GAY & LESBIAN PRIDE NEWS
RuPaul brings 'glam' to Pride week
International drag superstar to perform live in Joburg
August 18, 2008
RuPaul, the international drag superstar, will be performing in SA this October.
Are you ready to ‘work it’?
International diva, and the most famous drag artist in the world, RuPaul will be strutting her stuff in Johannesburg and Pretoria during Joburg Pride week this October: presenting a live performance at Therapy’s Viva La Glam Pride After-party and launching her new film at Cinema Nouveau screened by Fish Eagle’s Pride Film Festival.
The drag superstar singer and actress will be performing her chart-topping hits on stage at Therapy’s Viva La Glam Pride After-party at Carfax, proudly presented by Flex Bender, on Saturday October 4th, with a live act that starts at 11pm. The mega party will also boast four dance floors each featuring top South African DJs taking the event’s 2008 Pride celebrations into the early hours of the morning.
“This is a major scoop for Joburg’s nightlife and the city’s Pride celebrations – boosting both to an international level,” says Therapy co-owner Fulvio De Stefanis. “RuPaul is one of the world’s true gay icons, and we’re very proud to bring her to South Africa for the first time.”
RuPaul is also coming to the country to promote her latest film, Starrbooty, which will be screening exclusively at Cinema Nouveau screened by Fish Eagle’s Pride Film Festival around the country. Starrbooty tells the story of a gorgeous crime fighting federal agent named – you guessed it – Starbooty, who disposes of villains while becoming entangled in various romantic liaisons.
RuPaul, who plays the titular character, will be appearing at the film’s glamorous South African premiere on Thursday, October 2nd at Ster-Kinekor Classic, the Zone, Rosebank (Jhb), and will also attend the Pretoria premiere of the film at Brooklyn’s Cinema Nouveau on the 3rd.
“It is truly an honour for Ster-Kinekor and Cinema Nouveau to host the world’s one and only drag superstar! We can’t wait to premiere RuPaul’s latest film at our prestigious Pride Film Festival as well as raising funds to further show our support for the local gay/lesbian/trangendered communities,” says Paul Burton, Ster-Kinekor Bookings Executive.
All proceeds from the premieres will be donated by Cinema Nouveau and Therapy to the non-profit company that runs Joburg Pride on behalf of the gay and lesbian community.
RuPaul is a multi-talented American singer, actor and lyricist who has appeared across a grand spectrum of media. The singer’s remake of classic disco anthem ‘It’s Raining Men’, her collaboration with Elton John (‘Don’t Go Breaking My Heart’) and her massive hit ‘Supermodel (You better work)’ all soared to the top of the charts.
RuPaul has also featured on the silver screen, with roles in mainstream cinema as well as in iconic gay films such as To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar and But I’m a Cheerleader. In 1995, RuPaul was signed as the face of MAC cosmetics; making her the first drag supermodel. She is currently working on RuPaul's Drag Race, a reality TV game show that aims to find the number one drag performer in the United States.
Therapy’s Viva La Glam Pride After-party is proudly presented by Flex Bender on Saturday October 4th. Therapy, Carfax, Newtown, Johannesburg
Doors open at 4pm with shower and change room facilities for revellers wanting to come straight from the Pride march at Zoo Lake. Entrance fees range from R80 between 4pm and 7pm (with no pass-outs) and R150 after 8pm. Pre-sale tickets for the event at R120 per person can be purchased by calling TicketLine 082 16789 or at www.sterkinekor.com. Therapy happens at Carfax, Pimm Str, Newtown, Johannesburg. Tickets on sale from August 25th.
The Starrbooty Film Premieres on Thursday, October 2nd – Ster-Kinekor Classic, the Zone, Rosebank, Johannesburg. Friday, October 3rd – Cinema Nouveau screened by Fish Eagle, Brooklyn, Pretoria.
Tickets for the premieres of Starrbooty are priced at R150 per person and also include free entry to the Therapy Viva La Glam Pride After-party. Tickets can be purchased at Ster-Kinekor Classic The Zone and Cinema Nouveau Brooklyn box offices, by calling TicketLine 082 16789 or at www.sterkinekor.com.
The Cinema Nouveau screened by Fish Eagle Pride Film Festival takes place at Rosebank (26 Sept - 4 Oct), Brooklyn (26 Sept - 3 Oct), V&A Waterfront (3 Oct - 11 Oct) and Gateway (3 Oct - 9 Oct). Tickets on sale from August 25th.
About Cinema Nouveau screened by Fish Eagle:
Cinema Nouveau screened by Fish Eagle is a differentiated/discerning cinema experience and a destination for the discerning film lover. Cinema Nouveau holds the prestige of being one of the worlds only dedicated “art cinema” chains, screening ‘art’ titles from cultures all over the world, but within this definition also extending into indie/cult, cutting-edge and alternative content.
About Therapy Nightclub:
Therapy was launched in 1997 and was soon recognised as one of the world's leading dance nightclubs. It closed its doors after five years, but in March this year re-opened at Carfax in Newtown, Johannesburg. It now continues to build on its cutting-edge reputation as a stylish, poly-sexual dance experience every Saturday night from 9pm to 4am. Visit www.therapyclubbing.com for more information.
Joburg Pride statement
The recent developments around the visit of international performer RuPaul to South Africa appear to have given rise to some confusion in the LGBT community as to who is actually hosting the star.
The Board of Joburg Gay Pride Festival would like to clarify that RuPaul’s attendance at the Cinema Nouveau Pride Film Festival (which is an independent entity from Joburg Pride) and performance at Therapy nightclub is a joint venture between Ster Kinekor and Therapy, and was not initiated or arranged by Joburg Pride.
“Joburg Pride has a separate partnership with Ster Kinekor which has resulted in Pride being named as the beneficiary of the ticket sales from the film festival’s opening nights, however this was agreed to long before RuPaul came into the picture,” says Pride Joint Chair Tanya Harford.
“While her presence at the opening nights may boost sales, which is clearly to the benefit of Pride, this was unknown and therefore not taken into account at the time of the negotiations. The festival is presented by Ster Kinekor and they can choose to add whatever benefits they like to the ticket price, whether it be access to parties, free popcorn or anything else.”
Harford added that Joburg Pride was extremely proud of its relationship with Ster Kinekor and that the organisation appreciated the support shown by Ster Kinekor to the LGBT community.
“The fact that a Joburg Pride board member is also the co-owner of Therapy is irrelevant, and we do not believe that his role within Pride advantaged him or had any influence on the deal negotiated between Therapy and Ster Kinekor,” says Harford.
“We have absolutely nothing to do with private arrangements made between Ster Kinekor and Therapy or any other local nightclub.”
Harford also confirmed that Joburg Pride does not endorse any Pride after party, that there is no “official” after party and that all nightclubs are free to include their individual Pride events in the fringe events schedule of the Pride guide and Pride website. – Issued by the Joburg Gay Pride Festival Company (reg. number: 2007/013596/08)
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