IMATS Day 2 Photo Gallery

with Karley & Nicole (Team 4 from the ACT5 contest!)

This weekend, the International Makeup Artist Trade Show (IMATS) returned to Canada Place for Vancouver's biggest makeup weekend. And as though the weekend couldn't be even fuller, I also spent the weekend competing in a creative competition for ACT5 Cosmetics.

Awesome is the weekend when you get to meet the creator of one of your greatest nightmares as a child. Vancouver Special FX Artist Toby Lindala was one of the keynote speakers at this year's IMATS. I was enthralled to find out that he was the creator of the Flukeman from the X-Files, the one creature that genuinely freaked me out and made me scared of using a toilet for months as a kid.

It was quite the experience to be surrounded by so much talent and so many of my wonderful peers. I consider myself no newbie to conventions, but this is not only my first IMATS, it is also the first convention I have ever attended relating to my career of choice. There was definitely lots to see, lots to learn... and way too much shopping.

Mary Poppins Musical retells classic story with a different magic

Mary and Burt (Rachel Wallace & Case Dillard)
[Photo by Deen Van Meer]

The stage adaptation of Mary Poppins retells the musical with a different kind of magic for a brand new audience. It's not quite the story from the movie. Instead, the play takes more inspiration from the original books by P. L. Travers.

Does this new stage adaptation manage to retain the timeless charm of the film? Joining me in this review are guest reviewers David Levitt and Steven Pugh.

MARY POPPINS THE MUSICAL
Queen Elizabeth Theatre
July 17 - 22
Tickets via [Ticketmaster]

Mary Poppins interview with Rachel Wallace

Rachel Wallace as Mary Poppins

This summer, Rachel Wallace will be flying in, literally, as the original supernanny, Mary Poppins. Practically perfect in every way, she will be starring in the upcoming stage adaptation of the timeless 1964 Disney classic.

The role of Mary came quite naturally to Rachel, having been a babysitter many times. She describes her interactions with kids who visit the theatre, some for their very first time, and introducing them to the magic of stage.

Rachel also provides some insight on what she thinks might be in Mary Poppin's purse. And Rachel also tells us which food she wished she had spoonfuls of sugar for as a kid (but can now eat as an adult).

MARY POPPINS the MUSICAL
Queen Elizabeth Theatre
July 17 - 22
Tickets via [Ticketmaster]

Vancouver Fan Expo Gender Benders

OK, so this post is a little late. But with the recent historic moment in queer geekdom, I thought it appropriate to make a gallery of gender bending cosplays from this year's Vancouver Fan Expo.

Nope, drag queens weren't the only ones challenging the gender norms at FanExpo this year. There were tons of fabulous girls dressed out as their favourite characters in varying degrees of femininity and masculinity.

Drag at conventions is hit-or-miss, even in liberal Vancouver. The yearly anime convention, Anime Revolution (formerly A. Evolution) has had a bad track record with its queer programming, especially with their yearly "trap cosplay contests". Seriously, am I the only one who finds major offense with that term? What's wrong with drag or even crossplay contest?

Luckily, Fan Expo was more about the fans and boy did they come out in hoards! More galleries [here] and [here]. Plus the full gallery on [Flickr].

Marvel Makes Queer Comic Geek History

Northstar and Kyle celebrate their marriage
[Cover for Astonishing X-Men #51]

Today in Astonishing XMen's New York, a Canadian mutant superhero named Northstar is getting married to his same-sex civilian partner Kyle.

Wait... WHAAAAAAT?!?

Marvel comics undoubtedly makes queer comic book history today by not only playing host to the first wedding of its kind, but by unapologetically placing the happy event on the cover of Astonishing X-Men #51.

Vancouver Sisters Celebrate Exequatur

Join queer nuns from around the world in witnessing an important moment in Canadian queer Sistory! The Abbey of the Long Cedar Canoe, the local chapter of the global order of Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, celebrates becoming a fully professed house. They are the first fully professed house of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence in Canada for over twenty five years.

The celebration, known as an Exequatur Party, will be held at 3:00pm on Saturday, August 4th in the Davie Village (location TBA). With tons of glitter and fabulous outfits, the Vancouver Sisters be taking their lifelong vows to spread universal joy, expiate stigmatic guilt and be of service to their community. They will also declare three leaders in Vancouver’s queer communities as Saints, the Order's highest honour. The Exequatur Party will be preceded by a screening of the Kevin O’Keefe film Bad Habits, which documents the return of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence to Canada.

Drag Talk w/ Amanda Pushawn

Amanda Pushawn

She's flashy, over-the-top, and her wigs are one of a kind! Local Vancouver queen Amanda Pushawn has been doing drag for nine years and she's been performing for a lot longer. Now Amanda is bringing a complete rarity to Vancouver, a live drag show complete with a full band in a... wait for it... dinner theatre setting! And yes, by live we mean she'll be singing with her own classy set of pipes!

No one's going to be lip-syncing for their life at Priscilla @ Priscilla's. Instead, expect to see a high energy show with lots of classics from the timeless movie. "I Will Survive," "Color My World," and "Downtown," to name a few. And of course, what's a drag show without some fabulous costume changes?

We chatted with Amanda over the phone to get more details about the exciting night and to talk more about how Aussie drag differs from the kind of drag we're used to seeing in North America.

Updated! Pride show July 26.

PRISCILLA @ PRISCILLA'S

Priscilla's Restaurant

1047 Davie St

$5 at the door

For reservations, call 604 687 3333