DRAG STORY HOUR

The Drag Story Hour (DSH) mission is to celebrate diverse, creative and healthy gender expression for children and their caring adults using the arts.

ABOUT DRAG STORY HOUR

The Drag Story Hour (DSH) mission is to celebrate diverse, creative and healthy gender expression for children and their caring adults using the arts. Drag Story Hour was inspired by programs at other public libraries and schools that invite drag performers to read books to children. In the fall of 2017, teaching artists Pedra Pepa and E Zimmer began developing a structure that can be refreshed with new material that highlights teaching artists' performing arts based skills. Sid Sity has since joined as an additional lead artist. Drag Story Hour has presented two seasons of more than 10 performances of an hour in length and included six guest performing artists. DSH released a book written by Pedra and E and illustrated by visual artist Quinn R. All DSH shows have been free and open to the public. Past venues include Powderhorn Park, Pillsbury House Theatre, Walker Art Center, The Loft Literary Center, Moon Palace Books and Wild Rumpus Books.

Shows are created with an empowering theme: resilience, kindness, self-love, friendship, etc. Each performance begins with time for the communities to gather and greet each other while children have the option of getting glitter mustaches, beards and shapes painted on their faces. DSH shows intersperse books and stories with original scenes, songs, rhymes and movement games that highlight diverse gender presentations and intersecting identities. Programs end with time for our communities to connect and dance together. Drag Story Hour is designed to build literacy for preschool age children with playful entry points for older children and adults. In addition to creating original youth theatre, all artists who help present DSH have their own performance practices in many areas including puppetry, dance, theatre, improvisation, music and drag cabaret performance.

MEET OUR CO-DIRECTORS

Pedro Pablo (They/Them, She/Her in drag) is a Minneapolis based, Venezuelan queer artist. One of the inaugural Jerome Hill’s Jerome Foundation Fellowship recipients. Currently a teaching artist with Pillsbury House Theatre (PHT) and Upstream Arts. P… — **Pedra Pepa** (They/Them, She/Her in drag) is a Minneapolis based, Venezuelan queer artist. One of the inaugural Jerome Hill’s Jerome Foundation Fellowship recipients. Currently a teaching artist with Pillsbury House Theatre (PHT) and Upstream Arts. Pedra's work has been featured at the Walker Art Center ('15, ’17, ’18, ‘19), Red Eye Theater (’16, '19), as well as various queer events, in drag, like Daddy, Minneapolis Burlesque Festival, Pink and White Ball. They create and perform children's shows Drag Story Hour with PHT artists. Director of Viva la Pepa.
Photo by Jason Bucklin

Pedra Pepa

Emily Zimmer (She/Her, He/Him in drag) is a local performing artist who began a career creating performance with and for children as an assistant director for the Solidarity Kids Theatre. Emily's first drag shows were with Dykes Do Dr… — **E Zimmer**(She/Her, He/Him in drag) is a local performing artist who began a career creating performance with and for children as an assistant director for the Solidarity Kids Theatre. Emily's first drag shows were with Dykes Do Drag at the Bryant Lake Bowl. She continued to perform with many local companies including Open Eye Figure Theatre, Frank Theatre, Live Action Set and Exposed Brick Theatre to name a few. She has been a teaching artist with the Neighborhood Bridges Program and brings puppets and literacy to classrooms of early learners as part of the Early Bridges Program. She was the Artistic Director of the Chicago Avenue Project, a theatre mentorship program for neighborhood youth, at Pillsbury House Theatre for five years. She holds a degree in Dramatic Arts from Macalester College and studied the art of clown with Pierre Byeland in Switzerland.
Photo by Jason Bucklin

E Zimmer

Siddeeqah Shabazz (She/They, They/Them in drag) is a Black, queer, muslim woman, originally from Oakland, CA. She graduated with degrees in theater from the University of La Verne in Southern California and the Guildford School of Acting in England.… — **Sid Sity** (She/They, They/Them in drag) is a Black, queer, muslim woman, originally from Oakland, CA. She graduated with degrees in theater from the University of La Verne in Southern California and the Guildford School of Acting in England. In the Twin Cities she has worked with Climb, Shadow Horse, Gadfly, Chain Reaction, Freshwater, and 20% Theaters, Exposed Brick Theatre, Savage Umbrella, Aniccha Arts, Intermedia Arts, Artistry, and Full Circle Theatre. Siddeeqah is delighted and thrilled to work with the fabulous Drag Story Hour Team!
Photo by Jason Bucklin

Sid Sity

WORK WITH DRAG STORY HOUR

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THANK YOU TO:

Minnesota Center for Humanities