Squirrel of Slayville: A Drag Opera. Inspired by events in 2022 in which white supremacists took out the power in Moore County, North Carolina to stop a drag show. This work seeks to flip the script, pop and lock, shut ‘em down and open up shop on the haters who thought they could take out the power in the middle of winter for a week and no one would bat an oversized eyelash. With the generous support of Blueprint NC, this theatrical work has been in the werks since 2023 and is a retelling of that attack from an empowered perspective of the people of Moore County and the drag artists who organized mutual aid for the 45,000 people left in the cold by an act of bigotry.
The version presented at the FRINGE festival will include songs in progress and the story told in children's book form, narrated by a drag queen. Featuring some of your favorite local
drag artists, and a few familiar faces (and voices!) from COMMITTED: The Musical. Come celebrate the art of drag and the resistance and resilience of queer community and our allies. All ages, all families, all genders, all lovers of art and community welcome. The more flamboyant and sparkly, the better.
A squirrel seeks a certain shimmer that once shone in streams and strobes across Slayville. Will Squirrel find their spark? Who can say?? Get thee to Slayville to find out!
Writer & Director: Tori Grace Nichols
Composer: Emmsy Ceballos
Illustrator: Saif Wideman
Animator: Phillip Teasely