CRIPtonite
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[Image Description: The CRIPtonite graphic, featuring a dark background with small white stars and faded shades of pink and purple. The graphic is split in half by a white and pink line. On the left side is a large white, pink, and purple iridescent triangle with the words "CRIPtonite, A Drag & Burlesque Variety Show" inside it. "CRIP" is in bold capital white letters with a pink border, "Tonite" is in a lowercase cursive blue, and "A Drag & Burlesque Variety Show" is in all white. The right side reads "The Disability Collective" in white font surrounded by a thin white box, “Saturday, April 20 - 8 PM” in white font inside of a hot pink box. Below is a white symbol indicating that the event will be ASL-interpreted with the words "ASL Interpretation" underneath in white font, the words "Pay What You Can Tickets” in white font inside of a faded white circle, and a white symbol indicating that masks are required with the words "Masks Required" underneath in white font. Below, the graphic reads "In Person: Buddies in Bad Times Theatre" in capital blue letters, with a thin blue line underneath followed by the words "Livestream: thedisabilitycollective.com". At the bottom, the graphic reads "www.thedisabilitycollective.com" in white font]
Tickets are pay what you can.
Patrons purchasing tickets at a higher price point can do so with the understanding that their ticket price is helping to subsidize the lower ticket prices, and in doing so, are making this show more accessible for others.
Complimentary tickets for support persons are available. Please include this request in the Order and Accessibility Notes section when purchasing tickets online. You can also call the Buddies in Bad Times Theatre box office at 416-975-8555 or email access@buddiesinbadtimes.com.
After a sold-out show in 2023, The Disability Collective is thrilled to present CRIPtonite 2.0, a Deaf and disability-led drag and burlesque show! Join us in-person at Buddies in Bad Times Theatre or online via livestream on Saturday, April 20 at 8 PM as we celebrate the intersectionality of queer and disabled identities!
Featuring an incredible selection of disabled drag and burlesque performers, CRIPtonite 2.0 will be a night to remember! Check out the incredible lineup for the show below!
ASL Vlog
Access Measures:
ASL interpretation will be provided throughout the show. ASL volunteers will be available to assist at Front of House.
COVID-19 Policies:
The safety of our audience, artists, volunteers, and staff is our number one priority.
Masks are required for all audience members but may be removed temporarily for drinking and eating.
Masks should fit snugly against the face without gaps; cloth masks should have at least two layers of fabric. Neck gaiters and bandanas are not permitted. We thank you in advance for your cooperation.
Exemptions are always made for access or medical reasons.
[Image Description: Against a soft white background, Ace Monstera is seen from the waist up striking a mid performance pose as if belting an 80s rock ballad. His face is painted clown white, cheeks and nose bright pink, a dramatic crooked stache with severe pointed eyebrows, and sharp eyeliner against a lime green shadow. He wears his long black hair styled in a tall spiky mullet, shaved at the sides, with two braids down the front of his chest and thick pointed fringe coming down his forehead. He wears a bright pink button up with black accents in the form of long gloves and a subtle black harness under his shirt. His eyes are closed, his face is joyous, he's rockin' out]
ACE MONSTERA
They're electric and eclectic. They're fiercely flamboyant with a devilish charm that will have you wriggling with delight and dancing in your seat. Ace Monstera is a gender defying drag king who aims to represent and carve out more spaces for the Kings, Things, and glorious gender queerdos of the Toronto drag scene and beyond. As a disability and Covid safety advocate, Ace calls upon the Toronto Drag Community and Queer community at large to shed the apathy and complacency that comes with prioritizing able bodied comfort over disabled lives. We take care of us.
BLACKBERRY
Blackberry is a Tkaronto-Guyanese visual artist and former Deaflympian. She is an alumni of the 2020-2022 Wildseed Centre for Art & Activism Black Arts Fellowship, and was awarded an ancillary prize at the 2023 Dora Awards by Emily Maxwell for her work in making the arts more accessible for the Black Deaf community. Her acts will focus on shadows and embracing her sexy body.
[Image Description: Blackberry has dark skin and black and white short hair, and is wearing an african jacket with different patterns of gold, blue, white, and black]
CRAVEN BLOOD
This next guest is one bad-to-the-bone Gothic Drag Daddy, and proud of it. Canada's resident Vampire King of Rock & Roll comes here today to give us all a full course in being the real life of the party, and all while he's fresh from the grave. This Dandy Devil Daddy has darkened our stage before, and he's back again to show us all how to rep #Undead&LovingIt, let's give it up for Toronto's Prince of Darkness - Craven Blood!
[Image Description: Image is of a POC drag performer wearing a black and white Halloween shirt with open buttons and collar, and a green and black plastic "boo" charm necklace around his neck. He has black teased hair over and around the face of vampiric-inspired makeup that makes up a goatee, and pointed sideburns in black. The eyelids are covered in black eye shadow with lilac accents and silver highlights in the inner corners and down one steak over the right cheek. The lips are red with gold highlights. There are piercing rings in the nostril and in the septum, a stud on the cupid's bow of the upper lip, and three piercing rings along the bottom lip. All set before a purple background]
DAINTY SMITH
Dainty Smith is a storyteller, an actor, playwright, producer and curator, and the founder of Les Femmes Fatales: Women and Femmes of Colour, Canada's premier burlesque troupe for Black women, Women of Colour, queer, trans, and non-binary femmes.
[Image Description: Dainty Smith is a Brown-skinned Black woman. She's staring straight ahead. She had a white flower in her hair. The photo is a close-up shot, in black and white]
[Image Description: El Experimento, a fair skinned Latinx drag king, stands still in an all white and bedazzled cowboy suit and hat. He has dark features and is looking directly into the camera]
EL EXPERIMENTO
El Experimento (He/They) A trans non-binary drag king, thing, and everything in between. Born and raised in Southern Ontario, El Experimento has been gracing the stages of Toronto and the East Coast since winter of 2022. An amalgamation and reclamation of nostalgic heart throbs, heart breakers and hell raisers. His Latin flare and hunky charm transcend time and space, leaving you aching with desire. El Experimento is autistic with adhd, and hopes to continue learning to be an advocate for accessibility in drag as well as shed light on invisible illnesses like CPTSD, addiction, and depression.
ENTROPEE
EntroPee is a hard of hearing drag performer that directs their ever changing experiences with medicine and disability. EntroPee identifies as a force of change and so you will see them change in appearance and use of mobility aids. EntroPee will always highlight the importance of autonomy and the dynamics of the controlling ideals of normalcy, the medical industrial complex, medicine, and how they impact how we are allowed to live our lives. EntroPee is here to change that.
[Image Description: The image shows a white person wearing a pair of round glasses with a thin frame. The individual has short, dark hair and is wearing a gray vest over a light blue shirt. The person is also wearing a pig patterned tie with a yellow background and a purple pattern. The person is looking directly at the camera with an intrigued expression. The background is a plain, light-colored wall. The person is holding onto their glasses for emphasis]
HOPE HEARTBREAKER
Hope Heartbreaker is an indigenous and disabled mutual-disciplinary artist from Tkaronto. Their many identities bring them to interesting intersections of life and cultures. For the last 10 years Hope-Adina has done visual art, performance art and burlesque predominately only burlesque since 2018, activism and advocacy work in the activism and grassroots spaces running occupations or working the frontlines of protests. You can find them at burlesque or drag shows across Ontario; or attending indigenous events or at home baking cupcakes or doing art.
[Image Description: Hope has straight black hair with bangs and blue highlights, medium neutral skin with many tattoos on the arms, chest and face, a black dress with a deep V neck, a strappy bra, red eye makeup with red lips, red beaded earrings, and a red, black, and white bone beaded necklace. Hope is standing in front of blue books with white text in a dark library aisle]
[Image Description: A curvy, plus sized woman with long, dark brown hair in a red sequin gown bends coyly towards the camera, flashing a seductive smile]
IVORY
Ivory is a multi discipline performer known best for her booty shakin', shenanigan making, and a voice that just won’t quit. A graduate of Randolph Academy for the Performing Arts, this former Miss Canada Plus has graced stages across Canada, the US and abroad, and is delighted to be performing on this show! A member of the Succulent Six, Canada's team of curvy superSHEroes on CBC GEM, a panelist on 1 Queen 5 Queers on CRAVE TV, and a member of Les Femmes Fatales: Women of Colour Burlesque Troupe, you can follow her antics on Instagram and Twitter @pureivorydotca or online at www.pureivory.ca.
She’s not just a bombshell - she’s the whole damn ARSENAL.
JOE PEACH
Joe Peach has got all ass and no gender: named after their favourite fruit and yes of course, their juiciest, thickest… personality. They are a blackity Black, hella queer, and trans, burlesque babe ready to shake what their Akan ancestors gave them.
[Image Description: Joe, a dark skinned Black person, is looking down at the perceiver, their head tilted up and slightly to the right, bringing attention to their red tinted lip gloss. They are wearing a black durag over their box braids, one of which is gray, a black shirt, accented with their chain necklace]
[Image Description: Loretta Jean is seated, with one leg crossed over the other in front of a vintage portraiture-style celestial background. They hold a cut out of a star in between their hands. Their face is in a 3/4 profile. They have bobbed short pink hair and wear a flower crown. Their dress is white lace trimmed with marabou feathers]
LORETTA JEAN
Loretta Jean is The Acadame with Game - a PhD candidate and about to finish her doctoral dissertation at the University of Toronto's Centre for Drama, Theatre & Performance Studies. Their dissertation is an oral history and ethnographic study of nerdlesque. Loretta brings creativity, cleverness, and a powerful, magnetic stage presence to everything she does. She has taught and lectured on burlesque history both at her university and invited talks.
She is a founding member and producer with Nerd Girl Burlesque, established in 2012. Over the last decade, she has produced over 150 revue shows. Loretta Jean is an interim board member in relaunching the Toronto Burlesque Festival in October 2024 - applications are open now until the end of April.
[Image Description: A Black woman with dark long hair in a ponytail laying upside down on her back with her legs raised. She is holding her face with her right hand and her left hand is resting on her stomach. She is wearing a black satin robe and black bodysuit with lace centre surrounded in bisexual colour lighting]
MISS DIAMOND
As a young, Black Biracial, Bisexual Woman with Bipolar Disorder from Toronto, Ashley T. has coined herself as “The BiFecta”. She is a multidisciplinary artist who creates within the realms of abstract visual, literary, and performance art. When she takes the stage as her burlesque alter ego, Miss Diamond, she is known for her dominating sensuality as a badass who knows exactly what she wants. She dares you to strap in because her curves will take you on a bumpy ride that hurts so good, she'll have you coming back for more. Miss Diamond is unapologetically flawless.
[Image Description: Miss Paige is a fair skinned blonde woman looking over her shoulder. She is standing in front of a bar with a drink placed in front of her. Her lips and nails are red, she is wearing a black bra and corset, both which are covered in black and gold rhinestones. Her hair is down with soft 40s curls with a fur stole wrapped around her arms with large earrings and necklace]
MISS PAIGE
Miss Paige is Canada's Luxury Burlesque Artist & Glamour Queen. International Headliner and Multi-Award Winning performer, she is a Burlesque Bombshell, Teacher or Tease, and Director of Dangerous Beauty Entertainment. Miss Paige has performed her signature Opulent Bump n Grind Burlesque across North America - from New York City, Detroit, Montreal, & Beyond with multiple invitations to perform in Europe. With over a decade of experience under her garter belt, Miss Paige has had the pleasure of working with numerous high profile clients through her company over the years; such as L'Oreal, Sephora, Oliver & Bonacini, McMaster University, Bisha Hotel, Gladstone Hotel, & more. To find out more about upcoming events, photo shoots, and shows, visit her profile or contact her directly!
POLLY ARMORY
Polly Armory is the hard femme of your dreams... or possibly nightmares. They’ve got love enough for everyone and are so excited to share with you. A graduate of Belle Jumelles 102 class, they are new-ish to the stage but have been an enamored admirer of burlesque for over a decade. This neurodivergent nymph can't wait to be your next hyperfixation.
[Image Description: Photo of Polly Armory. They are white with chin length pink hair. They are sitting leaning forward with their left elbow on their knee and chin resting on their hand. They are wearing an open white dress shirt. Under the shirt is a leather harness. A slight smile is on their face]
WHIPPLE ASH
Whipple Ash is a draglesque performer and producer that brings character work to the forefront of every piece. The self-proclaimed drag baby of Phil Dunphy and Kronk, Whipple’s thembo energy has been delighting audiences since 2018. Whipple lives with chronic health issues, both mental and physical, and finds joy in playing with his audience, no matter how he’s feeling. Check him out at his monthly show Bootleggers Burlesque, produced with his team at Slain Productions!