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RAJA GEMINIRaja is an artist of many tasks and talents.
Her love for style, experimentation, and all things provocative has set her apart as an entertainer in the Southern California drag circuit for 20 years. She is deeply influenced by the arts, fashion, and all pop global sub-multi-culture. Her art and performance style is meant to emphasize all things that challenge the mind, body, and soul to imagine beyond the box. She is often described as a chameleon because Raja prides herself on her constant evolution. Her looks can range from highly Avant-garde to feminine and glamorous. One of Raja's greatest triumphs as a drag artist is being the winner of the popular television reality competition "RuPaul's Drag Race", Season 3, seen on the LOGO Network. She won a multitude of fans and followers as a result , making Raja one of the competitions most beloved, controversial, and memorable stars. Raja is the manifestation of multi media artist Sutan Amrull, most memorable for his work as key make-up artist on America's Next Top model. He is a celebrity make-up artist whose clients include some of the most iconic personalities in fashion and entertainment (Adam Lambert, Dita Von Teese, Pamela Anderson, Twiggy, Tyra Banks, and Iman). Sutan studied Art in university with a focus on Art Direction and Illustration. His make-up career began when he left college to pursue other dreams and make-up was the first stop on the journey. He worked for MAC cosmetics for 9 years before pursuing his freelance career. Sutan created Raja in the early 1990's as a young man experimenting with his own personal style identity and obsession with fashion and club culture. His passions were easily expressed thru Raja because she was able to embody the things he was afraid to express in everyday life. She was his way of moving beyond being "behind the scenes". Raja's name itself draws from Sutan's formative upbringing in Indonesia where the word "raja" means king. He believes this to be a perfect irony. Two personalities once separate, one created by the other, are now synonymous. Without Sutan's inventive spirit and instinctual curiosity, Raja would not be. Raja can be witnessed at her appearances around the U.S. and beyond. JINKX MONSOONJerick Hoffer graduated summa cum laude with a degree in theatrical performance from Cornish College in Seattle. His talented peers are singing his praises, but his overbearing and impudent persona, known as Jinkx Monsoon on Season 5 of RuPaul's Drag Race, didn't go for the academic hype. Jinkx wanted to be famous, not smarter than everyone, and she succeeded. Influenced by a grandmother with charm school polish, Hoffer learned to combine the sophistication of a southern belle with the crass behavior of a working girl. Jinkx is all about contrasts and what RuPaul describes as "a stage left, off center kind of quality." With ten years experience on stage, Hoffer is a seasoned Portland-born entertainer who has captured the attention of his native northwest region. The creation of Jinkx was complicated. "From the movie 'Death Becomes Her', I was inspired by the crazy extent vain women will go for eternal youth, beauty, and power," Hoffer explains. "Through Lucille Ball I saw how a woman can bring you to tears with laughter with nothing more than a look. Through the Disney villains I was raised with, I saw how powerful a woman can be, and yet so deliciously evil. And through my mom, I saw not only the trials and tribulations a single mother faces every day, but also the strength and determination a woman can possess when she is trying to provide a bright future for her children." Extraordinarily real, some audiences have not yet decided whether Jinkx is a woman or a drag queen. Combatting humble beginnings, struggling for social status, raising a homosexual son striving for fame as a comedian, this well-developed character has attained more than acclaim, but a life of her own. As early as 2006, Hoffer appeared as the lead dancer in the world's largest drag queen chorus line, which made the Guinness Book of World Records. By 2012, he had advanced to roles in Seattle theaters, playing Moritz in Spring Awakening (produced by Balagan Theatre) and Angel in RENT (produced by The 5th Avenue Theatre). In 2013, Hoffer will play Hedwig in Hedwig and the Angry Inch (produced by Balagan Theatre and Seattle Theatre Group). A trained singer, Hoffer is half of the musical duo The Vaudevillians, a 1920s revival act. The Jinkx Monsoon personality is a manifestation of years of practice, a career endeavor that began when Hoffer was fifteen. "She is definitely a zany, off the wall, irreverent, gorgeous anachronism," Hoffer adds. "She simply refuses to let her audience sit idol; she is a powerhouse of song and comedy, igniting her audiences in a frenzy of laughter and sexual tension." Jinkx Monsoon is one of the brightest stars on the drag circuit.
TAMMIE BROWNTammie Brown aka Keith Glen Schubert (Born September 15th 1980) is a gay American singer, actor, and drag performer, perhaps best known for his appearance as a contestant on "RuPaul’s Drag Race", Season 1. Currently, he is a fixture in the Southern California Drag scene. Born in Corpus Christi, Texas, Tammie started his auspicious career performing at as Cha Cha from the musical Grease, and as the Wicked Stepmother in Into the Woods. He first started performing drag at Club Divas in Corpus Texas. He initially wanted to perform under his real name, Keith Schubert, however, he was forced to pick the name Tammie Brown by Corpus Christi’s Pageant Queens. In the early 2000’s Tammie performed at the Fire Island nightclub in Long Beach, CA. During this time he made an appearance as Tammie Brown on "The Surreal Life" with Tammy Faye Messner and as himself on "How Clean Is Your House". As Keith Glen Schubert he has appeared in commercials for McDonalds and UPS and for Korn’s music video "Twisted Transistor". As Tammie Brown he appeared in Robbie William’s music video "She’s Madonna" and Crazy Lupe’s "Mm Ma Ma". In March 2009, Tammie released his first, album "Popcorn" on iTunes. On Youtube Tammie’s videos such as "Shaka Buku U", "Whatever", and "The Ballad of Tiger Lily" have been seen by over 20,000 viewers.
RAQUEL BLAKERaquel Blake is one of New England’s premiere female impersonators, you can find "her" weekly in Boston Nightclubs and Cabarets such as Geofferys Cafe, Machine, Jacques Cabaret and Venue. She also was featured in the American Repertory Theater's productions of The Lily's Revenge and Island of Slaves. When not all dolled up Raquel is known to "her" family and Husband as Adamm Shanahan-Farrell, a hair and makeup artist.
RAINBOW FRITESean C. McCarthy (Rainbow Frite) is a well established entertainer in cabaret, off-Broadway, television, and independent film. Sean's comedic and bawdy drag personae, Rainbow Frite, is highly regarded as a live vocal drag artist in Boston, New York City, and Provincetown. Locally, Sean is a cast member at Jacques Cabaret and the host of TRIVIA! SUNDAYS at Geoffrey's Cafe in Boston's Back Bay. He was also featured in American Repertory Theater's Production of The Lily's Revenge. His Off-Broadway credits include Club World at NYC's China Club and television/movie credits include independent movies and recent appearances on TLC's "Bling it On" and The Style Network's "Wicked Fit".
Susan boilSusan Boil stormed the entertainment scene of Provincetown, MA in 2009 and astonished audiences at Ryan Landry's "Showgirls" with live vocals and outrageous comedy. Winning Showgirls 5 times that summer and being nominated for "Showgirl of the Year" was only the tip of the iceberg. Her one woman show "Suddenly Susan Boil" opening at the Provincetown Art House Theatre the following year and was a sold out smash hit. Susan sang her most well known material like "I Dreamed A Dream" from Les Misérables and "Memory" from Cats but also gained enough confidence by the end of the spectacle to tackle "Defying Gravity" from Wicked as well as "And I'm Telling You I'm Not Going" from Dreamgirls. She really didn't want to leave, so taking the winter to work with her cat Pebbles on her acting and dancing she came back to Ptown in 2011 for "Suddenly Susan Boil 20% More Sudden". Singing, dancing and acting her way through musical odysseys like "At The Ballet" from A Chorus Line and "Somewhere That's Green" from Little Shop of Horrors. Around this time Susan begin her YouTube channel and continued to perform duets with legends like Varla Jean Merman and Miranda Sings!
BRINI MAXWELL [HOST]Described as part Doris Day, part Mary Tyler Moore, Maxwell makes kitsch feel classy through her unparalleled personal flair for home design, entertaining and savvy household tips. Inspired by a divine thrift shop purchase of 1950's nesting bowls, she first began sharing her vintage/classic know-how with other Manhattanites in 1998 through her self-titled cable access television show. With an emphasis on uncompromising fabulousness, Brini quickly garnered a devoted fan base and established herself as the go-to-girl on vintage fashion and mid-century modern treasures. After five years on the local airwaves her show was picked up by the Style Network. The subsequent series has been called a delightful success and has attracted a diverse audience thorough its national platform. Brini was born in Boston, Massachusetts and raised there and the Midwest. She was a child prodigy in the area of domestic science, piping perfect mashed potatoes at the age of five and redesigning the rumpus room in her family home by age 10. At the Fashion Institute of Technology, between spontaneous bouts of cleaning and organizing the student union she achieved a bachelor's degree in Fashion Design. She worked in the fashion industry for 5 years, never finding fulfillment until she started developing her television show. Brini spends her time between shooting her new video series and making personal appearances, doing needlepoint, shopping for inspiration in thrift shops and vintage stores and spending time with friends. She's currently shopping for a second home in Palm Springs California and looking wistfully at vintage 1960's convertibles and station wagons on eBay Motors.
JOHN MICHAEL CROTTY [PRODUCTION STAGE MANAGER]Off Broadway: Working, Minimum Wage, Whites Lies, Rated M for Mature, Spring Tour of Theatreworks USA's Click Clack Moo Festivals: Greenwich Music Festival, NY Fringe, Fringe Encores, New York Musical Festival, National Alliance for Musical Theatre Opera: Der Kaiser Von Atlantis, Return of Ulysses, La Nave, Dialogues del Carmelites, Cecile Film: My Secret Friend (webseries), The Jewish Spirit Sings (PBS) www.johnmichaelcrotty.com
BEN TYSON [HOUSE MANAGER]Aside from being my best friend and partner in crime, Ben Tyson is a fabulous house manager to the stars at the American Repertory Theater, who shares my passion for marine wildlife. He has worked as a marine mammal intern at the New England Aquarium, and is currently working at Shedd Aquarium in Chicago with California Sea Lions, Beluga Whales, Pacific White-Sided Dolphins, and more!
MATT WOOD [BAR MANAGER]Matt Wood is neither a drag queen nor a whale but as a boy he was fond of modeling his grandmother's all-beige wardrobe and once wrote an angry letter to the president for neglecting whale preservation. Today Matt works as a professional bartender and roller skater.
ERIC FURBISH [LIGHTING]Eric Furbish is a Lighting Designer based in New York City. For almost a decade, Eric has been working professionally in the entertainment field throughout venues and studios large and small in Orlando, New York City, nationwide, and internationally. Having roots firmly planted Theatrical Design styles and immersive experiences, Eric’s career continues to grow with experience in a variety of design work including theatre for family audiences, broadcast television, corporate events, and theme parks and attractions.
When not in the office, studio, or theatre, Eric can usually be found enjoying a coffee shop or in the outdoors. Eric is an avid outdoorsman, a mediocre surfer, and motorcycling enthusiast who loves spending time with his friends and family whenever possible. DOUG SCHADT [SOUND]Trained by the greats in New York and tested by the bars of Texas, Doug Schadt is a music producer and songwriter with a signature sound: Raw music with an air of honesty and immediacy.
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