'Breaking the Binary' theatre festival returns to New York City, platforming trans, non-binary, and two-spirit+ voices 

The Breaking the Binary Theatre Festival, dedicated to showcasing the talents of transgender, non-binary, and Two-Spirit+ (TNB2S+) playwrights, directors, dramaturgs, stage managers, and performers, will hold its fourth annual event in New York City from October 20-26.

The festival will take place across multiple venues, including Carnegie Hall, Open Jar Studios, and The LGBT Community Center (The Center), and will continue Breaking the Binary Theatre’s mission of creating opportunities for TNB2S+ artists to freely express themselves through performance art.

As reported by Gay City News, George Strus, the Founding Artistic Director of Breaking the Binary Theatre, shared that the work behind the festival has been therapeutic, providing a space to dream big amidst ongoing challenges faced by the LGBTQ+ community.

The festival's opening night will feature a one-night-only performance of "The Drowsy Chaperone" at Carnegie Hall on Monday, October 20, at 8 p.m. Directed by Tony Award nominee L Morgan Lee, this reimagined, queer-centered adaptation of the musical comedy by Bob Martin and Don McKellar features a cast of accomplished TNB2S+ artists, including Laverne Cox, Dylan Mulvaney, and Chris Renfro. Tickets are available starting at $60, with proceeds benefiting organizations such as Trans Lifeline and Black Trans Liberation.

From October 21-25, the festival will move to Open Jar Studios, with daily shows at 3 p.m. and 7 p.m., beginning with "Death Comes in Threes" on October 21 and concluding with "Punch Back" on October 25. These performances will showcase a diverse range of genres, performers, and voices. Detailed information about these performances, including writer, director, and show descriptions, can be found on the Breaking the Binary Theatre website.

The festival will culminate on October 26 at The Center with "Limitless: A Collection of Commissioned Scenes and Monologues," beginning at 5 p.m. This performance, co-envisioned by L Morgan Lee and George Strus, will feature new works by 12 TNB2S+ artists exploring the themes of freedom and limitless potential. Directed by L Morgan Lee, the production aims to end the festival on a hopeful and uplifting note.

The theme of this year’s festival centers around the power of limitless dreams.

“I hope the audience feels this notion of ‘Limitless’ and feels like there is no such thing as a dream that is too big,” said Strus. “No matter what venue they attend, I hope they leave feeling changed by what Breaking the Binary Theatre is putting out into the world.”