TriVersity's got talent!
Milford. The Other Erik, Cookie Doe, and Beardonna got the awards, but everyone was a winner at Saturday's "Share Your Heart" dance and talent show. The event honors the memory of Linda Troise, a supporter of the TriVersity Center for Gender and Sexual Diversity and the Ecumenical Food Pantry of Pike County. The evening's proceeds benefited the pantry
Milford /
| 25 Feb 2020 | 05:20
From left: John Henry Watson, Wendy Stuart Kaplan, and Belle Pepper (
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Steven C. Teague-Bloomer and Wendy Stuart Kaplan sing the Sonny and Cher classic "I Got You Babe" (
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Beardonna (Rob Donadio) (
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Belle Pepper (
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Belly dancer Sherri Pavone Vanhouten (
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Cookie Doe (Michael Vogt) (
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Sugar! James Angelo Campistrous, one of three judges (
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Mark Van Allen (
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Steven C. Teague-Bloomer and Sue Keller sing a duet from "The Phantom of the Opera" (
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Joana Duffy Dutcher (
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Joe Ferry Band (
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Victoria Parker (
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Robynn Summer (
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Dr. Michael Wright and Father Van Bankston (
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Steven C. Teague-Bloomer, president of TriVersity (
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The crowd at TriVersity's talent show (
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The judges at the table (from left): Matthew Gerard King, Sugar! (James Angelo Campistrous), and Olivia ("Liv") Zinn (
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The Other Erik -- singer-songwriter Erik Krieg and keyboardist Patrick Worster -- ran away with TriVersity's talent show, held Saturday at The Best Western in Matamoras.
The first-place winners performed their original song "Shamelessly." Kreig taught himself to play guitar at age 17 and sang "horribly and constantly until it wasn't so horrible anymore," according to the program. Words to live by!
Worster's dream since age three was to be the organist for the New York Yankees. "Together they create a musical experience that is as dark as it is refreshing," the program says.
Runner-up Cookie Doe, the drag persona of Michael Vogt, performed Taylor Dayne's "Tell it to My Heart." This performer, actor, comedian, and "fashion icon from Newton, New Jersey" is currently serving out his reign as Miss Drag Stanhope 2020.
Runner-up Beardonna, "the one and only Parody Bear Extraordinaire!" and an award-winning cosplayer, performed "I'm a Moe." Beardonna is "fueled by his love of singing, making people laugh and the deep desire to make crazy costumes as cheap as possible."
The talent show at the annual "Share Your Heart" dance was held in honor of Linda Troise, an early supporter of the Upper Delaware GLBT, predecessor to the TriVersity Center for Gender and Sexual Diversity. She also supported and worked at the Ecumenical Food Pantry of Pike County and initiated Milford's "Share the Harvest" and "Share Your Heart" fundraisers that continue the spirit of her work. Triose was an administrative assistant the Church of the Good Shepherd. All proceeds from the talent show benefit the food pantry. Triose died in 2011 from cancer.
The packed room on Saturday featured two bars and a menu of gourmet appetizers available to order from the roving wait staff. Sitting in front of the state were the three judges for the evening: Sugar! James Angelo Campistrous, Olivia "Liv" Zinn, and Matthew Gerard King. Steven Teague-Bloomer and Wendy Stuart Kaplan hosted the event and also did a number, the Sonny and Cher classic "I Got You Babe."
The fun continues at TriVersity's prom on April 18, also at the Best Western. This year's theme is "A Speakeasy and Roaring 20's Ball." For more information visit TriVersity on Facebook or triversitycenter.org.
Performances:
Wendy Stuart Kaplan and Steven C. Teague-Bloomer, "I Got You Babe" (Sonny and Cher)
Anita Lay, "When You’re Good to Mama" (John Kander and Fred Ebb)
Robynn Summer, "Has to Be" (Robynn Summer)
Sherri Pavone Vanhouten, "Theme from Hatari (Henry Mancini)
Marc Von Em, "Who are all these people (Marc Von Em)
Cookie Doe, "Tell it to My Heart" (Taylor Dayne)
Joana Duffy Dutcher, "Come to My Window (Melissa Etheridge)
Belle Pepper, "The Body Beautiful Mix (by various artists)
Joe Ferry, "Minnie the Moocher" (Cab Calloway)
Matt Stevens, "Magic and Escapes"
The Other Erik, "Shamelessly" (The Other Erik)
Sue Keller and Steven C. Teague-Bloomer, "All I Ask of You" (Andrew Lloyd Webber and Charles Hart)
Qween Pashmeen, "Do Right" (Kansas Joe McCoy)
Beardonna, "I’m a Moe" (a Beardonna parody)