The award-winning memoir Remember… I’ve Seen You Naked arrives November 17, 2026, with 150 photographs, outrageous backstage confessions, and a foreword by Dr. Poison Waters.
-- “It stays between us, right?” For years, those words preceded some of the most extraordinary conversations Shenston Grant heard backstage. Now, perhaps it’s time to redefine exactly who “us” includes.
On November 17, 2026, Grant releases Remember… I’ve Seen You Naked: A Backstage Memoir, an irreverent, scandalously funny, and unexpectedly heartfelt account of life behind the curtain on Broadway’s national touring circuit.
And this time, readers won’t need a ticket.
From dressing-room disasters and bruised egos to outrageous encounters, unexpected romances, and friendships that survived thousands of miles on the road, Grant opens a door that audiences rarely get to walk through.
Grant wasn’t merely observing this world from a distance. He was caught in a perfect theatrical storm of audacity, ego, vulnerability, and talent.
“I wasn’t interviewing celebrities or researching backstage life for a book,” Grant explains. “I was there. I lived it.”
When the Makeup Comes Off, So Does the Facade
Through his work in theatrical hair, makeup, wardrobe, and design, Grant experienced the world behind Broadway’s national touring productions, where performers reveal the people behind their public personas.
A former musical theater, cabaret, and drag performer, Grant later worked on productions including The Phantom of the Opera, Rent, and Dreamgirls. His career also brought encounters with Eartha Kitt, Toni Tennille, Debbie Gibson, and Maureen McGovern.
Beyond celebrity stories, the memoir captures the humor, vulnerability, and unexpected experiences of the artists, technicians, and performers who bring theater to life.
When the Makeup Chair Becomes a Therapy Couch
People sitting in a makeup chair don’t simply trust you with their appearance. They trust you with their confidence. And, more often than you might imagine, they trust you with their secrets.
Something about sitting in front of a mirror, surrendering your appearance to someone else’s hands, has a remarkable way of loosening the tongue.
“You’re not going to tell anybody, right?”
It was the sort of question Grant heard often enough to recognize what was coming next: a confession, an indiscretion, a personal crisis, or a story that probably should never have left the dressing room.
The relationship between performer and makeup artist is an unusually intimate one. Beneath the glamour, the bravado, and the carefully maintained public personas, people become vulnerable. Sometimes, before the final eyelash is in place, they’ve revealed considerably more than they intended.
For Grant, the makeup chair offered a front-row seat to the most captivating performances of all: the ones that played out when nobody was acting.
Audiences bought tickets to see a great performance. Shenston Grant had a front-row seat to the greatest show.
A Cocktail With a Very Scandalous Friend
The memoir features a foreword by entertainer Dr. Poison Waters, whose friendship with Grant began in 1989 at Portland’s Embers Nightclub. Nearly four decades later, their enduring bond reflects the book’s mix of irreverent humor, affection, and chosen family.
Tony Award-winning actress Kelli O’Hara calls Grant “a really funny and clever writer. Hilarious!” Annette Hoffman praises his personality on every page, while OUTNW Magazine editor M. K. Scott describes the book as “Unfiltered… Delicious backstage revelations.”
Beneath the outrageous stories, the memoir celebrates the friendships and loyalty that endure beyond the stage.
A Private Family Album With 150 Photographs
More than 150 photographs from Grant’s personal collection accompany the memoir, including images never previously shared publicly.
Presented in the style of an intimate family album, My Chosen Family captures theatrical transformations, backstage moments, artistic collaborations, and the people who became part of Grant’s extended family.
These aren’t merely promotional photographs of recognizable entertainers. They’re personal records of friendships and experiences that continued long after the final curtain.
The collection gives readers a visual history of a theatrical community in which LGBTQ identity, creativity, loyalty, and belonging are woven into everyday life.
An Award-Winning Memoir With a Purpose Beyond the Stage
Remember… I’ve Seen You Naked received the 2026 Booky Award for Best Subculture Portrait in the Memoir category. Best of Best Review also named it Best Backstage Memoir in the United States of 2026.
The book has also been featured in OUTNW Magazine, USA News, and Insider Weekly.
Beyond the laughter and theatrical confessions, Grant is connecting the memoir with fundraising efforts benefiting Camp Kids Connection (Camp KC), a program managed by CAPNW, formerly Cascade AIDS Project.
The charitable connection reflects the book’s recurring themes of acceptance, chosen family, and community. For Grant, those themes aren’t simply literary devices. They’re part of the life he lived and the people who helped shape it.
What begins as an invitation into the outrageous world of theatrical touring ultimately becomes a celebration of the relationships that survive long after the costumes have been packed away.
Don’t Wait for the Curtain to Rise: Order Directly From the Author
With the November 17 national release approaching, readers can secure their copies now through RememberNaked.com.
The website offers a direct way to purchase Remember… I’ve Seen You Naked: A Backstage Memoir and explore the photographs, excerpts, and stories behind the book.
The eBook will also be released November 17 through Amazon Kindle, Barnes & Noble, Google Books, and Apple Books. Paperback and hardcover editions are planned to follow, along with an audiobook narrated by Grant.
For this national tour, there’s no luggage to pack, no sleeping in a bunk on the tour bus, and no ticket to buy at the box office. Just open the book. You’ll find yourself standing right beside Shenston Grant, experiencing everything through his eyes.
Visit RememberNaked.com now to order your copy directly from the author.
For anyone who has ever wondered what really happens when the curtain falls, Grant is finally opening the door.
And he offers one final warning:
“If you’re offended by what I say, imagine what I’ve written.”
About Shenston Grant
Shenston Grant is an award-winning author, theatrical designer, and former performer with more than two decades of professional experience in theatrical hair, makeup, wardrobe, and design for national Broadway touring productions.
His career has taken him through more than 100 cities, working on productions including The Phantom of the Opera, Rent, and Dreamgirls. His debut memoir, Remember… I’ve Seen You Naked: A Backstage Memoir, combines firsthand theatrical storytelling, irreverent humor, LGBTQ experiences, and an extensive private photographic archive.
The book received the 2026 Booky Award for Best Subculture Portrait in the Memoir category and was named Best Backstage Memoir in the United States of 2026 by Best of Best Review.
Updates about the memoir and Grant's work are available through his official Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube accounts. Together with the book website, these channels provide places to follow release information and related theatrical storytelling as the November publication approaches. For inquiries about the memoir, readers can contact Grant at [email protected].
About Remember... I've Seen You Naked: A Backstage Memoir
Remember... I've Seen You Naked: A Backstage Memoir is Shenston Grant's debut book. It draws on more than two decades of professional theatrical hair, makeup, and wardrobe work, combining firsthand backstage experiences, LGBTQ perspectives, humor, and private photographs.
Contact Info:
Name: Shenston Grant
Email: Send Email
Organization: Remember...I've Seen You Naked: A Backstage Memoir
Website: https://remembernaked.com
Release ID: 89209484
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