Playing for Keeps

Feminist Theater in Atlanta

Red Dyke Theater was a theater troupe started in response to the lesbian community’s demand for a gay theater presence that wasn’t male identified. All Red Dyke Theatre performances were benefits for lesbian and gay organizations such as the ALFA softball teams, ALFA House, and gay pride.  

The theatre collective began as a response to the drag shows that were popular in the men’s bars, and they used the drag-show practice of campy dress (although the collective’s were usually from thrift shops) and drag-show choreography while lip-synching to popular music. Red Dyke Theatre also developed lesbian-feminist political pantomimes like “Coming Out to Parents” and comedic skits like “Superdyke.” They were deliberately reclaiming public displays of feminine sexuality and language commonly used to demean women with acts like “Gladys Peach and the Clits,” “Peach Midler and the Dykettes,” and “Dykeanna Ross and the Superbs.” They performed at gay and lesbian bars, the Metropolitan Community Church, the Atlanta Lesbian Feminist Alliance (ALFA) House, The Great Southeastern Lesbian Conference (May 1975: http://outhistory.org/items/show/94), The Egyptian Ballroom in the Atlanta Fox Theatre (1978), and other venues, always donating any proceeds to lesbian or gay organizations such as the ALFA softball teams, the ALFA House, gay pride, or gay and lesbian causes. The group disbanded in late 1978 when they had to choose between taking the show on the road and holding down stable, full-time jobs.