Entertainment
The GNI Entertainment at naked camp ranges from professional entertainers who are brought to the event to perform in the auditorium; such as: Trae Crowder - "The Liberal Redneck," The Kinsey Sicks, Coco Peru, Deven Green, Lady Bunny, Adam Sank, Dixie Longate, Sampson McCormick, Bruce Vilanch, and many others, to in-house our signature annual contests featuring our titles of Mr. GNI, Mr. GNI Leather, Bare Bear, and Miss Lace.
Gathering 2024
TBD
Gathering 2023
Coco Peru - Have You Heard?
Miss Coco Peru (aka Clinton Leupp) has been a household name in the LGBT community for over 30 years. She got her start in the early 90's as a downtown favorite in the cabaret world of New York after she wrote, produced, directed, and starred in her first show, Miss Coco Peru in My Goddamn Cabaret, and has since enjoyed an expansive career, ranging from intimate cabaret stages in New York and LA, to television sets in millions of living rooms. She's toured around the world, has over ten million views on YouTube, and has been in multiple cherished films, garnering multiple awards and nominations for her work.
A veteran of numerous feature films including trick, To Wong Foo..., and the cult classic Girls Will Be Girls and television shows Will and Grace (in a recurring role), How I Met Your Mother, and Arrested Development. Coco’s voice will soon be heard in the animated Netflix series, DEADENDIA.
Online, Coco has also become a viral sensation on social media platforms: Instagram and YouTube as well as hosting Casa Coco (a monthly streaming show during COVID lockdown) Coco has received worldwide acclaim for her award-winning solo shows that she's starred in, written, produced, and directed, as well as her remarkable series of tributes to great performers, Conversations with Coco, in which she conducted live career retrospective interviews with such luminaries as Lily Tomlin, Jane Fonda, Liza Minnelli, Allison Janney, and the late Bea Arthur.
Coco's long history of passionate activism, unflagging support of the LGBT community, and fierce dedication to AIDS-related charities earned her the Los Angeles LGBT Center's Board of Directors Award, presented to her by Zachary Quinto.
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Music
Snatch Game
A fun evening game show with some of your favorite celebrities! Two lucky audience members will join us on stage and try to match answers with our guest celebrities! Who will grace us with their presence? Britney Spears? Or maybe Ronald McDonald?! The possibilities are endless! Fun times will be had, so don't miss out! Host & Hostess: Jeremiah & Pickles
The Stormy Weather Variety Show
Join Stormy and her guests for the 21st annual Stormy Weather Variety Show! Since the show debuted at the 2002 Gathering, Stormy has been revealing the hidden talents of the men of GNI in an evening of hilariously unpredictable entertainment.
Mr GNI Contest
Mr. GNI is the face of GNI. Contestants are judged on personality, poise, appearance, and dedication to the naturist spirit as presented in the GNI Mission Statement. The Contest will celebrate the spirit of joy we share -- here at The Gathering. You can sign up at registration, outside the main office, or at the 4:00 pm rehearsal for the contest on Thursday. Host: Bill C
Mr GNI Leather Contest
Mr GNI Leather … it's more than a title; it's a way of life. Our Mr GNI Leather proves that it isn't just how you look in a harness, there's a personality, zeal, and an attitude that go along with it. Don't miss it! You can sign up at Registration or outside the main office. Host: Rich S
Miss Lace Pageant
On your mark, get set and go now. Got a dream and we just know now. We’re gonna make her dreams come true! Join Trixie May and your favorite GNI personalities at the 25th anniversary edition of GNI’s Miss Lace 2023! And we’ll do it our way, yes our way. Making her dreams come true, for me and you!
Mitzi Morris: Live at the Come On Inn
Mitzi Morris -- Miss Lace 2022 and America's Favorite Pancake Hostess (trademark pending) -- shares some of her favorite songs and most intimate secrets in this one-woman cabaret at her favorite cocktail lounge, The Come On Inn. Backed by the Phil McCracken Trio, this musical glimpse into the many lives and loves of Mitzi Morris is sure to entertain ... or at least pass the time. I mean, what else are you going to do on your last night at camp? Pack? You should've done that already.
Gathering 2022
35th Anniversary Celebration!
Coco Peru
Miss Coco Peru (aka Clinton Leupp) has been a household name in the LGBT community for over 30 years. She got her start in the early 90's as a downtown favorite in the cabaret world of New York after she wrote, produced, directed, and starred in her first show, Miss Coco Peru in My Goddamn Cabaret, and has since enjoyed an expansive career, ranging from intimate cabaret stages in New York and LA, to television sets in millions of living rooms. She's toured around the world, has over ten million views on YouTube, and has been in multiple cherished films, garnering multiple awards and nominations for her work.
A veteran of numerous feature films including trick, To Wong Foo..., and the cult classic Girls Will Be Girls and television shows Will and Grace (in a recurring role), How I Met Your Mother, and Arrested Development. Coco’s voice will soon be heard in the animated Netflix series, DEADENDIA.
Online, Coco has also become a viral sensation on social media platforms: Instagram and YouTube as well as hosting Casa Coco (a monthly streaming show during COVID lockdown) Coco has received worldwide acclaim for her award-winning solo shows that she's starred in, written, produced, and directed, as well as her remarkable series of tributes to great performers, Conversations with Coco, in which she conducted live career retrospective interviews with such luminaries as Lily Tomlin, Jane Fonda, Liza Minnelli, Allison Janney, and the late Bea Arthur.
Coco's long history of passionate activism, unflagging support of the LGBT community, and fierce dedication to AIDS-related charities earned her the Los Angeles LGBT Center's Board of Directors Award, presented to her by Zachary Quinto.
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Music
wellRED Comedy
Trae Crowder (The Liberal Redneck), Corey Ryan Forrester (The Buttercream Dream), and Drew Morgan (The Ginger Ninjer) are stand-up comedy and writing partners. The trio has been touring nationally to sold out clubs and theatres for years pre-apocalypse and by god, they're gonna do it again. This year’s tour, wellRED: OUT THE HOUSE, is about gettin' outta the damn house, y'all! Lawdamercy, what the HELL was all THAT about?! Please join the fellers as they celebrate maintaining sanity (or not), putting yourself back out there, and learning how to party again ... all with the syrupy sorghum drawl you know and love. Also much trash will be talked about the myriad lunacies that have consumed our culture since the boys last took the stage. You ain't gonna wanna miss it, y'all!
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Trae Crowder
Corey Ryan Forrester
Drew Morgan
Sampson McCormick
Sampson McCormick is a down to earth comedic force of nature and one of the most in demand voices of diversity in comedy for over two decades. The award winning queer comedy pioneer has appeared on BET, TV One, VICELAND, Fox Soul, the Amazon Prime movies Party-N-Play, Love The One You're With and the BET+ movie B-Boy Blues: The Film based on the legendary 1994 novel. He has been named "One of the best LGBTQ Comedians of All Time" by Hornet and OUT Magazine, and headlined venues including The Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Howard Theater, Harvard University and in 2018 made history as the first LGBTQ comedian to headline a Smithsonian Museum at the National Museum of African American History and Culture.
NakedFest 2021
Kevin Smith Kirkwood
Kevin Smith Kirkwood is an NYC based Broadway Actor / Singer / Dancer / Director / Choreographer / Activist. Kirkwood made his Broadway debut in the ‘25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee’ and was an original company member of the Tony Award Winning hit musical ‘Kinky Boots’. Stage credits include several National and European Tours, Off- Broadway, and regional theaters across the country. Kirkwood recently starred in the film ‘I See You and You See Me’ produced by Queens Theater and also guest starred on Katy Keened on the CW network. As a member of the Board of Directors of the National Queer Theater, Kirkwood is proud to support their mission to uplift the voices and stories of LGBTQ artists and community. Kevin also created and stars in the critically acclaimed and wildly popular solo show, ‘Classic Whitney: Alive!’ (with MD Drew Wutke) which has played to packed houses at Joe’s Pub, The Cutting Room, Atlantis Cruises, and even a command performance at the late Diva’s New Jersey estate! Art is power!
Drew Wutke
Drew Wutke (Musical Director / Piano / Vocals) NYC-based multi-disciplinary artist, and has been keeping performing arts alive through the last year at music venues in NYC, Bucks Co. Playhouse, and all over the tristate area.
Pre-pandemic: rocking Live from Lincoln Center's broadcast with American Songbook (Stephanie Blythe). Drew continues to play all over the world (even digitally), collaborating alongside Tony, Emmy, and Grammy winners. He tours as MD with Bravo’s Countess Luann’s cabaret series, and has been a featured artist at the O’Neill, Goodspeed, and Philly Fringe. He is also the only solo award-winning piano bar entertainer at MARIE'S CRISIS, playing every Wednesday, as ft in NYTimes, The New Yorker, Time Out, UK's Observer. Also plays live at Fire Island, Brandy’s, Duplex, and People's Piano Party and Caftan Matinees with Brandon James Gwinn. Co-creator and arranger/MD of Byron St. Cyr’s N’Orleans Jazz (also forthcoming R&B) concert series and Kevin Smith Kirkwood’s CLASSIC WHITNEY HOUSTON: ALIVE Concert series at Joe’s Pub @The Public. You can also find him in the studio producing music, incl queer singer-songwriter Madge Deitrich’s debut EP, due Fall 2021.
Other selected: B’way/OffBway: keys/reh: AMAZING GRACE, KINKY BOOTS; Fiasco/McCarter's award-winning INTO THE WOODS (wkshp MD, McCarter reh); Guest conductor: Bebe Winans' BORN FOR THIS (Boston, DC); Music Supervisor/Addtional Arrangements: FOR TONIGHT World Premiere (Queensbury Theatre) and past NYMF/NYC/UK Concert premieres. TURNING THE TABLES web series created by Ellyn Marie Marsh. Frequent collaborator with Martha Graham Cracker, Molly Pope, Natalie Joy Johnson. In dev: Stan Satlin’s ROBIN HOOD; BELLE OF TOMBSTONE; BUMP IT! (NY premiere); Julian Fleisher’s MEASURE OF SUCCESS; Christina Crawford's MOMMIE DEAREST. Resident MD: JEN WALDMAN STUDIO. (MM, vocal coaching, OKCU); IG @drewwutke. His favorite animal is Cookie Monster and he likes snickerdoodles.
Jeremiah
Jeremiah runs the LGBTQ Resource Center at the College of Staten Island. He loves to bring a smile to people’s faces so Say What? NYC Comedy Improv is a great fit! He is the Assistant Director and one of the main hosts because he loves to throw a party! He used to perform and sing across NYC more regularly, but now supports the baby gays full-time. Hosting these amazing comedians brings him great joy!
Instagram: @JerJurk
Joseph
A NYC native, Joseph graduated with a communications degree. Since then he’s used his degree to communicate his strange sense of humor. Joseph has been with Say What? NYC Comedy Improv longer than common sense should allow.
Jesus
Jesus is a stage and voice actor who hails from New York city, he received his BA at SUNY Purchase College and is an original member of Say What? NYC Comedy Improv. He's also an ensemble member of the renowned theatre companies Pregones Theatre, Teatro SEA and Spanish Repertory Theatre.
His recent appearances include:
John Leguizamo's Kiss My Aztec (Musical); The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao (Stage); Alma's Way (PBS Kids); Dora & Friends (Nickelodeon); Marvel's Spider-Man; Miles Morales: Wings of Fury (Audiobook) and many more!
Instagram: @mrtnz1393
Ali
Ali is a classically trained NYC based actor and comedian. He has performed with Say What? NYC Comedy Improv for over 5 years and continues to work on stage as well as on film. Ali is also using his talents and love for video games to reach new audiences on twitch, a streaming platform that brings communities together under common interests.
Instagram: @ali_the_nyc_actor
Regie Cabico is a spoken word pioneer having won The Nuyorican Poets Cafe Grand Slam and later taking top prizes in three National Poetry Slams. Mr. Cabico received his BFA at NYU's Tisch School of the Arts and a 2006 NYU Asian Pacific American Studies Artist In Residence. Television credits include 2 seasons of HBO's Def Poetry Jam, NPR's Snap Judgement & MTV's Free Your Mind. His work appears in over 30 anthologies including Aloud: Voices from the Nuyorican Poets Café, Spoken Word Revolution & The Outlaw Bible of American Poetry. Mr. Cabico received the 2006 Writers for Writers Award from Poets & Writers for his work teaching at-risk youth at Bellevue Hospital. As a theater artist, he received three New York Innovative Theater Award Nominations for his work in Too Much Light Makes The Baby Go Blind with a win for Best Performance Art Production The Kenyon Review recently named Regie Cabico the "Lady Gaga of Poetry" and he has been listed in BUST magazine's 100 Men We Love. He has shared the stage with Patti Smith, Allen Ginsberg and through Howard Zinn's Portraits Project at NYU, has performed with Stanley Tucci, Jesse Eisenberg & Lupe Fiasco.
