UNLABELED
Curated and Produced by Penelope Deen
Co-produced by Culture Lab LIC, Culture Lab LIC
5-25 46th Ave, Long Island City, NY
June 25, 2026
Now more than ever, expression of the soul and desires of the heart is what keeps the spirit of theater alive. Performance artist, actress, and theater maker Penelope Deen drew inspiration from The Vagina Monologues to create UNLABELED for the Hunter College Women and Gender Studies Department in 2020. Finally, UNLABELED has come to fruition after complications during the pandemic put it all on pause. On a cool evening on the very weekend of Pride, UNLABELED made its way onto the stage.
Culture Lab in Long Island City hosted the event, and it could not have been a better reception before walking into the theater. A gorgeous display of embroidery, velvets, cashmeres, and colorful textiles all entrances you as you make your way to the theater. It is an exhibition of "Queens: The Art of Drag & NYC," curated by Tess Howsam and Parker Phillips.
While being whisked away into a lovely cabaret venue, where open seating led you to either couches or table seating, not knowing what to anticipate, a ravenous bearded drag king God, Kanthari, lights up the stage in his cowboy rendition of a soulful tango. The audience was enchanted as he made his way confidently up and down the stage with a fire and pride you would only be familiar with in someone who lives authentically and fearlessly. Each song flowed seamlessly into the next to subliminally message identity, authority, and political activism. This set the energy for the audience to cheer along and create a cohesive sense of unity.
The evening proceeded with a variety of performances, not following any particular pattern or order. It made the experience all the more exciting because it was impossible to know what would happen next. This style of presentation became the through line for the hidden meaning of UNLABELED. Not having labels omits expectations and preconceptions of how things ought to play out.
Poets poured their souls through their words. The passion knew no bounds. Through themes of gender, sexuality, womanhood, and disability, we were all there in a moment that could never be repeated in time. The world, for just a moment, became this sacred cocoon in which pain and suffering tendered the hearts of the poets to speak words of truth and beauty. Trans poet, Daniel-José / Azabache spoke to his former self years before and to himself today. In his journal-like reflection, we witnessed a path toward acceptance and pride in his body and all that it is capable of.
Singers gracefully sang their renditions of identity, self-reflection, and endurance. It was different waves of motion that came on and off the stage, each in their own energetic trance. Audience participation was very much welcomed and encouraged. It was an informal night of theater meant to create a safe space for the audience and performers to delve into matters not commonly discussed publicly. From personal confessionals to asking why, this was a moment for performers to break away from the bonds of life's personal hardships to make sense of them and find acceptance. Singer Yanniv Frank sat in the middle of the stage embracing himself as he sang what felt as soothing as a lullaby about how he had grown into his sexuality and, in that acceptance, was able to reflect on his youth with admiration.
If there was one adjustment, it would have been an extra touch if some of the performers had chosen to memorize their pieces rather than read from their material. At times, it can take away from potentially powerful moments that get lost in the reader's gaze instead of looking straight into the audience with conviction. Apart from not memorizing their material, everything else in the evening seemed to work like a charm. The absence of continuity or uniformity in how performers entered and exited the stage created an evening of surprise and delight that further amplified the true defining moments of UNLABELED.
Penelope Deen is pioneering opportunities for artists of all backgrounds to have a chance to perform while, most importantly, voicing their struggles, truth, and convictions. We need more voices such as hers to champion the opportunities that everyone deserves in theater and that, due to a lack of resources or connections, often get missed. UNLABELED is everyone's show. Whether we are experiencing denial or are denied our privileges to just be, our spirits will set us free. UNLABELED, the show, is a reminder to live and let be.
Review by Bianca Lopez.
Published by Theatre Beyond Broadway on July 9, 2026. All rights reserved.
