I met Mildred last week at QBC’s Fades of Black Womyn In Film Showcase and learned about her upcoming show. I was captivated by her sense of style, beautiful colors, and I found myself drawn to getting her on camera as I photographed the event.
After the showcase, Mildred and I had an opportunity to talk. She told me about her one woman show coming up at the end of May 2009. It sounded intriguing and I asked her to send me information about the show. I’m sharing it with you, particularly those living in the NYC area, or interested in taking a little trip. Below are also reviews of her performance that are a testament to the international attention her performances have recieved. Mark your calendars because this is a show you don’t want to miss.
Mildred Gerestant
Mildred Gerestant as alter ego "Dred"
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What: Back By Popular Demand!!! – Dred Performs One woMan show for One afternoon Only!
When: Saturday, May 30, 2009
Time: 3:00pm (I suggest be there by 2:30 if you can)
Cost: Free Entrance – GET THERE EARLY!!!
Where: At the theater in The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts (by Lincoln center)
111 Amsterdam Ave
New York, NY 10023
(1 train to 66th street and Broadway)
Description: Back by Popular Demand! Dred brings her one woMan show to NY for one afternoon only. See reviews below, including one from the United Nations…
From Flip Wilson as Geraldine to Martin Lawrence as Sheneneh, men have made tons of money as drag performers. Now it’s the women’s turn, and one of the world’s leading drag kings is Haitian-American Mildred Dred Gerestant.
- Port of Harlem Magazine
A lean, sinuous woman, Mildred Dred Gerestant is a charismatic performer, brimming with raw talent, high energy and a gentle, winning charm. Using a blend of poetry, dance, music and monologue, she explores the fragile, fluid definitions of sexual identity and cultural stereotypes…Gerestant is a trickster.. Watching her channel her characters produces a strange sensation. As her costumes change, we witness transformation by degree, an experience that not only challenges our assumptions but also teases us with an uneasy feeling of dislocation. Just as we settle into one character, Gerestant pulls a quick change and sends us looking for another label. – Mark Muro, Anchorage Daily News
Next time you see P. Diddy, Shaft and Superfly on stage, take a closer look underneath that black suit, top hat, afro or leather jacket. That isn’t a macho mack daddy busting moves up there – that’s a woman, baby. Damn right. Famed New York “gender illusionist” Mildred “Dred” Gerestant… – Sydney Morning Herald, Australia
To her work, whether in drag or otherwise, MilDréd brings a sophisticated understanding and insight into issues or race, gender, ethnicity and using the medium of theatre and dance to break boundaries. I have often brought activists from developing countries (with whom I work at the U.N.) to her performances when they visit New York…. They are unfailingly fascinated and elated by her performance… Ilana Lansberg-Lewis, (CEDAW Advisor of United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM))
(DRED) Gerestant’s own act is a gender-bending roller coaster ride alternating between man and woman, outrageous and serious, ironic and sincere. It also preaches the message of self-love as if Eddie Murphy were to perform Eve Ensler’s “Vagina Monologues. – The Korean Herald
Contact: Actress/Gender Illusionist Dred Gerestant, 1-646-342-5660
Mildred Gerestant at QBC Showcase 2009, photo by Affrodite
Written from the perspective of a thirty-something African American woman, Affrodite's Adventures In Nappy Hair will make you think, laugh, cry, and take action. Check it out! Blog topics include natural hair care, African American perspectives in culture/pop culture/politics, women's empowerment, stories from Corporate America, current events, and more!
