Tag Archives: nana schewitz

Once and Future Queer Berlin: Chez Pansy is coming, if we help!

Mixed media drawing. Berlin drag producer Pansy performs at the inaugural Ringelpiez Berlin show at Theatre des Westens by Suzanne Forbes Aug 22 2023It 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!

Berlin drag producer and host Pansy at the Theater Des Westens. Pansy, a white drag queen, wears an elaborate gown and stands in the beautiful foyer of the Theater.

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.

Nana Schewitz performs at Ringelpiez Berlin by Suzanne Forbes Nov 6 2023Above, 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.

Drawing of Akynos, a curvacious Black femme, performing at Pansy's Ringelpiez Berlin by Suzanne Forbes Aug 24 2023Akynos 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!

Ixa Psyborg djs at Pansy's Ringelpiez Berlin by Suzanne Forbes July 26 2023Beautiful 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.

Missteak, a plus size nonbinary person, performs at the inaugural Ringelpiez Berlin show at Theatre des Westens by Suzanne Forbes Aug 22 2023First 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.

The last, for now, House of Presents show at Monster Ronsons.

Pansy at Halloween House of Presents show at Monster Ronsons by Suzanne Forbes Feb 25 2021Halloween 2020 seems like seconds ago, or years.

It seems impossible that Berlin nightclubs were ever open again. But for a short time last Fall, clubs were open, observing careful Covid protocols.

Beloved queer clubhouse Monster Ronsons changed its entire setup, creating a cabaret dinner theater with table service from the bar.

Pansy of Pansy’s House of Presents (in full Jessica Rabbit style at top) and Gieza of Gieza’s Poke House redesigned their stage shows, instructing the audience to clap instead of scream and politely nod to strangers instead of fingering them.

I feel like these drawings were some of the best I did from a livestream last year, because I was drawing performers I’d seen and drawn in real life, and they were performing in a space I know well, to a real audience.

I so much appreciate Pansy, Gieza and Nana making these shows accessible to folx at home by streaming them!

Lola Rose at Halloween House of Presents show at Monster Ronsons by Suzanne Forbes March 6 2021For the two nights of double-header Halloween shows, the family of House of Presents created spectacular acts.

Lola Rose hit the stage to deconstruct a racist American caricature, Aunt Jemima- with a knife!

Naya at Halloween House of Presents show at Monster Ronsons by Suzanne Forbes Feb 25 2021Naya The Cisgenera had a powerful reading and a very sexy look.

Follow Naya on Instagram for humor, decolonization teaching and trans awareness.

Lolita Va Voom at Halloween House of Presents show at Monster Ronsons by Suzanne Forbes Feb 25 2021

Gieza decorated the stage with a monster theme, using old wigs!

Lolita Va Voom, above, shook it gorgeously. Always a joy to draw Lolita.

Lolita’s ongoing show with Nana Schewitz called Jews! Jews! Jews! is a treasure of Berlin.

Nana Schewitz is seen below, performing an interactive and hilarious act.

Nana Schewitz at Halloween House of Presents show at Monster Ronsons by Suzanne Forbes Feb 26 2021

Jews! Jews! Jews! has an online Virtual Queer Seder on March 28.

I am incredibly grateful to my Patreon Patrons, whose monthly financial support lets me keep documenting Berlin’s drag and burlesque performers while I work safely at home.