Directed by Georden West, Playland is described as “a raucous work of queer fantasy and history” as it plays with time in the titular bar which is Boston’s oldest and most notorious gay bar.
The film has been hitting the festival circuit, premiering in 2023 at the Rotterdam Film Festival before making its North American debut at the Tribeca Film Festival.
Playland has set a theatrical limited release starting in New York at the Film-Makers’ Cooperative on November 1. On November 6, it will screen at the Roxy Cinema with drag legend Lady Bunny, who stars in the film. It will finish its New York run at the Maysles Documentary Center on December 4.
In addition, Playland will debut in theaters across the country including Washington, New Mexico, Massachusetts, California, Maine, and Virginia. Read specific dates and locations below.
In addition to Lady Bunny, the time-hopping cinematic piece of art also stars an ensemble of queer performers that includes Danielle Cooper, who appeared in Pose as well as Maine Anders, Aidan Dick, Gatekeeper Adrian, Jet Sprat, José Lapaz-Rodriguez, Mason Caminiti, Miranda Quinn, Kelly Mittendorf, and Constance Cooper.
Through the lens of director West, the film combines a subversion of music, dance, archival footage, tableaux, opera, and performance art to tell us a story of queer history with one last bawdy night via the ghosts of LGBTQ ancestors of the Playland Café, which was shut down in the ’90s. The hot spot featured acts from drag performances to DJ sets and was connected to Pride rallies and underground gay newspapers. As a gathering place for outsiders, it was also a target for police raids and zoning redevelopment projects.
Watch the trailer for Playland below.
