F.E.M. (For Every Man) A one-man show by Erik Dillard

One of the reasons I decided to return to Atlanta when I left the Book of Mormon national tour is the great Theatre that can be found here. I’ve seen some amazingly poignant productions in the A. I had the instinct that if worked hard enough to learn my way around and met the right people I could do some really impactful work here as a performing artist.

Erik Dillard showed me once again what it was like to create in a very impactful way. He was completely himself in doing it too. Quoting his synopsis of the show, “Writer and Producer Erik Dillard has brought a masterpiece to stage in this glamorously, gag-fully gripping one-(wo-)man show about the life of a small-town church-boy with big dreams and an even bigger heart… Erik walks us through the unique stages of his life as he navigates through hyper-masculine expectations and norms to the journey of fully accepting the gift that is femininity. Ironically, through the eyes of this gay Black man, people from all walks of life will discover their own personal version of what it means to be F.E.M.”

YouTube sensation and HBO show creator, Issa Rae recently identified that the most specific stories are the most universal. Dillard’s play proves this. He’s been through many things I’ve never experienced, but his truth was undeniably relatable. Themes of being ostracized, doubting yourself, and overcoming childhood traumas are ones that most people can relate to. What F.E.M. inspires its audience to do is look in the mirror and sheed negative energy in order to become your most authentic self. I gained an invaluable lesson, and you can to because the show is still running at Good Acting Studio’s theater in Marietta.