Hello Robbie,

I loved the film...

I am so very happy to write to you, and to above all thank you, for a job Well Done with “Audience with the Queens”.

I was thrilled with the film!  You see I am already an avid fan of the 801 Girls… walking a thin line between #1 Fan and Stalker according to Gassy.  LOL

I have tried to spend time with them off stage, but they are very popular and busy as you know.  I love them all and it was just wonderful to see that you took the time to give everyone a glimpse into their lives as “people” not just drag queens.  And they are simply WONDERFUL!

Sushi is simply fabulous on stage but your film showed the side of her that most people have no clue about… the relatively quiet one who cares so deeply for others and adores her mother.  The one who will take friends “under her wing” and who works so hard to bring us all such wonderful entertainment and laughter.
And Sam!  I just love her!  Sam is completely genuine inside and out.  What you see is what you get.  She is a joy and her nervousness in the film showed us just how real she is.

Gugi, my Latina Loca and RV, Gassy and all the rest… are just wonderful people in an ugly world trying their best to make it beautiful, if only just for a little while at a time.

I was sad when it ended.  I felt like I was in a room with them and wanted it to go on and on.  I applaud your work!  Kudos!  Thank you from the bottom of my heart!

Much love,

Marie Brilz

wow…check out this link  some good news on the drag queen film

Drag Queen Film Accepted

http://www.examiner.com/x-12519-Florida-Keys-Travel-Examiner~y2010m5d18-Key-West-filmmaker-to-show-film-at-DocMiami-Film-Festival-May-29

                              “Audience with the Queens “

 An exciting and provocative film about the lives of Drag Queen Performers

 Key West, Florida–The documentary film, “Audience with the Queens,” features a diverse group of drag queens who perform at the 801 Cabaret Club on Duval St. in Key West, Florida. And when a straight guy like Robbie Hopcraft takes a look at the lives and experiences of drag queens, onstage and off, he comes up with an eye-opener that’s both informative and entertaining.                                                                                 

  This is Robbie Hopcraft’s first-ever entry into professional filmmaking. The film has recently been accepted into the Doc, Miami International Film Festival being held at the beautiful Doral Resort & Spa located at 4400 N.W. 87 Ave. Miami, Fl. The film festival runs from May 27-30 and the Drag Queen film, “Audience with the Queens”, screens on Sat. May 29^th at the Cypress Theatre.  All the film festival theatres are all located within the resort property..

   Hopcraft produced, directed, and did all the cinematography on the film. After spending hours in the editing room working to come up with the best scenes from many hours of film….he said: “I sat with my editor through every minute of every scene we put into the film and it’s very tedious work on a project where the story line developed as I filmed and became more familiar with the Drag Queens that are profiled in the film.  My editor didn’t know the final product I wanted, but by working side by side together over many long hours, he did a great job helping me put together the storyline.”

 Hopcraft says “Although I’ve lived in Key West for over 16 years, until I began filming on this project I didn’t really have much of an idea what Drag Queens were all about, but I sure do now,” he said. “I hope the film will give the audience a greater understanding and acceptance of what this fascinating genre is all about and what it’s like to be labeled ‘different’ by our society.”

Once he began filming he developed a relationship with the Drag Queens and then began to gain their trust, only then was Hopcraft allowed into the inner sanctum—the back-stage dressing room—where everyone is transformed into each Drag Queen’s unique personae.

“I was very careful at first because I didn’t know  where my limits were on the questions I wanted to ask, so I took things slowly and got to know them as individuals”. “The more I found out about them and what they were all about, the more I grew to like them and that’s when I became convinced that this story needed to be told. I met a few of their moms as well, and interviewed them too. It’s been a great  experience for me and we just seemed to get along well right from the start” Hopcraft said.

 Hopcraft’s film production company, Key West Unplugged, www.keywestunplugged.com is based in Key West, Florida.

 For more information on the Drag Queen film go to www.audiencewiththequeens.com or www.keywestdragqueens.com

Three Days of Film and Hope

 And to learn more about the upcoming Doc Miami Film Festival and schedule, go to the festival website at: http://www.docmiami.org

The LGBT group launches a campaign against a gay director’s campy revenge fantasy film

By Margaret Eby

If GLAAD has anything to do with it, you’re not going to see Israel Luna’s horror flick “Ticked-Off Trannies With Knives” at the Tribeca Film Festival this year. The LGBT advocacy organization issued a call to action today, demanding that the movie be pulled from the festival’s lineup. The reason for the hullabaloo? Well, the film, intended as a campy send-up of 1970s B-movies, shows a squadron of transgender women gruesomely attacked by a group of men. The survivors of the beating then vow revenge, going after their would-be murderers with baseball bats and, one assumes, knives. In its call to arms, GLADD accuses ”Ticked-Off Trannies” of conflating transgender women with drag queens and using “exploitative depictions of violence against transgender women in ways that make light of the horrific brutality they all too often face.” 

Lest anyone assume otherwise, violence against transgender folks is a serious issue. Clearly, no one should encourage the kind of senseless brutality that transgender people face every day. In real life, that stuff is far from funny. Luna’s film, however, operates far from the realm of real life. In an interview with Queerty, Luna, a gay director himself, explained that the movie is essentially an elaborate revenge fantasy, a way of fighting back against the victimization of the LGBT community. “Whenever I hear people saying ‘Fight hate with love’ and ‘Love the bashers’ I’m like ‘No, fuck that. Let’s go get the bats and bash them back,” Luna said. It’s a controversial point of view, and “Ticked-off Trannies” is the director’s Tarantino-esque enactment of it, a world where transgender women aren’t prey to homophobic slashers so much as badass vigilantes. It’s no more real than the idea of a “good” serial killer or a roving band of Nazi-killers.

Which isn’t to say that makes this world compelling — unlike the GLAAD representatives, I haven’t seen more than the trailer (posted below), which didn’t exactly make “Ticked-Off Trannies” look like Fellini. Still, it seems like much of GLAAD’s protest stems from their judgment that they just didn’t think the movie was that good: “Humour can be used to challenge and subvert, but this movie fails on both counts.” I’m not sure that there are many good reasons for banning a film, but I can tell you this: not finding it funny isn’t one.  

 Here in Key West, Florida some of the local drag queens have had hate spewed at them before. RV Beaumont had a man chase her with a knife. Destiny was in a street with some teens that harassed her and called her vile names…It happens, It’s sad, but it happens. One of the issues the film about drag queens, “Audience with the Queens” , is trying to bring out in the open is that drag queens are like other humans in society, they hurt, they cry, they bleed, the laugh, oh do they laugh, and they love.  Yes, they are a bit different on the outside but on the inside there just like the rest of us… The film’s portrayal of them gives more understanding to a genre of society that has been very much misunderstood and discriminated against by most of society. Get the film and see for yourself….it’s really entertaining !!

Robbie,

I received my copy of “Audience with the Queens” yesterday and
immediately put it in my DVR. I’ve been so excited to see the movie
since I read about it online. You see, I’ve seen the 801 girls at
least a dozen times and have always wondered about who they were
behind the make-up, wigs and stilettos.

Sushi and the Girls making their gran entry at the Film Premiere

I have a group of friends that gather in Key West every year for a
“girls only” week of silly, lazy, drunk fun. The usual Key West
debauchery. We go at the beginning of October when crowds are at a
minimum, but the weather is still warm enough to enjoy an afternoon
lounging on the beach. Our first year we literally stumbled into The
801 for the 11:00 Saturday Sex Show. After I ended up lying on my
back onstage with my feet in the air, we were hooked. Devoted fans!
We’ve been back to see a show every year since and the girls are
always entertaining, hilarious and a true highlight of our trip!

When I discovered that you were doing a documentary about Sushi and
the girls, I called all my “October Girls” and we started watching the
clips on your web site. Then we saw it….the most amazing thing!
We’re all in your film as audience members!! In the scene where
Sushi is singing “Falling in Love” we are in the audience sitting
stage right. We’ll collect our royalty checks in October when we
visit again!

Your documentary was fun, entertaining and really provided a great
peek into the life of some very talented, interesting and intelligent
performers. Since my first 801 show, it’s been on my “bucket list” to
see the girls get ready backstage before a performance. You provided
me a little glimpse of that dream and I thank you! Of course it goes
without saying that if you ever need audience members for upcoming
films of the girls, you can count on us to be there each and every
October!

The “October Girls” are planning a movie premiere of our own and will
screen “Audience with the Queens” to all of our suburban,
heterosexual, soccer mom friends in our small Texas town very soon.
We figure everyone needs a little Sushi in their life!

Best of luck as you move forward with your film screenings. You
deserve many accolades for making this film, and for taking the
mystery out of the make up.

Best regards,
Jennifer Cox
Trophy Club, TX

“Thank you for giving us a glimpse into the life’s of some very versatile

Ready for the Tropic Cinema Premiere

guys/girls. Your film is enlightening, fun, sad entertaining and heart felt…..would love to see and learn more about the 801 Girls! Wishing all of you great success!”

Denise Black
Bristol, R.I.

Well now , here’s something a bit different that what the talented drag queens of key west would bring to the stage. But then, it takes all kinds of talent to make the world go round baby…and this can’t compare to what the drag queens, inspired by the designs of Sushi – the design queen of this bunch of drag queens, would ever wear on stage when performing..

this is fashion ?? i'm not so sure !

Last night’s The A*Muse fashion show by Richie Rich in New York was quite a sight to see. Richie, who is the better  half of the outrageous design team Heatherette, brought the aesthetic and the models he’s famous for using to this show too, and while there’s not a ton for us to look at here, it at least looks… crazy?

 Pamela Anderson, Amanda Lepore, Tinsley Mortimer, glitter, spandex…  This is fun, and some good fashion photos, but not a whole lot of talent going on here.  Enjoy !!

London — Kathryn Hoffman

My face still hurts from smiling (and singing)!!

How do you transform a cult classic where one of the main characters is a giant pink bus into a stage production? Well, friends, the brilliant minds of the West End have done it with “Priscilla: Queen of the Desert.”

Michael was already in London, so Carol and I grabbed the express into Waterloo last night, and we went to the thea-ta!  From the opening strains of “Never Been to Me” where the three “real” singers descend slowly from the ceiling in their 3-foot high wigs and strapless sequin costumes (one of them was a big girl, so I give points right away) as Tick/Mitzi strips out of his man clothes and becomes an over-the-top drag queen right before your eyes, I knew I was gonna love this. Mother would have loved it too.

The same costume designer who won the Oscar for the movie did the designs for the show, and she’ll win the Tony too. More wonderful songs than the original soundtrack and absolutely outstanding performances. Musical number after musical number after musical number. And big costume changes with each number. And men who look like they’re wearing those muscle-y Halloween costumes, but they’re not! Remember “Shirl” whom Bernadette drank under the table and the ping-pong princess? They’re all here!

Then even after I GET that there’s a giant bus on stage, open on one side so you get full interior scenes, HOW are they going to transform her after the horrible “f— you faggots” graffiti into the pink
princess?  I won’t say, but it works. About a million different ways!

Confetti bombs and audience members dancing on stage (to “Thank God I’m a Country Boy”) and feathers everywhere. Even the giant glittery shoe on the top of the bus with Felicia atop it singing opera while her parachute-sized scarf trails behind… .

The premiere film screening of “Audience with the Queens” at the Tropic Cinema in Key West, Florida on wed. Feb 17^th was absolutely fantastic. The weather was very brisk for Key West, it’s usually nice and warm during the winters here, but this year has been an extreme exception. I was freezing cold while heading to the theatre on my scooter. My beret pilled down over my ears, scarf wrapped around my neck, gloves on my hands, and my girlfriend hugging me on the back, we arrived with a little frost on our noses.

The STARS make an entrance to the Theatre

The place was buzzing with excitement, lots of people were lined up to get tickets, and there were many already inside the theatre. The drag queens led by the star, Sushi, made their grand entrance with the camera rolling. The other drag queens, Samantha, Gugi, Gassy and Deja’ all looked fabulous and had big smiles on their faces as they posed and made clever remarks to each other and to all within earshot. They are so witty, and the banter that goes on amongst them is really quite the show in itself.

 The theatre manager told me the screening was SOLD OUT in advance, so all who were still in line to get tickets were very disappointed. The best part of that is the film “Audience with the Queens” is playing at the Theatre for the entire week so the ones who missed out on opening night will still be able to see the film.

 The film profiles a very diverse group of drag queens who live and perform onstage here in Key West at the 801 Cabaret Club on Duval Street. The group is led by Sushi, the drag mother to many and the beauty and brains who makes the show go for these drag queens. Sushi makes the schedule and hosts many of the shows herself and she the one who has to give them hell If they screw up, or in some cases, get drunk and don’t show up! The film gives the audience some perspective on what a drag queen is and what they’re all about. They are an interesting subculture to explore and I know I’ve certainly learned much about them and in doing so have come to enjoy them very much !

The film stars make there appearance

 The theatre GM asked me to speak for a few minutes before the screening and give my perspective on why and how I came to do this particular film. It is a good story, but that’s for another day. I spoke before the film screened and talked a little of how I came to get the idea for the documentary and how I got involved with this group of drag queens.

One of the “stars” of the film, Destiny, passed away during the making of the film. She’s still a very prominent part of the film. After her death we filmed her funeral but I haven’t yet added that footage to the film. It was a sad day but drag queens have a different perspective on how to have a funeral.  Destiny’s dad was in attendance for the premiere, and in my remarks from the stage about the film, I dedicated the screening to “Destiny and her dad”. The only way I knew her dad was there was Destiny’s niece, who I met at the funeral, came up to me before the film started and told me. After the screening I made sure I met Destiny’s Dad and we had a nice conversation about his son. It was a very touching ending to a great evening.

The film screens at the Tropic for an entire week. Starting Feb 17^th with two shows a day.  I think I’ll end here and continue this a bit later

What:  the film screening for  “Audience with the Queens”

When: starting today – Feb 19^th and continuing all next week

Where: Tropic Cinema, Key West

Tickets: Tropic Cinema, 416 Eaton St  Box office 305 295-9493

The documentary filmed right here in key west by Robbie Hopcraft, it tells the story about several of the drag queens who live and work in Key West.

what the boys wear when they be girls

 Starring the amazing Sushi, the film profiles the lives of 6 drag queens of the 801 Cabaret. It’s very entertaining and will give you reason to both laugh and cry.

 The film made its Key West premiere screening debut on Wed. Feb 17^th at the Tropic Cinema and was SOLD OUT well in advance. Many who showed up intending to buy tickets at the door were disappointed to find out they the premiere was entirely sold out!!

The GOOD NEWS is that the film “Audience with the Queens” will screen for the whole next week. It begins tonight, Feb 19^th and will have 2 shows a day for the next week

arriving at the premiere

 Call the Tropic box office for tickets and show times at 305 295-9493 or go online to Tropiccinema.com

 Robbie Hopcraft

305 304-1609