In her sophomore opera release, Tamar-kali pays homage to William Dorsey Swann, the first person known to dub himself a “queen of drag” and the first American on record to pursue legal and political action to defend the LGBTQ community's right to gather. In this imagining of the early 19th century drag ball scene, impressionistic imagery and chamber composition depict an intimate evening at Swann's abode ahead of his detention and conviction in 1896 for "keeping a disorderly house."
CAST
William Dorsey Swann - Marcus Zebra
Cakewalk Gentlemen - Tislarm Bouie
Cakewalk Queen - Pepper (Joseph Zanders)
Arresting Officer - KB Lash
Countertenor - Kenneth Alston Jr.
CREATIVE TEAM
Composer - Tamar-kali
Libretto - Carl Hancock Rux
Director - James Blaszko
Director of Photography - John Shafto
Production Designer - Delaney Green
Editor - Matt Elias at Big Sky Edit
Costume Designer - Rebecca Bailey
Lighting Designer - Paige Seber
