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Doin' The Holiday Drag at Wildrose, December 23, 1989
Venue
Wildrose
Date1989
Mediumpaper (fiber product); ink
DimensionsOverall (HWD): 14 × 8 1/2 in. (35.56 × 21.59 cm)
Credit LineMoPOP permanent collection
Object number1995.91.1417
Text EntriesThis copy of a handmade poster advertises a holiday drag show at the Wildrose, Seattle’s only lesbian bar, on December 23, 1989. The Wildrose is one of the oldest lesbian bars on the West Coast, and now the only one north of Los Angeles. Located in the Capitol Hill neighborhood at 1021 E Pike, five women opened the doors of the Wildrose on New Year's Eve, 1984, and Bryher Herak (b. unknown) was soon running the bar by herself. Martha Manning became a bartender at the Wildrose in 1997 after moving from the East Coast, and she purchased the bar with her coworkers in 2000, one of whom Shelley Brothers bought out in 2002, and the last of which Manning and Brothers bought out together to become co-owners in 2005. The bar was originally only open to women, but since the two took over the ownership of the Wildrose, it has been open to all. Over the years, the Wildrose has hosted DJs and musicians from across the US, with an emphasis on local and LGBTQIA+ artists. Inside the bar there is a rose mural, painted by local artist Takiyah Ward (b. unknown).
Pink poster with printed text and images, outlined in black marker, with additional hand-written text. Largest text at the top reads: “Wildrose Examiner, doin’ the holiday drag, and December 23, Saturday, 9 pm, $4.” Wildrose is hand-written beneath. On the left, a large image of a person’s head is collaged onto a body with a microphone in the right hand, a button up shirt, jacket, black pants, and a studded belt, with a hand drawn Santa hat and surrounded by bubbles drawn in marker. Other text reads “enquiring minds want to know” and “is it a woman? Is it a man? Find out December 23!” A cut-out photo of Elvis is captioned “Elvis is alive! Liberace returns! Jimi jams! Only at the Rose!” An “exclusive” reads “Frank Sinatra makes a guest appearance at 9 pm,” and a “rare interview,” next to an image of a man in a large suit jacket reads “read as she bares all: ‘my life as a man!’” In the lower left corner, text reads: “A man! Audition for the show Saturday Dec. 9, Wildrose, 1:30-4:30, bring a tape to lip sync. A polished performance is not necessary for the audition. Be there if you dare!”
CopyrightThis Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s). For more information, see http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/
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