Lipkin says her 'Apple Pie' will turn out with surprises
By THOMAS CRONE
Special to the Post-Dispatch
05/20/2004

The gist of Joan Lipkin's latest theatrical offering is pretty well covered in its all-encompassing title: "As American as Apple Pie: Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Youth and PFLAG Parents Act Out: A Happening Featuring Performance, Conversation and Apple Pie."

That's not to suggest that the show - which debuts this weekend - is easy to sum up. A diversity of perspectives is one of the key aspects of the project, which is a collaborative effort among Lipkin's That Uppity Theatre Group, three directors, students from Growing American Youth and members of Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays.

In fact, a large part of the process involved incorporating "citizen actors," not all of whom were schooled in drama and the arts, into the creation of an intergenerational series of short, improv-born pieces. Lipkin hopes both those on the stage and in the audience will come away with an enhanced appreciation for community-based theater.

The show, says Lipkin, will "have two completely different audiences, with gay teens and PFLAG parents." Adults will appreciate "reflections by PFLAG parents on various themes, including bravery, shame and the arc of their parental journeys." Students will encounter "such topics as gay icons, violence in the schools, family dynamics, self-mutilation and love."

Despite the show's subject matter, Lipkin makes clear that "you don't have to be a gay teen or have one to enjoy the performance. It's for anyone interested in authenticity in their performance, which is hard to come by these days."

Lipkin also promises the unexpected. "It will be very interesting to watch how each of the pieces is going to play in relationship to each other," says Lipkin, noting that script changes are happening into the final week of rehearsal. "There will be some surprises, but I can't tell you what they are, or they wouldn't be surprises. But, like everything I do, it's not typical. It's not going to be a traditional performance experience at all.

"We're going to give the audience members a complimentary feather boa when they enter, if they want to slip into something more festive. That's an example of setting the tone for the experience in this really cool space."

That "really cool space" is the Contemporary Art Museum, a venue not known, to this point, for live theater.

"I think there are any number of places we could've put this up," Lipkin says. "I really wanted to up the ante and do it at the Contemporary, even though the place provides challenges. I wanted to honor the work by putting it in a special place, one of the most exciting and newest spaces in town. While I've spent a lot of honorable time in church basements - 12 years, to be precise - I thought this would be more of an event at the Contemporary."

"As American as Apple Pie"

When: 7:30 p.m. Saturday and 3:30 p.m. Sunday

Where: Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis, 3750 Washington Boulevard

How much: $5-15

More info: 314-995-4600