Two weeks ago I was in White River Junction, Vermont participating in a newly blooming black theatre festival. JAG Productions has production JAGFest theatre festival and they are celebrating their third year. It was a thrilling week, being secluded in the winter landscape of rural Vermont, among actors, directors, and writers, giving shape to new pieces of theatre, and giving voice to pieces that have not yet had an audience. I was invited by Kirya Traber (writer) and Sissi Lui (composer/lyricist) to direct their musical-in-development, IF THIS BE SIN. A bio-musical based on legendary performers, Gladys Bentley. I’ve learned so much this week about lesbian identity, same sex relationships, and the questions trans-identifying people often carry within them.
