Contact Details
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alexis_tential_crisis/
- Booking/inquiries: Jacobboulet22 @gmail.com
Interview Details
Date: Saturday May 23rd, 2026
Location: Uncommon Coffee in Essex VT
Length: 43:53
Episode Number: 69
Show Notes Link: https://vermonttalks.com/alexis-tential-crisis-drag-artist/
Short Link: vermonttalks.com/69
Transcript
Becca: What’s New 802? I’m Becca Hammond and you’re listening to Vermont Talks. Vermont Talks may include graphic or explicit content. Listener discretion is advised. Welcome to Vermont Talks. It’s the 69th interview of the show, which feels insane. Yay! And it is May 26, 2026, and we are at Uncommon Coffee in Essex, and it’s really cool here. And I am here with Alexis Tential Crisis, who is a drag artist and show producer who has been doing drag for two and a half years and is a native Vermonter who’s been here your whole life. Now, I’m also going to refer to you as Jacob, just FYI.
There might be some interchangeable naming in this, which is exactly what we’re here to talk about. You’ve been doing this for a while and you are iconic in Vermont’s It’s so sweet of you. You are so talented. You’re too sweet.
You are incredibly talented. Okay, I need to back up and say I got to see Alexis Tential Crisis at the Monkey House, and I think it must have been in 2024. I’m just thinking back.
Alexis Tential Crisis: Yeah, that was the first time I performed there.
Becca: It was just one of those like, we’re going to do something tonight. Hey, there is a drag show, let’s go to this at the Monkey House. And I was blown a friggin way. You sang, I don’t know if you call it sang or performed. You performed, woman?
Alexis Tential Crisis: Yeah, it was, oh gosh, why am I blanking on the name now?
Becca: It was so powerful though.
Alexis Tential Crisis: It was a message. It was just a message to everyone. I thought it would be a great place to just let people know, especially like with the current political situation that was going on at the time. I thought it was just be great to let everybody know that like, hey, we’re still here and we care about you and keep doing your thing.
Becca: Yes, that’s it. It was in November of 2024 after the election and we were all so upset. The vibe was so strange, but that show was so powerful.
Alexis Tential Crisis: It was a much needed. I think it was like the day after the election or a couple, it was the week of the election. And I just could feel the vibes of people being down. And so many people came up to me after the show and they’re like, we really needed that. And that’s all that I wanted. That made my night.
Becca: For me, it was such a powerful introduction to you. And I hadn’t gone to a drag show in like a decade in Vermont. So the first one I ever went to was at Zen Lounge before they closed. So yes, exactly. That’s it.
It’s been probably about a decade since they closed. So I just got named to it and I hadn’t met anyone, especially since I started the podcast. Like, wow, I really want to know more about how all of this works and comes together.
And I knew nothing about how to start asking these questions. So one of the questions I wanted to talk about is like, what’s the, what’s a non offensive way to refer to you? Because I don’t want to be, obviously, we’re all very supportive of the trans community or supportive of everybody. No one wants to offend anyone. And it sounds like it’s kind of a mix. Like people will refer to you as Alexis in your day to day.
Alexis Tential Crisis: Yeah, just ask. I mean, if you, that goes for anyone, you know, anyone who, even non performers, if you are unsure or unconfident, and I mean, you never should assume, but just ask. That’s it. Simple as that.
Becca: So you have been a Vermont for your entire life. And I have creeped on you a long enough to know that you have come from the northeast area of this state, which I also come from Franklin County. What was, what was that? Like, when did you decide, Hey, I’m going to do drag in Franklin County?
Alexis Tential Crisis: Well, I started out, I mean, I live in Heinsberg currently, but I mean, I just do drag like pretty much all over the state. I’ve been down in Montpelier, down in Rutland over in St. John’s Berry, Berry city, but St. Albans just didn’t have a lot going on up there.
And that’s why we kind of decided that was like, that’s an area that might not get enough attention. So I think it was especially special for me to go up there and share that world with everyone over there.
Becca: Did you do a performance in St. Albans recently that I missed?
Alexis Tential Crisis: So there was a Pride ball. It was a fabulous Franklin County drag ball put on by Menace. That was, that was like a wicked Pride show. And, and then I was there the year before for Pride. I also put on my own variety show up there.
Becca: Yeah, that’s the one I remember. Yeah, the variety show. That was one that I put on and produced, but I didn’t host it. Yeah, I wasn’t hosting quite yet. I’m still getting into that. But yeah, that was the very first show that I produced and that was a lot of fun. The shows are so much fun from the beginning to the end and doing something like hosting, I’m sure is this like extra added level of stress because if you’ve never been to a drag show, the performers put their whole heart and soul into this, not everyone, but some people, like Central Crisis especially, you are putting so much effort into your look into just everything in the way you’re presenting yourself and even to do one performance, I’m sure is a lot like right, like one or two songs is a lot. Being the host though, you’re like on all night, you’re on for hours.
Alexis Tential Crisis: You are in charge of the mood of the room the entire night. You know, you’re in charge of whether there’s awkward silences or you’re in charge of whether something’s smoothed over. People paid to have a great time and you are responsible for that and for most of it.
Becca: Yeah, oh yeah. And beyond just the keeping it going, just the jokes and the entertaining aspect of just not letting it, which I think any performer, the band struggle with this, like what do you say to the crowd constantly as you’re switching stuff out and just keeping, that’s it, do you want the vibe to go down? Is it going to be a serious moment or are you just going to keep it light and airy? It’s all up to you. All up to you. Like that’s a lot of pressure to put on yourself.
Alexis Tential Crisis: I’ve watched people, I still haven’t hosted in my two and a half years. Like I’ve stepped in and taken the mic. I have not posted a show from start to finish, but I have constantly just been taking notes and like you have to have like a little roster of notes in the back of your head of like, okay, I forgot what I was going to say next.
So let’s go back to this and then you ask, go back to ask me audience like a random question. You’re like, where are my cancer signs at? Where’s my Aquarius?
Where are my water signs? Like, you know, just they love interaction and yes, it definitely helps to have a little note, few notes in your head to fall back on.
Becca: Yes, but that’s, that’s nice when you can watch other people kind of work on this. And that’s, yeah, what’s fun for me is for my so small, we’re such a funny little stay in that we’re really small. We have a lot of communities, like every community, but the communities are like pretty narrow and small and everyone just seems to know each other. Yeah. And it’s nice when you can lean on previous hosts, previous event organizers who kind of figured this out, but also help them keep that community going. Is there a specific entity or group of people like, hey, I want to get involved in dry? What did, what did they do? What did you do?
Alexis Tential Crisis: Well, I, how I got involved in drag was my partner at the time was hosting shows and I didn’t want to go to them. I was like, no, drag queens are mean. And I just, I don’t know why I wasn’t interested, but eventually I said yes to going to your show and I, his sister sat next to me in the audience and was like, do you ever see yourself doing this?
I was like, no way. And three days later, I was in drag. Like I went to old gold in Burlington, Vermont and I bought some outfits and I got some hair and I got some makeup from the drug store and I just made it happen. Like I watched a few videos and it was, it was a fun night. And since then I just got involved in like I messaged those people who I saw on stage and they brought me down for a show in Rutland and you just start meeting more people in the community and you meet hosts and you meet, you go to more shows and you just meet people. It’s all about networking. Right.
Becca: And kind of seeing what’s out there too. Like what, because you can do anything with drag. Drag is really interesting and like, what do you want it to be? Because you can pretty much do. Absolutely.
It’s very creative. One of my friends, I’m not sure if he wants me to mention last time, I’m not going to name names, but there was a drag show, I think maybe also at the Monkey House, but years before they had done something with like the Virgin Mary and had all the skin.
Alexis Tential Crisis: Oh my God. I know what you’re talking about. I’m sorry, but that cannot be forgotten.
Becca: What do you want your message to be? Right? Because man, you can, you can say something about religion. You can say something about the music scene. You can say something about politics.
Alexis Tential Crisis: Like what? Absolutely. It’s all about messaging. I mean, at the end of the night, you’re still an entertainer, so it still needs to be entertaining. I mean, I think, I think that’s kind of the basis of it. Right.
Becca: The baseline, it’s just going to be something interesting. It’s going to keep somebody watching you. Yep. But you can do pretty much anything you want. The performance piece of it. Like that’s it. It’s almost like acting. It’s acting with so much the art aspect of like how you present yourself.
I’m always so blown away at the makeup at drag shows because I love putting on makeup, but I put on like not that much makeup and I do not do anything fancy and oh my God, the like cut creases and like perfect wings.
Alexis Tential Crisis: It’s a lot of man to cover up. It looked like a woman.
Becca: But it’s beautiful. That’s honestly some of the drag artists. I’m like, I would never know you were a drag artist. If I ran into you out at the club or something, I would never know. Absolutely beautiful.
Alexis Tential Crisis: Love it. Cool. Love it. That’s the point. Illusion. You want to get into this.
Becca: Just get into it basically. Interesting scenes in Vermont. I love that this happens in Rutland. Rutland’s a magical, weird little city. Vegas. Yes. The queer community of Rutland is kind of amazing to me because there’s I feel like northeast areas, the northern parts of the state, we feel a little repressed. That’s how I felt growing up up there. I’m like, we feel a little repressed. We’re just not as open. Totally open. Yeah. Oh my God. Same small town feel though. That’s what was weird about Rutland. Feels like Vermont feels not like Chinden County. Strong feel.
Alexis Tential Crisis: It’s changing for sure. I’ve heard that it didn’t always used to be this way. But I think it’s coming around.
Becca: Yeah, definitely. We got to play the last, I think it was the last night at Bailey’s place with my band. The people who showed up and danced. It was such a wonderful life. And I hope they and that, you know, it continues and they’re got, there’s
Alexis Tential Crisis: some more venues coming. I know they need some, they need a gay bar that can stay open down there. Yes, they do. I don’t, or just a queer space in general.
Becca: Yes. Yes. We need more of these spaces. I know Burlington has them. That’s for sure. Chinden County is almost like a weird, little isolated part of the state. I will say where it’s magical. Yeah. You can do anything you want. It’s hard. Okay. All right. So organizing events since you are now helping do this. And what did you refer to it as? You said that you’re organizing, but you’re also producing, producing the events. Tell me about that. Cause I’m sure, is it like herding cats? Is it? Oh my God.
Alexis Tential Crisis: I mean, honestly, not that you say that. Wow. I mean, there’s a lot that goes into it. Again, something that I’ve just like constantly watched and taken notes over the past two and a half years. There’s advertising that you have to think of, you know, you’ve got to get a cast together, you know, courting the cats. Everyone deserves pay. You’ve got to work that out with the venue. Communicate. You’ve got to make sure that there’s accommodations, you know, they’re half the part, half of our art form requires having a space to change and get ready and do costume changes, makeup changes, you know. So you’ve got to make sure and set that up with the venue. They’re set up beforehand, the actual show. There’s making sure and you have like photos and videos of the
Speaker 3: show again, social media advertising, just showing people like, Hey, this is what it’s like. Come, have a great time.
Becca: So do you have that goes into it? DJ? Or do you go? Okay.
Alexis Tential Crisis: All right. Yep. The, usually like to have someone taking care of musical by themselves. I mean, it’s not unheard of when you see the host also doing the music, but it’s always preferred to have another DJ. Yes. Yeah. A little, a little smoother, a little more consistent.
Becca: And then you get to bring another artist into the show too. So it’s not all about, you know, the Queens and Kings and drag artists. You’re also bringing a DJ.
Becca: Yes. Showing the talents. Yes. I can see a DJ actually putting some really interesting transitions together. If you guys had the time to work through that. Oh, I like these ideas. I was blown away, honestly, with how much happened at Monkey House at that show. That’s it.
My basis is based on two years old data. Right? You’ve got to get out there. There’s a lot to do in this. I do. I do need to get out of down now.
Alexis Tential Crisis: And I just want to make a quick note. There’s a lot of people who think that the scene is oversaturated and I see that part of it. But there are also so many people I meet who don’t even know that there’s drag shows going on in this area.
So I would really challenge the other artists in my area to try to reach out to those people who don’t know these shows are going on. Yeah. Because there’s so many of them. Yes. So many. And I mean, I know it feels saturated.
And it feels like there’s maybe too many shows going on or, or they’re all going around on in Burlington, but try to reach out to those people who don’t know that these shows are going on. Yes.
Becca: Yes. And the, I think we get in these weird little bubbles. I blame social media for this. Social media openly admits Facebook for a lot. They openly admit that you only get to see 30 of your friends posts.
Alexis Tential Crisis: You know, they really target what you’re seeing. So if you aren’t already liking those types of posts, it’s not going to show you those things.
Becca: You’re just literally not going to know. You’re not going to see the advertising. And it’s funny because even if you’re one niche and you have 200 friends who are all posting similar stuff, you’re not seeing all their stuff either.
Even if it’s like the same content you’re following, they’re just narrowing the scope so they can feed you advertisements. So easy to miss. So easy to miss stuff. The stories help a little bit, but not that much because they’re also putting ads in stores.
Alexis Tential Crisis: There is this new button on Facebook that I always press now. Like instead of feed, I go to friends and it shows me only posts for my friends. Like it filters out the ads, but still, I mean, you are only seeing a portion of your friends.
Becca: Are you seeing old posts on that? We’re getting off in the weeds, but I keep seeing events that happened last week.
Alexis Tential Crisis: I think it runs out of how many people have posted and it’s like, I’ll show you some old stuff.
Becca: Yeah, it drives me nuts because I am very into the local music scene. And that’s it. I miss other stuff that’s not directly targeting any paper, paper advertisements, posters. Oh my gosh, if you can hang posters, if you can find the band with the hang posters for your drag shows, you probably can see a lot more people.
Alexis Tential Crisis: I did for this show I’m doing in June. I printed out some posters and it’s not cheap, but it goes into, again, you’ve got to filter this all into cost. You’ve got to make sure that people are profiting, that even you’re profiting and not spending money.
Becca: Yes, and just the time to walk around and put punk screws up is a lot. Like that’s a long situation. It’s a dedication thing, yes, definitely. It is hard to get the word out though, but you’ve got to tell your friends about it.
Alexis Tential Crisis: I’m challenging myself to try to reach out to different groups of people and figure out different ways of advertising.
Becca: Yeah, yeah, because that’s it. They really just want your money on Facebook.
Alexis Tential Crisis: Yeah, I’m not paying for a boosted ad or anything. Yeah, no, don’t do that. Hasn’t worked in the past when I have done that.
Becca: No, and they don’t want it to either because they want you to keep paying. Once you make that jump, they don’t really want you to see huge profits or else they’re not going to get more money out of you. All right, so your next events, when are your next events coming up? You said you have a show in June.
Alexis Tential Crisis: Goodness, yeah, I have. Next week it’s in St. John’s Barrier’s Drag Queens in Space.
Becca: I saw something on Instagram about that.
Alexis Tential Crisis: I love the name. That’s a menace show.
Becca: And what day is that? Because this is going to come out on Tuesday, which is Tuesday, the 20th. 29th? 30th? I’m really bad at dates, apparently.
Alexis Tential Crisis: That’s okay. I can’t give you any indication of what date is either. So today is the 23rd.
Becca: So it is the 20th. Wow, I apologize, y’all. 23rd? Is it the 23rd today? Yes. Good Lord. It’s coming out on the 26th. Today is the 23rd. My intro is now wrong.
Speaker 3: Oh, no. I just realized.
Becca: That is totally okay. No worries. 26th, though. Tuesday the 26th, and this is coming out. So is the show coming after the 26th?
Alexis Tential Crisis: Yes. It’s on the 29th of May. Nice.
Becca: So that’s Saturdays? I think so. Wow, we’re really bad at this. Friday the 29th.
Alexis Tential Crisis: I promise I will be there, but I know when it is.
Becca: Friday the 29th. Which is good. Fridays are easier for people. Because…
Alexis Tential Crisis: Well, it depends. I mean, I’ve heard, I’ve asked the community more and some say Saturdays, but it’s different for everyone. It really is.
Becca: Just yes. I feel like you at least can get some of the, you know, work week people to come out on Friday. I’m sure for the actual artists, though, it’s a lot easier on a Saturday to get ready if you have to work on Fridays. True. How many hours does it take you to get ready?
Alexis Tential Crisis: I have a new… I beat my record yesterday. I got my entire face done in an hour and a half. Nice. And before that, it was like pushing about two hours. So maybe steps.
Becca: Yeah, you’re speeding it up. No, it comes out perfect.
Alexis Tential Crisis: And actually, no, and I was completely happy with it. So I was like, all right, that was a win. Awesome.
Becca: The more you do it, the faster it gets. But I’m sure that… And getting in some of these outfits, some of these outfits are wild. The straps and things that some people wear. I just need a zip. Yes, yes.
Alexis Tential Crisis: I think I’m always that queen in the dressing room. Can I get a zip? Can you unzip me? Can I get a zip?
Becca: Oh, you wore such a pretty dress that night too. I think it was the woman’s song. Yeah. Yeah, that was such a gorgeous ballroom dress.
Alexis Tential Crisis: Yeah, it was… I like looking. I like those kinds of dresses. Chain, man. 40 bucks.
Becca: Sounds like you do your own makeup. Is anyone helping anyone else do makeup? Are there any makeup artists around that are helping the drag artists? I know.
Alexis Tential Crisis: I don’t know anyone who’s advertising. I’ll help you do your makeup. But I think you can kind of ask anyone and just see if they’ll help you. It’s really up to the individual. I just think the best way to do it though is watch some videos and practice and just have patience. Right. And a good makeup remover.
Speaker 3: That doesn’t hurt your skin.
Becca: That is the world because if don’t rub your skin off trying to get your eyeliner off, that hurts.
Alexis Tential Crisis: Yeah, if you’re going to redo your eye four times in a night, have something that’s not going to make you red and swollen after.
Becca: Yes. Yes. And you mentioned old gold. Is that your primary? Or are you shopping everywhere? Where do you find your outfits?
Alexis Tential Crisis: Mainly online. Once in a while, I do. I absolutely love to go to old gold and support them because they’re a great store. Yeah, mainly AliExpress, Sheen, Amazon, other designers. I know there’s a drag swap community on Facebook where I’ve gotten a couple things and actually also sold a couple things. So just around. That’s interesting. I’ve had a few things passed down from drag friends. Right. Because I’m sure.
Becca: Do you repeat the same performance as ever? Or are you always doing something new every time?
Alexis Tential Crisis: I absolutely have like a roster of performances that are like my favorite and I feel represent me. I think sometimes there’s pressure in the drag community to like always have something new every time and not repeat performances, but Alexis
Becca: Tential Crisis, Jacob Becca Drag. Alexis Tential
Alexis Tential Crisis: Crisis, Jacob Becca Drag. And then I’ll, the costumes, like the third thing that’ll come last where I’m like, all right, what matches this concept and song. Yeah, that makes sense. And I, this is another thing I’m trying to challenge myself on recently is I’m very much a winged girl when I’m going on stage. I plan like maybe a few points throughout the performance where I know what I want to do. But the rest is just what I’m feeling because in the beginning, when I tried to choreograph the whole number, I was like, just focused on myself and kind of in my head on trying to make sure I hit all the moves.
And if I didn’t, I was disappointed. But when you focus more on the audience and get them included and, you know, do funny things with their dollar bills and like get out there and stop the choreography for a minute, then you become like more real and more vulnerable. And, and I think they can connect with you more when you’re doing that. Right. Right.
It’s organic. But I do want to have a little more choreography because when I’ve seen it happen and they really practice it, it’s really, really good. And you can tell that they put just that extra effort behind their number. So something I am challenging myself to do more. Yeah.
Becca: And I like the kind of both sides of it.
Alexis Tential Crisis: So I’m trying to find the right balance of it. Right. Like leave some room to breathe so the audience feels like they’re part of it. But the dance moves are so fun. Oh my gosh. It’s so much fun. You just got to get in that zone. I do that stuff before I started drag.
I did that stuff in my kitchen. So I was like, why not if people are going to love this seeing this, like why not go do it on stage though?
Becca: Definitely. So much fun. That’s it. I really, I need to get to another show. And where did you say? So Friday the 29th remind me again, where is that one located?
Alexis Tential Crisis: That one’s all the way in St. John’sbury. St. John’sbury. Over here at Uncommon Coffee on May 30th is the Essex Pride Afterparty. Perfect. And there’s going to be so many awesome artists coming. Yeah, that’s definitely an awesome show that you won’t want to miss. Come and support for Pride Month. Yeah, that’s awesome.
And that’s like back to back practically. Well, yeah, there’s the Essex Pride Festival. I’m pretty sure I’m going on at Maple Street. Maybe, maybe don’t quote me on that. I’m that’s usually what happens. Go look up for the instance. Yes, yes. Please go look up. Please go on the website and please buy tickets to the after party.
That would be great. What a cool venue to have that in. I have been to one show here before and yeah, it’s a great space. It’s so fun. Yeah, awesome space.
I’m excited about this. It’s performing here, though, so I’m curious. Yeah, I’m curious how they’re going to set it up too, but it’s plenty big. It looks great.
The pictures that I’ve seen. So yeah, and then I have two shows that I’m producing in June. Sparky’s Bar and Grill in Essex on June 12th. I am the host and producer of that show as well for the show at Sparky’s. That’s going to be Pizza Party, Mr. Cove, Amy Lee Celestial, Bethadone Clinique and myself with music by DJ Snakeman.
It’s going to be a great time. So I like the DJ’s names. It’s actually my dad. Oh, really? That’s awesome. He helps out DJing with the shows. So he has a lot of fun doing it. So yeah, they’re a good time.
Becca: If you just want to have a good time one night, low pressure, something different too. I feel that’s it. The music people just go to music shows. Go check out the music there too.
Alexis Tential Crisis: Usually dance party after. So you get music. Yes.
Becca: And you get entertained in a way that the bands love the bands. We are as entertaining in many ways as the track. Yes, we are not doing fancy choreography. Rarely will a band even move at the same time together. Fans are often too. Not not yet. Not knocking, not knocking at all.
Alexis Tential Crisis: But that’s we just try new things is all we’re saying.
Becca: Exactly. Try new things. There’s lots of fun stuff going on this day. And I love that it’s in St. Johnsbury St. John’s not exactly the most well known for interesting events.
Alexis Tential Crisis: All the more reasons all the more reason to get over there. I mean, all the more reason we are getting over there to give them that kind of show because they need it.
Becca: And there’s so many people. That’s it. Vermont we get with this weird little bubble of Chittenden County. Most of the state doesn’t really live in Chittenden County, though. Like most of us are very rural people who are driving an hour to go do anything.
If you’re out in the Northeast Kingdom, this is way closer than going to Burlington. Absolutely. We’re coming to you. Support it. Right. Go support.
In St. John’sbury on the 29th. Yes. So. Let me think. What is the other things?
There’s so many questions I had. But it sounds like I just always think of the people who are interested but haven’t quite figured out how to dip their toe in the water. And it sounds like reaching out and making friends is a great way to start.
Alexis Tential Crisis: Yeah, absolutely. Go to shows. If you want people to support you, then you’ve got to go and support them first. Yeah. So I go to as many shows as I can make it to. If I’m free, then I’m going to go and I’m going to support. And just don’t be afraid to ask for help. You know, I mean, you’re not on your own. You’ve got everyone in the community is everyone that I know, at least is willing to jump on helping someone and giving them advice. So all you need to do is ask, have the confidence to ask. Don’t be afraid.
Becca: It’s such a fun. I have fun with medium of expression.
Speaker 3: I will send you the links to whatever, whatever it is you need, whatever, whatever supplies, whatever thing you need to glue down your wig or.
Becca: That’s it. There’s all these little details. It’s almost like being a contestant in a beauty pageant, but you do this so often.
Alexis Tential Crisis: I don’t know how to compare to that. I don’t know if I can because I’ve never been involved in a pageant. I know that’s extremely involved. I don’t know if I can compare, but
Becca: I think you can know like from everything I’ve seen the amount of effort you’re putting into the way you present yourself, the way you walk, the way you’re holding your figure, like everything.
Alexis Tential Crisis: I’m definitely interested in like. I want to do one one day. I want to I would wait a little bit, but I’d be interested in doing one one day or just seeing what goes into it because I know there’s so much.
Becca: Is that thing that’s going to be a pageant world? Absolutely. Well, pageant drag.
Alexis Tential Crisis: Oh yeah. There’s something called a pageant queen. I feel like I feel like I’m kind of between that and like. Oh, that would be funny. Comedy queen.
Becca: This is an event idea. Pageant. Yeah.
Alexis Tential Crisis: We don’t have pageants here in Vermont. We used to, but it’s been a long time.
Becca: Yeah, that would be actually really interesting because then you could kind of see all of the drag queens as many as we could get.
Alexis Tential Crisis: We definitely would need a king pageant, too. Yes. Oh, it should almost be a combined.
Becca: It really should. Well, yeah, you could say like two for one event. Exactly. Well. Well, I didn’t quite realize the there’s this weird overlap with the burlesque people of Vermont, which I know nothing about. Where is are you? Do you consider yourself remotely burlesque? Where is this lying to you? Not personally.
Alexis Tential Crisis: I mean, I think. Oh gosh, I don’t. You asked me to like describe burlesque like to me.
Becca: Well, yeah, just in your opinion, I’m not a burlesque artist. I don’t know if I can. I touched it. I don’t know if I can. The mic. You’re OK. I don’t know if I can. Go there, but. It’s a style of dance, right? Like, I feel like that may be the line.
Alexis Tential Crisis: Gosh, maybe I don’t know. I’m testing my definition. I mean. I think it definitely does have to do with dance. Wow, I need to. Yeah, I don’t know if
Becca: it’s a combo of my community more. Listen, outfits and the dance style. I definitely consider ourselves like part of the same community, though. I mean, even though it’s we all have different talents, you know, I just we’re all part of the same community. So it absolutely is very intertwined. Right. Yes. See, I feel like there are classes in burlesque. Yes, there are not classes in drag that I have seen.
Alexis Tential Crisis: Yes, there are. Are there in Vermont? Yes, there are. Tell me about this. This is what I want to know. Red Rum. I know that they they do classes. They do they do performance classes.
I’ve actually been invited to one before to like judge the final pieces that the artists had to show and then give them advice on their final performances. And I know that they I think they’ve done two so far. And I know that they plan to do more. So if you want to and their beginner classes, too. So like this is a great chance if you this is another way to dip your toe in the water, reach out to Red Rum. All right, these figure out the next time they’re doing the classes. That’s absolutely worth it.
Becca: Where where are they located?
Alexis Tential Crisis: They do the show the show the. The class usually at Lines, Vermont, which is in South Burlington.
Becca: Well, that’s really awesome. See, that’s that’s just the kind of thing I just don’t know enough about this community. Follow that. But yeah, they follow Red Rum, if you’re interested. I bet they’re sharing all of the shows and just trying to keep everything organized. It’s so hard to keep the events organized in my brain. There’s we have calendars.
Alexis Tential Crisis: I got it in my calendar. Yeah, there’s there’s seven days calendar. I don’t know that these events are getting in the seven days calendar, but. Red. Say it again. Red. Red Rum. Rob. R-H-E-D-D-R-H-U-M.
Becca: OK, I’ll put a copy that would down. We’re going to like that. That’s going to get linked on the show notes page because that’s it. I want to help bolster this.
Absolutely. So that everyone can actually go out know about the shows and actually get out to them. Because I personally want to do that more because I had so much fun last time. OK, all right. Well, now I have another thing on my to-do list, which is to find someone in a burlesque community who wants to tell me. Yes, you should.
Yes, you should. I also, if you’re an artist, I want to help you as well. Because other things that I wanted to ask you about. The messaging because I know we touched on this, but the messaging of how powerful all of this is and the act, like just the expression of the art form. This has to mean a lot to you, right? You wouldn’t put this much effort into something like this if it didn’t mean a lot to you.
And I really do. They’re drag artists. Like this is not.
I don’t know. It is fun. And it can be really goofy, but like this is very serious to the people who are doing this. This means a lot to you.
If you. Is there anything important about this community? Like what what means the most to you? What do you think helps the community out? Like, well, what can people who are not in drag do to help support you?
Alexis Tential Crisis: If you are going to shows, you know, without your phone, take some photos and videos. If that’s allowed, tag it on social media. I know now everything’s not about social media, but even just sharing the word, you know, even word of mouth, you know, remembering people’s names and letting them know or encouraging other people to go to shows saying, if you’ve never been, you know, I had so much fun, you know, share people’s posters again, just helping get the word out. Right.
Becca: What I touched on about the 30 friends thing, your 30 friends and my 30 friends are very even if we’re friends with the same people, we’re probably seeing different people’s posts. So yeah, yeah, share, share. Because when you say, Hey, I went and supported these artists, your friends are like, what do you mean?
They hadn’t gone to it. So yeah, it may feel silly, but social media is actually the chain going. Yeah, keep that chain going and bring your friends to shows. If they’re sure gone one, drag your friends to one of these because you might be shocked at how much fun it is.
I kind of did that to some of my friends when we were like, what are we going to do tonight? Oh, there’s no, you know, there’s no gigs playing. There’s a drag show at the monkey house. We’re going to that. They’re like, OK, all right. And we all had such a fun time. So drag them to the show.
Alexis Tential Crisis: Seriously. It just I love changing people’s minds when I that’s like one of my favorite things that I see happen at the shows. Besides people laughing and being joyful is like if there’s someone’s first time at the drag show that night, they’re never going to miss another one. Like they were just so they had no idea that it was this much fun. And I just love seeing that light go off in their head when they just discovered something new and I love being a part of that or even just witnessing it.
Becca: It’s it’s so cool. Crowd at these is so like happily involved.
Alexis Tential Crisis: That is another way that you can support is like cheer because we feed off your energy. So like if you’re going to go to a drag show, expect to leave there without a voice. Just kidding. Don’t hurt yourself. But for sure, just show your support with with laughter and cheering. Yeah.
Becca: Very, very aggressively involved crowds at the drag of it. That’s what I mean about having a good time. You’re not going to not have a good time. Absolutely. Do you guys sell merch of any sort because I had this vision of like trading cards like your headshots?
Alexis Tential Crisis: Oh my gosh. No, I wait. There’s something like this, not trading cards. I know Emoji Nightmare has this guess who game with all of the like drag artists in Vermont. And I thought that was so funny. That’s adorable. I don’t know how she got it or she made it, but.
Becca: That’s the right idea. I don’t have much right now. I am working on it. I actually just had Prisma Pallet, another local artist who painted me on a canvas and it’s amazing. And I’m planning to make planning to make it into some merchandise very soon. So that is coming up.
That’s exciting. Message me and let me know if you want something specific because I’m still deciding what I want for merch. Yeah, you can get so many different things. No, it’s like, what do I do? It’s overwhelming trying to pick things as someone trying to, you know, put art on anything because you can buy shoes now. You could buy shoes with your face on.
Alexis Tential Crisis: My gosh, you could probably stay around longer than a button.
Becca: But I love the headshot idea, though, because honestly, just because it would help me keep track. Yeah, like a deck of cards with with us on it. Right. I think the band should do this too. It’s an artist trading cards and like visual artists have been making them. And I’ve been seeing them doing that, but I just had that vision of like the drag artists should have them. The band should have them.
Literally everyone should have their like face. So fun. That’s such a good idea. Yeah, to put the stack of them. Love this idea. Okay. I love that you have merch too, like that or it’s coming.
I love that this is pending. That’s it because you want to support the bands or I was like, buy merch. That’s that’s immediately what they say is just buyer stuff.
Right. Drag artists don’t have stuff the same way. So I’m really curious why you’re going to come up with for merch. I can see your face on a shirt though, for sure.
Alexis Tential Crisis: So we’ll see. We’ll see. See what happens.
Becca: So cool. Okay. So anything that I’m seeing. So anything that you want to talk about? I feel like we’ve talked about a lot of different things that I had in my mind. I think it’s hard.
Alexis Tential Crisis: I think one last thing I want to say about this community is and why I love it so much is because I feel like it’s. It’s not like a lot of other places.
I’ve seen examples of drag in other cities and other states and it just feels like there’s this air of competition and that is just not in the air around here. You know, we’re all on the same platform and when you raise someone else up, you’re raising yourself up at the same time is what a wise queen once told me, Carmen, get it. Don’t be afraid to support other people. You know, sometimes you might feel that jealousy in your, you know, in your, in your brain or in your heart, but supporting them and cheering for them and clapping for them only supports you too. Yeah.
Becca: So yeah, that’s a beautiful message and incredibly true. Because I was watching something about artists earlier today and how people are so scared to steal from each other, but it’s not stealing if you’re not literally taking the exact same thing and doing it in the exact same way. Be inspired by the community and absolutely. Yeah. It’s all about the flow. For what’s really good for that, we’re all about the love. I think so.
Alexis Tential Crisis: I don’t feel any competition around here. I think that we do a good job supporting each other.
Becca: So we need to keep it up. The hardest part is finding each other. Yeah, we’re all out there. It’s rule state. Once you find each other, though, just try and keep in touch. That’s really important because it’s easy to lose track of each other in social media. Yes. Yes. OK, so come out to the show Friday 29th in St. John’s Berry at where’s the location? Sam’s Listening Bar. Sam’s Listening Bar. Perfect. And then the 30th at Uncommon Coffee here in Essex.
Alexis Tential Crisis: Awesome.
Becca: And what was the, you had mentioned the June one? Sparky’s Barn Grill.
Alexis Tential Crisis: That’s also an Essex Junction. I also have a series of shows that I started. It’s called One Night Only and that goes on at El Gato Catina and Essex Junction. And my birthday roast show is going to be going on there on June 20th. So I’m going to have some other local artists come on and roast me on the mic. And there will also be performances. So nice.
Becca: Very cool. I love that you’re doing these events at all of these somewhat unconventional. The restaurants are really fun. I love that the cafe is doing this too. So cool. Got to make sure and get out there.
Yeah. And it makes it easier for you to get out there. When you can do events at places like this. Yeah. Where people go. Awesome. Okay. So your Instagram account, which seems to be, is that the nexus? Is that the place to send people? Pretty much.
Alexis Tential Crisis: Yeah. I tend to get more traction or traffic over there than, than on Facebook. So I would say, yeah, my Instagram is where to go find me at.
Becca: And that’s where you’re also sharing all of these event details as well. And that’s Alexis underscore, 10, Jull underscore crisis, which will also be linked on the show notes for today, which this one’s Vermont talks.com slash 69 because this is the 69th interview, which is amazing.
Lucky me. And reach out for booking inquiries as well. If you on Instagram, is that okay? Absolutely. Yeah. Perfect. That works for me. Check it.
Yes. Which if you want your event to have some spark and some fun and some guaranteed laughs, get a drag queen. Oh my God. I love drag so much. This makes me really happy. This makes me extremely happy and I’m really sad, but I have a gig on the 20th, but I can’t be there for that show.
Alexis Tential Crisis: Oh, no, dang it. Dang it. Make it to every single one. I was going to say, but you have four of them already lined up in the next month. Oh, yeah. Many more. June is Pride month. It’s so busy for everyone. And like just people try to book as many as possible. So it’s some, you know, they try to give everyone a chance to get out there. They’re coming up.
Becca: That’s it. Nice. It’s nice whether it’s warm.
Alexis Tential Crisis: Get out to a drag show. Do it. Okay. What else?
Becca: Okay, Jacob, thank you so much for coming on the show. Thank you for having me. Alexis Stentul Crisis is beautiful. I love the entire art form. Thank you. And everyone, thank you for listening.
VermontTalks.com forward slash 69 is going to get you links to Alexis Stentul Crisis’s Instagram, as well as some other booking details and all of these events. And I think that’s it. Have a great day, everybody. Bye. Thanks so much for listening to the end of the show. Subscribe to VermontTalks on your favorite podcasting platform. You can find me on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, all over the web. Contact Becca at VermontTalks.com if you’d like to be interviewed or if you know someone who should be. Thanks so much to Jason Baker for creating the show music. The views and opinions expressed by the guests are those of the individuals and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of VermontTalks. Any content or statements provided by our gaster of their opinion and are not intended to malign any religion, ethnic group, club, organization, company, individual, anyone or anything. And that’s what was new in the 802. Have a great day.