Written and directed by non-binary emerging artist Riley McLean, DYPKYS is a theatrically dynamic and brutally honest look at the prejudice faced by the LGBTQIA+ community in a mirrored version of our society. Casey Miller is a teenager with a secret – he’s straight. Feeling isolated, Casey uses his writing to create a friend – a lesbian girl who lives in an opposite world (much like our own) where heterosexuality is accepted as the norm.
‘Do Your Parents Know You’re Straight?’ was originally staged in 2017 at the height of the marriage equality debate in Australia. The production was met with strong emotional reactions from our audience members and opened a dialogue about LGBTQ+ issues among the wider theatre community. We believe this iteration only reached a fraction of its potential to inspire discussion and empower queer voices. Since 2017, the script and directorial concept have undergone significant development to present a more mature version of the play.
Staging relevant, contemporary work is crucial for engaging youth and building diversity in the arts community. This is a show built to both challenge audiences and authentically represent the queer experience, supported by a diverse cast and creative team.
By supporting this production, you will be directly contributing to the ongoing development and staging of original theatre works, as well as ensuring we continue to have the platform to reach new and diverse audiences with authentic stories that speak to their experiences.
2020 brought many challenges and we are thankful to our supporters who got involved with our online play readings and online concert, the enthusiastic support and honest feedback we received helped us to stay engaged and focused on the future. We are beyond excited to return to the stage.
Donations made to this project are tax deductible. (Note exclusion for ‘Associates’ of Bearfoot Theatre).
DYPKYS aims to alter negative perceptions whilst supporting and inspiring those struggling by sharing a story easily accessible to people from all walks of life. Although the theatre-going crowd we connect with is generally accepting of diversity, we were surprised by how much this piece affected families and allies of the queer community.
“I have always been ‘supportive’ and ‘accepting’ but DYPKYS really gave me a deeper insight into the personal journeys of my own loved ones that I had never really spent too much time thinking about.” – Audience Member, 2017
Starting conversations is the first step. DYPKYS will succeed if we can get our audiences talking- to their children, to their parents, to their partners, friends, family- not just to promote being open with our identities, but with our feelings too. The show subtly follows the decline of Casey’s mental health due to negative responses to his news – something more for audiences to consider about their response to family and friends.
