Camposition | 1000 Homosexuals

1,000 HOMOSEXUALS

a new comedy by Michael Yawney

Presented by Camposition and co-commissioned by the Adrienne Arsht Center of the Performing Arts of Miami Dade County.

World Premier: November 20, 2008

Text: Michael Yawney
Direction: Sheldon Decklebaum
Choreography & Sound Design: Octavio Campos
Set: Jesse Dreikosen
Costumes: Adam Best
Lighting: Eric Fliss
Styling: Queen Cabaret
Hair: Sergio Gonzalez
Stage Management: Michelle Cote
Assitant Stage Manager: Mike Leon
Technical Director: Tomas Fonseca
Dramaturgy: Michael Yawney

Performance: Merry Jo Cortada as Anita Bryant
Matthew Chapman, Matthew Glass, Kristoff Skalet, Matt Mur, Ralph de la Portilla, Matthew Glass and Bill Spring.

1,000 Homosexuals is a new comedy that recounts the story of Anita Bryant's 1977 crusade against gay civil rights in Miami-Dade county. The play is a documentary/fantasy/comedy presenting Anita just the way she would want: as a musical Joan of Arc battling a powerful and perverse gay mafia. Due to Anita’s concern for her family, she resists taking a stand against a county-wide gay rights ordinance. After she heeds God’s call to take heroic action, Anita pays a heavy price for her stand. The play bends documentary sources such as government records, newspaper stories and underground gay manifestos into a twisted carnival of 70s-style sex and faith.

In the late 1970s, then-County Commissioner Ruth Shack introduced a Human Rights Ordinance including sexual orientation protection. After the ordinance’s adoption, Anita Bryant—former beauty queen, aspiring singer and spokeswoman for the Florida Citrus Commission—led the highly publicized “Save Our Children” campaign against it. As a result, her infamy soared. Nearly 6 months after the ordinance was passed, Bryant succeeded in repealing it.

In 1998, the controversial human rights debate was temporarily laid to rest with the adoption of a second Human Rights Ordinance. Again, the ordinance was challenged—this time by the Christian Coalition in 2002. With the same fervor that Bryant campaigned against gay rights in 1977, SAVE Dade successfully spearheaded the “No to Discrimination” campaign in 2002 and the ordinance was not repealed this time.

The world premiere of 1,000 Homosexuals is timely—immediately following a referendum to place the so-called Marriage Protection Amendment in the State of Florida constitution which would completely ban same-sex marriages in Florida. The 1,000 Homosexuals campaign and production serve to remind us that the battle for GLBT rights is not over. Anita Bryant fueled the gay rights movement that needs to continue to brew fervor today.

VIDEO PREVIEW

1,000 Homosexuals was made possible through grants and private philanthropy namely from the
City of Miami Beach, Miami Beach Arts Council and the Miami-Dade County Cultural Affairs Council, Mayor and the Board of County Commissioners and the Dade Community Foundation
GLBT Community Fund, Greater Miami’s permanent endowment made possible by generous donors since 1967. 1,000 Homosexuals was originally commissioned by the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami Dade County.

SUPPORT THE PRODUCTION BY BECOMING 1 of 1,000
go to 1000Homosexuals.com.