39 Plays That Brought the LGBTQIA+ Experience to the Stage | Playbill

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Photo Features 39 Plays That Brought the LGBTQIA+ Experience to the Stage Celebrate Playbill Pride with a look at some of the plays that amplified LGBTQIA+ stories on stage.

By Playbill Staff

June 21, 2023

Marcel Spears and Calvin Leon Smith in Fat Ham Joan Marcus

The theatre has long been a home for the queer community, both providing a space for queer artists to share their work as well as a place to amplify queer stories. In celebration of Playbill Pride, take a look at some of the plays that brought LGBTQIA+ stories to the stage.

39 Plays That Brought the LGBTQIA+ Experience to the Stage

Left to right: Sandra Oh and Jessica Hecht in <i>Stop Kiss</i>. — 39 Plays That Brought the LGBTQIA+ Experience to the Stage

42 PHOTOS

Joe Mantello and Stephen Spinella in Angels in America

Angels_in_America_Broadway_Production_Photo_2018_James McArdle_Andrew Garfield_HR — James McArdle and Andrew Garfield in Angels in America on Broadway

Brinkhoff-Moegenburg

As_Is_Broadway_Production_Photo_Steven Gregan_Jonathan Hogan_HR — Steven Gregan and Jonathan Hogan in As Is

Bent_Broadway_Production_Photo_1979_Richard Gere_David Dukes_HR — Richard Gere and David Dukes in Bent

James Hamilton

Chris New, Ricky Champ and Alan Cumming in <i>Bent</i> — Chris New, Ricky Champ, and Alan Cumming in Bent

Photo by Johan Persson

Next Slide

Bootycandy HR — Jesse Pennington and Phillip James Brannon in Bootycandy

Joan Marcus

The_Boys_In_the_Band_Broadway_Production_Photo_2018_Jim Parsons_Matt Bomer_HR — Jim Parsons and Matt Bomer in The Boys in the Band

A Boy and his Soul_Vineyard Theatre_Production Photos_2009_Colman Domingo_HR — Colman Domingo in A Boy and His Soul

The_Captive_Broadway_1926_Production_Photo_Ann Trevor_Helen Menken_HR — Ann Trevor and Helen Menken in The Captive

The_Destiny_Of_Me_Broadway_1992_Production_Photo_John Cameron Mitchell_Jonathan Hadary_HR — John Cameron Mitchell and Jonathan Hadary in The Destiny of Me

Gently_Down_the_Stream_Production_Photo_Public_Off-Broadway_2017_Gabriel Ebert_Harvey Fierstein _HR — Gabriel Ebert and Harvey Fierstein in Gently Down the Stream

Joan Marcus

Indecent_Broadway_Production_Photo_2017_Katrina Lenk_Adina Verson_HR — Katrina Lenk and Adina Verson in Indecent

Carol Rosegg

Slave Play_Broadway_Production Photos_2019_James Cusati-Moyer_Ato Blankson-Wood_HR — James Cusati-Moyer and Ato Blankson-Wood in Slave Play

Matthew Murphy

Cameron Scoggins and Tom Phelan — Cameron Scoggins and Tom Phelan in Hir

John Benjamin Hickey and Anthony Heald in <I>Love! Valour! Compassion!</I> — John Benjamin Hickey and Anthony Heald in Love! Valour! Compassion!

Martha Swope

Glenn Davis, Jeff Parker, Phillip James Brannon and Rodrick Covington in Steppenwolf’s <i>The Brother/Sister Plays</i> (<i>Marcus: Or the Secret of Sweet</i>) — Glenn Davis, Jeff Parker, Phillip James Brannon, and Rodrick Covington in Marcus: Or the Secret of Sweet

Next_Fall_Broadway_Production_Photo_Patrick Breen _Patrick Heusinger_HR — Patrick Breen and Patrick Heusinger in Next Fall

Joan Marcus

one in two_The New Group_Off Broadway_Production Photos_2019_Jamyl Dobson, Leland Fowler, and Edward Mawere_HR — Jamyl Dobson, Leland Fowler, and Edward Mawere in one in two

Monique Carboni

<i>The Normal Heart</i>, Larry Kramer's assault on the establishment for disregarding the AIDS crisis, debuted in 1985. — D.W. Moffatt and Brad Davis in The Normal Heart

Choir_Boy_Broadway_Production_Photos_2018_Nicholas_L_Ashe_Jonathan_Burke_J_Quinton_Johnson_Jeremy_Pope_Caleb_Eberhardt_John_Clay_III_Gerald_Caesar_HR — Nicholas L. Ashe, Jonathan Burke, J. Quinton Johnson, Jeremy Pope, Caleb Eberhardt, John Clay III, and Gerald Caesar in Choir Boy

The Inheritance_Broadway_Production Photos_2019_e Soller, Arturo Luís Soria, Darryl Gene Daughtry Jr., Dylan Frederick, and Kyle Harris_HR — John Benjamin Hickey, Kyle Soller, Arturo Luís Soria, Darryl Gene Daughtry Jr., Dylan Frederick, and Kyle Harris in The Inheritance

Matthew Murphy

Safe_Sex_Broadway_Production_Photo_John Wesley Shipp_Harvey Fierstein_HR — John Wesley Shipp and Harvey Fierstein in Safe Sex

HR - Torch Song Trilogy (Broadway 1982) - Harvey Fierstein, Estelle Getty — Estelle Getty and Harvey Fierstein in Torch Song Trilogy

Torch_Song_Second_Stage_Production_Photo_2017_Michael Rosen_Michael Urie_HR — Michael Rosen and Michael Urie in Torch Song

Joan Marcus

Wig Out!_Off-Broadway_Production_Photo_Erik King_Nathan Lee Graham_HR — Erik King and Nathan Lee Graham in Wig Out!

Carol Rosegg

Michael Urie — Michael Urie in Buyer & Cellar

The_Children's_Hour_Broadway_Production_Photo_1934_Anne Revere_Katherine Emery_HR — Anne Revere and Katherine Emery in The Children's Hour

James Brandon as Joshua in <i>Corpus Christi</i>. — James Brandon as Joshua in Corpus Christi

Photo by Mikki Willis

Alec Baldwin stars in <i>Entertaining Mr. Sloane</i>. — Alec Baldwin stars in Entertaining Mr. Sloane.

The_Nance_Broadway_Production_Photo_Andréa Burns_Jonny Orsini_ Cady Huffman_HR — Andréa Burns, Jonny Orsini, and Cady Huffman in The Nance

Bobby Steggert and Frederick Weller in <i>Mothers and Sons</i>, nominated for Best Play — Bobby Steggert and Frederick Weller in Mothers and Sons

Left to right: Sandra Oh and Jessica Hecht in <i>Stop Kiss</i>. — Sandra Oh and Jessica Hecht in Stop Kiss.

Photo by Michal Daniel

My Night With Reg_donmar_Warehouse_Prouction_Photo_Geoffrey Streatfield_Lewis Reeves_HR — Geoffrey Streatfield and Lewis Reeves in My Night With Reg

Jefferson Mays in I Am My Own Wife HR — Jefferson Mays in I Am My Own Wife

Joan Marcus

Rosie Perez and Kevin Chamberlin, with (under the bed) Terrence Riordan and Brooks Ashmanskas in <I>The Ritz</I> — Rosie Perez and Kevin Chamberlin, with (under the bed) Terrence Riordan and Brooks Ashmanskas in The Ritz

Six_Degrees_of_Seperation_Broadway_Production_Photos_2017_Michael Countryman_Lisa Emery_Corey Hawkins_John Benjamin Hickey_Allison Janney_HR. — Michael Countryman, Lisa Emery, Corey Hawkins, John Benjamin Hickey, and Allison Janney in Six Degrees of Seperation

<i>The Laramie Project</i> (2000), by Moisés Kaufman and the Tectonic Theater Project, dealt with the reaction to the 1998 murder of gay student Matthew Shepard. The play draws on hundreds of interviews with inhabitants of Laramie, Wyoming. — Cast of The Laramie Project

Significant_Other_Production_Photo_Broadway_2017_John Behlmann_Gideon Glick_HR — John Behlmann and Gideon Glick in Significant Other

Joan Marcus

Chicken & Biscuits_Broadway_Production Photos_2021_Michael Urie and Devere Rogers_HR — Michael Urie and Devere Rogers in Chicken & Biscuits

Take Me Out_Broadway_Production Photos_2022_Jesse Tyler Ferguson_HR — Jesse Tyler Ferguson and company of Take Me Out

Jeremy Daniel

Fat Ham_Broadway_Production Photos_2023_Marcel Spears and Calvin Leon Smith_HR — Marcel Spears and Calvin Leon Smith in Fat Ham

Joan Marcus

Ain’t No Mo’_Broadway_Production Photos_2022_Jordan E. Cooper_HR — Jordan E. Cooper in Ain't No Mo'

Joan Marcus

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