LONG BEACH, Calif. (April 9, 2018) – Long Beach Lesbian and Gay Pride is proud to announce American actress, teacher, singer, and activist Alexandra Billings will be participating as the Celebrity Parade Grand Marshal in the 35th Annual Long Beach Lesbian and Gay Pride Parade on May 20, 2018. Billings is among the first openly transgender women to have played a transgender character on television. Alexandra stars as “Davina” in Amazon’s multi-award winning television series “Transparent.” She has guest starred on “How to Get Away with Murder,” “Grey’s Anatomy,” “E.R.,” the pilot “Nurses” opposite Lynn Redgrave and the Ryan Murphy pilot “Pretty/Handsome.” She starred in the ABC film “Romy and Michelle: A New Beginning,” one of the first times a transgender actress played a transgender character in the history of television. Her life story “From Schoolboy to Showgirl: The Alexandra Billings Story” for PBS television was nominated for an Emmy for Best Documentary.

Alexandra is an Associate Professor of Theater at USC. She earned her Masters at Cal State Long Beach, and taught there for several years. She is a Viewpoints Associate at The Steppenwolf Theater and has taught in schools across the country. “Thank you Long Beach Pride™! It is an honor to be back in Long Beach and to be recognized by a community that I love so dearly”, said Alexandra Billings. “I am truly inspired by the unity of my LGBTQ++ brothers and sisters, especially our younger Trans generation, that continues to step forward in courage to express to the world that we have the right to be who we are born to be”, continued Billings.  In the recently released feature film “Valley of Bones,” Alex stars as a rancher opposite Autumn Reeser and Rhys Corio. In a recurring arc on the television series “Goliath,” she stars as a judge opposite Billy Bob Thornton. In both cases, she plays roles that are non-trans-specific.

Alexandra has been acting since 1968 and has performed across the United States in hundreds of plays and musicals. Her autobiographical musical “S/He & Me” was performed at The Renberg Theater in Los Angeles. She’s played everyone from “Mama Rose” in “Gypsy” to “Mrs. Lynde” in “A Doll’s House.” Most every stage role is considered to be a first for a transgender actress. Her one-woman autobiographical show “Before I Disappear” toured from Chicago to Boston to Los Angeles, and was performed off-Broadway at The Producer’s Club, winning rave reviews and running for over ten years. She originated the role of “Aiejandra” in “Time to Burn” by Charles Mee at the Steppenwolf Theater in Chicago and toured to off-Broadway in Jeff Richmond and Michael Thomas’ camp classic “Hamlet! The Musical!” Alex’s cd “Being Alive” produced by Ralph Lampkin Jr. was up for Grammy consideration. She is the recipient of five After Dark Awards and a Joseph Jefferson Award.

Ms. Billings’ activism stretches across the continent. In 2016, she moderated a panel during Transgender Awareness Month at the White House; she has won the TPA Award, The Rainbow Spirit Award, and was inducted into the Gay and Lesbian Hall of Fame in Chicago. She is a regular contributor to The Huffington Post.

Labeled one of the nation’s best Pride venue, Long Beach Lesbian & Gay Pride is proud to carry on this annual event to move equality forward in America and allow festival goers a safe environment to be who they were born to be. The annual Long Beach Lesbian & Gay Pride Parade will be held on Sunday, May 20th, with step off at 10:30 am on the scenic Ocean Blvd at Lindero Avenue. The Long Beach Lesbian & Gay Pride Festival is Saturday, May 19th and Sunday, May 20th.

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Contact:
Elsa Martinez
Publicity Committee
Long Beach Lesbian and Gay Pride, Inc.
publicity@longbeachpride.wpengine.com
(562) 480-0933