This event takes place in the Black Box Theater at the Paideia School. This event is free and open to the public but registration is requested.
Charis and the Paideia School welcome Tommy Dorfman in conversation with E.R. Anderson for a discussion of Maybe This Will Save Me: A Memoir of Art, Addiction and Transformation, a luminously written, bracingly honest, and structurally audacious memoir of an artist whose vision transcends mediums.
"I'm determined to get to know the real Tommy, to trace the shape of my scars."
For years, Tommy Dorfman turned her back on her thoughts and emotions, hoping they'd simply go away.
After a lifetime of confusion, she finally gained clarity around her gender and began to transition.
But there were still parts of herself she'd locked away, elements of her story that she needed, for the first time, to fully confront.
She sought guidance in a tarot deck.
Maybe This Will Save Me is structured through the cards of that tarot pull. The youngest of five children, she grappled with her own identity from an early age and spent her teenage years numbed by drugs and alcohol. At the same time, she harbored dreams of creative stardom and a desire to make herself seen. Charting her early struggles in theater, her rise to fame in 13 Reasons Why, her hard-fought journey to sobriety, and the relationships that shaped her, Maybe This Will Save Me is a luminously written, bracingly honest, and structurally audacious memoir of an artist whose vision transcends mediums.
About the Author
Tommy Dorfman is an Atlanta-born Brooklyn-based writer, director, and actor. Her debut feature film, I WISH YOU ALL THE BEST, premiered at SXSW in 2024 and will be theatrically distributed in 2025. As an actor she will be making her Broadway debut is Sam Gold's Romeo and Juliet at Circle in the Square in 2024, and is known best for her work in Netflix’s 13 Reasons Why. Her production company, Down the Line, launched in 2024 and is focused on shining a light on various human experiences not yet told in film, television, and theater. She holds a BA from Fordham University, is the recipient of a GLAAD Award, and loves being gay. Maybe This Will Save Me is her first book.
About the Conversation Partner
Charis Circle Executive Director, Errol "E.R." Anderson (he/him) manages the programming, fiscal, and daily operations of Charis Circle, and is always interested in the ways our communities can share skills and resources. A native Atlantan, E.R. came to Charis as one of the founding members of the Young Writer's Group in 1997, and has enjoyed helping build connections between communities of activists, artists, and academics in this city ever since. E.R. co-facilitates the Gender Creative Parenting Collective and our Trans and Friends support group. When not at Charis, E.R. is working on a novel, And Let God Sort Them Out.
About the venue:
- Masks are encouraged but not required.
- This event takes place in the Black Box Theater at the Paideia School.
- Parking will be available in the Junior High Garage on Oakdale Street (ADA accessible).
- The Black Box Theater is wheelchair accessible.
The event is free and open to all people, but we encourage and appreciate a donation of $5-20 in support of the work of Charis Circle, our programming non-profit. Charis Circle's mission is to foster sustainable feminist communities, work for social justice, and encourage the expression of diverse and marginalized voices. Donate via our website: www.chariscircle.org/donate.
Please contact us at info@chariscircle.org or 404-524-0304 if you would like ASL interpretation at this event.
By attending our event, you agree to our Code of Conduct: Our event seeks to provide a harassment-free experience for everyone, regardless of gender, gender identity and expression, age, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, body size, race, ethnicity, religion (or lack thereof), class, or technology choices. We do not tolerate harassment in any form. Unsolicited sexual language and imagery are not appropriate. Anyone violating these rules will be expelled from this event and all future events at the discretion of the organizers. Please report all harassment to Charis staff immediately or email info@chariscircle.org.
