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.

NEW WEBSITE ONLINE

My new look website is now up and running! (Finally!)

Hooray!!

Once I received my new computer I set to work building the new site. It took a number of days to build, tweek and transfer the data to my host server, but it's done now and I'm quite happy with it..

Have a look at it and tell me what you think...

CLICK HERE to visit my new website.

Back to work..

So it was back to work as normal today.

There was a bit of fuss over me from the start, with pictures from the Sydney Morning Herald placed on my desk and everyone wanting to know how I went. (I'm in the middle in pink - just in case you can't work it out!)


So I had to tell them I didn't make it through the audition.

They were all so disappointed for me, which was very sweet of them to care so much. Many of my colleagues are involved in the arts, they understand the ups and downs of the performing arts industry.

I'm feeling much better about it all now though. In the SMH, there was a clear statement about the size of performers which has helped me to understand why I didn't make it through..

Director Simon Phillips watched group after group of dancers, searching for 16 chameleon-like performers to play the Priscilla chorus.

"The demands of this show are particularly idiosyncratic," he said.

"For this piece, the ensemble performers need to be able to play miners in one scene, and a group of Les Girls in another. They need to be able to dance, to act, to sing as well, of course. It's surprisingly difficult mix to access."

The show has only six female roles. But only statuesque girls need apply for the ensemble.

"The women will need to be able to slide into a drag number, and not look like a tiny, tiny person on the end of a row," he said.

Well I'm certainly a tiny girl, even with heels on! At least I can now put my mind at ease..

I haven't heard anything yet about whether Freeda Corsett has got a part in the Chorus. Will keep you posted.

Here is another pic of the audition. I'm not in it, but the fall that poor Anita Curtain took will be imortalized in Australian musical history!

In the meantime, the company I have purchased my computer from has informed me that the costs of the Apple Laptops has been reduced, and some specs changed. This would now entitle me to a partial refund, or I could spend the credit as I wish with them.

Seeing I have already spent the money, I opted to upgrade my computer to a 17" and tapped on some extra goodies so it came out the original purchase price.

The amazing thing the sales rep said in our phone conversation is that the 17" Laptops should be in stock possibly as early as tomorrow, so I could receive my order this week!

Fingers crossed - I wanna play with my new shiny toy! (And now you can take your mind out of the gutter!)

Until next time, take care..

Priscilla Auditions

Well this morning were the open auditions for the Chorus of "Priscilla, Queen of the Desert" the musical.

Getting up at 7:30am to shower/shave/eat and put on makeup for the 11am start was the first hurdle! That's hard after finishing the Stonewall show in the wee hours of the morning the night before! But I managed to roll out of bed into the shower and commence the usual "prep".

I was happy about the makeup job I did. While getting ready, I was singing my little heart out preparing the song "Last Dance" by Donna Summer for the audition. (We were asked to prepare a disco song to sing - not mime.)

Soon I was packing my bag, printing off my CV (in pink no less!) and then made a last minute decision to change my audition outfit.

Previously, my good friend Cleo Coupe had asked a few times if I was wearing one of my large coloured wigs. When saying no, she mentioned I would look "fine anyway"... Needless to say I took it as a bit of a hint... Considering she has been with the producers all week auditioning for one of the lead roles, I thought I could wear one of the coloured wigs I have to match my new audition outfit - Layered black and pink leotards and leg warmers.

I took along my original outfit and wig - with boy clothes, just in case I needed them.

Then, carrying all my things down the stairs in my apartment building, I stacked it and ended up against the wall on the landing! Fortunately nothing was hurt or broken. I took it as a good sign, the trips and falls have already happened today, so the audition won't have any! (Well that's the idea anyway.)

I popped in the car for the short drive to The Rocks. Of course the sight of a drag queen being driven through the city streets created some interesting traffic situations, but I managed to get to the audition on time and safely.

Once arriving at Bangarra Dance Studios, I was immediately whisked away into a "fake audition" for some TV cameras and photographers. Even though it had already started, I just stepped into the simple dance combo and picked it up in a split second.

After that, I got the chance to register and sit patiently awaiting my call. Journalists, photographers and TV crews however descended upon the Drags for the typical questions and photo shots. So much for the quiet focus I was hoping for before auditioning!

It was fun however to play to the media. Drag stars Verushka Darling, Portia Turbo, Freeda Corsett and myself were playing up big and loud! We had a hoot!

Finally the commercial TV station cameramen arrived, which meant we would now head into the audition. First up was to be the dance audition with Ross Coleman, then if you passed it, the singing audition..

To my surprise, we had the same incredibly simple routine as in the "fake audition". I wondered whether we were being taken seriously at all.. Surely they would be wanting to sort the good dancers from the bad, not choreograph stuff almost anyone could do..

(Previously the organisers had mentioned that, even though inviting professional drag queens to the audition was great for the publicity of the show and the documentary, they were also seriously interested in auditioning professional showgirls. The official words were that it was a "50/50" scenario. So the question still stands, why such a simple dance sequence?)

Anyway, so this dance audition was the easiest thing I've done in heels, ever! A beginners aerobic lesson was harder!

Step Step Step-ball-change, repeat back the other way
Step Turn Step-ball-change, repeat back the other way
Walk around yourself for 4 counts, Walk forward for 4 counts
Prepare Step Turn, repeat back the other way
Shimmy for 8 counts
Walk forward...

After one or two runs, Portia, Freeda and myself were placed in the centre, in front of the panel. All 7 (or 8?) of us then continued to run the routine.

After about 2 more run throughs miming the words to "I love the Nightlife" as well, the audition was over...

Well it was for me anyway...

The rest of the queens left Portia and Freeda to do their singing audition.

Portia was eliminated after that section, but Freeda prevailed and stayed the whole day. Fingers crossed she gets a part in the Chorus. She is very talented and it's no surprise she went far in the audition.

On the other hand, I'm very disappointed though.

I kept thinking - I have a University Degree (Bachelor of Arts) in Dance, how could I fail such a simple dance audition?

Needless to say, I was completely gob-smacked.

I started doing what every person who doesn't make it in an audition does - questions everything!

Was it my makeup? Should I have made it girlier? Should I have worn my original costume, rather than going for the "Flashdance/Audition" look? Would I have faired better as a boy dancer? (Many boy dancers made it through to the singing round.)

Upon reflection though, I shouldn't take it personally. After all, I was an incredibly different body shape and size to the other girls there. The likelihood is that because I'm short and skinny, I probably wouldn't blend in with the cast - which is a reality I'm reminded of every time work is on offer in the venues around town.

Maybe I'm just saying that to make myself feel better, but auditions can be c*nts, and I refuse to let this one make me feel bad...

If nothing else, I got some free publicity on TV, print and radio, and that is always great to have. Not to mention a new set of headshots for my Gallery. Plus now, I could even consider doing a live song or two in shows - I have at least one song now ready to go! "Last Dance" in G major..

With my hopes of performing in Priscilla dashed, I'll have to be content with selling tickets at work for it instead... That's gonna suck..

Oh well.. Back to the normal life again...

Updates..

Ok, so I there are a few things I should update everyone on. I have received a few emails recently via my website asking about how certain things have been going... So here is the catch-up..

• The showgirls auditioning for Priscilla are still in the audition process (It will likely go on for the rest of this week with call-backs etc)
• My new computer has been ordered with a different company and is set to be dispatched from Melbourne on 31/5/06.
• The Rough Trade Hers prop drum is still being fixed, but progress is being made.
• Japanese classes have been going well, thank you! (Arigatoo gozaimasu!)
• I haven't fallen off the wagon yet - no new wigs purchased! (The computer was enough money spent!)

And just quietly, I have decided to audition for Priscilla myself. (I have been debating whether I should over the last few weeks.) The open audition for the chorus is this weekend. Wish me luck!!

Wanted Dead or Alive: Saboteur at Stonewall..

I try to be nice to all people, and considering that philosophy, I don't pipe up about many things - but when something needs to be said, well it needs to be said..

The low-life mole who thought it would be a great idea to destroy my show's props this week should be run out of town. Whether is was meant to "sabo" one of the performers in the show, or even the show in general, you are scum to have done such a thing. If you have a problem with someone, you should say it to their face rather than slip around in the shadows and commit such acts.

Now, just so you know, it was no accident that one of the Rough Trade Hers finale drums were destroyed. It would have taken a HUGE force to break the drum skin.

We have people who are happy to help find out who this scum-bag is. I'm sure it's only a matter of time before we find out who committed this act of sabotage, as the area where the costumes and props are stored is only accessed by a select few.

In the meantime, I have taken the drum home to look at making repairs on it. I hope to get it back to being "as good as new" by next week.

As always, the show will go on..