Well, you know you’re on the right track when news of your project riles the folks at Fox News enough for them to tell their national audience that your project constitutes “government waste.” The subject of such an accolade was none other than the latest offering by Philadelphia’s own John Jarboe and her Bearded Ladies Cabaret: Beards On Ice.
The accolade came about thusly: Every year during the winter holiday season, Fox News brings on arch-conservative Republican Sen. Rand Paul to present his “Festivus Report,” his list of what he considers the most egregious examples of government waste of taxpayers’ money. (Oddly enough, presidential golf trips never make the list.) It so happens that Jarboe had recently received a $10,000 grant from the National Education Association (NEA) to develop the new Bearded Ladies Cabaret show, “Beards On Ice,” which utilizes drag comedy to address issues of climate change. So, you’ve got 1.) public funding of the arts; 2.) drag queens; and 3.) climate change — the perfect trifecta for apocalyptic right-wing Republican outrage.
Bearded Ladies Artistic Director Jarboe described “Beards On Ice” to PGN as “an absurdist drag show which posits the impossible premise that if we can teach a group of drag queens to ice skate in under an hour, we can solve the climate crisis.”
“Beards On Ice” is described in the show’s press release as coming in two varieties: “Family Meltdown – A family-friendly afternoon romp for kids and kids-at-heart, and Beards on Ice: Still Edging – A PG-13, late night, no-holds-barred cabaret with a bit more edge!” The show also boasts performances at two different municipal rinks, Tarken Ice Rink in North Philadelphia (March 15-16) and Laura Sims Skate House in West Philadelphia (March 22-23). Audiences will be entitled to a free skate rental and one-hour long skating session after the performance (included in ticket donation), as well as hot chocolate and information tabling from several of Philadelphia’s cutting-edge climate justice organizations, including Physicians for Social Responsibility Pennsylvania, PennEnvironment and many others.
Jarboe explained to PGN how the concept of “Beards On Ice” has been percolating in the back of her mind for a long time. Jarboe admits that in her younger, butcher days, she played ice hockey as a child for more than 11 years. For years, Jarboe has wanted to do a drag show involving ice skating, so she teamed up with a friend who had a background in figure skating to collaborate on the story of “Beards One Ice.”
Jarboe says the production has been mightily helped by the Bearded Ladies’ partnership with Philadelphia Parks & Recreation. She praised the department extravagantly for their level of help and cooperation in producing this show.
If you go…
March 15-16 – Tarken Ice Rink, 6250 Frontenac St.
• Family Meltdown (all-ages), 4:30 p.m.
• Still Edging (PG-13), 8 p.m.
March 22-23 – Laura Sims Skate House, 210 Cobbs Creek Parkway
• Family Meltdown (all-ages), 4:30 p.m. (March 23 only)
• Still Edging (PG-13), 8 p.m.
Advance tickets by donation for the show ($0-$40) can be purchased at beardedladiescabaret.com. Donation tickets are also available at the door.