Thomas Jaspers
Writer, Director & Producer
Kim, Robin, Trude, The COVID-19 Dancers
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‘A national treasure’ – The Herald Sun
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Thomas Jaspers first pranced onto the comedy scene fifteen years ago and quickly made a name for himself, just as his father always warned he would. Jaspers has become something of a fixture at festivals all over Australia having performed at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, Melbourne’s Midsumma Festival, Sydney Mardi Gras, Adelaide Feast Festival, Brisbane Melt, Melbourne Fringe, Perth Fringe, Sydney Fringe, Adelaide Fringe and the Melbourne Writers Festival. He also had the pleasure of opening for Joel Creasy at the New York Comedy
Festival.
Thomas is well known for his work as one of the warped minds behind the cult Melbourne drag comedy trio Granny Bingo in which he plays the miserable but loveable octogenarian Aussie battler Edith Vale. As well as their 10 year run of monthly sold out bingo nights at the Comedy Republic on Bourke Street in Melbourne, the grannies have starred in several of their own comedy shows including A Visit With Nan In A Caravan which won the coveted Golden Gibbo award for it’s inaugural season at Trades Hall for the 2017 Melbourne Comedy Festival before touring to Adelaide’s Garden Of Unearthly Delights and returning to Melbourne for a season at Arts Centre Melbourne. Jaspers can also be heard hosting one of Australia’s highest rating queer podcasts The Gays Are Revolting.
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Thomas dedicates his performance to his Grandmother Marg who, when we had our first run of this show, could be found zipping all over the south- eastern suburbs of Melbourne in her electric scooter handing out flyers and of whom he has fond childhood memories, looking tizzy with a with a frizzy perm, standing over the kitchen sink with a cigarette in one hand and wine in the other, catching up on gossip.
Art Simone
Kath, Prue, Ferret
‘One of Australia’s most prominent LGBTQ+ Game changers’ - The Australian.​​
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Logie and triple ACRA Award nominated Art Simone has claimed her position at the forefront of the Aussie entertainment industry and this down-under drag diva is just getting started. Art first stepped into drag in the early 2010s and has gone from strength to strength as one of Australia’s most in demand live performers. From touring extensively to representing Australia on the world stage, Art has brought her quintessential style and humour to literally thousands of events.
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Focused on ensuring drag reaches regional Australia, Art has been celebrated for creating safe spaces for the LGBTQIA+ community and ensuring that pride is shared and celebrated where it’s needed most. It is this spirit of adventure that scored Art her own series on WOWPresents Plus - Highway To Heel!
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Starring in the inaugural season of Stan’s RuPaul’s Drag Race Down Under, Art’s talent was shared with a whole new audience and immediately became a fan favourite. Bringing unique looks, showcasing her incredible talent and delivering the ultimate one- liners. As the series’ runner-up, she’s since welcomed her new fans, jumped into international touring, featured on Have You Been Paying Attention, Would I Lie To You, Spicks and Specks, In Our Blood, The Cook Up with Adam Liaw, the Kath & Kim 20th Anniversary Special plus headlined her Australian live show As Seen On TV.
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​With her podcast Concealed with Art Simone now in it’s fourth season on the iHeart Radio network, debut book Life Is Art as well as the recently released anthology Drag Queens Down Under and digital series Kick-Ons, you won’t have to go far to get your fix, and one thing's for sure - drag will always be ART for the incredible Art Simone.
Maxi Shield
Sharon, Lorraine, Michelle, The COVID-19 Virus (Edinburgh Fringe season)
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'Superlative and immensely engaging’ - Arts Hub​​​
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Maxi Shield is Sydney’s drag de jour — this tattooed powerhouse with perfectly styled synthetic hair and a résumé as dazzling as her wardrobe. With over 27 years of experience, Maxi
has become a staple on both Australian and international stages, celebrated for her humour, heart, and high-octane performances. Wearing many fabulous hats, Maxi is more than just a drag queen. She’s a seasoned performer, pole dancing compère, anti-violence safety ambassador, and even a rugby union mascot.
Known affectionately as the “good girl of drag”, Maxi’s signature warmth and wit have made her a beloved figure in the community. Maxi has closed a straight Olympics, opened a gay one, and lit up iconic events like Sydney Mardi Gras, Sleaze Ball, and every glitter-drenched celebration in between.
She’s also made her mark as an actress, headlining the hit stage production Tae Tae in the Land of Yasss, where she brought the house down with her hilarious turn as an eccentric fairy godmother.
With a personality as big as her chest, you always know when Maxi is in the room — and so does the crowd. She’s even shared the stage with the Queen of Pop herself, Madonna. And yes, Maxi is officially a RU-GIRL — a fan favourite who placed fifth on the inaugural season of RuPaul’s Drag Race Down Under, the Emmy- winning global drag phenomenon. Top shelf talent, unapologetically fabulous — pour yourself a double shot of Maxi Shield.
Leasa Mann
Sharon, Lorraine, Michelle, The COVID-19 Virus (all other seasons)
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Leasa Mann could be considered one of the matriarchs of Melbourne drag. She is widely
adored by the community – notably for her work during the pandemic raising money for community
members who were out of work and unable to pay their bills, often throwing her own savings in to make up any shortfall. Leasa’s charitable lockdown work made national news and landed her a deal with BPay to continue her fabulous mission.
As well as her kind heart, Leasa is known for her hilarious hosting skills, camp outfits and fierce
dance numbers which can be seen on display regularly at Mollies Bar & Diner and Sircut Bar in Melbourne. When she’s not touring with Fountain Lakes, you can catch Leasa hosting her weekly show Thank Mollie’s It’s Friday. Leasa is also one of the hosts of the smash hit night Club Broadway which has been touring Australia and New Zealand and selling out wherever it goes.
Alongside a team of volunteers made up of community members, Leasa launched the
Melbourne Excellence In Drag & Entertainment Awards in 2024 which recognise,
celebrate and unify the Melbourne drag, dance and burlesque communities.
Unsurprisingly, Leasa was voted Miss Congeniality by her peers at the 2017 Melbourne Drag
Awards.
Scott Brennan
Kel, Brett, Meryl Streep, The COVID-19 Dancers
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Scott Brennan has been appearing on Aussie screens and stages for years. He is well known for
his work on the early 00’s program skitHOUSE as well as his appearances on Comedy Inc, Stand Up
Australia, Upper Middle Bogan, Lowdown, Judith Lucy’s Spiritual Journey, Bogan Pride, Spicks &
Specks, Rove Live, The Secret Life Of Us, Blue Heelers, Stingers, Welcher & Welcher and for his
portrayal of local newspaper editor Josh Burns on Neighbours.
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Stage appearances include Spontaneous Broadway, Life - Get it up ya (which was also performed at the Edinburgh Fringe), Code Beige, Glen Bush; Teenage Superstar (for which he received a Moosehead grant) and Very Very Scary. He was a regular panellist on the hit podcast Talking Poofy and spent many years acting as a mentor and director for young comedians through the Comedy Festival’s “LolSquad” program.​
He is a member of the cult comedy trio Granny Bingo, who perform sell out shows monthly, as well as touring festivals. In 2017, their Melbourne Comedy Festival show A Visit With Nan In A Caravan won the Golden Gibbo Award. Brennan is also an active voice over artist, appearing in commercials for Hungry Jacks and Coles Supermarkets.
He is a massive fan of David Bowie.