Belco Arts’ new show welcomes RuPaul’s Drag Race royalty back to Canberra
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It may be being held on April Fools Day, but the inaugural April Fools Drag Pageant is no joke, especially for fans of Ru Paul’s Drag Race.
That’s because Belco Arts’ April Fools Drag Pageant will be hosted by RuPaul’s Drag Race Down Under star, Etcetera Etcetera, a Canberran-born queen who memorably first appeared on our screens as a chic-AF cockroach and won over fans worldwide for serving impeccable face and whip-sharp one-liners.
Etcetera Etcetera. Credit: Jamie Heath.
While tickets for the pageant have now sold out (sorry!) the show will see the creme-de-la-creme of Canberra’s drag scene battle it out for a crown and jewels from House of Priscilla, two VIP passes to As Seen On TV with Art Simone and Etcetera Etcetera at Canberra Theatre Centre and a Zoom sewing masterclass with Bettie Rose Designs (which drag race fans know is very, very important for any queen!).
The local queens in question are Ashtray Moona, Beige Root, Cassandra, Dionysus Sin, Faux née Phish, Hoedown Hank, Ravi Oli, Sparklemuffin, Yummy the Drag Thing and Zapp Backagain and, honestly, the brilliance of those names alone allows us to forgive there not being any more tickets.
And when Etcetera Etcetera is a fan, you know you’re onto a good thing.
“The local talent is so strong and audiences will be very impressed at what these competitors are bringing to the stage,” says Etcetera Etcetera. “I am so excited to return to my hometown and host this amazing event.”
Etcetera Etcetera. Credit: Peter Hoyle.
For Chenoeh Miller, Live Programs Officer at Belco Arts and one of Canberra’s foremost theatre and performance programmers, the April Fools Drag Pageant was the perfect opportunity to call Etcetera Etcetera back to their hometown.
“We wanted to have some kind of live performance that would compliment our LGBTQI+ exhibition Kaleidoscope, which opens throughout the gallery spaces on 1 April,” she explains.
“We called our dear friend Etcetera Etcetera to see if they had any exciting ideas up their sparkly sleeves. And of course, they had no shortage. Being a community-driven organisation, the pageant was easily the most exciting for us as it brings in new people across the region.”
“We are so excited to fill our theatre with sparkles, talent and a big audience! We’ve made friends with the Boardwalk Bar next door who regularly put on drag nights and they will be hosting the after-party. I just love it when people come together and share love and art in this way. It’s going to be a great night.”
It’s just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to Belco Arts 2022 program.
“We have a huge month in May including Bigger and Blacker—a simply divine cabaret with SBS’ Faboriginal Host, the gorgeous Steven Oliver with Michael Griffiths on piano—and Become the One, a delightful and moving play that tells the love story between a closeted footballer and his openly gay partner. Oh and REBEL! A live circus rock tribute to David Bowie. It’s a big gay May for sure!”
As for those who missed out on tickets, Chenoeh has this message: “We absolutely hope to continue to run this again in the future…the Drag audience told us loud and clear that this is something they will come out for!”
Find out more about Belco Arts’ events at www.belcoarts.com.au.
