Guess Where I Was Tonight!

I should have taken my camera. The guy who did our hair and makeup design for the play is a drag performer in Austin, and we went to see him strut his stuff.

Olin struts pretty well.

He did a David Bowie song, and was by far the most dynamic performer of those we saw.

I love seeing drag queens, even at the amateur level. Can you imagine the guts it takes to get up and do that? First, you have to learn to walk in the shoes. I think that might be the most difficult part of the performance. You have to walk well in the shoes. Then, there's figuring out what kind of gown will suit you. What kind of wig. And, the makeup. That's where a lot of queens blow it, I think. Too much makeup. I realize it takes a lot, but there is a limit that should not be exceeded. Most of the queens at tonight's performance looked pretty good. One, especially, looked like a lovely lady from the 1960's, with a gold shot-silk gown of simple cut and long black gloves. (S)he had a sort of Sandra Dee thing going on.

Olin, of course, was completely over the top, wearing a cape decorated with starbursts, platform boots, red pants and studded belt, and a typical 80's David Bowie wig. He was all over the place, off the dance floor, which was used as a stage, kicking higher than his head, and rolling on the floor. I never saw David Bowie perform live, but if he was anything like the way Olin represented him, he must have been HOT!

I would like to give all the queens a lesson in lip sync, though. My husband teaches it in his theater classes, and I have learned to critique the kids before they take their efforts to competition. Maybe I'll have a word with Olin about that.

I have always wanted to design performance gowns for drag queens. For many of them, putting on a woman's gown just doesn't quite work. It needs to be a woman's gown that is cut for a man's body. Broader shoulders, narrower hips, etc. Subtle enhancement of the bust.

Oh, and a word to one of the performers--if your bust consists of socks stuffed in a bra, skip the sweeping curtsey at the end of your number.