The 2026 Queer Theory Lecture in Honor of Eve Kosofsky Sedgwick

This event is hosted by the Department of Gender, Sexuality, and Feminist Studies in partnership with Duke Arts.

MacArthur "Genius" Award-winning icon Taylor Mac reunites with Obie Award-winning composer Matt Ray for a conversation about their newly released songbook Bark of Millions. A contribution to the queer cannon, this new work brings together lyrics, music, and visual elements from what began as a rock opera featuring 55 original songs and has since taken many forms, from intimate duet performances to large-scale concerts.

Joined in conversation by Taylor Black, Associate Professor of English and a scholar of queer theory, Mac and Ray will discuss the book's creation, their collaborative process, and the queer histories and ideas that shaped the project.