Some of the theater community celebrated Labor Day on Monday with the TRANS MARCH which set out to call attention to the erasure of trans bodies within the theatre and entertainment industries.  Organized by Sis, an actress and activist in the theatre community and founder of the Next Generation Project who said “With this march, my hope is to start the conversation so that we can better navigate gender identity within the entertainment industry. This is an announcement that we are here. You cannot erase us from the narrative that we are part of.”

The event was partly organized in response to openly gay producer Cameron Mackintosh’s recent statements that transgender casting in classic musicals is a “gimmick.” Participants seized upon the opportunity for transgender members of the industry to reclaim an ongoing debate about casting, inclusion and access.

Mackintosh,  producer of “Les Misérables” and “The Phantom of the Opera,” subsequently tried to clarify his remarks, insisting that he was speaking specifically about re-casting the lead role in his musical version of “Mary Poppins” with a trans actress.

According to a report in Broadway World “The march started at Sheep’s Meadow in Central Park and continued on into the heart of New York City. With Sis, were Peppermint, Ianne Fields Stewart, Jayae Riley Jr., Qween Jean, and former “Jagged Little Pill” cast-members Iris and Nora Schell.