In this podcast the cast and creative team behind Summer Camps talk about the production and its origins. The show runs during the Fringe Festival and Pride Festival in Wellington from 14-16 and 21-23 March 2019.
"Did you know there used to be secret Lesbian Summer Camps in the 1970s and 80s? Younger generations don't even know they existed, they happened and ended almost without a trace. A group of young Queer people set out to preserve stories and connect with their LGBTQ+ elders in an exciting new documentary."
The interview was conducted in a circle, where the interviewee becomes the interviewer. The interview begins with Director Sabrina Martin. To learn more about the Lesbian Summer Camps visit the NZ History website.
Summary
The podcast titled "Summer Camps," recorded in Island Bay, Wellington on February 17, 2019, features a discussion with the cast and creative team behind the theatrical production of the same name. The show, which is part of the Fringe Festival and Pride Festival in Wellington, unfolds the hidden history of secret summer camps established outside Christchurch and Wellington in the late 1970s and early 1980s by a collective of women. The camps were havens for lesbian women to celebrate and explore their sexuality and identity in a non-judgmental space. Inspired by similar events in the United States and Britain, they served as a refuge from societal challenges and a hub of political activism.
Courtney Rose Brown, one of the actors and publicity coordinators, discusses their personal connection to the project and its importance in uncovering queer history. The verbatim theatre format preserves the authenticity of stories recounted by individuals, providing a unique insight into their experiences and the evolution of LGBTQ perspectives over the decades. The project underscores the progress made since the original camps, acknowledging the groundwork laid by previous generations for a broader, more inclusive community that now supports non-binary, trans, intersex, and other identities.
The podcast also includes a dialogue about the creative process involved in transforming interviews into a verbatim play. The meticulous process of forming a narrative out of real conversations reveals the importance of maintaining honesty and embodying the essence of the storytellers’ experiences.
Director Sabrina Martin and others discuss contemporary social and political divisions, drawing parallels and contrasts with past issues such as "gold star" lesbianism and acceptance of bisexuality. They address the challenges of creating inclusive spaces today and the nuances of terms like "queer" and "lesbian." The conversation also highlights the need for intergenerational dialogue and the significance of passing on the legacy of LGBTQ activism and solidarity to younger generations.
The play's creative team acknowledges the limitations of the original camps, noting their predominantly white and middle-class attendee profile, and emphasizes current efforts to forge more inclusive and supportive environments. The podcast conversation extends an invitation to audiences to engage in post-show discussions, reinforcing the play's role as a catalyst for broader conversations within the LGBTQ community.
The recording ends with the sharing of funny and profound learning experiences from the project, shedding light on the timelessness of the struggles for identity and acceptance. The cast shares a collective yearning to witness the original camps' unique features, such as a "lesbian circus" and a sense of unity that has transcended time.
This summary is created using Generative AI. Although it is based on the recording's transcription, it may contain errors or omissions. Click here to learn more about how this summary was created.
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