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Young queers in Carlton are sharpening their fangs for a night of performance.
About 25 minutes south of Sydney is a hub of creativity known as Shopfront – a contemporary arts centre dedicated to showcasing the work of artists under 25.
“Shopfront is a beautiful and crazy idea – literally formed by a bunch of kids and young artists in 1976 as a co-operative where they could come and create whatever they wanted,” explains artistic director TJ Eckleberg.
“In 1979 they even had the audacity to buy the land and the buildings, so it’s totally owned by the members who pass it on from generation to generation. Owning the place has given the co-operative all sorts of power over the work we create here.
It’s independent and artist driven; a complete production house for all sorts of contemporary art forms from performance to sound to technical production and visual arts.”
Five years ago Shopfront teamed up with local GLBT youth social support network GLYSSN to present queer-friendly cabaret nights during the Mardi Gras season.
“Being young and GLBTIQ in the suburbs can be really tough and a few of the young people at Shopfront were questioning their sexuality, so we thought there’s got to be a creative way we can provide support in a casual and creative way,” Eckleberg says.
This year’s event is called Dracula’s Cabaret Disco and will feature anything from drag acts to magic tricks, cream pie throwing to Spanish love song laments, each lasting between one to three minutes. “We figured Disco is so hot right now and we were inspired by Rhys from So You Think You Can Dance for the Dracula bit,” Eckleberg says. “Vampires are sexy in their own creepy way.”
Past events have seen anything up to 50 artists and performers strut their staff, from audience members through to professional performers. “Paul Capsis singing ‘Natural Woman’ with Michael Tyack on piano is one of my highlights,” Eckleberg says. “He’s just such a gorgeous performer, and so generous and weirdly vulnerable.
And there’s a very strange drag act that’s popped up a couple of times – an aggressive but compelling woman called Gorgana who sings love songs with a Bulgarian accent and then tries to eat people. Disturbing, but like I said, strangely compelling… I’m told there’s a chance she might be there [this year].”
Feedback on previous events has been overwhelmingly positive and Eckleberg credits the “casual and active” nature of the night.
“We believe all young people – regardless of background or ability – have the right to talk about their world and be seen and heard,” he says. “People are there to celebrate and enjoy what gets thrown out there. It’s quite different from a ‘talent night’ where everyone is jockeying to be ‘number one’. Plus everyone gets a prize. So we’re all winners.”
Dracula’s Cabaret Disco, March 13, 7pm, Shopfront, 88 Carlton Pde, Carlton, NSW, $7.00/$5.00. To register your act call (02) 9588 3948.
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