angry
f@gs
Written by Topher Payne
Co-Directed by Nat Coe &
Payten Christopher McLeod
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Performance Dates: April. 23-25 & April 30 - May 2, 2027
Showtimes: Fridays & Saturdays at 7:30PM | Sundays at 2:00PM
Auditions: Audition details coming soon. Follow us on social media for updates.
Tickets: Ticket information coming soon.
About the Show:
Bennett is really trying to keep it together right now. He broke up with his boyfriend and moved in with his best friend, Cooper. It’s election season, and he’s the speechwriter for Georgia’s only gay state senator, who’s engaged in a bloody campaign against a conservative darling. Then Bennett’s ex is attacked in the parking lot of a gay bar. Bennett and Cooper are informed that the assault can’t be classified as a hate crime – because in Georgia, hate crimes against homosexuals don’t legally exist. Their frustration and fear eventually turn to rage as they realize “acceptance” simply isn’t enough. They’re still living in a society that relegates them to second-class status. They’re not respected. They’re not feared. It’s time for that to change.
About the Author:
Topher Payne’s play Perfect Arrangement won the American Theatre Critics Association’s M. Elizabeth Osborn Prize for Best Play by an Emerging Playwright in 2014. The play went on to be produced off-Broadway in 2015 by Primary Stages and MARS Theatricals and was a finalist for a 2017 Lambda Literary Award. Topher was the 2018 inductee into the Georgia Theatre Hall of Fame. His other works for the stage include Evelyn in Purgatory, You Enjoy Myself, The Baby Shower and Angry Fags. He has scripted six films for The Hallmark Channel and was a nominated as a screenwriter for a 2026 GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Film for Television for The Christmas Baby. Topher is a three-time winner of the Gene-Gabriel Moore Playwriting Award. He received the 2016 Suzi Bass Award for Outstanding World Premiere for the holiday comedy Let Nothing You Dismay. His latest work, A First Lady’s Guide To Killing the President, premiered in Atlanta in September 2025.
Meet the Directors:
Nat Coe (they/them)
is a Phoenix-based director, sound designer, intimacy director, writer, and the Founding Artistic Director of Rebel Phoenix Theatre Collective. Over the last several years, they have developed a distinct artistic voice rooted in bold storytelling, collaborative leadership, and championing underrepresented voices onstage. Nat has worked throughout the Valley as a director, designer, educator, and theatre-maker, continually striving to create rehearsal rooms where artists feel safe, challenged, and inspired.
Recent directing credits include Lost Girl (Rebel Phoenix Theatre Collective), An Inspector Calls (Main Street Creative Arts Center), Lost Girl (Chandler High School), and 13: The Musical (Greasepaint Youth Theatre). Additional credits include sound design, intimacy direction, and graphic design for numerous productions across the Phoenix theatre community. Through both Rebel Phoenix Theatre Collective and their freelance work, Nat is committed to creating theatre that sparks conversation, builds community, and amplifies stories that deserve to be heard.
Payten Christopher McLeod (he/him) is an artist in pursuit of a promising and successful career in theatre. Payten is also co-founder and Assistant Artistic Director of Rebel Phoenix Theatre Collective. Beginning his training at 4 years old with Childsplay, Payten's passion and love for performing has grown as he's garnered more experience with multiple theaters around the Arizona valley for over nearly two decades. Participating in summer programs, graduating from Childsplay's Conservatory Program, and engaging in performance competitions, Payten prides himself on his dedication to his craft, his hard work, and hunger to learn as much as possible in order to become the best all-around performer possible.
Payten remains as always so thankful for the opportunities he's been given thus far, and strives to continue to improve as he embarks on what marks only the beginning of his professional career in theater.
Run Time & Content Advisory:
Run Time: Approximately 2 hours and 10 minutes with a 15-minute intermission.
Content Advisory: Recommended for ages 16+. Contains strong language, depictions and discussions of anti-LGBTQ+ violence, hate crimes, suicide, sexual content, political extremism, and other mature themes.
Creative Opportunities
Rebel Phoenix Theatre Collective is always looking for passionate creatives, designers, and tech wizards to join the rebellion.
Want to get involved? Submit your info here.
Accessibility Info:
Our venue is wheelchair accessible. For questions about accommodations, email info@rebelphxtheatre.com