They Had Style, They Had Grace...

Augusta Gray, was an
inspiration for Shaunna Rai's
look.

For the last three years, I have heard name after name, of queens that I will never meet.  Ashley, Marlena, and Augusta Gray, amongst them.  They represent, (for lack of better terminology) the Golden Age of Drag, in Maine.  Back when Styxx was the Underground, back when Shaunna Rai was still a baby, back when there were Gay Bars, from Ogunquit to Bangor.

Over the last twenty years, a lot has changed.  There are no longer any Gay Bars north of Portland.  The Underground has changed hands multiple times, and is now Styxx, (and a bar that was once the talk of the town, is now struggling to fill itself.)  Shaunna Rai has been doing drag for...well, let's just say, that Shaunna Rai is of legal drinking age now...

As long as I've known Shaunna,
Marlena's name has been brought
up many times.

I'll still never meet many of the queens from that Golden Age.  But, this week, something happened, that's going to help me get to know who these girls were.  And, I'm going to get to know the faces that go with the names.  And, eventually, hopefully, I'll get the stories that go along with the faces and names.  At the beginning of the week, I was invited to join a group on Facebook, called Famous Drag Queens of Maine.  A group, that I'm really sad that I didn't think to create... This group is both a blessing and a curse.  While I'm getting to know the queens that I will never meet, and meeting some of the ones that I still have the opportunity to meet, I'm having a hard time keeping up.

Ashley Nason is another name that
I have heard brought up a ton.

I decided, when I got my tax refund, that I needed to get a printer, that had a scanner.  (Talk about foreshadowing...) Once the group was up and running, Dan told me that there was a box in the closet that was full of drag pictures from years ago.  So, I made it my job to go through all the photographs, and scan them, so that they can get posted to the group, eventually.

When he said some, I figured, a couple of rolls worth of film.  I didn't really consider the fact that there would be 21 plus years worth of pictures to go through.  Nor did I consider that it would take, literally, forever to go through all the pictures, and scan and separate and post them.

So far, the photo history is there, but the actual verbal/written history is not.  Part of the goal of the group, in my opinion, is to not only honor the queens who have been a part of Maine's history in images, but also to let them live on in memories.  Someone like me, who doesn't know any of the history prior to three years or so ago, has no idea what Sportsman's was.  I don't know Augusta Gray or Regina.  Without a page like this, I would never know their histories.

Miss JoAnn, circa 1969.

In a week, I learned about Regina, a queen who only performed for HIV/AIDS benefits, after her partner passed away from it.  What made her unique, was that prior to her partner's death, she had no interest in doing drag.  She did it, as a way to carry on his legacy, and support a cause that was near and dear to her.

I have seen pictures of Miss JoAnn, who I actually do know, that go all the way back to 1969.  I've seen pictures of ClubKid MizzDiveena, when she was doing fishy drag, instead of the more severe ClubKid face that she does now.  I have seen queens who look like boys in dresses.  I have seen queens who look so feminine, that you would never believe that they weren't women.  And, I've seen the transformation of 20+ years of Shaunna Rai's existence.

Drag families, that I had no idea existed, have been emerging, and giving me many a name to research a little more...just because it's something that I can't seem to get enough of.

Ashley, Shaunna and Marlena made up the ISG.

I may be a little obsessed with the group, because, I'm spending more time refreshing the page, to look at what new pictures, or anecdotes have been posted since the last time I looked.  (Yes, I know, I have a problem.)  

And, now that I have names and faces of people who were part of Shaunna Rai's past, I can open up the playing field a little bit about what I know about the time before me.  

I'm a couple of keyboard strokes away from

 being able to ask Shaunna's creator about putting her in drag for the first time, and seeing now, how far that she has come from her origins.  I can ask people about Ashley and Marlena, two thirds (Shaunna Rai being the last third) of ISG (International Show Girls) and try to get a little more information about why it was called ISG, and what it was exactly that they did.

In what has become an attempt at documenting the present of drag, I now have a whole new source of information and inspiration, to keep things fresh and new. And, I might just learn a thing or two about the years of history, that only those who have lived it, know.

Thank you for creating this group. And thank you to every contributor to the page. And, if you have, or know of anyone who has pictures and/or stories about any of the queens, kings, etc. who have played a part in this state's history, please, share and help keep these memories alive. 

Juju Loves Me

April 12, was a night, a long time in coming, that I won't soon forget.  Jujubee came to Maine.

Now, this may sound foolish, because she's from Boston, so why wouldn't she come to Maine?  She goes everywhere else around the world... But, this was important to me, because Jujubee and Raven were my introduction to RuPaul's Drag Race.

I had seen Raven at Club 313 in Manchester, shortly after Dan and I started dating.  So, seeing Jujubee was on of the things that I felt was a "Must Do" activity.  And, given the fact that she was going to be right in my own back yard (so to speak) it didn't make sense to NOT go.

It was an interesting day, to say the least.  I had to work.  And, I had to ask someone to cover for the last 3 hours of my shift, because I had stupidly forgotten, when I told them my days that I needed to have off for prior commitments, that I was doing this.  So, I got out of work, and had to run to the other job, to pick up a phone charger that I'd forgotten the day before.  Then, it was clear sailing for the rest of the night.

Shaunna Rai was working at Blackstones, doing a Jujubee Pre-Party Happy Hour.  And, my parents came for that.  It was great.  Not nearly as busy as I'd expected it to be.  But, it was a good crowd.  When I got there, my parents had already been there for a little bit.  And my mom was excited that sh
e was going to be able to cross some things off her bucket list.  Namely ordering a "cocktail"  really, just a Shirley Temple.  And, she was going to be "bar-hopping."  And, she was going to be seeing her first Drag Race girl.  Not just seeing, but meeting, as well.  That was a little surprise that I kept right up until just before we went.

Having worked a full day, and having been excited about it for months, I was wearing myself down on the way to Styxx.  Shaunna had had a long day too, so tensions were a little high.  Which, usually can be cut with a drink.  Or three.

Once we got to Styxx, it was a bit of "stand around," and wait for them to open up the back room, where

the show was going to be.  That's where my mom made sure that we knew that she was knocking stuff off her bucket list.  Finally, it was time to go get in to get a place for the show.  And, it was packed.  I haven't seen Styxx that packed since the first time I went there with my ex.  And that was like 8 years ago...

As always happens, during a show, whether Shaunna is performing, or not, the mingling happens.  I stayed with my parents, and tried to get them to a spot where they'd be able to see the show well.  In the meantime, Shaunna met her "fairy godmother".  A woman from Wiscasset, who runs an antiques shop, who thought that she was the most beautiful queen there.  And, randomly, just gave Shaunna some jewelry, because "it's nothing that I'm going to wear, but it would look beautiful on you."

Once I got my parents settled, in what looked like a good place to get pictures, I got a text from Sheneeda Diet, asking if I could come help get stuff out of the car.  Being the person that I am, I said I would.  And, somewhere along the way, I managed to lose my meet and greet ticket.  Which I didn't find out until just
before it was time to "meet and greet."

The show started, and it was a lot of girls that I know from other venues.  Mikayla Loveheart, Jacinda, Sheneeda Diet, Miss Joanne and Cherry Lemonade.  Partway through the show, Jujubee showed up, and people started to get really excited.

During a show, I go into a kind of zone, where I'm just snapping pictures like crazy, because I need to have something good to post afterward.  A way of documenting that I was there.  They were there.  And this is something that needs to be saved.  Because lord knows that there is not a whole lot of drag going on in Maine.  Especially, compared to what there used to be...but that's a subject for another post...

Juju finally came out and took the stage.  In the back of my mind, I was disappointed, because she didn't do
"Dancing on my Own," which was the song that she and Raven did, which was my intro to Drag Race.  On her way off the stage, Sheneeda Diet asked her to stop for a picture, which she did.  And, she talked to Shaunna Rai.  Which shocked my mom.  And, reminded me that, A) Jujubee is a real person. B) Shaunna and Sheneeda have both been friends with her for years.  C) She's a Drag
Race sweetheart.

Before I knew it, the show was over.  Sheneeda, whose alter ego Michael, is my boss, asked for help taking things back out to his car, because he was the on call person, and needed to go to work.  Then came the wait for the meet and greet.  This was a process that I didn't care much for.  The way that it was made to sound initially, was that there would be a photographer there, who would be taking pictures for you, as you did have to pay for the meet and greet. You were responsible for finding your own person to take your own pictures.  As, the
photos were being taken in the front room, instead of the back room, the line was blocking off people from being able to move freely. So, people kept pushing their way through, if and when they weren't trying to get a place closer to the front of the line.  That was when I found that my ticket was gone.

The tension of the night flared.  I got grouchy.  I just wanted to get the stupid pictures out of the way and leave.  My dad, who also had a ticket, and was just tired, gave me his ticket.  "You'll get more out of it, than I will," he said.  While I was standing in line, I kept
looking over at my dad, because he looked tired.  And, I happened to look up just in time to see an older man...older than my dad...was checking my dad out.
 And, that snapped me back to reality, that this is a fun night.  And, I need to get over my bad attitude before I get to the front of the line.

Finally, it was mom's turn with Jujubee.  She went up, and talked with her.  And,
I snapped more pictures than the paparazzi.

And, then it was my turn.  I got a little star struck.  And, had no idea what I was going to say to her.  And then, it just came tumbling out of my mouth that, "I'm excited to be here with you, because you and Raven were my intro to Drag Race." And we were laughing and I was grinning like an idiot. And I

got a kiss on the lips from her.  And then it was time to go.  And, I told her I loved her and she told me she loved me.

Overall, it was a great night.


On the way out to the car, my mom was talking about the show, and how she had had a good time.  And, Shaunna told me that while I was snapping pictures of Juju during the show, my mom had said that she was a little disappointed.  Because Shaunna is more of a performer than Jujubee is, my mom had the expectation that Juju would be a dance-y performer as well.  So, that was a little disappointing for my mom.  But, she had a great time overall.

When I Go, I'm Going Like Topaz

Lady Valerie

Miss Samantha

Saturday night, marked the 5th March Dragness, and it was a memorial of sorts, for a fallen queen, Topaz.  It was a hell of a show, and a night I'll never forget.  And, it's how I want to go out.  When I die, I'm going to beg for a drag show send off.  And, if I don't get one, I can always come back and haunt people until I get one...

Going into this show, I believed that every drag show was pretty much the same thing.  Queen A performs, Queen B performs, Queen C performs, and then the show is pretty much over.  I know that some queens put feeling into their lip syncs, and some perform their own songs.  And, in my head, this is just how shows go.  This show, showed me that you can't always just jump to conclusions that every show is going to be the same.  Because, they are decidedly not all the same.

Asia

Emma

The crowd in Bangor is different than that of Portland.  For one, the crowd in Portland, tends to be a gay crowd, and we're all packed into Blackstones or Styxx.  In Bangor, I would say, that the homos were the minority.  The crowd at Hollywood Casino was a decidedly mixed crowd.  To the left was an older (50-60 year old) straight couple, behind me was a group of girls (barely 21's) who could have used a mute button.  And, spattered throughout the crowd, were faces I recognized.  Some from "home" (read as Portland area), others, who I know from Facebook.

Miss Joanne

Paris Lynne

The show was on a tight schedule, and had to be over in exactly two hours.  None of the usual "We'll start when there's a good enough crowd to start," that plagues a lot of drag shows.  Once the show started, it was banged out act after act.  As usual, I got caught up in taking pictures, which is my MO, at shows.  I know that there's music, but rarely, can I tell you at the end of the night, which performer performed to what song.  But, there were a few acts that I don't know if I'll ever be able to forget.

Shaunna Rai

Candy Cayne

Shaunna Rai gets her usual shout outs, because I live with her, and I wouldn't hear the end of it if I didn't.  But, she's always amazing, so it's to be expected.  Her first performance was a mix of songs by Pink, that I've seen a few times.  She looked like Pink.  And, she surprised the audience.  The whispers at the beginning, of "What the..." quickly turned to whispers of "Oh my God, she actually looks like Pink," as the rip away came off.  When she did her second number, Tina Turner's Proud Mary, there were ripples again, through the audience of "She's not seriously going to..." By the end of the song, any doubt that she could pull it off was gone, and a good majority of the audience was actually singing along to the song.  (Something that I always do anyway, without thinking about it, but haven't seen happen before.)

Justin Case

Mikayla Loveheart

Asia Thavone, who I had met once before at Mama's Cabaret, last summer, was another standout performer.  If I remember correctly, she did a Whitney number for her first number.  But, the standout performance, was her second number.  She dedicated Bette Midler's Wind Beneath My Wings to Topaz.  And, I got a bit choked up.  The song itself, in combination with a memorial of any sort, is just enough to get the tears flowing.  Combine that with an amazing performance, which looked like it got to Asia herself (I couldn't tell for sure, as I was all the way in the back row, fighting to see over a woman whose head I swear was bigger than a watermelon).

Miss Samantha

Valerie

Paris Lynne, another queen who I met through Mama's Cabaret, last fall, performed Stacy Q's Two of Hearts, for her first number, and alternated co-hosting with Lady Valerie Honeywell.  But, her standout number, was Christina Perry's Human.  It was a song that I hadn't actually heard prior to the show, and one that I have added to my iPod, after seeing her perform to it.  She was one of the last numbers of the night, and you could tell at the beginning of the song, that the night was getting to her. By the end of the song, I really just wanted to go hug her, and tell her that it was going to be okay, and that Topaz would've been proud of her.  The amount of emotion that went into the performance again, choked me up.

Emma

Asia

And, then came the finale.  Valerie gathered all the queens on the stage.  Shaunna Rai, Candy Cayne, Asia, Justin, Emma, Paris, Samantha, Joanne, Mikayla, Paris and Valerie.  The dedication of the final number to both Topaz and Amanda Kelley, and their families, who were in the audience was touching.  When Valerie picked up one of Topaz's costumes, from the corner of the stage, and lay it on the stage, and sang to it, and then invited the family to pay their respects to the costume, it made it hard to not get emotional, whether you knew them or not.

Miss Joanne

As the show itself was a fund raiser, I'm curious to find out how much was actually made.  The show sold out of early tickets, and at the end of the night, it was standing room only.

Paris Lynne

Anyway, as I was driving (most of the way home) I told Dan, that's what I want, if I happen to die before he does.  I want to have a show in my honor.  Selfish? Maybe. But, in a way, it's for them.  A sentiment, that I generally hear more from my own family, that I heard last night was, "We really need to stop meeting this way." Because, in general, sickness and death are the two things that bring people together.  But, life goes on.  And, if it gives a group of performers a reason to perform, why not let it be known?  Because, as I'm coming to realize, life is too short to be unhappy.  I know I was smiling at the end of the night, and I'm sure that Topaz was as well, knowing that she brought together a group of her friends, who put on one hell of a show.

Shaunna Rai

Justin Case

Mikayla Loveheart

Candy Cayne

The Final Number, all the queens and half the audience