Activist playwright Wayne Self is a Huffington Post blogger, GLAAD media partner and composer. He is up for interviews, lectures, and classes. His plays are available for production. Facebook.com/ewayneself Twitter.com/ewayneself Linkedin.com/in/ewayneself Plus.google.com/110451020429735592247 www.wayneself.com "Upstairs" is a dramatic musical providing a fictionalized yet fact-based account of the night of the 1973 arson fire that took the lives of 32 LGBT men and women in New Orleans Louisiana. The musical recounts the night of the fire, dramatizing events, and follows the lives of some survivors a year later. It was directed by Zachary McCallum, with musical direction from Stephanie Lynne Smith and vocal performance direction by Sean Bart. Buddy - Garrett Marshall Adam (Buddy's lover) - Nicholas Losorelli Agneau - Alxander Jon Uncle - Brian Brown Inez - Katrina McGraw Louis (Inez's son) - Keith Beverly Jean (Inez's son) - Sean Alexander Bart Mitch (Louis's lover) - Patrick Dillon Curry Mercy Goodman (a local drag performer) - Jeff Roberson Reginald (Mercy's roady)- Charles Romaine PRODUCTION STAFF Stage Manager Danny Crisp Costume Deisgn Alison Parker, Kate Adair BAND Piano - Stephanie Lynne Smith Vocal Director, Onstage Piano - Sean Alexander Bart Keyboards - Anthony Starble Drums - Sam Price Violin - Harry Hardin The first scene is set on June 24, 1973, as Buddy the bartender opens his bar. He vocalizes a little trumpet call, summoning his friends and patrons to the Up Stair Lounge, and they enter pleading "Sanctuary" and promising to "Carry On" all night. We quickly learn that Adam and Buddy are boyfriends and that they argue quite a bit. Adam drinks a lot and clearly doesn't feel like he's quite deserving of a guy like the handsome, popular Buddy. We also meet partners Mitch and Horace and find that Horace is planning for a church fundraiser to be held in the bar that night. And we meet Agneau, an awkward young man not sure what he wants, and Mercy, and Reginald. 11:30 - He'll Do - Adam worries about the men after Buddy, while Agneau picks him out as a possible mark. Horace defends Mitch against his hustling mother, Inez. 17:15 - A year later, in Agneau's apartment, Buddy pays him a visit, finding him playing with pills. They talk about the fire, getting over their distance by relating as survivors, singing "Breathe". We find that Aguneu is tormented by the voice of his deceased Uncle. 23:57 - Reginald and Mercy share a moment. 26:14 - Inez and Louis argue about Mitch, prompting the former hustler Louis to ask for a promise from Mitch that he just can't give. 28:26 - In a jealous fit over his flirting, Adam sings a bitterly prophetic song to Buddy. Then Adam turns his attentions to Agneau. 32:09 - Buddy recounts the what happened on the night of the fire, and realizes that Agneau hears voices. 39:30 - Mitch and Louis argue about Mitch's family and commitments. Buddy looks for Adam. Mitch get a phone call about his kids, leaving Horace at the bar. Inez sings Favorite Son. 48:00 - Adam and Agneau have an intimate moment, which Buddy interrupts. They argue, Adam rejects Agneau, and Agneau rages, singing "Not Enough". 54:09 - Reginald gets in the way of Aguneau's anger. Mercy intervenes with "Testify". ACT II 59:25 - "Sanctuary/Carry On Reprise" 1:02:13 - Jean and Louis sing about hustling, and whether Louis should return to his old ways in "Take from Him". 1:17:15 - Just when it seems Louis will start hustling again, Mitch returns from away, and sings "I'll Always Return". 1:11:02 - Mitch, Louis, and Inez argue over their reconciliation. 1:12:26 - Forward in time, Buddy recounts the actual moments of the fire, suffering guiltily for his self-perceived failures, as Agneu and his Uncle debate revealing their own secret in "Come with Me/He Should Know". 1:17:03 - Agneau reveals that he set the fire. He pleas for forgiveness, but Buddy cannot give it. 1:20:54 - Back in the bar, Agneau, still enraged, tries to seduce and steal from Mitch. 1:23:50 - Brought into the light, Agneau and Mitch argue over gays and religion. The argument escalates and Agneau is kicked out of the bar. He leaves with a threat. 1:27:10 - Agneau, whose counting of pills has been a leitmotif throughout the show, finishes counting out 33 pills, then takes them, committing suicide. The assembled victims of the fire gather over him as ghosts and debate his salvation. Unable to accept forgiveness for the crime of being Agneau, he is consigned to the torment of his uncle. 1:33:03 - Buddy and Reginald visit the site of the fire and talk about surviving. Reginald asks "Why's There Always Gotta Be a Word" for people that you lose. 1:37:37 - Buddy enters the burned out building and talks with the spirit of Adam. 1:45:00 - Reginald--now Regina in honor of Mercy, takes the stage as part of her act, and sings about surviving in "Carry On".

• published: 03 Dec 2013
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