Man Behind the Curtain is an adaptation of the musical fantasy The Wizard of Oz combining live-action and projected video in both black-and-white and in color. A transgender Diana Ross impersonator resurrects Dorothy and provides the dramatic structure through her hit songs like ”Upside Down”(when Dorothy is swept away by the tornado) and ”Endless Love” (a duet with the heartless Tin Man).

The Scarecrow, Tin Man, and Lion join her quest down the yellow brick road through a reenactment of the Ma$e, Diddy, and Biggie collaboration ”Mo’ Money Mo’ Problems,” the instrumental of which contains a sample of Diana Ross’s “I’m Coming Out.” Cultural transvestism is conjured through the sampling and inspiration for the original song ”I’m Coming Out” which was written by Nile Rogers, a well-known hip-hop producer and a member of the band Chic, after a night of gay-bar hopping. ”Back in the day anyone who was on the cutting edge would go to the gay clubs for the vibe, for the outspoken artistry. Every time I went to a club opening, there were people dressed up like Diana. I thought, what would that moment look like when Diana Ross steps out on stage and sings the words ‘I’m coming out?’ What would the audience think?” (from Nile Rogers, Billboard Online “Artist of the day” Larry Flick, Feb 3, 2000).
Set in today’s get-rich-quick economy, Man Behind the Curtain, joins the roots of cultural production with commodity fetish. Live characters interact with screen characters through short dialogue excerpts from the original screenplay intermixed with song lyrics. For example, when Dorothy (as a transgender Diana Ross impersonator) encounters the scarecrow for the first time the original audio from The Wizard of Oz (Ray Bolger as the Scarecrow) will play over a reenacted and lip-synched scene.
Dorothy: [to Toto] Now which way do we go?
Scarecrow: [pointing] Pardon me, this way is a very nice way.
Dorothy: Who said that?
[Toto barks at scarecrow]
Dorothy: Don’t be silly, Toto. Scarecrows don’t talk.
Scarecrow: [points other way] It’s pleasant down that way, too.
Dorothy: That’s funny. Wasn’t he pointing the other way?
Scarecrow: [points both ways] Of course, some people do go both ways.

CUT to a live-action music video excerpt of ”Do You Know Where You’re Going To? ”

All characters are performed by two people, with the male characters (all with missing parts) being performed by myself and all female roles performed by a Diana Ross impersonator. Cast members embody a complex intersection of identity formation when character roles alternate between on-screen and live representations (for example, Dorothy will be live when the Wicked Witch of the West is on screen).

I am currently in the research and development phase of the project. I have secured support from Creative Capital and the Experimental Television Center and the use of TV studios through a BCAT/BRIC Rotunda Gallery Video Residency. The final performance will be 30 minutes.