Drama ! "Your Son Will Come Out Tomorrow"

Trevor "diamonds are for Trevor" Ashley

Sung  to the tune.."the sun will come out tomorrow", these are some of the words from brilliant cabaret performer Trevor Ashley whose new musical revue trAnnie premieres at the Sydney Opera House on December 5th.

Trevor Ashley / trAnnie

trAnnie is parody of the hit musical Annie and written by Phil Scott and Ashley and is the tale of the “hard knock life” of ten year old orphan Fannie who is desperate to have “long-overdue” gender reassignment surgery but must first escape the Sutherland Shire Children’s Orphanage and the clutches of a boozy matron.

But Sydney's transgender community is up in arms and is threatening a boycott of the show saying it perpetuates negative stereotypes. They have also complained to the Anti-Discrimination Board. A spokesperson for the activist group Trans Menace Australia has said she finds "  the panto to be demeaning towards the trans community : “One quick read of the synopsis left me guttered,”

Courtney Act with Danni Minogue

Spokesperson for Transgender Victoria Sally Goldner has said such concerns were valid as the term ‘trannie’ was largely deemed offensive by people experiencing transgender issues.

The Sydney Opera House has issued a statement :
“The title trAnnie is a play on words. It is a play on the musical Annie and combines the letters of Trevor's name into the title. It is also a play on the fact that the central character is transsexual,”
“The show, while being a comedy, shows the transgender character in a positive light and hopes to encourage more understanding of the transgender community.”

Trevor Ashely's star keeps rising with each new production he creates. As an original cast member of Stephan Elliott's musical version of Priscilla Queen of The Desert he also sang the theme song from Elliot's film Easy Virtue that starred Colin Firth and Jessica Biel and has appeared in cabaret at New York's Don't Tell Mama and London's Talk Of The Town.
At the 2009 Mardi Gras he appeared with Courtney Act in the show he wrote Gentleman Prefer Blokes followed by Diamonds Are For Trevor.
 Below is a video of Trevor and Courtney Act and their send-up of Beaches (titled Bitches)

Drag Star For Hollywood and Film Fame

Courtney Act, seen here in our pic with Danni Minogue recently is headed for Hollywood but is also to play the lead role in a film based on the life of the legendary Kings Cross transgender show biz star Carlotta.

Carlotta, who was born Richard Byron first appeared in the famous Les Girls show at in Kings Cross and for many years worked for the Sydney crime baron Abe Saffron who ruled all night life around Kings Cross with an iron first.

Carlotta

Carlotta also appeared on the TV show Beauty & The Beast where a panel of 4 women would do battle with the 'beast' and host, the late Stan Zemanek as viewers wrote in letters asking for advice.

Les Girls finally closed it's doors in 1993 after a 35 years and was the inspiration for Stephan Elliot's "Priscilla Queen of the Desert". The show continued on the road under the banner of co-star Simone de Troy for several years including a short stint at London's Wimbledon Theatre. Carlotta also appeared in the famous Number 96 , 1970's soap opera playing a transgender girlfriend of Arnold Feather.

Courtney Act, Shane Jenek was a finalist in the 2003 Australian Idol quest and had a hit record "Rub Me Wrong" in 2004. After several attempts he has now secured a working visa for the USA.

Here is Carlotta on Beauty & The Beast :

Rihanna, Dawn O'Donnell & The Tool Shed

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Rihanna

Just 18 hours to go before the 2011 Sydney Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras begins it's journey up Oxford Street to finish at Moore Park where thousands will then flock to Fox Studios and the Horden Pavilion for the after-parade party.

Entertainment at the party will be Alexis Jordan, New York dance queen Wynter Gordon, the internet sensation  Chris "leave Britney alone" Crocker and drag star Courtney Act.

While the tabloids are still plumping their wish list of star acts-George Michael and Rihanna, we can report that whilst negotiations have been under way between the Mardi Gras committee and Rihanna's management, it's unlikely she will grace the event. Money is the problem. She wants lots and the Mardi Gras crowd are basically broke. Rhianna will be appearing at the Acer Arena tonight and fantasies that she will jump in a chopper to the inner city party are just that.

There is one big problem for stars who entertain at the party. Cameras of any description, personal or media are strictly banned. No photograph of the party has ever been published so it isn't even worth the publicity value to front up. George Michael will be there with bells on but only as a guest.

Rhianna visited the adult sex shop, the Tool Shed on Oxford Street yesterday and spent up big. While it was meant to be a big secret and the shop is usually packed out with visitors at this time of the year, the Tool Shed owners closed the doors and within minutes mobile phones were abuzz about the diva's shopping spree.

The Tool Shed is one of the oldest and most successful adult shops in Sydney and was opened by the lesbian former ice skating champion, cum butcher and nightclub owner Dawn O'Donnell.

It sold adult gear, aids and x-rated porn when porn of any description was illegal. There was also a back room with live sex shows where audience members were always welcome to join in.

 Once every six months the local cop shop at Taylors Square about 200 yards up the road would raid the Tool Shed but not before a friendly station  Sergeant would put a call through to Dawn with the full details and time of the raid..

Photographs would duly appear in the newspapers of police trudging out of the store with boxes of supposed porn and it was claimed, the constabulary had done their duty. The boxes were empty of course except for one which was packed with goodies like the latest lesbian porn to be shared around back at Darlinghurst nick and another with a few dozen cans of beer. Dawn was generous like that. While most of Dawn's nightclubs had mysterious fires when business soured, the Tool Shed, a real money spinner, always survived.



Dawn O'Donnell



When Dawn died she left a fortune of 4 million dollars and Mosman house worth another 3. Like all good gay society deaths, there was intrigue over Dawn's will. She left the house to her girlfriend plus a load of art. Much of which turned out to be fake including a Lucien Freud. Rumours say the paintings were switched whilst Dawn lay dying in hospital.

Our mole at the Toolbox tells us Rhianna spent up big on S & M outfits that will no doubt feature in her show tonight. Lots of leather and  skimpy outfits with studs , a whip, handcuffs and a set of nipple rings !. A burly bodyguard carried out 2 bags of gear while Rhianna rushed to a waiting Range Rover. By that stage there must have been a dozen paparazzi waiting and a crowd of excited gays from the nearby pub.

A passing American tourist asked a photographer if the figure in black with the hood over her head was a local politician !

Meanwhile here is Chris Crocker talking about gays. The Shuttle met him at a party on Thursday evening and asked him what the Britney bit was all about. Chris said his mother was doing drugs at the time and going through a rough patch-in his eyes Britney became his de-facto mum !

exclusive : Mardi Gras Singer Update



Chris Crocker

While the Daily Telegraph brings us the news that Rhianna won't be appearing at the 2011 Sydney Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras (just as Dame Nellie Melba and Frank Sinatra won't either) the Shuttle can tell you who will be appearing at the March 5th after-parade party.

US singer Alexis Jordon will be the star attraction . Jordon first found fame on the 2005 America's Got Talent.

As we reported recently, drag star Courtney Act will also appear as will the Internet sensation Chris Crocker.

Look Who Is Coming to the (Mardi Gras) Party !

2 unique acts are lined up for personal appearances this month in Sydney and to ring in the after party at Fox Studios at the Sydney Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras on Saturday March 5th.

Courtney Act (left) who has been touring the UK & US and internet sensation Chris Crocker.

Those who have been living in a wardrobe for the past few year may not know Crocker who started his own club of one : the Britney Spears Extremist Committee.

Both Courtney and Crocker will be performing at the new Oxford Street venue Nevermind ( George Michael was there last Saturday nite) where Chris will sing his chart topping single Freak Of Nature.

Below is Chris Crocker's video-Leave Britney Alone. It launched Chris to international stardom. The poor lad gets a bit upset and over 37 million people have watched it on youtube. You should watch all his youtube offerings. The lad is very funny.

Dannii and Friends

Courtney Act with Dannii & Kris

To Matt Moran's Aria Restaurant balcony for a small party to launch Foxtels' Danni Minogue: Style Queen, a three part documentary series following Dannii as she prepares to embark on one of the biggest challenges in her career and a brand new chapter of her life – launching her brand-new fashion range Project D.

Dannii allowed cameras access in the run up to her dream business at the same time juggling all the other important elements in her life; TV, music, writing her autobiography,red-carpet events, modelling, her boyfriend Kris Smith, travelling between London and Australia for Australia’s Got Talent – and her most important job – impending motherhood.

Dannii was in top form and she was joined by partner Kris  and her partner in Project D Tabitha Somerset Webb with a surprise visit from Courtney Act who has just returned from a tour of the USA and the UK. We loved Kris's spectacles even though he admitted he doesn't actually need them but they do make him look intelligent.

One small faux pas - Dannii having a Tony Abbott moment  when responding  to a question while being interviewed : "sh*t happens!"..not a popular phrase today.

Dannii also revealed that she is eager to have another baby.