Shelley and Showbiz!

Isn't is strange how things work out...?

After missing out on being a part of Priscilla at the auditions, and after selling tickets at work each day, I managed to get myself involved some other way now!

I have kept it under wraps for a while until all was confirmed, but I can now announce that I will be an Official Hostess of exclusive Showbiz Packages for Priscilla at the Lyric Theatre, here in Sydney.

It's a very exciting partnership to embark on, and I look forward to meeting so many people from so many backgrounds during this time.

Basically, for those of you who don't know, Showbiz is a company that doesn't just sell tickets to the show, but also "Stay and See", "Dinner and Show", and "VIP" Packages.

They are perfect for a special night out with that extra-special exclusive treatment. They come highly recommended, and I'm not just saying that because I'm working with them! They are simply the best package deal company around, with travel industry and corporations choosing them hands down over their rivals..

Hence, why I'm so happy to be part of their team!

The "Groove Thing" Interval Package is what you will be after to get myself, or another drag hostess, for the night.

I will try to post dates that I know I will be working, but of course it is subject to demand.

Send me an email if you are hoping to come along to a day I'm working, and I'll try to see what we can advise you.

In the meantime, you can of course just book the package, and I'm sure, whoever you get, you will have a FABULOUS time!

...........

In other news...

Our last night at Stonewall Hotel (Saturdays) went perfect last weekend. We had an absolute ball over the last 3 months and I would like to thank Cleo Coupe, Charisma Belle, Rubella, Candy Box, Ricca Paris, Penny D, and the best dresser in the world, Jason for their love and support!

I can't wait to be back there in November for the new shows I've already started planning! Keep checking back to my website to be updated on what's happening...

We have also been asked to perform up at Krave on the central coast in August. Krave will be celebrating it's 4th birthday, and the girls (Rubella/Charisma) and I are very excited to be part of the celebrations! Come up and see us perform "A Dummer Shade of Blonde" and the "Rough Trade Hers" shows on 19th August. Check out the Krave website for their details..

Stay safe..

Luv Shelley xxx

Another DIVA Launched!

Monday night saw the DIVAs (Drag Industry Variety Awards) launched at Stonewall Hotel.

Opening the proceedings was Maxi Shield, followed closely by a welcome and briefing from the DIVA President, Stuart Doherty.

DIVA will be held on the 28th August at the Star City Showroom.

After revealing the new poster for this year (with your truely on it! I'm under the "2006"), Maxi performed the number "Beast of Burden".

She then introduced the hosts for the evening, Verushka Darling, Mitzi Macintosh and, via sattelite link to Byron Bay, Vanessa Wagner.

It will be fun to watch this combination together on stage in August!

The DIVA judges hopped up on stage for the announcement that the Voting Day will be held at the Columbian the Saturday before the night.

The night will have video fillers between the shows and awards, and will be fully scripted. (Last year's scripted show was a huge success and much better than watching typical "pub banter" between the hosts.)

The night will return to the Star City Showroom - check out the link for the venue seating map! (Standard Showroom). DIVAs comes complete with red carpet and an official "Bitch or Boast" After Party, this year at DCM, which is ALWAYS good fun!

Please bear in mind that there is a suggested "formal dress code".. This is a glamour event after all! (i.e. No jeans and t-shirts!)

Tickets can be bought from Ticketmaster (136 100) from Thursday 27 July 2006 at 9.00am and cost $102.80 + bf.

Drag Dramas

What a week!

What can I say? We have had a resignation from a show, replacements of showgirls, replacements of replacements, showgirls on holidays and new shows running late.

Sadly, last week Candy Box resigned from the Grease show at the Imperial Hotel. She was to take over from Cleo Coupe in the role of "Danny/Frenchie", but due to commitments with her job at the Stonewall Hotel, she thought it best to pull out of the show.

I was very much looking forward to performing alongside Candy, and hope to get a chance to do so in the future..

With this happening on the eve of Sandy Toggs's working holiday to Canada, it meant that our show cast was in a bit of trouble, needing to secure a replacement in a matter of days.

Farren Height, who has been filling in for Candy for a few weeks, and scheduled to fill in for Sandy Toggs, now remains in the "Danny/Frenchie" role.

Charisma Belle, offered to step into the show, and so we thought we were saved. Unfortunately she was unable to make rehearsals, and so with just over 48 hours before showtime, Rubella (who has been filling in for my show at Stonewall Hotel), stepped up to the plate to learn the show.

This performer is a God send! VERY talented and such a lovely person. It's going to be an absolute pleasure to work with her for the next few weeks while Sandy Toggs is away.

I'm pleased to say the Grease show last night went very well and Rubella was a huge success. The audience raised the roof with applause for her efforts to learn the show so well in such a short time!

Sadly, Freeda Corsett has announced she will not be coming back to the Grease show once rehearsals start for the musical Priscilla in about 4 weeks time. She was originally planning to keep performing in Grease, but has now chosen to leave. We do hope that if there is a chance she might stay, that she does so. We all enjoy working with such a talented performer, but we understand that after performing 8 shows over 6 days a week in a major musical, extra shows may not be desirable. We wish you good luck Freeda! (Come along and see her over her last 3 weeks in Grease!)

With all this movement of the cast, we will be looking to settle into a permanent cast for Thursday nights ASAP, and I will keep you posted on the developments.

In the meantime, back at the Stonewall Hotel, the next Saturday night cast, Vanity Faire, Maxi Shield and Beyonce G-Spot have their show scheduled to start on August 5th. Due to this, my cast has been asked to extend our shows to the end of July, which means our last week moves from tomorrow (22/07/06) to next Saturday (29/07/06).

So you have an extra week to catch us at Stonewall Hotel, as well as a new line-up at Imperial Hotel! Come along and see the shows.. Click HERE for the details!

Sick Shelley.. (Cough, Cough)

Thank you to my fellow performers and the fans who were so kind to me over this past week of shows while I have been so sick.

It is a shame that we drag performers must work when we are ill. It's not good for our bodies, and certainly not very entertaining to watch a sickly queen flounder about on stage, but due to certain realities, the tired old saying - "The show must go on!" still applies...

A big congratulations to Ru Bella for her first night in the Stonewall shows last night. She did amazingly well and the crowd loved her. It's a pleasure to have her in the cast for our last weeks..

Be sure to pop along to Stonewall over the next 2 Saturdays to watch our shows and to support Ru Bella before we rotate to the Vanity/Maxi/Beyonce cast for three months...

DON'T FRET THOUGH.. WE WILL BE BACK IN 3 MONTHS TIME WITH A NEW SET OF SHOWS!

As for me, I'm going back to bed to try shake this flu.. Hope to see you all out at Imperial or Stonewall this coming week..

Love Shelley
xoxox

Quick Catch-up..

Hi All,

It's been a while since I posted, partly due to technical reasons, partly due to a busy period, and partly cos I have been lazy..

So a quick catch-up on some stuff happening in the world of Shelley...

*** Cleo Coupe's last week of shows was last week. Everything went well for her "Farewell Tour". She of course was in both of my regular weekly shows and I'm going to miss her HEAPS! She is about to head off to New York for a 3 week holiday before starting rehearsals for "Priscilla, Queen of the Desert". (I can of course now confirm that she is in the show!)

*** Yours truly turned up to her day job in drag for a "Priscilla" competition. Once the competition finished, I stayed in drag for the rest of the day. I felt like the "new temp"! Result of the competition: We won of course!

*** We had a fundraiser for Twenty10 at Stonewall Hotel a few weeks ago - raised a great amount of money on the door and gave away prizes. We had a hoot, and look forward to the next chance to work with the organisation...

*** "Ru Bella" will be filling in for Cleo in the last few weeks of our Stonewall Hotel Shows. We have been rehearsing her into the role and she is doing great. Come along and see her in the show!

*** "Candy Box" will be filling in for Cleo in the Grease show out at the Imperial Hotel every Thursday night. Due to some unexpected complications, she will be joining the cast in a few weeks time. Farren Height will be filling in the role until then.

Will get back to regular postings again.

Thanks for your patience and the emails wondering why I haven't posted recently!

Love to you all..

Shelley

How about we Fag-Tag Oxford St?

With so much enthusiasm about the concept of "Fag Tag", I think we should turn our thoughts away from invading straight venues for the night. How about we start descending upon our own?

Last night Oxford Street was essentially straight, and it wasn't nice at all outside on the strip.

There were horridly drunk straight boys and girls stumbling down the street. We were lucky to have sensible and experienced bouncers at the Stonewall Hotel to keep the nasty ones out.

Mind you, if we didn't have the straight people in the Hotel last night, it would have been a DEAD night. On the most part, the predominately straight crowd we had was actually great fun. In fact it reminded me of the good old days performing at the Albury Hotel. The crowd was very enthusiastic.

Some of them didn't behave well (i.e. sitting on stage DURING shows, putting drinks on the stage DURING shows) and those that caused problems after they were warned about their behaviour, were removed promptly by management and security.

This of course isn't a problem confined to straight people though, as some drunk gay boys have been turfed from Hotels/Clubs before for the very same reasons too!

But where did all the gay boys go?

Well the answer is "Super Fag Tag".

Now don't get me wrong, I think it's a great idea to move past the traditional gay territory of Oxford St and Newtown.

The intention of the founder was to get the gays out of the ghetto and into unexplored straight bars. The idea was to give queer party-goers, who were bored with Oxford Street, a whole new experience.

It in turn, I guess, can also be seen as to give a greater exposure of the queer culture in the broader community - but will this all come at a cost?

Gay boys, in their droves, vacated "our strip" on one of the traditionally busiest nights of a venue's year, for yet another "of-the-moment" dance party.

And I believe that the organisers got greedy and missed the point of their creation - Fag Tag... (My suspicion is that this was just another group of event organisers who got greedy and wanted to earn some quick money.)

"After taking over the best venues in Sydney for the past two years, Fag Tag is gearing up to take on the Sydney Entertainment Centre..."

(Sydney Entertainment Centre Website)

"Super Fag Tag (SFT) will celebrate two years of Fag Tag – the regular queer “invasions” of predominantly straight venues – by invading the Ent Cent for a huge house party in the round."

(SX News)

Can someone (maybe someone who shelled out good money to attend..), please point out to me how the Sydney Entertainment Centre is considered a "Straight Venue"? If there was a plan to move in on a straight venue for a big party, how about it actually being one in the first place?

I also wonder how going to a straight venue for a one off night provides any sense of community? How long will the "thrill" of "invading" a straight venue last? Won't it seem just as boring as the founders claim Oxford St is after a while? Traipsing around the city constantly searching for a new venue to attend will get very boring for a gay community that loves it's venues at walking distance.

Further to this all, we should bear in mind this very important point. If we decend upon straight venues, we shouldn't be so critical of straights in ours. After all, what's good for the goose...

Now, with that being said, we have all heard the complaints about Oxford St getting "straight" and "homophobic", with many people encountering abuse as they walk to, from and on the strip. There is NO excuse for this behaviour. However, the Police have only had 2 (that's right, 2!) reports of homosexual abuse on Oxford St. (This information was reported at a recent DIVA meeting by a Anti-Violence Project Rep from ACON.)

The police have said that due to the lack of evidence of gay abuse on the strip, they will not step up patrols!

Last night I took the opportunity to remind the straights and the few gay boys there at Stonewall Hotel, that we are facing a tough time on Oxford St and we as a community should, and will not, let it stand. (Ironic to be talking like that in a venue dedicated to the Stonewall riots I must say!)

I put out the call to report any abuse, be it physical violence to verbal abuse, to the police, so that we can get police patrols on Oxford St and feel safer on the strip.

Mind you, this would all be in vain if gay boys leave the strip for large "Fag Tag" branded events (especially the ones that don't end up "invading" a straight venue - the Sydney Ent. Cent. for example.)

My understanding is that there are many people who feel the strip is dangerous, venues are becoming too straight and boring.

Now we can do something about all of those things, but we have to work together and discuss it.

Iv'e mentioned how to make it safer, but what about it being too straight?

Well why not attend venues those venues and make them "gay" by actually being there?

Now you might say they are too boring..

Maybe it's the music, the vibe, or the drag shows! Whatever it is, tell the venue! Voting with your feet isn't productive, just destructive! We need to bring people willingly back to the strip, or watch it disappear further from our hands.

We need to think carefully, and decide what we want - then grasp it with both hands.

What do you think? What do you want? Get talking!

Drag Gag

**I have been asked to edit this entry. Embargoed information was contained previously**

I have told you that I would keep you posted, and I thought could finally reveal to you some of the results of the Priscilla auditions.. Well I can't tell you anything officially, but anyone with half a brain can figure it out!

We have been watching a number of people auditioning for the lead roles in Priscilla: The Musical, of which 3 Sydney showgirls were in the running..

Cleopatra Coupe, Courtney Act and Freeda Corsett made it through to the last rounds of the auditions.

Both Cleo and Courtney were auditioning for the role of "Felicia". Freeda was auditioning for the Chorus.

Now the only thing I can officially announce is that Cleo Coupe has declared she will be leaving all of her current shows at the end of the month.

Now why would that be? Has she got sick of the drag scene?

I don't think so.

I have been asked not to confirm or deny anything I may have heard (though people who ask me can hear the gossip), but she has asked that her fellow showgirls all look at replacing her in her current shows. She intends to first take a holiday to the US and then to work on a new venture she has been working on.. (I wonder what that could be???)

Freeda Corsett has been on the edge of her seat for days now waiting to hear back from the audition panel. She finally has been requested to come in again for some more "reading" of the script. Insiders suggest this will mean that she will be offered not only a role in the chorus, but a featured speaking role at that! This of course is just speculation - but it's the kind you would wanna hear! Chookas to you babe!

Freeda has indicated that if she gets a role in the musical, she will exit a number of shows as well, but plans to keep at least two shows going while the musical is in Sydney. She will, though, be taking a number of weeks off the Grease show at the Imperial Hotel for an intense rehearsal period with Priscilla - should she get a part that is!

This means that with Cleo gone, Freeda taking time off, while Sandy Toggs goes on a holiday (planned a long time ago), I will be the only constant in the Grease show for a little while! Well it will be good to work with some new people..

Farren Height will be a chameleon, performing one of the three girls vacant roles at different times through the year. It will be fantastic to have her in the cast, and will be interesting to watch her learn and perform almost all the roles in the show!

We will be making an official decision on who will be replacing Cleo Coupe permanently on Thursday nights over the next few days. It's been interesting who has been considered and has put their names forward. They are big shoes to fill and we hope to make the right choice. Will keep you posted as always..

As far as my Saturday night show is concerned, I have yet to make a decision on who will replace Cleo, at least for the completion of the run of the show, if not permanently. I hope to make an annoucement soon..

So much going on now! Phones will be running hot for a while yet!

And of course, DIVAs is only around the corner!

It's a busy time for the Sydney drag community.