Words by Bea Bundang and Kai Magboo
Photo courtesy of Trans Midya

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The creation of The Trans Actor is fluid in its process and structure—mirroring the very nature of the queer experience.

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The Trans Actor is a workshop-performance produced by Trans Midya, a group that advocates for the representation of trans people in the field of theater and media. Set to be showcased on June 28 and 29 at Myra Beltran’s Dance Forum in Quezon City, The Trans Actor features the lived experiences of actors Serena Magiliw and Zoë de Ocampo as they navigate the Philippine film and theater industry.

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Maia Dapul, the producer, shares their stories of working on The Trans Actor with a small but tight-knit company of queer people as they embrace a unique approach to storytelling, while reflecting on the queer identity within the Filipino context.

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Going with the flow

The Trans Actor does not confine itself to the traditional structures of a play. There is no beginning, middle, or end set in stone ahead of time. Instead, the story reveals itself through consistent workshops and rehearsals with the actors and those involved in the production.

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“It’s really a process-oriented exploration of Serena and Zoë’s experiences… It’s more experimental. It really is meant to be something that the audience interacts with, and in that moment, you are part of the performance as well,” Maia explains.

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They take it day by day. All of the rehearsals and workshops are done in Maia’s house, creating an intimate and personal space for the actors. Maia talks about how they spend full days together as they go through the devising process. Each day begins with a prompt that acts as the catalyst for the conversations and ideas they would create. They talk about their past experiences and the lessons they’ve learned. They do arts and crafts activities and practice old techniques they learned during their college days. By doing activities that encourage reflection, they become able to express themselves and their queerness through the performance they will produce. Each day ultimately shapes what The Trans Actor will become on opening night.

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The production began with a grant from the Urgent Action Fund for Women’s Rights, Asia and Pacific (UAF A&P) awarded to Serena, leading to the formation of Trans Midya. This opened space for collaboration with Maia and other creatives. United by a goal to uplift the trans and non-binary community, the team developed a multi-phase project, with The Trans Actor as the second phase, shaped by the stories it aims to tell.

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“It always felt like each day [of rehearsal] was a big thing, and yet at the same time, it’s just a tiny drop in the water of the giant ocean of experiences of trans and non-binary folks in the Philippines,” Maia illustrates.

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They recall how every rehearsal felt like group therapy, which allowed them to examine their own queer experiences and outward towards the Filipino queer community as a whole. The challenge of not knowing what the next rehearsal day would offer pushed Maia and the two-member cast to give in to the fluid nature of the project.

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Reflections on representation

While noting the self-referential nature of the production, Maia elaborated on their perspective on representation within the spaces that these trans actors occupy. When asked if they considered theater spaces to be inclusive and safe for those on the gender queer spectrum, Maia responds:

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“I think it wants to be, and I think it says it is.”

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Following that statement, they reveal their desire for more consideration towards and transformation of marginalized communities when putting on productions. With great hopes for both the trans and acting communities and the areas that they intersect, Maia recognizes these efforts and celebrates them.

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On the topic of representation, Maia expounds that inclusivity does not mean merely existing within the same environments. Rather, inclusivity entails making active efforts to empower marginalized groups and to create enough social, economic, and political support for these people to express themselves and tell their stories without fear of oppression.

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Empathy, solidarity, community

As the workshop makes its debut this coming weekend, Maia left us with two messages that Trans Midya hopes for its audience to take away after watching The Trans Actor.

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To its cisgender audience, they aspire to evoke feelings of empathy and sensitivity for trans and non-binary struggles within the Philippines in production spaces such as film and theater. From there, they hope that cis folks will become more proactive in rallying for change within their communities, platforming trans and nonbinary artists so they can tell their own stories. They implore viewers to continue to support productions, such as The Trans Actor, and several other efforts to uplift these marginalized sectors of the LGBTQIA+ community.

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To its trans and non-binary audience, they hope for them to gain a sense of solidarity and community—to feel less isolated in their experiences. That improvements and development are possible. The Trans Actor aims to both recognize the nuances that create these queer experiences, while simultaneously attempting to help others  find comfort in knowing that there are moves being made to encourage betterment. Through this production, create a safe and engaging environment to engage with art created with them in mind.

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Hope can be found through teams like Trans Midya and projects like The Trans Actor. This Pride Month, Maia Dapul, alongside the Trans Midya team leave their onlookers with a message that inspires greater efforts towards a more kind and inclusive world—for both those affected by the discrimination and oppression harbored towards members of the trans and non-binary community, and those who courageously fight alongside them.

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