Art, theatre, and revolution have always been bound together — never more so than under attack. Celebration Theatre was founded in 1982, just as HIV/AIDS began devastating queer life and queer artists, and the work we made in answer was fierce, confrontational, healing, and built by and for our community. In 2026, the fight has returned in a new form: more than 500 anti-LGBTQ bills introduced in each of the last three years, targeting the public life queer people have risked their lives to claim. Art in the Revolution: Queer Theatre in 1982 and Today brings Michael Kearns — one of Celebration’s first Artistic Directors — into conversation with Brandon Kyle Goodman, creator and star of the Queerties-nominated Heaux Church.
Moderated by Producing Artistic Director Christopher Maikish, the panel takes up the questions at the center of every queer artist’s life: What does it mean to make art as part of social change? What place does theatre hold in a political fight? What has changed — for our politics, our audiences, ourselves — and what stays the same? Paired with brief performances from then and now, Art in the Revolution is an intergenerational exchange built for artists and patrons across our community.
Participant Bios
Michael Kearns (he/him) – Globally recognized as Hollywood’s first openly gay actor, followed by an announcement on Entertainment Tonight as the first actor in Hollywood to come out as HIV-positive, Michael Kearns has been a provocative and impassioned voice on the cultural and artistic landscape of America and beyond for fifty years. In addition to teaching private and group writing classes, Kearns is presently an Artistic Associate at the esteemed Skylight Theatre in Los Angeles, Artist-in-Residence at Housing Works, and Artistic Director of QueerWise, a Spoken Word Collective he founded in 2011. He is also the Publisher of The Purple Circuit, promoting LGBTQ+ and Feminist Theatre Productions. Kearns served as Artistic Director of Celebration Theatre from 1986–87.
Brandon Kyle Goodman (they/them) is a writer, actor, host, and public health advocate. They are the creator and star of the Queerties-nominated Heaux Church, which Celebration co-presents in its West Coast Premiere this November at The Elysian. On screen, they’re best known for Netflix’s Emmy-nominated Big Mouth and its spin-off Human Resources, plus Modern Love and Abbott Elementary. In 2024, they launched the iHeart podcast Tell Me Something Messy! and co-host RE!CAP for E! News. Their 2022 book You Gotta Be You explores race, sexuality, and gender, as does their Messy Mondays Substack. The NYU Tisch graduate is based in Los Angeles. brandonkylegoodman.com
Christopher Maikish (he/him) is a theatremaker and artistic leader whose vision has reshaped Southern California’s oldest LGBTQIA+ theatre. Since 2010, he has worked at Celebration as a performer, director, and designer. Appointed Executive Director in 2019 and now Producing Artistic Director, he has helped launch programs like Trans Lineage and championed bold, culturally responsive storytelling. He holds a Master of Public Administration from USC and a Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance from Northwestern, and is a member of Actors’ Equity, SAG-AFTRA, and the Stage Directors & Choreographers Society.
Art in the Revolution: Queer Theatre in 1982 and Today is organized by Celebration Theatre as part of the 2026 Circa: Queer Histories Festival, presented by One Institute.
Since 1982, Celebration Theatre entertains, inspires, and empowers with innovative productions that celebrate the LGBTQIA+ experience.
One Gallery is an art gallery and cultural programming space operated by One Institute, the oldest active LGBTQ+ organization in the country. Located in the heart of West Hollywood, One Gallery is dedicated to hosting archival and contemporary art installations that showcase LGBTQ+ history. Through partnerships with established and emerging community partners, the gallery also serves as a low-cost, multi-purpose space for community meetings, creative workshops, classes, and other mission-aligned programming.