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Peterson Toscano has shaken up Bible scholarship and received high praise for his groundbreaking, genre-bending, gender-blending Bible interpretations. By unearthing the gender stories of people in the Hebrew and Christian scriptures, Toscano’s one-person performance deepens well-known (and lesser-known) Bible stories and presents an array of Bible characters with an array of genders. The DVD contains two beautifully filmed, high definition versions of Peterson’ groundbreaking work—a performance lecture (60 min) and the full dramatic play (45 min). Watch it on your own or with a group for entertainment, study, or inspiration.
Toscano brings a deep reverence for the Biblical text with him into his exploration of gender transgression. This play is mesmerizing and compels the viewer to see well known Bible stories in a brave new light.
-Nadia Bolz-Weber, author of Pastrix: The Cranky, Beautiful Faith of a Sinner & Saint
I applaud Peterson for bringing to the fore in this play a new way of looking at the Bible! Bravo! No, bravissimo! I had to look at my own sexual stereotypes and how I bring them to biblical interpretation!
-Michael Willett Newheart, Professor of New Testament Language and Literature, Howard University School of Divinity
Bible-lovers, gender-transgressors of all sorts, people who love justice! Make haste to see Peterson Toscano's play Transfigurations as soon as possible! His biblical exegesis is insightful and accurate, and you will glean a whole new perspective painlessly because of his charming performance.
-Virginia Mollenkott, Author of Omnigender
In a word, Peterson is phenomenal. I was hooked in fifteen minutes. I sat there, watching him bring moments of scripture to life in ways I had not considered, and scrambled to figure out how soon I could bring him to my campus. It turns out, he’s even more delightful in person. His compassion matched by conviction and a wickedly smart sense of humor, a rare combination, make interactions with Peterson memorable, uplifting, and often life-changing.
-Dr. Jennifer G Bird, PhD, Bible scholar, speaker, and author. www.permissiongrantedthebook.com
Peterson Toscano has the rare gift of being able to simultaneously open the pages of Scripture and the minds of his audience, enriching both by his creative use of humour and drama, laughter and tears, challenges and uplifts. His performances are not to be missed!
-Lorne Calvert, Premier of Saskatchewan 2001-07, Principal St. Andrew’s College
As a Jewish Studies scholar, educator, and activist for TBLG inclusion in Jewish communities, it was a thrill to see confident transgender characters from the Hebrew scriptures given flesh via the performance activism of Peterson Toscano –and, more importantly, to recognize through his performance that those characters fulfilled social roles in Jewish communities as gender variant folk. Bring Transfigurations to your shul and create an opportunity to dialogue about present-day transgender people in Jewish communities.
-Noach Dzmura, Editor, Balancing on the Mechitza: Transgender in Jewish Community, and Director, Jewish Transitions
A brilliant theologian and playwright, the work of Peterson Toscano not only shifted my own connection to biblical texts, but helped me reimagine how working within communities of faith might be possible. A necessary artist to know for LGBTQ activists, environmentalists, faith leaders and humans everywhere.
-J Mase III, Black/trans/queer poet
For the past decade, Peterson Toscano has dug deeply into the intersection of faith and queer culture, coming up with pieces that are incisive, explanatory, thoughtful, kind to all parties, and moving. He has paired these performances with lectures and discussions that draw in viewers of all sorts of backgrounds, getting them to truly engage with the material.
-Ben Guaraldi, Quaker and filmmaker from New England Yearly Meeting
Toscano's excellent theater chops morph characters and identities in that world-changing way only performance allows. His writing and philosophy educate and loosen the tightest knots of queer and religious entanglements. But it's his heart, which his engaging presence radiates, that will pull you in, warm you up, and leave you pleading for an encore.
-Scott Turner Scofield, Transgender actor, artist, solo performer & diversity speaker.
Peterson Toscano's work combines astute readings of the Bible with great story-telling and comedy. He offers interpretations of the texts and insights that even experienced biblical scholars haven't seen before. When portrayed by Toscano, Bible stories and characters come to life with wit, sympathy, and humor.
-Dale Martin, PhD Woolsey Professor of Religious Studies, Yale University. Author of Sex and the Single Savior