In a time when LGBTQ+ communities across the country face unprecedented legislative and social challenges, Local Theater Company created a space where stories could be shared, heard, and transformed into art. Through Local Listens: Queer Lineage, a year-long community-centered initiative, the organization connected intergenerational LGBTQ+ Coloradans across Boulder, Fort Collins, and Denver, demonstrating the power of storytelling to build understanding, preserve lived experiences, and strengthen community.

Founded in Boulder in 2011, Local Theater Company is Colorado's only theater company dedicated exclusively to developing new theatrical works. Since its inception, the company has served more than 30,600 audience members, students, artists, and community participants through new play development, educational programming, mainstage productions, and community-centered initiatives. By bringing artists and community members together throughout the creative process, Local Theater Company creates theater that reflects the evolving stories of our world.

Introducing the Queer Lineage Project

The Queer Lineage Project emerged in response to a critical cultural moment. By April 2025, more than 867 bills targeting LGBTQ+ rights had been introduced in state legislatures nationwide, the highest number ever recorded in a single legislative year. At the same time, Colorado's LGBTQ+ population continues to grow, with nearly one in five adults under 30 and almost one in ten adults over 30 identifying as LGBTQ+. Local Theater Company recognized an opportunity to celebrate these voices while creating meaningful connections across generations.

The project unfolded over three distinct phases. During Story Circle gatherings held in Boulder, Fort Collins, and Denver, LGBTQ+ community members and allies shared personal experiences, family histories, challenges, and moments of joy. [Editor's note: The grant from the Alex Wilson Legacy Fund helped support the Boulder Story Circle gatherings.]

These conversations became the creative foundation for playwrights developing original works inspired directly by the community's stories. The process continued with a Plays in Progress celebration, where audiences engaged with developing scripts, followed by professionally staged readings presented in Denver and Boulder that brought the completed works back to the communities that inspired them.

What began as a Boulder-based initiative quickly expanded across the Front Range as community organizations and funding partners recognized both the need for and the value of the project. Along the way, Local Theater Company strengthened existing partnerships with the Museum of Boulder, Rocky Mountain Equality, and The Savoy Theatre while establishing new collaborations with the Alex Wilson Legacy Fund, Denver Gay Men's Chorus, and The Fox Den in Fort Collins. These relationships have continued beyond the grant period, creating opportunities for future artistic and civic engagement. Following the Boulder performance, for example, Rocky Mountain Equality invited Local Theater Company's Co-Artistic Director, Nick Chase, to participate in a public policy discussion with Boulder District Attorney Michael Dougherty — evidence of the trust and lasting partnership built through this work.

Participation and Impact

The project engaged 278 participants over twelve months. Fifty-four community members participated in Story Circles, 107 audience members attended the Plays in Progress presentation, and 117 people experienced the staged readings in Denver and Boulder. Equally significant was the depth of engagement. One audience member, Jean, a 93-year-old ally, attended every phase of the project, illustrating the project's remarkable ability to create sustained, intergenerational participation.

The impact extended well beyond attendance numbers. For playwright Steven J. Burge, the Story Circles became an unexpected source of creative inspiration and personal healing:

"The story circles were fantastic. I felt inspired over and over again... I was continually struck by how much joy and laughter were in the rooms, in spite of some really heavy, scary things that sat alongside that joy and laughter. Seeing so many people of so many ages and identities overcoming fear, sadness, trauma, and despair and still having room for laughter continues to help me find perspective... Thank you for the gift of healing through art and creation."

Audience members echoed these sentiments, describing the performances as both emotionally moving and deeply needed. One attendee shared, "I loved how much this reading made me laugh and I appreciate that it also made me feel a wave of various emotions." Another reflected, "It was moving, funny, and just the salve we all need in these times."

Participants in the Story Circles emphasized the value of gathering across generations. One participant noted, "It was intergenerational and created an incredible space for us to meet folks with different lived experiences. I loved the big-small-big group structure. I wish it was longer because it was so good." Another expressed the experience through an "I Come From" poem that captured the complexity of identity, memory, fear, resilience, and empathy, concluding with the hopeful line: "I am going to try on some other people's shoes."

Creating Opportunities

That final sentiment beautifully captures the essence of Queer Lineage. The project was not simply about creating new plays, it was about creating opportunities for people to see themselves in one another's stories. By preserving lived experiences, fostering intergenerational dialogue, and transforming community voices into new theatrical works, Local Theater Company strengthened connections across Colorado's LGBTQ+ communities while expanding audiences for future programming.

The relationships established through Queer Lineage continue to shape Local Theater Company's work. During the 2026–27 season, the organization will evaluate how participants transition into future programming, including Out Nights, dedicated performances designed to create welcoming gathering spaces for LGBTQ+ audiences in Boulder, where dedicated queer community spaces remain limited.

The Queer Lineage Project demonstrates that storytelling is more than an artistic practice, ; it is a powerful tool for community building, healing, and ensuring that diverse voices continue to be seen, heard, and celebrated.