Behind the Makeup

By Amy Hemmelberg

Bradley Stanley, a Manhattan, Kan. native, has been performing in drag for four-and-a-half years. After graduating from high school, he found himself missing singing and performing on stage and was encouraged to go see his first drag show with his roommate and boyfriend.

 

As a freshman in college, Stanley attended an “alternative night” at a local bar. Friend Monica Moree hosted and performed each week and made a huge impact on Stanley.

 

“The drag show didn’t necessarily appeal to me because I was a little scared of drag queens, but she was funny and she opened my eyes to another side of entertainment,” he said.

 

Making the jump to drag was made easier with the support of his family and friends, he said. All of his friends and family know that he participates in drag, and the majority of them come to see him perform and make it clear how proud they are of him. His mother attends many shows, and is very supportive, he said.

 

“I love and appreciate her so much. She sees what makes me happy and what I am good at, so she pushes me to persue it,” he said.

 

Stanley also credits his boyfriend as his biggest supporter and fan for the first three years of his drag career.  

 

Primping and Prepping

A typical show night for Stanley begins with hours of preparation. The transformation to Victoria is not quick or an easy, he said.

 

He starts by pouring himself a cocktail, and lays out all the makeup he needs. He then takes a shower, and shaves his entire body. Once out of the shower, he slicks back his hair to prepare for a wig.

 

This, he explained, is when the magic really starts.

 

The makeup process usually takes about two hours. As a self-proclaimed perfectionist, Stanley tends to see a mistake or something he doesn’t like and start over completely, he said.

 

The style of makeup he uses depends on the event.

A daytime pride fundraising event, for example, may

only require an hour-long makeup routine, while a

huge show on a stage with lights and a crowd can

take up to three hours. Performing on a big stage

requires "painting" for the backseat because he'll

be seen from all angles, he said. 

 

After Stanley is satisfied with his makeup, he begins to change his masculine body to a more feminine shape. Nothing is natural; all his curves are carefully crafted from foam pads, and a corset. Stanley puts on a bra and sometimes even a silicone breastplate. The finishing touch of the look is one of Stanley’s favorites: his wigs. 

 

“The bigger the hair, the closer to God,” he joked.

 

Once "Victoria" is created, he said the stage personality comes naturally. Then it's show time.

 

The First Time

Even after all the eventful shows that have come and go in the last four years, Stanley still remembers that very first time he stepped a stiletto heel onto the stage.

 

“I’ve never been so nervous in my life,” he said. “What if I looked like a hot mess?”

 

He was shaking and close to tears, but remembers "coming alive" when he heard his name called and stepped out into the spotlight.  

 

“I felt like I was on top of the world,” he said. 

 

His first performance was to a “work mix” that his boyfriend had made. It included several songs based on work and working out, with a few comedic inserts.

 

The performance went well, and afterward, Stanley received many compliments from the audience. He loved every minute of it, and cherishes a congratulatory note from his boyfriend he received that night, he said.  

 

“It was a moment I will always cherish,” he said.

 

Misunderstood

Although he enjoys being on stage, Stanley said he knows he is part of a culture that is often misunderstood. He said he wishes people would take the time to better understand drag, because so many misconceptions exist.

 

In his opinion, some think that all female impersonators, drag queens, and entertainers want to be a female. That isn't the case, usually, he said.

 

"Most just love their craft," he said. "They love the ability it gives them to transform into another individual and express their artistic side in ways that they couldn’t in other fields as men."

 

This is how he feels when he "becomes" Victoria on stage. Stanley admits that he can be somewhat shy, but Victoria isn’t the slightest bit shy. 

 

“I enjoy being able to come alive as Victoria Fox once I have finished creating her,” he said. “I feel like a completely different person.”

 

Misconceptions are just the tip of the iceberg that comes with the not-so-glamorous side of drag, he said. One of the hardest things about being a drag queen is finding who one who loves you for you, and who isn't scared off by the profession of entertainment, he said. 

 

In addition, working in bars and clubs can present unprofessional temptations. The key is to avoid distractions and stay professional, he said. 

 

“You do your job, you entertain the crowd, you get paid what is established by the business owner, and you leave on good terms,” he said.

 

Personal Satisfaction

In the end, Stanley said, it isn't about making money, or watching to change who he is. It's about performing, and entertaining people, he said. 

 

“If I have made someone’s night, even one person's, I am happy with myself,” he concludes.

 

Looking to the future, Stanley sees his life as Victoria as a balancing act between his life as a man, and performing live as a woman. He hopes to find a good balance, and someday land a spot on a popular drag show, or have his own show in Las Vegas. 

 

“It’s going to take time and exposure, but I have no doubt that I will be a star,” he said.