ST.CLOUD, Fla. — For many in the LGBTQ plus community, drag is more than a form of entertainment.
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The art form plays a central role in LGBTQ plus culture with drag queens viewed by the community as symbols of empowerment.
This pride month, Channel 9 sat down with one local performer to see what drives her performance and learn more about the man behind the makeup.
Michael Orsini is known in the Drag world as 2023 National Entertainer of the Year, Twila Holiday.
It’s a career Orsini has been working toward for over 15 years, starting as a theme park performer, and eventually performing drag.
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Today, Orsini performs as Twila Holiday at events and venues across the country.
But, when the makeup comes off Orsini is both a husband and a local father.
“This is my career as an entertainer,” said Orsini, “She (Twila Holiday) goes into a suitcase, she comes out, she gets in front of the light, she does a little dance, makes a couple of dollars, and I go home to be that father, that husband.”
When not dressed for drag performances, Orsini works with his partner of 16-years, Joshua Collins, at a production and costume company known as Collins Creative in Saint Cloud.
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“Underneath all of the glitz, the glamour, the costumes, the wig, the makeup, there’s a person. There’s a human being,” said Orsini.
This year Orsini performed as Twila Holiday at Proud in the Cloud. The event celebrated the LGBTQ community in St. Cloud. Collins Creative assisted in coordinating entertainment for the event which was cancelled last year.
Proud in the Cloud’s founder, Kristina Bozanich said the event was cancelled last year because of security concerns and uncertainty about a Florida law that banned children from adult live performances. The law didn’t specifically mention drag; however, the sponsor did say it targeted drag shows.
“We had the new legislation come out last year, which is no longer in effect, the drag ban, but that did impact our event,” said Bozanich.
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This year’s event intentionally featured the drag performers. With entertainment designed to be family friendly.
Drag at the event also highlighted the historic connection between drag and the LGBTQ community.
“The way I try to put it for people to understand, when you when you go to a sporting event, all the fans look to the mascot. The mascot is the one leading the fight from the bleachers. In the gay community and the LGBT Plus community, drag queens are those mascots,” said Orsini.”
Orsini elaborated on the historic role drag queens have played fighting for LGBTQ Plus rights.
“We’re the people, people look up to. We’re the people with the voice. We’re the people that threw the first brick at stonewall in New York those many years ago,” said Orsini.
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