‘A Transparent Musical’ Celebrates Gender Diversity and Jewish Schtick

‘A Transparent Musical’ is an uplifting musical comedy that celebrates gender diversity, the Jewish community, and inclusivity and acceptance

Last week, my hubby and I attended Opening Night of A Transparent Musical at the Mark Taper Forum in downtown Los Angeles. This fun-loving new musical is written by Joey Soloway and Faith Soloway and is based on the original trailblazing Amazon Prime TV series Transparent.

A Transparent Musical features many of the same characters and themes depicted in the original television show, however the story, catchy memorable music and upbeat dance numbers are all new. The show centers around the Pfefferman’s, an angsty and relatable Jewish family living in Los Angeles. This refreshing and timely story is told from the perspective of the youngest child Ali Pfefferman, played by Adina Verson, as she navigates the ups and downs of self-discovery and gender identity. Ali’s dysfunctional Jewish family is filled with secrets and typical family problems, however when her parent, Maura – played by Daya Curley – transitions to the transgender matriarch she always knew she was, the family is forced to confront their own identities, personal struggles and learn how to navigate their strained relationships with one another.

Beginning with the pre-show Jewish Community Center schtick, I was instantly transported to my younger days attending Jewish summer camp in my teenage years. The songs, announcements and fun-loving characters really captured the vibe and nostalgic memories of my Jewish youth and it quickly sucked me into the the world of Transparent. I found the entire show fun, entertaining, clever, relatable and uplifting and really enjoyed the humorous songs, dance numbers and relatable characters.

Personally, I thought A Transparent Musical was incredibly refreshing, timely, relevant and I really appreciated that all of the trans and nonbinary characters in the show were are played by trans and nonbinary actors. Because of this diverse and inclusive casting, I especially loved that the show allowed me to transcend thinking about the characters with conventional gender labels like he/she/they or them to identify the actors and instead it allowed me to see the characters as people rather than putting them in a box or labeling them one way or another.

And I think that is the whole point of this show, to learn to accept and understand a person for who they are no matter what they look like, how they dress, what gender they identify with or who they are attracted too. Although I consider myself pretty liberal, open-minded and accepting, this show expanded my understanding and appreciation of the queer community even more, and when a show has the ability to shift my perspective and leave an indelible impression like that, that is why I love live theater so very much!

Needless to say, A Transparent Musical checks all the boxes for me! It is entertaining, fun, memorable and mind expanding and if you enjoy shows that have the ability to both entertain and transform you in some way this show is a must see in my book!

A Transparent Musical is now playing at the Mark Taper Forum in Downtown Los Angeles through June 25, 2023. Get your tickets HERE