A Queer Divine

Sara Felder

Recipient

Grant Year 2009

Grant Amount $20,000

Status Completed

Updated May 30, 2023

Juggler, playwright, and solo theater artist Sara Felder developed and produced the world premiere of A Queer Divine. The title of the piece derives from dancer Martha Graham's statement, "There is only a queer divine dissatisfaction, a blessed unrest that keeps us more alive..." Felder described the arc of the show as follows: "Sara ponders, juggles, and finally embodies the facts of her existence: she can't dance, she likes art, and people she loves are going to die." The piece became a whimsical theatrical reflection on art, aging, and grief. Felder believes in the power of humor and laughter to help audiences dive into difficult, controversial, and provocative issues.

A Queer Divine was performed in the lobbies of Philadelphia-area theaters and community centers. The piece was subsequently performed at the Ko Festival in Amherst, Massachusetts.

Recipient

Sara Felder

Trained by San Francisco's Pickle Family Circus, Sara Felder is a solo theater artist, playwright, and juggler. While the themes of her plays and performances are serious, her form is vaudeville. Her solo shows include June Bride, the story of her own lesbian wedding, and the Center-supported autobiography Out of Sight: A Blind Comedy About God, Israel, and My Mom, in which a mother, nearly blind, and her adult daughter bond over their love of art but fail to see eye-to-eye on Israel. Felder has toured with Jugglers for Peace in Cuba, the Women's Circus in Nicaragua, and Joel Grey's Borscht Capades. As the Bay Area Reporter puts it, "Calling Sara Felder a juggler is a little like referring to Michelangelo as that guy who painted ceilings."

More info

Explore Connections