I have known her for nearly two years now as a good friend and seen her perform on the San Francisco drag stages. I knew this drag performer was good, I mean really good. Now, with launching her own You Tube channel and with the few videos that she has posted, her star is only going to get bigger.
So with good old traditional Judy Garland “A Star is Born” Intro: ” Hey Universe! Meet the Fabulous Victoria Balenciaga!”
Victoria Balenciaga
Victoria has combined her trained acting background with natural talent to created such hilarious characterizations. Both in song and dialogue lip syncing , she has made it an art form. Subscribe to her You Tube Channel or find her on Face book.
One year ago in the iconic Marlena’s Bar in San Francisco, Ana Mae Coxxx made her debut on that stage which has featured many of San Francisco’s most famous drag performers. Since her debut number of “Gimmie . Gimmie” she has become one of the headline and must see acts of the ever popular Hayes Valley Follies show every Saturday night.
The show often draws a packed house with an equally mixed gay and straight audience. Coxx ( Matt Smith) usually performs three numbers.
Also active in many fundraisers for many worthy events, Coxxx formed a group called the Haus of Coxxx of close friends who she she continues to mobilize to help many charitable causes.
Originally, from Colorado, and with a background in theater, Ana Mae Coxxx has been able to reignite her performing career in San Francisco in ways that is making her not only a premier entertainer but a rising, influential leader.
As she celebrates her one year anniversary at Marlena’s, one can sense it is only the beginning of more great things from Ana Mae Coxxx!
Talk about a meteoric rise to fame without a Hollywood machine behind him. All he did was post a You Tube video that went viral and with a web site and a face book account, he has garnered the attention of millions. On one of his videos , he has already clocked 4 million + views in less than a couple of weeks. He is Craigery Morgan.
Craigery Morgan
This handsome muscled young man ,who often performs shirtless, is not just another good looking hunk trying to get You Tube fame based just on looks but turns out to be somewhat of a comedian…a really good one. He does character pieces that are so well executed that with very little props you are left busting out laughing literally on the floor.
He either imitates characters from Mad TV, SNL, classic bygone eras and his own original pieces. He does them spot on with his own twist. He is just plain funny!
Craigery Morgan
The more I watch each of his video postings the more I am realizing that this 20 year old college student and comedic actor from Florida is not a one hit wonder. We are seeing the emergence of a superstar. His stardom was created in the social networking medium. Welcome to the 21st century.
I have reposted some of his videos here but I suggest you visit his website or his page on Face book and really check this great talent out. I am a fan! You will be too!
A dancer who has been making a splash with his performances in the Tony Award nominated musical, Memphis, Charlie Williams has also raised the hot meter as an open bisexual man. With pin up poster model looks, Williams promises to be one of the emerging stars and celebrities to watch.
Only 22 years old, he is the featured poster boy for the upcoming “Broadway Bares’ XX: Strip-opoly,” an annual burlesque show featuring sexy dancers scheduled on June 20 at the Roseland Ballroom.
Charlie Williams
He was also crowned “Mr. Broadway” in the annual beauty pageant. Born in Houston, Texas but raised in North Carolina, this Southern boy is a definite must watch in 2010.
Levi Kreis as Jerry Lee Lewis in Million Dollar Quartet (JAY KOH / VILLAGE THEATRE)
I knew that he was on the verge of greatness. Never did I anticipate that it would come in the form of a Tony nomination. Levi Kreis was just nominated for Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical for his role as Jerry Lee Lewis in the Million Dollar Quartet. The Tony Awards ceremony will be held on June 13, 2010
Levi Kreis
Levi Kreis ( over the piano) and the boys of the Million Dollar Quartet- Chicago Tribune
An independent out music artist, Kreis gained national attention in 2005 for his appearance as one of the assignments of The Apprentice candidates. This led to his songs being used in soap operas like The Days of Our Lives and The Young and Restless.
His music and albums reflect his own growth and life with love, religion, coming out as a gay man, and self discovery. His music is deeply soulful and moving.
Levi Kreis - The Out Music Artist
There is something about his music that epitomizes the genius of a real music artist that defies conventional billboard formulas. His music is enduring and will last in people’s play-lists long after the one hit wonders of today fade away.
His charming, natural southern good looks with acting chops has garnered him both film and stage roles. One of the movies he was in was the award winning independent film ” Don’t Let Go.” He also worked with Bill Paxton and Matthew McConaughey in “Frailty.“
Some of the most candid interviews with Levi Kreis from the early start of his career came from the award winning podcast Feast of Fun.
George Takei who played Sulu in the original Star Trek series takes a stand with his husband, Brad Altman to be counted in the 2010 Census. For the first time, married couples or people who consider themselves married will be allowed to mark themselves as such in the census no matter if same sex couples or not.
This will bring a better picture of how many couples, inspite of sexual orientation, view themselves as married couples. Takei and Altman were married legally when California briefly allowed marriages between same sex couples. The current trends show that despite the heated debates and legal arguments the trend will be that more and more same sex couples will continue to push for legal marriage recognition under the law. The law seems to be leaning towards that direction as society moves that way too.
I recently saw on DVD the raunchy gay comedy film “Another Gay Sequel-Gays Gone Wild” ( 2008). The film is over the top in the tradition of Naked Gun, Scary Movie, and Airplane with gay sexual hi-jinks built into it. A great popcorn movie for a couple of hours of silliness and a lot of eye candy.
There is a sub story where one of the main characters Niko ( played by Jonah Blechman) meets a Merman named Stan ( played by Brent Corrigan).
Nico is not fitting into the Spring break -Circuit party crowd of Gay Ft. Lauderdale. Then in some throw back to the fantasies of the golden age of Hollywood and those Annette Funicello movies of the sixties, he meets the adorable merman Stan who helps see his way.
People are surprised that , except for the occasional fundraiser at a local bar, I have never been to a full blown drag show here in San Francisco the entire time that I have lived in the bay area.
This changed for me last night and I discovered something wonderful in this city that I love in a place called Marlena’s. I was invited by one of the performers to attend a show there. Marlena’s has been a mainstay for some of San Francisco’s most famous and most talented drag performers.
Ana Mae Cox
I met Ana Mae Cox earlier in the evening at the Toad Hall in the Castro and it was the first time I was able to meet “her” in person. She was accompanied by her friends Alan and Moe Jo. They were the nicest and sweetest guys. Later Logan joined the group and he also was such a cool guy. So by the time I arrived at Marlena’s I felt welcomed by such great people.
Now Marlena’s was still decorated for the holidays…the ceiling was covered with Santa figures hanging from it and every nook and cranny had a Santa figurine of some sort. It was like an Alice in Wonderland scene on over drive.
Ana Mae Cox
The show started with emcee, Miss Galilea. She had biting humor that kept the momentum going and she performed some great numbers. The other drag performers were memorable. However, I was floored when I saw my friend, Ana Mae Cox, take the stage with each of her performances. She stole the show.
She simply did not lip sync her songs, she made them her own and really drew on some emotional center that brought it to life. It drew the audience into her performances. She was a performer in the truest sense of theater.
I have seen talent like this on stage and screen. Ana Mae Cox has that “IT” factor. I was visibly moved by some of her numbers. When she performed “When You Touch Me” by Celine Dion, I actually felt the meaning of the song more than I ever did with Celine. It surprised me.
Her Britney performance was great and was a crowd favorite.
Here was this talent in this bar in this place in San Francisco. More people need to see these performances. Many people, including some in the LGBT community, look down on the whole drag scene. That is too bad. I am amazed by it. I take pride that it is part of our community.
I think that the really good performers in drag are perhaps the most consummate actors and probably can take any role given them. Also, these performers have done so much to raise funds for the LGBT community. They also are in the forefront of many LGBT causes.
I was privileged to have been able to watch such wonderful talent last night. I am especially grateful that we have a wonderful performer named Ana Mae Cox in our city and in our community. Straight or gay, you need to catch her act, you deserve to see what makes this city we live in and work in great!
Ana Mae Cox, keep performing, baby! You are a Star!
Degrassi High’s Adamo Ruggiero who plays Marco on the show is one of Hollywood’s few young openly gay actors who plays a gay character on a TV show. Degrassi High has been a popular N Network edgy and progressive show about teens.
Ruggiero has been able to play out a storyline that in many ways he says reflects his own coming out process. He has found out that through this character and his celebrity, many young LGBT people have seen him as a role model.
Gay youth issues and life have been addressed in many different ways through the character of Marco that has certainly earned Ruggiero some acclaim.
He has become involved in many advocacy efforts around LGBT rights.Ruggiero is especially sensitive to the youth and their need for support when coming out.
Hitting the big screen this year will be Ruggiero second movie endeavor and first outside of the Degrassi franchise called Make the Yuletide Gay.
January 2009 is the first celebration of National Drag History Month. One of the most visible elements of the LGBT community especially in terms of promoting equality and education, this month has been dedicated to paying tribute and recognizing the contributions of the drag community to our culture.You always want to have a Drag Queen on your side!
Ru Paul
Here are some videos that feature drag queens that were featured on Logo Online.
