Though its run may be abbreviated, the Frank Theatre and ZeeZee Theatre’s production of Trans Scripts, Part I: The Women is sure to have a lasting impact on audience members. Local talents Josie Boyce, Carolynn Dimmer, Amy Fox, Morgane Oger, Quanah Style, Sabrina Symington, and Julie Vu star in the Paul Lucas play—a compilation of interviews with dozens transgender women, coming from six different countries, weaved into a single powerful performance. 

Unfortunately, due to COVID-19 concerns, the play had to end its run early. Instead, there will now be a live stream of a pre-recorded performance available online on Saturday, March 21st at 8:00 p.m.

SAD recently sat down with the multi-talented actor, screenwriter, producer, activist, and naval-reservist Amy Fox (The Switch) for a chat about her experience working on the play, trans representation and finding balance.

SAD: When did you first encounter Trans Scripts and what was your initial reaction? 

Fox: The first I heard about this play was straight from Frank and ZeeZee theatre. They do a lot of innovative queer content—sex, colonialism, pushing back, making change and having fun. I was really happy to be on it because it’s relevant, but also because it’s good trans content. You don’t see a lot of that. 

What reactions did the play get during its mount?

The audience has been delightfully rowdy! They’ve cheered, groaned, called back—even come back for multiple shows. It’s really been good to see this kind of engagement. Trans people love it. Cis people love it. 

Can you tell us any behind the scenes secrets? 

We’ve got a cast full of some very creative people. The cast got a taste for this, and want to go create their own onstage material. This is the first step. Frank theatre’s just getting started in the trans game. 

What are you taking away from this experience? Were there any unexpected challenges that arose, or surprising new discoveries? 

I met some great people. I learned to be big and LOUD. To engage with the swell of the audience. To take up space. To memorize huge chunks of text. And I think I learned a part of what theatre can be when people really give a damn. 

It’s bittersweet to have to call off a play partway through its run due to a pandemic, but it’s what we have to do. Fortunately, we’re grabbing a video copy for a one-time stream. 

Tell us a bit about the choice to close the play early and move to a live-stream instead.

A lot of plays are shut down, and a lot of artists are out of work. We’d hate for all that practice to go to waste. So I’m feeling lucky that we got to record our video so people can watch from home. 

It’s funny that this kind of micro-livestreaming has jumped from huge plays in London to an indie production in Vancouver, but it makes sense. Trans community organizing exploded onto the public stage the way it has because we mixed local tenacity and guts with the early internet. Plus we’re used to facing down health crises, from AIDS to a general lack of medical care. And here we are, again, facing a larger threat, using the web to reach our siblings and allies wherever they are.

As someone who primarily works on web series, television shows and films, has theatre been a new challenge for you?

In film, you’re performing a few minutes or seconds of dialogue, multiple times, in multiple ways. To work with the camera team, your body must be controlled and often still. Then you go home and often don’t fully understand the project until it’s done and you see it. Theatre, however, is a whole process, a team process, where you can be with your work, in your body and alongside your team from start to finish. It’s bigger, louder and more demanding. It also takes risks that film can’t, be as edgy as it wants to be, and speaks to community in ways that are really wonderful. It’s been a welcome challenge. 

As an actress, how have you seen the industry change over the course of your career? 

There’s been a surge in interest in trans talent, but it’s still stuck in a lot of very typical representation problems. Almost all the roles for trans folk are one-off trans-only bits. Playing a random teacher, nurse, bus-driver, soldier, murder suspect, space alien, or whatever? That’s just not in the cards. 

It’s frustrating, but it’s nothing new. It happens to pretty much every kind of marginalized group. As a society, we’re watching and streaming shows that represent like two per cent of humanity. We can do better. I see people trying to do better, but people at every level of the chain – producers, directors, casting agents and especially the audience need to look for change, demand it. And when it happens, whether that’s on a big project or a small one, support it. 

As someone with multiple talents, interests and vocations, how do you find balance between projects and commitments? How do you stay on top of all the moving parts, and how do you avoid getting overwhelmed? 

Part of being a performer/film producer/screenwriter/naval reservist is locking down time-sucks, and using what you have wisely. So I bike to work, get some exercise, and plan my day with a map. But more that that, I’m happy and honoured to have a team behind me. My work partner Ingo, my writing partner Wren, my living partner Danni. Without that community, I couldn’t do this.

What should we keep an eye out for next from you? The Switch season 2??? (please) 

Our next project is Doomball, a Switch spinoff about a nerdy sports league packed full of queer folk, and Nyla Rose is coming back to play the lead. It goes to camera as soon as we’re allowed to put together a crew again. 

But before then, we’re putting The Switch out for the whole world to see for free, and collecting a little funding for trans people in need. All the videos are going up on our Patreon.

If you missed the live performance, don’t worry! Ticket holders can email info@zeezeetheatre.ca for an access password to the livestream event, and those who have not yet purchased a ticket can also gain access via donation on the website.