Nathan’s motto is ‘Don’t dream it, be it!’ and so he’s not only teaching the children of tomorrow, no, he also takes to the stage in theatrical productions and is even taking his first steps in drag. Probably the nicest drag fan we’ve ever met, he’ll bring you reviews and recaps of the best shows in Birmingham and all over the UK.
Get to know Nathan below:
What’s the story behind the chosen photo?
In 2016, I joined a local amateur dramatic group for the musical Chess. I was lucky enough to get one of the lead roles in the show and this was my cast photo. It is probably one of my favourite pictures of me!
Fave Ru Girl:
Well, that’s easy! It has to be the amazingly talented and beautiful Phi Phi O’Hara.
I actually really liked her on season 4 and then when I met her, she was so sweet, not just to me, but also to the other people who met her. She greeted everyone with a huge hug and you could tell she was being genuine and wanted to meet people.
I also love her online presence and how she treats her fans. Anyone that uses her position for good and raises so much money for charity is someone that should be celebrated and deserves all the nice things in the world.
Fave local queens people must check out:
Well to be honest, the town I’m from is a bit of a dry area for drag but there is a drag scene opening up in Cheltenham which isn’t too far away.
I really like Paul Aleksandr from Birmingham. I was first introduced to him at Bendelacreme show and was blown away by his look and performance.
I’ve seen him a couple of times now and always come away feeling like I witnessed something truly special. He is such a lovely person when you meet him too and easy to talk to. That goes a long way in my eyes.
I’m desperate to see Drag Punk perform live. I’ve met Amber who is stunning. I love the fact that female drag is becoming more popular and it’s so important to see that aspect. Why shouldn’t these already beautiful ladies be accepted in the drag rainbow!
Fave RPDR season and why:
This is a tough question. I like a lot of different aspects from different seasons. If you are forcing me to choose, I would have to say Season 4. There were a lot of strong competitors on this season that have gone on to use this platform for bigger things. I mean, we got introduced to queens like Phi Phi, Sharon, Latrice, Willam, Chad, Jiggly! There was so much drama in this season and I personally think it has to be one of the best.
Best drag M&G memory:
I’ve been lucky enough to meet quite a few queens but I think my absolute favourite has to be Phi Phi O’Hara. She greeted me with the biggest and warmest hug and then started looking at all my tattoos and asking about them.
She had put on twitter a few days before that she was looking for a Frank N Furter Funko Pop! I had a spare so I took it with me along with a Columbia one too as I also had a spare of her too. After she’d stopped looking at my tattoos, I asked her if she was still looking for Frank, which she was, so I gave her it and then she said she only needed Columbia to complete the set. When I took her out of my bag, Phi Phi’s face was shocked then lit up into the biggest smile.
It was so random that I took both with me. Phi Phi hugged me and asked if I was sure she could have them to which I said yes. She was so appreciative and lovely.
What do you do in your ‘Non-Drag’ life?
Well, my job couldn’t be further from drag as I’m a teaching assistant in a first school. I work with 6/7-year-olds and love my job so much. No day is ever the same and something always happens that makes me laugh and smile. It’s also brilliant being a male influence for some of the kids that maybe don’t have that at home.
I am part of an amateur dramatics group and have done a few shows over the years. I love singing so it’s a good outlet for that. I am a bit of a Rocky Horror enthusiast and have a huge collection of memorabilia. Any chance to dress up as characters from the show, I’m there and have even won 5 rocky horror fancy dress competitions. To counterbalance that, I’m also a bit of a nerd- visiting museums, going to the theatre and reading books.
I like to set myself little goals and challenges and try to do random things, for example, I started tap dancing last year, have been in a music video, and even did a straight wedding shoot. I’m obviously a better actor than I thought because people actually thought it was real!
Why you love drag:
For me, I love the theatrics of it all. You can be someone else for a while; a version of yourself that maybe you can’t be in everyday life. I did a drag catwalk show for a friends college course and loved not being ‘me’ for a few hours. It’s something I’m hoping to explore this year. It’s a way of escapism and freedom for me too. Going to shows/conventions, you just feel like you belong and that no-one judges you and it’s always such a lovely atmosphere.
Out of all the tattoos you have which is your fave and why?
What a tough question. Well, I have quite a lot of tattoos that all have little stories and meanings behind them. I love my right arm sleeve as it based on the song ‘Origin Of Love’ from the film Hedwig And The Angry Inch. The song is beautiful and the lyrics resonate with me- how you’re on this search for your other half. Google the song and lyrics and watch the film. Trust me, you won’t be disappointed.
A few other favourites are my anatomical heart on my chest, Frank N Furter portrait on my right leg and the pink triangle I have on my left chest. It is a gay symbol originating from concentration camps. All gay prisoners had a pink triangle put on their star of David. I wanted something that could start a conversation and educate people. See, I told you I was a nerd.
You’re a big musical fan, which one must people see in life?
Any chance of going to the theatre is a positive in my eyes and should be grabbed with both hands. Seeing Rocky Horror live is definitely something everyone should experience at least once in their lives. It’s basically an adult panto where you’re in the minority if you don’t dress up. At the opposite end of the spectrum is blood brothers but make sure you take your tissues. Other recommendations are Wicked, Rent, Kinky Boots, Everybody’s Talking About Jamie and Bat Out Of Hell.
What awful movie do you love?
Right, so this is a polarising one. I absolutely love Grease 2. I would even go as far to say that I prefer it to Grease. Controversial I know. There is no middle ground with this film though and I’m certainly on the love side. The songs are incredible and it’s so awful, it’s amazing.
How you met the DA girls:
Well, it honestly feels like I’ve known them forever. We started talking over twitter as part of a Dragworld group with the intention of meeting up there but for some reason, we didn’t manage to meet up. I did bump into Kirsty though as she was queuing for Jinkx and I was in the queue for Miss Fame. We had a little chat as she was nervous and then went our separate ways.
We all carried on talking and arranged to hang out at Dragtech in Manchester. In a bizarre twist of fate, we ended up staying at the same hotel. It was purely coincidence. I’m pretty sure I got my wires crossed and told them I was staying at a different hotel and it wasn’t til I was on the train to Manchester that we realized that we were staying in the same hotel.
I remember walking into the hotel lobby and seeing Kirsty and Bine sat there in the restaurant and that was the start of this beautiful friendship that grew so quickly over a couple of days we were there. We all sat and talked in the bar for hours. Haus of Gaywave was born right there.
Considering we’d never properly met before, we just clicked. It was almost like we’d known each other all our lives and I consider them some of my best friends. We talk almost every day and I would do anything I could for them if I could. I truly believe that fate bought us together at that point and I couldn’t imagine my life without them. When life gives you diamonds, you certainly keep hold of them. I am eternally grateful that they asked me to write for this amazing blog. Love you both so much.
You can find Nathan on Twitter via :@nathanvlost5
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