Nothing Without a Company & The Living Canvas present

[Trans]formation

exploring the naked truth of gender identity
November 17 – December 17, 2016
The Vault @ Collaboraction Studios
The Flat Iron Arts Building • 1579 N. Milwaukee Ave

devised by
Ronen Kohn, Darling Squire, Avi Roque, Gaby Labotka, and Kevin Sparrow

based on the contributions of
Kai B, Chelsea Bundy, Lauren Brady, Mya Byrne, Sean Estelle, Kelly George, Syd Germaine, Andrea Hawkins-Kamper, Alexia Jasmene, Eddie Kusar, Ronen Kohn, Shell Myers, Vivian Riona, Alison Rumfitt, Shozzett Silva, Jake Smucker, Thomas “Zeke” Zink

Cast
Gabriel Faith Howard • Sometimes
Ronen Kohn • Ezekiel
Lily Jean • Kelly
Chase Nuerge • Zhey
Ben Polson • Diamond
Kevin Sparrow • The Meteorologist

Understudies: Lindsay Weiss (Sometimes, Zhey, Kelly), Peter Danger Wilde (Ezekiel, Diamond, Meteorologist)

Production Team
Gaby Labotka • director, co-choreographer
Veronica Bustoz • stage manager
Marissa Allison • costume designer
Brittany Meyer • scenic designer
Chris Owens • projections designer
Sarah Putts • sound designer
Darling Squire • co-choreographer
Mike Sanow • technical director
Charlie Hano • assistant director

Management Staff
Anna Rose li-Epstein • co-producer
Pete Guither • co-producer
Jake Fruend • marketing director
Shae Boyd • social media coordinator
Dave Fink • vocal coach
Kevin Sparrow • literary manager

Director’s Notes
Who are we? Identity is a persistent question in our human experience as it is in constant flux. We change as we grow older, experiencing the world alongside our fellow human beings, and we align with titles based on those experiences and our relationships to others. Whether it’s race, sexuality, age, political party, vocation, religion, or even high school clique, we utilize labels to organize the facets of ourselves that we know to be true to help us better navigate the world and how we exist in it. We create art to process our journeys and in hopes of communicating our truths to an audience.

But identity is ultimately about self, individuality, and autonomy; our bodies, though beautiful in their myriad of forms are not capable of fully communicating who we are. We contain multitudes and being able to express and be our whole selves is a freedom that we all deserve. We are the ones who ultimately know who we are and how we share ourselves with the world.

And we have a responsibility to be audience to others who want and need to be heard.

As a woman, my body has always been a political battleground, subject to uninvited opinion and violence; I know what it is like to be policed and questioned for how I express myself. It isn’t hard for me to imagine the experience of being discriminated against or afraid for my life because of my gender, and as a person it isn’t hard for me to empathize with those who have had a more rocky journey. I know that I still benefit from some privileges and that I can utilize those privileges and resources to provide platforms for others to tell their own stories. This stage is one of those platforms, and so are time, attention, and respect.

We are here tonight in an effort to better understand and celebrate the diversity of identity. To be an audience. To listen. It’s the very least we can do for one another.

Special Thanks: Rebecca Kling, Casey L. Peek, Spencer Read, Mickey O’Sullivan, Christopher Kidder-Mostrom,The Theatre School at DePaul University, The Graduate School at Northwestern University, Illinois State University, Berger Park in the Chicago Park District, Northlight Theatre, D Ostergaars, Jill Sandmire, Janey Bell, Ray Goldberg, Brittany Alsot, Ji Yang, Maggie O’Keefe, Caitlyn Rowe, Bill Daniel, Riley Mondragon, Syd Germaine, Sean Estelle, Malic White, Adrian Fraser, Charlie Baker, Lindsey Gasior, Brandon Moorhead, Ian Belknap, Hallie Gordon, Shane, Trevor Patrick Watkin, Jamie Black, Alexia Jasmene, Emily Barrett, Hannah li-Epstein, Greater Houston Community Foundation, The MacArthur Foundation Funs for Arts and Culture at The Richard H. Driehaus Foundation, Gaylord & Dorothy Donnelley Foundation

Additional music credits: “Lost Angel” by Mya Byrne and Bethel Steele and “The Other Side of Security” by Mya Byrne and Neale Eckstein through Strangers’ Gate Music, ASCAP.
“Heal” and “Silver” by Alexa Grae