This time last year, non-binary actor Temídayo Amay was delighting audiences as Gifty, in Round House Theatre’s production of Jocelyn Bioh’s “School Girls; or, the African Mean Girls Play.” The rangy actor gave a terrific comedic turn as a minion to the top girl at a boarding school in Ghana in 1986 where cliques, beauty pageants and skin tone were the chatter of the day.
For their efforts, Amay won a Helen Hayes Award for Outstanding Supporting Performer in a Play—the honor was presented via Zoom earlier this month (postposed from May because of Covid-19).
Although this year’s awards were adjudicated through a binary lens, they were presented through a gender inclusive format. Next year will be different.