Vancouver Fan Expo 1/2 - Cosplay galore!

Tali [Mass Effect]

Fan Expo Vancouver sprang up from almost nowhere and quickly gained momentum as the lower mainland's must-attend nerd convention. Hundreds upon hundreds of fans flocked to the Vancouver Convention Centre to participate in the massive celebration of fan culture.

There was literally something for everyone. The convention covered pretty much every subculture of geek-dom, including comic books, sci fi, gaming, and anime/manga. This was certainly reflected in the variety of fans that showed up. And it most certainly was reflected in the amazing cosplays that were on display all weekend! (up next - a whole gallery dedicated to Star Wars cosplay!)

Check out our full Flickr gallery from the weekend [here]

My Evening with Jennifer Hudson

Jennifer Hudson at Overtures
[Photo by Steve Bosch]

Sometimes being completely and utterly shameless pays off. Tonight happens to be one of those times. Earlier this evening I managed to share a dance and a hug with the one and only diva herself, Jennifer Hudson! I had caught word months ago that JHud would be coming to Vancouver to perform and I just knew that I had to get into that show somehow! Well I did and I am thrilled that the night turned out to be way more exciting than I had anticipated.

Diary of a First-time Super

The principal cast with priests and soliders
[Photo by Tim Matheson]

Opera productions pull together fast. Really fast. At least that's been my experience working with Vancouver Opera on their upcoming production of Aida. Given that the tagline is "The Grandest of Grand Operas", Aida is certainly no small show put together.

AIDA
Queen Elizabeth Theatre
April 21 - May 3
Online tickets sales via VancouverOpera.ca

Review - Does Cats The Musical live up to the hype?

The cast of Cats the Musical
[Photo credit: 2010 Joan Marcus]

I have to confess something. I've never been a fan of Cats the Musical. In fact, the 1998 film version has the distinction of being the only filmed musical I've ever fallen asleep to. I remember a lot of dancing, and I remember trying to follow some semblance of a plot that sorta kinda tied the various musical numbers together. And then I remember waking up near the credits, cursing at myself for falling asleep and then getting up to rewind the VHS tape back to Elaine Paige's entrance for "Memory." I've heard that specific song too many times to note since then. I haven't touched the show since, and tonight would be the first night I've ever seen Cats in its entirety.

Livin' LOUD and LOVing it

With fellow LOUD recipients
Ryan, Taylor and Leah

Had you told me a year ago that I would be doing makeup full time, I would've probably given you a funny look and told you that I wanted to be a computer programmer or finish my Health degree. Fortunately, my absolute passion for creating characters got the better of me. Sometime last year, I threw out an email to a prestigious makeup school and got in, on two scholarships no less, about a week later. And would you know it, I'm now working for a prestige makeup line and am days away from graduating makeup school.

I have the Gay and Lesbian Business Association to thank for helping me achieve what has clearly been the most gratifying career change in my life (not that I've had that many career changes to begin with, but I have dabbled in many careers, mostly unpaid). With three other amazing queer youth, I was awarded a LOUD Scholarship in May 2011.

Disney Fashion with a Pop Diva Twist

The winning designers and their creations

Anyone who knows me quite well knows I'm part of the Disney generation. So when I got invited to attend Walt Street Fashion, a fashion competition mixing today's pop culture divas with classic Disney characters, how could I say no? All they had to do was say "Cruella de Vil meets Lady Gaga" and I was pretty much there.

Cats the Musical Interview with Melissa Grohowski

Photo credit: 2010 Joan Marcus

Actress Melissa Grohowski has done a lot of "felinity" over the past two years. She initially joined the cast of Cats the Musical as the vocal swing. After learning and performing multiple Jellicle cats, Melissa has played her fair share of frisky felines. More recently, she has landed the lead role of the Glamour cat herself, Grizabella. (And yes, she gets to sing that song.) We chatted with Melissa about how she prepared for such an iconic role, learned what "felinity" means within the context of Cats the Musical, and found out which ironic show-related allergic Mellisa has. Is the lead actress of Cats a cat person herself? Read on to find out!