Review: Shakina kicks off Diversionary’s 40th season

UNIVERSITY HEIGHTS – The third-oldest LGBTQ+ theater in the nation, Diversionary Theatre, is kicking off its 40th season with help from Shakina Nayfack, artistically known as Shakina.

The Hollywood and NYC musical theater alum is in San Diego through Oct. 19 for the world premier theatrical production of the solo show she wrote and stars in.

Shakina toured the show for 10 years with music director Jacob Yates as a cabaret piece with original music that tells the true story of traveling to Thailand for neovaginal surgery.

Sacred, profane title

In truth, Shakina speaks frankly about the medical procedure which inverted her penis and scrotum into a vulva. The show’s cabaret roots come through in raunchy tales and there is no deficit of mature content.

However, the first word of the title, referencing the spiritual practice of manifesting, is just as significant.

Shakina explores the religious implications of remaking her body after years of childhood prayers that her mind and body would align. She forms a profound connection with an abused matron elephant while volunteering at a Thai refuge in the weeks before the surgery.

The show is a meeting of the sacred and profane.

A decade of touring through bars and venues has refined the story to be compelling and funny. The meat of the show has merit. Diversionary brought the accoutrements that enhanced the show, rather than carrying something along with weak material.

“This is really extraordinary to have a piece of solo theater that you do with a friend for 10 years and then suddenly have a group of 25 people be like, ‘We’re going to help you make that an epic piece of theater,’” Shakina said on opening night.

She performed “Manifest P” in a few nights with piano at the Clark Cabaret at Diversionary last year. She was brought back for a full theatrical production and run.

Power of name recognition

As theaters have struggled to regain audiences after the pandemic shuttered Broadway, many have turned to the cachet of of celebrity names to make increasingly costly shows profitable.

Shakina may not be as famous as actors Keanu Reeves or Denzel Washington as they hit Broadway this year, but she is known within certain communities as a trailblazing trans actor, writer and producer.

Her connection to the development of the Tony and Pulitzer Prize-winning “A Strange Loop” carries weigh. In turn, its writer, Michael R. Jackson, composed the music for “Last Night in Bangkok,” a hilarious song of existential thoughts while hanging out with sex workers ahead of Shakina’s gender-affirming surgery.

In addition, Shakina is the first trans person to have a starring role on a major network comedy show, NBC’s “Connecting.” She wrote, produced and guest starred in the musical finale episode of the Emmy Award-winning show “Transparent.”

“You could have had anyone do this. You could have chosen anyone to direct it, and it could have gone anywhere. I am so grateful that you trusted me,” said Artistic Director Sherri Eden Barber to Shakina on opening night. This is Barber’s directing debut at Diversionary, who just finished her first year as artistic director there.

High-caliber team

The production team was a mix of Barber’s and Shakina’s professional connections, as well as local creatives. Barber brought on her former business partner Clifton Chadick as scenic designer to create a lounge-like stage with touches of Thailand. For Barber’s vision, local lighting designers all recommended recent San Diego State University grad Sammy Webster for the role, who brought an aliveness to the dark theater.

Shakina had longtime collaborator Miguel Barragan as the costume designer. Barragan’s clothing choices fleshed out changes in settings as well as the moving song “Wear You,” a serenade to the fluffy princess gown Shakina was shamed for playing dress up with as a child. Projections from Nick Hussong also made that scene feel visceral.

The full power of how such a high-caliber team could turn a solid cabaret show into something incredible erupted during “Elephant Song (Spirits Don’t Break)” by Nikko Benson.

In a delightful moment, Shakina demonstrates her walks with an elderly elephant by pulling a trunk over her shoulder from a backpack. She puppets the trunk and sings in the animal’s voice in a song about overcoming abuse.

“Jason James Johnson made that puppet and made sure that that puppet was able to adapt to all of Shakina’s body and movement and rhythm,” Barber said. “We’re so grateful again. These are people that usually charge an abundance of money to do anything.”

After Shakina steps behind a curtain, animated shadows on the curtain bring multiple elements together to create a walking elephant. To Barber, it was a pivotal of collaboration.

“I always knew we had something special,” Barber said. But it was while making the elephant that she “knew we had something transcendent together.”

The show has been extended twice. Now it plays through Oct. 19 with 7 p.m. performances Thursday through Saturday and Sunday matinees at 2 p.m. at Diversionary Theatre, 4545 Park Blvd. in University Heights. For the box office, call (619) 220-0097 or visit diversionary.org.