concerts for Ring of Keys
various productions | creative & executive producer
Queering the Canon Concert Series | 2022
Location:
Joe’s Pub, NYC
Date:
Winter 2022
Title:
Executive Producer & Creative Producer
Having conceived Queering the Canon in 2020, Andrea rolled this one-night-only benefit into a concert series in 2022: 3 one-night-only events.
The Series commissioned Key songwriters to write in response to canonical tunes by Andrew Lloyd Webber, Sondheim, and Kander & Ebb. Through casting and storytelling, the canonical tunes are queered while in back-to-back conversation with the new canon of Key response songs. The Series creates visibility for queer performers, songwriters, and creatives, all of which are Ring of Keys members, while also highlighting songwriters who are currently queering our stages and creating a new canon. The full 2022 Series sold out 2 of the 3 concerts during the height of the Omicron pandemic. It encompassed 87 paid artists in total and commissioned 21 original songs.
““You have to see it to be it... We aim to showcase that we can revolutionize the musical theatre industry by being our full authentic queer selves.”
”
“Memory”
From QTC: Andrew Lloyd Webber
“Somewhere”
From QTC: Sondheim
Somewhere: A Dance Film
Andrea conceived a Ring of Keys x #QueerTheBallet collaboration, which produced a short film piece of “SOMEWHERE” by Stephen Sondheim that premiered within Queering the Canon: Sondheim
“Sometimes A Day Goes By”
from QTC: Kander & Ebb
performance photography:
K Barber Photography
Testimonials from Keys
Queering the Canon: Jerry Herman | 2023
Location:
Theo Ubique
Chicago, IL
Date:
May 2023
Title:
Executive Producer
Andrea is proud to executive produce Queering the Canon’s Chicago debut for Ring of Keys! Building off three sold-out Queering the Canon concerts at Joe's Pub in 2022, Queering the Canon: Jerry Herman debuts in Chicago to further queer the stage and transform the musical theatre canon. The Series commissioned Key songwriters to write in response to canonical tunes by Jerry Herman. Through casting and storytelling, the canonical tunes are queered while in back-to-back conversation with the new canon of Key response songs. The Series creates visibility for queer performers, songwriters, and creatives, all of which are Ring of Keys members, while also highlighting songwriters who are currently queering our stages and creating a new canon.
performance photography:
Tyler Core Photography
rehearsal photography:
Lindsay Augusta Mercer
Queering the Canon: A Benefit Concert
Location:
Joe’s Pub, NYC
Date:
February 2020
Title:
Creative Producer / Co-Producer
To celebrate our 2nd birthday, Queering the Canon celebrated our Key Members performing one-half Golden Age songs queered and one-half new, commissioned songs, written by Key songwriters, inspired by said Golden Age songs.
"Maria"
From West Side Story
Performed by Ashley Blanchet (she/her)
"Emma"
Written by Joanna Burns (she/her)
Performed by Ariella Serur (she/her)
Queering the Stage…
Introducing Ring of Keys
A one-night-only concert amplifying Keys in performance. Backed by a 3-piece band, Queering The Stage created visibility at the intersection of gender identity, sexuality, and musical theatre.
Directed by: Janelle Lawrence (she/her)
Music Direction: Anessa Marie (she/her)
Bass: Rebecca Marquardt (she/her)
Drums: Lindsey Augusta Mercer (she/her)
Produced by: Andrea Prestinario (she/her) & JJ Maley (they/them)
*All the people above are members of Ring of Keys*
"I Am What I Am"
from La Cage Aux Folles
Music and Lyrics by Jerry Herman
Performed by Klea Blackhurst (she/her)