Photo Courtesy of Alex Orford
When most people think of theater, they do not think of an acting class held in a hallway of Hofstra’s Mack Arena. But for sophomore drama major Alex Orford, monologues interrupted by athletes running through the hallways were a frequent occurrence.
“It felt like I had signed up for something in a back alleyway and slipped some dudes five dollars to put me in there,” Orford said.
Despite an unconventional first experience with Hofstra’s drama department, Orford, who came into their freshman year as undecided, ended up declaring a drama major in Spring 2021.
“At the end of the day, drama was my first love. Always has been, always will be. And there’s nothing that can replace it,” Orford said.
For Orford, part of the appeal of the major is its relatability and opportunities for escapism. “It’s comedy. It’s tragedy. It’s joy. It’s sadness. It’s everything … even if you’re not a drama person, there is drama out there that is made for you.”
Live theater comes with an element of surprise that other forms of acting, like movies, do not have. “You could see the same show 10 different times, but every time will be a different performance,” Orford said. “That’s one of the things I love about live theater. It’s unpredictable. It’s wild, and you’re in for a new experience every time you go.”’
Orford’s relationship with theater is not always easy. As someone who identifies as non-binary and goes by they/them pronouns, Orford wrestles with their gender identity and what it means for their future in the entertainment industry.
They initially came out as queer when they were 13, unsure of how to label themselves at the time. Then, during the Trump administration, Orford said, “I went back into the closet. I was like, this is not worth it. I can’t deal with this. I’m not going to get any roles, none of that.”
During that time, Orford grew out their hair and “played the part of a straight girl.”
After arriving on Hofstra’s campus for their freshman year in August 2020, they started feeling more comfortable with their gender identity.
“I saw that I wasn’t the only one … and that was really inspiring to me,” Orford said. “I felt comfortable coming out as early as two months into my first semester here, which was freeing.”
However, Orford continues to wrestle with how their gender identity fits into their professional future.
“I debated going back into the closet after college,” they said. “I’ve debated deleting my social media and erasing any trace of my identity so that I can pass as the stereotypical Hollywood image.”
The pressure to appear gender-conforming stems, in part, from stereotypical work attitudes in the theater community. Orford says that they are concerned about the effect their gender will have on roles they are offered.
“I’m afraid that being non-binary in the context of my career is going to make people think that I can only play one type of role. ‘They’re non-binary, they’re mysterious or they’re the queer best friend,’” Orford said.
Despite those fears, Orford finds inspiration in figures like Neil Patrick Harris and Sir Ian McKellen, who challenged stereotypes about being queer in the entertainment industry. Harris portrayed Barney Stinson in “How I Met Your Mother,” a character who Orford says is “as far from a gay man as you can get on television.”
McKellen, on the other hand, came out as gay during the AIDS epidemic of the 1980s. Since then, he has gone on to earn honors such as knighthood, seven Laurence Olivier Awards and a Tony award.
“I sort of think if he can do it, if he can overcome all those obstacles … why can’t I?” they said. “Even now we’re seeing the first non-binary actor to ever be nominated for an Emmy walk the red carpet … we are turning so many corners in the entertainment industry and that is beautiful to me.”
While Orford says it is difficult to predict what the future holds for the discussions surrounding gender in theater, they look forward to returning to the stage at Hofstra. They are currently scheduled to perform the roles of murderer and Menteith in the University’s upcoming production of “Macbeth.”
In the future, Orford hopes to change how non-binary people are perceived both inside and outside the drama industry. One message that Orford hopes to share in their field is that “Queerness is pretty average. There is nothing out of the ordinary about being queer, being a queer actor, [being a] queer engineer or [being a] queer mathematician.”
Above all, Orford hopes “to bring a little bit of f—cking decency towards non-binary actors specifically … I would love to just sort of stand up and say: Hey, let me show you how it’s done, because Jesus Christ, we are not props. We are actual people and believe it or not, we’re talented too … I’d love to bring a little bit of controversy and a little bit of decency.”
