Zee Zee Theatre's Rainbow Youth Projct
Zee Zee Theatre’s Annual Storytelling Experience returns with the RAINBOW YOUTH PROJECT
Following the rise in anti-Queer & Trans rhetoric and policies within our school system, Zee Zee Theatre seeks to build empathy through the art of one-on-one conversation.
VANCOUVER, BC – Zee Zee Theatre’s deeply personal, free, one-on-one storytelling experience returns to the Vancouver Public Library on November 16, 17, 23 & 24 from 1PM to 4PM. True to the company’s mission since its inception, the Rainbow Youth Project shares individual stories that aim to connect, provoke and inspire us all.
The Rainbow Youth Project is the fourteenth edition of Zee Zee’s beloved annual community storytelling project, produced in partnership with the Vancouver Public Library. This free event is designed to challenge stereotypes and preconceived notions of otherness, promote dialogue, reduce prejudices, and encourage understanding by connecting people who under normal circumstances may have never met. Audience members choose a Storyteller based solely on their story title, then meet them in a one-on-one listening and sharing experience.
Following the protests in 2023 against Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity (SOGI) in schools, Zee Zee thought it was integral to hear from the youth who these educational rollbacks are directly affecting. This year the storytellers are made up of Queer & Trans youth (aged 14-17) from across Metro Vancouver. These youth, who will only be known by the title of their ‘book’ share a wide range of inspiring and memorable stories, from “falling in love at debate club” to “getting sober at 14”.
1 in 10 youth in Canada report belonging to the 2SLGBTQ+ community. 1 in 4 Queer or Trans youth in BC are forced out of their homes due to severe family conflicts.
Like a book, participants can ‘check out’ a storyteller for a candid 20-minute conversation about their life experiences, culture and beliefs. By “checking out” a title from the Rainbow Youth Project, participants are given a glimpse into the life and history of someone they may have not otherwise crossed paths with. Affirming the importance of these stories, Zee Zee’s Executive and Artistic Director, Cameron Mackenzie, adds that “we specifically chose youth under the legal voting age, to give them space to have a voice and autonomy over their stories and identities - something they are not often given as youth.”
While the Rainbow Youth Project highlights perspectives distinctive from that of the audience member, an important reminder emerges at the end of these brief encounters, that despite our differences, a common ground can always be found. “As we curate these stories, we also want the audience to be inspired, and to reflect on their own stories. We want participants to see how much we can learn from the next generation, and offer space to connect and empower each other” Project Producer, Yanting Qiu expands.
Shattering stereotypes and notions of otherness, the Rainbow Youth Project gives the saying “don’t judge a book by its cover” a whole new meaning. Everyone has a story worth sharing; and by taking the time to sit and listen intently, Zee Zee Theatre invites Vancouver to turn over a new page on their worldview.
No advance booking required. Titles are reserved on a first-come, first-serve basis at the Vancouver Public Library’s Central Branch (350 W Georgia St) on the third floor. Event is free.
ABOUT ZEE ZEE THEATRE
For 16 years Zee Zee Theatre’s programming has sought to foster common understanding and empathy across our diverse human experiences. Devoted to telling diverse stories, and amplifying the voices of those on the margins with a focus on LGBTQ2SI+ communities, Zee Zee explores intimate moments through which the infinite complexity of human character can be revealed.
From their inaugural production, Whale Riding Weather, to 2020’s hit, Trans Scripts, Part I: The Women, and more recently facilitating Canada’s first National Queer & Trans Playwriting Unit, Zee Zee continues to drive unique and provocative conversations with audiences on stages across Vancouver.
