Creators

 

Mercy Bell – music/lyrics

Mercy Bell has independently released three albums: All Good Cowboys, Mercy Bell, and Golden Child. She's toured the US extensively. Her music has been featured on NPR, in Paste Magazine, American Songwriter, Rolling Stone Country, The Nashville Scene and more. She's been an official showcase artist at Americanafest (2019, 2018), SXSW (2022, 2020), Nashville Pride (2021, 2019), Three Rivers Arts Festival (2019), and Mission Creek Music Festival (2019).  Her song “Black Dress” was written for Silent Street Production’s 2010 NY production of Closer by Patrick Marber. Film/TV/Etc: She appears in the documentary The Sound of Us, which won the Movie that Matters award at Cannes (2021) and features her song "Everything Changes;” MiniDocs: Nashville (2018) for TV Cultura in Brazil. MercyBell.com

 

Scott Bradley – book/lyrics

Bradley’s solo play Packing premiered in 2019 and his musical We Three Lizas in 2012, both developed at About Face Theatre. As founders of The Scooty & JoJo Show, Bradley and producing partner Jonny Stax created Chicago’s long-running musicals Alien Queen and Carpenters Halloween, as well as the acclaimed Mollywood, Tran: The Atari Musical, and comedy/variety programs The Scooty & JoJo Variety Hour and Diva Brunch. Regional credits include Joe’s Pub at the Public Theatre, The Hypocrites, Hell in A Handbag Productions, Walkabout Theatre Company, Arena Stage, Washington Shakespeare Company, The Shakespeare Theatre, UMO Ensemble, adobe theater company, HOME for Contemporary Theatre & Art, BACA Downtown, and Open Circle Theater. Bradley earned his MFA from the Iowa Playwrights Workshop at University of Iowa. ScottBradleyInk.com

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Commissioners

 

Jonny Stax – Development Producer and Lead Storycollector

Jonny Stax has produced many of Scott Bradley’s theatrical endeavors to great success, providing Chicago with long running cult classics under The Scooty & JoJo Show brand. As a performer and producer, Jonny has opened for Fleetwood Mac, Elton John, and Eric Clapton. He brings expertise, reputation, and infrastructure to creative ventures committed to equity and offers creative tools to public health and justice movements. LEATHER DADDIES is in residency with Jonny Stax’s Potion Factory. JonnyStax.com

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About Face Theatre – Non-profit Partner

As the country’s leading LGBTQ+ professional theatre, About Face Theatre is the perfect partner to provide development infrastructure for such a bold project. Their history supporting and developing the work of key creative Scott Bradley goes back more than a decade, including his plays Packing and We Three Lizas. The creative team will share its development process with the About Face Youth Theatre and attract new donors to the organization.  AboutFaceTheatre.com

 

Tracy Baim & Owen Keehnen –  Source Co-Authors and Creative Consultants

Tracy Baim is co-publisher of the Chicago Reader newspaper and co-founder of Windy City Times. She has written more than a dozen books about LGBTQ+ politics and culture, produced four LGBTQ+ films, and won many LGBTQ community and journalism honors. She started in journalism in 1984 at GayLife newspaper under publisher Chuck Renslow. ChicagoReader.com/TracyBaim. Author and grassroots historian Owen Keehnen has published both fiction and non-fiction books including Leatherman: The Legend of Chuck Renslow with Tracy Baim. He is the co-founder of the LGBTQ history/education organization The Legacy Project, and is currently involved with making AIDS Garden Chicago a reality. owenkeehnen.com