D.R.A.G. 101- Perfect Song (but how?) cont.

If you have chosen a song, play with style, take the Dramatization tips and incorporate your own spin on this material. Your personal style is the link that will bridge your song into a number and create a signature that keeps your audience growing. The last thing you want is one bored audience member, this is a business and one person will tell a friend if they liked something but five if they hated it or were offended, we are selling a product which can easily be replaced, that being said most audiences are willing to give you time to improve before they pass judgement.
Personal style is unfortunately the one aspect we are unable to teach, this is up to you, however it should come organically and you will soon find yourself moving toward a specific genre that best compliments your new found style.

D.R.A.G. 101- Perfect Song (but how?)

Telling you to find the perfect number is the easy part, explaining why is a little more involved but showing you how to really find these numbers is the real question we must tackle.

It's all about leg work... We need to get out into the scene, see what's been done and start knock on doors.
It can be very frustrating to find once in a lifetime original recordings and you may break the bank trying to get them, this is why i recommend that mature seasoned professionals become your first resource. Seeking out the older more experinced queens, professionals who may not be performing any longer, is a great resource; these individuals are more likely to help then performing Queens as you are not competition to them. Most retired Queens still have a vault of tremendous recordings they are willing to share, these recording may still be on vinyl but with todays technology a few simple programs can rip records to MP3 format. Never underestimate the power, we all want to help you but you have to ask.
Keep in mind some of these Queens have been sitting on numbers for ten or twenty years, vowing to take them to their grave, so unless you are serious about respecting their treasures don’t ask. You have to show potential before anyone is going to trust you with their numbers.

A DRAG Mother is another great way to find material, find a current performer and ask if you can study under them, like a apprentice, this does take a much longer process but as with all great things you are guaranteed to receive valuable knowledge and if chosen correctly comes with built in securities. (If anyone is interest I can cover the benefits of a DRAG MOTHER in more detail)

Many queens I have nurtured find it easiest just to sit in front of their computer and research obscure theatrical musicals or artists. The sixties, seventies and eighties are a great place to start for obscure artists most songs are no longer in play and you can find completely outrageous lyrics. The internet can be your friend, just start searching:
Another great place to research is the library, allot of libraries still house musical recordings in a defined section, treasure this resource and please DO NOT DAMAGE these recording in anyway. Many times these are the last of the recordings and they can not be found anywhere else. if you find a recording you like enough, write down not only the artist name but the lyricist and CD title, go home and search by all of the above, you will be amazed by your findings. Web blogs (like this one) and chat rooms are increasing the popularity of previously unknown material, there is a growing interest, inquire everywhere you go on the internet you may just again be surprised by the response you get.

A lot of the material you will receive or listen too will be useless, either outdated or just not your genre, keep a positive attitude and persist, before you can succeed you have to find a least one solid number you can really drive home, once you get this bridge you will find the process allot easier.

D.R.A.G. 101- Perfect Song

Being a Drag Queen is more than female impersonation it is a delicate and fine art form, and finding the right song will be one of your biggest hurdles. It is not enough to be trained, as an artist it is your duty to find your niche, you must have the ability to make the right song choice for your abilities.

“A drag queen is just an average without the perfect number”

A performers song, set or performance is their signature. You will hear these signatures referred to here forth as the performers 'number'. A number is any song or performance an artist is known to perform (in our case it IS the show). One show can be made up of between seven and twenty numbers generally preformed back-to-back with alternating performers. You should always have three numbers and an encore prepared. This set-up will change depending on the market and demand for performers.

Example: In Alberta I was required to open and close a show only if hosting and perform one number if supporting, where as most shows in British Columbia I would be expected to have the three solos minimum and encore for all shows.

In the beginning you may find it difficult to find any numbers that work for you, in the long run we all find the numbers that speak to us, these are the numbers which will make up your niche to set you apart from every-other performer.

To find songs that work best for you, go ahead and start with a genre you are comfortable with, if you listen to allot of popular music start there, I don’t recommend unless you have the determination and ability (as will be covered in detail) to hold these songs you choose this as permanent signature, however feel free get a feel for the music then move into songs you can truly make your own. The key to your niche is to find songs an audience has never heard before something you can claim as your own, you want to have an audience requesting your numbers as your own. Live singers have a giant foot up in this context as they are in constant demand to write new material. By choosing popular songs you are guaranteeing that an audience has heard and knows the song you are presenting, by going out of your way to find obscure recordings for this same work will reinforce a willingness to buy into the work you have created.

D.R.A.G. 101- Stage Presence (cont)

6) KNOW YOUR LIGHTING

A fine line must be made between drag performance and camp. It is fun to be campy when time calls for this but a true understanding of the stage and how movement appears is critical. Par Can (parabolic reflector lamp in a canister), or nightclub stage lighting, is some of the harshest lights you will encounter in performance, these lights are the reason behind numerous movement and make-up do's and don’ts we will cover in posts. It is your job, take time to understand the lighting conditions of your venue and spend some time watching how it reacts to movement and find a balance. Determine where the Par Cans are in relation to your performance most of the time you will not get complete coverage. Your performance is directly effected by how these lights read. Some larger movements of the arms or head or specific poses, tilting the head back, can be greatly amplified, appearing garish if not done in the correct lighting. Smaller demure motions, specific to “Celebrity Impersonation” may be lost completely.

In closing many drag queens lose sight of the larger picture when it comes to performance, personality. The six basic rules we covered here may just save your career. Starting out with a basic understanding of how you are perceived is pivotal in developing stage presence but we can never forget who we are. Stage presence is the art of winning over a crowd with out a word. We should be able to use the resources provided to develop a sense of perception while remaining who we are as individuals.

D.R.A.G. 101- Stage Presence (cont)

5) SHAKE IT UNTIL YOU MAKE IT!

Confidence in you product is probably the hardest roadblock to overcome when first starting out in the entertainment industry not just stage acting but all aspects of entertainment. Some times we do have to assume the best to proceed. If you think you are nobody it is assumed that the audience will agree, in turn if you think your performance sucked so does the audience. We are always looking to outside sources to judge our own opinions, it is human nature which is why we depend so much on journalistic editorial, and “professional” opinions. How you feel about the new spring line or blockbuster video picks is directly reflected by how other felt about he same subjects. We are no saying this is condoned but it is how you are judged as well a larger portion of an audiences opinion is how you react to them. If you get one audience member clapping and encourage the same from those around him/her soon everyone is clapping and you exit everyone assumes they enjoyed what the saw because the are clapping. Confidence is difficult but it will come in the beginning to make it in this business you must assume everyone is here, and wants to watch you.

D.R.A.G. 101- Stage Presence (cont)

4) REMEMBER YOUR WORDS

The art of Verbal illusion is an extremely difficult and lengthy process, we expect you to do the work and learn any NEW material however after a while it does get overwhelming. I would never expect anyone to truly learn and memorize every lyric to all of their catalogued previous numbers forever. If you did the work in the beginning and worked on the exercises (included in "How to Succeed in my Shoes Without Even Trying), you should have the ability and resources to reorder this information. Before a show take a moment to reflect on the song, listen and re-absorb the lyrics and movement. It is important you know the words. Nobody thinks you are actually singing but it is our job to come as close to this illusion as possible, you must at least attempt to learn your words and if all else fails, leave it until next time and try a different number.

D.R.A.G. 101- Stage Presence (cont)

3) REMAIN TACTFUL!
Being catty is different than being a bitch!

Keeping control and being tactful is a difficult balance we all struggle with even after years in the industry. We all have times we go too far, but being bitchy is totally different than being a bitch! Beginners feel for some reason that being in drag affords them a right to be a bitch “Its my character!”. NO this IS CHARACTER but is not A CHARACTER. This plays back to professionalism, we are in the business of revenue, upsetting audience members does not pay off. the Bitchiness in a playful sense is something people do expect from most Drag Queens and in light doses is expectable, cattiness; This is playful banter to lighten the mood or point out a humorous situation. Being a bitch, directly, and voicing every opinion is extremely hurtful to you in the beginning when people do not know you and can not tell the difference between banter and truly hurtful remarks. No one should ever get hurt.

D.R.A.G. 101- Stage Presence (cont)

2) WAIT UNTIL YOU HAVE A FAN BASE.
A lot of new performers see seasoned professionals doing outrageous stunts and think its OK. You are still a stranger to an audience, respect there space.

Performance is always a difficult judgment call, if you know that there is an audience sitting along the sidelines close to the stage use them to your advantage. People are coming to be entertained incorporate the audience get them involved in the show, but until you have a reputation and a fan base don’t indulge in their drinks or feel them up; you are still a stranger to this audience respect that for right now, it pays in the long run.
A lot of new performers see seasoned professionals who have a fan base doing outrageous stunts and think its OK. Once you have that fan base feel free to use whatever you want to keep them coming back if this means drinking their jug of beer during a musical interlude go ahead, just remember you should probably have it replaced by the time the show is over.

D.R.A.G. 101- Stage Presence

There are two types of shows if you succeed you will have opportunity to participate in, amateur and professional productions. We aren’t stressing perfection, but professionalism and thought. An “amateur show” is not a bad thing, and will be a right of passage for most performers, however this term implies we are not being paid, as drag queens we all do free shows for experience. Simply put we believe that if we are being paid we have a duty to professionalism and if you follow the D.R.A.G. 101 guidelines you will have a step up and will exit as professionals. If you are to succeed there are a few things we must cover first, the next few posts will be dedicated to these rules. try to follow and you will find an industry filled with potential..

1) AUDIENCES COME TO SEE PROFESSIONAL SHOWS.

The first key to achieving stage presence is understanding your purpose as a performer. We talk a lot about professionalism and duty of character. Your audience is your customer, they pay the bills. In most cases you will be performing at bars and night clubs in these cases the more they drink the more you get paid, directly by percentage or by draw and demand. Upset the audience, make them leave and you may not be asked back. The worst thing you can do as a performer is appear out of control, even though we are encouraging others to drink you MUST know your personal limit. Do not drink before the show if at all possible and only accept drinks or shooters on stage if it is understood as part of a “tip”, NEVER refuse these offers take a sip thank the customer and place the offer beside the stage to drink sociably after the show. I make it a point not to drink at all before a big show because these “tips” are very common place and it is easy to go overboard quickly.