Photo by Mikiodo
Drawing on her own experiences as a lesbian, first in the Deep South and then in a pre-Stonewall New York City, playwright Merril Mushroom transports audiences to the hidden worlds located behind nondescript doors, where 11 bar dykes dance, date, and duke it out.
The Other Side Of Silence (TOSOS), New York City’s longest-producing LGTBQ+ theater company, presents Mushroom’s Bar Dykes at The Flea Theater. Directed by Virginia Baeta and Mark Finley, the 75-minute play delivers a slice-of-life portrait of 1950s lesbian life.
The effortlessly charming Moira Stone plays stalwart barkeep Bo, who slings drinks and posts bail for her motley clientele of women. Among them is redhaired spitfire Bette (Angie Tennant), a butch who has taken up with femme Andy (Kimberly Singh), who may still harbor a crush on hungry kiki Cynthia (Azalea Lewis), a beatnik babe who just wants to give every girl a try, butch and femme alike. This particular night, Cynthia leaves with Elaine (Amy Bizjak), a busty blonde from Chicago. But not before she causes a jealous rage to erupt between Bette and Andy — a sad eventuality that can be found after midnight in every lesbian bar since the beginning of time.
Winnie McCroy 