The inaugural new works festival Little LTF – which will be staged in just four weeks – will feature two LGBTQ-themed shows being premiered in Liverpool this Summer.
The two shows form part of a 14-strong programme of new productions which have been specially selected by a panel of industry experts. The announcement coincides with June being Pride Month 2021.
Little LTF will run for seven days between Monday 12 July and Sunday 18 July 2021. Audiences are reassured that the festival and programme will continue as planned, despite a delay in the lifting of remaining lockdown restrictions.
Genres represented in the diverse and inclusive programme covers Black arts, cabaret, comedy, disability arts, drama, family entertainment, LGBTQ, mental health, and musical theatre.
Little LTF is a new strand and sister event to the hugely successful Liverpool Theatre Festival, which was first staged last September in response to an ongoing need for live entertainment during Covid-19.
The outdoor festival at St Luke’s Bombed Out Church in Liverpool city centre was created by Liverpool theatre producer Bill Elms, who stepped in to bring entertainment back to audiences after theatres across the country were ordered to close their doors as part of the first Coronavirus lockdown in March 2020.
Shows flying the rainbow flag for the LGBTQ community are This Skin Of Mine and 12 – The Rainbow Monologues Live. Tickets are on sale now.
This Skin Of Mine is an outrageous dark comedy exploring the aspects of what it means to be Black and transgender, written and directed by award-winning creative Kai Jolley and artistic advisor Mzz Kimberley (Kim Tatum). Kim is a regular on the main stage at London Gay Pride, a judge for Pride’s Got Talent, and hosts Brighton Gay Pride. The cast features Eden Jodie and Janelle Thompson. It will be performed on Thursday 15 July at 6pm. Suitable for audiences aged 16 upwards. Tickets are £14.
This will be followed by 12 – The Rainbow Monologues Live, a new show of queer voices and stories that paint vivid pictures of what it means to be part of the rainbow family. Written by Kiefer Wes Williams, Tim Norman, Simon James, Seb Fontaine, Jay Jonsonn and Jack Bell, the show is produced by Henry Zirpolo and Grin Theatre Company, and directed by Dan Scott. The cast are announced as Pam Ashton, Alan Harbottle, Taylor Illingworth, Terence Conchie, and Holly Murphy. It will be performed on Sunday 18 July at 5pm. Suitable for audiences aged 18 and over. Tickets are £14.
The Little LTF selection panel was made up of festival director Bill Elms who was joined by David Fry, UK theatre programmer and producer; theatre director and producer James Baker; Sue Williams who spent 22 years as Liverpool Unity Theatre’s Executive Director and is now Freelance; and Anthony Proctor, an arts marketing professional and theatre maker.
The outdoor event will be staged within the church walls at St Luke’s Bombed Out Church, a new set-up different to the September festival, creating a more intimate, unique, covered Covid-secure performance space. The festival will adhere to all Covid-19 and Government guidelines required at the time.
Little LFT will be followed by the return of Liverpool Theatre Festival from Wednesday 1 September to Sunday 12 September 2021. The festival features more mainstream and established acts, artists, and productions. The line-up will be announced shortly.
Liverpool Theatre Festival is sponsored by Falconer Chester Hall and supported by Liverpool Everyman & Playhouse Theatres.
Festival organisers have also launched the Friends of Liverpool Theatre Festival membership programme. The loyalty scheme will ensure that members become an integral role in helping the festival grow into one of the UK’s top arts festivals. Festival friends will be directly supporting the local arts scene and helping to maintain accessible, diverse, inclusive, affordable arts in Liverpool.
Visit www.liverpooltheatrefestival.com for listings and tickets.
