Fake nails and falsettos filled Peters Theater Nov. 9 at the second annual Broadway Backwards. QUILTBAG, the LGBTQ+ student organization of William Jewell College, put on the evening of Broadway tunes. Spencer Ruwe, senior music performance and ACT-In double major, was in charge of planning and hosting the event. 

The Hilltop Monitor spoke with Ruwe about the premise of Broadway Backwards.

“It is a genderbent and binary breaking musical theater cabaret where students, faculty and staff perform musical theater songs, solos, groups and duets traditionally done by somebody of a different gender orientation than their own,” Ruwe said.

The funds collected from $5 general admission tickets, $10 luxury seating tickets and donation buckets went to support Broadway Cares: Equity Fights Aids, an organization that gives resources and educational materials to support those suffering with HIV.

“Now people with HIV live very happy and full lives and get to still perform on Broadway, so it’s good that we get to give back,” said Ruwe.

In New York City, actors on Broadway put on Broadway Backwards, which is where Ruwe got the idea for the event. The original Broadway Backwards has raised millions of dollars for HIV awareness and education through Broadway Cares: Equity Fights Aids. 

Ruwe and Cara Ellman, a 2018 graduate of Jewell, decided to put on a smaller Jewell-version for the first time last year.

“We were really unsure of how it was going to go but then we raised over $300 and we had I think 75 percent of the seats sold in the theater, it was a better event than we had ever thought it was going to be,” said Ruwe. 

Ruwe recalls that he performed “Candy Store” from the musical “Heathers” last year. 

“One of my favorite ones was Alex May, Larry Dahlsten and Reid Spencer performed ‘The Schuyler Sisters’ from ‘Hamilton,’” said Ruwe.

This year’s show included songs from hit musicals such as “Wicked,” “Waitress,” “West Side Story” and “Aladdin.” Nineteen performers volunteered their talents to make the night a success. 

“A large amount of the people performing are QUILTBAG members who also do theater or choir outside of it,” Ruwe said. “We also have some staff participation and an alumni member who is on faculty now, and then there is a good amount of theater students who are heavily involved in theater productions.” 

Reid Spencer, senior music major, performed “Dead Girl Walking” from “Heathers” alongside Jaimeson Satterfield, sophomore theater and psychology double major. The song, traditionally about a high school girl who breaks into her boyfriend’s bedroom to seduce him, was reimagined with two male voices. In the most comedic moment of the night, Satterfield and Spencer alluded to the seduction by throwing clothing items onto the stage from behind the curtain.

RJ Daniels, sophomore Oxbridge Music major, sang “I’m Changing My Major” from “Fun Home.” Daniels brought smiles to the audience through their giddy, earnest performance of a piece about Allison, a girl so in love with Joan that she wants to “change her major” to Joan.

Sequoia Crissman, sophomore theater major, took on “Hellfire” from “The Hunchback of Notre Dame” in addition to a duet from “Anything Goes” with Faith Harris, first-year musical theater major. Crissman demonstrated her versatility, first with the bubbly, energetic “Anything Goes,” and then with a dramatic, darker performance to suit the villainous “Hellfire.” 

Whether it be a duet or solo piece, heteronormative in nature or binary-breaking, all numbers performed at the event encouraged audience members to imagine the relationships and gender identities portrayed in Broadway and the media in new ways. 

“I think it’s really cool to get to see students and faculty members express their gender in a different way that we wouldn’t get to see normally, especially since we have some non binary students who are performing songs that traditionally people might not think that they would do well at,” said Ruwe.

Attendees of the event agreed. Ingrid Weaver, first-year Oxbridge Literature and Theory major, enjoyed Broadway Backwards with a group of friends.

“I really enjoyed Broadway Backwards because I got to see a variety of performances that were put on by a super talented group of Jewell students,” said Weaver. “I think it’s also great that all the money for the event went to a good cause.” 

This year’s event raised over $500 for Broadway Cares: Equity Fights AIDS – more than Ruwe’s goal. 

Visibility is a key part of the mission of the event. Ruwe remarked on wanting to emphasize the fluidity of gender. 

“We get kind of caught up in this really strict binary of male and female,” said Ruwe. “As a gender nonconforming male I don’t really dress the same way that a lot of men would dress, I have my nails painted, I’m kind of more feminine in my actions, and I think that it’s a cool opportunity to show people that gender is a spectrum and that it’s very fluid in its construction.”

Langston Hemenway performing “Naughty” from Matilda the Musical.

On Nov. 16, William Jewell College’s QUILTBAG, a club for the LGBTQ+ community on campus, put on their first “Broadway Backwards” event. The event took place in Gano Assembly and was open to the public and student body.

“Broadway Backwards” was a night of gender-bending performances, where performers stepped out with pieces and costumes that aren’t typically associated with the gender of the original character. These songs also required the audience themselves to see the constructs of gender in new lights, as well as view aspects of relationships in a way not typically displayed.

“Jewell students and faculty members performed solos, duets, and trios from Broadway musicals such as ‘Sweeney Todd,’ ‘Heathers,’ ‘Thoroughly Modern Millie,’ ‘Hamilton,’ and many more!” said Spencer Ruwe, junior music performance major and vice president of QUILTBAG.

Many members of the Jewell community stepped up to perform for a good cause, as the event also raised awareness for charity. Charging $3 per seat and $10 for luxury options, over $300 was raised. All proceeds were donated to Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS –a program for the theatre community that provides funds to help fight the AIDS crisis.

Chris McCoy opening the event.

“I had heard about Broadway Backwards performances happening at community theaters, researched it, and thought it would be a great fundraiser for QUILTBAG, considering the talent we have in the student body at Jewell,” said Cara Ellman, senior music performance major and secretary of QUILTBAG.

Ellman’s idea, then made into reality for Jewell with the help of QUILTBAG board, proved to be a successful night. Full of fun and music, all while raising awareness and money for a good cause and showcasing the LGBTQ+ community, the event was something memorable for all who were involved.

“I think overall the event went off without a hitch and was really really well received by the Jewell community, so I would like to see it continue to grow next year. We could even maybe do it next semester if there is enough interest,” said Ruwe.

“Broadway Backwards” was an important night for a lot of people, in many ways. Some were finally able to perform their favorite songs for the first time, and some were able to see the community they’re involved in being represented. But for all, it was a great way to spend a Friday night.

Photos by Harper Vincent.

The film – originally a play – tells the story of Matthew Shepard, an American college student from the University of Wyoming who was killed in an act of homophobic violence in 1998. The brutal act, in which Shepard was pistol whipped repeatedly before being tied to a wooden post and left to die, spurred advocacy and legislative action in support of the LGBT community. Of note are the Matthew Shepard Foundation and The Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act.

APO, the theatre honor society, and QUILTBAG, Jewell’s LGBT advocacy and support group, collaborated to screen the movie during the week of the 20th anniversary of Shepard’s murder.

Danika Bryant, senior English major and president of APO, explained that The Laramie Project brings light to the importance of anti-hate crime legislation and that the screening at Jewell commemorates the life of Shepard.

“The Laramie Project showing matters because it brought such an important light to an issue that had otherwise been overlooked – the fact that only a handful of states at the time had hate-crime legislation and actions to take should a hate-crime occur,” said Bryant. “I am so excited to be showing it on the 28th because this past Monday, Sept. 24, was the twenty year anniversary of the murder and I believe that Matthew Shepard deserves to be remembered, as does his case.”

Alex Rosell, junior music performance major and president of QUILTBAG, commented that showing this film offers a tribute to Shepard and creates awareness for struggles faced by the queer community, both then and now.

“This event commemorates and remembers the horrible events that happened in Laramie, Wyoming, 20 years ago, and the terrible crimes committed against queer people since,” said Rosell. “I think I can speak for QUILTBAG in saying that this night will be a beautiful tribute to the victims of anti-queer crime everywhere, and we are so excited to spread awareness for this wonderful project.”

Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

One of the groups to receive newfound attention is QUILTBAG (Queer/Questioning, Undecided, Intersex, Lesbian, Transgender, Bisexual, Asexual/Aromantic and Gay), a club for the LGBTQ+ community and allies.

The 2018-2019 board has made changes within the club for the new school year, as they wish to make the organization somewhere that any and all can come to and be a part of a welcoming community.

“In past years, it felt like it ostracized people of certain identities,” said Alex Rosell, QUILTBAG president and junior music performance major.

The organization has made it clear to the Jewell community that this will not be the case for QUILTBAG this year. One of the first goals of the year is to make it clear that all students are welcome, including allies of the queer community.

The club is meeting in the new multicultural space, on the second floor of the Yates-Gill Union. This new space was created with the exact mission QUILTBAG has – to create a place of acceptance and a strong sense of family for anyone (on campus), not just a select few.

“This year we’re trying to reach out to all demographics – faculty, staff, anyone,” Rosell said.

She emphasized how the board members are working to make the organization for those who are a part of different cultures and identities.

“[The organization] was set up more like club meetings [in past years]. We want this to be a safe space and an organization where people can do things and be active. We’re switching up the format,” said Spencer Ruwe, QUILTBAG vice-president and junior vocal performance and musical theatre major.

The organization plans to have three meetings per month and have the layout of meetings reflect their mission of fostering active membership in the LGBTQ+ community. Board members plan to organize meetings so each month one meeting is centered around education and information, one on business matter and one on bonding among club members.

On Tuesday Sept. 11, the meeting focused on education. Members went over what the acronym of QUILTBAG stands for. However, these meetings are not just for lectures. Everyone is encouraged to be a part of conversations and inform others on aspects of the LGBTQ+ community that may not be commonly represented.

The club is organized so that members can plan on how to be actively involved, and how to encourage other students to join. Events are already being planned and will be advertised soon.

In November, QUILTBAG will put on a Broadway Backwards event, where performers will act and sing in a role in which their character is not the gender with whom they identify. This event is intended to be an entertaining way to show how gender norms can be challenged and to shed light on all the possibilities for the LGBTQ+ community.

Other events include a multicultural open mic night during second semester, Peace Week – a week where QUILTBAG will promote their club – and awareness days such as bi-visibility day or trans-visibility day and more.

Ruwe said the main mission of the activities is to show that QUILTBAG is “creating unity and peace throughout the campus.”

The meetings designated for members to simply be together are reserved for discussion and enjoyment of both each other’s company and the group’s bond.

The open hearts and minds expressed towards the organization reflect how Jewell strives to be an accepting and open community. The first meeting Aug. 28 garnered over 20 interested people of different identities.

“I personally am very excited to connect the queer community on campus. I feel like a lot of times you have cliques within the queer community,” Rosell said.

QUILTBAG strives to be more than a clique, and the organization has many team members who are excited for the future of Jewell’s own queer community.

Meeting times are Tuesdays from 5:30-6:30 p.m. in the multicultural room in the Yates-Gill Union, and anyone is welcome. A brief synopsis of each meeting will be posted on YouTube at the meeting’s conclusion.

Photo courtesy of Maggie Knesel.