Trans characters have become a growing presence in the arts
over the past few years, from award-winning television shows like Transparent and Orange is the New Black to cinematic Oscar bait like The Danish Girl and Dallas Buyers Club to big Broadway productions like the recent
revival of Hedwig and the Angry Inch. But increased visibility doesn’t always
translate to more accurate representation.
In fact, sometimes it can do the opposite, an issue Trans Theatre
Festival cofounder MJ Kaufman and Maybe Burke hope to address with the
pioneering fest at Williamsburg’s Brick Theater.
“Right now, a lot of writers are writing trans characters,”
says Burke. But sometimes the writing
can have a lot of assumptions and problematic stuff. My last four auditions, I’ve been told to act
more timid and shy. There’s a huge need
for trans people to be authors of our own work.”
The Trans Theatre Festival includes 12 live productions, a
documentary, visual art displayed in the theater’s lobby and even a brand-new
web series debuting during its run.
There will also be a live panel discussion on trans experiences and a
workshop on gender pronouns. All of the
work either features trans artists, is produced by them or both.
“We wanted to showcase a whole range of trans talent and
address a whole gamut of questions relating to the trans experience,” says
Kaufman. “The show topics vary: Pass/Fail takes on the idea of passing
and the privilege of that, Queer
Heartache explores questions of love and family, and Maybe’s show, Love Letters to Nobody, or Insignificant
Others, looks at desire, sex and trauma.”
The festival launches with a free cabaret preview that
features short works from trans artists—excerpts from this year’s shows. Shows, Burke is quick to note, that are meant
to tell specific truths to wide audiences.
“It’s important to see yourself represented accurately
onstage and that there’s not just one way to be trans. But it’s also important for cisgendered
people an allies to look outside of their own lived experience, which they’ll
be able to do at this festival.” Will
Pulos
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