TransTainment! 5/13/24

Katherine Goforth

We begins today’s TransTainment with a visit to the world of opera. An award has been established by Washington National Opera for nonbinary singers. Washington National Opera has given its first True Voice Award to transgender singer Katherine Goforth. The award aims to ‘support the training of transgender and nonbinary opera singers, as well as increase their visibility in the industry. Congratulations to Ms. Goforth. Readers with a subscription to The Washington Post can learn more about Ms. Goforth and the nonbinary award on The Washington Post website..

Some thirty years after the release of The Adventures of Pricilla, Queen of the Desert the director has gathered the original cast and they’re heading to the outback to produce a sequel. Maybe they’ll be in the outback?Director Stephan Elliott let the media know that he has gotten Terence Stamp, Guy Pearce, and Hugo Weaving to sign on. No word on whether the bus, Priscilla, will return, and no hint of what the plot may be. Elliott did say that the action will occur in Australia but also overseas.

Elliott said that while he had had no plans to make a second film the unrelenting attacks on transgender people by conservatives drove him to consider the sequel as a way to educate people on trans issues. He commented, “I had something that needed to be said.”

There’s no word on when the cameras will roll and the film is listed as in pre-production.

Bonita Rajpurohit

From India we learn that Bonita Rajpurohit will be the first transgender woman to be seen as a lead character in a theatrical Bollywood release, Love, Sex Aur Dhoka 2. Talking about the role and how it is affecting her life Rajpurohit said, “I used to work in a small production house where my salary ranged from 10 to 15 thousand rupees, and making ends meet was very difficult. I never even dreamed that I would get a role in acting. And now, here I am, actually getting to play the lead role in a Bollywood film. Some dreams just come true.” Get more information from india.com.

de Alba fans! In the video below David De Alba discusses memories of his life and career as a female impersonator, including his time in Chicago, his work at Finocchio’s, career highlights, friends, and much more.

Tony nominee Justin Vivian Bond will be honored at the 12th annual Night of a Thousand Judys with the first Judy Icon Award. The concert will be presented June 3 at 7 PM at Joe’s Pub, the intimate cabaret located within Off-Broadway’s Public Theater. Bond made their Broadway debut as KiKi DuRane in Kiki & Herb, a duo cabaret with pianist Kenny Mellman. The pair began performing in San Francisco in the 1990s, and played numerous cities and famed venues like Carnegie Hall before their Broadway run. Night of a Thousand Judys honors Garland with songs from her career as movie star, recording artist, and stage performer. You can purchase tickets online.

Cole Escola

Recently Cole Escola, actor, playwright, and nonbinary person, appeared on Late Night with Seth Meyers to plug their new play Oh Mary! The Mary in the title is President Lincoln’s wife, Mary Todd Lincoln. Escola came directly from the theater in their Mrs. Lincoln costume, a voluminous bouncing black dress. When Escola was asked by the host if they had done any research on Mary Todd Lincoln they said no and admitted Oh Mary! is more about them than Mrs. Lincoln. The press notes give us some idea of how historically accurate the play is by describing the president’s wife as, “a miserable, suffocated Mary Todd Lincoln in the weeks leading up to Abraham Lincoln’s assassination. Unrequited yearning, alcoholism, and suppressed desires abound in this one-act play that finally examines the forgotten life and dreams of Mrs. Lincoln through the lens of an idiot (Cole Escola).” The comedy moves from its off-Broadway venue to Broadway at the end of June. Tickets are available online.

Tags: featured, film, music

Category: Transgender Fun & Entertainment