By Bruce-Michael Gelbert
On May 4, to celebrate the opening night of its season, the Ice Palace (re)introduced some of its stars in a gala show hosted by Miss Fire Island 2002 Ariel Sinclair, with DJ Chuck McTague assisting. Ariel, star of Thursday night’s Kamikaze Kabaret, opened the show with an impassioned “I was made for you,” and introduced new Ice Palace Entertainment Director Kenny Braun, who in turn introduced new bar manager Rob.
Miss Fire Island Entertainer of the Year 2012 Holly Dae, who will host a new show and contest, “Fresh,” on Tuesday nights, portrayed a dopy Miss South Carolina and offered “It’s a party in the U.S.A.” Miss FI 2009 Renée Flaming touted “(your) imagination” and proceeded to let us know she wanted sweets and a goose that lays golden eggs.
Singer Brandon Cutrell, host of Monday night’s Broadway at the Beach, beginning its eighth season on June 3, and, newly, of Tuesday afternoon Trivia, gave us a zesty taste of musical theater with a pairing of “Tonight’s the Night” and “Let’s Misbehave.” Singer Kenny Holcomb waxed intensely torchy with “Cry Me a River.”
Past Miss FI Entertainer of the Year Dallas Dubois, host of late Tuesday night’s Dallas Does the Palace, praised “Reading Rainbow” and segued into “I’m (gonn)a read that bitch!” Past Miss FI Logan Hardcore, who performs late on Thursday nights, declared “I’m a diva from head to toe,” hung from the rafters, did a split, and danced to “Let’s Have a Kiki.”
Lavinia Draper worked her own special zany magic singing “Valerie,” “I just want to make love to you,” and “Shine bright like a diamond,” introduced and stripped the new Palace bartenders, and brought Richard Kennedy, DJ for her Wednesday night shows, to the stage.
The evening ended with “’Cause I’m a Woman W-O-M-A-N,” a collaboration of Ariel, Holly, Dallas, Logan, and Lavinia.