My Other Closet, the cabaret
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"My Other Closet: The Cabaret" is the true story of one man’s experience of domestic violence in a same-sex relationship and his road to recovery. Russ, a father of 3 now in his 50’s, takes us on a musical journey through the story of his life. Beginning in a Melbourne gay bar in the 1970’s, we follow Russ’s queer journey through a 17 year straight marriage, and into his first same-sex relationship; a relationship riddled with extreme violence, psychological and emotional abuse, manipulation, and control…
But wait! This story can and does have a happy ending! We follow Russ as he finds the courage to proclaim “this is not what love looks like” in a moving process of healing, with the help of his first love; Music.
Woven with stories from his past and a sprinkling of jazz and crooner re-workings of classic pop songs such as “Love on the Rocks”, “Help!”, and “I Will Survive” (with the help of accomplished composer & musician, Daryl Wallis), "My Other Closet: The Cabaret" is a true story of domestic violence told from an insider’s perspective. .Sometimes light-hearted, sometimes heart-wrenching, this layered performance leaves the audience with a lasting impression and creates dialogue and discussion about an issue too rarely discussed.
The message of "My Other Closet: The Cabaret" is:
Everyone deserves to feel safe, and to love and to be loved without fear. Everyone.
Visit the official website for more information and cast and crew bios.
But wait! This story can and does have a happy ending! We follow Russ as he finds the courage to proclaim “this is not what love looks like” in a moving process of healing, with the help of his first love; Music.
Woven with stories from his past and a sprinkling of jazz and crooner re-workings of classic pop songs such as “Love on the Rocks”, “Help!”, and “I Will Survive” (with the help of accomplished composer & musician, Daryl Wallis), "My Other Closet: The Cabaret" is a true story of domestic violence told from an insider’s perspective. .Sometimes light-hearted, sometimes heart-wrenching, this layered performance leaves the audience with a lasting impression and creates dialogue and discussion about an issue too rarely discussed.
The message of "My Other Closet: The Cabaret" is:
Everyone deserves to feel safe, and to love and to be loved without fear. Everyone.
Visit the official website for more information and cast and crew bios.
History of My Other Closet
"My Other Closet: The Cabaret’’ is an entertainment event and awareness campaign addressing domestic violence in the general community but especially within LGBTIQ relationships. It’s launch was held in in October 2013 in Sydney as a “Community Forum” for key service providers in the area. This Community Forum consisted of a free performance followed by a Q & A session designed to be an awareness raising and training initiative to better the invited organisations’ responses to domestic violence, especially for LGBTIQ clients.
‘‘‘My Other Closet: The Cabaret’’’ then had its first season run at The Seymour Centre as part of the Sydney Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras Festival 2014. This gave the greater community the opportunity to attend and not only enjoy this creative venture but also have their understanding of domestic violence improved. This in turn promoted further inclusiveness and contributed to the overall dignity, mental health, and happiness of residents within the City of Sydney and beyond. Several audience members who were currently experiencing domestic violence came forward after this production and accessed service because they realised they are not alone and they’re were services available to help them.
In 2016 the show was presented in Melbourne to 300 domestic violence service providers as part of a training event created in partnerships with the Australian Research Centre in Sex, Health & Society at La Trobe University. The first of its kind, the event made a tremendous impact, enabling more services to become LGBT inclusive, and more LGBT victims of domestic violence to access appropriate help.
In 2017 the show had a sell-out public season in Melbourne from July 15th -28th, at The Bella Union in Carlton. Audiences raved about the show and the season generated a tremendously wide amount of media coverage. This public season was produced through funding from the City of Melbourne, and partnerships with Victorian AIDS Council, GLHV, Queerspace, Transgender Victoria, & Switchboard.
My Other Closet the Cabaret has proven to be an extremely innovate & effective health promotion tool, breaking new ground on an issue rarely acknowledged in the LGBTIQ communities.
In 2019 the show will be touring regional Victoria through partnerships with local service providers.
‘‘‘My Other Closet: The Cabaret’’’ then had its first season run at The Seymour Centre as part of the Sydney Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras Festival 2014. This gave the greater community the opportunity to attend and not only enjoy this creative venture but also have their understanding of domestic violence improved. This in turn promoted further inclusiveness and contributed to the overall dignity, mental health, and happiness of residents within the City of Sydney and beyond. Several audience members who were currently experiencing domestic violence came forward after this production and accessed service because they realised they are not alone and they’re were services available to help them.
In 2016 the show was presented in Melbourne to 300 domestic violence service providers as part of a training event created in partnerships with the Australian Research Centre in Sex, Health & Society at La Trobe University. The first of its kind, the event made a tremendous impact, enabling more services to become LGBT inclusive, and more LGBT victims of domestic violence to access appropriate help.
In 2017 the show had a sell-out public season in Melbourne from July 15th -28th, at The Bella Union in Carlton. Audiences raved about the show and the season generated a tremendously wide amount of media coverage. This public season was produced through funding from the City of Melbourne, and partnerships with Victorian AIDS Council, GLHV, Queerspace, Transgender Victoria, & Switchboard.
My Other Closet the Cabaret has proven to be an extremely innovate & effective health promotion tool, breaking new ground on an issue rarely acknowledged in the LGBTIQ communities.
In 2019 the show will be touring regional Victoria through partnerships with local service providers.