Milo Cox, left, and Lillith Grey
Brandi Amara Skyy: What prompted you to start the queerlesque festival? And what role do you see and hope your festival play in bridging our LGBTQ/queer community together? Lillith Grey and Milo Cox: We started the festival because we saw so much polarity in access to queer performance art spaces across Texas. Some areas have strong, queer-affirming drag and burlesque spaces with lots of opportunities for people to perform. But across most of Texas, safer spaces are few and far between. We wanted to create a space where performers could connect with each other, learn from each other and ultimately help each other create these kinds of spaces in their own communities. Also, we welcome performers from out of state, who get to have a little taste of Texas tease!
We also started the festival in response to the injustice and marginalization we witness in so many performance art spaces. We have seen firsthand the ways in which entertainers with marginalized identities are under-booked, underpaid and tokenized, even within their own LGBTQIA communities. We also spent a lot of time listening to what people were missing from other major festivals in the area, and they overwhelmingly responded with DIVERSITY!! At TXQF, we work hard to elevate marginalized voices across identities.
The third reason is because we want to be a springboard for queer performers. Some of our performers are seasoned, professional and highly respected entertainers who are icons in our community. Others are newer performers, and may not have had the chance to connect with entertainers and producers from other areas before coming to our festival. We have a panel of featured producers who have demonstrated a commitment to hiring queer performers and paying them fairly. These producers attend the showcases, have a special private workshop with the performers, and are provided a casting book with each entertainer’s performance style, headshot and contact information. Our goal is for our performers to see and be seen, and have booking opportunities open up for them they might not otherwise have.
And of course, at our core, we really want to entertain, inspire and uplift our audiences. These showcases are incredibly spectacular, and we work hard to make sure audience members have an exciting and transformative experience – you’ll laugh, you’ll cry, and you’ll cheer yourself hoarse! Our audiences are the driving force behind the festival — when you buy a day pass, weekend pass or showcase ticket, you are creating and supporting space for queer performance arts. In this time of hardship in our country, these spaces are few and far between, and we are exceptionally grateful to our audience members for uplifting and affirming our performers. #CantStopWontStop is our festival motto – when they try to erase us, we get louder, prouder and sparklier!
What sets this festival apart from all the other festivals — burlesque, drag? Well, the beautiful thing about Queerlesque is that it is a hybrid of so many types of performance styles! At our festival, you’ll see drag, burlesque, sideshow and circus arts, but you’ll also see our performers pushing the boundaries of what those art forms have historically been. That means butchlesque and drag kings, gender-bending draglesque, sideshow striptease and so much more. You’ll see a diverse, powerful and innovative cast that will keep you on the edge of your seat. You can bet that the showcases will be full of unexpected surprises!
(The featured producer panel described in question 1 is not included in any other festival that I am aware of.)
Another thing we try to do at the festival is make sure that our performers feel valued, and leave the weekend feeling inspired, uplifted and motivated as artists. We offer our entertainers complimentary headshot sessions with Saraphimart, a festival goodie bag, no-cover access to bars in the gayborhood, access to all our classes, socials and pool parties, and their brunch meal during our keynote address. We work hard to make the whole weekend a special experience for our performers, workshop attendees, and community members, as opposed to focusing solely on the showcases.
What can the audience expect at the shows and the classes? Weekend passes offer attendees the chance to attend everything — classes, socials, after-parties, pool parties and showcases both nights! Day passes are also available for Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Space is limited so weekend and day passes are only available while they last.
Our classes are hosted and sponsored by Sue Ellen’s, who have graciously allowed us to have three simultaneous activities throughout the day Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Our workshops are taught by some of the leading Texas-based queerlesque performers (and some from out of state, too!), and are geared toward newer and more experienced performers alike (this is also a great opportunity for those who are interested in performing and want to learn more!). We offer 12 classes throughout the weekend. While the classes are going on upstairs, we have themed social parties downstairs to provide a chance for our attendees to get to know each other. We also have three pool parties over the course of the weekend! These classes and socials are not limited to just festival performers — they’re open to anyone who wants to learn!
The Friday and Saturday showcases are hosted and sponsored by Viva’s Lounge,which is a gorgeous, spacious venue (with plenty of parking!) located less than a mile from Sue Ellen’s. Doors open at 8 p.m. for our fabulous vendor fair, featuring some incredible artists and retailers, and Viva’s premium bar has created drink specials just for the festival!
Then, at 9 p.m. sharp, our performers will take the stage for three thrilling acts full of the best queerlesque in Texas. This year’s showcases pay homage to the stage and screen, so our entertainers are bringing tributes to their favorite movies, TV shows, music videos, musicals, commercials, and video games!
Friday night’s showcase is hosted by Milo Cox, and features headliners Onyx Fury, Honey Hula-La, and Haus of Poison (MayMay Graves, Roxy Rendezvous, and Stefani Mikyles). Saturday’s showcase is hosted by me (Lillith Grey) and features headliners Bobby Barnaby, Aurora Hart and Maxxy Radd. At 11:30 on both nights, we have after-parties – at Viva’s, we’ll have DJ Danny D (Friday) and DJ D Gay (Saturday), and both nights we’ll have after parties at Sue Ellen’s!
Then, on Sunday, we have a catered brunch at Sue Ellen’s, where we’ll be hosting two keynote speakers, Bitsy La Bourbon and Lady Lola LeStrange. After that, we’ll have two more classes, a wind-down social, and our last pool party, wrapping up the weekend with relaxation and celebration of another wonderful glitterfamily reunion!
