Celebrating Brisbane’s wonderfully diverse queer communities, Brisbane Powerhouse presents this June / July, the fifth MELT: Festival of Queer Arts and Culture with a program of spectacular events, dazzling performances and provocative discussions.
MELT’s 2019 program shines the spotlight on talented local artists as well as national and international drawcards and features a mix of free and ticketed events across the 10 days.
Highlights include international cabaret superstar Reuben Kaye showcasing his signature blend of lavish storytelling and gilded song; Australian cabaret queen Dolly Diamond brings the classic TV game show Bl*nkety Bl*nks to the stage; and the MELT Comedy Gala – hosted by Rhys Nicholson and pairing queer comedy legends with emerging comedians for a night of non-stop laughs.
Killer Queens is guaranteed to blow your mind with five ferocious females embracing glam rock and immersing audiences in the music of Freddie Mercury; while Six Inches pulls some of theatre’s most beloved characters from the closet and through the musical gender-blender in a high voltage history lesson in drag from the creative team behind the BOY&GIRL series.
A collection of vastly different theatre pieces play out across Brisbane Powerhouse stages; from Baby Bi Bi Bi – a wickedly funny cabaret about being a bisexual woman; to La Silhouette – an immersive performance that brings to life Brisbane’s queer history; and Yank! – a musical love story based on the real-life experiences of gay soldiers in World War II.
MELT again provides a platform to hear the voices of Brisbane’s LGBTIQ+ community tell their unique stories across all mediums including The Trailblazers – Elders Panel; first-person piece, My Trans Story; improvisational work, Trade; and verbatim theatre production, Letters I Never Sent.
Festival favourites returning in 2019 include the show stopping MELT Beauty Pageant – expanding to include heats and a final – Tragic Trivia, Gayming, MELT With Us opening night party and The Bowery Haus closing night costume soiree.
MELT: Festival of Queer Arts and Culture takes place at the Brisbane Powerhouse from 27 June to 7 July 2019. For more information, visit: www.meltfestival.com.au for details.
Image: Six Inches (supplied)