Valerie Sullan stands in her glory, held by the support of peers. Courtesy photo by Samantha Reese

Sometimes we must be broken open in order to find inner strength. Such was a relatable theme woven throughout seven strangers’ stories in the latest VOICES devised theater project.
The nonprofit VOICES has hit a powerful stride with these twice-a-year devised theater endeavors. They revolve around four themes; so every two years we get to see Women’s VOICES and Queer VOICES, alternating with Sage VOICES and Nuestras VOCES.
For each of these, an ensemble of local people — some without any theater experience — is assembled to create a completely original show derived from the participants’ personal anecdotes. Every actor stars in their own scene, receiving support from the others to bring their story to life. As director Micha Schoepe relayed, the cast of nine began their process with daily reflections and writing prompts to tease forth a scene.
“Many have described our time together as ‘therapy,’” he wrote in the program, “and I’d agree. None of us will come out of this unchanged.” The magic of sharing this vulnerable work on-stage is that we too, the audience, were afforded an opportunity to break our expectations and mend new pathways of understanding.
This second rendition of Queer VOICES began with two clown-like apparitions portrayed by Delaney Meyers and Olivia Pevec. They doubled as troubadours, enriching the soundscape with the pluck of a banjo and pierce of a violin. Pevec’s singing of an original song brought resonant grief to Molly DeMarr’s story of a devastating miscarriage.
All but one scene was punctuated with heartbreak. As an audience, we witnessed the extra layers of complexity a queer identity can bring to relationships. In a society with rigid (though loosening) standards, the journey to discover our authentic selves can pit us against family, society and even ourselves, hence the title: “Authentically Versus.”
Every participant carried the show with a brave display of vulnerability. Valerie Sullan read aloud from a diary once kept under lock and key, never to be seen. The Sopris Sun’s Myki Jones uncovered the pain she’s experienced in recent years on a journey toward self-love and acceptance. Dave Emig’s story summoned the triumph of a parent allying with their child’s identity. AspenOUT Executive Director Kevin McManamon disclosed the challenges of laws that don’t protect all equally. Blake Novy took us to the big city and back, offering a young person’s perspective on self-discovery. And Anisa Lavender capped it off, laying bare her story of coming to terms with being a lesbian while in a heterosexual marriage.
While heartbreak was prominent, messages of resilience carried the show. We got to witness people lean into the direction of their hearts, despite the risks involved, and mutual support among the cast was palpable.
Thanks to VOICES, this work is available for anyone to participate in, holding space to allow for courageous expression, thereby building connections and authentic community.