Florida Agenda

“COME OUT WITH PRIDE” OPENING CEREMONIES
On Thursday, October 6 from 6 p.m. to 1 a.m. Come out and celebrate the launch of Pride Weekend at The Abbey in Orlando. This high-fashion event will include 32 designs by eight talented students of the International Academy of Design and Technology. Presented by Macy’s and Sue-Bee. No cover, live deejay music. Silent auction (includes tickets on JetBlue, certificates to Ideal Image, two-night hotel stays, restaurant gift cards and more.) Live art, cash bar.

The fashion show and judging will take place at the COWP kickoff on October 6 and the winning designer will be featured on stage at Come Out With Pride on Saturday, October 8. Both the winning designer and design will also be featured in our famous parade. Get tickets at www.ComeOutWithPride.com.

PROJECT NUNway
Friday, October 7, from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Parliament House, 410 N Orange Blossom Trail in Orlando. The Orlando Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence present Project NUNway, a fashion show benefitting Hope and Help Food Bank. A kickoff party to Pride. Door prizes, cover a $5 suggested donation.

ORLANDO PRIDE
October 7 through 10. Nationally recognized celebrities and entertainment, respected speakers, scores of vendors, and the longest parade in the history of Orlando Pride all have contributed to this special event that continues to break records for Orlando LGBT festivals in which attendance has doubled or tripled each year. The Come Out with Pride committee is comprised of volunteers who are dedicated to bringing a free, world-class event to Central Florida. For more information, visit www.comeoutwithpride.com.

“DRAG RACE” VIP PARTY
RuPaul “Drag Race’s” VIP Block Party, Saturday, October 8 from 4:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. at The Monkey Bar, 26 Wall Street Plaza in Orlando. This will be Orlando’s largest block party but you must be 21 or older to attend. The hot bartenders of “Jungle Sundays” will be serving drink specials all night long. Shotboys, Jungle Stud Dancers and hot go-go gods. Two great shows by the stars of RuPaul’s “Drag Race”: Alex Mateo, Tyra Sanchez and Yara Sophia. Be the first to meet members of the cast from the upcoming season 4 of “Drag Race.” Dance the night away with live DJs on Wall Street Plaza.

BACK DOOR BUMBY
Revolution Nightclub (375 S. Bumby Ave (408) in Downtown Orlando) along with GRINDR (iPhone App) and MyFlexRadio presents: “Back Door Bumby: Enter Through the Back” every 3rd Thursday of the month. No cover when you show your GRINDR or MyFlexRadio App.

Drag It Out performers change meaning of “getting fingered”

The women of Drag It Out celebrate their recent performance at Atomic. (Photo by John Sklba).
The group is always looking for new members.

Visit: www.dragitout.com.

By JOHN SKLBA

Drag It Out is a community-based organization looking to give back via the gift of entertainment while challenging the role gender plays in determining social identity.

Tabatha Mudra is the head of a merry band of gender benders looking to reach out to anyone interested in experiencing freedom, self-expression and fun. “We are bringing in theatrics, special effects, detailed choreography and experimental stage presence,” Mudra said via email.

Since October 2008, Drag It Out has conducted 10 week intensive workshops where attendees learn to become part of the Drag It Out experience.

Attendees learn how to create the illusion of gender bending through make up techniques, performance skills, and confidence all for the low, low price

of free thanks to the dedication of time from volunteers.

Vaughn Jackson, one of newest performers, walked away with a glowing experience.

“I had so much fun and it was amazing to see,” Jackson said. “What I enjoy most is that I can go all out and put whatever I am feeling in some form of expression.”

The training is not very simple, but in the end can be very rewarding. “

Participants are guided through the process and ultimately direct and produce their own musical or theatrical numbers for a graduation ensemble performance that raises awareness and money for local community-based organizations,” Mudra stated.

Drag It Out prides itself on conducting performances with graduates and regulars to raise awareness and money for local community based organizations. The current plan is to perform two large fundraisers a year for the KQA. That’s kids, queers, and animals.

The involvement Drag It Out brings to the LGBTQ is very predominate in its current “1” campaign. “1” aims to dissolve labels surrounding the LGBTQ community and bring an alliance with the straight community as well.

“The campaign was a simple solution to unify by using visual and physical sensory, how it feels to be a part of something larger than yourself,” Mudra said.

That physical sensory part is a new adaptation on a well-established gay friendly symbol; the rainbow. Instead of waving a flag, the “1” campaign uses nontoxic markers to create a rainbow on index fingers to build connectivity within the community. It adds a new meaning to the phrase “get fingered”, which was a common rallying cry backstage at the New Drag Ultima show at Atomic Boom in April.

Mudra notes that Drag It Out offers more than just an entertaining sideshow.

“After just one and a half years we have recognized that we are not “just a phase” and we are ready to entertain by supporting the depth behind personal development and leadership skills of our participants.”

For more information about upcoming shows or becoming a performer yourself, check out www.dragitout.com, or visit the groups Facebook and Myspace pages.