A Gay Masseur's Guide to Happy Endings - Edinburgh Fringe
New York City, New York | Theatre
Comedy, LGBTQ
One gay masseur. One job gone wrong. A funny, unsettling solo show about sex, power, and mistaking being wanted for being alive.
A Gay Masseur's Guide to Happy Endings - Edinburgh Fringe
New York City, New York | Theatre
Comedy, LGBTQ
1 Campaigns | New York, United States
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This campaign raised $11,020 for festivals. Follow the filmmaker to receive future updates on this project.
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One gay masseur. One job gone wrong. A funny, unsettling solo show about sex, power, and mistaking being wanted for being alive.
About The Project
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
.JPEG)
Hi! It's Austin--don't hang up...
I'm raising funds to take my solo show, A Gay Massseur's Guide to Happy Endings, to Edinburgh Fringe this summer. All funds raised will go towards the needs of the show, as listed in the “Wishlist” tab... and we must meet 80% of our goal to have said funds released by Seed&Spark.
A Gay Masseur’s Guide to Happy Endings is a candid solo show about sex, intimacy, and what happens when being wanted quietly becomes a form of identity.
The play unfolds over the course of a single outcall: one late-night job that takes AJ, a struggling actor and gay masseur, from New York City to a wealthy home in Greenwich, Connecticut. As the night progresses, what should be a routine massage becomes the frame through which an entire life is examined.
Rather than sensationalizing sex work, the play treats it as labor: emotional, physical, and psychological. Queer male sexuality is examined not as spectacle or scandal, but as language, survival strategy, and currency. The tension of the night in Greenwich builds not around what happens, but around why AJ stays — and what it costs him not to leave.
THE STORY BEHIND THE STORY
A Gay Masseur’s Guide to Happy Endings is inspired by my experience working as a gay masseur in New York City — a job I took to support myself while pursuing acting, and one that quietly became the foundation for this solo show.
The piece was conceived during a conversation with Anna Koppelman, a brilliant writer, close friend, and undeniable gay icon. I was telling her a story about my side gig when she stopped me mid-sentence and said, “You’d be a fool not to write something about this.” She was right, and... well, here we are.
An early iteration of the script earned me a Screenwriting Fellowship at the American Film Institute. When it came time to decide whether to take on $150K in student debt, the professor who had been courting me said, “You didn’t hear this from me, but don’t go into debt. Work on your show. It's worth more than an MFA."
Since then, the piece has been in continuous development. Its first reading took place at Bill Arning Exhibitions, followed by sold-out workshop productions in Provincetown at Red Room and Off-Off Broadway at Chain Theatre. All iterations have been directed by the generous, insightful, and wickedly wonderful Joe DeStefano.
... BUT WHY THIS STORY?
Queer stories are still too often filtered—softened to be palatable, simplified to be legible, or framed around progress, healing, and triumph. A Gay Masseur’s Guide to Happy Endings resists that impulse. It insists on telling a queer story as it actually feels: messy, funny, erotic, contradictory, and unresolved.
At its heart, this is a story about longing—for safety, for validation, for meaning—and the quiet fear that without being wanted, we might disappear. By telling this story without apology or translation, it does take place within uniquely queer circumstances, the play trusts that specificity will open the door to recognition, not alienation.
A Gay Masseur's Guide to Happy Endings refuses easy answers. It doesn’t offer redemption or resolution. Instead, it offers honesty—and in a moment when so much storytelling is designed to reassure, that honesty feels necessary.
WHY WE'RE CROWDSOURCING
Taking A Gay Masseur’s Guide to Happy Endings to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival is a huge artistic opportunity — and a very real financial leap.
Edinburgh is the largest performing arts festival in the world, but it’s also one of the most expensive places to bring independent theatre. Unlike traditional productions, Fringe artists cover nearly all costs upfront. We’re crowdsourcing because we believe in this work, we believe in its future beyond Edinburgh, and we can’t do it responsibly without community support.
Our goal is $13,233 on top of what we’re investing into the project ourselves, and every dollar is going directly toward making this production possible — not luxury, not excess, just the real cost of showing up professionally.
Here’s how the budget breaks down:
- $3,200 — Venue fee (Greenside @ Mint Studio)
- Securing a reputable venue is essential. Greenside is known for supporting serious theatre and solo work, and this fee covers our performance space for the run.
- $1,200 — Airfare & travel
- Flights and transit to and from the UK for the production.
- $3,500 — Lodging
- Housing in Edinburgh during the Fringe is extremely expensive. Director Joe DeStefano and I will share accommodations to keep costs as low as possible.
- $378 — Edinburgh Fringe Festival registration
- Required to officially participate in the festival and be listed in the program.
- $2,000 — Publicist
- We are currently deciding between two Edinburgh-based PR firms. A publicist is crucial for visibility, reviews, and giving the show a life beyond the festival.
- $1,800 — Cost of living
- Food, coffee, and basic daily expenses during the run. This isn’t glamorous — it’s about being able to function and perform at our best.
- $500 — Light & sound board operator
- Professional technical support is necessary to present the show properly and consistently.
- $155 — Insurance
- Required by Greenside in order to perform.
- $500 — Unforeseen expenses
- Because Fringe is unpredictable, and things happen.
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Venue Fee
Costs $3,200
Theatre Magic can happen anywhere, but it's really nice when you have an actual theatre.
Travel
Costs $1,200
Director's airfare!
Lodging
Costs $3,500
Putting on a show is hard. Putting on a show without a place to sleep? Can't even imagine. I need sleep and I think Joe does too?
Edinburgh Fringe Registration
Costs $378
Don't blame me, they've got a system.
Marketing/PR
Costs $2,000
There are about 3500 shows at Edinburgh. Making sure people know about ours is important.
Cost of Living
Costs $1,800
Living is expensive. Especially living internationally while making and promoting fringe theatre.
Unforseen
Costs $500
Hey, shit happens. I don't know what to tell ya.
Lighting/Soundboard Operator
Costs $500
We've got a beautiful lighting design. We need someone to run the board so audiences can see it!
Insurance
Costs $155
Because we can't perform without insurance and accidents do happen.
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
WRITER/PERFORMER/EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: AUSTIN JENNINGS BOYKIN
Austin Jennings Boykin is a New York–based multi-hyphenate. He’s performed regionally and in New York at The Signature Theatre, Williamstown Theatre Festival, Provincetown Theater, Shakespeare & Company, The 24 Hour Plays, and the Tennessee Williams Festival. His solo show, A Gay Masseur’s Guide to Happy Endings, has been performed Off-Off-Broadway at the Chain Theatre and at Red Room in Provincetown.
TV credits include FBI: Most Wanted (CBS), The Gilded Age (HBO), Fleishman Is in Trouble (FX), and Hunters (Amazon). His debut screenplay, Why Storms Are Named After People, was recognized at the Austin Film Festival, NYISA, and the Big Apple Film Festival. He is also the writer of Wooly Bully, starring Kathryn Grody, which will premiere at the Poppy Jasper Film Festival in April of 2026. Austin trained at UNCSA and the William Esper Studio. Insta: @austinnnnjb
DIRECTOR/PRODUCER: JOE DESTEFANO
Joe DeStefano is a Jersey-born multidisciplinary artist and director whose work spans theater, film, illustration, and puppetry. His directing credits include Cookie Ireland Has a Giraffe (New York Fringe), Elemeno Pea (Mastodon Theatre Company), and a developmental workshop of Beetle Boy, a children’s story he also authored. Most recently, he served as Associate Producer on the Healing TREE short film The Knock Shadow, featuring Lea DeLaria and Kevin Kilner.
Joe trained as an actor under the late William Esper at the William Esper Studio in New York City and studied puppetry privately with John Tartaglia.
DRAMATURG/PRODUCER: ANNA KOPPELMAN
Anna Koppelman was expelled from clown school at 22 — but otherwise has an excellent academic record. She holds a master’s degree in fiction writing from NYU, where she also taught undergraduate creative writing. She’s currently at work on her debut novel and is represented by Dan Kirshen at CAA Literary.
Outside of fiction, Anna produced and performed in the comedy show Pucker, which was featured in the New York Comedy Festival and regularly performs in New York City.
MARKETING/PRODUCER: SOPHIA ENGLESBERG
Sophia Englesberg is an actor and theater producer from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. She holds a BFA in acting from Rutgers University, Mason Gross School of the Arts and has trained at Shakespeare’s Globe in London. Sophia has produced over twenty off (and off-off) broadway plays in New York City including Maia Novi’s INVASIVE SPECIES, Matthew Gasda’s ZOOMERS, and most recently LIFESTYLES by Charlie Rinehart Jones. She can be seen in the short films Transactions, HAGS, and Thumper (coming spring 2026.) She is one third of ‘Flight Club’ a developmental reading series for new screenplays.
ASSOCIATE PRODUCER: ELIZABETH BAYS
Elizabeth Bays is a New York–based actor, burlesque artist, filmmaker, playwright, and producer who likes to keep busy. Acting credits include Simpatico (Off-Broadway), Angelina Ballerina the Musical (Off-Broadway/National Tour), the New York premiere of John Patrick Shanley’s Banshee, and The Tower at HERE Arts Center. Her short film Wooly Bully — which she co-created, produced, and stars in opposite Kathryn Grody — will premiere at the Poppy Jasper International Film Festival in April 2026.
As “Bitsy,” Elizabeth performs regularly with Hotsy Totsy Burlesque (BroadwayWorld’s Best Burlesque in NYC) at The Slipper Room, and opened the 2025 Reykjavík Fringe Festival with ForbHIDDEN People: An Elven Burlesque.
She’s a storyteller across mediums — sharp, sensual, and never standing still. Instagram: @ebays_
PRODUCER: JOHN PALOMINO
John Palomino is a New York–based producer and lighting designer with extensive experience in stage and film production. His credits include first-stage theatrical productions, independent films, and a web series, several of which have received multiple awards.
He previously served as a lighting designer at the Pyramid Club during the early careers of performers including RuPaul, Lady Bunny, and Heada Lettuce, and has also worked within New York’s historic CBGB scene. His background spans downtown theater and independent creative productions, where he has contributed as both a producer and designer.
LIGHTING DESIGNER: MAZ SAILER
Maz Sailer (They/Them) is a lighting designer and artist based in NJ/NYC. They are a graduate of Rutgers University Mason Gross School of the Arts with a BFA in lighting design. Some recent design credits include: 3 Hams at Brooklyn Art Haus; Trich at Luna Stage; Mom and Dad are My Friends at The Tank; Cassandra at Teatro Latea. Maz recently worked as the Assistant Lighting Designer on Call Me Izzy at Studio 54, marking their Broadway debut. Maz is also the technical director/lighting designer for a Rocky Horror Picture Show shadowcast in NJ named “The Cosmic Light Cabaret”. When they aren’t making theater they can always be found with a knitting project or sketchbook in hand.
Current Team
Incentives
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
Hi! It's Austin--don't hang up...
I'm raising funds to take my solo show, A Gay Massseur's Guide to Happy Endings, to Edinburgh Fringe this summer. All funds raised will go towards the needs of the show, as listed in the “Wishlist” tab... and we must meet 80% of our goal to have said funds released by Seed&Spark.
A Gay Masseur’s Guide to Happy Endings is a candid solo show about sex, intimacy, and what happens when being wanted quietly becomes a form of identity.
The play unfolds over the course of a single outcall: one late-night job that takes AJ, a struggling actor and gay masseur, from New York City to a wealthy home in Greenwich, Connecticut. As the night progresses, what should be a routine massage becomes the frame through which an entire life is examined.
Rather than sensationalizing sex work, the play treats it as labor: emotional, physical, and psychological. Queer male sexuality is examined not as spectacle or scandal, but as language, survival strategy, and currency. The tension of the night in Greenwich builds not around what happens, but around why AJ stays — and what it costs him not to leave.
THE STORY BEHIND THE STORY
A Gay Masseur’s Guide to Happy Endings is inspired by my experience working as a gay masseur in New York City — a job I took to support myself while pursuing acting, and one that quietly became the foundation for this solo show.
The piece was conceived during a conversation with Anna Koppelman, a brilliant writer, close friend, and undeniable gay icon. I was telling her a story about my side gig when she stopped me mid-sentence and said, “You’d be a fool not to write something about this.” She was right, and... well, here we are.
An early iteration of the script earned me a Screenwriting Fellowship at the American Film Institute. When it came time to decide whether to take on $150K in student debt, the professor who had been courting me said, “You didn’t hear this from me, but don’t go into debt. Work on your show. It's worth more than an MFA."
Since then, the piece has been in continuous development. Its first reading took place at Bill Arning Exhibitions, followed by sold-out workshop productions in Provincetown at Red Room and Off-Off Broadway at Chain Theatre. All iterations have been directed by the generous, insightful, and wickedly wonderful Joe DeStefano.
... BUT WHY THIS STORY?
Queer stories are still too often filtered—softened to be palatable, simplified to be legible, or framed around progress, healing, and triumph. A Gay Masseur’s Guide to Happy Endings resists that impulse. It insists on telling a queer story as it actually feels: messy, funny, erotic, contradictory, and unresolved.
At its heart, this is a story about longing—for safety, for validation, for meaning—and the quiet fear that without being wanted, we might disappear. By telling this story without apology or translation, it does take place within uniquely queer circumstances, the play trusts that specificity will open the door to recognition, not alienation.
A Gay Masseur's Guide to Happy Endings refuses easy answers. It doesn’t offer redemption or resolution. Instead, it offers honesty—and in a moment when so much storytelling is designed to reassure, that honesty feels necessary.
WHY WE'RE CROWDSOURCING
Taking A Gay Masseur’s Guide to Happy Endings to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival is a huge artistic opportunity — and a very real financial leap.
Edinburgh is the largest performing arts festival in the world, but it’s also one of the most expensive places to bring independent theatre. Unlike traditional productions, Fringe artists cover nearly all costs upfront. We’re crowdsourcing because we believe in this work, we believe in its future beyond Edinburgh, and we can’t do it responsibly without community support.
Our goal is $13,233 on top of what we’re investing into the project ourselves, and every dollar is going directly toward making this production possible — not luxury, not excess, just the real cost of showing up professionally.
Here’s how the budget breaks down:
- $3,200 — Venue fee (Greenside @ Mint Studio)
- Securing a reputable venue is essential. Greenside is known for supporting serious theatre and solo work, and this fee covers our performance space for the run.
- $1,200 — Airfare & travel
- Flights and transit to and from the UK for the production.
- $3,500 — Lodging
- Housing in Edinburgh during the Fringe is extremely expensive. Director Joe DeStefano and I will share accommodations to keep costs as low as possible.
- $378 — Edinburgh Fringe Festival registration
- Required to officially participate in the festival and be listed in the program.
- $2,000 — Publicist
- We are currently deciding between two Edinburgh-based PR firms. A publicist is crucial for visibility, reviews, and giving the show a life beyond the festival.
- $1,800 — Cost of living
- Food, coffee, and basic daily expenses during the run. This isn’t glamorous — it’s about being able to function and perform at our best.
- $500 — Light & sound board operator
- Professional technical support is necessary to present the show properly and consistently.
- $155 — Insurance
- Required by Greenside in order to perform.
- $500 — Unforeseen expenses
- Because Fringe is unpredictable, and things happen.
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Venue Fee
Costs $3,200
Theatre Magic can happen anywhere, but it's really nice when you have an actual theatre.
Travel
Costs $1,200
Director's airfare!
Lodging
Costs $3,500
Putting on a show is hard. Putting on a show without a place to sleep? Can't even imagine. I need sleep and I think Joe does too?
Edinburgh Fringe Registration
Costs $378
Don't blame me, they've got a system.
Marketing/PR
Costs $2,000
There are about 3500 shows at Edinburgh. Making sure people know about ours is important.
Cost of Living
Costs $1,800
Living is expensive. Especially living internationally while making and promoting fringe theatre.
Unforseen
Costs $500
Hey, shit happens. I don't know what to tell ya.
Lighting/Soundboard Operator
Costs $500
We've got a beautiful lighting design. We need someone to run the board so audiences can see it!
Insurance
Costs $155
Because we can't perform without insurance and accidents do happen.
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
WRITER/PERFORMER/EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: AUSTIN JENNINGS BOYKIN
Austin Jennings Boykin is a New York–based multi-hyphenate. He’s performed regionally and in New York at The Signature Theatre, Williamstown Theatre Festival, Provincetown Theater, Shakespeare & Company, The 24 Hour Plays, and the Tennessee Williams Festival. His solo show, A Gay Masseur’s Guide to Happy Endings, has been performed Off-Off-Broadway at the Chain Theatre and at Red Room in Provincetown.
TV credits include FBI: Most Wanted (CBS), The Gilded Age (HBO), Fleishman Is in Trouble (FX), and Hunters (Amazon). His debut screenplay, Why Storms Are Named After People, was recognized at the Austin Film Festival, NYISA, and the Big Apple Film Festival. He is also the writer of Wooly Bully, starring Kathryn Grody, which will premiere at the Poppy Jasper Film Festival in April of 2026. Austin trained at UNCSA and the William Esper Studio. Insta: @austinnnnjb
DIRECTOR/PRODUCER: JOE DESTEFANO
Joe DeStefano is a Jersey-born multidisciplinary artist and director whose work spans theater, film, illustration, and puppetry. His directing credits include Cookie Ireland Has a Giraffe (New York Fringe), Elemeno Pea (Mastodon Theatre Company), and a developmental workshop of Beetle Boy, a children’s story he also authored. Most recently, he served as Associate Producer on the Healing TREE short film The Knock Shadow, featuring Lea DeLaria and Kevin Kilner.
Joe trained as an actor under the late William Esper at the William Esper Studio in New York City and studied puppetry privately with John Tartaglia.
DRAMATURG/PRODUCER: ANNA KOPPELMAN
Anna Koppelman was expelled from clown school at 22 — but otherwise has an excellent academic record. She holds a master’s degree in fiction writing from NYU, where she also taught undergraduate creative writing. She’s currently at work on her debut novel and is represented by Dan Kirshen at CAA Literary.
Outside of fiction, Anna produced and performed in the comedy show Pucker, which was featured in the New York Comedy Festival and regularly performs in New York City.
MARKETING/PRODUCER: SOPHIA ENGLESBERG
Sophia Englesberg is an actor and theater producer from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. She holds a BFA in acting from Rutgers University, Mason Gross School of the Arts and has trained at Shakespeare’s Globe in London. Sophia has produced over twenty off (and off-off) broadway plays in New York City including Maia Novi’s INVASIVE SPECIES, Matthew Gasda’s ZOOMERS, and most recently LIFESTYLES by Charlie Rinehart Jones. She can be seen in the short films Transactions, HAGS, and Thumper (coming spring 2026.) She is one third of ‘Flight Club’ a developmental reading series for new screenplays.
ASSOCIATE PRODUCER: ELIZABETH BAYS
Elizabeth Bays is a New York–based actor, burlesque artist, filmmaker, playwright, and producer who likes to keep busy. Acting credits include Simpatico (Off-Broadway), Angelina Ballerina the Musical (Off-Broadway/National Tour), the New York premiere of John Patrick Shanley’s Banshee, and The Tower at HERE Arts Center. Her short film Wooly Bully — which she co-created, produced, and stars in opposite Kathryn Grody — will premiere at the Poppy Jasper International Film Festival in April 2026.
As “Bitsy,” Elizabeth performs regularly with Hotsy Totsy Burlesque (BroadwayWorld’s Best Burlesque in NYC) at The Slipper Room, and opened the 2025 Reykjavík Fringe Festival with ForbHIDDEN People: An Elven Burlesque.
She’s a storyteller across mediums — sharp, sensual, and never standing still. Instagram: @ebays_
PRODUCER: JOHN PALOMINO
John Palomino is a New York–based producer and lighting designer with extensive experience in stage and film production. His credits include first-stage theatrical productions, independent films, and a web series, several of which have received multiple awards.
He previously served as a lighting designer at the Pyramid Club during the early careers of performers including RuPaul, Lady Bunny, and Heada Lettuce, and has also worked within New York’s historic CBGB scene. His background spans downtown theater and independent creative productions, where he has contributed as both a producer and designer.
LIGHTING DESIGNER: MAZ SAILER
Maz Sailer (They/Them) is a lighting designer and artist based in NJ/NYC. They are a graduate of Rutgers University Mason Gross School of the Arts with a BFA in lighting design. Some recent design credits include: 3 Hams at Brooklyn Art Haus; Trich at Luna Stage; Mom and Dad are My Friends at The Tank; Cassandra at Teatro Latea. Maz recently worked as the Assistant Lighting Designer on Call Me Izzy at Studio 54, marking their Broadway debut. Maz is also the technical director/lighting designer for a Rocky Horror Picture Show shadowcast in NJ named “The Cosmic Light Cabaret”. When they aren’t making theater they can always be found with a knitting project or sketchbook in hand.