street Theatre, and Tuyo Theatre.Annelise invites you to check out her website to keep up with her past, current, and future projects: annelisesalazardesigns.
Colby Freel
Co Lighting Design
is a lighting designer and storyteller with experience working in all spheres of lighting including plays, musicals, ballet, contemporary dance, concerts, and architecture. Colby's most recent projects include the 2022 Hemsley Lighting Internship, Design for Present Laughter at Cygnet Theatre and Cry It Out at MOXIE Theatre. Colby provides design and documentation services including drafting & technical documentation and client-facing previsulizations & renderings for all manner of theatrical productions.
Chanel Mahoney
Costume Design
is a costume designer and licensed cosmetologist based in San Diego. She is thrilled to be joining the Diversionary team with the production of TLDR. Credits include: Jane, wig design (Lambs Players Theatre), Mud Row, wig design (Cygnet Theatre), Seres (Opera NEO), La Calisto (Opera NEO), Marie and Rosetta (Cygnet Theatre).
Yi-Chien Lee
Scenic Design
is a local set designer working among theatre and film. Credits include: On This Side of the World (East West Players), Sharon, The Little Fellow, Life Sucks, El Huracán, Water by the Spoonful, The Great Leap (Cygnet Theatre), The Great Leap (Center Rep), Future is Female (Flint Rep), King of the Yees (Sierra Madre Playhouse), The Great Khan (SD Rep), Eighty-Sixed, Girlfriend, A Kind of Weather, Monsters of the American Cinema (Diversionary), Mother of the Maid, The Pleasure Trials (Moxie), Proof, How I learned to Drive, October Night of Jonny Zero, (Backyard Renaissance), The Comedy of Error-globe for all (Old Globe). portfolio: yichienlee.com
Sierra
Projection Design
is a projections and lighting designer thrilled to be working on TL;DR. They hold a MFA in Theatrical Design and Technology from San Diego State University. Their previous work includes Ziggy, Stardust and Me (Projection Design, San Diego State University), Kaleidoscope (Lighting Design, the Jason Mraz Foundation), Children of Eden (Lighting Design, SDSU), Pleasure Trials (Lighting Design, MOXIE Theatre), Destiny of Desire (Assistant Lighting Designer, The Old Globe), Ride (Assistant Lighting Designer, The Old Globe) and Don Giovanni (Assistant Lighting Design, San Diego Opera). Portfolio: www.sierradesigns.co
Leah Osterman
Props Design
is a theater director, designer, writer, and artist. After 6 years as a special education performing arts teacher in her native Baltimore, she moved to San Diego for the sun and queer community and quickly found that at Diversionary. They hold a master’s degree in special education from Notre Dame of Maryland University and a bachelor’s in Theatre Arts from Yale University. She has worked on projects with Diversionary, Coronado Playhouse, Heartbeat Opera, The Orchard Project, Baltimore Center Stage, and the Moscow Art Theater School. Leah will be directing Coronado Playhouse’s production of Sweeney Todd this coming October.
News About TL;DR Thelma Louise; Dyke Remix at Diversionary Theatre
Cast Set For TL;DR: THELMA LOUISE; DYKE REMIX at Diversionary Theatre
March 26, 2024Diversionary Theatre has announced the world premiere of the new musical TL;DR: Thelma Louise; Dyke Remix, book and lyrics by EllaRose Chary, music and lyrics by Brandon James Gwinn, direction by Sherri Eden Barber, and musical direction by Erika R. Gamez.
Diversionary Theatre Reveals New Staff in Leadership Positions
July 14, 2023Diversionary Theatre has announced that Stephen Brotebeck will be serving as Interim Artistic Director while a national search is conducted for Diversionary’s next Artistic Director after former Executive Artistic Director Matt M. Morrow took on a new role of Artistic Director of Walnut Creek’s Center Rep.
Jenny Case Promoted To Executive Director Of Diversionary Theatre
June 21, 2023Diversionary Theatre has announced that its Managing Director Jenny Case will be promoted to Executive Director when Executive Artistic Director Matt M. Morrow steps down this month to take on a new role of Artistic Director of Walnut Creek’s Center Rep after an eight-year tenure leading the third-oldest LGTBQIA+ theatre in the United States.
Diversionary Theatre Announces 2023/2024 Season
June 01, 2023Diversionary Theatre has announced its 2023/2024 season: the San Diego premiere of Dragon Mama (September/October 2023) by Sara Porkalob and directed by Andrew Russell; the legacy revival of The Glass Menagerie (November/December 2023) by Tennessee Williams and directed by Lisa Berger with Shana Wride taking on the iconic role of Amanda Wingfield; the West Coast premiere of Notes on Killing Seven Oversight, Management and Economic Stability Board Members (May/June, 2024) a co-production with Moxie Theatre by Mara Vélez Meléndez and a director to be announced; the world-premiere musical TL;DR: Thelma Louise; Dyke Remix (May/June, 2024) by EllaRose Chary and Brandon Gwinn, directed by Sherri Eden Barber.
Diversionary Theatre Frequently Asked Questions FAQ
TL;DR Thelma Louise; Dyke Remix (5/9/24-6/2/24)
Diversionary Theatre is at 4545 Park Boulevard, San Diego, CA.
The Glass Menagerie (11/30/23-12/23/23)
Sunday Sessions with Justin Huertas – An Evening of Original Songs (10/8/23-10/8/23)
DRAGON MAMA (9/14/23-10/8/23)
Head Over Heels (5/25/23-6/18/23)
Monsters of the American Cinema (3/16/23-4/2/23)
The High Table (2/9/23-3/5/23)
THE MYSTERY OF IRMA VEP (12/1/22-12/24/22)
AZUL (11/18/21-11/18/21)
one in two (9/23/21-10/24/21)
Head Over Heels (5/21/20-6/28/20)
Founded in 1986, Diversionary Theatre is recognized as one of San Diego’s best theatres, and proudly showcases the most vibrant and diverse group of talent the city has to offer. We aim to foster and amplify the next generation of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and other marginalized voices by providing the local community with live entertainment in a dynamic, inclusive, and welcoming environment that celebrates and preserves our unique culture. Diversionary Theatre began as a forum to shed light on the important social issues affecting the quality of life of LGBTQ+ people, namely the AIDS crisis and its immediate and devastating impact on the community through the performing arts.
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