These were Leigh’s own words the weeks after the Pulse Nightclub shooting
His show is on at Hamgurber Mary’s in Orlando every Saturday.
Leigh was shaken and emotionally spent like all of us in the LGBT community.
I know it is a rough weekend to do this …..
But, just in case … please come see us.
MANY STARS of our Hamburger Mary’s Team this Sunday!
This will be HUGE!
Carol Lee, Chavela Belleza, Kirk Hartlage, Erika Dunlap, Ginger Minj, JB Burgos, Jeff Jones, Maya Andrews Nicky Monet, The Broadway Brunch Crew, The Minx, Tia Devine and more ….
This is a personal message.
Hope you can make it.
~Leigh Shannon~
Tomorrow, July 3, a fundraiser has been organized at the Cheyenne Saloon in Church Street Station, downtown Orlando.
All are cordially invited.
We hope that many are able to join the group and celebrate Orlando’s resilience and unity.
Who is Leigh Shannon?
Actor, Stand up, Comic, Female Impersonator Leigh Shannon who has more than 40 years in show business.
This iconic well known performer has celebrated many years in show business while wearing many hats.
He is a well known business man in Orlando and owns Ritzy Rags Wigs & More.
This is a local that store caters to a wide variety of people. Tourists for cosmetics, theatrical make up, wigs and more. Actors, clowns, female impersonators and many local entertainers shop there as well.
Song and lyrics by Dolly Parton
Light Of A Clear Blue Morning
Used for a fund-raiser for Pulse Night.
July 3rd,2016 United Forever
Hi there,
Please take a peek at new video Joey did.
It will warm your heart and break it at the same time.
I will be doing this number tomorrow at the fundraiser.
Thanks and have a happy SAFE 4th!
Sorry.
I struggled with posting this.
Someone sent this to me.
But, I do believe they may be just playing the game while trying to take away
“OUR RIGHTS”.
Hmmm …
Yes I struggled with it but you can see I came to terms with posting it.
Leigh
I dear friend of mine posted this grap this morning.
He mentioned that he struggle to post it.
I can’t give them a pass either!
These people are sub-human.
They know no shame.
Among other nefarious things, both of them have dedicated their strong efforts to put down, denigrate, disenfranchise and dehumanize the Florida LGBT community.
In my humble opinion, there’s no place for you, yourpresence, your empty words of comfort, during this sad time in the history of Orlando’s LGBT community.
Pack up your hypocritic selves and go back to where you came from.
I first became aware of this amazing performer a few years ago when a group of friends planned a gathering at Hamburger Mary’s in downtown Orlando.
We went there for fun, drinks and to watch a “show”.
Little did I know the impression that this performer would leave in me.
The talent is there for all to see, the humor, the personalities, the chamaleon ability to morph into to many different characters, the naughtiness … it goes on and on and on.
Needless to say, I fell in love!!
As I grew to know more about Leigh Shannon and saw more of this performances, the warm feeling in my heart for Leigh continued to grow.
In the time that I’ve known Leigh, I’ve learned about Ritzy Rags and More.
I’ve seen the movie “My Fair Lidy”.
I’ve seen the love that shines from Leigh’s heart and the need to help others.
I must say that I’m proud to consider myself one of many of Leigh’s friends.
Another year to celebrate …. and many more to come!
Actor, Stand up, Comic, Female Impersonator Leigh Shannon celebrates 41 years in show business.
This icon well known performer will be celebrating 41 years in show business while wearing many hats.
He is a well known business man in Orlando and owns Ritzy Rags Wigs & More. The store caters to a wide variety of people. Tourists for cosmetics, theatrical make up, wigs and more. Actors, clowns, female impersonators and many local entertainers shop there as well.
The store is best known for the help with high end wigs for Cancer Patients and people in need because of medical reasons.
He has been there since 1990.
His performances include a 7 year running Dinner Show at Hamburger Mary’s on Church Street in Orlando.
He has starred recently in three films shot in Orlando.
Has a #1 voted Celebrity Female Impersonator look alike show that has recently went to the Savannah Theatre at The Villages. That show was sold out in two weeks with over 950 ticket holders.
He is currently pitching a reality show called “Who The Hell Is Leigh Shannon?” that will show his Kentucky roots with parents that were not understanding and how he has made it to live his dream despite his father being in the KKK.
So while acting, directing, producing, narration work, doing stand up, he is loving his life. Please come and celebrate with him on Saturday, January 30th.
“I have been doing shows since 1976, starting when I was 17 years old.
My career in show business started in Louisville, Kentucky. I moved to Orlando 26 years ago (1987) and landed a job at the Parliament House (Orlando’s Premiere Gay Entertainment Destination) as a foot light player. I was at the PHouse for 4 years.
I decided is was time to move on and left there to win over 20 pageant titles. I was able to travel quite a bit across the nation and across Florida. After this, I became show Director at Southern Nights. This gig lasted for four years. I had the opportunity to work at AmEvening at LaCage as Patsy Cline and Stevie Nicks.
I continued traveling while starting my partnership with Nancy Gilman with Ritzy Rags Wigs & More in 1995. Went to work at Cold Keg in Melbourne, Florida, where I remained for 5 years. I also worked as director at Friday Nights.
I left “Friday Nights” and have become a 6 year running show at Hamburger Mary’s Orlando. With my Cabaret Dinner Show and Leigh Shannon’s Illusions IN Revue. The Illusions IN Revue has been feature in conventions, corporate events and the Hennegar Center in Melbourne, Florida.
I had the opportunity to produce, narrate, star and a feature film “My Fair Lidy” which is now out on DVD.”
Tonight we were celebrating with a dear friend. He started his professional career when he was 17 years old. He hasn’t stopped since. And, to top it all, today is Leigh Shannon’s birthday! There was no other place to be that at his venue: Hamburger Mary’s in downtown Orlando.
As always, the show was beyond compare. It’s an honor to be able to celebrate with Leigh these major achievements.
The show was superb. Pictures were taken. I will try to get some of them when they are posted in Facebook.
More to come …..
The Finest Female Impersonators at Hamburger Mary’s, Orlando Florida!
According to Wiki …
A female impersonator/drag queen is a man who dresses, and often acts, with exaggerated femininity. There are many different possible purposes to drag, personal reasons for doing drag will differ for individual drag queens. It is often done for the purpose of self-expression, performing and entertaining, and can also be mainly important as a creative outlet, a means of self-exploration or a way to make cultural statements. There are many kinds of drag artists and they vary greatly in dedication, from professionals who have starred in films to people who just try it once.
Drag queens also vary by class and culture and can vary even within the same cities.
I live in Orlando, Florida. There is a “hamburger joint” downtown, the very well know Hamburger Mary’s. They serve good food but my main reason for going there is for Leigh Shannon’s show.
Leigh and me have become cyberfriends. We connected at one of his shows and eventually through Facebook. We both have established a relationship based on mutual respect and admiration.
I was very happy to learn that my dear friend has ventured in the world of film. I kept track of the film’s progress through their Facebook Page:
An independent film with a fabulous flair has been released and it has ties to Central Florida. My Fair Lidy, a film by Sandwoman Films and Treat Yourself Films, had its world premiere at the StarLite Film Festival on January 23, 2014, at the Garden Theatre in Winter Garden.
~~MY FAIR LIDY~~
Starring: Christopher Backus, Leigh Shannon, Rus Blackwell
Written by: R. P. Simms
Directed by: Ralph R. Clemente
Executive Producer: Sandi Bell
Co-Producers: Ralph R. Clemente, Leigh Shannon
The comedy/drama revolves around a blue-collar macho man, Craig Lideman (“Lidy”, played by Christopher Backus, actor and husband of actress Mira Sorvino), who by chance meets a drag performer, Miss Sal, and as a result of that meeting, he falls into a job opportunity he couldn’t possibly predict — impersonating Marlene Dietrich!
The themes of acceptance and change are prevalent throughout the film.
~~Here you have the story line, in a nutshell~~
Ralph Clemente’s “My Fair Lidy,” is a film confirming the statement that you have to be true to yourself. It presents a story in which a working-class Florida youth embraces his feminine side to the consternation of his wife and redneck buddies.
Desperate to raise the $400 needed to afford a dental procedure to fix his wife’s “snaggletooth,” the handsome young mechanic, Lidy, exploits his resemblance to Marlene Dietrich to win a prize at a local drag bar. He even learns to approximate her distinctive voice.
~Christopher Backus~
While the drag performers support his new career choice, Craig Liderman-Lidy’s grease-monkey pals and intolerant wife are far less accommodating. When he finally figures out that his only true friends and family members are his fellow performers at the club, a giant weight is lifted off of his back.
If the story is entirely predictable, it’s also easy to enjoy the drag acts and judge them on their merits. Christopher Backus, a dead ringer for Guy Pearce, is appealing as the Lidy/Dietrich, while the real-life female-impersonator Leigh Shannon makes the most out of the supportive Miss Sal.
Knowing Leigh Shannon as the performer that he is, I wasn’t expecting any less than what I received. I was very impressed with the quality of the acting and the filming of this movie.
The storyline addresses several factors that are the reality in our daily lives: small town mentality, redneck culture in a small town in the south of Florida, “machismo” attitude in local men, limitations in health insurance issues, bullying and violence, envy, intolerance, discrimination, adaption and the ever present need in humans to do better and to face adversity with creativity. Human beings do what they need to do to meet the challenges in life.
The film very candidly portrays the resiliency of the human spirit and the inherent need to be yourself and do what your heart desires.
“The themes of acceptance and change are prevalent throughout the film.”
Kudos to Leigh Shannon and to the whole crew involved in the production, filming and acting of this independent film. Great job!
Take a look at the trailers below. Better yet, order your own copy. Visit their official website:
Just another traveler on life's highway hanging out in the slow lane. It's quiet, it's peaceful. Beyond the horizon is rest calling my name. Green pastures, still waters, my cup runneth over.
~~June 17, 2017~~
