Rachel Castillo
This is the question being posed to you by local performance troupe Boys R Us (BRU). Due to their efforts, Tucson is the host city of the 11th annual International Drag King Community Extravaganza (IDKE).
IDKE is a travelling annual conference which celebrates the dynamic nature of gender through performance, and which provides a safe platform for dialogue and collaboration between people who are interested in gender-based performance.
BRU, Arizona's first gender performance troupe, spent two years working on a bid to host the conference.
"It was like writing a grant," confesses Executive Director Dante Celeiro. "We brought this for the whole entire community," Celeiro emphasizes.
Of course the city will benefit greatly from the influx of visitors, but Celeiro believes that IDKE will be more of a message than an economic boost.
"I want the city to really see, not just what Boys R Us has to offer, but that the arts is really important to Tucson and important to Downtown, because without it you don't have a thriving city."
No Borders is the theme for the conference, which will take place between October 21 and 25. BRU decided on this theme for several reasons.
"First of all we're a border state and we have border issues. Also, for a group that is considered to be kind of taboo, pushing boundaries, especially in gender, we encounter borders. But at the same time, what we do, how we perform and what we're pushing could be totally different from what's going on in the rest of the country or just the world in general. So we're asking, What does No Borders mean to you? We really want people to dig deep," explains Celeiro.
He also feels that the theme will allow conference goers to explore segregation within the GLBT community, as opposed to simply the divides within gender.
The conference will consist of an art and film festival, thirty performances with performers coming from as far as New Zealand, workshops, and even youth activities for parents accompanied by their children. Special keynote speaker, Kate Bornstein, an author and playwright well-versed in gender theory and performance will also be attending.
According to Celeiro, BRU events are comparable to a rollercoaster ride, "You get the comedy, you get the sex, and you get some serious stuff. And that's what I want people to experience from this conference, a rollercoaster ride."
Conference tickets are $135 for a full access pass but attending individual events is also an option. Student and military discounts are available. For more information call Dante Celeiro at 304-2155 or Rachel Castillo at 551-0778, email tucsondragkings@yahoo.com or visit www.IDKEXI.com.
