Rare, medium, and well-done
The Queer Issue: 2008's Fresh Meat festival served up transgendered food for thought
BY RITA FELCIANO
Wednesday June 25, 2008
http://www.sfbg.com/entry.php?entry_id=6630&catid=85&volume_id=317&issue_id=384&volume_num=42&issue_num=39When Sean Dorsey started the Fresh Meat Festival in 2001, transgendered artists were sequestered inside the alternative club scene. With this new event, Dorsey threw the doors wide open. While transgender and queer performances still have a special attraction for their constituencies, the festival's need to move to Theater Artaud, its largest venue yet, proves its broader appeal.
This year's presentations ranged far and wide, and so did the quality. That's one of the perils of this type of focused programming: the desire to be supportive and inclusive can mean presenting artists who may not be experienced or even talented enough. The San Francisco Ethnic Dance Festival went through similar growing pains. But Fresh Meat — which is fun, balanced, and thoughtful — is on the right track.
