Entertainment/Ticket

Thursday, Jun. 26, 2008

Quite an impression: ark Alan Smith will lead a night of female impersonators as part of Central Coast Pride Week

Mark Alan Smith will lead a night of female impersonators as part of Central Coast Pride Week

Comments (0) |

It was a dare that first got Mark Alan Smith onstage.

“A bunch of my buddies were like, ‘We dare you to get up and entertain,’ ” the native Texan recalled. “I just got up and did it, and I’ve never looked back since.”

Today, Smith is a singer, comedian and vocal impressionist whose cast of characters ranges from Barbra Streisand to George Burns.

He’ll bring his funny, sassy act to San Luis Obispo on July 3 as the master of ceremonies of “Glamour Boyz,” part of Central Coast Pride Week. The drag-style show

also features Tina Turner tribute singer Larry Edwards, stage name “Hot Chocolate”; female impersonator Kohl Faulkner, who goes by “Tasha Kohl”; and dancer Freddy Cortez aka “The Sweet Savage.”

The event, followed by a dance, is for ages 21 and older.

“This is the first time we’ve been on a stage together in over 10 years. We’re all excited,” Smith said. “It’s going to be like a family reunion for us.”

No drag queen

As Smith explains, “I like to be a breed apart. “

He makes a distinction between himself and the sequin-clad entertainers commonly known as female impersonators or drag queens. Unlike many drag-show performers, the former choir member sings rather than lip-synchs to famous songs. He performs in and out of drag. And he portrays male characters as well as women onstage.

“I’m not a drag queen. I’m an artist,” Smith said, adding that he chooses carefully when to don wigs and makeup. “Wearing a dress is not my life. It’s just a small, tiny piece of my life.”

He hesitates to use the word “drag” to describe his act. That’s because he’s struggled with stereotypes in the past, explained the performer, who once competed nationally in drag-style pageants.

“You will find that a lot of people when they see a man in a dress, that’s (all) they see, no matter what,” Smith said. “You could yodel and blow yourself up and come back to life and they’d still see a man in a dress. They’re not going to see your talent.”

Plenty of talent

If Smith’s career is any indication, however, his talent for comedy and song is getting plenty of recognition.

Since moving to Dallas in 1989, the entertainer has performed in venues from Fort Lauderdale, Fla., to San Francisco. He starred in a 2003 documentary (“From a Jack to a Queen”), opened for R&B singers Evelyn “Champagne” King and Thelma Houston, and performed with Elton John at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas.

One career highlight came when he opened in Dallas for Eartha Kitt—doing an impression of the actress and singer known for her smoky, purring voice.

“That was a memorable night,” recalled Smith. “When you have a peer and a legend tell you (that) you are wonderful, that validates you. … That’s when I knew I was in the right business.”

Smith’s catalog of impressions features a whopping 65 voices, including pop stars Cher, Bette Midler and Tina Turner. “You can never go wrong with the divas,” Smith said with a chuckle.

He takes regular suggestions from audience members — including one for his favorite childhood singer, Karen Carpenter.

“I loved listening to her over and over. I thought she was incredible,” Smith said. “Somebody yelled out ‘Karen Carpenter’ one night, I did it, and…Oh my god, you could hear a pin drop.”

His repertoire also includes some more unexpected choices, such as Kermit the Frog and Eric Cartman, the fat, foulmouthed kid from “South Park.” But most of his creations, he says, are spontaneous.

“A lot of guys do sit and study and study and study. To me, that takes the spontaneity out of it all,” Smith said. “To me, perfection is what happens on the stage.”

Three or four years ago, Smith added another element to his act: the nostalgia-heavy rock music of the 1970s and ’80s.

“To sit and crank out ‘Hotel California’ and have people with their lighters out—you can’t beat that,” he said. “That to me is the ultimate compliment, to have people come to their feet because of their memory of the song.”

Smith keeps his act fluid because, he said, “If you want to be a unique star, you have to do something better than everyone else,” the performer said.

Pride Week activities, which start next week, also include an art show, a concert by comedian Wanda Sykes, and a full day of music, vendors and kids’ activities at San Luis Obispo’s Mission Plaza. They’re sponsored by the Gay and Lesbian Alliance of the Central Coast.

Smith, who will be making his fourth Pride appearance, said he’s eager to return to the Central Coast.

“San Luis Obispo is one of my all-time favorite places to go. It’s charming. The people are wonderful,” he said.