Fundraiser Performance - April 17 & 18

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Local performers will tell the stories of local GLBT individuals, friend, and allies on the theme "When I Knew...and How It Saved Me" at the Oakland Center for the Arts. The show, scheduled for 8:00 Friday April 17 and Saturday April 18 with a 7:00 reception each night, is the work of Robert Dennick Joki, a director and performer who is well known in the local theater community.

Joki collected these stories by approaching friends and GLBT organizations and by spreading the word through the online community. These inspirational testimonies will be part of a performance that also features music and spoken word. Stories that are not performed on stage will be showcased in the Oakland Star Gallery.

Along with Joki, performers include Maxine Factor, Nicole Zayas, Ric Panning, Joyce Jones, Molly Makselan, Kage Jonas, Beth Farrow, Kelly Bancroft, Natalia Hagan, Kerri Rickard, Rick Morrow, Carlos Rivera, and Nikita Jones.

All proceeds from "When I Knew...and How it Saved Me" benefit Pride Youngstown, specifically Youngstown's first gay pride celebration, scheduled for Saturday June 6th.

It is not too late to submit a story for "When I Knew...and How It Saved Me." Please send, as a Microsoft Word attachment or as a rich text file, your submission to wheniknewshow@yahoo.com. Include in your cover email a brief biography with your name, contact information, age, gender or gender identity, and anything else you would like us to know. Anonymous submissions will not be accepted, but names may be withheld from the performance at the author's request. Submission deadline is Friday April 10.

To make reservations, call 330-746-0404. The Oakland Center for the Arts is the only community theater in downtown Youngstown and is located at 220 West Boardman Street.