Suit of queens offer a winning hand
With Broome Mardi Gras 2019 just around the corner, the town is set to be taken over by fabulous queens flying in from the east.
Among the huge line-up of local and visiting performers will be Vogue MegaQueen and Prawn Cracker Spice from Darwin’s Drag Territory, and Melbourne drag legend Jessica James.
Comedy star James said she was very excited to be joining in the fun at Broome Mardi Gras this year, having never visited and performed in Broome before.
“I have performed all around the world from New York City’s off-Broadway to London’s West End but I have never been to Broome so it was an invitation I couldn’t refuse,” she said.
“There is a real surge in celebrating diversity in regional centres over the last few years and I think it’s incredibly important to be able to be proud of who you are no matter what colour of the rainbow you are.
“It will also be wonderful to perform with the hardworking girls at Drag Territory. It will be fantastic to be sharing the stage with them as well as all the other performers.
“Darling, I’ll be all over it, performing all three nights and co-hosting as well so please come and say hello.”
Drag Territory’s Vogue MegaQueen will be returning to Broome after previously performing as a headline act at last year’s mardi gras and hosted the New Year’s Eve party at the Mangrove Hotel.
She said she was very excited to visit Broome again and hoped to impress the town with her classy and campy performances.
“Rehearsals have been mental for the past month because last year was such a success so we want to up our game this year,” she said.
“Last year I didn’t know what to expect but I was really blown away by the massive support Broome Pride received from the town.
“This year, everyone can expect to see even more of my glamorous and cheeky self as I will be hosting the dance party as well as performing and I am sure everyone will have a good time.”
Since performing at mardi gras last year, Ms MegaQueen revealed she had been transitioning from male to female for the past 16 months and has been very open about her journey.
“While I have a platform as Vogue MegaQueen, I feel like I need to make people aware of trans people and trans issues not just for myself but for other trans people,” she said.
“I never saw myself as a man and I sort of lost touch with who I really was because I had hidden behind my drag for so long.
“It’s good to raise awareness of trans issues because not too many people come into contact with a trans person so I want to help people understand that there’s nothing wrong with being a trans person.”
Fellow Drag Territory queen Prawn Cracker Spice will also be returning to Broome and she said she was very excited to perform in Broome again.
“I absolutely can’t wait to come back to Broome. Everyone was so lovely and accommodating last year,” she said.
“We were blown away by our reception last year because it was one of the first time in ages where we felt really connected to the audience.
“I didn’t realise that Broome Mardi Gras had grown so much so it’s really amazing that it has grown so much to become such a big event.”
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