“Happy Fall: A Queer Stunt Spectacular” will open on Aug. 17. (photo courtesy of the Los Angeles LGBT Center)

Romance, stunts… and puppets. Rogue Artists Ensemble, celebrated for creating original, immersive, multi-dimensional experiences known as “hyper-theater,” has announced details for its summer co-production with the Los Angeles LGBT Center and Contemporary American Theater Festival. The world premiere of Rogue Artists Ensemble’s “Happy Fall: A Queer Stunt Spectacular,” written by Lisa Sanaye Dring with Rogue Artists Ensemble and directed by Sean Cawelti, will premiere Aug. 17 at the Los Angeles LGBT Center’s Renberg Theatre in the Lily Tomlin/Jane Wagner Cultural Arts Center, where performances will continue through Sept. 8.

David Ellard, Kurt Kanazawa and Amir Levi star in a story about the professional and romantic rise and fall of two queer, closeted stuntmen in the Hollywood world of faux masculinity. Placing the intoxication of film trickery and its toll on the body and psyche center stage through life-size and miniature puppetry, live video, cinematic illusions and heart-pumping physical acts, this exuberant production is a joyful tribute to the resiliency of the LGBTQIA+ community. Based on true-life stories and direct testimonies, “Happy Fall” illuminates issues of racial and cultural identity in the industry and uncovers the real price of a love story, unmasking the importance – and danger – of being true to oneself. Rounding out the cast are ensemble members Lucas Brahme, Carlos R. Chavez, Gabriel Croom, Kelsey Kato, Maia Luer, Candy Pain, Tiana Randall-Quant and Kody Siemensa.

“As a lover of cinema and how movies are made, I’ve had a life-long fascination with stunt shows,” Cawelti said. “Their mix of humor, strong men and audience participation was a formative theatrical ingredient in my youth, perhaps one that also titillated my dormant queerness. As a young kid, I used to create mini stunt shows with special effects and puppets and tell wild stories. For me, the daring fearlessness of the stunt performer is akin to what it felt like when I was navigating coming out and understanding my own authenticity. This play has truly been a labor of love and is a very personal piece to me.”

The Los Angeles LGBT Center’s Renberg Theatre is located at The Village at Ed Gould Plaza, 1125 N. McCadden Place. Tickets start at $39. For information and to purchase tickets, visit bit.ly/happyfall24.