De(a)ftly Queer - featuring Joshua Castille (he/him)

Featuring Deaf performance artist and actor Joshua Castille | he/him

Get ready for an effervescent exchange as Josh shares his experience as a queer and Deaf actor who has done it all from the Broadway stage to the Hollywood screen. Jokes and anecdotes bubble throughout the interview as Will learns more about the Deaf community culture and how it mirrors and deviates from queer community culture. Josh tells stories about his process when part of a large cast of Deaf actors like Deaf West's Spring Awakening and as the only Deaf actor in ACT Seattle's Tribes before delving deeper into the embrace he receives from fellow queer actors. All seriousness aside, Will and Josh then reveal their lesser known skills and niche interests as a reminder that people contain multitudes beyond their artistry and identities. In the reading, we look to the future (with a cameo by Lisa Frank's tarot) by sourcing inner strength and trusting ourselves when faced with other's expectations. Check out the video of this sparkling dialogue at www.gender-play.com!

In Teacakes and Tarot: Conversations with Queer Futurists, host Will Wilhelm (they/them) welcomes an artistic crush for an intimate chat and a reading. Each episode features a new queer guest discussing art, life in our industry, and their dreams and intentions while the world of performance waits in the wings. Together, they hold space to summon more inclusive, exciting, and queer-friendly ways to create. As the candle burns low,  Will offers their guest a unique tarot reading to give them greater insight on a personal journey. It's one part cocktail party and one part slumber party that will leave you stirred but never shaken. 

Teacakes & Tarot: Conversations with Queer Futurists is produced by Island Shakespeare Festival as part of the Shakespeare Playground Series. The series presents socially distanced programming that upholds ISF’s mission of accessible Shakespeare that embraces intersectional storytelling and artistic excellence. Find out more at islandshakespearefest.org!

Co-Created by Will Wilhelm (they/them) and Erin Murray (she/her)
Graphic Design by Ray Kathryn Morgen (they/them)
Theme Song: Raro Bueno by Chuzausen, licensed under an Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 International License.
Audio & Mixing: Nigel Saskrotch (they/them)