GLITZ, glamour and a soundtrack of incredible music are just a few of the experiences in store for audiences attending the 2014 mash-up musical Queens of the Outback.
This incredible musical inspired in the tradition of Priscilla Queen of the Desert and To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything, is an unforgettable drag show kicking up its heels at regional centres around the country.
When it comes to putting on legendary drag shows, Australia is one of the best – just think back to think the 1960s iconic Les Girls and the enigmatic Carlotta – so it’s no surprise that this new original musical is already being welcomed with open arms and standing ovations.
Producer, creator, choreographer and performer Simon Vowles and promoter Andrew Malouf have been solidly working on the concept for the past nine months, penning the story, organising the soundtrack and the musical mash-up, casting the perfect performers for the roles and much more.
No stranger to working on massive shows, this was the first time Simon had undertaken all the roles, at once, by himself. The show’s soft opening debut in Victoria on the Australia Day long weekend played to a packed house and rave reviews from audiences diversely aged 10 to 70.
“It is really fun,” Simon said. “I love big costumes – I love the witty humour. There is such a fun element in this show and we’ve catered to everybody, straight people, gay people, everything in between people, and to every musical genre.
“My three words for this show are fun, fast and fabulous. It is a mash-up musical and for anyone who loves Glee or the Pitch Perfect type movies, this caters for everybody. It is layered music on music, it’s all very fast. I’ve tried to cover a whole variety of music genres so that everyone can feel a part of it.”
Queens of the Outback is, much as the name suggests, some fantastic drag queens performing in the outback of Australia.
The storyline is simple but addictive: three drag queens pack up their wares to head across the outback to perform at one of their daughter’s 16th birthday parties. That’s not the half of it though. There are some hilarious experiences along the way including a temporary imprisonment, breakdowns, a little love story and many a minibar to be emptied.
It’s a show packed with fishnets, feathers, sequins and all things fabulous. There is also a huge amount of video footage to help set the scene as the queens hit the outback (and beyond).
The soundtrack is incredibly diverse, with a mash-up of songs from Dolly Parton, Michael Jackson, Lady Gaga, Tina Turner and even a little bit of Cold Chisel. Songs such as Dancing Queen, I Will Survive, Love Generation, We Are Family, Sweet Dreams, Ticket to Ride, Leaving on a Jet Plane and Khe Sanh are performed live by the talented cast.
The vocals are also live and not mimed like a lot of drag shows.
“It’s important that it turns into a musical, not just a drag show,” Simon said.
“It is more dramatic performing live and more personal with the audience. It is quite challenging for some of the guys vocally, but they are amazing. There have been so many comments like ‘you all have such beautiful voices, can you sing a few more songs’.”
It’s no surprise the cast are getting rave reviews because they were all hand-picked by Simon and have an incredible pedigree in the performing arts under their belts. Their ability and versatility sees many embody multiple characters and roles within the show, and Simon is a perfect example of this. Queens of the Outback will be on in Port Macquarie on Wednesday 5 March at Panthers Port Macquarie. Visit http://portmacquarie.panthers.com.au for more information.
