After a couple of disappointing shows, I am pleased to
report that the Spotlight show is back on track and better than ever. This is not your typical drag show. What started out as a drag king show has become
a showcase for kings, queens, femmes, male leads, and burlesque…an avalanche of
alternative performance. This show
proves that lip-synching can absolutely be an art.
The theme for this night’s show was “Out of this world” and
most of the performers had acts based on that theme. Interestingly, it was these acts, going
beyond drag and burlesque clichés, that were
the most successful.
No one typifies this artistic sensibility more than Mr. Eddie C. Broadway. He, probably more than any other performer in the show, knows that drag is primarily a visual medium. His Avatar and Mad Max outfits could stand as works of art on their own. But it was not just about the costumes. His choreography was uniquely tied to the outfit. His subtle twitching during the Mad Max act was a particularly nice touch.
I haven’t spoken much about Melody Broadway in the
past. To be honest, her acts were disappointing.
Last night, however, she easily won the
most stylized and interesting act award for the evening. Her first act was an odd Kabuki inspired
number. It may have referenced some pop
culture that I am unaware of but it didn’t matter. It was quirky and ineffable and I loved it.
The guest performers, Symphonie von Liebe and Dix E. Tracy, in
keeping with the Science Fiction theme, did an amazingly sensual meeting of
Kirk and Spock. As much fun as it was to
see the beloved Science Fiction icons portrayed by beautiful woman, it was much
more fun to see those same icons ruin each other’s makeup with passionate, on
stage making out. Oh yeah, and the
choreography was nice too. Sorry, I’m
still having flashbacks to that lipstick besmirching kiss.
Freddie Prinze Charming, the presenter of the show, served as MC and had one act. He was painted silver from head to toe and sported a large silver “F” on his chest. The effect was very entertaining. He displayed a raw masculine power that is missing from a lot of king acts, who while dressed as men, still often display feminine gesturing.
The various queen acts were for the most part disappointing. Rather than follow the general theme of the show, they chose to stick with traditional drag routines (if the word “traditional” can be ascribed to a drag act.) Felicia Minor, while staying in the drag milieu, was energetic and fresh. Seeing her interact with the audience is always fun. Some of the other queen acts started off interesting enough, but ultimately degenerated into simply collecting tips…to the point of leaving the stage empty for an awkwardly long time.
