Posted on Thu, May. 11, 2006
Former girl sheds shirt. Nudity?
Program finds another venue after CPCC rejects show over issue
JULIE YORK COPPENS
Theater Writer
Is it nudity when a guy takes off his shirt?
What if that guy spent the first 20 years of his life as a girl?
The answer was ambiguous enough to keep Scott Turner Schofield's solo show, "Underground TRANSit" off the stage at Central Piedmont Community College.
The poetic monologue traces Schofield's journey from a teenage lesbian and "almost-homecoming queen" to an adult man. Sometimes the performance ends with a brief glimpse of Schofield's chest.
"As much as possible, we avoid controversial programming," said Kim Rentz, facilities manager for CPCC's Overcash Academic and Performing Arts Center. The building opened in November and includes the 1,000-seat Halton Theater and a 175-seat recital hall.
Specifically, Rentz said, "We don't allow nudity here."
Administrators at Queens University of Charlotte made a different call, agreeing on short notice to host "Underground TRANSit" for one performance Friday.
"Queens welcomes works of art that ask us to re-think issues of the day and basic human issues," said Norris Frederick, vice president for academic affairs, and chair of philosophy and religion. "We don't have written rules about what's appropriate or not in a play on campus but rely on good judgment in the particular situation."
This spring, Charlotte actor/producer Elyse Williams applied to rent the smaller CPCC hall. She's known Schofield since the 1990s, when he -- then a she -- was a Charlotte Latin student named Katie Kilborn.
Now 25 and a performer based in Atlanta, Schofield has toured "Underground TRANSit" to venues all over, including several public N.C. campuses.
Williams planned the show as a benefit for the nonprofit Time Out Youth, which is hosting a conference this weekend on transgender and other sexual-identity challenges facing teens. She searched for an affordable venue, but every small theater in town seemed to be booked.
Williams thought she'd found the perfect space in CPCC's recital hall -- until a few weeks ago, when Rentz asked Williams whether "Underground TRANSit" contained nudity.
The answer: That depends.
"I don't have Brad Pitt pecs or anything, but I look like a guy," said Schofield, especially since he began hormone treatment in October. "It basically came down to, if I didn't take off my shirt, I could do the show at CP. But that's censorship of my work."
Not censorship, said Cindy Johnston, dean of CPCC's Central Campus.
"Any performance venue reserves the right not to display materials they may find objectionable," Johnston said. "There are no written guidelines. ... We have standards we have followed over the years," and they apply to campus-sponsored performances as well as those by outside groups.
But "nudity" is subjective. In a recent campus production of "Jesus Christ Superstar," the actor playing Jesus wore only a loincloth for the Crucifixion sequence.
"A man who has always been a man is different, I think," Rentz said. "That's my own personal take on it."
Asked what audiences might have found offensive had Schofield exposed his torso on stage, Rentz said, "I try not to draw a (mental) picture."
Williams would have to take Schofield's show elsewhere.
"I was angry. I was hurt for Turner," she said. "I had to go back to the drawing board three weeks out. ... It prevented us from promoting the show adequately."
The Recital Hall at Queens, which seats 225, will suit the show well, the producer said, although conference attendees would have been able to walk to the CPCC venue from their uptown hotel.
"We do not have any intention of embarrassing or hurting anyone at CPCC. Kim (Rentz) was just doing his job," Williams said. "But on the other hand, you know -- is it nudity?"
ON STAGE
Underground TRANSit
A former "almost- homecoming queen" from Charlotte reflects on the transgender experience in this solo show.
WHEN: 9 p.m. Friday; talkback at 10 p.m.
WHERE: Suzanne T. Little Recital Hall, Fine Arts Center, Queens University campus.
TICKETS: $10-$15, with proceeds going to Time Out Youth.
DETAILS: (704) 344-8335; www.timeoutyouth.org.
Did CPCC make the right call in rejecting the show for its stage? E-mail Julie Coppens: jcoppens@charlotte observer.com.
COMMENTS
This
is not about nudity but about fear and a lack of understanding.
Posted by: Raine
5/11/2006 8:34 AM
Looks like CPCC Pres. Tony Ziess political views
are at work again! This is nothing new under his direction he has
all but eliminated the "Liberal Arts" Programs from CPCC
and this is just another nail in the Art Programs demise. It is sad
that Tony is allowed to use public funding for his own political agenda.
That is why my money is going to Queens University!
Posted by: Diane
5/11/2006 8:43 AM
He's worked hard to be where he is now, and
he'll be performing at a venue where you can choose to see nudity,
or violence, or adult situations-what have you. It's not like he'll
be doing it at an elementry school (in which case I wouldn't want
any "real" man taking his shirt off either). I think they
should let him do it.
Posted by:
5/11/2006 9:09 AM
To paraphrase Johnny Carson (as mediumed through
Dana Carvey), "That's weird, wild stuff".
I say let "him" take "his" shirt off. What's the
fuss about?
Posted by: Theodore "Ted" Vanzer
5/11/2006 11:44 AM
Way to go, CPCC -- your ignorance is showing.
I wonder if they could pick Scott out of a lineup with other topless
men? Kim Rentz didn't even see a photo before making that decision.
Posted by: Anti-Censorship
5/11/2006 11:46 AM
I SEE NOW WHY GRADUATE STUDENTS FROM CPCC LEAVE WITH AN IQ OF 15...HARD
TO BELIVE THERE ARE STILL PEOPLE THIS CLOSE MINDED IN A CITY THE SIZE
OF CHARLOTTE
Posted by:
5/11/2006 11:58 AM
"Fear and lack of understanding"....not
an accurate description. There is nothing wrong with someone who has
to make a decision about this deciding that it is inappropriate. Obviously
people trust his decision making or else he wouldn't be in that position.
Personally, the whole thing sounds wierd to me and I don't even care,
but I don't think it is right to get on someone for making a decision
like this.
Posted by:
5/11/2006 12:28 PM
CPCC is a publicly funded institution. They made the "politically-correct"
decision. Isn't it ironic...
Posted by: R. Mabry
5/11/2006 12:32 PM
I think Scott Turner needs to forget about the show and enlist for
a tour of duty in Iraq, now that he's a man.
Posted by: Need more cannon fodder
5/11/2006 12:35 PM
Shame on you CPCC. "As much as possible,
we try to avoid controversial programming." Huh? I thought college
campuses were where hot points of ALL issues were supposed to be showcased.
It looks like the narrow views of CP's leadership think otherwise.
Thanks for stepping up to the plate Queens.
Posted by: Danimal
5/11/2006 1:09 PM
I have to assume the plot or story or whatever
it is he/she is trying to convey must be pretty weak if it all comes
down to she/he taking her/his shirt off as some form of artistry...WEAK!!
Posted by:
5/11/2006 1:20 PM
i saw turner's show a few years ago in NYC and
i can reassure readers that this is not about a nudity for nudity's
sake. this is the story of a person's emotional, spiritual, and yes
PHYSICAL journey. at this moment, i am very proud to have moved away
from charlotte to NYC.
Posted by: liz
5/11/2006 2:37 PM
Hey "Need more cannon fodder," why
aren't you in Iraq right now? We don't need any more stupid rednecks
in the South. We're over quota.
Posted by: Disgusted
5/11/2006 2:55 PM
One could assume that the material is weak if
there's nudity in the piece. But you know what some people say about
assuming. It makes a you know what out of you. (Not me in this case.
I know better.) I went to school with Turner, and I've had the pleasure
of reading the piece. In my opinion, the decision to not stage this
piece has less to do with nudity and more to do with uneasiness over
its subject matter. I fear Mr. Rentz fears ever having to meet a person
like Turner. (BTW, I'll be there Friday night.)
Posted by: M.D.
5/11/2006 3:10 PM
anyone besides me think it is funny that now
she/he has to perform somewhere named "queens"?
Posted by:
5/11/2006 4:44 PM
To quote Ralphie's Dad from "A Christmas
Story"..."Why, that's NEWS, not that politics slop!".
Wow. Good for CPCC...even if the reason is lame LOL. How appropriate
that "Queens" college picked up this tripe.
Posted by:
5/11/2006 6:58 PM
Good call. Put it in some other venue.
Posted by: James
5/11/2006 7:56 PM
Another misguided individual trying to push their agenda on the American
public.
Posted by:
5/11/2006 8:39 PM
A couple of things:
1) Who's misguided, with an agenda? An artist who sells tickets to
informed adults--or those who decide what may be shown based on what
they think the actor's body may look like?
2) What is a man? What is a woman? If you look, sound, act, and live
as a man or a woman--if your whole world accepts you as that--do your
"parts" matter? If a woman loses parts of her female body
to cancer, is she not a woman? If a man has his man-parts blown off
in Iraq, is he not still a man? If a person lives their life with
integrity and honesty, does it matter what parts they have?
I hope everyone posting will come out and see the show. Then you will
have the right to your opinions.
Posted by: philospeak
5/12/2006 11:40 AM
I have seen the show as well and the nudity
is the tiniest point in what is otherwise an excellent piece of theater
and writing--whatever the identity of the writer/performer. We are
all blowing that part way out of proportion. Seems to me, this is
about what we think of this person's choices, not about his art. Go
see the show and then decide.
Posted by: reason
5/12/2006 11:42 AM
If
this controversy and the discussion surrounding it proves anything,
it is the degree to which gendered roles and expectations continue
to be strictly socially enforced, often times in outright hostile
ways. Many of the posted comments reveal ignorance and intolerance.
Here's a quick lesson: imagine this, on one side there is a box labeled
"male" on the other side, a box labeled "female".
This is called the "gender binary" Packed inside those boxes
are all the socially learned things that make up what we call "masculinity"
and "femininity." Now, imagine a line between those two
boxes, a continuum, any point on that line represents a combination
of those characteristics,not male and not female. It is true that
there are many people in this culture and in others who do not fit
into one of those two boxes. Humanity is too diverse to all fit into
those narrow constraints of human self expression. Scott Turner is
an example of a human who is true to themselves and will not be boxed
in. He shows that the gender binary does not represent the full range
of human experience of gender. He is an inspiration, his courage and
creativity empowers many people oppressed by this rigid gender system.
Sure, its not for everybody. Although, everyone could learn something
from his smart and introspective performance. As for CPCC, it sounds
like the personal prejudices and intolerance of a few individuals
with descision making power got in the way real understanding and
expressive freedom. The nudity debate distracts us from the real issue-
they did not accept Scott as a transgendered male, they were discriminating
based on his transgendered status, since other males have appeared
shirtless on thier stages before. It sounds like they need some education
themselves on transgender issues as well as diversity training. I
commend Scott, Time Out Youth, and Queens University for their efforts
in making a space in this culture for gender diversity, acceptance
and creative self expression.
Posted by: educate-not-hate
5/15/2006 1:44 PM
I find it endlessly amusing that it is acceptable
for an individual who is, in fact, pretending to be Jesus to be clothed
with only a loin cloth, only because he is a biological male. Yet,
Schofield cannot reveal his chest simply because he was born a girl.
So it's perfectly fine for Jesus to forget his pants, but not for
Schofield to show his chest. Ludacris.
Posted by: Clint
6/14/2006 4:31 PM