Tag Archives: Our Lady J

Valentina to ‘Drag Out the Vote’ at Variety Show “Divas For Democracy: United We Slay”

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Valentina’s prepared to drag out the vote…

The 29-year-old Mexican American drag performer and former RuPaul’s Drag Race contestant will team up with some of her fellow queens and Broadway celebrities to get out the vote for November’s presidential election.

Valentina

Valentina and divas from the drag world and icons of the stage will come together for Divas For Democracy: United We Slay, a one-night-only variety show extravaganza promoting voter participation and key issues relating to the LGBTQIA+ community in the upcoming 2020 election.

Presented by the nonprofit voter engagement organization Drag Out the Vote and hosted by RuPaul’s Drag Race star Nina West and Entertainment Tonight‘s Keltie Knight, Divas for Democracy: United We Slay features scores of talent who’ll sing and lip-synch through dazzling performances of theater classics and pop songs.

Special segments will highlight LGBTQIA+ activists in a nonpartisan effort to shine a light on community participation in the political process, including celebrity appearances by Tony winner Cyndi Lauper, Drag Race panelist Michelle Visage, Harvey Fierstein, James Monroe Iglehart, Bianca Del Rio, Shangela, Cheyenne Jackson, Mila Jam, and Oscar-winning actress Allison Janney.

In addition to Valentina, other drag superstars slated to perform during the broadcast include Alaska, Jinkx Monsoon, Jujubee, Peppermint, Cynthia Lee Fontaine, Shuga Cain, Honey Davenport, and Drag Out the Vote’s national co-chairs Brita Filter, Marti Gould Cummings, and Pixie Aventura.

Broadway figures set to appear include legendary three-time Tony-winning actress Chita Rivera, as well as Tony winners Stephanie J. Block, Lea Salonga, Nikki M. James, Beth Leavel and Annaleigh Ashford. Also joining the program are stage stars Shoshana Bean, Eden Espinosa, Jenn Collela, Chilina Kennedy, Keala Settle, Tamika Lawrence, L Morgan Lee, and Our Lady J.

The presentation will be directed by Josh Rhodes and Lee Wilkins, whose joint careers include work choreographing Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella, First Date, It Shoulda Been You, and Bright Star on Broadway. Tony winner Stephen Oremus will serve as music supervisor.

“One in five LGBTQIA+ people is not registered to vote, and 100 million people did not vote in the 2016 election. We must fix this,” said Drag Out the Vote founder Jackie Huba in a press statement. “We are excited to bring together the worlds of Broadway and drag to inspire voters to sashay their way to the polls or their mailboxes.”

Divas for Democracy: United We Slay airs October 18 at 8:00 p.m. ET exclusively on StageIt. Tickets — available on a “donate-what-you-can” basis — go on sale Thursday at 10:00 a.m. ET at divasfordemocracy.com.

Mj Rodriguez to Co-Host FX’s Pose-A-Thon Virtual Event

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Mj Rodriguez is set to strike a Pose…

To commemorate Pride Month, Disney Television Studios and FX have announced the launch of Pose-A-Thon, a commercial-free, one-hour virtual event showcasing the 29-year-old half Puerto Rican actress/singer and her fellow Pose cast mates and producers.

MJ Rodriguez

The program aims to raise awareness for three organizations that work to support LGBTQ+education, social change for sexual and gender minority people of color, and transgender equality through legal services and policy efforts.

The special event will encourage viewers to support three of the many charitable LGBTQ+ organizations: GLSEN, Hetrick-Martin Institute, and the Transgender Legal Defense & Education Fund.

The special, emceed by Rodriguez and Billy Porter, will air Friday, June 26 at 10:00 pm ET/PT on FX and Freeform. Viewers can also tune-in the same day starting at 7 PM PT at www.poseathon.com.

“I’m so proud of our cast and producers for coming together to present an uplifting hour of song and stories,” said Afro-Latino co-creator, executive producer, writer, and director Steven Canals. “In the spirit of Pose, ’our goal is to celebrate joy, love and, of course, pride, from our family to yours.”

Executive producer, writer, and director Janet Mock added, “Since we’ve been unable to shoot the show we love, we jumped at the chance to reunite our Posefamily and partner with the studio and network to raise spirits and awareness about the plight of LGBTQ+ people of color during such a turbulent time. This Pride month special is a commemoration of our forebears’ efforts, a memorial for trans lives lost, and a celebration of the life-saving work of LGBTQ+ organizations.”

Pose-A-Thonunites the voices behind the critically-acclaimed drama series Pose, featuring music and anecdotes from Porter, Rodriguez, Angel Bismark Curiel, Sandra Bernhard, Dyllón Burnside, Steven Canals, Dominique Jackson, Jeremy McClain, Janet Mock, Indya Moore, Our Lady J, Jason Rodriguez, Angelica Ross, Hailie Sahar, Ryan Jamaal Swain, Charlayne Woodard and Patti LuPone.