FEB 23 - 25
GASLIT
by CHRIS STEELE and SEAN OWENS
CoProduction with POLTERGEIST THEATRE PROJECT
Bella isn't feeling quite herself-- is she being poisoned? Tortured? Slowly driven mad? There's nothing like a night of parlor games to take one's mind off such unpleasantries-- and you're all invited to play! A whimsical series of games helps Bella tell the story of her rather delicate state, until the return of her imperious Husband, and the astonishing appearance of an Inspector, who's positively brimming with talk of manipulation and murder. Perhaps it's better to sip one's tea and slip into a quiet reverie, after all.
Gaslit, a Trans Drag Parody, is an intentionally queer, trans, and feminist takedown of an accidentally impactful theatre classic: Angel Street. This full-length solo performance was developed at Berekely Rep Underground, and features drag lip sync, storytelling parlour games, murderous intrigue, and edible soap.
Content Warning: Use of a small prop gun (which is not pointed at any time), spoken references to gun violence, emotional abuse, trans violence, suicide. No graphic physical harm.
Run Time: 90 min with 1 intermission
FROM THE CREATORS: CHRIS STEELE & SEAN OWENS
As a transfemme, the world seems fraught with gaslighting. Everywhere I turn people are desperate to tell me who I am without my input or consent. Looking back to the premier of 'Angel Street', the etymological root of the term "gaslight" as a verb, I can imagine married couples coming to the theatre expecting a splendid thriller. I can imagine those same couples after the accidentally feminist classic: husbands standing and chuckling on their way to the lobby, wives swallowing their horror and managing one deep breath before staggering to their feet.
That said, the original play is far from perfect. It's rife with misogyny, never giving its lead heroine the trust and catharsis she really deserves. She's constantly cowtowed by the men around her, and undercut by the only woman who could be her ally. That's how many Trans women feel today and it's not hard to see why. So we summon the spirit of parody: we lampoon that which is depressingly typical, we elevate the queer and the camp beneath the surface, and through the over-the-top humor and self-effacing style we search for the core of the story.
Drag helped me discover what I love about solo performance. Drag helped me discover the woman I often am. Drag helped me remember that magic of making believe. Thank you for joining my parlor party turned seance turned murder mystery. I cannot wait to see how this turns out.
- Chris Steele (they/she) Creator / Performer / Co-writer
GASLIT has proven to be a brave fledgling indeed; not only did it survive being locked in a trunk for two years as the pandemic raged on outside– it was brave in its very conception. From the start, Chris and I realized that like any good board game, GASLIT was as much about its tangible elements as its actions. The moving parts mattered hugely to us. We therefore insisted that the creative process be concurrent among all facets of production: the props, sets, costumes, lights, and soundscape were given equal weight to the written word. The teacup and the bell might inspire a wordless moment, or carry a bit of the mystery further than any plodding bit of dialogue could manage. NJ Bice and Nic Candito repeatedly came up with crucial solutions to moments that eluded Chris and I on the page– so the dimensionality of the finished piece is authentic, and we hope that all the richly upholstered atmosphere (and language) seethes with the immediacy of a treasure hunt! Everything you’re seeing, feeling, tasting, has been crafted for YOU. It’s yours to explore with your eyes and your mind as Bella overturns the Victorian world before you.
A special thanks to Berkeley Rep’s Ground Floor residency for letting us out of that two-year trunk prison; with their support, we were able to revisit and refine the steps of the game itself, and we hope you’ve come ready to play! We certainly are.
- Sean Owens (they/them) Creator / Co-writer / Director
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C0-PRODUCTION
POLTERGEIST THEATRE PROJECT
Poltergeist Theatre Project is a queer arts collective exploring immersive art through world premier adaptations of problematic classic stories. Founded in 2019, they continue to champion Trans, Femme, and BIPOC artists by empowering them to tell their own stories on their own terms. With a dedication to creating art that "follows you home", they innovate with immersive theatrical and digital experiences that are thematically tectonic and empathically exercising. Their mission to reclaim Queer narratives through performance processes that dismantle toxic cultural norms, viscerally immerse audiences, and celebrate the innovation and liberation of Queer folks continues with each debut performance. Find them on Facebook and Instagram to stay up to date with all upcoming projects.
Promotional PHOTOS
Photos by Estela Hernandez
CAST & CREW
CHRIS STEELE they/she (BELLA MANLIHANDS / CO-CREATOR)
is a queer trans nonbinary performance artist, writer, and activist. Their work centers on highlighting queer narratives throughout history and combating bigotry and white supremacy. As an actor, she has performed with companies across the Bay including We Players, NCTC, Cutting Ball, SF Shakespeare Festival, and SF Playwrights Festival. As a writer they premiered adaptations of Miss Julie, Troilus and Cressida, and Dracula with queer collective Poltergeist Theatre Project; had short plays produced by The Pear, PlayGround, and Cutting Ball; debuted their solo drag show The Bride with PlayGround Solofest; and were commissioned by Custom Made to adapt The Tempest. Her award-winning drag persona Polly Amber Ross can be found on IG @pollyamberross.
SEAN OWENS they/them (CO-CREATOR)
Dubbed "SF's Best Comic Playwright" and "The Captain of Theatrical Camp" by the SF Weekly, Sean Owens has been writing and performing for 35 years, with over 50 short and full-length plays both here in the Bay Area and abroad. Their solo musical, "GIRLESQUE" has delighted audiences in the Bay Area, New York and Canada. Sean has been twice recognized by the Bay Area Theatre Critics' Circle Awards-- first, for the noir parody, "THE BIG DRAG" for Best Original Script, and again for their portrayal of Oscar Wilde with Shotgun Players in Berkeley. They also inaugurated the role of the Viscountess Marlene in Liz Duffy Adams' off-Broadway premiere of "WET."
As a freelance writer, Sean has created the SFMoMA’s first trans non-binary family tour narrator, Dr. Tantamount Thrash, for “Art Goggles.” They are also the Artistic Director for the MD24: The Moby Dick 24 Hour Marathon, at the SF Maritime Museum. They work as a writer, teacher and director for the sketch comedy group Killing My Lobster, and occasionally host an immersive nightclub experience called FANCYPANTS: A Trans-Temporal Evening for the Gender Playful. They are currently directing the official remiere of Toby Moore’s ATOMIC COMIC.
NJ BICE he/him (SCENIC/PROP/GRAPHIC DESIGN)
Nathaniel J. Bice is a scenic painter, scale model maker, craftsperson, and plein air painter in San Francisco. He was raised in Albuquerque, New Mexico and attended Cornish College of the Arts in Seattle, Washington for performance production. He graduated summa cum laude in 2018 and moved to San Francisco for a fellowship with American Conservatory Theater. He currently assists scenic designer Nina Ball for organizations such as Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Theaterworks, Stanford, Shotgun Players, and Marin Theater Company. He also does scenic paint for theaters including Berkeley Rep and Marin Theater Company. He shows paintings and models at galleries such as STUDIO Gallery, Soft Times Gallery, the Falkirk Cultural Center, Anälog Gallery, and Gearbox Gallery. He also takes commissions for paintings and models. njbice.com
NIC CANDITO LIGHTING DESIGN
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