“The Oldest Profession” Shares the History of Sex Work at the Phoenix Theater on July 17

At 7:00 p.m. on July 17, 2026, Kaytlin Bailey brings The Oldest Profession to the Phoenix Theater in Minneapolis for one night only. This one-woman show, written and performed by Bailey, advertises itself as “a mad dash through 10,000 years of history from a sex worker’s perspective.” It’s been described as “a parade of well-honed zingers” (San Francisco Chronicle) and “a TED Talk spun through a poppers cloud” (Playbill).

Kaytlin Bailey performing in Edinburgh. Sriya Sarkar

Kaytlin Bailey has a background in history, standup comedy, and sex work and is the founder and executive director of Old Pros, a nonprofit advocating for sex workers’ rights. In The Oldest Profession, she focuses mostly on the history of sex work through a Western lens, since that is what has been most relevant to her life and career. She also weaves in aspects of her father’s US Army career, exploring the “relationship and divergent narratives between warriors and whores, which can be traced back to some of our oldest myths.” More than anything, Bailey’s goal is to broaden the public’s understanding of sex work, sex workers, and sex work advocacy through comedy and storytelling. The Oldest Profession markets itself toward “academics, comedy fans, history nerds, and sex workers alike” but also “conservative dads, informed moms, libertarians, progressives, feminists, and folks in the LGBTQ+ community.”

The show is recommended for adults and runs around 75 minutes. General admission and VIP tickets are available through Humanitix, and you can learn more about Kaytlin Bailey and The Oldest Profession at TheOldestProfession.org.