Montana Repertory Theatre and the Western Montana  LGBTQ+ Center, in partnership with MissCast Productions, Room 131 Productions,  and Griz Downstage, are excited to present the 2nd Annual SAY GAY PLAYS in  Missoula, an evening of queer theatre to benefit the Center on Saturday,  January 17, 2026 at 7:30 PM (doors at 7 PM) in the Montana Theatre on the  University of Montana Campus (PARTV Building, 12 Campus Drive). 

The 2nd Annual SAY GAY PLAYS in Missoula will feature staged readings of  several LGBTQ+ themed short plays, some selected from the catalog curated by  Voyage Theatre Company, and some selected by The Rep. Titles include:  Montana by Emily Feldman (Room 131 Productions), The Dungeons and the  Dragons by Kyle John Schmidt (Griz Downstage), our own f*cking play by Esho  Rasho (Griz Downstage), Couch Surfing by Emilio Williams (MissCast Productions),  morning routine. by SMJ (MissCast Productions), BoyTalk by Erik Gernand  (Montana Repertory Theatre), and Words the Wind Carried Me by Kamilah Bush 

SAY GAY PLAYS was conceived by Voyage Theater Company in association  with Tectonic Theater Project, Miami New Drama, and Provincetown Theater in  response to the 2022 passage of the Parental Rights in Education bill in Florida,  commonly known as the “Don’t Say Gay” bill. In 2023, more than 520 state bills  attacking LGBTQ+ rights were introduced, with more than 75 becoming law. The  Human Rights Campaign officially declared a state of emergency for LGBTQ+  people in the United States for the first time in history. And it’s getting worse.  According to the ACLU, in 2024 alone, more than 300 anti-LGBTQ+ bills have  been introduced in 35 state legislatures around the country. SAY GAY PLAYS is  about sharing queer stories of courage, triumph, and joy to counter the harmful  narratives used as justification for the passage of these discriminatory bills. 

The goal of SAY GAY PLAYS is two-fold: to raise awareness for LGBTQ+ equality  and offer financial support to potentially hundreds of not-for-profit organizations  across the country. The project’s website, SayGayPlays.org, serves as a hub for  applicants and participants, while tracking the project’s impact nationwide. 

As always with Montana Repertory Theatre productions, tickets are Pick-What You-Pay – this time in support of the Center! If you can afford a ticket for $5, pay  $5! If you can afford a ticket for $50, pay $50! $20 recommended. All ticket sales will directly benefit the Western  Montana LGBTQ+ Community Center in Missoula. 

About the Montana Repertory Theatre 

Established in 1967, the Montana Repertory Theatre is the resident professional  theatre at the University of Montana. Standing at the cross-section of  educational and professional theatre, The Rep produces work that celebrates,  engages, and challenges the people of Missoula and the state of Montana. 

About the Western Montana LGBTQ+ Center 

The Center is an open affirming environment for peoples of all sexual orientation  and gender identity expressions. We empower our community through 

education, advocacy, and collaborative networking. We strive to be Western  Montana’s voice for the 2SLGBTQ+ community and allies. 

About Voyage Theater Company 

Voyage Theater Company (VTC) presents new and unheralded plays and  playwrights from around the world, creating opportunities for collaboration  between theater makers of diverse cultures. Their inaugural production, part of  La MaMa’s 50th anniversary season, was the world premiere of Obama 44 by  Mario Fratti in 2012, followed by Aleksei Arbuzov’s My Poor Marat, performed in  both Russian and English. VTC produced the world premiere of Intermission by  Daniel Libman in 2014 at Theatre Row, the same year they launched the Parts  Unknown Play Reading Series — free and open to the public — featuring new  plays from around the world and new play translations. Additional productions  include the New York premieres of Sun by Adrienne Kennedy and Unveiled by  Rohina Malik; August Strindberg's The Pelican; Unveiled at the South African  National Arts Festival and Johannesburg 969 Festival; The Mecca Tales by Rohina  Malik; Tentacles by Tessa Flannery, as part of the 2018 Frigid NY Festival; the  critically acclaimed Hope Hypothesis by Cat Miller; and, most recently, Don't  Look Back by Adam Kraar. Artistic Director: Wayne Maugans; Executive Director:  Charles C. Bales.