Friday, October 13, 2023

Upcoming show: Burlesque and Chill

Long time no see! I took some time off because I went to Taiwan and Japan, and both the preparations and the catch-up afterward took some time. I have also been focusing on non-burlesque/drag aspects of life. However, Halloween ushers in a new show!

I am bringing back my virtual vampire act to the Burlesque and Chill Screamtacular.  The livestream takes place on October 22 at 9 PM CDT through Zoom. Some performances will happen right there on camera! (Not mine but you can bet I'm gonna be watching in cosplay.) Depending on the ticket you have, there are opportunities for a replay, plus other goodies. Click here to purchase your ticket. Prices start at $12.


 

Friday, July 21, 2023

I'm published in Polygon!

I had the amazing opportunity to write for the video game website, Polygon, for their Video Game Fashion Week.  My article is about how the outfits in Deus Ex: Human Revolution drew me to the game and how creating an act based on Eliza Cassan gave me great appreciation for the character and the overall themes of Deus Ex (I did play it predecessor in college but didn't consider myself a fan until after developing my act).  Click here to read the article.

Thank you Polygon for allowing me to share both my writing and my burlesque and Allan Hayslip for providing performance photos like the one below.

Dallas Burlesque Festival 2017


Sunday, July 9, 2023

Honoring CoCo Lee with My Original Kaylee Act

 CoCo Lee in #Legend (2015)
By Wei Lai

I was incredibly shocked and saddened to hear about singer CoCo Lee's passing. You might know her for "A Love Before Time", the theme to Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.  She became the first Chinese-American performer at the Oscars.  She was also the first Chinese singer to have a Billboard hit in the U.S. although her success was mostly in dance music and not mainstream even though she sang in English (in addition to Mandarin and Cantonese).  CoCo provided the Mandarin language voice for Mulan and sang Mandarin and English versions of "Reflection".

I used the latter for my "Original Kaylee" act because CoCo could have been the main singer of "Reflection", but Disney went instead with a non-Asian singer (I am glad Lea Salonga sang the movie version but she also was passed up for the single).   If you haven't read my previous post about "Original Kaylee", I created the act for Evil League of Ecdysiast's Wronged by Whedon show. I wanted to address the fact that despite being set in a future where American and Chinese cultures are prevalent to where people speak Mandarin phrases, Firefly had zero Asian actors in the main cast. Even worse, Kaylee Frye was intended to be Asian before Joss Whedon decided to cast Jewel Staite. As someone who loved Firefly, I created the act to reclaim the role and address the issue of cultural appropriation that remains present in burlesque and other art forms.

CoCo Lee was the first Asian pop star I encountered.  Before her, I knew Lea Salonga sang some Disney songs and James Iha was part of Smashing Pumpkins, which I wasn't a fan of until later in my teens. That was all the representation I saw as a pop-obsessed preteen so discovering not only CoCo but a whole industry of musical artists who looked like me was life-changing.  I'm glad Asian pop music is finally getting recognized by mainstream American audiences and that we are seeing more Asian-American stars.  CoCo helped break down some of those barriers, and I'm forever grateful.

I'm sharing a video of my performance in Spicy Hotpot Arts' all-AANHPI (Asian-American, Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander) showcase, Slaysian Fusion.  There are actually many AANHPI burlesque and variety performers.  My showcase, Forbidden City of the South, showed how many are in Texas, but we still get left out of the conversation on representation and diversity sometimes.  I was super appreciative that Flux Inqueerior opened their production to performers from all over so I decided to apply and travel out to Georgia when I was cast.  The show was an affirming experience, and I hope producers, publications (looking at you Retro Lovely), and fans continue to see the importance of representation. 

Thanks to Di' Lovely's work in acknowledging
AANHPI achievements in burlesque,
I made it into the Burlesque Hall of Fame!

I just want to end by acknowledging CoCo's battle with mental health because it isn't something that gets talked a lot about in Chinese culture. Add to that the pressures of maintaining a positive image as a celebrity, and it can be overwhelming. It's something I've struggled with too. If you're having a hard time, know that there are places to find help. Reaching out is hard, but there are people who will listen and want you around.

Thursday, June 15, 2023

Upcoming virtual appearance: AnimeNEXT

Sadly the lab teching is currently taking precedence so I cannot make my in-person debut with Cosplay Burlesque.  However, I am still joining their AnimeNEXT show this Friday with two virtual faves.  If you're in the New Jersey area, check out the con at the NJ Convention and Exposition Center.  The show will be at 11 PM in Hall D.

Since I don't have a flyer, here's a pic from the last con I did, All-con.  I was super stoked to finally get photos of my Kyoya Hibari, ten years later version.

Photo by Photo Persuasion


Friday, June 2, 2023

Upcoming Tony Fo-Hawk appearances

Happy Pride month!  Even though Texas has passed some awful queerphobic laws (we see the language in SB12 even if it doesn't mention drag), Tony Fo-Hawk going to do his part to rebel with two upcoming appearances.

The first is drag storytime at Carrollton Pride this Saturday.  Tony will be reading My First Skateboard by Karl Watson and another book.  Security will be present for the whole day so fingers crossed that the kids don't have to be subjected to hateful people.  My Mundie self will be participating in the open mic so stick around for the whole day; there will be lots to do without the giant crowds.

The other event is Tony Fo-Hawk's next performance on June 19.  It is a fundraiser for the DFW chapter of the Party for Socialism and Liberation, and it takes place at Alexandre's in Dallas so it is 18+.



Tuesday, April 18, 2023

Drag Is Not a Crime

I’ve talked about my journey into drag before, but we’re overdue for an update on Tony Fo-Hawk.  Also I believe if we keep talking about drag, we’ll eventually drive home the idea that it’s not going away.  Sorry not sorry, transphobes.

Being predominantly a burlesque performer, I know my audience consists of adults.  That ends up being most of Tony’s audience too.  However, under both identities, I’ve appeared at all-ages fan conventions to present panels on topics, like the history of skateboarding or feminism in cosplay.  There’s no stripping, provocative dancing, or even cursing in those panels (although there was a photo of a skater flipping the bird that I forgot about).  Professionalism as a performer is knowing your audience.  The accusations of drag performers doing sexually-charged numbers in the presence of children are false and rooted in the homophobia and transphobia.  Expressions of people’s gender and orientation are not lewd just because they’re different from the status quo.

A lot of us millennials were exposed to drag since we were kids.  We grew up with Mrs. Doubtfire and Mulan.  Bugs Bunny and Team Rocket dressed in drag for their schemes.  As adolescents, we watched (sometimes in English class) Romeo+Juliet, which featured Mercutio wearing a dress AND lip syncing, and the Twelfth Night-inspired films, She’s The Man and Motocrossed.  Would Shakespeare, an author whose works have become literal tropes, have to be removed from the high school curriculum?  Slippery slopes accompany the mountains that people make out of mole hills.

It's not exactly drag, but when I lived
in Japan, I put together a closet cosplay
of Trunks from Dragonball Z to
teach the kids about Halloween.
I was first exposed to drag queens specifically (and not just crossdressing characters) through an ad featuring Spice Girl impersonators during a family trip to Las Vegas.  I thought they were women.  While that might just be my obliviousness, some kids are innocent enough to accept what they see and move on.  Others may bluntly ask questions, but they’ll also accept the answers you give them.

On the subject of my obliviousness, I recently realized I was doing drag since I was 13.  In fact, I did it in class.  As a weird, unsocial (and undiagnosed autistic) kid, I opted to go solo on projects when given the option.  Sometimes I needed another voice, and when I got to do a presentation on action sports for my freshman Social Studies class, I created a fellow commentator modeled after the skater-BMXer bro I never had in real life.  Although the extent of my costuming was tucking my hair under a cap, I was playing with gender and looking back, I can tell that he’s the predecessor of Tony Fo-Hawk.

The idea of Tony having family friendly acts was something I considered, as I can’t always say that I do burlesque but want to share the fact that I am a performer.  Plus friends who have kids or just aren’t night owls could see me at daytime events.  I became more encouraged when I had a kid show up for my panel on skateboarding, titled “Tony Fo-Hawk’s Pro Skater Panel”, at All-con 2020 and enjoyed it.  Then I learned about Karl Watson’s children’s book, My First Skateboard, and decided to read that if I ever got invited to do drag storytime.

According to some people,
Danny Fox-Trot and I should
be arrested for reading to kids.

Kimber Fox gave me that opportunity last year for Carrollton Pride’s drag storytime.  I was super stoked because I want to share my love of action sports with everyone.  The kids were a great audience, and the parents were equally entertained.  The experience had me thinking about coming up with more family-friendly routines for Tony.  It would challenge me to not rely on stripping for an act.  Of course, Tony’s punk aesthetic makes picking songs a bit tricky, but as I’m still keeping my performances to one every couple of months, I have time to brainstorm.

Drag is for everyone.  I’ve seen a couple of acts from kids who just enjoy dressing up and putting on a show, like my friends and I did when we pretended to be Spice Girls (and I later decided that I preferred learning boyband dances).  No one is being forced to attend a drag show, and kids have phones and tablets to engage with if they had to be present with their parents.  Back when I had to accompany my parents to their social events, I brought a book.  Children are great at ignoring what’s around them.

These attacks on drag are part of a larger political game that basically supports the genocide of transgender folks.  As these hateful lawmakers try to turn back the clock on civil rights, drag has become revolutionary and a way for more privileged members of the queer community, as well as allies, to share their support.  We’re seeing musicians do that in Tennessee, which has already passed a drag ban (although guys in dresses could hardly be considered drag).  Let’s not forget that two key figure of the Stonewall uprising were drag performers, Marsha P. Johnson and Stormé DeLarverie.  We’ve been fighting since the beginning, and we’re not backing down.

Friday, March 10, 2023

All-con 2023 schedule

Where did the time go?  All-con is upon us again, and I've got a full schedule.  The most exciting part is that Black Mariah and I have an awesome burlesque show in store, and we've officially dubbed ourselves the Wonder Femmes!

Yes, I'll be performing this year, and I'm bringing two nerdy acts that have only seen the stage once.  In addition to this show, I've got my usual panels (and Tony Fo-Hawk might make an appearance):

  • Thursday, March 16, 6 PM - Werk and Serve: the World of Drag, with Brandon Rider, Kylee O'Hara Fatale, and Roxy Rendezvous
  • Friday, March 17, 6 PM - History of Burlesque, with Black Mariah
  • Saturday, March 18, 2 PM - Nerdlesque, with Black Mariah and possibly some of the cast members of the burlesque show
  • Sunday, March 19, 11 AM - Werk and Serve: the World of Drag, with Brandon Rider and Randy D'Hardness
  • Sunday, March 19, 1 PM - History of Burlesque, with Black Mariah

All panels except Thursdays are in Onyx.  Thursday's panel will be in Topaz.  To attend both the panels and the burlesque show, you need a con badge.  There's also an option to skip the line and get reserved seats for burlesque.  Click here for both.  

I've got a fun new Owl House cosplay planned so I hope to see some of y'all there!


Saturday, February 18, 2023

Upcoming show: Taste the Tease

Virtual shows are not totally gone, and what better way to prove it than with one dedicated to cyberspace?  Next Friday, New Media makes her return in Taste the Tease's Welcome to the Internet.

The livestream is on February 24 at 9 PM, but in case you can't make it, you'll still get the show recording (just without the fun commentary in the Zoom chat).  Tickets start at $10 and can be purchased at this link.


Saturday, January 7, 2023

Upcoming shows: Victor Entropy Presents and Mazmorra Productions

Tony Fo-Hawk and I are both ringing in 2023 with some live performances, my first in Dallas in about 18 months. We're still taking things slowly (the pandemic isn't over yet), but it's an honor to be among two great productions.

On January 15, Tony will be doing his first drag brunch with Victor Entropy Presents: Drag Paradise. This is a great option if the late nights of typical burlesque and drag shows aren't so feasible for you. Plus food! Show is at Halcyon Coffee Bar in Dallas, and it begins at 4:30 PM.  Tickets start at $15 and are available here.

Later this month on January 28, I will be performing in Mazmorra Productions' Den of Decadence with this stellar cast.  The show is at a room in the Silver City strip club, and your ticket does get you into the main club to if you want more sexiness afterward.  Show starts 9 PM, and tickets are on sale here.