Gather Artist in Residence Spotlight: Queer As Fuck

By Aureen Almario

The artists we are highlighting were scheduled to exhibit or perform at Bindlestiff Studio in 2020. We wanted to document how artists are coping, thriving and responding to the current time.

This week we sat down with Queer As Fuck, a “Queer and Trans POC theater collective here to tickle your funny boner.” Originally slated to produce their 4th show at Bindlestiff in June 2020, the group has since pivoted to doing a virtual community showcase in September 2020 during Oakland Pride. Founding members Jud Ferrer and Jocelyne Ampon gave a glimpse into their hxstory as a collective, their current state and their hopes for the future.

Ferrer elaborates on how Queer As Fuck started: “It came about because we wanted to open up Bindlestiff to queer trans POC artists because there’s such a need for it. There’s not enough groups doing the type of work that we were doing or that we began to do. Just being at Bindlestiff and seeing what Bindlestiff is all about, and the kind of support that’s out there--the space that’s out there to create, it was kind of like, ‘alright, let’s queer the fuck out.’ And open up to everyone-- not just Filipinos because we've done a lot of shows in the past that were specifically queer Filipinos, which was really amazing and really great. But we were yearning to expand the stories that can be shared at the Stiff.” 

Since it’s first show QAF has been supported by the Queer Cultural Center as part of the National Queer Arts Festival, which has brought audiences from around the world to the Bindlestiff space. Ferrer explains that “[the audiences that Queer Cultural Center brings has] been a huge asset because not only are they watching the show but we also introduce the space to the audience. So they get to watch the show but they also get introduced to what Bindlestiff is all about.”

The first couple of QAF shows were heavy with dramatic storylines-the two joke about the group’s second show having an over-representation of “dying lesbian narratives”- but since their latest show in 2019 there seems to be a new vibe. They want to ensure that they celebrate the community’s happiness as well. Ferrer states, “Yes, we’re very serious. Yes, we have overcome a lot, but there’s also so much fucking joy in our flames.”

The group is moving towards building their ensemble by providing writing workshops and opportunities for the members to try different roles in theater. Now that there are several returning members the group is currently focusing on developing new content as a collective, whereas previous shows asked for submissions from outside writers. This time is a unique opportunity to reflect and respond to the current pandemic and political movements. Ampon mentions that “with Zoom and having more time to create content and more access to folks...we’re able to actually respond quicker and create content that directly reflects what’s happening with current events.” 

For Ferrer the rehearsal and development process are not just for the show but for members to have a space to be in community. “A reason why we’re putting the time in to actually focus on developing content was so that we can articulate everything that’s happening right now. Give it voice, give it brevity, and give it the space it needs for us just as QTPOC folks to be with each other and articulate and then hopefully laugh at some of the stuff. But also to really dig deep into it. So what we're trying to do now with the show and like our intent on coming together is to create that space. For folks and discuss all of these topics, because it's hard, like it's just...it's hard and... it's a lot and it can't all be summed up in a meme. What I love about our rehearsals is that it’s giving us a reason to come together and rehearse virtually, I guess. Rehearsals are just like a space for us to come together so that we can articulate what's happening. So we'd also feel like we're not alone in it.”

While individual members have performed in different stages, there’s a sense of community in QAF that is unique to the group. While a few members have moved out of the Bay Area, they still express wanting to stay connected and with zoom being the new social space members are able to collaborate across geographies. Ampon hopes QAF continues to be a creative space that allows the artists “to explore their artistry and openness to be themselves comfortably is what we hope we provide and have been told we do, for all members. But, we still have a lot of work to do to ensure our members and space are inclusive, safe and with every production - a lot of time goes into education and heartfelt discussion in order to host such a diverse group of folx. Our members are diverse in race, ethnicity, age, gender, sexual orientation, ability variance, and socio-economically. We talk about everything from old school to new school identifiers and local to global LGBTQIA+ history in our rehearsals. It's a challenge but it's worth it. We learn from each other. Our shows are only a slice of who we are; our most important work is what happens behind the scenes, the support we give one another. Our members are part of the LGBTQIA+ community and allies.”

They are still in the pre-production stages for their 4th show but the two are excited about the possibility of collaborating with other artists. Ampon calls the event a community showcase and talks about the need for collaboration: “Especially with what's happening right now. And since we're doing a community showcase we want to extend our platform, since we have one. To be able to share that with folks who's events might have been canceled or maybe don’t have the resources.” 

Follow them on Instagram (@queer.as.fuq) and Facebook (Queer as Fuck) to get future updates.