From Drab to Drag
Prepping for UnBOYlievable! Drag Show this weekend in Charlottetown
Josh Borges from Stratford sits in front of his kitchen table with hundreds of dollars worth of make-up. He’s about to paint himself into Demona DeVille.
“It takes me between two and six hours to get ready, depending on the look I’m going for,” Borges explains.
This is my first time attempting drag makeup. But, honestly, I don’t wear much everyday makeup, either. And drag is very extra.
Borges has been a drag artist for several years and started performing when he first moved to Toronto. Since then he’s had a number of drag personas, but eventually landed on Demona DeVille.
“I would describe Demona as a glamorous, fun-loving chameleon,” explains Borges. “My inspirations are sultry, dark ladies or femme fatales such as Mortisha Addams, Elvira, or even Jessica Rabbit, but my main goal with drag is to have fun and make people smile.”
Borges (or Demona, as I’ll now call her) is one of the performers in this weekend’s UnBOYlievable! Drag Show, hosted by Pride P.E.I. This event includes artists from across the Maritimes and is one of the first of this summer’s numerous drag events. This has been an art form for centuries, but RuPaul’s Drag Race has brought it to the forefront of modern day discussions.
“I think RuPaul has opened the door for millions of people to see and possibly understand drag, but I also think there is much more to drag than RuPaul’s Drag Race. There are no limits to what drag can be,” adds Demona.
It’s time for Demona and I to start applying our faces. Demona has already blocked out her eyebrows, meaning she’s glued down her brows and covered them with powder. This allows her to redraw on a new pair of more arched brows.
“It’s more of an interpretation of femininity or a living painting of a woman,” says Demona. “Even if I’m just doing a simple winged liner and a red lip, it’s layers upon layers of foundation, ten coats of lipstick, some glue, some tape, some magic, and it’s all held together with a hope and a prayer.”
The next step is the eye makeup, including a cut crease and black liner. Demona’s makeup is a combination between regular and stage makeup, the latter of which has thicker coverage and lasts longer. This includes foundation and we use two different shades to create more dimension on our faces. We cover that all with powder,
as well as a few other finishing steps.
Finally, we apply our lipstick and then (the final step) the false eyelashes. I’ve worn these before, so I decide to pass. There’s only so far I will go in pursuit of beauty.
“Since everything is so exaggerated big lashes are a must. I will often wear up to 3 pairs of size 301 lashes or I’ll make my own Franken lashes by gluing bits of feathers and several different pairs of lashes together,” says Demona.
Demona and I both put on a wig (mine is a long grey and black number) and then our looks are complete. It took us an hour and thirty minutes and this was the quick version. I ask Demona (Josh) why she does drag, especially
when it takes forever to get ready and costs hundreds of dollars.
“I’m nervous every time I get on a stage, but I’m happy too,” explains Demona. “I know, or at least I hope, that somewhere someone is watching what I’m doing and is inspired to be themselves or to try something that scares them.”
A few months ago a friend of mine asked me if I wanted to do a drag performance with them for this upcoming show as a drag king (meaning I’ll be performing as a man). While I certainly won’t be as glamorous as Demona DeVille this Saturday on stage, I will be there with them at the Guild.
I’ll let you try to pick out my drag persona.