After three decades of creating Queer community across Canada, the legendary House of Venus lands in Toronto for a one-night-only celebration featuring the documentary Venus Envy and the 30th anniversary of their groundbreaking Wiggle performance festival!
EVENT DETAILS:
Thursday, October 9th | Doors 6:30 PM, Show 7:00 PM
The Paradise Theatre – 1006 Bloor Street West
GRAB YOUR TICKETS HERE!
Born in Windsor-Detroit’s 90s underground scene, the House of Venus built an international movement through DIY parties, gender-bending fashion, and radical inclusivity. Now they’re bringing their story to the screen with Venus Envy: The House of Venus Story (2023, 79 mins) — a documentary following the collective from humble beginnings to queer culture icons.
The evening features both the Toronto premiere screening AND a live Wiggle Festival performance — the wearable art and drag extravaganza CBC calls “one of Canada’s most important Queer Arts Festivals.”
We caught up with House of Venus mother and Canadian nightlife legend Michael Venus about this special homecoming. Find this, and more documentation of House Of Venus through the ages, after the jump!
Tell us what is happening Oct 9th at the Paradise, it looks like two events in one?
It’s a film screening and Toronto Premiere of Venus Envy- The House of Venus Story, my first feature that has been on a four city tour with the Wiggle Festival 30 Year Anniversary Extravaganza! Wiggle is the annual wearable art, performance and Drag festival that us House of Venus kids started way back in 1994.
Venus Envy tells the story of our artist collective / fashion and Drag House from our humble beginnings in the early 90’s in Windsor and Detroit throwing theme parties and fashion shows to our rise to celebrating our Wiggle festival’s 25th anniversary at the Museum of Fine Arts in Montreal during the Thierry Mugler exhibition and everything else we did in between. It weaves together vintage interviews and archival footage with more current interviews with different house members and collaborators telling the story of a vibrant underground Queer Community.
We really bring the film onto the stage with an immersive Wiggle Festival presentation loaded with crazy acts and gorgeous wearable art and wigs galore! Wiggle started way back then and continues to inspire audiences all across Canada. The Festival has gained a glamour reputation for its avant-garde flair and out of this world performances and guest stars like Lady Bunny, Gisele Lullaby and Miss Guy of The Toilet Boys. CBC calls it “one of Canada’s most important Queer Arts Festivals” and the show in store for October 9th at the Paradise is going to be out of this world with stunning performances from a cast of new and old school talents.
For those who are too young or out of touch what is the House of Venus?
The House of Venus is an art collective/ Drag and Fashion House that got its start in 90’s clubland and started with the mission of creating positive energy through creativity and underground communities across North America. They experimented in all different mediums and medias but are most known for their experimental films, TV shows, Drag, Fashion and nightlife contributions and all inclusive, forward thinking philosophies.
October is LGBTQ+ History month. Why should folk attend this event and learn its history?
It is important for us to celebrate our Canadian history and let the younger folks know about this rich and powerful Queer Community that did so many groundbreaking things before social media, RuPaul‘s Drag Race and the internet. It is important to have intergenerational events and bringing different folks together to experience something special and inspiring which we hope this event is to folks. We want to show people they can make a difference and by joining together we are so much stronger and in today’s world we desperately want more of this!
Name drop some of the Queer Icons in the film!
The cast is a colourful one with Toronto folks like Venus Kids Andrew Tay of Toronto Dance Theatre and David Newman owner of Hair By David Salon, Club Kid Royalty Larry Tee, Trans Actress Pioneer Candis Cayne and DJ Dickey Doo. Amanda Lepore, Peaches, Joey Arias and Honey Dijon all make appearances and all have been a part of the Venus Orbit for decades. The film also celebrates the legacies of many Queer Underground stars from the rave and club scenes within Canada and friends from all over the world.
Who is performing in the show and what can folks expect from this Wiggle Glamour?
We are delighted to have Tynomi Banks return to the stage as our headlining performer and host along with some of the Wiggle Festival Superstars like Toronto’s Two Spirit Burlesque Starlet Dolly Berlin, Songstress with the mostess Genevieve Gigi Marentette and the first lady of Venus Luka making a very special appearance and many more! We also have a bunch of our early Wiggle models from around the country joining us on the Wiggle Runway. The show is a celebration of expression and The House of Venus has some fabulous fashion segments in store to dazzle and delight!
Facebook Event: https://www.facebook.com/share/1EEkQvS3FN/?mibextid=wwXIfr
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thewigglefestival
https://www.instagram.com/venusenvyfilm
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