Workhorse Queen | |
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Directed by | Angela Washko |
Starring |
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Cinematography | Angela Washko |
Edited by |
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Music by | Jesse Stiles |
Release dates |
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Running time | 88 minutes |
Country | United States |
Language | English |
Workhorse Queen is a 2021 documentary film directed by Angela Washko. [1] After a surprise casting onto reality television show RuPaul's Drag Race, 47-year old suburban telemarketing manager Ed Popil leaves his job to pursue a full-time entertainment industry career as his drag queen alter ego, 1960s-era housewife Mrs. Kasha Davis. The film premiered at the 2021 Slamdance Film Festival. [2] Workhorse Queen will be released on video on demand and DVD through the film's distributor Breaking Glass Pictures on May 3, 2022, and on TV broadcast and streaming in June, 2022 on STARZ. [3]
The documentary follows Ed Popil as he escapes from his day job at DialAmerica to perform as drag queen Mrs. Kasha Davis at night. After seven years of sending audition tapes to RuPaul's Drag Race casting calls, Ed Popil was finally cast onto Season 7 of the reality television show in 2015. [4] Workhorse Queen explores how mainstream television has affected queer performance culture. In addition to following Ed's life before and after being cast onto Drag Race, the film focuses on the growing divide between members of the Rochester drag community – those who have been on TV, and those who have not. [5] Throughout the film, audiences watch as Ed navigates the highs and lows of pursuing the fame promised by a reality television platform, including his struggles with alcoholism, declining bookings, and ageism within the industry. The film culminates in Ed returning to his home in Rochester and creating Imagination Station (a new variety show for children), which allows him to become the queer role model for kids that he never had growing up.
In addition to highlighting Mrs. Kasha Davis' journey through drag communities and the entertainment industry, the film also features performances, interviews and vérité footage of his husband Steven Levins (aka Mr. Davis) and drag queens Darienne Lake, Pandora Boxx, Bianca Del Rio, Tatianna, Tempest DuJour, Aggy Dune, Wednesday Westwood, Bebe Gunn (Australia), Jemima Handful (Australia), and many others.
Workhorse Queen premiered at the 2021 Slamdance Film Festival. [6] The film holds a 100% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes. [7] Josiah Teal of Film Threat said, “Workhorse Queen is as incredibly catty, stylish, and entertaining as you could hope.” [8] Bears Rebecca Fonté of Hammer to Nail said, “…Workhorse Queen is the first film I've seen about a drag queen that even starts to deal with the difficulty and monolithic placement of RuPaul.” [9] Malika Harris of Irish Film Critic gave the film 4 and a half out of 5 stars and said, “This documentary takes you through the ups and downs of what really happens post-reality TV fame…” [10] Raquel Stetcher of Quelle Movies calls the film “a must see for fans of RPDR.” [11]
Official selection of:
Sharon Needles is the stage name of Aaron Robert Coady, an American drag performer and recording artist. A self-described "stupid genius, reviled sweetheart, and PBR princess", Needles rose to international attention on the fourth season of the Logo reality competition series RuPaul's Drag Race, where she quickly became a fan favorite and was subsequently crowned "America's Next Drag Superstar" in April 2012.
The second season of RuPaul's Drag Race premiered on February 1, 2010, and aired its final episode on April 26 of the same year. On May 1, 2009, the casting website for the series opened, allowing prospective contestants to create user profiles and upload videos of themselves to be voted on by viewers; the applicant collecting the most votes being invited to become a contestant of the second season. At the end of the online casting period, Jessica Wild had collected the most votes and was announced as being a season two contestant. Filming took place during the summer of 2009.
Michael R. Steck, better known by the stage name Pandora Boxx, is an American drag queen, comedian, and reality television personality from Rochester, New York. Boxx competed in the second season of RuPaul's Drag Race, placing fifth and winning Miss Congeniality, and subsequently returned for the first and sixth seasons of RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars. Boxx also appeared in all three seasons of the Drag Race spin-off series RuPaul's Drag U. Outside of reality television, Pandora Boxx has toured internationally, released several musical singles, and performed in film, television, and theatre.
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Greg Meyer, better known by the stage name Darienne Lake, is a drag queen and television personality. Lake began performing in drag in 1990 in Rochester, New York before rising to prominence after competing on the sixth season of RuPaul's Drag Race, placing fourth. After appearing on the reality television show, Darienne Lake toured internationally, released a comedy album, and performed in film, television, and numerous web series.
Joseph Michael "Joey" Santolini, better known by his stage name Tatianna, is an American drag queen, musician, and reality television personality from Washington, D.C. He is best known for competing on the second season of RuPaul's Drag Race and later the second season of RuPaul's Drag Race: All Stars. She released her debut album, T1, in 2018.
Angela Washko is an American new media artist and facilitator based in New York. After nine years as a professor of art at Carnegie Mellon University, she is currently the Catherine B. Heller Collegiate Professor of Art at University of Michigan. Washko mobilizes communities and creates new forums for discussions of feminism where they do not exist.
Martell Robinson, known by the stage name Jasmine Diane Masters, best known simply as Jasmine Masters, is an American drag queen, internet celebrity, YouTuber, and stand-up comedian. He is best known for competing on the seventh season of RuPaul's Drag Race and the fourth season of RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars. Robinson is responsible for several viral videos, many of which have become memes, most notably And I Oop! which was the most used gif of 2019.
Gia Gunn is the stage name of American drag performer Gia Keitaro Ichikawa. She is known for competing on the sixth season of RuPaul's Drag Race, the second season of The Switch Drag Race, and RuPaul's Drag Race: All Stars season four.
RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars is an American reality competition spin off edition of the original RuPaul's Drag Race, which is produced by World of Wonder, for Logo TV and later VH1. The show premiered on October 22, 2012, on Logo TV, before relocating to VH1. However, it was announced on February 20, 2020, on the show's official Twitter account that the fifth season would premiere on June 5, 2020, on Showtime. Following the cast announcement on May 8, 2020, producers announced that the show would remain airing on VH1 instead of Showtime due to the COVID-19 pandemic which caused "various scheduling and programming adjustments". On February 24, 2021, Paramount+ announced via Twitter that the streaming service would be the new home to the series for the sixth season.
The second season of RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars premiered on the Logo network on a new night; Thursday, August 25, 2016. Returning judges included RuPaul, Michelle Visage, with Carson Kressley joining the panel, while the space previously occupied by Ross Mathews was filled by Todrick Hall. Cast members were announced on June 17, 2016. This season featured ten All-Star contestants, selected from the show's second season through to its seventh season, who competed to be inducted into the "Drag Race Hall of Fame".
The tenth season of RuPaul's Drag Race began airing on March 22, 2018, on VH1. The premiere was broadcast one week after the finale of the third season of RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars, and episodes are to be followed by RuPaul's Drag Race: Untucked. Contestants were officially announced on February 22, 2018, in a teaser trailer during an episode of All Stars 3 later followed by a special "Meet the Queens" live-stream on Facebook, hosted by season nine winner, Sasha Velour. This season saw the return of season 9 contestant Eureka O'Hara who was removed from her original season after tearing her ACL. The prizes for the winner of this season include a one-year supply of Anastasia Beverly Hills cosmetics and a cash prize of $100,000. This is the first season in which each episode was 90 minutes long.
The eleventh season of RuPaul's Drag Race aired on VH1 from February 28, 2019, to May 30, 2019. The cast featured fourteen new queens and one returning queen, making it the largest cast of the series at the time; the contestants were announced in a live stream hosted by season 10 winner Aquaria and Adam Rippon on January 24, 2019.
Mrs. Kasha Davis is the stage name of Edward Paul Popil Jr., an American drag queen, actor and television personality from Scranton, Pennsylvania. She is best known for competing on the seventh season of RuPaul's Drag Race and the eighth season of RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars. After appearing on the reality television show, Mrs. Kasha Davis toured internationally, released several musical singles, and performed in film, television and theatre.
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Digital Drag Fest was a digital drag concert series hosted by Producer Entertainment Group. Beginning on March 27, 2020, it was originally supposed to be a limited engagement until April 12 but, due to overwhelming demand, the series was extended to May 30. The aim of the series is to allow drag and LGBTQ performers who have had shows cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic a chance to perform for their fans. 50 percent of the proceeds from the event's merchandise would be donated to GLAAD, and several performers from the event also pledged a portion of their ticket sales to the organization.
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