Gay-themed
musical provides positive role models for young gay adults.
San
Diego, CA, USA -- Jack Turner, local playwright and lyricist, is
holding the first public Reading of "LUBE: A MODERN LOVE STORY,"
a gay-themed, Broadway-style musical, at San Diego's LGBT Center on
October 1st, 2016, 7 pm. All twenty-four of the songs written by
composer Brandon Bowerman for the show will be played during the
event, with many of the tunes making their world-premiere debut.
"LUBE:
A MODERN LOVE STORY" is the first of a new genre of musical
theater. It's a gay-themed play, written by a gay man with music
composed by a gay composer, but intended for gay and gay-supportive
audiences. "LUBE" is a musical comedy that takes a serious
look at growing up gay, including the decision whether to stay in or
come out of the closet, bullying, prejudice, the lack of role models,
religious persecution, and teenage suicide. But it also deals with
friendship, changing attitudes, and acceptance - especially what can
sometimes be the hardest of all: self-acceptance.
"LUBE"
is one more voice in a chorus - or perhaps a cacophony - of voices
trying to convey the message that "It Gets Better" to
at-risk young adults. Hundreds of celebrities have joined the effort,
adding their voices as well, but the statistics are shocking.
According to the Trevor Project (http://www.trevorproject.org),
suicide is the second leading cause of death among young people ages
10 to 24. LGB youth are four times more likely, and questioning youth
are three times more likely, to attempt suicide as their straight
peers. There are more teens in the US who attempt suicide each year
than the total body count from the many mass shootings seen in the
news by a factor of two to three. It's a silent epidemic. To address
this issue, "LUBE" attempts to provide positive role models
and an uplifting message: "Just love yourself; the rest will
fall in place."
"LUBE"
is not be the be-all, end-all solution to the problem, but it's an
approach that hasn't been tried before. It treats being gay as normal
and gay sex as a topic that isn't taboo. The playwright wants to
provide an experience for young gay adults that has been available to
their straight counterparts for a very long time: to walk out of the
theater identifying with the lead characters, saying to themselves,
"I'm gay. They were gay. They found happiness and fell in love.
That could happen to me." But even more, "LUBE"
attempts to send a message to every person who sees it, whether they
be gay or straight, that it isn't OK to bully or torment others who
may be different, that it's not acceptable to add to the problems of
an isolated teen. This message may not make it to every bully or
tormenter, but with "LUBE," the playwright hopes to
convince their peers that these kinds of acts are not acceptable.
Perhaps peer pressure can achieve what a simple, direct message
cannot.
Tickets
for the Reading are available online at
http://lubemusicalreading.eventbrite.com.
Best seating is reserved for those who support the Reading through
the "LUBE" Kickstarter campaign at
http://tinyurl.com/zefra3s.
For more information about "LUBE: A MODERN LOVE STORY,"
please visit http://www.lubemusical.com.
Media
Contact:
Stacey
Blanchet
Jack
Turner Productions
(810)
728-1513
