By Rachel Rosenberg
From March 12–21, 2020, join performers Josie Boyce, Carolynn Dimmer, Amy Fox, Quanah Napoleon, Morgane Oger, Sabrina Symington and Julie Vu at Firehall Arts Centre (280 East Cordova Street). These extraordinarily talented transgender women come to the show from a variety of backgrounds; with resumes boasting varied professional experiences such as musician, writer, actor, mental health worker, tech industry consultant and a Miss International Queen contestant.
The show, co-produced by The Frank and Zee Zee Theatres, is written by Paul Lucas, an award-winning playwright based out of New York City. Lucas created the show by assembling interviews with more than 70 transgender women in six different countries; according to the Vancouver event’s press release, the script focuses on stories about the experiences of “a down-to-earth woman looking to blend in, a glamorous beauty queen, a former small-town mechanic, a formidable ex-dominatrix, a runaway turned activist, a hardened survivor of paternal abuse, and a sexagenarian doctor — as they navigate the intricate complexities and liberating joys of their transgender identities”. The show has been described as “full of warmth and vulnerability” (The Herald), showcasing genuine and emotional tales of discovery and identity.
The show is co-directed by Cameron Mackenzie, Artistic and Executive Director of Zee Zee Theatre (Holiday at the Elbow Room Café), and Fay Nass, Artistic Director of The Frank Theatre (She, Mami Wata & The Pussy WitchHunt). Mackenzie points out the show’s importance, reminding audiences that it is “an opportunity to bear witness and be reminded that, no matter our differences, all humans deserve respect and dignity.”
Nass agrees, explaining, “We are all enriched by a diversity of cultures and narratives, and the more we allow ourselves to experience other perspectives through storytelling — especially the stories not often heard — the better we become as individuals and as a society.”
Showtimes:
March 12 (Preview) at 7:30pm
March 13 (Opening)- 14 at 8pm
March 15 at 3pm
March 17-19 at 7:30pm
March 20 – 21 at 8pm
You can purchase tickets at Firehall Arts Centre online box office.
Regular admission: $33
Children 12 and under: $14
Under 30/artist: $20;
Seniors/students: $28
4 Responses to Transgender Vancouver Artists Collaborate in ‘Trans Scripts, Part I: The Women’