Gay Rap Opera 'BASH’d' Premieres at Celebration Theatre

In the spirit of , West Hollywood’s Celebration Theatre held the West Coast premiere of the dramatic gay rap opera BASH’D on Friday. The 70-minute show tells the tale of two star-crossed lovers narrated through the comedic rhymes of characters named T-Bag and Feminem. 

Through clever raps and hip-hop beats provided by DJ Jedi, along with the use of video projections, fog machines and lighting effects, the theater transforms from small town to elite gay club to eerie alleyway all in 70 minutes. 

Dillon (Chris Ferro) springs from a small town where being gay is frowned upon and his family is unsupportive of his sexual orientation. Jack (Sean Bradford) is a liberal gay raised by two dads in a big city. After meeting up at a club, the two fall instantly in love and head straight to the altar, eventually winning the blessing of Dillon’s parents, which solidifies their love for each other.

But the story takes a turn when the happy couple is confronted by a gang of homophobic thugs who decide to attack Jack to make an anti-gay statement. T-Bag and Feminem then take the audience through the couple’s attempt to move past the hate crime, their journey to seek revenge and the story’s tragic ending.

“We picked the show up and with all the marriage stuff that is going on right now and especially with all the bullying, it’s a great time to host this,” said Celebration Theatre Artistic Director John Michael Beck.

Even though elements of the performance are entertaining, there are serious moments that tug on the heartstrings. “It’s hard to hear. I watch the audience more than I do the show sometimes and they look horrified. I agree with a lot of the messages behind it,” said Beck.

The show made waves in New York during its off-Broadway run.

“Our production here is a little bit different. The original show didn’t have a DJ," Beck said. "There is a lot more dancing. We really wanted to give it a little bit more of an emotional impact, so we have a little more bells and whistles going than they had in New York."

In addition to incorporating a DJ and making stylistic changes, the LA version of BASH’d is the first to employ an African-American as a principal cast member in the show, which Beck said was accomplished after obtaining special permission from playwrights Chris Craddock and Nathan Cuckoo.

“We wanted to make it more LA and we felt like we’re diverse here," he said. "I think having an African-American play Jack makes it have more of an authentic feel."

After the opening performance, the audience members rose to their feet and applauded feverishly. “Standing ovations and audiences being blown away is what we’ve experienced,” Beck said of the crowd’s reaction since the opera opened. “I’m very proud of BASH’d!”

BASH’d will be at the Celebration Theatre through July 23. It plays Thursday–Saturday at 8 p.m. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit the theater's website.