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Charlie David's Blog, page 9
November 5, 2021
Pat Rocco Dared - the man who put the first gay kiss on the big screen
“Pat Rocco Dared” Feature Doc Makes Its World Premiere At The Whistler Film Festival Thursday, December 2nd.
Border2Border Entertainment, in association with Big Gay Movies & Pat Rocco Productions, is proud to announce its latest feature, “Pat Rocco Dared,” will make its world premiere at the Whistler Film Festival (WFF). Directed and Produced by Big Gay Movies’ Bob Christie and Morris Chapdelaine, the documentary chronicles LGBTQ+ filmmaker and Executive Producer, Charlie David as he explores the life and work of director and activist Pat Rocco, one of Hollywood’s original boundary pushing gay pioneers, encouraging future generations with Rocco’s incredible story of romance, resistance and Pride. The Executive Producer team includes Pat Rocco and Jay Daniel Beechinor.
Rocco began selling his erotic, playful and romantic nude male films in the backs oflocal magazines and in 1968, he was offered his own festival at Los Angeles’ ParkTheatre – the first of its kind. It was an instant hit and Rocco continued to pump outmore films as fast as he could, pushing new boundaries with each one. In “A VerySpecial Friend”, Rocco dared to screen the first kiss between two men ever seen on abig theatre screen. Artistic, erotic, and highly romanticized, his films werecontroversial not due to how explicit they were but rather their bold political andartistic expression. For the first time ever, selections from his most popular films have been digitally remastered and are showcased in spectacular fashion in “Pat Rocco Dared”.
Pat Rocco's life story is told through his colourful, erotic films, and with candid personal interviews with Charlie David at Pat's home in Hawaii as well as with friends such as Phyllis Diller, Reverend Troy Perry and film historian Whitney Strub. "Don't ask, don't tell, just doit," Rocco advises Charlie in one of their final exchanges.
“Charlie David was the perfect person to charm Rocco out of his polished replies, and uncover the genuine, tender, romantic man shielded by the persona of a legendary activist and classic Hollywood entertainer”, says Bob Christie, and “beyond the sexy, entertaining films that still stand up today, I think audiences will be amazed and inspired by the things that Pat Rocco dared to do”, added Morris Chapdelaine.
For more information and tickets, please visit:
https://whistlerfilmfestival.com/tickets/
https://vimeo.com/642436945Logline: Canadian LGBTQ documentary filmmaker Charlie David explores the life and film work of Pat Rocco, the man who dared to put the first same sex kiss on the big screen.
Synopsis: In the 1970’s Playboy magazine dubbed Pat Rocco the King of the Nudies, but he is much more than an erotic filmmaker. Rocco is an activist, artist, filmmaker, and entertainer. He’s the whole Hollywood package, with one more story to tell: his own. He arrived in Hollywood with his parents at the age of eleven. By seventeen he knew he was gay, had moved away from home, and was living as an out, gay, young man. It was 1951.
Having sung in choirs as a youth, he managed to find gigs in radio, nightclubs, theatres, and church basements. With his true talent and undeniable charisma, he made his way to television variety shows, starring alongside legends like Phyllis Diller.
Rocco began selling his erotic, playful and romantic nude male films in the backs of local magazines and in 1968, he was offered his own festival at Los Angeles’ Park Theatre – the first of its kind. It was an instant hit and Rocco continued to pump out more films as fast as he could, pushing new boundaries with each one. In A Very Special Friend, Rocco dared to screen the first kiss between two men ever seen on a big theatre screen. Artistic, erotic, and highly romanticized, his films were controversial not due to how explicit they were but rather their bold political and artistic expression.
Rocco was an activist on the front lines of the sexual liberation movement, documenting many protests in the sixties and seventies, and campaigning with Harvey Milk. He was the first President of Christopher Street West (producers of LA Pride), and in 1974, the first to organize a Pride festival following the annual sexual liberation march. Love and romance were his political weapons, and just when things on screen began to heat up, Rocco fades to black, and stops making films... why?
In his early 80s, Pat Rocco still had the air of a classic Hollywood showman, and remained passionate and active in civic politics. He is officially recognized by the United States government as an “Outstanding Older American.” Rocco's film collection is held in the UCLA archives and the producers have worked with UCLA to have many of the films digitized and restored. The Canadian LGBTQ ArQuives is also championing the project with the hope to eventually house the completed film as an important part of queer history.
Pat Rocco documented the early queer rights movements in Los Angeles and San Francisco at a time when it was legally and physically precarious to do so. There is a record of Harvey Milk's historic speech and attendance at the Los Angeles Pride Parade shortly before his murder because Pat Rocco was there with his camera.
Without Pat's films, much of the early LGBTQ rights movement would be undocumented as mainstream press was not covering it. Pat Rocco's life story will be told through candid personal interviews with Charlie David at Pat's home in Hawaii as well as with friends such as Phyllis Diller, Reverend Troy Perry and film historian Whitney Strub.
"Don't ask, don't tell, just do it," Rocco advises Charlie in one of their final exchanges. It is of great importance that contributions from change-makers like Pat Rocco are woven into the larger narrative of our collective human rights history. Audiences will be amazed and inspired by the things that Pat Rocco dared to do.
May 17, 2021
CASTING LGBTQ in TORONTO for DATING SERIES
In each episode of Dating Unlocked, a hero looking for love is matched with 3 prospective queer daters and decides who they’d like to invite on a second date.
Daters will be matched based on interests, and what they share they are looking for in a relationship. In addition, there will be special thematic episodes that will feature daters in niche communities such as leather, asexuals, cosplayers, puppies and handlers, polyamorous and more. If this is you - be sure to share and highlight these in your self-tape.
OUTSIDE DATESBlock 1: July 5th - 30thBlock 2: August 20th - September 10th
UNION: Open to ACTRA and Non-Union members
Dating Unlocked will be filmed at a single studio location in Toronto in person following all established industry Covid protocols such as daily questionnaire and temperature checks prior to entering studio. All cast and crew will additionally be required to go through an online Safe Sets International Covid-19 safety certification and to provide proof of at least first vaccination to producer prior to filming.
January 15, 2021
Drag Heals season 3 casting in Toronto!
Drag Heals season 3 is now casting in Toronto. The third season of Drag Heals will showcase drag artists who participate in a 10 class workshop with theatre director Tracey Erin Smith, founder of Soulo Theatre. The ten workshops will culminate in 2 public shows in Toronto. Production is currently projected for November 2021 TBD as per health and safety public health guidance in relation to COVID-19.
For select workshops, guest coaches will join Tracey Erin Smith in exploring soul-deep story sharing techniques as well as the unique talents and skills required from a drag artist.
We invite self-tape submissions from all genders, ages, and ethnicities. 8 participants will be selected to win this 10 class course with Tracey Erin Smith and join the cast of Drag Heals season 3.
There is no payment for participation in documentary TV series. All theatre net proceeds from the performances will be split equally between performers.
We invite all interested parties to view Drag Heals seasons 1 and 2 on OUTtvGo.com (free week trial available), Amazon or Vimeo.
, How to apply to be part of the Drag Heals season 3 castPlease email info@border2border.ca with a link to your self-tape (may be an unlisted Vimeo or YouTube link).
Please include: your name, stage name, phone number, email, confirm you live in Toronto and are available for all dates in the shooting schedule below. Finally be sure to include answers to 2 of the questions found lower down in this post.
Feel free to get creative in your video. We want to see and know who you are and why you want to do this! Walk us through your drag closet, introduce us to your best friend, mother, roommate.
APPLICANTS – Please answer 2 of the following questions:
1) What have you survived and how have you survived it? 2) What excites you most about doing drag? 3) Who doesn’t know you do drag and why haven’t you shared with them? 4) In a perfect fantasy performance, what would you do? 5) If you’ve never done drag before, what excites you about trying it? 6) How do you think the drag king and drag queen worlds could benefit from working together? 7) What scares you about drag and the idea of doing an open-hearted course that will put you on stage in front of hundreds of people? 8) What will you bring to the others in the group?
SEEKING the following people for Drag Heals season 3DRAG KINGS – Seeking seasoned and newbie DRAG KINGS that live in Toronto, are available for all shoot dates, are excited about bringing their drag and performance to a new level of professionalism and have a great big open heart and mind!
DRAG QUEENS – Seeking seasoned and newbie DRAG QUEENS that live in Toronto, are available for all shoot dates, are excited about bringing their drag and performance to a new level of professionalism and have a great big open heart and mind!
DRAG MONARCHS AND DRAG THINGS– Seeking seasoned and newbie GENDER QUEER PERFORMERS that live in Toronto, are available for all shoot dates, are excited about bringing their drag and performance to a new level of professionalism and have a great big open heart and mind! Does your performance/look defy categories? Submit here and share why!
GUEST COACHES – Are you a seasoned pro in the fields of performance, singing, dance, make-up/hair, costuming, entertainment business, etc? We are looking for professionals to join us who will share their wisdom and experience! Tell us about yourself and what you can offer in coaching drag queens and drag kings.
Drag Heals season 3 further details NETWORK: OUTtv Canada Drag Heals season 3 will air on OUTtv in Canada and additional networks and digital platforms around the world giving participants the opportunity to raise their profile and be seen by millions around the globe.
PRODUCER/DIRECTOR: Charlie David
EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: Philip Webb, Brad Danks for OUTtv Canada
HOST/COACH: Tracey Erin Smith
PRODUCTION COMPANY: Border2Border Entertainment
WATCH seasons 1 and 2 here to help prepare your video submission! We invite all interested parties to view Drag Heals seasons 1 and 2 on OUTtvGo.com (free week trial available), Amazon or Vimeo.
#TVseries #Drag #casting #TraceyErinSmith #dragking #Toronto #documentary #DragHeals
December 21, 2020
Cyril Cinder shares highlights of Drag Heals season 2
Does the idea of drag as therapeutic or being healing resonate with you? Why?
Drag has always been deeply therapeutic for me. In the other five years I’ve been performing in drag I have found so much joy, relief, and authenticity that has meant so much to me. I’m a trauma therapist and I really feel privileged to do the job that I do, but it can also be really emotionally draining some days. Drag is a major part of my own self-care routine. It lets me feel creative and express myself in a way that’s really resourcing for me, and I don’t think I could have predicted how therapeutic that would be for me when I started doing it!
,Meet Cyril Cinder in this clip from episode 5 of Drag Heals season 2
How important for your health and wellness is the act of playing?
I think one of the great loses in our society is that fact that adults are so restricted in how they’re allowed to play. We can be looked down on or shamed for being goofy and silly, and that’s so sad – it’s important to be able to let go and play! I think that drag is a way that a lot of us get around those restrictions and shame. We get up on stage as a character who is big and exaggerated, and they’re allowed to do whatever we want, and that lets us play. We should never have to feel bad for something that brings us that kind of joy, even if it might look weird to someone else.
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Cyril Cinder is a drag king who stars in Drag Heals season 2.
How can the drag community benefit from being more inclusive?
I think that every community benefits from diversity. A diversity of voices and experiences allows a community to grow and expand in new directions that they may not have otherwise, and I do not see drag as an exception to that rule. Including more diverse identities along the lines of gender identity and expression, race, ability, background, and styles of drag will only push the boundaries of drag further and make it better! I think that drag runs the risk of being pigeonholed into a very narrow vision of what it can truly be, and therefore stagnating, if the diversity that already exists within the community isn’t seen and respected. Drag has always existed as a way for marginalized people to demand the spotlight in their full glory and dare the audience to blink – expanding diversity and representation within the community is something that comes from the very heart of the origins of drag.
Did you second guess yourself before auditioning for Drag Heals? What made you follow through?
I was definitely nervous to audition for Drag Heals. I knew it would be an emotional process on a very public forum, and part of me was scared to be that vulnerable to anyone with an Amazon Prime or OutTV account! And at the same time, I’m in the unique position of being one of the very first drag kings on television. I felt a lot of pressure to represent drag kings as a community who are often omitted from the mainstream drag conversation. But I also knew that I was willing to put in the work, and I think that was part of why I decided to follow through. I was scared, but I was also excited by the opportunity to show what a drag king can do.
What’s been most challenging about Drag Heals for you personally?
I think one of the most challenging things for me personally about Drag Heals was the time crunch. Working full time in my private practice in Ottawa, driving the 5 hours to Toronto and back each weekend, and creating a number that was totally unique from anything I had done before was a whole new challenge for me! I can take months to create a new act from start to finish, so doing it all in one month was a lot. I also really wanted to be proud of my performance, which can be hard when you’re more than a bit of a perfectionist.
What’s brought you the most joy?
Spending the time was the cast and crew was so much fun! It was great to have these drag filled shooting days. Some of cast and guests I knew before the show, but a lot of them were new faces to me. I hope I’ve made some lifelong friends through the show!
What do you hope the TV audience gets out of watching Drag Heals?
I hope that people who watch the show are able to expand their definition and understanding of what drag is and what it can be. And that they see just how much work goes into it! There’s more than just the towering glamazon, as amazing as she is. And I also hope that people can see a bit of themselves reflected back at them in the cast, and that they’re seeing that part being loved, welcomed, and celebrated. I hope they know that they’re worthy of a good and giving life, and that they can expect more than just tolerance from themselves and others.
Connect with Cyril Cinder on Instagram and Facebook
And be sure to join our Drag Heals Facebook page to connect with all the guest coaches and performers!
,Meet Cyril Cinder in episode 5 of the Drag Heals sister series, T with T.E.S.
#CyrilCinder #dragking
Category Is… DANK SINATRA
Who is your drag persona? How do they highlight or reveal parts of you in bigger and more dramatic ways?
My drag persona is Dank Sinatra, a non-binary Drag Thing with a critical eye and a classic record collection. Dank highlights and reveals the wild combination of aesthetic, political, musical, and intellectual inspirations rattling around in my brain. I see Dank’s personality as Billy Joel’s Piano Man character, simultaneously a performer and a part of the crowd.
,Does the idea of drag as therapeutic or being healing resonate with you? Why?
Absolutely. I know many people who have found significant parts of themselves through the practice of drag, myself included. It offers at once an ability to step away from the tender, traumatized, uncomfortable parts of yourself and to reckon with them in a way that can build a greater sense of self when out of drag.
How important for your health and wellness is the act of playing?
Probably more important than I let myself believe! I live a very anxious and structured life. It’s only in the last few years that I’ve been able to remind myself how much the free space of play is also a necessary facet of the human experience.
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Dank Sinatra on stage. Photo: Cole Schmidt
What did you discover about yourself through the Drag Heals experience?
Where do I start! I discovered that I am significantly more afraid of being seen than I realized, but that I can own that discomfort. Can show it for what it is to people. It’s something within my control and there’s great power in that. I also discovered that I’m way more dissociative than I had ever realized. Talking to my cast mates after we had wrapped, there are times where it feels like we were on totally different sets – there’s so much I missed or was tuned out for, all wrapped up in my own head.
How can the drag community benefit from being more inclusive?
The more creative, expansive, passionate performers you have around you, in your lineups, and in your communities, the better everyone’s art will be.
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Dank Sinatra – photo by Avery Holliday
Did you second guess yourself before auditioning for Drag Heals? What made you follow through?
Oh, definitely. I was sent the casting call by a friend around Halloween, but sort of wrote it off as something I wouldn’t have time for and probably wouldn’t stand a chance of getting. A month or so later, I saw a post that the deadline had been extended to get more Drag King and Thing submissions. I realized if you were actively looking for people like me, I probably stood a better chance than I realized.
How would you describe your make-up and fashion aesthetic in drag?
Depends on the day! A little glam, a little cabaret, a little clown.
What’s been most challenging about Drag Heals for you personally?
I’m a slow processor. It takes me time to chew on my feelings, mull things over, and understand my reactions to situations. Drag Heals required deep vulnerability in an incredibly public forum, an intense mental and emotional experience for which I wasn’t truly prepared.
The rapid-fire schedule of the process wasn’t very conducive to my ability to react to discomforts, concerns, or questions that I had while in this emotional stew. I worry that I was too vulnerable, too much of an open wound, and that the show will reveal more of me to the audience than I’m comfortable with.
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Dank Sinatra – photo by Fernando Cyneiros
What’s brought you the most joy?
The day we worked with Jeff, bringing in my close-to-completed piece and presenting it for the first time, was a true joy. Having crafted something that felt so personal, it was a relief and a delight to show it to our little family and to have it positively received.
What has surprised you the most?
The after-effects! It was such a whirl wind journey that I’m still noticing new impacts of it everyday. Drag Heals really helped me to solidify a stronger sense of self, both in and out of drag.
How has it been working with Tracey Erin Smith to help create your one-person show?
It was very neat! I appreciate Tracey’s attentiveness to individual experience, it taught me a lot about what creating a one-person show could look like in the future.
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Dank Sinatra – photo by Cole Schmidt
What do you hope the TV audience gets out of watching Drag Heals?
I hope people are inspired to sit a bit with their own stories, to wonder what benefit there might be for them to go on a similar journey, whether that is through drag or not. I hope people discover and gain a better understanding of the range of drag that has always existed and exists today. I also hope people really listen to our experiences and conversations around race and gender, especially within the drag community. I think there is a lot people could learn if they are paying attention.
Connect with @dank.is.a.drag on Instagram, Dank Sinatra on Facebook.
Catch Dank Sinatra and fellow Drag Heals star Ocean Giovanni on Category Is! Fridays at 7 on Glad Day TV.
,Watch Drag Heals season 2 on OUTtvGo , Amazon , Apple TV and Vimeo !
#dragthing #LGBTQ #TraceyErinSmith
Meet Tracey Erin Smith – Creator of Drag Heals
Tracey Erin Smith is an award-winning, international artist, teacher, and speaker who transforms the individuals and groups who work with her through her company, SOULO Theatre.
Who is your drag persona? How do they highlight or reveal parts of you in bigger and more dramatic ways?
My drag persona are: The Burning Bush and Buddy. The Burning Bush is my female drag persona. She has fiery wild curls, boobs for days and wears a huge rhinestone Star of David necklace.
She is many parts of me put on theatrical steroids. The Burning Bushes’ journey from drop out rabbi to preacher/stripper has helped me reveal my own path as a teacher/performer. I have never been a stripper (that I know of) but I did take pole and lap dancing lessons for my one woman show called The Burning Bush! which I performed Off-Broadway and across Canada.
Buddy is my male drag persona. He has long dark hair, wears a navy bandana, a Canadian tuxedo (jeans and a jean jacket) and a handle bar moustache with a goatee.
Buddy, like Burning Bush, highlights and reveals parts of myself.
He is a Canadian dude who’s ‘Part Scarborough, part Jewish’. He talks like a ‘hoser’, has a huge heart and teaches kindergarten at a Montessori School.
I have taught SOULO to pre-teens at a Montessori school, I am ALL Jewish.
Portraying these parts of my own biography as Buddy has revealed a more playful, goofier side to the things in my life that I have taken very seriously (including the Canadian Tuxedo).
Does the idea of drag as therapeutic or being healing resonate with you? Why?
Yes! I think drag could be called, ‘medicine that sparkles’. My work with SOULO, which I developed when I was an instructor at Ryerson University, is all about using theatre, writing and creativity to make powerful and entertaining solo shows. Along the way, the shows become healing both for the creator and then for the audience.
In my experience with Drag, I see people finding a persona that, whether they know it or not, comes from a deep place within them. I have heard more than a few drag artists say that their drag persona has saved their lives.
Doing drag is a great way to get to know parts of yourself and to learn more about how you feel and think about things. As Oscar Wilde said, “Man is least himself when he talks in his own person. Give him a mask, and he will tell you the truth.”
How can the drag community benefit from being more inclusive?
Great question! Based on what we experienced in Season 2, the drag community can benefit hugely from being more inclusive. More inclusivity means more people to learn from. During our taping, there was some great creative cross-pollination of ideas and skill-sharing among the performers. I saw the participants of Drag Heals 2 become bigger and better artists from having witnessed different genres of drag. If you want to spark your ideas for your own drag, go watch and work with artists who are doing different things than you!
And on the personal growth side of things, I believe including people/artists who are different from one another, and sharing our stories, enriches our lives more than we know.
When the group is diverse the benefits to individuals are truly exponential.
What’s been most challenging about Drag Heals for you personally?
When you create a solo show based on your own life, stuff can get pretty real. By this I mean that in order to create something powerful you have be brave enough to face your own dragons. This can bring up fear and resistance for some people.
I have spent almost twenty years midwifing these shows, as well as having two certificates in Narrative Therapy, so I have experience dancing with people’s fear. It’s normal sometimes to want to quit half way up the mountain and my job, as a creative Sherpa of sorts, is to normalize fear as part of the process.
The reward on getting to the other side of the fear can be a deep healing that comes from releasing a story that has been locked inside of you. The show becomes each performer’s gift of truth for the audience, who may, through their tears say; I thought I was the only one.
What’s brought you the most joy working with the Drag Heals cast?
What brought me the most joy was that the cast became such fast friends. They trusted each other enough to share very personal stories and stay open and vulnerable when things got challenging. And, to do all of that on camera is an astounding act of courage. I am so proud of them.
What has surprised you the most?
What surprised me the most is the caliber of skills and the level of passion of our guest coaches and mentors. Each one is a super star in their field.
What also surprised (and delighted me!) is how much we all learned from each participant. Each person brought their own form of magic and mastery. Everyone on this show is a teacher of their own unique lesson.
What do you hope the TV audience gets out of watching Drag Heals?
My hope for the audience is enlightenment. I hope they watch and feel enlightened about the amazing variety of lived experiences in the LGBTQ2S community and that they gain exposure to all the different kinds of drag performers that exist now. I would also LOVE if they leave with a desire to try some form of drag themselves!
How has COVID-19 affected your work as a theatre director?
Since Covid19 hit I have taken my SOULO course online. This means that if you enjoyed watching the creative process on Drag Heals and would like to create your own show with me, you can apply to be in a SOULO course…from anywhere in the world!
To apply send an email to: tracey@soulo.ca
Connect with Tracey Erin Smith at:
Website: www.soulo.ca
Instagram: traceyerinsmith
Facebook: Tracey Erin Smith & SoulOTheatre
Twitter: traceyerinsmith
#TVseries #Theatre #TraceyErinSmith #documentary #LGBTQ
Meet Drag King Flare – Guest Coach Extraordinaire
Who is your drag persona? How do they highlight or reveal parts of you in bigger and more dramatic ways?
My base/main drag persona is Flare. The story behind my name says it all: Before coming out, before becoming a King, I was sashaying down the stairs on my way to a party when the love of my life said, “You have too much Flare to be a Clare”.
Does the idea of drag as therapeutic or being healing resonate with you? Why?
I’ve always thought it was transformative for people. When I produced The Fabulous Toronto Drag Kings I watched the experience of being in drag change people’s overall confidence, well-being, and identity. You know how it feels to see yourself in the mirror and think ‘gawd I look amazing’. Recently, including being on “Drag Heals” and hearing people’s stories, I’ve realized that if we had more/allowed ‘gender play’ into our education and upbringings we’d be a happier society. Gender play is healthy, fun, and a great way to build confidence.
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Drag King Flare has been a special guest coach for the Drag Heals series and Dude for a Day documentary
What did you discover about yourself through the Drag Heals experience?
That no matter your age, no matter your experience, you will always learn something new: and, bring tissues if you plan to be on Drag Heals.
How can the drag community benefit from being more inclusive?
We still have work to do in order to become more inclusive, which includes learning and acknowledging our history. We spend quite a bit of energy repeating steps thinking there wasn’t a brick there in the first place. Ya know. Drag King history is full of inclusive drag. It’s never talked about.
How would you describe your make-up and fashion aesthetic in drag?
Realistic character drag, always with a story.
What’s brought you the most joy working with the Drag Heals cast?
Watching the show/performances live at Buddies. Magic.
What has surprised you the most?
How much better season 2 is already!
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Drag King Flare has been a special guest coach for the Drag Heals series and Dude for a Day documentary
How has it been collaborating with Tracey Erin Smith to help shape the one-person shows?
Love Tracey. Learns right along with us.
What do you hope the TV audience gets out of watching Drag Heals?
I hope someone who always wanted to try drag does. I hope it inspires. Drag is for everyone.
#Drag #DragHeals #Flare
KostaMUA will scare you pretty
KostaMUA comes to the drag world via theatre and makeup. After studying and performing music theatre professionally for far more years and he cares to admit, quite by accident he fell into the make up world. After studying and graduating from Makeup and Design school, Kosta immediately began working as a makeup artist in film & television and has been lucky enough to have worked on shows such as TITANS, UMBRELLA ACADEMY, SUITS (final episode), DARE ME, GINNY & GEORGIA, and others…
Using this new medium, Kosta is taking his drag persona, SheKosta Lott, and his love of character and design and marrying them into a make up tutorial and design brand on social media platforms. Follow and subscribe to KostaMUA on YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook for Looks, clips and tutorials.
Who is your drag persona? How do they highlight or reveal parts of you in bigger and more dramatic ways?
Shekosta Lott is the one you’d see on stage. KostaMUA is for makeup related work. Both are mouthy, opinionated, brassy Broadway lovers. It’s something we have in common. Clearly. I mean, by that definition you’d have to wonder where the drag begins and I end?!
Does the idea of drag as therapeutic or being healing resonate with you? Why?
Drag has been a source of personal and professional growth. It’s given me the opportunity to embrace something beautiful, something bold, and something courageous about myself. It’s given me the voice to stand up and say, “I matter!”. I feel by allowing yourself the freedom to listen, learn, and explore the world around and within, you can only grow more rounded and happier. Shekosta Lott taught me a lot about myself and about how I interact with the world.
How important for your health and wellness is the act of playing?
I’m a structured person. Everything is planned and everything has its time. I am at my most uncomfortable when I don’t know who, what, when, why, where, and how … except my paints. I’ll sometimes come in with a full sketch or a plan… but I usually lose myself in the process and the next thing I know it’s 12 hours later and I haven’t taken a break. It’s in those hours where I’m happiest. Sometimes in the end there’s only a slight resemblance to the original sketch…but in almost every single case the paint is better than the sketch.
How can the drag community benefit from being more inclusive?
How could it hurt?! How could expanding the definition of something so definitively rooted in art, such as drag, be anything but a good thing?! I say let everyone do it. Let’s learn more about each other and bring in more art and more vision and more discussion. And to be frank, if you’re still holding onto some outdated notion that drag is only to be done by this type of person / should look like this / must be performed on a stage / etc… then you have some catching up to do.
How would you describe your make-up and fashion aesthetic in drag?
At the moment I’m really into using an element of beauty and macabre through a graphic/comic style. Skulls play a massive part in my drag at the moment…as do “creatures”. I love to combine drag, theatrical, illusion, and spfx makeups into my drag. Each look is something very personal and speaks to something in my life …and sometimes it’s just to show off (I mean, let’s get real).
What’s brought you the most joy working with the Drag Heals cast?
What a great group of people. Really. It was clear that they were genuinely invested in each other. The communication on that set was handled warmly and with respect. As a guest it made a big difference. We had open and honest conversations about some very charged terminology and it was handled in a safe and educated way. That’s true of both the cast and crew. It was one of my better guest experiences.
What do you hope the TV audience gets out of watching Drag Heals?
Drag is hard. Drag is personal. And raw… And messy…and funny and expensive and PAINFUL and loving and draining and uplifting and…
Hard. Drag is hard.
Any other topic/thought you’d like to share?
TIP. YOUR. ENTERTAINERS. GODDAMMIT!!!
Connect with KostaMUA on Instagram Facebook and www.kostahaitas.com
#DragHeals #Makeup
Let the Kids Know - Ocean Giovanni is here!
Jay Daye (he/him) better known as Ocean Giovanni (they/them) is a 20 year old drag Monarch brand new to Toronto. Jay is originally from Nova Scotia but grew up in Ottawa and recently made the big move to Toronto to further his drag. Ocean Giovanni was born on May third when they made their debut at "Mr Chick Magnet," a local drag pageant. Going by their motto "if there's cash in the air, my black ass is there" Ocean Giovanni has been bouncing between Toronto and Ottawa to take the stage and #letthekidsknow that it's possible for a gay/trans/black person to be so comfortable in their own skin that it doesn't matter if you're wearing a wedding dress or overalls. You're perfect, you're beautiful and you better turn the damn show!
,You can show them some love on Instagram. Ocean Giovanni hosts "Category Is...' on Friday nights, a weekly online show with fellow Drag Heals cast member and friend ,Dank Sinatra.
https://vimeo.com/458742220
Next time on Drag Heals episode 6, costume designer Leelando offers tips and tricks for the Drag Heals cast as they start to shape their costumes and props for their stage show.
What did you discover about yourself through the Drag Heals experience?
I discovered that I have a natural talent but that doesn’t mean I can be too easy on myself. If I don’t hone what I do, I’m wasting my gift and that’s not fair because black trans people need and deserve to be seen. My performance on Drag Heals was what I was able to do with a gentle mix of self doubt, fear and natural talent. It made me wonder how far I can go if I switch out self doubt with self love and fear for hard work. I now spend at least three hours a day putting sets together, lip syncing and dancing.
I’ll put on a TV show and lip sync what the actors are saying to make sure I can clearly separate character voices with my face and my body. I’m in dance classes, burlesque classes, learning how to sew from mentors and working hard to be able to go to acting school to round myself out. For the first time in my life, I can truly say I believe in myself. I can’t wait to inspire other people like me to invest in themselves and love themselves no matter how that may look to them.
https://vimeo.com/458743193
Tracey Erin Smith spills the T with drag artist Ocean Giovanni from the Drag Heals season 2 cast.
How can the drag community benefit from being more inclusive?
The drag community would benefit from being more inclusive to a larger variety of drag because we would be able to lead people that are not in our community by example. We can’t fight for inclusivity, acceptance and tolerance if we aren’t modeling that same behaviour. Drag is already not being taken seriously as an art form and when we exclude and devalue each other's work, we’re really only hurting ourselves. Also, a cast with a mix of races, genders and intersectionality makes for a badass lineup. Why would we protest a fierce production?
What’s been most challenging about Drag Heals for you personally?
Apart from that pipe, the most challenging part of Drag Heals was allowing myself to be vulnerable. When we filmed, I was at a point where I was so focused on surviving that I couldn’t tell a scar from a wound because I was protecting everything. Working at the homeless shelter, I got used to not speaking at all. I often had to clean the male washroom and I knew that if they heard my voice and read me as gay or even transgender, it could lead me to lose my job, a world of bullying and at some points my life. I knew that the set of Drag Heals was a safe space to put my guard down, but I was scared that I would leave and forget to put it back up.
What’s brought you the most joy?
I was scared when my mom and sister drove for five hours to watch our final performances, that they would think it was a waste of their time or chock up my passion for drag as a hobby. When they both came running to me after the show to tell me how excited they were to see where else my drag would take me, I felt so validated, the most joyful feeling in the world.
What has surprised you the most?
I was most surprised to see how quickly I can transition from “Ocean” to “Jay.” I didn’t understand why people were so surprised that I have more of a laid back personality when I’m not ‘on’ because they assumed that I would be loud, extra and sassy. I knew that that’s what I often portray when I’m performing, but after watching back my episode, I realized how quickly and extremely I switch when those stage lights come on. I don’t blame people for being surprised, I shocked myself too!
How has it been working with Tracey Erin Smith to help create your one-person show?
Working with Tracey Erin Smith was great! Having someone there that genuinely wanted my authentic voice to be heard and totally rooting for me was extremely refreshing. Tracey was there for us around the clock as both emotional and creative support. She really wanted us all to do well, and you could tell.
What do you hope the TV audience gets out of watching Drag Heals?
I hope that someone in the TV audience feels seen. I’m not saying it hasn’t happened, but in my 20 years on this earth I have never seen anyone that holds my identities on TV. DEFINITELY not a drag show. I hope that me loving my caramel mocha skin, my durag-afro puff moment and my transgender body helps others do the same.
Connect with Ocean Giovanni on
Drag Heals season 3 casting in Toronto!
Drag Heals season 3 is now casting in Toronto. The third season of Drag Heals will showcase drag artists who participate in a 10 class workshop with theatre director Tracey Erin Smith, founder of Soulo Theatre. The ten workshops will culminate in 2 public shows at Buddies In Bad Times cabaret theatre in Toronto.
Each week a guest coach will join Tracey Erin Smith in exploring soul-deep story sharing techniques as well as the unique talents and skills required from a drag king or queen.
We invite self-tape submissions from all genders, ages, and ethnicities. 8 participants will be selected to win this 10 class course with Tracey Erin Smith and join the cast of Drag Heals for two live performances at Buddies in Bad Times cabaret theatre.
There is no payment for participation in documentary TV series. All theatre net proceeds from the performances will be split equally between performers.
We invite all interested parties to view Drag Heals seasons 1 and 2 on OUTtvGo.com (free week trial available) or on Amazon Prime.
, How to apply to be part of the Drag Heals season 3 castPlease email info@border2border.ca with a link to your self-tape (on Casting Workbook, Vimeo or YouTube).
Please include: your name, stage name, phone number, email, confirm you live in Toronto and are available for all dates in the shooting schedule below. Finally be sure to include answers to 2 of the questions found lower down in this post.
Feel free to get creative in your video. We want to see and know who you are and why you want to do this! Walk us through your drag closet, introduce us to your best friend, mother, roommate.
Applicants to Drag Heals season 3 must be available for ALL production dates/times.
APPLICANTS – Please answer 2 of the following questions:
1) What have you survived and how have you survived it?
2) What excites you most about doing drag?
3) Who doesn’t know you do drag and why haven’t you shared with them?
4) In a perfect fantasy performance, what would you do?
5) If you’ve never done drag before, what excites you about trying it?
6) How do you think the drag king and drag queen worlds could benefit from working together?
7) What scares you about drag and the idea of doing an open-hearted course that will put you on stage in front of hundreds of people?
8) What will you bring to the others in the group?
SEEKING the following people for Drag Heals season 3
DRAG KINGS – Seeking seasoned and newbie DRAG KINGS that live in Toronto, are available for all shoot dates, are excited about bringing their drag and performance to a new level of professionalism and have a great big open heart and mind!
DRAG QUEENS – Seeking seasoned and newbie DRAG QUEENS that live in Toronto, are available for all shoot dates, are excited about bringing their drag and performance to a new level of professionalism and have a great big open heart and mind!
DRAG MONARCHS AND DRAG THINGS– Seeking seasoned and newbie GENDER QUEER PERFORMERS that live in Toronto, are available for all shoot dates, are excited about bringing their drag and performance to a new level of professionalism and have a great big open heart and mind! Does your performance/look defy categories? Submit here and share why!
GUEST COACHES – Are you a seasoned pro in the fields of performance, singing, dance, make-up/hair, costuming, entertainment business, etc? We are looking for professionals to join us who will share their wisdom and experience! Tell us about yourself and what you can offer in coaching drag queens and drag kings.
Drag Heals season 3 further details NETWORK: OUTtv Canada Drag Heals season 3 will air on OUTtv in Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and India giving participants the opportunity to raise their profile and be seen by millions around the globe.
PRODUCER/DIRECTOR: Charlie David
EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: Philip Webb, Brad Danks for OUTtv Canada
HOST/COACH: Tracey Erin Smith
PRODUCTION COMPANY: Border2Border Entertainment
WATCH seasons 1 and 2 here to help prepare your video submission! 1 week free trial available on OUTtvGo.com or watch on Amazon Prime.
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