The Gayly hosts Pride Night at Lyric’s "Girlfriend"

Join The Gayly and OKC’s Lyric Theatre for a jump back to a time to when flannel was the height of fashion and mixtapes were the language of love.

In collaboration with Signature Theatre, Lyric presents the regional premiere of a vibrant, funny and heart-warming coming of age love story. College-bound jock, Mike, and self-assured, Will, rush into summer love in small-town Nebraska.

This gay romantic comedy is inspired by ‘90s icon, Matthew Sweet’s alternative rock album, Girlfriend, and features an all-female rock band.

In a review of Signature Theatre’s performance last year, Girlfriend was said to take you on “a journey with Will and Mike - two average teenagers in Nebraska in 1993. Their high school days are nearing an end.”

Writer Jennifer Perry says “Mike, a popular baseball player, is getting ready to go off to college. Will, who is not going to college is more of the oddball outsider type. He is super psyched because Mike actually spoke to him and (wait for it) even gave him a mixed tape. Mike had previously paid him no mind.

An unexpected phone call from Mike results in the two going to the drive-in movie theater together. Mike keeps talking about his girlfriend - a girl who lives in another town who Will does not know. Will is slightly disillusioned (and confused), but Mike continues to connect and hang out with him, and the two become closer.

A budding summer romance emerges between the two boys. Perry felt the story normalizes the relationship between Mike and Will and treats it like any other you might see in your standard romantic comedy-drama aimed at teens and young adults.

To Perry, what makes it unique is topics like AIDS, the political struggles faced by the LGBTQ community or other heavy issues aren't the focus here.

“It’s two boys in Nebraska that fall in love,” said Lyric Producing Artistic Director Michael Baron in an interview with NewsOK. “But really, it’s just a good ole’ love story and the music’s fun. I think it was just a little ahead of its time.”

Girlfriend will be performed at Lyric on The Plaza February 27 through March 17. Pride Night with The Gayly will be Thursday, March 14 at 7:30 p.m.

For all tickets visit www.lyrictheatreokc.com or call (405) 524-9312. If you are joining us for Pride Night, enter the code “GaylyGirlfiend” when you purchase your tickets. There is no charge to attend the reception.

Copyright The Gayly – February 6, 2019 @ 10:10 a.m. CST.