MANIFEST P*SSY
Written & Performed By Shakina
Directed By Sherri Eden Barber
Music Direction by Jacob Yates
September 17 – October 12, 2025
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DECADE SPONSOR: Joann Clark
LEAD PRODUCTION SPONSOR: Tom Abbas
SUPPORTING PRODUCTION SPONSOR: Sara & Theresa Carroll
CAMEO PRODUCTION SPONSORS: Melody & Roman Velaruz, Lindsey & Joan Deaton
Show Details
About the Show
A rock concert/standup special/ritual sacrifice that follows Shakina’s pilgrimage to Thailand for gender confirmation surgery. A journey of faith and trans liberation, Manifest Pussy combines Shakina’s raw and irreverent autobiographical storytelling with brand new songs by multiple award-winning and emerging musical theatre writers.
Running Time: 90 minutes
Special Nights and Low Cost Tickets
Low-Cost Previews: September 17 – 19
First Friday for the Military: September 19, 7:00 PM
Complimentary tickets for active duty and veterans.
Opening Night: September 20, 7:00PM
A Gay Play Tuesday Reading of Chonburi International Hotel & Butterfly Club by Shakina Nayfack: September 23, 7:30 PM
Join us for a very special Gay Play Tuesday salon-style reading of Shakina Nayfack’s Chonburi International Hotel & Butterfly Club, which tells the story of a vibrant, international group of transgender women who band together at a hotel in Thailand to confront the challenges and joys of gender confirmation surgery. RSVP HERE!
Pre-Show Event — Backstage Thursday: Director’s Happy Hour: September 25, 6:00PM
Post-Show Discussion — Blurring the Binary: September 28, 4:00 PM
Join us, after the matinee, for a panel discussion featuring local transgender and gender nonconforming artists, who will discuss how their artistic practice, advocacy, and activism combine to help make a more gender-affirming world.
Pay-What-You-Will & Industry Night: September 29, 7:00PM
Pre-Show Event — Backstage Thursday: Designer Spotlight: October 2, 6:00PM
Post-Show Discussion — Manifesting Liberation led by M. Myrta Leslie Santana: October 5, 4:00 PM
Join us, after the matinee, for a post-show reflection on Manifest Pussy and trans performance as liberatory practice, led by UC San Diego professor M. Myrta Leslie Santana. Myrta is an ethnomusicologist and performer whose work examines the social and political significance of trans and queer performance in the Americas.
Daily: Before and after performances
Come to the show early to enjoy our Clark Cabaret, open one hour before the show time and will remain open after the show.
Cast
Shakina Nayfack – Known artistically by the mononym Shakina, she made Television history on NBC’s Connecting… as the first transgender person to play a series regular on a network sitcom, and is a two-time Critics Choice Awrd winner for her writing and directing on NBC’s Quantum Leap. Shakina can also be seen guest starring in Amazon’s GLAAD Award-Winning Transparent Musicale Finale, which she helped write and produce, and Hulu’s Difficult People as the iconic trans truther, Lola.. Her play Chonburi International Hotel & Butterfly Club premiered on Audible in 2020 in collaboration with Williamstown Theatre Festival and was recognized with a 2021 Drama League Award for Best Audio Theatre Production. She is the Founding Artistic Director of Musical Theatre Factory, where she helped to develop hundreds of new musicals including Michael R. Jackson’s Tony and Pulitzer Prize-winning A Strange Loop and her own autobiographical glam rock odyssey, Manifest Pussy. Recognitions include The Lilly Award for Working Miracles, Theatre Resources Unlimited Humanitarian Award, The Kilroys List, Logo 30, and two-time Drama League fellow and two-time OUT 100 honoree.
The Creative Team
Coming Soon!
COVID-19 Policy
We are no longer requiring masks in our theater. Masks are still encouraged to help keep our performers and audience members safe, but they are not required.
NOTE: This policy is subject to change at any moment to reflect changing local, state, and federal regulations. Please return before your scheduled performance date to see our most recent policy.
About Season 40:
LOVE AS REVOLUTION
Decade Sponsor: Joann Clark
Each production in our milestone 40th Anniversary Season is a testament to the transformative and unifying force of love, showcasing the beauty of acceptance, understanding, and empathy. As we come together to experience these powerful stories, we invite our community members to join us on a journey of exploration and connection, celebrating the rich tapestry of human experiences.
