Scissor Sisters Singer Jake Shears to Produce ‘Tinderbox’ About Deadly 1973 LGBTQ Attack (Exclusive)
The musician's albums 'Jake Shears' and 'B-Sides' will be incorporated into filmmakers Colby Holt and Sam Probst's adaptation of the non-fiction book by Robert Fieseler about a fire that killed 32.
The musician's albums 'Jake Shears' and 'B-Sides' will be incorporated into filmmakers Colby Holt and Sam Probst's adaptation of the non-fiction book
Read Full Story at Hollywood Reporter →Why This Matters
The adaptation of *Tinderbox*—a chronicle of one of the deadliest anti-LGBTQ arson attacks in U.S. history—into a film produced by a high-profile queer artist like Shears signals a cultural shift toward centering marginalized narratives in mainstream media. This project could bridge generational gaps in queer storytelling, offering both younger audiences and history-conscious viewers a visceral encounter with a pivotal moment in LGBTQ resistance.
Background Context
The 1973 UpStairs Lounge fire in New Orleans, long overshadowed by Stonewall, was a deliberate act of violence tied to systemic homophobia, yet its full story remained obscured for decades due to media neglect and local stigma. Fieseler’s *Tinderbox* reshaped public memory by exposing how law enforcement, religious institutions, and even some LGBTQ communities failed its victims—a history that still resonates amid today’s resurgent attacks on queer spaces.
What Happens Next
With Shears at the helm, the film may draw fresh scrutiny to the legal impunity of the arson’s perpetrators and the city’s erasure of the tragedy, potentially influencing reparations efforts or memorial funding. The project’s reception could also test Hollywood’s appetite for explicitly queer historical dramas, especially as studios increasingly chase "prestige" LGBTQ narratives with commercial appeal.
Bigger Picture
This adaptation aligns with a wave of cultural reparations—from documentaries to memorials—aimed at redressing long-overlooked queer tragedies, mirroring broader movements to reclaim obscured histories through art. It also reflects how queer creators today are leveraging their platforms to reclaim narratives, much as Shears has done in his music, turning personal and collective pain into tools for visibility and justice.
