A POP-LORE COMING-OF-AGE MUSICAL
When a college campus becomes a college carnival, four queer students must learn new ways of resistance and existence.
Gender Circus is a coming of age, pop-lore musical that blends reality and fantasy, challenges status quo, and champions authenticity… with bops.
Original Concept and Book by Liv Wilson
Lyrics by Liv Wilson and Déa Thatcher
Music by Déa Thatcher
character
break
down
Follow four queer first year students as they navigate self-discovery in their first year of college. When the most popular fraternity is reinstated on campus, the Friendship gets pulled into carny ways, ending up at a frat party in a fun house.
BEV - they/them
in their heart but uses they/she for now, lowkey but existential, Val’s roommate, year 1.
Vocal inspiration: Alanis Morissette, HAIM, and Conan Gray
MILA - she/her
curious, clumsy, comes from conservatism, baby gay, Naomi’s roommate, year 1.
Vocal inspiration: Kesha, Katy Perry, Gracie Abrams
NAOMI - she/they
transgender, unfazed yet withdrawn, avid tumblr user, Mila’s roommate, year 1.
Vocal Inspiration: PINK, Hayley Williams, Tom Petty
VAL - she/her
unapologetic and unsatisfied, always looking for the next, Bev’s roommate, year 1.
Vocal inspiration: Macy Gray, Miley Cyrus, and Missy Elliot.
LENA - she/they
the l’oracle, a version of a star wizard, a fortune teller. She is all knowing of the past, present, and future. Senior in college. [supporting]
Vocal inspiration: La Roux, Tegan and Sarah, Tracy Chapman
CHAD - he/him
ringleader of Alpha Lambda Beta. Senior in college. [supporting]
Vocal inspiration: Justin Beiber, Orville Peck
demos
About the Writers
Liv Wilson (they/she) is a playwright and librettist based on the East Coast. Their plays include Find My Friends (LimeFest @ The Tank), the best of all possible worlds (Pipeline New Works Fellow, The Workshop Theatre), and Better Red Than Dead (The Tank, BSU, UTEP). Liv writes for Cadence's TV series, Bloodlines and was a lead writer for the inaugural Episodic Theatre Project BARDCORE (Under St. Marks Theatre). Their work has also been developed and presented by Rorschach Theatre, Folger Theatre’s Works in Progress, Dramatic Question Theatre, National Theatre Institute at the Eugene O'Neill Theatre Center, and various universities across the country. Liv is the recipient of the Howard Scammon Prize for Drama, the Martin Jurow Theatre Arts Award for artistic excellence, and the Pipeline New Works Fellowship, under the mentorship of David Lindsay-Abaire. They are currently pursuing a Masters in Social Work at Columbia University.
Déa Thatcher (she/they) composes music and songs for Theater, Film, TV, Orchestra, and Other Mixed Media. They write Musicals, Short Stories, Poems, and other Musings on a modern world, and got a start in community choir and theater in North Western, NJ. Déa is most influenced by musical vibrations, metaphysical interpretations, and alternative neural pathways.
Select project titles include: Martin and Meelo, The Most Incredible Thing, The Only Way Out,Lost Letters, Untitled Queer Fantasy, a collection of Tone Poems, as well as a book of poetry. Her work has been developed at multiple stages including living room shares, table workshops, residencies, readings, concerts, commissions and productions. Member of The Dramatists Guild, Maestra, ASCAP, Untitled Musical Group and AFM Local 802. Training: Berklee College of Music. Currently: Déa plays accordion at Cabaret on Broadway and works as a composer assistant in NYC.
P.S.
“We are writing GC at a time of politicized gender politics, active student liberation movements … and a whole lot of other stuff. Thanks for hearing our story. You’re sweet for being here.”
- Liv and Déa