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Upstaged: An Anthology of Queer Women and the Performing Arts
Stories Included:
Presenting the Revial of Jan, Aila Alvina Boyd - Years after blowing her Broadway debut, a former actress is convinced by the playwright to come out of retirement in order to revive the role that pushed her to the brink of insanity.
The Helsinki Incident, Renee Young - After an unexpected, erotic encounter with a mysterious and beautiful stranger, the lead guitarist of a band touring mining outposts across the solar system rediscovers her love of music.
I, Stage Manager, Marolyn Krasner - A short love story about a stage manager, eccentric theater types, a kooky best friend, and leather daddies.
End of an Era, Althea Blue - In the years leading to the death of the silent film, many careers were ended prematurely. But do we really know everything there was to know about the silent stars who faded away?
Knife’s Edge, Geonn Cannon - Amid the insanity of the circus, Arlie and Ru must place absolute trust in each other. Arlie trusts that the blades will hit their intended target, while Ru trusts that Arlie won't flinch. It would only take the smallest of mistakes to destroy that trust.
I Think I’m Gonna Like It Queer, Allison Fradkin - Theatre is an ensemble of inflection, projection, and rejection. So when 16-year-old Reyna—a performer who's part prima donna, part dreamgirl next door—desires a duet with Melinda, the ingénue who plays her best friend, she can't just run and tell that. Or even run and tell Melinda. But with the arrival of a triply threatening romantic rival, it's five to places and ten to one that Reyna had better act on her feelings before the curtain closes on her chances.
London Lark, JL Merrow - Repairing a salvaged automaton becomes a labour of love for apprentice tinkerer Harriet Hodgkins. But the clockwork coquette is destined for resale, and Miss Pandora’s restoration will signal their separation—unless Hodgkins can engineer a more auspicious ending.
Prima Donna, Kathleen Jowitt - Everybody knows why the great Signora Valli left the Licorne opera company. Everybody, that is, except Monsieur Perret, who's taken the brave - some would say foolish - decision to cast her opposite rising star Delphine Vincent-Leclerc in Rossini's Tancredi. But what everybody knows is only half the story.
Oh No She Didn’t!, Debbie McGowan - Once upon a time, in the not so faraway land of small-town amateur dramatics, there lived a widow called Marcy and her beautiful, grown-up daughter, Ginny…
Rise or Shine, Sonni de Soto - What is Cadence Carrington to do? Her public life is colliding fast with her private persona, when her boss at the governor's office sets his eye on shutting down the club she secretly performs burlesque at as featured dancer and femme fatale, Rebel Rouser. It's only a matter of time before she's found out, but the question is will she choose Cady's steady, straight-laced life or will she choose to be the Rebel she knows she is at heart?
Presenting the Revial of Jan, Aila Alvina Boyd - Years after blowing her Broadway debut, a former actress is convinced by the playwright to come out of retirement in order to revive the role that pushed her to the brink of insanity.
The Helsinki Incident, Renee Young - After an unexpected, erotic encounter with a mysterious and beautiful stranger, the lead guitarist of a band touring mining outposts across the solar system rediscovers her love of music.
I, Stage Manager, Marolyn Krasner - A short love story about a stage manager, eccentric theater types, a kooky best friend, and leather daddies.
End of an Era, Althea Blue - In the years leading to the death of the silent film, many careers were ended prematurely. But do we really know everything there was to know about the silent stars who faded away?
Knife’s Edge, Geonn Cannon - Amid the insanity of the circus, Arlie and Ru must place absolute trust in each other. Arlie trusts that the blades will hit their intended target, while Ru trusts that Arlie won't flinch. It would only take the smallest of mistakes to destroy that trust.
I Think I’m Gonna Like It Queer, Allison Fradkin - Theatre is an ensemble of inflection, projection, and rejection. So when 16-year-old Reyna—a performer who's part prima donna, part dreamgirl next door—desires a duet with Melinda, the ingénue who plays her best friend, she can't just run and tell that. Or even run and tell Melinda. But with the arrival of a triply threatening romantic rival, it's five to places and ten to one that Reyna had better act on her feelings before the curtain closes on her chances.
London Lark, JL Merrow - Repairing a salvaged automaton becomes a labour of love for apprentice tinkerer Harriet Hodgkins. But the clockwork coquette is destined for resale, and Miss Pandora’s restoration will signal their separation—unless Hodgkins can engineer a more auspicious ending.
Prima Donna, Kathleen Jowitt - Everybody knows why the great Signora Valli left the Licorne opera company. Everybody, that is, except Monsieur Perret, who's taken the brave - some would say foolish - decision to cast her opposite rising star Delphine Vincent-Leclerc in Rossini's Tancredi. But what everybody knows is only half the story.
Oh No She Didn’t!, Debbie McGowan - Once upon a time, in the not so faraway land of small-town amateur dramatics, there lived a widow called Marcy and her beautiful, grown-up daughter, Ginny…
Rise or Shine, Sonni de Soto - What is Cadence Carrington to do? Her public life is colliding fast with her private persona, when her boss at the governor's office sets his eye on shutting down the club she secretly performs burlesque at as featured dancer and femme fatale, Rebel Rouser. It's only a matter of time before she's found out, but the question is will she choose Cady's steady, straight-laced life or will she choose to be the Rebel she knows she is at heart?
178 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 15, 2018
29 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
June 20, 2018
'ARC provided by Supposed Crimes Publishers in exchange for a fair and honest review'
**'The dialogue of real people is more stilted and implausible than the dialogue of invented characters...'
Reasonable read!
Just a broad collection of varying gay/lesbian stories with a few that were really good,funny,heartwarming and others that i can only give the expression..meh! (unmemorable ones) -- many were also well written. Recommend
**'The dialogue of real people is more stilted and implausible than the dialogue of invented characters...'
Reasonable read!
Just a broad collection of varying gay/lesbian stories with a few that were really good,funny,heartwarming and others that i can only give the expression..meh! (unmemorable ones) -- many were also well written. Recommend
July 15, 2018
It was a privilege to work on this collection with this group of authors. The only word that comes to mind is blessed. It would be impossible to choose a favorite, especially after all the time I spent working with these stories. So I'll just tell you one thing I loved about each one:
Presenting the Revival of Jan (Aila Alvina Boyd): I'm a sucker for a good comeback story, and I loved all the little details in here that helped us know who Jan was and who she is becoming.
The Helsinki Incident (Renee Young): The word that comes to mind here is sensory. Not just because it's sexy/sensual but because it made me feel present in the moment. Steamy sci fi? Yes, please!
I, Stage Manager (Marolyn Krasner): There's a realness to this, something in the way the main character expresses the tension between desire and doubt. This is bound to make people uncomfortable, since we don't usually like our scars exposed like this. But that's the mark of good literature.
End of an Era (Althea Blue): I love the way this story's setting and the flow/tone match so perfectly. This is a quiet, contemplative piece that left me with a soft sigh.
Knife's Edge (Geonn Cannon): In sharp (pun intended) contrast to the previous story, this one is tense and exciting. I absolutely love the characters and would read more about them.
I Think I'm Gonna Like It Queer (Allison Fradkin): This is probably the most unusual story in the bunch. When I was choosing stories, I showed my own teenagers this one and asked their opinion. They went wild for it, eager to spot every Broadway reference. I loved the story too, but the real fun for me was watching their delighted expressions as they read.
London Lark (JL Merrow): I'm not sure how this story managed to pack so many of my favorite things into one little tale, but it did. Steampunk, a butch woman narrator, perfectly done dialect, sentient AI, and a happy ending? Oh, yes!
Prima Donna (Kathleen Jowitt): I love opera; I grew up listening to it in my grandfather's shop. Even so, I never knew some of the history. Naturally, I had to listen to the music and research the subject myself after reading this. I love a story that pushes me to learn more.
Oh No She Didn't! (Debbie McGowan): I will admit the only pantomime I'd ever heard of before this was someone telling me about doing St. George and the Dragon at Christmas. So obviously I had to find out more. This story is funny and sweet and really just a big slice of queer joy.
Rise or Shine (Sonni de Soto): Normally I'm not much on stories about politics, but this one grabbed me and held on. I love some good symbolism, and this one provides plenty. Every scene reads as carefully constructed. It's incredibly well done.
So there you have it. I am giving this 5 stars (because I didn't write a story in it and this is not Amazon, so I can rate here, and yes, I'm shamelessly biased). Each one of these stories deserves 5 stars, in my opinion. Will they all click with every reader? No. But I hope that every reader finds at least one to treasure.
Presenting the Revival of Jan (Aila Alvina Boyd): I'm a sucker for a good comeback story, and I loved all the little details in here that helped us know who Jan was and who she is becoming.
The Helsinki Incident (Renee Young): The word that comes to mind here is sensory. Not just because it's sexy/sensual but because it made me feel present in the moment. Steamy sci fi? Yes, please!
I, Stage Manager (Marolyn Krasner): There's a realness to this, something in the way the main character expresses the tension between desire and doubt. This is bound to make people uncomfortable, since we don't usually like our scars exposed like this. But that's the mark of good literature.
End of an Era (Althea Blue): I love the way this story's setting and the flow/tone match so perfectly. This is a quiet, contemplative piece that left me with a soft sigh.
Knife's Edge (Geonn Cannon): In sharp (pun intended) contrast to the previous story, this one is tense and exciting. I absolutely love the characters and would read more about them.
I Think I'm Gonna Like It Queer (Allison Fradkin): This is probably the most unusual story in the bunch. When I was choosing stories, I showed my own teenagers this one and asked their opinion. They went wild for it, eager to spot every Broadway reference. I loved the story too, but the real fun for me was watching their delighted expressions as they read.
London Lark (JL Merrow): I'm not sure how this story managed to pack so many of my favorite things into one little tale, but it did. Steampunk, a butch woman narrator, perfectly done dialect, sentient AI, and a happy ending? Oh, yes!
Prima Donna (Kathleen Jowitt): I love opera; I grew up listening to it in my grandfather's shop. Even so, I never knew some of the history. Naturally, I had to listen to the music and research the subject myself after reading this. I love a story that pushes me to learn more.
Oh No She Didn't! (Debbie McGowan): I will admit the only pantomime I'd ever heard of before this was someone telling me about doing St. George and the Dragon at Christmas. So obviously I had to find out more. This story is funny and sweet and really just a big slice of queer joy.
Rise or Shine (Sonni de Soto): Normally I'm not much on stories about politics, but this one grabbed me and held on. I love some good symbolism, and this one provides plenty. Every scene reads as carefully constructed. It's incredibly well done.
So there you have it. I am giving this 5 stars (because I didn't write a story in it and this is not Amazon, so I can rate here, and yes, I'm shamelessly biased). Each one of these stories deserves 5 stars, in my opinion. Will they all click with every reader? No. But I hope that every reader finds at least one to treasure.
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June 15, 2018Over the last year or two I’ve become more and more entranced by the splendid world of steampunk, and when I saw the call for submissions for this anthology, something just clicked in my head. The story of Hodgkins and Miss Pandora just flowed out (which was fortunate, as there was only around a week until the deadline! Luckily there was just time to get some invaluable input from the knowledgeable and insightful Elin Gregory to polish up the final draft.) I’m not sure if it was the call itself, or the cover art that I found most inspiring—I’ve always loved the look of early film actresses, with their big eyes and full lips, not to mention those glamorous costumes.
You’ll have, of course, to take with a pinch of salt anything I say about an anthology to which I contributed, but I think AM Leibowitz made some excellent choices when putting this collection together. One thing that struck me was how different the stories are from each other—not always the case in a themed anthology.
I’m sure other readers will have their own favourites, but some of the stand-out stories for me were (in order of appearance):
I, Stage Manager, by Marolyn Krasner – the sheer style and fun of this one was a joy to read. So many fabulous lines. If you’re heading to the bar, make mine a Makeout on the Grass with a Surfwear Company Accountant.
End of an Era, by Althea Blue – to say any more would give too much away, but this was haunting.
Knife’s Edge, by Geonn Cannon – I loved the characterisation here, not to mention the period detail and the vividness of the setting, and the story deals with a dilemma which will be familiar to most if not all LGBT people.
Oh No She Didn’t! by Debbie McGowan moved me to tears. So much love, and life, in this story.
One of the joys of an anthology is finding new-to-me authors. I’ll definitely look out for more from my fellow contributors.
Jamie
August 12, 2018
Overall, I wanted to like this collection much more than I did, but there _are_ two absolutely stunning stories that make this well worth the buy. "End of an Era" by Althea Blue and "Prima Donna" by Kathleen Jowitt are the kinds of tales that make you want to slow down and get to the end at the same time. And they are two of the most lovely things I have ever, ever read.
June 16, 2018
Presenting the Revial of Jan, Aila Alvina Boyd - 3.5 stars
Cute story of a washed up star returning to stage after transitioning.
The Helsinki Incident, Renee Young - 4.5 stars
Wow, this story was fantastic! I'm not normally a sci-fi fan but this hit the spot. Awesome world and character building.
I, Stage Manager, Marolyn Krasner - 3 stars
Told in present tense, with an emphasis on the word told, this story is an acquired taste.
End of an Era, Althea Blue - 4 stars
Why, oh why, hasn't this author published more books? She wooed me with her debut novel then disappeared, until now. More please, Ms. Blue.
Knife’s Edge, Geonn Cannon - 4 stars
I'm a huge fan of this author and, once again, he's penned a memorable story.
I Think I’m Gonna Like It Queer, Allison Fradkin - 3 stars
As per the choppy blurb for this story, I found myself incredibly lost. That's probably on me and not a reflection on a story many others are bound to love.
London Lark, JL Merrow - 5, Standing ovation, stars!!
I seriously loved this story. The plot, the narration, everything. And the best thing is, I've discovered a new-to-me author.
Prima Donna, Kathleen Jowitt
Me and this story didn't click.
Oh No She Didn’t!, Debbie McGowan - 4.5 stars
Debbie has created a phenomenal story in a short amount of the. I'm not sure if the lead or the kids stole the show. Brilliant.
Rise or Shine, Sonni de Soto - 4 stars
I'm not a fan of politics of any kind in my fiction so that part put a bit of a damper on an otherwise engaging story. I loved that the lead was a bi-woman.
VERDICT - This is a wonderful anthology with some hidden gems. I'm sure every reader will find many things to love about it.
Copy provided by the publisher, Supposed Crimes.
Cute story of a washed up star returning to stage after transitioning.
The Helsinki Incident, Renee Young - 4.5 stars
Wow, this story was fantastic! I'm not normally a sci-fi fan but this hit the spot. Awesome world and character building.
I, Stage Manager, Marolyn Krasner - 3 stars
Told in present tense, with an emphasis on the word told, this story is an acquired taste.
End of an Era, Althea Blue - 4 stars
Why, oh why, hasn't this author published more books? She wooed me with her debut novel then disappeared, until now. More please, Ms. Blue.
Knife’s Edge, Geonn Cannon - 4 stars
I'm a huge fan of this author and, once again, he's penned a memorable story.
I Think I’m Gonna Like It Queer, Allison Fradkin - 3 stars
As per the choppy blurb for this story, I found myself incredibly lost. That's probably on me and not a reflection on a story many others are bound to love.
London Lark, JL Merrow - 5, Standing ovation, stars!!
I seriously loved this story. The plot, the narration, everything. And the best thing is, I've discovered a new-to-me author.
Prima Donna, Kathleen Jowitt
Me and this story didn't click.
Oh No She Didn’t!, Debbie McGowan - 4.5 stars
Debbie has created a phenomenal story in a short amount of the. I'm not sure if the lead or the kids stole the show. Brilliant.
Rise or Shine, Sonni de Soto - 4 stars
I'm not a fan of politics of any kind in my fiction so that part put a bit of a damper on an otherwise engaging story. I loved that the lead was a bi-woman.
VERDICT - This is a wonderful anthology with some hidden gems. I'm sure every reader will find many things to love about it.
Copy provided by the publisher, Supposed Crimes.
Read
July 10, 2018I won't give this stars up there ^ as I'm one of the authors, but based on the other nine stories, this is a five-star read. The diversity is incredible - in terms of both representation of queer women (across the full spectrums of gender and attraction) and the different genres - and truthfully, I would struggle to pin down a favourite. I'm confident there is something to delight every reader in this anthology.
Read
June 22, 2018Without specific reference to my own story, I can say that this is an enjoyable collection, ranging across all sorts of different performing arts professional and amateur, and plenty of times and genres. I think my favourite story was the slick and stylish I, Stage Manager, closely followed by the delightful steampunk London Lark. This anthology was great fun both to write for and to read.
October 3, 2024
Powerful, sexy, intimate, larger than life, arch, funny, and painfully sad; each of these stories captured a story of love between women who perform. Mysteriously seductive fans who stalk the performance, exploring what lies behind the mask, the sweat and tears which are part of the journey, the tragic pasts which stay with theise performers were among the themes explored by these artists.
Each story was unique, offering a new facet of life and love with other women for a female performer. If you love women on the stage and women in love with the stage as well as each other, don’t miss this.
Each story was unique, offering a new facet of life and love with other women for a female performer. If you love women on the stage and women in love with the stage as well as each other, don’t miss this.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews