photo: kinawilliams.com

Tail-end baby-boomer Jennifer Lanier's melting pot is a humorous blend of racial, gay-straight, and gender identity with a pinch of family drama thrown in for seasoning. The modular format of None of the Above makes it possible to tailor the piece to 90 minute, 50 minute and 30 minute programs. She says this about why she does "None of the Above":

Being an independent artist is the hardest job you'll ever love! It's having an image in your mind that distracts you from the conversation at hand. It's sitting down to have a cup of coffee, getting an idea and pulling out your notebook, then noticing your cell is ringing and answering it to find it's your partner wondering where the hell you are and realizing you've been sitting there writing for three hours, making you an hour late. But you know she'll forgive you when you read her what you wrote.

The last time that happened, the result was my solo show, "None of the Above", on biracial homes, first loves, creating the perfect wedding and figuring out which box to check. This piece lets me bring the audience into the weirdness of dueling ethnicities, the awkwardness of falling in love with ANY gender, the delight of the best lesbian wedding ever, all while keeping them laughing practically nonstop. By the time it's over, everyone feels like they went to the same high school together, that they have shared experiences with folks they never imagined sharing anything with.

I love bringing that kind of theatrical experience to audiences: to hear straight folks laughing over my first forays into the lesbian nation and black folks relating to my mother's decision to take on that racial classification to marry my father in order to circumvent miscegenation laws. I want to see white folks faces hearing my first grade teacher, Mrs. Wiseman, explain that we are "NEGROES" and I want to feel the grins of recognition as gay folks remember the first time they heard the song "I'm Coming Out" by Diana Ross. I want to see the fun the audience has as they find themselves not just watching but participating in the show. See that we are all in it together. Feel HOW we are all in this together. At some time in our lives, everybody feels like they are "different" from everybody else; this show lets folks recognize and laugh at the truth of that revelation. That's why I do it. 'Cause who says existential crises can't be fun!

"Brer Rabbit Meets Coyote"

This 45 minute diversity program for young audiences focuses on Jennifer's mixed African American and American Indian heritage. It's use of folk tales and audience participation made this show popular at several venues including the Smithsonian Institution's Discovery Theatre.

Bruce the Drag King

Who's that hot guy? It's "Bruce", the hardest working drag king in your room! You can lecture about gender roles in society or you can introduce your audience to this gender illusionist, a Springsteen-meets-Friend's Joey Tribiani working man: funny, cool, and sexy, he's clearly born to run!

Bruce is a versatile performer: he dances in traditional lip-synch numbers, sings song parodies, and brings members of the audience on stage for interactive comic bits. Bruce can knock 'em dead as a featured performer for a 45-minute set or as the host for a full evening of other performers. His emcee skills are unsurpassed and he loves to collaborate. Give Bruce some info and let him write a special song to perform in honor of your group or a special person in your organization.

Bruce will set your venue on fire and teach you all about dancing in the dark!