Mae West: Michigan Mischief

This weekend Michigan-based impressionist Michael Holmes will delight audiences as MAE WEST, Peggy Lee, Pearl Bailey, and — — most especially — — as Judy Garland.
• • This Friday and Saturday the Illinois-native, who fell in love with the theatre arts as a high school boy, will take to the stage at The Red Barn [Saugatuck, MI 49453], after being transformed by wigs and wizardry to resemble Judy Garland. “The Judy Show” builds its concept around Garland’s signature 1960’s TV series; the theme gives Holmes the flexibility to portray a rainbow of glammed-up celebrity guests including Mae West, "Hello, Dolly!" star Carol Channing, songbird Peggy Lee, bewitching Pearl Bailey, and others.
• • Unlike Mae, who wrote "The Drag" in 1926 and who was delighted by drag queens, the talented Mr. Holmes dislikes the label "drag" and is offended when people label him a "drag queen." His perspective is this: “What I do is theater. I just happen to do female characters. My show is a completely theatrical production with audience interaction and improvisational comedy, so every show is different. It’s really a celebration of the glory days of Hollywood.”
• • After this weekend's finale, Holmes will pack up his heel heels and wig boxes and head to the West Coast for an extended supper club engagement in Palm Springs. For details about his Red Barn extravaganza, telephone (269) 857-5300.
• • Come up and see Mae every day online: http://MaeWest.blogspot.com/
________
Source:http://maewest.blogspot.com/atom.xml

Mae West
• • Photo: • • Mae West • • none • •
• • Feed — — http://feeds2.feedburner.com/MaeWest
NYC
Mae West.

Mae West: "The Drag" in June

The Drag — — a play written in 1926 by MAE WEST — — is in rehearsal.
• • Though the roles originally scripted for drag queens (Clem, The Duchess, Winnie, etc.) were meant to be played by real transvestites, Dreamwell Theatre has opened up the casting to females for their June 2009 production.
• • Dreamwell's web site noted: In The Drag, which opened to an “avalanche of condemnation,” as one biographer put it, Mae West argued that homosexuality had no class identification. In The Drag, West drew on the exuberance of the drag queens who had become her friends and “sisters” to challenge society’s strictures on the subject of homosexuality. Chuck Dufano will direct. The production promises to be challenging and rewarding as the entertainment at the drag ball is unscripted. Chuck Dufano, the director, plans to incorporate dance, music and songs of the time as well as any other vaudevillian type of talent that presents itself at auditions.
• • A read-through took place earlier this month and full-on rehearsal is in progress in preparation for a June 19th opening night with a cast of over a dozen actors.
• • The Drag is the story of Rolly Kingsbury’s failing marriage to Clair, his past secret affair with David Caldwall, his growing lust for Allen Grayson, and his affiliation with the very "out" drag community. By giving gay characters a voice, Mae West argued that homosexuality had no class identification and challenged social mores on the subject.
• • Performances will be offered next month on these dates: June 19, 20, 26, 27 at the Unitarian Universalist Society.
• • The Drag can be seen at the Unitarian Universalist Society, 10 S. Gilbert, Iowa City, Iowa 52240.
• • For more details, you can phone: (319) 337-3443 or (319) 541-0140.
• • Come up and see Mae every day online: http://MaeWest.blogspot.com/
________
Source:http://maewest.blogspot.com/atom.xml

Mae West
• • Photo: • • Mae West • • none • •
• • Feed — — http://feeds2.feedburner.com/MaeWest
NYC
Mae West.

Mae West: M & M

MAE WEST was Madonna's role model when she was still a wanna-be entertainer. Born in mid-August one day before her idol, the material girl was famously chided by her British husband for trying to stay youthful and sexy after her 50th birthday. Canadian Guy Barbineau meditated about this connection between M and M.
• • But before we line up his paragraphs for a moment in the spotlight, one correction must be made. Liberace's perceptive quote was: I cried all the way to the bank. "Laughed all the way to the bank" makes no sense, you know. You do know, Guy, we hope.
• • Writing for Xtra West, Vancouver resident Guy Barbineau observed: The one thing Madonna [born on 16 August 1958] has done that really offends people is being successful.
• • It's not religion. It isn't sex. It's all about who has power.
• • Society always did and still does get its knickers in a twist when smart, opinionated, and outspoken women and gay men come into power — — and have a public voice. To think otherwise is naive.
• • Now Madonna's being criticized for daring to be sexual at 50. Like Mae West, another gay icon, she's laughing all the way to the bank.
• • There are plenty of similarities between the two. West learned her walk, talk, and shtick from New York drag queens in the 1920s. She pushed buttons, landing herself in jail by writing and performing in plays like Sex and the homosexually themed The Drag — — thus drastically increasing their ticket sales — — before becoming the world's biggest movie star for several years in the 1930s.
• • "I believe in censorship. It made me a fortune," Mae West said. Madonna could say the same thing. ...
— — Excerpt: — —
• • Article: "Why we love Madonna — — As Sticky & Sweet rolls into town, Xtra West pays tribute to one of the world's biggest gay icons"
• • Byline: Guy Babineau in Vancouver, Canada
• • Published in: Xtra West — — www.xtra.ca
• • Published on: Thursday, 23 October 2008
• • Come up and see Mae every day online: http://MaeWest.blogspot.com/
________
Source:http://maewest.blogspot.com/atom.xml
Mae West
• • Photo: • • Mae West • • none • •
NYC
Mae West.