I’ve finally done it, gone and leapt off the cliff upon whose edge I was precariously teetering for so long… I’ve started a band. That’s right a BAND.

Featuring members of Emperor Norton’s Stationary Marching Band, Walter Sickert and the ARmy of BRoken TOys, Jeff Michaels Band, Rotary Club, plus our very own Ph.D candidate, we’ll be playing soul, big band, Motown – basically anything with horns, done genderqueerly, flamboyantly, with more sequins and glitter than your retinas can handle. In essence, we’ll be everything you’ve come to expect from me as a singing vaudevillian… but LIVE! So imagine this… with brass.

Now it’s your turn to participate – help us come up with our name! It will follow the pattern “Johnny Blazes and …”

Imagine this.. with brass.

(The “and” is actually optional — see examples below.)

Don’t let yourself get boxed in – the options are various!

Singular abstract noun: eg, Johnny Blazes and the Glory
Singular concrete noun: eg, Johnny Blazes and the Glitter
Genderqueer References (duh): eg, Johnny Blazes and the Fagettes
Sentence: eg, Johnny Blazes Does Dallas

Not my favorite, but I promise to remain open to:
Plural noun: eg, Johnny Blazes and Blazettes
Cutesy: eg, Johnny Blazes and Blazettes
Possessive: eg, Johnny Blazes’ Inflamed Ego

The winning suggestion gets… well… the prestige of having named our band! Oh and — I’ll throw in a merch pack of JBlazes tshirts, stickers, posters, etc, plus a free ticket to our first big performance as the full band.

Gratitude and love,

Johnny Blazes and the As-Yet Unnamed Octet

JANUARY’S THEME: Past v. Future

To blast us into 2011, January’s theme is “Past and Future”. Perhaps you thought by now we’d have flying cars. Or maybe you never imagined we’d actually be able to clone animals or take pictures of Mars’ surface. Whether science moves too fast (robot world takeover) or too slow (cure for AIDS), it is certainly a different world now then when we were kids and there’s plenty of future possibilities to be tickled or terrified by. Like, for instance – will there be tigers? What cities will be underwater?

We challange our artists to create two pieces for the show: one about their past and one about who they will be in the future. These pieces may be rooted in reality or in the fantastic. They can be about their artistic past or life past. The future piece might reflect one’s wildest dreams or deepest fears… Come find out what the future holds!

Tuesday January 18
The Midway
3496 Washington Street, Jamaica Plain, MA
Doors: 8pm
Show: 9pm
Dancing 10:30 pm with DJ GOLDEN TOUCH of the Audio Chemists
18+
$7
www.HypothesisShow.wordpress.com

Once a year I ask for my community’s support in helping me participate with an artistic and networking event that means a great deal to me: The International Drag KingCommunity Extravaganza (IDKE). IDKE is a gathering of gender-performers from around the world, an unique opportunity to learn about how gender is being performed in other places, to engage with critical thinking in workshops, and to strut off my fabulous stuff! For a recap of all the great adventures I had last year, see my blog post at: http://johnnyblazes.com/2009/11/a-long-overdue-account-of-idke-xi/ The conference takes place once a year, each year in a different city. This time around, I’m traveling to The Charm City: Baltimore!

Last year’s fundraising efforts included a date auction, and special numbers at TraniWreck. This year, there is not TraniWreck in October, so I’m working doubly hard to raise the money needed to get me to Baltimore. Like I said last year, even the smallest amount helps! If every one of my Facebook friends and fans donated even $1, I would have more than enough to get me to Baltimore and back.

It is heart-breaking, but this may be the last year that IDKE happens, as a host city has not been found for 2011. All of you who wish you could attend but can’t, all who have a favorite place in Baltimore that you want me to visit, and all who want me to report back with tales from the Gender Frontier, please help me reach my goal!

Below you’ll find the lovely gifts I am offering in return for your support:

$5 or more – a personalized postcard from Baltimore

$10 … – a drawing by Johnny of hir best outfit worn at IDKE

$20 … – a framed photograph of Johnny at IDKE

$50 … – a handmade drag sock puppet, made by Johnny (examples here)

$100 … – the opportunity to pick what song I will sing at the next TraniWreck

$500 … – a dinner party for you and a date, cooked and served by Johnny

$1000!- a song written and recorded by Johnny specially for you!

To donate, please click the Donate! button to the right of this post.

Thank you and much love,
Johnny

Check out our tour schedule and see if we’re coming to your town!  And be sure to check www.thefemmeshow.com for updates and last-minute-added shows!

Saturday August 14: Worcester, MA
Lucky Dog Lounge, 89 Green St
3 pm• $10
Guest Artist: Corinna Bain

TWO SHOWS IN ONE NIGHT!

Albany, NY
Steamer 10 Theatre, 500 Western Ave
9:30 pm • $10
Guest Artist: Corinna Bain

Sunday August 15: New York City, NY
JUST ADDED!
Bluestockings, 172 Allen St
7 pm • $5-10 suggested donation
Guest Artists: Kit Yan and Lea Robinson

Tuesday August 17: Pittsburgh, PA
Shadow Lounge, 5972 Baum Blvd
6:30 pm • $5-10 sliding scale
Guests artists: Bekezela Mguni, Nichole Faina, inFERNo, and
Brawlwitdabra

Wednesday August 18: Philadelphia, PA
Studio 34, 4522 Baltimore Ave
9 pm • $10
Guest Artist: Lesbian Dorkestra

Thursday August 19: Philadelphia, PA
Giovanni’s Room, 345 South 12th St
7 pm
Guest Artist: Meil Rose
*a special evening of femme smut and other readings to benefit Giovanni’s Room, a queer Philly bookstore!

Friday August 20: Washington, D.C.
JUST ADDED!
The DC Center, 1318 U St NW
8 pm • $10
Guest Artist: Natalie Illum

Saturday August 21: Baltimore, MD
The Windup Space, 10-12 W. North Ave
8 pm • $8
Guest Artists: Roma Mafia and Femme 6

FEATURES:

Stuff Magazine “Rising Stars”: http://stuffboston.com/photos/stuff/category9682/picture282931.aspx

INTERVIEWS:

Gay RVA “Hir Say”: http://www.gayrva.com/2010/05/03/hir-say-interviewing-johnny-blazes/

Qtown VA “Cabaret, theatre, queerness– oh my!”: http://qtownva.com/tag/transgender/ (Scroll down for my interview)

MySexProfessor.com “Defining Femme Style: An Interview with Johnny Blazes” http://www.mysexprofessor.com/glbt/defining-femme-style-an-interview-with-johnny-blazes/

MENTIONS:

Boston Globe feature on Dr Sketchy’s “Drawing attention”: http://www.boston.com/ae/theater_arts/articles/2010/07/09/dr_sketchys_combines_art_with_spirit_of_burlesque/

Boston Globe review of Le Cabaret Grimm: http://www.boston.com/ae/theater_arts/articles/2010/04/12/le_cabaret_grimm_presents_fairy_tales_with_puppets_and_props/

EDGE Boston review of Le Cabaret Grimm: http://www.edgeboston.com/index.php?ch=entertainment&sc=theatre&sc2=&sc3=performance&id=104465

Boston Lowbrow review of Le Cabaret Grimm: http://www.bostonlowbrow.com/2010/04/punk-fairy-tales-le-cabaret-grimm/

Boston Globe review of Mischief in the Machine: http://www.boston.com/ae/theater_arts/articles/2008/06/03/the_spirit_of_mischief_lies_in_flights_of_fancy/

Portland Phoenix blurb on my collaboration w/ Katie Diamond: http://thephoenix.com/BLOGS/abouttown/archive/2010/03/30/johnny-blazes-wo-n-man-show.aspx

Portland Phoenix review of TraniWreck “Drag city”: http://portland.thephoenix.com/Topic/Drag+City.aspx?rel=inf

Providence Phoenix review of Anti-Poetry Slam “Bring us your worst…”: http://providence.thephoenix.com/Music/45900-%E2%80%98Bring-us-your-worst-/?rel=inf

Lambda Literary review mentioning Katie Diamond’s and my comic ‘transcension’: http://www.lambdaliterary.org/reviews/09/20/gender-outlaws-the-next-generation-ed-by-kate-bornstein-and-s-bear-bergman/comment-page-1/

RADIO:

Touch Our Monkey Show segment on The Femme Show: http://touchourmonkey.com/files/immcast/168/The_Femme_Show_Interview.mp3

NPR segment on Le Cabaret Grimm: http://www.wbur.org/media-player?url=http://www.wbur.org/2010/04/08/experimental-theater&title=Despite+Grim+Moments%2C+Experimental+%26%238216%3BLe+Cabaret+Grimm%26%238217%3B+Rolls+Along&segment=experimental-theater&pubdate=2010-04-08

VIDEO:

AsIAm.fm “A Move Towards Gender Neutrality”: http://asiam.fm/node/210

BLOGS:

Arts America: Berkshires, Broadway and Beyond: http://arts-america.blogspot.com/2010/03/cabaret-old-and-new-songs-stories-and.html

There are a few items in the article that I’d like to address.

Firstly, I was misquoted.  I’m quoted as calling myself: “A double triple threat. Singing, dancing, acting, circus arts, and drag.”  What I actually said was: “I like to call myself a double triple threat: singing/acting/dancing; circus arts/drag/burlesque.”  Not a huge misprint—but I don’t want my fans to go around thinking I can’t do math. Two times three is not five, it’s six.  For those of you unfamiliar with the term, a “triple threat” is someone who acts, sings and dances—usually in the musical theater genre.  I like to think that the cabaret equivalent to the triple threat is doing  drag, burlesque and circus arts.  Hence, double triple threat.

Secondly, I have never in my life packed with “a black sock.”  I’m not sure what the reporter thought she saw; I was wearing black socks earlier in the day, so perhaps she saw those in the pile of discarded costumes and made a leap of logic about what was in my drawers.  So, if you are one of the many who are still wondering whether I use a soft pack or my junk is homegrown, fear not, the mystery shall not be revealed: you may go on wondering.  Just don’t imagine anybody’s socks in my drawers, please, that’s not my thing.

Lastly, I’m sure you can’t have failed to notice the use of the pronoun “she” to describe me.  This happened because the author’s editor cited “style issues” and insisted that I choose one of the “traditional” pronouns.  I chose to be called “she” because, as I told Cate, “my stage persona at the moment is a rather feminine one, and it makes sense to me that if I’m going to be squeezed into a binary that I go with the option that fits my current characters.  I also experience privilege and oppression in many of the same ways that women do, so being called “he” assigns me power that I don’t have.”  However, in the article, Cate mentions that I “acceded” to feminine pronouns without any context for that concession, and mentions that I prefer to be referred to by gender neutral pronouns without ever naming what those pronouns are.

In response to this last issue, I believe that letters to the editor are in order.  Please join me in writing to the Editor of the Boston Globe encouraging them to rethink their exclusion of gender neutral pronouns from their style guide.  At the bottom of this post you’ll find instructions on how to reach the editor.  Below is my own letter.

To the Editor of The Boston Globe:

I would like to clarify the circumstances under which I “acceded to the feminine pronoun,” as reported in “Drawing attention” (Page G18, July 9).  The author, Cate McQuaid, told me in an email that my request to be referred to by gender neutral pronouns could not be honored by the Globe because of “style” issues.  Although I cannot address issues of style, I can address issues of respect and accurate reporting.  In my community, it is respectful to refer to individuals by the names and pronouns with which they feel most comfortable.  For me, those pronouns are ze (subject pronoun) and hir (direct object).  This has nothing to do with the biology of my body, but instead with my gender expression.  As McQuaid quotes in an otherwise very good article, “I don’t come down on one side or the other.”  Thus it is not only disrespectful but also inaccurate to call me she, as she doesn’t describe my gender.

I urge you to change your stance on gender neutral pronouns.  You will not estrange any readers by explaining and using them, but you do estrange many readers (more than you might think) by forcing people to choose pronouns that do not fit them.

Best,
Johnny Blazes

To submit a letter to the editor
e-mail letter@globe.com or use their form.

Letters may be sent by regular mail to this address:

Letters to the Editor
The Boston Globe
P.O. Box 55819
Boston, MA 02205-5819

Or by fax to (617) 929-2098

Please include your full name, address, and a telephone number for confirmation purposes. Letters should be 200 words or less and are subject to condensation.

Please contact PhinLi Bookings LLC with inquiries.  bookings (at) phinli (dot) com

Some programs I offer:

-My evening-length one-person vaudevillian performance “wo(n)man show”

-Workshops in drag performance, circus arts, and other performance-related topics

-3 or 7 Day Residencies in clowning/object manipulation, leading up to a class performance

-Hosting and performing for student drag shows/parties

-Guest lecture/demonstrations in Gender and Women’s Studies and Performance-based classes

Monday June 7
King and Queen of Pride Pageant
Machine, 1254 Boylston St, Boston
doors 7 pm, show 8 pm
$12

I’ll be celebrity judging, and pulling out a number that’s only been seen once before!

Then I’ll be heading over to see my favorite gals Katya, Becca d’Bus, Fried Fries and Miss Nicholle Pride at Perestroika: The Best Drag Show in the World!

Jacques Cabaret
79 Broadway, Boston
10:30 pm
$7 21+

Wednesday June 9
wo(n)man show
OBERON, 2 Arrow St, Cambridge
doors 7:30 pm, show 8:30 pm, dancing 9:30 pm
Tickets $15 at https://www.ovationtix.com/trs/pe/8079495

This is your ONE-AND-ONLY chance to see my one-person vaudevillian show in public performance in the Boston area in 2010!  NEW INFO: Afterparty tunes provided by DJ Chris Ewen!

Thursday, June 10
OPTIONZ: 4th Annual Pride Party from Queer Women of Color and Friends (QWOC+ Boston) co-hosted by MadFemmePride
9:00pm-2:00am // 21+
Underbar/Caprice, 275 Tremont Street Boston
Discounted & posse tickets available online until 5pm on the 9th.

You’ve got OPTIONZ! Get ready to celebrate pride to the international sounds of DJ Pup Dawg.. share a rant with a new neighbor… raise a glass or break a sweat in celebration of our queer, multicultural, trans-positive, and bi-friendly community! Read more on the Facebook event.

Friday, June 11
Dyke March
6pm gather, march steps off at 7pmGazebo in Boston Common near Boylston T stop

Even if, like me, you don’t exactly identify as a “dyke”, you’re still invited to join as an ally.  Dyke March is a community-focused, grassroots alternative to the larger, more commercial Boston Pride celebration. The main mission of Dyke March is to provide a dynamic and welcoming space for participants of ALL sexualities, genders, races, ages, ethnicities, sizes, economic backgrounds, and physical abilities. Read more on their Facebook event.

Saturday June 12
Boston Pride Parade and Festival
Check out the parade route here
Parade starts at 12 noon
Want to join the TraniWreck contingent in the Parade?  RSVP here!

Festival at City Hall Plaza
TraniWreck is performing on the Pride Mainstage at 4:30 pm! Don’t miss it!

The Neighborhood
The Midway Café, Jamaica Plain
9 pm – 2 am
$5 21+

Join me at the return of JP’s favorite queer and trans-inclusive dance party, The Neighborhood! Featuring sets from DJs D’hana, Sir Loins and Stella.  I won’t be performing, but you’ll definitely catch sight of me on the dance floor!