Dates

May - June 2023

SERVICES

Public Relations, Media Coordination

An unabashed celebration of identity told through the art of Drag and the spectacle of Opera returns to the stage


The creative team at An Opera Theatre (AOT), a local company creating socially-relevant and accessible productions, returned with its second Divas & Drag (D&D) show at the Historic Mounds Theater in Saint Paul in June 2023. The show featured original and collaborative pieces created and performed by opera singers and drag performers. Field Guide began work in May 2023 to increase media attention and expand the performance’s audience. This event offered a chance for people unfamiliar with drag, opera, or both to experience the joy of queer pride, storytelling, and identity.

informed decisions

Field Guide approached this project by understanding the significance of how media portrays queer folks and drag performers, which informed every decision our team made about how and where to pursue media coverage. Field Guide pitched the event to a tailored list of journalists and worked with performers and outlets to coordinate interviews, prepare talking points and media assets.


The Outcome

large and enthusiastic audience

The event saw large and enthusiastic audiences, and our customized approach secured print and digital media coverage, including a segment on local CBS affiliate WCCO TV. After the interview, one artist expressed how meaningful it was for them to be on mainstream television in full drag. We are grateful to have been a trusted partner of An Opera Theatre and to have helped expand the scope of who witnesses queer celebration and joy. And we had an absolute blast at the show!
I really can't say it enough, thank you again for all the tremendous support of AOT and DIVAS & DRAG! Sold-out shows, amazing interviews, fantastic coverage, and we could not have achieved all that without your true belief in this event and your work ethic. On behalf of AOT and all our artists involved in D&D, thank you so so much! I look forward to future collaborations with you all.
Kelly M Turpin, Executive Director & Producer, An Opera Theatre (AOT)