Ring of Keys, a nonprofit for queer women, trans, and nonbinary artists, will release a live album of songs from its March fundraising gala on all streaming platforms worldwide July 15.
To celebrate the release of Queering the Canon: Live at Joe’s Pub, a party will be held at The Pershing Square Signature Center Lobby July 15 from 6 PM-8 PM. No RSVP is required.
The first album released by Ring of Keys Records features seven new songs in response to seven canonical tunes, written by Ring of Keys songwriters Joanna Burns, Andi Lee Carter, Lucier&Rose, Lindsey Augusta Mercer, Zeniba Now and Rodney Bush, Anessa Marie Scolpini, and Pearl Rhein.
Performers include Klea Blackhurst, Grant Evan, Esther Fallick, Samy Figaredo, Natalie Joy Johnson, Jade Jones, Jari Billie Sadé Jones, Petralina Lambert, Tomás Matos, Madison McBride, Jade McLeod, Sushma Saha, Murphy Taylor Smith, and Nicole Weiss.
The vocalists are backed by a band that features Dionne McClain-Freeney, Magda Kress, Kendall Perry, and Will Shishmanian.
The live album is co-produced by Lucier&Rose and Andrea Prestinario with direction by S.C. Lucier, music direction by McClain-Freeney, casting by Charlie Hano, and stage management by Taylor Poer.
Prestinario, co-founder of Ring of Keys and the Queering the Canon concert series, stated, “I’m overjoyed to share this gift with the world. To date, the Queering the Canon concert series has commissioned 43 new songs by queer writers. We are creating the future of musical theatre, and this album showcases that future with great visibility for our community of artists.”
“This album showcases the voices that truly reflect our lived experience, our desires, our creativity, and the emotions we’re always processing, both hopeful and complex,” added Lucier&Rose. “It’s so important, now more than ever, to leave a record of our existence and our queerness. We’re excited that someone could be anywhere in the country, find this album, and feel inspired. To know unequivocally that we are here, our voices are powerful, and that will always be true.”
Visit RingofKeys.org.
