The Trans History Project, a national initiative formed earlier this year between Baltimore Center Stage and Breaking the Binary Theatre, has announced Cohort 1 of the new project. 

Created by BCS Artist-in-Residence Bo Frazier, The Trans History Project aims to commission, develop, and publish 10 new plays about the real history of gender nonconformity. An initial group of playwrights, chosen from 170 applications, have been paired with regional theatres that will develop the original pieces over the next two seasons. The residencies will include a reading during the 2025-2026 season and a workshop in the 2026-2027 season.

Dane Edidi Figueroa, from Washington, D.C., will develop A Continent of Forget in residence with Long Wharf Theatre based in New Haven, Connecticut. Bree Lowdermilk, from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, will develop Days of Awe in residence at Round House Theatre in Bethesda, Maryland. Roger Q. Mason, from Santa Monica, California, will develop The Gladys Bentley Project in residence at Diversionary Theatre in San Diego, California. Yona Moises Olivares, from Chicago, Illinois, will develop miss EMERICA in residence at Baltimore Center Stage in Baltimore, Maryland. And, Mirage Auto Depot: a TGNC theatre ensemble based in New York City and led by Raychel Ceciro, Logan Gabrielle Schulman, with devising by Alexandra Neuman and Murphy Severtson, will develop LES BI(T)CHES in residence at New York's Rattlestick Theater.

The finalists for the Inaugural Cohort of The Trans History Project included playwrights Nova Cypress Black, Ty Defoe, Tyler Rocio Ecoña, Reese Fernandez, Mackenzie Foy, Kaela Mei-Shing Garvin, Caden Healander, Dena Igusti, Justice Jamal Jones, Youri Kim, Gaby Labotka, C. Meaker, D.A. Mindell, Cheeyang Ng, Nwachukwu Oputa, Nico Pang, KT Peterson, Utkarsh Rajawat, Alex Lee Reed, Omer Abbas Salem, and Sharifa Yazmeen, as well as duos Che'Li and Sean-Joseph Choo, and B Kleymeyer and DJ Hills.

“We are honored to commission these artists to expand the representation of trans and gender nonconforming stories in the American theatre as part of the vision of the Trans History Project. The five new plays from the Inaugural Cohort are innovative, visionary, and artistically groundbreaking,” said BCS Producing Director Ken-Matt Martin in a statement. “The Trans History Project is an integral part of Stevie Walker-Webb’s commitment to develop new work by marginalized voices. Alongside our partners at Rattlestick Theater, Long Wharf Theatre, Diversionary Theatre, Round House Theatre, and Breaking the Binary Theatre, we hope to serve as a model for others to reshape how new work is developed in this country.”

Trans History Project Creator and Program Director Frazier added, “The incredibly talented selected playwrights come from different backgrounds and experiences, ranging from well-known playwrights and musical theatre composers to brand-new playwrights who had a brilliant idea and an emerging TGNC theatre ensemble. The selected plays will tell stories of untold American history, world history, and force us to have dialogues about the most important issues of today. I cannot wait to share these stories with the world.”

“All of us at Breaking the Binary Theatre are thrilled to be partnering with Baltimore Center Stage to help bring Bo’s ambitious and revelatory idea to life,” stated Breaking the Binary Theatre Founding Artistic Director George Strus said. “Breaking the Binary Theatre has a rich history with Inaugural Cohort members Roger Q. Mason and Dane Edidi Figueroa, both of whom participated in our first Festival in October of 2022. We are overjoyed to deepen our relationships with them, as well as welcome Yona Moises Olivares, Bree Lowdermilk, and Mirage Auto Depot to the BTB community.”

The Trans History Project was one of five regional theatre projects to receive the competitive National Theatre Company Grant from The American Theatre Wing.

The Trans History Project is seeking funding to support Cohort 2, as well as regional theatre partners in the American South, Pacific Northwest, Midwest, as well as culturally specific organizations across the country. Those interested in learning more should contact Bo Frazier at [email protected].