North Beach Theater Issues Challenge

By Susan Nolan

It wasn’t a production of the Wizard of Oz, but teen actors on stage in North Beach belted out Over the Rainbow Sunday night anyway.

It was the last performance of the Twin Beach Player’s teen show The Alibis. But the song isn’t a part of the script. 

It was a piece of musical activism, a show of solidarity against hate and in support of the LBGTQ+ community. 

The show’s director Terri McKinstry had the idea after reading about an incident at a Pride event in Youngstown, Ohio. A man verbally assaulted performer Robert Dennick Joki as he performed as his on-stage persona Starrlet O’Hara at an outdoor event. His attacker, armed with a megaphone, flung slurs at Joki and accused him of “grooming” young people for sexual abuse.

Joki responded by launching into a performance of Over the Rainbow. Cast members joined him in song until they drowned out the man. According to Joki, his attacker was then chased from the event by a small group of teens sporting rainbow capes. 

“When I read that story I was just infuriated that someone with so much hate could stop a family-friendly theatrical performance,” says McKinstry. “Then, I read how he responded and how the cast responded and I asked our cast if they wanted to sing Over the Rainbow. As an artist and as a theatrical person, I can think of no better way to counter all the hate in the world than to sing loudly.”

Hailey Croce of Dunkirk is serving as the production’s assistant director. She was the first to answer McKinstry’s call and led the group in song. “By stepping up, I wanted to encourage others to do the same,” she says.  

The Twin Beach Players are now challenging other theater groups to follow suit. 

“We have so many theaters nationally and locally. I would love every theater to start their shows with Over the Rainbow,” says McKinstry.

A challenge of the very best sort has been laid down.