Latest news with #drag
Yahoo
13 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Want to be a drag performer? There's a class for that at this Montreal college
With sequins, big makeup and raunchy jokes, drag is an art form that has long been rooted in nightlife, the social heart of many 2SLGBTQ+ communities. But in a time of growing visibility and political challenges, this rich, nocturnal culture has found another home: in a Montreal classroom. At CÉGEP du Vieux Montréal in the city's Ville-Marie borough, a unique course is introducing students to the world of drag, turning a college studio into a safe space for creative expression. CBC contributor Nadia Trudel attended courses, rehearsals and shadowed performers in the lead-up to their annual end-of-year showcase. The project is the brainchild of Ian Gamache, a cultural animator at the CEGEP, who noticed the increasing democratization of drag and saw an opportunity. "My goal was to make drag more accessible to CEGEP-level students. I think this kind of project is necessary," he said. "CEGEP is a crucial step in personal development and this kind of project empowers students." To bring his vision to life, Gamache reached out to Susie Richard, an old friend with a diverse background in improv, social work and drag, in 2022, wondering if she could picture a drag troupe at the school. Navigating the CEGEP's winding stairways, Richard explains how her drag career started about nine years ago through Cabaret Mado's "Drag-Moi" competition series for newbies. Over the years, she honed her skills, first developing her drag queen character Daisy Wood, then creating her drag king persona Derek Wood. Now, she's sharing her expertise with the new generation. The CEGEP's drag troupe, which completed its third edition in May, boasts a more progressive approach to drag, which embraces not just the gay cisgender men who long dominated the field, but also cisgender women, trans, non-binary and genderqueer artists. While registration for the class is first open to students, any remaining spots are open to the general public. Over the course of the year, students dive into drag history and learn essential stage skills, from movement to crowd work. They also sharpen their lip sync technique and fine-tune their makeup and wig skills. They also develop their drag personas, accompanied by names that, in true drag fashion, are often chosen for their explicit humour, theatricality or to reflect a character. Among the troupe's members this year are performers like Casanova, a master of comedy and drama, who's become a prolific performer around Montreal, Glory (Comma) Whole, a dance-trained Y2K party girl, and Gatekeep Electra, debuting a suave drag king persona this year to complement their drag queen persona, Gaslight Electra. "I'm bisexual and non-binary, so in my head there's a lesbian and a gay man fighting for their spot, but neither of them pays rent," they said. Wig, makeup, lip sync curriculum Richard explains that developing the curriculum for the drag course was "difficult on so many levels," because drag itself is complex. "Every unit could have its own semester, but we have to touch on everything," she explains. To support the students, Richard brings in guest instructors, including Lady Boum Boum of Canada's Drag Race, who has given makeup lessons. While her own start came from drag competition shows in Quebec City, she gushes about the benefits of the troupe. "Most of the time when you're booked at a bar, you're not there to learn, you're there to deliver. The classes let students practise without any rush or stress," said Lady Boum Boum. With a little over a month left before the end-of-year showcase, it's time for rehearsals. Here, there are no fake lashes or wigs — there's just talent and the comfort of a safe space. Richard compliments good use of stage and developed characters, recommends a "bigger" lip sync, asks for more eye contact and urges the perfectionists of the group to let go. Beyond the curriculum, the class addresses the practicalities of drag. As it wraps up, students trade thrift store tips, share rhinestoning techniques and lend items to one another. "There's mutual aid between students; they create a little community," Richard explained. Like in the real world of drag, a spirit of scrappy creativity is essential to put together a look. But here, the CEGEP provides quality wigs and a trunk of makeup to help ease the usual financial burden of starting drag. "When you start drag in your bedroom and you know nothing, it's difficult to know where to start, so we offer that first show and a first contact with the world of drag," Richard added. It's showtime — and the mic holds power The final class in early May is a sentimental affair. P'tit Méné describes the pride of inviting people to your "family's" drag show. Puck says that no matter what happens, everyone should be proud. When a member of the group breaks down after a recent personal tragedy, the entire troupe comes together for a group hug. This sense of community feels especially urgent amid growing hostility toward the 2SLGBTQ+ community. In interviews, some performers lamented the outrage around drag storytime events and the attacks on trans rights — including Alberta's ban on youth gender-affirming care (which is currently paused), library restrictions on books with 2SLGBTQ+ content and Quebec's new policy forcing trans inmates into prisons based on anatomical sex. They emphasized drag is innocuous fun, and Richard explains it's "an art form like any other." "A lot of people sexualize drag, because they sexualize gay people and women," she said. It's now showtime, and the CEGEP's student-run Café L'Éxode is buzzing and packed to maximum occupancy. Casanova's mom, sitting front row, rarely misses a performance and gushes about how much everyone has grown since last year. Over the next hour and a half, the performances represent much of drag's diversity: the music ranges from the 80s to the 2020s, drama and seduction blend into comedy, there's choreography and improv, maximalism and minimalism, "old-school" and "new-school" drag co-exist. It's a showcase of drag's potential to play with gender and beauty. . After running around the room during her performance of Blur's Girls and Boys, Puck is stripped down and breathless on the mic. "It's a small revolution that I'm on this stage," she said, "and I hope that tonight you'll go home and have small revolutions. Wear clothes you were told you couldn't wear; feel sexy in a body that you were told you couldn't feel sexy in." As the show comes to a close, Richard, in her drag king persona Derek Wood, meditates on the transformative power of drag. In a world where political dialogue often devolves into judgment and fear, she believes drag offers a different path forward. "Sometimes the heart speaks louder than words," Richard said. "I think drag has this power to educate people, not through words, but through the heart."
CBC
a day ago
- Entertainment
- CBC
Want to be a drag performer? There's a class for that at this Montreal college
Social Sharing With sequins, big makeup and raunchy jokes, drag is an art form that has long been rooted in nightlife, the social heart of many 2SLGBTQ+ communities. But in a time of growing visibility and political challenges, this rich, nocturnal culture has found another home: in a Montreal classroom. At CÉGEP du Vieux Montréal in the city's Ville-Marie borough, a unique course is introducing students to the world of drag, turning a college studio into a safe space for creative expression. CBC contributor Nadia Trudel attended courses, rehearsals and shadowed performers in the lead-up to their annual end-of-year showcase. The project is the brainchild of Ian Gamache, a cultural animator at the CEGEP, who noticed the increasing democratization of drag and saw an opportunity. "My goal was to make drag more accessible to CEGEP-level students. I think this kind of project is necessary," he said. "CEGEP is a crucial step in personal development and this kind of project empowers students." To bring his vision to life, Gamache reached out to Susie Richard, an old friend with a diverse background in improv, social work and drag, in 2022, wondering if she could picture a drag troupe at the school. Navigating the CEGEP's winding stairways, Richard explains how her drag career started about nine years ago through Cabaret Mado's "Drag-Moi" competition series for newbies. Over the years, she honed her skills, first developing her drag queen character Daisy Wood, then creating her drag king persona Derek Wood. Now, she's sharing her expertise with the new generation. The CEGEP's drag troupe, which completed its third edition in May, boasts a more progressive approach to drag, which embraces not just the gay cisgender men who long dominated the field, but also cisgender women, trans, non-binary and genderqueer artists. While registration for the class is first open to students, any remaining spots are open to the general public. Over the course of the year, students dive into drag history and learn essential stage skills, from movement to crowd work. They also sharpen their lip sync technique and fine-tune their makeup and wig skills. They also develop their drag personas, accompanied by names that, in true drag fashion, are often chosen for their explicit humour, theatricality or to reflect a character. Among the troupe's members this year are performers like Casanova, a master of comedy and drama, who's become a prolific performer around Montreal, Glory (Comma) Whole, a dance-trained Y2K party girl, and Gatekeep Electra, debuting a suave drag king persona this year to complement their drag queen persona, Gaslight Electra. "I'm bisexual and non-binary, so in my head there's a lesbian and a gay man fighting for their spot, but neither of them pays rent," they said. Wig, makeup, lip sync curriculum Richard explains that developing the curriculum for the drag course was "difficult on so many levels," because drag itself is complex. "Every unit could have its own semester, but we have to touch on everything," she explains. To support the students, Richard brings in guest instructors, including Lady Boum Boum of Canada's Drag Race, who has given makeup lessons. While her own start came from drag competition shows in Quebec City, she gushes about the benefits of the troupe. "Most of the time when you're booked at a bar, you're not there to learn, you're there to deliver. The classes let students practise without any rush or stress," said Lady Boum Boum. With a little over a month left before the end-of-year showcase, it's time for rehearsals. Here, there are no fake lashes or wigs — there's just talent and the comfort of a safe space. Richard compliments good use of stage and developed characters, recommends a "bigger" lip sync, asks for more eye contact and urges the perfectionists of the group to let go. Beyond the curriculum, the class addresses the practicalities of drag. As it wraps up, students trade thrift store tips, share rhinestoning techniques and lend items to one another. "There's mutual aid between students; they create a little community," Richard explained. Like in the real world of drag, a spirit of scrappy creativity is essential to put together a look. But here, the CEGEP provides quality wigs and a trunk of makeup to help ease the usual financial burden of starting drag. "When you start drag in your bedroom and you know nothing, it's difficult to know where to start, so we offer that first show and a first contact with the world of drag," Richard added. It's showtime — and the mic holds power The final class in early May is a sentimental affair. P'tit Méné describes the pride of inviting people to your "family's" drag show. Puck says that no matter what happens, everyone should be proud. When a member of the group breaks down after a recent personal tragedy, the entire troupe comes together for a group hug. This sense of community feels especially urgent amid growing hostility toward the 2SLGBTQ+ community. In interviews, some performers lamented the outrage around drag storytime events and the attacks on trans rights — including Alberta's ban on youth gender-affirming care (which is currently paused), library restrictions on books with 2SLGBTQ+ content and Quebec's new policy forcing trans inmates into prisons based on anatomical sex. They emphasized drag is innocuous fun, and Richard explains it's "an art form like any other." "A lot of people sexualize drag, because they sexualize gay people and women," she said. It's now showtime, and the CEGEP's student-run Café L'Éxode is buzzing and packed to maximum occupancy. Casanova's mom, sitting front row, rarely misses a performance and gushes about how much everyone has grown since last year. Over the next hour and a half, the performances represent much of drag's diversity: the music ranges from the 80s to the 2020s, drama and seduction blend into comedy, there's choreography and improv, maximalism and minimalism, "old-school" and "new-school" drag co-exist. It's a showcase of drag's potential to play with gender and beauty. . After running around the room during her performance of Blur's Girls and Boys, Puck is stripped down and breathless on the mic. "It's a small revolution that I'm on this stage," she said, "and I hope that tonight you'll go home and have small revolutions. Wear clothes you were told you couldn't wear; feel sexy in a body that you were told you couldn't feel sexy in." As the show comes to a close, Richard, in her drag king persona Derek Wood, meditates on the transformative power of drag. In a world where political dialogue often devolves into judgment and fear, she believes drag offers a different path forward. "Sometimes the heart speaks louder than words," Richard said.
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Self-professed 'radical feminist' Reform councillor appears in court after row over drag act 'gyrating' at Pride festival
A Reform UK councillor is facing trial after being accused of remonstrating with staff at an LGBTQ festival over a drag artiste's 'gyrating' stage show. Self proclaimed 'radical feminist and mum' Amanda Clare, 54, was arrested after she was seen taking pictures of transgender performers dancing and singing in front of children at this year's annual Winsford Pride in Cheshire. The former Labour councillor, who defected to Reform in March, had previously accused stall holders at the event of targeting children with 'sexualised and ideological merchandise that promoted medical gender transition.' She also complained about a man dancing in a burlesque style at the 2024 festival, who was wearing skimpy women's knickers and star-shaped nipple stickers. Clare, who is known as Mandy, claimed she did not attend the festival again, in June this year, to protest or cause trouble but went along because she had a 'legitimate safeguarding role.' However, witnesses said she was seen videoing acts and 'storming' the stage as a drag artiste performed in front of young families. Video footage posted online showed an apparent altercation and Clare being handcuffed and led away as a reveller at the festival waved what appeared to be sex toy at her. Today Clare, of Tilston, Malpas, appeared at Chester Magistrates Court charged with assault on security guard Richard Welsh and criminal damage to his camera. She claimed she was simply acting in 'self-defence' and pleaded not guilty to both charges. She was bailed, on condition she does not contact Mr Welsh, and will stand trial at the same court in December. Clare was handcuffed by security guards after being accused of remonstrating with staff at the LGBTQ festival over a drag artiste's 'gyrating' stage show. Earlier, Clare, who represents Reform UK on Cheshire West and Chester Council, launched a 'crowd justice' fundraising campaigning to pay her legal fees for the case. So far she has received donations of almost £2,000. She said: 'I attended this event not to protest against it, but within a legitimate safeguarding and policy-compliance role, as a local councillor, having managed to secure an acknowledgement by event organisers of previous mistakes having been made. 'At last year's (2024) Winsford Pride, not only did one stall target sexualised and ideological merchandise that promoted medical 'gender transition' directly at children, there was also a drag performance that involved a man dancing in a burlesque style, wearing skimpy women's knickers with a clown face over the crotch area and star-shaped nipple stickers that were removed during the performance. 'The act profusely apologised to the event organisers for this error of judgement after I repeatedly applied pressure for him not to be invited back, but he was re-booked for 2025 regardless, albeit with stricter guidelines in place. 'So I was attending within my councillor capacity and for a very legitimate purpose, not to protest or cause a problem, and was hoping the 2025 event would be much improved, which some elements of it were. 'I strenuously deny any wrongdoing whatsoever at the 2025 Winsford Pride event. Much malicious misrepresentation has taken place online regarding this case and my alleged actions, however to avoid any risk of prejudicing the case I will not comment further on the detail of what happened. 'We need our local councillors to feel willing and able to ensure adequate safeguarding and political neutrality within publicly-funded organisations and events and to be able to speak up and defend ourselves, if and when when issues do arise. 'It is really important, not just for justice in my own personal case, but for democracy to remain functional and for our children to remain safe.' Clare was a member of the Labour Party when first elected in Chester's Winsford Dene ward in 2019, but left in March 2022 to join the far-left Socialist Labour Party. She was then a member of the Party of Women and the hyper-local Winsford Salt of the Earth Party, before settling as an independent in July 2024. She defected to Reform UK in March but is currently suspended from her her work in the office of Sarah Pochin, the Reform MP for Runcorn and Helsby.
The Guardian
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Midnight at the Palace review – glittering tribute to San Francisco's flamboyant Cockettes
This riotous ensemble captures the countercultural spirit of the 1970s and the heart of the San Francisco drag outfit the Cockettes from the off. Playing the psychedelic theatre troupe made up of hippies and drag queens, these eight performers are magnetic, conjuring up a cabaret wildness between them. They sing, dance and sashay out from beyond a red curtain in outre outfits. Allen and Adcock's costumes are stone cold fabulous: a storm of fishnets, feathers, kooky dresses, long socks and bodices. There are Sgt Pepper jackets twinned with ballerina tutus and a dazzle of sequins. The choreography by Paul McGill is cheeky, quirky, cute. It is all so imaginative, and winning. The one – significant – setback is that there is just not enough to Rae Binstock's skimpy book. The Cockettes get together, make it big in San Francisco and are booked for New York, but their opening night is a flop, so they go back home. You get a sense of what this LSD-taking troupe stands for and that they become their own chosen family. But there is no filling in of the details so you do not learn much about their avant-gardism, and that they endeavoured to put their lifestyle on stage. There is a central tension between Hibiscus (Andrew Horton, whose song, A Crab on Uranus, is a highlight) and Sylvester (Gregory Haney, just as good with his song, There's a Lady on the Stage). The former refuses to go to New York but this fallout is not carried through. Hibiscus merely makes a return by the end of the play when all is well again. The bigger political anxieties of the time waver in the background via 'read all about it' news-stand summaries, from the Vietnam war to the assassination of Martin Luther King, race riots and National Guard violence against protesting students. It's broad-brush and, at times, the sense of anarchy on stage trips over into confusion. Under the direction of McGill, it is not always immediately clear what is going on. This is not helped by a sound system that seems to over-amplify voices so that lyrics are occasionally hard to discern. The singing is still sparky, with Baylie Carson, who plays Sweet Pam, especially characterful. We hang on for Brandon James Gwinn's songs as well as the dance and glitter of the performances. And despite the dearth of story, there is such zest and infectious joy to the show that it enlivens you, mayhem and all. At Big Yin at Gilded Balloon Patter House, Edinburgh, until 24 August All our Edinburgh festival reviews
CTV News
31-07-2025
- Entertainment
- CTV News
Can I get an amen? RuPaul to perform at Montreal's Piknic Électronik
RuPaul Charles poses at the premiere of the documentary film "Bob Mackie: Naked Illusion," at the Directors Guild of America, Monday, May 13, 2024, in Los Angeles. (Chris Pizzello/AP Photo) Category is…dancing under the Montreal sunset – and make it fierce, ok henny? RuPaul, the self-proclaimed 'Queen of Drag,' is set to light the dance floor on fire with some charisma, uniqueness, nerve, and talent at Piknic Électronik this summer. The popular outdoor electronic music festival announced Thursday that the sickening Drag Race judge will perform in September at Parc Jean-Drapeau. 'Surpriiiiise! On this first day of Montreal Pride, we're excited to announce that the iconic RuPaul will be performing a DJ set at Parc Jean-Drapeau on Sept. 13,' the festival posted on Instagram. 'You know the name… but if you've never seen RuPaul behind the decks, now's the time. Expect dance, pop, house, disco and guaranteed good vibes, your fave night out of the summer, no doubt.' Tickets go on sale next week for anyone wanting to head purse first to the festival. RuPaul is scheduled to perform as part of the OfF Piknic, a spin-off series of the regular season featuring high-profile artists. Other big names this year include Polo & Pan, Peggy Gou, Purple Disco Machine, Carl Cox, and Nora En Pure. Piknic Électronik, founded in Montreal in 2003, takes place every year, welcoming partygoers from May to October. The only thing left to you can't love yourself, how in the h--- you gonna love somebody else?
