Beaulah: Queens van die Kaap star,Manila Von Teez. Picture: Instagram/@manilavonteez
Drag queen Manila Von Teez, real name Veon Wentzel, recently opened up about his drag journey, which has spanned fourteen years.
He currently stars on Showmax’s reality show Beaulah: Queens van die Kaap, alongside six other drag queens.
READ MORE: Meet the fabulous cast of Cape Town’s drag royalty ‘Beaulah: Queens van die Kaap’
Reflecting on his drag journey, Manila highlighted both personal and professional growth.
“I feel like my drag has evolved tremendously. I looked at pictures from when I started, and it’s actually scary. It’s not just how I look, but also how I view drag.
“I have such a deep passion for this art form. Personally, I have also matured and had a chance to experience what hustling is about. I’ve learned a lot since starting.”
Manila also admitted that being a drag queen is not cheap, emphasising that the financial demands of drag are substantial.
“Expensive is an understatement. Queens often perform in garments and wigs that cost a lot of money, so head to toe, it costs a pretty penny. I’m lucky that I’m able to make my own garments. Otherwise, I would be broke.”
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Manila said his performance concepts are driven by emotion. He explained: “For me, it always starts with a feeling a song gives me. I believe that the music needs to speak to me first before I’m able to translate that emotion to the audience.
“During this, I visualise costuming and choreography, and this could be anything from five minutes to eight months.”
He emphasised that passion is key to being a successful drag performer.
“What makes a great performer is the passion for not just drag but for being on stage, to be able to let someone buy into the fantasy you’re trying to sell during the performance.”
Manila encourages viewers to watch Beaulah to gain insight into the world of drag and the personal stories behind the performances.
“Sometimes, with all the performance of a drag show, people forget we are human, and we have hearts. You will see a lot of heart in the show.”
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