It already seems like a dream that this happened.
Last year, legendary Berlin drag producer Pansy co-directed a performance program and hosted monthly drag parties called Ringelpiez at Berlin’s historic Theater des Westens. But that beautiful showcase for Queer Berlin was abruptly ended as German culture began to shut down, censor and cancel all over.
Now, Pansy is making a new sanctuary for Berlin queers!
Chez Pansy is coming, if we all help to make it happen!
At a time when creative and community sanctuary and a privately funded venue with new queer jobs is desperately needed, Chez Pansy will provide both. And Pansy has confirmed that Chez Pansy will have disability access and a disabled bathroom, incredibly rare and not required by law in Berlin.
Above, Berlin superstar Nana Schewitz performing at the inaugural Ringelpiez party by Pansy, last summer.
A few months later Jews! Jews! Jews!, the gloriously cheeky and openhearted variety revue Nana co-produces with Lolita Vavoom, had their Hanukkah show canceled by the scheduled venue. Creative life, community and funding in Germany is being shut down at a terrifying speed.
I’m so glad I was able to go to one of Pansy’s drag shows at Theater des Westens IRL.
Pansy made sure I had an extremely comfortable chair, and I got to be photographed by my dear friend, colleague and Patron Daniel Paikov.
The opportunity to draw all these marvelous performers in a beautiful, luxurious, grown-up venue seems hard to imagine now. But it can happen again.
Below, lovely Lola Rose brought magic to the Theater des Westens.
Eternal Muse Lola, so happy to draw her IRL again!
You can find Miss Lola Rose on Insta and my drawings of Lola Rose here.
Akynos is always a pleasure to draw.
She burned up the dance floor! To follow The Incredible, Edible Akynos: linktree and Insta and twitter, get on her Patreon, and see previous drawings I’ve made of her here!
Beautiful Ixa Psyborg dj’ing under the pink lights in the glittering Theater des Westens foyer.
I always love to draw Ixa. Their Pink Noize album is on bandcamp here.
First time drawing the wonderful Miss Steak!
Such a great performer. Their piebald cow suit of velcro flesh parts and their interactive performance with it is fantastic.
Daniel Paikov’s beautiful photos of this show start here. I loved this show, and I am so grateful for my Patrons’ support, which made it possible for me to document it. You can help me keep working, here.
As public funding for the arts collapses in Germany, we will need to fund it ourselves.
Let’s start with Chez Pansy. The GFM is closing on 20% of its goal.
