This story originally appeared on Them.
Trans and nonbinary Broadway fanatics can all breathe a deep sigh of relief, because the Trans Voices Cabaret is back for another show on Saturday, September 19 at the Caveat in New York City’s Lower East Side, jam-packed with a variety of talented performers that span a range of styles and personas.
The show is set to be emcee’d by the Trans Voices Cabaret founder-producer-actor, Donnie Cianciotto, with musical direction from Farrah Rotman, and the line-up will feature Ernest Allen, Roachee Babee, Sam Campos, Rylynn Davis, X Hernandez, Jalen Jones, Natalia Ramos, and Jett Roberts.
Performed only a couple of times throughout the year and for both private and corporate events, the show is a rare opportunity to watch some of the most interesting and thoughtful trans and nonbinary performers in the city shine, especially given the nominal (albeit, growing) numbers of out trans and nonbinary people we see in Broadway and off-Broadway productions.
Per Them reporting from 2021, the percent of titled nonbinary characters that year clocked in at a whopping 0.27% in a category called “nonbinary plural.” We’ve since been introduced to some notable trans exceptions over the years like Peppermint as Pythio in Head Over Heels, Angelica Ross as Roxie Hart in Chicago, and Dylan Mulvaney as Anne Boleyn in Six. But the sentiment still stands that the amount of growing representation is still inadequate. This lack of onstage representation is particularly troubling with regards to transmasculine people, who don’t even seem to come up in a quick Google search of the topic.
Despite digging, there are very few concrete numbers to pull from when discussing both trans and nonbinary characters or actors, which in itself speaks volumes. It appears as of today that, ironically, Broadway remains cis-centric, in spite of having troves of LGBTQ+ patrons and supporters. (Raise your hands theater gays!)
Luckily, Cianciotto’s Cabaret is here to fill that gap. The multi-hyphenate performer, actor, and stage director explained in an interview with Time Out, “It’s more important than ever to focus on trans joy and creativity. Trans joy is resistance. We’re grateful as always to be back at Caveat where we can celebrate the diversity, talent, and resilience of the trans and nonbinary community. Expect an incredible evening!”
From where I’m sitting, in my Bushwick apartment in case you were wondering, this is something that our community so desperately needs in these objectively scary times: Some laughter, joy, connection, community, and places to feel safe, seen, and represented.
If you find yourself in Manhattan later this month, the Caveat is located at 21A Clinton Street. Showings of the Trans Voices Cabaret will begin at 4 p.m., September 19. You can buy livestream tickets for $15, and in-person tickets range from $15–$25 depending on the seat. To buy tickets and find more information on the show, click here.
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