And Why Do I Care?

Phillip Lee Curtis has achieved his life goals. The problem is, he is only 26. So… what happens next? Curtis has set out to explore this question in his upcoming show …and why do I care? The autobiographical musical/comedy focuses on the notion of moving forward after all the boxes have been ticked, and the scary yet exciting realisation that endless opportunities now await.

‘Specifically for me…I lost 58 kilos, I came out, and then I had a tummy tuck. In that order,’ Curtis explains of his achievements. Undeniably this is something to sing and dance about, so what better way to celebrate than to literally make a song and dance about it?

Sharing his experiences, through music and dance, of his life-changing weight loss and tummy tuck, the time he sang ‘I’m Outta Love’ to Anastacia herself, his slightly belated entrance into the LGBT community, and the many other trials and tribulations that most might go through at fifteen, Curtis describes his show as ‘comedic…but it has a lot of heart’.

On what it is like to come out relatively late in the piece, Curtis says, ‘There’s a song in the show that very much highlights my crash course in gay life’.

Being so focused on his weight, and being depressed for a long time because of it, once he began getting lighter and started getting a bit of attention from girls he realised that it didn’t feel right anymore. After ‘shedding that twenty-something years of pain’ from being overweight and depressed, Curtis, a graphic-designer by trade, was doing some freelance work designing a comedy poster for The Butterfly Club. It was during this time that inspiration hit: he could also be on such a poster and perform at such a venue.

Having danced since he was five, he really just needed to get up to scratch with his singing. Being so self-conscious for such a long time, this was not an easy task. But, in a world where people in their early twenties have been known to worry about running out of time to do things, Curtis began singing lessons at 24. ‘I lost all the weight, so then I had to do all the things that scared me.’

Curtis says he is a ‘very private person’ and finds it difficult to share how he feels, preferring to relay information about himself to family and friends through his performances – so who knows what might be revealed. It was during his debut performance Who is Posh Lopez? last year that he chose to announce his decision to get nipped and tucked, which was the first time many of his loved ones heard the news.

…and why do I care? will be sure to surprise, inspire, and have you bopping along in your seat unsure whether to laugh, cry, or do both.

… and why do I care?
The Butterfly Club, 5 Carson Lane, Melbourne
Wednesday November 4 – Sunday November 8
thebutterflyclub.com/show/and-why-do-i-care