2008 Woodie Awards
Annual Gay Cabaret drags for cause
Christian Rose
Issue date: 10/13/08 Section: Culture
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The performance benefited a local homeless shelter, with canned food donations brought to the event by the audience.
The night began amidst chaos backstage as the performers were preparing for the event. Behind the curtains was a wild scene of tubes of makeup, glitter, water bras and duct tape.
Usually, there are drag queens (men dressed and performing as women) in the middle of some sort of dramatic cat fight over missing press-on nails or damaged designer knock-off gowns.
UMKC's performers, though, were all excited to be a part of the show and lend a hand to help with make-up tips and other advice.
Also, backstage, was the opportunity to talk and hang out briefly with Spencer Brown, the evening's special guest.
Brown performs as Daisy Buckët (pronounced boo-kay) in and around the Kansas City area and is most recently touring with Kinsey Sicks, a renowned gay cabaret act that performs in sold-out venues nationwide.
Master of Ceremonies was UMKC student Wick Grimm. He did an adequate job of keeping the show moving along between performances; the wig he was wearing proved a little more difficult, occasionally falling off or sliding out of place.
There were more than a helping of lip-synching female impersonators at the show. Steve Terry, head of the Student Leadership not only attended, but performed Gloria Gayner's big hit "I Will Survive."
The song choice was cliché and the version too long, but Terry kept the audience laughing and even received a tip for his efforts.
A moving and emotional poem was delivered by Luis Panamelo, Pre-law, about his mother's plight to gain financial independence while having to abandon her children.
Original songs were sung by local rock band regarding experiences surrounding the hardships of the coming-out process and societal bigotry.
There were also the too-skinny lip-synching female impersonators who attempted poise, but instead stomped across stage with all the finesse of barnyard horses on roller skates. They proved hilarious and added to the joviality of the event.
Brown's performances as the "unsyncable" Daisy Buckët were the highlight of the night. Political, poignant and often x-rated, she captured the auditorium's audience with all the style and star power of a seasoned professional.
The evening was part of a week of activities sponsored by the LGBT department.
Professor Tom Poe's Gay History Tour of Kansas City last Wednesday was a great success, and Tuesday evening's personal poetry readings (a new event this year) was intimate and touching, according to Greene.
"I think we'll definitely repeat the poetry next year," he said. "It surprised me. Unfortunately, another event with Conservatory students, 'Music for Life,' had to be cancelled for family reasons, but we hope to reschedule it in the spring semester."
On Saturday, the busy week wrapped up with The National Coming Out Day Picnic at the University Playhouse.
crose@unews.com
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