Queer Stages: Time for Trans/Gender Nonconforming Theatre
Author: Theodore Pavlich
March 5, 2019
Any trans or gender nonconforming person in the theatre industry can tell you that we’ve got a long way to go as far as the portrayal, treatment, and inclusion of TGNC people and characters. It’s not news. Last year, GLAAD even found it necessary to publish this guide for trans-inclusive theatre. But so far, 2019 is off to a fantastic start for TGNC people in theatre. Read on for a roundup of a few of the highlights.
Trans Lab Fellows
The Trans Lab 2019 Fellows
In late January, The Trans Lab announced their 2019 Fellows, a group of six talented, diverse TGNC playwrights who will receive artistic support from The Trans Lab over the course of a year. The Trans Lab offers the fellows mentorship, industry connections, and the invaluable opportunity to be in community with exclusively TGNC artists.
The National Theatre to hold TGNC Casting Event
In London, The National Theatre announced that they will hold a casting event geared specifically for trans-identified actors this April. The event comes out of an active initiative spearheaded by Equity, the UK union for creative professionals, to bolster the LGBTQ community in the industry.
And The Rest of Me Floats
And The Rest of Me Floats Buoyed by TGNC Storytelling
This past weekend, the latest iteration of Outbox Theatre’s And The Rest of Me Floats premiered at the Bush Theatre in London. A review by TimeOut London describes it as a piece that “resists simplification” so I’ll just stick to the facts: the devised work features seven TGNC, queer performers sharing stories that need to be amplified in a time when trans people are more visible than ever but simultaneously more explicitly targeted than in years past. Check out Annie Simon’s article for Dazed for more on this queer premiere.
Celebrating TGNC Theatre in St. Louis
In St. Louis, The Q Collective held their inaugural Transluminate Festival this weekend. The festival was a celebration of TGNC-inclusive theatre, featuring five short plays and visual art by and about TGNC people.
Line of Sight
The Drama of Being a Trans Teen in America
In Minneapolis, Uprising Theatre Company just premiered Shannon TL Kearns’ new play Line of Sight, which stars a trans protagonist who leads the audience through life as a trans teen in America today.
