Tracing the Directions of Gay Theater

Loynd’s article was sorely myopic and narrow-minded. Singling out gay theater as “little seen” implies that theater is an art form seen by the masses. As someone who has worked in a variety of theaters (straight and gay) for 15 years, I can swear to that not being the case.

Loynd obviously thinks that gay theater would be better theater if it was performed for straight audiences. Would he say that black theater should be performed for white audiences? Hispanic theater for black audiences?

I’ve always thought the magic of theater is not what happens on stage, but what happens in the audience. Gay and lesbian theater’s pure magic of joining together with one’s own people is something mainline theater can never hope to match.

The very act of gays and lesbians going to a theater together and being in the majority is part of the reason that the audiences of “little seen” gay theater often travel hundreds of miles just to see a production.

JEFF HAGEDORN, Hollywood