Posted April 18, 2023
When Jeff Neuman asked me to read his play about a pair of real-life vaudeville performers, I said of course! Once I sat down to read his play, I was hooked (cue giant vaudeville hook).
What initially stood out to me is that I wasn’t thinking it was a period piece—I saw how relevant this conversation is and that this story could very well be happening today. The characters of Eva and Julian give us an insightful look at what it means to be a gender-bending illusionist as they dance the fine line between performing and humanity. Their struggle and journey is all too real as they search for their authentic selves in an unaccepting society. They did this without some of the freedoms that we are unfortunately still fighting for today.
The fact is Eva and Julian broke ground and held space over 100 years ago for what has become the drag generation of today. Let’s continue to celebrate our diversities and our journeys.
Drag is not a crime!
