In this rapid moment of expansion in queer theatre, when everything is exposed, interrogated, and investigated, This is Beyond is a time capsule of where we are now and a map for where we might go next. Co-editors Evan Tsitsias and Bilal Baig strike out to capture the magnitude of this seismic shift, asking: How far have we come? What’s changed? What’s stayed the same? What do we need to do to continue to change things? An anthology that moves like a satellite in the sky, This is Beyond confronts and expands our current perceptions so that we may continue to explore the new and unknown.

Monologues, essays, and opinion pieces speak to the transformation of queer theatre through a myriad of diverse experiences, using stories, myths, and magic to unveil the intersections of queerness and cultures. Each piece gives voice to what it means to be a member of the queer community in an ever-evolving society, offering actors of every culture and generation empowered queer stories to play with, ponder over, learn from, and embody within our current cultural moment.

Evan Tsitsias' profile page

Bilal Baig (she/they) is a writer, actor, and producer for stage and screen, as well as a workshop developer and facilitator for art-focused non-profits. Baig’s published works include their first play, Acha Bacha (2020, nominated for the Dayne Ogilvie Prize from the Writer’s Trust of Canada), and an anthology of monologues they co-edited for queer/trans artists titled This Is Beyond (2023). Baig was a co-creator, executive producer, and lead actor in their Peabody Award–winning series Sort Of (2021–2023), for which Baig received the Canadian Screen Award for comedy writing and performance, as well as a Gotham Award nomination for performance in a new series. Baig has facilitated creative writing and playwriting programs for trans artists, BIPOC artists, and trans youth, including Trans Gemmes (2019–2020), Paprika Festival’s Playwrights Unit (2019–2023), Being Me (2023–), and Dialogue Dolls (2023–).

Bilal Baig's profile page

"This is Beyond is a lightning rod, providing compass points to queer students, soon-to-be queer artists, and curious minds, in the face of significant erasure within the Canadian archive."

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