Baltimore Center Stage announced the five playwrights selected for the second cohort of the Trans History Project, advancing a national initiative that commissions ten new plays by transgender and gender-nonconforming writers.
The announcement follows a selection process that drew 100 submissions down to 12 finalists. Initiated by Baltimore Center Stage Artist-in-Residence Bo Frazier, the project pairs each $10,000 play commission with developmental support from a coalition of regional theatres including Actors Theatre of Louisville, About Face Theatre, East West Players, and Native Voices.
Cohort Plays And Regional Theatre Partners
- Ty Defoe (giizhig) will develop Trans World Chapter 0 – Obsidian at Native Voices in Los Angeles, following a two-spirit transsexual artist in 1976 Philadelphia.
- Justice Jamal Jones will develop La Prophétesse at About Face Theatre in Chicago, examining the life of Haitian revolutionary Romaine La Prophétesse.
- Youri Kim will develop SABANGJI.EXE at Baltimore Center Stage, exploring a record from the Annals of the Joseon Dynasty.
- Nico Pang will develop Stone Maiden at East West Players in Los Angeles, following a trans Chinese musician who encounters a 1851 Daoist monastery.
- K.T. Peterson will develop Everybody’s Total Pal! at Actors Theatre of Louisville, a solo performance inspired by historic figures including Public Universal Friend and Alan L. Hart.
Regional Theatre Support And Project Scope
The first cohort of the Trans History Project featured four playwrights and one theatre ensemble. The initiative aims to develop new plays that center TGNC histories, experiences and perspectives.
“At a moment when trans and gender non-conforming people are being targeted, erased, and forced to fight for the right to exist openly and safely, telling our stories is an act of resistance,” Bo Frazier said in a statement.
| Playwright | Play Title | Development Partner |
|---|---|---|
| Ty Defoe | Trans World Chapter 0 – Obsidian | Native Voices |
| Justice Jamal Jones | La Prophétesse | About Face Theatre |
| Youri Kim | SABANGJI.EXE | Baltimore Center Stage |
| Nico Pang | Stone Maiden | East West Players |
| K.T. Peterson | Everybody’s Total Pal! | Actors Theatre of Louisville |
Playwright Backgrounds And Historical Frameworks
The selected works engage with distinct historical eras and traditions. Defoe’s work centers gender sovereignty and Indigenous futurity through a 1976 Bicentennial lens. Jones draws from Terry Rey’s book The Priest and the Prophetess to stage the life of Romaine La Prophétesse. Kim utilizes a single line from the Annals of the Joseon Dynasty regarding a figure named Sabangji. Pang examines diasporic belonging through a 1851 Qing Dynasty record, while Peterson weaves together historical figures including Shaker founder Ann Lee and trans doctor Alan L. Hart.
“By investing in trans and gender non-conforming artists, we are insisting that our stories belong in the American story—and that our voices deserve to be heard, celebrated, and remembered on stages across this country,” Frazier stated.
