Growing up gay in the 1960s and ’70s, Polly learned to survive by imagining a world where she could belong. In Polly’s Army of One, award-winning performer and TEDx speaker Patti Dobrowolski brings that journey to life through a funny, moving and deeply personal cast of characters—parents, teachers, first loves, unlikely heroes, and one remarkable wolf.

Presented as part of the Central Coast Solo Festival, the show explores identity, belonging, resilience, and what it takes to live authentically across generations.

Dobrowolski has partnered with The Trevor Project around the show to encourage conversation between LGBTQ+ youth, adults, families and allies about what it means to grow up queer—then and now.
And the conversation doesn’t end when the curtain comes down. After each performance, Patti invites the audience to gather in the lobby for pie and conversation—a tradition inspired by the real-life story behind the show.