When Camp Rehoboth invited comedian and writer Zach Zimmerman to the headlines of Sunfestival, it was the moment when Zimmerman realized it was possible to make people laugh.
Camp Rehoboth, an LGBTQ community center in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, hosts its annual Sunfestival fundraiser on Labor Day weekends on August 30th and 31st. Opening Andrew and Zimmerman headliners spoke with the Washington Blade before the event.
Andrew is a singer, songwriter, comedian, media personality and part-time resident of Rehoboth. After opening at SunFestival last year, Andrew was asked to return to the 15-minute set. He said he could describe his future performance as genuine, passionate and enjoyable.
“I want to leave them with a little thing to prepare for the big dance party that will happen the next night,” Andrew said.
The next night, DJ Robby Leslie and DJ Joe Gastraw perform at a dance party at the Rehoboth Beach Convention Center.
Being an LGBTQ artist has influenced Andrew’s work, he said. When he started, there were not many examples of out-of-artists. Andrew said he loves to overcome adversity, find his true voice, adjust the noise, and share his story about being as much as you can.
“I’ve been doing this for a long time, but for most of the early days there were a lot of difficulties,” Andrew said. “I’m just being myself and really embracing who I am and conveying my creative choices. I’m a gay black man. That’s what I know, and that’s what my art reflects.
Andrew said his dream is to perform in the professional orchestra Delmarva big band.
Comedy is a powerful art form that has a lot to give and gather people into physical spaces, said Zimmerman, who is working on new material for the Sun Festival. Zimmerman said that trying to be vulnerable to the stories told in the performance and sharing desires and needs in a vulnerable way will bring out a community.
“What a blessing to be able to look back on life and work in a way that reflects life,” Zimmerman said. “Do it because you’re interested in it, protect it because you believe it, give it up… when it hurts too much.”
The Sun Festival is the end of summer and a chance to look back at everything that happened on the last night of fun, Zimmerman said. After the fundraiser, Zimmerman took a tour in the fall and wrote his second book.
“Comedy can disarm people. It can welcome them. Everyone loves to laugh,” Zimmerman said. “I think comedy has changed the world for better or worse.”
SunFestival tickets can be purchased at Camprehoboth.org.
Source: Washington Blade: LGBTQ News, Politics, LGBTQ Rights, Gay News – www.washingtonblade.com
