unicornbooty.com: This Thursday, The Colony High School from Lewisville, Texas won the top prize at the state’s academic one-act play competition by performing Second Samuel, Pamela Parker’s 2010 dramedy about a 1940’s Georgia town turned upside-down after the town’s beloved elderly piano teacher, Miss Gertrude, gets posthumously outed as transgender by her mortician and cosmetologist.
2 comments:
Its always a nice breath of fresh air when i see high school productions tackling controversial subjects. I feel the subject of transgender ism being addressed in a high school production really opens up a conversation for people not only in the production but for those who are seeing it as well. Coming from the south myself i find its this kind of exposure that people really respond well too if they are coming from a more religiously tied place like the south or Texas. This play also has a lead with mental disabilities which really is wonderful in a way giving visibility. I also greatly appreciate the fact that the play takes place in the 1940's because there is this idea that transgender ism is something new and only in our modern day. this is so untrue. Thats why i think its wonderful that content like this is being put out there.
One of the things that was interesting to me is that the play’s victory was followed the sports win. Which makes me think that, maybe theatre and sports (“after-school program rivals”) should be working together more on helping communities become from open-minded. Because no matter what, no matter your orientation, or identity, the skills you possess is probably one of the more important things when it comes to sports (and theatre). So, a diversity victory in sports could and should be a victory for diversity in theatre. Additionally, I really hope that their win isn’t a token win. And what I mean by “token” is that it is just a thing to say “we did this” or “Oh this was the exception”, and not have it lead to progressive thinking and acceptance. Also, I’m glad that the win was in a southern state, because there is definitely this reputation that most southern states are stuck in a prejudice thinking, and liberals do have a tendency to look down on people who we people to evil and ignorant people without trying to understand them. So seeing progress being made could also help change liberals judgements.
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