The second annual Breaking the Binary (BTB) Theatre Festival has announced the lineup for its upcoming seven evenings of work, which are fully created and developed by transgender, non-binary, and Two-Spirit+ (TNB2S+) theatre artists.
The festival, which is freely ticketed, will launch with PARADISE: An Interdisciplinary Revue October 23, and continue its run with six new theatrical works in the Shiva Theater at The Public from October 24 through 29.
Paradise: An Interdisciplinary Revue, co-conceived by Noax and BTB founder George Strus, will showcase performers Be Steadwell (Dear Ex: The Musical), Bobby Pocket Horner (&Juliet), Lady Dane Figueroa Edidi (Black Trans Women at the Center), Enest Allen (Double Feature), Joey Antonio (Mr. Holland’s Opus), justine lee hooper (Heavenly Bodies), Las Mariquitas, Mariyea (On Sugarland), Murray Hill (Somebody Somewhere), Noax, Qween Jean (Primary Trust), and Sara Ramírez (Spamalot, Grey’s Anatomy).
Set for October 24, Moon Bear by Nina Ki will be staged by director cara hinh. The company will include Anna Stacy (Gumiho), Ashil Lee (The Nosebleed), Clew (american (tele)visions), Futaba Shioda (39 Steps), Jojo Brown (Single Drunk Female), Si Chen (She-Hulk), and Wesley Han (Power Book II: Ghost).
Play Maid, written and performed by Jesús I. Valles, will be presented October 25 with direction by Lilliana Padilla. The 26th will see a.k. payne's ‘Tia Pray a Sound, co-directed by abigail jean-baptiste and Jaz Hall. The company will include payne (love i awethu further), Alicia Pilgrim (A Thousand and One), Cristina Pitter (love i awethu further), Maleek Rae (Law & Order: Organized Crime), and N'yomi Stewart (A Raisin in the Sun).
Your Maximum Potential by travis tate (they/them) will be staged October 27, directed by Dominique Rider and starring Arewá Basit, b (Work Hard Have Fun Make History), Omari K. Chancellor (amani), Lío Mehiel (Mutt), and Reed Northrup (Auntie Vanya). Sarah Mantell's Fight Call will follow October 28, featuring direction by Mei Ann Teo and performances by Diana Oh “Zada D” (The Pox Show), Jonny Beauchamp (The Way Out), Marquise Vilsón (Charm), Pooya Mohseni (she/her, English), Sagan Chen (Work Hard Have Fun Make History), and Susannah Perkins (The Good John Proctor).
Lastly, this year's festival will conclude October 29 with L Morgan Lee and George Strus' Bliss: A Collection of Commissioned Scenes and Monologues. The new work series will feature material by Dante Green, Dena Igusti, Esperanza Rosales Balcárcel, Haruna Lee, Kit Yan, L Morgan Lee, Nazareth Hassan, Noax, Preston Max Allen, R. Réal Vargas Alanis, Rob Madge, and Shualee Cook.
The monologue performers will be Indya Moore (Pose), Kyr Siegel (Hamlet), River Gallo (Every Body), Sara Ramírez, and Tẹmídayọ Amay (black odyssey).
Following in last year's footsteps, BTB has partnered with Broadway Licensing to once again publish the material from Bliss following the festival. The material will be published in 2024.
Bryar Barboka is the literary manager, Esmé Maria Ng is the associate producer, and Samuel Morreale is the cultural consultant. Casting by The Telsey Office's Charlie Hano.
For more information, visit BTB-NYC.com.
