Worcester Draglesque Festival
Festival workshops are offered for free due to the generosity of the Worcester Arts Council. Registration may be capped to optimize the learning experience.
11am - 11:45am: Drag Story Time
Location: JMAC, Pop-Up
Hosted by: Harley Queen
Recommended Age: 0-7 with a grown-up
Rainbow families and allies alike are invited to join us for a special storytime hosted by Worcester City Siren, Harley Queen. Don’t miss out on exclusive coloring pages celebrating Worcester icons, designed by Harley herself!
12:00pm - 1:15pm: I’M BOOKED! Now What?: Advice for Building Iconic Acts
Location: JMAC, BrickBox Theater
Hosted by: DaishaDore Famouz
Recommended Age: 18+
Drag doesn’t come with a script. You are your own DJ, choreographer, costumer, makeup artist, manager, and agent. With so much to consider, how do you create acts that connect with the audience and leave them wanting more? DaishaDore Famouz has been slaying the stage for over a decade and will break down how she approaches building drag acts with staying power. She will share advice on how to select music that pumps you and the audience up, how to engage with the audience, pacing your choreography and reveals, and the unwritten backstage rules that get you booked time and time again.
12:00pm - 1:15pm: Intro to Burlesque
Location: JMAC, Rehearsal Studio
Hosted by: Dolores Sweet
Recommended Age: 18+
Get ready to shimmy and strut! Learn the art of the tease with Worcester’s sweetest burlesque performer, Dolores Sweet, in the beginner-friendly class. This class will give you the tools to start your burlesque journey and learn some basic choreography. No dance experience necessary.
Dress for comfort and light movement, such as yoga or sweat pants.
1:30pm - 2:45pm: Trash to Treasure! How to Make Beautiful Costumes for Cheap (or Free) and Stretch What You Have
Location: JMAC, Pop-Up
Hosted by: Lucifer Christmas
Recommended Age: 13+
Drag and burlesque costumes can be expensive and wasteful. How can you make the most of what you already have around your house? How can you transform a thrifted find into something ready for the spotlight? How can you make a memorable look that can be taken apart and reused later? Lucifer Christmas will share his secrets to turning trash to treasure - with no sewing required! You will walk away from this class with advice to make the most of your time and money, while still sparkling on stage. The first 10 registrants will receive a free embellishment kit.
This class is sponsored by BCAW, Burncoat Center for Arts & Wellness, and The Thicket.
3:00pm - 4:15pm: Looks by Lana: The Fundamentals of Drag Make-Up
Location: JMAC, BrickBox Dressing Rooms
Hosted by: Lana Backwards
Recommended Age: 13+
Join Worcester’s own Lana Backwards as she teaches you all about the ins and outs of her iconic style of drag makeup. You will learn how to do simple drag makeup, including how to block eyebrows, apply color corrections, and real drag queen makeup techniques. The first 10 registrants will receive a free make-up kit.
Optional: If you want to follow along and get into face, bring foundation/contour palette, eyeshadow palette, and any other favorite makeup products. However, this is a beginner friendly-class and you do not need to have any supplies to learn.
4:30pm - 5:45pm: Hosting the Show
Location: JMAC, Pop-Up
Hosted by: Semi Sweet
Recommended Age: 16+
Join Providence’s Semi Sweet as she takes you on the highs and lows of hosting the best drag and burlesque show in town! Semi co-hosts her own monthly show, Sweet Rosé, and has been regularly hosting shows for the last four years. In this class, she’ll cover topics like consent, audience interaction, and hosting alone or with a co-host.
Don’t let the party stop there!
The Worcester Draglesque Festival continues with a showcase
spectacular at the JMAC’s state of the art BrickBox Theatre.
Tickets available on a sliding scale through the JMAC / Hanover Theater Box Office.
The Worcester Draglesque Festival is committed to welcoming students of all experiences. Whether you are new to the community, have headlined Pride festivals for decades, or have been waiting to dip your toes into drag or burlesque for years, these classes are for you. We are proudly produced by fat draglesque performers and uplift our neighbors of all abilities, neurotypes, races, gender identities, sexual orientations, sizes, religions, and other lived experiences and identities.