Swapping trauma for joy

Members the LGBTQI+++ community are invited to participate in the co-making of a party show to be performed as part of the Cork Midsummer Festival 2025.

Led by queerness + voice specialist, Yvon Bonenfant, ‘Opposite of Queer Trauma’ is a participatory vocal art project offering a safe space for LGBTQI+++ adults to come together and form a “super-fun” choir.

It aims to use sound and gentle movement to discover what the opposite of trauma feels like.

Yvon and his team of professional performers will lead participants through improvisation exercises that include voice and movement, guiding them towards developing their own unique choral songs accompanied by some movements which will eventually be set to dance beats.

In part one of the process, participants will rehearse and develop their own sounds and movements across seven sessions. Part two will see them develop their creations into a “party show”.

There will be photos, audio, and visual documentation of the final performances with the consent of participants.

Overall, the project includes 21 sessions planned between now and June 2025, including four performance dates between next April and June at The Granary Theatre, UCC.

Rehearsals take place on selected Mondays from 6.30-9pm at UCC’s Theatre Department, Lancaster Quay. This month’s dates are 18 and 25 November, with 2 December also confirmed before rehearsals break for Christmas. Rehearsal dates for the new year will be released shortly.

Organisers also confirmed they have a budget to assist those with particular needs, including those who are neurodiverse or disabled, living in direct provision, or have difficulty with travel. They are also welcoming LGBTQI+++ members of the deaf community, with sign translation and sensory devices provided to amplify the tactile qualities of the vocal experience. All participants must be over 18.

Organisers also advised that the project environment is not suitable for adults who are considered vulnerable. While the project explores The Opposite of Trauma, it is a pleasurable, art-making environment; the leadership is caring but it is not an actively psychotherapeutic environment.

No prior experience is required to take part in the project, and participants don’t need to be a good singer or have a “nice” voice, just an open mind!