
Poet Brian Sonia-Wallace organizes Pride Poets as part of the programming offered during West Hollywood’s One City One Pride arts festival. (photo by Tony Coelho/photo courtesy of the city of West Hollywood)
The city of West Hollywood celebrates the artistic contributions of the LGBTQ community with its annual One City One Pride LGBTQ Arts Festival, but this year amid the coronavirus pandemic, all festival events have moved to a virtual platform.
The festival runs for 40 days. It began with honoring Harvey Milk Day on May 22 and ends June 30. One City One Pride was moved online in an effort and response by the city to prioritize health and public safety.
“We have to hold onto our Pride more than ever this year,” West Hollywood Mayor Lindsey Horvath said. “Moving to a virtual platform will help us safeguard health and well-being. We’ll be able to connect and celebrate in a new and creative way this year. Happy Pride to everyone in West Hollywood.”
There are two weeks remaining in the festival, and upcoming events for One City One Pride include Pride Poets, Alliance of Los Angeles Playwrights Pride Playreading Festival, Out of the Dark and a virtual panel discussion for Netflix’s “Circus of Books.”
Pride Poets is organized every Friday through June from 6 to 8 p.m. Pride Poets write and perform spontaneous poems based on a person’s life story. On June 26, Marie Cartier, historian and author of “Baby You are My Religion: Women, Gay Bars and Theology Before Stonewall,” will be featured as part of the programming.
Pride Poets will also produce Pride Poets’ Poetry Care Packages from Quarantine which are custom poems requested from the public. To request a custom poem, fill out a form at pride.weho.org/pride-poets.
In addition, Pride Poet members will curate a half-dozen poem excerpts to produce WeHo chalk poetry on sidewalks throughout the city for pedestrians to enjoy.
On June 20-21 at 4 p.m., virtual readings of plays chosen from submissions by an esteemed panel of judges will compose the ALAP Pride Playreading Festival.
There will be readings of short plays of “Dandy and the Queen” by David LeBarron, “The Dawning of the Age of Ganymede” by Lucy Wang, “Forbidden Love” by Michael Adams, “Miss Julie” by Jule Selbo, “Statler and Waldorf Attend the Theatre” by Rom Watson and “Sweet’s Sweets” by Nicole Matarese on June 20.
On June 21, organizers will conduct a virtual reading of a full-length play called “Sick” by Dani Hiuni. To RSVP, send an email message to pridefestival@laplaywrights.org including full name and which day you’d like to attend. A Zoom link will be sent out prior to the virtual reading.
New Stages and the LA LGBT Center Senior Services Department present Out of the Dark, a virtual online event featuring LGBTQ seniors sharing their coming out experiences through song and storytelling. To RSVP, visit weho.org/pride.
Circus of Books owners Karen and Barry Mason, documentarian Rachel Mason and transgender activist Buck Angel will end the festivities with a virtual panel discussion sponsored by Outfest about Neflix’s documentary “Circus of Books” on June 30.
For information, visit weho.org/pride.
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