Capitol Hill’s Gay City is bringing the voices of LGBTQ artists over 40 to the stage to share their experiences in a performance called Alotta Sh*t Has Happened: LGBTQ Elders Speak.

It’s a free show that has grabbed many people’s attention. Friday and Saturday are already packed. Sunday’s matinee and evening show still have seats. Snag your ticket quickly, young one, and settle in to hear some stories.

“I know friends of mine in their 40s, 50s and 60s are really thirsty for other LGBTQ people to talk to,” Tara Hardy, Gay City arts director said.

But it’s not just that demographic that is interested. Hardy said she knows people in their teens, 20s and 30s who are interested in hearing what the older generations have to say.  When she first became arts director about a year ago, Hardy, who has a background in the arts and social justice, asked herself, “Who are the populations who have not been historically served at Gay City?” Hardy, 52, said she had no idea there would be such huge response to a show about the topic.

This is the second of three events to try to answer that question. The first was a show for transgender and queer artists. The show this weekend is for LGBTQ artists over 40 and the final one later this year is for transgender and queer people of color.

“These shows are an effort to humanize populations that have been invisible,” Hardy said.

For this weekend’s show, Hardy not only organized it, but is also a part of it. Personally, she said she sometimes feels isolated as a 50-something queer woman.

“I don’t find my peers very often,” she said.

The free performance features Seattle LGBTQ artists over 40 including Hardy, Greg Brisendine, Laurie Cox, Miss Violet Deville, Chad Goller-Sojourner, Jourdan Imani Keith, Mary Anne Moorman, Lector Morales and Fred Swanson. “There was so much fire and excitement and an interesting kind of unity,” Hardy said about the group.

Each performer will take the stage solo, and there are multiple group pieces. Topics range from sexiness, history, parenting experiences, a gay man’s conversation between his 25-year-old and 50-year-old selves, illness and mortality, HIV organizing and dating as a 40-something.

Hardy said putting the show together was about more than producing art. “It’s about community for me,” she said.

With two “sold out” nights, the community seems to be receptive.

The performance is part of Gay City’s Mosaic programming, which aims to bring community through arts, workshops and conversation to LGBTQ individuals and friends.

Performance Times

• Friday and Saturday — 6 p.m. doors, 7 p.m. show
• Sunday — 1 p.m. doors, 2 p.m. show and 6 p.m. doors, 7 p.m. show

All performances are at the Calamus Auditorium at Gay City, 517 East Pike St.