MOLLY BRENNAN, actor, Chicago:
“For American Idiot, the Green Day musical, at the Hypocrites in Chicago (Aug. 28–Oct. 25), director Steve Wilson has creatively cast it, reassigning songs and so forth to feature more women. St. Jimmy (the Billie Joe Armstrong part) is being played as trans by a trans performer. Power ladies Andra Velis Simon and Katie Spelman co-lead the production as music director and choreographer. And: Every Monday night at Beauty Bar, also in Chicago, is Jane Beachy’s Salonathon, featuring an outstanding array of performers, mostly women, trans folks, and queer artists. Jane is a hero. She provides a stage for extraordinary artists, in a safe, loving, welcoming environment. Her partner, Joe Varisco, hosts once a month, in addition to producing his ongoing ‘Queer, Ill, & Okay’ series.”