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Monday, April 01, 2019
For the first time, a trans performer will play all 35 roles in Out Front Theatre's production of I Am My Own Wife
Atlanta Magazine: Out Front Theatre's latest production, I Am My Own Wife, marks the first time the Pulitzer- and Tony Award-winning show has been staged with a transgender performer, Peter Smith, playing all 35 roles.
This makes me really hopeful. I don’t think that color or type casting has been solved with this singular production, but it’s one story that’s heading in the right direction. The fact that this company was able to hire a person who identifies as transgender is amazing. Also, the fact that this person is playing all 35 roles within one singular script is a tremendous feat. I’m thoroughly impressed. While I’ve never seen the show before, the plot sounds extremely interesting. A story of a trans woman who survived life in Berlin under Nazi control and East German Communism. Smith sounds like the right person for the job as they’re credential are enormous. The fact that they’re a triple threat entertainer, burlesque, theatre, and stand-up comedy is awesome. The fact that they were cast in a role that they can identify with is awesome. The entire thing. Really damn awesome.
This article stands as a ray of hope in some sorts not only for me but I believe for everyone because it brings to light an action that is a paradigm shift in the field of theater. Because an immense amount of taboo has always been associated with the portrayal and capabilities of trans people, the fact that there is going to be one complex play where a trans person gets to play all the parts of the play is just a huge development in the field, in terms of both content and progressive thinking. This action has opened up so many doors for all the different types of people out there, enabling them to choose and do what they want to in the field, without having to deal with a lot of barriers, because there are still barriers, it is just that they are going to become slightly easier to handle for everyone, which is the nest thing in this entire scenario.
2 comments:
This makes me really hopeful. I don’t think that color or type casting has been solved with this singular production, but it’s one story that’s heading in the right direction. The fact that this company was able to hire a person who identifies as transgender is amazing. Also, the fact that this person is playing all 35 roles within one singular script is a tremendous feat. I’m thoroughly impressed. While I’ve never seen the show before, the plot sounds extremely interesting. A story of a trans woman who survived life in Berlin under Nazi control and East German Communism. Smith sounds like the right person for the job as they’re credential are enormous. The fact that they’re a triple threat entertainer, burlesque, theatre, and stand-up comedy is awesome. The fact that they were cast in a role that they can identify with is awesome. The entire thing. Really damn awesome.
This article stands as a ray of hope in some sorts not only for me but I believe for everyone because it brings to light an action that is a paradigm shift in the field of theater.
Because an immense amount of taboo has always been associated with the portrayal and capabilities of trans people, the fact that there is going to be one complex play where a trans person gets to play all the parts of the play is just a huge development in the field, in terms of both content and progressive thinking.
This action has opened up so many doors for all the different types of people out there, enabling them to choose and do what they want to in the field, without having to deal with a lot of barriers, because there are still barriers, it is just that they are going to become slightly easier to handle for everyone, which is the nest thing in this entire scenario.
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