LEARNING TO LOVE
Theatrical One Acts 2022

One Act Readings
Friday, Nov 11th and
Saturday, Nov 12th
7 – 830 PM 

The Gay Center
208 W 13th St,
New York, NY 10011

The Gatekeepers Collective presents LEARNING TO LOVE in collaboration with award-winning playwright Donja R. Love (Sugar in Our Wounds, Fireflies, one in two) who has curated an intergenerational development process in which narrative theatrical works reflecting stories of self-acceptance as a rite of passage on the way to Queer/same-gender love have been created.

Theatrical One Acts presents the work of two young Queer African-American playwrights who have been partnered with older SGL men in dialogue about their respective journeys from varying degrees of invisibility and self-denial to self-acceptance and love are reflected in the One-Acts plays they have crafted.

FRIDAY PLAYS: (11/11)

A TRIPTYCH of WALLACE WALKER By Al Sierra 

Follows Wally, a Black, queer preservationist, who finds himself struggling to preserve both his love, memories, and a beloved Harlem landmark

SATURDAY PLAY: (11/12)

SALVATORE By Kay Kemp

In a flagging hotel kitchen, two men discuss life, lit, and what it means to truly love your job

Al Sierra

Al Sierra is a playwright, writer and actor. Most recently, Al was selected as a 2022-2023 National Black Theatre ‘I Am Soul’ Playwright Residency finalist and has a developmental partnership with the National Black Theatre, which has supported the development of several of his plays. Al’s work has also received developmental support and readings with the National Queer Theatre. He is a graduate of Cornell University and the Professional Conservatory at the Stella Adler Studio of Acting.

When he’s not telling stories, Al spends an INORDINATE amount of time thinking about inequality, identity, NYC, blackholes, The 90s, and Rihanna.

When he's not hunched over a laptop keyboard by candle light, he's probably watching anime, walking around the city, eating cheesecake, or drinking too much hot chocolate.

Kay Kemp

Kay Kemp (they/them) is a playwright based out of New York City and a graduate from Columbia University, where they are currently pursuing their PhD in Theatre and Dramatic Literature. They were the 2020 recipient of the Joseph Milton Fee, Jr. Award in Playwriting for their play Linguistic Features of AAVE, as well as the 2022 Austin E. Quigley Award for Excellence in Theatre. Their work focuses primarily on Black families, and the difficulties befalling them, but also the beauty, passion, and love which flows through every interaction, with a legitimate drive to put Black joy centerstage. Their most recent play, Dream a Little Dream of Me, premiered Off-Broadway at the Connelly Theatre in August. They can be reached via Instagram: @clitaemnestra, or at kaywritesplays@gmail.com.