Geelong’s Alysha Jane has teamed up with friend and co-star Lana Davey to write and perform a “healthy dose of gay panic” in their new show ‘Wish You Were Gay’.
Alysha, 26, and Lana promise to honour queer music icons and share stories of the people who inspired them to get out of the closet and into the sunshine.
“Lana and I had both done cabaret before and it’s something we really like so we put our heads together and it’s come together really well,” Alysha said.
“It’s all queer themed. It’s about the music and the artists that were important to us in our personal lives and the rollercoaster of working out who you want to be with and who you don’t.”
Alysha said they knew a life in the arts was evident from a young age.
“Since I was little I didn’t want to watch Barney, I wanted to be on Barney, I wanted to be on Hi-5,” they said.
“Debbie Lee, who has the dance shop on Little Malop Street, I was five or six and she pulls my mum aside after class and says ‘we don’t normally let girls this little join, but I think Alysha will be okay’.”
Alysha said they and Lana work well together and that the show and that Lana is “the most insane singer”.
“We are on the same wavelength,” they said.
“I’m mostly excited to see what it ends up being in its final form and what people think.”
Alysha said you don’t have to be queer to enjoy the show.
“We do have a brief educational experience and the start of the show,” they said.
“We go on a time travel adventure and go through a bunch of different things in a short amount of time. Even if you’re not caught up in pop culture, we’ll educate you a little bit.
“It will be fun and everyone will enjoy it if you’re gay, straight or or somewhere in between. Come dressed in your most spangly, wacky outfit.”
With You Were Gay is at the MC Showroom, Prahran from August 23 to 28.
Details: trybooking.com/events/landing/940562
