The Chan National Queer Arts Center announces today that artistically fluid opera star Nikola Printz will be the next artist to helm its Q-LAB series when they bring March Madness to the Center for two performances only Friday, March 21 at 7:30 PM and Saturday, March 22 at 7:30 PM. Q-LAB is a new series of interdisciplinary programs curated by queer artists whose work defies conventional categories. March Madness will also feature fellow transgender artists Katherine Goforth and Polly Amber Ross, along with pianist Robert Mollicone and flutist Jessie Nucho. Tickets are currently on sale at thechancenter.org. This is an immersive multistage event where performers move around the space. This format brings every seat closer to the action. Seating is first come, first served General Admission.
Artistically fluid opera star Nikola Printz, the singing acrobatic sensation who has delighted local audiences at SF Symphony’s Holiday Gaiety, the SF Opera’s Carmen Encounter and other stages worldwide, hosts a grand, campy evening of madness in every sense of the word. In the context of attacks on the very existence of transgender identity, Printz navigates the unraveling of one's sense of self, the indulgent embrace of madness, and the rebuilding of something stronger and more resilient. Their dynamic and unforgettable performance will be underscored by music from The Pixies, Elliot Smith, Kurt Weill, Nina Simone, Nina Hagen and some of the wildest moments in opera, including the famous “mad scene” from Lucia di Lammermoor, featuring a drag lip sync to Printz’s live vocals. With classics from cabaret to opera to punk rock, this evening is sure to offer the cathartic scream for which we’ve all been searching.
“I really want to use curatorial power to hire queer people. My goal in climbing an artistic ladder is taking talented people I’ve known for a while with me,” stated Printz. “I don't mean to go all cornball, but I hope the audience gets that it’s okay not to be okay! I’m not okay, and I don’t know anyone who is right now, but what we can do is be loud, be angry and make art that makes people feel something! I love that I’m part of the inaugural Q-Lab season. To be in my hometown, making a queer recital for queer audiences in my queer city!! It’s the stuff I dreamed of and hoped for when I was a conservatory student—now more than ever we need queer programming!”
MARCH MADNESS is the second of the Queer Arts Center’s new performance series Q-LAB, a boundary-pushing performance series where genre, form, and personal narrative converge to create a bold, immersive musical experience. This series highlights and elevates queer voices through cutting-edge performances that connect audiences with the intimate and powerful diversity of the queer community. As an interdisciplinary space for artistic innovation, music transcends traditional boundaries and connects across styles, genres, and identities. Each performance is crafted as a thesis—a compelling artistic statement from the stage that draws the audience into an artist’s unique point of view. Through innovative staging and immersive design, Q-LAB helps audiences feel the stories, emotions, and ideas shared in the space on a deep and visceral level. Q-LAB is made possible thanks to Terrence D. Chan and Edward Sell.