The Tampa Bay Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence are turning a downtown Tampa bar into a daytime dance floor this weekend, all in service of a local theater group that gives adults with disabilities a stage of their own. Mermaids & Martinis: A Daytime Disco Fundraiser kicks off Sunday at 2 p.m. at The Hub, located at 719 N. Franklin St. in Tampa.
The event is organized by the Tampa Bay Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, according to allevents.in, and it's raising money for Theatre eXceptional's upcoming production of Disney's The Little Mermaid. As Creative Loafing Tampa reports, the Tampa Bay Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence are a nonprofit organization that will perform at the fundraiser to help raise funds for the theater group.
The party promises more than just a good cause. DJ Silence is set to provide the music, per the same event listing, while organizers describe a bill packed with raffles, performances and dancing, promising attendees “booty shaking, music, and more.” Donations are being accepted at the door through PayPal and Venmo, according to the listing, though no ticket price or capacity details were made available.
A Stage Built for Adult Artists With Disabilities
The beneficiary of Sunday's disco is Theatre eXceptional, a company whose mission centers on adults with disabilities finding a creative home. The group creates innovative theater and performance art with, for and about people with disabilities, according to Blue Butterfly Productions, and its education programs are open to adults ages 17 and older with varying disabilities. The organization says it has worked with more than 100 adult artists with disabilities through its year-round programming.
That mission carries into the group's stated purpose, which includes addressing and eliminating the misconceptions and social stigmas that people with disabilities often face, per the same source. The upcoming production of Disney's The Little Mermaid puts that work on full display, running Sept. 24 through 27 at Central Park Performing Arts Center. According to Central Park Performing Arts Center's ticketing page, performances are scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Thursday through Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday, featuring an ensemble of actors with disabilities in the title roles and beyond.
Who Are the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence?
The group throwing Sunday's party has a long history of pairing spectacle with service. The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence describe themselves as an all-volunteer order of queer and trans nuns devoted to promulgating universal joy, according to thesisters.org. Their stated mission is to promulgate universal joy, expiate stigmatic guilt and serve the community, the organization notes on its world orders page.
Locally, the Tampa Bay chapter has built a reputation for showing up. The group is dedicated to spreading joy, promoting community service and championing LGBTQIA+ visibility, according to WMNF, which also noted the Sisters' advocacy work throughout Tampa Bay and their participation in statewide efforts such as the Drag2Tally Rally. The organization says its fundraising this year has helped fund more than 20 community grants for small, grassroots LGBTQ+ groups and leaders.
Sunday's disco fits squarely into that pattern of local giving, linking a drag-nun dance party to a theater troupe built around inclusion. For Theatre eXceptional, the timing lines up neatly with opening night just days away, giving the production one more push of community support before the curtain rises on The Little Mermaid.
