LGBTQ community well represented at this year’s Chutzpah! Festival

Vancouver's multi-disciplinary showcase of Jewish performing arts, Chutzpah!, returns in February featuring established and emerging professional artists from across Canada and around the world. Included in this diverse line-up are a number of shows and performers with a connection to the LGBTQ community.

First up is Conversations, a world premiere from choreographer/writer Serge Bennathan.  With Conversations Bennathan brings his trademark creativity to his new work based on an imaginary encounter between gay Spanish poet and playwright Federico Garcia Lorca, who was murdered by pro-Franco militias in 1936, and his assassin, Juan Luis Trescastro.

Oded Graf & Yossi Berg, Conversations & Visiting Mr Green - all part of the 2011 Chutzpah! Festival.

Next up is the Tony Award winning musical Falsettos which brings together an all-star cast of local musical theatre artists led by director/choreographer Peter Jorgensen.  Falsettos is the soulful tale of Marvin who leaves his wife, Trina and young son, Jason to live with his male lover, Whizzer. Thrown into the mix are Mendel, the neurotic psychiatrist, and the two lesbians from next door.

Along with the two productions, this year’s Chutzpah! also features work from three gay artists including Neil Scott who directs the Vancouver premiere of Visiting Mr Green and Israel choreographers and partners Yossi Berg and Oded Graf.  Berg and Graf, who we will feature in an interview later this month, will premiere a new work choreographed specifically for the festival as part of a Dance Double Bill.

2011 Chutzpah!
10 - 27 February 2011

Visit the Festival’s website at www.chutzpahfestival.com for tickets and information.