USF’s Vibrant New Production Gin Mummy Blends Queer Identity, Victorian Chaos, and Bold Self-Expression
The University of South Florida’s Theatre program is gearing up for its upcoming production of Gin Mummy, a fast-paced Victorian comedy directed by Landon Green and written by playwright Melissa Leilani Larson. The show runs Thursday–Sunday, November 20–23, inside Theatre 2 on USF’s Tampa campus, with tickets required but no cover charge. Full schedule and updates are available through the official USF Arts site at USF School of Theatre & Dance.
On the surface, Gin Mummy looks like a classic drawing-room farce—overflowing with slamming doors, forbidden romance, sharp wit, and yes, an actual mummy. But Green’s direction pushes the production further, using comedy as a way to explore identity, bravery, and visibility within a historical setting that once refused to acknowledge queer lives at all.
Green, who identifies as a mixed-race Filipino member of the queer community, explains that stepping into Larson’s work felt deeply personal. In his director’s note, he describes how the play echoes themes from his own life, including biracial incongruity, sexual epiphany as an ace person in a hetero-presenting relationship, and the ongoing pursuit of professional fulfillment. Instead of separating these experiences from his work, he brings them into the rehearsal room, grounding the production’s humor in honesty.
Rehearsals—which blend scripted moments with improvisation—mirror Green’s broader perspective on life. As he puts it, real people “speak these words for the first time” every day, and this production leans into that feeling of discovery. For the actors, that means approaching each scene with courage, reflecting the kind many people wish they could summon in their daily lives. Green encourages them to view personal identity not as a burden, but as an adventure of discovery, even joking that others might simply call it coping: “yolo haha.”
The play’s Victorian setting also plays an important role. Larson’s script revels in the contrast between rigid decorum and hidden truths—a contrast that becomes even sharper in a 2025 staging filled with color, queerness, and refusal to shrink. Green notes that the world becomes “less vibrant” when people who feel othered hide themselves. His mission is straightforward: let people see themselves onstage. He emphasizes that audiences should have stories where they feel welcome and represented, and that actors deserve to embody characters aligned with their lived experiences rather than watching others “play pretend.”
While diving into Victorian England and Egyptology, the team uncovered some startling real-world history. Aristocrats once held mummy-unwrapping parties, even going so far as to consume pieces of mummies as supposed remedies or mystical enhancers. Green invites audiences to draw their own metaphors between that bizarre history and today’s social climate, showing how comedy can often reveal uncomfortable truths.
The production is also a family affair. Green’s wife, Katherine Yacko, serves as Assistant Director and Dialect Coach, bringing years of collaboration to the project. Their newborn son, Briscoe, has become the team’s unofficial “Shadow Director and Scream Coach,” attending rehearsals, eating, sleeping, and unintentionally keeping everyone focused—no one wants to be the one to wake the baby.
Altogether, Gin Mummy promises a blend of humor, heart, representation, and historical absurdity—an energetic addition to the Tampa arts scene and a meaningful step toward inclusive storytelling. For ticket information and event details, visit the official listing through USF Theatre & Dance at USF Arts Events.
