One of the names drawn to participate in “Fascination” belonged to a performer who is gaining a following in drag entertainment — Emerald Foxx Paris.
“Fascination” is a drag show fundraiser presented by the Haus of Fatale that benefits the Highland Lakes Equality Center. Dinner, which is catered Super Taco, will be served at 6:30 p.m. Saturday, March 14, at Hill Country Community Theatre, 4003 FM 2147 in Cottonwood Shores. Tickets are $35 for singles, $60 for couples, and $100 for groups of four.
In late 2019, Aries and Luiz Fatale announced Haus of Fatale was hosting another drag show in spring 2020, and the number of performers who wanted to participate forced the two to hold a drawing they showed live on one of the group’s social media platforms. Aries and Luiz believed the drawing was the impartial way to create the playbill. When Emerald’s name was drawn, the two were thrilled.
“Emerald always gives me glamor,” Luiz said. “He’s a very glamorous and beautiful queen.”
Before 2015, Emerald never considered performing in drag until the thought was planted by people he didn’t know. Then when a friend volunteered to do his makeup, Emerald made a decision.
“I guess I’ll do drag,” he recalled thinking.
He chose Emerald Foxx Paris in honor of his favorite color and favorite stone and in honor of his drag mother, Kara Foxx-Paris, who is the co-host of “Fascination.”
Kara is well known in the drag industry and has a devoted fan base. Once Emerald decided to become a drag performer, he quickly realized who he wanted to pattern himself after. The two met while Kara was hosting another event in 2015.
They formed a close bond, and Kara began to mentor Emerald in all things related to pageants: look, costume, stage presence, getting the audience involved, and all sorts of important facets of entertaining. The drag mother allowed her son to borrow wigs, jewelry and costumes “for a baby drag competition,” and that propelled Emerald to remain in drag.
“I always looked up to her,” he said. “She was one of those queens who was always put together. She always looked expensive, she always caught my eye.”
Emerald met Aries and Luiz Fatale, the creators of “Fascination,” at a club in Austin.
“They were always supportive of me and entertainers of this area,” he said. “They book different people to give different people an opportunity to perform and to be apart of the drag community.”
Emerald said each performance is an opportunity to improve and cautioned that those who don’t have that approach may not last in the business.
“I feel like I learn something new every time I get on stage,” he said. “Drag is ever evolving. If you’re not learning anything, you might reconsider what you’re doing.”
And he has little doubt that attendees of “Fascination” will leave wildly entertained.
“Certainly everybody doing this ‘Fascination’ show, all of the entertainers are on top of their game and will be doing stuff they’ve never done before,” he said.