ADAMS, MA—Pride, style, and song come to the Adams Theater on June 13 and 14 for “The Big Gay Speakeasy,” a time-traveling, theatrical experience featuring show-stopping tunes from the 1920s-1930s for, by, about the LGBTQ+ community.
The two-night show is the project of Life Jacket Theatre, an NYC-based theater co that bills itself as “a purveyor of undertold stories” through its storytelling events and original productions. The show kicks off at 7:30 p.m. and tickets are available at AdamsTheater.org/events.
Expect to step back in time, with an entry password, a live jazz band, and a cast of Broadway stars leading singalongs. Wear your best glittery attire, enjoy special Prohibition-themed cocktails and treats, and celebrate the LGBTQIA+ community at a show that, according to Life Jacket Artistic Director Travis Russ, is all about “leading with love.”
Life Jacket’s members work with communities to produce events where community members share their true, authentic, compelling experiences; the company’s staged productions take on heavy subject matter like the story of the “Fag Ward” — an isolated wing at the Men’s Penitentiary on Welfare Island, NYC, for inmates convicted of homosexuality during the 1930s.
“It can be a revolutionary act to acknowledge the past,” Russ said. “And we, too, today, can sing and dance and love. The irony of a speakeasy is that they were spaces to go be yourself behind closed doors. We’re embracing that idea, and erasing the shame some individuals are trying to keep around the LGBTQIA+ community by putting them onstage, and creating a communal experience. To me, that is a revolutionary act.”
Life Jacket Theatre will be back in the Berkshires in August for “The Storytelling Project,” a story-slam-style event starring local heroes who will share their biggest mistakes, greatest triumphs, and painful losses.
The Big Gay Speakeasy is the second speakeasy event the theater has hosted–it worked with Great Barrington Public Theater on a series in 2024 celebrating female icons of the 1920s.
Life Jacket Theatre Co. has been nominated for a Drama Desk Award, two American Theatre Wing Henry Hewes Design Awards, seven New York Innovative Theatre Awards, and eleven BroadwayWorld Awards. Our work has been selected as Critic’s Picks by The New York Times, Time Out New York, Fest Magazine, Voice Magazine, and The List and has been named the “#1 Show at the Edinburgh Fringe” by Fest Magazine and among the “Top 10 Plays of the Year” by New, Now, Next.
See a full lineup of theater events at www.adamstheater.org/present.
The Adams Theater is proud to participate in Mass Cultural Council’s Card to Culture program, in collaboration with the Department of Transitional Assistance, the Women, Infants & Children Nutrition Program, and the Mass Health Connector.
EBT, WIC, and ConnectorCare cardholders receive free admission to our shows and events by presenting their cards at our Box Office. See the complete list of participating organizations offering EBT, WIC, and ConnectorCare discounts.
Season Passes
Season passes are available now! Reserve yours now and get free or discounted admission to all Season 2025 shows, plus lend it to a friend for shows you can’t attend. It’s an excellent way to support the theater’s mission and get great seats at the same time!
About The Adams Theater
The Adams Theater’s mission is to create a long-lasting multi media arts institution that fosters community engagement through a diverse range of programming. Collaborating extensively with independent artists and other cultural organizations in the Berkshires, the Adams Theater celebrates creative partnerships and promotes cultural dialogues. Learn more at www.adamstheater.org.