The idea for The Joy Who Lived festival was initially sparked by the desire to amplify transgender and nonbinary art during the run of the Harry Potter play in Hollywood, as a week-long counterpoint to JK Rowling?s transphobic influence in the global community. We?d initially planned a few variety and comedy shows and a new play reading featuring trans and nonbinary theater artists. By the time I began pre-production on Festival events, the whiplash-inducing speed with which trans rights are being systematically taken away by the current US administration had made supporting trans voices not just a creative opportunity, but a moral obligation and an urgent need. 

This galvanizing moment helped the festival grow beyond our initial conception. Our call for theater artist pitches yielded dozens of proposals. We decided to expand our scope and extended the festival to fill the entire month of April, including more full-length readings, workshop productions of short-form projects, full productions, workshops, showcases, and a variety of live events. By saying yes to the volunteers eager to share their time and talents, we found ourselves surrounded by a dedicated community who made every show a success. It became clear that our community and its allies are hungry for connection, via in person social opportunities and virtual access to gender-affirming, positive representation. Even though we?d expected The Joy Who Lived to be a one-off event, the community response was so warm and appreciative, we decided to undertake a second festival before the final week?s events had even begun.