Southern Maine Pride Schedule
Saturday, June 18, 2011
***As of June 15. Check back often
as line-up may change closer to event! ***
12:30pm
The 25th Annual Southern Maine Pride Parade begins at Monument Square
12:45pm
Festival begins in Deering Oaks Park, opening remarks by Master of Ceremonies
Comedian Khris Francis, Drag Queens Miss JoAnn & Miss Samantha, Grand Marshals Mayor Nick Mavodones and Police Chief James E. Craig, performances by Atomic Trash! (burlesque) and musicians MeCa (David James
& Ellen Masse)
2pm
Comedian Erin Cyr, music by Vanessa Torres,
performance by Dirty Dishes Burlesque Revue and 5G (drag kings)
3pm
Music by Gypsy Tailwind,
performances by Atomic Trash!, Dirty Dishes and Erin Cyr
4pm
Music by Kristen Ford Band,
comedic performance
& closing remarks by M.C. Khris Francis
5pm
The 25th Annual Southern Maine Pride Parade ends at Deering Oaks Park
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2011 SCHEDULED PERFORMERS
(Current as of May 18, 2011. Performers are subject to change without notice!)
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Grand Marshal
Mayor Nick Mavodones
In his 5th term as
Mayor of Portland, Nick Mavodones, Jr. has also served two terms on the
Portland School Committee, where he was twice elected chairman, and also served
as a City of Portland City Councilor since 1997. He is currently the Director
of Operations at Casco Bay Lines, having worked there since 1981. He and his
wife, Kelly Hasson, who is principal of Hall Elementary School in Portland,
live in Portland and have three grown children.
Website: www.ci.portland.me.us
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Grand Marshal
Chief James E. Craig
Portland Police Chief James E.
Craig was a Grand Marshal in the 2010 Southern Maine Pride Festival &
Parade. We welcome him back! Craig was a 28-year veteran of the Los Angeles
Police Department and has presided over Portland’s Police Department since May
2009, bringing to the city a fresh eye with innovative ideas.
Website: police.portlandmaine.gov
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Master of
Ceremonies
Kris Francis, Comedian
The Khris Francis Show is at Mainestreet
in Ogunquit, Maine for the 2011 season. Normand Paquin is proud and excited to
present this wonderful show that has kept people coming back for more
side-splitting laughs year after year, making his show the longest running one
man musical comedy show in New England! A combination of stand-up, music,
poking fun at the world and himself, as well as a Don Rickles-style of audience
ribbing, Frances also uses music in his act to make fun of very famous &
infamous people.
Website: www.khrisfrancis.com
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Gypsy
Tailwind, Musicians
Led by Daniel Connor (vocals,
guitar) and Anna Lombard McGeachey (vocals, guitar), Gypsy Tailwind has taken
the Northeast by storm after forming in 2008. GT quickly rose to the level of
guaranteed sellout headliner in Portland (like 600 capacity Port City Music
Hall for release of sophomore album Grace, which
also reached Billboard's Heatseekers chart). Features in Maine Magazine,
Portland Press Herald, iTunes, Portland Magazine, Aimeestreet.com, Amazon.com,
appearance on Portland Phoenix’s cover, and a good 300 spins of debut single
"So Lonely" on venerable AAA radio station 98.9 WCLZ spread the word
fast, leading to well received opening slots for Ray Lamontagne, John Fogerty,
Rusted Root & Guster. Gearing up for their 4th album in June, followed by a
festival & club run into the fall, in a matter of three years, GT has
gained a strong local & regional following. See their authentic, yet
contemporary style of Americana come through your neck of the woods very soon.
Website: http://www.gypsytailwind.net
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Vanessa
Torres, Musician
Inspiring, tender &
passionate, Torres’ songs and performances are soulful personal portraits
rooted in universal themes of compassion & hope. Her music is
refreshing & inspiring, straddling the lyrical & political folk music
realms with raw emotion and strong call to justice. She has toured nationally
and was selected for the prestigious Emerging Artist Showcase for the 2010
Falcon Ridge Folk Festival. She received 3rd place in the 2010 Music to Life
Songwriting Competition at the Kerrville Folk Festival and Honorable Mention in
the Rocky Mountain Folks Festival & Telluride Troubadour Songwriting
Competitions.
Website: www.vanessatorresmusic.com
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Kristen Ford Band, Musicians
The Kristen Ford Band is a
5-piece group of some of Boston's brightest young musicians. They feature
everything from country to rock to reggae to pop, with kfo & Curtis Killian
on electric guitar, Kirsten Lamb on bass, Kara Kulpa on violin and the
percussion of Ariel Bernstien. Each member sings, but the lyrics &
inception begin with Kristen Ford. Kristen has written many songs, performed
across the world and released two full-length records. Using a handful of
instruments, Kristen’s energy binds her eclectic tastes and makes her live
shows a must see! Website: www.kristenfordmusic.com
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MeCa, Musicians
Dave James & Ellen Masse met
in 1983 at their family reunion as cousins who shared the same musical fantasy.
What began as lip-synching in the family living room over the years turned into
a very successful musical run in New England from 1990-1998. Influenced by many
artists from Trisha Yearwood & Garth Brooks, to The Beatles, and The
Carpenters, their sound was different than what people were used to hearing.
Dave & Ellen hope those folks who used to follow them every weekend back in
the 90s will now hear a better, more mature, but still-full-of-heart set of
songs by two crazy dreamers!
Website: www.myspace.com/mecamusic
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Erin
Cyr, Comedian
A comedian originally from Portland, Maine, Erin Cyr has been
performing regularly at clubs and colleges all over New England for the past 8
years. She has won numerous contests, including the Rhode Island Comedy
Festival and enjoys tailgating student drivers.
Website: http://erincyr.blogspot.com
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Atomic Trash!, Burlesque Performers
An
explosive burlesque duo from
Portland, Maine, Becky Bottoms & Mink Diamondz fused talents in 2007
as the
official go-go dancers for the Boston-based dance band, Lovewhip. ATOMIC
TRASH!
then burst into the Portland burlesque scene with their unique style: a
combination of sensual dance, naughty humor & flair for the absurd!
Successfully producing "ATOMIC TRASH! presents...", a series of
burlesque nights in December 2008 at Portland’s infamous Geno's Rock
Club,
their most recent 14th show, SPRING FLING!, brought together some of
the best up-&-coming talents in burlesque in New England. The
ATOMIC! duo
also produced & judged Portland's on amateur burlesque contest,
STRUT!,
with its 2nd season starting June 16 at Geno's. Bringing burlesque into
the new
millennium, ATOMIC TRASH! is class! Website: www.atomictrash.com
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G5,
Drag King Performers
5G is what happens when good people go bad. Oppressed by the Maine
winter, a group of friends gathered on a snowy evening to drink whiskey and
crush out on Ke$ha. Bruno Mars came on the radio, and the G’s started moving.
The phenomenal outcome was 5G, a hodge podge of boy band meets Fred Astaire
& Ginger Rogers. They dance to the beat of your heart.
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Dirty Dishes Burlesque Revue, Burlesque Performers
A sex-positive, queer-positive,
and feminist burlesque group playing with all the contradictions and ponderings
of what it means to be feminist, queer & sexy. The Dirty Dishes strive to
make each performance representative of their particularities without
compromising their individualities. They incorporate an awareness of the
historical & cultural context of burlesque and feminist consciousness into
the performances that they create. Aiming to provide safe space for both
performers & audience members; their shows are inclusive of a variety of
performance styles, sexual identities & gender presentations. Website: www.facebook.com/dirtydishes
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Miss JoAnn, Drag Performer
Miss JoAnn, The Grand Dame of Female Illusion has been doing drag for 41 years and has appeared all over the East coast including a one woman show is Puerto Rico. She is very well known for her timeless elegance and is currently Miss Gay New Hampshire, and a member of Peacox Productions. Performing for many causes all over the state is the most rewarding part of her career.
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Miss Samantha, Drag Performer
Miss Samantha AKA Mark has been doing drag for 12 great years. She has been involved in many fundraisers across the state for several different charities. Her passion for doing drag has elevated her to the performer that she is today. She held the title of Miss Northern Maine Pride in 2005 and she currently holds the title of Female Impersonator of the Year, and is a member of Peacox Productions.
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Sid
Tripp, Entertainment Coordinator & PR
Pride Entertainment &
Publicity Coordinator, Sid Tripp is President & CEO of Proactive Resources
Design (PRD), a multi specialty advertising, design & PR firm in the old
port. Taking on Pride, and handling all of the small details to make it a
memorable experience, is their ultimate goal. They have sought out the best
& brightest stars to grace the stage this year, from a wide variety of
local talent. PRD handled all of the PR for Pride, from the press releases,
donating a new website, posters and donating & creating a new logo, to
vetting all of the talent, interfacing with the community & spearheading
the printed Pride Guide. They are pleased to report that PRD donated all of
their services to the Southern Maine gay community for the second year in a
row. (And No, Sid doesn't smoke!!!) Website: www.proactiveresources.com
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Brittany Rae Photography, Photographer
Brittany Bugaj picked up a camera
early in life and hasn’t put it down since! Since moving to Maine in 2004, she
has worked both in graphic design & product photography while keeping up
with wedding & portrait work on the side. Brittany is a member of the Maine
Professional Photographers Association (MPPA) & Professional Photographers
of America (PPA). She has photographed weddings up-&-down the East Coast,
from Maine to New York to Connecticut and Florida. Always up for a destination
wedding or something out of the ordinary, she’s an avid hiker, surfer &
snowboarder -- so if you're getting married on the top of a mountain and
snowboarding down to your reception, she’s your girl!
Website: www.brittanyraephotography.com
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Mackie Hill, Event Planner
With
20+ years of theater experience, Owner/Event Planner Mackie Hill has the
ability to create the occasion of your dreams as if directing an award winning
play. Her interest in design was fostered behind the scenes of collegiate
theater productions while her ultimate passion for event design was born
through her staff experience at NYC’s premier Broadway events firm,
Tobak Dantchik Events and Promotions. Events
by Mackie specializes in the perfect fusion of imaginative design and flawless
management, with a commitment to total client satisfaction in creating their
perfect special occasion. Her work has been featured in the Bangor Daily News,
WLBZ NBC Channel 2, WABI Channel 5 & MaineBiz. Website:
www.eventsbymackie.com
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