Written and performed by
Anthony Curry and Carrie Gibson
Directed by John Vreeke
Because You Know Me has been created from the words of twenty-two people who address gay, lesbian, transgender and bisexual inclusion from a variety of perspectives. Because You Know Me puts a human face on the issues that affect the LGBT community. The actors will portray people who tell stories about life, work, military service, community and parenting, and how those areas can be affected by misunderstanding and bias. The play addresses both the subtle and more overt forms of exclusion experienced by people who identify as LGBT. There are also stories from family members and people who are not LGBT who have had enlightening experiences as they confronted their own biases. Humor, derived from historical transcripts, is used to both entertain and illustrate the distance we have traveled and have yet to travel to become a truly inclusive nation. The play speaks to a reality that can be applied to anyone who has had to face the question of whether to share a relevant aspect of themselves in a workplace setting. As long as people have to hide part of who they are, their ability to bring their authentic self to work and be fully engaged is compromised. The stories and experiences shared in this play allow audience members to find both commonalities with each individual as well as appreciate and value different perspectives.
The Objectives:
- To gain an understanding of the challenges that face LGBT people in the workplace and the community
- To inspire active empathy toward people who do not feel safe disclosing relevant aspects of their identity
- To create a truly productive and inclusive workplace and community
- To allow the participants to relate to people who have different perspectives and experiences
The following people were interviewed for the play:
| Joel Brown | Howard Carver |
| Daniel* | Suzanne Dawes |
| Julie Doss | Adam Burton |
| Brian Hansen | Karene Hansen |
| Jennifer Hambert | Kelsey Robertson |
| Bill Hertan | Amanda Lewis |
| Simma Lieberman | Anneliese Lilje |
| Bryan Morgan | Antonio Piaggio* |
| Rachel* | PattiMichele Schaeffer |
| Mark Simpson | Brent Sherwood |
| Jake Wrosowsfsky |