🏳️🌈 Small Town Boys – A Big Story That Needs to Be Told 🏳️🌈
We’re Shaper/Caper, a diversity-led, award-winning dance theatre company and registered charity based in Dundee. We make space for the storytelling of seldom-heard stories. This year, we’re delighted to be bringing Small Town Boys to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, and we need your help to make it happen!
After a gorgeous Scotland tour, Small Town Boys is delighted to be bringing Small Town Boys to Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2025 as part of the Made In Scotland Showcase!
In these turbulent political times, Small Town Boys is a powerful and raw story which needs to be told in the fight for LGBTQ+ rights and equality. By backing us, you’re supporting LGBTQ+ stories, championing diverse voices and ensuring that we are able to reach audiences this story speaks powerfully to.
Shaper/Caper: Every Step Tells A Story...
Led by multi-award-winning choreographer Thomas Small, we bring work to new and diverse audiences, through our inclusive approach to dance theatre. Our work is inspired by stories and ideas from the people and communities we work with in Dundee and beyond.
We are a team of passionate artists who believe in the power of storytelling through movement, creating work that is fearless, bold, and deeply human.
The Story We’re Telling
Small Town Boys is a show which explores escapism of queer nightlife during the 80s & early 90s AIDS crisis through dance and spoken word.
A young man leaves his small hometown to find refuge in the bright lights and warm embrace of the big city; he discovers solace and joy in the city's LGBTQ+ scene, but soon finds himself navigating a terrifying unfolding health crisis, almost completely ignored by the government.
A cast of eight dancers take over the nightclub with a soundtrack of everyone’s favourite 80s & early 90s anthems, alongside original music. Joining them will be a community cast – a group of volunteer dancers to bridge the gap between performer and spectator and bring the joy and chaos of the nightlife scene to life.
Small Town Boys made its debut at Kings Nightclub in Dundee (supported by The National Lottery & Creative Scotland Open Fund) in 2023, before taking on a Scotland tour in 2024 (supported by the Creative Scotland Touring Fund) in partnership with The Terrence Higgins Trust and Waverely Care. It also won the Creative Arts Award at the Proud Scotland Awards 2024!
Now part of the Made In Scotland 2025 showcase, Small Town Boys will be joining Edinburgh Festival Fringe this August!
Why We Need Your Help
As many will know, bringing a show to Edinburgh Festival Fringe can be a costly task, and despite the deeply generous contributions from Made In Scotland, we still need further support to cover some essential costs. With your help, we can cover:
✅ Venue & Production Costs – Ensuring we have the best possible stage to share this story.
✅ Fair Pay for Artists and Production Staff– So our incredible team can focus on what they do best.
✅ Marketing & Outreach – Making sure that Small Town Boys reaches the audiences who need to see it.
✅ Creative Engagement – helping us to connect with LGBTQ+ people within the local area to form our community cast
Join Us in Making It Happen
By backing this crowdfunder, you contribute to championing authentic LGBTQ+ stories, putting the experiences of queer people centre stage. Whether you are able to donate, share this page, or spread the word – we’re delighted to have you join us on this journey!
Let’s make Small Town Boys the show it deserves to be.
❤️🧡💛💚💙💜
🎭 Donate today and help us take Small Town Boys to the Fringe…and beyond! 🎭