Reading with Royalty
Brought to you in partnership by the Calgary Public Library and Calgary Pride.
Spark your imagination & celebrate inclusion and diversity with our new glamorous local drag performers in this glittery and fabulous event
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Participants are encouraged to dress as their most fabulous selves and are invited to family-friendly songs and stories that celebrate individuality, acceptance, and community.
The Royal Readers ↗
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EQUALITY N CELEBRATION c LEARNING g RESPECT a COLLABORATION m
EQUALITY N CELEBRATION c LEARNING g RESPECT a COLLABORATION m
EQUALITY N CELEBRATION c LEARNING g RESPECT a COLLABORATION m
EQUALITY N CELEBRATION c LEARNING g RESPECT a COLLABORATION m
EQUALITY N CELEBRATION c LEARNING g RESPECT a COLLABORATION m
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Community Outreach
The Royal Readers love to be involved in their community.
If you would like to host a reading event with our readers and the Calgary Public Library please complete the form and one of our program organizers will be in touch to schedule a reading.
Host a Reading Event ↗
The Royal Readers. Our magical storytellers.
King Neptune
A long time Royalty Reader, this king has been entertaining on stages across western Canada for over a decade with his suave moves. He’s on an intergalactic mission to have a dance party on every planet in the universe. Let him take you on an adventure across the galaxy you’ll never forget. Straight from the stars and onto a stage near you, it’s King Neptune!
Shane Onyou
Shane Onyou arrived on the Calgary drag scene in 2017 as the premier, sexy and sultry Daddy of the community. Throughout his career, Shane has not only been a popular performer at Twisted Element, Fake Mustache at Dicken’s Pub, ISCCA events, or frankly anywhere with a stage, but has also been a frontline advocate in the community.
Serving as a 2SLGBTQIA+ activist, Shane’s resume of service includes Reading with Royalty through Calgary Pride, online Storytime With Shane, supporting queer youth by providing paid stages for up-and-coming youth drag performers, and sitting on various boards including Okotoks Pride. Building a safer future for the queer youth of today is Shane’s highest priority. Safety in the community is a passion for Shane, as he fills the role of head of security at Calgary’s most popular queer nightclub, Twisted Element.
From newspaper covers during Pride to evening news segments covering the increasing vitriol toward the queer and drag communities, Shane never hesitates to speak up for the rights of those being targeted by bigotry and hatred. You can frequently find him on podcasts, in interviews, photo essays, and various ad campaigns as he continues to fight for a more equitable world for all. Serving you old school style and eyes that will melt your heart, Shane was Viscount of the Fake Mustache through ISCCA, and brings a unique blend of campyness and sex appeal that has audiences consistently screaming for more!
Shame on you if you’ve yet to fall in love with Shane Onyou!
The Frizz
The Frizz is here to help you take chances, make mistakes, and get messy! They are a fun and bubbly monarch as well as an active performer in Cowtown, especially when it comes to music making. The Frizz loves spending time with kiddos to make sure life is all about fun, and trying new things to make sure life is exciting. When it comes to books, The Frizz is always reading something adventurous, and interesting. Jump aboard, let’s get learning’ Wahoo!
LJ Nailz
Currently a member of Canada’s Largest Drag Troupe, Fake Mustache, since 2005. With my 80’s esthetic, I have been dubbed “The King of Cheese”.
LJ is a mix of every kind of music that I love. As much as LJ is an 80’s rocker or crooner, he also can rock out to any decade. Whether it’s being apart of a Boy Band, or Broadway, or Working Out, there isn’t much that LJ hasn’t done.
When Fake Mustache was first formed, we were heavily anchored to performing for youth, and did so until the closing of Club Sapien in 2012. Since then, our focus on performing for youth took a backseat, as there were no venues that would support it.
When the opportunity to be able to read stories to children, IN DRAG, came about, it spoke to that part of LJ and myself, to get back to why Fake Mustache exists.
With a vast array of voices and emotion, stories told by LJ Nailz, will always be an adventure.
Posie Pocket
Posie Pocket is here to rock it! Posie is a fierce AFAB queen that likes to be known as the Mrs Frizzle of drag! Her pronouns are She/Her in and out of drag!
Aida Cupcake
Aida Cupcake is a sweet and dainty, opera-singing, musical-theatre-loving drag clown who is always up for make believe and a fun adventure. She loves Mozart & Puccini, perfect rhyme courtesy of Sondheim, and all sorts of colourful and sparkly things. BTW – when reading out loud, she will always do her best to do character voices!
Daisy
She’s in full bloom : It’s Daisy! Daisy is a fabulous drag queen who absolutely loves performing! She is also passionate about dancing and makeup, she uses she/her pronouns in drag and they/he pronouns out of drag!
