chicagoreader.com – By Carol Burbank
Before I Disappear
Bailiwick Repertory
Is it a boy or a girl? A child is usually easily classified at birth, but in the 90s, by the time it’s an adult, there’s no guarantee it’ll act its gender. Just as blurred as the social scene is contemporary performance, with cross-dressing explorations and gender-blind casting opening up new possibilities for actors and audiences alike. Even when the performer’s gender is obvious, playful role reversals are more the norm than the exception. And in the radical realm of gay theater, performers can stretch the boundaries of social and sexual convention with the fey wave of a masculine hand. With the upsurge of camp and politicized cross-dressing in theater, there are more ways to entertain and disturb audiences than ever before.