Tag Archives: YYCLegacy

Get out there and heart YYC Gay History

Posted on February 1, 2018 by Kevin Allen | Leave a comment

In the next few weeks, you can express your love for our City’s LGBTQ2 history in a couple of ways.

Firstly, this Saturday, there is a design charette for the Calgary’s YYC Legacy Project. This is moving the community consultation process forward. The first phase gathered feedback from over 400 participants and generated a dynamic Story Map. The design charrette will have architect facilitators to help participants share their ideas for the future creation of a commemorative LGBTQ2S+ public plaza in Calgary.

Design Charette Poster

Secondly, Sage Theatre is launching the world premiere of a new play called Legislating Love, by local playwright Natalie Meisner about the life of Calgary bus driver, Everett Klippert. The production will run from March 22nd-31st and was created in collaboration with Third Street Theatre and the Calgary Gay History Project.

The play synopsis is: “Everett Klippert was the last person to be tried, convicted, and jailed for homosexuality in Canada. Maxine, a young historian, discovers Everett’s case. She becomes consumed with finding out who he really was, past the headlines. This is the story of the struggle to define Klippert, beyond what history wants and needs him to be.”

Legislating Love Poster

We are excited to see one of our most momentous gay stories turned into art! Please join us; you can find tickets online: here.

{KA}

Reading yycgayhistory for the holidays

Posted on December 23, 2017 by Kevin Allen | 1 comment

The Queerly Festive Dinner and Show was a great success with more than 200 people gathering in good cheer. It was at this event that the YYC Legacy Project released its “Story Map.” This interactive map collected the feedback of 400 people who participated in the project’s community consultation process.

You can find the Story Map: here. It is recommended and engaging reading for the holiday season.

The YYC Legacy Project will be embarking on Phase II in the new year, which will include design charettes and other public input initiatives to further refine the idea of what a community commemoration project will look like. Please participate as you are able.

Our friend, Aftin, from Theatre Junction, asked us to let you know about the queer multidisciplinary performance, MDLSX, which they are presenting January 25-27, as part of the High Performance Rodeo. Tickets start at $20 at theatrejunction.com.

Finally, it recently occurred to us that the Calgary Gay History Project started about five years ago. Our history continues to surprise and inspire us. Thank you, readers, for your ongoing enthusiasm for this work.

We warmly wish you a safe and joyous holiday season with a good slip into 2018!

{KA}

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Posted in Gay history

Tagged bisexual, gay, lesbian, MDLSX, queer, Story Map, Theatre Junction, transgender, YYCLegacy

Apologies, Auditions, & Gathering

Posted on December 15, 2017 by Kevin Allen | 1 comment

Phew. The recent LGBTQ2 apology by the Government of Canada had us run off our feet with media interviews and correspondence with journalists. Fortunately, we found several volunteers to pitch in, to address the volume of sound bites requested. Here are some of the more interesting links if you missed them:

Kevin Allen’s interview with CBC North about Everett Klippert.

Playwright Natalie Meisner’s interview with Global TV about Everett and her upcoming play featuring his story.

Activist Nancy Miller’s interview with CITY-TV.

The Calgary Journal interview about the significance of the apology.

Donald Klippert’s interview with the Calgary Herald about his Uncle Everett.

The LGBTQ2 apology on November 28th was instigated by the Globe and Mail’s John Ibbitson who requested a posthumous pardon for Klippert from the Prime Minister’s Office. He made the ask in February 2016, after he wrote an in-depth feature chronicling Everett’s story. Last week we received a personal email from John referencing the historical research we shared. He wrote: “thanks once again for all your help. Wouldn’t have happened without it…”

Art has the power to both remedy and mend. We are excited to be collaborating with Sage Theatre and Third Street Theatre on the world premiere of Legislating Love: The Everett Klippert Story in March 2018. Sage Theatre has put out a call for theatre actors, and they are accepting auditions until December 20th.

Finally, Calgary’s LGBTQ2 community is gathering for the holidays on December 21st at the Palomino Lounge for A Queerly Festive Dinner. Nine community organizations have come together to produce this holiday meal and drag show which will be both delicious and free! (Donations are gratefully accepted). At this event, Alison Grittner from the YYC Legacy Project will reveal the voluminous community feedback that has been gathered for Calgary’s forthcoming LGBTQ2 commemoration project.

{KA}