In this smart, moving autobiographical solo show, Christine Howey takes us from her infancy (the performance opens with a projected slide of Howey as a baby) through middle age, when she completed her gender transition. Along the way, we learn about her failed marriage, her dalliances with cross-dressing and drag, and her frequent obsession with suicide while she was coming to grips with her identity. The show is based on the performer's poetry, adapted for the stage by Howey and director Scott Plate. For the most part, the material works well, with poetic flourishes that are barely noticeable. But there are some clunky transitions: At one point, Howey segues from self-deprecatingly describing the first time she successfully "passed" in public ("I have achieved the older woman's state of transparency—of being passed over") to discussing the tragic death of Cece Dove, a young trans woman who was brutally murdered in Cleveland in 2013. Both stories are compelling, but Howey's abrupt shift from the deeply personal to topically political is jarring, especially so late in a show that focuses exclusively on her own journey. Minor missteps aside, however, Howey tells a remarkable, vital story with uncommon warmth and humor. You'll be rooting for her from the start, and her happy ending feels well-deserved.—Ethan LaCroix
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