Les Kurkendaal

IBTC presents: Kurkendaal gets ‘Real’

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By Wendy Carson

This is one of four scheduled shows in the Black Solos Fest presented by Indianapolis Black Theatre Company, a program of The District Theatre. Performance information and tickets at indydistricttheatre.org.

This weekend, Les Kurkendaal brings an expanded version of his much-lauded work, “The Real Black Swann: Confessions of America’s First Drag Queen.” Since I was not able to see the previous stagings, I was excited to get a chance to see this more fleshed-out production and it did not disappoint.

Ever the engaging storyteller, Kurkendaal brings us an endearing tale to delight and educate us on our past and potential future. Told through reminiscences of a fever-dream he experienced during a biopsy on his leg (benign, he reassures us), he gives us the history of William Dorsey Swann, the first documented black drag queen and political activist. He also forces himself to revisit traumatic instances of prejudice he experienced in his life. As his coping method has been to shut himself up in a protective “Glinda Bubble,” Swann’s spirit makes him realize that he can no longer continue to do this.

Kurkendaal has been reworking and refining this show for the past few years, touring it internationally, and I feel that he has truly found his voice in it. The message – that nothing in the world is going to change until we all wake up and join together to support one another, and do whatever we can to fight those who try to oppress and oppose our brethren – is not new, but it’s vital to remember in our current political climate.

Our review of his performance of “Real Black Swann” during the 2022 IndyFringe festival is here. The narrative is largely unchanged, and it is an excellent look at the life of a man born into slavery, yet entering the turn of the 20th century on his own terms – and in a dress. It also reminds us that the gay underground in American cities goes a lot further back than most folks suspect.

As we post this, there is still a performance at 3 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 26, on the main stage of The District Theatre, 627 Mass. Ave., Indianapolis.

IndyFringe: The Real Black Swan

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This is part of IndyFringe 2022, Aug. 18-Sept. 4 (individual performance times vary) in downtown Indianapolis. Details and tickets at IndyFringe.org.

By John Lyle Belden

Popular Fringe storyteller Les Kurkendaal-Barrett returns to bring us “The Real Black Swan: Confessions of America’s First Black Drag Queen.” In the process, he gets in a few confessions of his own.

For most of his life, Les had a Pink Bubble. It’s like the one Glinda the Good Witch rides in on in “The Wizard of Oz.” Only he can see it, but it protects him.

More recently, Les had a lump in his thigh. It turned out to be a tumor, but neither it, nor the growing Black Lives Matter movement outside his doors concerned him, as the Pink Bubble remained intact.

As he prepared for surgery to remove and examine the lump, Les learned of an article about William Dorsey Swann, who was born a slave in the 1800s and went on to become a Black drag queen (reportedly the first) as well as the first LGBTQ activist on record. This being good material for his next show, Les let it into the bubble. Then he checked in to the hospital.

Under anesthesia, Les drifted in a haze, surrounded by the bubble’s pink glow. Then he saw someone walking towards him – this person was tall, Black, and in a 19th-century dress. In a gruff voice, Swann declared, “You need to start feeling things!”

POP!

We’re not in Oz anymore; this dream takes a more “Ebenezer Scrooge” turn, as Les – and we – examine Swann’s life, and the moments where Les could have used The Queen’s strength. His talent for entertaining us with his introspective stories is blended with a fascinating biography. We get an insight into the history of “gay life” (in both senses of the word) in old Washington, D.C. As one would expect, Swann saw his share of trouble, but being taught how to write while in jail led to his petitioning President Grover Cleveland for a pardon – securing his place in history, regardless of the outcome.

This exercise in self-reflection – we learn why “Kurkendaal” is spelled that way – coupled with seeing worlds outside the bubble, make for yet another great performance in Les’s exceptional repertoire.

Pop on over to the District Theatre to see him 9 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 25, and 5:15 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 28.

IndyFringe: Adventures While Black in Great Britain

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This show is part of the 15th Annual Indianapolis Theatre Fringe Festival, a/k/a IndyFringe, Aug. 15-25, 2019 on Mass Ave downtown. Info, etc., at www.IndyFringe.org.

By John Lyle Belden

Les Kurkendaal-Barrett and husband John are at their Green Card “audition.” Les is asked: Is his marriage to this “obnoxious Brit” for real? Being a teller of autobiographical stories for Fringe shows, he gives the Immigration officer — and us — the whole scoop.

Those who have been to his past shows may remember his former relationship. Les comes clean about how toxic that situation was, and how despite efforts to the contrary he fell into yet another romance with a white man. But at least this family of in-laws will be normal — right?

A trip to England for John’s father’s funeral brings Les into contact with his new relatives. This includes Cousin Nigel of the multiple grandfather clocks and wild mood swings; and blunt-spoken Aunt Enid, who lives in Stratford. “You know about Shakespeare, right?” We also learn about “tea shaming,” what song helps you when driving in the U.K., and that Brighton is the nation’s Gay Capital.

Les just has that way about him that makes you want to be his friend, and a storytelling style that makes any little thing that happens sound wild and fascinating. There were plenty of seats at the first IndyFringe performance, but they will be a lot harder to come by at his last. Find him 6 p.m. Friday and Saturday at ComedySportz, 721 Mass. Ave. 

IndyFringe: Terror on the High Seas

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By Wendy Carson

In-laws. We all have dealt with them or heard horror stories from friends about theirs at some point in time. Now, imagine being stuck on a 10-day cruise with them, in Alaska of all places. Thus begins Les Kurkendaal’s tale.

Being a liberal, gay, black man from L.A. was hard for his partner’s conservative, gun-toting, Trump-supporting, Bakersfield family to accept, but they have repeatedly made some effort. They brought him along on this cruise to celebrate the patriarch’s 70th birthday. Their original destination was the Mediterranean, but it was deemed to be “too hot!” by his brother-in-law. Therefore, since they’ve all wanted to see Sarah Palin’s home state, Alaska was decided on.

From taking every excursion offered in order to escape them, to making some hilarious new friends on the boat, Kurkendaal’s tale swings from one crazy situation to another. However, even among all of the zany people he meets, and the crazy antics of the family, some sobering situations are also encountered.

The storytelling skill it takes to maneuver all of these issues while still keeping everything compelling is impressive, and Kurkendaal does not fail. Every show he brings here is so much better than the last. In fact, my biggest annoyance was that I wished the show had been longer.

Whether you have seen one of Kurkendaal’s shows before, or are experiencing him and his family for the first time, you should really do yourself a favor and come aboard for some laughs.

One performance left during this Fringe: 3 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 27, at ComedySportz. Get tickets at indyfringefestival.com.