Transgender pefrormances front and center in touring cavalcade
By Erin Frustaci
efrustaci@fortcollinsnow.com, (Bio) efrustaci@fortcollinsnow.com
1:05 a.m. MT Apr 18, 2008
Though many theatrical performances boast about being one of a kind, The Tranny Roadshow truely fits the bill. As co-organizer, Jamez Terry of Maine, would say, it’s simply something no one else is doing and isn’t something that is typically seen.
But that was the point all along.
Terry, along with Kelly Shortandqueer (yes, that’s the last name he uses) of Denver, started The Tranny Roadshow in 2005 because they wanted to go on tour. It didn’t take them long to discover just how many other transgender performers had similar dreams.
“A lot of trans-performing artists are trying to make it on their own,” Terry said. “This is a chance for people dealing with the same experiences to work together and reach a larger audience. It allows the audience to see the diversity that exists in the trans community.”
Beyond just looking for the best talent, Terry said performers are purposefully selected to represent a rage of experiences. The group is made up of individuals in their ’20s to late ’70s of both feminine and masculine identities, from various parts of the country with a variety of ethnic backgrounds and family structures.
Their performances are equally diverse. The format of the show is a series of acts which include music, dance, magic tricks, spoken word performances, puppetry and more. In addition to the nine touring performers, it is common for additional acts by local performers to be added. Some of the acts are light and humorous while others may evoke more serious emotions. Some are based on the life-experiences of the transgender performer and some are meant to be purely entertaining and fun.
“The core idea is all art is an expression of the self and if gender is a part of the self, then art is inseparable from gender expression,” Terry said.
This year’s series of shows, The Rocky Mountain Tour, begins April 19 and consists of an eight-day performance spree to colleges, community centers and other venues in Colorado and New Mexico. It will be the second time the tour has visited Fort Collins.
“We’ve toured all over the country,” Terry said. “We make it a point specifically to reach into small towns... Places like San Francisco have more access, but places that don’t have this sort of thing as often, need it more. We’ve been really well received everywhere we’ve gone.”
He said it’s common for members of the audience to come up to performers after a show to share their own personal experiences and how the performances related to their own lives. And while raising awareness is definitely part of the goal, Terry said the show is more about forming connections and enjoying life.
“I think possibly the most significant message comes out of this is not an elicit message at all,” he said. “Our show is absolutely about celebration. We are not just transpeople, but whole people.”
To go:
The Tranny Roadshow takes the stage at 6 p.m. April 19 at the Lory Student Center Theater at Colorado State University. The show is free and open to all ages. For more information, visit www.trannyroadshow.org.
