‘Upstairs Lounge’ dance marks annivesary

Dance becomes the conduit to tell the story of a deadly fire that affected the New Orleans gay community in the 1970s as Mélange Dance Company restages “The UpStairs Lounge.”

To commemorate the 51st anniversary of the fire that killed 32, the company will perform Monica Ordoñez’s work at 8 p.m. Friday to Sunday at Marigny Opera House, 725 St. Ferdinand St.

With a live orchestra under the direction of Ian Orr, the work focuses on the French Quarter lounge, located on the second floor of the building on Iberville Street, that was a haven for members of the gay community and was also the location of services and meetings for the Metropolitan Community Church.

On the night of June 24, 1973, an unknown arsonist started a fire in the stairwell leading up to the three-room bar and forced patrons to escape through a back entrance and through bar-covered windows, many injured in their attempts to flee the inferno. For decades, it was the country’s largest mass murder of gay individuals in the 20th century.

The production looks at the individuals who frequented the lounge, telling their stories through dance and theatrical production.

Tickets start at $20. Visit melangedanceofnola.com.