Running congruently with World Meeting of Families and the papal visit in Philadelphia, playwrights Scott Barrow, member of Techtonic Theatre Project and Brooklyn-based theater producer, and Robert Choiniere will hold a reading of their new play, Full of Grace: Journey of LGBT Catholics. The production was created from hundreds of interviews with LGBT Catholics and their families.
The docudrama gives first-person accounts about struggles and experiences with God, faith, identity, and the Church. Full of Grace was first introduced at St. Francis College in Brooklyn in late 2013, and again at the Pope Auditorium at Fordham Lincoln Center in November 2014.
To be presented by 95 North Productions later this month, Full of Grace explores how faith and LGBT identities intersect. Full of Grace's four staged readings present opportunities to hear about the everyday lives of LGBT Catholics, and effectively advocate for more support and acceptance.
You can attend Full of Grace: Journey of LGBT Catholics from September 22-25 at Christ Church Neighborhood House's black-box theatre in old Philadelphia (20 North American St.) at 7 P.M., followed by a talkback each night.
Get more information and tickets here. And see a preview here:
In July, GLAAD's President and CEO Sarah Kate Ellis and DignityUSA's Executive Director Marianne Duddy-Burke signed and sent a letter to the Pope urging him to meet with LGBT Catholics. The letter states LGBT individuals have "experienced a resurgence of hope for full acceptance" within the Church. It asks the Pope to hear LGBT people's stories and rectify the lack of LGBT support from the Catholic Church's hierarchy.
Additionally, in August, GLAAD's The Papal Visit: A journalist's guide to reporting on Pope Francis and the LGBT community was released as a resource for members of the media to generate fair, accurate, and inclusive coverage of LGBT topics in relation to the Pope's visit.
As noted in GLAAD's The Papal Visit, one of the best ways to represent the lives of LGBT Catholics is to hear their stories. Pope Francis's visit presents a pertinent time to further acceptance and support for LGBT people of faith.
To learn more about GLAAD's coverage of Pope Francis and the LGBT community read the guide here. Follow us as we will be on the ground in Philadelphia during his visit.
