“Naked Boys Reading” Tampa Bay logo/Director Nathan Truly. Photos courtesy Truly.
ST. PETERSBURG | International literary salon “Naked Boys Reading” will hold its first event in Tampa Bay Aug. 10 from 8-9:30 p.m. at Studio@620, delivering on its namesake.
“Naked Boys Reading” features fully nude males reciting curated samples of literature to a live, 18+ audience. It began as a performance art in 2012 in London and in the years since has launched chapters around the globe.
View a video of “Naked Boys Reading” in Ottawa below:
Its latest venture is directed by Nathan Truly, an openly LGBTQ+ poet based in Tampa Bay. He regularly hosts an open mic event in Ybor and was a featured reader during this year’s St Pete Pride.
“I’ve been putting on poetry events and performing throughout Tampa Bay for over a year now,” he says. “I’ve been increasing my platform to offer more literary events to the community that I think aren’t being seen as much and combining that with LGBTQ+ safe spaces.
“Literary events are a great fit for that,” he continues. “Books are needed more and more, especially in the state of Florida under the current political climate.”
Truly’s visibility online led a curator for “Naked Boys Reading” in New York to contact him about the expansion. The chapter holds the literary salon’s U.S. rights.
“I said I would love to put this on in Tampa Bay,” he recalls. “I thought it would be a great event to take a chance on and see what happens — it’s been growing and pretty well supported.”
More than 50 tickets have been sold to the inaugural event so far, which will feature six readers between the ages of 18 and 80. Its theme is “Saints & Peters” to honor St. Petersburg’s thriving literary arts scene.
“I decided to immerse myself in this event after reading about it,” says Felipe, the event’s first scheduled reader. “I jumped at it knowing that it would align with my values of supporting friends, personal development and cultivating a deeper appreciation for the arts.
“I hoped to join a safe space where friendships would flourish, surrounded by individuals who were inspired by using literature as a catalyst for positive change,” he continues. “I encourage you — as a reader and member of our community — to embrace our ever-evolving community and to participate in and support local events. You may be surprised by what you discover.”
Each reading is scheduled for 7-10 minutes. “Various passages of fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and prose will be presented by a diverse set of readers in the buff,” the content is teased. “Sit back, with a beverage perhaps, and enjoy a stunning evening filled with saints, peters and boys with books!”
Truly hopes to continue “Naked Boys Reading” in Tampa Bay in the future, dependent on the inaugural event’s success. Another is tentatively scheduled by the year’s end.
“A lot of people may attend for the thrill of seeing a naked male on stage, but they’ll leave with an incredible literary experience that’s going to impact them,” he says. “This is a nice, mind-opening experience for people in a safe space for everyone.”
“Naked Boys Reading” will launch in Tampa Bay Aug. 10 from 8-9:30 p.m. at Studio@620, located at 620 1st Ave. S. in St. Petersburg. Tickets begin at $33 and are available for purchase. For more information, visit Facebook.com/NakedBoysReadingTampaBay.
