By Kevin Wynn
Photos by Nadia Goodvin

Early on in his new show, Becoming a Man in 127 EASY Steps, transgender  performer Scott Turner Schofield dashes into the audience trailing long swaths of gauzy fabric and gently, encouragingly giving orders.

	Scott Turner Schofield, a man who was born a woman, relates his journey in Becoming a Man in 127 EASY Steps at Carnival Center

“Believe it or not, what I need you to do is make the straightest line possible,” he calls in a voice higher than most men’s but a tad low for a woman. “Pull it nice and tight over the clothesline—open it out all the way!”

Growing up in North Carolina, Schofield, like other kids, built lots of pillow forts. “I was a four year old Frank Lloyd Wright!” he crows during Becoming a Man.

Childhood images like the cushiony refuge, an innocent shelter in which innocence might be lost, ricochet through Schofield’s show like red rubber balls. A decoder ring, with numbers assigned to such loaded words as “butch” “femme” “trans” and “stealth” helps audience members choose stories for Schofield to tell.

And Schofield likens a set of prosthetic silicon testicles—which he may have implanted in his body as part of his gender reassignment process—to the super-bouncy balls that he played with as a little girl.

Becoming a Man, onstage January 25 and 26 at the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts, approaches a searingly difficult issue—being transgender and all the issues of gender and sexuality wrapped up in it—with homey, childlike games and Schofield’s abundant good humor.

	Portrait of a transgender man

“I had all these neat stories to tell,” he says. “I had to find a structure for them.

“The audience is the key to this show,” Schofield continues. “That’s always true. The show changes according to the audience and how they react.”

Schofield’s audience determines the shape of the show, and helps out in other ways as well. Once the pillow fort is built, Schofield hands out a boxful of props, later calling for specific items which help him tell one of his 127 stories. The audience is encouraged to shout “Chug! Chug! Chug!” as Schofield downs a beer during one story; at another point in the show the paying customers provide sound effects by buzzing like bees.

For his part, Schofield, a female-to-male transgender performer based in Atlanta, dresses (and undresses); sings karaoke (his karaoke anthem is the Dusty Springfield hit “Son of a Preacher Man”) and, with a broad black marker, diagrams the surgical procedures involved in physically turning a woman into a man on his naked body.

One hundred twenty-seven easy steps.  Right.

Schofield approaches his material directly and with wit. He’s unsparing and outspoken, but funny too. “I somehow got my grandfather’s aureolas,” he complains after a breezily gut-wrenching description of how a woman’s breasts become a man’s chest.

Set pieces like this—and a series of telephone messages from friends and doctors—punctuate the stories that are the main body of Becoming a Man. Schofield admits to knowing 127 stories, which may or may not be why the number appears in the show’s title.

	Childhood snapshot of Schofield as a young girl…

Running the number through his onstage decoder ring, Schofield finds that 127 represents “A body that’s queer and stealthy—it’s also a number that’s prime. It’s also a kinda complicated mouthful—like me.”

“It’s also part of my social security number, which apparently says everything about my identity, according to some people,” says Schofield.  “I am just waiting for someone to steal my identity!”

Shouting numbers that correspond to their perceptions of Schofield, the audience determines what stories he tells. During the show’s premiere run in Seattle, the stories ranged from a vengeful fantasy of tearoom sex involving his abusive father to a nearly idyllic tale of skinny dipping in Croatia.

Becoming a Man’s two-night Miami stand is the show’s first performance on the East Coast, the culmination of a week-long residency presented by Tigertail Productions as part of its SpeakOut project, which brings gay artists to work with Miami gay teens in schools and community venues.

Other related events include “Bending Gender in the New Millennium,” a panel discussion moderated by Lydia Martin of the Miami Herald and a series of workshops at local high schools.

	…and today as a young man

“High school students are the audience of my heart, “says Schofield. “High school is where I found theatre. High school is where I found my voice could matter.”

“Scott is amazingly clever at drawing people into his perspective with a light and engaging style, yet his work really challenges us to rethink our set perspectives on gender,” says Tigertail Associate Director Robert Rosenberg. “It is also groundbreaking to have the opportunity for him, as an artist, to work with Miami teens through his workshops.”

During a performance of Becoming a Man Scott Turner Schofield doesn’t get to tell all of his stories. He hopes that a few of his favorites bob to the surface. And Miami may see the debut of a new story that he hasn’t yet told.

“I recorded myself going into an Army Recruitment office,” he says. “I had a long talk with the recruiter about joining the Army and how that will make me a better man.”

“I hope that one comes up.”

Gender Gymnastics with Scott Turner Schofield Schedule of Events

Workshops
At area high schools and community venues for GLBT teens, Monday through Wednesday, January 21-23.

Panel Discussion: Bending Gender in the New Millennium
Tuesday, January 22, 7 p.m. at the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts Peacock Education Center, Knight Concert Hall, 1300 Biscayne Boulevard, Miami. Moderated by Lydia Martin; panelists include Scott Turner Schofield.

Becoming a Man in 127 EASY Steps
East Coast Premiere presented by Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts and Tigertail Productions.  Friday January 25 and Saturday January 26, 8 p.m. at Carnival Center Studio Theater, 1300 Biscayne Boulevard, Miami.

Radio Broadcast: “Topical Currents”
Wednesday, January 23, 1 p.m. on WLRN 91.3 FM.
An episode of the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts’ “Arts and Activism” series examining issues and ideas raised by new works presented this season at the Center. This installment explores the topic of gender identity with Scott Turner Schofield and others.

Tickets for Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts performances are $25 (same day half-price tickets for seniors/students/military at box office only) and may be purchased by calling 305-949-6722 or online at carnivalcenter.org.

Workshops and panel are free of charge. For more information on workshops and panel call 305-324-4337 or visit tigertail.org.

View a video clip from Becoming a Man in 127 EASY Steps at  tigertail.org/events_schofield.html

To learn more about Scott Turner Schofield, visit undergroundtransit.com