'Trans Scripts, Part 1 The Women' Now Playing Until February 5

While I was at Creating Change, the opening performance of the Paul Lucas written play Trans Scripts, Part 1:  The Women debuted on January 19.

It is an original play crafted by Lucas and directed by Jo Bonney from interviews conducted with 75 diverse people from six continents around the world who identify as trans.   Those 75 trans people varied in age, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, educational level  and age at transition and sheds light on our stories.

It's also wonderful to note that the American Repertory Theater is producing it.

The play also features several trans actors playing these roles that includes Eden Lane, Bianca Leigh, MJ Rodriguez, and Marlo Bernier just to name a few of the people in it.
For people who have seen the play at the Loeb Theater Center on the Harvard University Campus, , here are their reactions to it.



For of you in the Boston metro area, you still have time to see Trans Scripts and check it out before February 5

Eden Lane, Marlo Bernier and Bianca Leigh To Appear In ART at Harvard Play 'Trans Scripts, Part 1'

The momentum that trans people have been building in the arts and entertainment world is still moving forward despite the disgusting election results.

I was pleased to hear that my homegirl Eden Lane will be for a change on the theater stage instead of her award winning self reporting on the news coming from the theater world as she has done for nearly a decade with her Colorado Public Television based show InFocus With Eden Lane.

The play that Eden will be participating in is being produced by the American Repertory Theater at Harvard University under the leadership of Artistic Director Diane Paulus and Executive Director Diane Quinn  The play is entitled Trans Scripts, Part I:  The Women, and is written by Paul Lucas and directed by Jo Bonney.

TransScripts, Part 1: The Women is an original play crafted by Lucas from from interviews with 75 diverse people from six continents around the world who identify as trans.   Those 75 trans people varied in age, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, educational level  and age at transition.

The play is told through the voices of six trans women.

In addition to Eden, the play also stars two other people I'm familiar with in Marlo Bernier and Bianca Leigh.

Matthew Hancock, MJ Rodriguez, Rebecca Root and Jack Wetherall round out the cast for TransScripts that will start rehearsals in New York City after Christmas,

Performances are scheduled to begin on January 19 at the Loeb Drama Center, located at 64 Brattle St. in Cambridge, MA, and will run through February 5

Break a leg Eden and all your TransScripts castmates.   Hope y'all sell the theater out,  and may this play be a megasuccessful blockbuster one with rave reviews!

Moni's 2016 PBHA Robert Coles Call Of Service Award Lecture

As many of you are aware of, I went to Boston last week and the Harvard University campus to accept the Phillips Brooks House Association's Robert Coles Call Of Service Award.

The award has been given out since 2007 and it didn't occur to me until arrived at my hotel in Cambridge to see to hit Google and see who the past winners of this award were.

That's when I discovered that i was in some pretty serious company in terms of past recipients of it.   Marian Wright Edelman won the inaugural award in 2007, Vice President Al Gore and BLM co founder Alicia Garza last year.

I also discovered that I am the first trans person ever to receive this award.

Here's a link to the transcript of my 2016 PBHA Coles Award lecture, and the video.  I also answered some questions from the audience concluding the lecture before yielding to a panel of local advocates.



Thanks once again to Maria Dominguez Gray, Shaquanda Brown, Robert Bridgeman, David Dance, Jalem Towler, Dean Katherine O'Dair and the students of the Phillips Brooks House Association for making my time on the Harvard Yard a memorable time.

Hopefully I'll have a chance to come back for a future visit.
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Having A Wonderful Harvard Visit

Have enjoyed my visit to Boston so far.   To be correct, I'm actually staying in Cambridge, MA,  close to the Harvard University campus.  My hotel room has an amazing view of the Charles River, and from time to time I can see members of the Harvard rowing team going up and down the river..

I've also enjoyed the fact it's been much cooler here than it has been at home, and the first night I was here the temp dropped to 30 degrees and had to turn the thermostat up in my room and grab the extra blanket out of the closet.   I knew this was possible before I flew up here, so I was prepared for it.

Packed my coats and sweaters and deliriously happy I'm getting a chance to wear them.

I always forget something on these trips, and this time what I forgot was my umbrella.   It figures that the one time I leave it back in Houston we get rain here in the area.   Hasn't been heavy, but just enough to be an annoyance.

Also had an amazing visit to the JFK Presidential Library and Museum today, and a mini tour of Boston that took me past Fenway Park, The Boston Symphony Orchestra, the Berklee College of Music, UMass, and MIT.

Interestingly enough, on my mini tour of Boston I passed by the Roxbury area apartment at 397 Massachusetts Ave. that the Rev Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr lived in from 1952-53 when he was a doctoral student at Boston University.

The other interesting point about that is Maria Dominguez Gray, the executive director of the Phillips Brooks House Association and one of my gracious hosts here, once lived in that first floor apartment for several years and told me some amusing stories about that time in her life.

My Phillips Brooks House Association hosts and the various student leaders I've had an opportunity to meet have been amazing and eager to discuss their various student led programs they offer, and last night I got an opportunity to tour the drop in facility they provide for homeless youth

It's something I would love to see replicated across the nation to help alleviate the LGBTQ homeless youth problem

The business end of my trip happens later today when I actually get to step on the Harvard Yard and be presented with the Robert Coles Call Of Service Award.  I give a lecture and participate in a panel discussion.

Time to get some sleep.  I'll need it for the busy day still to come.