Drag Run-a-way Workshops - SORRY, NO MORE PLACES AVAILABLE

Ashley Swift, one of Australia’s leading drag performance artists and producers, and his team, will work with 30 aspiring stars to create a drag persona, costume, make-up and performance for their pageant runway debut at The Pageant of Pineapple Queens and Bunya Kings.

Limited places. Pre-workshop preparation kit of music and schedule will be provided ahead of the workshops. Bring your own heels, or flats – everything else provided!

As performance art, drag challenges stereotypical gender roles and social mores and offers individuals personal empowerment and a voice for socio-political commentary and satire.

For audiences, drag can be entertaining, offensive, exhilarating and challenging, often in the
one performance.

The festival drag workshops (2 x 4 hours) culminates in The Pageant of Pineapple Queens and Bunya Kings on a runway to enable the 30 participants (including two people with an intellectual disability and two older people) to experience
the entirety of the art of drag performance from conception to public release.

The drag pageant provides a platform for an animated public dialogue immersing the community in glamour, wit, satire and surprise. Ashley Swift, assisted by Nick Bozanic will mentor and coach the workshop participants to:
-understand and embrace the concept of drag performance;
-create a unique drag name and persona that resonates with the individual's experiences, values and beliefs;
-envision, design and create an individualised costume using upcycled fabric, costumes,
wigs and accessories with a hot-glue gun, stitching and taping;
-understand drag make-up techniques to complement the persona and costume;
-choose and style a wig;
-walk, strut or sashay in heels or other footwear;
-create and perform a routine that suits the individual's skills, talents and confidence level
- the performance will be an opportunity for the individual to enjoy their moment on stage and revel in the delight of their friends and family in the audience.

Attendance at both workshops is required to participate as a pageant contestant, with Thursday afternoon rehearsal at the Maleny venue.

Key dates & times:

Wednesday 10 August
Workshop Part 1 – 8.00am – 12 noon

Thursday 11 August
Workshop Part 2 – 8.00am – 12 noon

Pageant rehearsal
2.00 pm – 5.00pm for 6.00pm showtime

This project has been assisted by the Australian Government through the Festivals Australia program