Curbside Queens at The Waldo Theatre celebrate the art of Drag.
Visit www.waldotheatre.org for information about tickets, parking, and more upcoming events.
The Waldo Theatre will soon welcome Curbside Queens as they celebrate the art of drag with the people of Maine. The Portland-based group will bring their fiercely funny and fabulous touring show to The Waldo on Saturday, July 29 at 8:00PM.
Wait. What is it? Why is it?
Backstory: Drag began out of necessity. When Shakespearean theatre was new in the late 16th century the stage wasn’t just a place of entertainment. It had strong links to the church and with that came rules that only men could tread the boards. If the play featured a few female roles, then it was up to a couple of the men in the cast to dress as members of the opposite sex .The word ‘drag’ comes from the dresses men wore to play female characters that would drag along the floor.
Actors playing female parts because there were no actresses around isn’t exactly in the spirit of what we call drag today - but it was a start. It became a way for men to express a different side of themselves, over-exaggerating feminine looks, style and body language to create a persona.
As RuPaul says, there is more to drag than impersonating a woman: “I don't dress like a woman; I dress like a drag queen!”
Drag is a fascinating, complex world packed with surprises and social history and a whole lot of fun.
In 2017, Time magazine named RuPaul as one of the 100 most influential people in the world. If that doesn’t spill the T, what does?
Enter The Waldo Theatre, a gutsy little venue in Waldoboro, Maine. You might call it Little Radio City, which has been a nickname over the years, but I prefer the “Little Theatre that Could ( and did.) What did it do? It came back from near ruin with lights blazing and full houses. It rose up from rubble and like a Phoenix flies high. And now The Waldo Theatre brings to Midcoast Maine the first professional drag show seen here on Saturday, July 29 at 8:00PM.
Oh ,we have had amateur drag shows around here before. I recall several years of “ Guys in Gowns” that featured everyone from Bank Presidents to Police officers and Fishermen, The local beauty salons made a killing on hair dos and false nails and eyelashes. While some were markedly “interesting” others were so fab that until the wigs came off even neighbors did not know who they were. Money was raised for charity and the only concern was who was the prettiest.
You know what was absent? Any controversy at all, and that is how it should be. If folks want to object, they can start with Shakespeare and Milton Berle, Robin Williams, Dustin Hoffman and so many other icons. This is vaudeville , folks, and like old vaudeville- meant for adults.
Let’s all welcome The Curbside Queens! This Portland based crew was born out of the early days of the pandemic lockdown 2020, at a time when community morale and engagement was hitting a low. Cherry Lemonade and GiGi Gabor floated the idea of driveway shows, utilizing Gigi’s SUV and a boombox, as a way to celebrate during a pride month devastated by a global pandemic. What was originally thought to be a fun thing for 2 or 3 weekends quickly turned into 19 weeks, 8000 miles, and 88 shows all across Maine.
The Queens (and Kings) will bring their joy and laughter to what is bound to be a fun and fabulous evening of celebration. Show up.
Creative wardrobe is encouraged for audience members too – since everyone deserves the right to “dress to express”. This performance is suggested for everyone age 16 and up.
Visit www.waldotheatre.org for information about tickets, parking, and more upcoming events.
Visit www.waldotheatre.org for information about tickets, parking, and more upcoming events.
Shakespeare’s As You Like It features a cross-dressing character when Rosalind (centre) disguises herself as a boy called Ganymede.
Visit www.waldotheatre.org for information about tickets, parking, and more upcoming events.
As a primal force of Nature itself whose reputation precedes them, this performer’s aura and presence can be felt before their physical body enters the room. Hardly in need of an introduction, the Curbside Queens are honored to welcome Geo Neptune to the cast.
A direct descendant of the hereditary Chiefs of the Neptune Dynasty, Geo is an artist, performer, activist, and seer who has dedicated their life and work towards bettering the lives of Two-Spirit youth within the Unceded Wabanaki territory now referred to as Maine
Finn Gerring (He/him) is a sensual and sultry Drag King who’s not afraid to show some abs. With over two decades of technical dance training, Finn will choreograph his way into your pants… I mean heart! Finn sees dance and performing as a way to gather, laugh, and chase joy. After working with dance companies in NYC and Atlanta, GA, Finn returned to Maine, embraced his gender-fluid plus-size Goddessy nature, and embarked on creating his own KingDom! When he’s not teaching dance or performing, you can find Finn nerding out about consent-based sex ed, jumping into the icy waters of the Maine ocean year-round, or occassionally eating cereal for dinner.
Miss Danielle Dior (she/her) is proud to say she is currently in her 38th year of performing, which is impressive at only 29 years of age! Drag is her passion, she truly loves entertaining and performing for an audience. A legend in the Drag community, she has won 3 titles through her time as a performer, Miss Limelight, Miss Gay Portland, and Miss Gay Maine. Danielle is the House Mother and show director at Blackstones and the host of “Danielle Dior’s Trivia Galore” at various venues around her home city of Portland. She is so happy to be teaming up with Curbside Queens this season.
A founding member of Curbside Queens and all-around performance powerhouse, Cherry Lemonade (She/her) holds down the role of Creative Director as well as being a featured performer. Her tenacity has earned her high accolades throughout her 12-year career, and she shows no signs of slowing down. Crowned Miss Blackstones in 2019 and Mx Quarantine 2020, as well as half a dozen Phoenix and Old Port Best Of Awards for Best Drag Personality, Cherry’s can-do attitude has brought her all over the country and back, seeing her billed in New Orleans, an Upper West Side residency in NYC, and the legendary Orpheum Theater in downtown Los Angeles. When not in drag, Cherry’s boy counterpart loves dominating at trivia night, an ice-cold coconut La Croix, and his trusty XBOX for some Mortal Kombat.
Chartreuse Money (She/they) has been performing their whole life, and doing drag since 2018. A “self-proclaimed drag queen” according to News 8 WMTW, Chartreuse has worked and performed at RuPaul’s Drag Con NYC, performed alongside Miz Cracker (RuPauls Drag Race Season 10 and All Stars 5), Mateo Lane (Netflix, HBO, Comedy Central) and even secured her own comedy drag show at Stand Up! NY, though the show never happened due to Covid-19.
Chartreuse was nominated for Best Drag Performer for the 2019 and 2021 Portland Old Port Awards, competed in Top 6 in Miss Blackstones Pageant at Port City Music Hall, and has worked closely with Equality Maine. She is known for her work with children, most notably through Portland Stage Company (Play Me A Story), Drag Queen Story Time, and through her work with the New Leaders Project with EQME. She is the producer and host of her own show, The Char Ball at Portland House of Music, and is an advocate for inclusive performance spaces and opportunities for all queer artists.
Curbside Queens Arabella Rala Sehkmet Bastet Shiva Hathor Gabor Dior Ladessé (she/they) is a self-created Goddess, and Queen for the people by the people.
She’s here to show you beauty in gender expression, and how dancing can be worship for the divine. Her desire is to expand her kingdom and bring fame and fortune to her New England siblings. If you’re ready to see a high energy performance, if you need a light in the dark, then honey, look to the stars… She’s the Goddess for you.
Miss Spreada LaJoy aka The Thomas Smallwood has lived in Maine for 20 years and has been doing drag in Portland for about 12 of those years. She has performed countless shows at Blackstones, hosted her own show at Portland City Music Hall, worked with EqualityMaine, and with her fellow drag sisters GiGi Gabor and Cherry Lemonade at some Curbside Queens shows. She has performed on many stages in the area in shows like Naked Boys Singing, The Full Monty, HAIR, RAGTIME The Musical, Rent, and Shrek The Musical. She sings with The Maine Gay Mens Chorus and is currently a sitting board member. Most recently she delivered a multi-award winning performance in the movie “Kings & Queens, as Eric, the sassy fairy Dragmother.
She is a broadway baby at heart
Owner/ Operator GiGi Gabor (She/they) is a petrol-fueled force to be reckoned with. An unapologetic go-getter, she mixes grit and grace seamlessly into one powerful package. GiGi cut her teeth on the streets of New York City in both the technical and performance aspects of stage life before bringing her know-how back home to southern Maine. In her 12 years of performing, GiGi has graced stages all over New England, including [insert dive bar here] and [insert dumpster location here]. A proud title winner, she wears her Miss Blackstones (’20-’21-’21) crown proudly and rules with love for her community. GiGi is celebrating nearly 3 years of sobriety, and in her off time can usually be found sipping mocktails on a Portland patio with her partner and their two dogs, Her Royal Highness Miss Memphis-Marie and Gus-Gus Gabor.
Bunny Wonderland (She/He/They) has been performing in and around New England for over 16 years. Everything from cult film screenings, burlesque, drag queen story hour and horror movie trivia, Bunny Wonderland is a veritable force of drag goodness. After a 3 year residency performing “Bunny and The Fox” with Joslyn Fox in Portsmouth NH, Bunny is happy to be back in her home city of Portland Maine. High camp conceptual performance and comedy have always been Bunny’s strength. When Bunny is not onstage you can usually find her lurking in antique shops, scrounging for tapes to add to her epic VHS collection. Bunny also works as an Ed Tech III for Portland Public Schools, and is currently working on her bachelors in Education.
About this blog:
What's the Buzz" covers what's happening, what might be happening, and what should be happening in the opinion of the author.
Eleanor Cade Busby is an unpublished award-winning writer, photographer and blogger & simply loves writing about herself in third person.She published this absolutely all true bio.
Busby grew up all over New England,a preacher's kid who set out to destroy every single stereotype about a "Minister's Daughter."
She attended Goddard College, The Rhode Island Conservatory of Music and The School of Life, majoring in everything she could stuff into her head. She once had her own office and a red stapler. Her employees learned quickly never to touch it.
Much of her very long life has been spent on or back-stage at theaters. She penned a couple of plays, directed many more and acted in scores of productions. She's done it all except hanging lighting. You can't make her climb a ladder.
She won awards locally & nationally for social services and customer care. Most recently she was awarded the PEN/Toni and James C. Goodale Freedom of Expression Courage Award along with 3 million of her closest personal friends for "galvanizing a potent global movement to resist infringements on the rights and dignity of women and many other groups."
Busby has been a theater, art and dance reviewer and commentator for several publications, including CRACKED magazine.
Opinionated, obstinate, much-abused, and under-appreciated, she believes that if it isn't funny or relevant, it isn't worth it.
Eleanor Cade Busby lives in Midcoast Maine with two cats who like to stand on her head at 3 AM demanding a sacrifice, often her sanity.
Suggestions for topics and comments are always welcome at eleanorcadebusby@hotmail.com
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