Wigstock '90
New York: [The Wigstock Committee], 1990. 1st Edition. Small quarto, 36 pp., publisher's stapled illustrated paper wraps (measures 8.5" x 7").
"All of the queens from the Wigstock generation invented the wheel of drag." 1990 program for the iconic outdoor end-of-summer drag festival. Running from 1984 to 2001, the annual event featured an extravaganza of drag and cabaret performances from some of the best known queens of the era. It got its start at a time of crisis for the LGBTQ+ community, marked by the AIDS crisis and pervasive homophobia, after a group of drag queens coming from the Pyramid Club put on an impromptu show at Tompkins Square Park (including the legendary Lady Bunny, who would become the de facto founder, emcee, and booker of Wigstock). Early drag performers included underground icons such as Lypsinka, Joey Arias, Tabboo!, and Ru Paul, along with musicians and performance artists including Debbie Harry, Deee-Lite, and Leigh Bowery. Thanks to Mayor Giuliani’s "quality-of-life" initiatives and war on queer nightlife, the festival slowly dissolved, with the last official festival taking place in 2001. (After a 17-year hiatus, Wigstock was revived in September of 2018 by Lady Bunny at the urging of Neil Patrick Harris, with an eclectic lineup including drag veterans, Drag Race stars, and a gaggle of up-and-coming queens.) This DIY program includes an intro by Lady Bunny, a catalog of performers, a poem by Sister Dimension, photo collages of Wigstocks past, an "in memorium" section for lost performers, a blank page for autographs, an acknowledgments page, ads for downtown NYC institutions such as Screaming Mimi’s, Cafe Mogador, Odeon, Patrica Field, Little Rickie, and more. Illustrated with black-and-white photos and drawings. Light soiling and minor wear. Near fine. Rare. Item #11091
$450.00