[NEohioPAL] An Open Letter: My personal experience with Christine Howey's Exact Change

[Sean Derry via NEohioPAL]

Just a few years ago my wife, Alanna, and I made the drive north from Akron
to Cleveland Public Theatre, where Christine Howey was debuting her
one-woman show, Exact Change, directed by Scott Plate.

Having been involved with theatre in N.E. Ohio for many years, I was well
aware of Christine's writing as a theatre critic for Cleveland Scene and
her personal blog Rave & Pan. There have been countless Thursday mornings
where Alanna and I would find ourselves huddled around a computer screen to
read Christine's latest theatre review. Whether she loved a particular show
or hated it, whether you agreed with her or not, you have to admit that
Christine's writing is sharp, witty, intelligent, deeply researched, and
just plain fun to read.

Though I didn't personally know Christine, I had met her many times before
and after our shows at The Bang & The Clatter Theatre and none too fragile
theatre. Christine was always soft-spoken and very un-assuming. Although I
heard about her past as Richard Howey through the gossip circles that too
often permeate our industry, I could not begin to understand or relate to
what I had come to believe about her story.

Having grown up in a small town in S.E. Ohio, my circle of influence has
always been quite small and though I have travelled extensively, studied
and worked abroad, I have never personally known an individual who was
transgender besides Christine. So, when I heard about Exact Change opening
at CPT, I felt that I needed to be there. I owed it to others like
Christine. I owed it to society as a whole. Most of all, I owed it to
myself to step out of my "norm", my comfort zone, my tiny social circle, to
better understand the life journey of someone who I had always respected
professionally.

Outside of knowing that Exact Change was about Christine's life journey
first as a man and then later as a woman, I was in the dark to anything
else. It was so much more. With each poetic monologue, I was mesmerized by
her story, amazed by her talent as a performer and humbled by her
courageous spirit as an individual. I am a better person for having
experienced Christine Howey's Exact Change that night. It was because of
that experience that Alanna and I asked Christine to bring her story to
none too fragile theatre. Akron audiences needed this same experience and
opportunity to be challenged, blessed and truly ministered to. Thankfully,
she obliged! That was two years ago. Since then, Exact Change has evolved
and grown as a story and is now an Independent Film.

In just three weeks on Wednesday, June 21st, Christine Howey's film, Exact
Change will receive its World Premiere at the Capital Theatre in the Gordon
Square Arts District @ 7pm. Get your tickets at the following link:

squareup.com/store/exact-change

You would be remiss to not purchase tickets for this one-nigh- only
experience that will go a long way in helping Christine's brave story and
tremendous performance make that leap to an International Audience that it
so deserves!

There are also "Donation Level" tickets available for those who would like
to make a tax-deductible contribution to help in the distribution of the
film. For those interested, please visit the following link:

bit.ly/2ppvsNO

For more info about this project, please visit the following links:

Website: www.exactchangethefilm.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/exactchangehowey

I can only hope that by sharing my personal experience with this project,
some of you reading may be interested or even intrigued to witness for
yourself...

Thank you for your time and attention,

-sean derry-

Co-Artistic Director @ none too fragile theatre
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