Qmmunity: Ride ’Em Cowboy

What is BULLRIDE? “It will kind of be like the scene from the movie Annie, where Daddy Warbucks goes on the radio to conduct a coast-to-coast search for her parents,” said BULLRIDE co-writer/director Sawyer Stoltz, “except he’s reading erotica and Annie is actually a hirsute adult man looking for fame.” Then, almost as an afterthought, he added, “I’m Daddy Warbucks.”

The reality of BULLRIDE has a lot less tap dance: It’s a script, written and directed by Sawyer and Jeremy Stilb – known to nightlifers as DJ Mouthfeel – that follows a rodeo cowboy who leaves “the West” to enter West Hollywood only to find the grass ain’t exactly greener in his new pasture. This Friday, 7 & 9pm, at Museum of Human Achievement, Austinites can attend a table read of the Sawyer & Stilb creation featuring live foley work as well as performances by local icons like Louisianna Purchase, Manuel García, Mase Kerwick, and many more.

Inspiration for the story ranges from real bull rider interviews – “The browser history alone tells a wild story,” Sawyer remarked – to archive pornography. Stilb pointed to the iconic Bijou from adult film auteur Wakefield Poole and its dream sequence as a guiding light as well. “There is the prerequisite hole and pole, but the set design, music and psychedelic flavoring are something we’ve lost,” he wrote over email. “Plus these films were cultural documents of queer life beyond the erotic aspects.” For himself, Sawyer pointed to the pornographic catalog of director Joe Gage – better known to genre audiences as Tim Kincaid. “[He] creates films with an emphasis on utilizing models with a working-class aesthetic and creating an erotic tension with the push and pull of pre-sex character interaction,” Sawyer explained. “Kansas City Trucking Co., El Paso Wrecking Corp., and L.A. Tool & Die are all legendary and the through-line of narration in that film trilogy was a big influence on this project.”

Putting together the live stage reading hinged on developing as much camp as possible. According to Sawyer, including foley into the table read worked to amplify the whole adult-film-table-read absurdity: “It’s camp. It’s obscene. It’s overtly stupid.” A similar thought process governed their casting decisions. “What is particularly fun about a table read parody of an adult film is that the bar for acting is set really low,” Sawyer said, “[So] we honestly just rounded up the most beautiful people in Austin we could find.”

MoHA as a location, however, was a more personal choice, one rooted in both Stilb and Sawyer’s artistic histories. “MoHA has been super instrumental in my creative journey and they always support artists in taking big risks,” Stilb said. “It always feels like the right fit when trying something we haven’t done before.” With this being his and Sawyer’s first script-read rodeo, so to speak, Stilb is anxious to see the reaction to their new venture: “I’m excited to find out, alongside the audience, how this is going to work.”

ATX Vogue Nights

Thursday 2, Swan Dive

Get a combo platter of legendary ballroom from houses Juicy and Lepore as they host their monthly mini-ball. Legendary Natalie Lepore steps in as commentator while DJs Akasha and BabiBoi Juicy spin.

Scruff’s Five-Year Party

Saturday 4, Scruff’s Barbershop on South First

Celebrate gay-owned barbershop Scruff’s five years of sharp cuts with tunes by Armadillo Road, on-site tattoos, and drinks from both Dulce Vida Tequila and Liquid Death.

QBWA Mental Health Retreat

Sunday 5, Bergstrom Tech Center

Queer Black Women Alliance offers a safe space and resources for community relaxation & healing. Enjoy activities like reiki, self-massage training, yoga, and relationship building therapy along with prize raffles, provided food & drink, and free STI testing.

Sana Sana: Roots

Sunday 5, Wake the Dead Coffee House, San Marcos

Drag artist Kino Kino hosts this all-ages open mic that encourages expressions in any art form. This month’s theme is Roots: “what does this mean to you?” Kino Kino prompts on Insta. “channeling your culture, past self, someone that inspired you to grow, any concept is welcome.” DM to sign up.