QUEER, FAR, WHEREVER YOU ARE

MARCH - APRIL, 2020

In many ways these are strange and difficult times, and while most of us are physically distancing, we’re also seeing our queer communities come together and support each other in exciting ways. From commnunity resources like free takeaway meals at the 519 and Glad Day‘s Emergency Fund for LGBTQ2S artists, performers, tip-based workers; to virtual queer events like Club Quarantine and the Social Distancing Festival—queer folks’ resilience and community strength are showing themselves in full force. Our friends at Xtra are even keeping track of how queer communities are responding to COVID in an ongoing series.

As the world’s largest and longing-running queer theatre, our home at 12 Alexander Street has been a place where countless queer artists have dreamt up, rehearsed, and shared their work. Buddies is a space for queer community to come together. But with our theatre dark for the next several weeks, we’ve been thinking of ways to continue achieving these important parts of Buddies’ role at a time when we’re all physically isolating to take care of each other.

Queer, Far, Wherever You Are is a digital performance series that we’ve curated to help bring some quality queer content to the comfort of your homes (er, phones). Over the next couple of weeks, we’re passing the keys to our Buddies Instagram account to nine queer artists who will share intimate performances from their homes – from burlesque to readings, and DJ sets to makeup tutorials.

Tune in at 5PM and make it part of your evening “commute.” Have it on while cooking, or just relax and enjoy. Check out the lineup and schedule below, and head over to our Instagram account to join in live!

Artists will go live on the Buddies Instagram account (@buddiesTO) at 5PM, with a 20-45 minute set.

Friday, March 27: Teiya Kasahara
Monday, March 30: Dainty Smith
Tuesday, March 31: Gay Jesus
Wednesday, April 1: Stephen Jackman-Torkoff
Thursday, April 2: Ali Eisner
Friday, April 3: DJ Sofia Fly
Monday, April 6: Sage Lovell
Tuesday, April 7: Catherine Hernandez
Wednesday, April 8: Yolanda Bonnell

All performances are free to attend, just head over to our Instagram page (@buddiesTO) and watch live.

Artists are paid an honorarium for their performances – but feel free to give them a follow and a share, as well! If you’d like to support Buddies in continuing to create space for queer artists, check out our support page.