While there have always been obstacles that the LGBTQ community has faced, finding performances geared to us here in the Hudson Valley is not currently one of them.
Among a number of companies offering LGBTQ programming in the Hudson Valley, one outstanding option, bringing us music and drag performance is OUT LOUD Hudson Valley, run by Jimmy Prada and Davide Gregorio. Jimmy and Davide have been bringing talented drag and gay performers to the stage for a long time. First in New York City, and now in the Hudson Valley. Though they never met on the scene in the city, in February 2022, after both Jimmy and Davide moved back upstate following the pandemic, they formed OUT LOUD Hudson Valley. From early successes on the New York City scene, these purveyors of drag performance have expanded their reach, both locally and as far as Albany. Through their combined decades of work in NYC, Jimmy and Davide each independently forged strong relationships with queer and drag performers. As a result, they are able to call on those long-term relationships to bring that talent to our area. Often, when first taking their shows on the road, performers will reach out to the OUT LOUD crew to collaborate. This connection to well-known performers also allows Jimmy and Davide to introduce new talent on the scene. A top billed performer will often bring other performers with them to the stage. Moreover, the team seeks to engage local performers in their shows as well. This year, OUT LOUD Hudson Valley kicked off the year with the Snow Ball at the Jet Set Tiki Bar on the Newburgh waterfront. They held Pride month events at Angry Orchard and the New Paltz Pride Parade and Festival in June, followed by their Summer Tea Dance Series, with dances held at the Hudson House & Distillery in West Park, Refinery 51 in Poughkeepsie, Revel 32 in Poughkeepsie, Locust Grove Brewing Company in Milton, and the Academy in Poughkeepsie. Although known for their tea dances and concerts throughout the warmer months, OUT LOUD Hudson Valley will now move its offerings indoors to bring us drag productions for the colder months. One recent performance was Witch Perfect-The World Tour, a live-singing comedy parody based on cult-classic and audience favorite Disney film, Hocus Pocus, which will be performed both at Revel 32 in Poughkeepsie and in Albany at the Swyer Theater at the Egg. The show starred 3 stars from RuPaul’s Drag Race, Tina Burner, Scarlet Envy, and Alexis Michelle and featured pop hits from Madonna, Britney Spears, Cher, Disney classics from the Little Mermaid and the Lion King as well as Broadway standards. The production had such a strong reception that an additional show had to be added in Albany, surpassing the promoters’ expectations. The Hudson Valley region has so many offerings for all audiences that it is a competitive space for promoters. Luckily, OUT LOUD Hudson Valley’s audience isn't just limited to the LGBTQ public. Because of the notoriety performers have gained performing on TV, drag shows are interesting to a wider audience now, reaching the gay and straight public, and leading everyone attending to have a good time. In thinking about what might be missing from the LGBTQ scene in the Hudson Valley, Jimmy says that he'd like to see more gay bars and free LGBTQ spaces where community could get together on a regular basis. While OUT LOUD Hudson Valley provides free offerings when it can by throwing events with no cover charge to reach a broader audience, in order to put on larger productions, it must charge a fee to cover costs and pay performers. Jimmy wondered out loud whether the Hudson Valley could sustain a scene where LGBTQ spaces served the community during the week. With much of the community living here on a weekend-only basis, there may not be enough critical mass to keep the businesses operating. It is a common lament heard from many in the community. To the extent that the LGBTQ community has been embraced and accepted, it runs the risk of having the unique identities of its many components absorbed by and homogenized into the society at large. This is a whole new challenge for the LGBTQ community to contend with and may explain the explosion of shows that allow the queer community to express themselves through drag.
1 Comment
Teresa
9/26/2023 12:49:57 pm
Wonderful article!
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AuthorNiki Thompson lives in the Hudson Valley and celebrates our LGBTQ community |