HercuSleaze — Develop your Drag Persona and build a Stage Act

Mar. 6 to 10, 2023 – 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. (Mon.-Fri.)
Full week rate: 85$ with Services Québec support / 330$ regular rate
*Drop-in class rate: 22$ with Service Québec / 68$ if non-eligible (Monday and/or Tuesday only)
Language of instruction: English
Capacity: 16 people, priority for full week attendance
Open to artists of all disciplines

REGISTER FOR THE FULL WEEK>

*Drop-ins welcome Monday and/or Tuesday: Payment by credit card or e-transfer on site the morning of, if capacity allows (no reservations).

By registering for a workshop, you agree to cancel your participation if you have symptoms or suspect you may have COVID-19. Please read the Participant Engagement before registering. Thank you!

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CONTENT
Over the course of the week each student will develop a drag persona and build a stage act, which we’ll present to each other on the last day. There are so many facets to being a drag artist that the art form can feel mystifying and putting oneself out there can feel very vulnerable. This class will be a safe space to learn and empower ourselves and each other.

Monday: Students will be lead through exercises to help them develop their personas and choose a drag name. We’ll explore movement and how to physically embody our alter egos. Each student will determine what kind of act they’d like to build based on their existing skillsets. Individuals will select songs for their acts, if applicable. 

Tuesday: The focus of day will be drag makeup! HercuSleaze will demonstrate step-by-step how to paint a drag king makeup (this can be modified for anyone wanting to learn drag queen or gender-bending makeup.) It’s encouraged that students watch Herc’s 90min video makeup class prior to this class (free link will be provided) so that everyone arrives with the same fundamental knowledge. Other aspects of drag king transformation such as wigs, padding and binding will be discussed. 

Wednesday: We’ll begin developing our acts through an array of skills like lip syncing, costume reveals, magic tricks, strip teases, storytelling, puppetry and dancing. We’ll uncover surprising twists and turns in our acts for maximum impact.

Thursday: Using second-hand clothes and items you already own, we’ll assemble our costumes. Each person will customize an item of clothing to enhance its stage appeal using paint, patches, rhinestones and more. We’ll work on any props the students will need for their routines using recycled materials like EVA foam and cardboard.

Friday: Students will get into full drag, and each person will present an act of 5 min or less to the class for some constructive feedback and encouragement. Everyone will then have an act that they could perform live in the future!


ACCESSIBILITY
Students with visual or hearing impairments, physical disabilities, mental health disorders, intellectual disabilities and/ or students who require service animals are welcome to register for this class and will receive accommodations to fit their needs. 


BIOGRAPHY
HercuSleaze is Canada’s most recognized drag king, he can be seen as a contestant on season 1 of OutTV’s Call Me Mother and on instagram where he’s built up a following that places him in the top ten drag king accounts in the world. He’s the producer of the Montreal drag cabaret, Mythos, and the founder of the instagram community account, @thekingdomofdrag, both of which were created to promote artists who are underrepresented because of their gender. Known for his detailed costumes and precise makeup, others can learn from HercuSleaze at the DragAcademy.ca, where he has a pre-recorded course on everything you need to know to transform into a drag king. Out of drag, Meags Fitzgerald is an art director and an award-winning graphic novelist. She’s internationally recognized for her feminist comics, which often pertain to queer identity.

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