Aww, Shoot

Since the Christmas Show put on by Golden Goddess Productions, Shaunna Rai has taken a new queen under her wing.

Mizs Queery was the protégé of Brystal Kreme. During the evening of the show, she showed how interested and eager she is to learn the craft. And, during her duet number with Brystal, Mizs Queery actually overshadowed Brystal (in my opinion). Queery just came off as having more energy and enthusiasm during thr number. I don't really know what happened after, but it appears that Queery is kind of on her own...orphaned from her "drag mother."

So, last night, Shaunna walked Queery through painting her face, in the Shaunna Rai look. I spent the afternoon running around doing car stuff, so I missed the full tutorial. Shaunna would do one half of Queery's face, and explain what the technique was, and then it was Queery's turn.

Watching it happen, as it always is, was kinda cool. And, seeing the process, and then the final result was fun.

Halfway through painting, Queery went (in part face) to pick up a pizza at Little Caesar's. We ate and then they finished up painting.

Finally, it was my turn to have a photo shoot. (Since Dan/Shaunna Rai had just done one on Friday.) I watched Lauren on Friday, to see what a professional does with a model...since Shaunna is always saying that I'm horrible when it comes to directing a model. (Mostly, because I don't really have a clue.)

Anyway, we got Queery into the garage  (where the best lighting is, and where I had tacked up a sheet on the wall for a backdrop.) Shaunna gave a couple of pointers for how a model should stand, and that kind of thing. And, for the first time, it kinda clicked on what I needed to do as far as directing poses.

Because the temperature was so cold, I didn't want to make Queery stay out any longer than necessary,  so when I thought I'd gotten a few good shots of her, we ended it. She washed it all off, and went home. And, I started my editing.

There was very little need for retouching, although there was some...blemishes and a spot on the shirt, where you could see the inner workings of how the blouse was put together. Mostly it was just playing with the contrast and brightness, to get it to look right. I did okay, I guess, because people like the pictures I posted.

However, I spent a good part of the next morning looking over them, myself, and going on my self imposed critique, which consisted of tearing them apart.  Mainly, it's a matter of needing to play around with the lighting a bit. My biggest issue with the pictures was the lighting in the eye area. It's too dark, and I couldn't figure out how to lighten just that area, so you could actually see her eyes.

I'm looking forward to the next shoot, in hopes that I can figure out a few new techniques to make things even better.

Covergirl Doesn't Cover Boy

Imagine walking into a room full of people you know, and realizing that you don't know them.

So, I've already written about the show on Saturday, at Hollywood Casino in Bangor.  And, I may be doing this a bit backwards, but, it's my blog, and I can write about what I want to, in whatever order I want to.  Really, I thought that the tribute to Topaz was a bit more important, than what it's like to watch a group of queens and kings paint for a show.

So, anyway, back to the hook.  Imagine that you've just walked into a room full of people that you know, only to realize that you don't know them.  It's a weird sensation.  Like, really, really weird.  You recognize the bodies before the faces, because normally the face that you're looking at, has a boatload of makeup on it. You hear the voice that you know, coming out of someone else's face.  It's jarring.  And, then, after a few minutes, of gathering yourself, you relax and just go with it.  Because, you know, that even though they look different, they're the same person.  I've lived with two queens for almost a year, so I know that there's always going to be a tiny bit of "WTF?" going on in my head.

The greetings start, and the catching up starts.  And, suddenly, it's all normal.  And then, the makeup makes its appearance.  If you've never seen the transformation from man to woman, I would recommend taking the opportunity if it ever presents itself.

You would think that living with two drag queens, I would have seen more than enough faces being painted.  Surprisingly, in the (almost) year and a half that I've been with Dan, I've only watched the full process four times.  Why have I only watched it a few times?  Part of it is that I tend to stare.  Which makes everyone uncomfortable.  And, part of it, is that I don't really want to know how it's done. It's more magical to just think that the queen goes into a room as a male, and comes out as a female.  You know, the whole caterpillar to a butterfly thing.  'Cause really, who wants to see what kind of scariness that transformation looks like?

It's interesting to see though, how each person "paints" differently.  For some, there's very little on the face, but, a ton of eye makeup.  For others, it's a lot all over the face.  And, for others, it's layer upon layer of makeup.  Foundation, highlights, shadows, contouring around the nose, cheek bones, and jawline, and then the eyes and lips.  Powder, powder, powder.  Contacts go in.  Mistakes get wiped off with baby wipes.

And, all the while, they're talking.  A lot of talk about the old times.  About back when this performer did this.  About how, "I remember back before you even started doing drag..." There's talk about which performers have sticky fingers, and, "How do they expect to get away with wearing that wig that they swiped, around here, knowing full well that everyone knows that they took it?"

Watching RuPaul's Drag Race, last season, with Alyssa Edwards and Coco Montrese, you kind of got the expectation that everyone was always at each other's throats.  Comments about how, "Gurl, look how orange you look!" are what you'd expect after watching the show.  As I sat and watched them all painting, there were certain people who I looked at like, "That color's way too dark for your skin." and things like that.  But, since nobody else was saying anything, I didn't figure it was my place.  Because, it's not. What do I know about makeup? I don't do drag. I just observe. I take it all in, and then write about it later.

And, just like that, the room goes from being a room with six men and a woman, to one king and six queens.  And, you're left wondering, how did super long drawn on eyelash lines, turn into a realistic looking eye? And, how did those sheet white highlights turn out to look natural?  And, how did that grease pencil turn into a beard full of stubble?

The truth of the matter, is that I don't really want to know all the tips and tricks that it takes to turn out a good face.  Once I know all of the pieces of putting it on, it'll lose it's magic for me.  Knowing all the secrets of drag, would take away from the experience for me.  It would be like taking in The Lord of The Rings series, and sitting through the entire 4 years of CGI creation, instead of the final 2 hour movie.  You don't need to know each step that it took over those 4 years to create that scene with 50,000 goblins, in a roller coaster of a cave. You just need to know that the 2 1/2 minutes of filming is amazing.  You don't need to know that it takes an hour and a half to put on a face, you just need to know that the face was put on for the 10 minutes or so that the performer's on stage, doing his or her thing.

I think what really surprised me the most, aside from how different they all look out of drag, was how close knit this little community is.  Everyone has known everyone for years.  They all know (more or less) everyone else's business.  And, they're like a family.  More like my actual family, than I ever would have expected.  They go long periods without seeing each other, but, thanks to Facebook, and other social media outlets, they keep up with what's going on.  And, they just pick up, and continue with conversations. And, they all say, "Oh, we should do this more often, instead of just when something bad happens."  In the moment, the sentiment is heartfelt, and everyone agrees.  But, with everyone's busy schedules, they know that it's pretty much just something that you say, because you can, not because it will actually change anything.

And, I really just need to thank all the queens who let me be a part of the process.  Being the odd one out, they could just as easily have sent me out to sit in the hallway the entire time, or sent me to the slot machines, to lose every penny that I have to my name.  But, they didn't.  And, they all know that I write the blog.  So, thank you to all of the queens and king who allowed me to be a part of the show that not many other people got to see.

Meet: Bunny Wonderland

Bunny Wonderland

If you recall, a couple of weeks ago, I decided that I needed to do some research into what it's like to be a drag queen, because I intend to try to make a graphic novel about it...at some point.  And, I wrote down a bunch of interview questions, and posted it all over the place.  Because, when you live with drag queens, you know a lot of other drag queens, and therefore it should be easy to get a whole lot of answers, right?  Wrong.  I literally got two responses.  Well, three, because Dan/Shaunna Rai will answer any questions I have any time I ask.

So, as a way of keeping track of who answered, and a way of promoting for them, I'm going to go out on a limb, and give out some of the answers that I received.

The first, and fastest, to get back to me was Bunny Wonderland.  I met Bunny for the first time, at the Lewistunning Dragapalooza, last summer, when Shaunna Rai co-hosted it.  I'd heard her name, but knew nothing about what of drag she would be categorized in, and so went in totally unprepared for the act.  What came through, was immediately clear, she is hilarious.  The act started with A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes, and moved through The Sound of Music, right on to a demonic possession from The Exorcist.  In short, my mind was blown.

So, who is Bunny Wonderland?

Amber Snow, Bunny Wonderland, Shaunna Rai

Bunny's portrayer, Knate, actually got his start, doing drag, hosting Rocky Horror Picture Show, at the Movies at Exchange Street, in Portland, back in 2001. Bunny made her first appearance at an AIDS Benefit Drag Show, in 2005. Now that I've paraphrased some of her bio, I'll let her speak. "As usual, my first time out of the gate was...well...less than polished. But, I had a taste of the freeness that Drag brings, and with it a happy outlet for gender expression, and needless to say, I was hooked. I was approached by Southern Maine Pride, to be the Princess of Pride in 2006, and to act as a Youth Ambassador. I gave Bunny a full makeover, bought some "cute" dresses and started hanging with other queens (Shaunna Rai, Ariel Gibbs, Amber Snow, etc.) I learned a few tricks of the trade, and developed my character.  Bunny slowly transitioned from a retro kitsch queen to full blown punk debutante in a matter of months. She still to this day has a touch of retro style, and mouth of a sailor. I always wanted Bunny to be sweet as pie, and community oriented. I always have Bunny be the one when someone else says "NO," she says, "Yes, and?""

My personal favorite part of learning about drag queens is how they got their names.  Because, I don't know, it's just fun.  They run the gamut of "First Pets Name+Street You Grew Up On=Drag Name" (In my case, it would be Spice Andrews.)How'd Bunny get hers?
"I've been a vegetarian for close to 15 years. Vegetarian=Bunny.  I have always had an affinity for strong fictional female characters, and my first show was at the hookah bar in Portland, ME. Combined=Wonderland"

What's your favorite part of doing drag?
"The ability to make people laugh, think and be moved by a smart and clever performance is the reason I do drag. Hands down, nothing is more important to me than having someone walk away from a performance and go, "That was fucking awesome." I could lip sync to Beyonce for 7 mins and collect a fistful of tips, but honestly...that's not my speed. I also love the pomp and circumstance that comes with "putting on the mask." People treat you very differently while in drag, and I kinda like it. I can do, say, and be something I normally wouldn't be."

Queens tend to get categorized. (ie. Comedy, Club kid, Pageant Queen) What category do you consider yourself to be?
Campy, Esotreric Punk Debutant

Bunny Wonderland

I have experiened stage fright every time that I've ever done anything on stage.  Have you ever experienced stage fright while performing? How did you overcome it?
I have only experienced stage fright as Bunny once. In 2007, I performed my largest performance to date, hosting Oberlin Drag Ball in Ohio, close to 2000 people. I was to be sent down an elevator for my opening appearance and I was terrified. I waited for close to 30 mins for the damn thing to go down and for the show to start. I kept saying "Let's get this started, I'm scared being up here!" but the show never started. Finally, someone came to me, up in the stage grid and said, "We're waiting for your call to start!" I had no idea that I was supposed to give the word. I said go, and I felt the thing go down to the stage and I almost died of fright.

Have you ever won any titles/awards?
Princess of Southern Maine Pride 2006-2008.

Good or bad, tell me about some of your backstage experiences with other queens.
I have always had an easy time getting along with other queens. I have seen everything from catty comments, to full blown fights but I have never been on the receiving end of them (thankfully). There was one time backstage, while I was hosting an amateur drag competition that a queen competing threw a HUGE hissy fit trying to get a thigh high boot on. She literally lost her damn mind, screaming, crying, kicking, swearing, hitting her friend to help her. I remember thingking to myself, "I will never take drag as seriously as that girl..." (btw, this is NO one we know, this girl lasted very shortly on the scene, mostly due to her bad attitude). I was in shock at what I was seeing, and couldn't believe that someone would react so violently to putting on a fucking boot...

Shaunna Rai does her own makeup, and hair. She sometimes hires out Benni Bernard for costumes, when it's not something that she can do on her own.  Do you do all your own hair, makeup and costuming? Or, do you have help with some or all of the above?
"I do my own makeup, hair and costumes. I usually buy wigs online and then style them myself, add hair, additions. Costumes, I buy a silhouette I think works well for me, and add to it. Makeup has pretty much always been the same "palate" if you will. With tweaks and the like thrown in over the years.

I've had so many "adventures, since I started hanging out with Dan/Shaunna Rai. Tell me about a memorable adventure that you've had that you would not have had if not for drag.
What I'm doing now would not be possible without my yeats as Bunny. I currently run a series at a professional theatre that combines drag, burlesque, film and onstage industry professionals from film. Basically, I host a night of cult films, and we have someone from that film do an onstage interview with Bunny. I've worked with everyone from Lloyd Kaufman (Toxic Avenger), Rae Dawn Chong (Color Purple, Commando) to Michael Finnell (Gremlins) and Noah Hathaway (The Neverending Story).

When you're out of drag, what do you do? (ie. Work, fun, etc.)
I work as a producer/arts programmer for Seacoast Repertory Theatre. I also am a resident actor for the Rep as well. I serve on a bunch of Arts boards including NHPTA (New Hampshire Professional Theatre Association) and the NH Chapter of TED Talks.

Obviously, I am not a drag queen, and I'm doing this to research what it is like to be one.  Tell me anything else that you think might be important for me to know, to get inside the head of a drag queen.
We crave attention. It is what fuels us. No matter what anyone says, it's always about attention and intention. And that, kind sir, is not a bad thing at all.

Something Fishy This Way Comes

The last month has been a bit crazy, between all of Shaunna Rai's shows, and my own personal stuff.  I gave notice at a job I hated, and then left a week earlier than I said I would.  I started a new job, working in the sales/marketing department of a major bank.  And, I outed myself, to not only the other new hires in my training class, but also a group of new hires from Cleveland.

I made something of a celebrity of myself, and Shaunna Rai by doing so.  The instructor asked each person to name a fun fact about themselves.  So, figuring that a lot of people would talk about pets, or kids and such, I wanted something that would stand out. SO, I decided to put it out there that two of my closest friends (Dan and Ryan) are Drag Queens.  The instructor's response was that this was "The BEST" fun fact she had ever heard, and she was still talking about it days later.

But, by outing myself, I made a connection with a couple of people in my class.  Which, was sort of the goal.  At lunch, that afternoon, I started talking to an older woman (in her 50's, so older than me, but not old, by any means) about her kids.  She told me that one of her sons is a drag queen in California.  She then proceeded to pull out her phone, and show me Trendy Wendy's Facebook photos.  Score one for a cool mom.  I mean, really, this woman worked for the Navy for years, so, kudos for that! But, to be cool enough, and proud enough to show off pictures of your adult child in drag? Well, some drag queens just aren't that lucky.

I've also heard from another girl (younger than me), about a friend of hers, who is a transman.  She was there as a friend, to support him, in his transition, and saw the transformation, along the way.

Anyway, so I came home from work the other night, and told Dan about Trendy Wendy's mother, and the fact that she told me to stalk Wendy's page.  So, I did.  And, I looked at pictures with Dan.  And, he said something to the effect of "She's fishy."

In my former life, this would have meant one of two things: either, she stinks like a fish market, OR there's something off about her.  Neither of which anyone would want to hear about themselves.  Fortunately, with all the drag talk, and RuPaul's Drag Race, I've learned that Fishy also has another meaning...Very Feminine.  In drag and trans(woman) terms, the more fishy you are, the better, because it means that you look feminine without really trying hard.

To be a little more descriptive about what I mean:  in my world, there are (forgive me for a rough generalization) three classifications of drag queen makeup.

1. Gimmick makeup: Makeup done specifically for a reaction.  Taffy Pulls would be a good example of this class.  Her makeup tends to be pale, with bold eye shadow, and bright lipstick, that may or may not be applied properly.  (It's meant to look badly done, because that's the gimmick.)  Detox's Black and White for the season finale of RuPaul's Drag Race, and Jinkx Monsoon's Sugar Skull would both also fall into this category.

2. Regular Drag Makeup:  I'm sure there is probably a "real" name for it, but, this is my blog, and I'm just trying to classify in my own terms, what I'm thinking.  Regular Drag Makeup tends to, in person look extremely severe.  The highlights are very light, and the contouring (shading) is very dark.  A lot of the queens I know fall into this category.

3. Fishy Makeup: Fishy makeup, is the look that queens like Trendy Wendy go for, more of a "barely there" look.  Think along the lines of a magazine advertisement...you look at the picture, and see a beautiful face...and you think of "Oh, they have makeup on," after the fact.  

One Night Only

Ok, so last night was Taffy's show again. And, as promised, I got my makeover.

Being introduced as Dan's boyfriend, and "guinea pig" model/victim was fun. Taffy, Dan, and a couple of other makeup artists, plus the entire audience at Styxx hearing him say that.  It's sweet.

Anyway, then, because the lighting on the stage is really performance lighting, and not makeup lighting, we got to go in the back room, and I got a private makeup session, complete with my own photographer, my roommate.

I was half expecting to get made up on stage, so the fact that I was hidden away in the back, was almost a disappointment, but at the same time a relief.

Now, mind you, I've watched Dan get into Shaunna Rai's makeup a few times, so I know exactly what goes into it, and how long it takes. But, I didn't realize how long it feels like it takes, when someone else is doing it. I felt like I was in the chair forever. And by the time it was the "midway" check in, to see the progress on my face, I was ready for it to be over...the painting, at least.  I was ready for the reveal, even though, at that point, there really wasn't much to reveal, other than the fact that I'd had a base put on, and was contoured.

The makeup started to get itchy, and it took most of my willpower to not reach up and scratch my face. The makeup on the eyes was the worst part of the experience, because I'm a jumpy, blinky person anyway. SO, sitting there, and having Dan, a person I trust, poking around on my eyelids, with my eyes closed so I didn't know when or where he was at any given point, was enough to drive me nuts.

When we got to the lips, I was happy. It was almost over, by then. I'd been able to catch glimpses of myself in the mirror on the wall opposite where I was sitting, but, it didn't make a lot of sense to me what I was really seeing. But, I knew that we were getting close. And, when the wigs finally came out, I knew that I'd made it to the home stretch.

Judging from watching Shaunna Rai finish getting ready for a show, I figured that I was probably going to get at least two different wigs before we settled on something...or before Dan did. And, I wasn't disappointed. The first wig, was the black, curly Cher wig. Apparently, it was too dark.  And, of the other five or six wigs, it was the one that I was hoping NOT to get, that I got.  It wasn't that I didn't like the red wig...It's just that the last time I was in drag, I was a redhead.  Not to mention, when I go around in red hair, I look so much like my mother...

It all came together great though, in the end. And I was shocked that people didn't recognize me.  I mean, yeah, I'm wearing a wig, and makeup, but it's not like I changed bodies while they were waiting in the audience. And, yet, people who I socialize with on a regular basis, had no idea that it was me.

So, what started off as a night that was supposed to just be fun, kind of accidentally, (although, a "happy accident") became a social experiment.  Even though, I was still dressed in my boy clothes, and literally, the only changes in my look were that I was wearing a hair cutting cape, to keep the makeup off my clothes, and I had makeup and a wig on, people didn't know it was me.  The part where I really had fun, was afterward, when I got all kinds of compliments. People were amazed at the work that Dan had done on me, and more than I couple times, I got, "Gurrrl, you looked so good, I didn't even know it was you!"

It was fun to play make-believe with a new face and hair. But, that was all it was. I was extremely conscious of the fact that I was still Steve, and still shy, even though I was standing up in front of a full bar of people that I barely know. And, it was an odd mix of feelings. Part of me was basking in the attention. The rest of me was ready for it to be over, and get out of face. Once it was over though, I was glad to get back to being Steve, instead of One Night.

 Would I do it again? For something like Taffy's show, probably. For something to just go and do on a Friday night, probably not.  Unless Kathy Griffin needs a stunt double...in which case, I might consider it, because I might be able to pull off the look. The attitude and mannerisms, I'd need to study up on, though.

I shaved my beard for this?

As part of Taffy Pulls's weekly RuPaul's Drag Race viewing party, there are always things going on. This week, I happen to be one of those things.  If you're not on my Facebook, you may have missed the fact that tonight, I'm going to be undergoing a makeover.  Not just any makeover, mind you, but a drag makeover.

For the past year and a half, I've had a goatee that I've been very proud of. I shaved it off once, because I got bored of it, and immediately grew it back, because it was the beginning of winter, and it was too cold without it.  As of yesterday, it was gone away again. And, I feel quite naked without it.

Do I trust Dan to do this to me? You bet. He does hair and makeup for a living! He knows what he's doing.  Am I nervous about what I'm going to look like? Well, a little. I'm not going to be in full out drag. No dresses or jumpsuits for me. I'm just "getting into face".  I'm kinda feeling like I'm Shaunna Rai and Vanila Honey-Bush's younger brother, who they got bored, and decided to play "dress up" with.  Kinda like when my mom and aunts used to do that to my uncle...I think I'm more nervous about whether I'm going to really like what I look like "dragged up"...

Overall, I'm excited, and really can't wait to see the outcome, because I know that Dan will do his best to make me look...(dare I say it?)  FABULOUS!

Your Boob's in the Sink

Over the weekend,  I woke up to a conversation containing those words. And, so, it got me thinking. A question that I have heard from a few people,  on a few occasions,  is, "How do they get their boobs?"

Sarcastic me always wants to respond, "They stole them from a biological  woman." Because, just like a bio woman, there are plenty of ways to make yourself have breasts, or the illusion of them.

When I did Guys in Gowns, my boobs were literally made from rolled up socks stuffed in my dress.

Everyone knows the old stand-by of stuffing tissues in a bra. And, there's a picture that keeps showing up on my Facebook with the caption "You know, you're supposed to take them out of the box..."

A lady never reveals her secrets,  but, given that I'm not a lady, I can reveal secrets. Lol. I have seen both Shaunna Rai and Vanila Honey-Bush use silicone-y falsies that look similar to boneless chicken breasts. These, being the ones that were found in the sink...

On a larger scale, there is the breastplate. A rubbery thing that wraps around the neck, like a big necklace, with boobs on it.

And, on a smaller scale, there is just contouring with makeup.  I've showed my mom pictures of Shaunna Rai with only contouring done, that she was like, "You're kidding". This, to me, is the coolest way of "making a chest." Because,  with the right dress, and the right contouring, it looks like a real set of breasts.

I want to be Taffy-fied

Originally,  this was supposed to be the title of a post in which Taffy Pulls demonstrates on me, the way she does her makeup. 
However, the last two weeks of Taffy's RuPaul's Drag Race Viewing Party, at Styxx, have given me a chance to experiment on my own. In honor of Snatch Game, last week, on the show, Taffy asked for volunteers to dress up as her, complete with outfits she has worn, and her wigs.

I'd known in advance that this was the plan for that night. And, I'd planned on shaving off the goatee so that I wouldn't look so silly. And, I forgot to. So, I turned out looking like a bearded Taffy. It was fun. I made a fool of myself in front of a bunch of people who were drinking, in a gay bar.

This week, in honor of the girls on the show having a challenge of putting on face in the dark, Taffy asked for volunteers to do makeup blindly.  Thinking, oh, I've watched Shaunna Rai, Tatoola, Vanila Honey-Bush and Taffy put on face a ton, I should be able to do this no problem. Yeah, not so much. I kinda choked. I was freaking out. "What the hell are all these things for?" kept going through my head.
I had a cheering section telling me to just throw stuff on. I forgot that when you do makeup for drag, that it's supposed to be a little (a lot) bolder, and less " natural". So the face I put on was barely noticeable.  Closer to a term that I've heard Shaunna Rai use, "tranny realness", than Drag "fishiness".  Although,  either way, it was still really badly done.

Would I do it again?  Hell yeah. I had so much fun, both times.  I'm half tempted to be Taffy's underwear model next week,  because it would be fun. Only half though, because I don't know if I dare dress down that much for three minutes,  in front of a group of drunk gay guys.