LGBTQ+ Festival Best Scene: The Two of Us, by Dianna M Ippolito

In the summer of 1971, Barbara, a devout Catholic and single mother, navigates a crisis of faith when her teenage sons, Ben and Charlie, reveal their desire to transition. In a time when transgender identity is barely acknowledged, let alone accepted, Barbara must confront her own beliefs and the conservative values of their small Minnesota town. As Ben and Charlie embark on a pioneering journey of self-discovery, becoming Brooke and Charlene, they face harassment, rejection, and the threat of being ostracized. Barbara loses her job and strains her relationship with her sister, Julia. Yet, with the support of her friend Farah, Barbara finds the strength to stand by her children and advocate for their rights. As they fight for acceptance and equality, they each discover new identities and find a sense of purpose in their quest for a more inclusive world.

CAST LIST:

Narration: Sean Ballantyne
Julia: Hannah Ehman
Barbara: Elizabeth Rose Morriss

LGBTQ+ Festival Best Scene: Ladyboy Blues, by Richard Lanoix

A midwestern All-American man escapes his mundane and limiting world back home for a new life in Thailand, but he gets more than he bargains for when he falls in love with a mysterious restaurant owner who harbors a secret and a dangerous past that sweeps them both into the cutthroat criminal underworld of Thailand.

CAST LIST:

Narrator: Hannah Ehman
Graham: Sean Ballantyne
Graham’s Dad: Shawn Devlin

LGBTQ+ Festival 1st Scene: Sinner? I Barely Know Her!, by Adelaide Young

While trying to explore her sexuality, 17-year-old Maggie struggles with her religious OCD and comes face to face with questions that seem too hard to answer. What should we take from religion? What should we do when we feel religion is taking from us?

CAST LIST:

Narrator: Elizabeth Rose Morriss
Maggie: Val Cole
Voice: Geoff Mays