By Kaylia Metcalfe
The New Conservatory Theatre Center (NCTC) and Gay Central Valley are proud to present the West Coast Tour of The Bus by James Lantz. The show will be performed at the Unitarian Universalist Church (2672 E. Alluvial Ave.) on May 4 and 5.
Springboarding off a successful collaboration last summer when the NCTC brought Laramie—10 Years Later to Fresno, event organizers are excited to bring another LGBT play to our community.
Ed Decker, artistic director for the NCTC, says that The Bus explores universal themes such as family, faith and the discovery of self. “These aren’t strictly conservative or liberal issues,” he says. “They simply are…and they matter.”
The Bus is the story of Jordan and Ian, two boys who regularly rendezvous in a parked bus that belongs to the most powerful church in town, Golden Rule. Late at night, they meet to explore sexual feelings that are at once awkward, humorous and must remain a secret. When their meeting place is in danger of being discovered, the boys find themselves caught in a conflict between Golden Rule and a gas station owned by Ian’s father—and the clash proves explosive. Can Jordan and Ian move their fragile relationship into the light, or will church and family drive them back?
Please be advised: This play contains mature true to life themes and explicit language.
The NCTC has been entertaining audiences for 31 years in San Francisco. The theater’s mission is to champion innovative, high-quality productions and educational theater experiences for youth, artists and the queer and allied communities to affect personal and societal growth, enlightenment and change. The NCTC is renowned for its LGBTQ productions, its foundational anti-bullying work with youth and its welcoming environment for new and emerging local artists.
This year marks the second time the NCTC has taken an LGBT themed play on tour to the Central Valley. There will also be performances in Modesto and Grass Valley.
Tickets are $15 for adult general admission and $5 for youth general admission. Tickets may be purchased from Brown Paper Tickets at www.brownpapertickets.com/event/281206.
For more information, contact Gay Central Valley at info@gaycentralvalley.org or 559-325-4429.
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Kaylia Metcalfe is a writer, blogger and activist in Fresno. She is a cofounder of Skeptics Without a Cause and serves on the Gay Central Valley Board of Directors. Her short story collection “Links” is available at www.amazon.com. Contact her at kayliametcalfe@gmail.com.
