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| Kevin Newbury, Stage Director of Fellow Vacationers. © Marcus Shields |
This February, Seattle Opera will current Fellow Vacationers, one of the vital ceaselessly carried out new operas of the previous decade, in collaboration with New York-based inventive collective Up Till Now, as a part of a nationwide venture that brings this vital story to phases throughout the nation. We sat down to talk with Kevin Newbury, Director of Fellow Vacationers, about his expertise bringing this story to life over the past 10 years, the significance of telling queer tales, and the way this present continues to affect audiences.
Seattle Opera: You’ve got been with this story because the
starting, inform us how this e-book turned an opera
Kevin Newbury: I’ve been with the Fellow Vacationers
opera from the very starting of the journey. My buddy, Sterling Zinsmeyer,
who’s a producer, handed me Tom Mallon’s novel proper after it got here out in 2007.
He stated, “You must learn this. This story have to be an opera, and also you want
to direct it.” I instantly fell in love with the primary characters, Tim
and Hawk and Mary. And I did not know very a lot concerning the Lavender Scare or about
this era in historical past once I learn the e-book, so I additionally realized so much.
We obtained proper to work
and commissioned Gregory Spears, the composer, and Greg Pierce, the librettist.
We reached out to Tom Mallon and obtained the rights. And we premiered the opera at
Cincinnati Opera in 2016. So, that is our tenth anniversary, and we’re
launching our tenth anniversary tour right here at Seattle Opera.
Seattle Opera: What was the Lavender Scare, how did it
manifest in authorities work, and why had been LGBTQ+ individuals focused?
Kevin Newbury: The Lavender Scare refers to one of many nice
witch hunts in American historical past. In April 1953, President Eisenhower issued an
govt order that stated it was unlawful to be homosexual (what we’d name LGBTQ+
now) and work within the US authorities. They thought-about sexual perversion to be a
menace to nationwide safety. And 5,000+ women and men had been fired from
authorities service for both being queer or being rumored to be queer.
And Senator McCarthy,
Joe McCarthy, was behind this. We consider communism as being the central tenet
of McCarthyism, however the Lavender Scare was truly a lot greater. They went
after much more queer individuals than they did alleged communists. So it was the
systematic persecution and firing of queer individuals throughout our authorities
establishments.
Seattle Opera: Are you able to speak a bit about how information had been
stored on individuals, how ironic it’s that these information are exhausting to seek out or nonexistent
now, and the way that’s visually built-in into the present?
Kevin Newbury: One of many nice ironies of this time interval
of McCarthyism and the Lavender Scare within the early ’50s is that it was all
about retaining information on individuals, retaining data, spying on individuals, submitting away
their tales. And the good irony is that these information have by no means been launched;
many have been destroyed or hidden away. It sounds nearly not possible to assume
that they might launch these information now.
So, it is extra vital
than ever to share these tales, gather these tales, and make clear our
shared LGBTQ+ historical past. Our present administration is actively making an attempt to
erase our historical past, so it makes Fellow Vacationers extra vital than
ever.
These information date
again to World Conflict II. That was when these anti-gay insurance policies had been codified and
launched throughout the Lavender Scare —the Do not Ask, Do not Inform interval. And sadly, this present second when
so many individuals in our queer neighborhood, particularly our trans and non-binary
brothers and sisters are dropping their jobs and getting banned from the army
and being spied on and reported on. That is type of a second Lavender Scare
that we’re dwelling by means of.
Seattle Opera: Inform us concerning the Lavender Names Mission.
Kevin Newbury: Probably the most
thrilling components of this Fellow Vacationers venture is one thing we’re
calling the Lavender Names Mission. We’re gathering photographs and tales
from queer individuals throughout the nation and their chosen household, their
relations—a few of these of us are now not with us. It is the most important ever
archival analysis and neighborhood outreach initiative to recollect our historical past
that I do know of. And these photographs and tales will stay on stage on the finish of
the opera in a visible memorial. They are going to find yourself on the finish of the tour on the
American LGBTQ+ Museum in New York Metropolis. It is a collaboration with the
museum and archival researchers and universities and libraries all throughout the
nation, together with the Library of Congress, the Lambda Archives in San Diego,
and lots of different unbelievable organizations.
I am actually
honored to be spearheading this with my crew. So, if you recognize anybody that has
ever been prosecuted or fired or topic to harassment by the hands of federal,
native authorities, or the army, please do share your story or share your
liked one’s story, as a result of it could be an honor to incorporate and bear in mind.
Seattle Opera: Do you could have a specific story from the
Lavender Names Mission that basically resonated with you?
Kevin Newbury: I have been
connecting with individuals everywhere in the nation by means of this Lavender Names
Mission, together with Colonel Bree Fram, this wonderful trans girl. Colonel Bree
Fram was the highest-ranking trans officer within the armed forces, and he or she was
fired in 2025 throughout this administration’s ban on trans of us within the army,
and he or she simply introduced that she’s operating for Congress within the state of Virginia.
We’re so honored to share Bree’s story within the
Lavender Names Mission alongside queer legends like Frank Kameny, who’s the
godfather of homosexual rights; he misplaced his job after working as an astronomer within the
US authorities within the late Nineteen Fifties. And Bree Fram additionally labored in aeronautics or
astronomy, no matter you name it. So, it is type of chilling that we have come full
circle to this second when good people who wish to serve their nation
are fired or not allowed to enlist or to run for workplace, no matter it is perhaps,
as a result of they’re LGBTQ+. I imply, we have made a lot progress over time, and
our rights are in peril proper now throughout the board on this nation, and it is
extra vital than ever to struggle for them.
Seattle Opera: You’ve been directing this present since its inception, how have you ever seen its affect differ because it’s carried out in huge and small cities throughout the nation?
Kevin Newbury:
Fellow Vacationers has been everywhere in the nation. I prefer to say
that we have now carried out in America’s largest cities and in her heartland. And
in every single place we go, the present has such an affect. We now have offered one thing like
25,000 tickets throughout these 14 productions. We’re so excited to carry the opera
to cities and communities that have not seen it but and we’ll even be returning
to some cities which have hosted their manufacturing.
Seattle Opera: How have you ever seen individuals impacted by this
story?
Kevin Newbury: One of many nice issues about Fellow
Vacationers, the opera, is that individuals keep within the foyer after the present for
so long as they will, and all of those unbelievable intergenerational tales and
conversations unfold. I’ve heard individuals come out to their relations within the
foyer, or say “This occurred to my grandfather within the Nineteen Fifties, however he was
by no means in a position to discuss it earlier than he died.” So, it is a very cathartic,
transferring expertise for individuals.
We did the manufacturing
in Norfolk, Virginia, Virginia Opera in 2023. And Norfolk’s a reasonably
conservative army city, and we had this excellent contingent from NATO that
got here to our gown rehearsal. And on opening night time, this girl ran as much as me, and
she was crying and he or she stated, “Kevin, can I provide you with a hug?” And I stated, “Of
course you’ll be able to.” I am at all times open for a hug.
She stated, “I’ve
to inform you that my husband and I had been on the gown rehearsal, and my daughter
is trans and my husband and my daughter haven’t been talking for 2 years.
And after the gown rehearsal, he referred to as her up; she’s moved again in they usually have not stopped speaking for 2 days. He
modified his thoughts and you’ve got saved my household.”
That type of affect is
simply such an honor to be a part of a present that opens hearts and minds and
encourages individuals to be extra open.
Seattle Opera: This story started as a glance again at a second
in historical past, however it’s turning into clear this period hasn’t remained in our previous. What
makes this story so related proper now?
Kevin Newbury: Sadly, we’re dwelling by means of a second Lavender
Scare. There are such a lot of individuals in our nation which are being focused proper
now, however talking concerning the LGBTQ+ neighborhood, our authorities is actively attempting
to erase our historical past. Our authorities is taking on our cultural establishments
in DC, chopping funding for the humanities, so a narrative like that is sadly extra
vital than ever. I typically say that that is the fitting piece for no matter time
that is, as a result of I’d not name it the “proper” time. And as a queer child rising up in
Auburn, Maine, on the peak of the AIDS disaster within the Nineteen Eighties and ’90s, I by no means
noticed any illustration of the queer neighborhood apart from the limitless information cycle
about homosexual individuals dying from HIV and AIDS.
So it is extra vital than ever for me to
share this homosexual love story. And showcasing intimacy between males or identical intercourse
intimacy on stage has at all times been actually vital to me, so individuals can see
themselves represented. And the present—it is a horny present. Can I say horny? I imply,
Heated Rivalry is the preferred present on this planet proper now. The
Fellow Vacationers miniseries was additionally very charged.
Hopefully the opera
would not disappoint in delivering a narrative that basically portrays love between two
males in an trustworthy means, bodily and emotionally. And we want these tales
greater than ever proper now.
Seattle Opera: What does telling this story imply for you as
a queer director?
Kevin Newbury: Wow. If I might return and inform my closeted, queer, teenage self that I’d be constructing a profession as a director throughout mediums—I direct opera, theater, movie, tv—and telling
queer tales is simply… I really feel prefer it’s my mission in life.
I really like
intergenerational conversations. I like to spend time with different queer of us
and our allies, from youngsters of their early 20s which are simply popping out and
realizing who they’re to individuals my age, to my associates and of their 80s and
90s, and all the brand new associates that I at all times meet all through the course of this
manufacturing.
I have been
considering so much about what it means to be a queer artist, making work at this
very troublesome second for our nation. And I imagine within the energy of artwork to
construct neighborhood. I imagine that we stand on the shoulders of the people who
got here earlier than us who fought so exhausting for us to have the rights that we have now now.
And I imagine within the energy of a extremely good love story. And Fellow Vacationers
is firstly a extremely lovely love story, and it connects with
audiences from all types of backgrounds, generations, and political
persuasions.
Despite the fact that it
takes on some severe points and this type of scary second in our historical past
serves because the backdrop for this story, the present can be actually humorous and actually
transferring, and it strikes at a extremely quick tempo. It feels extra like a Broadway
musical than an opera in some methods. It has a variety of pleasure, a variety of
motion, and I can not wait to see you all on the theater. I will be in any respect
the exhibits, so in case you see me within the foyer, inform me what you assume and are available and
share your love story.
Seattle Opera: Anything you’d prefer to share or add
that you really want our audiences to listen to?
Kevin Newbury: The music in Fellow Vacationers is so
lovely. Greg Spears’s rating is lush, romantic, tuneful. It simply invitations
audiences in, and it is such a beautiful expertise to be within the theater with
Greg’s attractive music. And Greg Pierce’s libretto is so taught and humorous and
insightful and romantic. And so the mix of Greg and Gregory’s skills
simply carry up this story in such a gorgeous theatrical means. Thomas Mallon’s
novel is great. The opera is simply such an thrilling piece of theater. And
then in fact, the miniseries was additionally fabulous and the miniseries introduced the
story to much more individuals across the nation and you may expertise them in
no matter order you need.
Come to the opera first
after which learn the novel after which see the miniseries or watch the miniseries and
then come to the opera. However I simply love that this opera has been round for 10
years and that the story continues to achieve audiences throughout the nation and
hopefully internationally. Our plan is to take it in every single place.
Fellow Vacationers is on stage February 21–March 1, 2026 at McCaw Corridor. Be taught extra and purchase tickets at seattleopera.org/fellowtravelers.
