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Musician, writer, performer and activist Cidny Bullens will bring his autobiographical one-man show, “Somewhere Between: Not an Ordinary Life,” to The Hill Arts in Portland for two performances this weekend.

Cidny Bullens will perform his one-man show this weekend at The Hill Arts in Portland. (Photo by Travis Commeau)

The 90-minute multimedia performance traces Bullens’ journey from Los Angeles in the mid-1970s to his life today as a grandparent, husband, author and advocate. Music is at its heart, and the show also incorporates photographs and video segments from Bullens’ life and career.

Bullens, who lives in Maine, debuted the show in 2016 and performed it in five states, including here.

Reviving it now was intentional.

“The reason I’m bringing this show back is because of the times we’re living in,” said Bullens.

Cidny Bullens is a trans man with a career dating back to the mid-1970s, when he met Elton John and was invited on three tours as a backup singer.

On the soundtrack to the hit 1978 musical “Grease,” Bullens, a two-time Grammy nominee, sings lead on “It’s Raining on Prom Night,” “Mooning” and “Freddy, My Love.”

Back then, he was known as Cindy, and remained so for the first 60 years of his life. He’s comfortable with using Cindy when referring to his past experiences.

Bullens came out publicly as trans in 2012.

“The show is my small way of letting people know that trans people are just people,” he said.

The embers for the revival were sparked a couple of years ago.

“I’ve been thinking about it since 2024, about the need for sane voices, centered voices about the trans experience,” said Bullens, who said he’s outraged about what he says is false information, vitriol and hate directed toward trans people.

“I feel attacked personally, and I feel my community is attacked. I’m not unique, I just happen to be in a certain group of marginalized people that is particularly out in front today,” he said.

Bullens said he feels compelled to be vocal. “I feel a need to be a voice. My story is all I have, and my story is unique because I lived for 60 years as a woman, had a career, had children and lost a child. I’ve been through a lot in my life as a woman. Then at a later age I decided to transition into who I knew I was since I was three years old.”

Bullens hopes to shift the thinking of even just one person who comes to the show.

“Somewhere Between: Not an Ordinary Life” will feature seven songs.

One of the most moving parts of the show comes when Bullens plays “Mockingbird Hill” while home videos are projected. There will also be photos and video clips of Bullens on stage with Elton John.

The show will open with “Sensible Shoes,” and also includes the song “Boxing with God.” After talking about the death of daughter Jessie in 1996 at age 11 from Hodgkin’s disease, Bullens will play “Somewhere Between Heaven and Earth.”

Bullens’ most recent album is 2023’s “Little Pieces.” The tune “Lucky For Me” will close out the performance on a rollicking note as Bullens sings about being alive and kicking and ringing the bell as the party goes on.

A documentary called “The Gender Line,” about Bullens’ life, was released in 2019.

Four years later, in 2023, Bullens released the memoir, “Trans electric: My Life as a Cosmic Rock Star.”

Bullens has released 10 solo albums along with four others as a member of The Refugees.

7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday. The Hill Arts, 76 Congress St., Portland, $35 in advance, $40 at the door. thehillarts.me.