Dave G

2026 makes two years sober 🫗

This year I only want what's for me. That means more shining, less shrinking. More connection, less gossip (unless the tea is boiling hot). More posting whenever and whatever I feel like, less anxiety about the algorithm and looking cringe. More DIY projects centered on impacting my community, less waiting for the same ol' risk adverse gatekeepers to fund and validate my work. More love and vulnerability, less avoidance and defensiveness. More friendship, less self-isolation. More comedy, less drama. More rest, less doing too much. More gratitude and mindfulness, less obsessing over status, perception and money. More crash outs, less keeping the peace!

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WOW WOW WOW!!! 😱😭🔥

I’m SO glad you’re as excited as we are for “Haunted & Healing” and the first look at the “Gabardine” short film. We are now COMPLETELY SOLD OUT — for those who were able to snab a ticket, we’ll see you later tonight 👻 I’m humbled and honored by your ongoing support!

If you weren’t able to reserve a seat, we’ll have a waitlist available on-site for walk-ins but seating isn’t guaranteed. Feel free to still come and hang out with us in the lobby though 🫂

See you soon! 😈

This project was made possible with the support of The Painted Bride Art Center; The Independence Public Media Foundation; The Philadelphia Independent Media Fund administered by Scribe Video Center with funds provided by the Independence Public Media Foundation and the Wyncote Foundation; and the Philadelphia’s Cultural Treasures initiative, an America’s Cultural Treasures regional program in Philadelphia supported by The Barra Foundation, Ford Foundation, Neubauer Family Foundation, The Pew Center for Arts & Heritage, William Penn Foundation, and Wyncote Foundation.

Who All Gon’ Be There??? 🤔🦇

JASMINE LYNEA is a q***r storyteller, film director, and visual artist who radically dreams beyond the boundaries of our reality. They’re bringing THE LOVE MACHINE, wherein to challenge intergenerational trauma, a teenage scientist/influencer successfully builds a time machine that uses love to help heal and restore harmful childhood memories.

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DYNEIL HOLDEN-FOBBS is a Writer-Director based in Philadelphia who specializes in narrative, documentary, and experimental storytelling. They’re bringing NATHE, a dark, surrealist, coming-of-age film about a young boy whose creativity is unrecognized by his parents, and the dark path he goes down after abandoning his art in place of a subservient lifestyle.

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DARIEN WOODARD is a q***r filmmaker native to Philadelphia and continuing to grow their creative accomplishments within the community they grew up in. As a filmmaker Darien is dedicated to telling stories of underrepresented communities and highlighting them as is and not having to focus on the traumas that come with being a minority within the world but just the experience of life.

TAJA COPELAND is an award winning writer and director who has developed her voice as a narrative storyteller, telling stories across genres to promote conversations on social construct, existentialism, q***r love, and more.

They’re bringing A KISS GOODNIGHT, wherein two lovers separated by death are reunited again on the night it all ended.

Note: only Darien will be present for the Q&A!

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DAVID A. GAINES is a writer, director and actor born and based in Philadelphia, whose work examines Blackness, masculinity, Christianity and mental health through an intersectional lens. They’re bringing GABARDINE, wherein a Black poet haunted by the sound of fingers snapping seeks therapy to address the source of his hallucinations.

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Haunted & Healing is TOMORROW and tickets are nearly SOLD OUT! Thank you for your support everyone. I promise it’ll be a night to remember. Reserve the few remaining seats via the link in my bio 💜

Happy World Mental Health Day! 🌍💜

This spooky season, revel in the horror with “Haunted & Healing,” a Haunted House styled, mental health themed film screening to celebrate the release of “Gabardine,” a poetry concert short film by award-winning Philly poet and filmmaker David A. Gaines ( ), supported by Painted Bride ( ) 🕸️

Join us for this groundbreaking, one night only screening featuring short films by Philly-based Black, Q***r filmmakers on Thursday, Oct. 23, from 6-9 PM at — tickets are FREE, TIMED and available NOW (🔗 link in bio).

“Gabardine”—titled after the eponymous one person poetry show presented by The Painted Bride Center earlier this year—follows a Black poet haunted by the sound of fingers snapping who seeks therapy to address the source of his hallucinations. The film interpolates footage from the live show to form its own narrative centering Black grief, shame and self-acceptance.

The event will be punctuated (at 830 PM) by a taped Q&A with the featured films’s directors; Jasmine Lynea ( ), Dyneil Holden-Fobbs (.dir ), Darien Woodard ( ), and David A. Gaines ( ).



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This project was made possible with the support of The Painted Bride Art Center; The Independence Public Media Foundation; The Philadelphia Independent Media Fund administered by Scribe Video Center with funds provided by the Independence Public Media Foundation and the Wyncote Foundation; and the Philadelphia’s Cultural Treasures initiative, an America’s Cultural Treasures regional program in Philadelphia supported by The Barra Foundation, Ford Foundation, Neubauer Family Foundation, The Pew Center for Arts & Heritage, William Penn Foundation, and Wyncote Foundation.

Gabardine, a Poetry Concert Short Film.

A Black poet haunted by the sound of fingers snapping seeks therapy to heal the source of his hallucinations.

Stay tuned for details on the release this month! 🎃💜

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CAST:

David A. Gaines ( )
Jaylene Clark Owens ( )

FILM CREW:

Director: Elijah Crawford ( )
Writer/Co-Producer: David A. Gaines ( )
Co-Producer: Elizah Turner ( )
Director of Photography: Taj DeVore-Bey ( )
Production Designer: Taj Rauch ( )
Creative Director/Sound Mixer: Donté Knox ( .777 )
Creative Director Donté Knox ( .777 )
Hair & Make Up: Queen Nzingha ( )
Key Grip: Nazir Alston ( )
Gaffer: Kevin Galloway ( )
Editor: David A. Gaines ( )
Colorist: Jennifer Massenat ( )
Music by: Yonatan Riklis

Sound Design: Joe Basile ( )
VFX: Ryan Putnam ( )

SHOW CREW:

Director/Set Designer: Brooke O’Harra ( )
Video Technician: Jacob Weinberg ( )
Technician Assistant: Kat Nzingha ( )
Technician Assistant: Oliver Spencer ( )
Lighting Designer: Itohan Edoloyi ( )
Technical Director: Tim Belknap ( )
Hair & Make Up: Queen Nzingha ( )
Stage Manager: Miranda Watkins
Hospitality Manager: Angel’s Event Planning ( .philly )
Presented by: The Painted Bride Art Center ( )
Key Art: Mary Zhou ( )
Stills: Mochi Robinson ( ), Elizah Turner ( )

Poster Design: David A. Gaines ( )

This project was made possible with the support of The Painted Bride Art Center; The Independence Public Media Foundation; and the Philadelphia’s Cultural Treasures initiative, an America’s Cultural Treasures regional program in Philadelphia supported by The Barra Foundation, Ford Foundation, Neubauer Family Foundation, The Pew Center for Arts & Heritage, William Penn Foundation, and Wyncote Foundation.

30 for 30 💫

My body’s age finally starting to match my soul’s age 😭 Feeling uncharacteristically speechless today. Getting older is a privilege I don’t take for granted. I want more. More life. More risks. More fun. More care. More rest. More travel. More time with loved ones. More dreams fulfilled. More lessons. More clarity!

Thank you God for this life and for never letting me go. Thank you to my friends, family, community AND opps, you’re how I made it this far 🫶🏾

It feels so good to have my best years ahead of me!! If you’re new to my page, my work and my journey, welcome, take your shoes off at the door and enjoy, this is the scenic route 💜

Much love!!!

🖤🤍

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Gabardine, 2025.

Two weeks ago my debut one person poetry show opened to the public!!! This is the first time I’ve written, produced and starred in a project like this. AND WE SOLD OUT ❤️‍🔥 ❤️‍🔥

I’m still processing it all. But in short, I feel so proud. Proud of myself. Of my team. Of my family and community, who, despite Valentine’s Day, Eagles parade and terrible weather, chose to share space with me and witness to my most vulnerable and raw work to date. If you came I’m forever grateful 🥹

Not long after I got home from closing the show, I learned that my great aunt passed. She was the matriarch of my family and the last living sister of my grandmother. Safe to say I’ve had a lot of emotions to navigate. Though her memory was slipping towards the end, she still remembered my show and I’m most proud of being part of her artistic legacy 🕊️ 💜

So what’s next? Gabardine will evolve in two ways: a short film and a tour. Preorders are also available for my upcoming poetry book, CECIL, which feature poems from the show (link in bio 🔗). I’ll be posting about all this later on so make sure you stay tuned 🙏🏾

In the meantime, I’ll be posting more content and BTS from the show. My goal is to be less mysterious/more present this year so you’ll be hearing more from me soon! I want to get back to reading (for fun), catch up on my movie watch list and invest more in my friendships and community. If you see me outside say hi 🫶🏾

Thank you , Independence Public Media Foundation and Philadelphia Cultural Treasures for making this project possible with your funding and support!

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Safety is an illusion. We can’t control what happens to us. We can’t even control our thoughts; but we CAN control how we treat ourselves and those around us. I used to pride myself on being a protector. Now I see that the first person I need to protect others from is myself. Most days I need to protect myself from myself. I’m not really good at it but I’m getting better every day and that’s enough!

What’s something you overcame? In what ways have you grown?

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This is the last one of these I’ll be posting. I deeply appreciate everyone who engaged and joined me in this little experiment. I learned a lot and I hope you did also 🙏🏾💜

Tickets for my debut one person poetry show, Gabardine, are available now! They’re going fast so reserve your spot ASAP. Link in bio ✨

Authenticity requires vulnerability. I was diagnosed with bipolar disorder in 2019, but my depression was most severe in high school. I used to go to school pretending to be other people, mirroring their mannerisms, vocal tones and humor, then gauge how happy it made me on the bus ride back home. It didn’t help. Our ability to be “real” is directly proportional to our capacity to navigate pain and (internal and external) conflict.

What’s something that most people don’t know or get wrong about you?