May 6, 2008

Audience Response

Yours is the Best Press 

Organizing your visit here to SLU has been one of my favorite experiences in my 3 years here, in no small part because it was one of the clearest examples of students being inspired and energized and challenged to think both creatively and critically about their own lives and the world around them.

I attended Scott Turner Schofield: Becoming a Man in 127 Easy Steps on Saturday, 9/19.
What an exceptional show! I was so impressed with Scott's unflinching honesty about what it means to be transgender. He is an extraordinarily brave person with a truly innovative artistic voice. I was touched, enlightened and filled with laughter, all in the span of  a single performance.
Congratulations to Scott! I hope the awards keep coming his way.
 
I saw your show tonight at Real Art Ways in Hartford and wanted you to know how much I loved it. The "127 Steps" and "choose your own adventure" format was pure genius, I think.

i just wanted to thank you for your art. i'm not sure yet what it means to me-- a 20something, woman-born woman, married to a man (i guess i might fall into the "Questioning" category, whatever that means...)-- but i'm certain, on a grander level than just my own context, yours is great and necessary work.

Thomas King, a Canadian Storyteller and educator, wrote in his book (first a lecture series) The Truth About Stories: "the truth about stories is that's all we are".  that was the first thing that came to mind when i saw bits of your performance on YouTube. You give me hope in people-- in the ability to change people through stories and in the ability to trust people with stories. Thank you.

Just wanted to say that it was a pleasure working with you at DiverseWorks! At our staff meeting yesterday, we talked about how awesome your performance was and how the TG community rules in Houston. You have made such an impact on all of us! Anyways…
Just wanted to make sure you that got this fantastic review from The Rice Thresher!

Thanks again for performing at TransGiving. You stole everyone's heart and refused to give any of them back, especially Jason's. Now he sees why I think you and Ryka are both such special people, and he wants to understand more about transgendered and genderqueer folk.
Thanks again for presenting to our Counseling Center staff and guests last Wednesday morning, as part of your time at UCF. The feedback that I heard was very positive, and it seemed that everyone found your talk valuable. I enjoyed meeting you and appreciate your working with us on this.
Thank you so much for coming to Rollins this week and for speaking to us as faculty, staff and students. I found your presentation to be informative and inspiring, offering me a sense of clarity and compassion for a community I will admit I do not often think twice about. Thank you, thank you, thank You.
I wanted to tell you how fantastic you were! To put yourself out there like that takes a lot of courage and I applaud you for having the confidence in yourself to do that and share how wonderfully diverse yet ultimately, in a deeper sense, how similar we are. With such honesty yet keeping it light with your humor.
I just wanted to reiterate how much Jay and I enjoyed your show last night. Your story is a fascinating one, and beautifully told.
i was so touched by your performance.
there was a strong connection for me in watching it...... seeing that is was sooo very real.
not that i thought it wouldn't be , or that of it was made up. you are so very brave. i wanted to hug you, but when i shook you hand, i couldn't even talk because i wanted to cry. not from being sad, but just feeling like i wasn't alone.
it hit me very hard, because i've kinda been struggling for the past year with my identity, and all the labels there are to choose from. i don't want to have to choose, or have to explain myself and who i am to anybody.i am trans.but i always felt like i had to look a certain way.....to actually be able to use that, for people to understand me in this community.  but its me.its who i am. and i accept it. it made so much sense....made me so comfortable to watch you and hear you......i cried during your show. and i felt like the audience...maybe took some of things that you talked about differently than i did. i just understood it. i understood you. and i understood myself better than i have in recent months. i can't wait to read your book, to read all of your stories.....because some of them are mine too, you know?
I was at the Evergreen workshop performances and I was wondering how well the Seattle show went. 127 Steps was one of the most moving and dialectical things I've ever seen. I talk about it to all of my friends and what an intense experience the show was.
The flier hangs in my studio because it was something so thought provoking.