Dramatic art professionals discuss LGBTQ presence

New York City and Triangle-area dramatic arts professionals will join together today for a discussion about the LGBTQ presence in television, film and theater.

Dana Coen, director of the Writing for the Screen and Stage minor program, has assembled the discussion, called “Queer Drama.” The initial idea behind the event was to expand the outreach of the tightly knit, yet rapidly growing department. Throughout the planning process, the discussion is proving to expand the minor program in ways unforeseen.

The panel features New York City-based filmmaker Alan Brown, African-American performance artist E. Patrick Johnson, dramaturg and director Jules Odendahl-James and Garth Wingfield, a New York City-based playwright and television writer. Each has pursued a career in the performing and creative arts and incorporate social activism into their work to fight for the acceptance of the LGBTQ community in creative arts fields.

“It’s an opportunity to pull together various perspectives on different LGBTQ dramatic experiences,” Coen said.

Coen said he hopes to attract students from all over campus to the event and make the point that LGBTQ writers have a voice. Coen said topics such as having a career based on gay material and producing work with queer characters and themes are up for discussion.

Odendahl-James, a Duke University dramaturg, graduated from UNC and has been involved with feminist and LGBTQ theater in the Triangle for several years. She said one of her primary focuses is to find and promote the representation of women on the theatrical stage, just as in the real world.

“The best kind of theater holds a mirror to society,” she said. “Yes, I’m gay, but I’m a woman first and that is the core of my identity and my focus.”

Coen said by inviting professionals from multiple fields, the audience will gain a broader understanding of queer theater and the importance of diversity in the theater world.

Brown said he draws inspiration for stories from current affairs, and that after his work was first produced, he began to receive great support from fans and the LGBTQ community.

“I started getting lots of responses from audiences saying, ‘Thank you for putting these things on the screen’ and, ‘It would have helped me as a child to see this,’” he said.

Brown also said there is a great responsibility that comes with making public work. By presenting a piece to the public, these writers believe that they have a responsibility to be the voice for those who feel they do not have one.

“Being a filmmaker gives you license to explore things you’re interested in and step into worlds you’re not a part of,” Brown said.

The panel encourages audience members to engage in thoughtful discussion with fellow audience members, as well as with the professionals.

“I hope that we provoke people into thinking about these issues. You don’t have to be a queer writer to get something out of this panel. The issues apply to any identity,” Brown said.

Odendahl-James said looking toward the future, there are still obstacles to overcome and progress to be made.

“This line of work can be frustrating because we are having the same conversations that we had 20 years ago,” she said.

“There’s never a moment of ‘OK, done.’ It’s a constant process that is rewarding because there are always new things to discover.”

arts@dailytarheel.com