Party Time
It's been far too long since it happened, but I wanted to describe a really great performance experience that I had this fall.
A friend I made while working in Costa Rica decided that her group of friends "really needed to know more" about queers and transpeople. Since I was going to be nearby on tour, she threw a party for about 25 people, and enlisted me as the entertainment. I was of course, TOTALLY STOKED to comply. They partied for a little while, then sat down to watch a private presentation of "Debutante Balls," had a grand old time, and ate some nice desserts and coffee before going home.
These are folks who don't often go to the theater. They're regular people with families and jobs who "do" cultural events, but who probably wouldn't go see "A Spoken-Word Lip-Synch Queer Theory Rock Opera" (like "Underground TRANSit") or a "Grand Gala Ball of Coming Out" (as in "Debutante Balls") if the opportunity arose.
It's not like this friend entrapped a bunch of her buddies into watching something they wouldn't like to satisfy her own "agenda". (See - see how I can think like a right-winger? Or do they call that "internalized oppression"? I forget.) She knew that her friends would be interested by my work - they just needed a reason to go. Her word and her effort were enough.
I decided right there that if I can enhance people’s understanding of queer and trans experience by telling them my own, by golly I’ll do it – living room by living room. It does not hurt my ego to perform under track lighting, no sir.
Consider it, eh? It’ll be the funniest, most thought-provoking party you may ever throw. Beats a kegger by a mile :-).
A friend I made while working in Costa Rica decided that her group of friends "really needed to know more" about queers and transpeople. Since I was going to be nearby on tour, she threw a party for about 25 people, and enlisted me as the entertainment. I was of course, TOTALLY STOKED to comply. They partied for a little while, then sat down to watch a private presentation of "Debutante Balls," had a grand old time, and ate some nice desserts and coffee before going home.
These are folks who don't often go to the theater. They're regular people with families and jobs who "do" cultural events, but who probably wouldn't go see "A Spoken-Word Lip-Synch Queer Theory Rock Opera" (like "Underground TRANSit") or a "Grand Gala Ball of Coming Out" (as in "Debutante Balls") if the opportunity arose.
It's not like this friend entrapped a bunch of her buddies into watching something they wouldn't like to satisfy her own "agenda". (See - see how I can think like a right-winger? Or do they call that "internalized oppression"? I forget.) She knew that her friends would be interested by my work - they just needed a reason to go. Her word and her effort were enough.
I decided right there that if I can enhance people’s understanding of queer and trans experience by telling them my own, by golly I’ll do it – living room by living room. It does not hurt my ego to perform under track lighting, no sir.
Consider it, eh? It’ll be the funniest, most thought-provoking party you may ever throw. Beats a kegger by a mile :-).
posted by Scott Turner Schofield at 1:36 PM
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