Milestone: Delia's First Role On my birthday, November 19th Pride Films and Plays formally announced my next show. A very nice gift to offer my friends, who have been so supportive, and curious to know about the mystery project I've been alluding to.
This is what my entire year has been building towards. Two staged readings, to get my instrument going and my feet wet again. Preparing audition pieces, attending auditions. Understudying a show. And now this, my first actual acting role since transitioning. This is a play about self-determination, living one's true and authentic life. The role I play is Ondi Rivers, a trans woman who has lived "stealth" as a female -- not transgender -- for the last 30 years. Partly for the safety of her lesbian partner and their biological child, and the security of her university position, but also by personal choice because she identifies as female. After a satisfying career as teacher and poet, Ondi is unexpectedly plucked from relative obscurity to be Inaugural Poet for our nation's first female president. The job comes with one devastating condition -- she must be outed, represented before the world as a transgender female. The play includes timely and important references to immigration, diversity, as well as gender and sexual norms. Happily it includes characters that are L, G, B, T and more. At this moment the other roles are being cast More: Raggedy And at Pride Films and Plays David Valdes Greenwood site Raggedy And by David Valdes Greenwood, directed by Cecilie D.Keenan, and featuring Delia Kropp as Ondi Rivers, has previews on Thursday and Friday, March 10 and 11 at 7:30 ($15). Regular performances are Thursday, Friday, and Saturday at 7:30pm and Sunday at 3:30pm through April 10. Tickets are $22 Thursdays, and $27 on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. Discounts are available for students and seniors. The performance is at Rivendell Theater, 5779 N Ridge, and tickets can be purchased at 1-800-737-0984 or online at www.pridefilmsandplays.com. I was invited to participate in a fall fundraising show for Pride Films and Plays. To make a short speech talking about a PFP project I'm involved with, and to introduce the popular singer Honey West. My expectations were very modest, mostly to sit in the cramped dressing room for nearly all the show and then pop on for my little bit, and sit backstage some more. The outcome was entirely different. Executive producer David Zak introduced me to several persons, including the legendary Alexandra Billings. He had me sit right next to her, in the front row, from where I watched the entire performance. In fact I sat with two other transgender iconic entertainers, Honey West and Chili Pepper. There were excerpts of other Pride Films and Plays shows, some musical songs, and very entertaining fashion parades featuring the exquisite designs of longtime PFP designer. Alexandra opened and closed the evenings with her cabaret style humor and singing, marvelous numbers that were almost shocking in their intensity, courage and honesty. Thankfully a PFP member recorded the final songs and I added a few captions to be sure Alex's lovely words didn't get lost. These clips are embedded below. My own modest speech went very well. Moved by the moment, I spoke with a conviction and feeling that surprised even myself about my upcoming project for Pride Films and Plays, about the debt I owed the legendary transgender performers in the house tonight, and then I introduced Honey. My reception was very positive, and after many in the audience mentioned how they were moved, and eager to see my work later in the season. It was definitely a Cinderella evening in virtually every way, one that was a milestone, a true turning point.
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