A single man narrates the story of a relationship with a troubled man named Lang. Lang is a troubled young man with a pension for self-destructive behaviour. Lang is brilliant and makes the narrator feel most alive, but at what cost to himself. The piece deals with the cost of bravery in the world and at times the limit of how we love. As the story continues, and Lang falls deeper within himself and his trouble, the narrator deals not only with their own complicity in the downward spiral, but also the ways in which love at times is never enough.

The show is accompanied by the music of John Dowland, an Elizabethan songwriter who was famous for writing early ballads like “Come My Tears” and “In Darkness Let Me Dwell”. Dowland published two books of songs, that the show will rely upon these songs to set the tone for each section of the show. The songs, which will serve as the name for each section, will be played on the cello without the lyrics. The songs will be at times manipulated, via key or rhythm to fit the story, but each will add an extra dimension. Abstract projections paint the mental and physical landscape of the story.

Featuring cellist Patrick Belaga
Curated by Michael Holt

Justin Sayre is a writer and performer who Michael Musto called, “Oscar Wilde meets Whoopi Goldberg.” Sayre has been a fixture of the Downtown Cabaret Scene in New York, first with their long running monthly show, The Meeting of the The International Order of Sodomites, Bistro Award winning & 2 MAC nominations, but now with new shows at Joe’s Pub/The Public Theatre like Peaches, Eggplants, and Tears & The gAyBC’s, a five part show which will be released in book form by Chronicle Books later this year. As a playwright, Sayre’s work has appeared at Dixon Place, The Wild Project, The Celebration Theatre, The Players Club, and La MaMa Experimental Theatre. Sayre was amongst the first class of The Queer Art Mentorship, where he worked with Everett Quentin of Charles Ludlam’s Ridiculous Theatre Company on their play, The Click of the Lock. Sayre also hosted and wrote, Night of a Thousand Judys, a benefit honoring the life and legacy of Judy Garland and raising money for The Ali Forney Center for Homeless LGBT Youth in New York. Sayre has written a series of YA Novels, Husky & Pretty, with the third in the series, Mean, released later this year by Penguin Books. Sayre is the host of the podcast, Sparkle & Circulate. Sayre’s first comedy album, The Gay Agenda, was listed as The Comedy Bureua’s Best of 2016. Sayre has also written for Television, working with Michael Patrick King on his Hit CBS comedy, 2 Broke Girls. Sayre also appeared on HBO’s The Comeback with Lisa Kudrow.

About Queer Biennial

The Queer Biennial is an international survey focusing on the current moments in LGBTQ art and culture that showcases emerging, mid-career, and established artists. Featured work includes installation, film, live performance, and historical documentation. Artists included do not shy away from sexuality, identity, the body, and all around queerness. As independent curators/artists, we champion and challenge artists of all disciplines to temporarily step away from the white-box systems and explore new spaces in an unfiltered and organic fashion. Every exhibition or event is carefully researched and realized with an invited list of artists and curators from around the globe.

The Queer Biennial began in 2014 and is firmly planted here in Los Angeles with venues that have included: Coagula Curatorial, Industry Gallery/Los Angeles, with satellite installations and performances that took place at the Tom of Finland Foundation, Antebellum Gallery, Please Do Not Enter, LACA, Pieter Performance Space, PAM, among others. Lectures and performances were held at the Ace Hotel in Downtown Los Angeles. Additionally, Hotel Gaythering hosted satellite events at Miami Art Basel.

For more information and a full schedule of events, visit http://www.queerbiennial.com/schedule