Celebrating 30 years in print!

Peach & Blue

BY SARAH S. KILBORNE

With paintings by the award-winning illustrating team
of Steve Johnson and Lou Fancher

Hi Friends and Visitors! On October 4, 2024, my first book, PEACH & BLUE, published by Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers, celebrates its THIRTIETH anniversary in print! To say that the publication of this book in 1994 was a dream come true for me would be an understatement. PEACH & BLUE became a bestseller, an award-winner and a fan favorite of both children AND adults. Thank you to all of you who have brought Peach and Blue into your and your loved ones’ lives!

“Here is a lush and tender story about how love can change the way we see the world.”
-from the publisher

The Lavender Blues

A Showcase of
Queer Music Before World War II

A hundred years ago, queer women and men were claiming their identities in the public sphere - and singing about it too. Created by performance artist Sarah Skinner Kilborne, The Lavender Blues introduces a little known yet revolutionary moment in music history when pioneering artists sang boldly about sexual and gender fluidity - brave even for today, and as deliciously fun and inspiring as ever.

“What a fantastic night!” - Pride Portland

LB+Show+7.jpg
LB+Show+8.jpg
LB+Show+5.jpg
_MG_5768.jpeg
LB+Show+6.jpg
LB+Show+2.jpg
LB+Show+3.jpg
LB+Show+8a.jpg
LB+Show+9.jpg
LB+Show+1.jpg
LB+Show+4.jpg

“In the fall of 2023 I and the Brown Music Department invited Sarah Kilborne to campus for a mini-residency. Sarah Kilborne is an original extraordinary artist who models a rare integration of historical scholarship and artistic practice. Her cabaret-style show, The Lavender Blues, teaches a great deal about music, history and the position of queer people in a society that officially would not recognize them. Kilborne possesses a beautiful singing and speaking voice and she can sing the gamut of genres from quasi-operatic coloratura to folksy dance numbers. She combines these vocal virtues with a sophisticated array of gestures, postures, and dance movements that represent the best in the cabaret tradition. Her work has the power to inspire.”

Dana Gooley, Professor of Music, Director of Graduate Studies (Musicology and Ethnomusicology) Brown University

  • Books

    Sarah has written books for both children and adults, along with essays, short stories, poetry and works-in-translation.

    Read

  • Music

    A performer in multiple genres, Sarah works as a singer songwriter, performance artist, bandleader and voice-over artist.

    Listen

  • Activism

    Founder of the Kiss for Equality™️ Campaign Sarah advocates for LGBTQ equality both at home and abroad.

    Get Involved

  • "Sarah Kilborne's first one-woman show is an enlightening, enchanting trip to a place in time you never knew took place: Kilborne, creator and performer, has not only unearthed buried treasure, she brings its ghosts to life and glory."

    — Enid Futterman, Imby.com

  • "Sarah's show is an eye-opener whether you are straight or LGBTQA - It's a glimpse into a world and music you don't know. It is as entertaining as it is educational, and funny."

    — Neil Gaiman, Author

  • "Sarah Kilborne has created a captivating blend of history and music, bringing to light stories from our past that have too long been hidden. It is rare to find a show that so deftly presents challenging historical material woven together with a masterful musical performance."

    — Kate Preissler, Director, Wistariahurst Museum