Cerulean Nights: a Narrative Poetry Experience On the Water & Open Mic

The year is 1864, and Violeta Thorne is tired of "her" life as a stifled debutante—Going to balls, meeting suitors, and spending agonizing hours stumbling through all of the lessons meant to mold her into a proper wife and mother. Except… No amount of lessons can make a woman out of Violeta, because she isn't certain she was ever even a girl. So she cuts her hair, sheds her name and takes to the high seas to start a new life as a sailor.

Told through a series of narrative poems timed to the journey of real-life boat, L’Aube, Cerulean Nights is written and performed by local bi trans poet/actor Thaddeus Cramer. this immersive poetic journey follows the story of this fictional historic trans sailor as he wrestles with himself, his identity, his place in society, and perhaps even finds a kind of love no etiquette lesson could prepare him for.

The show will also feature an open mic on the docks (included in your standard ticket purchase or by limited PWYC tickets available for folks unable to join in on the cruise.) Sign-ups for the dockside open mic will be available onsite starting at 4:15 PM, and sign-ups for the handful of open mic slots on the boat will be available to reserve for an additional $10 on Eventbrite. The show also features local drag king Fox C. Shanty, and a special musical guest to be announced soon! Drinks will be sold in the Pirate Life cabana and onboard the ship during intermission. Want to take the magic home? Purchase the Cerulean Nights Poetry Zine, (more info soon!)

Wayfinding:

The docks are located at 319 Queens Quay W, Toronto, ON M5V 3G3. Once you arrive, follow the wavy wooden dock to the right, then turn left, and look for the Pirate Life cabana next to the Palapa cabana. The boat may or may not be present when you arrive, but fear not! It will be there and ready to embark on our poetic high-lakes voyage long before our 6 PM departure time!

TTC information: The nearest station to the docks is Union Station. From there, you can take the 509 or the 510 streetcar to the Reese Street stop, cross the street in the direction of the water. Then follow the dockside instructions above!

Accessibility information:

Mobility devices and Mobility Challenges: Unfortunately, due to conditions outside of our control, the docks may sometimes be inaccessible for people with mobility aids or difficulty with steep and unsteady steps due to the dock sinking and making the ramp too steep to use safely during low tide conditions. Hosts are able to assist with balance getting down steps if needed and may be able to help with transporting some lighter mobility devices up and down the steps for folks who are able to safely navigate 2-3 steep steps without their devices. In the event that the ramp is too steep to use, and we are unable to get you safely aboard the ship, a full refund will be issued, and you will still be able to enjoy the dockside portion of the experience, albeit from slightly further back. We apologize in advance if this winds up being an issue on the night of the show!

Motion sickness: This experience takes place on a moving boat. Even the docks float on the water. As such, this experience may not be optimal for people who experience extreme motion sickness. If you think this may affect you but still want to come, we recommend taking a motion sickness pill or two before the show, to be safe!

Balance and coordination challenges: Since this experience is on a moving boat, some folks may experience difficulty navigating the decks as well as the docks safely during the experience. There will be places to sit on the deck, and there are things to hang onto for balance, (which we recommend everyone disabled or abled do when possible, regardless,) but if you believe this could present a risk for you, please let us know and we will make sure to assist where we can!

Noise sensitivity: This experience includes microphones, speakers, and live music. We will do our best to strike a balance between making all audio audible over the water and keeping the volume at a level that is safe for folks with noise sensitivity, however speakers have been known to glitch, and we sometimes receive radio interference, so nothing can be promised. Earplugs may be provided but are not guaranteed at this time.

For Deaf/HOH folks and anyone with auditory processing challenges: Please let us know in advance, and we can print off copies of the words to all the poems and lyrics to any live songs that may be played for your convenience. If you have an interpreter that you prefer to use instead, let us know, and we can try to get the words to the poems and lyrics to them in advance! However, it may not be possible to safely accommodate them for the choregraphed drag portion of the show due to the tight space and nature of the act.

Blindness and low-vision: Most of the important elements of the show should be able to be enjoyed comparably without sight. Only the drag portion which has a visual element will be less accessible. If you are low-vision, but not blind, please let us know, and we can seat you as close to the action as possible! We can also provide some additional guidance moving about the ship or docks if needed.

For folks with conditions that may require immediate washroom access: There are porta-potties on the beach as well as a Tim Horton's nearby with washrooms, (please allow lots of time, as lines can get quite long.) A break will be provided in between the open mic and the boarding of the ship to allow time for folks to go to the washroom if needed. Onboard the ship itself, there is a washroom. However, the toilet does not flush, and is for emergencies only, and is only usable for liquid waste. The duration of the boat ride is one hour. Unfortunately, if this presents an accessibility barrier for you, this experience may not be well-suited to your needs. However, you are very welcome to join us on the docks with a PWYC ticket to enjoy the open mic experience!

Pregnancy and other medical conditions that may necessitate quick emergency care: Due to the nature of the experience, quick emergency care may not be available in the case of pregnancy labour or other immediate health emergencies. Staff on the ship are trained to handle emergencies and to call for emergency services on the water, however, help may not be as quick as it would be on land, so folks who are at high risk should decide for themselves whether they feel safe on a boat where they cannot immediately leave if needed.

Questions, access needs, miscellaneous musings? Check our FAQ, or get in touch with us at [email protected]! And stay tuned here or on our Instagram @Lavenderhorizonsevents for more announcements soon!

Host or Publisher Lavender Horizons Events