In a performance loaded with great dialogue, perhaps the most emblematic one in Summer Minerva’s As Sylvia came in the first third of the show: “I LIKE being Sylvia!”.  The line was perfectly suited to have been spoken by both Sylvia Rivera herself, or by Sylvia’s spiritual godchild, played by Minerva in this loving and provocative theater piece.

Sylvia Rivera was born on July 2, 1951, and died at the too-soon age of 50 on February 19, 2002.  The five decades of Rivera’s life–spanning from the ’50’s to the early aughts– was marked by enormous changes in American culture as a whole, and in LGBTQ culture in particular.  Sylvia had truly seen it all in her often VERY turbulent life, especially when it came to the politics of the queer community.  It’s safe to say that this bona fide New York City mover-and-shaker had witnessed some massive changes in America’s perception of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people happen in real time.  Today, in 2025, the legacy of Sylvia Rivera as an LGBTQ activist cannot be overestimated; some would rightfully say that her mission remains more important than ever in this current political climate. Thankfully, Rivera’s tireless and mostly selfless sense of community spirit has survived in many ways, over 20 years after her death.  The Sylvia Rivera Law Project, named in her honor, was established in 2002.  The corner of Christopher and Hudson Streets in New York City’s Greenwich Village (two blocks away from The Stonewall Inn) was renamed “Sylvia Rivera Way”.  Metropolitan Community Church (MCC), of which Rivera was an active member of, has a food pantry called the Sylvia Rivera Food Pantry, and its well-known queer youth shelter is called Sylvia’s Place in her honor.  Out of all the ways in which Rivera survives in the public consciousness today, this may be the most meaningful; Having survived life on the streets at age 10, Sylvia was a passionate advocate for queer youth. While so much has changed, the ongoing prejudices against LGBTQ people has sadly remained the same– and some would argue that it has even gotten worse as we see the dawn of 2026.

Sylvia Rivera also survives in a generous amount of artwork, theater, and written materials created about her or inspired by her– or both.  On September 28th, 2025, As Sylvia, a one-person show written and performed by Summer Minerva, was presented as part of the Emerging Artist Theatre’s SPARK Theatre Festival 2025.  Directed by Jenna Worsham, this one-person show succeeds as both a loving and educational tribute to Sylvia Rivera as well as Summer Minerva’s modern-day character’s own nakedly candid personal story. (I am not sure how much that modern-day character is based on Minerva themself, if at all…) As Sylvia succeeds in bringing the lives of its two subjects together — and, best of all, it makes it both entertaining and educational. 

As Sylvia opens with Minerva’s character receiving the colloquial “dick pic” by someone named “Dante the Alpha TOP”– a very modern phenom for which I’d give ANYTHING to know how the late Sylvia Rivera would have reacted to, BTW…  The moment sets the stage for Minerva’s young, Italian-American, transfemme character getting ready for a date, which the audience gets to watch.  This character is enjoying a playful albeit cautious sense of freedom which Rivera, arguably, may never have gotten to enjoy herself– but who was indisputably a force in helping get there today.  The opening moments of As Sylvia are both hilarious and oh-so-real for anyone who is navigating the battlefield of queer dating in 2025. There’s even a funny but sweet preparatory incantation of sorts dedicated to the “pioneers of drag”.  One of the items which is unmistakable in the character’s apartment– even from the last row of the theater– is a framed black and white photo of Sylvia Rivera– AKA “Mother Sylvia”.  The character reveals how, in college, they performed as Sylvia in a “living exhibition”. The performer dutifully did their research.  Soon afterward, it became a mutually inspirational relationship, with Rivera acting as a no-nonsense modern-day muse and Summer Minerva’s plucky heroine keeping the activist’s legacy alive.  

Even with a brief hour of running time, As Sylvia packs a wallop. The audience will get moved by the learning of our protagonist’s bittersweet childhood, when the feeling of being “different” was more scary than inspiring.  The joy came with visits to the garden apartment of their Nonna Rosalia, who became the child’s saving grace by merely letting them (Gasp!…) BE THEMSELF!  The stories, which continue through the character’s adulthood, are occasionally difficult to hear– but are ultimately life-affirming in their exploration of undiluted survivalism. And speaking of “survival”: Even though many LGBTQ people believe they already know a lot about Sylvia Rivera, there will be a LOT more to learn in this production, including the debunking of many myths about the Stonewall Riots, and the vivid revisiting of the Greenwich Village of old. This reviewer, for one, did not know the meaning of “scare drag” until seeing this show.  (FYI: “Scare drag” is a style of drag which was purposefully less refined than the “high” drag of queens who wanted to give off that so-called “real girl” essence.)

Video footage of Sylvia Rivera– which was presumably part of the research used to create As Sylvia— survives to this day.  When watched today, a lot of the footage is something of a “bitter pill” for anyone wanting to learn the REAL history of LGBTQ rights; It’s difficult to watch but thoroughly essential.  One of the most famous videos is one from the 1973 Christopher Street Liberation Day Rally, where Rivera was originally booed by the crowd who were resistant to inclusion of drag queens and transgender people in the gay rights movement.  Her reaction put the audience to silence.  It’s real, raw, and unfiltered– and of course, it’s the essence of Sylvia Rivera’s persona.  Some may have been intimidated by her candor– but absolutely NO ONE could disagree with her.  Summer Minerva speaks about this vital moment in their show; and more importantly, the eternal message of this vital moment proves to be more important than ever. 

Summer Minerva’s As Sylvia is a fine mix of laughter, tears, and real-life history– always a great combination for a live theater experience.  The relatively small space of the third floor of New York City’s Chain Theatre really suits the intimacy of this one-person show.  The creative lighting touches are also appreciated.  But it’s Summer Minerva’s passionate performance that makes this show so uniquely satisfying– especially when the artist changes voices and mannerisms when moving between the Sylvia of yesteryear and Sylvia’s modern-day spiritual protegee.

Let’s hope we can have another “date” with Sylvia Rivera and Summer Minerva.  The two are a match made in transgenerational LGBTQ heaven.  

(Photos by Banbi Everson.)