44 , JUStpUt
JANUARY 5, 2007
Experience the Difference!
theater
Same-Sex Stage
Wedding bells herald the opening of Portland's new
gay theater company
by Timothy Krause
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pening hearts and minds through the­ back to his native
ater. That’s the mission of Portland’s new
Oregon. More recently,
gay theater company, Key Productions,
the 35-year-old directed
which debuts Jan. 5 at World Trade
It’s a Wonderful Life and
Center Theater with Can’t Say I Do, an
performed in California
original musical penned by Oregon City gay boys
Suite at New Century
Peter Alexander and Kevin Yell.
Players, a community
Director Troy Lakey, who is also gay, says the
theater in Milwaukie.
insightful and funny production pops the question:
For Key Produc­
Why is marriage of such fundamental importance? tions, Lakey is also
The right to marriage is an issue that entangles
considering up-ending
whole families, as happens in Can’t Say I Do when
shows
written
for
Troy Lakey
two siblings see the institution from different
straight couples by cast­
perspectives: A pregnant Carol has to rethink her
ing two women or two men instead. “One of my
lifelong resistance to marriage, while the inability
goals,” he proposes, “is to show that the queer
of her brother, Chris, to marry his South African
community has the same exact problems that the
partner, Alex, threatens to split the gay couple up
straight community when it comes to relationships!
forever when Alex’s visa is revoked.
I want to ‘normalize,’ if you will, gay characters—so
“This musical questions the ‘freedom’ that we
it happens to be one of the characteristics, but the
have in this country,” explains Lakey. “This play
play isn’t always-about that issue.”
also shows the struggles that happen within a
Unlike Can’t Say I Do, which is a production
family around gay marriage, especially when one
Lakey hopes audiences will remember the next
member is more ‘traditional conservative.’ This
time they vote. “1 want them to talk to their friends
show is realty about relationships—parent/child,
who aren’t sure which side of the gay marriage
brother/sister,
in-laws,
boyfriend/girlfriend, debate they stand on, and convince them that all
gay/straight, partner/partner.”
people should have the fundamental right to mar­
One of the most powerful relationships in the
ry the person they love. All people deserve the
play is between Margaret, the conservative mother,
same rights and benefits. It isn’t special rights, it is
equal
rights.” ©
and Chris, her gay son.
“They each struggle with loving someone that
believes something very different than what they do.
K ey P roductions presents Can’t Say 1 Do
How can Margaret balance her desire for her son to
through Jan. 20 at World Trade Center Theater,
•be happy with her belief that homosexuality is
121 S.W. Salmon St. Tickets are $20 from
wrong? Over the course of the play, she begins to www. key ¡noduc tionspdx.com.
understand the struggles he has to face and the
inequalities he encounters,” relates Lakey. “One of
By day, TIMOTHY KRAUSE is marketing director of
my favorite lines from a song in this play is ‘Why red
Miracle Theatre Group. He can be reached at
states and blue states—what’s wrong with multi-
timkra@millenicom. com.
hued states?’ This is a play for many of
those conservatives to see, to realize
what they are fighting against. This is a
show I wish my very conservative
parents would come and see."
It’s also a show that Lakey hopes
will galvanize support among
Portland’s queer community for a new
theater company that will focus on gay
themes, issues, characters and artists.
“I have several ideas for shows
I would like to do, but I also want to
bring in other members of the gay
theater community to help to develop
Key Productions,” he says. “1 have a
few shows that are on my ‘to do’ list
at some point— Angels in America,
A Streetcar Named Desire possibly with
a man playing Blanche and Dracula
with stronger homoerotic undertones,
possibly doing my own adaptation.”
Raised Mormon, formerly married
and now bringing up two kids, Lakey
came out about two years ago. After
studying theater at Brigham Young
University, he taught high school drama
in Denver for a couple of years before a
The right to marriage entangles a whole family in the
job in corporate training brought him
original musical Can’t Say I Do.