The last BIG week.. Oh my goodness!

What a ride these last two weeks have been!

Previously I was asked to perform in Show 2 at DIVAs this year. Then on Saturday 11th Aug, I was enjoying the start of my holidays when I had a call from the DIVA Show Director, Chris Pinder, out of the blue. Within a minute of answering the phone, I was locked in to choreographing and rehearsing the 2nd show of DIVA... and oh, did I mention, it needed to be ready in under 20 hours time?!

OMG!!! With a show that night at Mr Marys, plus needing some time for mandatory beauty sleep, I was nervous in being able to pull it off within time.. First thing first though - Get the soundtrack and a diagram of the stage!

Chris, was already on to it and had the soundtrack and diagram delivered by another Diva Member, Stafford, within the hour.. Then I was off like a rocket!

Fortunately all the creative juices flowed and I managed to completely choreograph the whole show within 30 mins of the 1st rehearsal at 12pm the next day!

Phew!

But then the next task of course was to teach the show - a more time consuming part of the task!

With showgirls Farren Height, Tora Hymen, Miss Tiffany, Charisma Belle, Wyness Mongrel-Bitch and myself as backup dancers to Sydney's glamour Drag Queen, Vanity Faire, we started rehearsals - pushing through as much material as possible. In the end we managed about 2/3 of the show taught - which was well done.

Monday I had rehearsals for the "Pirates of the Cube-bbean" show in Canberra. All went well with the rehearsal, and we were looking forward to performing in later in the week..

Tuesday was back to DIVA rehearsals. This time I finished teaching the show and we started on the little dance sequences we perform as a group in the background of the award ceremony. (I won't spoil the concept of we are doing anymore, but it's going to be camp!)

Wednesday was my birthday, and it was a big day! After a lazy breakfast at Tropicana, my partner and I went to the movies (The Simpsons) and had dinner at a gorgeous restaraunt in Darlinghurst. We then scooted off to the Sydney Opera House for the opera "The Barber of Seville". It was a beautiful day and evening - and I had the most wonderful birthday. Thank you to my gorgeous partner for looking after me so well - you made my day truly special!

Come Thursday there was another DIVA rehearsal, but as half the cast had varying schedules, it proved to be a long and not as productive one, with never a full cast together at any stage! Nevertheless, we still ran over the show and small dance sequences over and over again to drum them into our little drag queen brains..

On Friday Charisma Belle, Ru Bella and I were on the bus to Canberra, having a ball and giggling like little school girls making jokes all the way to the country's capital! We even managed to brainstorm a plan for an entire show ! (Stay tuned, as I'm are currently in talks with a venue on a show.)

After arriving in Canberra, we had a short rehearsal at the nightclub, took our gear to our serviced suite, and went off for some dinner. After that, it was time to get girly, so we put on makeup (and I tried my new hairline wig for the whole evening!), got dressed into our "Cube Pirate Uniform" and joined the other scally-wags at Cube. It was heaps of fun.. The show went well for it's opening/closing night! I will post pics as soon as I get a copy..

At the end of the show I got a cake and candles and it was awesome having the large crowd sing Happy Birthday to me! Thanks to the Cube staff and the patrons for making it a special night! Next was a chance to party the night away! And that I did - once again there til closing, we were driven back to our suite by the owner and after some packing and a short nap, it was time to have a shower and hop on the 1030am bus for the ride back to Sydney.

Fortunately the bus was only half full, so we each had 2 seats to ourselves.. we quickly spread out over the seats and were asleep for most of the ride home.

Once we were home, my partner picked us up at Central Station, and took us home. It was then time to head off to DIVA Voting Day, held at the Columbian Hotel.

After catching up and chatting with a number of people, I headed home for a much needed sleep.

Come Saturday, I was back in drag to perform "A Dummer Shade Of Blonde" at Mr Marys Hotel in Redfern. After our big night out the night before, and without a dresser to help, the show went a little crazy, but the audience loved it anyways. My favourite was when Ru Bella was in such a hurry, she put her finale wig on sideways and didn't know until the end why the hair was falling over her face! It was a kack!

The special part of the night was to come though.. The PR/Marketing Manager of Cube's girlfriend, Lucy, with my help, wanted to propose to her girlfriend Candice. She wanted to do it onstage in front of a crowd and on thier anniverary (Sunday), so we took off to Stonewall Hotel and after speaking with Candy Box and Portia Turbo, we had Lucy up on stage at 1:30am proposing to her girl to an enthusiastic crowd!

it was a gorgeous moment, and there were tears and hugs everywhere!

Not long after they went back to their suite in World Square and no doubt tried to make babies - the lesbian way of course!

That brings you up to speed.. Big week huh!??

Well there is a DIVA blocking rehearsal on stage at Randwick Racecourse Pavilion tonight from 9pm-11pm, then a lighting/blocking rehearsal tomorrow 10am-12pm.. Then of course is the BIG NIGHT!

I have a full table of 9 guests (plus myself) right in the front middle table for the night.. We will be arriving by stretch limo (all in the same one!) and leaving to the after-party in it too! It is going to be soooo cool!

OMG!!! I'm gonna wet my panties!

Gotta go calm down by looking reading something crap on the net... hrmmm - John Howard's Website anyone? (ahh that did the trick!)

Will report on DIVA 2007 next Sunday and will try to get some fab pics..

Until then, look after your family, your friends and yourself!

Luv Shelley
xxx