A new musical about the events leading up to the 1969 police raid on the Stonewall Inn, and the resulting acts of civil resistance that helped launch the modern gay rights movement, will get readings October 16 and 17 at Ripley-Grier Studios in New York City, starring Claybourne Elder, Annie Golden, and Kevin Smith Kirkwood.
Aaron Simon Gross and Rev Yolanda will also be featured in Stonewall: A Rhapsody on Resistance, which has book, music, and lyrics by Dave Bates.
The musical centers on the character of Mark, described as “a newcomer fresh off the bus from Kansas. The regulars at Stonewall might as well be from another planet. But when this ragtag group of hustlers, lovers, and drag queens welcomes him with open arms, Mark discovers a home worth fighting for.”
Golden is the veteran of seven Broadway productions, including The Full Monty and Violet. She plays Norma Romano on the TV series Orange Is the New Black. Elder appeared in the recent Sunday in the Park With George revival, and in the musical Bonnie and Clyde.
Read: Look Back at The Stonewall Portraits, Capturing a Historic Milestone in LGBTQ History
