Colour, Sparkle and Inclusive Entertainment: Welcoming Drag To The Star Gold Coast

Lights, camera – drag! With inclusivity and diversity at the heart of its vision, The Star has continued to create opportunities to place LGBTQI+ entertainment on the glittery platform it deserves through the introduction of its recent drag variety show, Thursday’s a Drag.

The Star Entertainment Group is proud to be one of the most diverse and inclusive workplaces in Australia.

A fact supported by recognition of our efforts to create a welcoming environment for all team members and guests by the Australian Workplace Equality Index which in 2022 awarded The Star a ‘Gold Employer’ status for LGBTQ+ inclusion, and Booking.com’s Trave Proud badge.

In true spirit of this ethos, The Star Gold Coast embraces opportunities to offer entertainment of all sizes, shapes and colours to its guests.

So with WorldPride recently being celebrated in Australia, and LGBTQI+ line-ups on the rise across the nation, it only made sense for the Coast’s biggest entertainment hub to create an ongoing stage for audiences to experience jaw-dropping fashion, iconic lip-syncs, and stellar performances.

Some of Australia’s biggest drag powerhouses and RuPaul’s Drag Race Down Under alum Karen From Finance, Molly Poppinz, Maxi Shield and Carla From Bankstown alongside superstar MC, Beverly Kills, joined The Star to celebrate an ongoing commitment to the LGBTQI+ community with shows that promise evenings of entertainment and celebration of individuality.

Queensland drag legend Beverly Kills was thrilled to work with The Star to create an evening packed with hilarity, and fun.

“Sure, you’ve seen performers play with whips and fire, but have you seen a 6’5″ drag queen swallow fire while wearing two wigs, six metric tonnes of cosmetics, and a fully rhinestone catsuit to the tune of Kylie Minogue? No, you haven’t, and I bet my wig it can get crazier if you dare us!” Beverly said.

“The show is made to be fun for the audience. Dancing and singing are beyond encouraged, and I know every single guest at the Atrium Bar will leave with the biggest smile they’ve had.”

“What I’m most excited for is to bring drag to a really glamorous location. Drag historically is underground and on the fringe of what people see as ‘normal’. However, recent years has seen drag performance and the queer arts pushed into the mainstream – making it more accessible and positioned on a platform I think it deserves,” Beverly said.

Australia’s favourite corporate queen, Karen From Finance, joined Beverly on stage and promised not only a highly aesthetic and engaging show, but an opportunity to truly introduce herself to the community as her authentic self.

“Everyone knows that Karen always brings the campery. HIGH campery! We’ll all be laughing together, singing along together, and getting SUPER silly!” Karen said.

“For years I’ve been touring nightclubs with short five-minute acts – and I’ve had a blast. Having toured my full hour one-woman show has given me an incredible opportunity to deep dive into my character and has opened up so many doors for me to deepen both my understanding and celebration of Karen From Finance, as well as the audiences”.

With inclusivity and diversity at The Star’s core, it looks forward to continuing to build upon these events to create a safe place to be you, and consistency and reinforce that everyone is welcome and can express themselves without fear.

Stay tuned for more events in this space that will no doubt offer more campery and star dazzling nights!

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