Love Fire Island, the Ocean Barrier Island off Long Island, which is such a queer mecca and want to know more about it? Then you are in luck as there is rather a fab brand new docu-podcast series “Finding Fire Island” . In this, you will hear how a sleepy, 19th-century beach town became THE hot spot for artists and the New York City theater community
Queer history has often been told through the lens of loss and disappearance but Fire Island has transcended that to survive as a stunning fantasy world and cultural touchstone. “Finding Fire Island” takes its listener behind the curtain of the mystique, legends, and lore of the LGBTQ+ communities (Cherry Grove and The Pines) from folks who experienced their evolution from the 1950s to today.
“Finding Fire Island” features Joel Kim Booster, Margaret Cho, Matt Rogers, (stars of Fire Island 2022 film) the iconic DJ Lina Bradford, screenwriter Paul Rudnick author Brian Moylan Tony Award winner Zach Stafford, cabaret performer Ben Rimalower, and Cherry Grove legends Bob “Rose” Levine (profiled in ROSELAND : The Ballard of Bob Levine) and Thom “Panzi” Hansen. A full talent list can be found here.
“Finding Fire Island” is created and executive produced by writer, producer and native New Yorker, Jess Rothschild. Since 2019, Jess has published and hosted the podcast “Hot Takes & Deep Dives,” centered on queer pop iconography and New York City culture. She writes
“As a native New Yorker, Fire Island was intrinsically formative to my identity as a gay person. As my obsession with the history and culture of Cherry Grove and The Pines intensified over the years, I began collecting interviews with notable Fire Island figures, past and present. While working on this project, I realized that this is one of the rare pieces of media about Fire Island from the perspective of a woman.”
“Finding Fire Island” is presented by the Broadway Podcast Network, with new episodes available starting on July 6 on BPN.FM or wherever you get your podcasts.
Labels: 2023, docu-podcast, Finding Fire Island, Jess Rothschild, Joel Kim Booster, Margaret Cho, Matt Rogers, queer history
