‘The Inheritance’ star Kyle Soller calls for more LGBT stories to be told in mainstream theatre
The actor won best actor category in the Critics’ Circle Theatre Awards
By Steve Brown
Words: Steve Brown
The Inheritance star Kyle Soller has urged the theatre industry to push LGBT+ stories into the spotlight.
The star of the hit gay theatre epic tells the story of gay men in New York City a generation after the Aids crisis and although the Matthew Lopez play has achieved critical acclaim, Soller said LGBT+ representation in theatre is “not anywhere near” where it should be.
During the Critics’ Circle Theatre Awards, where he picked up the award for the best actor category, Soller told The Stage: “There are waves being made [in terms of representation for the LGBT+ community in theatre], but a sea change is not anywhere near where it needs to be.
“I think the more voices and the more writers that come forward and put on things like The Inheritance, the better. There are not enough [LGBT+ stories being told] in mainstream theatre.”
The actor – who is married to his wife Phoebe Fox – went on to argue that LGBT+ young people need to be able to see their stories being told.
He continued: “When you feel represented and see a piece of art or a film or some theatre or read a novel, and it’s being embraced by the public, that is unbelievably empowering and further change can then be made.
“The only way to inspire the younger people is to push and shove these stories into the centre spotlight, because they are there and they are amazing, they’re just not being told.”