The Robert Rauschenberg Foundation awarded The Laboratory Theater of Florida and Visuality, Inc, a $48,000 grant to produce a play telling the stories of local LGBT teens and young adults.
Young people ages 13 through 24 can share their stories anonymously, if they choose, and can participate in the play’s development through interviewing and playwriting workshops offered by the theatre.
Visuality is a non-profit LGBT youth group in Lee County created in part by Arlene Goldberg.
Goldberg said a production like this would have benefited her immensely as a young person, because she was unable to be open about her own sexuality growing up.
“A lot of people are still not out,” said Goldberg.
“The kids today are more out than we were when we were younger, because they are just more open and more accepting and things are just so different today. Having something like this, being able to express yourself in a play form and to the public would have been amazing.”
Goldberg came out when she was 35-years-old. She choose not be very vocal about her sexual orientation until the state of Florida did not recognize her marriage on her wife’s death certificate last year. Goldberg then became a plaintiff in the case that struck down Florida’s gay marriage ban.
She then decided to become more involved in the local LGBT community, and started Visuality.
Goldberg said she believes this production will give young, LGBT people a voice she never had as a young adult.
“For me to see the children feel free to talk about themselves, when I was never free to talk about myself, as well as my peers were never free to talk about themselves, express what they went through, where they were and where they are now and where they think they’re going, I mean, that’s a fabulous thing to be able to do,” said Goldberg.
“We were never able to do that in our wildest dreams,” she said.
The production will have a limited run in March at The Laboratory Theater in downtown Fort Myers. Those wanting to get involved or share their stories can contact The Laboratory Theater or Visuality.
Contact: Andy Spaulding at Visuality@laboratorytheaterflorida.com