Kit Yan is an award-winning, queer, trans, Asian-American poet from Hawaii. Queer Heartache is his solo slam poetry show that explores his identities, asks what queer hearts and families are made of and interrogates the forces that constantly work to break them apart. Queer Heartache is a testament to the resilience of queer love in all its forms—between cis and trans siblings, lovers, pride parade attendees, and many more—in the face of heartbreaking barriers everywhere from the dating pool to the medical establishment. If you’ve ever had your heart broken, wondered how your pets self-identify, or wanted to tell someone your gender is none of their business, this show is for you.
Queer Heartache has been featured in the 2015 Chicago Fringe Festival, where it won the Artist’s Choice, Audience Choice, and Spirit of Fringe awards, and 2016 San Francisco Fringe Festival, where it won Volunteer’s Choice and Best of Fringe, and had its New York premier at the first annual 2016 Transgender Theater Festival. A print adaptation is out now through TransGenre Press (2016). Queer Heartache is directed by Jessi Hill.
Kit Yan performs at Oberon on Feb. 3 as part of the I.D. Festival. Showtime is 8 PM. Tickets are $20.
Presented in conversation with A.R.T.’s production of Trans Scripts, the I.D. Festival series celebrates the diverse experiences of the trans community, explores issues of gender identity, and continues OBERON’s engagement with trans artists and stories. See more I.D. Festival events here.