Drag and performance art offer some of the most cleverly-referential, divinely carnal, lavishly absurdist, outlandish, and stunning performances and characters that enrich and complicate the conventions of theatre and performance. And yet, as a product of race and class schisms, homophobia, misogyny, and transphobia, drag and performance art rarely receive the promotion and critical coverage as other performers in the expansive and presumably inclusive world of theatre arts. This paucity of “mainstream” coverage and criticism (other than the rabid and insightful critiques and conversations from individuals in the community) means that more often than not, queens and artists are their own aggressive PR agents, their most eloquent and fierce critics. Like Crystal Labeija announcing her splendor (and denouncing racial bias) when she emphatically professed, “I have a right to show my color, darling. I’m beautiful and I know I’m beautiful!” drag artists and performance artists, fully aware of the preeminence and beauty of their art, have been their own proselytizers and advocates.
To try and break this tradition, I want to use this theatre magazine as a platform to celebrate and explore the rich drag and performance art culture in Pittsburgh. So, in attempting to promote and speak about Forever (featuring Meatball)–an evening of drag and dance on April 11th at Spirit–and the artist orchestrating it, moon baby, it is best to first let the artist speak for herself. In a conversation about her background and the upcoming event, the proceeds of which will benefit The Hugh Lane Foundation, I prompted moon baby to describe her aesthetic essence in a few words. Her response? “Wet alien parading as a Swedish pop star turned madame.” And, frankly, you can’t do any better than that.
All at once, moon baby’s spectacularly odd artist statement is a capricious concoction of the most delirious imagination, and at the same time, a very precise acknowledgement of so much of the wild pastiche, themes of isolation and otherness, and snarling protection and preservation of identity that is so integral to drag and performance art. A native of Pittsburgh, moon baby suckled at the Pittsburgh performance that has a storied and infamous history–from legendary performances and parties at houses (RIP Helter Shelter) and other makeshift venues; to the notorious pro-inclusivity, pro-freak Haus of Haunt (which of course boasts alums Sharon Needles and Alaska). moon baby’s craven need to perform happened after a self-described “residency at Waffle shop,” and she began performing in 2011, and by March 2012, she was storming bars, clubs and more.
Moon baby attests to the uniquely and characteristically gritty, surrealist, DIY-gone-rogue quality to the Pittsburgh drag scene and performance art world (that has recently spawned a marvelous gender-queer/non-binary drag and performance artist community) that had an influence on her growth and aesthetic. “The Pittsburgh scene has grown from being punk and kind of off-the-cuff and theatrical, to really just a more polished version of that, which is due to performers sticking around and improving their craft, and also the constant influx of young people who bring a new outlook and energy.” 
And moon baby never fails to do what she sets out to do. Forever was envisioned and designed to be like so many balls and events in the drag community–to be a extravaganza of looks, and movement, and shenanigans, but also a night of giving back and supporting groups and organizations catering to the needs of the community. moon baby reached out to The Hugh Lane Foundation sponsored by the Central Outreach Wellness Center PCP, a beacon of HIV/AIDS screening, prevention, and education; trans health and education; and general LGBTQIA health and education.
A non-profit formed in 2017, The Hugh Lane and Stacy Lane Foundation (Lane Foundation) was created with the goal of reducing the spread of HIV/AIDS in Western Pennsylvania, while also assisting in efficacious screening for HIV and STIs and providing education and community resources to individuals living with HIV/AIDS and the LGBTIA community in general. The Hugh Lane Foundation, named in honor of Hugh Lane and his battle with HIV, notably employs the Central Outreach Wellness Van, which provides mobile screenings for HIV, Gonorrhea, Chlamydia, Syphilis and Hep C as a way of encouraging testing for all through convenience and destigmatizing getting tested for and living with HIV and STIs. Central Outreach Wellness Center Outreach Coordinator Lenny Butler shared the history and tremendous impact of the Hugh Lane Foundation, as well as the personal profoundness the organization holds. “Being a gay man of color and a person living with HIV, I enjoy everything that gathers my community as a whole and is able to provide an opportunity for people to have a good time, get tested, know their status, get treatment and/or receive preventive measures to ensure comprehensive healthcare to my fellow brothers and sisters.”
After prevailing in reaching out to founder Dr. Stacy Lane and Butler, moon baby’s vision for Forever quickly began to materialize. In addition to partnering with an organization that facilitates and uplifts the LGBTQIA community, moon baby succeeded in getting offbeat drag luminary Meatball. Meatball is known for being an enrapturing performer, a premiere YouTube and Instagram content creator, a contestant on Season 1 of Boulet Brothers’ Dragula, and, in Metball’s own summation on Instagram, enjoyed recently being ignored by Gia Gunn on an episode of Willam and Alaska’s Race Chaser (what privilege!).
Meatball brings the spice to Pittsburgh
To keep with her theme of illuminating the wild, provocative homegrown talent of Pittsburgh, moon baby also enlisted the talents of Pittsburgh prestige performers, including Bambi, Gia Fagnelli, and Elizabeth Wayne Gaycee. Forever will also feature a dynamic soundtrack by Adam Shuck and Ricky Moslen, whose queer dance party Jellyfish has become a staple of the Pittsburgh queer community with their euphoric fusion of post punk, new wave, and italo disco.
Forever, moon baby, and the other artists involved in the event and the entire drag and performance art community in Pittsburgh defy description. But Forever promises to be electric, beautiful, twisted, seductive, fabulous, and fiercely unique. It will be an event that will glorify a dimension of the theatrical/performance world that unflinching challenges and reinvents genre and expectations. So come, get weird, get sickening, and revel in the most unique talents in the theatrical performance world while supporting a phenomenal cause. You wouldn’t turn down a wet alien, would you?
Forever is a safe space—freaks and squares and everything in between are welcome and respected. For more event info, visit the event page.
For more information on the Hugh Lane Foundation and Central Outreach Wellness Center, visit their page.
Categories: Feature