BRATTLEBORO — The Vermont Folklife Center welcomes back to its home turf the legendary drag troupe Ladies of the Rainbow for a bawdy performance, “Mistresses of Mayhem: The Ladies of the Rainbow Return,” on Saturday, April 26, at 8 p.m.
The show is at the Carl M. Dessaint VFW Post 1034, 40 Black Mountain Rd. Doors open at 7 p.m.
This evening of adult comedy and general entertainment marks the 10th anniversary of the Ladies' first downtown Brattleboro appearance, and is a fundraiser (“and a fun-raiser,” according to the event's announcement) to support the work of the VFC.
These glamorous and talented drag performers, including Mama Mayhem, Candi Schtick, and Kitty Rawhide, arrive fresh from performances in Keene, N.H., Brattleboro Museum & Art Center, and Burlington City Arts, bringing their unique blend of mellifluous lip-synching and raucous commentary to Brattleboro's VFW hall.
Organizers note the show is appropriate for those 18 and older, though younger patrons are permitted if accompanied by a responsible adult.
The Ladies of the Rainbow have been captivating area audiences since their first days performing at the Rainbow Cattle Co. in Dummerston in the late 1990s. The story of their journey is captured in an exhibit of photographs and audio interview excerpts organized by the VFC as “Backstage at the Rainbow Cattle Co: The Drag Queens of Dummerston, Vermont.”
This exhibit, on a three-year tour, with assistance from the Samara Fund of the Vermont Community Foundation, is on track to visit venues in all 14 Vermont counties. It reaches the Brattleboro Museum & Art Center in 2015.
With the performance is a cash bar, a “not-so-silent auction,” and other fun opportunities to support the work of the VFC.
Auction items include an on-stage serenade by Miss Candi Schtick, a private makeover by Candi, and gift certificates and goodies from Beck's Studio Hair Design, Brattleboro Food Co-op, Mocha Joe's Roasting Co., and other area businesses.
The Middlebury-based Vermont Folklife Center (www.vermontfolklifecenter.org), founded in 1984, is dedicated to preserving and presenting the cultural traditions of Vermont and the surrounding region.