Erasure, the Erased Queer History of 1930s NYC
"Karel…? Do you think if we end up in prison, that anyone will miss us…? Will Armand miss me…? Will Jack miss you…? Will Julian…? Will anyone know that we’ve gone missing…? That we’ve disappeared…? Will we just… disappear…?"
Synopsis - Karel, an infamous downtown NYC poet and personality, is reunited with his acquaintance and pen pal, Julian. They are both effeminate homosexual men, cut from the same mold, and seemingly ahead of their time. Erasure, the erased queer history of 1930s NYC, posits that they were of the time, but time has merely erased them from the record. Based on the novel, The Young and Evil, by Charles Henri Ford and Parker Tyler, banned in the US in 1933, Karel and Julian and their collection of friends: artists, crossdressers and other bohemians, all search for sex, love, warmth, glamour, and meaning in prohibition, depression era NYC.
Multiple locations, 11-33 male, female, trans, non-binary, Comic Tragic Event.
Multiple locations, 11-33 male, female, trans, non-binary, Comic Tragic Event.
Characters - (10-33 performers)
- Performer 1 (M) – KAREL, Male, early 20s, slender, effeminate, a poet of some success, dresses in tailored suits, stylish hats, and make up. He has bedroom eyes, a soft, lush, lyrical voice, and an economy of gesture; he often looks as if he’s posing for an Art Nouveau poster.
- Performer 2 (M) – JULIAN, Male, early 20s, attractive, effeminate, a poet and a southern boy at heart. He’s like a bookend (or twin) to Karel, yet may have more natural confidence.
- Performer 3 (M) – JACK, Male, 20s-30s, handsome, masculine, smart, serious, a poet.
- Performer 4 (M) – GABRIEL, Male, 20s-30s, Black, bisexual, masculine, tough, a poet, a snob, serious, with a James Baldwin air.
- Performer 5 (M; M to F) – SOSO FLOWER, Male, 20s-30s, Chinese, sweet, a drag performer/dancer and a sometime crossdresser.
- Performer 6 (M; F to M) – K-Y, Male, 20s, the youngest, sweet and sassy, a crossdresser, sassy.
- Performer 7 (M; M to F) – TYE-TYE, Male, 20s-30s, black, fun-loving, a drag performer/singer and crossdresser.
- Performer 8 (M) – ARMAND WINWARD, Male, 30s-40s, tall, fit, debonair, handsome, snobbish, but loves everyone.
- Performer 9 (F) – THEODOSIA, Female, 20s-50s, sexy, classy, but a flapper and a flirt; Daddy’s an industrialist.
- Performer 10 (F; F to M) – FREDERICA, Female, 30-50s, lesbian, a Gertrude Stein type.
- Performer 11 or 10 (M) – RALPHIE, Male, 20s-40s, club manager.
DOUBLING
Performer 3 also plays SAILOR #2 and VOICE #2.
Performer 6 also plays – NYMPHETTE, CARL TUCKER, WAITER, SAILOR #3, VOICE #3 and NYMPH.
Performer 7 also plays DRAGONFLY, BELLHOP, COP #3, and VOICE #1.
Performer 8 also plays FAIRY PRINCE, EDWIN, GRAY CAP, and SAILOR #1.
Performer 9 also plays NAIAD.
Performer 10 also plays LESBIAN, BIG BEAR, NEIGHBOR, MARY LOU BAXTER, COP #2, VOICE #4 and RAM.
Performer 11 also plays BULLFROG, MAN WITH A LIMP, MR. SIMON, SOB, HOOLIGAN, COP #1, and STAG.
- Performer 1 (M) – KAREL, Male, early 20s, slender, effeminate, a poet of some success, dresses in tailored suits, stylish hats, and make up. He has bedroom eyes, a soft, lush, lyrical voice, and an economy of gesture; he often looks as if he’s posing for an Art Nouveau poster.
- Performer 2 (M) – JULIAN, Male, early 20s, attractive, effeminate, a poet and a southern boy at heart. He’s like a bookend (or twin) to Karel, yet may have more natural confidence.
- Performer 3 (M) – JACK, Male, 20s-30s, handsome, masculine, smart, serious, a poet.
- Performer 4 (M) – GABRIEL, Male, 20s-30s, Black, bisexual, masculine, tough, a poet, a snob, serious, with a James Baldwin air.
- Performer 5 (M; M to F) – SOSO FLOWER, Male, 20s-30s, Chinese, sweet, a drag performer/dancer and a sometime crossdresser.
- Performer 6 (M; F to M) – K-Y, Male, 20s, the youngest, sweet and sassy, a crossdresser, sassy.
- Performer 7 (M; M to F) – TYE-TYE, Male, 20s-30s, black, fun-loving, a drag performer/singer and crossdresser.
- Performer 8 (M) – ARMAND WINWARD, Male, 30s-40s, tall, fit, debonair, handsome, snobbish, but loves everyone.
- Performer 9 (F) – THEODOSIA, Female, 20s-50s, sexy, classy, but a flapper and a flirt; Daddy’s an industrialist.
- Performer 10 (F; F to M) – FREDERICA, Female, 30-50s, lesbian, a Gertrude Stein type.
- Performer 11 or 10 (M) – RALPHIE, Male, 20s-40s, club manager.
DOUBLING
Performer 3 also plays SAILOR #2 and VOICE #2.
Performer 6 also plays – NYMPHETTE, CARL TUCKER, WAITER, SAILOR #3, VOICE #3 and NYMPH.
Performer 7 also plays DRAGONFLY, BELLHOP, COP #3, and VOICE #1.
Performer 8 also plays FAIRY PRINCE, EDWIN, GRAY CAP, and SAILOR #1.
Performer 9 also plays NAIAD.
Performer 10 also plays LESBIAN, BIG BEAR, NEIGHBOR, MARY LOU BAXTER, COP #2, VOICE #4 and RAM.
Performer 11 also plays BULLFROG, MAN WITH A LIMP, MR. SIMON, SOB, HOOLIGAN, COP #1, and STAG.
Development - Erasure was a Corona Pandemic fever dream. It was given 4 Zoom readings during shut-down and is slated for production with Theatre Eskew, at La Mama.