Pride Month at Buddies: song, dance, comedy, drag, pageantry and a lot of pride

7 Jun 2022 -

After two years, and Prides, closed except for a patio and poetry, and a tumultuous, very public behind-the-scenes meltdown, Buddies in Bad Times Theatre is out to prove for Pride 2022 that it is still the cultural centre of the queer community. There are 29 specific events including the wild and wanton weekend fundraisers featuring a galaxy of drag queens. All the details are at buddiesinbadtimes.com but here are a handful of highlights, arranged in reverse chronological order.

Friday, June 24 sees the magnificent MANifesto taking the stage for MANifesto Are Gay. If you don't already have their debut album Pinky Swear as part of your daily playlist, or haven't been seduced by their sultry videos, you should, there is plenty there for MANifesto to be proud of. MANifesto mastermind R Kelly Clipperton knows that the 'gaggle of grown-up gays covering songs originated by girl groups' is red hot and that the performance will be scorching, but he also wants to make it clear that "Pride to us in MANifesto is about visibility, inclusiveness, human rights and equity. About the ability to live our daily lives with the complete freedom every human deserves. We are thankful Buddies is giving us the platform." But he also notes that, "Honestly it's been a journey to get to the place where we are doing the live show we've always dreamed of with a #solidgold dance troupe of eight and our live band." Clipperton always orchestrates a spectacular show and this time he's got all his sisters with him.

Billing itself as "a mix between a revival meeting and a rural bathhouse, featuring live music, burlesque, drag and DJs playing both kinds of music: country and western," Steers & Queers hightails it to the heart of the Village on Thursday, June 23. After 15 successful and raucous years in the west end, Steers & Queers brings their signature Night of a Thousand Dollys with its "cabaret church service, full Dolly choir, live band, drag queens, burlesque and a full-on country western dance party" to Buddies urban urbane establishment. Note that the dress code is "rhinestone realness, country couture," but no word on whether on not host Fluffy Souffle (The Fabulous Show with Fay and Fluffy) will be, six guns blazing, enforcing.

#ClownsKillEmpires Battle the Pink Robots is title enough to entice one to Buddies on Wednesday, June 22. The Flaming Lips will be honoured to have their iconic album treated to #ClownKillEmpires signature blend of burlesque, sideshow, drag and clowning. As if the Lips' album isn't trippy enough, #ClownsKillEmpire promise to add psychedelic imagery courtesy of Lady Kunterpunt to accompany Full Blown Father, Mx Quest and Pickles LaVey on their, and the audience's, "multimedia non-stop trip through outer space." 

"I've been working professionally as a dancer/choreographer for a decade," says Greg Carruthers (Hairspray, Mary Poppins, The Sound of Music), "and as a plus-sized person I realized it hasn't always been a good experience. Every actor or dancer has a story about being told to lose weight. Or how they lost a role because they couldn't fit into a costume." He explains that eating disorders and depression are "the darker side of the industry." The best way to combat negativity is with fabulousness, and Carruthers has pulled together a "line-up of really talented plus-sized people" for a night of "sketch comedy, musical comedy, heartfelt ballads, whatever they want to do," for The Queer+ Variety Hour on Thursday, June 16. "A space where there isn't going to be a fat joke or talk about dieting." He notes that there are also allies involved, "non-plus-size, the accent is on diversity."

The Queer+ Variety Cast is stellar with Bruce Dow (Diana the Musical, Uncovered, Dr Silver, James and the Giant Peach, Sextet, Pig, Of a Monstrous Child: A Gaga Musical), Stacey Kay, Tricia Black, Tom Hearn, and Chris Tsujiuchi (A Very Chris-terical Christmas Cabaret, The Rocky Horror Show, Unravelled, Parade, Box 4901, Onegin). "I just looked at people I had worked with in the past, people I wanted to work with," says Carruthers. "The line-up speaks for itself, a variety night like you've never seen before." But he doesn't want The Queer+ Variety Hour to only be about waist size, all of the performers are electric and Carruthers knows the audience will "look beyond that and see the talent. I want you to recognize that you are seeing something different, a cast that reflects the real world." And Carruthers himself? "I'm going to tap dance to Lizzo and just maybe sing a little ditty."

Tsuijuchi will have been in the building just two nights before on Tuesday, June 14, leading the live band for Kevin Morris's cabaret Smalltown Boy. Morris promises to show off his "big voice" with an evening of  "hilarious (and sometimes sad) stories set to songs by the likes of Madonna, Bronksi Beat, Taylor Swift, and Olivia Rodrigo." My brain is already earwormed with the gay anthem
But the answers you seek will never be found at home
The love that you need will never be found at home 
and I have yet to hear Morris's torchy interpretation.

Friday, June 10 is packed with comedy and drag drama. While GayAF Comedy and Rushzilla Productions'  Pridezilla rocks the chamber with laughter courtesy of Elvira Kurt and Brandon Ash-Mohammed, Fay Slift Lady Bear Extraordinaire (Jump Darling, The Fabulous Show with Fay and Fluffy) and DJ Regina Gently host a fundraiser for Rainbow Railroad, the Lady 5 Drag Pageant & Party. Not only cutthroat competition as only aspiring queens can create, but also performances by the esteemed judges - Slift, Maddox Lu, Mahogany Makwa - and previous champions including Daddy.

You Made Me Queer turns the hit podcast into a live extravaganza. Host and producer Trevor Campbell promises that the "accusatory queer-comedy-musical-talk show you’ve dreamt of but weren’t sure you deserved," will come accessorized with "a Pepto Bismol-soaked set, closet full of costume changes and a powerhouse musical medley featuring guest vocals by Kritty. And that's all in the first 10 minutes. Justice will finally be served when I bring out my panel of hilarious 2SLGBTQIA+ guests - writer and TV personality JP Larocque, comedian Tamara Shevon and drag sensation Bombae - to point the finger of blame at who and/or what 'made' them queer. We're here, we're queer, and it's your fault!" He also wants everyone to know that "the audience will get to play a game and have the chance to win one of two prize packs from the Proudest Pony and New Pie Co." A lot of laughter to kick off Pride Month.